Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Fox's Trap ❯ Deception ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Hello readers of YYH Fanfiction! I am Momoko, and welcome to the first chapter of The Fox's Trap, Deception! *bows* Pleasure to meet you. I've written fanfiction before, but this is my first real fanfic. This isn't your conventional story and Lorna isn't your conventional heroine as you'll soon see. Thank you very much for picking this story to read. I must warn you, however; I love romance, and while it's not said off the bat who she's in love with, many of you can make guesses. The first guess would probably be Kurama, who you'll see her spend much more time with and even flirt openly with, she even blushes a few times around him. However, my beta reader who read further ahead because I already have six completed hand written chapters said she acted towards Yukina like one would act towards a crush. Imply as you will, but hints of romance towards several characters are in all chapters, even Kuwabara gets special attention.

Note: This story takes place after the Dark Tournament but before the Black Chapter saga.

Disclaimer: If I owned YYH I'd be rich as hell, powerful as hell, and you would all bow down and worship at my feet! *evil laughter, coughs* Sorry, mood swings. ^^;;

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Lorna wasn't traditionally what you'd call beautiful. Her shoulders were broad, her feet and hands large, and every muscle on her body was well toned and shapped. For a girl she was tall, five foot eight, with only a slightly curved form and a large chest. Lorna was a fighter, and it showed in every pound of muscle.

Body shapes and sizes left alone, she still was a far cry from a traditional beauty. Her hair was thick and curly and almost always pulled back with a black silk ribbon, it was a soft fox blonde color, changing from dark blonde to light blonde as she moved her head. Her skin had a pale yellow tinge to it where it was pale and a golden tinge where it was tanned. Her lips were full and dark pink, her eyes narrow and appearing to be a cloudy sea gray.

Though prehaps it was Lorna's eyes that were her best trait. Her eyes were layered, a gold burst around the pupil, below that a smokey grayish green hovering over a layer of sparkling sapphire blue with darker blue streaks. Altogether it gave her eyes the appearence of a sea covered with fog lit by an almost set sun. The inner most layer was only seen when the light hit her eyes a certain way.

Yes, it must've been her eyes that had first captivated Kurama when she'd allowed herself to be injured.

Lorna ran through the woods, the trees rushing past on either side. A lumbering crashing like that of a semi trying to force it's way through a log cabin followed behind. She dodged the trees gracefully, her form made for the kind of work she was putting it through. Endurance, speed, and agility kept her ahead of the predator that followed. The trees fell like toothpicks behind her as the large demon that was chassing after her broke through. Her back and arms were littered with claw marks, her breath coming in ragged, pain filled, gasps.

The demon swung a large fist and knocked her in her back, sending her flying sideways into a tree, the wood splintered beneath her at the force and the sound of her back popping was drowned out by the trees own moaning. Lorna winced now, true pain stealing her breath, bursting in light in front of her eyes and blinding her.

A shadow desended over her like a death sentence, chuckling darkly in a deep yet ear splitting voice. Lorna winced, the sound grinding on her ears, an eye opening, trying to see the thing that tried to kill her, to show that she may be down but would still fight, but the pain in her head formed a sharp light in her eyesight.

The chuckle grew darker and deeper, the hand grabbed her arm and jerked her up, squeezing tightly to the point the fragile human bone almost snapped. A horase scream choked her throat, dying before it made it too far, only reacing her attackers ears. "Can't make off now, little fo-" The dark rumble was cut short, a wet gasp coming from his throat as something small and dark dashed by and a silver light flashed where his head had once been.

Lorna fell hard, the bloody demons body crashing down on her own, forcing her breath out, the demons blood pouring over her. Suddenly Lorna's feigned helplessness had turned into true helplessness. Her wounds, open and burning as the liquid tried to seep into them, couldn't stop her from fighting against the dead bulk that crushed her. Sufficating, she tried to breathe, spitting out the foul blood that tried to force it's way into her lungs. Coughing, Lorna screamed out as best she could, but only a ragged and bubbling gasp escaped her lips.

