Disclaimer: I only own the characters I made up and this fic. I don't want to own YYH because I couldn't possibly come up with such a brilliant story line. Flames R accepted, as long as you tell me the reason for the flame.
As always, with all new fics, tell me if you like this fic or not! If you don't like it, I'll probably get discouraged and take it down.
Chapter Three: Strange Sounds
Youko chose to ignore Ryu's comment and took this opportunity to check on each of his neighboring caves. He wanted to make sure that the wounded were tended to and that the women and children were fed and cared for. He paused before the closest cave. "Status check," he announced before pushing it aside. He frowned sympathetically at the sight of his mother huddled on the edge of her cot.
"Mother?" he called to her. He came towards her. "H-how are you feeling?"
Kira lifted then lowered her shoulders. "I don't know," she admitted.
"Forgive me. I was unable to keep Father alive," Youko murmured. Once again, the guilt came to laugh at his situation. He knelt by his mother as he did when he was a young kitsune.
"You didn't do anything. Your father didn't want to continue in this hellacious time. I don't either…"
Youko gaped at his mother. "You aren't going to die on me, are you?" He knew it sounded like he was whining…but he couldn't stand suffering two losses in one day.
"No. Not yet. I want to know how good you are at this. If you are able to stop this war, then I'll be able to die in peace." Kira drew her son closer and stroked his hair, soothing him. "Now, before you continue with your routine checks, I wanted to tell you something."
Youko pulled away from his mother to look curiously at her. "What is it?"
"Keaton didn't want to tell you this...but once you become king, you must choose your mate or mates before the eve of your next birthday."
The kitsune gaped at his mother. "I have no desire to have a mate…or mates. It's more important to keep our population protected, is it not?"
"I know what you're saying, and I agree with you. But if you were to die, you need an heir to carry on the royal blood line."
Youko growled in frustration. "What if I refused?"
Kira smiled sadly. "Then everyone would lose hope to keep the population alive. They would stop reproducing out of fear. You understand the risks the women have when they are carrying children. If your chosen mate or mates refuse to have children, everyone will follow your example. Everything you do helps our people make their decisions."
Youko nodded, showing he understood. "But who will be my mate?" He said this more to himself than his mother.
"There are plenty of willing females out there. Find the one that suits you."
"I've known all of them since early childhood." He pouted childishly. "They're all vain."
Kira laughed. "You're vain too, dear. We're all vain. Find a woman you like for a different aspect. If you don't find your own mate by tomorrow, I'll show you the one we arranged for you." She kissed her son on his forehead. "Now get to the rest of your rounds. Good night."
Youko nodded before leaving. He didn't want to be bound by a female. He was king, after all. He could have his pick from any of them. He scowled as he thought over the self-absorbed women he could choose from. They were all the same! How could he pick one out?!
He went on to the following cave. "Status check," he called again before pushing into the next kitsune's home. He blinked in astonishment. This particular cave had housed a large family. He found himself face to face with two females. "Where are your brothers?" he asked.
"T-they were part of the body count taken today," one answered sadly. Her lower lip began to tremble. Silently, she began to cry over her loss. Her sister patted her awkwardly.
"I apologize for Makoto's behavior," she said softly. She doesn't know about—" She gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. She bowed down. "Forgive me. I forgot that you are our new king…since…" She didn't continue her sentence, but Youko saw her shoulders quaking.
He bit back the sadness that threatened to consume him. "Forgive me for intruding on your grief," he said awkwardly. "Angel, Makoto, I am sorry for your losses." He bowed slightly before leaving.
Silently, he completed his rounds. He was shocked several more times at the amount of losses his population had suffered. He paused before his own cave. Ryu gazed curiously at his friend. "Youko?" he called out. "What's the matter?"
"So many of us have died," the fox told the dragon. His amber eyes focused angrily onto his friend. "I want to stop this. Keeping the remainder alive is what I'm concerned with. My mother, on the other hand, demands that I find a mate."
