The fox and the hunter

13- truth comes to light

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Chapter 13

Shiro stared at the letter almost in disbelief. He had never known that the woman who raised him and cared for him all those years wasn't his actual mother. But know it raised very important questions for Shiro. Who were his real folks and why did they leave him in the forest? Shiro felt so drained that he fell off of Zangetsu causing Kenpachi to halt the horses.

"Shiro.... Are you all right?" questioned Kenpachi as he dismounted his horse. Shiro was panting as he didn't look too well. Kenpachi cursed to himself as he took his flask of water and a cloth wetting it as he dampened Shiro's head. He was burning up. "How long have you been like this Shiro? How long have you been pushing your body to its limit?" questioned Kenpachi.

"Since meeting Ichigo. I have to help him. I'm the only one who can." replied Shiro panting.

"Not in this condition you cant. Shiro remember that your only human. Your body needs to rest. Remember what happened the last time you pushed yourself?" Shiro tried not to shutter at that thought. It was a large mission that required the most skilled hunters to take down a demonic dragon. Shiro had over used his powers and worn himself out that in the end not only did he take out the dragon but, almost half of the party as his demonic powers went into protection mode. "Remember you have me to help you. Your no good to Ichigo if you can't help yourself first. We will camp here for a while so rest up." stated Kenpachi. Shiro nodded his head as he crawled over to a nearby tree sitting himself up right against it. Kenpachi handed Shiro the fox who looked as bad as Shiro. Kenpachi then tied up the horses and went to find some fire wood. Tensa sat near Shiro as he stroked Ichigo's fur. Slowly the hunter fell fast asleep.

As Shiro slept he dreamed of a woman whose face he couldn't see and what looked like a man who was as pale as Shiro was. They were running as the woman seemed to hold a small bundle in her arms.

"We won't manage to escape with him. They will kill him before he has a chance to live out the prophecy." the woman stated.

"Run on ahead and hide him quickly. The forest will protect him. I will hold them off as long as I can. Hurry and run. Don't let them catch you or see where you have hidden him. Now go." yelled out the man. The woman stood on her tippy toes kissing the pale man gently.

"I love you. No matter what happens you must find him when he's old enough to learn the truth." the woman stated as she clutched the bundle tight to her chest running as fast as she could. Shiro watched as she placed the tiny bundle down on the ground pulling back part of the blanket to reveal an all white baby.

'Me.... That baby is me!' Shiro thought to himself as the woman slowly came into focus. It was a young woman with long orange hair and blue grey eyes. 'She must be my real mother.' Shiro thought to himself as the woman leaned over him kissing baby Shiro softly on the head. "I love you." she stated rising. "Please..... Keep him safe!" she told the woods before running again. The woman didn't get too far as a group of humans caught up to her.

"Where is he?" they asked.

"I will never tell you!" she replied spitting in their faces. Shiro watched as they tortured his mother for where they hid Shiro. Finally a young looking man with slick brown hair and sharp brown eyes approached his mother.

"Tell us where you have hidden the baby Orihime Inoe." demanded the brown haired male.

'Orihime Inoe. That is my mothers name.' Shiro thought. Shiro watched as Orihime spat in the mans face.

"You will never find him Aizen. That child is going to complete the prophecy. You shall never reign over this world. He will stop you." growled Orihime. Aizen snarled sharply as he took Orihime's head into his hands and swiftly broke her neck killing his mother.

Shiro awoke with a frightened cry screaming out his mothers name as blood tears streaked down his face. A pale man stood before him smiling weakly.

"At last.... I have finally found you, my son." he stated before collapsing almost on Shiro. Shiro never saw Ichigo shape shift catching Shiro's father in his arms.

"Dad?" questioned Shiro weakly. Ichigo placed the pale man down onto the ground. The mans skin was pale white as he had scruffy looking black hair and teal streaks that ran down his face from his eyes.

"He's all right Shiro. Just visibly weakened. I can only help him a little bit as I don't have a lot of strength or power to help him. But you on the other hand do." Ichigo stated. Shiro looked at the fox.

"What do I have to do?" Shiro asked.

"Rest and remember. Call upon the powers within you to heal and help him." Ichigo stated before shifting back into fox form as he curled up right next to Shiro. Shiro's father was passed out on the other side of Shiro. Shiro looked at Tensa calling his wolf over.

"Just make sure Kenpachi doesn't attack him before I wake up." he told the wolf as Tensa nodded his head. Shiro closed his eyes as he began to dream once again picking up where he saw his mother die.

His father who didn't look as he did now as he looked more demonic in nature. He has black-furred lower body that looks almost like a demon from hell complete with the large black wings. Clawed hands and feet, his sclera turn green, grows a long thin prehensile tail, two long horns erupt from the side of his head, and gains markings similar to blood flowing freely from a hole in his chest.

"Orihime!" he cries out picking up the woman's body. "Where is our son? Did they get him?" he asked as blood tears came streaking down his face.

"He's safe. I hid him in the forest. I am sorry Ulquiorra. I wish I could be there for him but I can't. Raise him well my love." Orihime stated with her last breath before she closed her eyes as she was dead. Ulquiorra screams out crying as his one and only love was dead. Ulquiorra barries her body within the forest as he spread open his wings trying to find his son.

Ulquiorra heard a babies cry as he flew off quickly to see a green haired woman with a red sunburn across her face holding his son. The bald headed male told her about finding the baby in the woods.

"We will take him with us. Nobody must know that we found him alone in the woods. I will raise him as if he was my child." stated the woman.

"Very well Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. But he is going to need a name." stated the bald man.

"His name will be Shirosaki Ogichi. Remember Ikkaku Madarame, nobody can know the truth about how we found him." stated Nelliel.

"Very well Nell." replied Ikkaku. Ulquiorra smiled at the woman naming his son.

'Shirosaki. Perhaps it is best if he was raised by humans.' Ulquiorra thought to himself as he then used his powers to seal up Shiro's memory until such a time when he was old enough and strong enough. And also until he reunited with his father once again. The dream ended with Ulquiorra spreading his wings and taking off.