InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fang of the Father ❯ The Hard Part ( Chapter 26 )

LES: I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I HATE kids! I see them as miniature monsters. I usually introduce them into a story as a form of torture. Of course, Izayoi won't torture her parents for very long, considering that she'll technically be out of the Terrible Twos phase when she's only a year and a half.

Chapter XXVI: The Hard Part

~~~~~~~~~~

The first week after Izayoi's birth was the hardest on the new parents. Their little daughter was a constant demand on her parents, both in their own way.

Kagome was exhausted. She may recover faster from the stresses of pregnancy and childbirth than a normal human, but she still needed to recover. Kaede had told her to rest as often as possible, but she was hardly getting any rest at all. Izayoi needed to have the presence of her mother close by, and her incessant cries of :Mother! Mother!: drove Inuyasha crazy when Kagome went for a bath or a breather.

Inuyasha tried to do his part, but the pup only wanted her mother's presence. As it was, Inuyasha was the one answering Izayoi's late-night calls in order to give his mate some rest.

So far, the nursery had only been used for half of their first night home. Her smell-range was very small compared to a larger Inu, and if her parents were not in the room, she thought that they had abandoned her. She had cried and cried until both hanyou parents had given up and settled their pup between their bodies.

The new moon came five days after Izayoi was born, and it turned into another sleepless night. All the girl-pup knew was that she could no longer smell her parents, and went into a full-meltdown.

No matter what Inuyasha or Kagome did, they could not comfort their pup. Neither one of them could create the `comfort rumble,' since it was impossible for humans.

“Will her own human time be this bad?” Kagome asked, holding her pup close to her bare chest to feeding. But Izayoi refused, kicking out at her.

Inuyasha nodded reluctantly. He was extremely tired. As a hanyou, he could easily go days without sleep, but all the stress of having a new pup caught up with him on his mortal night. “It might even be worse. As you know, transformations feel very weird. She won't be able to understand what is happening to her, and we won't be able to explain because she'll have lost her instinctive knowledge of the Inu language.”

“But you are pretty good at speaking Inu as a human.” Kagome said.

“That's because I know the canine language. It's not just instinct.” Inuyasha said. “Besides, there are some noises that can't be made in the human tongue.” He whined in Inu, and Kagome found that she had lost her usual understanding.

“Inuyasha…” She sighed. “You must be exhausted. Why don't you get some sleep?”

“And leave you alone to deal with this pushy terror?” Inuyasha asked. “Sorry, `Gome, you ain't getting rid of me that easily. Besides, this pup is my responsibility too.”

Kagome smiled tired. “I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you.”

“Yeah. You decided you wanted to drive me crazy for the rest of our lives.” Inuyasha laughed.

Kagome leaned into his embrace, returning to the matter at hand: their pup. It seemed like several hours later when Izayoi finally screamed herself hoarse, and she fell into a fitful sleep against Kagome's breast. Kagome herself fell asleep against him almost immediately.

Now I finally really understand why Yokai families are most venerable after the birth of a pup. I'm exhausted. I probably couldn't even wield Tetsusaiga properly at the moment. Hell, I'll be lucky if I could even lift the Tetsusaiga.

He knew that his mate's body was healing very quickly. There was all ready a noticeable difference in her figure as she quickly lost the weight that she had gained during pregnancy. Her body was healing physically. Inuyasha had been shocked to hear, soon after Izayoi's birth from eavesdropping on Kaede, that it could take human woman almost a year for her to heal completely from childbirth.

He knew that his Kagome would not take a full year to heal. (“Feh!”) She would be physically back to normal within the next few days, and probably no more than a month to be fully healed.

He tried to fight his own exhaustion for the sake of protecting his family, but quickly lost the battle.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, things returned to near-normality with the return of Inuyasha and Kagome's Yokai.

Izayoi woke up at dawn to welcome her parent's `return'. :Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!: She barked happily. :Mother. Food. Hungry!:

Kagome sighed. At least this was better than last night's screaming. She opened her flimsy top and helped the pup to her breast. Izayoi latched on enthusiastically and Kagome yelped as her pup suckled forcibly.

