After the grueling battle, everyone was exhausted in body and mind. Yet Sesshomaru's face remained expressionless, his icy gaze betraying renewed doubts about his father. The battle with the Leopard Cat Tribe had left him longing more desperately than ever for a blade-the Tessaiga, which could slay a hundred demons with a single swing. His uninjured hand clenched into a fist, hanging silently at his side.
At the first glimpse of sunrise, the faint sunlight almost stung Han's eyes after a whole night spent in darkness. The night's fighting had not only exhausted her spiritual power but also placed an enormous strain on her heart. Countless cat demons had died beneath her Demon-Breaking Arrows that night. Monsters killed by those arrows were purified in an instant, leaving not even ashes behind, so her battlefield was unusually clean. Yet for some reason, her heart sank deeper and deeper into panic.
Clasped tightly between her hands was Sesshomaru's cold hand. Its freezing temperature stung her palms, but she refused to let go. Feeling that hand's lost warmth also let her feel the Dog Demon standing quietly beside her. Her hollow heart slowly filled. I'm not alone. The moment she felt safe, exhaustion suddenly overwhelmed her body. Before Han could even think about what to do for Sesshomaru's hand, her thoughts had drifted far away, and boundless darkness swallowed her vision.
The girl's bright green eyes slipped shut, and her body nearly fell to the ground. Sesshomaru immediately snapped out of his recollections and caught her in his arms. Her face looked weary and melancholy, without any of the serenity she usually wore in sleep. He had never seen that expression on her before. He had once been certain he could keep her safe under his protection, yet that night had brought one