Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Fuyu no Tsuki

Chapter 1: Alone

Sesshoumaru stood on a hill over looking Inuyasha's village. It was the beginning of fall, and a slight cool breeze swept over them. Rin's hair brushed across her face and she tucked it behind her ears. Villagers worked in fields, down below, completely unaware of the figures standing on top of the hill. He dreaded this moment, but it could not be avoided. "Rin, you will stay here."

Rin looked up at him. "Will Ah-Un be staying with me?" she asked. Sesshoumaru fought the urge to groan in frustration. "No, you will be staying in Inuyasha's village. You will no longer travel with me." Sesshoumaru looked at her with his usual stoic mask. He could smell the tears forming. He wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to offer some measure of comfort. His chest hurt from the sight of her. He decided that the truth was best. She would understand. Sesshoumaru kneeled on one knee next to her. This motion immediately got Rin's attention.

"This Sesshoumaru desires to claim his father's lands back."

"Jaken-sama mentioned that you wanted to build a kingdom, is that what you mean?"

"Yes. There are allies that need to be contacted and gathered. It would be too dangerous for you to come along. There are some locations in which I would not be able to protect you." Sesshoumaru explained. He placed a hand on her cheek and wiped a tear away. "This Sesshoumaru will not allow you to succumb to death again." Sesshoumaru could feel the sadness radiating from her. Rin placed her small hand over his. "You need to learn vital skills that I cannot teach you. I will provide for you here."
Rin's heart sank, and the rise of sobs threatened to choke her.

He turned his gaze back down to the quiet, simple village. He hated the thought of leaving her here, or any other filthy village, but he knew that she would be safe here. His attention was brought back to Rin. Small arms had wrapped around his neck. Rin buried her face in the soft fur of his mokomoko. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin's muffled voice quietly said. Rin's eyes widened in surprise as he patted her head awkwardly. A massive smile spread across Rin's face. She backed away from him and bowed deeply. She then turned and started running down the road towards the village. Sesshoumaru watched her reach the village. He then turned and retreated into the forest.

Author's note: Alright, first of all, these chapters are supposed to be short. While the next couple chapters, do not seem like they involve Sesshoumaru, they will soon enough. This story will hopefully be quite a long one haha. Please review, it keeps me writing!