“What's wrong?” Inuyasha asked.

“Nothing.” Kagome said. “She missed her feedings last night, and is pretty hungry. She's just a little enthusiastic.”

“Did she bite you?” Inuyasha asked.

“More like a nip.” Kagome assured him. “Inuyasha… when can we take Izayoi to see my family?”

“When her hearing and sight develop.” Inuyasha said. “It is not wise to introduce her to lots of people at the moment.”

“Inuyasha… I trust you. I love you.” Kagome sighed.

“So you've finally learned.”

Kagome smiled. “Learned what?”

“That I do know what I'm talking about sometimes.” Inuyasha grinned.

Kagome nudged him gently, gazing down at the pup that fed at her breast. “She really is perfect, isn't she?”

Inuyasha could do little more than nod in amazement. He nuzzled his mate. “Thank you, bitch.”

“For what?” Kagome asked.

“For giving me such an unbelievable gift.” Inuyasha said. “For sharing my Yokai so that we could always be together… for giving me something that I never thought I'd have… a pup… a hanyou pup. Kikyo would have given me children once I was human and we were married… but you…”

“Inuyasha… I am not from your time. In my era, Yokai and hanyou are only myths. Do you want to know what my era thinks of hanyous?”

Inuyasha stared at her. He had no idea that humans in her time had any opinions about hanyous. “What?”

“We don't hate them. We feel sorry for them.”

Inuyasha snorted. He almost detested pity more than out-right hatred. He could deal with hatred, what he couldn't deal with was pity.

“Hanyou are treated so terribly for no other reason than what they are.” Kagome said. “They are not at fault; and are usually killed at birth for the one thing they cannot help: their heritage.”

Inuyasha shrugged. “It's the card fate dealt us…”

“No, it's the card society dealt you. Fate made you a hanyou, but it is society that made you feel hated and unclean.” Kagome said. “I come from a society where it is wrong to treat someone poorly just because of what they are.” Izayoi yelped at her breast, the signal that she was getting no more from one breast and she was still hungry. Kagome automatically switched her and she settled into her meal again. “What horrible society could damn an innocent pup like Izayoi for simply being born a hanyou?”

“The society that I was born into.” Inuyasha said automatically. “I'm royalty from both of my parents. The son of a Yokai Lord and a human Princess… but I was raised as a slave.” He wrapped his arms around his family. “But, as long as I live, I won't let our daughter be treated the same way.”

Kagome leaned into his frame. “I know.” She looked around so that she could kiss him.

He eagerly responded, his hand rising to caress her cheek. He nipped lightly on her bottom lip, begging for entrance.

She granted it, sucking on his tongue lightly as it entered her mouth. His clawed hand drifted down to her inner-thigh, massaging gently.

Kagome groaned, pulling away from him. “Now yet, Puppy, but soon.”

Inuyasha seemed to accept her words. “Okay, bitch. But I won't wait long.” He grinned wickedly.

“Me either.” Kagome agreed.

“Are you hungry?” Inuyasha asked.

“A little.” Kagome said.

“Okay. I'll go out and get something. I'll be back soon.” Inuyasha stood up, he seemed a little tipsy, but Kagome knew that unless he somehow got his hands on some Yokai sake, he couldn't be drunk.

“Inuyasha, are you all right?” Kagome asked.

“Um… I'm fine. Just tired.” Inuyasha said. “She should go to sleep once she's done. You should get some more rest too.”

“I will. Thank you, Inuyasha.” Kagome said, smiling lovingly at her mate.

Inuyasha let out a small grunt of contentment at her obedience, and navigated his way out of the house and into the forest. For a human hunter, it would have been nearly impossible to find game, but Inuyasha's nose quickly found the smaller game's wintering dens.

He dug into the nearly frozen soil until he found a warren of rabbits. He swiftly killed two young males and let the rest go. Spare the females. His instincts told him. More females mean more breeding. More breeding means more food for my family.

