InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Young at Heart ❯ The White Daiyoukai ( Chapter 9 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

By: Cierah

Chapter Nine: The White Daiyoukai

The next morning had been fairly uneventful for the small company. Nurie sang happily, which only irritated Sesshoumaru who was extremely grumpy. Inutashomaru listened to the soft songs the little girl was humming, and found it quite enjoyable, however his son's constant grumbling and growling was grinding on his nerves.

Just when he was about to turn around and scold his pup, Sesshoumaru released a growl, along with a powerful sneeze, which stopped the words on Inutashomaru's mouth instantly, and he only stared, mouth hanging open in surprise. Sesshoumaru frowned, and released another snarl, which mixed itself with another forceful sneeze and the small boy whimpered.

Shaking himself out of his surprise, Inutashomaru made his way to his son's side, and lifted his chin, looking into the golden orbs of his pup. Sesshoumaru frowned deeper, and wrinkled his nose sniffing quickly.

“What is this?” Inutashomaru whispered.

His answer was another sneeze and Sesshoumaru growled. “My nose is tickling.”

Blinking, Inutashomaru watched his son quickly close his eyes again and another sneeze erupted explosively from the boy's mouth. Frowning himself, he sniffed the air. The only things he smelled in the air were the scents of flowers, pollen, trees and dirt. Nothing his son hadn't been exposed to before. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Nurie still wandering up ahead, and he scowled. The girl still hadn't noticed they had stopped. Taking a deep breath, Inutashomaru stood up taking his son into his arms, and quickly followed the girl over the small hill on the path.

“Nurie.” He called out which was followed by another sneeze right in his ear. Grunting, he shook his head.

“Sorry.” Sesshoumaru mumbled quickly.

“Nurie.” Inutashomaru called out again. As he came over the hill he saw she had stopped, and he quickly sighed in relief. “Answer me next time child.”

Nurie nodded, and held up a bunch of flowers in her hands. “Look at all the pretty flowers.” He only nodded in mild interest, more concerned with his son's sudden ailment of sneezing.

“Sesshoumaru, what did you eat this morning?” Inutashomaru asked, still carrying his son, and walking past Nurie who quickly turned and followed.

He received another sneeze as an answer which then turned into a snarl and a rubbing of a small nose on his hakama. `Good grief.' He silently cursed. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, taking in his surroundings quickly, before turning to the little girl. Placing his son next to her, Sesshoumaru sneezed again and Nurie giggled. Sesshoumaru glared at her whimpering softly again.

Inutashomaru turned to them and sighed audibly. “It is time to hurry, the mountains are close.” He muttered.

Sesshoumaru rubbed his nose on his sleeve and nodded, while Nurie looked interested, wondering to herself how they were going to hurry. “Does Sessy have a cold?” She asked when another sneeze escaped his mouth.

“Sessy?” Inutashomaru frowned for a moment before connecting his son's name with her name for him. “Youkai don't get sick child. It's only something in the air, or something he ate to make him feel this way, or a reaction to something.” He quickly added, thinking of his son's sting the day before.

She nodded accepting that bit of information. “Are we going to run now?” She asked excited.

Frowning again as his son let out another fierce sneeze, he nodded quickly. “I'm going to run, you and Sesshoumaru will ride.” He grunted and concentrated on his mental image of his true form. Preparing himself for pain, he turned away from the children as he felt his eyes change first. Closing them tightly, he clenched his fists and took a long deep breath.

Sesshoumaru sneezed again and stepped back, feeling the air sizzle with youki. Lifting his hand to Nurie's shoulder, seeing the girl standing there watching, he pulled her back.

“What?” She asked quickly, tearing her gaze from the white and red that suddenly spiraled around Inutashomaru. Nurie looked once at Sesshoumaru who shook his head firmly, as he took another step back, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and she gasped fearfully.

It took moments only, but when the fog cleared Nurie blinked rapidly at the large white dog that stood in place of Inutashomaru. “It ate your father!” She cried raising her hands to her mouth.

Sesshoumaru snorted, and then sneezed and shook his head. “That is my father.”

Nurie blinked again, looking at Sesshoumaru confused. Suddenly her mind connected with his earlier question, and the figure that stood there now. Looking back at the white dog, which had now turned to face them, the dog sat down and panted. “Hi.” She waved, a sudden smile breaking across her features.

The dog lowered his muzzle and nudged her gently. Nurie giggled, and clapped her hands excitedly. Inutashomaru looked at his son and nodded, knowing his son could understand the language of their kind where Nurie could not. Lowering himself onto the ground completely, Inutashomaru whispered. “Sesshoumaru help her up, you will have to aid her in staying on my back.”

“Yes father.” Sesshoumaru sighed, and grunted when another sneeze tried to slip past his mouth.

Nurie heard a whine, and then Sesshoumaru's response to it and she frowned. Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards his father, and boosted her up onto his back. Jumping up and crawling in front of Nurie, he looked back. “Hold on.”

“To what?” Nurie asked, her fists gripping the fur tightly, which made the dog whimper.

“Not his fur, to me.” Sesshoumaru hissed rolling his eyes.

“Oh.” Nurie giggled. She placed her hands on Sesshoumaru's shoulders, and felt the massive dog which was larger then a horse move into a standing position.

Sesshoumaru was excited. “Ready, Nurie?” He asked after the dog gave a quick bark.

“I think so, just don't drop me.” She whispered.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. “Just hold on tight. We're ready father.”