Footsteps closed in, soft so that they could barely be heard, another dark shadow peered over, glaring at her with malice filled red eyes. Silver flashed once more in the night as the cold metal stopped an inch from her delicate throat that was already brusied from an earlier fight with the demon that lay dead ontop of her. The shadow sighed in annoyance, eyes closing as the blade withdrew. More footsteps echoed, louder as the bearers of them didn't care weither they were heard or not. The footsteps came nearer, the people they belonged to running towards her. Lorna's hearing went first as the darkness closed in on her, the sea blue of her eyes catching the moonlight. A shadow peered over the rim of the darkness that was slowly stealing her eyesight, green eyes connected with her own before she slipped into the airless void of her breathless slumber.

Darkness, soft and warm, shapelessly wrapped in fur that was comforting. She felt so small, pressed to the warm fur as it curled around her. The scent of damp dirt surrounding like a thick blanket. Underground was where she lay, and the thought of being in the earth comforted her as well. The scent of a warm furry body forced it's way past the smell of dirt. Warm and musky, like that of fox fur. A soft cry, then a whimper left her throat instead of her own voice. Something pulling tightly on the forepaws, the fur catching, The eyes of the fox opened as it writhed in pain as something held it still, something that didn't have fur like itself and something it couldn't see.

The light of the waking world, sharp and uncaring on her unadjusted eyes filled Lorna's vision as the dream disolved into thin air like sugar into hot tea."Ow!" She snarled, her protest against the pain clear as she made to bite the hand that tended her wounds. The fox instincts she possessed in her sleep still clung to her and she clung equally to them, afraid to let go. A lightly amused chuckle reached her ears as a hand gently touched her forehead, only pressing lightly as it pushed her back onto the pillow. "I see your injuries haven't effected you too badly, you still seem to be very... spirited." The amused soft male tone said, the tugging on her wounds gentlier now. What had felt like fur being ripped from delicate new born skin was in reality a needle pulling fishing wire through her wounds, threading them together.

Lorna sighed, the pain in her arm was great, but she was used to much more pain and the man was right, it hadn't effected her spirit. This pain wouldn't stop her from completing her mission, she was far too determined. "Who are you?" She asked, voice rough and husky, her throat sore and her lips cracking. The man paused in his work, leaning forward into her line of vision to pick up a glass of water. His hair fell long and red across his shoulders, a fascinating thing that caught her intrest as her mind was reduced to a slightly simplier mind set. He put his arm behind her head, pulling her up, then he held the cup to her lips, cutting off the simple thoughts that rushed through them, switching them over to survival mode only, which told her water was a nessicity. She gulped it down, sighing with relief as the cool water soothed her dry and aching throat, the scratches in the back of her throat being washed of the blood from the demon that had caught and clung there.

The man set the glass down after she emptyied it, then went immediatly back to work, threading the needle through the raw flesh, pulling it tight, then peircing the other side and pulling it against the first. If the fluidity of the motion hadn't have fascinated her as much as it did, then the action would have repulsed her completely, already a sick feeling was starting to develop in her stomach. "You can call me Kurama, I do go by another name, but seeing as that's all I'm called here, it's pointless to tell you to call me anything else but." He finally answered her orignal question, his voice had a tone of bordem at first, then turning to amusment.

Lorna nodded, sinking back down on to the pillow, deciding against watching the painful and sickening act any longer. His fascinatingly red hair disappeared behind the sight of her own bandage bound chest. "You asked me a question, and yet you won't answer it in return?" His now curious voice asked. Lorna eased herself back up. "I suppose you might as well call me Lorna." She answered, lifting her tender free arm to readjust the pillows to help hold her up.

Kurama, however, put an end to her fidgeting by instead putting two more of the pillows behind her head. "I'm sorry you're in so much pain, Lorna, but I have to stitch yout wounds together or they could become infected, or even worse, you could bleed to death." He told her, snipping the fishing wire off and starting on the next wound.

