A Fox (closed for raiguy)

Ohia_Lehua

Really Really Experienced
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
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412
Kinu had lived a long life and in the eyes of her kind still young, yet she was already tired of her life and what it had in store for her. Every day was the same, all the people the same and it all boiled down to greed and selfishness. That was all Kinu saw when she looked around. Fifty years ago she had lost herself in the wilds as a plain ol’ fox to escape humans and their shallowness. But even the life of a simple fox was wearing on her. Kinu yearned for more then just this but there was no finding it. The earth was losing it’s magical wonder and there was little in the world that could make Kinu smile, save the laughter of a innocent child.

Now she was back within the world of humans content with finding a life where she would want for nothing and could just live comfortably. It was this new goal for her life that brought her attention to Kōshaku(Marquess) Makoto Koga, a very wealthy noble who was handsome enough to forgive his dim nature. With a plan to marry this man she turned her attention to him and within in a few months was announced as his wife-to-be. Kinu had taken everything into account except his old senile advisor, who turned out to be less senile and more sharp minded the Kinu had thought. For it was the old man who caught Kinu in fox form.

Hisao who had never trusted the beautiful woman played his part as the senile old man and was looked over by her just as he was by everyone else. There was something about her that made his nose wrinkle despite how lovely she smelled. Maybe it was because he was Makoto's guardian and his father's before that and was loyal to the family and weary of new comers. The fact that Makoto was too naive to know any better didn't help things when the tricky woman smiled pretty for the Kōshaku and he saw how it effected his guardian. No, he wasn't going to let this woman marry into this family on lies and deciete and Hisao was going to find out the reason why being around Kinu made his skin crawl.

He already had an idea of what was going on. The long missing hours at night. The sneaking glances and giggling smiles that covered lies. Hisao was positive that she was conning the Kōshaku for his wealth and had another lover on the side. At first he had thought she planned to kill him and take his wealth but after watching and listening he saw that she wasn't going to kill him, just use him. And he wasn't wrong, it was the reason she was with Makoto but his explanation of her missing hours weren't for a lover but for herself.

"Tonight I will catch you." He made a promise to the night as he followed the woman out of the house and into the night. Being slow and old wasn't an act and he lost her for a few minutes before finding her at the pond. Every full moon Kinu would wait till everyone was asleep and sneak from the house to meet her lover and tonight Hisao was going to catch her red handed and expose her for the evil little fox she was.

The full moon glowed in a perfect circle in the sky, while it's reflection rippled with tine waves made by the tip of Kinu's tail. It wasn't necessary to change her form on the night of the full moon but a choice. The way the moon's light made her ivory skin glow and her pure black hair shine tipped b velvety ears in the water's reflection was her favorite vision of herself. As a kitsune she had many forms and could slide from shape and form at will. As a fox Kinu was a base white with sliver and a tip of darker silver on her tail, black feet socks and black edged ears. As a woman she was 5'9" with true black hair that fell in a silky curtian to the small of her back, dark amber eyes heavy with long lashes and flawless creamy ivory white skin. She could also mix the lines of human and fox in her human form but with a pair of ears and a tail. Her last form, her true form was her kitsune fox form. An impossibly large fox with the same color markings as her normal fox form but infused with magic. The white glittered like a diamond caught by the light under the silver of a twinkling star and the endless black of night of her feet and edge lined ears and reds that glowed like an ember of a dying fire. All but one of those form were dangerous to be in but in the quite of night lighted by only the innocence of the moon, Kinu risked being seen and let her magic wild.

Kinu sat on the bank of secluded pond and watched the fish swim, one brave enough to bite at the foreign object that dragged across the surface of the water. Quickly Kinu swished her tail out of the water to keep it from being bitten and laughed, the sound like charm bells, at the anger fish swimming in circles trying to chase the things he had plans on eating. "I think I'm a little too big for you my friend." Kinu smiled standing up as her magic sent shivers down her body and the image of the woman shimmered away slowly leaving nothing but a fox in her place. 'There.' Kinu thought seeing the fish with a different set of eyes. 'Now we are a little closer in size but still too big for you.' She had a mind to eat the fish but this boldness saved his life and the life of his pond mates. Tonight she would find other things to hunt and chase before she had to return.

Hisao fell to the ground, mouth open and eyes wide. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed and looked again at the spot where Kinu had once stood. There it was! A fox! Kinu was a fox? Hisao's mind spun and raced. How was she was fox? How was that possible? And then a legend of long ago came to mind and a word echoed in his mind. Kitsune! Kinu was a kitsune! It was worse then Hisao thought and his mind scrambled to figure out what to do next. His eyes darted left to right seeking anything in the shadows and dark that could help him when he saw just the thing. "It should work." He snickered getting up off the ground.

Kinu flipped on her back and rolled in the soft grass, it's blades tickling and scratching her back. It had been such a long time since she had chanced changing into anything more then a tailed woman with ears. Tonight was the first night in months that she was able to run on four legs and she was going to make tonight enough to last until the next full moon. Kinu sprang on her feet and barked a happy little bark as she made a lap around the cleared space. It would be too much to leave the grounds but there was more then enough room in the gardens to run, jump and hunt.

