InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Life of a Fox ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This chapter is inspired by the Chinese series “Yi Tian Tu Long Ji”.

Author’s Notes: Hm, if you have read my other stories, you’ll notice that I always mainly focus on Kagome. I’m going to try to divert the attention a bit on this one. In addition, some of you will notice this format is kind of similar to “Ice Sculpture”. If it’s confusing, don’t be afraid to ask…I don’t bite. ;)


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“Mother, tell me the story about how you and Father met again, please!” a young child pleaded, folding his hands and getting onto his knees, looking up at his mother with big, round eyes. “Please, I promise I’ll go straight to bed afterwards! I promise, please?” he begged as his bottom lip trembled.

“Oh all right, though I don’t see why you like that story so much. You’ve heard it at least a hundred times!” the child’s mother chided with a small sigh, though her gentle smile belayed her feigned annoyance.

“It’s my favorite! Father’s so strong!” the child grinned, his eyes twinkling with merriment. Like any young boy, he looked up to his father with adoration and admiration – though it wasn’t without reasons. “I want to grow up to be just like Father some day. Father’s the best, isn’t he, Mother?”

“Yes, Youko’s perfect.” she agreed, her lips twisting upwards into a wistful smile. “Now, let’s start the story so you can go to bed, okay? It is way past your bed time all ready. If your father found out about this, I doubt he’ll be very pleased.”

“Agreed!” chirped the young kit as he scrambled into bed, pulling the covers over his body. “I’m ready!”

After tucking her child into bed, she pulled up a chair and made herself comfortable before beginning her epic tale of how she fell in love with her mate, Youko Kurama. “As children, your father and I grew up together. He was a prince and I, a princess. We were a match made in heaven. However, while we were friends, we never loved each other beyond that of friendship. It wasn’t until I was kidnapped by a powerful tiger youkai one day and Youko bravely saved me that our love began to bloom…”

Soft laughter, filled with an edge of unidentified malice, interrupted the female kitsune’s story, causing the young child, who was on the brink of slumber to sit upright and cling tightly to his mother in fear.

“Are these the lies they have been feeding you, my dear kit?” a melodic voice asked, sending cold shivers running down the kitsunes’ spines. “Do you really believe such a cliché story? This is reality, not a fairytale. How many people have you known can tell you their life was perfect? So naïve…prince and princess – the princess gets kidnapped and the prince saves her. They fall madly in love and live happily ever after, am I right?” the voice lightly scoffed. “I guess, brat, while you inherited your father’s charming looks, you didn’t inherit so much as a brain cell.”

“Who are you, show yourself!” the elder kitsune demanded; her eyes wide with fear as she stared at the mass of shadow that lay before her. She knew that voice, but couldn’t for the life of her, remember where she had heard it before.

“Little kit,” whispered the voice, “let me tell you a little secret.”

“W-What is it?” stuttered the young child as he braved a quick glance towards the shadows before burying his head into his mother’s kimono again.

“Your mother is not a princess, nor is your father a prince.”

“Y-You’re lying!”

“Pitiful brat,” cooed the voice, causing both kitsunes to stiffen. “It’s you who have been lied to. Your father was far from a prince. He was the child that was shunned. He was the traitor’s child, didn’t you know?”

“Stop, Stop it!” the elder kitsune shouted, shaking her head from side to side. “Who are you and what do you want? I don’t know how you got past the palace barrier and the guards, but if you don’t leave now, you won’t have the chance to ever leave.”

“I’m honored, milady.” sneered the shadow, somehow managing to maintain a sweet voice. “But I doubt you care about my health, Maya.”

The elder kitsune gasped as she clutched her son to her protectively, shielding him with her body.

“You and that bastard Youko…”

“Don’t say that about my father!” the little kit snapped back, clenching his fists in anger. He’ll tear you to shreds! Go away, you monster! Go away!”

“I’m looking forward to when our blood will soak the ground. I can hardly wait. After all, it’s been eight, long years – this story will have to come to a conclusion, won’t it?” the shadow sighed in mock happiness. “However, a story wouldn’t be good if we began in the middle of nowhere, right? So, how about it? I’ll give you a story – the real story of the treacherous kitsune you call Father.”


