Whew, this chapter took me FOREVER! I'm sorry everyone... I didn't mean for it too take so long.
Hope you like it anyways.
When I decided to leave my den, I realized I’d slept longer than I thought I had. It was getting closer to evening now, and that probably explained why Reeku was back. Shade was dozing in the little bit of sun left in the clearing, which explained why he wasn’t part of the conversation I’d overheard.
“Sleep okay?” Rose asked, smiling at me as I yawned and sat down. I stretched my paws out in front of me before looking at her.
“Fine,” I said simply, not wanting to elaborate. Since I hadn’t explained anything, I guess my lie was pretty convincing. Usually they aren’t… Maybe Rose just didn’t ask, because when she wasn’t looking Reeku sent me and look that said ‘I know you’re lying.’
“I’m glad, you looked awfully tired… Actually I’m pretty tired myself,” Rose grinned, rolling her eyes at her own comment. Weird. But, I guess Rose is the kind of weird you can’t help but love.
“Then go to sleep,” Reeku told Rose flatly, and I knew it was because we got a lot less sleep than she did everyday. But, neither of us would ever tell her that. I knew.
“Would it kill you to say something nice?” Rose scolded, but I could tell she wasn’t angry. It was just in her nature to mother people, I supposed.
“Yes,” Reeku said bluntly. “That’s what killed my mother.” I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that one. Rose just looked appalled. That made Reeku himself chuckle.
“You shouldn’t talk about your mother that way!” Rose wailed, a desperate look in her eyes. Sometimes she just couldn’t stand Reeku.
“I’ll talk about her how I want too,” Reeku had a bored expression as he curled his tails around his paws, not looking away from Rose. She just scowled at him, making me stifle a giggle. Rose turned to give me a playful glare.
“Whatever,” Rose rolled her eyes at Reeku. Just then Oak decided to walk from his den, I tired look in his blue eyes. I found myself wondering what he did in his den all day.. Like I usually wondered. Reeku nodded in greeting and I smiled to the old Kitsune.
“Hi Oak,” Rose smiled happily towards Oak.
“Hello everyone,” Oak replied, taking his time as he made his way over to sit by the three of us. I wondered what he wanted, or was this just one of the times when he felt like coming out and chatting? Guess I’d find out.
“Something wrong?” Reeku asked, a serious look on his face. I could tell Oak didn’t just want to chat, he had a more serious look on his face as well.
“No, nothing,” Oak assured, his voice just as rough as it always ways. I guess that’s what age does too you. “It can wait until Shade wakes up.”
“You might be waiting a while,” Rose added lightly, making the grey Kitsune leader smile. Although he was old, I could tell he was still very powerful. He must have been alive for a long time, he did have nine tails after all.
Then again, Bone had nine tails and he seemed to still be rather young. I suppose Oak had been around a long time since he got his ninth tail. Wow, I hope I never live long enough to become that frail.
“Just wake him up,” Reeku looked pointedly over at Shade, who was still asleep although the sun was gone.
“No, he needs his rest,” Oak shook his head, smiling in the direction of the currently sleeping Shade.
“I’ll get him,” Rose surprised me by agreeing with Reeku. “He’s been sleeping too long anyways.”
After a few moments, Shade was awake and sitting next to Rose as we waited to hear what Oak had to say. Oak made a gruff noise as if to clear his throat, and then he began speaking.
“As you know, our last attempt to spy on the Dark Ones was a failure,” the leader started. Here we go. “I’m just going to straight out say it… I’d like to try again.”
“And get someone else killed?” Reeku objected as soon as the words were out of Oak’s mouth, his ears flat against his head. It was obvious that Reeku still hadn’t gotten over Lunea’s death, that he still blamed himself.
“We need information, Reeku,” Oak’s voice was scolding as he looked back at Reeku with an emotionless expression. “And this is how we get it.”
“Fine,” Reeku growled like a child, turning his back on the leader and looking away. I saw him glaring at his paws out of the corner of my eyes.
“Now then,” Oak started again. “I want Shade to lead this time, Reeku and Ghost, you tag along.”
“But…” Rose had a somewhat frightened expression. “Then I’ll be the only warrior left back here. What if-”
“Nothing will happen,” Shade assured, a confident look in his eyes. Rose didn’t look very convinced.
“If its that much of a problem, Shade could stay behind,” Oak compromised. “I just wanted to send him so he could get some experience as a General.”
“Its fine…” Rose trailed off again, her brown eyes wide. But, she looked like she knew the right thing. Oak nodded.
