It turned out that Inuyasha had no knowledge of survival past basic instincts. Sesshoumaru spent the rest of the patrol teaching Inuyasha how to identify safe plants to eat and how to hunt.
The first thing Inuyasha caught on his own was a rabbit. He had little patience to wait for prey, and chased the rabbit through the underbrush, eventually getting close enough to catch it in his claws.
Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he should be proud or upset with how the catch had been mauled in the process, but he felt the ice melt just a bit when Inuyasha looked up at him, face covered in blood, held out the catch to him, smiled and yelled "I did it!"
Working with his youki proved difficult.
Sesshoumaru could not explain HOW to call upon his youki, he just did it. After the first week of frustrating half explanations, he began to think the pup would just not be able to use it.
Inuyasha had been restless all day. It seemed like he had ants crawling on him, he just wouldn't be still.
They fished for dinner as that was the easiest meal for the boy to catch, and as the last rays of the sun disappeared the pups scent changed.
His youki was gone
Sesshoumaru watched in fascination as Inuyasha's hair bled black from the crown of his head, his eyes dulling to a dark brown. The puppy ears he was used to watching twitch this way and that were replaced by human ears.
The boy looked at him in fear, pupils blown wide, breathing ragged.
"Tell this one what has happened"
"I have to hide! No one can see me like this!" He jumped up, making for the woods.
Sesshoumaru rose, catching the boy by his kimono, then returning to the fire and sitting him on his lap wrapped in his arms. The soothing rumble filled the area