The White Dog
by Becky Tailweaver
Chapter 29: The High Stone
When Kagome and Shirokiba were well out of sight of Miroku and the others--far enough to be out of even Shippo's earshot--the wolf-dog youkai stopped so suddenly that Kagome almost ran into him.
She stumbled back, startled at his abrupt halt. "Shirokiba-san? What's wrong?"
"Kagome, we won't make it there tonight if we go this way," he stated quietly, turning to face her. "The place where the Gathering is held is many miles from here, deep in the mountains to the west. It will take me hours to run there, while Inuyasha is an hour or more ahead of us--and even at my utmost Ginnezu is still faster. Unless we make extreme haste, we will not reach them."
"So you'll need to carry me?" Kagome asked simply, not very worried about the prospect. After all, Inuyasha carried her all the time.
"Yes, in a way." The youkai looked down, as if thinking, as if searching for words. "You must understand--I have to return to my true form if we're to get there in time to do anything useful."
Kagome nodded easily, surprising him. "Oh--that's no problem."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "I...see. I didn't want to frighten you or your friends--that's why I didn't do it earlier."
"I've seen Sesshomaru transform before, so you don't have to worry about that," she told him. "It was scary, since he was so huge and he was trying to kill us...but I know you're much nicer than he is."
Shirokiba actually chuckled. "I'm not nearly so large as he, but...the other reason I'm telling you this is because once I have transformed, I will no longer speak in a human tongue--because I won't have one, really. Do you understand this as well? If you ask me something, I won't be able to answer in a way you can understand."
Kagome seemed taken aback, as if being unable to "talk" in his true form was something she had never considered. "Um, I guess that's okay too. I don't think we'll have much time for chatting."
"Very true," the wolf-dog observed wryly, stepping several yards away from her. He paused, turning to her as if remembering something. "One last thing, miko-chan. When I am transformed and we are traveling, you must be quiet. Especially when we reach our destination--then you must be utterly silent. Your life will depend on it."
Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded. "I understand. I'll do as you say."
Shirokiba gave her a half-smile. "Prepare yourself--and don't be frightened when I change." You are very brave, miko-chan. Were I in your place, I doubt I would have such courage.
Kagome stepped back even further when Shirokiba began his transformation, remembering the sheer size of Sesshomaru's gigantic dog form. Just like Inuyasha's older brother, the wolf-dog's familiar face melted and elongated into new, unfamiliar features--and he grew continuously larger, his posture shifting to drop to four legs, his thin fur coat becoming a rich pelt even as she watched.
She had to stare in awe as the transformation completed. He was not so big as Sesshomaru--perhaps only half the White Dog's size--but he still dwarfed her by far, an imposing sight in the glitter of the starlight. He looked like a giant wolf in the night, her eyes picking out the familiar brown-gray mottling of his coat--it still matched his hair from his humanlike form. His back and ruff were grizzled with a touch of black, like all wolves, yet his face and flanks were steely gray, the only places not mottled with the brownish wolf-color. Aside from his coloring, only the his blockier legs, the width of his chest, and the squareness of his muzzle served to indicate his Dog heritage.
"Wow," she whispered, impressed.
Familiar blue-gold eyes turned to her. It reassured her, somehow, that his eyes remained as they had been--not the bloody, terrifying red she remembered from Sesshomaru. She felt safer somehow; she knew that this giant creature, despite his fearsome size and appearance, was still the same kindly Shirokiba-san that she'd known.
"Well..." she began softly, looking up at him. "I admit...after seeing Sesshomaru...I did expect you to be bigger."
He gave her a wry look and a low snort that sounded almost like a chuckle. Good; she had almost been worried for a moment that he wouldn't understand her like this.
Don't be silly, she reminded herself. He's still Shirokiba-san--why wouldn't he understand me?
She was a little surprised when he crouched very low before her, dropping his head, politely offering her transport. She got his message and stepped forward, carefully gathering a handful of his ruff, wondering insanely for a moment if she might hurt him. "Is it okay if I climb like this?" she asked hesitantly. "Can I put my foot on your leg?"
Tentatively, she took his short "huff" as a yes and put her weight on his foreleg, using it as a step. Keeping her hold on his fur, she pulled herself up to his back, seating herself gingerly just behind his shoulders. Still worried that she might make him uncomfortable, she shifted until she felt steady and got a good grip on his ruff. "I think I've got a hold," she informed him. "Is this okay? I'm not pulling too hard, am I?"
