The Life After

6/27/06

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters of Inuyasha. I do not own Naraku, Inutaisho, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Jakken, Rin, or Ah-Un. I also do not own Ayame, the Elder, or Kouga. Nor do I own the lunar rainbow promise. I do not own Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, or Shippo. I do not own Kohaku, Hachi, Kaede, or Kikyo or ANY of the characters or happenings from Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi is the wonderful creator and owner of said characters, manga, and show. I do not make money off of her characters or this story. Anything that is not owned by her is still owned by the people who own the Inuyasha show and movies. I give them credit for their work as well. I do not make money off of their ideas or episodes. This Disclaimer applies to this and all following chapters.

Author's Note: I'm sorry that nothing of importance is happening, but I really have to get Shen and Ayame in this a lot before I go on to the next chapter. They're really important, in their own way, to continuing the story. Kouga will be showing up in either the next chapter or the 13th one. He's going to actually be a great help to Rin. I didn't explain much about why Kagome and Inuyasha were mates, but it just kinda made sense...i mean if Rin was 8 during the whole Naraku thing, then this is twelve years later. You'd really think Inuyasha and Kagome would've got their shit together in 12 years! lol. Anyway, this chapter is just more happenings in the wolf realm, and a few snippets about how Sesshoumaru is handling....or not handling....his longing for Rin.

Thanks: to all the people who have made my hits go soaring in such a short amount of time. Thanks to everyone who reviews! I live off of these reviews, it's probably the only reason I keep writing! This time, since I posted the other chapter such a short while ago, I only have one person to thank. Thanks to animegirl007. No, indeed, I do not sleep on starbucks...I detest coffee...however! I have a deep love of chocolate and sugar. So that could be it. And yay! Kouga and Ayame rock!!!! I always thought they made a much better couple than him and Kagome.....and Hobo...*ehem* I mean Houjo...let's not even go there. HOBO NEEDS TO GET A CLUE! What kind of girl likes being brought health presents all the damn time, no matter how sick they are??? Oops...rambling again. I hope you all like this chapter too. Once again, I'm sooo sorry these are soooo short. I dunno why, I think it's cuz i'm writing so quickly.

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Rin sat at the mouth of cave, her back against the cave wall. She was watching the moon shimmer through the curtain of water. Suddenly a figure leapt up in front of the moon and bounded through the water. This wolf girl was not one Rin had seen before. The girl shook the water from her, then turned to her. “You are . . . Lady Rin, correct?”

“Yes,” Rin stared up at the bright red-haired woman.

“Great, I'm Ayame. Granddaughter of the Elder. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rin,” Ayame smiled, bowing her head.

“Oh! You're the granddaughter of the Elder of the Wolf Tribes?” Rin gasped, Master Tuu-Yen had told her many tales of the wolves. The Elder was looked up to by all of the demon packs.

“Tell me: what brings you so far north to our tribe?” Ayame sat down beside her.

Rin hung her head sadly, not wanting the memories that suddenly overwhelmed her, “The lord no longer wishes me present in his life. I have done no good for him, and the lord is better off without me. Perhaps, with me gone, the lord will be able to regain his control of his domain.”

“What's with all of this 'the lord' business? Are you not his mate? You do mean Lord Sesshoumaru?” Ayame was confused.

Rin shook her head, “I am not worthy of being the lord's mate, and he has rejected me. I can never return to the lord's castle. Please,” she suddenly faced Ayame, “Please allow me to stay with you! Do not make me return there!”

“Easy, of course you can stay with us…but don't you want to go home?” Ayame asked gently.

“I don't know,” Rin whispered honestly, “I do miss the lord, but I cannot possibly face him again!”

“I won't force you to go back, but I think you should have more faith in him,” Ayame smiled, “Especially if he is your mate.”

“Does it really smell that much?” Rin blushed.

“When a demon marks their mate, what they're really doing is merging scents. From that day on, neither has their own scent. As much as we can smell him on you, we could easily smell you on him.”

“So it's like…we're one?” Rin's eyes shone in the shimmering light of the falls.

“Exactly,” Ayame smiled, leaning back and closing her eyes. “You know,” she said after a second, “I'm not having such great luck with my husband as well.”

“Really?” Rin sat up, quite interested in knowing that someone else was having the same problems as her.

“Yeah. A long, long time ago, a boy named Kouga promised to marry me. However, when I came to get him, not only did he not remember his promise, but he said he was in love with someone else,” Ayame chuckled, it was quite amusing since it had happened so long ago.

“No?!” Rin gasped.

“Yup,” Ayame nodded, opening her green eyes, “He said he could never marry me until Naraku was defeated. Then he said he could only marry someone who could sense the sacred jewel shards, like Kagome.”

“Kagome?!” Rin recognized the name instantly, “You mean the lord's half-brother's mate?!”

“Mate? You mean she DID marry the half demon?” Ayame's teeth glinted through her huge smile.

“Yes. She is married to the one known as Inuyasha. The lord was unsurprised that he would give his heart to a human, he-“ Rin couldn't talk anymore. She had heard the lord speak ill of humans and half demons her entire life with him. No wonder he was so angry at her, he had been no better than his father or brother and had given in to a human. Not only that, but if she were ever to bear him a child, it would be a half demon like the brother he had hated so much. The lord thought slightly better of Inuyasha since they had defeated Naraku, but he would never accept a half demon as a child.