Lorna winced. The site she was, covered in brusies and opened wounds that oozed slowly congealing blood. She was surprised that this Kurama fellow was being as nice as he was to her, seeing as how regualar boys weren't even nice to her when she was cleaned up. Pity was probably most of the niceness he displayed. "I understand..." She started, but trailed off, unable to remember what it was she had wanted to ask him. Of course, to sound innocent you must ask questions that you already know the answers to. "What was that thing?" She finally asked, eyeing the already sewn wound with distaste.

Kurama sighed. "That was a demon. It's no use trying to hide it." He answered simply. Lorna's eyes widened. "A demon?! Those things my great grandma told stories about?! Those things are real?! You have got to be kidding me!" She yelled in a loud, shocked voice, laced with fear and curiosity. Kurama began wrapping the wounds, starting gently so he wouldn't hurt her, but then tugging harder when the bandages tried to come undone.

Kurama obviously didn't feel like answering her question. He shifted uncomfortably, keeping his eyes on his work. Lorna sighed, calming down and her eyebrows drawing together in slight sympathy. "Why was the demon after me?" She asked softly in an almost gentle tone, meaning to keep him from becoming upset with her, Kurama looked up and those emerald green eyes locked onto hers. Suddenly Lorna could remember him, staring down at her as she lay helpless and breathless underneath the demon. Though she feigned innocence and was a wonderful actoress, the smokey haze in her eyes displayed for the world just how jaded she'd become.

The green orbs narrowed, searching deeper into the fog that clouded her eyes, searching for the sea that he'd looked into earlier. Gone were the innocent, painfilled and helpless eyes that had gazed straight into the dark unknown and into his own from the blood covered face. Kurama sighed. "We were hoping that you knew." He said, jerking the last bandage extra tight. "We?" Lorna asked, her eyebrows shifting again, one raising as the other arched in confusion. "Yes, we. I wasn't the only one who found you earlier this evening." He said, saftey pinning the bandages on her arm so that they wouldn't come undone.

The best way to tell a lie is to believe it with all of your heart and soul. Lorna locked away all of her secrets, not hiding them, but letting them mingle just under the surface of fonder memories. In stories she would probably be considered the heroine, but in stories the heroine was always an extreamly beautiful woman. She was always completely innocent and helpless, unable to fend for herself. Her past was always shrouded in mystery but always horriable. The heroine had deep and mysterious powers that she would later use to save the life of her beloved. The kind of heroine that was like this was called a Mary Sue in the fanfiction world, and if Lorna was to be a heroine, she couldn't even be a proper one.

Lorna had a rough childhood, that much was true, but who didn't have a bad past these days? It had shapped her into who she was and she couldn't imagine it any other way than it was now. She had no secret powers, she was as human as human comes, and all humans had spiritual energy, even if hers was uniqily high from years of mediation and training. In fact the only realy power that she had that was different from any other humans was her strange ways with people and animals, if that could be called a power. As far as being beautiful, that was a subject that was up in the air and open for debate, though the thought of being beautiful made Lorna laugh. As far as she was concerned she would have been better off having been born male! At least then her large hands and feet and broad shoulders would have made her handsome. Lorna had learned years ago how to protect and look after herself, so that ruled out being helpless. In fact, the only thing that was really mysterious and secretive about her was the one thing she'd never tell anyone, not again, not after last time.

A little more than two weeks ago, which was more than three weeks after she came out of denial about who she was, she'd decided to tell her boyfriend of almost two years that she was in actuality a fox trapped in a human body. The rejection that resulted had rocked her to the core and threw her world off balance. Her body wanted to mourn because that was what humans do when they are in pain, but Lorna's soul, the true part of her, knew that life goes on and only dwelled on the pain for a moment. Her body rejected her soul in that moment and though the two had come back in syncranization it still hurt her a little on the inside, and her heart still felt a little numb. After that nothing could hold her back, she had nothing stopping her, so her plans had come immediatly into motion.

