Twist of time

Still don't own it... Except for Istra.

After catching up with the wintry lord Istra found herself trudging along side a two headed dragon, that carried both Rin and her belongings and a green demon that embodied the annoying voice she had heard earlier.
Sighing she closed her eyes and listened for others in the forest. She needed to find this monk and soon. But she couldn’t tear herself away from the little girl who saved her life. Honor could be such a pain at times. Rubbing her neck Istra glanced at the Lord who paced a good twenty feet ahead of the group.
“With the way that lizard goes on and on I would probably try to get away too.” She thought out loud.
Up ahead Sesshomaru heard the words of the woman and found himself smiling much to his own surprise. For some reason he couldn’t place what it was about her that was so different. It wasn’t just her sent, her blood, he mentally wrenched his mind from that topic. He blood called to him too strongly for his comfort. If Rin had not asked it of him he would of killed her on sight for these distractions. And now Rin had her traveling with them. He growled softly, this could not lead to anything good.
“Can you lead me to Lady Kagome?” the object of his thoughts asked as she walked silently beside him.
Unnerved by her ability to catch him unaware Sesshomaru stared straight ahead pointedly ignoring her question.
“Can you?” she asked again.
Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye Sesshomaru sighed. “Why do you wish to see my bastard brother’s wench?”
Istra tripped at the word. “Um wench? But I thought she was a Lady.”
“No Lady dresses like that.” Sesshomaru stated waving his hand to show indifference. “Why do you wish to see her?”
Istra frowned. This guy was a bigger jerk than she thought. ‘Talk about no social skills’ She rolled her eyes. “It’s not her in particular I wish to see my lord it is the monk that travels with them. I need to give him a message.”
A silver brow raised. “The monk you say?”
Istra couldn’t help the sarcastic tilt to her mouth. “Yes the monk.”
Sesshomaru straightened. “Are you making fun of this Sesshomaru?”
A laugh escaped her mouth, quickly Istra slapped her hand over it to try to keep others from following. “I’m sorry, did you just say ‘this Sesshomaru’?”
Sesshomaru turned his face dark. “This Sesshomaru will not tolerate a wench making fun of him.”
“Oh so now I’m a wench too?” Istra tilted her head back and laughed. “Your too much my lord, I am truly grateful for you help, but honestly I haven’t seen your caveman ideals in a very long time.” She paused then laughed again, her laugh full and musical. “I need to travel back here more often I have forgotten what it was like.”
Sesshomaru turned away and kept walking, the woman was clearly mad to openly taunt him, that and Rin’s regard for her was enough to keep him from challenging her.
“So will you take me or not?” Istra asked walking beside him once again, much to his irritation.
“Will you desist in speaking to me if I do so?”
Istra smiled, “If that would please you my lord.”
Sesshomaru growled, he disliked being blackmailed almost as much as he disliked his brother yet he couldn’t seem to find a way out of it. If he did refused her request she would stay by his side. Something that gave him a gut twisting feeling, a feeling he did not like nor welcome. “I will take you.”
Istra grinned up at him, “My thanks lord, the sooner we find them the sooner I will return to my tim-land and you’ll be rid of me.”
Sesshomaru frowned pointedly ignoring her.

Istra kept her word, however, she remained silent by Sesshomaru’s side for the rest of the day. When night fell Sesshomaru turned to Rin. “Go find your food Rin.” He commanded, a hit of gentleness in his voice. Rin, who had slept most the day away on the back of the dragon, jumped down nodding quickly before waving Istra over to her.
“You can come too, you must be hungry.”
Istra smiled, “Sure Rin I’ll come, I do eat differently than you do if that is alright.”
“I don’t mind, what do you eat?” Rin asked offering her hand to Istra.
Istra took it, kneeling down she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Well honestly, I have to eat raw meat.”
The whispered words caught the attention of the western lord as he studied the night sky to learn his exact location.
Rin’s eyes widened at Istra’s words. “Truly?”
When Istra nodded Rin smiled. “That’s alright, I have never tried meat raw?”
Rising to her feet gracefully Istra tugged gently on the little girls hand to lead her out of the clearing. “You probably wouldn’t like it. It doesn’t taste very good.”
Rin’s tiny features knit in a frown. “If you don’t like it, why then do you eat it?”
Istra smiled at the open curiosity, Rin reminded her of someone she knew long, long ago. “Well you see, I have a special condition Rin, and to stay healthy, I need fresh meat.”
Rin nodded with a genuine look of thoughtfulness that stretched far beyond her years. “Alright, well if we catch something may I have some to take back to cook? It’s been so very long since I have had meat.”
Istra frowned inwardly wondering how much care this ‘Great Lord’ actually gave this little girl. “Sure Rin.” Pausing she looked back through the trees where Sesshomaru remained with the green annoyance. “Does your lord not hunt with you?”
Rin shook her head. “Oh no, I have never even seen Lord Sesshomaru eat.”
Istra raised a brow at this news. ‘Vampire maybe?’ She thought, ‘maybe demon vampires could come out during the day’. She bit her bottom lip, the idea had distinct possibilities. Looking down at the girl Istra pasted a new smile on her face. “Alright Rin, lets hurry and find something then we’ll bring it back to eat.”

