CHAPTER THIRTEEN

x.

The Dog-Lord led the way, batting away weeds and vine-trailing branches. He did it almost absently, as if the obstacles weren't even worthy of his notice. "It's this way," he announced suddenly.

Kagome trailed just behind Inuyasha, watching him rather than his father. It suddenly struck her that Inuyasha had just backed down from his dad, letting the Dog-Lord essentially take over the group. For almost anyone else, Inuyasha would have resented the intrusion. But if he had any resentment, it was channeled in at himself only. He kept his head down, and his face rigid.

The Dog-Lord slashed through a few more vines, then stepped out into the open air. "It's there," he said, sounding satisfied. "Just as I remembered."

Inuyasha paused, squinting against the sunlight. There was a cave mouth, almost obscured by weeds, but set low to the ground and just high enough for the Dog-Lord to walk in.

x.

The Dog-Lord crouched by the hearth as Miroku started a fire. The powerful demon occasionally spoke to the monk, but most of the time he seemed inclined to simply sit, think, and observe the humans around him. His golden eyes flicked from one face to another, and only long experience with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru kept Kagome from feeling very nervous.

Inuyasha's eyes were fixed on his father, but he quickly looked away whenever his father glanced at him. Suddenly he stood up and walked out of the cave, coming to a precipice overlooking a small riverbed. He could see minnows darting in the water under him. With all the ripples and wavelets, he couldn't see himself. Just a featureless face surrounded by silver hair. Not that different from his father or brother... except that he was.

Dammit, he saw me at my worst, he cursed. I must've looked like a weak little brat.

The Dog-Lord hadn't said or done anything to make Inuyasha feel inferior. But he felt that way anyway. When he stood beside his father, he felt acutely aware of his own human blood. Of his father's power, and the feel of authority he gave off without even thinking about it. If Kagome had known, she would have urged him to stop. But he couldn't stop comparing himself to the old man...

Inuyasha stiffened at a sound behind him. It was his father.

He didn't move as the older demon sat down beside him. "How are your wounds?" the Dog-Lord asked gruffly.

"They don't hurt much," Inuyasha lied.

The Dog-Lord stared down at the stream. "When you have the time, I want to hear about that demon I destroyed. It must have been a strong one."

"It belongs to an enemy of mine," Inuyasha said vaguely. He didn't feel like telling his father about Naraku -- about how he had been deceived, wounded over and over, and nearly beaten once or twice. Everyone had enemies. But he didn't want his father to think that all of his could beat him.

The Dog-Lord looked rather puzzled. "It must be a very wily demon," he said slowly, "if I did not encounter it before..."

"No. Just a new one," Inuyasha said, wishing that he could change the subject.

"And you have not yet been able to destroy him..." The Dog-Lord said it to himself, but to Inuyasha's ears it sounded like an accusation.

"Wish being part human didn't make me so damn weak."

Inuyasha wasn't aware he had mumbled the words out loud, until his father's hand slammed down on his wrist like a vise. When he looked up, startled, he saw his father's eyes blaze like a pair of golden flames. "You young fool," the Dog-Lord said in a low voice. "You think that a human must be weak?"

"I-I..." Inuyasha stammered.

"Do you think your MOTHER was weak?" the Dog-Lord said fiercely. "Do you think me weak for having chosen her? In body she might not have been strong. But I saw her strength. It was a strength I never had." His eyes flamed again. "Do you think it was easy for your mother, to love a demon and bear his child? Do you think a weakling could have stood the life she had? Did you ever think-" Suddenly the Dog-Lord broke up and let go of Inuyasha's arm.

The half-demon drew back, clutching at his numbed hand. He watched as his father stood up and stalked away, his head bowed and his fists clenched. He looked angry and depressed, now that his calm shell had cracked.

Dammit, Inuyasha thought. His heart sank. In one careless moment, he had shattered the fragile rapport his father had been building between them. Miserable, he jumped over the riverbank and began walking through the woods, alone with his thoughts.

TO BE CONTINUED