A Mother For Rin by WhisperingWolf

Nightmares

The darkness of the canopied forest loomed around her hauntingly. Angry snarls and barks sounded behind her and Rin snapped her head around to see the hungry wolves closing in on her. Turning her head to face the forest in front of her, she ran as fast as her short legs could carry her. Her lungs burned, her sides aching from the abuse she'd taken from the villagers earlier that day. She gasped, her mouth opening in a silent scream as one of the wolves got close enough to snap at her heels, his fang just brushing her skin.

Gritting her teeth and clenching her jaw she pushed harder, ran faster even though she already felt close to collapsing. Where was that man she had met earlier? The one with silver hair that shined like stars and eyes like the sun? Her one good eye widened in terror as she ran faster. Oh no! Was it possible that the wolves had killed him too? No! Not him, not her friend. She ran faster still as she felt the need to know he was safe at the same time wishing for him to protect her against these ravenous beasts.

There, in front of her! Salvation! How many times had she climbed that tree before? She couldn't count, it had been so many. If she could only get to that tree, she would be safe. If the villagers couldn't follow her up that tree certainly, these wolves couldn't either. Arms flailing out at her sides and then in front of her, Rin's eye opened wide, a chocked whimper escaping her lips as she fell to the ground. Her foot had caught on a root that had broken the ground and was now bleeding because of it.

But wait...the wolves they were gone. Breathing harshly, she looked up and the scream that built up caught in her throat, choking her. The wolves were in the air, mid pounce. They were flying at her, snarling and snapping, fangs glistening in the sunlight breaking through the trees.

Cinnamon eyes opened wide in terror as Rin awoke with a scream drown out by the booming thunder outside, bolting upright in her bed. Sweat was beaded upon her brow and her chest heaved, her lungs burning with her labored breathing. A chocked sob escaped her throat that ached with the memory of the wolf attack. Rin sniffled, covering her face with her hands as she cried.

The small child shrieked in terror when thunder from the raging storm outside boomed explosively in her room. Lightning illuminated the room as the winds caused branches from the tree outside to strike and scratch against the glass pane of her window. Her breath whistled as she gasped, her eyes growing impossibly wide.

Something was trying to get in, she was sure of it! Lightning flashed again and cast shadows upon her and over the floor. The tree outside became a horribly frightening monster, beating and scratching against her window. The very window that she had rejoiced in getting when her Sesshoumaru-sama had had the glass pane put in with the change in seasons to keep out the cold. Now instead it only served to frighten her more.

Another boom of thunder sounded louder and angrier than the previous ones and Rin stilled like a statue. Now along with the scratching and striking, loud terrifying clinks sounded relentlessly upon the glass as hail mixed with the rain. More lightning, more thunder and the hail clinked louder, harder, faster. The tree outside her window scratched and thrashed furiously. Something was trying to get in! Some terrible monster, some great beast was trying to get in!

The next boom, of thunder awakened her fear frozen limbs and she bolted from, the bed, her blankets pooling on the cold wood floor. Running from the room at a mad dash, her face stark white and eyes wide as saucers, she escaped to Sesshoumaru's room, her one place of safety within the castle walls. The crashing of hail against glass and stone, and the booming of thunder muted the sound of the door sliding open as she slipped inside.

The next flash of lightning turned the bare walnut tree outside Sesshoumaru's window into a ravenous monster come to slay her savior in his sleep. Opening her mouth to scream for him, she was even more frightened to discover herself mute in her fear. Her vision locked on the monster outside, she never saw the golden eyes of her protector open.

Even through the wailing of the storm he had been sleeping soundly, but when the strong scent of Rin's undeniable terror infiltrated his senses, not even a potion would have kept him asleep. Golden eyes snapping open in the dark room, nearly blinded by the flashing light of the storm outside, he caught sight of Rin. The child was standing in his room, a few steps from his bed, frozen in fear. He had never seen her so terrified, so pale and helpless. She seemed unable to move and when he called her name she didn't respond.

"Rin," he called to her as he sat up in bed.

She didn't move, didn't speak, not even a whimper escaped the child.

"Rin," he called to her again, his voice rising over the sound of the storm.

Still nothing, she was beginning to worry him. Rising from his bed, he knelt in front of her, his hands coming to her face, her skin as cold as the dead. He called her name again, but her vision was locked on the window, her fear deafening her to his voice. A great boom of thunder, loud enough to make his ears pop, sounded as though the storm itself were in his very room. Rin's reaction was immediate.

The fierce sound broke the child of her fear induced paralysis and she launched herself at the youkai full force. Sesshoumaru was knocked back, his bed the only thing supporting him as he found his arms full of the frightened child. He whispered to her. Cuddled her. Soothed her and rested his head gently upon hers when she buried her face in the side of his neck. Rising from the floor, he carried her, her legs wrapping around his trim waist as he stood. Her small hands were cold against the warm skin of his bare chest.

Kissing her hair, he nuzzled her and slipped into his bed. Pulling the silk and fur blankets over them both, he curled his body around hers as he soothed her to sleep. She trembled against him, her tears scalding his skin and he kissed her hair.

"Shh, you're safe Rin. It is aright now," he promised her softly.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Rin fell asleep in his arms, her trust in him unfailing. The usually cold, stoic taiyoukai watched her sleep, a hint of a smile gracing his lips. It was her blind trust in him that bound him to her so tightly. He had been responsible for others' lives before, but never the life of a child. Never had he been the object of a child's love for him, not the way that Rin loved him. To her, he was her father; she had called him 'pappa' more than once when he had been putting her to bed when she was too tired to do it herself. It was in those moments that he found himself feeling more alive, happier than he had ever been. Rin was his daughter, his child, and he was her father.

With these thoughts in mind, Sesshoumaru let his head sink deeper into the feathered silk pillow. His golden eyes drifting shut as he too slipped into a peaceful dreamless sleep. Neither one was awake to see the female cougar youkai servant open the door just enough to see the father and adoptive child sleeping together. Quietly shushing and guiding Jakken out of the room, she shut the door and walked down the hall a smile upon her face.