--Music Maker, Part II--

Next to the small fire, a pile of blankets moved, revealing a flushed face framed by sweat-dampened curls. The little girl clutched at her stomach silently. She had been sick all week, ferried from camp to camp on their way by Ah-un's strength and generosity. Though her illness did not seem to be serious enough to merit great alarm, Rin was greatly weakened, unable to keep her food down. What pained the girl the most was her inability to speak or sing- it was unnatural for her to be quiet, but she consoled herself with the knowledge that her Lord preferred the silence, anyway. Sesshoumaru did not appear particularly concerned, only adjusting his regular routine enough to ensure that Rin was kept warm and dry.

Rin tried to adjust her blankets more comfortably, eventually giving up and falling back, exhausted. Lord Sesshoumaru had been gone for some hours, presumably hunting and securing the camp.

Suddenly, he appeared between the trees, something large slung over one shoulder- a deer? When he finally reached the circle of light cast by the fire, he dumped the bundle to the ground, ignoring Jaken's questions. From the bundle a small man, holding a fiddle, rose to his feet, his expression fearful and humble.

"Play." With a single syllable, the youkai lord nodded to the man, and he scrambled to raise up a tune to amuse the girl. Rin clapped her hands, delighted- some time later, she fell into a sweet, blissful sleep to the sound of the music.