CHAPTER FOUR
*
Inuyasha stared at the demon in front of him; Tetsusaige brushed the ground, shivering slightly as if it were starting to transform back. This guy wasn't Sesshoumaru. In fact, Inuyasha didn't recognize him at all.
The demon continued staring at Inuyasha, then braced himself against a nearby tree and stood up. He was wearing what looked like ragged human peasant clothes, that were too short and too tight. Probably taken from the farm he wrecked, Inuyasha thought.
He had dull ivory hair, golden eyes and thin dark stripes on his cheeks and bare forearms. But there the resemblance ended. He was as tall as Sesshoumaru but broader and more muscular. And he was older -- much older. There were little lines in the corners of his mouth, and little wrinkles around his eyes. But Inuyasha knew that this demon was still dangerous. Even if he was a little past his prime, he was stronger and more powerful than Inuyasha, maybe even if he had the Tetsusaiga.
He was a full-blooded dog-demon. Inuyasha's nose twitched as he sniffed the air. No doubt about it, he thought. This guy's the real deal... but... who is he? Is he a trick of Naraku's?
The demon continued staring at Inuyasha. Despite the young half-demon's near-attack, he didn't seem defensive or threatened. Instead he just was looking, as if he were puzzled. Inuyasha hated being stared at, but somehow he didn't dare to speak.
A shiver went through him as he suddenly met the stranger's eyes. Somehow he felt that he should know this demon, but he was drawing a complete blank. He had never seen this demon's face. But his scent... his scent is kind of familiar, Inuyasha thought, straining to remember. I just... I can't place it... I don't remember...
The older demon looked as confused as Inuyasha felt, like he didn't know what was going on around him. A few times, Inuyasha thought he was going to say something. But he stayed quiet.
"Hey," Inuyasha said roughly. "Who are you?"
The demon didn't answer.
"What's the matter with you?"
Again, no answer.
He gripped Tetsusaiga -- and winced. The hilt had shocked him, like it didn't want him to use it. Inuyasha grimaced. He had the feeling that he knew this demon -- that he SHOULD have known him -- but he couldn't remember who he might be. A thought started to form in his head, but that couldn't be it...
He stiffened at the sound of the others approaching, but didn't stop staring at the older demon. "Inuyasha?" Kagome was calling. "Inuyasha?"
Kagome had been dreading what she might see when they caught up with Inuyasha. But she hadn't expected to see this. Inuyasha was just standing there, with Tetsusaiga resting on the ground, staring openly at the demon in front of him. And the demon was staring back. Neither of them was moving an inch.
At the sight of the demon, Sango stiffened and started to raise her boomerang. "Inuyasha, who is this?" she called.
That caught the demon's attention. His gaze shifted to Sango; his face stiffened, and his clawed fingers started to curl inward.
Inuyasha whirled and held out a hand. "Put it down! Don't threaten him!" he shouted.
"But-" Sango said, startled.
"Inuyasha, what-" Miroku began.
"Just do as I say!" Inuyasha snapped. "If you don't threaten him, he'll leave you alone!"
Sango reluctantly let go of her boomerang, letting it fall heavily to the ground.
The older demon relaxed slightly, but he was clearly not taking all his attention off Sango. He slowly turned back to Inuyasha, studying the young half-demon's face, his eyes, and finally the fang blade in his hand. "Inu... yasha...?" he said finally. His voice was deep and a little creaky from disuse.
Inuyasha gasped. This isn't possible, he thought. This can't be... it isn't... he can't be... I mean, I never...
"You know Inuyasha?" Kagome said hesitantly.
The demon glanced over at her, with an expression that told Kagome that considered it a very stupid question. "Why would I not know my own son?" he said hoarsely.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Inuyasha stared at the demon in front of him; Tetsusaige brushed the ground, shivering slightly as if it were starting to transform back. This guy wasn't Sesshoumaru. In fact, Inuyasha didn't recognize him at all.
The demon continued staring at Inuyasha, then braced himself against a nearby tree and stood up. He was wearing what looked like ragged human peasant clothes, that were too short and too tight. Probably taken from the farm he wrecked, Inuyasha thought.
He had dull ivory hair, golden eyes and thin dark stripes on his cheeks and bare forearms. But there the resemblance ended. He was as tall as Sesshoumaru but broader and more muscular. And he was older -- much older. There were little lines in the corners of his mouth, and little wrinkles around his eyes. But Inuyasha knew that this demon was still dangerous. Even if he was a little past his prime, he was stronger and more powerful than Inuyasha, maybe even if he had the Tetsusaiga.
He was a full-blooded dog-demon. Inuyasha's nose twitched as he sniffed the air. No doubt about it, he thought. This guy's the real deal... but... who is he? Is he a trick of Naraku's?
The demon continued staring at Inuyasha. Despite the young half-demon's near-attack, he didn't seem defensive or threatened. Instead he just was looking, as if he were puzzled. Inuyasha hated being stared at, but somehow he didn't dare to speak.
A shiver went through him as he suddenly met the stranger's eyes. Somehow he felt that he should know this demon, but he was drawing a complete blank. He had never seen this demon's face. But his scent... his scent is kind of familiar, Inuyasha thought, straining to remember. I just... I can't place it... I don't remember...
The older demon looked as confused as Inuyasha felt, like he didn't know what was going on around him. A few times, Inuyasha thought he was going to say something. But he stayed quiet.
"Hey," Inuyasha said roughly. "Who are you?"
The demon didn't answer.
"What's the matter with you?"
Again, no answer.
He gripped Tetsusaiga -- and winced. The hilt had shocked him, like it didn't want him to use it. Inuyasha grimaced. He had the feeling that he knew this demon -- that he SHOULD have known him -- but he couldn't remember who he might be. A thought started to form in his head, but that couldn't be it...
He stiffened at the sound of the others approaching, but didn't stop staring at the older demon. "Inuyasha?" Kagome was calling. "Inuyasha?"
Kagome had been dreading what she might see when they caught up with Inuyasha. But she hadn't expected to see this. Inuyasha was just standing there, with Tetsusaiga resting on the ground, staring openly at the demon in front of him. And the demon was staring back. Neither of them was moving an inch.
At the sight of the demon, Sango stiffened and started to raise her boomerang. "Inuyasha, who is this?" she called.
That caught the demon's attention. His gaze shifted to Sango; his face stiffened, and his clawed fingers started to curl inward.
Inuyasha whirled and held out a hand. "Put it down! Don't threaten him!" he shouted.
"But-" Sango said, startled.
"Inuyasha, what-" Miroku began.
"Just do as I say!" Inuyasha snapped. "If you don't threaten him, he'll leave you alone!"
Sango reluctantly let go of her boomerang, letting it fall heavily to the ground.
The older demon relaxed slightly, but he was clearly not taking all his attention off Sango. He slowly turned back to Inuyasha, studying the young half-demon's face, his eyes, and finally the fang blade in his hand. "Inu... yasha...?" he said finally. His voice was deep and a little creaky from disuse.
Inuyasha gasped. This isn't possible, he thought. This can't be... it isn't... he can't be... I mean, I never...
"You know Inuyasha?" Kagome said hesitantly.
The demon glanced over at her, with an expression that told Kagome that considered it a very stupid question. "Why would I not know my own son?" he said hoarsely.
TO BE CONTINUED