*snap*

The dry crack of a twig froze Kinu in her place. Panic filled her as she breathed in and scanned the area for the cause of the noise. Trying to narrow the scents were almost impossible. Her fox nose precived smells differently then her human nose and trying to learn a new place's smells and divided old ones from new one, safe ones and dangerous ones were of now use. And just as useless were her eyes. She could see nothing that could have made that sound. Slowly her heart leveled out and Kinu believed herself to be safe. So what if someone caught her as a fox, what connection did that have with the beautiful Lady Kinu? None. Assured that even if she did some across a human all they would see is a fox Kinu ignored the sound as dangerous and trotted in the direction of the fruit trees. Surely there would be some kind of bug or small animal there.

"Ah ha!" Hisao shouted in demonic pleasure as he threw out the thing he had spied from before to help him in this situation.

Kinu tried to run away but it was too late, the shrub net landed over her and tangled around her running legs and weighted her body to the ground.

"Now I will show everyone what you are, monster!" Hisao growled picking up the tangled fox, careful of her teeth. Hanging her upside down Hisao limped back to the house shouting for everyone to wake up as he did.

By the time he made it to the house every light was on and every person was awake and gathered in the hall leading to the back door.

"What is the manor of this?" Makoto boomed, his voice seeming louder in the small space.

"I have caught Lady Kinu." Hisao smiled lifting the net and his prize.

The servants saw the fox and whispers filled in as back noise.

"A fox?" Makoto questioned. "That doesn't look like Lady Kinu."

"Ah but where is she now? Do you see her at your side?" Hisao asked knowing that he had Makoto there.

"No, but- ah. You!" He pointed at the nearest guard. "Fetch Lady Kinu and bring her to me."

"It'll be of no use, she is not there because she is here." Hisao told his Kōshaku lifting the net higher.

"The rest of you go back to sleep." Makoto looked upon his most trusted advisor with sad eyes. He know Hisao was getting old but he never would have thought the wise old man to fall like this so suddenly. "There is nothing to see here." He sighed shooing everyone away and out. "Come Hisao, lets go to my study."

"Yes, maybe privacy is best."

Just as the pair entered the study the guard came back empty handed. "Lady Kinu is no where to be found."

"Was there a struggle?" Makoto's voice was full of concern for the woman that he loved.

"No." The guard answered simply.

"As I told you." Hisao gruffly snapped throwing the fox into the middle of the room and walking to the fire. "Get someone to start this fire and a few more guards."

"Hisao-" Makoto started reaching out to comfort his friend.

"No! I will show you if you don't believe me!" Hisao shouted doubt starting to cloud his mind. Maybe he didn't see what he thought he did. His eye sight after all wasn't as good as it used to be. "No!" He shook his head. "You will see."

Soon the fire was blazing and three guards stood in the room watching and waiting.

"Now what Hisao?"

"I will make this creature show herself." Hisao turned to the guards. "Draw your swords, should she escape me, kill her." Turning back to the fireplace Hisao picked up the fire poker that he had heating in the fire. "You will change now or I will scar you." Hisao threatened advancing with the red hot iron.

Kinu had been trying the entire time to get free of this net and escape but one of her legs was badly tangled and the more she pulled the tighter the net got around her leg. Still she wasn't about to do as Hisao demanded. Instead she growled and barked showing her teeth like any wild animal would.

"Hisao stop, you're scaring the poor creature." Makoto started.

"Poor creature! She is a monster, a kitsune!" Hisao yelled jabbing the hot end in fox's hind left leg.

Never in Kinu's life had she felt such pain. It burned and stung like a million daggers of ice and flame warring for the right to hurt more. A scream tore through Kinu's throat and she felt her hold on this form slip. Changing forms was elementary magic but it still took magic to do and keep up but it was a mindless thought. Like how your body breaths even without you having to think about it. But this level of pain can overwhelm even your basic thoughts.

"Change you she-beast!" Hisao screamed kicking the fox across the room and under a table.

"Hisao." Makoto took the iron poker from Hisao's hands and put it back. "I know you have never warmed to Lady Kinu but she is missing and we must find her." He patted his old friend's shoulder and started to guide the man out of the room. "Please put the fox out of it's misery." Makoto told one of the guards as they exited the room.

"Kōshaku!" The guard shouted. "You have to see this!"

Hisao sure of what he would see turned and rushed back into the room.

"My God-" Makoto hissed seeing the kitsune laying under the net that held only it's leg with the same burn mark on it's leg as the fox before. "It's true!"

"I told you kill this beast!" Hisao ordered pointing at the kitsune.

"No wait!"

Before their eyes the body of the kitsune shimmered from their sight and Kinu in her human form was there before them. "Makoto, please!" Kinu's voice cracked with pain and tears ran down her face. When Hisao kicked her, he broke a few of her ribs and she blacked out from the pain, momentarily returning to her true form. But now that they knew what she was Kinu had no choice but to play her last card and bank on the love Makoto felt for her. "Please don't let them kill me."

Confusion washed over Makoto's face. He was torn, this was the woman that he loved but she betrayed him and lied to him. "I loved you." He whispered looking away from Kinu. "But I will not love an animal. My love for you died and I know of no Lady Kinu." He spat turning back to Kinu, his face twisted in rage.

