That night Catriona had finally allowed Inu Yasha to come within a few feet of her without her sending him slight glares & shaking her head, a sign that she still hadn�t wanted him near her. When she let him close enough, she told him to sit down with her, moving over to make room for him in her bedding. �Inu Yasha, I only let you near because I have finally calmed down enough, only because I have made up my mind that what I need to talk to you about is important,� she spoke, her voice soft in volume, but stern in tone.
Inu Yasha nodded to show he understood her words as he sat down in the spot she had made clear for him. �What is it you have to talk to me about?� He asked, his voice sounding unsure, as if he felt he had no right being there in her bedding; which at this point in time she felt he didn�t.
�Inu Yasha, until Sesshomaru sends words for me to come to him or to move to a different place to stay until he wants me back, then I�m staying at this very den,� she started, tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear. �I don�t want it to be hard for him to find me to let me know to come back to me since he would have no idea of where to look.� When she saw him open her mouth to say something, she quickly spoke again. �I know you mean well Inu Yasha, but you can�t treat Koga that way; not when he�s been kind enough to let me stay here until Sesshomaru sends for me.�
�He let your son be killed Catriona,� Inu Yasha spoke quietly, his tone submissive.
�He did not let him be killed, Inu Yasha. He tried to warn him, but Isamu was himself & didn�t listen. I hate to place blame on my own son, but that is where the blame should be placed. He didn�t listen to Koga & in turn he was...� Catriona had to stop talking for a moment as she felt tears welling up in her eyes.
Inu Yasha watched the woman he cared for go through pain right before him & it took all he had in him not to wrap his arms around her, hold her close, & kiss away all of her sadness. But he knew she didn�t care for him in that sense, so he bit his lip & restrained himself.
She closed her eyes & pushed the tears back as best as she could before she opened her eyes & looked at Inu Yasha. �He was bitten & that is what killed him. I miss my son more than anything & part of me is still angry at Koga, but the other part of me is reminding the other part that Koga has been upset by this as well.�
�Don�t you ever get tired of sitting around here doing nothing?� He asked, his ears moving forward slightly as they picked up movement in the beddings behind her. He looked around her to see one of the females Ginta was paired with, moving around slightly. He looked back at her when the female settled down against one of the other females.
�I do Inu Yasha, but I have to stay here incase Sesshomaru sends for me,� she answered, looking down at her hands, then to his, looking over his claws.
�Do you think he would mind if I took you away for at the most a week?�
Catriona brought her eyes up to his, tilting her head slightly. �What are you talking about?�
�Well, I�ve been hanging around Totosai�s cave & over time I�ve been...sort of...� He paused a moment to think it over carefully before he spoke again. �I�ve been sort of watching over two villages. One of those villages is having a little celebration because of the winter, & I was just thinking that you might like to go to something like that. It�s a two day trip to the cave, then not even half a day to the village. I�m sure they wouldn�t mind letting us join in on the celebration since I�ve been watching over them.�
�But that�s a while from here then,� she spoke, stating the obvious. �I don�t think Koga would allow me to travel that far away from here for a festival... He might want to send someone with us if he does allow it...�
�Then they can come with us Catriona...�
�I don�t know Inu Yasha.. How far away is this festival?�
�As far as I know it�s in about five days... I figured if you decided to go with me then we could leave here in two days & then rest one day & spend time at the village.�
�Can I think about it until then?�
Inu Yasha nodded. �Of course,� he smiled.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning, Catriona shivered as she woke with a bit of a start when she realized there was a pair of strong arms wrapped around her upper torso, her right arm was wrapped around a warm body, & her ear was pressed against a chest. The only way she knew it was a chest was because of the soft heartbeat she heard directly next to her ear.
When she pulled her head back, she came face to face with a sleeping Inu Yasha, who looked so peaceful in her sleep it made her smile. -He�s so cute when he sleeps,- she thought. -He looks almost angelic...-
She managed to pull from his hold without waking him, which surprised her quite a bit. After a brief stretch to wake up her cold, stiff muscles, she grabbed the unused fur by her bedding & wrapped it around herself before she began walking to the mouth of the cave. Upon reaching the mouth of the cave, she tensed up when she saw a figure moving towards her through the wall of falling snow. When the figure was visible finally, she relaxed in her fear of not knowing who it was, but her heart began pounding when she saw Ah & Un being lead by Jaken.
