Ookami no Mubi
Chapter Two
By: Gator Ri and Kellendraysia
She sighed in an exasperated tone both at her husband and her daughter. She didn't like Saitou breaking his promise to their daughter but she also didn't like the way that Kei`hoshi handled it always either.
Getting to her feat the woman made her way to her daughter's room and rapped lightly on the door, "Kei`hoshi?" she questioned, gently wanting to try and talk to the girl.
The girl sighs and rolls over on her sleeping mat and she shrugs off her wet hakama pants after finishing her short bout of tears. Using the wet pants like a mop she first cleaned off her feet then wiped up the her muddy foot prints from the floor. Folding up the dirty garments she went over to the closet and pulled out a fresh shirt, pair of short golden pants, that she wears under her hakamas as well as a dry pair of hakama. She looked at the heavy wool kimono and shook her head she wasn't that cold. Changing she placed her wet cloths all in a pile. At the sound of the knock, she sighed and walked over to the door. Kneeling down before the door, feet tucked under her, she slid the door open.
"Yes mother," she said softly, looking up at the woman. Her wet hair matted down against her face as it was starting to dry. She had a feeling that she was in trouble again.
Was kneeling as well when her daughter slid open the door. She looked at the young woman with a stern but understanding look, "Kei`hoshi, you should try and give your father some understanding. He works hard for us," she said trying to comfort her daughter yet make an argument for her husband.
Sighing she just shook her head, there was no use reprimanding the girl, "Why don't you go to market and get some things for dinner," she suggested, "I'm sure that your father will be home for it."
She at least hoped that Saitou would but knowing the man he probably wouldn't.
Getting up she walked towards the kitchen, "I will get you the list, and wear a cloak this time!" She called as she disappeared.
The girl sighed, "I know, I know but is still doesn't mean that he should have to go in to work all the time. It's not fair, it was his day off."
She looked at her mother with a slight smile; "Ok I can go to the market." It was raining out but she didn't care, it got her out of the house and away from the frustrations of her father leaving again. She normally had a good time when she went to the market, because she tended to run into friends there.
The girl flushed a little bit in embarrassment at forgetting it the last time that she had went out but well, she was in a hurry. "I will mother," Kei`hoshi said as she stood up and followed her mother, pausing long enough to shut her bedroom door. She grabbed her cloak from the hook and followed her mother into the kitchen, waiting patiently for her to finish the list and give her any other instructions.
After finishing the list she handed it to her daughter and smiled, "Now just make sure that the eggs don't get broke this time. I would prefer them not to be scrambled."
She ruffled the girl's red hair before waving at the door, "Now go. I have some cleaning to do."
The girl smiles as her mother ruffles her hair. "I'll try not to break them this time," she replies to her mother in a sheepish tone.
Then she takes the list from her mother the girl is off in a flash of green as she throws her cloak on and heads out into the rain, glad to be out of the house on good terms. She runs down the street, turning
corners quickly as she runs towards the market. She then slides to a literal halt as she reaches the edge of the market to look down at the list that she has under the protection of her coat. "Hmmm... Let's see here," she comments to herself aloud, then she starts to read the list. "Two diakon radishes, a dozen eggs, fresh mackerel..." Her voice trails off as she begins her search for everything.
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The little red fox, the size of a kit although actually full grown, huddled inside an abandoned barrel in an alley, near the market place. His ears were flattened to his head in a dejected manner, his usually bright red fur was wet and matted and he was wet, cold and hungry. He didn't really have the umph to move from his leaking barrel to find food so he laid in there curled in a ball for now, waiting out the rain.
Perked his large ears as he heard footsteps slapping through the mud, coming closer to his hiding place, but he didn't bother raising his head to look, he was too worn.
"Hey, come look at what I found!"
The little fox jumped at the sound of a voice so close to him and jerked his head to look and see the smudged face of a boy looking at him. Frightened the fox backed further into the barrel until he couldn't go any further.
"What?" came another voice as a second face and then a third appeared to look in on Kitsune.
They looked at each other and grinned, know they could have some fun, after whispering a few minutes to each other they split up and went to get a few things while one stayed to make sure that kit didn't move.
A few minutes later the other two returned and they reached in to grab the fox.
Kitsune growled at them but with so many hands there was no way to get away as he was hauled out of the leaky barrel and into the rain and the clutches of the three boys.
A few minutes later there was a frightened fox being chased down the market with a cowbell clanging behind him as it was tied to his bushy tail, and three boys gleefully chasing him.
Kit ran for all he was worth as the loud noise chased him, his breathing heaving out as he slipped in the mud making his fur turn to an even dirtier looking brown.
