Waning Moon by Lupi
Author's Chapter Notes:
Rating: T
Warnings: OOCness, mentions decapitation of a small animal...
Warnings: OOCness, mentions decapitation of a small animal...
4. FoodIt is time for lunch and a little boy is packing away his toys. He looks like any normal five-year-old, except for his platinum white hair, and the soft furred ears sitting atop his head. He hurriedly rushes to his place by a small table as he hears, as well as smells, his mother's servant nearing his room. His mother is in a meeting of some sort, and he's a bit disappointed to be alone.He thanks the maid, just like he was taught, as she passes him a small tray with a large plate stacked with food balanced on it. He almost instantly digs in.He stops after his first bite and turns slightly green. He swallows thickly, before he sniffs his usually delicious food.Inuyasha doesn't understand why his food smells like the rotting animals he's stumbled across in his exploring of the forest around his mother's village. It hasn't ever smelt so revolting. The smell is making him nauseous; he can barely stand raising another bite to his mouth. He doesn't understand why it tastes worse than the medicine his mother gives him when he is sick. His stomach gurgles quietly, as though whining about feeling sick. Inuyasha thinks it's because of the flips his stomach is doing from his first bite.He can't stand it, the taste is far too strong, it smells too wretched, and he races to dump his meal of fish and vegetables out the window behind him for the dogs to eat. It takes him a moment to hurry awkwardly back to his seat, careful not to break his mother's plate, which is bigger than his face. The servant looks far happier than she usually does as he shows off a now empty plate at her, seemingly far sooner than she anticipated. Inuyasha is grinning broadly as he does.However, Inuyasha realises soon after she disappears and he starts bouncing his ball, that he is still hungry. As though angry at him for taking so long to realise this, his tummy growls loudly, causing Inuyasha to jump from fright. He soon realises what caused the noise with a giggle and he pats his tummy as if to soothe it. He begins to pout in thought.The expression of wonder soon turns to one of complete concentration as Inuyasha's eyebrows knit together and his eyes focus on his nose. That is when he sees them walking to the outskirts of the village, bows slung over their shoulders, and Inuyasha beams at his own idea as he runs to the window; he can go and hunt with the hunters! His mother said he could learn when he is older. He scrunches his face up again; he is older now, right?It takes him a moment more to decide that he is going and he is quick to leap out the window, clumsily landing in the dirt below. The ground is clean of his food from earlier and the dogs seem to have left. Inuyasha sniffles quietly and rubs his head and right elbow; he landed awkwardly. His tummy grumbles again and he determinedly runs with skinny, little legs after the group of men carrying arrows and bows and laughing together. He can tend to his aches later, now it is time for food.However, the hunters have disappeared by the time Inuyasha has reached the place they meet, just outside the village. They have already left. Slightly ruffled, but stubborn, Inuyasha crouches low and sniffs the ground. He'd seen the dogs do this, and he has always been able to smell better than his mother or her servants. Perhaps he can do like they do and track the hunters?Inuyasha face gains a curious look as his nose picks up the scent of animal blood, sweat and dirt. He sniffs again as he takes a step forward, and another, and another, soon he's settled into a careful scuttle, as his fingers are extended and digging into the ground to balance him. All in all he reminds himself of a rabbit - no - a tiger!He amuses himself with his act as he continues to sniff the ground and scuttle forwards. He should catch up soon! Inuyasha lets out a growl as he comes face to face with a bush. He bares his fangs and scratches his claws against the ground as he leaps through the shrub with a ferocious yelp.Much to Inuyasha's surprise his head collides with a person's kneecaps. He whines and whimpers, all the while clutching his white crowned head with tears pricking his clenched eyes. He's in trouble...It takes him a minute for him to realise the person isn't yelling at him.Inuyasha looks up with his eyes too large.The person is very pretty, Inuyasha realises with a curious tilt of his head. She has long white hair and he is sure it is sparkling in the speckled lighting caused by the trees' leaves. She also has four red markings, two gracing each pale cheek, with a deep blue crescent moon on her forehead. She doesn't speak, but simply stares down at him with almost uncaring gold eyes. Inuyasha notices her eyes are lined with red just like his mother's. Strangely, she is wearing armour and is carrying a sword; he'd never seen a woman do that.“Little brother,” Inuyasha's eyes narrow from the saucers they were, and his eyebrows knit together; the pretty woman has a very deep voice, “Isn't it enough you disgrace our family's name with your presence without having to act like a barbarian also?”Inuyasha asks in a confused tone, his head still tilted, his puppy ears flicked outwards, “Inuyasha haves a big sistar?”“No.”The little boy stands, his injuries long forgotten. He is now very confused, “But you said `little bwoder'? You did!” Inuyasha crosses his arms in the beginnings of a tantrum.The woman stares down at him, her face blank. Inuyasha glares back with a stubborn expression.