Swordsmanship was the art of wielding a sword; the way of the sword was the heart that guided it. Swordsmanship could be taught, but the way of the sword could only be understood through experience.
Starting with drawing the blade, Sesshomaru stood beside the girl and instructed her in the use of that sword-the blade made from his fang.
Sesshomaru preferred direct action to words. He would take her hand, for instance, and let her feel the direction in which to apply force as she drew the blade, or gather her into his arms and teach her the proper grip from behind...
These simple sword lessons became the greatest pleasure of their journey.
Both Sesshomaru and Han approached the matter with solemn concentration. Yet whenever their eyes met, the light shimmering in their gazes, that soft, luminous warmth, and the smiles they exchanged in perfect understanding often made them forget the sharp blade in their hands.
An eternity passed in a single glance. Even time seemed to stop as they quietly gazed at each other, leaving only the sound of the other's breathing beside their ears.
Coming back to herself, the girl immediately lowered her gaze to the ground, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. The dog demon's breath slipped through her hair, and his hold on her slender, fair hand tightened. Yet she felt no pain. In that moment when time was stolen away, sensation had vanished with it, leaving only the searing warmth where his palm covered the back of her hand.
Then the dog demon's husky voice sounded beside her ear once more, and everything finally returned to the moment when their sword lesson had begun.
"Having an expressionless face really lets you take advantage," Jaken whispered to Yunai beside him. The rabbit looked back at him