The trio traveled mostly by day, though sometimes they walked well into the evenings. Jaken once told Rin that before she came, the two of them sometimes would walk all night and into the next day as well. She felt bad about being the reason for slowing them up, but when she approached Lord Sesshomaru about it, he simply replied "do not let it concern you". So, she let it go. Every now and then Sesshomaru would halt his steps, peering this way and that, his every sense on alert. Sometimes he would wait a long time in this position, other times, with barely a word to them, he would take off in a flash of motion towards a destination unseen to them.

That evening after his return, Rin and Sesshomaru were sitting quietly; staring at the stars and listening to the suzumushi crickets sing their beautiful music. Jaken, for once, was out of sight. Rin sighed, the third time in the space of a few heartbeats. "What is it Rin? You seem troubled by something."

She remained silent a few moments more. When she said nothing, he turned his head away from her. In a subdued tone she asked him "Why do you allow me to stay with you? Jaken said you hated humans".

Sesshomaru did not answer right away. Nor did he turn to look at her. He sat, motionless, as he had been before. She thought after a long time had passed, that he was not going to answer her. She decided to go to bed. When she made a move to stand he stopped her with his words. "I saved your life because you helped save mine. Until I met you I had thought all humans to be merely selfish and inconsiderate beings. Every time I enter any village in my lands all I get are pandering humans, asking for this, begging for that. While they do offer me food and shelter while I am there, they also demand payment for it, regardless of the fact that I am their protection from those that seek to harm them. Most humans I have encountered over my lifetime have been that way. Until you, I had not thought them worthy of my time."

"And you think I am worthy of your time?" The little girl squeaked in astonishment. How could she, a simple farm girl with nothing but air to her name, be worthy of such a great lord as he? She was floored by his admission.

"You brought me food and drink when others would not have. I was not in my lands. I had wandered into Otherworld. Remember, I told you that our first weeks together. I doubt many people in Otherworld would recognize me. If someone else had stumbled upon me in my weakened state, I very well may have been killed. In my experience, humans fear what they do not know or understand. You, on the other hand, gave me your own food, even though you had none for yourself. You even took a beating for me. Until that day I had never encountered such a selfless human before. I did once know of such a human, also a girl, a little older than you. But though she acted selflessly to help my father, I have always thought her motives to be questionable. I now know that was probably not the case. Your kindness has changed me in some ways. For that, I will always owe you. You will have my gratitude forever. "

“But, Lord Sesshomaru, you did not eat all of the food I left for you. I had started thinking you didn’t want my help after all.”

Sesshomaru turned his head to look her full in the eyes. “I did not eat it because you had none for yourself, as I already said. I had hoped you would eat it instead. When you didn’t… well, it was that day I began to realize some humans were not as unworthy as I had thought. It was the fish, however, that made me see the true kindness in your heart.”

When he stopped speaking Rin took a moment to digest his words. In her own experience as well she had encountered much of the same treatment as he. It had, after all, been humans that mistreated and neglected her. It was a Demon that cared for her, took care of her, and taught her so many things.

That night little Rin stared at the stars for long into the night before falling into a dreamless sleep.