At the same time she mourned the loss of a normal fox life, she celebrated how fourtante she was to have this sheltered and extended human life. She told herself that the things she'd traded that life for was worth it. A warm and constant shelter, food, yes, that had to more than make up for it. She told herself that every day, but it still felt as though she were trying to convince herself rather than remind herself to be greatful.

As her memories floated by like yellowed film in an old movie projector, Lorna became aware of a fleeting and angry shadow slipping from memory to memory in search of something. The shadow paused when it noticed Lorna's regignition of it. Darkly it loomed over her, attempting to intemidate her into submission to of it. The image of glowing red eyes, icy cold despite the firey color of them, they filled her vision when her eyes closed. "What do you know?" The cold yet deep voice echoed in her ears, harsh and angry. An unfeeling tone that made her human ears try to slick backwards.

Lorna grabbed her head as the pain suddenly hit her. This person no longer cared if he hurt her or not, he was too intent on delving into her memories and finding out the things that she held to her and kept from everyone. "Someone is inside my mind." She groaned, the fear and confusion weaving effortlessly through her voice. Kurama looked up from where he sat at the foot of the futon, rubbing salve on the light cuts and scrapes on her legs. "That's just Hiei, you don't have to worry, he won't hurt you." Kurama said in a soothing tone, patting her calf lightly in an attempt to comfort her.

Lorna furrowed her eyebrows, closing her eyes against the pain that cut through her mind. She shed the mental form of the human body she possessed, her true form rising in all of its snarling, sharp teethed, glory. The growl was low, the fur raised to make it's small form look larger. Teeth barred in anger, small and sharp, the ears slicked back. "You think you're a fox?" The cold tone asked, bordem lightly teasing her growing anger, purpously trying to make her anger turn on him, trying to back her into a corner. The hiss that resulted from his question, followed immediatly by the high and wavering fox scream of alarm that hurt her human body's ears should've been answer enough for this Hiei.

Outside of her mind she looked calm, her eyes closed lightly and the red tips of her eyelashes catching the light. Her breath was slow like one who was deep in meditation. The shadow left her mind, and a sigh of relief followed, her eyes opened slowly, only to once more meet Kurama's eyes as he glared at her in a knowing look that would make anyone tremble. His eyes were cold and unfeeling, they stared blankly into her own, but he seemed to be listening to something, and Lorna immediatly thought of Hiei with his psychic powers and knew he'd told Kurama that she was a fox. The shame made her blush and her ears twitched as she tried to slick back ears that didn't have the ability to do so.

Kurama stood, looking down at her, his hair causing a reddish shadow to fall over his face, causing his eyes to become even harder. He was rejecting her like all other humans did, he was like the humans in her school who didn't know what she was but sensed her difference and hated her for it. His eyes were the same as her boyfriend's had been when he'd discovered her secret, and the pain being dragged back up caused her soul and body to have another moment in which they tried to reject each other like the world rejected them. The sadness was overwellming but changed quickly to anger, it took control of her. Every muscle tensed, her eyes narrowed, the gold burst glowed in anger, her nose twitched in a perfect human imtation of a fox's muzzle wrinkling before it snarls. Kurama's eyes narrowed to slits, the muscle in his jaw flexing in anger before he turned and left her, slamming the sliding door behind him.

