Inumittsu
Episode 8
Three days have passed since the visit of the high priest; and things have returned to as they once were. However, a sense of unease has come into young Inuyasha�s mind. His companion can see the burden he is suffering under, and eventually demands that he talk about it. The boy says, �There�s only a week left.� Konpon says, �Don�t worry little one, we will deal with the old fool�s threats when the time comes. But have no fear; I do not intend to cast you out.� �It�s not that. He said you were going to�� he trails off. She says, �Ah, I thought we might have to discuss this. Little one, you know I am old. I told you soon after we met that I had little time left. I know that the death of your mother and that servant she left you with are still fresh in your mind. I will stay with you as long as I can; but still, my end is not far off. But I suppose you know all that; and that just repeating it will do you very little good.� She stops and sits on a rock at the edge of a stream. She looks up at where, nearby, the river has eroded the earth from around the roots of a tree; leaving them bare. After a long moment, she says, �Little one, I�m going to try to explain something to you; something you may not be ready to understand. Look here,� she draws his attention to an ant, crawling along an offshoot of the tree roots. The boy comes over and gazes intently at the insect. The old woman tells him, �To this creature, the tree is only this root. All it sees, all it knows of the tree is right here. If it were to climb upward till it met a leaf, it would not see that as being the same as this piece here. But let us say that fate takes this little one away from its familiar root. For a time it will feel the loss; and this is right and fitting. But then later, it may meet the leaf and take joy in the new which is old. People too are like this; and while death can take them apart, in time, they may meet again, in another form. They may not even recognize each other then; but the feelings can endure. Do you understand any of this?� He shakes his head, a resounding no. She smiles at him and says, �Then never mind; perhaps when you are older you will.