Misfortune Followed Us Home

Misfortune Followed Us Home ch.8

 

There was something…off.  Something was not right about this part of the forest.  There was a low thrum of power lacing the air.  There was something familiar about it, in the origin.  It was clear either a very weak creature was running around displaying its lack of power or someone was attempting to hide themselves.  He was inclined to believe the latter.

“Jaken,” he said, summoning his ever faithfully groveling servant and vassal.

“Hai Sesshoumaru-sama?  What can this lowly Jaken do for you?”

“Watch Rin, if any harm is to befall her, you will suffer the consequences.”

Jaken gulped, “Hai Sesshoumaru-sama,” he replied, bowing repeatedly until Sesshoumaru disappeared into the forest.  Why did his lord insist on torturing him so?  He constantly left him in charge of this evil child.  He would have recommended leaving the little terror at the shiro. But who was he to question his lord.

Sesshoumaru walked silently observing his surroundings.  There was a disturbance in this area, something off about the forest.  He inspected the trees and the ground but found nothing visible, still something was not right.  As he walked further he got the distinct feeling that he was being warded off from the area.  He had just seen the tree in front of him.  He had gone in a circle though he knew he walked straight.  It was a misdirection barrier.  Someone was hiding in his territory and had the nerve to put up something so feeble.  He studied the barrier.  From what he could tell it was egg shaped, it was strongest on the wider side, weakest at the tip.  He could feel holy power radiating off it.  He circled around and stood at the weakest point of the barrier.  Using a minimal amount of his youki, he punctured a small hole in the barrier, widened the hole just enough for him to walk through, and then let the opening close behind him.  The air here was humid; he could see steam rising into the air in the distance.  The sound of splashing water met his ears and he decided to go confront this person who dared trespass on his land.  As he broke the tree line, he was greeted with the sight of a naked ningen onna bathing in a hot spring.  The only scent he could get from her was purity.  She was a miko, a powerful one at that.  She had her back to him and was pouring a liquid into her hand from a strange bottle.  She hummed lightly to herself as she worked the substance into her long black hair; it appeared to be some kind of soap.  Still he had need of answers and she would provide them for him.

“Miko, what reason have you seen fit hide in this Sesshoumaru’s lands?”

The onna shrieked loudly, turned and ducked down into the water.  Honestly what was it about ningens and their constant need to over react?  As if this Sesshoumaru was interested in her ningen flesh.

“What do you want,” she asked, trembling slightly.

The silly onna kept looking between this Sesshoumaru and a bow lying on the bank.  There was something familiar about this girl’s face, but he couldn’t place where he had seen her before.  Never the less, she would give up the thought of reaching that weapon if she valued her life.

“Onna this Sesshoumaru has already told you.  Furthermore, you will not touch that bow if you value your life.”  She snatched her arm that had been reaching back to her side and glared at him.  She was silent; she just sat in the water glaring.  Sesshoumaru wondered if the onna was sane.

“Onna-“

“What do you want Sesshoumaru?  Tetsusaiga?  Inuyasha won’t come.”

This was Inuyasha’s miko? Apparently she had changed much in the past three years.  Her face was narrower; she’d filled out nicely, for a ningen.  But that did not matter; neither Inuyasha nor his companions should have been trespassing on his territory.

“Miko.”

“Kagome.” He glared at her, daring her to interrupt him again.

“Miko,” she opened her mouth and he intensified his glare, her mouth shut and he continued.  “  You still have not explained to this Sesshoumaru why you are here.”

“We were simply tracking a rumor of Naraku in a village south of here.  How could we know we’d crossed over into your territory?”

“Ningen you will watch your tone.  It matters not if you or any of your other human companions wandered here.  It matters not that the kit wandered here.  What matters is Inuyasha.  The boundary is clearly marked to anyone of youkai heritage.  Inuyasha especially knew when he crossed into this Sesshoumaru’s territory.  I can only assume that this barrier is a normal occurrence when you camp.  It is clear to me that Inuyasha thought that this feeble barrier would hide him from me.  You will gather your belongings and return to your camp.  There you will disassemble this barrier and wait for this Sesshoumaru to return.  You will not leave.  Do you understand?”

“Hey! You will not-“

“Miko, you test my patience. Return to your camp and do as I say.  That is all.”  With this he turned around and disappeared into the night.