She gave a little "eep!" of surprise when he slowly rose with that same low snort--and she was sure it was as if he were laughing. He took a few steps forward, one ear tilted back to her as if asking, "Are you ready?"
"I think you can go now," she said, leaning down and tightening her hold on his fur. She was already quite nervous about this; she had barely even ridden a horse before, and rarely on Kirara--and now here she was riding a wolf-dog youkai!
But there was no longer time for thinking; Shirokiba moved forward again, this time at an ever-increasing pace, considerately giving her time to adjust to his stride as he increased his speed to a canter, then a lope--while she ducked low on his shoulders to shield herself from passing shrubbery. With her face buried in his fur as she hung on, his scent was strong enough that she could pick it up--cedar, ferns, something spicy and wild...and a musky, doggy smell that faintly reminded her of Inuyasha.
Inuyasha...
Gripping the big wolf-dog's thick fur, she held on tight as the forest blurred by in the dark.
Inuyasha's legs were beginning to cramp, and his rear end was taking a rather unpleasant beating from the long ride. He said as much to his steed, earning little but the canine equivalent of a giggle in response.
Then, miffed that she was not taking him seriously, he wondered aloud--and loudly--when they were going to get there. He was getting damn tired of riding, and Ginnezu was a poor excuse for a horse if ever he'd sat on one.
As if in response to his growling statement, Ginnezu slowed her pace to a walk as they crested the next ridge.
"Aarrrg," Inuyasha groaned, sitting up straight to stretch his spine, rubbing his sore tailbone. The night was slowly growing brighter as the full moon began to peek above the horizon; its gentle light cast a silver-blue glow over everything, making the deeper shadows of the woods stand in stark contrast to the milky-pale patches that shone through.
"Are we there yet?" Inuyasha demanded for the hundredth time.
Ginnezu barked shortly in reply; Inuyasha paused, ears pricking. "Yeah, I can hear it. Is that...them?"
Another bark.
Inuyasha's brows went up in surprise as he sat up even straighter, snow-furred ears straining forward to listen. He caught the sounds of voices ahead; inu-youkai voices--sonorous barks, low bellowing growls, sharp snarls, articulated baying, all blending into a full, distant roar that promised to be quite a cacophony close up. "We're almost there, aren't we?"
Ginnezu let out a cheerful yip and sprang into motion again, almost dislodging her passenger. "Hey, watch it!" he snarled, but he was too busy grabbing handfuls of fur to do anything else.
The Silver inu-youkai's rapid bounds brought them ever closer to the source of the continuous noise. Inuyasha quickly forgot his ire as he leaned forward, willing her to run even faster, straining to see over the next rise and through the trees. The sounds ahead rose to amazing levels--and then the Dog and her passenger were bursting from the trees, out into the growing moonlight on the slope above the broad, shallow valley.
Inuyasha sat still upon Ginnezu's silvery back as she confidently strode forward into the melee. He said nothing, and couldn't move--could only stare out across the valley, awed by the incredible sight before him.
Inu-youkai.
They were everywhere, crowding the valley below, filling the air with their rumbling speech. They were all in their massive true forms, mingling and flowing around each other in crowds and packs, all different sizes and shapes. They were a rainbow of Dog colors, each Clan represented--and a myriad of hues within each, varying from House to family--all milling about like a town full of ningen on a festival day.
The groups were amazingly diverse; here Ginnezu passed a trio of males guffawing about a hilarious hunt, and there was a gathering of elderly females lounging and gossiping as if they were human crones in a bathhouse. A passel of pups skittered across Ginnezu's path, yipping and squeaking--while a gamboling flock of young adults nearly ran into her as they raced off toward the woods to play.
Inuyasha had never seen so many inu-youkai--hell, he was fairly certain he'd never seen so many youkai in one place in his entire life. He still sat in amazement on Ginnezu's back, his head cranking this way and that, ears and nose twitching, trying to take it all in. It awed him, scared him, exhilarated him--seeing all of these frighteningly magificent creatures in the light of the rising moon.
All of them youkai. All of them Dogs. All of them...his own kind.
No one seemed to have noticed yet that Ginnezu had a rider upon her back; they continued about their business as if nothing was amiss. The scents were overwhelming with so many Dogs all in one place--male and female, young and old, strong and weak--and many of them loomed over even Ginnezu, making him feel quite small and insignificant. The roar of all the shouts and conversations--and was that music he heard as well?--drowned out the individual voices, but Inuyasha could pick up snatches of comments from those they passed about the likely entertainment tonight, who was courting who in some particular House of the Red Clan, the possibility of a grand hunt later on, a nasty oni in somebody's territory...