"You will have me killed? What of my love?"

"Animals do not love and you will die the monster that you are!" Hisao answered for Makoto.

"Kill her." Makoto commanded his chin jutted up in ignorant pride.

"I would have never harmed you." Kinu spoke softly jaw locked against the pain. "But now I will return your gift of death!" She vowed a flash of brilliant light stunning and blinding the humans as Kinu escaped.
 
Kenshin had had a very rough life. When he was born, his parents were put to death. The kingdom had a limit on children, and his family exceeded that limit. For that, the parents were put to death, and the children were left to fend for themselves. Kenshin, or Ken as some called him, was able to survive thanks to the kind generosity of a local farmer. The farmer saw the newborn baby and immediately took him in.

As Ken grew up, he found out that the farmer and his wife were not able to have kids. An unfortunate brush with the law, or lack thereof, had left the husband unable to sire children. When they found Kenshin, they considered it a blessing. He grew up knowing that he was not the farmer's son, but still loved him nonetheless. Once he was old enough, he realized what happened to his family. He didn't know if any of his brothers or sisters, if he had any, survived. Instead, he just focused on the lessons his mother and father taught him.

He learned how to farm the local agriculture, raise livestock, and be kind and courteous. He was always humble, and never raised his voice. Because of this, many of the local youth beat on him. He never raised his fist though, instead taking it and learning from it. By the time he was nine, he was adept at blocking strikes and grapples. His father made sure he was able to defend himself, but also instilled in him the virtue of never using his skills for evil. He took that to heart and never started a fight or struck anyone.

As Ken grew, he developed into a strapping young man. The hard work on the farm filled his gangly frame with muscles, and his height topped out at six foot two inches. He wasn't anything special to look at, but his sapphire eyes were something that many of the local girls admired. His soft-spoken manner also helped.

It was a few years later that his family passed away. His father got sick while taking care of the livestock in the winter, and slowly lost his will to live. His mother followed shortly after, distraught at her loss. Knowing that he couldn't stay on the farm, Ken sold it and moved into a little cabin in the woods. He was tired of society and just wanted his space. He hunted and fished for food, growing what fruits and vegetables he ate in a little garden.

Ken was out when he heard a terrible ruckus coming from the town. Sound carried well through the forest, which surprised him. It only seemed to be sound coming from the town though. He quickly made out that something big had happened at the castle, and then saw a bright light. He made his way through the woods, deciding that he might want a closer look if he could get it.

As he was walking by a small stream, he looked down after hearing a noise. There lying on the ground was a fox. There was an ugly wound on its back leg. It looked like it was in a great deal of pain. Ken quietly approached it, trying to be as non-threatening as he could be. When the fox looked up and started to back away, he raised his hands up, showing he didn't mean harm.

He was finally able to reach the fox, after it almost fell into the stream. He gently held the fox as he made his way back to his cabin, determined to help any way he could.
 
Kinu had never been good at light traveling to begin with and in the amount of pain that she was in, she was shocked that she had even managed it. Of course it had been a life and death situation and she knew anything short of that and Kinu would have failed. As it were she had no idea where she was but she didn't care. She was away and hidden as a fox. It was the safest form to be in. It could be argued as her coat was outside of the normal but other animals could feel what she was and had never tried anything thing, like eating her. Now humans, humans didn't feel anything and only saw the pretty little fox that she was. Children loved her because she was friendly with them, doing tricks to make them laugh. Adults on the other hand sometimes saw her as a pelt, a pair of gloves or ear muffs and it was that reason why she tried to stay away from them.

Water. Kinu was thirsty and worn out from the combination of her use of magic and her injury. Thirsty. The voice in her head moaned become more demanding with every dry swallow. She could hear water running and limped and cried her way towards the sound. The air tasted wet and Kinu licked her lips when she saw the stream. It was so close! Kinu pushed herself to move faster and yelped in pain as her leg refused to move anymore then it absolutely had to. "Yiup!" Kinu fumbled and tied herself up clasping to the ground in a fallen heap. Water! She could almost feel it washing the bile that coated her tongue and slide down her throat and filling her belly with it's cool crisp taste. "Yieep." Kinu got up on shaky feet and completed three more steps before falling at the steam's edge.

Wither it was the noise Kinu made of the color of her fur not blending in a human saw her. She had been so absorbed with getting some water that she had failed to smell the human that was near. There wasn't much that she could have done to escape him but she would have stayed still and not made a sound. Kinu didn't know what he wanted but she had enough humans and tried to travel on light to get away from him but nothing came to her.

The human held out it's hands and approached her slowly. Frantic to get away from him, Kinu gathered her strength and got up managing enough steps to touch the water. Kinu's plan being to jump into the stream and let it's current take her down stream and away from the human but he proved to be faster then her and caught her before she fell into the water. "Grrroral!" It was a grown of pain and fear. Kinu's leg flopped and a star burst of pain yanked her from the conscious, her last thought was pouring her magic into keeping this form as she lapsed into blackness.

