The dai-yokai's brow was still furrowed in thought as he returned to the others.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin called, running up to him, stopping a few feet short of his legs. "You're back! Jaken and I were worried."

"I was not," Jaken argued, "you lying little girl!"

"But Master Jaken, you said just a minute ago that-" "Nevermind what I said! I always believed from the very beginning that Lord Sesshomaru would come back!"

Ignoring the usual banter of his cortege, the dai-yokai approached A-Un. The dragon lifted its heads at its masters presence, and the nearmost one turned towards him, sniffing his clothes with a passive curiosity, while the other simply glanced at him. Rin approached him from behind, and answered his unspoken question.

"Lady Noro hasn't woken up yet," the orphan said quietly, "and her sleep isn't very good. She's been saying scary things in her sleep."

As if in response to Rin's words, Noro moved on the dragons back, head lolling from side to side. Her hands moved also, clenching and unclenching, as though trying to grab at something just out of her reach.

"Let... me... go...," she murmured, her eyes shut tightly. "No... I can't... you... can't..."

The woman's heart was beating quickly, a sound that was uncomfortably loud in Sesshomaru's ears. He could smell her fear. Whatever the dream was, it was terrifying her.

The scent was acrid. He didn't like it.

The demon lord reached forward and grabbed Noro's arm. Almost instantly, she began to struggle in her sleep. Her eyes rolled behind her eyelids.

"No... stop! Please... don't... I won't!"

"Noro," the dai-yokai said, his hold on her arm tightening slightly, "wake up."

The woman couldn't hear him, as wrapped up in her nightmare that she was. She practically writhed upon A-Un's back, and if not for Sesshomaru's solid hold grip, she no doubt would've dropped onto the ground.

"Noro," he tried again, this time a little louder. His thumb stroked the inside of her wrist softly; an unconscious movement. "Wake up."

With one heavy spasm, Noro's eyes flew open, the moons glare reflecting heavily in her glassy, unfocused stare. Her pupils were dilated, her irises were nothing but an eclipsed sun in a crimson sky.

"Norowareta," he said her full name, and her eclectic stare focused on him.

"Sesshomaru? What..." She relaxed, and he let go of her arm, stepping back.

"Frightened by a few dreams," he said, his tone softly admonishing. Noro's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah well, you wouldn't know. I doubt someone like you even has dreams."

"Correct."

Good. If she still had the strength to banter with him, she would recover.

Noro glanced around them curiously. "What happened? I don't remember anything after we left that priestess."

"Naraku has returned," Sesshomaru replied.

Noro's heart stopped. She had been around the dai-yokai enough to pick up on his mood, and it was clear that whatever had occurred, it seemed that Naraku had evolved once again.

"I see."