All of it, sight and sound and scent--it was almost too much for him to take in all at once.
Ahead of them, looming in the moonlight, was the huge, blocky shape of the High Stone. Like a low, squarish pillar it rose into the night, set firmly into the side of the mountain above, surrounded by the crowds of inu-youkai. Ginnezu pressed through the throng toward the great tower, and as they drew closer Inuyasha was surprised to realize how large it truly was.
The ground began to rise as Ginnezu approached the huge rock. It sat against the mountainside, low and leaning, the craggy face of it overhanging the entrance cut into the sheer rock--where the ancient claw-marks of those who had carved it could still be seen. Two huge bonfires burned high into the night, one on either side of the cave's mouth, while and incongruously fine-looking banner hung above the entrance, embroidered with ancient symbols and the kanji for each Dog Clan.
At the base of the hillside, there seemed to be an invisible line; none of the common Dogs dared approach the slope below the entrance, keeping a respectful distance from the feet of the High Stone. But Ginnezu strode up the gentle incline without pause, leaving the crowds behind, stepping fearlessly up to the four dark shapes that stood guard in the bonfires' light.
Inuyasha gaped.
The sentinels were four giant, steel-gray Dogs--and not only that, but these Gray Dogs stood a half-size again larger than Sesshomaru, massive and powerful. Their amber-brown eyes glittered in the firelight as they snapped out a command to Ginnezu.
"::Halt there, Lady of the Silver Clan,::" barked the largest Dog; the speech he used was harsh and formal--sharp, but civil. "::Name yourself, and state your purpose here.::"
"::I am Ginnezu, daughter of the Daimyo of the Silver Clan,::" she replied evenly. "::I have brought the Great White Daimyo's heir, as the Clans had requested.::"
Inuyasha tried not to squirm as four pairs of glittering eyes turned to him and four sets of nostrils twitched, examining him by sight and scent. He bore their scrutiny silently, nervously; their stares were intent, almost startled, and inwardly he braced himself for the sound of their scorn.
To his intense surprise, it did not come.
"::Very well, Ginnezu-sama,::" answered the lead guard, without a change in his tone. He looked over his shoulder and barked another command, and one of the smaller Brown Dogs that had been waiting in the shadows went scurrying into the cave. "::I have sent a messenger to announce you. You may pass.::"
Inuyasha stared at the Dogs, shocked that they had not laughed, nor mocked him, nor even attacked him. Something about them had changed upon learning his identity; they looked almost astonished, but he could not be sure.
But then Ginnezu swept by the guards to enter the cave, not looking back at them. The entrance itself was a massive gape in the huge expanse of rock, large enough for all four of the Gray Dogs to stride through it abreast. They passed within the huge entrance tunnel, which widened even further into a giant corridor, lined with great wooden pillars--each so large it was a tree unto itself.
There were fourteen pillars in all, seven on each side, and between them along the walls burned decorative braziers--on stands that were statues of youkai and other strange creatures carrying bowls of ceremonial flame, and each one looked to have been claw-carved from stone or even metal. The tall, rough-hewn timber pillars were hung with flags that bore the emblems of the Clans, each one facing its partner across the wide hall. Upon the first pair of pillars hung the Yellow Dog banners, then on the next pair the Red, then the Brown--all the way up to the far end of the hall, where the last and largest silken flags bore the mark of the White Clan.
Inuyasha remained silent as Ginnezu passed beyond the hall of pillars, awed by the sheer size of the rock-and-earthen halls, the Dog-sized corridors that led them deeper into the mountain. During their short trip, the tunnel sloped slightly upward, passing other, smaller divergent corridors; ignoring these, Ginnezu continued to follow the grand main route, where an occasional decorative torch lit the way--or perhaps not so decorative, since they were now deep underground even youkai eyes needed light.
At last, Ginnezu stopped at the entrance to a huge nexus area--even broader than the pillar hall--which was lined with many heavy wooden doors, each large enough for a Dog to pass through easily. Inuyasha could smell that many, many youkai had been in this giant room very recently, but had since vacated--all but a few; in the middle of the expansive space ahead, several humanoid figures awaited them.
