Disclaimer - I don't own Inu-Yasha and company

Author's Note
*bows in apology* I in the middle of a horrible cold and had difficulty remembering what I was writing due to the wonders of nyquil. I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter and I hope to hear from my readers (begs for reviews... I looove reviews!!). I promise I'll do review thanks in my next chapter, I just had so little time recently..... gomen ne to the kind people who took the time to say such kind things about me!!!



Chapter Three - The Hanyou

On a chill winter's morning Inu-Taisho arose from his bed and called for his armor. Ignoring the confused looks of his servants as they snugly attached the ornate metal plates to the body of their lord.

Centuries of peace held the Western Lands during his reign.

The year had begun to show on the elderly youkai, lining his elegant features with a faint latticework of wrinkles. His eyes had begun to dull as his thoughts embraced past memories, rarely stirring from his huddled position by the fire. Rarely leaving his opulent chambers.

Shrugging his armor into place he flung his chamber doors open, stalking through the halls of his castle, saying little as his advisors flocked to his side. As he stormed down the passage his voice echoed off the calling for his sons to attend him.

The cold hearted heir to the Western Lands arrived first, his robes settling around his graceful form as he silently entered his father's presence. Sesshoumaru rarely softened his expression, retaining the chilly detachment despite the swiftly deteriorating appearance of his sire.

The hanyou swiftly followed, traditional red haori settling around his lanky frame, still trapped in the ambiguous features of youth. The youkai in him shone brighter then the human blood of his mother. A feral grin swiftly flickered over his lips, amber eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Inu-Taisho said little, gazing silently at his two sons as they exchanged brief poisonous glares at one another, the stench of mutual hatred filling the air.

began the elderly youkai, his voice serene as his elder son swiveled towards him. As Inu-Taisho casually removed the ancient sword he wore at his side and tossed it to his heir he allowed a wry expression to cross his features.

As my heir you will need Tensaiga by your side. the brief expression of disgust that crossed the delicate features of Sesshoumaru's face amused Inu-Taisho, a sword that couldn't kill was of little use to his heir. Yet he bowed his head to his father, his clawed fingers clenched around the worn leather sheath of Tensaiga.

Turning to his favored child he took in the nervously twitching ears of the hanyou, amusement colored his voice as he called his second child to him.

the hanyou's mother was human, frail for even her own race she brought joy as the second wife of the great youkai lord. Giving him her heart as well as a son who brought laughter in the waning years of Inu-Taisho's life.

The full blooded youkai family could only summon horrified disgust towards the mortals in their midst. Inu-Taisho's first wife was unable to handle the shame of being replaced by a human, her bitterness festering within until she brutally murdered the hanyou's mother. Ripping off his mother's head before his eyes as he screamed for help, futilely beating his small fists against her arms as the sickening sounds of flesh tearing mixed with his mother's terrified screams.

The hanyou was never the same afterwards, the once laughing kind child who ran freely through the halls became withdrawn. Arrogance hiding his gentle nature, using his temper to shield himself from the taunting whispers of the youkai family. His father could only watch the changes wrought in his son, unable to comfort the child for a loss they both shared with equal pain.

The sporadic twitching of the hanyou's ears betrayed the turmoil of emotions beneath the arrogant exterior. As father and son faced each other for the last time there were few words between them, as Inu-Taisho handed his young son the wax sealed scroll he placed his hand atop the silver haired head.

The hanyou wordlessly caressed the worn parchment of his father's gift, fingers tracing over the family crest melted into the crimson wax seal.

Inu-Yasha, read this message when fate darkens your path.

 was all Inu-Yasha had to say, unsure of the strange feeling behind his father's words. A scroll he wasn't supposed to open until he was lost, a predictable move by his father who always enjoyed having his sons solve the various riddles he presented them.

The attack came that evening.

Long after Inu-Taisho departed his castle and kin to search for his final resting place his family gathered for the traditional funeral feast. Forced gaiety filled the chamber as the members of the inu-youkai family spoke in hushed tones, brittle laughter cracking through the air despite the hushed atmosphere.

Death was meant to embrace a youkai in the heat of battle, living a life of near immortality forced many breeds of youkai to seek lives filled with warfare. Replacing the fear of old age with the heat of the kill, the thrill that could be found in the crush of bodies as war raged around you. For Inu-Taisho to die a death of simple old age stunned many of his family, forcing them to acknowledge they were only long lived. Not pure immortal.

As they family struggled to grieve for one of their own they never noticed the strange mist that slowly slipped from beneath the chamber doors. Purple tendrils of poison vapor that slowly melted ones flesh from the bone, sucking the air from the lungs as the fell screaming to the floor.

The youkai Naraku made his entrance as the inu-youkai fell, stepping over their bodies with careless disregard as he made his way to the intricately carved throne that presided over the room. His chilling laughter filled the castle as the rooms filled with his poisons, killing any who breathed air within the stone walls.

