Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha or related characters they belong to the respective owners. OC's are mine.

Chapter Twenty Five:

Inuyasha and his companions waited as Inu no Taisho climbed the final few steps up to the landing. The yokai lord nodded to the four sitting around the fire, "Well, what do we have here?"

The ancient hanyo shook his head, "You here for any specific reason?"

Inu no Taisho nodded toward the elder, "Yes…my son." The yokai lord turned to Inuyasha, "Could we have a word Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha jumped to his feet and bowed, "Of course father."

The father and son walked off to the far side of the landing. Inu no Taisho sat on a boulder then indicated a boulder in front of him for Inuyasha to sit on. The hanyo sat then waited for his father to speak, he didn't have to wait long. Inu no Taisho smiled at his son, "How has your time away from the palace been?"

Inuyasha shrugged, "We haven't really been gone long…you got my letter really quick."

Inu no Taisho chuckled, "No doubt the exterminators made use of the caverns to make it to the palace quickly…and don't change the subject."

Inuyasha huffed then narrowed his eyes at an insect crawling along the ground, "It's been fine we've done more running in a few days than I think I've done in my entire life."

Inu no Taisho chuckled, "That's good, you never know when an enemy will take flight. It's best to build your stamina for the long hunts." Secretly the yokai lord hoped his son would also realize when it would be necessary for him to flee a battle.

The yokai lord watched as Inuyasha squashed the insect that had been crawling on the ground between them. Inu no Taisho chuckled, "I take it you've not had a lot of chances to practice your fighting?"

Inuyasha bowed his head, "Uncle flew us here in his true form."

The yokai lord nodded, "It'd been easier and quicker if he'd used his light form, but we've always been cautious of transporting humans and hanyo that way."

Inuyasha frowned, "Why?"

His father snarled, "Converting another being's body to light and transporting it any distance could be dangerous."

Inuyasha nodded at his father's logic then spoke, "You didn't come all the way out here just to see how I was doing did you?"

Inu no Taisho nodded, "Actually, I noticed something peculiar about your letter. You called your brother by his name…maybe I'm jumping at shadows, but it felt like you were making a statement."

Inuyasha shrugged, "I have two brothers…if I'd just said my brother you might mistake which one I was talking about."

Inu no Taisho narrowed his eyes, "Doubtful…your brother's are easily discernable. Also since I overheard the conversation you were implying, I think I could tell which brother you were referring to."

Inuyasha avoided looking his father in the eyes.

The yokai lord nodded, "As I thought…also, have you divined a purpose for me to allow you to wander?"

Inuyasha nodded, "You were tired of punishing me for running away, and by making me promise to follow uncle you didn't have to worry about me getting into trouble."

Inu no Taisho nodded, "Good…as long as you understand I did not do this to shame you."

Inuyasha bowed his head, "I know you didn't do it for that reason…I've just realized how shameful my actions have been of late."

The yokai lord nodded then looked to see the ancient hanyo about to strike Koga with his scythe. Inu no Taisho frowned, "Well that's all I needed to know, now let's go find out what that insufferable wolf cub has done this time."

Father and son returned to the fire about the time Koga had dodged the fifth strike from the scythe. Inu no Taisho turned to his brother, "So what did the wolf do this time?"

The scarred one grunted, "Eh…mouthed off saying we Inuyokai would be nothing without the wolves."

Inuyasha cringed, "I've warned him about wounding someone's pride."

Inu no Taisho snorted, "We're too easily provoked that I'm sure of…" The yokai lord shot his mokomoko at Koga and dragged the helpless cub backward away from the scythe wielding hanyo, "Enough of this…Koga… apologize…or I'll teach you first hand why it is we who make the wolves what they are."

Koga consented to apologizing, and after grudgingly accepting the apology the ancient hanyo stayed his blade. Inu no Taisho then departed for the palace as the remaining four settled down for a quick evening meal.

Kenshirou was lounging in his true form, which wasn't much larger than a house yet, in the courtyard. His mother sat on a bench nearby with his half sister Airi sitting on the grass at her knee reading. They'd all been aware of Inu no Taisho's mysterious departure and return the previous night, but he'd said nothing to them about it.