“So, perhaps Kouga will return to me,” Ayame sighed in Rin's silence. She turned to Rin, “Don't be sad, Lady Rin. I'm certain Lord Sesshoumaru will come for you.” Ayame had not been able to help seeing a lot of herself in the human; already she had grown a deep love of the girl. The wolf demon had decided that she would protect Rin no matter what.

“Thank you, Ayame,” Rin's eyes glistened with the tears of her longing for the lord. She hated that she had betrayed him so deeply.

“Don't worry about it. Now get some sleep,” Ayame suggested and led Rin over to where all the other wolves were asleep.


After Sesshoumaru had finally woken from his exhausted sleep, he had been furious. He had rampaged through the castle screaming about why they had let him sleep so long, why Rin had not been found, and why on earth weren't they doing anything useful?! “JAKKEN!!!!!” he screamed, and the poor creature came running.

“Yes, m'lord?” he bowed deeply.

“Where's Rin?! WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE IS MY MATE?!” he bellowed, slamming a glowing green fist through a nearby wall. Most of the wall disintegrated immediately from the poison.

Jakken gulped, stepping back an inch, “We don't know, my lord.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU DON'T KNOW'?!” Sesshoumaru growled furiously.

“We don't know! I'm so sorry!!! We have searched everywhere throughout your domain, but she is nowhere to be found! No one even saw her leave! Please, forgive me, my lord!” Jakken was shaking so hard that he dropped his staff.

“Don't be foolish,” Sesshoumaru hissed, turning from the demon, “I could never harm you, Rin would never forgive me…just…pl-“ it was hard for him, but he would ask for her, “Please find Rin for me.”

Jakken's eyes were wide, and he beamed gleefully up at his lord, “Yes, m'lord, I will do my best.” Then he raced off to gather teams from the villages to go out and search for the girl.

“Oh, my precious Rin… Do you hate me this much?” Sesshoumaru brought a hand to his forehead, his brain ached almost as much his heart. Why couldn't he find her? Where could she have possibly gone? She couldn't even have gotten that far without… ”Ah-Un.”


Ah-Un looked lazily up at the great dog demon who was trying to bribe him with his favorite foods. “Ah-Un,” Sesshoumaru said trying to smile through his quickly rising temper, “I know you know where Rin is. You must! It is the only reason we would not have found her yet! Please take me to her…Ah-Un? I ORDER YOU! TAKE ME TO RIN! AH-UN!!!” he howled helplessly at the dragon who still had not even stood up. Ah-Un had only ever listened to Rin. He had respected Sesshoumaru, but not enough to take him to Rin's hiding place. Since Rin had begged him not to tell, Ah-Un would not take the taiyokai to her. Still Sesshoumaru begged deep into the night.


“It has been weeks!” Shen fumed, pacing back and forth at the bottom of the cliff, “I want that bitch gone! I can't take that stench any longer!”

“Calm yourself,” Ayame sighed, “I told Rin she would not have to leave, and I will keep that.”

“He should have been here, by now! He should have found her!!! Why hasn't he come to get her?!” Shen was angry beyond belief. He had been determined to fight Sesshoumaru when he came, but now it seemed he would never come. “I can't even sleep in my own cave, because of the smell.”

“It is not your cave,” Ayame pointed out, “It is mine. And I wish to let Rin stay. So either you go find another cave, or you hold your temper. If you harm her in any way, I will see to it personally that the Elder banishes you.”

“You think you're so cool, with the Elder as your grandfather! But he won't protect you forever,” Shen growled, his face inches from hers.

“Go ahead and try,” Ayame raised her fists. She was beautiful, strong, and intimidating. Shen had no wish to try and face off with her.

“Hmph,” he turned, crossing his arms, “It wouldn't be worth my time to fight you.”

“Whatever you say,” Ayame shrugged, “Now I'm going to return to Rin. It is nearly dawn, and she will be waking soon.” The wolf girl bounded gracefully up the cliff and through the waterfall.

“Where are you, Sesshoumaru? Don't you want your mate returned to you?” Shen glared at the slowly lightening sky, “Whether you care for her or not, her disappearance is a great disrespect to you. You should be here! One way or another, you will come, and I will kill you.”


Ayame gazed softly at Rin, the poor girl was tossing and turning and whimpering Sesshoumaru's name in her sleep. It had been the same since the first day she had come there. Ayame worried about her not getting a good enough rest, but she did not want to bring up the subject of the dog demon. Rin cried enough as it was. Rin reached out helplessly for a strong form that wasn't there.


Sesshoumaru tossed and turned in his bed, but was unable to sleep anymore. It had been weeks! They should have found her by then. He was furious with her and nearly afraid to find her. He was so mad that he might hurt her. He did not want to hurt her; he just wanted her back. Did she not miss him at all? Her scent was imbedded in his own skin. He would have given anything to run his fingers over her cheek and taste the sweetness of her kiss again. Perhaps he would never see her again. No! He would not let that happen, even if he had to traverse the entirety of Japan; he would find her.