Fox

My legs stretched out before the fire in front of me, my foxflames still licking away at my bruises and wounds.

A brisk chill in the morning air breezed through, and I saw Sera shiver slightly while wrapping herself tighter in her blanket. Our eyes met for a second, but I looked back down at the fire, concentrating on healing the rest of my wounds quickly.

“You’re lucky you don’t have to worry about a chill; meanwhile, I feel like my toes might just fall off,” Sera said through chattering teeth.

I nodded, hearing the morning birds chirp, “It sure comes in handy during winter.”

“We’re already mostly through fall now,” she sighed, scooting closer to the crackling flames.

Her eyes seemed glazed over, lost in thought somewhere.

I don’t blame her; that fight was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Even my identity was revealed to that damn Hunter. I thought I took all the precautions needed. Seems I need even more discipline.

My fist clutched at the silver sigil tightly, imprinting it into my palm.

I wonder if Sera figured it out, who I am? Is it even worth it to hide from her anymore?

“Leon? Are you alright?” Sera said, noticing my clenched fist.

“I’ll be fine, still feeling shaken up from the battle.”

She nodded slowly, the sun beginning to shine rays through the trees as the air warmed.

“Leon?”

I sat up, meeting her gaze across the fire.

“So, that Hunter back there, Crimson Nail? Did you know her?”

“No. I didn’t.”

Sera paused for a second, burying her chin into her knees to fight the cold, “You seemed to recognize her name, though.”

“It wasn’t her name.”

Sera glared at Leon.

“Why don’t you tell me what it was then. It’s not like it was hard to notice how she got under your skin.”

“If I told you, it would only put both of us in more danger.”

“So you’re saying that by withholding information from me, I’ll be safe by default.” Her gaze was locked onto me, looking for answers that I didn’t want to give.

Reluctantly, I replied, “No, you won’t be safe. If anything, they’re now going to send many other Hunters after us.”

Sera patiently remained quiet.

“Her name wasn’t really her name. It was a title. She said she was a ‘Nail’.”

“What’s a Nail?”

I stiffened instinctively, trying not to recall bad memories.

“You know, if I keep talking about this, there’s no going back. It’s so secret that only a handful of people in the world know this information.”

“And you know this because of the history you have with the Hunters?”

“Yes. But know that I didn’t choose to know this, it was forced upon me.”

Sera nodded with a hmph.

“Continue.”

“Alright.” I breathed deeply.

Her view of this world is never going to be the same. I hope she can handle what I’m about to tell her.

“A ‘Nail’ is a Hunter that works under a secret organization, called ‘The Order of Hands’. This organization, which has spread to all sides of this continent, was the one that took action against other species during the crusades twelve years ago, under the guise of a war staged by the other species.”

Sera leaned in, listening intently to my story.

“The Hunters are operating as a front for the Order, doing their bidding and completing missions that the Order demands. However, most of the Hunters are oblivious to the existence of the Order. This is because the Nails are the ones who receive missions from the Order and use the Hunters below them to accomplish these tasks. Whatever reputation the Hunters may have, the Order of Hands is incomprehensibly worse.

“This is why I reacted so harshly when Crimson revealed her title. By allowing her to escape, we are both now in grave danger, because she will report directly to the Order, making our names known all across the continent. Honestly, I don’t even know how we’re going to keep them off our track at this point.”

I paused, allowing the information to soak in for Sera.

Her blanket slipped away from her shoulders, and she scratched her head with a free hand.

“I think I understand,” she said, “Are all Hunters going to be as strong as the last ones?”

“I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure…”

A nervous silence spread between us again, my heart beating rapidly.

“So, how do you know all of this? Since it’s supposed to be so secret.”

My gaze turned to the ground, fighting back traumatic memories again.

“I was kidnapped by a Nail during the crusades. They intended to train me as a soldier.”

“Oh… I almost thought you worked with them willingly.”

I slammed my hand into the ground.

“I would never, ever work with them,” I yelled, my hands curling tightly into fists.

Sera looked stunned.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories.”

I breathed deeply, calming myself.

“It’s alright,” I said, relaxing my fists. “I’ve fought too hard since then to let myself fall now. I can’t let them win…” My breath grew ragged, trying to fight back tears, not after what they did to my people.

After I calmed down, I eased back into a more relaxed pose, staring at the flickering flames of the campfire.

“Leon.” Sera began, “I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now, but I never could find the right words.”

Her eyes were piercing as she said that, making my heart skip a beat.

“So I’ll just ask it now,” she said, “After everything I’ve seen, and especially your insane mana reserves… Are you human, Leon?”