Sesshoumaru's mother forced him through the servant's entrance, commanding her only child to escape as she covered his exit with her own body, choking on her screams as the vapor lapped around her legs. As he made his way through the twisting passages traveled by the human servants of the castle the young lord felt rage stirring in his chest, swearing to destroy Naraku he departed the castle, scaling the stone walls easily to descend to the surrounding forest.

The hanyou was far more fortunate, having left the castle shortly after his father's departure, belongings slung in a pack over his shoulder as he dashed through the dense forest that surrounded his home. He knew nothing of the attack by Naraku, or of the fate handed to his youkai family. The ridges of the scroll left by his father dug into his shoulder blade through the heavy canvas of his sack, silently nagging him as he departed the western lands without a backwards glance.

Three months later the hanyou was sitting in a dim lit tavern when he learned of the attack by Naraku. Sloshing wine over his scarlet red haori as he jerked to his feet the hanyou ignored the stares of the other patrons. Grabbing the neko-youkai who was laughing among his friends while telling the tale of the inu-youkai clan's downfall.

As the frightened neko babbled the rumors he heard of the western lands the hanyou said little, his eyes glowing with rage as he threw the visibly shaking youkai to the side before stalking out the door. Leaving the village that night he made his way home.

When Naraku took up the reins of power in the Western Lands he beckoned the youkai of nightmares to his fold, in droves they came to his side. Feasting on humans as they passed, destroying the paradise of vegetation they crossed through.

When the hanyou arrived at the border of his former home he found a barren wasteland, scorched earth left unprotected, the peaceful plains and forests long destroyed.

Naraku destroyed everything, hunting the humans who remained within his borders with relish, feasting on the flesh of mortals without remorse. Many people fled towards sanctuary, making homes in surrounding kingdoms, waiting for the young lord Sesshoumaru to make his move against the interloper Naraku.

Sesshoumaru resided to the South, finding sanctuary with the nobles of the Southern Lands who willingly aided him. Giving the dethroned youkai armies and supplies to help him regain his title.

Sesshoumaru wasn't happy to see his half-brother at his door one morning, taking in the trembling form of the hanyou with a shuttered gaze.

Sesshoumaru, why didn't you tell me? the hanyou pleaded, his eyes haunted as he remembered the desolate wasteland he left behind.

The older youkai sighed, Inu-Yasha, you are aware it is most difficult for this Sesshoumaru to find you when you leave no trail to follow? the sardonic tone in his voice was lost on the grieving hanyou, the two brother allowed a strained silence to fall, tension thick in the air between them.

I opened the scroll father gave me. Inu-Yasha interjected abruptly, clawed fingers clenching the folds of his haori. It concerns Tetsusaiga.

Tetsusaiga... Sesshoumaru felt his jaw tense at the mention of their father's sword, the steel cleaving fang that held the powers of Inu-Taisho. The sword Sesshoumaru needed to reclaim his title. Although Tensaiga swung at his side still, a sword that couldn't kill no matter how hard the strike was useless to the deposed lord.

The hanyou smiled grimly as his brother's swiftly emotions betrayed themselves in his scent. Although the words within the scroll would mean little to the emotionally detached Sesshoumaru the final message left to the hanyou by his much loved father buoyed his spirits.

Inu-Yasha, seek my grave to claim Tetsusaiga... wield my fang to cleave your own path...

 the hanyou began, leaning against the door frame with his pack at his feet. I will return with Tetsusaiga. the arrogance in his tone was undiminished as he met the poisonous glare from angered Sesshoumaru with casual amusement. I will aid you in your battle if you need our father's fang.

The young lord paused, checking his temper as he took in the abrupt offer from his younger brother. Why would you help this Sesshoumaru? was all the youkai asked, his tone bored despite the underlying tension in his voice, matching amber eyes clashed with one another as the half-brothers silently battled wills.

Father would want us to get along. shrugging the hanyou turned away, shouldering his pack with ease. Sesshoumaru allowed silence to surround him as he watched the hanyou smoothly leap into the air, the sleeves of his haori flapping in the breeze.

Father would want us to get along hm? he murmured, his eyes shuttered as Sesshoumaru returned to depths of the barracks, preparing for yet more drills with his borrowed army.

The confrontation with Naraku would come.

He would have to be ready.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu-Yasha stared at the young woman standing before him, the soul of Tetsusaiga? A human resided within the blade of a youkai? The blade created from one of Inu-Taisho's own fang?

A little over a year's worth of searching through seedy taverns and human villages left the hanyou weary of his travels, finding his father's scent by chance when he was scaling the mountain ranges deep in the northern lands, the bones of the great lord were entombed deep within a cavern. Hidden from sight by layers of earth and rock.

The scent of the dead filled the many chambers within the cave, clinging to the strange human woman who stood so vibrantly before him. The hanyou sighed wearily, settling beside his sword as he fixed the girl named Kagome with a stern gaze.

Tell me everything wench.