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The annual festival of the kitsune clan was always the merriest one. It celebrated the founding of their clan and what their clan represents. Every year at this time, after the harvest, exquisite dishes the mind can only imagine are laid out. Work is placed aside for a whole week for celebration. Games, feasting, dancing, and singing were common sights during these seven days. Every night, children would gather around the campfire to listen to epic tales about their ancestors or to heroic stories from afar.

However, this particular year, the festival was ruined upon the tragic news the kitsune clan leader, Gosidian, reluctantly relayed…

“Everyone, may I have your attention immediately.” the aging kitsune demanded. His people quickly quieted as they listened earnestly to what could have been more important than their festival. “As you all know,” he began, “the war between ningen and youkai have gone on for over three hundred years. I am also sure you are all aware that Inutaisho, Lord of the Inu-youkai clan, have inevitably allied himself with the ningens when he took his second mate, Izayoi, a ningen princess. However, we believed Inutaisho would have come back to his senses after the ningen’s death. We believed wrong. Inutaisho immediately took a third mate – another ningen – a miko, the deadliest enemy of youkai!

“You must all be wondering why I am restating all these well-known facts. It is because Inutaisho passed away not long ago. Without protection, Inutaisho’s ningen mate is vulnerable, especially in her pregnant state. Our allies came up with a plan to rid the world of the ningen and her unborn child, but someone intervened and saved them. That someone came from our clan.”

At this announcement, the crowd went into an uproar - each kitsune pointing an accusing finger towards the other. When the matter looked about to erupt into internal war, Gosidian raised his hands to quiet his people.

“The traitor was a member of our high council. His name was Yousimaru. However, justice has been seen to and the traitor is dead, but the shame of this will be forever on our shoulders – his fellow brothers and sisters.” finished the kitsune leader.

“What of Ume and Youko, the traitor’s mate and child?”

“That is what I cannot decide alone.” Gosidian answered as he closed his eyes. “Our allies have brought us the traitor’s mate and child. What to do with them is up to you.” he added before clapping his hands three times.

Four kitsune guards dragged a young kit and a female kitsune, who was bound tightly with ropes made from dragon’s sinew, onto the scene. The four guards harshly shoved mother and child to the ground, causing the elder kitsune to cry out in pain when the multiple wounds on her body scraped across the ground. In a matter of seconds, the ground beneath the kitsune was stained a deep red. The young kit quickly scrambled to his mother as silent tears trailed down his cheeks.
“Ume, what do you have to say?” Gosidian asked; his eyes devoid of pity or mercy. “Do you admit to the crimes you and your mate have committed?”

“What crimes?” Ume spat with a mouthful of blood, causing the kitsune leader’s lips to curl upwards in disgust.

“I see you’re trying to be difficult.”

“If you’re referring to helping my friend escape, I see no wrong in it!”

“You have already committed the greatest crime by considering a miko as your friend! You are just like your mate – a traitor.”

“Say what you want, but I would rather die before I betray my friend. Yousimaru did the right thing by helping Inutaisho. That’s what I love about him. If Yousimaru was like you, I’d be ashamed. Any honorable youkai would sacrifice their life for the safety of their best friend and their family. Yousimaru did the right thing and I am infinitely proud to call him my mate!”

“You are a fool.”

“I agree Gosidian-sama. So, why are you wasting your time on trash like her?” several unknown youkais sneered as they moved to stand beside Gosidian on the elevated platform. “I say we execute her and her son on the spot.”

“Leave my child out of this!” Ume growled as she pinned her superiors with ice-blue eyes. “He’s barely eight years old – this has nothing to do with him.” she hissed before moving to shield her son from the youkais’ view.

“Protective, aren’t we?” asked the leader of the tiger clan. “Here, we’ll make a deal with you. You tell us Inutaisho’s wench’s whereabouts and we’ll spare you and your son’s life.”

“In your dreams!” snorted Ume. “Why are you six so bent on sending Midoriko to her grave? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a ningen. Oh how the mighty have fallen.” she sneered as she glared at the tiger youkai and his companions. “Get this: I will never betray my best friend. I would rather die first!”

