Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Kit Love ❯ Food and Omens ( Chapter 3 )

Kit Love:

Chapter 3- Food and Omens

Humming absentmindedly, the young fox scratched the tip of one golden ear and wiped his other hand off on the shriveled grass at his side. Standing up, he turned away from the sadly diminished pond, he licked the last few drops of water off pale pink lips and once more resumed his trek on the dusty path.

The wind picked up once more and gusted around his slender frame, bringing the scents of a myriad of demons to his nose. A slight smile twitched one corner of his mouth as his brain registered this obvious information. There was a village up ahead.

The grin soon stretched his entire mouth as he realized that tonight he would have real food and an actual bed to sleep in. He would finally be full for the first time in weeks. Not that Shuurai was starving or anything, it was just that being a wanderer really didn't pay well. But that did not matter now that there was a village nearby.

Multiple tails lashed excitedly at the air behind him, stirring the dust up and coating his back and hair with yet another layer of the fine dirt. A new spring in his step, he continued down the path with lifted moral and gleaming silver golden eyes, when all of a sudden he stopped.

The wind blew past him still, carrying the dust with it, but the young kitsune thought he felt a change. Something was different, but he didn't know what. Sniffing, he took a careful step forwards, hand alighting on the hilt of his ornate sword and ears twitching, searching for any sort of sound that might signal the approach of something. His eyes glittered in the sharp sunlight as they darted all around him, seeing no sign of motion.

Relaxing his stance, but keeping an air of wariness about him, Shuurai continued down the road, his pace quickening slightly. He couldn't explain it really, but there had been something back there, a feeling or a premonition maybe. It could be said that he had a sort of sixth sense almost, and from he had experienced in the past, it was never wrong. His empty stomach twisted itself into knots and Shuurai blinked at the sudden onslaught of hunger cramps. Growling a little to himself, he broke into a dead run, rushing past trees and dead fields, and seeming like nothing more then a slight golden blur.

A clawed hand rested on his sword as he ran, feet feeling like they were merely skimming over the parched earth. His stomach twisted even more as he felt another prickle in his mind, another flash of an omen in the very back of his consciousness that trailed a chill finger up his spine.

Growling louder this time, he increased his speed and within the next five minutes flew into the village he had smelled earlier, and only slowed when he was almost to the center square.

Ignoring the stares he got from a few of the villagers, he took his hand off his sword and retied his hair, all the time walking and searching for someplace to stay. Holding the tie in his teeth, he hastily ran dirty fingers through the limp, dusty strands trying to make himself seem less the travel-worn orphan that he was, and more the imposing demon he wished to be. Finally deciding he could do no more, he stuck the tattered tie back into his hair and walked up the steps of the inn that appeared in his line of vision.

Checking his pocket to make sure he had enough money for the night and a few meals, he walked across the common room and approached the rather round demon behind the counter.

"Whadda you want, kid? We don't serve children here as you can see." The demon swept his arm out to encompass the rather empty room and Shuurai watched disgustedly as the layers of blubber on his arms jiggled sickeningly.

Nevertheless, he took a handful of coins out of his pocket and slapped them down on the wood in front of him and said in a calm, even tone, "I'd like a meal and a room for the night, please."

The innkeeper snorted. "Kid, go home to your mommy. I don't want to get in trouble for helping some runaway brat."

"I'm not running away," Shuurai replied, unperturbed. He dealt with this sort of thing often; no one seemed to believe that he was on his own and able to pay his own way in the world. "I am on my own and seeing as how I have the money, I wish to rent a room for the night." He let one sharp-clawed finger absently trace the gold designs on his sword hilt and watched as the innkeeper raised one bushy eyebrow.

Finally, he heaved a huge sigh and took the money which the young fox had placed in front of him. "But don't come crying to me if you get a whipping from your mother, boy." Turning away he said, "Your room's upstairs, last door on the right. Dinner's served at six. You miss it, tough luck."

"Thank you," Shuurai answered pleasantly, mounting the polished stairs and feeling the glances of the few others in the room bore into his back. His clawed toes clicked softly on the hall floor as he headed down to his room, glancing at the other doors as he passed. All had the same well-kept, but slightly worn look about them and were made from the same stout wood. The afternoon sun slanted in through the window at the other end of the hall and Shuurai squinted slightly against its glaring light.

Finally reaching his room, he opened the door and went inside, shutting it softly behind him. Upon seeing the bed, he ran over to it and threw himself down with a loud whoop of joy. Finally, a real bed! Laughing, he buried his face in the pillow and froze there, motionless, when his mind jolted his senses for the third time that day.

Breathing shallowly against the thick pillow, he felt his own heated breath flow back against his face. Slowly turning to one side, he peered at the room from underneath a curtain of golden bangs. There was no one else in the room.

Sitting up, the kitsune shook his head to dislodge the golden bangs from his eyelashes and warily rolled his shoulders.

But just as he was about to get up and take a drink from the pitcher by the door, a searing pain shot through his left arm. With a sharp cry, he fell over sideways on the bed, clutching at the appendage and trying to blink back the stinging tears that formed at the corners of his eyes.

Gasping for breath, he swallowed hard and glanced down at the arm through a haze of pain. There was no mark or bruise on his skin.

Bewildered, he let his mind spiral off into unconsciousness, letting the welcome blackness claim him. One last thought drifted through his head as his mind seemed to separate from his body. "What the hell was going on?!"