The girl looked over her shoulder at the sound of the cowbell clanging loudly down the center of the market, then squeaked quite loudly when the fox ran right under her. Hearing the group of boys clamoring after the little fox Kei`hoshi turned around, setting the goods that she had already purchased down at the stand that she was looking over for fresh rice and stepped in the way of the group of them.
"Why don't you leave the poor thing alone," the girl chided the group as she reached out to snag the leader of the group by the shirt or the ear, which ever she could grab first.
"Especially you Hotaru," she snapped, "You know better then to pick on poor little animals. What would your mother say if she caught you."
Hotaru looked up at Kei`hoshi an ashamed look on his face, he had never dreamed that he would be caught by her, "I'm sorry. No, she wouldn't." He tugged at his shirt, "I promise not to do it again if you let me go," he looked at his friends, "Right guys?" they nodded in agreement.
The little fox took refuge under the vendor's table, as it was covered by a cloth and held good hiding for him. Lying there in a crouched position he panted heavily from the exertion that was caused by the run. He looked behind him at the thing that had made noise, it was definitely not a pleasant noise, nor feeling.
Ears flattening against his skull he tried to pull at the twine that was tightly tied to the bushy appendage, he wanted the thing off.
"Good! Now why don't you be a good boy Hotaru and go help your mom who's probably looking for you here in the market," Kei`hoshi said with a smile. "You should at least ask her if she needs help before running off with your friends." She let the boy go and went back to trying to gather up all the goods her mother told her to get.
As she picked up her goods that she set down as she had caught hold of the boy to hear this odd clanking noise. Crouching down she looked under the table at the little fox who was trying to get the twine off of his tail.
"Hello there little one, let me help you out since those mean boys tided you up," she said to the little fox in a soft voice, trying not to scare the poor thing as she reached underneath the table to try and pick him up.
The little animal let go of the twine and looked at Kei`hoshi with large eyes full of fear. Then ears flattening even tighter against his skull he bared his little fangs at her and growled softly, he wasn't about to be taken hold of again so soon. He was usually quite trusting but being picked on by boys made him leery of the girl at the moment. He back up a few inches, the bell dragging in the dirt, until he felt the cloth of the table behind him. This stopped him as he continued to stand his ground, although he really wasn't in any shape to.
"Well is that anyway to greet someone who has just chased those mean boys away?" Kei`hoshi said to the fox as she peered under the table, pulling her hand back she sat up a moment before she reached in her pocket and felt something inside. She had forgotten about buying the pieces of jerky earlier to tide her over till mother made dinner. Pulling it out of her pocket she broke of a chunk.
"Here, how about a truce? I got a nice treat here for you if your hungry," she said as she crouched down before the table and moved a bit further under it holding out the piece of jerky to the little animal.
The little animal's growls died away at the girl's soft words but his ears stayed flattened, trust was something that she would more than likely have to earn. At the production of the jerky his ears perked
as hunger over won fear and he crept forward to take a sniff at the food proffered to him.
Teal eyes watched her as he gave that sniff, the smell making his stomach growl audibly. Then tentatively he took hold of the jerky, all the while his eyes on her, giving a tug on the meat to take it from her grasp he would quickly gobble it up.
The girl blinked, startled as the little fox tugs the piece of jerky free from her hand before she has to stifle the laughter as the little fox chows down the jerky.
"Well, well looks like some one is hungry. Want another piece little guy?" Kei`hoshi asks as she pulls out another piece of jerky to hold out to the little animal. She has to resist trying to reach under the table and trying to pull the little animal out from under the table at the moment.
A pink tongue appears to lick his lips after the last of the jerky is gone. Large eager eyes then look up at the girl, as there seems to be a bit more trust in them.
As she pulls out another piece of jerky his tongue lolls out of his mouth as he again makes his way forward, less cautiously this time, and takes the piece of jerky from only to back a few inches from her to wolf down this new piece of food.
Looking up at her again with eager eyes he reaches out and gives her a tentative nudge on her hand with his cold black nose.
The girl chuckled slightly as the cold nose nudged her hand. "Well it looks like someone is in a bit of a better mood," the girl says as she moves her hand so that she can pet the little fox's head gently.
"How about letting me get that nasty bell off your tail," Kei`hoshi adds before she reaches down and starts to untangle and untie the wet chewed on mess about poor Kit's tail. As the last bit of the twine comes free she scoops up the fox in one hand as she picks up the cowbell with the other. Holding the fox close to her she stands up and sets the cowbell on the table of the stand that she is at so that she could resettle herself and the fox.
"Do you know who this belongs to?" She asked the stand owner, who pointed to the booth that it belonged at. Gathering up her things she heads over to the booth and returns the bell, which the keeper was grateful for and he returned to scolding two of the boys that had stolen the bell earlier to terrorize the poor fox. Then it was off home for her and little Kit.