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The last thing Kinu expected to do was wake up alive. She was sure that now that she was in the hands of a human she would be skinned and maybe even eaten. Waking up near a fire on something soft and warm was unexpected. Opening her eyes she looked around. At first she didn't see the human but she could smell him everywhere. He smelled like rich soil and fall leaves. It was one of the more pleasant of human smells. Closing her eyes again, Kinu picked up her ear and listened. He was in the next room. "Chippi!" She barked, the sound sounding frail and barely traveling over the space. She was still thirsty and disparately needed water. Enough that she was calling for help. If the human was going to kill her he would have done so when she was passed out or he would do it later. Either way she didn't want to die thirsty.
 
Ken heard the yip and set down the carving of the fox he was doing. He brought the food and water he had for the fox and set it in front of the animal. He hoped it would be good enough. He gently stroked it's back, then finally pushed it enough to lay on it's side. As soon as he realized the fox was female, he smiled and started to gingerly work on her leg. He had learned that the males of the fox species in the region were much more aggressive to human treatment, so he tended to stay away from them, or at least knock them out while he worked.

He gently cleaned the burn, moving the fox into his lap as she tried to struggle away from him. He wasn't trying to hurt her, but he didn't want her leg to get infected. After the wound was cleaned, he applied a thin layer of ointment so that the wrapping he had wouldn't stick in the burn and then peel the growing skin off. He wrapped her leg and then continued to pet her, noticing that she had dozed off.

He could tell that this was no ordinary fox. She had the most beautiful pelt he had ever seen, but also, he could feel a subtle difference in the ways she acted. She had curled up in his lap once she realized he was trying to help. Most female foxes tended to shy away until they realized that there was nowhere else to go, and that you were providing the food. He smiled as he looked down, realizing the food and water were gone.

He gently picked her up, careful not to wake her, and then moved her next to him on his bed. He did this so that she would be warm, but also so that she wouldn't move. He tucked her against him and under the covers, trying to ward her from the chilly autumn wind as he slid in behind her. He smiled as he continued to pet her until he fell asleep, his hand gently resting on her back, twitching ever now and then from his dreams of foxes and magical things.
 
It was hard for Kinu to relax with the new human so close after what had just happened to her. That hadn't been the first time she had been caught by a human but it was the first that was able to hold her and cause her harm. A shiver ran down her pelt as she thought about how close to death she had been. It was something she never wanted to go through again but her sense of revenge was greater and worth the risk if it meant getting back at the people who had harmed her.

Still the water that the man brought was too much of a temptation and she quickly lapped up enough water that it sloshed in her belly with every movement. It was almost enough to make her sick but she had been so thirsty that once the cool crisp water touched her tongue she got carried away and lapped up all she could. That of course left no room for the food that the man had brought her but that didn't bother Kinu. She nosed it once and then ignored it. She wanted fish and with as full as water as her belly was the chicken was easy to push aside.

Even the human cleaning and working on her leg didn't bother her, though she did snap at him a time or two when he pushed too hard or touched a raw spot. Though in comparison to true wild foxes she was more then well behaved, she almost acted tame. Kinu was willing to leg her guard down just a little. What was the point in watering, feeding and caring for a fox that you were planning to kill. There was none so Kinu closed her eyes and dreamed up her plan to get even with the noble house behind the stone walls.

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Kinu's pelt twitched. There was a bug crawling on her. She could feel it's heavy steps over her fur. A big bug. Kinu's lips curled up and she growled in her sleep. Why didn't the bug get the picture? She didn't want to play. The bug only smiled and turned into a weasel. Even worst! Kinu growled even more showing her teeth. The bug now weasel jumped on her side and laid across her back trying to get her to play. He just wasn't getting the picture and snapped at the weasel expecting him to move away but he didn't. Instead he leaned closer to Kinu's face and smiled. That just as much as Kinu could take and bit the weasel who turned into a hand the moment her teeth made contact with the warm, very much alive and real, blood filled human hand.

Her sharp teeth pierced the skin of the human who had taken care of her before and blood filled Kinu's mouth. As quick as she could, Kinu opened her mouth and released the hand she had bitten. Fumbling as she skirted away from the now waking human and falling in the process. The room was dark but she could feel the sun waking. It was early morning and she was still alive and in a bed?!?! Well had been before she tried to run away and her leg gave on her and caused her to tumble from the bed. What had happened after her drink of water and why was she cuddled to the human in his bed?

Panic filled her as she quickly looked down at herself making sure she was still just a normal fox. In her pup years it was't unusual to shape shift in her dreams as her mind wondered and her hold on her magic slipped. But as far she she knew Kinu was still a fox and had stayed a fox all night long.

But that still left the unanswered question, what was she doing in the bed.

The question became unimportant when the human moved and reminded her that she had just taken a bite of this human and that he was sure to be upset and looking for revenge. So with that in mind Kinu tried to run and hide under the table in the next room. She was unfamiliar with the layout of this house and wasn't sure what way was her exit. If she was in luck maybe the human would be so wrapped up in his wound that he would forget her long enough for her to escape because Kinu wasn't sure if she was well enough to use her magic and not kill herself.
 
Ken woke suddenly to sharp pain. He looked down to see his hand bleeding. He looked around and noticed the fox wasn't around. He sighed and then went to the table. As he was walking, he saw the fox huddled down by a leg, moving away as he approached. He smiled and tried to remain calm, even though there was blood running freely down his arm as he held his hand up.


