Previously on chapter 5
Anna stares at the human called Sabito who still smiles at her, kindly. A substantial mood overwhelmed her. This person will die in a few years. Yet, the fox counts this one as precious. A fox's precious. Sensing the turbulence arising within her emotions, Anna despairingly questions her fate.
What the heck, did she get herself for?
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❝Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.❞– Martin Luther King Jr.
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Noises from a door sliding went detected across the room. The fox sniffs a familiar scent of wisteria flowers, metal, and earthy herbs from the entrance door. Revealing a man with a tengu mask that highlights the shade of brilliant red and black.
His distinctive hair undoubtedly possesses a grayish appearance which prompted Anna to believe this man was the former pillar that Natsuo mentioned about. She dared not to disparage the human's prowess.
The masked man dons a neutral scarf and a kimono detailing designs of sky blue with clouds. The confident gait of the man nearing the human she interacted with reckoned Anna to become wary of him. It daunts the fox when she stares at the man with a strong demeanor.
Leading Anna to view the former pillar in a similar way of the old red fox's presence the first time she met the old fox.
The tiny fox hisses at the pillar's presence. Her tails all puffed up as she growled with apprehension and alarm. Her senses went high upon the appearance of the man. Sabito, the named boy, attempts to soothe the little fox via comforting the fox with his words.
"Calm down. Urokodaki-san won't hurt you. You're safe here, " the lad beamed reassuringly at the fox. Anna quieted down a little jiffy, though she's yet wary of the man with a tengu mask.
" Sabito, you found a fox? "
The creature senses a cold shiver running down her spine while she sets a large gap from the tengu man. Precisely, concealing behind the back of Sabito. Discerning the fox's retreat, Sabito greets and bows at the guest who Anna deems to be a dangerous man with a formidable presence.
" Welcome back, shishou. Yes, I found a fox when I was training. It looked injured so, I thought I should tend to its injury since I have caused it. "
The tengu man, inspect the condition of the white fox. It seemed like the tengu man was satisfied with the bandages encased around Anna's wound. He nodded at this.
"Very, well. As soon as the fox is healed. Return it to where you've found it. "
"Hai! Arigatou, Urokodaki-san," the fox marvels about why Sabito was determined to nurse her wounds earlier. Anyhow, she welcomes the concern of him for, he's the first human to take care of her.
»»----- Timeskip -----««
It is now, night time. The tengu man dwells in the separate room to unwind. All throughout the time she spent here, she notices that the tengu man observes her.
Had she been a normal fox, the former pillar wouldn't take note of her. She speculates that maybe the tengu recognizes something regarding her. Perhaps, that's why she's overawed next to that man.
Thank God for Sabito saying an excuse for taking a rest. One made the tengu withdraw his piercing eyes from her. She wouldn't be, surprised if later on, the tengu threatened her. Anna hopes that's not the latter part that the tengu man will act when they meet alone.
All at once, her fox ears caught the sound of the boy's movement. She swiftly scanned the young male grasping a heavy object and laid it down the tatami mat. Seeing that a pillow was delivered down in her direction, leaving the peach head without a pillow to rest his head.
"Little fox, sleep here in this pillow. Since you are injured, it is best to rest yourself right now. "
The small furry animal's heart stirred softly—singing a piece of melody that envelopes her essence and her golden orbs gazes at the human's form.
It softens her guarded heart upon reflecting of the boy's consideration towards her. Even though, she's a fox at her state, she was being treated fairly by the peach haired boy. She couldn't be more pleased for his kind efforts.
"Chuu. "
»»----------««
The peach-haired fellow chuckles at the fox's complying manner. He never thought a fox could be this cooperative with him. He hopes the fox would heal shortly. Hence, the fox will soon return to its family.
His thinking reflected that day Sabito was reminded that he's an orphan without a family before he met his master. Alone by himself. His lavender eyes dimmed for a split second. The scar on the right corner of his mouth that reaches into his cheek, reminded him that his father rather shunned him.
Anna remarks on the unforeseen stillness presence of the Peach head. Believing that something's amiss, she calls out to him, seeking to bring him back to reality. After a few tries, the boy reacted by caressing her head. He then retreated towards his futon and rest.
'Strange. Why would precious became so quiet? I tried to call him out after several tries until he notices me. Is he sick or what?'
Finally, Anna laid to rest on the pillow Sabito had provided her. Luckily, having a diminutive stature paid off. Her body fits perfectly into the pillow. Fox ears twitch at the sounds of breathing serving to lulls her to relax and embrace the darkness as she slips into unconsciousness.
»»----------««
Meanwhile, Anna wakes up at the crack of dawn, being greeted by a tengu mask with an expression of a grumpy face sets her heart ablaze with fear. Startled and scared of the masked man. In an instant, her claws extend out, and to protect herself while attempting to scratch the tengu man for being so close in her space.
Due to Urokodaki Sakonji's reflex reaction he had manage to leap off, setting a distance between them. The two began to stare off at each other. One was hissing and the other one didn't present such expression, she didn't know what the man was perceiving at all.
Sweating nervously due to the tension building up in the room. She ponders with regret that being on bad terms with a former pillar will lead to her early demise.
'What's his problem?'
" You think you could fool me?" A cold tone from the masked man which makes Anna shivers in fear.
'Huh? What does he mean?'
"Chu," Anna hisses with wary and fear. The man was emitting a dangerous presence to the point that it almost made Anna collapse.
" I will warn you now, if ever you've tried to harm my disciple. I will end you, fox demon."
Anna stills for a minute. The tension around the room hasn't depleted. The killing aura that the tengu man emitted made Anna believed the tengu's warning.
