InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Wayward Son - A "Pride" Sidestory ❯ Chapter 1

My Wayward Son - A sidestory for Pride (in the Name of Love)
Written by Jezz-Ra
Warnings - A little bit of violence, perhaps...
Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, don't make money off it. Wish I did.

The main story 'Pride (in the Name of Love)' can be found under my author profile at any of my archive sites.
Archived at - inu.adultfanfiction.net, fanfiction.net, and mediaminer.org ::: Anywhere else, ask!
Questions or Comments? - Email me at megami_no_remon@hotmail.com

// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - Mighty Pharaoh Jezz-Ra returns with yet another sidestory for your consumption and pleasure.

This story is written as a sidestory for the universe I have created in my massive epic fic, "Pride (in the Name of Love)". However, it could stand alone easily enough. More mini-Sesshoumaru action. XD Do enjoy!

As always, if it's not canon against the IY storyline, consider it creative license. My version. =D
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A deafening explosion of thunder seemed to shake the castle itself, and a brilliant flash of lightning cast bright spears of white through the tiniest parts in Toga's heavy black curtains, hurling angry spatters of illumination throughout his bedroom. The inu Lord glanced towards his doorway as the flash revealed the tiny figure that was sliding into the room.

Toga let the faintest of smiles twitch his lips as he lay back, listening to the rain hammering down. // I had expected him earlier... //

Sesshoumaru closed the door and then padded his way quietly over to his father's massive bed. It was a bit of a struggle, but he managed to haul himself up into it. "Father?"

"Hello, my Sesshoumaru."

"May I sleep here tonight?"

"Yes, of course." Toga tried hard not to smile at the relief shining in his puppy's golden eyes. Sesshoumaru had only just turned five summers old, and for all his bravado and pride in himself, he was utterly terrified of storms such as this. Toga himself had mixed feelings about them - he appreciated the raw beauty and power of nature, but the thunder and sharp scent of ozone that accompanied each spat of lightning surely wreaked havoc on his delicate senses.

Sesshoumaru stretched out before laying somewhat stiffly, staring towards a ceiling that he could barely see. Toga chuckled softly and snaked his arms around his pup, pulling him into a warm embrace before the boy could protest. Sesshoumaru squirmed only briefly before relaxing. So be it. In truth, he was grateful for the chance to snuggle without initiating it himself. It was taking all his willpower not to cringe every time that awful noise exploded from the sky, and he certainly felt much safer like this.

Toga rumbled soothingly, a comforting growl deep in his chest, and was pleased to find some of the tension leaving his pup despite nature's continued onslaught. Eventually, the fury of the storm began to wane. Toga's eyelids were heavy and he was nearly asleep when Sesshoumaru spoke up.

"Father?"

"Mm...yes, my Sesshoumaru?"

"Everyone else refers to you as my Lord Father, but I do not. Why is this so?"Toga blinked. "Because you are my son. I never asked it of you. You, too, are a Lord, and all the people of the West refer to us both as such."

"You are my Lord, though, aren't you?"

Toga smiled. "Well, yes, I am."

"And you are better than all the other lords. They bow to you, but you do not bow to them."

"And nor do you. You must be polite, but you must never defer to the other lords. They bow to me because I am stronger than them. They are Lords, but I am Lord of the West."

"But this Sesshoumaru must defer to you. You are my Lord. I must defer to you, but I do not call you Lord."

"I do require your respect. I am your father and your alpha, and I am the stronger. So yes, you too must acknowledge that...but I do not require anything more."

"You could though, if you wanted to...couldn't you?"

Toga smiled and stroked his pup's silky ice-silver hair. "If I so desired, I could require just about anything of you I wished, yes."

Sesshoumaru thought for a long moment. "Then I, too, will call you my Lord Father. You deserve the respect of everyone, even this Sesshoumaru.""You do not have to do so, my Sesshoumaru..."

"Which is why I shall. It is a way for me to show my respect. I alone am not required to do it, so it becomes a gift."

Toga blinked, then chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of Sesshoumaru's head. He could never help but be amazed by this complex little puzzle that was his only child. Sesshoumaru never ceased to surprise him. His mind was advanced for such a young age, although that wasn't always such a good thing...he was still a child, after all, and prone to the occasional bout of impish mischief. "Go to sleep, Sesshoumaru. Your Lord Father has much to do on the morrow."

Sesshoumaru nodded and yawned sleepily in response. "Goodnight...my Lord Father."

"Goodnight, my Sesshoumaru."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Morning proved to be a beautiful, if wet day. Perfect for Sesshoumaru to work on his new Super Secret Technique of Lordly Majesty. Sesshoumaru was quite proud of the name, even if the move itself did not quite live up to it just yet.

Sesshoumaru made his way to the arena after his bath and breakfast, determined that he would master this new skill before he took lunch with his father. Toga had told him he could use the arena when he didn't have lessons, and today he didn't have any until after lunch.

Toga had decided that he would personally train his puppy in the art of combat. He would not trust anyone else to attack his pup even in training. He had sat Sesshoumaru down and had a long talk with him as their first lesson so far. He explained that Sesshoumaru would likely have to fight many, many times in his life simply because he was a Lord. He needed to learn how to defend himself. He had explained that Sesshoumaru possessed natural weapons, such as his claws and his youki, although the latter would take some time to master. He had also told Sesshoumaru that learning to fight with a weapon would give him an advantage in battle. Sesshoumaru had gravitated immediately to the sword in unconscious emulation of his father and idol, although the whip had held some interest for him.

Toga had told him a whip could be a fine weapon, but it had disadvantages. It could not cut through armor as a good sword could, and it could be snared or taken. Still, it was worth training in if he had the interest.

That was when Sesshoumaru got his Great Idea. What if he had a whip that COULDN'T be taken away? He remembered from one of his lessons that there were demons that could control their energy and shape it into things. What if he used his own like a whip?

Pleased with the idea and feeling quite smug with himself, Sesshoumaru set about the task of perfecting his Super Secret Technique of Lordly Majesty...which he mentally shortened to 'light whip'. He had always felt his energy burning within him. He figured it would be a simple enough task to summon it out and use it as a whip that couldn't be taken, could cause some serious damage, and would overall make even his Lord Father gasp in amazement at his utter awesomeness.

Lost in his supreme confidence, Sesshoumaru was shocked when he realized his energy was not performing as he wished it to. Of course, he had never really tried to do anything like this, but...but still...

The better part of his morning was spent attempting to push his energy forward and then form it into some sort of lash. His attempts met with dismal failure. The best he managed after a couple hours was painfully scorched fingertips.

Sesshoumaru decided to change tactics. He would work with a real whip for now and try and form his energy to the weapon. Then, he figured, his youki would learn the shape of what he wanted and thus it might be easier to control.

The rest of his training session proved that he had a lot to learn about properly fighting with a whip, especially while concentrating on pushing youki into it. He was covered in lashes and even a few burns from his more successful - if painful - attempts. By the time lunch rolled around, he was exhausted and sore. He made his way to Toga's study, trying not to limp. One particularly vehement assault on his part had twisted him off balance and he had fallen heavily, bruising his hip quite painfully. He had been sure, after that, that the training dummy had been laughing at him and had thus settled to pounding it with his fists for a couple minutes. That would show the stupid thing.

Toga's head jerked up as if he'd been shot when Sesshoumaru entered the room. He immediately smelled blood and burned flesh, and the thought that his puppy had been wounded burned as though he had swallowed a ball of acid. "Sesshoumaru! What happened? Are you alright? Who did this?"

Sesshoumaru pulled himself up onto his couch even as Toga made his way over to examine his injuries. "I was training myself in the arena, and this Sesshoumaru is not skilled. My wounds are self-inflicted." The young taiyoukai frowned deeply. He hated not being good at things!

Toga relaxed when he realized that all the wounds were simply minor scratches and bruising, although he was a bit curious about the burns. "And what is this from?"

"This Sesshoumaru was practicing a Super Secret Technique. Of Lordly Might. I cannot tell you about it."

Toga nodded gravely. "Oh. I see. Super Secret, mm?"

"Yes. It will be the most awesome attack of all time and make me the most powerful demon ever."

