"Hatred burns loud when free, but deadliest when buried…..The longer it's buried, the more it burns the one who carries it. In the end… it consumes the heart that keeps it alive."
"It burns quietly," Akira said softly, his hand still resting on the golden fur, "but in the end… it consumes the one who holds it more than the one it's meant for."
He paused, his voice lowering, gentling.
"But yours… it's not hatred. It's fear laced with anger."
His gaze softened as the two trembling fox pups glared at him with weary defiance.
"Let go of that fear, I'm not here to hurt you two. You're safe now."
With those words, a faint glow bloomed at his fingertips warm and pale. He brushed it gently over their fur.
The pups flinched at first, but then… they stilled.
Their ragged breaths began to steady. The trembling in their limbs quieted. Something deep within them raw and frayed began to loosen. The heat of fear melted into something unfamiliar… comfort.
They lay still for a heartbeat longer.
Then, without warning, both scrambled up and leapt forward not with teeth or claws, but with soft, desperate affection. One nuzzled into his chest. The other circled his legs, whining faintly, brushing against him like they couldn't get close enough.
Akira smiled, raising a hand to pet them again.
"You're safe," he whispered once more.
Then, with gentle ease, he bent down and picked one of the pups into his arms. It nuzzled into his chest with a soft, contented sound while the other continued to circle his leg, its tail brushing against him like a ribbon of gold.
"You've gotten bigger since the last time," he murmured, lifting the pup slightly to inspect it. "At this rate, you'll be fully grown in just a few more months."
He exhaled softly, the warmth of the creature against him grounding something heavy in his chest.
"You must be hungry," he said, glancing between the two. "But every time I bring something for you two, you won't eat it. Not a bite."
He tilted his head, puzzled, as he ran a thumb behind the pup's ear.
"I just don't understand what kind of food you like. You don't eat what other fox demons eat… or even what normal animals eat."
The standing pup gave a low whine, brushing its snout against his ankle.
Akira faced down at the pup circling his leg, his mind already racing. its golden fur glinting faintly in the cave's pale blue light.
"And more importantly…" he murmured, "I don't feel like you two are the same as them."
"Your aura… it's completely different."
He let out a slow breath, fingers tightening slightly around the one in his arms as it nestled closer.
"So what are you really…?" he whispered, more to himself than to them.
Akira gently set the pup down, giving its head one last affectionate stroke before rising to his feet. His boots echoed faintly on the stone floor as he walked to a large, flat rock nestled against the wall of the cave. He sat down with a quiet sigh, leaning back, the two golden-furred pups watched him with quiet, flicking tails.
"It's as if you both are… special," he said softly, his voice almost drowned by the hum of woven into the cavern walls. "And because of that… keeping you two hidden here is becoming harder with each passing day."
He rubbed a hand down his face and exhaled deeply.
"If His Majesty finds out, it'll be… difficult. For me. For you."
"But don't worry," he added with a faint smile, "I'll keep you two safe."
The pups tilted their heads, watching him silently, their eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.
"Before that, I need to figure out exactly what kind of demons you are. And more importantly what kind of food you need. Because you can't keep relying solely on your spiritual core for strength."
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"You're still pups… but you're growing too fast. Your bodies are devouring mana, and in this place because of the barriers—I doubt it's enough. You need more."
His voice dropped lower, more to himself than to them again.
"Something is awakening inside you… and You two need to be ready when it does."
————
The stone steps by the river worn smooth by years of water and time were bathed in gold, the sunset casting long reflections on the rippling surface. Astra and Arisu sat side by side, their feet just above the waterline. A soft breeze fluttered the ends of their robes, carrying the scent of river lilies and warm earth.
From beneath a nearby willow tree, Shion leaned lazily against the trunk, flute at his lips, letting its sound dance with Arisu's voice.
Arisu sang gently, her voice clear and silken, threading effortlessly through the notes Shion played. It was a melody that seemed to wrap the entire riverside in calm, even causing the birds to quiet for a moment. Astra simply listened, eyes on the horizon, surrounded by the music as if it were a soft shield from the world.
When Arisu finished, the final note floating into the still air, Shion lowered his flute with a quiet sigh.
Astra turned excitedly. "Arisu! You sing so beautifully—it's like your vocals were a gift from heaven!"
She leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "And I never thought you could match Shion's flute notes like that. Together it really sounds… heavenly."
Arisu blushed and glanced toward the willow tree. Shion gave a lazy little wave in response. She quickly looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Maybe… I don't really know," she murmured, voice barely above the breeze. "But I'm glad you liked my singing."
"Of course I did! No, no—who wouldn't?" Astra grinned, patting her back a little too enthusiastically. "Your voice is like a cuckoo's in the morning!"
Arisu winced slightly, rubbing her shoulder. "Really…?"
"Yes! But…" Astra narrowed her eyes in mock accusation. "Why didn't you tell me you could sing? You could've helped me fix my pitch and all! Maybe I could've sounded less like a dying goose."
From under the tree, Shion choked violently, clearly trying not to burst into laughter.
Astra whipped her head toward him and shot a glare. He covered his mouth with the flute and pretended to study the clouds.
