To Catch A Demon (Inuyasha fanfic)

Chapter 4

He made his move in the dead of night.

Like Kagome said, the barrier was lifted from the house and he could walk away from it without qualm. Kagome slept soundly in what he presumed to be their room, strange as it sounded. He felt no sense of guilt at leaving the vicinity and thought that such a thing would mark a clear indication of the truth.

He sought to find Kikyou. Encountering her, even if she was old and decrepit, would help him understand the reality of his predicament. If Kagome truly was his wife he would strive to make the best of this situation. Though he failed to remember his love for her, he knew that he could not simply abandon her.

If she was not his wife, and everyone in that village including her were liars, he didn't know what he'd do. Their deception would require an appropriate act of justice.

He whizzed past trees, the night sky covering him in a cloak of shadows. With his nose lifted high, he sought out Kikyou's scent, striving hard to remember her distinct smell, and not Kagome's.

Hours ticked by, until he was so far away from the village he could no longer smell it. Good, he thought. With his eyes zeroed in on his cause, he ran and he ran nearly the whole night through. Before he knew it, the sun was beginning to rise, its yellow beams branching across the sky. But Kikyou was nowhere to be found. It was so strange that she could have been so far gone. Away from her village and sister? It didn't ring well with him, and he growled in denial at the thoughts which suddenly plagued him.

He would not lose sight of his quest.

He was growing tired, his legs screaming for rest. But he pushed forward, until he came into contact with a new scent. One he remembered swiftly, and not with the slightest hint of excitement. He stopped on his heels, and turned to where the scent blew in the strongest. He found himself in the middle of a forest where a road seperated the land in two. He waited for the person to reveal themselves, his claws sharpening at the ready.

Sesshomaru and Jaken finally appeared, the two walking side by side on the same path as he. The demon lord was dressed the same as ever, with a white and red kimono, his tail blanketing his shoulder. When he caught sight of Inuyasha, he didn't stop to speak. Instead he continued walking, ignoring him. In the past, Inuyasha would have left him alone, having experienced it enough to last countless lifetimes. But if there was any other person he could rely on for the truth (as much as it hurt), he could find it in him today.

He growled and jumped over Sesshomaru. Then he snapped his name.

Jaken screeched, having been scared half to death by Inuyasha. "How dare you!" he squawked. "Who do you think you are, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha ignored the toad and simply met his half brother's golden eyes. "I'm talkin' to ya, Sesshomaru."

"What is it, Inuyasha?" he replied, ever monotonous and nonchalant.

"What are you doing here? You're not far from humans."

"I had no idea the presence of mere mortals could apprehend me in such a way."

Inuyasha scowled. "You're not planning on hurting anybody right?"

Sesshomaru finally showed some emotion, his eyes glaring at Inuyasha with disdain. Inuyasha smiled. This was normal. This he remembered. Sesshomaru had always despised his very existence. Soon they would fight, their battle echoing to the sky. Inuyasha craved this like nothing before. It would be a welcoming distraction.

But instead of unsheathing his claws, or snapping his whip, the demon simply continued walking around Inuyasha.

Okay. That was weird.