The fox and the hunter

11- aid

I claim no rights or anything associated with the Bleach series and/or its characters. Please leave your comments and reviews telling me what you think!

Chapter 11

The following day Shiro awoke to see Unohana by his bedside as she looked beat. 

"Is he?" asked Shiro bluntly. Unohana sighed softly nodding her head earning a sighed relief from the hunter. 

"Shiro may I ask you a question?" asked Unohana as Shiro nodded his head yes. "Do you know truly what that creature in the next room is?"  

"A kitsune, a demon fox." replied Shiro. 

"That is only his outward appearance. He is actually a forest guardian. He is quite lucky to be alive. Tell me what happened." stated Unohana. Shiro told her the whole story. "Those humans are blind fools. I can't believe that they had burned down those woods. Shiro you must find him a new forest one that was filled with the same energy as those woods. It is the only chance he has. Without a forest, he is going to die." Unohana told Shiro seriously.

Shiro felt like his heart was going to break if Ichigo died. A part of him had grown attracted to Ichigo. It didn't matter to him what the demon truly was. But hearing the news from Unohana, Shiro wondered what was Ichigo's true appearance looked like. Suddenly a wolf's barking, Zangetsu's whining, and Urahara's hooting had alerted Shiro that there was trouble coming their way. He peaked out the window to see the villagers from Karakura town had tracked him down. Shiro rose to his feet grabbing his weapons.  

"Shiro your in no shape to fight them!" yelled Unohana. 

"I know. Please keep Ichigo safe." he told the healer as he went outside of the hut. Zangetsu trotted over to his owner happy to see the human. "Did I worry you Zangetsu?" Shiro asked the stallion who nodded his head. "Sorry about that my friend." The wolf also came over nuzzling Shiro's legs. "You too huh? You need a proper name if you are going to be staying with me." Shiro stated patting the wolf's head. "How about Tensa?" The wolf wagged his tail accepting the name. "Well get ready Tensa, cause hear they come!"

The villagers approached Unohana's hut armed with pitchforks, axes, and torches. 

"We finally found you. Hand the demon over to us hunter and we may spare your life!" stated Yamamoto. Shiro pulled back his bow as several arrows laid on the string ready to fire. 

"I will not hand over him. Do you even realize what he is?" asked Shiro. 

"We can care less about if that thing is a forest guardian or not. We want him dead!" replied Yamamoto. Shiro could feel his demonic blood boiling at Yamamoto's statement.  

"I will still not hand him over!" Shiro growled. The villagers began to move only to have a powerful blast stop them. 

"Still causing trouble aren't you Shiro?" questioned a mysterious voice. Shiro looked up grinning.  

"Damn.... When I asked for aid I didn't think that they would send you Zaraki." Kenpachi Zaraki was perhaps the strongest human hunter in the world. The man was known to love a good fight.

"Come on Shiro. Your never one to request aid unless you used your demonic powers. And seeing the shape that you are in, you're in no shape to fight. Leave these guys to me. I will make them see the error of their way when they decide to challenge a hunter of the guild." replied Zaraki. Shiro put his bow and arrows down as he nodded his head. 

"Have fun!" Shiro told him with a wicked smile stretched across his face as he headed back into Unohana's hut being followed by Tensa. Unohana stood holding Shiro's sword in her hands. "It's all right. A fellow hunter is dealing with those villagers. Lets just hope that he doesn't kill them." Shiro stated as he took his sword from Unohana as he decided to look in on Ichigo.

Ichigo laid in his human form bound with bandages. His wounds seemed hardly visible but Shiro could tell that the Kitsune was in bad shape. There was only one place that Shiro felt he could take Ichigo. The forest near his home. They had the same feeling as the forest that used to be Ichigo's home. Shiro stroked Ichigo's head as the Kitsune's ears and tail lightly moved. 

"Don't worry Ichigo, I think I know of a place that can help you. Hang I there." Shiro told him as he leaned in kissing Ichigo on the forehead. 'I love you Ichigo.' Shiro thought to himself before leaving the room.