AN: I really wanted to wait a while before I started another story, but I got bored so I couldn't help myself so here you go a new story to add to my continuation of stories. If any new readers to my stories they are all continuations but it is all your choice if you want to read them or not.

The chapters in this story won't be as long, and there won't be too much adventure because I want it to be mainly fluff with a bit of drama so here you go and enjoy! Please R&R

Disclaimer: I own none of the Inuyasha characters.

Red-orange leaves whispering through a simple village along with the scent of cold wind that ran up the spine of every villager. Despite the weather bringing in a cold front the men still tended to their fields to keep up with their food supply while the women and children worked to fill their homes with the smell of hot soup.

Even inside a two room hut the smell of soup was thick with the scent of boiling vegetables and homemade stock. In one room Kaede was bundled up in a thick blanket with a cup of tea while she kept a close eye on her soup.

In the other room Rin was busy learning to brew a new medicinal herb with a fire crackling not too far behind her to give her all the warmth she needed without the need for a blanket. Rin looked up from the brown papers holding all the information she needed. Her eyes went to the window in front her, and she caught sight of the scene beyond the village.

"It's so pretty," she whispered to herself as she noticed all the fall leaves dancing around the village with the cool autumn wind guiding them. The weather was getting colder and colder the closer winter came, but not so close to winter where the sun was no longer visible.

Rin was able to see the sun shining bright in the light blue colored sky. The only difference was the chilly air and the brown and red leaves falling everywhere around the forests. Rin was usually brought into the forests with the children to play their silly yet secretly fun games of falling in a pile of all those leaves. She always felt silly for she was no longer a little girl and she was the only woman in the village that participated in such games.

Must have been the kid inside her, and at times she wished she could go back to those years of endless flower picking and child like rambling of innocent nonsense. Of course she knew that would never happen, and there were good sides to growing up. People took her more seriously and she was able to develop feeling she may not have comprehended as a child; feeling that she was still sorting through now.

"I can't have my mind wander off," she said as she grabbed her bowel of powdery green liquid and began to read the instructions on the brown papers. "I have to stay focus and make this right."

She began to add powders of varies colors and mixed in other kinds of plants and roots. Rin was well educated on how to brew medicine through herbs, but there was still so much to learn that Kaede said even she, as old as she was, still hadn't mastered every medicinal potion yet.

Rin was currently working on a medicine that relieves pain in certain areas of the body. Her green liquid was to be made into a thick paste to smear on the body such as backs, legs, and even necks. One slip up and the medicine would be useless so she made sure to keep her mind on the task at hand.

She was also hoping to use some of this remedy on Kaede since her caretaker had been waking up the past couple of nights complaining of back pain, but simply told Rin not to make such a fuss over it. Rin could see she was in pain though, and that was her whole reason behind making the medicine in the first place.

She didn't want to overwork Kaede, but at the same time she didn't want to trap her up like some caged bird or as Inuyasha liked to put it "An old prune in an empty jar". Even Kagome gave her some advice on how to deal with the elderly for she mentioned of a grandfather she had back where she used to live.

They can be stubborn so it's better not to treat them like babies even if they act like it.

Rin only chuckled at the memory because right after Kagome gave her that piece of advice Shippo popped out of nowhere explaining the advice sounded just like Inuyasha, and soon after a big bruise was made on the little foxes head.

"You losing focus again Rin," she scolded to herself. She was only a few steps away from finishing the medicine, and to get Kaede out of bed Rin asked her to make her delicious hot soup. She always cooked it during the cold seasons, and it was always better than either she Sango or Kagome's ever was.

Rin could already smell the heavenly aroma from her room, and she decided to take a quick break and let the liquid settle into its pasty texture. She organized the mess she made on her low wooden desk, and once she was finished she took one last look out the window to the orange trees and distant mountains.

I wonder how Lord Sesshomaru is doing.

It had been a good 6 or 7 days since she last saw him, and every day seemed longer than the next. Rin's eyes went from the window to the lantern sitting nicely on her wooden desk. It was still in good shape, and it always left Rin with the feeling of knowing Sesshomaru would be back since she had a feeling he was the one that left if for her when she awoke the morning after the lantern ceremony.