With that, Inutashomaru bolted, and winced at the squeal that erupted from Nurie's mouth. Once the little girl had grown accustomed to the quick pace, she giggled excitedly at how fast the trees flew past her. Nurie had moved her hands quickly from Sesshoumaru's shoulders and placed them tightly around his middle, however now her fists bunched up in his haori. After awhile she buried her head into his back, the fast pace and sudden jumps causing her stomach to quiver slightly.

Sesshoumaru frowned, when he felt Nurie bury her face into his back and he grunted. Shaking his head, he fingered the fur on his father's back and sighed, quite bored now. At first the ride had been exciting, hearing the laughs and squeals from the little girl, but feeling her slumped against his back now asleep, he instead watched the mountains in the distance grow closer. Finally his father slowed his pace, and then stopped.

Looking over his shoulder, the Daiyoukai peered at his son, who looked unimpressed. “Is she asleep?”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Quite awhile now.” He muttered glancing over his shoulder.

His father nodded and continued walking. “We should be at the mountains by nightfall.”

“How far to her village, father?” Sesshoumaru asked, watching a blue butterfly flutter off on his left.

“We should be there by noon tomorrow, if we continue traveling this way.” Inutashomaru smiled, his grin looking like a snarl in his current form. “You have stopped sneezing.”

Wriggling his nose, Sesshoumaru nodded. “That was stupid.”

“Was it now?” Inutashomaru chuckled, which came out like a growl.

Sniffing, Sesshoumaru nodded again. “Nose tickled. I think it was those flowers.”

“I think it was your body's reaction to the bee sting.”

“Huh.” Sesshoumaru snorted. Nurie shifted behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder again. She remained sleeping. “She can't understand you can she?”

Inutashomaru shook his head. “Humans don't understand the barks and growls, Sesshoumaru.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. Shifting on his father's back, he wrinkled his nose again. “I'm hungry father. Can we stop for awhile?”

Inutashomaru nodded, after looking around their current position for signs of danger. Sesshoumaru grinned and nudged Nurie awake, and she almost fell off in surprise at the sudden poke in her side. “What's wrong?” She grumbled.

“We're stopping for a while.” Sesshoumaru smiled. He grabbed her hand, and helped her slide off the Daiyoukai's back. Once she was on the ground, Sesshoumaru leapt off his father's back, however the ground never came, and he glanced over his shoulder at his father who held him in his teeth suspended in the air by his sash. Frowning, Sesshoumaru wriggled.

Finally, Inutashomaru seemed to smile and placed his son on his feet, and sat back staring at the two children in silent contemplation. The Daiyoukai lifted his head staring into the trees his ears twitching slightly as he listened to something. Looking back down at his son he frowned. “Stay here, Sesshoumaru.” His father commanded, and bolted off the wide path into the trees.

Pursing his lips, Sesshoumaru turned around and faced Nurie who was looking at the forest around them.

“Where are we?” She asked.

“In a forest.” Sesshoumaru said dryly.

“I know that.” Nurie rolled her eyes. “I mean where?”

Sesshoumaru smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “We are here. That's all I know.” Frowning suddenly, Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side and listened. “I hear something.”

Nurie looked around her, then back at Sesshoumaru and mimicked his stance. “I don't.” She whispered.

“That way.” He pointed to where his father had vanished. Just as he lowered his hand, his father exited the trees and lowered his muzzle to the children and growled. Both children were picked up in the Daiyoukai's teeth and he bolted.

Blinking, Sesshoumaru turned his head to Nurie who was biting her lip and her eyes wide. “What happened?” She asked.

“Don't know.” Sesshoumaru whispered back. Turning his head slightly, he glanced back at the path that was disappearing fast, Sesshoumaru heard shouts behind them. “I think those sounds we heard were not my father.”

Nurie nodded, and shivered.

Finally after what seemed like hours to both children, Inutashomaru lowered them to the ground and sat back growling softly. Standing up Inutashomaru quickly was surrounded by a sudden mist and he changed back to his normal form, and sat down cross legged in the tiny clearing, and stared at the children who waited silently. Sesshoumaru turned and glanced at his father confused.

“I'm still hungry.” He stated.

Inutashomaru nodded. His eyes closed thinking silently. “There is a stream over there, if you wish to catch some fish.” His father pointed behind him.

Sesshoumaru nodded but frowned. “What was that?”

“Bandits.” His father said simply.

“Are they after us?” Sesshoumaru asked looking back to where they had come from.

“No. Merely curious when they heard noises.” Inutashomaru opened his eyes and smiled at his ever curious son. “That is why we left so quickly.”

“You heard them and that's why you left, right?” Nurie walked up and planted herself in Inutashomaru's lap.

Startled and blinking at the little girl, Inutashomaru chuckled and nodded. Taking a deep breath, he peered at his son who watched with a frown on his forehead. “We will rest here for awhile. Go catch some fish.” He lifted Nurie out of his lap, and stood up lifting his gaze to the sky.

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Hakama or Hakama Pants your regular pants.

Obi the sash.

Haori a light & short silk jacket worn over a Kimono also known to be worn by itself.

Kimono long robe worn by both women and men.

Geta, Zori, and Tatami these are sandals.

Tabi these are socks.

Yukata a summer Kimono.

Nagajugan undergarments, such as a shirt. (Like the one worn by Inuyasha under his fire robe)

Michiyuki overcoats.

Shiro-maku wedding Kimono.

Uchikake most formal Kimono.