Love's Embrace

Chapter 9 – By Night Sky

Yanagi walked silently through the forest as chaos reigned in her mind. So many things were running through her mind she had trouble focusing on any one thing she had in her head right now. She moaned as she sat down in the middle of a field. The stars shone brightly, but Yanagi seemed not to notice.

"Yanagi," She heard behind her. Yanagi stiffened as Yoko sat down behind her. He pulled her back against him and nuzzled her neck.

Yanagi sighed and stretched her body, leaning more into Yoko.

"You don't seem to be anything that I've heard about." She said as she turned to her head to face him and see his eyes.

"I've heard quite a few tales about the Bandit King, Yoko Kurama. Your heart is supposedly made of ice." She said quietly as she placed her palm over his heart.

"Does it feel that way to you?" He asked quietly, nuzzling her hair. He couldn't keep from touching her, and wondered if it was her heat that was making him so affectionate toward her.

"No," she whispered as she felt his heart beat once, strong and warm against her palm. She nuzzled his neck and burrowed closer to him.

They stayed sitting there for a while in silence. Each thinking and wondering what to do next.

It was a new phenomenon for Yoko; he was used to being at least 10 steps ahead of everyone else. For the first time in his life, he hadn't thought this one thing completely through and had no idea where to go from where he was now.

"Would you rather I leave? It would be easier for you. You don't have to protect me. I can just try to find you whenever I go into heat." Yanagi said as she looked back up at him.

Yoko said nothing as his golden eyes searched her own. His heart felt constricted at the thought of her leaving, but he couldn't understand why. "Too many things happening that I have not accounted for, I will pay for this soon." Yoko thought.

"I would rather you stayed, that way you would have no need to find me when you go into heat." He stated.

"I'm not in heat anymore. They range from 3 days to some times as long as a full week." Yanagi said matter-of-factly.

One silver eyebrow raised in question at her comment. "I would still want you to stay and come with us. Kuronue and I are just two of a full group of bandits. It will not be an easy life, you will be expected to pull your own. Do you have any abilities?" He questioned.

Yanagi shook her head and sighed. "I'm completely useless," she said desperately.

Yoko frowned, "Every fox demon, male and female, has a special ability. Mine is plant life. I can bend it to my will. Surely you have some sort of power."

"If I do, it hasn't shown itself." She sighed. "As I said, completely useless."

"Can you cook? Sew? Anything?" He asked.

"Well, yes... I can cook and sew. That was some of the things that I learned when I..." Yanagi stiffened as she stopped abruptly. "Yes, I can do those." She said warily.

Yoko frowned as he noted there was something she wasn't telling him. He decided to let it go for now. He would find out soon enough. "Were you taught anything else?"

"I know about the plant life itself, like what can be used for salves, poisons or just for food. I studied alchemy, history, languages and writing." Yanagi said proudly.

"You can read and write?" Yoko asked curiously.

"In all the known human languages as well as our own." She smiled.

"Hmmm. Perhaps you can be of use." Yoko said thoughtfully. "Knowledge will be what helps you to survive in this life. Any volumes we find you will be allowed to read. They may help. We will read them together. Kuro and I will teach you how to fight. I don't need someone who is defenseless and can be used against me."

"I'm willing to learn if you are willing to teach." She said quietly. "But why would you wish to waste time training and helping me?"

"Because you were the first Vixen I came across." Yoko stated. "I can't let you go." The thought came unbidden.

Author's Note:
I did say this one would be shorter. I MAY start writing chapter 10 tonight. I'm not certain. I'm not going to make any plans to update story. Whenever I try, those plans fall through. So I'll just update whenever possible. I've been working 40 hours over 6 and sometimes 7 days. Leaves little time for anything else. Plus I have housework... *sigh* Not enough time ever...

Hopefully though I'll be updating again soon.

Thank you! And as always, read and review. Good night!