Lorna sighed, relaxing against the pillows, her fight or flight mechanisim disappearing. Confrontation had to be avoided at all costs. Teetth gritted in pain as she sat up, legs wavering under the sore muscles and healing wounds. She looked around the room, catching sight of a yukata that was a little too small for her, but seeing as it was all she had there was no real choice. The pain in her limbs began to fade as the rush of natural painkillers went to the offending places, they became numb and hot, bareable and at the same time unbareable. First she bent and pulled on the tabi socks, her stomach sore from being over worked. She pulled the soft cotton juban on, the top and then the skirt. Gingerly she pulled the yukata on, the worn threads and patterns giving a clue to it's age, the soft cotton brushing her bandages lightly and not causing any pain like she'd expected. She crossed it to the right, then the left over top. Carefully she adujusted the white slip so the collar showed evenly. She pulled the kimono tight, not needing to adjust for hieght as she was already too tall for it and it barely reached across her chest. She tied the koshi-himo belt tightly, trying the keep her yukata closed, after smoothing it she tied the date-jime belt. Lorna blinked, noticing the obi-jime, her hostess must be the formal kind of woman, she decided to comply and tie that around as well, not wanting to upset her. Her eyes swept the room to see if her clothes were there. She found them in a pile in the corner, her duster, dress, and jeans in bloody tattered rags. Once more she sighed before walking in the hall way.

Infront over her was a temple hall way, which caused her to frown. If she was in a temple it was no wonder the hostess was so formal and traditional in clothing, though adimitatly most likely short judging from the yukata's length and width. The rows of entry ways spread out like a maze before her, if she weren't as good as she was at finding her way, this place could leave her confused and disoriented for days. Right now her mission could end if she wished it to. No, to win their trust and friendship would be better, more painful prehaps for all of them, but the pain would bring out the true power of both parties.

Lorna walked with as much grace as she could muster in her wounded state, still, it was alot as she walked forward with no sign of injury or even a slight limp. Her body had long grown used to the pain and the stiffness. At the end of the hall was a large wooden door, out of place in the hall of sliding rice paper doors. Intrigued, Lorna hurried closer. Behind it came the sound of yelling, the source from two boys who seemed to be having an argument over which cheese was better; Mozerella, or Swiss. She laughed, thinking for a moment that Provolone was better, before bracing her shoulder against the door and pushing it open with little difficulty. It was a heavy wooden door, and the fact it opened so easily even in her wounded state caused her to almost loose balance. She, however, regained it quickly and slipped into the room before the door could close on her.

One of the spirit detectives was partially won over before she even had a chance to open her mouth to introduce herself. The room went silent and all eyes turned to her. "Did I interrupt something? Other than the cheese fight, I mean." Lorna asked with uncertainty, blushing from the sheer embaressment of finding herself the center of attention. Two smiles greeted her while three faces stayed stern.

Of course Kurama was still angry, a stern old woman with faded pink hair was the wearer of the second glaring face, and the last was being worn by a red eyed boy who had to be Hiei. He looked angry enough to be him, he certainly dressed in enough black to appear to be a shadow, and she would regignize those red eyes on anyone. He made a small sound as though he were still reading her mind and amused by her guessing. No matter, she thought, I'm proud of myself even if grumpy over there isn't.

The two smiling faces belonged to two teenage boys, one with black slicked back hair and soft brown eyes full of what could only be described as determination and spirit. The other smile was on the face of a boy who was a little painful to the eyes, the smile adding a slightly creepy quality, his hair was curly and orange, and his eyes were too small to determine a color. Lorna gave a weak smile in return to the two, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute.

The two boys tried to get a word in but the old woman spoke first. "You should be sleeping, girl, you'll ruin my kimono." Her voice was just as stern as her face and full of the gravel that old age pulled along with it. Lorna knew at once that this woman was her hostess, but she sighed. She lowered her head slightly, eyes catching the light just right so that the blue in them almost glowed as she gave the innocent eyes of those who are weak and helpless, even though neither was a trait she either had or admired.

There was the soft gasp of air being sucked in from the two boys and Kurama, the three being surprised by the sudden reapperance of the eyes they'd seen earlier. "I'm sorry, but I'm restless. I've never been able to stay cooped up for long." Lorna offered gently, hoping to appeal in some way to the soft side of this woman. There was no vibe of hostility coming from her, but neither did the stern face waver. Innoncence might not work too well with her, she seemed the type to take pride in toughness and strength. Still, it wasn't all in vain, the face seemed to work on Kurama and the other red headed boy.

