A Tale of Two Foxes: (Kogitsune X Mikazuki)

A Tale of Two Foxes - Chapter 13

CHAPTER 15

Inari Okami strolled leisurely around the sparsely grown forest, making her way to the large lake bordering the edge of her realm. She was restless of late, unable to focus on anything but the suffering of her children. Helpless to assist, Inari could do nothing except worry and wait.

When she reached the water's edge, she took a moment to admire the scene before her. The lake spanned as far as the eye could see, the surface crystal clear and undisturbed. The moon, in all its Heavenly glory, hung heavy in the sky, admiring its reflection in the lake's shimmering waters. It was a calming and inspiring sight, but it did nothing to ease the anxiety coiled tightly in the goddess' belly.

Inari knelt down, tapping her finger on the lake's surface and sending a wave of gentle ripples through the water. She was about to undress and take a dip in the cool waters when a flash of movement caught the corner of her vision. With deliberate slowness, Inari rose from the ground, adjusting her kimono and turning to face the intruder.

"Hello, mother."

Fear blossomed in Inari's chest, setting her heart galloping. Her first instinct was to flee to the safety of the trees, but she knew running wouldn't save her. The male who stood before her would run her down, chasing her to the ends of the earth to exact his revenge. She'd been able to defeat him once, but considering how viciously resourceful her opponent was, Inari wasn't sure she'd succeed a second time.

Kogitsune stood several feet away, his massive frame rigid and unmoving. He said nothing more, waiting patiently for his mother to make the first move. His crimson gaze burned brightly under the light of the silvery moon, a familiar darkness swirling in their fiery depths. Strands of his long white hair framed his emotionless expression, falling loosely around his broad shoulders. The feathery ends swayed softly in the breeze; so long they nearly scraped the ground beneath his feet. He was magnificent and terrifying, the embodiment of pure and unbridled power.

"You have been reborn," Inari said, lifting her chin in false confidence. "You are whole once more."

Kogitsune's head cocked to the side, his eerily passive gaze examining her closely. "You told me to come to you. Why do you speak as though you're surprised by my rebirth?"

"I'm not surprised," Inari answered, schooling her face to coolness. "But I did not expect you to return so quickly. It makes me wonder how much of your past life you actually recall."

"I remember everything," Kogitsune answered, taking a step closer.

Inari took a step back. "If that's true, why do you appear so calm?"

"I am not calm, mother. I am anything but. I am lost and confused, haunted by the horrors of a past I can't escape. I've committed innumerable atrocities, their number outweighed only by the level of brutality. I can't forget these sins nor can I reconcile them. I am reborn, but I am not the being I once was."

Inari paused in her retreat, taking a moment to search Kogitsune's gaze. There she saw his power and rage, the need to hunt and feed. But what she did not expect to see was the fear and hesitation; the pain and anguish of ceaseless regret. Kogitsune was indeed reborn, but not as the creature Inari had been forced to imprison in the sword years ago. And as Kogitsune continued his slow approach, the fear Inari had felt only moments ago faded away.

"Forgive me, mother," Kogitsune whispered, reaching out and pulling her into his arms. "I betrayed you and your love. The crimes I've committed; the lives I've claimed... your punishment was a mercy."

Before Inari could respond, Kogitsune fell to his knees before her. With his cheek pressed to the flat of her belly, he wrapped his arms around her narrow waist.