Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha

The Most:

Hate

          Again.

          Again they were left in the toxic dust of his hasty retreat. Again they remained behind to helplessly lick their wounds. Again the price of battle could not buy them victory. Again, again, again!

          How many more times? His mind hissed, a roiling well of fury, how many more times must we play this game!? There was no answer. And it made him want to howl.

          Around him the wind rose like the waters of a storm at sea in place of his own wordless cry. It tore through the gnarled bodies of bare autumnal trees, stripping them of the last of their leaves and stirring the long, dying grasses at his feet. His hair flew on invisible wings from his back, the heavy folds of his hakama plastered themselves against the skin they protected, and beneath it his angered heart sent rage like blood throughout the fibers of his being. In his ears the rhythmic beating that escaped his chest, the pulsing flow of his life-force, pounded like the drumming of a blacksmith at his forge. Identical to that of his everlasting foe, to that of anything alive.

          The wind shrieked at his senses and the desire rose within him to cry out with it – to release his anger, to send it away with the breath of God. He longed to abandon reason and ride the tides of his hate – his blood surged at the very thought – but he quelled his desires and simply stood, alone with the howling wind. The voice he did not have.

          It was because of him. Because he had run from them again. His anger was beginning to ebb with the dying wind. But when the gale was reborn in all its strength and more, he would be left with only pangs of bitterness and no burning hatred to keep him warm. His fist clenched.

          "I wonder sometimes… if we'll ever truly defeat Naraku."

          He glanced at her as she voiced his thoughts, not at all surprised to find her beside him when he had thought himself alone. He had found her there so often, he was far past being surprised – he had come to expect it, even.  

 The wind danced with her hair and her clothes, turning her cheeks and nose a rosy pink. He could watch her, now, without attracting her attention. She was too focused on the sky, the leaves, the wind, the world, to notice him. That's why he was surprised when she did.

A grin washed the solemnity from her face as she turned to him. And it took him a moment to realize that he was hardly angry anymore.

"But when I look at all of you, I don't have to wonder anymore. I know we'll beat him some day…" her smile fell as she trailed off and clenched a fist. And when she next spoke, her voice held more bitterness than he had ever imagined hearing in her. "He deserves to die."

For only a second his eyes widened. Then he folded his arms and snorted, regaining his composure: a thing too often lost around this girl. He really shouldn't be surprised by anything coming from her.

"What do you mean 'He deserves to die'? Death is too good for him."

She shook her head. "You say that now… but when it comes down to it, you'd kill him given half the chance." The wind blew her sigh to his ears. "But that's not really what I meant… I – I've never meant those words before. I hate Naraku. I hate him the most, of all things."

She fell silent, and he could find no words for her. So, for a moment, they stood alone with the screaming wind. It cried out all they could not say.

When he finally found his voice he had to pry his tongue from the roof of his mouth before he could speak. "I guess… you've lived a sheltered life."

"Compared to… some… I guess I have." She had been about to say 'you', he could tell. But he let it go. He was drained of the anger that once filled him so completely, and he felt… empty. "What do you hate most, Inu-Yasha?"

"This again?" He had seen it coming. But there was little problem, in admitting hatred for something… for someone. Still, he let out a long suffering sigh. There was always a problem in admitting anything. To anyone. "I might tell you… if you really want to know."  

"You don't want me to know?"

"I hate a lot of things – Naraku, Sessho-Maru… Jaken…" It was true, but not completely. He glanced at her as she began to laugh, a sound like ringing bells. Successfully, he fought the urge to join her.

Her face grew solemn. "But… what do you really hate? More than anything?"

"Why does it matter to you, anyway?" It wasn't quite a snarl, but it came close. His patience was wearing thin, as it often did. Though around her, he had noticed, it happened less often.

 Wide blue eyes met his. A familiar pang of guilt tugged at his conscience. There was a time… when he could have shaken it off… A time long passed. I guess it's okay… as long as it's only her.

"I just want to know more about you… that's all…" She frowned almost imperceptibly at her shoes, and his nose caught the musty scent of sorrow.

"I hate… cowardice. Ignorance. Weakness." It was true, but not completely…

"In yourself?"

"In everyone."

The wind picked up again, stronger and fiercer than it had yet been. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. It was a rather pathetic picture. For all of two seconds he watched her, before shrugging out of his haori and wrapping it around her. He stepped away before she could look up at him.

"Most of all… I hate to see you suffer…" he spoke softly, not quite sure whether she had heard, and not quite sure if he wanted her to. Because it was true, completely. "Go back to the others. I'll follow in a minute."

He was sure she wanted to say something, but she remained silent. It wasn't until the sounds of her exit reached his ears that he turned to watch her go. When she was gone from his sight, though, he didn't move.

Around him the wind rose, sweeping across the land at speeds even he could only dream of. It blew through the trees and the grass and around the living statue of his body. It picked up and howled, and left him behind.

He moved to follow in her path.

It was getting cold.

A/N: Well, I decided to continue it… this one didn't come out quite like I wanted it to, though. Ah, well, hopefully the other chapters will be better… Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I hope this one isn't too disappointing… Review please! See you next time!