Arisu cleared her throat, hiding a smile. "You never asked me to sing."
"Huh?"
"Huh?" Astra blinked, still caught off guard.
Arisu chuckled quietly, folding her hands in her lap. "It's just that… I'm really shy about singing in front of others. And, you know, I have this awful habit of laughing weirdly when I get nervous." Her voice trailed into an embarrassed laugh. "So I never really tried to sing when anyone was around."
Her gaze dropped, and her fingers began to fidget with the hem of her sleeve.
"But…" Her voice softened, nearly drowned out by the rustling reeds and the gentle flow of water. "Since you'll be leaving soon, I really wanted to sing this song for you."
Astra's teasing grin faded, replaced with a gentle curiosity. "Did you write it?"
Arisu quickly shook her head, brushing loose hair from her face. "No… I'm not that good at writing songs." Her eyes lifted slightly, distant with memory. "My grandmother used to sing it every evening while watching sunsets—always at this exact hour."
A pause followed, the kind of quiet only shared by those who understood something unspoken.
Arisu's eyes remained on the river, its surface now bathed in hues of gold and rose. Her voice was low, almost trembling.
"After my grandmother left us… I had a really hard time. I stopped going outside. I barely spoke to anyone. I was just… silent. Alone. Everything about me changed. It made me an easy target."
Her hands curled slightly in her lap.
"Maihima made things worse. She really gave me a hard time. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't fight back. Then that day when I fell into the river accidentally… she just stood there, laughing—watching me struggle." Arisu's voice cracked faintly. "If you hadn't saved me that day… maybe I would have—"
"Shut up. Don't continue." Astra's voice cut in, sharp but laced with worry.
Arisu glanced at her, startled—then smiled softly, nodding. "But it's true. I owe you… for saving my life."
"You owe me nothing," Astra said firmly, eyes fierce but glistening with emotion. "Just promise to keep being my friend. That's more than enough."
She exhaled slowly, the wind tousling her hair as she looked out at the river. "I really had the best days here because of you, Arisu. And I'm thankful for every one of them. Even though being with me brought you so much trouble… you still stayed."
Astra leaned her shoulder against Arisu's.
"I'll miss you when I leave."
Shion folded his arms and sighed, the faint rustle of leaves behind him as he walked up the slope from where he'd been sitting.
"Astra… done saying goodbye?" he said, his tone half-teasing, half-exasperated. "We have to head back before it's dark. Unless you want those clingy spirits to latch onto you again."
Both girls stood, exhaling in unison as they turned toward him.
Shion came to a stop beside Astra, glancing at Arisu with a small nod. "So then, Arisu… we'll be leaving tomorrow morning. Before sunrise."
Arisu's expression wavered, but she gave a small nod. Astra reached over, patting her gently on the back.
"Don't give me that sad face now. I told you—I'll be writing you letters."
Arisu smiled faintly, but her voice was soft. "Even if you don't… just don't forget me."
"Come on," Astra said, grinning. "I won't forget you. Don't you trust me?"
"No," Arisu said bluntly, narrowing her eyes. "Your memory's the worst of all. You forget most things after a day."
Astra huffed and crossed her arms, glaring.
A beat passed and then both burst into laughter, their voices echoing along the riverbank as the last rays of sunset spilled across the water.
Arisu nudged Astra lightly, trying to sound cheerful. "Well then, you're so lucky. You're going to the Imperial Capital and around this time of year? Astra, you really are lucky in this case. Even I'll never have that chance again."
Astra didn't smile. Her gaze drifted toward the river, catching the last shimmer of sunlight on the water. "To tell the truth… I don't really want to go, I'd rather stay here longer. But I can't do anything about it. If I want to get rid of this curse… I have to."
Arisu nodded in quiet understanding. Without saying a word, she reached into the long sleeve of her robe and fumbled for a moment before pulling out a small wooden box bound with a red string and a tightly rolled scroll.
"Here," she said, holding them out. "This'll help if you get sick. And the scroll has all the common medicinal herbs listed, plus some secret ways to find them more easily. Since you're always getting hurt…" she trailed off, grinning. "And before you ask, no—I didn't steal it this time. I asked Grandpa."
Astra opened her mouth to respond, but before she could reach out, Shion stepped forward and snatched both items from Arisu's hands.
"Thank you," he said smoothly. "This is really useful. And… we'll be leaving now. Hope you don't mind."
"Shion—!" Astra protested, but he was already turning away.
Without giving her a chance to say more, Shion grabbed Astra by the wrist and started walking briskly toward the path. Astra glanced back once, her eyes lingering on Arisu's small form standing at the edge of the stone steps.
Arisu watched them leave, the weight of quiet settling over her shoulders again. She turned back to the river, closing her eyes.
Tap! Tap!
She flinched slightly and turned fast, only to see Astra behind her again, a mischievous grin on her face, eyes alight with that same old spark.
"If you want to go to the Capital so badly," Astra whispered, "then why don't you become stubborn like you were as a kid… and just ask your grandpa to take you there again?"
Arisu blinked, caught off guard. Then slowly, her lips curved into a bright, surprised smile one that reached her eyes.
"Astra…" she said softly. "I think this goodbye doesn't count yet."