Disclaimer: Ashi and Kendra belong to me, Hoshi and Shi-Chan (little Hoshi) belong to Clear Shadow *is glomped from behind* yeah that Shi-Chan *tries to get out of glomp* anyways. Sorry if I confused anyone with two Hoshi's, I'm gonna start callin little Hoshi Shi-Chan so we can avoid further confusion. Like I said I'm sorry for confusing you Marie. So please read and review at the end. I'd greatly appreciate it.

************************************************************************An hour later found both lying on shore; Ashi had his hands behind his head and was letting the water lap on his feet.

            "Ashi?"

            "Yeah?" Ashi said looking over at Kendra who was laying a few feet from him.

            "You'd never try to hurt me right?" Ashi looked up into the sky watching the clouds pass through, changing form and shape.

            "Why do you ask?"

            "Just answer me please?" he sighed and bit his lip, allowing one fang to protrude from his bottom lip.

            "Kendra, all my life I've hidden from the truth of lose and pain, for years I believed all I wanted was to be a full demon like my brother and my father, but when my mother became sick, I saw the reality of what being a demon meant, and I decided I wanted to be human not a demon. My father, who had promised me the jewel, which would make me human, betrayed me in the end taking away from me the one thing that could change me. I would never hurt you. You're the only one I'd trust to tell everything I'm feeling too. I don't know why somthin inside me keeps telling me that I need to trust you."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I've never trusted anyone, mother was the only one I truly trusted. I don't know why my soul is telling me to trust you, but I do." Ashi sighed and sat up "you'd never hurt me right?"

            "Right." Ashi nodded

            "Wanna shake on it?" he asked

            "Ok." Kendra said sitting up. They shook hands sealing the promises and their friendship.

As days turned into weeks, weeks into months, Kendra and Ashi became closer and closer. Both Hoshi's saw little of the half-demon. Ashi would disappear for hours on end, rarely coming home even for dinner. Neither of them knew about Ashi and Kendra's friendship, not Hoshi nor those from Kendra's village. The girl was afraid to tell them of her friendship with a half-demon for fear of what they might do to Ashi. Ashi understood this, remembering the hardships of being accepted by humans. The village where Ashi's mother had died had only agreed to help Ashi's mother if Ashi was not anywhere near his home. Whenever Ashi did reappear at home, Little Hoshi would automatically glomp his leg while Hoshi questioned where he had been. Hoshi had no clue to where Ashi was going, but even she couldn't help but notice the changes in him. He was kinder, more willing to help out. Even his mean attitude had disappeared. One day Ashi had a strange request for Kendra.

            "Meet me under that walnut tree tonight after the sun goes down and the moon shows her face." Was what he had said, though Kendra wanted to question the request she agreed to meet him.

That night Ashi waited until the sun had begun to drop down to sleep. Waited, waited for the crescent moon to emerge from its resting place. Ashi stood and allowed himself to be bathed in moonlight. He closed his eyes and spread his arms out, and felt the changes happening to him. When he opened his eyes Ashi looked at his now human hands wiggling the fingers. He walked over to the pool of water looking into the water; Ashi stared into his reflection and the reflection of the crescent moon shining behind him. Ashi grinned, no more fox-ears, just normal human ears, his hair was no longer a fiery red but was now a normal brownish color. And his once yellow eyes now looked back at him as blue. Ashi felt like singing. Once a month during the first night of the crescent moon, Ashi went from being a half-demon to a normal looking 9-year old boy. Looking back at the house in which lay both Hoshi's sleeping peacefully, Ashi took off at a full run towards the walnut tree where he and Kendra had first met. He slowed down as he neared the tree, he could see her waiting for him patiently.

            "Kendra?" Ashi said quietly approaching her not wanting to scare her. Kendra jumped and nailed him with a right hook. "Ow, I really wish you'd cut that out!" Ashi grumbled rubbing his chin. Kendra looked at him expecting to see Ashi, fox-ears and all, but now standing in front of her was a boy that looked like Ashi, only human.

            "A…Ashi?" Kendra stuttered; "is that you?" he nodded.

            "Whatcha think?" he said "Like the new me?"

            "When did you go human? What happened?"

            "Every crescent moon, this happens, I go human. It's a half-demon thing. Unfortunately it only occurs once a month. What do you think?" he repeated.

            "Your different looking. I give you that."

            "You don't like it do you?" Ashi asked

            "I didn't say that, it's just. I'm so used to seeing you as you normally are, it takes some getting used to." Ashi grinned

            "Well get used to it cause as soon as I find my dad, I'm gonna look like this permanently." Kendra smiled and nodded

            "Is this why you dragged me out of bed?" she asked grinning

            "Hey I never dragged you out of-" Kendra stopped him covering his mouth.

            "Did you hear that?"

            "Hear what?" Ashi said, listening into the wind.

            "Nothing I must be hearing things." Ashi grinned

"Come on, I'll show you the best view of the stars." Kendra grinned, Ashi climbed up onto a low branch. "Come on lets go." He said climbing higher and higher into the tree. Kendra followed keeping up with Ashi as he climbed to the top of the tree. "See aint they pretty?" Ashi asked when she was settled. "You know I wait all month for this one night, just so I can refresh my mind what its like to be human."

            "What's it like?" Kendra asked, "being half-demon?" Ashi stared out at the moon not sure how to answer that. "Like what does it feel like? You can experience both worlds, what's the difference?"

            "Its well, er its, its hard to explain. I guess the best way to describe it would be you feel torn, apart of you wants to be human then the other part of you wants to be demon. You can't decide, either way you lose somebody you love. I think that's why I was so ready to just let you kill me the night we first met. Would've made everything a lot easier on me."

            "Oh Ashi." Kendra said touching his arm gently. "I'm glad I didn't,"

            "But see now that we're friends I have a real reason to want to be human. And Dyin aint on top of my to do list." Kendra laid her head on Ashi's shoulder, Ashi stared at her for a moment not sure what to do. Timidly he put his arm around her shoulders. Silently they sat high in the tree watching the stars and the moon.

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Well now, wasn't that kinda cute, *grabs Ashi's cheek* he's so cute when he's like this. Anyways please review and tell me what you think. No flames! Thanks