CHAPTER TWENTY

x.

Inuyasha's heart was racing as he dashed through the trees, following the pale streak of his father. As the older demon leaped off a craggy rock cliff, Inuyasha paused and sniffed the air. He grimaced slightly, and leaped off after his father.

He would recognize that scent in his sleep. It was Sesshomaru, all right.

Probably got a whiff of the old man, and wanted to come check it out, Inuyasha thought. It wasn't really surprising. In Sesshomaru's shoes, he would've done exactly the same thing, no question about it. Had he been able to even recognize the scent, that was.

But even though he wasn't surprised, Inuyasha found himself dreading the inevitable. He wasn't sure how their father would act towards Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha didn't want to sit there and watch a father-son reunion, knowing what it all meant. Sesshomaru had always honored their father, and since he didn't respect anyone else in the world, that was saying something. I don't seem to be able to say a whole sentence to him without gettin' him mad, Inuyasha thought darkly.

He slowed down as he saw that his father had stopped. In front of them both was Sesshomaru.

His older brother wasn't moving at all, just staring intently at their father's face. For once, he took no notice of his younger brother at all, focusing only on the taller demon in front of him. The Dog-Lord made no move to speak or advance either, staring back at Sesshomaru in kind.

Finally Sesshomaru spoke. "Father. So it is you."

Inuyasha felt like cringing. Then he got a look at his father's face and did a double-take.

The Dog-Lord's features were cold and emotionless, and his golden eyes were narrow and bright. His worn face suddenly was as remote and rigid as a statue's. Inuyasha felt a chill. When his father had that look on his face, he eerily resembled Sesshomaru. But he hadn't said a word, even though Sesshomaru had unbent enough to address him first.

It was only then that Sesshomaru seemed to notice his younger brother. His pale golden eyes slowly turned to Inuyasha, then rapidly back to their father. "I recognized your scent from a distance," he said quietly. "Why, Father, do you live again?"

The Dog-Lord still made no reply.

Then he closed his eyes, and walked forward right past Sesshomaru. He did not even look at his elder son. "Inuyasha, come," he rumbled.

Inuyasha hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed his father. Sesshomaru did not move as Inuyasha raced past him, and the half-demon did not look back to see what his brother was doing now. He wasn't sure what had just happened, or why his father had just done that.

And suddenly he understood. Their father had openly ignored Sesshomaru, by refusing to speak to him, or look at him. The snub had been made even worse by the fact that he had also acknowledged Inuyasha, by telling him to come along with him.

The only question in Inuyasha's mind was, why?

He thought about it long and hard, following his father through the forest. Finally the Dog-Lord came to a small clear pool, fed by a waterfall seeping over the rocks. He knelt down, cupped his clawed hands in the water, and drank for a long time. Inuyasha said nothing, just waiting.

After a few minutes, he summoned up the courage to ask, "Why didja go out to see him, if you weren't gonna talk to him?"

The Dog-Lord straightened up, still looking down at the water. "If I hadn't gone to see him, he would have come to find me."

"D'you think he'll leave?"

"Of course not. He'll lurk around this place until I see him again, and speak to him."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know him. And I have, for longer than you've been alive." He paused, before adding gruffly, "Any other questions?"

"No," Inuyasha said quickly. He followed his father through the forest again, keeping his distance and remaining silent, until the campsite was in their sight again, and he could hear Kagome, Shippo and Miroku all talking. He had lied to the Dog-Lord there was another question, but he couldn't ask it.

TO BE CONTINUED