“All right, you want to die, fine!” snapped the eagle youkai as he rapidly beat his wings in irritation, causing those around him to move aside, for fear of being hit by his mighty wings. “But what of your precious son…do you want him to die with you? He’s still so young, can you bear seeing him die for something he doesn’t even understand?”

“I’m not afraid to die!” the young kit promptly replied, his blue eyes holding nothing but determination.

“I’m proud of you.” Ume whispered as she gave her son a half-glance.

“Strong words for a child.” the wolf youkai replied. “Ume, think over your decision. What’s more important to you - your friend’s life or your son’s life?” he asked, eyeing mother and child with distaste.

“Come over here, Youko.” Ume whispered under her breath. Youko moved so he was kneeling beside his mother. “Take a good look at those clan leaders. Remember their faces and one day, when you grow up, avenge your father and I.” she quickly murmured to her son before loudly addressing the clan leaders. “I’ll tell you where Midoriko is on the condition - that you swear you will not harm my son.”

“We swear upon our honor as clan leaders.” the clan leaders replied in unison before urging Ume to tell them her secret.

“Adorufu,” she addressed the wolf youkai, purposely leaving out the honorary title, “this secret means a lot to me and I feel like I’m betraying my friend as it is. I can only tell you alone, to reduce my guilt.”

“Woman,” the wolf grumbled in annoyance before he stepped down from the elevated platform and made his way towards the severely wounded kitsune. “Now tell me where she is.” he commanded as everyone inched towards the duo, trying to hear Ume.

In a small whisper, pressing her mouth against the wolf youkai’s ear, she hissed, “I curse you and your descendents to the bottom level of hell.” Out loud, she quickly announced, “That’s where she is.”

Before the wolf could comprehend what had just taken place, blood was streaming down the side of Ume’s lips as she collapsed backwards. Youko quickly caught his mother with a loud “oomph”. “Mother, what’s going on?” he asked as he shook her body. “Don’t leave me.” he whispered as his mother grasped his hands and gave it a one last, small squeeze of reassurance.

Youko could feel a new onslaught of tears threaten to spill over his eyes when his mother’s hold on his hand loosened. He released a piercing cry that caused everyone present to shudder when his mother’s ice-blue eyes dulled and her body turned cold. Cradling his mother’s body to his chest, he mourned. He was now an orphan - an orphan of the war between youkai and ningen.

“Where is Midoriko hidden?” the tiger youkai asked the wolf, who quickly replied with an angry, “I don’t know.”

“You can’t take credit for this alone!” shouted the eagle youkai. “We’re in this together. The glory of catching that wretched woman and her child should be shared amongst us.”

“For the last time, I don’t know! That wench didn’t tell me a thing!” he yelled, his face turning a furious red as he remembered what Ume’s last words had been. “If you want to know anything, ask the brat!” he growled, turning angry eyes towards Youko.

Lifting tear-stained eyes towards the clan leaders, Youko captured an image of each clan leader in his mind, storing it for later usage. There was the wolf youkai, Adorufu; the eagle, Arunetto; the bear, Bairon; the snake, Sumisu; the tiger, Timu; and the kitsune, Gosidian. They were all going to pay. They were the ones who had forced his mother to commit suicide.

“Where is the ningen, brat?” demanded the wolf.

Placing his hands over his mother’s eyes, Youko gently closed his mother’s eyes, the sight of the dull, ice-blue orbs forever ingrained in his young mind. “I don’t know.” he simply replied without a hint of lie. He held his tongue, though he wanted to add, “But even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” He didn’t want to offend the clan leaders, not because he was afraid of them, but because he needed to live. He needed to live so he could avenge his parents.

“I’ll kill you brat, if you don’t tell us!” growled the tiger.

“I really don’t know. Mother and Father have never told anyone…except Adorufu. Why don’t you ask him?” Youko asked innocently, his voice laced with carefully hidden malice and anger.

The wolf was going to strangle the kit when Arunetto, the eagle youkai, stopped him. “The kit has a point and you can’t harm him. We swore.”
“Are you insane? Are you turning on me?!?” growled the wolf as the clan leaders demanded information from the wolf youkai.

