The Long Road to Freedom 2: Fire on the Water

Crossing Paths

1455 mid-Muromachi Period, Autumn, Japan

High above the glittering southern coast of Hokkaido Island, a large and wiry shape bounded through the clouds. While impressive by human standards, it still had nothing on the size of the old dog General, though the Inu no Taishou had never made an issue of the jackal's lacking physique. It was simply natural that the Inu Tribe was larger, stronger and the Jackals were smaller and more agile. They had complimented each other, and as Rekkonji descended to one of the freshwater pools below, he allowed himself the softest of whines at the sight of his solitary reflection.

It had only been about a century since his friend's passing, and Rekkonji still felt his absence keenly. He and the General had traveled and fought together for so long that even sharp-witted Rekkonji could hardly remember his life before the Inu no Taishou. From the day he'd bested Rekkonji and welcomed him along on his journey of honorable conquest, they had been pack. It was terribly weak, almost human of him, but Rekkonji was strong enough to admit it; even if only to himself:

He missed his friend, the General.

It irritated him, watching Sesshoumaru fumble about in his current manner, making a mess of all his father had left behind; and he still felt the disappointment of the half-breed's loss. The General had spoken of the inner strength she'd possessed, of the greatness she would achieve, and Rekkonji had rarely seen a time when the General was incorrect about such things.

'I am sorry, my friend, it would seem that this time you were mistaken.'

He'd seen to it that Zheng's former consort and her pups were returned to her father's domain and settled in, as he'd said he would, but he'd lingered around Lake Tai for a time. There was still no sign of the half-breed he'd seen swallowed into its depths; strangely, not even the usual life within the waters had stirred, the banks lined with the corpses of fish and turtles and other such things. Fully convinced of her loss, he'd left Shanghai to return home.

The familiar scents of the Western Province seemed welcoming as he arrived, and soon the scent of poison joined the medley. He tracked it to one of the many plains here, watching from high above in the clouds as Sesshoumaru slashed his way with disinterested grace through a band of miscreants that had failed to let him pass, judging from the sounds of the squawking creature nearby the young inu lord.

"Another effortless victory; well done, my lord! Of course, nothing less can be expected from one such as yourself!"

Rekkonji's ears twitched with irritation at the pitch of the thing's voice, and it seemed even Sesshoumaru was hardly tolerating it. Seeing that his current engagement was concluded, Rekkonji gave a great shake of his fur, sending his scent down to the General's pup; an invitation.

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes sliced up to scrutinize the clouds. He recognized the scent, and quickly found the lithe form silhouetted high above.

"Remain here."

Sesshoumaru's eyes glinting red as he melted easily into his true form and bounded up into the clouds to meet the old demon. He took a higher elevation, making it clear to the jackal where he felt they stood. Rekkonji bucked his claim mildly with a snarl, tail curled high and a ridge of fur rising along his spine. Sesshoumaru barked viciously down at him, his muscles coiling under the silvery fur that shimmered in the pure sunlight up here.

More out of the demands of their natures than any real question of who was superior, Sesshoumaru obliged Rekkonji's challenge, the two dancing around each other before Sesshoumaru finally took him to the ground, fangs sunk into his neck and a paw on his exposed belly. Only after the jackal had shown proper deference to him did Sesshoumaru release, blinking down as he shrunk again into a human-like form. He let a moment pass, solidifying his superiority, before following suit.