The old woman made a slight sound that regestered as either a "Hn." or a "Keh." On the range of odd sounds ever to leave someones mouth. "You bleed on it, you take it apart piece by peice, wash the blood out, and resew it." She growled, turning her head to show she was done speaking and could no longer care less. The boy with the slicked back hair stepped forward. "Don't mind grandma, I'm Yusuke," He paused a moment, then added, "Grandma's Genkai." As though he only just realzed Lorna didn't know who grandma was. A spark of regignition at the name lit a fire in her mind that blazed in the gold bursts, but she raised her head and the fog once again covered all emotions.

Lorna smiled and opened her mouth, but the taller boy with the curly hair interuptted her. "I'm Kazuma Kuwabara, the one and only number one delinquint of Sariyaski Jr. High!" He annonced proudly while striking a random heroic pose that made Lorna wince, sweatdrop, and smile all at once. Once more she opened her mouth to speak, but found that now Yusuke interupted her. "You?! I AM!" He screamed loudly. Lorna sweatdropped again, the smell of an incoming argument and fist fight causing her to take three steps back in case the fists flew around too wildly.

Sure enough, instinct was always correct, and the two boys tackled each other, yelling insults and curses, screaming, roaring, and punching each other in a flurry of anger and flying limbs the likes of which Lorna had never seen. A vein in her temple began to twitch, her short temper was lit and the fuse was being eaten away at an alarming rate. Genkai, too, was annoyed, but before she could even think of the right thing to yell, Lorna's temper exploded.

Two large hands emerged from the deep sleeves of the yukata, both delicatly made like that of a womans. The two boys were grabbed by the back of their shirts and ripped from each other, Lorna, being taller than Yusuke, was actually holding him off of the ground. "That is enough!" She yelled, voice strong and commanding, nothing like the soft voice she'd been using so far. Now her voice was that of someone who was used to being obeyed when she gave a command, and the fact that it was laced with anger and poison was enough to actually make Yusuke and Kuwabara listen for once.

Wide eyes watched her as Lorna took a deep breath in a half hearted attempt to calm herself back down. "Sorry, I have a very short temper, but you two made the mistake of stepping on it everytime you intterupted me!" She yelled in exasperation, shaking Kuwabara and Yusuke gently to get her point across. Yusuke looked down and finally noticed his feet weren't touching the ground. When he looked back up again at Lorna she had won over another of the spirit detectives.

Though Lorna had always looked this way, when she was angry it was more evident of her well trained strenght, she was actually a frightening and almost lovely sight to behild, standing there with the yukata sleves falling down to reveal the flexing arm muscles. They tensed with strain, but didn't bulge or appear large and bulky, having been stretched tightly over her tall body. Her eyes were narrowed more than usual, the gold around the pupil blazed, her hair having slipped slightly from the ribbon and falling around her in a mass of curls. "Anyway," She said, daring someone to stop her now, "My name is Lorna." She said, smiling, but not letting go in case the two boys started to be idiots again.

Suddenly the silence was broken by a snapping sound, Lorna gritterd her teeth and dropped Yusuke, letting go of Kuwabara and backing away. "Girl, I told you." Genkai warned as Lorna clutched her arm. "It's just the stitches, they snapped. I won't ruin your yukata, Genkai." She said calmly, turning and running from the room, all traces of any pain or stiffness gone, the door opening easily as she dissappeared down the hall. Genkai was already begining to like this girl, and might possiably be considered won over now. Only a few people still distrusted Lorna.

Back in her room she was removing the line and resewing it, yipping softly as she tore skin where she stuck the needle in two shallow and it brushed on raw flesh, her bloody fingers making it hard enough to grip the needle. A small sound at the door caused her to stab the needle deep in to her arm. Kurama stood at ther door, so Lorna bit down hard on her lip to choke down the yipe that tried to escape. "Yukina will be back tommorow." Kurama said in an indifferent tone, looking off to the side.

