Foxhunt

A Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction

Summary: When a grudge held for years is acted upon, Kurama fights to protect friends and strangers alike, while the rest of the Rekai Tantei fight to protect Kurama.

Foxhunt is rated PG-13 for violence, language, some sexual references (I honestly am having trouble remembered FFN's newest rating system.). Non-yaoi/shonen ai, and no intended hints of such. It is also not intended as a Kurama/Keiko romance, though the two characters will be interacting far more than usually seen. Because I have a soft spot for the couple, there may be hints of Kurama/Botan. Just hints, since I am not a romance writer by nature. There are original characters, and they are (sort of) introduced in this prologue. And, yes, I will explain things! This is a prologue/teaser, and I have a nice conversation with Koenma-sama all mapped out that lays most information out for chapter one.

The story is set after the Dark Tournament, just because one line in Chapter One mentions it. Other than that, it should be pretty much spoiler free and might possibly fit nearly anywhere in the YYH timeline. Wherever you wish it to fit is where you put it.

I use both manga and anime canon. I cannot picture Kurama without vibrant red hair and green eyes, but I cannot leave out Shiori's scars. In my little world, Yusuke may occasionally make a reference to smoking, and to his mother's strange connections with what may be yakuza…

Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by various entities who are not me and I have no ties with them. This fanfiction is written merely for my own pleasure, and perhaps for the reader's as well.

I adore constructive criticism.

On to the story…

Foxhunt

Prologue

He was laughing and it was a good sound. Great guffaws soared over the sounds of the leaking faucet in the kitchen. He fell to his knees, hands going to the carpet and he closed his eyes against the tears as he ran his fingers through the soaked threads. He sat back on his heels, hands on his knees and, with his head bowed, sought to regain control. His breathing hitched, and when he opened his eyes and saw the red soaked carpet, he couldn't help but throw back his head and laugh.

It was a joyous day. One more of those creatures gone; one less to bother him. He wiped tears from his eyes, smearing blood across his already stained cheeks and hands. Slowly, he stood up, laughter still escaping him, proceeding him up the stairs.

In the darkness of a small corner in a room at the top of the stairs, a small child pressed her hands against her sensitive ears, tears welling in coffee brown eyes. She pressed her face against the wall, in the vain hope that if she couldn't hear the laughter, it would just go away. Mother! Father! Please! A gentle breeze – almost nonexistent – lifted the bed spread and caressed the girl's hair, gently untangling the dark tresses from the torn bedsprings above. The child reached out as if to embrace the wind, tears falling freely. Mother.

"I know you're here."

The call wafted into the room. In response the wind shifted, caressing the girl's bare arms. The child whimpered and clamped her arms around her head.

The man stopped at the top of the stairs, perusing the landing with a grim smile playing on his lips. The first door on the right creaked. The smile turned to a grin and, chuckling, he wrapped his fingers around the doorknob. "In here, are you?" He pushed the door open, catching sight of a gently waving blue bedspread. "Found you," he announced as he stepped into the room.

Wind whistled, sending his hair whipping about his face. His clothing rustled. He looked over his shoulder, snarling epithets. The door creaked and he tightened his hold on the knob, to no avail. The door was wrenched out of his grip. It swung, hitting the wall before coming back on him. He raised an arm, cursing as the door hit him.

Grinning cruelly and moving fast, he dove forward and caught the bedspread. The wind howled angrily. Knife in one hand, he reached under the bed, crowing triumphantly when he snagged long tresses of hair. The girl screamed, clawing desperately at the hand wound in her hair. The man wrenched her forward, and laughed when she cried out. He stretched out on his belly as she pulled back. He yanked her toward him, grinning in satisfaction as her head knocked against the bed frame and her shoulder ground against the carpet.

The wind still howled. Knickknacks fell from shelves, stuffed animals flew through the air and clothes skittered across the floor. Still, the growl that echoed behind the man was all too easy to hear. Half-afraid, he twisted to look over his shoulder.

"Let her go." The kitsune crouched in the doorway, ears flat against her head. The wind she conjured left her untouched. Her right arm was wrapped around her belly, and blood coated her clothes and arm. The steps she took into the room were staggering and desperate.

"You're too close to death to do anything."

She didn't waste time answering. The kitsune pounced, a scream of rage and pain echoing.

The girl scooted back. Mother. The wind wrapped around the girl's arms and guided her along the wall, toward the window. With a great blast, the wind shattered the glass. The girl turned to look at the man and the kitsune fighting as she came out from under the bed. The fox was thrown against the wall, and she turned her head to look at her daughter. 'Run, Sora,' she mouthed. 'The window.'

The girl hesitated. Her mother's eyes widened. "Sora! Go!" A gust of wind turned the child in the direction of the window.

The man, who had been advancing on the woman, suddenly turned and dove toward the frightened child. Sora jumped, scrambling the only direction she could: the open window. With a screech, her mother dove between the two. The knife sank into flesh, and the man gave it a cruel turn and yank. Sora screamed as she watched her mother sink to her knees. Desperate, her mother shoved the man back and turned to Sora. "Please run, little fox."

Sora nodded, disappearing from sight as she slid down the gutter, wanting nothing more than to forget the sight of her mother, battered and bloody, turning to face the man who'd shattered their family.

TBC…

Like I said, it is a prologue/teaser, and as such, is short. Chapter one should be along shortly; I have most of it written.