"Most powerful ever, you say? My, this must really be some attack...More powerful than me, even?"

Sesshoumaru nodded seriously. "I fear so, my Lord Father. It's really going to be incredible. And it even glows."

"Glows? Good heavens! My time as Lord sounds quite limited. Will you allow me to remain here when you are the new Lord, then?"

Sesshoumaru blinked and then nodded. He hadn't really considered the fact that if he was Lord, his Father could not also be Lord. "Of course. You can even keep your room. It is too big for this Sesshoumaru."

"You are quite gracious. Shall I order a meal for you?"

"Yes, please...I am very hungry."

Toga struggled hard to keep his expression serious as he summoned a servant and ordered lunch for himself and his pup.

"My Lord Father?"

"Yes, Sesshoumaru?"

"Will you give me a real combat lesson tomorrow? Please?"

"Hmm...only if you promise not to use your Super Secret Technique on me." Toga was curious as to what, exactly, his pup was up to, but he figured he'd learn soon enough.

"This Sesshoumaru promises. It is not ready yet, anyway."

Toga nodded. "Very well, then. Tomorrow morning."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru rose early, eager for his combat training. He flew through his bath and breakfast. Toga was amused at how fast his pup was able to put away his food without breaching any form of etiquette or table manners. "Relax, my Sesshoumaru...we have all day."

Sesshoumaru blinked and then blushed, fidgeting a bit. "My apologies, my Lord Father...I am eager to have my first real combat lesson."

Toga smirked and finished his own breakfast. "Alright, alright...patience, my son."

It was not long before the two of them were in the arena. Sesshoumaru eyed Toga expectantly, as if in this one session of combat against the world's arguably most powerful demon, all the secrets of fighting would be revealed to him.

"You are so eager to fight me, my Sesshoumaru? Fighting is largely about discipline and learning to judge your opponent. If you can prepare for your opponent, predict their moves before they make them...you will not be beaten. I will teach you self defense, I will teach you how to use your body as a weapon, I will teach you how to use all the weapons you wish, although I am most proficient with a blade, myself."

Sesshoumaru nodded and squared his shoulders. "What shall I learn first, then?"

"I believe self defense and learning to properly use your natural weapons would be best."

They spent the next several hours with Toga explaining proper posturing and a couple of basic blocks, as well as a few methods for darting in a quick strike between blocks. Sesshoumaru eagerly absorbed information like a sponge and was very careful to memorize every little thing his father told him.

"Sometimes, you will not want to block. Sometimes, you will face an opponent that is simply too strong for any block to be effective. In these cases, you must learn to be fast and dodge."

"You do not need to dodge. You are the strongest demon in the world."

Toga chuckled a bit. "Well...that's not entirely accurate, my Sesshoumaru. I am overall the most powerful, but I am not physically the strongest. But strength is not everything. It is about skill and speed and natural power as well."

"This Sesshoumaru will become the most powerful demon ever."

"Well, to do that, you really would have to defeat me. Do you care to try? Perhaps you can show me what you have learned."

Sesshoumaru nodded, feeling quite puffed up after his lesson and eager to put what he learned to use. Toga squared off against him before bowing respectfully. Sesshoumaru returned the gesture before launching himself into combat. Toga was pleased with the way Sesshoumaru critically analyzed every step he was taking, even though he knew his puppy was far from skilled enough to put the knowledge to good use yet.

Eventually Sesshoumaru paused, a frown flitting across his features.

"What is wrong, my Sesshoumaru? You are doing well."

"I cannot hit you."

Toga smiled gently. "My pup, I have a lot more practice than you. Some day, you will hit me. Right now you do not know how to strike fast enough, and do not have the strength to back it up. It will come as you grow." Before Sesshoumaru could protest, Toga chuckled and scooped him off the ground despite his immediate protests. "But for now, I can still toss you around. I will not always be able to do so."

Sesshoumaru squinted and tried to turn, feeling much more like a warrior than a puppy to be thrown about after all his training today. Hmm...would his father be expecting an attack now? That would show him!

