"Shippo, where are you hiding?" Rin yelled as she ran across the courtyard.
"Sh! Over here behind the hedge," he called in a loud whisper. He covered the green spear shaped leaf with his hand so she could see him.
"There you are!" Rin slid to a stop in front of Shippo.
"Do you want to see if we can sneak in to see Mama?" Shippo teased. "I learned this new trick at Kitsune School." He held up the green leaf between them and disappeared.
Rin screamed, "Where are you? Where did you go?"
Covering the leaf again, he reappeared. "I can make us invisible," he boasted.
Rin looked thoughtful, "I want to see if the baby is here yet."
Shippo grabbed Rin's hand and tugged her toward the forbidden healer's wing. "You have to hold my hand. If you let go, they can see you," the kitsune instructed. The children ran hand in hand toward the sickrooms.
As they neared the stairs to the covered walkway, the shoji screen slid aside and the silver robed old owl exited carrying a small blanket covered bundle. He turned and entered the hallway leading toward Sesshoumaru's study.
"Uh-oh, he is taking it to Papa. We better go back to the garden," Rin whispered.
"Are you afraid?" asked Shippo.
"YES." Rin protested loudly and began pulling Shippo back toward the garden.
"Well okay. If you are too afraid we can go back," Shippo agreed without much protest. He did not want Sesshoumaru to discover that they had defied his orders. While Shippo had no problem disobeying and playing tricks on Inuyasha, the elder brother was too intimidating to be caught deliberately misbehaving, especially at such a time.