Rin's Choice (Sesshomaru x Rin)

Talk (Part 2)

Back at the Village of Inuyasha

"Strange," Lady Kaede whispers, looking out into the night. Carrion crows fly from left to right then appear to circle the Tree of Ages. "I do not know why, yet I must find out."

"Kaede!" Kagome gasps, running towards her. "What's going on?"

"I do not know, child. I do not know. But methinks it bodes ill for us all."

Inuyasha emerges from the forest, running on quick tiptoes. "I couldn't find nothin', no reason for those dumb birds to be congregating at the tree."

"It's not just them," Sango's voice calls down.

They all look up to see Sango and Miroku on the back of Kirara.

Miroku takes out a tiny sprout, the roots of which kick and squirm. The seed coat remains, and as they look, it blinks open eyes that turn red and immediately begins to scream.

Inuyasha and Kirara both fall to the ground, groaning and covering their ears.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha gasps. "Kill the damn thing, Miroku!"

"No, you've got to listen—" Miroku begins.

Inuyasha stumbles to his feet, staggering forward only to stop when Sango steps in front of Miroku.

Inuyasha pauses, his eyes dropping to the small child in her arms before he stops advancing, using his hands to cover his ears. "Hiding behind your wife and child now? That's brave."

"I prefer to think of it as a tactical move," Miroku says smoothly. "Now if we can get this thing to shut up—" Miroku lightly smacks the plant right above the roots.

It shuts up, blinking up at him, before angrily demanding, "Why did you do that?!"

"We can't understand that language," Miroku says, sounding kind and reassuring. "I didn't know how else to get you to stop. Now, you said you've got a message for us? From one of the tree sages?"

The seed creature blinks then nods, looking up at the sky. "Do you feel it?" the seedling asks.

"Feel what?" Kagome asks, taking a step forward.

"The world just changed," the seedling squeaks. "These lesser yokai, they feel it, the stream of destiny twisting, changing."

"You're about as useful as your sages," Inuyasha murmurs. "Quit the crap and tell us what's going on."

The seedling blinks at him, "Your brother was warned, son of Toga. He was warned, and yet he still continued to dance to the sway of destiny. But then, given his blood, how could he resist?"

The seedling grins, revealing razor-sharp teeth as it leers at Kagome, then pointedly at her stomach. It tsks, "Like father, like sons."

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you, right here, right now, for even looking at my wife like that," Inuyasha growls.

Kagome pales, looking from the tiny creature to Kaede. Kaede frowns, "You're here to warn us of what is to come."

The seedling turns its grin on her, "Yes. And no. You're family," it turns to Inuyasha, "will have another chance to reshape the flow of destiny, to harness and guide the winds of change. Your child, and your brothers', will decide all of our fates."

"That's cryptic and not helpful," Inuyasha scoffs. "Anything else?"

"Just know that these signs you're seeing aren't just being seen by you," the seedling whispers, looking a little fearful for the first time. It gazes skyward, to where more carrion crows fly. "They're meeting at the tree," it whispers. "But they will not stay. If you look, you'll notice they appear different."