Chapter 10

Food For Thought

Rin and Jaken huddled together in the shadows, waiting for Sesshomaru to wake. It had been hours since Inuyasha and the others had left, along with the white-haired woman who had bested their lord so easily. Rin was no stranger to the forest at night, but she had always been at Lord Sesshomaru's side. And he never seemed to sleep. Not since the first time she saw him when he was injured. Jaken had tried waking Lord Sesshomaru earlier, but to no avail, and the little retainer did not dare make a fire for Rin, fearing that another demon horde might find them.

Sesshomaru's fingers twitched. His eyes, golden and slit-pupiled like his father's and brother's, flicked open. Rin and Jaken let out cries of relief as their lord slowly got to his feet. Sesshomaru did not say a word, but his aura was dark and ugly with rage. He glared into the darkness, as if daring the woman to return, but the hated half-human scent was cold. Without a glance at his retainers, Sesshomaru strode into the forest, Rin and Jaken scampering behind, eyes wide and lips pressed shut in silence. Someone was going to pay for this insult to their lord.

When Kagome woke, for a moment, she had no idea where she was. She was sleeping on a futon indoors, so she wasn't camping out in the Feudal Era. But the lack of distant traffic noises meant that she wasn't at home either. Then the events of the night before came flooding back. Their search for a jewel shard, the attack by the demon horde, their rescue by Namida, meeting the hanyou, dinner in Seidou, the strange glowing scrying stone and Kikyo's arrow... Kagome groaned and pulled the covers over her head. "Today would be a good day to stay in bed," she moaned.

"Did you say something, Kagome?" asked Sango, her voice still thick with sleep. Covers rustled as the demon-hunter got out of bed.

"Never mind," Kagome replied, pushing back the covers. Miroku and Shippo were still unconscious and snoring. Inuyasha was also asleep, but he was leaning against the wall by the open window rather than in a futon. I hope he didn't catch a chill, Kagome worried.

A light tap came at the door, and the screen slide aside, revealing Nodoka. "Good morning!" the young water hanyou said with a smile. "Breakfast will be served momentarily."

Kagome's stomach took that moment to growl. She blushed and stammered her thanks, as Nodoka covered her mouth with her sleeve to hide a smile.

Once the boys were roused, the little group tromped down the stairs to the dining room. The other hanyou were already present and tucking into their meals with gusto. Nodoka cradled Kajiru in a sling and fed him his morning bottle of milk. Only Namida and Akaaka were missing. No one seemed at all sleepy. When Miroku commented on this, Nodoka explained that most of them had been up before dawn for the morning chores and exercise. "We tend our own gardens and food animals here," she explained. "Lady Namida will sometimes travel to trade for spices or other items we need but can't make here. But for the most part, we try to be as self-sufficient as we can."

"Where is Lady Namida this morning?" asked Kagome.

"Probably checking the wards," said Rosuto. His arm was cradled in a sling. "Don't worry. She'll be back in time for lessons."

"And... Akaaka?"

Rosuto looked away. "She decided to eat in the watch tower."

She didn't want to sit at the same table as mere humans, Kagome thought with some heat. Aloud she asked, "Why does Akaaka hate humans so much? The rest of you don't seem to."

The hanyou children glanced at one another uncomfortably. "Most if us were too young to really know how humans or demons treat our kind," said Nodoka softly. "Lady Namida found us as infants or very young, took us in, and taught us how humans aren't all bad. Akaaka was badly treated in her human village. She has more cause to hate humans than most of us."

The atmosphere stayed quiet and awkward for a few moments until Naito demanded a story of Inuyasha's and Kagome's adventures. The younger hanyou bombarded the little group with questions, and Kagome noticed that both Nodoka and Rosuto relaxed as the conversation changed.

Once they were done eating breakfast and the dishes were cleared away to be washed and scoured by Sasuga and Hayai, the other hanyou children poured out of the House and down to a wide, sand-filled oval depression that was nearly as long as the House itself. Namida stood waiting in the arena. She inclined her head to Kagome and moved to supervise the children as they each grabbed staves from the racks. If she still felt pain from the arrow wound of the other night, she gave no sign. Nodoka placed Kajiru in a shaded wooden playpen beside the arena where he could be easily watched, and went to join the others. Namida frowned and asked Nodoka a question in tones too low for the others to hear. Nodoka's response made Namida frown, but she shook her head and motioned for Nodoka to join the others. Kagome guessed that Akaaka was still sulking somewhere and wondered if Namida was going to punish her for being so reclusive.

"What's going on?" asked Miroku.

"Training," said Rosuto. "All of us learn how to fight, both hand-to-hand and with basic weapons. As we get older, we can specialize, like Akaaka with her bow or Nodoka with her naginata. It's a dangerous world out there and Lady Namida wants us to be prepared for anything. If we have to defend Seidou, we'll be ready."

