I am fifteen years old as of Thursday, hooray! I didn't forget about you guys, and as promised, I'm going to get as much done as I can after doing all of my homework.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Words Once Spoken: Chapter 18

Bang! The noise came again from the north gate, more following in quick succession. Kurama watched with mild curiosity as the smoke rose and bathed the sky in darkness. It thickened in the air, it's sulfurous scent smothering them like a blanket. The stinging cold moved everywhere, biting at his skin to the point where it began to itch. Everywhere he looked winter grew so thick around them that it seemed tangible.

"What the…?" Yusuke muttered, staring wide-eyed at the turmoil.

"Well, it has nothing to do with us." Kuro stated, turning away from the attack. After all, the attackers weren't bothering them. What use was there in interfering? These demons just happened to be here at the same time as them, like bugs that never seemed to disappear from underfoot.

"I suppose you're right." Kurama agreed, trailing after Kuro nonchalantly. Winter's persistence was bound to give out soon enough. Then they could leave this damn town and see something that was actually green again. Petty feuds between demons were similar to those between trees; when trees grow close together, they battle to be the highest one in the forest, and therefore get the most sunlight.

There weren't any strong plants growing around here, only flawed characters. All of the snow weeds were too lazy to do any growing themselves, instead begging Kurama for energy.

After he took a few decisive steps, Kurama realized that Yusuke wasn't following them. The Mazoku could never resist interfering with things completely unrelated to him.

Kurama could feel the heat of Yusuke's tension sizzling in the air around them. "You do whatever you want." He told them through gritted teeth, "but I'm going to see what's happening over there!" With that, he turned and ran out of their sight before they had a chance to react.

"This is why I hate children." Kuronue grumbled, simultaneously extending his arms and wings. "They never listen to their elders…" So he admits it! Then they were off after him, like parents with a child that just learned to walk.

As they ran, well as Kurama ran beside Kuro, the thick smoke around them obscured everything. Kuro's wings were fans that could give them a few feet of clean air on either side if they weren't moving so fast. Their speed kept the smoke from settling on their bodies, but it did nothing to protect them from its suffocating scent.

Finding Yusuke was harder than Kurama had expected it to be. Either Yusuke had purposely hidden his energy (something Kurama found very unlikely), or the smoke was obscuring their ability to sense each other.

Bang! Another succession of attacks on the gate implied a crude battering ram to be the source of the noise. It was probably one that slowly disintegrated, explaining the excessive smoke. He turned to follow the noise, knowing that Yusuke would probably be at the center of the chaos.

Seconds later, he could discern a murmur of voices that meant they were closer to Yusuke. Beside him, he sensed Kuronue and felt the air from his wings brush through his hair.

Kurama watched, almost in a daze, as they came upon the scene of the brawl. Despite the situation and the level of brutality, all of this was just a brawl among demons. The smell of sweat and blood was so powerful that he could taste it.

He felt himself falling, both literally and metaphorically, into another dream. His back hit the ground and the impact covered him in the turbid slush of the battlefield. He heard Kuronue call his name, just as the dream swept him away.

"Youko."

The fox looked up from his labor. Kasumi ran toward him with strands of her snow white hair flying out behind her. Behind her in the snow he saw a trail of footprints, running all the way from the hilltop where she lived.

He set down his tools and stood to watch as she stumbled toward him down the hill. Her eyes met his, and when she saw that he was watching, her fuzzy little wolf ears perked up and a sanguine smile lit up her face. Youko watched with some wariness as she approached him.

Her petite fingertips clutched a basket of woven bark that gave off a delightfully fragrant aroma. Youko's mouth began to water, just imagining the kinds of things that basket contained. Kasumi stopped determinedly in front of him. As she panted in exhilaration, her breath came out in visible puffs of air.

"I brought you some food." Those were the sweetest words he'd ever heard.

He watched her warily as she set the basket down by his feet. The smells of blood and meat wafted through the air, stimulating his nose and tongue simultaneously. He never took his eyes away from Kasumi as she backed a few feet away from her morsel.

"It's okay." She told him with that tender smile still on her face. "I won't hurt you."

His gold eyes rose to meet hers timidly. This person's eyes were bright yellow, and nowhere could he see a trace of deceit. He looked away again fearfully; those eyes were too bright for the likes of him. She waited, perfectly still, as if any movement would send him running away.

Cautiously, he moved towards the meat, each step planted carefully in the snow before he took another one. It took only three steps. Youko's hair slid to the left side of his neck as he bent to reach the basket. He made one more uncertain glance at Kasumi and then scooped the meat up quickly into his hands.

He leapt back from the basket like it was a dangerous object and clutched the meat in towards his chest. It felt warm and slimy in his hands, almost like fresh meat. He didn't care if it was fresh though; it was still blessed food

He tore into the meat desperately. The salty flavor burst onto his tongue in an eruption of terrific flavor. The meat was indeed fresh. Youko lowered his head to his hands and ate ravenously, tearing off chunk after chunk of the wonderful sensation, unaware of the sudden wetness of his cheeks.

In front of him, Kasumi clenched her hands together joyously, her heart trying with all of its strength to reach out and touch that of the beautiful creature before her.

To Be Continued…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry, but it looks like I am once again giving you a half chapter. After part two of this chapter, there is one more chapter before the epilogue. I really need to avoid writing action scenes until I get better at them…

Well anyway, you all know how it is. Alright, I've gotta upload this then get some sleep. Until next time,

--Red Kitsune Flames.