It was late in the afternoon when he found the girl again.

Perched atop a knoll outside the village, she gazed out at the snow-flecked horizon. Her breath rose in a fine mist before her, winter sunlight gilding the dark waving fall of her hair. Beside her in the dead grass, the horse youkai from the cliff side lay, the heat of his body contained so as not to ignite the dry, brittle foliage around them.

As Sesshoumaru drew to a stop behind her, she reached into the yellow sack at her other hip, withdrawing a small paper pouch. Shaking it between her fingers, she tore it open and spilled a quantity of glittering sugar crystals into her outstretched palm, which the demon horse licked away at once.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” he heard her say with a gloomy sigh, finally catching sight of him out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, Sesshoumaru,” she said, straightening. “Did you need something?”

Need, he repeated inwardly, answering her with a flat stare. Truly, the girl had a knack for being frustratingly obtuse.

“We were interrupted earlier,” he said, stepping close to her. “Or have you forgotten?”

A fetching blush rose high on her cheeks. “No, I haven’t forgotten. But, listen, Sesshoumaru…there’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

He peered down at her steadily. “What is it?”

“I think we need to cool things off–at least…at least for now.”

Sesshoumaru drew in a measured breath. Her phrasing was curious as always, but he understood her meaning.

“You are afraid,” he assumed.

“No! I mean…well, I am a little because I’ve never–” Her blush deepened. “A-anyway, I think until Naraku and whoever else is defeated, we need to keep things professional.” She frowned at him in contrition. “We can’t really afford to be distracted right now. Wouldn’t you say?”

He considered her shrewdly. At least she conceded that she was a distraction to him—that was mollifying to a degree. And he did not sense that she was subtly challenging him, or attempting to play coy. No, the look in her eyes was calm and sincere. She wanted him still, that much he could tell from the thrum of her pulse—but she was choosing to refrain.

If a naive mortal girl could exercise such restraint, surely he could as well. Sesshoumaru inclined his head.

“Very well.”

Her posture relaxed as she flashed him a smile. He felt the warmth of it like a ray of sun.

“Great,” she said, combing her gleaming hair back with her fingers.

His eyes fell briefly to the mark on her neck before shifting toward her youkai companion. Slowly, he circled around the fire horse, its red eyes meeting his evenly.

“What is your name?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Entei,” the miko answered in the horse’s stead. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask you—can you tell me why he’s been following me around? Not that I mind, I’m just curious, is all.”

Sesshoumaru studied the creature before him. This was an ancient beast—a relic from before his father’s time. Even he had difficulty understanding its language, which ebbed and flowed like a breath of wind.

“When you defeated Hakudoushi, he claimed you as his Rider,” the daiyoukai said, after a moment of concentration. “He will remain with you until you are bested in battle, or depart with you into the netherworld upon your natural death.”

“Wow.” The miko blinked, staring at the reclining youkai in admiration. “Claimed, huh? I told Kaede-baa-chan that he was my horse—but really, it’s more like I’m his human.”

Sesshoumaru looked at her askance. She seemed pleased by the idea.

A curious girl, indeed.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi