I was trapped and alone in the forest. I was keeping myself safe in a hotspot for magical power. It helped me to feed off the residual magic.

I am a spirit fox, called Kitsune in most circles. I have six tails personally. I'm not the most powerful, but I do alright.

I was quite startled, as you might imagine, when the strange human stepped on my tail. I sensed yoki on him; he must be a demon!

Demons, and humans for that matter, often captured my kind and stole our hoshi. I would be forced to grant luck to anyone who possessed my hoshi!

"Nyah!" I cried and leapt into the nearest tree.

The demon caught me in his claw-like hands and swept me into his arms.

"Are you hurt?" Rhetorical question. Sharp, growling voice. Fangs.

Sensing the danger, I bit his claw—hard.

He just laughed. "Oi, no need for that."

He shook his claw free. "My name's Inuyasha. Since I hurt ya, I guess I'll keep you safe till you get well, ok."

He looked at me scrutinizing, staring at my face. Despite the fact that I'd glamoured myself, Inuyasha clearly knew I was a demon right away.

He bandaged my tail. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

I do not understand men.

He put me in a very soft kimono made of the Fire Rat fur. He was using his armor to protect me.

I clutched my hoshi to my chest. I had been captured!

Xxx

Inuyasha couldn't figure out why he was protecting a fox.

Dogs by nature hate foxes.

But he felt so bad about injuring her; he just couldn't stand it.

And she was sleeping so peacefully. Inuyasha decided. He took her to his cave.

It was warm inside, the only place he'd ever called home.

He'd stolen some wards from humans and fashioned himself a barrier at the mouth of the cave.

He also had some human cushions to rest his head on. The fox had grabbed all the cushions in her mouth and made a den of her own.

He fed her some candy he'd gotten from a traveling merchant and pointed at the stream in the back of the cave.

She loved it! It made him really happy to see her happy.

What was this feeling? This growing need to be beside her. This desire to please her.

Was this it? The pull of the mate?