The Fox and the Hound

By ginhoshi ~

( starrblossom@hotmail.com )

Spoilers? : Geh, not a chance. It's a total AU. ^_^

An asterisk (This - * ) by a word and/or sentence means there is a note for it at the bottom.

This is a first person past. Meaning it's a POV fic. For whom, you'll just have to see. But I think you'll be able to guess pretty easily. ^^'

Couples: Eventual Heero + Duo & Trowa + Quatre that I can think of so far...

Warnings: Shounen-ai, cursing, weirdness, lots of morphing, me making up stuff as I go along... err... ^.^'

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Gundam Wing...and little blue fire gnomes are flying out my ass. I think everyone knows the disclaimer drill, "We no claim to own purdy Gundam Wing so please no sue us!"


It was nighttime in the Gale* woods. Everything was quiet and still save for the chirping crickets and the softly whispering wind. The full moon hung high and bright in the dark sky. Snow covered the ground like a shimmering ivory blanket. The moon's rays shone through the bare, snow slick tree branches creating the effect of several large, glistening spider webs. The wooded area was particularly beautiful that night, almost ethereal in its serenity, although the steadily growing mass of grey clouds in the navy-dark sky told tale that a thunderstorm would like very much to interrupt that serene perfection.

Damn I hate the rain. And it definitely wasn't gonna help my current situation any.

I, the renowned stealth fox, had a hound hot on my tail. Well, tails actually, but I'm not one to quibble over details.

I had been running for quite a while and was, at that point, finding it hard to keep up the pace I was running at. It seemed that no matter how fast I ran or how many times I ducked and dodged, he was always right there behind me.

Actually, I found it quite odd that a damned Husky would be able to keep up with me. After all, something that big was bound to be fairly slow. Or at least wouldn't be able to maneuver around as well. Most of the time anyway.

If you couldn't tell already, I'd never met a Husky before. And I'll tell ya; it was just great meeting one under those circumstances. *

My breathing quick, my heartbeat pounding in my sensitive ears and my muscles weary, I turned my head to look behind me.

Yep, he was still right there. Right there and following my every movement. His face was decidedly emotionless, yet his Prussian blue eyes were shining with the adrenalin and excitement of the hunt.

I realized I was staring and slowing losing ground while I was at it and swivelled my head back in front of me as I tried to speed up.

My lungs were on fire and I cursed mentally as crystalline drops of liquid began to pour forth from the cloud-covered canvas above us.

'Well isn't this just my luck. As if Superdoggy wasn't enough, it just has to start raining now'

Of course, I knew earlier that it was going to rain, I was just hoping to lose the mutt before it did.

Did I mention how much I hated the rain?

A bolt of purple lightning lit the night sky briefly, before giving way to a ground shuttering 'boom'.

I jumped. No matter how many times I hear it, it still scares the shit out of me. Damn the rain.

I could hear the Husky's paws pounding into the ground behind me. It seemed while I was just getting more and more tired and worn from the run, he appeared to get faster and stronger, relishing in the fact that he was better than I and he was soon to have his prey.

Damn that stupid Husky.

As if he could hear my thoughts, he gave me a fierce, fanged smirk.

The storm was becoming even more torrential and the cold wind blew the much-hated rain water to fully soak my silvery fur.

My fox-kin's fur changed from a lovely russet-red in the warm seasons to an elegant silver-white in the fall and winter in order to blend in with the snow. *

Yeah, much good that did me. No amount of blending could keep that hunting dog from keeping chase and I sure as hell wasn't going to try to lose him by being still. I was slightly crazy but I wasn't outright stupid.

Caught up in my thoughts, I tumbled right over a patch of snow-covered rocks, cutting myself several places in the process.

Luckily a tree broke my fall. Yeah, lucky little me. I think coordination must have skipped a generation in my family. That would explain everything.

I felt a heated gaze on my back and slowly turned around.

'Oh...shit.'

There he was, in the (grey and white) fur and inches in front of me. His deep blue eyes narrowed and he let out a little snarl, showcasing his gleaming white canines.

That was it. I was so dead. After all my stupid little stunts and near death encounters, I was finally gonna bite the dust. So to speak.

I gulped and closed my eyes tight, waiting for the end.

Then it happened. An immensely bright flare of light cracked nearby and a loud crash assaulted my senses.

The bolt of lightning had stuck a tree and sent it collapsing down right behind my personal tormenter.

Fear gripped my heart in its iron grasp, yet my instincts sent me flying away from the dog at speeds I hadn't thought I could obtain in my current exhausted state.

I ran hard and fast and nearly cried when I recognized a small waterfall a short distanced away.

I looked back at only saw the black of the woods. No Husky.

I leapt into the river and fought again the current, to make it through the falls watery curtain to the rocky den hidden behind.

I gasped for breath despite myself. For some reason I didn't want to make a noise or move too much, even though the roar of the falling water prevented me from being heard and I hadn't seen my pursuer when I looked back. Not to mention he couldn't catch my scent in the water...

I sighed -as much as a fox could anyway- and concentrated all my being on morphing back.

Snow-white fur slowly receded then disappeared as my pale skin began to take its place when I slowly began to change back to my human form.

After a few seconds, when my body was finally fully transformed, I leaned back heavily against the stone wall of my temporary sanctuary, breathing another sigh. This time of relief.

I finally noticed the pain after my sudden dose of energy wore off.

I winced and glanced down at the many bleeding cuts all over my body.

With a groan I slid to sit on the hard ground and brought my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and looking at my crimson splotched palms.

That dog, that Husky, was after me and I could tell just by looking at him, at his cold face and fiercely determined eyes, that he wasn't going to give up until he had caught what he was hunting for. His prey. His hunt.

Me.

I closed my eyes and dropped my hands at my sides, giving in to my need for rest.

Sleep was slowly claiming me and I managed to say out loud to myself before it pulled me into its warm embrace, "Oooh, you are in such deep shit now Duo."


ginhoshi: *squeals* The first chapter of my first Gundam Wing fan fic! I'm so happy! Now, what do you think my wonderful, wonderful readers? Did I do well? Please give me some feedback by reviewing. Please?

Elfwin: *scoffs* You're assuming you have readers. I doubt anyone is wasting their time reading this junk.

ginhoshi: Shut it muse boy! I don't need you yet, so why don't you go out and scare little children or something?

Elfwin: Excuse me?! Oh you are so dea-

ginhoshi: *glares* How would you like your legs to be Space Monkey chew toys?

Space Monkeys: *all give wide grins showing off their very sharp teeth*

Elfwin: *pales* Err...IjustrememberedIhadsomethingtodo. Bye!

ginhoshi: *smiles serenely* Good. *looks back at the readers* I'd very much appreciate constructive criticism. If you need to know anything, just ask. And remember, all flames will be feed to my Space Monkeys.

SP (Space Monkeys): Meep! ^_^

· Story Note 1: Gale Island and the Gale Woods are places that I came up with a long time ago. When I first wanted to write a fantasy novel in fact. They are/were pretty much supposed to signify everything that is mystical and magical. That's why I though it would be a good place for this story to take place. I guess I kind of wanted to relive some of my old writing and dreams as well. ^-^ *sighs in remembrance*

· Story Note 2: I think Huskies make fine hunting dogs. I mean, I have one and he used to kill poor unsuspecting squirrels and rabbits in the backyard. ^.^' At least he's good at that. Let's just say he's too late to train as a sled dog. Heh, it's a long story.

· Story Note 3: Yes, Duo's fox-kin are relatives to the Arctic Fox.