Toga saw it coming but didn't think anything of it when Sesshoumaru chomped at his arm. // Hn, those little teeth are sharp...but he has to learn he can't go thinking he can cause me such damage and get so cocky so early in his lessons. Humility is not a lesson that will ever come easily for my Sesshoumaru, I fear...//

The bite itself was minor compared to most all of the injuries Toga had received in his life. Sesshoumaru let go with a little pout - maybe he couldn't hurt his father after all, even despite his 'successful' surprise attack.

"Now now, biting your father is not very ni--" Toga cut off in mid-sentence at the sudden, violent burn in his veins. He turned surprised gold eyes to the little bite mark and was alarmed to see the dark color spreading from the puncture, the telltale red lines radiating slowly up his arms. // What in the...poison? His mother's was so weak as to be nearly dormant...! Guess she still must have had the ability, though...and it seems to have manifested quite strongly in the next generation. Damn. //

Sesshoumaru began to get the sinking feeling he'd done something very bad...and he had a strange taste in his mouth. Not the tiny drops of blood he'd drawn...this was different. Sharp, but vaguely familiar. It happened sometimes when he was eating.

Toga set him down. "Sesshoumaru...open your mouth."

Sesshoumaru complied, and Toga took a good look at his teeth. Yes, there it was...a tiny little dot of green glistening on the tip of one of his fangs. His puppy was poisonous. // Well, that would have been good to know BEFORE I let him get that good little chomp out of his system. // "I think thats enough for today."

"Is...is everything alright, my Lord Father? I am sorry for surprise attacking you."

Toga gave him a wan smile. "It is fine. Now go, you have some lessons to get to and I have work to get done."

Sesshoumaru nodded reluctantly before heading off, casting Toga a few backwards glances as he went but not about to do anything but comply to his father's wishes.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Toga groaned and laid his head down on his arms, dropping his pen. He could feel the fever raging through him and it felt like his stomach was tied in knots. All in all, he felt wholly miserable and was wretchedly ill. No, his life wasn't in danger, but that didn't mean it was pleasant, either! // Figures. I thought that the venom had been all but bred out of our kind. Oh, but I bet that damn bitch would laugh if she only knew. //

A timid knock sounded on his door, but Toga was in no mood for company and let out an angry snarl in response. "GO AWAY!"

Outside the door Sesshoumaru cringed backwards, eyes widening. He didn't usually knock, but...well, he figured his father was angry about something and this only confirmed it. // He must be mad that I bit him... I shouldn't have. // Sesshoumaru bit back the distressed whine that tried to escape him and hastily retreated from the study. // Maybe I should go and practice for a while. Then I will come back and he will be proud of me and will not be angry anymore. //

Mind made up, the young taiyoukai hastily scurried back to his room. He yanked a pillowcase off one of his pillows and quickly packed himself a change of clothes, a couple books, and his hairbrush. He tied the bundle up and then slid out of his room, heading for the kitchen. It wouldn't do to leave without a snack, after all.

Sesshoumaru proved surprisingly adept at dodging servants - he had perfected the skill a long while ago. He slid unnoticed down the hallways, zipping from shadow to shadow and hiding in alcoves and behind statues. He made the kitchen undetected, and soon had some food tucked away in his sack for later. He made a quick check to make sure no one had seen him. Convinced that he was in the clear, Sesshoumaru set down his travel sack and took on his full demon form.

Sesshoumaru picked his bag up in his teeth and then bounded out down the hallway. He couldn't deny a sense of glee - he would be out on his own, wouldn't have to listen to any stupid tutors, and could freely practice all the combat skills he wanted. Maybe he could even kill a real demon and prove he was strong, too! Really, he couldn't expect to hurt his father...but he was SESSHOUMARU, and that meant he was more than a match for any punk demon.

Convinced of his own greatness, the puppy darted through the courtyard and slid out the gates as soon as the guards weren't watching. He sniffed the air and then headed for the nearest river, knowing that he had to do something to hide his scent if he didn't want to be drug immediately back home.