He could easily tell they were inu-youkai--but they had shed their true shapes, choosing to appear in their two-legged, humanlike forms.
"::My Lord,::" Ginnezu said softly, her tone surprisingly respectful as she lowered her shoulders. "::You may dismount. Those ahead are the ones who have awaited your coming.::"
Still rather in a state of awe, Inuyasha slid off of Ginnezu's back, staring around at the giant hall and the youkai ahead--still feeling very, very small. When he at last turned back to face Ginnezu, he was surprised to find her already returned to her humanoid form. The nervousness must have shown on his face, for she smiled and giggled at him.
"It's alright, Inuyasha-sama," she told him sweetly. "They won't bite. But..." She lowered her voice, glancing beyond him at the other youkai. "I do need the...item we discussed, so that I can prepare it."
Inuyasha immediately gave her a sharp look. "Can I trust you with this?" he demanded quietly, eyeing the ones who were waiting for him.
"Inuyasha-sama, I give you my word," Ginnezu replied, blinking innocently.
He gazed at her for a moment longer, torn--then reached into his haori and pulled out the bundle in question, handing it to her quickly before he could change his mind. "If I don't get this back by dawn, I'll know who to come kill for it," he whispered harshly. "You have my word on that."
Ginnezu gazed at him solemnly. "I understand, my Lord. Now, you'll have to excuse me--I must go pay my respects to my family, given the occasion this night..."
Inuyasha fought off a sudden sense of panic at the thought of her leaving his side; he didn't particularly like her--not by any stretch of the imagination--but she was the only familiar presence he had in this place. However, he steeled himself, drew up straight, and nodded once; Ginnezu smiled at him and was gone in a flash, the wrapped Shikon shard clutched tight in her hand.
I swear, if she doesn't bring that back to me when this is over...
But the other youkai were already approaching him, breaking him out of his dark thoughts as he faced them. He forced himself hold his ground, to remain standing straight and to keep his claws relaxed at his sides--no matter that his first impulse was to snarl at these inu-youkai, who had him both outnumbered and possibly outpowered.
The procession that approached consisted of two men and several women, each of them finely dressed in a rich array of kimono or other formal attire apparently to match their Clans. They came closer, and though he tried not to draw back, his apprehension must have been obvious; the elderly-looking man in the lead suddenly stopped, smiled, and held up his hands. Inuyasha was startled to when his mind finally realized that this elder had long, pale hair--snowy white, like his own.
"Be at ease, young one. We mean you no harm," the old youkai said, his voice deep and rough, sounding quite aged. He was a youkai indeed, but by far the most ancient that Inuyasha had ever seen--with the possible exception of Totosai, but the old swordsmith was so shriveled that it was impossible to tell. This youkai elder's upraised hands were rough and gnarled--though the claws were still sharp--and his face was creased with centuries, rough and wrinkled like old leather.
Though most inu-youkai never did grow facial hair, this one was so old that his cheeks and jaw had begun to sprout a pale half-beard, which made his face look even more wolflike, evidence of his great age--but his eyes were sharp, colored a bright pale amber, burning with awarness and intelligence. Despite his advanced age, this old youkai was far from senile.
Inuyasha drew himself up, trying to find his tongue. "I...I'm..."
"We know," the elder said with another smile. "Inuyasha-sama, the chosen heir of the Great Daimyo, Seibunishi. I am honored to meet you at last."
The whole procession bowed to him--which deeply startled him; he'd never really been bowed to before. He couldn't seem to think of what was proper to say in a situation such as this one; it was rather uncomfortable, and he felt more like a penniless, unkempt ruffian of a hanyou than he ever had before. "I...uh..."
"I am Byakugata, of the White Clan," the White elder said simply--then gestured to his companion, a man with hair the color of a dark thundercloud who seemed to be in his mid-sixties--but was in truth probably centuries older. "This is Kaishika-sama, the Daimyo of the Gray Clan and a good very friend of your honored father's."
Inuyasha regarded the gruff-looking, grizzled Gray youkai curiously, seeing a hint of friendliness in the hard, amber-brown eyes. He nodded briefly to the Gray in what he hoped was a respectful greeting, then glanced back at Byakugata.
"I'm...not sure...what to do here," he confessed hesitantly, trying not to look like what he felt--like a clumsy, ignorant clod of a boy.
