Chapter Five
The stone floor of the cell was cold and clammy. Yuichi could feel the chill even through his clothes. The only source of light was a thin carved window high above him. Morning air spilled through the rafters, illuminating the stone floor and scattered straw. Yuichi sat on a mound of straw he'd created as a makeshift bed. Between the straw, the chains, and his soreness, it had been an uncomfortable night, to say the least.
"Do you think they'll bring me any food?" he asked Spot. "They didn't even bother uncuffing me. I wonder how long they plan on keep me here."
Spot eeped happily as he danced around the straw, snatching up strange-looking blue bugs that fled from the hungry tokage. Yuichi smiled faintly as he watched his little companion hunt for his breakfast. He was so hungry he almost wanted to try eating bugs himself. His mouth watered at the thought of eating Chizu's okonomiyaki she would make especially for him. What he wouldn't give to see her again.
I know she's out looking for me, and knowing Chizu, she'll never give up. I wonder if Karasu-Tengu knows what's happened too. Maybe she could help my friends find me!
He held onto hope as the hours crawled by. Spot grew tired of the bugs and nuzzled Yuichi impatiently, squeaking at him.
"I know, I want to leave too, but that's not exactly possible." He studied the bars built right into the rock walls of the cavern. He could see a single electric pink torch glowing in the hallway that passed by his cell. Sometimes, gusts of air whistled through the tunnels, making strange noises. "I wonder how big this place is," he mused.
Spot perked up his ears as a pattering noise grew louder and louder. Someone was running down the tunnel!
"Lotus! Get back here! Don't make me get the rod again!"
A blur of fur burst into the prison and leapt onto the bars.
Yuichi and Spot stared up at her, open-mouthed. It was a nine-tailed fox kit that looked like a miniature version of Lady Hikaru.
Her tails were tipped in pink instead of red, and her ears were tipped in orange. She was wearing a beautiful black silk kimono with green trim and shoes the color of a robin's egg. She wiggled through the bars with the agility of a snake and clambered up the stone wall just before launching herself into the rafters.
"Lotus!" a voice screeched. An out-of-breath plump fox with brown fur rushed into the prison, scrutinizing her surroundings while she gasped for air. She stopped when she noticed the rabbit and tokage watching her.
"You poor thing," she said in a hoarse voice that held a trace of sympathy. "Don't worry, you won't have to be here long." She glanced around the room one more time and then resumed her shouting and running. "Looootuuuus! I will find you sooner or later, you brat!" Her shouting grew fainter until it was merely an echo.
"Run away, you dirty hound," the kitsune kit hissed, crouching high on the rafters. "I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!"
She huddled in a ball, enclosed in her mound of fluffy pink and white tails. Yuichi and Spot studied her with fascination.
"Are you…Lotus?" Yuichi asked hesitantly.
"Shut up and leave me alone!" she snapped, wiping at her eyes and sniffling loudly.
Yuichi blinked. "Uh…I can't exactly do that. Your mom locked me in here. Wait - is she your mom? I just kinda assumed because…you know…"
"Because of my tails? It's okay, I look freaky, you can admit it." He could spy one glowing pink eye between the many tails.
"What do you mean, "freaky"? You don't like your tails?"
"I don't like being different. No one wants to play with me. And my okaasan won't let me go outside like they can. I hate her!" She disappeared into her tails and the sobbing resumed.
After several minutes, Spot whimpered and nudged Yuichi's knee. Crying always upset the tokage, who was sensitive to the emotions of those around him.
"I'm sorry," Yuichi said softly. "Do…you want to talk about it?"
"What do you mean, "talk about it"? Why do you want to talk to me, you dumb rabbit?"
He paused. He didn't have a lot of experience talking to children, especially children with nine-tails and emotional issues. What would Auntie say? She would simply be honest, but gentle.
"I know how it feels to be sad too," he said quietly. "And talking to others always made me feel a little better."
There was no reply. Yuichi sighed and adjusted his position in the scratchy straw. He leaned against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes, trying to ignore his empty stomach. He didn't feel like being kind to this hostile kit, but he was determined not to let his own suffering drown out that of hers. He might be desperately in need, but so was she.
Ten minutes passed before the silence was broken by a thump, followed by the rustling of straw as the kit settled a few feet from him. He glanced sideways at her, almost afraid to move for fear of scaring her, as if she were a wild longleg.
"Why are your ears so bent?" she asked shortly, staring at him.
He shrugged. "I don't know, I'm a rabbit. We all have ears this way."