She knew that she wasn't a normal fox. But a fox demon, is she? It makes sense that she possesses three tails, exceptional senses and abilities.
'But does it make her a monster, after all? How could he implicate such a thing?! She's not like those bloodthirsty creatures that went on a killing spree to feast upon the flesh of a human. She's not like them.'
" If you get it. Leave at once, as soon as you're healed." With that, Urokodaki delivered his thoughts to the fox demon. Leaving the fox behind in his house. He will make sure that the demon won't try anything in regards to his actions.
He then goes back to his disciple to teach him another breathing techniques.
Anna slumps to the floor. Utterly tired for dealing a fearsome former water pillar. She didn't expect the tengu to threaten her without Sabito's side. Nor, she expect herself to leave in a short time due to the fact that she's a fox demon.
Anna sympathizes with herself now. She found out her 'precious' the moment she travels this mountain. And now, she had to leave the boy. But what could she expect, the tengu man would gladly behead her! If and only if, she sought to harm the boy.
»»----------««
Back to Natsuo, the poor guy has been waiting for his fox friend to come out of the Hut. Since then, the peach-haired lad carried the small fox in his abode for a long time. Natsuo failed to see his friend so, the crow waited. Except for hunting foods for itself. Since the surroundings are full of plowed snow.
The crow bears a great deal of tiny frozen snow falling continuously on his back as it gathered in its body. Soon enough, he would have to deal with frostbites around his body. Natsuo envisions that he, later on, will be frozen to death without seeing the fox.
'I pray to the deity that the little fox had turn out to be safe. Little fox! Hurry up and come out. This crow will be frozen into death.'
As if the Gods heard Natsuo, the crow notices the sliding of the wooden door a little bit. And behold, a white fox had clambered off which results to Natsuo screeching in delight.
" Caw! Anna. You're alive?! Caaww"
"Oh," the fox responded.
The crow flies over to the fox, urging its companion to leave the people. Traveling with another kind is such a new experience for Natsuo, after all. The crow always flies and works as a messenger of slayers.
Natsuo does not only works for the slayers but mainly to his one true master. Back then, the crow wanted to take a rest. Due to the number of tasks, the raven crow had forgotten to rest well enough. Natsuo only takes a vacation but it didn't expect for itself to drop off tiredly and be stuck in the snow.
This fox companion had saved Natsuo. Thus, it should return good favors to her.
"Caw, let's go. Let's go. "
" I..... "
" Let's leave those humans. Caw."
" You, go first."
"What?! Caw. What do you mean?!! "
" I've got something to do. "
"....."
" I... want to be alone for a while, sorry."
Natsuo hesitates in deciding whether to leave the fox alone or to follow it. Sensing the female fox in a turmoil of emotions. He chose it would be best to respect the fox's wishes. Moreover, the little fox seems to not want to be bothered.
"Caw. Caw. Little fox, you take care of yourself. This one shall leave. I will see you again. "
Anna nods at the crow's compliance thankful for Natsuo to not questioning her behavior. Now, that the raven crow had left her. She'd look for the peach-haired human. If she wanted to stay away from the tengu man.
She would have to be vigilant of her actions to look for Sabito. Along with praying to the Gods that the tengu man will not find her first.
»»----- 𝓐 𝓕𝓸𝔁'𝓼 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓹𝓲𝓽𝔂 -----««
It took Anna some time to find Sabito. Upon hearing the clashes of both bokken she followed that source of noise. Successfully locating the young male and the terrifying former pillar around the training grounds. She had witnessed the boy positioning himself in a stance against the tengu.
A bokken in each hands. Both of their positions were in an offensive form. In a spite of the moment, the child charged forward towards his opponent. His bokken aims to strike the head of his opponent but the tengu deflects it and pushes the boy away.
" Again. Your stance is too sloppy and your hits are weak. "
" Hai! Urokodaki-san. "
" More strength! What happens to your breathing form?! Again! "
"Hai! "
" The enemy will never let you make an opportunity to strike. How could you expect to save someone or survive in the final selection?! "
"Hai, Shishou!"
Anna saw Sabito fall back numerous times, but he persists to fight back. Likewise, he never uttered to admit defeat in front of his master. His hands immediately bruise, knuckles becoming red, and cheeks turn flushed.
Despite that, he's beaten up and persevering of the harsh sparring with the masked man. The massive difference in vigor and abilities doesn't deter Sabito to become discouraged instead. It actuates him to do his very best.
'What a determined human. His eyes glimmered with fiery will, not surrendering to defeats. His hair's a little messy when fighting but she managed to think of the human as beautiful.'
" Let's stop for now. Rest for a few minutes. Resume, practicing the breathing form," the master ordered as he left the boy to rest.
" Thank you, Urokodaki-san."
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Disclaimers: I don't own Kimetsu no Yaiba nor the characters. And the images I used for this story. Just my own oc characters and plot ideas.
A/N: [Edited]
Urokodaki Sakonji smells the scent of Anna as her scent differs from a normal fox. He scrutinizes to make sure that Urokodaki hadn't mistaken her scent of being a demon fox. That's the reason why he looks coldly at the fox. He tends to get overprotective of his student which is why he discretely threatens the little fox. So, she's walking on thin ice right now. Btw. The fox nicknamed Urokodaki as 'Tengu' since she both fears and respect him at the same time.
Japanese Translation:
*Shishou-master
*Hai-Yes
*Tengu- Bird
*Arigatou- Thank you
⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .
Another note: I'll try to update every Wednesday or Sunday. Since I have enrolled in online classes. I might publish the next story a little bit late. There you go. I hope you like this chapter. Thank you for your time on reading this. ❤❤❤❤