He sat down and reached for a bandage. He quickly scooped the fox up as she wasn't paying attention. He set her on the table and gently pet her before talking.

"I know you didn't bite me on purpose. It's ok. I wouldn't hurt you for doing what comes naturally. I would like your help though," he said as he started tying the bandage. He figured she would understand as he quickly placed her paw, holding it tightly against the spot so he could work a knot into the bandage. When she pulled her paw out before it could get trapped, he smiled and gently scratched behind her ear.

He could tell she was hesitant to stay near him, and knew that she was uncomfortable being near him. He picked her up gently before carrying her to the bed. He made a pile of blankets in front of him as he set her against it.

He gently started petting her as he started talking again.

"I know you don't like to be cooped up, but unfortunately you need to stay inside until your leg heals. If it gets infected, that leg is going to have to be removed, and I'd rather not have to inflict pain on you unnecessarily. I need to go get started on chores, so stay here and rest while I do what I need to do," he said, quickly slipping out of the house and locking the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Throughout the day, Ken checked on her, feeding her and checking the bandages. He tried to be as gentle and friendly as possible, hoping she wouldn't shy away from him. As the day started to wind down, he stayed inside to ward of the chill. He threw a couple logs on the fire before settling down with her in his lap.

He pulled the bandage off, happy to see puss forming. He quickly spread an ointment on it before bandaging it with a new bandage. Once that was done he fed her while he ate, then went to where he had made her a bed. He set her in it before laying behind her.

"I know you don't like this, but it's only me here. No bugs, no animals, nothing dangerous. It's just me trying to keep you as warm as possible," he said as he pulled the blanket against him, before putting his head against the pillow and quickly falling asleep.
 
It was weird for Kinu to hear a human talk to her like so in this form. It was almost as if he knew what she was. That thought made her even more wary of him but this calm nature was relaxing against her basic instinct. Plus what he said was true and if he was willing to tend to her wound then why not say. It would be bothersome for her to tend to it herself and with her unnaturally quick healing she would be perfectly well in a few days time anyways.

Still as comfortable as she was starting to feel with the human every time that he opened the door Kinu huddled deep in her bed of piled blankets ready to flee if it was guards sent by the noble to find her. But it was always the human and he always had a smile on his face as he checked on her. Even when he came in for the night and fixed her some food he seemed happy to do so. The entire day she had been trying to figure out the reason behind his smile and with what had happened to her, Kinu was expecting a dark sinister meaning behind it but it seemed too simple to be just from the deed of doing something good. No human was that good, right?

Having already deiced to stay here until she was well Kinu was going to watch him and see if this human was as pure and honest as he seemed.

Again he talked to her like she was more then an animal before falling asleep. Kinu laid curled there warmed by her bed and the human's body heat before she slid from the bed careful not to disturb him. From the ground she watched to make sure he was still asleep before slipping from the house and out into the night. More careful this time Kinu watched, listened and stayed still as she surveyed the night around her before changing shape. Where an injured fox entered a thicket of woods, a beautiful woman emerged. Her leg burned and pain ran through her body with every step as the healing muscles pulled. There was a slight gimp to Kinu's walk but she pushed the pain aside and quietly entered the house of her human caretaker.

Kinu moved like a shadow always keeping an eyes on the human, making sure he was still asleep. She didn't know why she was here in this form but as she got closer to him Kinu knew that she owed him a debt and she would repay a small part of it by repairing his hand that she had bit. Reaching out she gently picked up his hand with her left on careful to only touch the bandages and not his skin. Kinu was stone still as she waited for a reaction from him, she wanted him to stay asleep and not get caught like this. It would be hard to explain why a naked, injured woman was in his house holding his hand. Still she owed him this and more and risked it.

Closing her eyes Kinu took a deep breath in and unwound the magic in her. It was like a large multicolored ball that was locked in a tight small size that she could release and let fill her body. Opening her eyes there was a magical shine to them and her skin held a faint glow. With her pointer finger of her right hand Kinu reached out and touched the tip of the human's hand and let the magic travel from her to him. Under the bandage the bite mark healed, tissue and muscles mended and the skin grew over the openings leaving shiny pink skin. Feeling like she owed more then this, Kinu left her magic flow through his body, fixing all this little aches and pains. She was rejuvenating him from the inside out in payment for him taking care of her.

Of course one might ask why didn't she just to this to her own leg and heal herself. It was a flaw in the magic of a kitsune. Because of their greed and selfishness they were cursed and the ability to work magic on themselves was taken away. Now they were only able to affect outside forces and used their magic in a different way to benefit themselves.

When it was done and all that she could do was finished Kinu pulled the magic back into herself and kept it tight inside of her. It was also the moment when he mumbled in his sleep and for a moment open his eyes. Kinu froze releasing his hand. Could he see her? What he awake? Panic filled her and everything in her screamed to flee but she dared not move and wake him up should he just be dreaming. He made a little noise, closed his eyes and rolled over. Kinu's body relaxed and she let out the breath that she had been holding.

Calling that a night and too close for comfort Kinu slipped from the house again and returned as a fox, leaping back into her blanket bed and falling asleep.
 