“Mother,” Youko whispered as he gently ran his hand through his mother’s blue tresses. It was a well-known fact that he had inherited his mother’s cold, ice-blue eyes and his father’s silky, midnight-black hair. “Even before death,” he breathed, inaudible to the living’s ears, “you still cause chaos.” He couldn’t help but feel a small tinge of pride cut through his sadness.


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“You see, dear kit, your father was not a prince. He was the son of a traitor. He couldn’t do anything to save his mother or father. He was useless.” the shadow whispered in delight as tears threatened to spill from the child’s eyes.

“You’re lying,” the child weakly protested, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Now why would I lie? Oh, is it because if I’m telling the truth, it means your father and so-called mother have been lying?” the shadow asked as she took her first step into the light.

The child shuffled back in fear as a figure cloaked in black stepped out of the shadows. The black hood of the cloak shaded her eyes from view and the black satin veil covering her face kept the kitsunes from seeing her true appearance.

“Who are you?” the elder kitsune breathed.

“I’m surprised Maya – and I can’t say without lying that I’m not hurt either. How could you forget me when I remembered you every day, every hour, and every second of my life? It wounds me deeply…but maybe I can trigger your senile memory.” she cheerfully suggested, belaying the contempt she held for the kitsune.

Taking her hands from within the folds of her black kimono, the cloaked figure leisurely outstretched her hands. The elder kitsune’s eyes widened as she gazed at the blood-red nails of the shadow.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” asked the figure. “I must give you the formula. It’s quite simple really. All you need is water and fresh blood.” she continued as if she was talking about the weather.

The eight-year-old child looked about to vomit as the shadow continued to explain how to attain the needed blood. The elder kitsune quickly grabbed her son and covered his ears.

“My, my, protective aren’t you?” asked the shadow. “But, I can’t forgive you for forgetting me…it’s unacceptable.”

Without warning, a gleaming dark blade formed in the shadow’s hand. The child released a piercing scream as the shadow rushed forward, blade poised to tear both him and his mother to pieces. At the last moment, the elder kitsune pushed her son out of harm’s way, causing him to crash to the floor on the other side of the bed. However, even as the kit flew through the air, the shadow’s blade pierced the elder kitsune’s flesh with a sickening crunch.

A timeless moment passed as the child screamed bloody murder at the sight of a blade protruding from his mother’s stomach. Blood oozed from the kitsune’s wound, flowing over the dark blade, which seemed to glow with life as it greedily lapped up the kitsune’s blood.

The elder kitsune writhed in pain as the blade continued to drain her blood. The shadow hastily moved away, pulling the blade out of the kitsune’s flesh when the door slammed open.

“Father!” the child immediately cried, scrambling towards the silver-haired kitsune, who had barged into the room and was now gently cradling the female kitsune against his chest. “She-she killed mother!” the kit quickly accused, pointing an accusing finger towards the shadow woman.

The silver-haired kitsune turned angry, golden eyes towards the woman his son was pointing to. The shadow seemed to be slightly stunned at the sight of the silver kitsune, but quickly regained her composure.

“Where are your manners?” the shadow asked. “You didn’t even knock. Don’t you know it’s rude to intrude? However, I must congratulate you on breaking my barrier. It was such a nice job. I didn’t even feel my barrier break.”

The silver kitsune’s eyes widened (thought it was barely noticeable). He knew that voice. He’d recognize that soft, melodic voice anywhere. “Kagome,” he whispered, the name smoothly rolling off his tongue.

“This isn’t over yet, Youko.” she hissed as soon as the name ‘Kagome’ reached her ears. The voice was cold and harsh. The previous false sweetness was gone. Just as the palace guards rushed into the room, Kagome melded into the shadows and disappeared. Not a trace of her was left behind. The only sign of her having ever been there was the dying kitsune in Youko’s arms.


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TBC~

Autho r’s Notes: In the story that Kagome told, I said Youko had blue eyes and black hair. It is not a typo. There’s a reason behind it.

Anyway, I hope I’m not getting to rusty with my writing skills. ;)






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