The Once and Future Taiyoukai By RosieB. (Inuyasha FanFic)

Chapter 21: Pain

ALL RIGHTS TO ROSIE B ON FANFICTION.NET Rosie B [https://www.fanfiction.net/u/38149/RosieB]

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Chapter 21: Pain

A/N: A record number of reviews for chapter 20! And there are officially over TWO THOUSAND reviews for this story (and that's just on FFN)! Wow! Thanks so much!

A lot of you had questions about the ending of the last chapter, but don't worry about that – all of your questions will be answered shortly. This chapter is HEAVY on exposition, but I strongly suggest that you don't skim. I tried to make it as interesting as possible. Enjoy!

The Once and Future Taiyoukai

Chapter 21: Pain

She was perfectly still, poised over the water like the predator she had become over the years. He was silently impressed with her skill after only four years, especially when he had never given her a formal lesson and only passing commentary about her methods. Even now, her hand was slicing through the cold water and expertly plucking out a fish.

"Got one!" she squealed and he raised an eyebrow. She had to work on not scaring the other fish away, apparently.

"Yes, Rin," he murmured anyway.

His ward beamed at him, knowing that this simple recognition of her catch was high praise indeed. "Lord Sesshoumaru, would you like me to catch a fish for you?" she asked. At twelve years old, she had dropped the habit of speaking in third person in imitation of her guardian, but she had not lost her adoration for him. Even now, she bounced on the balls of her feet in anticipation of his response.

But he shook his head. "I am not hungry," he said.

Rin only appeared disappointed for a moment. "Alright," she said, as she hooked her finger through the fish's gill and carrying it over to a smooth, flat stone. She drew the little knife that Sesshoumaru had given to her two years ago for just this purpose, and she began to clean the fish. "Jaken-sama, is the fire ready?"

"It's getting there, you stupid girl," the imp muttered, piling the wood on top of the strengthening flame. "Why didn't you wait to catch the fish until you knew it was ready?"

"A dead fish can wait, but a live one will swim away, Jaken-sama," replied Rin in a sing-song voice, wiggling her knife at him.

"I don't see why you even needed to have fish," Jaken groused. "You have plenty of dried venison."

"That is for the winter," Rin said as she dropped the unwanted bits of the fish back into the stream. "Sesshoumaru-sama says that we should always be prepared for a harsh winter. I will not eat the venison when I can still catch fish, Jaken-sama. You're just being grumpy because you can't fish as well as I can!"

Jaken sputtered. "I'll have you know, you stupid girl, that I've fished for longer than..."

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, "be quiet."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken muttered with a bow.

"And be ashamed that a human girl is more proficient than you at such a simple task," he added.

Rin glowed as Jaken flapped about in silent protest. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!" the girl said.

Sesshoumaru turned his face up towards the sky. It was early yet, but darkness was already settling upon them. He disliked the winter for this reason. The days were too short and the cold made Jaken complain and Rin shiver. Last winter, Rin was so ill that he had not dared to move her for three days and after that, Ah-Un had carried the girl for another week and a half before he was satisfied that the danger had passed.