Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Fox Song ❯ Disappointment ( Chapter 10 )

Fox Song:

Chapter 10- Disappointment

The moonlight shone down bright and eerie, illuminating almost everything in the forest, leaving only the deepest parts in darkness. There was an uneasy silence over the creatures, and only the occasional chirp of a cricket could be heard. Not even the bats were noisy this night.

Sitting alone and staring up at the glowing orb overhead, Kurama gripped the Chishio-houshu so tight in his palm that he could feel it pulse in time with his heartbeat. The very air around him seemed to glow and glitter with a silvery light that was almost tangible. He reached out with one nimble hand and snatched at a moonbeam, watching as the liquid silver flowed over his palm and through his fingers like water.

Once more directing his gaze to the sweeping expanse above, he watched in awe as a shooting star swept across the already star speckled sky. It flared brightly as it cut a sharp path across the velvet blackness, leaving a shimmering trail in its wake. Kurama brought the Chishio-houshu to his lips and kissed it softly as he offered up a silent prayer. Kitsune believed that shooting stars were the souls of their kin departing the earth, taking one last look at their home before they left it for good.

Sighing as he lowered the Chishio-houshu, he gently tugged on the string tied to the waistband of his pants and pulled out the lock of Haven's hair. The moonlight turned the normally golden strands to a pale platinum and caused them to gleam fiercely. Bringing the lock of hair to his lips, he kissed it also, then reveled in the softness of it. Nostrils flaring, he caught the scent that was Haven and let it fill him completely, overtaking his mind and soul.

Rubbing the hair against his lips once again, he was reminded of the many times he had placed gentle kisses upon the top of her head; smiling a sad smile he clutched the snippet of hair to his chest in one hand and held up the Chishio-houshu in the other, letting it catch a moonbeam. Glittering, it spun around softly in his grasp and threw back the light a thousand-fold, illuminating Kurama's eyes and making them twinkle.

The pregnant feeling still hung in the air and it weighed heavily upon the silver kitsune as he sat and stared at his love's blood-gem. "A most precious object…" he thought admiringly. "The most valuable gift one could ever hope to give. For it is painful to acquire and only given when feelings are sincere and returned."

Letting one idyllic tear roll down his cheek he once again kissed the Chishio-houshu. Ever since the moment he had realized what the crimson stone was, it had easily become his most treasured possession. It almost never left his grasp now.

Staring at the stone, an idea dawned on the waiting fox. Haven had given him her blood-gem with her life-fire burning in it…he needed to give her his own. It was the only thing he could do now to express the depth of his feelings; the love and hope he felt now ran deeper then any words could ever express.

Carefully, he set the stone down on the tree stump where he had been seated and stood up. Pulling out a seed, he fed the tiny plant with his Spirit Energy and flung it wide, a Rose Whip springing to life in his hand. Cautiously, brought the whip to his other hand and broke off one long thorn gingerly between two claws. Putting away his whip, he set the thorn down on the stump next to Haven's Chishio-houshu and her strands of hair.

Shrugging out of his shirt, he let the gauzy garment fall to the ground at his feet. Chest bared, and muscles rippling, he brought the point of the rose thorn to rest right above where his heart was. Taking a deep breath, he brought his most cherished memories of Haven to mind and drove the thorn deep into his skin. With a painful roar, he fell to his knees and caught the one single drop of blood that fell from the puncture.

Wrenching the thorn from his chest, he threw it aside and opened his hand to find a shining stone sitting in his palm, almost identical to the one his golden kitsune had given him. His own life fire burned steadily in the depths of the gem and he smiled as he set the newly born Chishio-houshu next to Haven's. Both pulsed in unison as he slipped back into his shirt and retied the golden hair to his waist.

Scooping up the stones, he sat back down once more and stared back up at the sky. By now the trail from the shooting star had vanished and once again Kurama offered up a silent prayer for the soul of his kith.

The forest still seemed to hold its breath and Kurama rolled his shoulders uneasily. He had been sure that whatever it was was going to happen tonight and now, as he glanced up at the glowing orb overhead he saw it would be dawn within a few more hours. Already the far edges of the horizon were beginning to burn with a pale gray light.

Worriedly, he scanned the forest around him, searching for any sign of another visitation from his beloved fox. Nothing. Heaving a sigh, he pulled out a blade of grass and nervously twisted it in his hands. Still nothing.

The hours wore on and soon the moon had disappeared entirely and the edges of the sky were glowing pink. The stars were fading and the first rays of the sun were almost visible in the east. With a growl of frustration, Kurama lept to his feet and stared at the rapidly lightening sky, willing it to stop, trying to make it revert to night.

But even as the first rays of sunlight broke over the forest top and painted the sky gold, Kurama's fox ears caught the faint strains of song.

Whirling around with a loud cry of "Haven!" he ran towards the sound, heart soaring with hope like an eagle soars among the clouds.

Think of me…think of me fondly,

when we said goodbye.

Remember me, once in a while,

please promise me you'll try.

When you find that once again you long,

to take your heart back and be free-

if you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me.

"No Haven!" he shouted, still running, the two Chishio-houshu clasped in his grip. "I could nevre forget you! No! Haven!"

The song taunted him and drew him forward, pulled him out of the forest and onto the plain once more. Golden sunbeams danced and pollen whirled in their ranks. The voice swelled to a crescendo, the song filling his ears, his mind, his very being. Then…it stopped. A single golden sunbeam seemed to spin towards him; it caressed his body with warm gentle fingers and entwined itself in his hair before fading off into nothing.

Eyes widening in realization, Kurama stared brokenly at the fields of sunshine ahead of him. It hadn't come. All that waiting and tension, what had it been for?! Eyes gazing emptily at nothing, Kurama let the Chishio-houshu fall from his hands as his ears drooped.

Haven…