Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 24: Koga meets Sesshomaru

"Koga!" Ginta and Hakkaku cried, while Yuki cocked her head.

'What is he doing here?' She wondered. 'Though more importantly, why were his idiot friends wanting to keep us away from him?'

It hadn't escaped her notice that Ginta and Hakkaku had quickly switched plans to dragging Koga away from their path after Sesshomaru threatened them, indicating they had initially been keeping Sesshomaru away from Koga. Why they were so intent upon that, though, was a mystery to Yuki.

Koga, meanwhile, had caught sight of Sesshomaru as the dog demon stood between the other wolf demons and his wards. The wolf demon leader's brows furrowed as he stared at the white-haired demon, and he demanded: "Who are you? What do you want?"

Sesshomaru simply stared back at the wolf demon, his gold eyes unreadable to the others but Yuki saw that he appeared to be silently judging the other demon. As though weighing him against something in his mind.

She wasn't exactly sure what, since – while she knew Koga was strong – he was no match against Sesshomaru, even with the help of the Jewel Shards in his legs.

Yuki therefore watched silently as Koga jumped down from the rocks, landing right beside his comrades. And then he spoke.

"He reeks like that filthy mutt Inuyasha."

'... Wrong thing to say.' Yuki thought. Were all wolves suicidal?

Rin abruptly gasped, and Yuki glanced over at the child instantly to see she'd tensed against A-Un. Her eyes were on Koga, and Yuki realized the human child would only have been able to make out Koga's features just now, when he'd come closer. Her weaker human eyes wouldn't have been able to see him clearly when he'd been afar.

It also seemed Rin recognized Koga, and from her reaction...

"Lord Sesshomaru? Yuki?" Rin called softly, fear evident in her tone, and confirmed Yuki's thoughts.

'It was Koga.' She realized. 'It was his wolves that killed Rin before.'

She doubted he would remember – after all, how many humans would he have killed without a thought in the past? – nor could she really judge him, for he was a demon and eating humans was just something some demons and wolves did. But to Rin...

Yuki moved closer to the child, providing silent comfort as Rin reached out and clung tightly to Yuki's sleeve. Sesshomaru also glanced back, his head not moving but his eyes were contemplative.

His eyes met Yuki's momentarily, and she silently asked through them: 'Please don't kill them if you don't have to.'

He stared back with the same considering expression, as Ginta and Hakkaku had hurried over to Koga, and Hakkaku whispered (though all the demons – and half-demon – could hear him): "That's him! Inuyasha's older brother."

"Don't go picking a fight with him." Ginta begged, and Yuki finally understood why they'd been acting so strangely.

The two clearly cared for Koga, and had feared an altercation between their beloved leader and Sesshomaru. Though Yuki doubted Sesshomaru would have been interested enough in Koga to battle him... then again, if he continued to be a mouthy arsehole, he might just get his butt whipped.

As though he was testing her theory, Koga asked Sesshomaru disdainfully: "So, you're Inuyasha's older brother. Hmph, except that you're not a half-demon... unlike your fellow companion."

His eyes fell on Yuki briefly to make his point. She raised a brow, while Sesshomaru's eyes slid back to the wolf demon, his brows furrowed slightly with subtle anger.