Disclaimer: You know who I own and who I don't…..Don't need to explain it again do I? Anyways….I'm am so proud of myself!! I didn't think I was gonna be able to work on this for a while cause I had hit a road block in my writing spree on it! But suddenly it came back *hugs new chapter* I'm so happy!!! Yea so thanks to all my reviewers. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. *bows*
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"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Ashi turned and looked at Hoshi, he had been staring at the sun setting behind the trees had had been staring in the same direction since they had returned home. She was looking at him, face full of concern.
"Nothing never mind,"
"Ashi" he sighed and turned away from her, arms across his chest staring back out watching the sun. He winced as he felt her hand on his shoulder, but didn't say anything. "Something happened I can tell; now please just tell me what it is?" He pulled away from her hand and faced her.
"It's nothing…Just leave me alone," he said and without another word, Ashi climbed the nearby tree and was out of sight. Up in the tree Ashi watched the moon begin to rise up he laid his head on his knee and stared out at the landscape.
"Ashi-sama?" he heard Shi-chan say,
"Nani?"
"Can I sit with you?" Ashi sighed; he hopped down and put Shi-chan on his back and climbed back up into the tree. For a few moments neither one said anything, Ashi leaned against the tree still watching the sky. Shi-chan watched her brother and inched closer to him every few seconds, until she was sitting right in front of him; "Ashi?"
"Nani?"
"What happened in the village? You're really quiet."
"Sorry," he said not looking at her.
"Please tell me? I'm a good listener." He gave a half grin and looked at his sister.
"I know you are,"
"So will you tell me?"
"Its nothing new Hoshi, villagers thought I was gonna attack the village so they tried to get ride of me, same old story." Hoshi looked a little frightened
"They tried to hurt you?" Ashi saw the frightened look in his little sisters eyes he didn't want this.
"Naw just tried to scare me out,"
"I'm glad your ok Ashi-sama," he moved forward and hugged her big brother, at first Ashi prepared to protest but remembering the fear he had felt when he was cornered by the villagers stopped him from protesting; instead he let Shi-Chan hug him.
That night Ashi found it hard to stay asleep, every time he closed his eyes images of what could have happened at the village flashed in his mind. His eyes had changed from the golden yellow to a deep blood red, his nails had lengthened and he craved the taste of blood and the feeling of flesh being torn by his claws. Ashi bolted up from slumber, covered in sweat, blood covered his nails and it took Ashi a moment to realize it was his own blood that stained his hands. He had dug his nails into his palm during the nightmare. He took a deep breath and watched as the wound healed leaving the blood stain as the only sign that he had been having a nightmare. Sighing he laid back down and tried to push those thoughts out of his mind, instead a new vision took its place. Ashi blinked and looked around; he was back in the village his old village. It was nighttime and quiet. A smell filled the air and Ashi found himself instily sniffing the air to determine the smell. A demon, headed towards the village.
"Ashi, time to come in." he knew that voice, that was his mother!
"Mother?" Then he saw her, walking down the road headed towards him; behind her Ashi saw the demon, the one who had killed his mother and killed Kendra; "MOTHER!" Ashi shouted at the top of his lungs "Look out!" he took off running towards her the demon brought its hand to its mouth and started the same attack that had killed Kendra, "NO!" Ashi screamed he rubbed his hands together and held them out at the demon "FOXFIRE!" He shouted the attack rocketed towards the demon it flew past his mother and hit the demon directly in the face.
"Ashi!" his mother screamed "run!"
"FOXFIRE!" He shouted, hitting the demon again this time in the leg. It roared out in pain and began swinging its shield around madly; it nearly hit one of the women in the village "FOX FIRE FOXFIRE!" Ashi shouted more fire shot from the boy and knocked the shield away before it hit the woman.