The corners of Ryu's lips quirked upwards in a small smile. "Ah…a mate, you say? What sort of mate?"
Youko smirked at his friend's perverted thoughts and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "A lifelong mate. Must everything be taken the wrong way with that mind of yours? She said mate…or mates. These are mates I must be bound with forever. They are the ones that have the honor of bearing my children."
"So? What's wrong with that?!" the dragon demanded, shocked at the opportunity that his friend was missing. "You can choose any of the lovely women here!"
"Which is my point. They all bore me." He looked curiously at his friend. "Who would you suggest I take?"
"Angel would be my first choice. She's beautiful."
Youko nodded silently. Angel was considered the belle of the kitsune clan. Everything about her was a step above all the other kitsune females. He shrugged. "Maybe…"
"Maybe?!" Ryu gaped at his friend. "Not only is she beautiful, she's pretty powerful for a female…and, she knows quite a few tricks…if you know what I mean."
"How would you know about these 'tricks'?"
"Let's just say that she was kind enough to perform them…" Ryu cleared his throat.
"Hmph." Youko crossed his arms. "She seems like a whore to me. I'm going to bed. Good night."
The fox demon pulled the entrance curtain closed and made sure that it was secure.
"What took you so long?" Botan quipped, wanting to break the silence. Sometime seemed to be troubling Youko.
"I check on my people," he answered vaguely.
"Oh." The deity gazed thoughtfully at Youko's back, watching the sinuous muscles in his back move, even with the simple action of fastening the entrance curtain closed. She quickly looked away, ashamed that she was even noticing this in an enemy.
Youko turned around. "I suppose you'll want to know where you can sleep." He blinked at the human girl after finishing his sentence as the sight of her registered fully in his mind. The tunic he had given her was drawn tight across her form. Botan had wrapped it around her slim body. The amber eyes gazed in amazement, noticing the curves that were accentuated by the thin material. He shook his head to clear away the image.
"Sure," Botan murmured. She looked at the ring of pillows on the floor, then at Youko.
"You can sleep by me," Youko said, after thinking. "Very few people know you are here. In case someone like Maki chooses to have revenge on me, I'll be able to keep you safe." He caught the accusatory glare. "I won't do anything to you!" he snapped. "You're a human. It's disgraceful to be in the same room with your kind unless it's to kill them. Be glad that I'm more civilized than most of my kind."
Youko grabbed Botan and pushed her down in one corner of the ring. He threw a few blankets at her. "The nights get chilly. You might want these," he explained. He took a blanket for himself and laid himself on the other corner of the cushions. He looked over his shoulder. "Comfortable?"
Botan shifted around under the warm fur blanket Youko had given her. It felt wonderful against her skin. And the silk pillows felt soft and inviting. "Yes," she murmured sleepily. In an instant, she gave into the comfort. She new she should be on her guard, but somehow she felt that if Youko wanted to hurt her, he would have done it already.
Youko jumped awake. He could hear something. It sounded faint and far away, but he knew he could hear it. He paused, listening, waiting to hear the sound again. There it was again! He pushed the blanket off of him, not noticing that this action had roused Botan out of her sleep.
She sat up a little, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "What is it?" she asked groggily.
"Shh!" The fox moved to the door. His ears twitched, testing the air for the sound again. And he heard it. It sounded sort of like a scream then an explosion. "How odd…" he murmured. He had never heard something like that in his life. He fiddled with the curtain's fastening and pushed it aside. A blast of cold night air hit him.
Botan wrapped a blanket around her and went up to the fox. She looked at him questioningly before gazing outside.
"Ryu," Youko said quietly.
At first there was no answer. There was a sudden blast of cold air and something long and shiny landed silently on the ground. Botan gasped at the sight. Before her was a dragon with silver and blue scales. It seemed to shimmer like water in the moonlight. The deep blue eyes met Botan's own amethyst ones and winked.
