The Dance

"Damn it Red!" Youko roared.

"Hey, it was Blu's idea."

"Traitor!" Blu yelled, clocking his sister on the head. "Ouch! Quit that, you dork! Or I won't let you take me to the dance."

"Lucky me,"

"That's it!" Red pounced on Blu, they rolled on the ground, cursing and kicking, biting, punching and pulling hair. Youko sweat dropped, "I forgot all about the dance!"

"There's a dance?" Gabriel twitched her ears forward in interest.

"Yep, and you're going!" Red was suddenly standing again with an evil smile; she rubbed her hands together. "I'm dressing you up, and Blu is dressing Youko up. You two have to be a couple for the Forest waltz."

O.o O.o

"Forest what?" The gold vixen took a step back from the approaching black vixen. "The dance between couples, like siblings, or lovers."

"We are not lovers!" (

"But we heard you say you loved each other."

"So? The only thing that would make us lovers is if we-!" she stopped and blushed. Red laughed evilly, "Come, my dear, we must prepare you for tonight." Seizing her by the hand, Red led Gabriel away. She looked back at Youko being dragged forcefully away by Blu.

The night had come; the stone pavilion of the mini-market was surrounded with silver torches. Even though it was November, it was quite warm in the valley with several pale fires. The guests had all taken a seat around the edges of the pavilion. The musicians tuned their instruments, letting the soft singing of harps, flutes, chimes, and many other things set a background noise. Red had donned herself in a frilly red dress with a slit on the right going up to her hip. She wore a pair of wrist length gloves and a tiara to top it all off. She was tugging a less than willing vixen into the pavilion. Gabriel finally gave in but ducked under Red's skirts and hid behind the red lace. "Honestly Gabriel, you're being very childish."

"I don't want to be seen like this!" said vixen whined from somewhere near Red's knees. "You look great, what's to be embarrassed about?"

"It's so revealing, though! The last time I was this naked in public, I was coming out of a uterus!"

"That's a little more than I needed to know...--; if you don't get out of there right now, I'll make sure you are completely naked!" Whimpering pathetically, Gabriel crawled out from beneath Red's skirts. She stood up and allowed the black vixen to fix her attire and hair from being rumpled. She wore a snowy white dress that hugged her sides, and the fabric seemed to become more transparent as it went down to her ankles. The dress had no sleeves, and a burst of golden gems on the front. White arm length gloves shielded her hands, and a veil hung over the back of her hair. "See? You look great!"

"I don't know...I just don't think I'll look very good out there," she gestured to the middle of the pavilion. "I'm not used to off-shoulder dresses, what if it falls down?"

"In case you haven't noticed during puberty, there are a couple reasons that dress isn't going anywhere." Red leaned her chin on her hand for a moment, "Something's missing though. Oh, I know!" Red pulled off one of her sashes and tied it around Gabriel's tail. The saucy red bow seemed to give her confidence; she stood up straight and tall. "Come on Red, let's party!" she said, dragging the black youko away. "Split personality..."

Blu was at the other end of the pavilion, coaxing a stubborn Youko to come out of a tree. "I'm not coming down until I see her!" he growled. Blu lifted his palms up in a peace gesture, "At least try and mingle a little; you know a lot of people want to talk to you, it's rude to just ignore him."

"I don't want to talk to them, I wanna find Gabe!!"

"Brat." An acorn hit Blu between the eyes. Blu had dressed himself in a pale-blue sleeveless-tunic and baggy pants. Youko blended into the night wearing a midnight blue Chinese shirt with slits up the sides, and leggings. A flutter of white brushed his cheek, he turned to see the gold youko perched beside him. "What are you doing here, sitting like a wall flower?" she asked, folding her hands in her lap.

"Just waiting for the butterfly to come draw me elsewhere." He offered her his hand as he stood on the tree branch. She took his hand and was lifted into his arms, bridal style. The tree branch gave a groan and bent low; Youko slid off the branch and onto the ground, (Fred Flinstone style) holding her protectively. When he set her back onto solid ground, Red approached her brother. "Shall we dance?" Blu offered. Red hooked her arm around his and they walked away. Youko and Gabriel followed suit and slipped through the crowds.

The musicians began to play; a lively tune filled the air. The dance was simple enough at first; spin with your partner, cross paths with another couple, perform a few simple steps, spin again and change partners. Youko and Gabriel were separated, but the dance picked up speed as the music raised tempo. They crossed each other again, joining and separating. The music reached a steady fast tempo, unchanging for a while. Youkos ran back and forth, across, and around each other; spinning, jumping, laughing out loud. The steps became harder as they got faster, some one fell down, dragged the person next to them with them, and that person grabbed someone else; soon the whole crowd was on the ground laughing. The music ceased, the crowd cheered.

A new, softer song began; some people stayed while others turned to the sidelines to rest for a moment. Red and Blu holding either of her arms supported Gabriel. "Not bad for your first dance. You've got a lot of energy." Blu said, allowing her to sit on a short stonewall that served as a bench encircling the pavilion. She couldn't stop giggling, "That was so much fun, I can't believe we all fell down!" the gold youko fanned her face. There they sat, talking for a while and gaining back their energy. A red clad black vixen approached them. It was the second-in-command to Carina's gang. "Gabriel?" she addressed the gold vixen. Said youko looked up at her, "Yes?"

"Follow me, if you would please, someone wishes to speak with you." The black youko led her away to a more remote part of the pavilion, nearest to the exit that led to the healers' tents. Carina sat on the stonewall bench, her calves wrapped tightly in white gauze. "Ah, so you came to the dance, did you?" Carina mused with a peaceful smile. Gabriel folded her hands shyly and bowed her head; some of the others in Carina's group gave her mean looks, and others looked at her endearingly. "I've been thinking about what you said," Carina itched her ears lazily, her tail curled in her lap. "You're a just and strong fighter, whether you violence or not. I like that, my gang strives to be protectors of the weak wherever we are; we're like a family of ninja's living in the light instead of the dark. Sometimes we abuse our authority, but then again, we all make mistakes. Just like me; I succumbed to anger. Emotions should never enter the ring; I learned that the hard way."