"When the moon grows high, you will be brought before the Daimyos," Byakugata informed him gently. "A Council is usually held here upon this night, but it came as some surprise when the Brown messenger brought word that the young Lady Silver had led you back to us. So we have dispatched more messengers to inform the honored Damyos that the original agenda for tonight's Council has been changed."
"Eh..." Inuyasha awkwardly scratched his head. "You really didn't have to do that just for me..."
"Nonsense!" the Gray Daimyo spoke up for the first time, startling Inuyasha with his gravelly tones. "The heir of the Great Daimyo comes home for the first time since he was a wee pup, and we're supposed to do nothing in recognition? Keh!"
Inuyasha still didn't know quite what to say to all of this, so he remained quiet. Byakugata seemed to sense his discomfort, and spoke up to ease the tense silence.
"Young Inuyasha-sama, if you would accompany these ladies, they will see that you are made presentable for the Council. I hate to sound so forward, but as this is such an auspicious occasion..." He let it hang in the air, his stern yellow-amber eyes emphasizing the importance of tonight's Council meeting.
Inuyasha nodded quickly, almost afraid to refuse as he counted the odds against him. Kami-sama above, what had he gotten himself into? Ginnezu had dropped him off in the middle of this underground castle, she'd taken the shard with her, he'd been stupid enough to leave Tetsusaiga behind--how much worse could it get if he refused to play along with these youkai? These were older, more experienced inu-youkai--and probably much more powerful than Sesshomaru, considering their relative ages.
Byakugata smiled encouragingly again, nodding to the three women behind him. They were two Browns and a Gray judging by their hair color, and they bowed very low before Inuyasha and gestured that he should follow.
He slowly stepped after them, glancing back at the elder White Dog as he passed, unable to conceal his hesitation.
"Don't worry, young one," Byakugata reassured him. "I shall come to meet you presently, when your preparation is complete."
Leaving the two Dog nobles behind, Inuyasha followed the ladies toward one of the doors, this one in the center of the far archway and marked with a near-runic symbol he did not recognize, though it seemed similar to those on the flags in the pillar hall. They led him through this heavy door and down the large corridor beyond, while he marveled at everything they passed.
Most of the halls this far into the mountain were hard, packed earth instead of carved rock--reinforced with massive timbers and stone blocks, set with many large doors; here and there an ornate paper lamp flickered cheerfully, lit from within. They wound around corners and even up a passage that was rather more like a ramp than an actual staircase, every turn revealing a new surprise.
Sometimes a beautiful piece of sculpture or pottery stood in an alcove or a corner, lit by some intricately cut lantern. Periodically, he would pass large wall scrolls depicting fierce Dogs of many colors in heroic exploits against ningen and oni and myriad creatures he had never seen before. There were smaller pictures, paintings of peaceful scenes or of portraits--even poetry and calligraphy displays. He wondered if they were all of inu-youkai make, or merely taken as spoils from other conquered beings.
The ladies leading him through the halls were rather nondescript, as youkai women went--not of the same showcase caliber that Ginnezu seemed to strive for, they were more conservatively and traditionally dressed, and comported themselves properly. They were pretty enough--but in his opinion, nothing at all like Kagome.
Inuyasha thought he could recognize the traits common to the various colors of Dogs--or at least guess. The Gray Dogs seemed to have darker amber-brown eyes and hair that ranged from steel to thundercloud gray, while the Brown Dog ladies had coppery eyes--and where one had earth-colored hair, the other was the shade of darkly polished oak.
Again, he observed the variety within the types of Dogs, just as he'd seen the many hues and colors outside. Even among the Whites there was variation; he'd noticed that while his own eyes were deep brilliant gold, Byakugata's were paler yellow-amber.
The inu-youkai women led him around another corner, then slowed to a stop before a polished oaken door. Inuyasha blinked at it for a moment, wondering why this particular door seemed out-of-place--when it occurred to him that this was the only door he had yet seen that was not scaled to fit a Dog in his true form. Instead, it seemed to be more of human proportions--though it was large, no full-sized inu-youkai could have passed through it.
The youkai ladies opened the heavy door with little effort, and with bowed heads respectfully showed him in--into a room that looked like the parlor of many of the well-to-do human homes he'd been in before.
There was a low table with enough room to seat several guests, with silk pillows piled neatly nearby, ready to be sat upon. There were even several larger cushions of a make he had never seen before--almost chairs unto themselves, possibly something the inu-youkai had designed. A small iron stove heated the room from one corner, the fire within burning cheerfully as it kept the cave-chill at bay; a pot of what smelled like green tea sat atop it, warming.