Lorna didn't hide her dislike of him from him, instead choosing to glare openly at him and continuing to stictch together the torn flesh. "I don't know what your problem is with me, but I'm not too happy about it." She growled, the blood on her fingers causing her to once more loose her grip in the needle, jabbing it into the wound. Kurama sighed, knowing the girl couldn't stay away from the subject long, pushing himself off of the door way and walking over to her, taking the needle from her and continuing where she had stopped.

Lorna opened her mouth to protest, but instead chose to stick her fingers in and suck the blood off of them. "I don't have a problem with you." Kurama said, staring at the wound, his face and voice blank. "Then why are you acting like you hate me?" She demanded, glaring at him, the fog lifting from her eyes and the sea water churning angrily, crashing against itself while the gold burst lit up like fire.

Kurama looked up and glared back into her eyes, his own green pair blazing like a cold fire. "Just because you want to feel different doesn't mean you can run around pretending to be something you're not." He ground out slowly, unknowingly copying the words her boyfriend had told her. Her breath caught in her throat, he wasn't as close to her heart so his words didn't cut like her boyfriends had, she could tell him what she really thought without fear. "The only thing I'm pretending to be is human!" She yelled, tears forming in her voice from having to remember the argument.

Kurama arched a glossy red eyebrow in questioning, unable to resist his fox like curiosty on the subject. "You're human, I smell no fox on you." He replied coldly, eyes staring without blinking into hers. The only thing he really did smell on her was the smell of peaches, which was unsual for humans, but still not the scent of a fox. "It's only my soul that is a fox, not my body." Lorna said slowly, trying to force him to understand her. "Then you must be an incredable actor." Kurama said, sarcasim weaving through his calm words, meant to trap her.

Lorna trembled with her anger, resisiting the urger to growl like her true self wished to. "When the world wants to lock you up for being what you are, you learn to act and act well." Her forced calm was like a sharp blade. "Admit you're human." Kurama said coldly and just as calmly as she had. Lorna's voice began to tremble with her unsung anger. "My body is human, my soul is a fox." She repeated, having to speak more slowly than before. It hurt to speak now from the tears that were becoming trapped.

Once more Kurama repeated, "Admit you're human." His voice was cold and calm, slow so as to seem all the more of both, but inwardly he was a little surprised at how she was reacting, still, he remained indifferent to her emotions on the outside. "Why is it OK for someone to be the wrong gender but I can't be the wrong species?!" She screamed, the tears being forced from her at her sudden yell.

Now Kurama blinked, showing his surprise, his guise of cold heartedness melting quickly away. "Don't cry. It's OK. It's OK for you to be what you are, just calm down. It's just difficult to tell pretenders from the real ones, I had to be rough with you." He said in a very calm and soothing voice. Lorna gave a small sigh, sniffling. "You believe me?" She asked, looking at him with the helplessly innocent eyes that had caused him to almost be won over the first time he'd seen them, "I believe you, please stop crying now?" He asked, watching as she wipped at the tears that clung to her cheeks, then stared at the collected water in shame.

Lorna looked back up, but then paled, looking back down at the closed wound. "How did you do that?" She asked, the shock evident in her voice. Kurama shrugged. "I thought I'd finish it while you were distracted." He said, cutting the fishing line and starting to pull the bandages back around the wound. Lorna smiled a little in admiration.

The silence that followed left her very uncomfortable, however. The silence itself was the comfortable companionable kind, but Lorna hated silence, silence was so empty. "So..." She trailed off, searching for a subject that would keep him talking for a while, something she could be intrested in. "Who's Yukina?" She asked, Kurama blinked in confusion. "Did I mention a Yukina?" He asked with the uptmost innoncence. Lorna narrowed her eyes, but Kurama ignored her, pretending to be thoughtful, "I did mention Yukina, didn't I?" He asked, the same innocence dripping through every syllable of his voice, pouring sickly sweet and soothing on jaded eardrums.