The river wasn't fast or deep - more a little stream than anything. Sesshoumaru resumed his humanoid form and picked his way upstream, praising himself for his cleverness.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Toga slowly hauled himself to his feet, feeling somewhat dizzy. His vision was blurry and his eyes hurt. Normally in combat he would have had some defenses up and his youki would have gone a long way towards protecting him from things such as poison...but he hadn't realized he needed such defenses. For the sake of all the gods, it was just his Sesshoumaru...

// Meh, I should learn to expect anything and everything of my pup...any time I think I have him figured out he comes up with something new. I wonder why he didn't come by. //

Cursing the burning ache in his muscles and the nausea in his stomach, he made his way towards the dining hall. He had absolutely no intention of eating anything, but perhaps some tea would help settle his roiling belly. Or maybe just some ice water to cool this dismal fever. Or both. Yes, both sounded delightful. And then he would go to bed and sleep it off. Something like this shouldn't plague him much past morning.

Toga slumped into his chair, glancing to Sesshoumaru's customary place and surprised to find it empty. // I'm sure the boy will be here soon enough. // With a miserable growl, he ordered his drinks from a wary chef, who scurried to retrieve the items posthaste. After all, none of the staff wanted to even consider trying his patience when he looked this bad.

Time slowly ticked by, and Toga began to grow concerned and impatient in equal measures. He really wasn't up to hearing about any mischief that may have caused his son's delay. He beckoned to one of the serving staff lurking in the shadows, and the kitsune demoness scurried over. "My Lord?"

"Find my Sesshoumaru and tell him I wish to see him, please," Toga grated before resting his head in his hands. The servant bobbed a rapid bow before darting out of the room to follow his orders.

Toga's exasperation grew. He did what he could to tamp it down - after all, his self control was something he valued and he was not really given to fits of anger or rage. He just felt so damned miserable, it was hard to keep it together.

It was with some surprise that he noted his servant had returned, alone and worried. "M..My Lord, I cannot find him. He is not in the arena, and his tutors say he has not shown up for any of his lessons this evening. They assumed he was with you."

Toga's eyes widened and he stood up, instantly alarmed. He knew he was a bit overprotective of his puppy, just like he knew he spoiled him...but this was entirely unlike his Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru didn't have a high opinion of his tutors, but he enjoyed learning and almost never skipped out on one lesson, let alone all of them for the evening.

// Damn it... I am not up to this. // Heaving a sigh, the inu patriarch took to his feet. He noted the kitsune was still wringing her hands, and that sent a cold spike of fear down his spine. "What is it?"

"W...We tracked his scent out of the palace. It...it seems he has left the grounds."

"WHAT?!" Toga shot out of the room, his sudden worry overpowering everything else. It didn't take him long to pick up his pup's scent and follow it to the stream. He searched the opposite bank but couldn't pick up the trail again. // Damn it, he traveled along the river...but which way? Sesshoumaru, what the hells is going through your head? Why would you run off?! //

Toga threw back his head and let out a loud, piercing howl.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru heard the distant howl of his father, but he paid it no mind. He couldn't go back yet. He had to prove he was a strong demon, after all. And if he went back now, Toga would find out he had skipped all of his lessons, and then he'd be punished. Sesshoumaru hated being punished. He felt he should be able to do as he pleased, and while he almost invariably didn't cross the lines his father drew in the sand...well. This time he had. On a few counts.

// I am sorry, my Lord Father...I can not come back yet. // Mind made up, Sesshoumaru carefully exited the stream. He picked a place where heavy underbrush made it almost impossible to pass. It was a nightmare getting through the mess, especially making sure that he hid his passage well... but this way, if his father tried tracking him along the stream, he wouldn't be very likely to assume Sesshoumaru left the water at this point. That would buy him some time until his scent could naturally fade.

Feeling quite clever, Sesshoumaru took his full inu form again. He could move faster this way, and he wanted to cover as much ground as possible before nightfall. He only had a couple of hours or so before the sun went down.

The inu puppy ran at random through the forest. He had never been this far from the castle. He followed a small stream, then wandered through a stand of trees, across a small clearing. He headed back through the trees and found a rock ledge, which he followed for a while.

A distant rumble of thunder made him jump and his eyes widen. Sesshoumaru froze in his tracks and whined softly, abruptly doubting the wisdom of running off. Well, no matter. He could just retrace his steps and hurry home, maybe he would beat the storm.