The Lady of the West was content being with her youngest two. They did not quarrel as their elder brothers did, and she hoped they never did, as she never wanted to see hers and Izayoi's children fight. She'd been warned of the outcome of such a battle long ago, and it was not a pleasant thought for a mother.

The Lady remembered well the words spoken to her by an ogress fortune teller who'd come to the palace shortly after Izayoi passed. She'd warned that if the four fangs ever struck at one another there would be nothing but misery for the others. Even the Lady could divine a truth from such vague words.

Airi noticed her stepmother was lost in thoughts so she closed her scroll and walked over to her brother, "Kenshirou, you awake?"

The Inu turned its lolling head toward its sister, "If I said yes would you go away?"

Airi smirked evilly, "Only if you want me to tell mother that it was you who broke that vase the other day, because you were running around in your Inu form inside the palace."

Kenshirou sent a scared puppy eyed look to his sister, which is quite comical coming from a Inuyokai, "Please…you said you wouldn't tell her…you're my favorite sister!"

Airi narrowed her eyes in irritation, "I'm your only sister."

Kenshirou frowned, "Um, right…you're my favorite younger sibling?"

Airi snorted, "Kenshirou…I'm also your only younger sibling…" She shook her head as she could almost see her brother try to figure out a new platitude, "…Kenshirou, give it a rest. Anyway even if mother is lost in thought she probably heard me say it was you already."

Kenshirou glanced at his mother and quickly noted her features had gone stern, but she was still contemplating something else. He turned back to his sister, "You just love doing that to me don't you?"

Airi smiled, "Of course not big brother. Yet, you'd have been in less trouble if you'd just admitted to it when you did it."

Kenshirou returned to his humanoid form, "Well…I'd have admitted earlier, but I just kept forgetting."

Airi narrowed her eyes at him again, "Like you forget we're short a brother."

Kenshirou looked around the courtyard, "Yeah, where is Sesshomaru…he didn't sneak off again did he?"

Airi shrugged, "I can never guess what he is going to do. Yet, I'm sure he won't do anything to piss father off." Airi cringed as she suddenly felt a familiar aura approach, "Oh shit…what that pompous ass doing here?"

She quickly ducked behind her brother who'd shifted his gaze onto a regally dressed yokai, who didn't appear much older than himself, but was probably much older. The yokai approached then bowed to Kenshirou, "My Lord's son, it's so good to run into you this fine day…you wouldn't happen to have seen your sister recently, I was sure I smelled her scent coming from here."

Kenshirou growled dangerously, "And why may I ask do you wish to see my sister?"

The Lady had noticed the newcomer, and wasn't pleased with the disruption of her calm, "Kenshirou…this is one of your sister's suitors…kill him."

The yokai backed up immediately, "My Lady…I didn't mean to offend…"

Kenshirou grinned evilly, "You sought out my sister…yet the only smell I get from you is lust…no wonder she despises the time she had to spend around you."

Airi darted from behind her brother to stand at the Lady's side as her brother transformed into his Inuyokai form. She smirked at the ill fated yokai. He merely glared back at her just before another massive Inuyokai crushed him.

Kenshirou returned to his human form with a frown, "No fair I was going to kill that one!"

Inu no Taisho returned to his human form as he chuckled, "Sorry son, but you're not ready to be killing to protect your sister's honor quite yet."

The Lady nodded, "If my count is right that leaves three?"

Inu no Taisho nodded, "Koga of the wolf tribe is the front runner at the moment he's actually not done anything inappropriate."

End Chapter Twenty Five

A/N: Well, sorry for the long delay, but I'm just not feeling as motivated with this story as before. I'll try to stick with this story, but I can't promise daily updates, plus I'm contemplating another time jump, but I don't want to rush the story too much. Things get sticky later on if you don't establish solid relationships between characters, and I don't yet feel these long lived characters' relationships have been solidified enough for the jumps that are bound to come…I'll think it over some more and get back to you with another chapter. Going too quickly is what bogged down my Bleach fanfic, and has turned it into a quagmire of a story…yeah I'm still trying to fix some of my other stories, I'd appreciate any suggestions…on any of my stories, that's what reviews are partly for.