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Seth felt Inu's head drop against him as the exhausted pup finally drifted off to sleep. Quickly making a decision, Seth picked Inu up and laid him on the bed. Seth turned around and headed for the door. He had a quick little errand that he needed to run. But a hand on his sleeve stopped him. He turned to the pup on the bed who he had thought asleep. Inu was able to barely force his eyes open and look at Seth with innocent little puppy eyes.
"Where ya goin?" Inu mumbled sleepily.
"I'll be back soon," Seth told him.
"Don't go. Please. Just stay a little longer..." Inu said worried but too exhausted to raise his voice. After all he had been through, Seth could understand his wish not to be alone. Heaving a sigh and resigning himself to waiting until Inu was asleep to leave, Seth sat at the top of the bed. He took Inu's hand, which had still been grasping his sleeve, and held it while he ran the other through the pup's tangled hair.
Bath, tomorrow. Seth promised himself seeing how much dirt was in the boy's hair. The last thing he needed was fleas.
It only took a few minutes for Inu's breathing to steady into the rhythm of sleep. Seth gently pulled his hand away and rose, so as not to wake Inu. He then quietly slipped out of the house and into the night air.
Again he set off at an impossible speed, first circling the house then heading off to the place where he had found Inu. He was there in minutes and began sniffing around to find Inu's hideout. Carefully he checked the few scratches made in the dirt and trees that not washed away in the days since the battle. He finally found the cave after spotting the numerous claw marks in the rock face. Seth stepped back and took on leap, shooting himself up the rockface and to the entrance of the cave. Once inside Seth first noticed how little the pup had been carrying, only clothes on his back and a blanket, which was good, since a traveling demon shouldn't need lots of things anyway.
Seth moved to the back of the cave and knelt, picking up the small clothes that were lying over a straw bed. He picked up the shirt in his fist and brought it up to his face, sniffing it. Several different scents filled his nose. Most strong was the scent of Inu, then the cent of dirt and sweat. The faintest scent was the one Seth was hoping to find, the scent of a female demon. Seth quickly memorized the scent and stored it in the back of his mind, he would need it later.
Seth rose and gathered up the clothes and eyed the torn blankets before leaving them behind. He could give the pup new blankets if he needed them that badly. With that resolution, Seth walked to the mouth of the cave and jumped out, running at the inhuman speed as soon as he hit the ground.
The first thing Seth did when he got back to the hut was throw the clothes into a pot of boiling water. They were filthy and probably hadn't been washed in months. Which was a problem that Seth knew he would have to rectify. Teaching a young hanyou basic sanitary lessons wasn't going to be easy, but it was better that letting him grow up to be a slob.
Seth looked over at Inu, who was still sleeping peacefully. He'd probably be back to his normal self tomorrow. Seth knew that the only reason his arm hadn't healed before was because it wasn't set right and the bruise on his chest was quickly fading. Plus, there was going to be a full moon tonight, which would give the pup the added strength he would need to heal his arm properly. He'd be sore for a while and he'd still be pretty weak, but he was healing fast.
Finished with washing the clothes, Seth's gaze wondered over to Inu, deeply asleep in the bed. One tiny clawed hand clutched the pillow, while the other was under the pillow in an almost hugging fashion. His chest rose and fell in even breathing, causing a few stray hairs to waft lazily back and forth on the breeze it made. Silently, Seth rose and walked across the room, kneeling in front of Inu and pushing the stray hairs out of his face. Inu didn't even stir.
So innocent...so vulnerable...how has this little one managed to stay alive? Fate? Luck? How much longer until his luck fades and fates changes her course? I want to protect him, but I should kill him. He's a half-breed, an insult to his father's name. How do I protect him and destroy him at once? I should never have interfered, then I wouldn't be in this situation. I am weak.
Not knowing the internal conflict Seth was having, Inu stirred in his sleep and moved closer to Seth, placing his head against Seth's palm. Inu sniffed warily, his sleep relaxed face frowning slightly as his demon instincts kicked in, then relaxed realizing it was someone he trusted. Inu, still asleep, nuzzled Seth's palm and brought his own hand away from the pillow to clasp Seth's. This demonstration of faith, trust, and innocence touched Seth.
For a second, Seth stared passed Inu at the full moon now rising in the sky. The silvery light gently caressed Inu's face and made his skin look almost porcelain.
So innocent and beautiful, so pure. I can't stay with him, I can't protect him. He'll die if he doesn't learn to fend for himself.
I guess I'll just have to train him to fight. Father's name can rot in hell.
Sighing, Seth walked out the door and into the moonlight.