“I am no female, little brother.”Inuyasha's eyes widen, “You'we a boy? Like Inuyasha?” He asks incredulously. His expression changes from great surprise to suspicion instantly, “You don't look like a boy. You look like a pretty woman, like my mama is!”The person doesn't look at all impressed, “You have not answered my question, hanyou.”It takes Inuyasha a moment to realise what the man means and he grins before standing up straight, his chest puffed out like that of the proudest peacock, “Inuyasha was being a tiger! Inuyasha was tracking the hunters that work in the village I live in!” He pokes himself in the chest with his left thumb, “Inuyasha is going hunting with them!”The girly man doesn't move or show any more or less emotion. Inuyasha flicks his ears again, “You are half dog demon, and come from a noble background. Do not sullen our name any further with your games or those humans.” He says the word with a great distaste that confuses Inuyasha, “You will not refer to yourself as a `tiger' again. We are of a higher breed than any cat.”Inuyasha's eyes widen, but he nods feverishly. The girly man nods once too before stepping forward, causing Inuyasha to stumble back as he hurriedly removes himself from the man's path.“Follow me, little brother.”Obediently, like a lonely puppy, he follows, stumbling clumsily after the girly man who walks with far too much grace. Inuyasha can't help but stare, this man is too much for his five year old mind to process.“Whe' we going?” He asks after a minute of walking.“You are hungry, are you not?” The man stares down at him expectantly.Inuyasha nods, his tummy grumbling in agreement also as he pats it affectionately. “We haves not eaten all day.” He says.Inuyasha doesn't notice when the man stops a few minutes later, and runs into the back of his legs. “What'd you do dat fowr?” Inuyasha whimpers, clutching his reddening nose, his ears plastered to his white head.He doesn't receive a response.Then as suddenly as the man had appeared, he dashes forward. Inuyasha almost misses which way he'd darted, and madly rushes after him. He's surprised to find a small hare grasped in the man's… Claws? Inuyasha stares openly. They are like his smaller ones, he hasn't met anyone with fingernails like his. He winces when the man tears at the skin at the back of the hare's neck, skinning it with ease.“W-What awre you doing?” Inuyasha asks as he stares, horrified.The man turns his molten gaze on the small child, “I am a full-blooded demon, you are half, we need raw meat.” At Inuyasha's blank gaze he turns back to the rabbit.Inuyasha looks confused and takes a whiff of the air. He is surprised at how sweet smelling the hare's blood smells. He nods, as the man tears off a small piece and places it delicately in his mouth, chewing slowly. He offers the hare to Inuyasha as he swallows.Inuyasha stares for a moment, before hesitantly taking the bloodied animal from the man's grasp. He winces as it flops lifelessly in his tiny hands. It takes him a moment to glance up at the man, noticing the expectant look in his eyes. Slowly, Inuyasha attempts to pull a string of meat from the hare's bones, attempting to mimic the other man.He has little success.“You are not yet strong enough yet to do that, hanyou.” The man states, “Bite it.”Inuyasha does so hesitantly, but is quickly digging his fangs into the hare again and again as he realises the blood tastes sweet on his tongue and the meat is tender and he is starving; too much to care about the fact that he is eating a cute defenceless rabbit.As he finishes, he stares up at the man now sitting beside him, “Hey,” He murmurs between each lick of his fingers, the almost completely cleaned bones by his outstretched feet, “You said youwr Inuyasha's big bwodewr right?” The man nods. Inuyasha grins, “What's youwr name?”The man regards him with a cool look, “I am Sesshomaru, Lord of the western lands. You and I share the same father.”“Sessho - Sessoma - `Essho?” The small boy blinks up at the man cutely, his ears down again.“Sesshomaru.”“Oh.” Inuyasha stares at his now dirty feet, and his blood covered clothes, “Were you visiting Inuyasha?” He asks with a smile.Sesshomaru doesn't respond. Inuyasha looks confused, more so when pretty man stands and starts to move away, “Did I make `Essho angwy?” He asks hurriedly, as he scrambles clumsily to his feet, “I'm sowwy!” Inuyasha rushes forward, securely fastening himself to his older brother's leg.Inuyasha feels a hand rest lightly on his head and feels a claw trace one of his ears lightly, “I am busy.”Inuyasha lets go, his eyes big and teary as the man walks away. He attempts to hide a sniffle; he doesn't want to have his brother see him cry. He is surprised when his brother stops, and his voice reaches the little boy's ears, “My business sends me past a human village. You may join me."The offer has Inuyasha grinning again, and he is soon walking beside his older brother. He notices with a giggle that four of his steps equal two of his brothers, and he attempts to make his steps wider. “Hey, `Essho, 'ill you teach Inuyasha to catch 'abbits like you does?” He asks, as he hops and stumbles, giggling all the while.It is one of many questions not answered during their walk.
Chapter End Notes:
XD I admit it, I thought Sesshomaru was a girl when I first saw him. He's so pretty... *strokes hair*
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