Pack of the West

Chapter 6: A New Group

Sesshoumaru heard the monk behind him, trudging along with nervousness, fear and anxiety dripping off him like water. It was giving him a headache. “What do you want human?” he intoned menacingly.

“Please, Sesshoumaru, let me come with you, I can help. I’ve been taking care of her, I know what she needs,” the monk sputtered out quickly.

Sesshoumaru stopped, and placing Yumi on the ground carefully, stepped back to where Miroku was so quickly that the monk didn’t even see him move. The demon back handed the human hard across the face causing him to fly backwards off his feet, skidding across the ground to finally stop about ten feet away, the breath knocked out of him. Before he could rise Sesshoumaru was before him again this time lifting him bodily by the front of his robes.

“You think I cannot take care of a child?” Sesshoumaru growled out, pulling Miroku closer, his eyes sharp like lightning and just as dangerous.

Miroku was dazed and reached up with his hand to grab Sesshoumaru’s wrist, gasping. “No, that’s not what I meant. I just want to be with her,” he said miserably.

Sesshoumaru held him a bit longer; glaring hard at him then dropped him to the ground, a sneer of disgust running across his features.

“You will address me properly. You do not have the right to call me by my name.”

The dog demon lord walked back to where Yumi had been sitting watching everything that had happened. Sesshoumaru noticed that she had stopped crying when she saw the monk and puzzled over that. He then picked her up and began to walk away from Miroku, not looking back.

Miroku saw that as a sign to follow. “Thank you, my lord,” he grovelled to Sesshoumaru’s retreating back as he gained his feet and hurried after the retreating demon.

When they got to where Rin and Jaken were waiting, Rin was joyous. “Oh! A puppy, Sesshoumaru-sama is it yours?” she asked, trying to peek at the bundle in her masters arm, curious to know if the pup was a girl or a boy.

“Yes Rin,” he answered.

“It is a girl?” she asked excitedly jumping up again to peek at the pup.

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru replied with infinite patience.

Rin then noticed Miroku standing back a bit from Sesshoumaru and, recognizing him from her lord’s brother’s group, greeted him happily. “Are you going to be travelling with us?” she asked innocently, bouncing over towards him, not even wondering about the huge purple bruise that was taking over his cheek.

“Yes, for awhile,” Miroku answered, glancing at Sesshoumaru to see if he would say anything different. When he didn’t argue the point Miroku took that for a good omen.

“Rin is so happy, now I have someone else to play with. Master Jaken doesn’t know how to play very well,” she whispered the last part to Miroku conspiratually. Miroku smiled at the human child and patted her head.

Sesshoumaru approached and placed Yumi in Miroku’s hands. “She needs changing,” he stated regally then walked over to the fire where Jaken was to put some fear into the little imp who was complaining about having two more join their little group.

Miroku was so happy to have Yumi back in his arms, as was she. She giggled and laughed, cooing up at him happily. Rin was enthralled and touched her hand gently, laughing as well.

Sesshoumaru watched out of the corner of his eyes as Miroku hugged the pup to him. The demon lord could sense the waves of happiness leaping off from his aura.

They’ve bonded, Sesshoumaru thought with a bit of wonder. He had no idea humans could bond to a demon child. Maybe it’s just this monk. He was not about to change his mind about humans. As far as he was concerned the world would be better off without them. They destroyed everything they touched having no respect or honor for anything other than their own needs.

Rin is human, a small voice in his head whispered to him.

She is a child and knows no better. It’s good she is with me so I can teach her properly, Sesshoumaru argued with himself. The errant voice made no reply.

Rin helped Miroku change Yumi’s diaper. He still had the carrier and a couple of extra cloth diapers with him when he had left to follow Sesshoumaru. When he next looked up he noticed the stoic demon was not there.

“He’s gone off to find food for your worthless stomach,” Jaken told him sourly scuttling back to the fire cursing under his breath. His lord had told him to keep an eye on the monk and to not let him leave, especially with the pup.

“Master Jaken is not so bad, he’s just not very happy a lot of the time,” Rin told Miroku who was confused as to why Sesshoumaru would have such a nasty toad traveling with him.

Miroku, happy just to be with Yumi again, shrugged his shoulders and began to entertain the two children, waving his fingers for Yumi as he told Rin a funny story of one of his adventures with Inuyasha.

When Sesshoumaru returned he saw a laughing Rin, a giggling pup, a happy monk and a sour faced imp. Somehow, he felt a bit lighter in his heart watching the scene as well as surprise at seeing the monk had not tried to run with his child.

Rin noticed him first, running up to him and embracing his legs. “Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin is happy you are back.”

Sesshoumaru patted her on the head. “It is time to eat and then go to bed, Rin.”

She bowed to Sesshoumaru and Miroku then left to cook the meal.

Miroku was now feeling nervous again, he was alone with the overbearing demon who was just staring at him. Finally Sesshoumaru put out his arm, asking without words for Yumi. Miroku placed her in his arm and watched astonished, as Sesshoumaru sat on the ground, putting the pup on his legs in front of him and pulled out a bag full of milk from his kimono, popping it into her mouth.

Yumi was content as she sucked happily on the end of the bag looking up with large curious eyes at the demon above her. She took a quick glance over to where Miroku was seated to make sure the monk was still there before again putting her attention on Sesshoumaru.

“Rin will have the food ready by now, go and eat,” Sesshoumaru commanded the nervous monk.

Miroku hesitated momentarily, but then scooted off when Sesshoumaru brought his eyes up to lock onto his. His expression saying he expected the monk to obey.

Yumi made a face as if she was going to cry, but before she could even open her mouth Sesshoumaru leaned down and gently nipped her nose. She looked up in surprise and gave him a small sniff. He sniffed her back, tickling her cheek and she giggled before again latching onto the bag, her little dual colored eyes starting to close.

Sesshoumaru was glad she had instinctively accepted the small disciplinary action he had given her and was encouraged that she had breathed in his scent to put it in her memory. This was a good sign that it was not to late for him to bond with her as her parent. He watched with satisfaction as she drifted off to sleep, unworried as to where the monk had gone.