Katsuro tried to cling to his father, not wanting to let go. He would likely end up clinging to his mother the entire time Sesshoumaru was gone.

Sesshomaru gently dislocated him and put him back in bed before going back downstairs to talk to Aura again before he left.

Katsuro whined as his father left the room, watching him go.

Aura looked over as Sesshoumaru came back downstairs.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. "I heard Katsuro whimpering." Her ears weren't sharp enough to hear most of the high-pitched whining, but she definitely heard the more human-like whimpering from her son.

"He's upset that I'm leaving." Sesshomaru grimaced. He didn't like it, but it was bound to happen eventually.

"Oh, poor thing," Aura said softly. "Should I go up and get him?" She hated the fact her son was unhappy, and the urge to go and coddle him was strong.

Sesshomaru nodded. Katsuro was still young; the attachment to his parents was natural. Besides, the pup hadn't done anything wrong, and Sesshomaru didn't want to punish him. Now he was really loathe to leave them.

Aura went up the stairs and straight into Katsuro's room. The pup whined and reached for her, and she obligingly picked him up. He clung to her, snuggling close and whimpering a little.

"Shhh, it's okay," she murmured to him soothingly. "Everything is okay." She alternated between rubbing his ears softly and running her fingers through his hair, and he slowly calmed down.

Sesshomaru sighed before he moved up to his son's room again, stopping in the doorway. If he got close enough for Katsuro to try to cling to him again it was just going to be harder for him to leave. "I'll see you both in a few days."

"Alright," Aura replied, not turning around. Katsuro's ears twitched, so she knew the pup could hear him, but it would be worse if the pup could see him, as well. "Go on ahead, we'll be alright."

Sesshomaru nodded and left the house. He really, really did not want to go. But he had to.

This just gave him incentive to finish quickly and be back as soon as possible, anyway.

As he left, Aura stayed in the pup's room, soothing and cuddling Katsuro. The pup knew his father was gone, at least for the moment, and it made him very upset and he clung to his mother tightly. Once Aura got him to let go a little, she went to give Kris a call.

Kris was currently attempting to wrangle her three into sitting long enough to eat their snack before they could bolt off outside or something. She managed to answer the phone while grabbing Shippou with one hand, plunking him back in his seat.

"What's up?"

"Sounds like the usual chaos over there," Aura teased a bit when Kris picked up. "And you actually picked up the phone, I'm impressed. Anyways, Sess is off on a business trip at the moment, and it would make him feel a bit easier about being gone if Katsuro and I stayed with you and your family while he's away."

"Come. Bring me your troublemakers. Bring Inuyasha along, too, if he's around." Kris growled quietly and plopped Shippou back in his seat. Again. "And for the love of me, get here soon."

"Just Katsuro and I," Aura replied as her son cuddled into her shoulder. "Inuyasha is with his parents. I'll be there soon to help you with the little terrors."

"Okay. See you soon." Kris hung up and grumbled something as she deposited both girls back in their seats. "I told you, no. You wait until your father gets back to go outside."

So it was a minor relief when Aura arrived, and she was quick to let her friend in.

Aura grinned a bit as she went inside and set Katsuro down. Almost automatically, she stepped sideways slightly to block Aiko from getting outside.

"I see you're handling things here," she teased Kris as she picked up the little hanyou and handed her to her friend.

"As well as I can. Hisoka's gone off getting some things, and when he left the three were all down for naptme. Five minutes later they were all up and running around. And I can't keep track of all three of them if I let them go outside." Setting her youngest down again with a little scoot towards Shippou, she turned back to Aura.

"Sess has a business trip he can't miss," Aura said. "I know it would make him feel easier if Katsuro and I stayed here. And I can help you with the kids." She didn't comment that it was a lot easier with only one pup to look after; she knew Kris loved her family with everything in her, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Kris nodded. "Hey, I don't mind. You know you're welcome any time you want." She looked over when she noticed the kids all congregating in one spot; apparently it was now play time. "And if you're helping me with that lot, even better."

Aura smiled a bit as Katsuro toddled over to the other kids.

"I don't mind," she said. "Besides, it'll be good for Katsuro to play. He didn't react well to Sess leaving."

"I'm not surprised." Kris let out a breath and pushed her hair out of her face again. "Come on. I'm going to make some tea and see if I can't find something to entertain them until Hisoka gets back. His turn to wrestle with them."

"Go relax," Aura said, already rolling up her sleeves a little. "I can play with them for a while. They all know to be careful with me."

Kris nodded and went off into the kitchen to make herself some tea before she slumped in a chair, watching them all with half-lidded eyes.

Next time, Hisoka was staying home and she was going out to do errands.

Aura settled herself on the floor to play with the kids. She could keep them occupied long enough for Kris to take a breather and relax for a bit.

Hisoka got home not long after, finished with the errands for now. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed Aura, but took it in stride. He was still well-appraised of Sesshoumaru's schedule lately, so he figured he knew why Aura and Katsuro were there.