As the moon rose higher in the sky, and the mist began to settle on the forest floor, whispers from demons all around began to travel on the wind; Youko Kurama was dead. "It's true!" some would shout, bursting through doors in local taverns, as others would simply hang their head in mourning to remember the bandit at his best.
One demon in particular simply couldn't believe the news. This was the Legendary Bandit, a demon who had been unstoppable for thousands of years; weeks ago he had been informed that King Enma had men tracking the Youko, but hadn't thought twice that the errand boys would defeat a demon of that class. Refusing to take the word of a tavern drunkard, the demon set out to witness for himself.
It took days to decipher the area based on rumors, and days still to track the body. But sprawled across the roots of a large camphor tree lay Youko Kurama, his features untouched by time, even in death. The forest had already begun to take back what was once it's own, tendrils of roots climbing up the demon's arms and legs and tangling around the wound that had inevitably been the end of him. Though unfortunate, the validity of the situation wasn't the strangest aspect.
The four eared demon sighed, breaking the pregnant silence of the forest, before a small smile played across his lips. He could sense that the Youko's reiki was all but gone, his spirit gone with it. 'How cunning..' he thought, and couldn't help but feel a bit relieved, and even a bit excited for what grand scheme Youko Kurama would try to pull off next; for death, it seemed, was not to be the end of him.
Hours passed as the Youko's old colleague tidied up the gravesite, adjusting it in a way to allow passerby to properly pay their respects. It wasn't till he was about excuse himself when he sensed it. Nearby, nestled in a patch of wildflowers, lay the tattered remains of Kurama's seed pouch. Each seed he had collected in his years sat in a pile, sprouts shooting out of most of them and digging in to the fertile earth. Though there was something more..
One large shoot sprouted from the center of the bunch, it's leaves nearly pulsing with energy. The demon sensed it's potential, and though confused by the implications, pushed his own energy tenderly upon the shoot. The plant seemed to grow marginally, the leaves coiling tighter to form a sizeable bud. There, wrapped protectively in the center, was a gentle energy. It hummed with reiki, singing in his many ears.
Sensing no immanent danger, Yomi settled down to tend to and invest in this potential miracle among miracles..