The silver fox whimpered in pain. Reacting out of pure instinct and fright, it lashed out, its claws digging cruelly into the young mortal's forearm, leaving several ugly red gashes. The mortal was not deterred, if anything, he seemed more determined to get to the fox. The fox curled up, resigning itself to its fate at the mortal's hands, knowing there was no way to escape in its current condition. Finally, it surrendered to the blissfulness of oblivion.
On the mortal's part, he made no sound when the fox scratched him. None save the sharp intake of breath as the claws drew crimson blood, inflicting pain which he was all too familiar with. He scooped the little unconscious bundle of silver fur into his arms and headed home, deliberately forgetting about the two buckets of water that his master had commanded him to draw from the river nearby. As he walked along, the last rays of the setting sun faded away into the inky blackness of the night.
"You're late," his master stated.
"I was held up," he calmly replied, his violet eyes bellied barely contained excitement.
"By?"
That was all the opening he needed. He laid the silver fox gently on the table. "I found him. He's injured. You can help him, can't you?" The young mortal pleaded, his words coming out in a rush. "Shishou? Please?"
His master remained passive in the light of the boy's eager pleas. "Where is the water you were supposed to fetch?" He asked coldly.
"..." The spark of life promptly died from the boy's eyes. He remained silent, his eyes downcast.
"I won't do anything unless I see two buckets of water in that corner." His master stated firmly.
There was a plaintive wail of 'Shishou!'
The silver fox opened it's eyes slowly, taking in its surroundings and the two mortals glaring at one another. It smiled inwardly...a father-son dynamic... mortals were so interesting at times.
"But Shishou...it's dark..." His boy's tone was pleading.
His master remained indifferent. "So?"
"Shishou...why don't you..." The boy started, as he skipped over to 'his' fox on the table.
"I suppose you'd be able to treat the fox?"
"..."
"What are you waiting for?" came the master's demand. The boy gave a sigh of resignation, then shuffled towards the door.
"Wait," the boy's master commanded. The boy halted. "Come over."
"Why?" The boy asked softly, casting a challenging glare at his master.
"Just come over!"
"Why shoul-" the boy started but was abruptly cut off when his master gave him a look. He obediently trotted over. His master promptly washed the wounds on the boy's arm and bandaged it. The boy winced. The fox instantly felt ashamed, the boy had only been trying to help it but it had wounded him in its frightened and confused state. It would make it up to him...somehow. Then again, why should it be so deeply affected by the state of mere mortals. Why did it feel the way it did?
Still pondering over the question, Youko Kurama fell asleep, knowing he was in safe hands.
End of Part 4