“Perhaps you guys could leave tomorrow. Follow the same strategy as before, only, this time find a safer hiding place,” Oak went on into details of our mission.
“Sure,” I smiled, trying to sound confident. I was rather sick to my stomach… What if we got caught again? Well, we were bound too. I looked over at Reeku and saw he had the same pained expression.
There was one thing I’d never understood. The Dark Ones could successfully spy on the Auras and gain just about any information they wanted. But, no matter how many times we tired, the Auras always seemed to get caught. Perhaps we just weren’t as good as sneaking around… We were supposedly the good guys after all.
“Good then,” Oak nodded, a grim expression on his face. No one wanted another death… But, sometimes risks needed to be taken. “Everyone should get some rest.”
“I’m fine guarding,” Reeku said coolly, keeping his usual blank expression on his face. I wondered if he was tired and just didn’t show it, or he’d completely adjusted so he didn’t need as much sleep. Huh.
“No, Reeku should sleep,” I insisted. I didn’t want to sleep either. Look at me and Reeku, floating in the same boat once again. “I’ll guard.”
“You two,” Oak shook his head, letting out a sigh. “Work it out on your own. I can’t force you to sleep.” With that, the grey Kitsune gave us both knowing looks, rolled his eyes, and headed slowly back towards his den. Rose and Shade were both looking at Reeku and I oddly.
“What?” Reeku snapped at them, irritation flashing in his green eyes. They snapped out of it.
“Nothing,” Rose blinked a few times.
“Night everyone,” Shade smiled, acting like he hadn’t witnessed what he just did.
“Yeah, night,” Rose agreed. And the two of the headed off to their dens to go to sleep. I turned and gave Reeku a pointed look.
“Go to bed,” I insisted. Night was already falling, the sun completely gone and the stars visible. The moon wasn’t too bright yet, but it would be soon…
“Make me,” Reeku growled, ears flattened against his head again. A cool breeze ruffled by, and this time I shivered. I’d been completely oblivious to the fact that winter was setting in… It was growing colder and colder. Soon it would snow.
“Reeku, do Kitsune hibernate?” I wondered aloud. For a moment, Reeku looked surprised at my completely random question. It had never occurred to me that the multi-tailed foxes slept through the winter… I don’t think I could stand that many nightmares.
“No,” Reeku replied, still looking a bit surprised. He shrugged it off as I let out an internal breath of relief. Thank the spirits for that.
“Anyways,” I rolled my eyes at myself, looking at Reeku through the falling darkness. “I’m staying up.”
“No, you’re sleeping,” Reeku’s ears were still flat, despite the fact that my random question had distracted us from our current argument. I didn’t want to go to sleep.
“I can’t sleep…” I whispered. “Nightmares.” My voice dropped at least an octave as I said the last word. As if it was something I shouldn’t be saying. Reeku’s gaze softened a bit, and he looked like he understood. I knew he understood.
“Did it ever occur to you that I can’t sleep either?” Reeku’s voice was still harsh, but not as harsh as it usually was. I nodded silently, not meeting his glance. It actually had occurred to me before, but now I finally new.
“Then neither of us will sleep either way,” I pointed out softly, looking up. It was true. For the time being, nothing was going to make me go back to sleep. I didn’t want too… I wouldn’t. I knew eventually I’d have too, but not now.
“Fine then,” Reeku responded, turning away from me, his tails swishing. He was so temperamental… His tails lashed along the ground and he looked irritated that I wasn’t sleeping. For some slight reason, this irritated me.
I didn’t want to sleep, then he could go without sleep as much as he wanted? It didn’t seem fair that I had to sleep through the nightmares and he didn’t. Its not like I was very rested after I slept anyways. I sighed.
I sat down next to Reeku even though he wasn’t looking at me and curled my tails around my paws. Another cool breeze whipped by and I resisted the urge to shiver. My blue eyes just looking into the forest, watching nothing in perticular, as I was lost in thought for the thousandth time.
I didn’t know what to expect anymore… Time was flying by and now Oak was sending us on another spy mission. I was nervous, even more nervous than I was for the first one. Even if there wasn’t much of a chance the Dark Ones would catch us for a second time, you never know.
And what were the Dark Ones planning? I mean, they’re bad guys, of course they’re always planning something… But what was it this time? Oak seemed like he had some way of knowing that it was especially bad. It was as if he was sent a dream by Bone. Or, maybe he was just worried that Bone wanted me dead.
Then again, if Oak was so worried about me, he wouldn’t be sending me on all these missions. They were dangerous, but I needed practice. The only thing I could tell myself was that I’d have to find out. I yawned, and looked up at the stars, wishing for answers.