It was a bright and sunny day in Shikoku. Warm, breezy- the perfect weather for sleeping. That being said, it was no surprise that Inugami lay curled up in his master's sheets, contemplating on things. His ears perked and he got to his feet when he heard Tamazuki stand.

"I'm going for a walk," he said "will you join me?"

Sure! For the entire time they've been together, Inugami had never really been outside. This was an opportunity to see what Tamazuki's home life was like.

Out the door and on the path the went. Inugami kept close at his master's heels. He saw numerous huts, trees and flowers around them, but no tanuki.
I wonder where everyone went. Then as soon as they made the curve, his questions were answered.

There were numerous tanuki along the path now. Full of joy an laughter, but as soon as they caught sight of Tamazuki, they all silenced. Some turned away, others froze in fear, most stepped back and a few bravehearts looked at him with disgust. Inugami looked at them, then at Tamazuki.

Expressionless- as if he didn't notice anything. That's how Tamazuki looked. Inugami though, just knew he noticed it, too. A part of him was scared of what Tamazuki might do to them, and the other part was slightly angry at them for looking at Tamazuki like that.

"G-good day...T-Tamazuki-sama..." he heard one shy tanuki say.

"Hmph. Look at him," he heard a braver one whisper to the others "he waged war on the Nura Clan, killed our comrades and lost."

Inugami's eyes shifted to Tamazuki's. Still, not a hint of emotion.

"Failure as shameful as the scar on his face."

"An embarrassment."

"Shh...he might hear you."

From the corner of his eye, Inugami saw a young tanuki girl try to approach Tamazuki and offer him tea only to be stopped by an older tanuki male. Said male just shook his head and the girl stepped back in line.

Then they reached the end of the tanuki crowd and were now passing by a clearing filled with tanuki statues. Sitting in the middle of the clearing was the Inugamigyobu Danuki- Tamazuki's father.

"Tamazuki," he said with his big voice.

Tamazuki stopped, so did Inugami. "...Good day, father."

"It's been a long time since I saw you out of your room. Where are you off to?"

"Just going for a walk."

Inugami thought that that was all. Then Inugamigyobu Danuki said "I trust you haven't forgotten your lesson."

Tamazuki was about to walk off but as soon as he heard that statement. "...Of course not, father." Then something flashed in his eyes, but before Inugami could get a closer look, Tamazuki turned away and walked off.

This is nothing like what I expected. I thought that they'd all worship Tamazuki as much as I did. Then again, it's also not surprising that they'd treat him this way after all the things he's done. Inugami contemplated this. Then he snapped back to reality when Tamazuki stopped in front of the memorial made for his fallen comrades. It was made on the very cliff where Inugami first found Tamazuki after reincarnating as a puppy.

Tamazuki sat on a nearby log under a nearby tree. He sat facing towards the sea, the breeze blowing on his face. Inugami sat next to his feet. All that happened earlier was bothering him. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He observed Tamazuki, studying his body language. Everything about him was perfectly normal save for one thing- he was gripping his kimono. For a second, his hands trembled, then that same emotion from awhile ago flashed in his eyes.

And Inugami realized he knew that emotion. He knew it all too well. It was what he had always been feeling his entire life before Tamzuki showed him that there was a place for him. It was what went on in him every time he passed by his schoolmates, seeing them grouped together by friends, mocking him, jeering at him, ostracizing him.

Tamazuki, I had no idea... Never in his life did Inugami think that these things happened to Tamazuki, let alone affected him. All this time, he thought that Tamazuki was his total opposite- unable to feel hurt, unable to be shunned. Now he could see that they weren't so different after all, that amazing, powerful Tamazuki had his own painful cracks.

Inugami stood on his hind legs, leaning his paws on Tamazuki's thighs for support. He gazed at Tamazuki's face, not in pity, but in awe. "You're strong, Tamazuki," he whimpered, realizing that even though the scorn of his clan may have been the reason why Tamazuki never stepped out of his hut until today, he was able to carry on while showing no signs whatsoever that something was hurting him.

Tamazuki looked back at him, acknowledging his presence. "Don't pity me regardless of what you've seen," he said, petting Inugami. Then for a second, relief seemed to flash in his eyes.

Everyone else in the mountain may have been seeing Tamazuki as a cold-hearted, emotionless failure of a yokai, but right now, as Inugami sat wagging his tail, he was able to see another side of Tamazuki- the Tamazuki underneath the surface.

And that's it for chapter four!
Any comments? :)