"Carina," Gabriel looked confused, "why are you telling me this?"

"I want to make you part of the Vixen Guard."

"Me? I thought you hated me."

"I do," Carina said lightly, bobbing her head halfheartedly, "but I like your style, kit. So, what's your answer? You don't have to travel with us if you don't want to, but being part of a group in any realm is some form of protection." Now she understood; though Carina had a grudge against her, she was looking past that and thinking for the sake of her group, like a true leader. Carina wanted to protect her so nobody could kill her before she inflicted her small revenge. She laughed softly, "I would be honored." She bowed slightly to her new leader.

"Good; here, take this badge, its proof of membership. Don't lose it because it's the only one you get." She handed Gabriel a red and black circle with a fox's head carved on it

"Thank you Carina," with out warning, Gabriel threw her arms around the black vixen in an attempt to strangle her in a hug. After a few seconds, Carina pulled her arms from around her neck.

"Yeah, yeah, mushy love to you to; now get lost, I still hate you for being Kurama's favorite and I'm plotting my revenge for beating me." this made the gold youko laugh as she walked away. "See you round, Carina."

"Later kit." Crazy, abusive, overbearing; but a big softie underneath.

Gabriel walked back to the crowds, staring up at the stars. A pair of hands reached out; one hooking over her arms and trapping them behind her back, the other covering her mouth. She was dragged off the path and into the shadows. Quickly breaking free, she bit the hand and pounced on her attacker. "Have a nice chat?" Youko smiled innocently. "Quit stalking me, you ninja wannabe." She sat comfortably on his stomach with her legs folded in a lady-like manner. "I annoy you because I care." He said matter-of-factly.

"Aww!" she stroked his bangs. "Want to dance again?"

"Yes, but not so close to the others, in a more...private place."

"Oh?" she stood and took his hand. "Lead me, then." The fox led her just outside the pavilion, directly behind the musicians so as not to miss their sounds. A sliver of the moon cast some light, and where it failed, the stars joined in. Youko took a position and held out his arms for her to align in. She took a ballerina-like stance at awaited his next move. He spun her around on her toes, and then lifted her up and spun some more. The musicians played masterfully, letting the two become lost in the long grass around them.

Circling his arms around her back and waist, he let her do the same to him. Leaning their heads on each other, they moved in an odd circle, doing a slow dance any couple knows. "Gabe," he murmured contently, just tasting the name. "Youko?" she answered.

"I want to know something, do you...love me? Really love me?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you really mean that? We've been through a lot together, but I'm still a thief, a person who steals and kills, and what if I don't change?"

"I still love you no matter what, its not what's on the outside. I'm drawn to your very soul, my father was right in choosing you as my other half." She paused for a while, leaning on him, then she raised her head. "What about you, do you really love me?"

He hugged her very tightly, "With every fiber of my being. I want to be around you all the time, not just because I feel the need to protect you, but you make me truly happy. No amount of killing, stealing, drugs, sex-or any of that could ever make me more content. I just want to be around you," he drew her back and held one of her hands and cupped her face in the other, "in fact, I wouldn't say no to spending the rest of my life with you."

"What are you saying, Youko?" butterflies swarmed in her chest, a grin tugged insistently on her unmoving face.

"I'm saying I want you to marry me, Gabriel Purenard...will you be my wife?"

She didn't answer right away. Her head began to spin. "I don't know, there's still alot I want to do before I settle down, Youko. I'm not ready to stop."

"I'm not asking you to change your life in any way; I'm asking you to be my lover and only mine, as I will be yours and only yours. But if you say no..." she froze, he was laying down consequences? Just like Raden, no not again!

"...Then thats fine by me." he sighed sadly. What's this? No boundries? No consequences? Nothing? He truly respected her and wanted her to be free, what ever she chose...

"Youko,"

"Yes?"

"Be mine, and I'll be yours."

"So you're saying-"

"Yes, I will marry you!"

"Yes!" he shouted to the stars and spun around and around with her. They laughed and fell down. He pulled her into a kiss, much deeper than the others, so much more passionate. Using nearly three hundred years of experience, he coaxed her lips to part and let his tongue dance in her mouth. He made her groan and dig her little claws into his arm. She was at his mercy, and he showed none; taunting her, making her lust for more, then he stopped.

"Gabe, we have to mark each other."

"Mark? Like Raden marked you and Koronue?"

"No, there's no magic or anything special, it's just a bite on the shoulder. It shows others that you have a mate, so they won't come onto you."

"Will it hurt?"

"A little, but it's just to break the skin, nothing to serious." She pulled his head closer to her neck, "Go on," Timidly, he nuzzled her neck, searching for just the right spot. On her left collar, he sank his teeth into her skin, causing her nails to embed themselves even deeper into his skin. he didn't bite very deep, but it hurt like hell! Gritting her teeth, she released her grip on his arms. It ached alot, so she bit him back. Back and forth they growled, taking out thier pain on each other, until the vixen yeilded and drew back. "Sorry, Gabe, but that hurt."

She laughed, tears forming in her eyes. He hugged her, "Now you are mine," he growled possessivley, but his hands were gentle, "And I am yours."

"I love you, Youko."

"I love you too, Gabe, and I always will."

Aaw! They're in love, so kawaii. sorry i haven't gotten off my butt in a while. School has been kicking it. I'm working on the next chapter as we speak. Ja! Huggles!