Disclaimer. I do not own Yashahime. All rights belong to the creators.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Dusk started to creep along the sky as Reasui slunk closer to the village, the smell of demon now thick in the air.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Reasui saw Moroha creep behind a hut and disappear. 'Good. Now that she's further away…I can get to distracting the boar.'

Reasui pricked up her ears, listening intently. The snuffling sound was coming closer.

Flattening herself as best she could, Reasui crawled along the ground, around a hut, and stopped dead in her tracks.

A huge ugly face loomed above her.

'This boar is ridiculously huge. How has it not trampled the village?'

It's fur was was strangely clean for a boar. However, it had a certain gleam to it. The tusks were yellow, and stained with blood.

It's eyes were narrowed, staring at Reasui.

It's hooves were black, and Reasui could smell fresh blood on them. 'Shit! Did this ugly freak already kill some people?'

The boar lowered it's snout and pushed it into Reasui's face.

"What do you want, fox? This is my village! I found it first!"

Reasui laughed darkly, putting a hand on the wet snout in front of her. "Get. Your. Filthy. Face. Away. From. Me!"

She tightened her hand, claws drawing blood, and shot out hot air from her palm.

The huge demon boar squealed in pain, raising his head and tossing it around, flinging Reasui this way and that.

But she clung on, fangs bared, eyes wild.

"Let go you brat! I demand that you release me!"

Reasui kept shooting out hot air. "Oh, you'll be released soon enough! Then you can face the wrath of the people you slaughtered!"

The boar squealed again. "Even if you manage to kill me, I'll still rule over those I killed in the afterlife!"

Reasui snarled, and let go. The boar charged towards her, but she leapt high into the air, and landed on his back. The fur was as hard as bedrock.

Raising a hand, Reasui tried to claw the boar's back, but she was repelled as sparks flew.

Wincing, she looked at her claws. They weren't broken, but they stung really bad. She shook her hand out, trying to numb the pain.

'I can't even use fire yet. Dammit. Hot air won't affect this hard fur.'

Reasui clung on as the boar started jumping around, trying to throw her off.

'Where the hell is Moroha?' Reasui thought desperately. 'I hope Takechiyo is hiding somewhere safe.'

"HEY! UGLY!"

Reasui smiled. 'About time.'

The boar raised his head, glaring at Moroha, who was standing on a roof, a smooth black bow in her hands, bowstring pulled back. The arrow was glowing pink.

The boar started shaking. "You! You're, one of the demon princesses! That's a sacred arrow!"

Reasui jumped off the boar, landing on the ground, then leapt up again, onto the roof beside Moroha. Her tails were quivering. 'Sacred arrow…'

Moroha smiled. "I don't know about all that, but what I do know, is that this is the first and last time you'll see this arrow."

She released the bowstring, and the arrow struck the demon boar straight between the eyes. An expression of shock was on his face, before he disintegrated.

Moroha lowered the bow, a saddened expression on her face. "I stalled for too long. I knew, I could smell blood on him. He killed some people. I was foolish."

Reasui raised a tail and curled it around Moroha. "I'm the one that asked to see the Bone Eater's Well. I'm the one that should be sorry. Was it the people who commissioned the hunt for you?"

Moroha sniffled. "Yeah. I recognize the smell. It's the kind village people who wanted the boar gone."

Reasui felt deflated. "It's my fault. If, if I had realized sooner…" She was cut off as Moroha punched her shoulder.

"Hey!"

Moroha turned to face her, eyes shining with unshed tears. "What's done is done. Crying won't bring them back. Isn't that what you said about those friends of yours?"

Reasui smiled, feeling silly. "Yeah. I did say that, didn't I?"

Moroha jumped off the roof, and Reasui followed her.

Moroha whistled, and waited for Takechiyo to come.

There was a few brief minutes, but then the tanuki appeared overhead, transformed and landed by her feet. "Hey. I'm glad to see you safe, Moroha."

The child was quiet for once.

Moroha leaned over, and picked him up.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Moroha put Takechiyo on her head. "I'm glad you're safe too. Let's go eat some chips."

She turned and walked away from Reasui.

The kitsune watched them go, then looked at the horizon. "Moroha, I'll be back later. Keep that bento thing of yours ready for me."

Moroha glanced back as Reasui bounded off. "Where are you going?"

Reasui kept running as she answered back. "To pay respects."

The sun finally dipped behind the horizon, and a mild wind blew.

Moroha took Takechiyo off her head and put him on the ground. "Stay here and guard our food. I'm going with Reasui."

Takechiyo saluted, and Moroha dashed away, following Reasui.

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN