Lingering Fingertips by saruwarui

Prologue

She stood by the water’s edge, dipping her toes into the cool yet warm water. Scratches covered her legs, blood trickling from them, sliding down her legs to drop into the water. Ringlets formed as the blood mingled into the water. Where was she? When did she loose her way?

She really didn’t mind it anymore. She sat down into the water, submerging her legs into the liquid. The water slowly began to seep into the cloth of her skirt. The green turned a darker shade as she watched intently as it moved up the skirt like a creature with no form. Her eyes were a blank stare. How long had they had their way with her? She shuddered from the thought. He hadn’t been able to save her. He couldn’t even save himself. None of them could. Sobs took over her body as she slapped her palms to her face in attempt to capture her tears. Even if he had survived, things wouldn’t be the same. Nothing could change that. She might as well just die here in this river; let her body merge with the water and float until someone found her.

Something in the bushes rustled. Frightened, she let out a gasp of fear, standing up quickly and stumbling backward back onto the shore. Grabbing her bow from its place in the sand and fumbling with an arrow, somehow managing to keep it in place as she aimed.

He stepped through, amber eyes narrowed in puzzlement. He had smelled blood, but he hadn’t expected her of all people. She let out a sigh of relief before beginning to sob again.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, it’s only you.” Her body wavered and she fell into the sand. The river’s water lapped at her body. Exhausted she had collapsed, solely from the relief that she was no longer in danger, that even if he was an enemy, she hadn’t been happier to see a familiar face.