Prologue:

I remember the beginning of my life. My eyes fluttered open to a cluster of warm light, sprinkled across a field of blue flowers that danced in the wind like waves of glistening water. The sweet scent of spring filled the air as my body slowly came to life. Gentle and calm. I splayed my fingers and reached out towards the horizon, trying to touch the clouds that crept on by. My body was naked, stretched out on the cool, soft grass. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but I didn't know any words. I couldn't remember. My name. My past. My mind was blank, only filled with the blue flowers and the warmth of my first day. I sat up and felt my back being caressed by something strange. I turned to see my tails, full and glistening a healthy red, swaying back and forth in sync with the flower's dance. There were nine of them, intertwining with one another as if to greet old friends. Somehow, I knew having tails was wrong, but it was so familiar. I reached to touch the top of my head and felt two ears, pointed and covered in fur. My tongue trailed my teeth and was suddenly pricked by a pair of sharp canines. I knew I was different, even if I didn't have the words to explain it. What am I, I wondered.

Suddenly, a word came to mind. My first word.

Demon.

Part One: Jackal

8 years later…

"The world is split in two. The southern hemisphere is ruled by Onagi Oda, a power hungry madman that mercilessly slaughtered the natives of the southern continents. He built his new kingdom, trimmed in gold to show off his overwhelming wealth. His kingdom and country is named Amaris, after his wife, Amara, whom was killed in battle against the king to the north. The northern hemisphere is ruled by Jackal, a man who cast away his birth name and past to become a ruthless military mastermind. No one knows where he came from or his linage, but he managed to claw his way to the top of the rebel territories and was crowned king of the northern continents. He rebuilt his kingdom trimmed in iron to show his unmatchable physical strength and endurance. His kingdom is named Kurama after a powerful fox demon, who supposedly gave Jackal his name. The two kings are both—"

"Pompous jerks," Naruto grumbled and rolled over in bed, pulling the covers over his blonde mess of hair.

"Don't interrupt, you brat," I growled, grabbed the covers and yanked them off. Naruto hissed at the cold and curled up into a ball.

"It's freezing!" he complained and glared at me. "You should be nicer! I'm just a kid, you old fart!"

Old fart? My ears flattened to my head as my tails twitched in annoyance.

"I look but a day over nineteen, you rotten thing!" I yelled and popped him on the head. "You should pay attention to your elders when they are trying to teach you—"

"I don't wanna hear about the two kings and why they stink!" Naruto screamed as he rubbed his head. I sighed in frustration as he stared up at me with his big blue eyes. I could see the anger in his eyes, but above all...I saw the fear.

"They make you fight and I don't like it! It doesn't matter who or what they did or why they did it. I hate them!" With that Naruto grabbed his pillow and buried his face in it. His little shoulders started to quiver. I couldn't tell if he was crying or shivering from the freeze. This damned room had more holes in it than Naruto's common sense. The blizzard outside kept finding its way in.

"Naruto," I sighed, choking down the frustration. "They don't make me do anything. Right now I'm working for Jackal as a mercenary. The two kings are at war and war gives demons like me a lot of work. How else do you think I pay for our traveling expenses?"

A sniffle came up from the pillow and Naruto shook his head. "What kind of answer is that?" I laughed and pulled the covers back on his small body. Out of habit, I started to tuck him in.

He rolled over and swatted my hands away. "I'm not five anymore! I can tuck myself in." He pouted with his brows furrowed.

"Yeah. Yeah. And six is such a big difference?" I teased and ruffled his hair. He opened his mouth to protest, but I placed my hand over it to cut him off. "Go to sleep," I demanded. "Human brats need sleep, especially whiny ones like you." Naruto grumbled and glared up at me.

He pulled my hand down and said with a huff, "Fine."

"Good brat," I laughed and got up to go to the bathroom. My eyes couldn't help but survey the room for the millionth time and, like all the other times, I didn't appreciate what I saw. The paint on the walls was peeling, there was no heater and the tiny bed was the only furniture in the entire room. I could only afford a crappy, one room apartment after spending several months on the road from Amaris to the outlands of Kurama's constantly frozen borders. I would be able to afford something better after working a few weeks for Jackal's army.

Just before I closed the door to the bathroom, Naruto turned over and mumbled, "Goodnight, Kyuubi." Although his voice sounded frustrated, I could feel the warmth of his words.

"Goodnight, Naruto" I answered back and shut the door behind me. It was Naruto and those simple words that gave me a purpose in this screwed up life of mine. If I hadn't found him four years ago, I'd probably still be working for Onagi Oda, slaughtering the native rebels that managed to survive the original holocaust he enacted when his rein first began.

Working for Jackal as a mercenary isn't much different when I think about it. Killing is killing.

"Stop thinking," I told myself as my eyes trailed to the mirror above the sink. The mirror was smudged and unclear, but I could still see my eyes of crimson staring back at me beyond the fog. I looked so different from Naruto. Although that's normal considering we aren't even the same species. He's a human. I'm…well, a demon.

I wadded some toilet paper in my hand and wiped down the mirror. Now that the mirror was clean, I could see myself clearly for the first time in several weeks. I grimaced at the sight.

Naruto and I didn't have a room for quite some time. We had to camp out till now, so there was no way I could really do anything to make myself look even slightly presentable. I was meeting Jackal and his military counsel tomorrow. I had to do something about…well, me.

