Disclaimer: I own Ashi, his mother, and the villagers….Hoshi and Shi-chan belong to my friend Clear Shadow…..No touchy…..

Mwhahahahah I typed like the wind and got the chapter done!!!!!! Go me!! *does happy dance* anyways….Thanks 2 all my reviewers I appreciate you all!

            Well enjoy chappie 10!!!!! *bows*

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Even though the street was deserted. Ashi could still feel the people looking at him, every time he looked in their direction they would duck back behind their curtains. It was something Ashi was all too used to. As long as they didn't charge at him with swords and arrows, he was perfectly happy. This was why he was trying to figure out why the villager's comments earlier had ticked him off so bad. After all it wasn't like he hadn't heard it all before, he had grown up with those comments and they had bothered him, but not to that extent, he had been able to ignore them. Ashi paused and brought his hands up just above his waist holding them out, staring at them. He looked at his claws; dried blood still stained them and the smell of his own blood was so strong that Ashi finally couldn't stand it and dashed to a small pool of water and let the water soak at his hands until the blood lifted. He dried his wet hands on his pants where driblets of blood where still noticeable. The scent of a human filled Ashi's nose, he turned and saw a kid about Hoshi's age looking at him down the road. Ashi stood up and looked at the kid. He seemed frightened not like that shocked Ashi, what shocked him was when the kid started to approach Ashi. The 9 year old wasn't sure what to do, the last thing he needed was for someone to think he was hurting this kid. Finally the kid was no more then two feet from Ashi he stared at Ashi's hands then up a bit to Ashi's ears.

            "Are you a real demon?" the kid asked in a voice that told Ashi he'd been right this kid was no more then Hoshi's age.

            "Look kid I don't want any trouble, why don't you head home?"

            "Momma says that demons are all bad and they eat kids like me," Ashi rolled his eyes, "that true Mr. Demon?" now Ashi smacked his forehead….Mr.…Demon?!

            "Look kid I aint much older then you," Ashi said nervously looking around, any minute this kids mothers gonna come looking for him then I'm in trouble. "Why don't you go home, I have stuff to do,"

            "You didn't answer my question though, are all demons bad?" At first Ashi would have told the kid, ya all demons are bad. But then he thought for a moment, as much as he hated demons, he was half himself, he couldn't bring him to say that out loud. It was there on his mind and he could say it there but it wouldn't go any farther then that.

            "Most demons are bad kid," Ashi finally said "most humans are bad to so it breaks even," he turned and walked away from the kid wondering if he said the right thing. Ashi could see the store with the yellow curtains in the distance and quickened his pace. He was almost there when he felt something hard nail him in the back of the head, stunned; Ashi tripped and hit the ground. He reached to the back of his head and felt a bump forming then he looked at the ground and saw the large rock that had hit him. "What the hell," he muttered standing back up,

            "Demon!" Ashi groaned and rolled his eyes "go back to hell!" a line of villagers had appeared. Some with stones in their hands others had scythes, and some had bows while other carried sticks. Ashi gulped he suddenly felt frozen in place he knew running was probably top priority, but his legs weren't getting the message. Another rock was hurled at him, Ashi barley had time to duck and hit the ground out of the way.

            "You're not welcome in our village!"

            "Go back to your own kind you filthy kitsune!" Ashi felt his heart quicken its beat; his ears went flat against his head,

            "Momma!" Ashi heard the kid say, "he's not a bad demon, he's a little kid like me!"

            "That's just what a demon would say to a child, to take ye with it to hell." Ashi's breaths matched his heart, he was shaking. The mob was closing in on him, soon there would be no escape openings, but Ashi still could not move. The urge to fight back was tearing at Ashi, apart of him said 'yes fight attack, your in danger protect yourself,' then the other part kept saying 'their only humans protecting themselves, they don't know.' For the first time in a long while Ashi wished to be a full demon, then he could shapeshift like Shippo and his father, then he could make himself into something and get away, then no one would be hurt. If Ashi used Fox Fire the villagers would be hurt and Ashi didn't think Fox Spirit would work. That required being deeply in touch with your family and your ancestors and Ashi didn't think he was enough anymore.

            Any chance Ashi had of escape was now gone. A large rock nailed him in the head and Ashi was too terrified, to scared to defend himself, to dodge the attack he was knocked to the ground and felt blood drip down his face sprinkling onto the ground. Ashi brought one knee up and knelt there staring at the blood soaking into the dirt. He felt his hands becoming warm, the start of Fox Fire, he couldn't stop himself his instincts where taking over, his life was in danger and they where kicking in. Ashi no longer heard the shouts of the villagers all he could hear was his own heart pounding. He no longer felt the pain of his wound all he felt was the heat in his hands, the fear was replaced with a feeling Ashi hadn't experienced in a long time, the feeling of fight, like a cornered animal Ashi growled ready to attack his attackers. But before he could a voice called out over the crowd

            "All of you back away if you want to keep your lives," slowly the crowd parted and a man with an apron approached Ashi, "now all of you return to your homes!" grumbling and muttering the villagers went their separate ways until only Ashi and the man remained in the street. He put his hand on Ashi's shoulder; Ashi still fighting with the kitsune inside lashed his claws at the man

            "Leave me alone!" Ashi growled taking another swipe at the man.

            "That sounds like a plan…I leave you they come back with more then sticks and stones."

            "I can take care of myself I don't need a damn human to help me!"

            "Look kid I'm not one to be helping demons,"

            "Then leave me alone" The man continued as if he hadn't even heard Ashi

            "But I saw you with Lady Hoshi and I decided even if you are a demon if Lady Hoshi trusts you then you cannot be all evil."

            "For your information" Ashi started feeling like his old the burning was gone and along with it his confinement feeling. "I'm a half demon" he stood up clutching his arm where he had been hit with a stick and wiped the blood off the side of his face. He looked at the man who was giving him the same kind of look Hoshi gave him when he gave her attitude.

            "Well son don't you need herbs for Lady Hoshi?"

            "How'd you know that?"

            "Because Lady Hoshi always asks for herbs when she is treating someone," he looked down at Ashi who stared in shock "and I receive socks as payment." Ashi didn't say anything, he was in his own world he had nearly attacked those villagers if this guy hadn't stopped the villagers from closing in on him more he would have done anything to get free, anything. And that scared the boy; it scared him beyond anything else in the world.

After collecting the herbs and muttering thanks to the man, he didn't have to say for what, the man obviously knew because he nodded. Ashi headed back to Hoshi who was very worried.

"What took you so long?!" Ashi handed her the herbs and sat down on the floor near the door. "Ashi? What happened?"

"I'll tell you later, do what you gotta do," he said loud enough for her to hear. Not wanting to press the subject with a baby on its way, Hoshi turned her attention back to the mother, while Ashi stared out the door as far from the humans in the home as possible.

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Should've roasted the villagers……*sees people* oooppss sorry…yea forget that hehe, um ya so like chapter? Tell me, as in please review!!!! No flames but you know the usual kind criticism is welcome…*looks at criticism* holy crap I spelt it right on the first try…Go me!!!! Anyways next chapter be a little bit, I think my writing highway hit a roadblock but hopefully 11 will be up asap. *bows* later all!