Jaken looked up when he could clearly smell her scent & he let out an alarmed squawk when she snatched him up & hugged him tightly to her. �What are you doing Lady Catriona, let me go!� He screeched.
�Jaken, this is going to sound strange coming from me, but I missed you so much!� She spoke, giving him a hard squeeze before she set him down on the snow-covered ground. �Are you here to get me?�
Jaken shook his head & removed a scroll from inside his haori, holding it up to her. �This is from Lord Sesshomaru. He risked his life to take the time to write this for you,� he spoke as she took it from his hand. �He said it is important that you read this.�
�Are you staying until I read it?�
�I�m afraid not, Lady Catriona. Lord Sesshomaru has demanded that I return as soon as you have it in your hand.�
Catriona nodded slowly as she looked at the scroll in her hand, then down to the imp who stared up at her as if waiting for a message of any kind. �Jaken, can you tell Lord Sesshomaru that...� She lowered her head, closing her eyes. �Let my mate know that his heir died a week ago? If he wants to know the cause, which I�m certain he will, Isamu was bitten by a snake youkai & died the same night.�
Jaken�s eyes widened for a moment before they returned to normal state. �I am sorry for your loss Lady Catriona. I will be sure to tell Lord Sesshomaru the news when I see him...� He said as he turned to leave.
�Jaken, wait.� When the imp looked back at her, she looked up at him. �Please tell me, why is this taking so long... I have been here a month now, should this have taken so long?�
�It shouldn�t have Lady Catriona, but the Lord that attacked your mate was a lot stronger this time & it is not sure how long this battle can go on. Both youkai show no signs of weakening any time soon.�
�Thank you Jaken...�
After having watched Jaken walk away until the snow cut off visibility of the imp & pack animal, Catriona walked back inside to the cave, sneezing softly. When she walked inside, she saw Inu Yasha was sitting up on her bedding, watching her as she walked to her bedding & sat down beside him.
�You smell like Jaken,� he spoke softly, his ears pressing back slightly.
�That�s because I hugged him... I was happy to see him,� she whispered as she unrolled the scroll a little bit to start reading, the words coming out in her mind as she read over them.
�My Dearest Catriona, my battle with Lord Mottomorashii of the Eastern Lands has carried on longer than I ever expected it to. I am very sorry if this has proven to be an inconvenience for you & our son, Isamu, but I ask for both of you to forgive me. it would be over by now if I could simply wish for it, but that would be taking the easy, weak way out of this & as you know I am not the kind to do this.�
She smiled slightly, knowing how very true that was. -Well at least he isn�t in denial over that fact...- She thought as she continued on.
�During this battle with Lord Mottomorashii, I have had time to think about you, though I should be concentrating on my battle attacks & now a woman, but I can�t help it; you seem to be always on my mind... Within these thoughts, I have found a poem that tells how I feel of you. This is unlike myself, but in the event that I should never see you again & not be able to tell you how I feel, I think it best that I write those words down.�
Catriona paused, her heart clenching in her chest at the last line. -...never see you again...- She shook her head, willing those words from her mind before she continued on.
�Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am home again.
Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am whole again.
Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am young again.
Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am fun again.
However far away,
I will always love you.
However long I stay,
I will always love you.
Whatever words I say,
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am free again.
Whenever I�m alone with you,
you make me feel like I am clean again.
However far away,
I will always love you.
However long I stay,
I will always love you.
Whatever words I say,
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
If things should get too dangerous for you at Koga�s den, then I wish for you to find a safer place & send word to me of your new safe spot. This is only for your protection.
I love you my Dear Catriona... You mate, Lord Sesshomaru, ruler of the Western Lands.�
Catriona felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she finished the letter. She felt Inu Yasha wrap his arms around her before she collapsed against him, crying.