Ken felt something grab his hand gently. He didn't fully wake up, but started to mumble. His eyes came open slowly. He saw the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen before him. He mumbled something again, then fell back asleep. He wasn't sure of what had happened, but knew that he had seen a beautiful woman. He just tried to remember if it was a dream or not, as he slowly sank into unconsciousness.

Ken woke up slightly as the fox he had taken in came back to his bed. He smiled and gently pet her before falling back asleep. His dreams were filled with the beautiful woman.

Ken awoke before she did. He slid up, sitting in bed, before gently moving the fox onto his lap. He started to gently stroke her back. He didn't want to overdo it, so just pulled another blanket over them, leaving her head sticking out. He didn't want to get bitten again or for her to be scared of him.

As soon as he thought about getting bitten, he looked down at his hand. Sure enough, the bite marks were healed. He scratched his head, then remembered that night. A beautiful girl had come into his room and took his hand. He realized that the fox hadn't been there. He remembered the news that had reached him while he was working, about a kitsune that Lord Makoto had supposedly had as a lady in his court, before he found out what she was.

As Ken laid there, he realized that the fox was a kitsune. It all made sense now. Why her leg was burnt. Why she didn't trust humans anymore. He gently got up and prepared a meal for her for when he woke her up.

Ken came back and gently woke the fox up. When she stirred, he smiled and held his hand out for her to let her sniff him and make sure it was him.

"I want to thank you for healing my hand," he started. "Before you think about running, please hear me out. I know you are a kitsune. Most likely the kitsune Lord Makoto is looking for. Please don't run," Ken said, holding his hands up, trying to show the fox he was her friend.

"I think I should tell you a little bit about me, so you understand why I want to help you. My family was put to death by the law passed by Hisao, the current lord's adviser. I grew up in the home of a family that wasn't mine because I exceeded the limit for children in a family. I moved out here when I could to get away from the lord and his laws. I still hear news, which is how I was able to figure out you are a kitsune. I know you don't trust me, but please understand that, as long as you are here, you will be protected by me. You'll also be safe from guards. They don't venture out this far into the woods," he said.

He hoped that the kitsune wouldn't leave him. It had been great having a friend. Even if the friend was a fox, it was still the best company he had had in quite some time. He was desperate to have company, so started grasping at straws.

"If you stay I promise I'll take care of you as best as I can. I'll try my best to make sure your leg heals quickly and fully. I'll provide the best meals I can. Just please don't leave me alone again," he said quietly, looking down at his hands, running his finger over the new pink skin.

He was afraid to look up, afraid of what he might find. He was also afraid that he would be left alone. Again. It was a feeling that he hated. He had been alone all his life. He wanted this kitsune to stay, but knew that it probably wouldn't happen. He hung his head and let out a small sigh of resignation, knowing it was inevitable. He was going to be left alone again.
 
Kinu was shaken away and jolted up and away from the touch in reaction. The human had his hand out allowing her to smell him if she wished but she could see who it was and let the offered hand alone. But the smell of food made her nose twitch and her stomach rumble. It smelled like sausage and Kinu's mouth watered. Fish would have been better but she wasn't going to pass up warm free food. But the human started talking and turned her mind from food.

As blankly as she could Kinu sat there with a slight tilt to her head as if confused. This was the last thing she had expected to hear from him and the fact that he had figured her out turned her stomach and made her sick. If this simple man could figure her out then how long would it be before Lord Makoto's men found her. Inside her heart raced and her mind ran in a panic but outside her was calm and collected and every bit the fox that she was.

With the human knowing this there wasn't much that she could do about it. On one hand she could admit to it and show him her human self. It was the more relaxed of the two options that she saw but the most risky. For she couldn''t change how she looked as a human and the noble had only seen her as a human and her true kitsune form. True Hisao had seen her as a fox but that was one man and what here the chances that he would be the one out looking for her and find her. The other choice that she had was to dig deeper into being a fox and stay hidden. It was a lie but the safer of the two and for not it was what she needed, safety.

So with her mind made up Kinu looked blankly up at the human and yawned, blinked and jumped from the bed landing on her three good legs and trotted to the table. She looked up to where the food was and chipped a single note bark making it obvious what she wanted. Hoping that he would buy the fact that she was just a regular fox.
 
Ken shook his head. He had thought about what the kitsune could do after he told her. He knew she could remain a fox, or transform and be open. He had hoped it would be the second, so he could help her, but it looked like it was the first.

He quickly picked the fox up and set her on the table, letting her eat, then started talking again. "Unfortunately for you, you can't hide you are a kitsune. I know the wildlife around here, and you are too big to be a fox native to this region. I also know that you are bigger than most breeds of foxes. The only foxes that are your size are found much farther North, and would be killed on sight here," he said, taking a breath.

"I know that if you reveal your true form, you are at risk. What you don't realize is how far out of the city limits we are," he said, pulling a map out. He quickly pointed to where they were, then the castle where she mad most likely come, if she was truly the kitsune he thought. "We are more than 2 weeks from the castle. I don't know how you covered that much ground that fast, but you did. The other thing you don't realize is that any guard who steps into my land dies," Ken said quietly.

It was true. He was the only outlaw the castle feared. After Ken had left, he trained in multiple forms of martial arts, as well as with the current weapons available. He also had a secret that was the true reason as to why his family was killed.