"Have you been attacked very often?" asked Sango, one eye on the hanyou as Namida led them through a simple warm-up exercise.

Rosuto laid his ears back. "Not yet. But eventually someone will try."

"What could possibly be here that a demon would want?" sniffed Inuyasha.

"Us."

"What do you mean?" asked Kagome.

"Demons eat hanyou to increase their powers," said Rosuto, voice bleak. "We possess the demonic energy of yokai and the vital life force of humanity. That makes us a choice dish for any demon." He glanced at Inuyasha. "I'm honestly surprised your half-brother Sesshomaru hasn't tried turning you into a snack."

Inuyasha looked away. "Not for lack of trying," he muttered.

Being injured, Rosuto did not participate in the morning weapons training, although he did do a few stretching exercises to help keep limber. He stayed with the guests, explaining more about Namida's training, mostly for Sango and Miroku to enjoy, and pointing out what was going on and why for Kagome, who was impressed at how much even little Tori and Eika could do. Rostuo offered to give Kagome some pointers, while Inuyasha glowered. "She doesn't need that while I'm around," he said once.

Rosuto blinked. "But what about when you aren't around?" he asked mildly, and Inuyasha subsided with ill-grace. Kagome tried to ignore it; he always got this way when another boy tried to be nice to her. And while Koga the wolf demon was definitely interested in Kagome's affections, she didn't get that feeling at all from Rosuto. He seemed nice, thoughtful, and far more polite than Inuyasha, so she now knew for sure that being a dog hanyou was not the reason for Inuyasha's poor manners. Was he raised by his mother, Izayoi? she wondered. He never talks about her... Did she abandon him? Maybe he had a bad experience with humans early on too, like Akaaka.

"Rosuto," Kagome asked, "do you know why all of the hanyou here are humanoid? We met a hanyou named Jinenji who looked... well, more like a demon, but I don't see anyone like that here."

"It's not that surprising," said Rosuto, his voice going carefully neutral. "If a child is born looking more like a human, it has a better chance of surviving long enough for Lady Namida to find them or for them to grow up on their own. Hanyou children who look like demons... are usually killed as soon as they are born."

Kagome shuddered. "That's horrible!"

A tiny, crooked smile came across Rosuto's face. "If more humans thought like you, Kagome, maybe we wouldn't have to hide up here in Seidou."

The clack of sparring staves ended and the children placed their weapons back on the racks. After a quick dip into the water gourds, they scampered towards another gate, one that presumably led back into the Complex. Hayai and Sasuga, their cleaning tasks completed, joined the throng.

"What happens now?" asked Shippo.

"Now it is time for other lessons," said Rosuto, scooping up Kajiru with one arm. "You are welcome to attend, or wander the garden if you wish."

Curious, the others followed. Thankfully, they did not need to go back through the dark, twisting maze of the Complex. Instead, they entered a lush paradise easily three times the size of the garden they'd seen last night. All of the plants were healthy, carefully tended and artfully arranged, with splashes of colorful flowers breaking up the greenery. There was a large koi pond with lilies and a natural fountain, raked gravel paths, and a small amphitheater carved from stone. Namida passed around clay tablets and styluses to the children and took a seat on the central bench while the other hanyou scrambled onto benches that formed a half-circle around it. Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango stood behind the hanyou to listen. Shippo and Kirara hopped up on a bench next to Naito, who grinned. Akaaka remained noticeably absent.

Once everyone was settled, Namida began to speak. In her clear, low voice, she picked up the thread of a history lesson that must have been paused halfway through the previous day. The children listened, enraptured with the story of the demon wars from two hundred years ago when Inu no Taisho fought the foreign demon Hyoga in the West. Kagome shuddered, and slipped way into the foliage. Only a few weeks ago, Inuyasha and her friends had faced Hyoga's son Menomaru and defeated him... and she was not eager to hear the tale again. She'd almost killed Inuyasha while under Menomaru's control.

The garden was very peaceful and after only taking a few steps from the amphitheater, she felt a sense of privacy. She walked a little farther, the sound of Namida's voice softening to a low murmur. What a beautiful place, Kagome thought. I wonder if it would be okay to stay for a while.

Something rustled in the undergrowth. Kagome started to turn, but a hand reached out and twisted her arm behind her back. The other put a knife to her throat. Kagome froze, hardly daring to breathe.

"I'll give you only one warning," Akaaka's voice snarled in her ear. "This place is not for you. Keep away from Rosuto and leave by tomorrow morning. And if you say anything about this to anyone, I'll tear out the throats of you and all your friends, starting with that traitorous lapdog of a hanyou!"

Akaaka twisted Kagome's arm savagely, then released the girl with a swift kick behind her knees. Kagome collapsed on the gravel, shaking, tears in her eyes. She looked up, but Akaaka was gone. Kagome put her hand to her throat and her fingers drew back stained with an ominous line of blood.