Rin did not wait for a second invitation. She leapt to the banked fire and began pulling shreds of meat from the carcass there. As she shoved the food into her mouth, barely bothering to chew, she thought she had never tasted anything so wonderful in her entire life! She ate until her small belly could hold no more. When she was full she realized with a guilty start that she had not taken any to the Demon lord. She quickly found a leaf and piled more of the meat onto it. She walked over to where he sat against the tree and held out her offering. He accepted it without a word and began slowly eating. She smiled softly at him and walked back to the fire.

Sesshomaru watched her out of the corner of his eye, noting her apparent hunger. He was glad he had decided to hunt for them. He made a mental note, however, as she smeared grease and grime into her clothing, that she was in rags.

Jaken, who had woken while she was eating, had left them and gone to find water. The group had a bamboo container that the child had left them. He found a stream and filled it, grumbling to himself about the girl. He had followed Lord Sesshomaru faithfully for many decades now. Life was always the same. Now, however, he sensed that life as he knew it was about to change dramatically. He didn't know how just yet, but he sensed the girl was the beginning of something very different.

The group had been inside the Western Lands since early afternoon the previous day. Sesshomaru, knowing how disheveled and ragged he appeared, ordered Jaken, when he returned from the stream, into the village he knew was only about a mile away to the northwest. He gave him some valuables to trade for clothing for the girl and to order replacement silks for him as well. Jaken, who had done this more than once in his years of service to the Lord, did not need any instructions about size or color. He left immediately, glad to be away from the human child that so unsettled him. It would take at least 2 weeks for the expensive silks to be made into suitable attire for his Lord. He was eager for the time alone.

Rin heard her two companions talking in subdued tones, but paid no attention to them. She was busy exploring her surroundings. She had noticed last evening that the terrain they were traveling was beginning to change subtly. Where before were towering trees and the fresh new leaves of spring, now the trees were smaller and remained the dried and wilted colors of winter. There was a chill in the air here as well. It was still spring, but this area seemed not to know it. The path they were on had been the start of a lush green trail. As they had walked yesterday it had given way to a simple dirt path, with dust swirls kicked up by the wind getting in her hair and eyes. She had never had any lessons about her world, as most children did. She did not know that she lived in a border village just outside of the Western Lands. Even if she had known, she still would not have recognized it when they crossed the border and were in Lord Sesshomaru's domain. All she knew was that she was now a faithful servant of the white Demon that had rescued her.

Sesshomaru watched as the child lie on her back, apparently watching the clouds in between the branches of the trees they were under. Quirking his eyebrow at her odd behavior, he left to go find the stream he heard with his keen ears. He knew it was here somewhere and he desperately needed to get the blood and grime washed off. He was a mess, and he knew it. To add insult to injury, his priceless fur boa was also covered in blood. His own as well as that of the dragon he had slain. The fur took a long time to clean and he was not looking forward to it. First things first, however. He had to get himself cleaned up.

Rin saw the white Demon leave between the trees out of the corner of her eye. She was alone! Not sure if the Demon intended to leave her or not, she scampered to her feet and followed at a distance.

Sesshomaru had dirt and blood set into every crease of his body. It took him a long time, taking special care of his wounds, to get clean to his satisfaction. He saved his hair for last, lathering and rinsing three times. He finally felt normal once again. He stood and turned, the water cascading down his body in a sheet.

Rin, startled that he had turned around still completely nude, could do nothing but stare, open-mouthed, at the Demon. When he casually said "Hand me that wrap", it took her mind a few heartbeats to register. When she did she stood and held out his silks as far over the water as she could. Her little arms just were not long enough, however. She stretched too far and slipped into the water. As she splashed in, the coldness hit her like a blow. She gasped in shock. Before she could gain her footing, however, strong arms once again held her. She was picked up and placed further in the water. "Seeing as you are already wet, you may as well get clean too." He soaped up the cloth once more and handed it to her as he waded further down stream. She took it, turned her back to him, and removed her clothing. She threw her kimono onto the shore and sank into the water, no longer feeling its coolness. As she bathed she started humming. She did not know what he was doing, as she had her back to him, but she could hear him splashing behind her. It mattered little to her that they were both nude. This was her first bath in longer than she could remember, and she made up her mind to enjoy it.

Sesshomaru took the soap powder further downstream. He started gently washing the large patches of blood off of his silks. He would have to wear them for two weeks more yet. He did not relish the idea of smelling so strongly of blood during that whole time. It had been very difficult for him to hunt the night before because of it. Wild game smelled his odor and ran long before he came upon them. As he worked on his clothing he heard her soft splashing and gentle humming. He paid her little heed, simply keeping his ears open for danger, and continued working.

Once Rin was bathed and re-dressed she turned to watch what the white Demon was doing. He was rinsing his clothing with scoops of water in his hands, never fully submerging them. When he was done he came out of the water and donned his silks, still wet, as were her clothing, once again. Then he picked up his furs and sat with them in front of her on the stream’s bank. Rin, knowing now what she could do, pulled a comb out of her pocket. It had been her father's, and she had used it since he had died. They sat like that, she combing his long white strands while he worked on gently removing the blood from his furs, for a very long time. The sun was headed far down towards the horizon when he finished with his task.

Sesshomaru was surprised when he felt her tiny hands in his hair, but did not turn around. He allowed her to comb his tresses as long as she wanted. Even long after the tangles had been removed, she continued to play with his hair. He allowed it, his concentration shifting from the furs to her now and then. When she began combing her own hair, he missed her touch ever so slightly.