She woke up in her futon to find that Sesshomaru was gone, and the lantern was placed nicely on the corner of her desk. Every night she would light it to either do late night work, or to simply stare at it to remind her of the one who gave it to her in the first place.

Rin took a small sigh knowing that as much as she loved the moment they shared during the ceremony she only wanted more now. I really need to stop falling asleep on him…. How could she though when his fur was as soft as a cloud and as warm as the summer air.

Rin's mind began to daydream of what she could do when he came back. She thought about a nice stroll but with the cold weather, especially at night, she wasn't sure if she would enjoy it as much as she would have liked. The only other option aside from being outside would of had to have been to bring him inside.

Although, the thought of her Lord Sesshomaru in a village hut…..

She could hardly see him living in his castle much less a simple village hut. It was a very odd sight to picture and she already knew he may not approve of the idea either. Once birds are caught swimming in the sea then she will think things over.

Rin let her daydreaming and mind wandering last a little longer until she noticed a small brown leaf blowing through her window. She didn't pay too much attention to it until a good thousand more zoomed in.

"Huh?" she said as she watched in confusion on how so many leaves were able to blow in through her window. She heard small chuckles come from outside the window followed by dark brown hair so similar to hers popping its way up to her view.

The face began to reveal itself as followed and Rin smiled to the recognizable face. "Kohaku," she said in relief as she let a smile show.

"Don't you remember," he said as he walked from the window to the front door while stepping in to see his childhood friend covered in leaves. "I used to do this to you when we were kids," he said with a small laugh.

"I don't remember there to be quite this many leaves though," Rin said with a friendly laugh to match his. "But if there's one thing I do remember it was you having to be the one to clean up all these leaves."

"Don't worry I'll clean this up," he said with his shy boy smile complimented by his red cheeks. After a handful of leaves was tossed out of the window the hut was clean, and Kohaku took off his boots and sat down on the other side of the fire.

"Sure feels good in here," he said as he warmed his hands. "This armor can only keep me so warm."

"How was your journey?" Rin asked to start up a friendly conversation. "I heard from Sango that she got a letter from you awhile back. Is it true that you saved a high ranked lord from losing his castle to a hoard of demon?"

Kohaku immediately went red as he smiled and brought his hand to the back of his head. "Yeah, he didn't intend to hire me at first because he said I didn't look that strong. I was about to leave until I noticed all these demons appearing at his castle. I went straight there and took care of them all, and the lord apologized and paid me twice what was intended."

"That's what he gets for not believing in your strength," Rin pointed out which caused Kohaku to turn an even deeper shade of red over his freckled cheeks.

He began to laugh nervously as his hands clenched and unclenched at his side. "I uh I don't know what to say."

"Have you gone to see Sango yet? You know she's pregnant again."

"Yeah I head," he answered, "But to be honest I think I'd rather wait a while before I have to return to a bunch of hyper nieces and nephews along with a probably emotional sister."

Rin laughed at the truth in his words over Sango's mood swings. "That's a pregnant woman for you."

Kohaku smiled at her pretty face while she laughed. She always had a way to bring, not just him, but anybody warmth to their heart. His eyes scanned over her face to find she was just as beautiful now as when he left; of course it was only for a month. He looked to her kimono and his mouth already spoke the question his mind was thinking.

"That from Lord Sesshomaru?" he asked as Rin looked down to her beautiful yellow kimono with orange birds scattered around it. "Yes, he gave this to me not long after he came back. Isn't it beautiful," she asked and with the face she made Kohaku couldn't help but nod his head slowly.

"He also brought me that a few days ago," she said excitedly as she pointed to the lantern over on her desk. "There was a ceremony going on here all thanks to Inuyasha and Kagome. Lord Sesshomaru and I…."

Rin blushed not really wanting to go into detail of their innocent yet affectionate moment they shared together. "Well I asked him to stay and enjoy it as well."

