A Forest on Fire (KuramaxOc)

Ch: 18 Familiar scents

[Content warning for this chapter. Depictions of graphic violence/death.]

(Another early upload for the holidays!! Two more chapters coming tomorrow!)

With a flourish of his wrist, and a bow that made the girl giggle, Kurama released the reigns that had pulled on Yumiko since her first day in the human world. She couldn't help grinning from ear to ear as she walked past him towards the park, still beaming at what he had told her just before.

"It seems to me, my little fox... that there's a beast in you desperate to prove what she can do. Show me..."

He had whispered the last part into her ear, only inches away from the lobe, and the tone he used, as well as the command in the words still sent shivers down her spine.

She took a few glances around, making sure no humans were watching to closely, then took off at full speed. She could smell the demon's foul scent, and leapt into the trees for a better advantage as she gained on it's position. It didn't take long to track it down, but as Yumi drew closer, she became very aware of a second scent, and stopped about 30 meters from it.

'Kurama, there were only supposed to be two demons, right?'

'That is correct. Is something wrong?'

'There's a second demon here, and it's not like the scout at all...'

There was a moment of silence, then came that same command that she was growing oddly accustomed to.

'Show me.'

Yumiko did as she was told, grasping for the connection as her eyes started to glow, the hue changing to more of a greenish tint as their vision became one. Ahead of her a small, sickly green demon with an appearance very similar to that of an ogre bowed low before a very large dog-demon. He was a massive brute of a creature!

His skin and fur were a ruddy brown, and his fangs were damn near the size of her fingers!! He had dark brown hair, with eyes as black as night, and was built like an ox! As his smell touched her nose, Yumiko had to bite back a gag. She hated dog demons. She always had! It had taken years for her to get used to Ben being around, and she still felt nauseous at his smell.

Kurama watched silently as Yumiko examined the clearing ahead of her. The dog-demon was quite large, but he could sense that it was still low level. His eyes narrowed however as he felt a shift in the little fox's demeanor. He could feel her human mask slipping, and his own fingers tingled as her claws grew, little red-orange tips itching to feel the dog-demon's flesh beneath them.

'Yumiko, what's wrong?'

There was a snarl in his mind as the dog's scent washed over them both.

'He smells like them...'

Images of a pack of demons filled her mind, and Kurama watched in horror as she shared the memory with her. Memories of the day her village was destroyed.
'He smells exactly like them!'

'Focus!' He sent the thought with a sharp command, putting as much force into the words as he could, then started towards the clearing. He had full certainty the girl could handle herself, however he wanted to bring the demon in alive.

'I'm fine... do we need the scout if we capture the dog?' There was such vitriol in her tone that it gave him pause. Instead of answering immediately, he sent a thought to Hiei instead.

'Have you found your target?'

He did not need to wait long for the response. 'Captured with ease. You'll be pleased to know he's still alive.'