The room was lit gently by softly-colored paper lamps, and the walls were paneled to cover up the earth behind--giving the room the look of a normal human house, complete with the well-made tatami on the floor. The tapestries and screens on the walls were decorated more softly than others he had seen outside--with flowers, trees, cranes, deer, and other depictions of nature. One picture drew his attention, the one hanging on the wall near a corner--a simple watercolor painting of a young noble girl in a pretty spring yukata playing with a large white puppy.
He didn't have long to study the picture, however; the ladies were politely gesturing him onward, further into the chambers. The door at the back of the room slid aside to reveal a small, square hallway--the walls still paneled--with several more doors leading off of it. The door on the right was open, and a youkai youth was preparing a hot bath in the small room beyond. Upon seeing him, the boy set down his bucket and bowed, as the ladies politely stepped out and slid the door shut.
"If Inuyasha-sama would be so good as to allow this unworthy one to assist him during his bath..." the young youkai began.
Inuyasha blinked at him for a moment, then let out a short breath of relief, feeling a little more confident when he was only dealing with someone close to his own age--or at least seemed to be close to his own age. "Look," he began, interrupting the youth, "you don't have to bow and scrape for me. In fact, I'd rather you didn't--it gets on my nerves."
"My Lord, this unworthy one..."
"You can stop with the 'unworthy' stuff too," Inuyasha told him gruffly. "And I'd rather you just call me by name. I guess you can tack on Inuyasha-Lord if you think you absolutely have to."
The young man looked surprised--in fact, almost terrified. "My Lord, I--I mean, this...er..."
"What?" Inuyasha asked nonchalantly, already starting to remove his outer clothes. "Didn't you say something about a bath?"
"I...er...um...hai, Inuyasha-sama..." Worried and confused, the youth hurried to comply.
This particular room was rather ingeniously designed as an indoor bath; the floor was raised, with a rim running about the edge to catch spills, and there were troughs in the floor leading to waiting containers which could be carried out and emptied. These richer, more influential youkai were obviously way ahead of humans in the area of amenities--and it stood to reason; most higher-class youkai could actually be quite fastidious.
Inuyasha took care of his hygine himself, pointedly disdaining the youkai boy's assistance--which further alarmed the youth. He scrubbed himself thoroughly, trying not to think anything about the last time he'd had a bath.
He really did miss the gentle touch of Kagome's hands washing his hair...
Idiot! he scolded himself. Now's not the time to be daydreaming about that girl!
Closing his eyes, he firmly banished those thoughts from his mind. When he was respectably clean, he settled into the large wooden tub for a final soak, and turned his head to regard the half-dazed youkai youth standing helplessly across from him, looking as though he felt quite useless.
"So...what's your name?" Inuyasha asked, his tone studiously neutral.
The other youth jumped like a startled deer. "Ah! Um...this unworthy--er...I am called...Kuroboshi."
"'Black-Spot?'" Inuyasha inquired, cocking an eyebrow. "But...you're a Brown Dog, aren't you?"
Kuroboshi flushed, dropping his eyes. "I am...of mixed color, my Lord. It's not immediately apparent, but as my name suggests, I bear...black spots."
"Huh. You work here, right?"
"I--uh...am bound to the Gray Daimyo's household. I may leave his service...if I choose to...when I am of age." His speech seemed either characteristically hesitant or else he was just painfully shy--especially in the presence of the one who was, for all intents and purposes, the prince of his race. "But until that time comes...I am promised to serve here, and I may not leave."
Inuyasha turned completely around to look at him incredulously. "You mean you're a slave here?"
"No...not like that, Inuyasha-sama!" Kuroboshi was quick to reply. "My dam did not wish to acknowledge a child of mixed color...so she requested a place for me here at the High Stone--where...often those like me are welcome, thanks to the late honored Seibunishi-sama. Right now I serve on the Gray Daimyo's staff...and I may choose to go my own way when I am aged of sixty years. But I...must not mention her name..."
"Whose name?" Inuyasha asked, perplexed.
"My dam..." The young youkai glanced down again, looking distressed--torn, as if he did not want to answer but was compelled by law and propriety. "My mother...I am not to speak her name. She does not wish any to...know the shame of my existence. I am...not of a highborn line...so I am not welcome in Clan or House...of either color."
"Hn." Inuyasha sat back in the water, scowling. "Treating people like that just 'cause of the color of their fur..."
