One.

The crows gathered amongst the treetops, watching as the young boy ventured into the woods, unbeknownst of the tales that lied within them, of the many spirits which roamed the land, in search of a savior. But within them lied a monster, who when awoken had been dealt a terrible fate. A life filled with sorrow, remorse, hunger. A sense of longing so deep, so beautiful, he would kill to satisfy it. No matter how many times it took, how many lives wasted. But who knew fate could be so cruel?

Their eyes watched as a young child ventured within those woods, taking in the splendor of his youth. Surely, they thought, this could satisfy their master. And so they called for him, wings slicing through the breeze as their cries filled the night's air. And the boy, who knew not of his fate, only crept further, curiosity brimming at the seams. He took one step, followed by another, until the moon could no longer be seen, and the skies once so full of stars were now shrouded by branches. Their bare arms twisting this way and that, in a desperate attempt for light.

Two.

His assailants continued to circle from above, leering down at their prey, coaxing him further. More, more, they thought to themselves as he found his way to the center of it all, where the dirt path now ceased. There he met a single tree that stood apart from the rest, its insides hollowed out, as if it could act as some sort of shelter. And he would've explored further, but something held him back, and from somewhere within, something urged him to fall back.

Three.

"…Hn…?" He woke to the sound of birds crying, looking out to the darkness in search of prey, somewhere, he knew, someone was out there. Waiting, watching. The older male yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when a familiar aroma enticed him from his dreams. It was something tasteful, mixed with curiosity and fear all at once. A child? He thought to himself, thinking of the last to roam through these woods, the sweet scent of innocence that came with it

A child…

He tore himself from bed and walked from his home out into the open field, where the boy waited, gazing about, oblivious to his company.

"Child," The boy jumped, now looking towards the male who spoke to him, "Don't you know better than to venture within these woods?"

His eyes began to search the male, looking to the tattered remains of fabric that lined his torso, to the worn denim that hung from his hips. He wore no shoes, but rather left them bare, his feet resting against the dirt as something swept from behind them. It had an unusual glow about it, repeating that same sweeping motion as the boy stared, transfixed. It appeared translucent, almost see through, as if it were made from some type of energy-

"It's not polite to stare."

He met the stranger's gaze as he began to make out the details of his face. At the blonde hair that sat at his waist, locks dreaded and tied with brightly orange beads, but atop his head sat two ears, much like a cats. They twitched and moved, but never once disappeared, made up of the same material as his tail. And his skin, a pale white seemed to compliment the faint reds of his eyes, fitting all too nicely with that crooked grin.

"Are you done?"

The boy shouted, pointing a boney finger at the male, "A cat! You're a cat!"

The crows began to shout, their laughter echoing within the forest as the boy stood, amazed by all that was happening. But with one menacing look, the birds quieted, and continued on waiting patiently for the attack.

"I'm a fox, no mere cat." He explained, looking to the boy with a grimace, "I am the spirit of this forest, the very one that keeps this place alive. The trees, the grass, they are bred from the fertility of my life, and rely on such to thrive. But this life comes with a cost. Have you never heard of the demon that roams within these woods?"

"A demon?" The boy now sat, cross legged in the dirt below, looking to the man as a child would his father, patiently waiting for another story.

"One who lures people into these woods, never to be seen again. A demon so vile he gnaws on their very flesh, and tosses their brittle bones to his pets, who fight so viciously over scraps. A demon so violent he'll torture you until all the bloods been drained from your poor body. One so villainous that even his friends ran from his side. That's the kind of demon you'll find in these woods."

"Sounds lonely. I'd be his friend."

The older male raised an eyebrow, looking to the boy who simply smiled, as if all the wonders of the world could be solved with a simple answer. "You would?"

"Well yeah." The boy snorted, "No one wants to be alone, no matter how bad you may seem. There's always a little bit of good in someone right? Or at least that's what my father says."

"Well your dad's dumb…"

The younger male yawned, rolling onto his back as he stared up at the sky, looking to the branches that reached high up, "Maybe. But with all the good in the world, there's gotta be a little bit of bad. And if I can help this demon from whatever darkness clouds him, well then maybe I can show him the good that's still in the world."

"What is your name boy?"

"Sasuke." He yawned again, his eyes falling shut as his breathing slowed, "…Uchiha."

He stood for a few minutes more, listening to the soft snores of a child, who had stumbled across his path. But unlike his other victims, the fox decided to let this one escape from his grasps, for whatever reason, he hadn't known. But he carried him in his arms, to the entrance of his prison, suddenly aware of the own beating of his heart. He placed the boy atop the dirt, and waited until sunrise before taking his leave, retreating back into the sanctity of his home where he would wait for his next prey.