Lorna smiled her innocent little smile, but even though now Kurama knew a sly little vixen lay within that smile, one with a short temper at that, it still didn't loose it's effect. "Yes, yes you did." She nodded matter of factly, Kurama smiled though, very amused with her. "All right then, Yukina is a healer, a single touch can heal most hounds." He said, his amusment showing clearly in his voice.

Lorna gave a sigh of relief, flopping back onto the pile of pillows. "That's wonderful!" She gave another soft sigh before a thought stuck her. "How can she do that?" She asked, sitting up to look at him. A perfect question, one that could force him to answer many things. Kurama coughed lightly, "Not all demons are vicious, Yukina is an ice maiden, I myself am I fox demon," He paused, the only way to finish this sentence would echo her words from a moment ago. "Trapped in a humans body." He finished, the sentece envoking an immediate reaction in Lorna.

Lorna was staring with wide and sparkling eyes at him, the fog swirling as the gold glared brightly at him as though calling to the gold sparks that rested within him that were a part of Youko. "You're a fox?" She asked excitedly, then glared. "And you were so mean to me earlier!" She yelled, crossing her arms as best she could and shooting a death glare at him that would've made Hiei pull out a stamp of approval.

Kurama would have groaned it groaning was a Kurama thing to do. "I knew you'd react this way. Why can't you just left it go?" He asked with an annoyed tone, Lorna growled. "Well pardon me for not letting something go that only happened ten minutes ago!" She yelled, voice dripping the vemon of sarcasim, she stood to better glare down at him.

Kurama sighed and stood as well, looking her straight in the eyes. "Must you be so spiteful?" He asked in exsaspertation and annoyance. Lorna's eyes widened another inch, her knees turned to rubber and she sank slowly back down like a ballon that had been deflated. "Spiteful?" She whispered, her eyes sparkling in the hurt and helpless innocence that had drawn Kurama to her so many times in the short while he'd known her since the spirit detectives had saved her.

Lorna shook her head when Kurama went to open his mouth to speak, presumably in apology. He went quiet. "No, you're right. You forgave me and I forgave you so I should let it go since you did." Lorna said with the strange wisdom of those who have had to endure too much in too short of a time.

Kurama nodded, pleased she wasn't hurt and that she understood so well why he'd gotton upset. "You're wise beyond your years." He said, patting her head. Lorna grinned and grabbed his hand, clutching it with both of her hands even though they were just as large as his own.

Kurama blinked, looking down at her with the curiosity that only a fox could mimic so perfectly. "Come on, you're a fox too?" She asked, hope in her voice. Kurama furrowed his eyebrows, not completely understanding what she wanted from him. "Yes, in my past life, I was thief, when I was killed, I entered a human woman's womb." He told her, gently pulling his hand from hers.

His answer apparently pleased Lorna greatly because she flopped backwards, enjoying the soft pillow and the triumphant feeling fluttering like a small bird in the paws of her soul. Kurama turned to look at her before he left the room. "Hey, Kurama?" She asked, he made a small sound to let her know he was still there and listening to her. "Did I have a healing bruise on my sternum?" She asked, cracking an eye open to smirk at him quite evilly.

Kurama was nodding before he could catch himself, Lorna's smirk turned into an evil little smile, full of mischief. "I knew it!" She accused with amusment, the actual thought not bothering her as much as he had expected when he'd caught himself nodding to her question. Her evil smile changed from michevious to plain amusement, her eyes sparkling as the fog lifted once more. Kurama's eyes conncected with those innocent eyes and without willing to he found himself at last won over by her.

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Mwahaha! Hope you like it! I need constant encouragement but I'm sure you can convince me to hurry up with the chapters, as for now, it's late, and I'm going to bed! If no one knows what your sterum is, it's the bone that runs down the center of your chest. Yep!