Kuroboshi took his annoyed tone to mean that Inuyasha was upset with him, and scrambled to apologize, bowing profusely. "Please excuse this unworthy one's forwardness, Inuyasha-sama! This unworthy one should not have spoken so--!"
"Stop it!" Inuyasha snapped, startling the other youth into terrified silence. "I'm not gonna to get angry with you for saying what's on your mind--hell, I do it all the time. So I don't care what kind of shit anyone else tells you--you can say to me whatever you damn well feel like saying. Got that?"
The mixed-color youth nodded mutely, his pale copper-yellow eyes wide.
"Besides, you and me--we're not all that different," Inuyasha said, still gruff, but a little more gentle this time. "You've probably got more right to talk than I do. So you're born of two colors--but hell, you're still a youkai. I'm half human--did you know that?"
Kuroboshi dropped his eyes again, fidgeting nervously. "Um...yes...but...I was instructed not to speak of it."
Inuyasha blinked. "Why the hell not?"
"Ano...well...we did not wish to offend you..."
The hanyou snorted. "Keh! If you're just talkin' about it I don't care--it's when you start picking on me about it that it pisses me off."
"I...I would never dare such a thing...!" Kuroboshi stuttered, looking appalled at the very idea. Apparently being the son of Seibunishi--even the hanyou son of Seibunishi--counted for something in these parts.
"That's good." Inuyasha grinned at him, rising out of the tub. "That way we can be on friendly terms. Got anything to dry with?"
Kuroboshi was still frozen for a moment, completely perplexed by this strange, strange noble who did not seem to want title or accolade--or even to really be addressed as prince and Heir. Then at last his poor confused mind engaged, and he scurried to provide the hanyou with drying cloths.
While Inuyasha dried himself, Kuroboshi slipped from the room briefly, returning in a couple of minutes to inform Inuyasha that a set of clean dry clothes had been provided for him. The hanyou wrapped the dryest cloth around his waist and cautiously stepped around the corner to the next room, where the clothes awaited him. His beloved Fire Rat ensemble had been folded neatly and set aside on the bed, ready for him to change back for his trip home if he so chose.
Once Kuroboshi had seen him sufficiently clothed in his under-robes, the two Brown women arrived to assist him into the rest of the clothes. Inuyasha didn't particularly like being waited on hand and foot like this--but he had no idea how the fine, intricate silk garments were supposed to be put on, so he couldn't really complain.
Once he was clothed, the Gray woman came in and set to drying and brushing his hair, combing carefully and thoroughly. It took several minutes for every knot and tangle to disappear, and even after that point the youkai woman continued to work on smoothing his hair to silky perfection, coddling and primping in a manner that reminded him distantly of his mother from long ago. But he firmly declined her offer to braid, tie, or otherwise restrain his hair; he was already quite fed-up with sitting still and being fussed over.
When he was finally finished to their satisfaction, the youkai women left him there in the ornate bedroom, hurrying off to inform Byakugata of his readiness.
Finally free of the pampering servants, Inuyasha made his way to the large metal mirror against one wall--almost tripping over the silk slipper-shoes they'd provided him with, which he was sorely tempted to remove. When he reached the mirror, he peered into it carefully--and gaped in surprise, almost unable to recognize the handsome, well-dressed, white-haired youkai youth that was his own reflection.
The kimono they'd fitted him with was basically white, like the one he remembered his brother wearing--but this one bore a different pattern in crimson rather than wine-violet. The under-robe beneath it was pure white, and the obi at his waist was detailed in gold and purple--both accentuating the the color and style of the rich silk kimono. His hair, combed properly for once, was soft and straight all down his back, while his heavy bangs fell forward almost into his eyes, smooth and thick.
With his face free from smudges of dirt and his hair tamed into a silky white fall, he found himself surprised and somewhat discomfited to see that he really did have a strong resemblance to his older brother--and that was indeed a strange and uncomfortable thought.
Why the hell should I have to look like that asshole anyway? he grumped to himself.
"Well, what do you know?" said a familiar voice--a quiet, coolly amused voice that made his hackles stand on end. "You clean up well. They might make a half-decent Heir out of you yet."
Inuyasha whirled, bristling and snarling, claws and fangs bared in defensive surprise. "Sesshomaru!"
The elder son of Seibunishi regarded him calmly, a slight, uncharacteristic smile gracing his cold, beautiful features. "Hello, Inuyasha."