"D-did that think just wink?" Botan whispered in astonishment.
"Ryu tends to have his own way of doing things, even when he's supposed to be inconspicuous." Youko glared at his friend.
"That's Ryu?" Botan gaped openly at the dragon. She had never seen a dragon up close.
Youko walked towards the dragon. Botan followed closely. "Ryu, I hear something strange in the distance."
Ryu cocked his head, the sapphire eyes burning quizzically at the fox demon.
"Don't give me that look. I want you to go see what it is. If you keep to the place where the water leads, you'll be unseen. They sound like they're close to our main river's edge," Youko told him. "When you're done, find me and report the details."
Ryu bent forward on his scaly front legs in a bow before flying off."
"Wow. He's amazing!" Botan exclaimed.
Youko, unable to explain the faint feeling of jealousy, ignored her. 'I need to make sure nothing will be able to reach us. If they're to us, then I'll have to stall them so my people will have time to escape safely,' he thought. He began to walk briskly, preparing to alert the main guards.
The deity looked around nervously before jogging to catch up with Youko. "What do you want me to do?" she asked quietly.
"Oh…I nearly forgot about you." He gazed at her. "I suppose I have no choice but to bring you with me. Take my cloak from the top of the oak chest. Follow this path and you'll find me. Try to hurry."
Botan ran off to get the cloak as Youko went to alert the guards.
The guards all snapped to attention as Youko went to them. "Be on alert for anything suspicious. If a small number comes, take them all hostage and wait for me to deal with them. Anything done of your own free-will will be punished severely," Youko ordered. He gave Maki a serious look. "Either Ryu or I will come to alert you if there are signs of mass retaliation. I repeat, be on alert."
The guards bowed in acknowledgement.
Botan ran up to Youko, gasping for air. "I found you," she said proudly. "Now what?"
The guards offered their king a confusing look.
"She's under my care," Youko snapped, knowing what they were thinking. He grabbed Botan by the arm and hurried to reach the end of the territory. "Something is going to happen. I'm not sure if this is a warning or if it's actually started."
Thanks for all the lovely reviews! Here's the people who reviewed last chapter!
KuramaandHiei4ever: Glad you think it wasn't pointless. And you did manage to write a Youko/Botan fic and it was good! I need to update My Assassin, My Dark Angel, but like I told ya before, it's a writers block. I'll get out of it…I hope!
What a scene: Glad you enjoy it! I'm here to serve. ::bows::
Keirin-Sama: An egg…whatsis? That was random! ::laughs:: Random things are fun sometimes. Thanks for the review!
animegirl007: Yup, Ryu just might have a crush on Botan in later chapters. I'm not sure if there'll be much fighting between the two friends just yet. It depends on what comes to me when I'm writing. So, just keep on the look out, k? I'd love to be Botan too…if she were real, and if Youko was real. Thankee for the review!
miyako14: Oh…I wonder too! They've never showed if Youko's ears squeaked because of course nobody can get close enough to try. ::lol:: What a crazy thought! I appreciate the review!
Tyedye/Rin: Hey! You reviewed twice! Kewl! And thanks. And thanks for the medal too! Glad you enjoyed the long-ness. I tried. I just hope you like this chappie too, even it it's pointless.
Mourning Fox: Thanks. I try to keep a touch of humor in, even if things are serious. I'm working on comic relief. Thanks for reviewing!
Kitsune's Miko: Yup! There was humor! I try to make things funny. You loved it? Thanks! It's nice to have my works loved. It makes me feel loved! Thankee!
Prettynutter: You're happy I updated? Well here's a late chappie. I didn't meant to have it take so long. Thanks for the lovely review!
Lady of Roses: Well, Youko's jut gonna resist because currently, they hate each other but just think the other person is attractive. It's a semi-love-hate relationship….is that even a word? ::shrugs:: well I just hope you understand what I mean. Thanks for the review!