Small Pup

Sesshoumaru felt safe again, a feeling he hadn't realised he had missed so much until he was surrounded once again by the physical strength and immense youki aura of his beloved father. In those arms he could once again be the pup who needed and received comfort without fear of ridicule or condescension. In fact he was quite content to stay for as long as possible, relieved that his father was home.

It all ended however with a wailing yell from the next suite of rooms and Inu no Taishou recognised the cry of his youngest son. On hearing the baby's voice, Sesshoumaru started to pull away from his father and Inu no Taishou left swiftly to find his second son. He knocked on the shoji door and entered straight away to see an upset Inuyasha, squirming in his mother's arms.

"What is the matter with my son Lady Izayoi?"

"I am not sure Sire; does something ail Lord Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha has been calling for his brother." As Izayoi said this Inuyasha cried out for 'Shu' again and Inu no Taishou held out his arms and the pup went straight to him. The puppy's nose was sniffing all over him and he knew that the pup could scent his brother on him.

"I will take him to his brother and bring him back later. It will quieten the pup." And so he took Inuyasha into his brother's suite and the baby took one look at his brother and launched out of his father's arms to Sesshoumaru. Then he pushed his little head beneath his brother's chin crying 'Shu, Shu', and sniffed around his brother's face, wailing again. Sesshoumaru patted him on the back and petted the ears, whispering soothing sounds and reassuring his little brother that he was well.

"Does the pup always react to you this way Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes Papa; we...we have been through some traumatic times and...and shared our...despair. He has always known if I am upset."

"Don't feel ashamed My Son, it is only to be expected that you have grieved over the past year; I am very pleased that you are sympathetic towards each other in this way. Inu no Taishou's eyes gleamed with a warm amber light as he wrapped his arms round both of his sons, letting his youki flare to give them an added feeling of security.

Eventually Inuyasha fell asleep, tucked around once more by his brother's soft tail and was taken back to his mother to be put to bed. Then Sesshoumaru walked next to his proud Papa, back to the celebration and an announcement that he was now officially the Junior Lord of the West; to stand by his father's side, but not as a figurehead. He would be given full control over some areas of state, and would have his own official seal.

It was surprisingly easy for the West to settle back down to having its rightful lord back in overall charge, the year apart was far longer for humans than the long lived youkai. During the next year, Inuyasha took his first steps to his delighted 'Pa' while the family was all together and relaxing one evening. It was a rare treat for Izayoi as she was not often invited to the family's private time; usually Inuyasha would be picked up and brought back in time for his bed. She was not ostracised as she was around during the day but she was not family even though her son was.

So she was present for the first steps and the happy pup was thrilled with pleasing everyone and positively crowed in happiness. Once Inuyasha was mobile he was virtually unstoppable and very fast, but he only ever had two places he wanted to be. Either sat on the floor within reach of Sesshoumaru's tail so that he could play or sleep or be kept in place depending on who was doing what; or with his father whose strength of youki made the pup feel very safe, besides which, he knew good games and enjoyed playtime with both pups.

Of course it was not always appropriate for them to have Inuyasha underfoot and his mother often took him into the gardens; but he was far too quick for her to catch if he decided that Sesshoumaru or his father needed him. He became such a familiar presence that he could sneak in if his brother were busy without being obviously detected, as his scent was always everywhere. Then he learned that big liquid puppy eyes would usually win over his more reserved brother, whereas Inu no Taishou was far too experienced to be taken in by them.

During the next year, Inuyasha's third, he learned more boundaries; particularly that if the door was shut, he didn't try to go in. His mother liked her privacy at times as did everyone else, and Inuyasha found out that Papa's hand could sting his bottom if he was disobedient. Of course Inu no Taishou was never cruel or harsh, the taps he gave his little son didn't really hurt, but the young hanyou didn't like being disapproved and soon understood that 'no' meant 'no'.

One day however everyone was too busy for the little pup and he couldn't make anyone listen or understand that he was feeling very uneasy. His Mama was indisposed again, she had a regular time of a blood scent the boy didn't understand, but he knew he didn't trouble her overly, until it went away.

But there was another feeling he didn't like but couldn't explain fully; usually his Mama's suite only scented of him and Mama and the girls who attended her. But recently he had caught another strange scent; it was not one of the mated scents, all these he knew and thought nothing of, as any with the nose of an Inu grew up learning the natural odours.