As if to mock his thoughts, it began to rain. Sesshoumaru darted towards the rock ledge and further along its length, tremendously relieved when his dash led him to a crack in the rock. It turned out to be a small cave. Not much, but at least it was shelter.

A loud rumble of thunder crashed overhead and drew a yelp from the young taiyoukai. He wanted very much to go home right now. He could prove himself later. This was a monumentally bad idea. Throwing back his head, the inu pup let out the loudest howl he could manage, although it was almost instantly interrupted by an explosion of thunder that sent him darting back into the cave with his tail between his legs. The rain picked up until it was pounding down with a vengeance, and lightning split the sky.

Sesshoumaru took his humanoid form and stared, wide-eyed, at the storm raging just outside. He plucked up his courage and decided to make the best of things. After all, it was just a stupid storm...

But what could he do? It was mostly dark outside. He hadn't remembered to bring any sort of light with him, so he couldn't read his books. Well...at least he could eat his dinner. Then he would get some sleep and head back home in the morning.

Sesshoumaru's plan made him feel better for all of two minutes. He soon realized that his shelter wasn't so ideal. While the rain wasn't actually blowing in, the cave's floor was slanted and plenty of muddy water was trickling in. Sesshoumaru weighed his options. He could stay in the cave and deal with a slowly but steadily growing puddle or go out into the storm itself.

// This was a terrible idea... oh, my Lord Father, please find me...I need you. //

Sesshoumaru curled up in the driest corner of the cave and wrapped himself tightly in his mokomoko so he wouldn't have to see the lightning. That didn't stop each blast of thunder from making him whine. It looked like it was going to be a long, wet night for the terrified inu puppy.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Toga charged through the forest wildly, although he knew his search wasn't likely to yield many results. The rain had washed away any hope of tracking the boy, and running around like this exposed to the elements as he was was NOT doing wonders for Toga's condition.

The only thought running through his mind, however, was that his beloved puppy was also out in this weather...and hated storms. Toga let out another desperate howl, but the storm swallowed it up and made a mockery of his attempt.

After almost getting struck by lightning and nearly fainting from overtaxing his body, Toga was forced to give up his search until the storm passed, at least. He trudged reluctantly back to his castle. Had he not been so physically overextended, he knew sleep would never have come that night.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru shivered and hugged himself tightly as he trudged forward. Morning had come, but it was overcast and the only sunshine that touched him was feeble and brief. He was soaked and chilled to the bone. Worse, he was lost.

Two days had passed since he had run off. As soon as morning had hit after the storm on the first night, Sesshoumaru had bounced, wet but relieved, out of the cave. He wound his way back along the rock ledge, figuring he'd retrace his steps and get back home in time for a late breakfast. He would have eggs and toast. With fruit. Red fruit. Yes, that sounded excellent.

After a while of wandering, however, Sesshoumaru began to worry. He hadn't traveled in much of a straight line getting here, and the storm had wiped away all traces of his passing. Further, everything looked different in the light of day and battered by the downpour. Towards evening, Sesshoumaru had resorted to howling at the top of his lungs, praying his father would hear him. His sharp ears picked up not the slightest trace of noise in response.

He spent the night curled up in a tree, wrapped up as much as he could manage in his mokomoko. His only consolation was that it hadn't rained.

In the morning, he made his way to a stream. The water was muddy and racing, and Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he should get too close despite how thirsty he was. He let out a startled yelp when he slid on the muddy bank, and only a desperate grab had allowed him to catch on to a nearby tree root. He lost his bag to the river, however. // My Lord Father will be mad...I had some of my books for my lessons in there. And my extra clothes....and my brush! I'm going to get all tangly... //

With a depressed sigh, the puppy scrambled away from the river and decided to steer well clear of it from now on. His cries for his father elicited no response, and eventually he got the uneasy feeling that if he kept making so much noise, something far less pleasant than Toga would happen upon him. Sesshoumaru no longer felt like a crafty, powerful demon slayer out to prove his mettle. He was tired, hungry, and scared and wanted nothing more than to be back at home, safe with his father.

