The Inu no Taisho had never liked choosing clothing. He was a warrior; no matter what he wore, it was destroyed somewhere down the line in battle. It was due to that simple fact that he normally had someone buy his clothing for him, but this was special. No one would pick this out but him. He had a second child on the way, a hanyou that would need something special.

With a careful eye he browsed through the bolts of material offered to him by the merchant. Silk would be perfect for his little prince or princess, but it just wasn't what he was looking for. A cool cotton would be perfect for a summer baby, though it seemed so common. This child would be anything but common, in status and in heritage.

Bolt after bolt he searched, yet nothing seemed to catch him. He silently wished he was able to know the sex of his child beforehand. It would make life so much easier! No worries of buying something unsuitable.

As he turned to leave, a flash of red caught his eye. He walked to the shelf and pulled it out for inspection.

"Merchant!" he barked, "What sort of fabric is this?" He held up a bolt of red fabric for the merchant to inspect.

The old merchant smiled. "It is cloth made of the fur of a fire rat, my Lord. It is stronger than any armor that can be foraged of any metal."

The great general smiled. "Perfect."