Unknown to Ashi, his nightmare was reveling itself in the real world. Shi-chan had been stirred from her deep sleep to find Ashi rolling back and forth on the floor yelling crying out for his mother. As she watched unsure what to do Ashi yelled 'FOXFIRE' his hands turned red and flames shot out of them hitting the wall. Shi-Chan yelped and tried to wake the boy to no avail. She took off running down the hall to Hoshi.
"Hoshi-sama!" she said shaking her. Hoshi slowly opened her eyes and looked at the kit shaking her.
"Shi-chan what's wrong?"
"It's Ashi-sama!"
"Ashi? What's wrong with him?"
"He's having a bad dream! I can't wake him up he's firing Foxfires!"
"TO MY HOUSE!?" Hoshi shouted and took off running, when she reached the room Ashi was still asleep and was shooting off small foxfires not enough to do any serious damage, but enough to make Hoshi cringe. "Ashi?" she walked over to the boy and knelt down next to him "Ashi please wake up," In his dream Ashi heard Hoshi's voice, but he had to protect his mother, she was in trouble. The demon had his mother cornred he brought his hand to his mouth and breathed on Ashi's mother.
"NO!" Ashi shouted he ran to his mother between her and the demon, he closed his eyes and put his hands together and in his mind called for his Kitsune Ancestors "Fox Spirit!" he said loudly. A beam of blue light emerged from Ashi's hands it grew larger showing images of Kitsune's. They joined as one and created a large barrier around Ashi and his mother. The demon tried blowing upon the barrier, but it held strong. The demon pulled a sword from its sheath and brought it crashing down upon the barrier. As strong as the barrier could be it wasn't strong enough to withstand this kind of attack. Slowly it faded leaving Ashi and his mother unprotected. But Ashi wasn't ready to give up "FOXFIRE!" He shouted as loud as he could, this time the attack was more powerful then any of the others. It actually knocked the demon off its feet; it landed on its back shaking the ground. Ashi held his hands out ready for a counterattack. None came; the demon stared at Ashi for a moment before disappearing from sight. Ashi felt a sigh escape him as he fell to the ground,
"Ashi?" he heard his mother say "my Ayashi," Ashi's ears perked up, that was why he didn't like being called that, it had been his mothers name for him, he had forgotten that every time some one called him that he was reminded of her and the last moment he had with her. Ashi walked over to her and fell down next to her
"Momma," he said she reached over and pulled him into her arms.
Ashi had stopped firing the foxfires and was now shaking with fear, Hoshi was surprised to see nearly unnoticeable tears stream down his face.
"Oh Ashi," she said soothingly, she pulled him into her lap and held him. Still half asleep and believing that his mother was holding him once more; Ashi allowed himself to be held. Shi-chan watched Hoshi holding Ashi as a mother would, Ashi's dreaming had scared her but she was glad it was now over.
"I'm sorry," Ashi muttered so softly Hoshi almost didn't catch it "I'm sorry momma I'm so sorry." Slowly Ashi's eyes opened "where am- Hoshi? What's goin-" he didn't finish that statement, instead Ashi's eyes rolled into his head and fluttered shut, his body went limp in her arms and his breathing became deep.
"Ashi-sama going to be ok Hoshi-sama?" Hoshi laid him back on the mat and covered him up with the blanket.
"I think so Shi-chan, he'll be his usual self in the morning you'll see." Hoshi patted Shi-chan's head and headed out. Shi-chan walked over to Ashi and knelt down next to him.
"Good Night Ashi-sama, I love you," she kissed his cheek and laid down next to him and fell asleep.
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Ok so let me see…..Ya this chapter marks the end of Ashi as a 9 year old. The next chapter will be the start of taking place one year later. And for you Shippou fans that's means yes Shippou will be coming in very soon. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and while your awaiting the next chapter which I hope will be typed and up ASAP, please leave me a review.. No flames but kind criticism is always welcome….And if you've already reviewed…Feel free to read some of my other fics why you wait patiently for the next chappie to be posted!!! Guten Tag!! *bows*
Sharpsnout