She played restlessly with a few strands of straw, grinding them into flecks on the floor. "Why do you have a lizard with you?"
"He's called a tokage lizard, and he's my friend. He goes everywhere I go."
Spot chirped in agreement and flopped down beside Yuichi, resting his head on his companion's leg and watching the kit with bright eyes.
Her eyes softened as she gazed into Spot's eyes. "You're so lucky. I wish someone would be my friend."
"Do you have any siblings?"
She shook her head. "I used to have an otousan, but my okaasan ate him when she was very mad."
Yuichi startled, causing his chains to rattle. "What? You can't be serious. That's-that's crazy."
"It's true, I saw it," Lotus said firmly, but he couldn't detect any sign of anguish on her delicate face. "She does that when someone makes her mad. She said it's the kitsune way."
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to process the horrors that this child may have seen.
"If any of that is true, I'm so sorry you had to see that. That…is not a normal way that mothers should act. Even if they are a kitsune."
Spot cautiously walked towards Lotus, whimpering. "Can I pet him?" she asked.
"Sure, go ahead! I think he likes you," Yuichi said weakly.
Lotus gently petted Spot's head and neck and he snuggled up to her, eeping quietly. She held onto him and tears began squeezing their way out of her eyes.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" she mumbled. She glanced at his chains and looked away, avoiding eye contact.
Yuichi smiled kindly at her. "It's not your fault I'm locked in here. You're just a kid whose okaasan is a little…er…crazy."
She tucked her knees into her chin and searched his face with her light pink eyes. "Are you mad at her? I get mad at her all the time and she's never been this mean to me."
He hesitated. "Yeah, I am mad at her. But mostly, I feel bad for her."
Lotus held Spot closer. "I feel bad for you. I don't want my okaasan to kill you." Her voice cracked and he could see she was on the verge of tears again.
"Hey, don't cry," he said. "I've got an idea. Why don't you find the key to my cell and these cuffs and I can get out of here before that happens?"
She brightened, but then her ears lowered with disappointment. "I have no idea where the keys are. Do you?"
"Nope."
The three of them sat in silence. Spot chewed nervously on Yuichi's shirt.
"I'm going to miss you," Lotus said, kicking the straw. "It's no fair! I never have anyone to talk to! I'm going to be all alone, forever."
As he studied the pouting kit, an idea sprung into Yuichi's mind. "I can give you something so you'll never be alone again," he said softly.
She blinked away tears and looked at him wide-eyed. "What?"
Yuichi nudged Spot towards Lotus. The tokage looked at him with surprise. "Spot, this is your new companion. I want you to stay with Lotus and take care of her."
Spot whimpered and nudged him back. His tail wagged uncertainly.
"I mean it, Spot." Yuichi's voice trembled but he tried to stay firm. "I can't take care of you anyways if they kill me." He leaned down and nuzzled Spot with his nose. "I love you, little buddy. Don't forget me now, okay?"
Now he was fighting back the tears. His precious tokage looked so sad and unwilling, but Spot walked over to Lotus and obediently sat down next to her.
"Thank you," Lotus said, clutching Spot's neck. She closed her eyes and Yuichi saw her smile for the first time.
"We'll take good care of him."
"Ah!" Yuichi yelped and whirled to gaze through the bars at a serene Lady Hikaru. She had snuck up on them without making a sound.
"Okaasan! Please don't be mad," Lotus said, shrinking to the ground. "I'm sorry for running off, I was going to come right back."
"It's alright, child. But don't ever enter our prison again; you're lucky this rabbit is not one of our crueler prisoners. You could have been badly harmed."
Her cold eyes surveyed him, and once again he was overcome with fear and awe at the sight of the magnificent kitsune. Then she turned and exited, her nine tails gliding after her. "Come along, Lotus. We need to prepare for the ceremony."
"What ceremony?" Lotus asked. Then she glanced at Yuichi and her ears drooped. "Oh." As she squeezed through the bars, Spot took one last look at Yuichi before following her.
"Bye." Lotus whispered. Then she and Spot were gone.
Yuichi leaned his head against the wall, unable to hold back the tears any longer. Spot, dear little Spot, his companion since he was a young boy, would not longer curl around his neck, prance at his side, and eep with happiness while snatching a treat from his hand. "I did the right thing, didn't I?" he whispered to the Maker. "I know I did, even if it feels terrible. Please Maker, show me what to do next. Whatever happens I will honor you, but you know I would give anything to escape and see my friends again. If they're looking for me right now, please show them the way."