The rest of the second day of wandering proved no more fruitful than the first. Nothing smelled familiar, nothing looked familiar. He again spent the night up in a tree, although this time the rain came. He was instantly soaked through, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

And now it was his third day. He hadn't been able to find anything to eat. At least the rainwater had served to quench his thirst. He was a mess, bedraggled and full of mud

It was with some relief and joy that he stumbled upon a human village. It was perched on a rocky ledge overlooking the forest he had been wandering through. The path was rough and steep and Sesshoumaru trudged wearily up it. // I will get some food and then have someone tell me which way I need to go. Or perhaps they will send a message to my Lord Father. Or take me home. //

It didn't take long for people to notice the small, muddy form stumbling up the road, and a pair of women from the village darted over with gasps to see if he was alright. They bustled him towards one of the huts.

Sesshoumaru allowed his pride to take a back seat and sat down wearily. One of the women came back with a basin of water and a rag. "Here now, dear, lets get you cleaned up and then we'll get you something to eat. You must be starved, poor thing."

The pup nodded slightly. "Thank you."

The woman busily set about washing his face. "My, it almost looks as if you were rolling in the mud! What's a little thing like you doing o--" The woman stopped and then took another look at him, eyes widening. Her wiping had revealed a pair of crimson slashes on the boy's cheek.

Sesshoumaru almost fell off the chair when she emitted a startled shriek. "Demon!"

The young taiyoukai blinked a few times. "Yes...I am lost. I just need to--'' Sesshoumaru's words trailed off in a yelp as a cup came flying at him. Eyes widening in alarm, he scrambled from the chair, not comprehending what was going on for a moment until a second cup cracked into his cheek.

Not knowing what to do, Sesshoumaru stumbled out of the hut, being pursued by two women flinging household goods at him and shrieking at the top of their lungs. "Demon! It's a demon child!"

Wide golden eyes darted about in mounting panic as he heard the cry grow louder throughout the village. "But...but I just need to..."

No one was listening. When Sesshoumaru saw the men of the village snatching up pitchforks and hoes, his fear bloomed in full and he took off running. A shower of rocks followed him, and an arrow whizzed by his head courtesy of one villager who was a bit closer to some real weaponry.

The inu puppy stumbled as he bolted for the edge of the village. One day he would look back on this incident and swear revenge on this village and all the rest of humankind for good measure. But right now, all he could think about was getting away with his life. Rocks continued to hit him from some of the more accurate villagers.

Sesshoumaru had no idea which way the path leading out of the village was and dove onto the steep slope, trying to stay on his feet. It was not to be, however, and he let out a terrified howl as he fell, bouncing and rolling with alarming speed. The sounds of the village faded rapidly as he fell, and he finally impacted hard on the ground after a straight drop of a dozen feet. He landed on his left side and his howl renewed, a scream of pain. His arm was broken.

His head had hit a rock fairly hard, and he felt blood at his temple. Something funny was going on with his hearing on that side as well - it seemed to fizzle and then everything became a pointless hum.

Sesshoumaru had never hurt so much or been so scared in all his life. Despite his injuries, the full extent of which hadn't really registered on him y et, all he could think of was that he had to get away from that place with those horrible humans and their rocks.

He staggered to his feet and made for the forest, stumbling blindly along and clutching his shattered arm. He didn't even realize his body was going into shock. The pain was slowly starting to catch up with him. It came then, monstrous and consuming. Sesshoumaru's vision faded to black and he lost his footing, sliding down a small muddy hill to collapse in the sparse grass at its bottom. His consciousness left him and the world drifted away.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Toga was growing increasingly frantic. It had been almost a week since Sesshoumaru had left, and he had searched far and wide relentlessly for his pup. He had found Sesshoumaru's small bag of supplies, snagged on a rocky outcropping in the river, and panic had gripped his heart. Had his puppy been washed away, drowned?

Further exploration of the river gave no sign of his pup, however. Toga continued his frantic search, widening his perimeter and praying for any sign of the boy. It was getting towards evening when the inu patriarch stormed in full demon form up to the latest of the many villages he had inquired at.

The villagers screamed in terror at the sight of the massive white dog bounding into their midst, and were not less terrified when he took on his humanoid form. Several of the villagers were scrambling to arm themselves.

"Stop it, you fools! If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already! I am the Inu no Taisho, Lord of these lands."

No one dared challenge him, murmurs traveling through the crowd. Everyone knew who the Lord of the West was, and while he was a fearsome demon, it was widely known he took care of his lands and his people. One brave soul finally had the courage to step forward. "M...My Lord...what brings you here?"

"I am looking for my son and need to know if any have seen him!" Toga proceeded to give a brief explanation of Sesshoumaru.

The atmosphere in the village changed, and Toga did not miss the way eyes widened and whispers increased. Something was not right here. They KNEW something!

Toga growled dangerously. "You have seen him..."

"Please, spare us, my Lord! We did not know he was your son! He came here a few days ago...we thought him another of the demons of the forest!"

Toga's blood froze in his veins and he was sure his heart stopped. "What...did you do...to my son?" Getting the words out was difficult.

"W-we drove him off into the woods! That way!"

Toga snarled angrily before taking off in the direction they pointed. He would deal with whichever villagers were fool enough to remain after he found and took care of his wayward son.

A light rain had begun as the inu patriarch made his way into the forest, resuming his frantic search. He could not smell his pup, but something told him he was close.

After half an hour, he heard the raucous cries of crows. Dread raked icy claws through him and he broke into a run. He skidded to a stop as he came over a small hill.

A tiny form lay half-buried in thick mud at the foot of the hill. Crows were hopping about nearby and a few more circled overhead or were perched in trees. Even as Toga's horrified gold eyes widened, one of the birds gave an experimental peck at his pup's body.

A roar tore itself from his throat as he flew the short distance down the hill. The birds scattered with surprised indignant cries, unwilling to be parted from their meal. Toga dropped to his knees, terrified to touch the too-still little body and confirm his fears.

He almost sobbed in relief when he reached out scooped Sesshoumaru off the ground. He was alive. He was in terrible shape - his skin felt impossibly hot and his breathing was wet and rattly. His arm jutted out at a horrible angle and the torn flesh around the break was badly swollen and discolored. Several more injuries, cuts and bruises of various degrees, seemed to be everywhere.

But he was alive.

Toga made his way back to his castle as fast as he could, cradling his pup against his chest. // Just hang on a little longer, my Sesshoumaru...we'll be home soon, and everything will be alright. //

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The healers informed Toga exactly how close a brush with death his pup had had, but also said that he would be fine within a week or so. Demons were remarkable creatures when it came to healing, and now that his injuries were tended, they were on the mend.

The first couple days were the hardest for Toga. Sesshoumaru was feverish and delusional, suffering at the hands of hordes of illusory humans. He kept screaming for his father and it almost broke Toga's heart. He stubbornly refused to leave Sesshoumaru's side no matter what happened.

On the third day, his fever broke. Sesshoumaru slept for a few hours in relative peace, and when his eyes next opened, he was lucid and coherent. Toga almost cried in relief. "My Lord Father...?"

"Oh, my Sesshoumaru...thank the gods..." It was hard to talk around the lump in his throat. "Why, Sesshoumaru? Why did you run off? What happened?"

Sesshoumaru tried to think back. "You were mad at me because I bit you...so I wanted to go out and prove I could be a strong warrior and make you proud. I got lost. And ... I don't really remember much after that. It stormed...and I was hungry and tired and didn't feel good."

"Oh, my dear Sesshoumaru...never do anything like that again. I AM proud of you, no matter what. And I wasn't angry with you. Please, don't run away again...I was so afraid I'd lost you."

"I'm sorry..." Tears were shimmering in Sesshoumaru's eyes, and Toga couldn't resist pulling his puppy into a tight hug, although he was careful of his still-healing arm.

"Don't apologize, Sesshoumaru...just don't leave me again. I don't know what I would have done without you. Your father needs you here.""This Sesshoumaru will never do that again, I promise." Sesshoumaru buried himself in his father's warm embrace, feeling safe and protected and loved.