"Mother I'm home," Kei`hoshi called as she slipped off her shoes and slid the door open. She was soaked to the skin despite the coat she wore as she came rushing in with the bags and the waterlogged little fox. Setting the bags down in the kitchen she rushed to her room to find a change of cloths before she got the house too overly wet again. After changing she found an old towel to wrap the fox up in and she sat down on her futon and started to dry Kit off.
The little animal squirmed as the girl untied the bell from his tail and picked him up. But he didn't really fight for the girl at this if anything he cuddled up to her hiding his head up against her neck. This would be the way that he would be all the way back to her house, for he had had a very traumatic few days and weeks of trying to fend for himself on the streets of Tokyo.
Once being set down on the girl's sleeping mat in her room the little fox curled up in a little ball and watched her, partly out of fear and partly out of weariness and cold.
Then as he was being dried off with the towel he almost purred with pleasure at the massage and the fact that the water was being taken away and warmth was now in its place.
The woman looked up as she heard her daughter come in the door and then saw her drop the bags in the kitchen, "Don't forget to come and put the groceries away," she called after her daughter before going back to preparing food for dinner.
"My, my little one look at how wet you were?" The girl said as she looked down at the little fox in her lap as she pulled the wet towel off him now that he was a dry little ball of red fluff. The smile on her face showing in her golden eyes as she held the wet towel before the little fox to see. Before setting it down on the floor along with the rest of her wet cloths.
"I'll be there in a moment Mother," Kei`hoshi called when her mother said for her to put the groceries away. Picking up the little fox she set him down on the sleeping mat next to her.
"I gotta go and put away the groceries, ok," she said softly, "you be good and try to stay out of trouble." She gave Kit a soft pat on the head and got up. "I'll be back soon."
She then walked across the room and slipped out of the door she headed for the kitchen after shutting the sliding door to her room. "What all do you need left out for dinner, Mother?" She asks as she came into the kitchen and started to put things away. She tried not to hurry, otherwise she knew that she would be caught.
He looked up at the towel as it was held before him a little nod of his head being given as if he understood what she was saying. He then let off a large yawn as he was put on the sleeping his large eyes blinking sleepily. And again another nod as he is patted and watches the girl leave.
Getting to his feet he looked around him and spotted a pile of dry clothes on the other side of the room. Making his way over to them he climbed on top and curled up in a ball, the tip of his tail covering his little black nose as his eyes closed for a nap.
"You can leave out the garlic, rice, and chicken," her mother answered distractedly as she cut up some other vegetables.
"What took you so long in the market? I expected you back long before this, Kei`hoshi. You didn't run into any trouble did you?" at this question the woman looked up at her daughter with almond shaped eyes, "You know what your father will say if he finds out that you got yourself into trouble."
"Me get in trouble," she said innocently as she paused in her unpacking of the groceries again. "No, no trouble at all," she added with a bright cheery smile.
"I just had a run in with a couple of boys that were being quite mean is all, they had been terrorizing a poor little fox," she explained so I took care of the problem. She turned to her mother with a bright smile on her face. "No need to worry about father," she said in a chipper tone.
**Not worry about father....yeah right...** she thought, as she listlessly toyed with the edge of one of the bags after she was finished unloading them.
The woman nodded her head, "Hai, you get into trouble," she put the knife down as she listened to her daughter and then sighed, "No body got hurt did they?" she asked raising a brow.
"I do not know what parents are teaching their kids these days, when they let them go about terrorizing animals," she said this in a frustrated manner as she started cutting the vegetables again, "Now you run along until I need you to set the table. Oh, and if I were you I would worry about your father."
Then turning she poked at the fire that was under the stove to get it to heat up a bit more.
"No, no one got hurt mother," Kei`hoshi replied as she folded up the bags and tucked them away. "I gave them a good scolding and returned the cowbell that they took back to the owner of the booth and he took care of the rest.
She started out of the kitchen humming to herself in a happy manor as she froze in the doorway a moment when her mother made mention of worrying about her father. She looked over her shoulder at her mother starting to stoke up the stove as she bit her bottom lip. She then turned and padded off towards her room quickly. Sliding the door open she looked around for the fox, as the door was slid shut behind her. Finding him sleeping in a pile of clean close she leaned over and picked him up.
"What am I going to do with you?" she said sweetly, a bright smile on her face as she held up nose to nose to her, that is if he doesn't squirm away first. "I hope that father will let me keep you little one."
Large eyes open and blink blearily at the girl as the little one suddenly finds himself nose to nose to her. His first response is to yawn at her his mouth opening wide to reveal tiny pointed teeth. After he is done with this exercise he perks his black tipped ears at her and tilts his head to one side as if listening before finally giving a tiny squirm, being suspended in the air like this wasn't one of his favorite things.