InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Woman & Child ❯ Getting to Know You ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

They haven’t spoken for the rest of the afternoon and Sesshoumaru found he didn’t mind as much as that morning. Shori explained the reasoning behind her blind hatred. Shori caught up to Sesshoumaru and looked up at him.

“Do you hate wolves?” Shori asked.

“Wolves have never done anything to cross me.” Sesshoumaru said.

“You probably think I’m a fool for my hatred.” Shori lowered her head.

“That song.” Sesshoumaru began. “What is it.”

Shori looked up with confusion, then softened her features. “Does Rin sing it?” Sesshoumaru nodded. Shori blushed, Sesshoumaru found the tint of her cheeks to be fascinating. “It’s a ookami lullaby. My mother sang it to me when a was just a little girl. Sometimes I remember her face and can still smell her scent of Jasmine. She died when I was still young. But I still remember her so well.” Shori smiled. “Rin remembers her mother too. She told about the days she would come home to her warm arms and delicious meals. She had a father and a brother also. She misses them.”

Sesshoumaru glanced at the girl. “Humans carry strange attachments to the departed.”

“Hn,” Shori responded. “And dogs don’t, youkai?”

“Sesshoumaru.” The irritated youkai corrected. “You will address this Sesshoumaru with respect, understand girl.”

“Shori.” She smiled.

“Shori.”

“-hime,” the girl smiled brighter.

“Sesshoumaru-sama.” The youkai smiled back.

The night approached faster due to the winter and Sesshoumaru said that they would stop for the night. He found a abandoned den, and asked Shori if it was occupied.

“This den once belonged to boars but they are gone now. My clan killed them for attacking the human villagers.” Shori explained proudly.
“Your clan protected the humans?” Sesshoumaru asked as he ducked into the cave after Shori.

“Of course, we were the favored youkai in the lands.”

“You still refer to yourself as youkai.” Sesshoumaru stated.

Shori sighed. “I suppose I do.” And that was all there was to it.

After a few hours, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes. He scanned his surroundings like he did every night. The youkai was always on alert. Something was strange this night. Something warm was curled in his lap, after a moment of adjusting he realized that it was the hime. She was curled into a ball covered in her father’s pelt. And she crawled into his lap. Sesshoumaru weighed his options for a moment and came to the conclusion that the girl would be best if she stayed right there. She was a wolf basically and they hated sleeping alone. She must have been miserable all that time, sleeping alone in the cave. Sesshoumaru settled back in his place and resisted the urge to pet her. As he shifted, she snuggled deeper into his lap and moaned slightly. The movement and pleasant sounds she made caused Sesshoumaru to gasp slightly. He reached down and shifted himself so the girl would have any unpleasant hardness against her when she woke. He finally gave way to temptation and stroked her amazingly soft hair. Shori seemed to sigh happily as she nuzzled his leg. Sesshoumaru sighed and closed his eyes.

‘If only she could be this pleasant while she’s awake.’ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he again drifted with his fingers tangled in her hair.

Shori woke up from the most peaceful sleep she had in over a year. There were no nightmares. But only dreams of a sweet little girl and a mysterious man dressed in white. She expected to wake up in her lonely den but instead her vision was filled with white and warmth was all around her. Slowly she directed her gaze upwards and was met with a beautiful sight, his face was so peaceful and handsome. Her finally had a chance to really study his markings. His was indeed regal in every way. Shori blushed because she thought Sesshoumaru was attractive. She felt Sesshoumaru shift and quickly scurried off his lap. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and smile at the blushing girl.

“You are a wolf.” He said softly.

“Arigato...Sesshoumaru-sama.” Shori smiled.

Shori made a delicious breakfast of a freshly caught wild pig. Sesshoumaru ate in silence as she sang her song as per his request. When her song ended so did his meal. He watched as she cleaned the area throughly. She was very clean and graceful, it was hard to believe that she was raised by wild youkai. She really was a princess.

“We should go.” Shori said.

“Hn.” Sesshoumaru agreed.

Like the day before they walked in silence for most of the morning, they were still six days travel away from Rin and Jaken. Shori figured they should get to know one another. She eyed a stick on the ground and slyly picked it up. She wondered if inu youkai were similar to ookami. She still thought they were beastly, well not all of them. She now learned that at least one of them smelled deliciously of the wild forests she loved.

“Sesshoumaru-sama?” Shori said sweetly.

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned slowly. Shori was twirling a stick between her fingers. Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on the movements of the stick, much to Shori’s satisfaction.

Suddenly she threw the stick past the tai youkai. “Go get it!” She yelled.

Sesshoumaru flinched, he almost went for it. Sesshoumaru growled. “Hmpf!” He scoffed as he turned away and continued on the path.

Shori smiled and caught up to Sesshoumaru. “Ookami are playful animals, it’s pleasant. You should try it.”

“I will not stoop so low to fetch a stick.” Sesshoumaru said coldly.