By the time Istra and Rin returned a small fire had been lit in the center of the clearing, and the green creature was scurrying around laying out blankets and muttering about Sesshomaru’s approval.
Istra watched as Rin skipped over to the bitter fellow, her pig tail bobbing as she acted out the process of catching and cleaning a boar.
“And then Istra put me in a tree as the boar squinted at her, his eyes all scary. And then he ran, and oh was he fast, but Istra was faster and she grabbed her sword. Her sword doesn’t have a name though. And she went whack and the boar fell down. Then,” the girl paused to take a breath. “Istra showed me how to clean a boar and I saw all its guts and it was gross!” Rin’s face scrunched in a look of disgust. “ But then we took it to the river and we washed it. I even helped and then Istra cleaned her sword with leaves from a certain tree and then she carried the meat all by herself. She had me lead the way so we wouldn’t get lost.” Rin panted as she finished the story.
The imp frowned. “You took to long Rin, what if Lord Sesshomaru had to go looking for you.”
Rin bowed her head, “I’m sorry master Jaken, but I was safe with Istra. You know she lets me call her that event though she really is a lady.”
Jaken sniffed indignantly, “Well! She must not truly be a lady then Rin. Now go away so I can get things ready for when Lord Sesshomaru returns.”
Istra shook her head as she laid the meat out on a flat rock using her dagger out of her wrist sheath to slice the meat in even strips thin enough to dry so Rin could take it with her. Poor girl. Istra shook her head lost in thought.
Rin came and sat beside her holding a stick out for her to skewer the meat to cook. Istra was rewarded with a grin before the girl plopped down to patiently hold it above the fire.
Looking around Istra saw that the imp was busy with whatever he was doing with the bedding and Rin was encompassed in her cooking so she took the strips she had cut and whispered a soft spell to cure them into a jerky that would soften when boiled. Setting those aside she went and checked on the girl’s progress.
“Aren’t you going to eat Istra?” Rin asked as she held the meat close squinting in the dark to see if it was done.
Istra nodded, “I was going to wait till you went to bed before eating Rin, I don’t want to disgust you.”
Rin frowned. “You wont disgust me Istra, to be honest it doesn’t bother me at all.”
Istra raised a brow “Well if your sure…”
The little girl nodded sitting back and peeling a piece off the stick. Popping it in her mouth she sighed.
Moving back toward the meat Istra caught a trace of movement out of the corner of her eye. Her hand immediately found the hilt of her sword. Turning she angled her body so as to be in the best position for attack.
“My lord you’ve returned!” the green creature squawked as the white kimono with the red flowery trim came into focus, this time however a thick pelt of white fur adorned his right side.
“I bet he killed an army of poodles for that thing.” Istra muttered as she released her weapon and grabbed a piece of meat. Moving over to sit next to the little girl at the fire she felt the heavy weight of the western lord’s gaze. Remembering her promise of silence she instead met his gaze as she took a bite of her food. Hiding the smirk she felt as his golden eyes narrowed as he watched her eat.
“My lord!” Rin called. “Istra helped me find food, but she eats it raw, isn’t that amazing?”
Sesshomaru broke Istra’s gaze to look at his charge. “Indeed.”
Istra laughed, shaking her head, unintentionally bringing Sesshomaru’s attention back to her.
“What do you find amusing?” he found himself asking.
Istra gave him a pointed look and took another bite.
Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed “You may speak.”
Nodding her head in mock adoration Istra smiled. “I was just noticing how short on words you are my lord.”
Frowning Sesshomaru walked into the light. “Your point?”
Istra set her food aside. “You are a demon correct?” she continued at his nod, “you are immortal yet you seem to not even have time for words, what type or life is that?”
Sesshomaru lifted a brow at the unexpected question. “I do not have need of words.”
“That is sad then my lord.” Istra’s sobered immediately. “For I find words to be of very much use and comfort.”
Turning away from her Sesshomaru regarded the two mats that the imp spent so much time working on. “Rin it is time for you to sleep.”
The left corner of Istra’s mouth twitched in an unbidden smile, as the little girl jumped up and raced over to the thick mats burrowing beneath them without qualm. “Good night my lord.” She sighed happily.
Sesshomaru nodded to her a gentleness softening his eyes as he looked at the girl. His eyes hardened again as he looked at the woman who was quickly cleaning up the remains of the meal. Once everything was set away she moved slowly toward Sesshomaru.
Reaching out she offered him a piece of fresh meat. “I won’t tell.” She whispered her green eyes glowing in the flickering fire.
Sesshomaru found the meat in his own palm before he could register a thought. What was it about this woman that had him acting so impulsively? He growled as he turned away, giving her his back.
“How soon till we reach the monk?” Istra questioned as she removed her sword laying it out beside the bed Rin happily dozed in.
“Another few days, they reside in a village near the mountains.”
Istra nodded stretching on her stomach on the soft grass next to the little girl. “Thank you my lord.” She whispered resting one hand on the hilt and the other under her forehead.
Sesshomaru thought about informing her that the other mat was for her but thought the better of it, if she wanted to sleep on the ground let her.
He shook his head, he had almost forgotten that he didn’t care.

