The Kitsune's Daughters - A Foxy Tale From The Mera Family

Chapter 1 -- Run Away!

Somehow, they found someone else to foster me yet again!

For any orphan, this was a desirable dream! A hope that if the trial went well, then the foster family might adopt or treat their temporary property as if they were family. But that dream turned into a nightmare for me!

Occasionally, bad actors tend to slip through the screening. And being so close to Mexico meant that you could end up in drug running as a boy, or sex slavery as a girl. Sometimes those who foster a child do not foster in the hopes of loving that poor soul; but to have a state sponsored servant to do what they are unwilling to accomplish for themselves.

And then there are the demonic abusers who foster children just to use for their anger management. This was once my nightmare turned into reality. For almost nine miserable months of my pathetic life, I was starved, beaten, and trained to fear love...for love was pain and suffering...for the word love was disingenuous!

"I am thinking that this was a really bad idea!" I stopped and turned back in the direction of the orphanage. If I return now, I will at least have a warm bed and a dry ceiling over my head.

I temporarily shelter under the low canopy of a mimosa tree. Its tiny green blade-like leaves began to fold back against the light green stem, changing and metamorphosizing to withstand the changes within its own environment. All things within nature are capable of changing and adapting to their environment...including me.

From the corner of my eye, a small canine-like shadow caught my attention as I heard a cute voice calling to me from within the rain 'This way! Follow me!' she said in a sweet caring tone that I oddly trusted.

I stepped out from under the mimosa as the heavens burst forth with radiant sunlight! I beheld the blue sky just above me; and yet, it was still raining.

I glanced around, noticing that this miracle that had shined down upon me, was only for my own enjoyment. Elsewhere, the scenery was dark and wicked with a Pacific driven storm that has enveloped Los Angeles like a hungry specter.

The path of sunlight began to move as I noticed that behind me, the darkness reached out, wishing to drag me back into the mirky abyss. I quickened my pace, keeping up with the path of sunlight as the rain that fell was warm and delightful.

For almost an hour, I paraded down a silent asphalt path as nothing seemed to get in my way. The traffic and street walkers seemed to have all disappeared; it was like being in a different world; and yet, walking within my own world.

The sun-shower then moved to the left as they passed over a strange-looking place that seemed not of this country. There were lanterns made of stone, and before the enclosed buildings was a giant wooden structure that looked like a gate with a golden plate in the center that had unreadable kanji characters naming this place of orient.

Wherever I arrived, the path of the sun shower took me inside. I stood there as I did not know if I was allowed to enter another person's strangely decorated yard.

Foolishly, I entered, following the light. I walked the cemented pathway that led to a massive building which was darkened from a lack of power that plagued this region. Everything was written in a strange language that I could not read, but below was a crude English description that called this place a Shrine.

I have heard of the word shrine before, but never thought that one would actually look just like this! It felt as if I were teleported to a different country or a different timeline. Everything about this place felt sacred, the energy was palpable!

Reality stole me from my dream realm as I noticed that the sun shower that I had followed for almost a whole mile was now fading away back into darkness. I glanced around as I looked for a place to shelter.