The wind howled as rain poured down from a black sky, drowning the Earth below; the storm only growing louder and fiercer with each passing second. A small, worn hut sat huddled beneath a nearby tree, holding a mother and her child tight. Across from them a crackling fire blazed, blanketing the room in warmth. The fire light danced over the home's occupants, mixing with the shadows that lined their faces. The woman glowed with radiance, from her midnight hair and softly tanned skin to her luminous azure eyes. Beside her sat a small, red haired boy eating his meal silently; the light also playing along his features, reflecting in his emerald eyes and twirling along the same tanned skin as the woman who sat gracefully beside him.

The young child suddenly paused and looked up at his mother with a troubled frown.

"Mama, when is Papa coming home?"

Kagome's hands tightened around her teacup as she smiled sadly at the child beside her.

"I wish I knew…this war is dragging on longer than anyone anticipated," She ran a hand through his downy auburn tail. "I know its hard Shippo, but your father needs to lead our people. He guides them and gives the clans the strength they need to fight such a vicious foe."

That was not what Shippo had wanted to hear, he was tired of people telling him about his father's duties as a leader. What about his duties as a father?

"But I want him home now! He's been gone two years now! Why can't Yukishiro-san lead the army?" Tears welled in his eyes as he smacked his palms on the floor beside him. "Why can't Papa at least come visit us?"

"Oh Shippo," Kagome gathered him into her arms, tucking his head beneath her chin, "I miss him too. But we have to stay strong; it's what he needs us to do. Do you remember what his last letter said? The enemy had fallen back to the East and their terms of surrender were being negotiated."

Shippo cried harder as he pushed his face into her chest, "That was three months ago Mama! We've had no letters or messengers since then. It's not fair!"

A single tear rolled down Kagome's cheek. She didn't have the heart to tell her son that his father had gone missing shortly after the negotiations began. The clan leaders immediately accused the Panther tribes of kidnapping which led to growing tensions and another stand-off. Yukishiro-san had brought her the news personally while Shippo lay sleeping two nights before. It was one of the few times Kagome had seen the determined general look worn and defeated. He had also given her vital information that few knew about, information obtained through espionage and torture. The Panthers were only puppets; a distraction to hide a greater enemy who was hungry for power and willing to obtain it at any cost. It now made sense to Kagome; the sudden animosity between the Kitsune clan and the Panther tribes was virtually unfounded. The two communities had always lived in peace until one day the Panthers decided they wanted more land, more resources and Kitsune subservience.

The disappearance of her mate was sadly not the most disturbing news Yukishiro-san bore; the war had spanned two years leaving many soldiers and civilians dead, some on the battle field but many in their homes. Some were claimed and buried by their families but the rest simply vanished. No skeletons, flesh or blood remained only battered armour and weapons left strewn across the fields. Yukishiro-san had tried to find witnesses and when that failed he tried to witness the phenomena himself but no matter how long, still or silent he sat, nobody came. Instead it would happen in the blink of an eye, one second they were there and the next they were gone leaving nothing but their earthly possessions behind.

Yukishiro-san was doing his best to evacuate the remaining villagers and keep them calm but hysteria began to creep up as tales of vengeful spirits and soul eating devils ran amok. Looting in the wake of evacuation did not help nor did the roving bands of renegades searching for unsuspecting travellers making their way to safety. The Kitsune's were losing their grip on the Southern Lands and the only man who could stop it had disappeared.