The fox and the hunter

12- the journey home

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Chapter 12

Shiro went back to check on Kenpachi as he could see the villagers taking off carrying the wounded. 

"None of them could give me a descent fight." Kenpachi stated with a smirk on his face causing Shiro to shake his head. "And before you ask, I didn't kill anybody. They weren't worth it. How's the demon you managed to rescue doing?" 

"He's not doing so well. Since those villagers burned down his forest home, he need a new forest or he is going to die." replied Shiro. 

"Perhaps you can fill me into the whole story inside. The guild told me to stay with you until you have regained your strength." stated Kenpachi. Shiro nodded his head as he lead Kenpachi into Unohana's hut.

After telling Kenpachi what had happened the older hunter let out a low growl. 

"I wish that I did kill them. Why are humans like that to all things that they don't understand?" asked Kenpachi. 

"I thinks its just to demons in general. I know that there are demons out there that do hurt humans as they over power us greatly. But that doesn't excuse why they tried to kill Ichigo and burned down his forest home." answered Shiro. 

"Shiro do you truly believe that you can help Ichigo out?" questioned Unohana. 

"I believe that I can. The forest that my home resides in has the same feeling that Ichigo's forest had. At times when I am there, I begin to feel rejuvinated and better." answered Shiro.

The next day Shiro and Kenpachi set out as Unohana gave them what they needed for supplies. She wished the hunters good luck as she would keep Urahara with her since the older owl was still recuperating from his wounds. Tensa followed his new master right behind Zangetsu while Kenpachi took up the rear position as he rode his horse Yachiru. Shiro carefully held Ichigo in front of him as they rode as he slipped in and out of consciousness. Shiro silently prayed that he was right about his home within the forest. As they traveled the two hunters talked lightly wondering if some of the demons that they were hired to kill were like Ichigo. 

"From what I have noticed about the demons that I have hunted is that they never talked or even looked remotely human. Besides that there is no sign that they had the same kind of power I have seen that Ichigo is capable of." replied Shiro. 

"And there is no doubt that he would know since because of your demon blood. Speaking of blood, this letter came for you to the hunters guild." stated Kenpachi as he held out a sealed scroll.

Suddenly an orange hawk came scooping the scroll out of Kenpachi's hand flying it over to his master. 

"Thank you Kon." Shiro stated petting the hawk. 

"It amazes me. How you can turn animals to obey you. First there was Zangetsu as the stallion was stubborn and wild. But the minute that you approached him, he became tame. Then there was Kon. That hawk was injured shot by a poacher's arrow. You came up and not only got the arrow out of him but treated his injures. Now there is this wolf. What's his story?" asked Kenpachi. 

"Tensa was caught in one of my traps when I was hunting Ichigo. He was attacked by a group of panthers as both me and Ichigo fought them off." answered Shiro as he opened up the scroll. The scroll was his mother who had just recently passed away. The scroll was said to be delivered to at the moment of her death. Of course she knew that Shiro had awakened his demon blood but she never told him about his father as he knew next nothing about him.

"Dearest Shiro, for the longest time I have been trying to figure out how to best tell you this. So I will come right out and say it. The truth is that you aren't really my son. I never married or even had sex with a man before. I had found you one day while traveling through the woods on my way to town. I had only one other traveling with me acting as my guide and body guard. When we stopped to take a break is when we had heard a babies cry. I had convinced my guide to go and investigate what we heard. He came back with you in his arms. I took you from him as I knew that you were special, different. My guide promised to say nothing about how we found you. I am sorry that I never told you the truth but I felt that it was time to come clean. Can you ever forgive me?"