Legend of the Kitsune

The day is misty, almost night-like and all of the forest drops heavy drizzles of rain. All is quiet, not a bird makes a chirp nor a mouse makes a rustle. In the distance a rich japanese family rides slowly through the rain, cautiously as to not slip with the falling rain forming puddles everywhere. A young boy, his hair lighter than the rest, sits on his fathers lap holding a small umbrella. He calls to his father to stop the horse and jumps out of his fathers lap, and begins running into the mist. The father leaps off the horse in pursuit of his son as guards stand watch over the fathers horse and other belongs.

"My son, where are you going?" The father calls. He finds his son leaned over near a cliff and tries to inquires what he is doing, but before he can his eye catches sight of what the boy had apparently heard in the fog.

The baby fox lay injured on the ground, barely breathing in the cold rain. It gave out a soft whimper as the boy picked it up to shield it from the rain.

"I'm sry I ran off, but it was calling to me father," The boy appologized. "Can I care for it? I dont want it to die."

"You can't keep a wild animal in the house, I simply will not allow it."

"Mother wouldn't have left it here." The boy spoke the truth. The father's eyes suddenly grew soft.

"Your right," He said with a smile. "Come on my son. This kits life is in your hands now."

The father, was was also general to the emperor owned a grand house outstretched on a hill near the vast forest. When they got inside servants took they're wet garments and the boy hurridly whisked the baby fox to his room to care for it.

Several days passed of caring for the fox. The boy did everything he could to keep, what he now knew as a she fox, alive. Each day she showed promise of getting much better until finally she was able to walk and make a loud yipping noise.

"Your a very beautiful fox," the boy complimented as he stroked the foxes white fur. The fox wagged her tail at the sound of his happy voice talking to her. Her gold eyes stared happilly into his.

During the next few weeks the young fox was given a name and would also leap and run as she pleased with the young boy. They'd spend endless hours playing in the garden together, racing each, playing games of tag, and laying out on the grass to watch the clouds go by.

"Come on Nuri," Inbur, the young boy would call out to his now pet fox.

A year now passed. Inbur and Nuri became good friends, neither leaving the others side, at least until Nuri got curious.

Once while Inbur was in his classes Nuri wandered out hoping to make mischief in the kitchen. Later reports of a young girl running throw the halls sent Inbur looking for a playmate when all along it was Nuri who had transformed herself into the girl.

Nuri continued to make mischief in the household and was once even caught by Inbur when he followed her down the hall and into the pantry. But by the time Inbur had gotten there Nuri has already changed back and was yipping at the air, as though the young girl had be there and crawled out the window.

The mischief came about so often that the general finally brought in a priest to survey his home incase there were spirits living in his house. After living with the general for a week and going through the entire house the priest came to the general with the solution to his problem.

"General Inuba, I have looked all through your house and have found, but one cause to this young girls appearance."

"And that would be," the general urged on.

"Your house is plagued by a kitsune. A mistress, or shall I say mistress in training, fox." The priest said in a serious tone. "That fox your son has in a menace and will take his very well being if you are not careful. They are tricky and have powers neither of us can ever learn to compriehend. If your son is to become a military man like yourself and live a fruitful life with a family of his own then I suggest you take that fox away immediately and dispose of it."

The general stood silently stunned by the words of the priest. He would have never thought that such a small creature could bring so much corruption into his house. He knew his son loved the little fox more than anything in the world, but he had to protect the only heir he had. Inbur would be the only one who could receive the ancient power his family had so long possessed now that his wife had died. The fox had to go.

When the generals men carried the fox away with them Inbur ran after them crying for Nuri, tears streaming down his face. His father caught his before he could advance further.

"But why father? Why are you taking me from her?" His words came through sobs and reddened eyes. His father had to look away from the child as he answered. The look on his childs face was more than he could bare.

"I'm sry my son...it...had to be done," the general struggled for the right words to say. "She'll be happy in the wild anyway."

Nuri began crying in the cage they had placed her in and with each cry Inbur dugged to get lose of his fathers hold. The military men mounted on they're horses and headed towards the forest. Inbur screamed for them to come back, but they were already faded in the distance along with Nuri's cries.

Inbur sunk down on the ground, tears flowing continuously. "I didn't...I didn't even get to say good bye." He managed to say. His sobs continued for the rest of that day, and all through the night, and for months to come.

When the riders had gotten to the forest they took the fox cage to a near by tree and let the little white fox run free. Nuri knew what direction Inbur was in and that was the direction she began heading. She would have succeeded in going back to her master if it had not been for the instructions the General had given the men. They were not allowed to let her leave the forest and were to come back to stand guard at the gate of the house so that the kitsune would not enter.

Nuri tried to get passed the men, only to have several swords swung at her and arrows shot at her. She finally gave up for the day and climbed up on a hill where she could view the house of her master.

The sun began setting on the grand house and still the little fox sat looking on to where she had once lived.

Many days after that she continued to get to her master, but each day presented an obstacle to overcome that sent her running back to the forest. For arrows, to fire, to dogs, to walls. Eventually, after many years of trying the little fox gave up and ran deep into the forest where she was never seen by the guards again.

Years passed and Inbur continued to think about Nuri. His military training was going acceptionally well despite his loss, but he still missed her. Eventually the day came when Inbur began to think less and less of her until a sparce trace of her remained in his memories.