An Education by UnknownRandomness

Follow the Leader

Prompt: Gelid – (adj) Very cold, icy.

Word Count: 662

It was bitterly cold. 

The wind whipped at their hair, slapping stinging hailstones across their frozen cheeks. The clouds that escaped from their chattering teeth were quickly whisked away by the ferocious weather that was impeding their progress across the white landscape. 

Kagome had never seen weather like this before; and it terrifed her. Her nervousness was increased by the lack of her friends- lost somewhere in the blinding surroundings. Her only marker, the only familiar thing within reach was Sesshoumaru, already incredibly hard to spot due to his pale colouring and white clothes. Occasionally she spotted his armoured chest plate for a moment or the flash of his silver hair and golden eyes amongst the thousands of colourless rocks that pelted her numb body. 

Even the inuyoukai had donned more layers, chilled by the extreme weather. The miko could tell that he was worried for Rin, Ah-Un and even Jaken; hopefully they were safe with the others somewhere beyond the limited scope of his temporarily dulled senses. 

"Sessh... sama! Please, can I... h...hold onto your ...c-c-clothes? I... I don't wa-nt to be se...pa...ra-ted!"

The Western Lord turned to face her and she drew back as if struck. His face was its usual impassive mask, but it appeared even harsher than usual- like he was made of the ice that whirled around them. There was no mercy in those frozen amber lakes he used as eyes, nor was there kindness in the stiff set of his regal jaw or the firm line of his mouth. 

She knew his answer before he opened his mouth to utter with cruel finality,

"No." 

Freezing, the scared woman complied with his answer, but moved as close to his tall figure as she dared, trying to utilise his height to her advantage by using him as a shield against the blustering winds. For a long while, although she could not be sure, for time was often warped in conditions such as these, Kagome was secure in the knowledge that there was somebody she knew in this barren place even though they weren't exactly friends. She wasn't alone. 

Abruptly, the wind dropped, leaving the hard snow to settle around them, the sky an empty marble of an icy hue containing a small and dim sun. The tops of engulfed trees peeked out tentatively from the powdered ground, skeletal branches carrying hints of death in their grasping limbs. 

Kagome sucked in a painful breath, the cold air whistling into her straining lungs. It bit at her insides, refreshing the lethargy she had fallen into whilst trudging along behind the daiyoukai. Her blue eyes seemed to shine in the glare from the snow, and they meandered over the uniform world- she couldn't help but feel like the entire planet was ensconced in this winter, suspended in time- everything surrounding them was dead, but seemed to hold a timeless beauty exempt from decay. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, isn't it amazing."

Her words were a statement- no matter how harsh the demon was, the young miko was sure that even he could find the glory in this white winter. 

Receiving no answer, Kagome turned to raise a questioning brow at the inu. Her face morphed into panic however when she completed a full circle, only to discover that she was alone. Sesshoumaru had abandoned her as soon as the storm stopped, thinking only of those that mattered to him. A set of light and long-strided footsteps led away from her... She hadn't even heard him leave, mesmerised as she was in this trap of a frozen world. 

Truly scared, the woman rubbed her arms, trying to encourage some warmth in her cold body. Now that she was alone and lost; everything that had seemed so very beautiful- the trees, the empty sky, the feeble sunlight- now seemed as lonely and terrified as she was. 

It was incredibly remarkable, how being alone could make the most normal things seem so very sinister.