The unsettling feeling was there again and although Inuyasha had tried to get his Mama to comfort feed him she was not inclined to do so at the time. So in a sulk he left to find Sesshoumaru who would give him food even if he couldn't supply the specific comfort the pup wanted. But he couldn't find his older brother which upset him more, and so tried his father, but his door was shut. Inuyasha wandered around, he was safe, because there were always guards around patrolling outside the royal quarters and everywhere.

For over an hour his unease grew, and eventually he couldn't take it anymore and knew he would have to disturb his father. So the pup crept up to the door, if he was very quiet and good perhaps he wouldn't be noticed and could just feel Papa's strength. Opening the door he walked in on a strange sight; he didn't understand why Pa was playing horsey with Lady Mama, but he wouldn't interrupt and walked to the other side of the bed. The adults were too engrossed at the time to notice his familiar scent.

Inuyasha watched for a while then got bored and climbed up his father's tails, forgetting he was in a room that had had a closed door.

"Me play horsey too Papa?" He asked, before noticing that Lady Mama had 'pillows' like Mama's and his desire for comfort pushed to the front of his mind again making him reach for her and latching on, curling onto her body and trying to draw milk. Even though her breasts were dry the suckling was a familiar feeling for Inuyasha and he dropped asleep quickly, far quicker than his highly embarrassed father could dress and evict him.

The adults looked over the sleeping child's head in wry humour when they realised that the pup must have been in their room for quite a while given his innocent desire to 'play'. In his sleep, Inuyasha had become detached from the Lady's breast but remained snuggled in her arms.

"Give me the pup My Mate; I shall take him to his mother."

"He does not disturb me My Love, leave him to sleep, however something has disturbed his aura."

"Izayoi is probably not inclined to have her lively pup near at the moment and Sesshoumaru is too busy."

"Come I will carry him to find Sesshoumaru, it is fulfilling to have a pup in my arms again." She gave Inuyasha to his father who pondered over her words while she dressed and then took the boy back, amused when he cuddled down again. They had to wait a further hour for Sesshoumaru to come out of his meeting and the older pup had never seen his father quite so red, as when the younger pup awoke at the scent of his brother to indignantly proclaim that, 'Papa never let me play horsey too.'"

Seeing her son's eyes widen in understanding and her mate's vivid flush, the Lady turned Inuyasha towards her and told him that he had fallen asleep before he could play, and reminded him sternly that the door had been closed. Inuyasha said a wailing sorry, indicating that no one was there and there was a horrid scent in Mama's room. Thinking that they knew what that was, they told the pup not to worry, and gave him to his brother for the rest of the afternoon.

That night, Inuyasha awoke to the strange scent again, but this time he could feel his mother's fear along with it. His own fear grew as he listened at his mother's door, he could hear that someone was with her and could tell by the silhouette cast on the screen that that someone was holding his mother by her wrist and causing her pain. He didn't understand all the words spoken by the man who was a human worker on the estate, but he knew that they were wrong.

"You will tell Inu no Taishou that you want to be mine Izayoi; I am tired of waiting and your pup could get into nasty trouble if I don't get the answer I want. Remember not a word of complaint or the pup will die." He pulled the woman to him and kissed her forcefully, enjoying the power he had over her and not caring that she wept.

He may not have cared, but Inuyasha did; that human was hurting his mother, so overcoming his own fear and using his superior speed, he charged at the man. He managed to scratch him round his neck and face, then tried to grip at his throat with his baby fangs. The man reached for Inuyasha's neck to wrench him away, but now Izayoi too was hitting at him and shrieking.

Before anything else could happen though, his head was rolling on the floor, disconnected at the shoulder neatly by Sesshoumaru's energy whip. Inu no Taishou and the Lady too were soon in the taking charge. The Lady was comforting Izayoi while Sesshoumaru picked up Inuyasha, allowing his father to call in the guards and give orders for other accommodation for Izayoi while her room was cleaned.

A/N The episode over the horsey game happened to my sister and her husband with their son.

IYQ October 2009 Week 2 Nothing gives a fearful man more courage than another's fear.-Umberto Eco