A Forest on Fire (KuramaxOc)

Ch 45: Foxfire

He gasped, as Yumiko went flying across the sands, her body bouncing thrice before coming to a stop as Veinahvehn took his form, and struck her hard with black tipped claws!

"YUMIKO!!"

He had only taken a step when Vehn appeared in front of him and shoved him to the ground with minimal effort.

"Do not interfere, not this time. Let her fight in earnest."

His words were as steady as the waves that lapped the lakeshore, those eyes holding no emotion as the dragon-in-demon-form reached forward. Kurama braced himself as black-tipped claws ran through his hair, eyes wide and fear-scent evident as he knew full well he was on the wrong side of that life-field.

"I'm not going to hurt you, boy... I just need to borrow this..."

With a flick of his wrist, Vehn summoned a plant from the seed he had obtained from the redhead's locks. At once thorny vines wrapped themselves around the boy's body, arms, and legs. Kurama writhed and thrashed, but it was useless. This would be a good lesson to the fox should another beast ever get close enough to touch those seeds, and would stop him from ordering the fox to heel. As the boy went still, the plant's poisons starting to work their paralysis into his system, Vehn turned his attention back to the fox who had risen to her feet.

'There you are, kitsune of the eastern forest. Child of fire and moonlight.' He mused, allowing the thoughts to reach the girl as his claws elongated. He would hold back. Of course he would, but he would test the girl in earnest now, while that fire raged within her. He issued his own command: 'Show me, child of fire...'

***

Yumiko rose to her feet. There was a quickly healing slash across her cheek from where the demon had struck her, but she didn't feel it. She was angry. She was hurt, and she needed to burn it all away. That message still raged in her mind as though it hung in the air before her...

4:58am
Kona: Hey kiddo, Sorry for the scare, but Mako's fine. Dumbass had too much of a good time and forgot his phone. Don't worry about him, we'll keep him safe.

He hadn't been there this morning. Hadn't texted, hadn't called, hadn't seen her off. He had been too busy getting drunk!

She snarled again, a guttural sound that made her entire body quiver. Slowly her body changed, no longer bound by a partial bond. Her limbs grew slightly longer, her ears as well, and her claws ended in golden tips. Her cream-to-crimson hair now fell to her waist, even tied back in the ponytail she had tied that morning, and the lowest tips had turned black as night, along with her ears and tail-tip. Where a firebrand had just stood, now a full sylphan-fox glared down her opponent, eyes burning a heart-of-fire blue.

For the moment, she was a tempest contained, even as Veinahvehn tied down her bonded, even as she felt his flicker of fear, even as his eyes met hers. She stared into those wide emerald orbs, and watched as his gaze went from horrified, to accepting, to challenging. She watched as his eyes hardened, and he gave her the tiniest nod of his head, the most the bound human could muster. She had calmed slightly as his command issued in her head. 'Channel those emotions Yumi... Show me...'

She had nearly mastered them when a second voice spoke, aloud and in her mind. A snarl more vicious than any other ripped from her throat. 'Show me, child of fire...'

How dare he...
HOW DARE HE!!
How dare any, any demon use the command meant only for them, for her, and her bond? Her eyes snapped to the demon responsible as he vanished in a puff of red smoke. She didn't even flinch as she turned on her heels, raking her claws through the air behind her. They connected on something hard, and just as Veinahvehn puffed back into existence, Yumiko raked those golden claws across his face, nearly taking his eye with her.