A Forest on Fire (KuramaxOc)

Ch 39: New Mission: Rescue the Ice Maiden Yukina!!!

Kona and Shura had left by the time the trio returned to Shizuru's home. Kurama had kept a hand on the small of Yumiko's back for the entire walk. Gently, he led the shut down kitsune through the doorway, and directed her to the sofa.

"Thank you for doing this Shizuru... I owe you big time..." Mako spoke with a quiet voice, trying not to upset the girl any further. He had buried the fox under an ash tree in the park, washing his hands in the small stream before rejoining the others.

"You don't need to thank me, Mako. I was there, remember?" Shizuru began. She took a draw of her cigarette, then continued. "What I don't understand, is why not use one of the other six?" She asked, referencing the other units on the top floor.

Mako tried to run a hand through his hair, only to remember it had been shorn off. "Thing is, that smell's not going away any time soon, and they could easily come back to that building to find her. I'll start looking for a new place tomorrow, Then we'll be out of your hair."

He watched as wheels seemed to turn in Shizuru's head. She seemed to consider something for a long moment, then spoke. "Come with me. Just trust me and come on." She said, cutting him off before he could even argue and dragging him out the door by his less injured wrist. She called over her shoulder as the door swung shut behind them.

"WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE DARK!"

If anyone heard, they made no effort to respond. Kazuma sat across from the sofa, watching with a pained expression as Kurama tried to coax some water into the girl.

"It was really that bad?" He asked solemnly. Kenji and Kaoru had told him of the devastation, but seeing the fiery girl who had fought beside them against the Saint beasts sit so quietly, so still on that seat like a little doll...

"Worse." The one word response was clipped as Kurama tried to keep his fury in check. A small whine from the other end of the sitting room echoed his feelings as Botan pulled her knees to her chest. The moment the text had gone out, Maru had snarled and vanished in a puff of red, leaving her completely baffled and alone on the rooftop.

Kurama would have liked to go with them, to shred this so called 'Ben' to pieces. Or perhaps feed him to one of his plants, but the opportunity had been taken. So he sat by Yumiko's side instead, and pulled the silent girl closer to lean against him. He wouldn't be able to simply snap her out of this. She would have to come to terms with what she had witnessed on her own.

***

Mako's jaw gaped open as he looked over the two story house, not even two blocks down from Shizuru's own home! It was the last on the block, and a sprawling city park lay just on the opposite side of the street! There was a small front yard, and a fenced off section in the back that provided ample privacy. It held enough space for a decent garden, perhaps even a grilling area!

He watched in silence as Shizuru spoke to someone on the phone.

"Uh-huh! Okay, great! Yes, we're already here. 10 minutes? Wonderful, thank you!" She turned to him as she hung up the phone. "The realtor should be here in about ten minutes. It's a decent place right?"

He nodded quietly as he observed the house's windows and doorways again. It was a lovely home. Spacious, a soft salmon in color, though he could see what looked like birch wood flooring inside. Still in a bit of awe at all Shizuru had done, was doing for them, he couldn't find the words to say, so he simply nodded, content to share a smoke with the human woman as they waited.

_______

Maru had snarled the entire way to the eastern peaks. He did not stop at the scent line this time, though he did note how subdued the markings were, as though they had not been renewed in days.