My heart felt like it stopped in my chest, overwhelming anxiety filling my senses.

Is this it? The truth about the world is one thing, but if she learns who she’s traveling with, I don’t know what she’ll do…

She might leave me to die!

My hands shook furiously, and words were unable to come out of my mouth.

…

Who are you?

Sera has been wanting to ask him for a while. She could tell he kept many secrets, but while he was already revealing so much, she couldn’t help but ask.

What she didn’t expect was the severity of his reaction.

Leon’s entire body tensed up and began to shake, as if mortally terrified by the question.

I may have gone too far. He already did so much to protect me, fighting Crimson as he did.

It’s my fault he’s in this mess anyway. All because of my curse…

Sera’s thoughts tore torrents through her mind, unable to provide comfort for Leon when he seemed so despairing.

Leon began to stutter, ripping her away from her emotions.

“No, I’m not human. That’s why I was captured by the Hunters as a child.” His voice wavered, his head turning to the side to avoid looking at her.

“I see…”

“Fate is truly cruel, allowing you to meet me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m-” He paused, his hand tightly gripping the sigil hanging from his waist. “I am a Kitsune.”

Sera completely lost the ability to breathe, utterly stunned by his reveal.

“A- a Kitsune? I thought Kitsune were just a myth.”

That makes so much sense! His ‘foxfire’, the insane quantity of mana, and the way he fights!

Leon stayed silent before pushing himself to his feet and walking over to the horses, catching his breath.

“So that’s why…”

I can’t even imagine the trauma he must have endured in the Crusades, belonging to such a strong species.

He brought up fate… Maybe it is destiny that brought us together.

He’s cursed by the hate and fear the world must hold for his species, and I have a real curse, linking him to me. Tying our fates together.

Leon staggered, leaning his body against a tree, facing Sera.

“I’m sorry that I’ve brought my troubles into your life.” He murmured, rubbing his fingers against his forehead. “Even my existence proves a threat to your life.”

“I’m also sorry. I tied our destinies together, whether intentional or not…”

“It’s okay.” His hand dropped back to his side. “I also have a question for you.”

Sera raised her head, the blanket now lying on the ground due to the sun now beaming on her through the forest canopy.

“How did you do that earlier? You moved an entire rock without even touching it. It didn’t look like magic to me.”

“Oh, that,” her fingers fidgeted, “It’s not magic. It’s a power the curse bestows on me when I have cursed another person. I borrow their mana, allowing me to mentally move objects, depending on the amount of mana I borrow. It’s something akin to telekinesis.”

“So that’s why I felt my mana disappearing when you went wild back there.”

Mhm, Sera confirmed, getting up to her own feet.

An awkward silence filled the atmosphere as they both began to collect the belongings they had strewn across the makeshift camp.

A real Kitsune…

In the stories, Kitsune had multiple tails and ears, and ascended to divinity after receiving their ninth tail. I wonder if any of that is true…

Leon took a swig of water from a canteen before stuffing it back away into his horse’s saddlebag.

Sera looked at him as she folded her blanket away, but couldn’t see any trace of the Kitsune traits on him.

“If you’re a Kitsune, wouldn’t you have tails and ears like a fox would?”

Leon snapped his head, surprised at the suddenness of her question.

“I do have them, I just have them hidden to keep me safe.”

“Can Kitsune hide them naturally then?”

Sera climbed onto her horse, checking her saddle and securing any loose equipment.

Leon climbed his own as well, pulling on the reins to keep his horse from moving.

“No Kitsune can hide them by instinct. The charm I showed you earlier,” he pointed to the sigil hanging from his belt. “This has a concealment spell embedded that hides my Kitsune features. However, it’s not always effective. When I lost my temper against Crimson, those sparks that formed were the spell malfunctioning when I used part of my power.”

“Does that mean you were holding back against her?”

“Yes, to try to preserve my secrecy.”

Even though she saw through him, so now the Hunters, and maybe even this dangerous Order of Hands, will be looking for him.

“It was selfish of me to think like that, I can see that now,” Leon added, beginning to ride his horse away.

Sera followed, leaving behind the empty camping spot, returning to the trail together as they travelled east again.

“So, where do we go, considering that the whole continent of Hunters will be after us?” She asked, her horse tailing just behind Leon’s.

“As far away from here as we can. We need to make as much distance between where they knew we were last, compared to where we actually will be.”

“We travel east as far as possible?”

“Yes.”

The two settled into a comfortable rhythm of riding. The tranquility of nature calmed their spirits as the sun grew brighter in the sky, attempting to make the disaster of the night a distant memory.