Rin giggled as she walked along the path collecting herbs for medicines and teas. The yellow butterfly seemed to be following her every step down the dirt path. Inuyasha, who was trailing along beside her, snorted but could not help a small smile from forming on his face. Even though she was now a young woman of sixteen, she still indulged in simple childish things every now and then.

"Oh," she slightly gasped when she saw some leafy greens off the side of the trail. She bounded of towards them, unhesitant even though there were prickely plants laced on the ground around them.

"Oi, watch where your going!" Inuyasha yelled after her. If she had even the smallest scratch on her, Inuyasha would get the fiercest look from Sesshomaru. Anything larger than a scrach was met brutally from his elder half-brother, thus Inuasha took it upon himself to make sure she didn't get into any trouble. He ran in front of her and used the end of his sword to move the plants away from her. When they reached the herbs, Rin got down on her knees on plucked only the freshest leaves fron the tall stalk.

"Lord Sesshomaru might like a tea made with these!" After years of her constant pestering, Sesshomaru had finally agreed to try human food every now and again. So far, after a small bite, he would turn up his nose and refuse to eat any more. Rin was determined to find something that would be irrisitable to her mighty lord. He was suppose to visit later in the evening and Rin was almost unmanageble with excitement.

Inuyasha was determined to discover what someone so innocent and gentle saw in a cold killer like Sesshomaru. "Why do you like my brother so much for? He wicked and evil and... downright arrogent! He hardly ever speaks and thinks himself above making eye contact. And yet you follow his every footstep and command. Why?"

Rin did not look up from her plant and her only response was a soft sight. But Inuyasha was determined to get an answer from her. "Well?" he demanded.

Rin picked a couple more leaves then stood up, still faceing away from him. then she slowly turned around and looked Inuyasha right in his golden eye. Then she said something that left Inuyasha deep in thought for several hours.

"Because he needs me."

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.