Summer

Once the boys were back in school, their work became harder; they were now used to each other and the school routine and so it was time to set the lessons to steady them down in a pattern for the rest of their school life. For most this would be the next century or so, until the boys returned to their homelands and perhaps private tutors. Some of the boys might continue on with Inuyasha, but it was far too early to tell yet.

Inuyasha liked school, he enjoyed learning and besides which, his beloved brother and father wished for him to do well. That meant he had to work hard as he didn't find it as easy as some to retain the information. He was intelligent, but nowhere near as brilliant as his Sesshoumaru, and that meant he needed to concentrate. This he was able to do much to Kouga's annoyance. The wolf was still trying to get Inuyasha to notice him and accept him as an authority.

Kouga disliked the rigidity of lessons, he was bright and quick to learn, but never wanted to stay still and preferred the lessons in the dojo. He had tried to best Inuyasha in the gym but didn't succeed very often despite being a bit older and heavier, and although he was not yet aware of it, a complete youkai to Inuyasha's half. In class lessons he could finish his work before the hanyou and was certainly more vocal with his answers and still Inuyasha wouldn't acknowledge the wolf's superiority.

Inuyasha ignored the little comments about his ears or lack of tail; Kouga was not being particularly cruel, he just wanted the attention and instincts were coming to the fore that neither understood. Kouga was firstborn Prince to his people, he was already an alpha wolf and was being trained to able to protect and lead the wolves. His older youkai was strong and dominant and needed to have the recognition of his qualities from all the pack.

At the moment the class was his pack and as the teachers were also very experienced with young youkai, Kouga's youkai was also being trained. Of course others in the group were also the alpha offspring and were learning the same lessons, but Kouga was the strongest and this was accepted. At least it was by everyone except the one who should; Inuyasha was being stubborn. Inuyasha was not an alpha by nature; he was beta and as such should defer to Kouga, in the wolf's 'humble' opinion.

The trouble was Inuyasha was already a beta to his Father and brother, he had no need to look for a leader in Kouga and although he wasn't weak, circumstances of birth gave him no hope of challenging either of his Alpha's . Besides which he was happy in his life, he was not as physically strong as Inu no Taishou or Sesshoumaru and wouldn't ever become so, even as he grew; so his youkai had already learned its place in his pack.

For the full youkai, they knew they would be tested when they reached adulthood; therefore they remained ready to challenge. All in all, it meant that Kouga needed Inuyasha to recognise his authority and Inuyasha was already content with his own Alpha's and would give no one else their place in his life. But despite these issues simmering under the surface, as was normal when teaching young youkai, school carried on in good order. It also didn't mean that the two boys hated one another, in fact they were quite good friends by the time the next long holiday came up.

The summer months were long and carefree; four months to be spent at home with their families, attending functions and learning the responsibilities of their respective clans and individual youkai. At their age they were still far too young to go home with friends unaccompanied and most were too valuable to risk; but sometimes visits would be made, although in Inuyasha's group none had the same influence that Sesshoumaru's peers had where their parents would be making state visits.

Inuyasha was ready for the holiday; he had worked hard in school and missed his family, although the students had been told that they would be expected to keep up their practices in the dojo. There would be no excuses accepted for slacking off and returning to school with anything less than their abilities before school broke up; in fact there should be marked improvement. It was even more exciting for Inuyasha as Sesshoumaru had promised to train him personally.

Inu no Taishou was an alert and sensitive creature, such instincts and abilities served him well as leader of a large and flourishing land. It also alerted him to when his children and mate were in need, and Sesshoumaru was in need. The younger Taiyoukai was missing his brother a lot, the bond that was forged in the first year of Inuyasha's life would never be broken and the youkai of both siblings were bound.

Whereas Inuyasha was open in his affection and obvious in his dependency on his brother for comfort and attention, Sesshoumaru was far more reserved; although he could never hide his satisfaction when Inuyasha followed him like an adoring spaniel. Their father was not jealous of the bond the boys had, after all he knew how it had formed; youkai was such an integral part of all their makeup and once bonded it would not be sundered easily.

It also boded well for the future, to have two strong sons who relied on each other. Sesshoumaru may have been many years the elder and fairly independent, but the little brother had filled a space in his heart that had been lacking. Inu no Taishou could see this as clearly as Sesshoumaru couldn't at times, and it made him smile to himself; the young sunny hanyou was essential for the older son's well being. So, calling his eldest child to him, he gave Sesshoumaru the responsibility to train Inuyasha in the skills of the sword; thereby giving them valuable time together, which didn't compromise the strong adolescent pride of the older boy.

Summer passed quickly and delightfully for them all, Inuyasha spent hours on the farm and taught his brothers some of the sword moves he was learning from Sesshoumaru. His younger sister was not left out either, the dance like movements were beneficial to her as exercise and balance. Should she choose to learn to use a sword later then she would already have a head start. There were also new animals to get to know by scent and old haunts to revisit.

Then a week before school was due to start again, Sesshoumaru had a surprise for Inuyasha. He was going to take the hanyou on a hunt, just the two of them. Inuyasha was so excited that he didn't sleep the night before, and was ready and waiting before daybreak for Sesshoumaru. The older brother remembered going on special hunts with his father and was not surprised with the lively boy's early rising.

It was a wonderful time for both boys, but Inuyasha was in his element as Sesshoumaru allowed him to run in the tree canopy, where he found he had a natural ability to travel really fast and for long distances. Up until now he had only been able to stretch his skills in a fairly controlled environment, but here out in the forest he could just keep going. Of course Sesshoumaru didn't let him out of his sight, but he was not oppressive and he didn't fuss at all at the heights Inuyasha achieved, not like Izayoi who hated him to climb too high.

Then there was the careful teaching about the hunt, the dangers, the thrills and the careful stealth required to bring down the prey. The most important thing to realise was that a dangerous foe could cause panic induced fear that could paralyse the body and the hunter becomes the hunted. Sesshoumaru illustrated his point by stalking Inuyasha.

Even with the knowledge that his brother would not harm him, the young hanyou was forced into an adrenalin based state of terror, and his heartrate soared making him run. At that point he panicked and he could feel his brother's youki gaining on him; gone was the safe feeling of brother Sesshoumaru and in his place was superb predator and before Inuyasha knew what was happening, he was caught and screaming in blind fear.

After the older boy calmed the younger one down and they sat around the camp fire with the rabbits they had caught, Sesshoumaru taught Inuyasha that he should always stand his ground. Face his enemy or prey, and assess calmly, and then he would have a fighting chance; but the moment he ran from animal or youkai, he would be lost.

But it was all worth it when Sesshoumaru wrapped his tail round the pup and pulled him tight so he could sleep deeply with his head resting on his brother's leg. The world was safe again as Sesshoumaru petted Inuyasha's ears until the boy fell asleep knowing that nothing would harm him while Sesshoumaru watched.

IYQ Community; April 2008 Week 2, "No Passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear." - Edward Burke