“Yummy!” I licked my lips and patted my satisfied belly as I strolled past the Karesansui (the sand bed garden).

I stepped onto the soft sand and pebble stone path behind the Butsudan Hall, with the intention to make my way back to the alder log cabins.

The blissful rays of the afternoon sun continued to warm the air. Summer crickets still chirped their lulling tunes.

I hummed a ditty melody, then stopped. I feared it was from one of Bulldog's ragtime records, which I had secretly listened to whilst sampling forbidden moonshine with my brothers at the Kuri basement. The times we had almost been caught by the fukuten or tenzo cooks were bad for my heart.

“Forgive me Buddha for being a bad boy. I promise to be good from now on.” I clapped my hands to set the promise.

The rush of feet at my back made me turn around; I cursed when my body was slammed to the ground by War's knockdown.

“Yah sloppy Baby Bro taught yah better than this,” he said with an irritating grin.

“Ugh!” I struggled against War's headlock.

My banging hands stirred clouds of sand. I grabbed a fist full and threw it back at his head, causing his arms around me to ease.

I struggled out of his hold and stood, heaving for breath. He had knocked the wind out of me.

“What the heck, War!”

“Dat's the spirit Baby Bro! Get 'em fighting juices flowing.” He licked his lips as he grabbed my ankles and yanked me to the ground.

We brawled on the path, disturbing the air with more sand clouds.

“WAR! FAMINE! Cease this behavior this instant!”

We froze at the sound of Death's priggish voice from the Butsudan Hall's wide veranda.

“You're an idiot,” I hissed at War and pushed him off me.

“Stupid pansy needs toughin' up.” War threw back.

I moped at the messy sight of my sackcloth tunic and pants, and felt bits of stone stuck to my sandals. I pulled them off to pick out the troublesome pieces from the soles.

“War! Refrain from fighting our younger brother!” Death wagged an angry finger.

“Tell him Death.” I poked my tongue at War.

“Grow up Famine! You're not a kid anymore!” Death redirected his scolding to me.

“B-But it was War who—” My explanation was silenced by Death's icy stare.

“Honestly, this behavior is disrespectful to Buddha and the monks. You should learn from our youngest! Furthermore...” Death continued to scold.

War and I sat on our knees with our heads bowed with apologies.

“If we were magis at a time of contention, you'd be flogged for disrespect according to Section 28 of the Magism Code of Conduct and Consequence, which states...” Death's scolding became a long-winded lecture.

I hoped he didn't notice my sleepy eyes.

“Ahem. I hate to interrupt your lecture Death-niisan, but Bulldog is asking for Onii-san.”

I perked up to the sweet sound of Pesti's voice.

“Oh, Pestilence, of course.” Death's voice had changed to a friendlier tone.

No surprises about who was his favorite brother.

“I think I've scolded these two children enough.” He expelled a weary breath.

War and I rose to our feet, shoving each other back and forth in the process.

“Your fault Death's mad at us,” I hissed at War.

“Yah a pipsqueak brother boy ain't yah,” he answered back.

We snarled at each other.

“Come on Onii-san.” Pesti sighed.

He grabbed me by the ear to drag me away from War's call for a rematch, and Death's groaning.

“You really ought to calm yourself when War tests you,” Pesti said, releasing my ear once we were clear of the Butsudan Hall, and near the Temizuya stone basin.

We walked across the central courtyard and past the reinforced iron doors of the archive moonstone pillar tower, bowing our respects to passing monks.

“I can't help it. Big Bro's always picking on me.” I sulked whilst rubbing my sore ear.

“You're an easy target Onii-san. You're simple-minded, you let your emotions get the better of you, you're too transparent.” Pesti's observation tugged at my heart.

“Brutal!” I gasped at the truth.

“Mushin, Zanshin, Satori; it's what we learn, right?” He patted my back with a warm smile.

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He was the wiser brother. Although he was a year younger, his maturity placed him on the same level as Death. If he were to shave his head and don the official midnight-blue samue, he would likely reach the ideal image befitting Buddha's blessings.

I frowned with another train of thought.

“Hey, Pesti. Why did Shuso let us keep our hair, and we don't wear the blue samue?”

“You're asking me?” Pesti raised his brows at my random question.

“Dat because yah boys be wildcats, not ready for the samue!” Bulldog's gruff voice growled behind our backs. “Yah taken too long.”

“Sorry Bulldog. It was War's fault. He started picking a fight with me for no reason,” I mumbled my excuses and yelped at the stinging pinch Bulldog gave my ear.

He let out a weary sigh.

“Yah boys be old enough to be adults. Famine give meh most heart trouble. Lots to learn yah 'ave. Lucky I know lots to teach.” He flashed me a toothless smile, which didn't match the stern glare from his brown eyes.

“Pestilence. Go tend dah foxes. I be taken Famine for some training.” Bulldog calmly ordered.

“Do well Onii-san.” Pesti gave me the thumbs up.

He left for the evergreen trees at the bottom of the slope.