“Well then, I’ll go get it!” Shori ran in the direction of the stick and disappeared into the brush. Sesshoumaru sighed and followed the girl. When he cleared the forest he caught sight of her. She was kneeling by a motionless mass of fur. Sesshoumaru stepped closer and was able to tell what the animal was from sight and smell. A dead wolf. It looked old and probably died from age. Shori was quietly stroking it’s soft, thick fur. She wasn’t crying but she smiled sadly.

“He was old, he lived a full life.” Shori said softly. “My clan wasn’t suppose to die the way they did. They were suppose to die like this. Old and fulfilled.” Sesshoumaru stood over her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Shori sniffled slightly and stood. “I hope to be as lucky as him someday.” Shori turned and began to walk away. Sesshoumaru looked down on the dead wolf again. He died peacefully, he was lucky. He followed Shori away from the scene. Before he reached the forest he saw the stick that Shori had thrown. He picked it up and hid it in his sleeve.

Once again they stopped for lunch.

“The villagers respect you greatly.” Sesshoumaru said. They shared a small fish. Neither was really hungry.

“I would visit from the dens and share secrets of herbs. I would also take our wolf cubs and let the children play with them. I learned combat from the humans and the wolves. With those skills I brought down the inu youkai leader and eventually they’re entire pack.” Shori held her head proudly high.

“You are strong for a ningen Shori-hime.” Sesshoumaru said, surprised at himself for using her honorific.

“What did you do before you got Rin?” Shori asked with genuine interest.

“I hunted two hanyou. I still hunt one of them today.” Sesshoumaru answered.

“Did you kill one of them?” Shori leaned in closer, hoping for an exciting story.

“No, I do not hunt my brother any longer.”

“Your brother?” Shori asked puzzled. “Why would you hunt your blood in the first place?”

“He and his human mother caused my father’s death. My father was wounded from battle but went to protect Inuyasha and his mother anyway.” Sesshoumaru explained.

“Oh, well you shouldn’t hate your brother for being loved.” Shori shrugged. “Were you ever loved?”

Sesshoumaru remained silent as his mind swam with the faces of his past. A motherly but cold woman with familiar golden eyes. A soft spoken hime who gave up her mortal life to grant his forgotten wish. And a wind demon, with piercing red eyes and a wish for freedom. They were all gone now. His mother wasn’t gone but it was a rare occasion in which he saw her. So far it’s been over two hundred years. When he told her that the Inu no Tashio was dead. He hadn’t seen her since. He saved the hime from a fate shrouded in darkness by destroying her demon body. And he stayed by Kagura’s side expressing his feelings just by being there when she died. All he had now was a little girl who tugged at his heart.

Shori knew Sesshoumaru wouldn’t answer so she changed the subject. “Rin told me how powerful you were. And that you let her put flowers in your hair when no else is around.” Sesshoumaru scoffed and Shori laughed. She picked a nearby flower and boldly straddled the tai youkai’s lap. Sesshoumaru’s eyes widen with shock. Shori reached up and tucked a red flower behind his ear. She leaned back and admired her work. Sesshoumaru reflexively put a hand on the small of her back. Shori blushed slightly.

“Well, that’s beautiful.” She said softly.

“Beautiful?” Sesshoumaru twitched a brow.

“Yeah, the flower is beautiful. It brings out your eyes.” Shori confessed. “I suppose all inu youkai aren’t the same.”

“We should keep our pace steady.” Sesshoumaru said as he pulled the flower from her hair and slid the disappointed girl from his lap. Wolves were way to social for they’re own good. He found himself shifting his pants to his displeasure again.

Shori sighed. She was bored, about this time she would be in the village playing with the children or conversing with the older villagers. Sesshoumaru shifted his gazed and looked at her from the corner of eye. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out the stick he’d been carrying. Shori stopped and looked at Sesshoumaru in shock, then a smile crept on her face. Sesshoumaru tossed the stick and Shori immediately went after it. Sesshoumaru continued walking as she danced around him and sang a happy song. Shori put her stick into her pack. She would use that for a carving.

As the day went on Sesshoumaru decided that Shori was pleasant both asleep and awake. She just needed to see that not all inu youkai meant her harm. Getting to know her she seemed more like a eager wolf cub than human. They spent the next three days talking. The silence never stretched out to long.

“When I met Rin, I saw a different future for myself. I knew I wouldn’t be alone and I could help her not be alone too. I think I instantly fell in love with her. She was so full of life and so forgiving.” Shori gave a piece of goat she had stole from a farm. Wolves were cunning hunters but never passed up an easy meal either. Sesshoumaru now accepted the fact that this human was in fact a wolf. “I wanted us to know everything about each immediately. She told me about you from the start. But I didn’t know you were inu youkai.” Shori continued. “I told her about my childhood. And she told me about hers.” Shori sighed. “I thought that would be the end of our short lived friendship. But Rin didn’t care that I called wolves my family. She told me that a single person couldn’t be judge by the whole group.”

Sesshoumaru smiled. Indeed the little girl had heart. “Rin finds good in all.” Sesshoumaru said.