"If you ever see a Tanuki around here, don't pick a fight with it," Ken said pointedly, looking directly at the fox, trying to get it to understand that he was just like it.
 
Kinu felt like growling at the man but that would revel too much of who and what she was. So she ate her food quietly annoyed that the human was partly right. She was too big to be a fox native to this region but little did he know that not far from here at Shy Falls there was a family of kitsune that lived purely fox lives and were as big or slightly bigger then she is. True they were killed because the villagers thought they were evil spirits but all in the same it boiled down to him being right on about the truth and her not being about to hide from it.

Still it was nice to know that she was so far from the noble's home and that his guards were not welcomed here. Kinu wanted to believe all that this man said but she had been burned by thinking that she knew all that was best and reminded herself that words could be nice but it was what he did when offered more then he had that counted.

With her bowl empty Kinu leaped from chair to the ground and drank her fill of water. All the while she wondered what to do. She was safest here for the moment but if the human pushed this matter it could get difficult. Leaving might be a wise idea but where else would she have food cooked for her, fresh water offered, a warm bed and care? It was a tough choice between doing what was perhaps the wisest or staying with comfort. Being young Kinu picked comfort but started making plans to get the human off her scent.

Tonight she would make her move and hopefully all would be well.
 
Ken waited for the day to pass. It had been a little while since he last reverted to his tanuki form. He was wary of transforming, since he was much larger than a normal tanuki. He found it out all those years ago. His family had been killed because they were tanuki. He was the only one to escape because he had somehow been missed in the initial sweep. Unfortunately, when he was found, his family was gone.

Ken had had to sneak out when he was young to appease his need for changing. As he had gotten older, he was able to control it better. Now, he needed release.

As the sun set, Ken made his bed up for the fox, then made food. He slipped outside and quickly changed into his tanuki form before roaming the forest. There was a reason no one came into these woods, and he was that reason. He put his nose to the ground, sniffing out any dangers, satisfied when he found none.

Ken wasn't really worried about the kitsune. He knew she was a kitsune, but knew she had other things to deal with. He wasn't going to pressure her, but he wanted her to understand he could help if she trusted him.
 
Night was quick to come but the human wasn't. He had left sometime after making food for the both of them and had yet to return. Kinu, curled in a ball on the bed, waited for some sound of the human returning. The plan wouldn't work unless the human was here to see. When a few minutes passed and there was nothing Kinu sat up and changed into the beautiful woman dressed in a kazari kizi yukata rather then the furisode kimonos she was often seen in.

"What is taking him so long?" Kinu huffed to herself getting up from the bed leaving an illusion of her fox self asleep on her crafted sheet piled bed. It was important that she could trick him into seeing a lie and believing that versus what the thought to be right. This way if he happened to be in the woods a saw her as a human and then returned to the cabin and saw the fox maybe he would draw a new conclusion. It wasn't her best plan but it was something and that was better then nothing.

Leave the house wasn't a problem but not knowing much of this area Kinu was soon turned about but admittedly lost. "Chsshe." Kinu hissed at herself crossing her arms under her arms. "Why am I out here again?" It was so the human could see her and rethink is kitsune idea. It wasn't going very well. Taking a deep breath in she could clearly smell her trail but it was the human's scent that was puzzling. She already had made a note of how pleasant his smell was but the way it crossed and wove patterns bothered her. He moved like an animal and not like a human following the trail of an animal but the animal itself. "Strange..." Kinu mused to herself following the freshest scent of the human.
 
Ken sniffed the air, smelling something new. He had been able to smell the mystery woman when she left his house, and had actually seen her leave. He Had decided to double back to his house, following the trail he left, overlapping his Tanuki scent. Now, though, he was smelling something new. He was smelling the kitsune, but also a human smell as well. He put his nose to the ground and followed.

Ken quickly made his way through the trail, smelling this new scent. It smelled like the kitsune in his house, but it was new, with a hint of a foreign smell. He knew the woods like the back of his hand, and guessed that the stranger with this new smell didn't. It kept weaving.

Ken finally realized that she was tracking his scent. He knew that there wasn't anyone but a kitsune or tanuki who could do this, so found a clearing and sat in the middle of it, before springing into a tree and dropping down to the ground. He was still visible once the person tracking him would enter the clearing, but he wanted distance just to be safe. He sat back on his haunches and waited.
 
Following the trail did one good thing, it brought her back to the cabin where she was sure the human would be. Kinu moved to open the door but stopped. The trail went back in the woods, meaning that the human had gone back out. Had her illusion failed? Kinu opened the door and looked in. No that wasn't it, she frowned after seeing the perfectly real looking, breathing, sleeping fox. Then what was it? This had to be the weirdest human ever. Of course maybe he heard something, like another injured animal and had gone back to get it. It was possible Kinu thought as she turned back and followed the fresh trail.

The scent too her a different way and end in a clearing. "Hmmm." To anyone normal Kinu would look like some lost lady in the woods, but what she was really doing was smelling the ground, the air- oh there it is! Kinu turned towards the smell and spotted the largest Japanese raccoon dog she had ever seen. Kinu's racism towards the creature curled her lip back in disgust. What was this gross animal doing here? Her personal feelings towards the animal clouded her senses and the fact that the smell she associated with the human was coming from the raccoon dog.