Bulldog was an unexpected monk in the blue kimono, and a kind-hearted father to the four of us at most times. Right now, his intimidating presence made me nervous.

“Now I teach yah some ways to Mushin.” A cold grin pushed back his saggy cheeks.

I followed his lead to the pond amongst the evergreen trees, where my warm afternoon would soon become an icy cold one.

Bulldog had me learning Mushin in the pond's freezing water for most of the afternoon.

The evergreen trees grew a dense canopy around the irregularly shaped pond I trained in, isolating it from the glaring late summer--early autumn sun. I shivered before I went into the water; no chance of feeling warm. To top it off, an overpowering stench of musk and pine wafted about the air to stir up a nasty headache as I practiced the art of stillness, waist-deep in murky water.

Eventually, I was permitted to rejoin Pesti for our usual duties.

“Did you learn anything?” Pesti asked as he observed my shivering body.

“The pond's bloody cold. That's what I learned,” I grumbled, feeling like a drowned rat.

Pesti chuckled. He returned to his work.

I sighed, deciding it was best to work harder, so I could dry faster.

We followed Bulldog's example of diligent care towards the plants and small animals on the grounds.

Seeing seeds, sown in the gardens by my own hands, flourish into a beautiful life was fulfilling. Healthy animals sharing napping spots as if they were old friends was a delightful sight.

Pesti enjoyed the company of animals the most. His ability to gain their assistance lightened our workload.

The day was approaching twilight when we headed to the temple's entrance to complete our last duties.

We were causally passing through the Torii gate near the shady pine forest when I felt something land on my shoulder. I dropped my water bucket with fright near one of the gate’s red hashira poles.

“Sheesh Small Cap, quit startling me like that.” I sighed with relief.

It was just my spider friend. His bug-face appeared to be grinning.

Small Cap was a large-sized great huntsman whose golden hair, walrus beard, opaque eyes, and twiggy legs were a gentle appearance for a spider. I gave him his name because of his unique tiny tuft of hair that protruded from his forehead like a cap.

He scurried into my pocket.

“I'm glad he's fond of you. Probably been hard for him since he lost his place in his nest,” Pesti said with a smile.

“Guess I'm his makeshift nestmate.” I gently patted Small Cap's head.

“Or nest.” Pesti pointed to my breast pocket.

If that was so, I was glad to be his home. Small Cap had been separated from his nest during a storm. A window had closed on his leg when he had tried to escape through the opening. His recovery had taken some time. So, when he returned to his nest, his scent was no longer recognizable to his family. He had been chased out.

I worked with Small Cap sleeping in my pocket. He woke up when I arrived at the Kuri for dinner. Unaware of his surroundings, he jumped out of my pocket and landed on War's loaded plate.

The comical sight of War's squeals and failed attempts to shoo off Small Cap was priceless revenge.

Food was scattered everywhere on our table. Small Cap was able to escape through a partially opened window.

Death groaned when we saw the dining hall's attention was focused on us.

“Yah bloody wildcats! Clean up dah mess!” We copped a fierce scolding from Bulldog and a lot of disappointed sighs from the monks at the other tables.

My three brothers and I quietly cleaned up the damage. I felt War's irk burning at my back the whole time.

“Whydahell yah bring dat critter here yah bastard?!” he discreetly growled into my ear.

I cringed at the elbow jab I felt in my gut.

“You're lucky Small Cap didn't bite your fat nose. I would've.” I spat out.

Eventually, the hall resumed its restful silence. The four of us focused on eating what little food was left on our plates.

War and Death had resumed their duties back at the library and archive towers after dinner. Small Cap didn't return.

Pesti and I finished planting the new seedlings in the small meditation garden behind the glowing white Butsudan Hall.

“Phew!” I heaved a sigh of satisfaction. Another day's work was done.

We walked along a moist stone path through the evergreen trees towards the stone wall.

I relished the smells of musky foliage and autumn flowers sailing under our noses. A calming breeze cooled our skin.

“Beautiful night,” I whispered my thought aloud.

Pesti nodded.

We both stopped in our tracks, wonderstruck by the magical effulgence of the green, pink and blue aurora borealis snaking about the starry evening sky.

“Is this a spiritual nexus thing that Death goes on about?” I blurted the question to Pesti.

He answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

I smiled at his calm expression illuminated by the light, and gripped his hand tight within mine, feeling his warmth feed love into my heart.

It was a moment I didn't want to end.

A young rabbit brushed against my ankle.

Pesti pulled a carrot from his pocket; he fed it to the grateful rabbit. Its twitchy nose rubbed his ankle before it hopped down the slope.

“Hey, Pesti. This life won't change, right? You, me, Death, War will always be family, right?”

“Of course, I don't see what could change. Why would it?”

I felt settled by Pesti's answer.

“Thank you, brother,” I whispered.

We reluctantly pulled away from the moment and made our way back to our room to call it a day.

I lapsed into a deep sleep as soon as I was comfortable in my futon.