Violet and Renji walked in silence and hand in hand under the stars as they made their way out of the Suzuki Forest. The night is peaceful and serene. Owls could be heard hooting somewhere in trees and crickets making their sound in the grasses of the forest.
Between all this, Violet kept silent as she didn't want to start another topic where she would end up insulted by Renji. She just kept herself busy by looking around the forest. She wants to take a glimpse if maybe another spirit would come out. Maybe a deity or another kitsune or whatever. She also started thinking about the questions she is going to ask her grandfather when she gets back.
If his grandfather really is the human representative of the human realm, what does he do? How did he acquire his position? Does he have any magic to protect him? How did he get close to the spirits? And most of all, how did he come to know this savage that is holding her right now? So many questions in Violet's mind that will soon be answered.
"Just a little further," Renji said when he glanced back at her.
Violet just mumbled a simple "Mm" at him. One reason is that she is too tired to say anything. Her legs are tired and her feet are sore. Her eyelids felt droopy and her muscles really need rest. Maybe her questions should be left for the morning.
Renji looked back at Violet for the fifteenth time for the whole walk since they left that place where he found her. He had fun teasing her and watching her annoying reactions, but now he felt pity over the girl. She may act all high and mighty, but she is just a girl who wants to go back home.
"Come on," Renji stopped in his tracks and turned towards Violet.
Before she could even protest, Renji lifted her up in bridal style and walked faster, but kept a steady pace.
"Wh-what do you think you are doing?! Put me down!" Violet demanded.
"And make us walk slower?" Renji asked. "You are tired and you walk slowly because of that. This would be faster. Just lay back and relax. We will get to your grandfather's house in no time."
Violet wanted to protest. This is the first time that someone carried her like that. But at the same time, she doesn't want to protest for the reason that the kitsune is right. She is tired.
Her weary muscles relaxed and not a moment too soon, Violet's eyes grew heavier until she finally fell asleep on Renji's arms, not noting the smile that crept along the kitsune's face.
"Still cute," Renji thought as he stared down at her sleeping face.
As Renji walked towards Grandfather Seto's house, he couldn't help reminiscing on the past that the girl in his arms forgot.
It was all his fault, but he didn't regret a single moment of it. Except for the part where he had to leave everything, and for the girl to forget it.
If there was a time where all spirits help each other no matter what kind they are, that is history now. Ever since a race of spirits tipped the balance of the human and the spirit realm and destroyed both side's trust, spirits stopped trusting spirits of another kind as well. It was not long until the spirit realm was divided and each kind of spirit lives only for their kind. Distrust and hatred ruined their realm and now each kind fights for their kind.
Renji was a young fox at that time. Not a day over eight. He was being serious in training with the other kitsunes around his age, practicing swords, and throwing daggers. Practicing their combat skills and hunting skills. Learning how to live like a grown man rather than enjoying his childhood. This might not be normal for other people, but hey. They are kitsunes. And kitsunes are like the other wild animals that humans know. They fight for survival since kitsunes now live for their kind and fight for their kind. While the male learns how to fight and hunt, females are the ones who are in charge of taking care of the needs of their families and friends like cooking food, sewing clothes, and taking care of the pups.
While most kitsunes are into swords, Renji grew up taking interest in bows and arrows, daggers, and close combat fighting. He also studied how to use swords, but he doesn't have as much interest in it as much as he does in daggers and bows and its arrows. By the age of eight, he is the most skilled young kitsune in his clan.
One early Summer morning, Renji was out under the sunrise glow, practicing throwing daggers at a sturdy, tall tree. As he practiced, he wondered what lies beyond the row of trees that his mother forbids him to go to. Pups are not supposed to go deep into the forest. Not unless they already reached sixteen and go on their first hunt.
Even though he didn't want to disobey, he missed his shot and his dagger flew fast across the woods. It must have gotten stuck on a tree somewhere deep inside. It is the very first dagger that he got. Young Renji received it from his father and it is his last gift to him before he died in a battle against a group of tiger spirits who tried to invade their part of the forest to extend their own.
Renji looked around, making sure that no one is already up and is watching him train. Then, as quick as a crow flies south, Renji ran as fast as he could towards the direction where his dagger went.
The wind blew on his bangs, tail, and ears as he ran and agilely jumped on large rocks. In one swift motion, he grabbed his dagger and placed it in his pocket where it usually hung.
Because of the incredible feeling and excitement, instead of going back, young Renji ran deeper into the heart of the forest, away from the protection of his part of the home in the forest.
"Ah! My, oh my. How late has it been!" a voice cut off on Renji's thoughts and he looked up to see Grandfather Seto, standing in the middle of the night in front of his home on the mountain.
"You two sure took your time, young fox," Grandfather Seto said with a kind smile.
"Just a little hiccup on the road, Sire," Renji replied.
"Did you take good care of my granddaughter?" the old man asked.
"Of course," Renji said with reassurance in his tone.
"Then would it be a bother to you if you take her up to her room?" Grandfather Seto requested more than asked. "It is not that far. It is just on the second floor of my humble home. Go there and turn right. Her room is the last door at your right."
"Yes, not a problem at all, Sire. I will do so right away," Renji said and bowed to show his respects then set off to put Violet to bed.
Acting in front of Violet is different from how Renji acts in front of her grandfather and he's got his own reasons. For starters, Renji couldn't find a reason for him to act the way he does to Grandfather Seto to Violet. The girl doesn't really have a position worthy of such high respect in the human realm and/or spirit realm. Second, Violet didn't really do anything to earn respect. At least, his respect, that is. Third, her attitude makes her look funny to tease in Renji's perspective. This amuses him and makes him want to do it more. He knows his limits and he knows when to stop or where the boundary ends, so anyone can be reassured that he knows not to step over that boundary. And lastly...
"Where's the fun in that?" Renji finished the thought as he opened the door to Violet's room using magic. "Besides, I just acted the way I acted when we first met."
Renji pulled the covers out using the same magic he used to open the door and gently placed the sleeping girl on the bed, then tucked the covers on her to keep her warm.
He knows that he is supposed to leave now, but he couldn't help staring at her.
The girl looks so peaceful and vulnerable, unlike the fierce girl with a bratty attitude she is when she is awake and being messed up by the kitsune. Violet mumbled a bit in her sleep that made Renji chuckle.
A wind blew and entered the room from the open window and swept Violet's hair onto her face. Once again, using magic, Renji gently closed the window and looked back at the girl. He gently tucked the hair back in place behind the girl's ear with a smile he didn't know he is wearing as of the moment.
"You're finally back," he whispered.
After another minute, Renji leaped out of the house through the window and went back to his clan as he blended into the night. Renji's mind was filled with wonderful memories he had with the girl in their childhood days that he didn't even notice a pair of blue orbs eyeing him and Violet when they stepped out from the forest.