My long red hair was sticking up every which way and looked even dirtier than I imagined. My porcelain skin was glossed over with the frost that seemed to plague this entire sector of Kurama. Even my lips were cracked and dull.

"I look more like a ghost than a demon," I grumbled to myself. With a long and exhausted sigh, I began to brush out my hair with my fingers. "Ouch," I hissed when one of my claws scratched my scalp. "Crap. My claws need to be shaved down too."

This was going to be a long night.

Three hours and a freezing bath later I finally looked like me again. After a final glance in the mirror, I gave myself a toothy grin and walked out of the bathroom. Naruto was sound asleep, curled up in the one blanket we had left.

"Greedy brat," I grumbled and plopped in bed next to him. It was a small bed, but we both managed to fit pretty comfortably. Naturally, Naruto snuggled closer to me and I wrapped my arm around him. I couldn't help but think about how big he's getting. Even his little bob of spiked-blonde hair was growing faster than I expected. With a sigh, I started to pet his head. It always use to help him sleep when we had to camp practically in the middle of a battle field or when the air outside was so cold, I thought even I would freeze to death. We've had it pretty rough these past few years, but now that I'll finally get some work, I'll be able to provide Naruto with more. Maybe a nice coat and something actually tasty to eat.

With thoughts of sweets and soft fur coats bouncing in my head, I found myself drifting off into a warm and gentle sleep. Even the blizzard outside couldn't touch Naruto and I.

Not when we were together.

6:00 AM

Naruto was up and ready before my body even considered waking up. "Kyuubi!" Naruto whined, "Wake up!" I could feel his small hands pulling and pushing me, but I still didn't want to open my eyes. I was having such nice dreams about freshly cooked roast and chicken. Candies and nice warm clothes.

"Leave me alone," I growled. "Sleep is good."

"You're meeting with that jerk, Jackal, is gonna start in three hours and we aren't even close to the capital city!" With that, Naruto literally tackled me. It didn't hurt. He felt as light as a feather, but I couldn't allow the brat to get away with it.

I shot up with a mocking roar and threw my hands in the air, fingers curved into crocked talons. All nine of my tails prickled into spikes and rose over my head. "You have awakened the demon of DOOM! Now, I shall devour you and your little soul!" Naruto didn't even bat an eyelash. I was simply greeted with an unimpressed look on his six year old face and a sigh of frustration.

"The demon of doom stopped being scary when I was three," he folded his arms and said matter of factly.

"Hmp, you were more fun when you were actually scared of me," I grumbled and hopped out of bed. "And don't worry about making it to that Jackal's den. There's a ferry that'll take us over the frozen lake. The capital is just past it."

"A ferry?" He said, unconvinced. "How does it go in a frozen lake?"

"Eh, it's more like a big sled built to get travelers back and forth easier. It was made specifically to glide over the thin ice covering the top of the lake," I explained while brushing my hair. This time my nails didn't cut my scalp. They were nicely trimmed and all shiny. Ah. It feels so nice to pamper myself now and then. Even though I'm a demon mercenary, I'm still a bachelor demon in desperate need of tail. And not the kind of tail/tails I already have.

"I doubt they are gonna let us on. They might consider me a citizen of Amaris," Naruto's eyes filled with worry. A kid his age shouldn't have such a look on their face.

"Look at me," I said as I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him close. "No matter what happens, I'll get us to the capital. Jackal knows you're with me and he considers you a rebel native, not one of Oda's spoiled followers."

Naruto's gaze dropped to the floor. "I'm just scared they'll send me back." He mumbled. I found Naruto four years ago, while I was still working for Oda's army. He was crying amongst a field covered in fallen rebel soldiers that I had, regretfully, been the one to take down. It was the first time I had ever seen a child…and the first time I had ever felt anything but hatred for another living creature.

"I'll never let anyone take you from me." I said reassuringly. My tails bristled at the very thought of anyone taking Naruto from me. We were family now. We were one. "You're my brother. So, we'll always be together, understand?"

Naruto didn't look so sure. "Understand?" I retorted.

He squared his shoulders, looked up at me with such determined eyes and nodded curtly. "Good." I smiled. "Now, let's head out before this damned apartment finally caves in on itself."

Naruto finally cracked a little smirk and grabbed my hand in his. I looked down at him and grinned. Most people would never take a demon's hand. Most are too afraid, but not Naruto. He was brave the very moment I took him from the battle field and escaped from Oda's territory.

We headed out of the apartment and downstairs. I dropped the key to our room in the main office mail box and didn't even bother telling the landlord bye. It was a sweet old lady who owned the place, but she'd probably be sleeping in on an especially cold day like this. Just as Naruto and I made it outside and into the snowy street, something came from the sky and fell at our feet. We both looked up and saw the old lady leaning over the second story balcony.

"It's a coat!" She called down with a big smile. "It'll be pretty big on the boy, but it should keep him warm." She waved happily and disappeared back inside before I could thank her.

Naruto picked up the coat and put it on. It practically touched his knees it was so baggy, but it was made of nice black leather and trimmed in what I assumed was white fox fur. "It's so warm," Naruto said in awe. "She's such a nice granny."

"Yes, it looks expensive too. We'll have to come back and repay her when we get a chance." I smiled and inwardly thanked the old woman. It was good seeing Naruto warm for once.

Today started off so good. When I look back, I still wonder how it could have gone so wrong.