"I see," Kohaku said trying his best to put up a happy smile despite the pain of seeing the girl he cared deeply for having affections for someone else. "Does that mean that she loves him?" he wondered. She hadn't said anything yet.

"So I take it he comes around here often?" he asked trying to further his knowledge to see how deep Rin's feeling for Sesshomaru truly ran.

"Yes, he comes by here a few times when he is not away taking care of things. He left a few days ago, but I'm sure he will return soon."

"I see, but what about you?" he asked which caused Rin to look at him questionably. "Well….I mean weren't you given a choice to go back with him for good…if you wanted." Kohaku stuttered while thinking that maybe Rin was never given that piece of information yet.

"Oh that,'' she replied with a small laugh. "Well I had plans to, yes, but then Lady Kaede hasn't been feeling her best this last month."

"Oh, right Sango wrote something like that to me in her letter. How is Lady Kaede doing now? Better I hope."

"Yes, some days are better than others, but she is fine today she is even making some nice hot soup right now. Still though I can't leave her in the condition she is in…I would feel too bad and worry too much…So Lord Sesshomaru and I made arrangements to where he will some visit every so often."

"Didn't he do that before when you were young?"

"Yes, but this time he and I get to see each other and spend some time together." Rin found herself turning red again for the obvious reasons.

"Get to see him more often huh? I bet you must be really happy."

"Yes," she answered as her blush deepened and a sweet smile formed on her pretty face. "It's so wonderful to see him again. When he first left me in the village I thought that I was never going to see him again. Then when he left to war I was always worried about him and how he was doing. I'm just…so glad he's back and I finally get to see him now, and you know what…it feels a little different."

"Different as in how?"

"Well since you saw him most when you were young you may feel what I feel when you walk up to him."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he doesn't seem that much older to me now. His age almost resembles yours, and he is still very tall but I no longer have to strain my neck just to see his face."

"Well demons don't age like we do."Kohaku still tried his best to hold up a friendly smile. He gave Sesshomaru is utmost respect, but with his long time crush on Rin it was uncomfortable to hear her talk about someone else the way she was.

Although he could not blame her for he was always too shy to tell her how he felt and he always gave her the impression that they were nothing more than mere friends.

"I just never saw it with my own eyes before. It is as though not one thing about him is different yet I suppose it is because I have gotten older that I see him a little differently. I know it is hard to explain so I hope you understand what I'm talking about."

"I do," Kohaku said as he tried to change the subject. The more Rin talked about Sesshomaru the more it seemed that she was practically in love with him.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Well I was going to brew some medicine and that usually takes up a lot of my time not to mention chores."

"You think there might be room in your busy schedule for me?" he asked timidly.

"Sure," Rin said with a bright smile that left his cold body feeling hot.

"R-Really?" he said with a smile on his own face as he thought about all the things they could do that day such as have a romantic picnic or a midnight stroll.

"I don't mind walking with you to Sango's," Rin then added caused a sweat drop to appear on Kohaku's face for what Rin mentioned was really not what he had in mind.

"Uh, r-right," he said as he laughed nervously. "There is some warm soup being made," Rin said as she got up on her feet. "Would like a bowl before we head out?"

Kohaku smiled at her friendly offering and accepted it with a nod to his head.

"The day is still young maybe I can try again later," he thought as he got up on his feet.

Suddenly he stopped when he heard the sounds of horses galloping. "Do you hear that?" he asked and Rin agreed for she too could hear the sounds of hoove prints, and lots of them by what she could hear.

Both she and Kohaku put on their footwear and made it to the door as Kohaku held the mat off to the side to reveal a group of humans on horses making their way to the village. Rin noticed Inuyasha was already at the bottom of the mountain ready to greet them.

Rin took a closer look to the intruders. They all wore hay cloaks to shield themselves from the bitter cold, and each also wore hay hats to keep their faces from view.

"Who are they?"

AN: Not too long and I thought it was a good way to start off the story. I am not a Kohaku/Rin shipper, but I do believe his character is a good one to have. No love triangle because the anime gave us enough of that lol So I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter and stay alert for ch 2 where Sesshomaru comes in!

Please leave a comment it would be greatly appreciated.