"Go! Get out of here!" Kinu shouted waving her arms away from herself in the direction of the animal in hopes of scaring him off. The memory of the human warning her from starting a fight with a tanuki far from her mind.
 
Ken smiled as he saw the lady. He waited for her, seeing her motions. She was trying to scare him off. He waited, then decided he had had enough. He ran forward, deceptively quick for his size, bowling the lady over before laying down on her, pinning her to the ground. He quickly shifted back to his human form, surprising the lady.

He enacted his clan's ability to stop shifting in the area, and waited for her to stop struggling before looking at her and smiling. "Sorry for the dirty trick, but I don't like being lied to. I was honest when I said I'd help you, and I still stand by that. My family was killed because we are one of the most powerful Tanuki clans in the lands. I want Hisao dead just as badly as you do. So if you want to keep arguing and denying the truth, that's fine. If you'd like help, I would be glad to help you," Ken said.

He reached down to her leg, healing the burn. He could only heal her when they were both human. It was an odd part of being a shapeshifter, but he wanted her to be fully healed in case she wanted to leave. He smiled and stood up, then shifted back into a tanuki before going back to his house.

He saw the image of the fox there, and recognized it for what it was. He smiled and then curled up beside it, waiting for her to get home, if she was going to even come home. He knew that the image would be dispelled if she went too far, so he waited to see which would happen first.
 
It was curious that the animal ran towards her turning to stunned as he leaped on her pinning her to the ground and turned into the human. "You're a tanuki!" Kinu spat the words like acid as her emotions once again changed, this time from stunned to anger. Her anger building as she was accused of lying to him and boiled over when he healed her. "Get off me!!" Kinu screeched shiving the man off her as he stood up, shifted and ran away.

"I didn't ask for your help!" Kinu shouted at the tanuki. How could she have missed it! How did that foul creature figure out her true form before she was able to figure out his. Kinu was out of her mind with anger at herself and filled her lungs with air before howling her fury to be echoed into the woods.

As a kitsune she was taught that no one but the four benevolent animals and the dragons of the sea were above her. They were a regal creature of magic, culture and myth. Humans respected, feared and worshiped them. And that the of all magical creatures tanuki were cons and thieves. That the kitsune were divine animals and treated as such and envious of the love and respect the tanuki followed and copied the skills and traits of the kitsune becoming little more then the shadows of the might kitsune. And like shadows would always follow and there for be looked down upon as the thieves that they are. And it was from this mindset that Kinu threw her fit.

"If mother saw me now. Outsmarted and helped by a raccoon dog!" Kinu growled finishing up her tantrum. And the worse of it was she had felt something for the human when he was just a plain old human and not a tanuki. She had even gone out of her way to heal him. AND SHE HAD SLEPT WITH HIM! Her inside turned and she could feel herself getting angry again.

But there was one thing that he had said that didn't go in thru in ear and out the other. Kinu did want Hisao dead along with Lord Makoto and there could be some kind of benefit to having a tanuki to take the fall. It was a cruel thought but it was impossible for Kinu to think him helpful.

It was as far as that thought went as Kinu left the woods heading anywhere but back to the cabin with the tanuki. From what she remembered of the little drawing Kinu hoped that she was walking away from the noble and when she found a fallen tree she quickly turned into a fox and curled up under it's upturned roots and fallen trunk.
 
Ken watched as the fox image faded. He quickly stood up and then started moving. He knew the reputation tanuki had when it came to kitsune. They had received a bad rep due to a small proportion. He wasn't going to fight that though. It would just be a lost cause. Instead, he removed everything that would be recognized as his from his cabin.

He knew the thoughts going through Kinu's head. He was tanuki, sworn enemy of kitsune. He had helped her, and she hated it. But it did give her an out for killing Hisao and Makoto. Ken decided what to do quickly. He knew that it would probably end his life, but he knew it would give Kinu the chance to repay her debt, and maybe his as well.

Ken picked up her trail, easily getting ahead of her due to his much larger size. He knew where she would come out of the woods, so left a note that she wouldn't miss.

"You've got one chance, and that'll be the public execution Hisao and Makoto hold in a week's time. I hope you get it right, and repay both of our debts. I have a feeling that after that execution, my debt won't be able to be repaid. Kenshin"

He quickly made his way to the town, not even bothering as guards started tailing him. It was pretty odd to see a racoon dog in a populated area, much less a racoon dog the size of a large dog. He finally made his way to the castle, seeing Makoto and Hisao together. He shifted, surprising Hisao and Makoto, before burying his knife deep in Hisao's throat.

"Rot in hell, bastard. Now part of my debt is filled," Ken said, seeing Hisao die on the floor as he was beat down and chained.

Makoto stood and looked at him coldly. "I hope you're ready to die for that. Lock him in the dungeon. He dies in a week's time. We at least have to give the public something that looks fair," Makoto said, knowing Hisao was hated, so the man would go free if he was given an actual fair trial.

He watched as the man was dragged off, then looked at Hisao's dead body. He knew the man was dead, so had his body removed, and the blood cleaned up, before going back to business.
 
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