He also knew that, while his mate had no problem eating meat, her craving for raw meat aside, she didn't like watching him prepare his game for cooking. While most women from his era would not balk at cleaning animals for cooking, he could not fault her. She grew up in an era where her mother bought meat already prepared for cooking: cut, bled, and packaged.

He set about his task grimly, cleaning the rabbits efficiently with practiced hands. Suddenly, a voice interrupted.

“Little brother…” Inuyasha knew who it was immediately. He only had one brother, after all. Sure enough, when he looked up, Sesshomaru stood several feet away. “I would have thought a weakling hanyou like you would have holed up for the winter by now.”

“How did you…?” Inuyasha began to demand why he couldn't smell his brother's approach, but the answer became clear when he sniffed. All he could smell was the blood of his kills. The smell of recent death masked his brother's scent completely.

“This Sesshomaru can smell new pup on you.” Sesshomaru said. “So, the mutt has been whelped, has it?”

“What of it? Don't tell me you've decided to become my pup's uncle.” Inuyasha growled a threat. But they both knew that it was only for show. Inuyasha was too exhausted to take on Sesshomaru.

“This Sesshomaru is shamed to have a disgusting half-breed for a brother, and even more shamed that you managed to matured and reproduced.” The older… much older Inu-Yokai said coldly. “This Sesshomaru cannot waste time on such trifles… especially when such an interesting opportunity has presented itself.” He drew the Tokijin.

Inuyasha backed away slowly. “Have you sunk so low, Sesshomaru?” Inuyasha asked. “You know that Yokai are most vulnerable after the birth of a new pup, and I'm no exception. You could have found me any more vulnerable than I am now.”

“In terms of raw power, you are greater than this Sesshomaru.” Sesshomaru said. “You have gained the power of our father, the Yokai with ultimate power. There is only one way to defeat the undefeatable, and that is to strike when they are weak. How else was it that Father was defeated by a lowly human? It was because his battle with Ryukotsusei had left him with mortal wounds.”

“Don't take me for that much of a fool.” Inuyasha said, quickly disappearing into the forest.

Sesshomaru snarled and gave chase. “Coward hanyou!” He spat, following the scent of the blood that clung to Inuyasha. Inuyasha's knowledge of his own forest gave him enough of an advantage to stay out of Sesshomaru's sight, but he couldn't lose him when he followed his scent.

Sesshomaru noticed that Inuyasha was leading him away from where the mutt's family smell was strongest. So, he's using himself as bait to lead me away from his mate and pup. At least he has proven himself only a fool instead of a colossal fool. He will still only be rust on the Tokijin.

~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha made it to Kaede's village with only a slight lead, but it was enough. He put the last of his strength into one final sprint, heading straight for Miroku and Sango's hut, which was close to the forest.

He burst in without thinking, and though he did not realize it at the moment, he was lucky to have not found them in an intimate act. He collapsed instantly while the monk and the Yokai Taijiya stood up, shocked. “Inuyasha! What…?”

“Sesshomaru!” Inuyasha gasped, panting.

“Kagome and Izayoi?” Miroku asked.

“Safe. I didn't lead that bastard anywhere near the house.” Inuyasha said.

Miroku grasped his staff while Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu, and went out to meet Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru closed the distance to the hut silently, and paused when he saw the line-up. “Inuyasha is a coward after all. He sends mortals to face this Sesshomaru in his stead.”

“Inuyasha is not being a coward, but a good mate and father.” Miroku said. “He knows that if he fights, he will lose. What would happen to his mate and pup then?”

“It makes no difference to this Sesshomaru. Three hanyous: a pretend Lord, a bitch, and a newborn pup are all that stand in the way on the path to supreme conquest. This Sesshomaru will remove such obstacles without mercy.” He flexed his claws, his poisonous aura filled the air as venom leaked from his talons. “Move, humans, before you become obstacles.” The two humans frowned grimly and shifted their weapons to a readier stance. Sesshomaru, without warning, sheathed the Tokijin and began to walk away.

