Chapter Three: Jakin's Report

     Jakin followed Rin and Kohaku, riding Ah-Un a safe distance away. At the village the threat had only been a weak spirit that had been vanquished by the perveted monk Miroku by the time they had arrived. The monk now had ten children and explained to Kohaku and his 'lady friend' that he needed the money from the job to feed them. The monk had yet to discover that Rin was the lady friend.

     Jakin wouldn't have known it to be the Rin he knew if he had not found out only hours earlier. He continued to watch them as they traveled back to their village. The sun had not yet begun to rise when a loud snarl filled the area around them. Jakin's body froze with fear at the sound and Ah-Un almost fell from the sky.

     "Rin!" Kohkau's voice filled the air around him and Jakin grabbed Ah-Un's reins.

     "Watch your back Kohaku!" Rin yelled back to him.

     Jakin pulled the reins hard and Ah-Un went after Rin who had started to run on foot, a demon of unknown origin pursuing her. Jakin, full of fear, stopped Ah-Un by a large tree and watched Rin unsheath her two swords that lay at her hips. She moved with more grace than he could ever imagine her having. She twirled past the demon, slicing at his arms.

     The black formed demon let out a snarl of pain before reaching a clawed hand out at her. Jakin watched in awe as she moved in a lethal dance with the demon. She took some scratches and gave some pretty deep gashes in return. Each move she made was filled with the leathalness of a predator. She cut off the head of the demon before catching her breath.

     From the shadows another black being appeared as if it were once part of the shadows themselves. "Rin!" Jakin cried out. She looked up with surprise to find Jakin, unsure of why he had been there. "Behind you Rin!" Jakin cried out, frozen in his place and unable to help her. The demon lurched forward and Rin moved just in time to send both of her blades through the demon's neck in an X cut.

     Jakin held his breath as she removed her blades and began to sway. She tried to turn but began to crumble to the ground, a clawed hand stuck in her chest. She fell to her side, managing to roll onto her back. Jakin broke out of his fear and hurried Ah-Un to the ground. "Rin!" He screamed in panic. He hopped off of Ah-Un before rushing to Rin's side.

     With a grimace she pulled the hand out of her chest. Blood flowed from her chest cavity and she had a weak smile on her face, blood dribbling from her lips, eyes glazing slowly, and a warm smile on her face. "Rin! Hold on Rin!" Jakin put his hands over her wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding, thinking it would simply stop if he put enough over it.

     "Do you remember years ago? I asked Lord Sesshomaru if he would visit my grave; if he would bring flowers even..." Jakin could see the life wavering like a small candle flame with only a little wick left. "He never did answer me...did he?" Her smile turned sad and he watched as her tears met the blood coming from her mouth.

     "Rin, hold on! I will get him! I will get you help!" He shrieked this, but she heard nothing. She couldn't even acknowledge the fact that he stood beside her anymore.

     "I have to go eventually...right?" She mumbled this, her big eyelashes starting to touch her cheeks.

     "Rin!" Jakin jumped away from Rin and hurried to Ah-Un who let out noises of grief. "I will hurry to Lord Sesshomaru!" Jakin didn't dare glance back at Rin until he was airborne. Once he dared a look back he couldn't believe what he saw. A dark figure with wings as black as night stood over Rin, his hand extended out to her.

     "I've been watching you Rin. At last you are mine and will..." Jakin could no longer hear the cold voice that beckoned out to Rin. Jakin watched with pain as she moved a limp arm to her sword, but couldn't grasp it. The last he saw of Rin was the man with the black wings picking her up.

     Sesshomaru waited impatiently for Jakin to return with news of how Rin was doing. He knew she had refused to see Jakin various times, but Kaede would at least give Jakin news to bring to him. Sesshomaru couldn't bring himself to see her; not after last time. He had begun to grow emotions for the girl; the kind of emotions that created vile creatures like his half brother Inuyasha.

     He couldn't allow himself to love, especially not a human. He couldn't ruin Rin's life with such a stupid emotion.

     "Lord Sesshomaru!" He heard Jakin's scream from far away and at the same time caught a scent of blood, human blood, Rin's blood. Sesshomaru tensed as Jakin came into sight on Ah-Un. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Jakin wailed with tears streaming down his face.

     "What is it Jakin?" Sesshomaru demanded immediately.

     "Rin! She didn't want the gifts and she said she didn't want anything to do with us, but she is demon hunting with Kohaku and I tailed them and she...she...she is most likely dead now!" Jakin fell off of Ah-Un as he tried to breathe and speak at the same time. Sesshomaru's golden eyes looked at the blood on Jakin's hands and clothes.

     "Rin is what?" Sesshomaru felt a sinking sensation in his chest and his body went cold.

     "She said she didn't need us anymore, but when battling the black demon it stuck its claws through her chest and she asked if I remembered how you never said whether you would visit her grave or not and when I came to get you a man with black wings had been taking her!" Jakin spoke in one breath before panting profusely.

     Sesshomaru couldn't think or feel for a moment. He gave a small shake of his head before fisting his hands, his nails drawing blood from his palms. "When did this happen Jakin?" Sesshomaru demanded to know as he looked out at the setting sun. He had never gone closer to the village than a day's journey away in fear that he would see her regardless of his self promise not to fall for her or see her face to face again.

     "Early this morning, right before the sun began to rise." Jakin replied nervously. Anger spiked through Sesshomaru.

     "You made no attempt to help her until after she was hurt, correct?" The rage Sesshomaru felt began to bubble up to the surface ever so slightly.

     "She had defeated the first! She is skilled! But one came from behind and I didn't warn her in time! I am so sorry Lord Sesshomaru!" Jakin fell on his face to the ground, sobbing and repeating apologies.

     Sesshomaru didn't spare him a glance before taking off into the air, riding on a silver cloud to save the girl who he knew he could never tear himself from permanetly.

~~~~

     "Are you sure you are okay Rin?" Kohaku picked me up off of the ground and held me bridal style. I looked up into his dark brown eyes full of concern.

     "I believe so..." I put a hand to the healed up wound on my chest, my mind still reeling from what had just happened.

     "Who was that guy?" Kohaku asked me in a soft voice as he carried me back to where our horses were.

     "I'm not sure, but he changed me Kohaku." I clung to him with cold fingers.

     "He changed you?" His eyes became worried and he looked all over my face and body while he walked.

     "I don't think...I don't think I'm human anymore..." Kohaku raised his eyebrows in question, but said nothing until we were back to the horses. He sat me down on a rock before getting us ready to head back to the village. The morning sun had just begun to rise when Kohaku came back over to me. I stood on shaky legs and bent to pick up one of my swords I dropped when sitting down.

     "Your back..." Kohaku touched my bare back and I cringed as a sharp pain filled my body.

     "Ah! What is it?" I breathed out in a quick spasm.

     "There are black markings on your back... Maybe you aren't human anymore..." I turned to look at Kohaku, scared of what that could mean for us. Kohaku must have read my eyes accurately because in the next moment he gently pulled me to him and put my forehead against his chest. "That won't change us one bit. If you still feel up to it we will continue to hunt together and I will help you any way I can." He then proceeded to whisper comforting words into my ear.

     What have I become?