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Seth felt Inu's head drop against him as the exhausted pup finally drifted off to sleep. Quickly making a decision, Seth picked Inu up and laid him on the bed. Seth turned around and headed for the door. He had a quick little errand that he needed to run. But a hand on his sleeve stopped him. He turned to the pup on the bed who he had thought asleep. Inu was able to barely force his eyes open and look at Seth with innocent little puppy eyes.
"Where ya goin?" Inu mumbled sleepily.
"I'll be back soon," Seth told him.
"Don't go. Please. Just stay a little longer..." Inu said worried but too exhausted to raise his voice. After all he had been through, Seth could understand his wish not to be alone. Heaving a sigh and resigning himself to waiting until Inu was asleep to leave, Seth sat at the top of the bed. He took Inu's hand, which had still been grasping his sleeve, and held it while he ran the other through the pup's tangled hair.
Bath, tomorrow. Seth promised himself seeing how much dirt was in the boy's hair. The last thing he needed was fleas.
It only took a few minutes for Inu's breathing to steady into the rhythm of sleep. Seth gently pulled his hand away and rose, so as not to wake Inu. He then quietly slipped out of the house and into the night air.
Again he set off at an impossible speed, first circling the house then heading off to the place where he had found Inu. He was there in minutes and began sniffing around to find Inu's hideout. Carefully he checked the few scratches made in the dirt and trees that not washed away in the days since the battle. He finally found the cave after spotting the numerous claw marks in the rock face. Seth stepped back and took on leap, shooting himself up the rockface and to the entrance of the cave. Once inside Seth first noticed how little the pup had been carrying, only clothes on his back and a blanket, which was good, since a traveling demon shouldn't need lots of things anyway.
Seth moved to the back of the cave and knelt, picking up the small clothes that were lying over a straw bed. He picked up the shirt in his fist and brought it up to his face, sniffing it. Several different scents filled his nose. Most strong was the scent of Inu, then the cent of dirt and sweat. The faintest scent was the one Seth was hoping to find, the scent of a female demon. Seth quickly memorized the scent and stored it in the back of his mind, he would need it later.
Seth rose and gathered up the clothes and eyed the torn blankets before leaving them behind. He could give the pup new blankets if he needed them that badly. With that resolution, Seth walked to the mouth of the cave and jumped out, running at the inhuman speed as soon as he hit the ground.
The first thing Seth did when he got back to the hut was throw the clothes into a pot of boiling water. They were filthy and probably hadn't been washed in months. Which was a problem that Seth knew he would have to rectify. Teaching a young hanyou basic sanitary lessons wasn't going to be easy, but it was better that letting him grow up to be a slob.
Seth looked over at Inu, who was still sleeping peacefully. He'd probably be back to his normal self tomorrow. Seth knew that the only reason his arm hadn't healed before was because it wasn't set right and the bruise on his chest was quickly fading. Plus, there was going to be a full moon tonight, which would give the pup the added strength he would need to heal his arm properly. He'd be sore for a while and he'd still be pretty weak, but he was healing fast.
Finished with washing the clothes, Seth's gaze wondered over to Inu, deeply asleep in the bed. One tiny clawed hand clutched the pillow, while the other was under the pillow in an almost hugging fashion. His chest rose and fell in even breathing, causing a few stray hairs to waft lazily back and forth on the breeze it made. Silently, Seth rose and walked across the room, kneeling in front of Inu and pushing the stray hairs out of his face. Inu didn't even stir.
So innocent...so vulnerable...how has this little one managed to stay alive? Fate? Luck? How much longer until his luck fades and fates changes her course? I want to protect him, but I should kill him. He's a half-breed, an insult to his father's name. How do I protect him and destroy him at once? I should never have interfered, then I wouldn't be in this situation. I am weak.
Not knowing the internal conflict Seth was having, Inu stirred in his sleep and moved closer to Seth, placing his head against Seth's palm. Inu sniffed warily, his sleep relaxed face frowning slightly as his demon instincts kicked in, then relaxed realizing it was someone he trusted. Inu, still asleep, nuzzled Seth's palm and brought his own hand away from the pillow to clasp Seth's. This demonstration of faith, trust, and innocence touched Seth.
For a second, Seth stared passed Inu at the full moon now rising in the sky. The silvery light gently caressed Inu's face and made his skin look almost porcelain.
So innocent and beautiful, so pure. I can't stay with him, I can't protect him. He'll die if he doesn't learn to fend for himself.
I guess I'll just have to train him to fight. Father's name can rot in hell.
Sighing, Seth walked out the door and into the moonlight.
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