“I found myself wandering to our first meeting place again and again. And so did she. I noticed that she was unkempt. That was no way for a young girl to dress. I made her clothes and brushed her hair.” Shori rested her chin on her bent knees. “I wanted a daughter with Naota-kun, I asked Rin if I could call her my daughter. She agreed. That was the night before I met you.” Shori looked up. “She was suppose to tell you about me, but unfortunately due mostly to my short sightlessness I never gave her the chance.”

Sesshoumaru gazed at the hime before him. “You will make a fine mother for Rin.” Sesshoumaru said as he looked away.

Shori smiled. “You are kind, Sesshoumaru.” He didn’t correct her.

Shori nestled into her father’s pelt well away from Sesshoumaru. He looked over to her and frowned. Why did she sleep away from him and then crawl into his lap, he cleared his throat and glared at the woman. Shori looked up with confusion then smiled. Sesshoumaru was a inu after all and even though her clan fought them they had many similarities. She wondered how long it’s been since Sesshoumaru slept with his pack.

Shori curled up into a ball and snuggled into Sesshoumaru’s lap. Sesshoumaru wondered just how flexible the girl was.

Sesshoumaru woke when he felt a cold breeze on his once warm lap. She scanned his surroundings and found that Shori was no where to be seen. Her things were still there and Sesshoumaru assumed the worst. But there was so way a youkai could have took her without knowing it. And the girl was strong and intelligent she would have fought and called out to him. Sesshoumaru followed her scent to a cliff. But she wasn’t there. Instead it was a pure white wolf staring up at the full moon. Sesshoumaru remained out of sight from the large marvelous animal. It had thick fur and sad blue eyes. It seemed to be whimpering. Then it howled loudly. The song was that of a heart broken animal. Sesshoumaru could hear the animal’s cries. It was crying to it’s family for guidance. The wolf was female and she was beginning to fall in love. Sesshoumaru gasped with understanding and silently turned and made his way back to camp.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to the fresh cool morning. Shori was asleep in his lap. Sesshoumaru felt that damn tug in his heart again. He should really take the woman back. Rin didn’t even know she was coming, she wouldn’t be expecting her so he could come back without her. But as he looked down on her peaceful face he knew that like Rin he must give her a choice.

“Where did you go last night?” Sesshoumaru asked over tea Shori had packed.

Shori looked up with wide eyes. “I needed to go for a walk, I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“You didn’t” Sesshoumaru responded with a slight growl that Shori missed with her human ears. “You are very human.” The growl was louder this time and Shori caught it.

Shori frowned. “Yes, I was born from a human’s womb but I was raised a wolf.”

“You will die someday.” He said.

“All things must die.” She responded.

“You do not have the strength of youkai.” Sesshoumaru continued to point out her own weakness.

“I am cunning and quick, not all battles are won with brute force.” Sesshoumaru tossed her the spear she carried.

“Show me.” He ordered.

Shori didn’t spare Sesshoumaru’s command a second thought as she circled around him with almost inhuman speed. Sesshoumaru chuckled and turned to strike behind him, but Shori surprised him by going back the way she came and striking before he could complete his turn. Sesshoumaru jumped back and avoided the swipe of her spear easily. The girl twisted her body and swung her spear again in a perfect arc. Sesshoumaru smiled, it was only a smile he reserved for Rin. Shori was taken back, he looked impressed.

“Why do you want to spar with me Sesshoumaru?” Shori asked as she flipped back and avoided a blow from the youkai.

“I want answers.” Sesshoumaru responded without losing a breath.

Shori paused and gave Sesshoumaru the second he needed to trip her. In a instant Shori regained herself and crouch low. Sesshoumaru watched as Shori sprung up like he watched some wolves do many times. She jumped high and pushed herself off his shoulders flipping and twisting until she was facing his back. She grasped his shoulders and pressed her foot on the small of his back and flipped him over. The entire thing happen in a matter of seconds and Sesshoumaru barely had time to catch himself.

“Want do you want to know.” Shori picked up her spear and settled into her battle stance. “I don’t have to tell you anything youkai!”

Sesshoumaru stood up straight. He pushed her into bad memories. Sesshoumaru stepped closer and Shori growled. Sesshoumaru pulled the spear from the shaking girl’s fingers. Shori jerked back and threw a punch in Sesshoumaru’s direction. Sesshoumaru dodged her punch and pulled her body close. Shori struggled under his tight grip.

“Get your dog hands off me!” Shori continued to struggle and landed a slap on his cheek. Sesshoumaru remained still and burned his golden gaze into her. Shori gasped and went limp in his arm. She buried her face into his haori and cried. Sesshoumaru squeezed her tighter and laid his cheek on her hair.

Shori wrapped her arms around him and cried harder. “Sesshoumaru...” Shori whispered. Sesshoumaru let her pull away slightly and looked down on her sad and beautiful face. Sesshoumaru lower his head slightly. Shori didn’t wait, she quickly raised her head and locked her lips with his. Sesshoumaru fell deeply into the kiss and into the woman who cried her love to the moon.

Sesshoumaru knew that this woman had deep secrets hidden in her heart, he also knew that she would tell him when she was ready.

End Chapter Three
Next Chapter: Back to Basics