In collaboration with the lovely @glamourous39 !
Kitsune (狐, キツネ,) is the Japanese word for fox. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. According to Yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shapeshift into human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others-as foxes in folklore often do-other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.
A village in need and you’re their hope. Are you up to the task?
I lost my wifi so I wasn’t able to post this earlier, here you go!
“Hey, wake up... I made breakfast for you,” you heard Katsuki’s voice as he shook you. You sat up, yawning and stretching, looking at your surroundings.
Just what happened again, you thought.
You rubbed your eyes as you tried to recall what happened last night, before almost choking on your own saliva as you did recall the past events.
Was I even in the right mind to not even pack clothes for myself?!
You sighed, before turning to look at Katsuki, his eyes staring at you as if they were tasked to bore a hole in you.
“Wha-What?” you asked, flustered by his staring. “You mortals look slightly ugly when you wake up,” he said.
You just huffed at him before turning to what used to be a fire, only to see a roasted rabbit on a stick, presumably hunted by Katsuki.
Again, you sighed. This was your own decision, there’s no going back.
“Eat up. We’ll be looking for villages today,” he said, hugging his knees close to his chest as you ate.
“Why are we looking for villages? Aren’t you scared people might kill you?” you asked, chewing as you paused from time to time.
He looked at you and scoffed, “Some villages worship kitsunes with no fear at all, unlike yours.”
You looked down after hearing his statement, the memories now fresh in your mind.
“I’m sorry about my mother, she’s usually not like that,” you mumbled.
“I’m not one to be offended by a mere mortal,” he snorted, though you were unsure about his real feelings.
“Anyway, here, drink,” he said as he offered you his water jug. “Thanks.”
The two of you were about to leave when a loud roar emerged not so far from the cave. “We have to check it out, I know that’s a dragon’s roar,” he said, helping you stand up.
“A dragon? So they’re real?” you gasped. “You’re literally about to spend most of your life with a kitsune and that’s what you’re asking?” he scoffed.
“Hey, it’s not like everything possible is real. Do you expect me to believe, let’s say a hand would be randomly... dangling out of a tree?” you said, stifling a laugh.
“Yeah, they’re called akateko,” he answered with a straight face.
“Wait, you’re not kidding? I just bridged those words together.”
“Does my face say that I’m kidding?”
You guys ventured through the woods, Katsuki leading the both of you using his heightened sense of smell.
It wasn’t long until you reached the dragon, who was lying down on the snowy path, near unconscious.
“Are you okay?” you immediately asked, about to walk near the dragon until Katsuki stopped you with a shake of his head.
“Keep your distance, we never know what will happen,” he advised. The dragon then focuses its attention on the both of you, intimidating your small frame while Katsuki stood unfazed.
It lets out a small puff of smoke before transforming into a clothed human.
Before, it was a gigantic, red-scaled dragon. But what stood before you now was an average man with black hair, eyes nearly closed as his body sinks into the snow.
Katsuki still stands there with you, unsure of what to do. “Katsuki, we have to help him,” you suggested.
“Why should we?” he asked. “Because it’s the right thing to do, now please, let’s bring him back to the cave and let him rest for a while,” you pleaded.
He grumbles as he carries the man, and the two of you walked back to the cave.
You returned to the cave with a jug full of water, offering it to the man. He looked deathly pale as if he were gonna faint again anytime soon.
But blood rushed back to his face as soon as he drank the water, surprising you with his body’s reaction.
“Dragons live in the water, being on land is a bit hard for them,” Katsuki explained. You let out an ‘ooh’ as you slowly nodded, amazed with the new information you learned.
“Tha—Thank you for bringing me here,” the man choked out after a while. “What happened?” you asked.
“There’s this dark force in the seas... it drove us dragons out, leaving us no choice to be on land,” he explained.
“What’s your name?” Katsuki asked. “I’m Kirishima.”
“Well... what are we gonna do with you now?” Katsuki sighed. “It’s not like we can just leave him here,” you interjected.
“I’ll try to help in any way I can, just don’t leave me alone on land, please. Everything is new to me,” Kirishima begged.
“Fine, let’s go look for villages. The both of you can’t stay in this cave forever,” Katsuki said, standing up as he did so.
“Let’s say we found a friendly village, what’s gonna happen? We still wouldn’t have a place to sleep,” you said. “Some villages have worship houses for several creatures, it’s lucky that dragons and kitsunes are part of those,” Katsuki explained.
“Alright, let’s go, then,” you said.
The three of you ventured through the woods, trudging through snow. Both creatures were unfazed by temperature but you were shivering from head to toe, you can already feel frostbite forming on your face.
This did not go unnoticed with Kirishima, taking pity in your shivering state. “Here, give me your hands,” he said, pausing from the walking.
Curious, you held out your hands to him.
He snaps his finger, fire floating above his fingertips. Scared, you tried to draw away your hands until he calmly said, “This won’t hurt you, I promise.”
He gingerly places the flames on your hands, its warmth covering your hands. “Thank you,” you smiled. “No problem, mortal.”
“I found a village,” Katsuki interjects, he can smell the mortals from a mile away.
“Where?” Kirishima asked. “Follow me,” Katsuki smirked.
“I hope they’re friendly,” you mumbled. “There’s only one way of knowing. And we definitely wouldn’t find out if we just stood here,” Katsuki scoffed.
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