“Where do you think you're going?” Sango demanded.

“The fool went to great lengths to not lead me to his hovel, but not well enough. If Inuyasha will not fight, this Sesshomaru will entertain his sister-in-law instead.”

“Sesshomaru, you bastard!” Inuyasha snarled as he came out of the hut. “Leave Kagome out of this!”

“Ah, Inuyasha, you've finally come out to face me.”

“Coward.” Inuyasha hissed. “You came purposefully when you knew that I was tired and weak.”

“If it will please you, this Sesshomaru will remind you that you possess two arms, and this Sesshomaru will even humor you by fighting unarmed. If this Sesshomaru defeats you at your own level, then there will be no doubt.”

Inuyasha frowned grimly, and flexed his claws. “Even a weak dog will bite back when he's gotta protect something.” Inuyasha said. “I won't die, cause if I die, my mate and pup will die too.”

“Noble sentiments.” Sesshomaru said. “But foolish non-the-less.” Sesshomaru launched himself at Inuyasha, swinging his poisonous talons at the hanyou's throat.

Inuyasha attacked, but could not lay a claw on his half-brother. His body couldn't move as quickly as usual.

“You are slow and weak, half-breed!” Sesshomaru taunted. “This Sesshomaru should have preformed his duty two centuries ago and put you out of your misery. It was this Sesshomaru's pity, and that alone, which saved you an early death.”

“Screw you and your pity!” Inuyasha roared. “I survived on my own! No one taught me how to hunt! No one taught me how to kill! I taught myself how to survive! You had nothing to do with it!”

“Your ability to survive is irrelevant when I could have easily slit your throat as a whelp as Father should have.” Sesshomaru said coldly, locking claws with Inuyasha.

“Then why didn't you?” Inuyasha growled. “Killing a helpless pup would have been the easiest thing in the world. The fact that you can even use Tenseiga shows that you have a heart. Do you care, perhaps, for your little brother?”

Sesshomaru threw Inuyasha away. The hanyou hit the ground hard and seemed to be unable to get back up. “Inuyasha!” Miroku and Sango gasped, rushing forward to help their friend.

Sesshomaru snorted with distain. “This battle is even more boring than this Sesshomaru originally thought. This Sesshomaru's desire has always been to battle the most powerful creatures in existence. You are not even close to matching our awesome father.” Sesshomaru began to walk away.

“Sesshomaru! What the hell is wrong with you?!?” Inuyasha growled. “You came here to kill me when I was weak.”

“You are even weaker than this Sesshomaru thought.” Sesshomaru said. “What point is there in battle when one can't enjoy it?” He ignored them and left.

Inuyasha snarled loudly. “Damn arrogant ass.”

“Indeed.” Miroku said, thought that wasn't the language he would prefer to use. “He came here to kill you when you were weakened, threatened you to fight with Kagome and Izayoi's lives, and then takes off because you are too weak to kill.”

Inuyasha stood up with his friend's support. “At least Kagome and Izayoi are safe from that bastard.”

“Inuyasha, you look exhausted.” Sango said.

“I'm also dead.” Inuyasha said. “Kagome is hungry, and I left the rabbits I caught out in the forest. Some wild animal's probably come along and eaten it by now. I've got to hunt some more.” He began to stagger towards the forest.

“Wait! You aren't in any condition to hunt.” Sango said. “If you need food, you can have lunch with myself and Miroku.”

“We have food.” Inuyasha growled. “But nursing bitches need a lot of meat.”

“We have plenty to spare.” Miroku said.

Inuyasha growled/sighed. “Okay. But can you come to our hut? The pup shouldn't travel so far in the snow.”

“Of course.” Miroku said.

~~~~~~~~~~

LES: Next chapter, I promise will be about three certain minor characters. I've been specifically asked to add more of them into the story.

Muse: Yeah, like three chapters ago.

LES: So? Better late than never. Procrastinate now, don't wait `til later!