Toneri had to hold Hinata with all he had so she wouldn't run off and end up meeting the hunters. "Let me go! I have to see him!" The struggle went on until every hunter was out of his hearing range. He then frowned, she was still perfectly fine... 'Maybe he...' He took the woman and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring the hits on his back and the screams, focusing on getting down the rocky face as safely as possible. He slipped a few times, but the claws on his feet helped to secure footing. He would glance around in intervals, searching for even the tiniest hint of rusty red. At the moment, the only thing that confirmed that Kurama was alive was Hinata.

He put her down when they got to the base and he dashed around the area to find where the fox had landed. After scrambling for a while, he caught sight of a prone form on the snow, with a familiar red. He took the female to the spot and turned Kurama to his back with her help. Hinata took his head on her lap, waiting for him to open his eyes. "Wake up... please..." Toneri frowned at the scene, maybe the fall had done some damage, and he didn't see any bullet wounds on the chest. He rummaged in his bag and pulled a small vial. "What's that?" The female was watching him with aprehension. "I'll help him. This is blood from a special brand of cursed one, one drop and recovery is assured." He opened the jaws and dropped some of the contents in, massaging the throat to make the fox swallow.

It took a grueling time until she saw the whiskers tremble slightly, giving her hope. More time passed until he opened his eyes and looked up at her. "... Idiot..." She hit him lightly on the middle of his eyes and hugged his neck, receiving a few soothing rubs on her arms. Toneri felt a bit awkward for watching the scene unfold. He chose to wait until the two lovebirds noticed him again. But they didn't, engaging in a snuggle session while ignoring his existence. He felt a vein pop on his temple, holding back the snark. He decided to do something about the situation and gave a loud handclap, making the couple jump. "Now that I have your attention again, can we go?"

Hinata was burning with embarassment and hid her face on Kurama's fur. "We'll part ways here." Toneri adjusted his bag and turned to leave. "I hope that you have a good life." He dashed over the snow until he blended with it on the distance. The fox picked his companion and looked at the stars to find his way, leaving a deep trail on the snow.

Neji had returned home in a glum mood, not being able to find his cousin nor Toneri. His only relief was that the forest demon was finally dead. He opened the door and took off his hunting gear, about to freshen up. His eyes fell on a slip of paper on the table. 'It wasn't there before I left...' He picked it and the calligraphy almost made him drop it as if it were on fire. 'That's her style!' He gulped and steeled his resolve.

Neji, Hanabi and father, I am writing this letter to tell you that I am
going with the one I love to a place where we will be accepted. You
may know him as a demon, but to me he is the most caring person
I ever met, so please, try to understand my decision. I will always
remember you, so try to live without me. Tell father, that even if he
became distant, I still love him. I wish that you stay well, goodbye.
Hinata.

He keeled over, barely standing under the guilt he felt. He had sent a group after the one his cousin loved, so she would now have every reason to despise him and never return. Then it hit him, and if Toneri was really telling the truth about the bond? 'Oh gods... I'm a murderer...' He had ignored the crucial information and his punishment was to know that his hands were indirectly stained by the blood of his dear cousin. "Hinata..." He screamed in regret and guilt, asking for forgiveness.

The journey to the demon village was a long one, but the couple had stood against the test of the elements, finally reaching an area that had a different feel from everywhere else. "We did it Kurama..." They watched when some winged people landed on the trees around them, looking at them with curiosity. A black-haired kid had approached the fox from behind and pulled on one of his tails, quickly darting to safety when he growled at the offender. From the treeline surfaced an ancient looking man with the visage of a gnarly tree. "Welcome to our haven, feel free to settle on the area that suits you best."

It was fairly easy to set up a place to live, as Kurama dug a tunnel gallery on a mountainside with the help of moles and rabbits, making large rooms for more comfort. The neighbors helped the couple to get accostummed with the new life. There were some brief moments when Hinata would imagine having a curse as well. It led to her inquiring if there was really a curse to be broken. Kurama had never reverted, even after they tied the knot of their union. 'Maybe it was the curse of being isolated...' She still could remember when she first met her husband, a misunderstood victim of circumstances.

Toneri would sometimes pass by the region, having left Kurama's treasures in the first time he did. He and Hinata would chat, with him answering her questions and presenting some important figures. It was an interesting experience for her.

Like with every married couple, soon came the kids, and the first to be born was a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. Hinata was resting in the bedroom, with Kurama watching over her. "How will we call them?" The fox nuzzled his children, both looked like regular infants with animal ears and tail. "You decide, mommy." She hugged his neck when he got close enough.

Pale eyes widened at the sight of a familiar face. "Toneri..." The rabbit said nothing, leaving a closed letter on the ground and departing. "Neji..."

Hanabi got confused when she saw the man cry as he read the contents. "She's alive...!"

Well, last chapter, read and review your opinions.