Winter's Warmth
Snow crunched under bare feet and Inuyasha cursed into the wind, wiping his dry nose. He didn't think it was possible and didn't dare let on to Kagome and the others, but he'd caught a cold.
Him, a half-demon, sick!
Inuyasha had wandered off to find some firewood, any excuse to get away from their suspecting eyes.
"Of course, this stupid blizzard had to roll in right friggin' now!"
With his precious nose out of commission, the dog-demon hanyo couldn't scent his way back to the safe warmth of his companions.
What the hell! I don't need them! I can camp about anywhere!
True enough, their frail human bodies would give before his.
But they've prob'ly found an inn by now. Stupid monk and his "exorcisms."
He'd forgotten who's idea it had been to campout. Another icy wind rattled both tree branches and bones. "D-damn" – Inuyasha sneezed – "Dammit!"
The tiny portion of his brain that functioned knew he had to get to some sort of shelter soon, his hakama were soaked through, but where?
A snowdrift ahead seemed so inviting if a proper hovel could be dug of it. And he was getting so drowsy; for once that outrageous stamina was dwindling.
Maybe I'll just settle down here for tonight.
After all, half-demons didn't die of hypothermia either, right?
--
Watching the setting sun refract into a spectrum of color between snowflakes would have left anyone breathless, but this spectator was unfazed. Snow, with its petrifying grip, only reminded him of another dog-demon's death. Since then his was the heart that didn't thaw in love's summer. No winter's frost storm would ever match Sesshomaru's glacial perfection.
And the sight he beheld was pathetic. To see his father's bloodline come to shivering, sniveling, comatose half-breed was a veritable slap.
He's better off dead.
A pivoting heel finalized the course. Sesshomaru left the creature's fate in the hands of the elements.
But why not my own?
The barely breathing disgrace sneezed. He wasn't worth the kill in this condition, but may be later…
Sesshomaru smirked to himself at the challenge of smiting even the most bitter frost.
--
The glaring afternoon sunlight flashed through Inuyasha's eyelids. Groaning, he sat up and shook his stuffy head. His muddled nose still couldn't pick up any distinct scents.
Staggering to his feet, Inuyasha slowly realized (as he did in most situations) that despite the slushy surroundings, the grass where he'd slept had been perfectly defrosted.
"Keh! That's half-demon power f'r ya!"
Cocksure unscathed he set off to find Kagome, Inuyasha tried his best to stare straight ahead and not too closely at the ground covered in the dog fur of a pure demon.