A Tale of Two Foxes: (Kogitsune X Mikazuki)

A Tale of Two Foxes - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Kogitsune made his way back to his room, drying his hair with the towel in his hands. Having finished with the new servant girl, Chiyo, he'd gone in search of food and a hot shower.

His rendezvous with the raven-haired woman was nothing more than a combination of being in the right place at the right time, and although it was one of his more satisfying encounters, Kogitsune had no intention of bedding the girl again.

With an endless supply of beautiful women, Kogitsune made it a point not sleep with the same woman twice. Females had a tendency to get attached, and though Kogitsune wouldn't mind settling down, he'd yet to find a woman who could make his heart race and his blood boil. Until he did, he was content to indulge himself and enjoy his freedom.

After he'd dressed, Kogitsune made his way downstairs and out the front door. He had no chores for the day, so he'd decided to go for a run in the woods. It had been ages since he'd taken his fox form, and he could feel his inner animal itching to be released.

He jogged to the tree line, and then hiked a mile or so into the thicket towards his favorite spot to transform. He was about to undress when the sound of movement caught his attention. The ears atop his head twitched as he tried to narrow in on the source. As quietly as possible, Kogitsune tracked the noise, moving silently through the trees as if stalking his prey.

Whoever or whatever it was making the sound was down by the riverbed. Considering how deep and fast moving the river in question was, not many ventured down to its waters. Kogitsune had assumed it was a deer or some other animal stopping by for a drink. You can imagine his surprise when he found a half-naked human there instead.

Mikazuki Munechika sat at the river's edge, his legs dangling off the rock he sat on. His feet were submerged in the crystal clear water, and he leaned back on his palms with his head tilted to the side and his eyes closed. He had stripped off most of his clothing, which he'd folded neatly on the ground beside him, and was bathing his pale skin in the warmth of the sun.

Kogitsune inched closer, skipping from tree to tree for a better look. He'd always found Mikazuki intriguing. His personality and demeanor were much different than the other Swords, and though he came off as a bit slow and dimwitted, Kogitsune had the feeling he was more intuitive and thoughtful than he let on.

And then there was this morning... Kogitsune, like the other Swords, had suspected Mikazuki's sexual preferences were... different. But never had he imagined that the shy, dark-haired male had a crush on him. Perhaps it was presumptuous of Kogitsune to assume Mikazuki liked him, but when presented with the evidence of the male's arousal that morning in his room, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. And the more Kogitsune thought about it, the more it made sense.

Mikazuki usually avoided him. In fact, Kogitsune couldn't think of a single conversation he'd ever had with the male. They said hello to each other in passing, even sparred from time to time, but Mikazuki never engaged Kogitsune unless others were present. And when he did, he was always blushing, keeping his distance and never making eye contact. Though Kogitsune had noticed the behavior, he didn't make the connection until that morning.

Kogitsune wasn't opposed to the idea of two men being together, but he personally had no interest in the same sex. There was no better feeling than a soft body beneath your own. No sweeter sound than that of a beautiful woman moaning softly in your ear. He couldn't understand why any man would want to give up all the pleasures found between a woman's thighs. But, then again, to each his own...

As far as Kogitsune was concerned, Mikazuki's crush changed nothing. He would treat the male just as he always had and that would be the end of it. In time, Mikazuki would no doubt find another male to turn his affections towards. A man who would hopefully return those feelings tenfold.

Kogitsune was about to leave when a small shadow drew his gaze. Sitting on Mikazuki's clothes was a fox. Its fur was the color of a starless sky, midnight black with a glossy sheen. Large inky black eyes stared at Kogitsune challengingly, their obsidian depths strangely human. The fox was in defense mode, clearly protecting what it believed to be its property.

A shiver ran down Kogitsune's spine, the air around him becoming suddenly cold. The animal, like Kogitsune, was a creature of the spirit realm. Its aura was obscured and difficult to read, but it held a darkness that Kogitsune found oddly... familiar. He took a tentative step forward. In response, the black fox got to its feet, baring its sharp teeth in warning.

"What's the matter, Kuroi?" Mikazuki asked; his voice barely audible over the rushing water. "Has something frightened you?"

Kogitsune slipped back behind the tree, watching in silence as Mikazuki carefully climbed off the rock. The fox known as Kuroi remained focus on Kogitsune's hiding spot. Only when Mikazuki held out his arms, did the fox turn away.

Kuroi leapt into Mikazuki's embrace, squirming about until it found a comfortable position. Mikazuki laughed softly, hugging the fox close and nuzzling his cheek against Kuroi's inky black fur.

"It's alright little one," Mikazuki cooed, pressing a kiss to the top of Kuroi's head. "I'll protect you."

The fox yelped in reply, reaching up to lick Mikazuki's chin.

Mikazuki laughed again, letting the fox lick his face several more times before setting the ball of fur back onto the ground.

"I have to go now," Mikazuki said, reaching for his clothes and pulling them back on. "It'll be dinner soon, and I promised Tsuru-chan I'd help set the table."

The fox whimpered in reply as it desperately tried to climb up Mikazuki's leg.

"I'll come back tomorrow," Mikazuki promised. "I'll even bring you a treat." He knelt down, petting the fox's head lovingly. "Thanks again for listening Kuroi. I can always count on you when I need a friend."

Mikazuki said one last goodbye to the fox then made his way back to the house. Kogitsune stayed out of sight, waiting until the male disappeared into the woods before leaving the safety of the tree.

"Who are you?" Kogitsune demanded, bearing down on the animal. "Where did you come from?"

The fox, of course, said nothing. It simply stared at Kogitsune with abject interest.

"Take your true form," Kogitsune commanded. "I want to know why you're here, and what you want!"

Fox spirits, by their very nature, are deceptive creatures. Though most are harmless in their antics, some can be extremely dangerous. Even deadly...

The air around Kuroi shimmered, distorting the image of the animal. Kogitsune recognized the optical illusion for what it was. A simple misdirection. The fox spirit draws your attention one place, while moving into what Kogitsune had coined "the blind spot."

Have you ever caught a hint of movement from the corner of your eye, but when you turned to look, it was gone? That's the blind spot. It's a tiny sliver of emptiness in the physical plane; a hairline crack in the scope of your vision where things simply... disappear. It is a "trick of the light," so to speak, and animal spirits take advantage of this human weakness more often than other spiritual creatures.

You see, the transformation of an animal spirit has never been witnessed by a human or any other living creature. It is a painfully intimate moment. The walls of the soul are stripped away, and, for several heart-pounding seconds, it is laid completely bare. No tricks, no gimmicks. Only the truth; beautiful and hideous in its unfettered glory.

Kogitsune blinked, and in the time it took for his eyelids to close and reopen, the fox had changed into its human form.

"Happy?" Kuroi asked, splaying his hands in mock surrender.

Kogitsune was too shocked to speak. It was like staring into a mirror, only his reflection had black hair and black eyes.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Kogitsune hissed. "I said take your true form!"

"But this is my true form," Kuroi answered, smiling a sickly sweet smile. "What's the matter, Kogi? You don't recognize your own brother?"