Morning light set fire to Istra’s honeyed tresses as she woke to feel an increasingly familiar sense of being watched. Sure enough when she lifted her head she found the demon lord watching her through heavy lids. Releasing her hold on her sword she rolled languidly onto her back staring up at the brilliant sapphire of the dawning sky.
“Did you not sleep my lord?” she asked softly as she rolled onto her side propping her head in one hand, her hair spilling out like a vibrant blanket around her.
When she received no reply, Istra glanced over to the girl snoring softly in a nest of blankets.
Smoothly, she pushed herself into a reclining position, one hand still firmly on the mossy ground.
Brushing her locks away from her brow she eyed the coldly beautiful lord in the morning light. He was lounging against a tree his arm stretched out on one bent knee. He looked so pristine, however, Istra thought he could have been lounging on a throne somewhere. ‘Some people.’ She thought, noticing how even his white kimono remained purely white.
“I’m going to go try to find berries for Rin.” Istra spoke softly as she looked down at her young savior.
A soft grunt was all she received from the lord as he watched her move gracefully to her feet bending down to slide her giant sword into the scabbard at her waist.
Istra shook her head as she turned to leave when the demon lord’s voice caught the very edge of her hearing. “She likes the little red ones.”
Still facing away from him Istra smiled, nodding her understanding she made her way into thicker woods.
Once out of sight Istra’s smile became predatory. “Come here kitty kitty.” She taunted as she threw her scent out to try and trap her previous attacker.

Istra returned to camp not an hour later with a satisfied grin on her face and a cloth full of berries. Handing the berries to Rin, who had just woken she was surprised to find the demon lord in much the same place she left him.
“Thank you Istra for the berries, these are my favorite.” The girl gasped popping as many as she could, in her mouth.
Istra caught Sesshomaru’s eye. “I’m so glad you like them.”
She was surprised when he looked away first. Did the man truly feel so awkward doing a good deed?
“Get ready Rin we leave soon.” He spoke softly as he rose with the otherworldly elegance no human could achieve. Moving past Istra toward the deeper woods he paused. “Why are you bleeding?”
Istra froze, she had momentarily forgotten demons, dog demons in particular, had amazing sense of smell.
“I had a question to ask of my attacker.” She whispered lowly her eyes on Rin as she carefully began to roll her bedding up storing it in bags on the dragon’s back.
“What questions?”
Istra smiled turning toward him. “Why he attacked and what antidote he had for his poison, he was very forthcoming.”
“Yet your injured.”
“Things happen.” she shrugged.
“Indeed, is your attacker wounded also?”
Leveling him a serious stare Istra shook her head whispering. “I regret to inform you that he is no longer in this world.”
If Sesshomaru was surprised he didn’t show it. “So you found the information you sought?”
Istra nodded, looking back to where Rin was jumping onto the dragon’s back.
Sesshomaru followed her gaze.
“I will not tolerate-“ he began.
Istra’s angry green eyes met his. “I will not hurt her, she saved me.”
Sesshomaru didn’t dignify her with an answer as he turned and began walking. A scaly head pushed between her shoulders as Rin’s dragon nudged her to follow.
Looking into the beast’s docile eyes Istra nodded choosing to walk next to the creature and converse with her new friend.
Strangely enough the green creature wasn’t with them. Istra shrugged and welcomed the change.