The sun had climbed high in the sky when Sayaka nudged Izan awake. His eyes were puffy, and the faint traces of red lingered, but the worst of the night's terror had passed. She gently lifted him onto her back, his small hands clutching her fur, and they began walking through the peaceful woods.
The forest around them was alive with color and sound. Sunlight filtered through tall pine and oak trees, scattering golden patterns across the mossy ground. Birds chirped in harmony, and the soft murmur of a nearby river drifted to their ears. Crystal-clear water tumbled over smooth stones, reflecting the sky like glass, while the riverbanks were dotted with delicate wildflowers and ferns. Occasionally, the trees opened to reveal distant mountains, their peaks kissed by sunlight, and patches of flowering bushes created bursts of pinks, yellows, and purples among the green.
"Why are you protecting me?" Izan asked, his small face serious.
Sayaka's amber eyes softened. "Long ago, I protected your mother when she was little, just like I'm protecting you now. She was the kindest, most welcoming person I've ever met in all my thousands of years as a guarding spirit. She helped so many people, and… she cared so much for you."
Izan's lips trembled. "But… why did she die? Who were those people? Are they coming after us?"
Sayaka shook her head, ears flicking uneasily, tail curling tightly around her. "I… I don't know if anyone is still after me… or even after you." But for now, we'll stay safe together. I'll protect you, no matter what."
Izan exhaled slowly, leaning closer. "Thank you… for protecting me, and for protecting Mom…"
A brief pause hung between them. Sayaka sighed softly. "I… don't remember who could come after me, and I don't even remember your father clearly. I'm sorry."
Izan cuddled closer, pressing against her warm fur as they continued through the woods.
As they passed the river, Izan's eyes widened at the reflection of the mountains and the variety of trees mirrored in the water. "It's… so confusing… how healing this place feels."
Sayaka smiled, ears twitching. "Nature is one of the most healing places in the world."
After a while, they stopped. Sayaka gently slid Izan down her back, and before his eyes, she transformed into a human form—but the tips of her fox ears and her multiple tails remained visible, swishing gently behind her.
"Cool!" Izan's eyes lit up.
Sayaka chuckled. "I hope you didn't think we only have one form. Kitsunes can shift depending on how strong we are, but you'll always be able to switch between human and fox form."
Taking his hand, she led him to the riverbank. "Let's start with fishing."
She showed him quickly:
Fishing rod: a straight stick, vine for line, a thorn for hook, bait from worms or small insects.
Spear: a long stick, sharpened tip, optionally hardened over fire, tiny notches near the point to help catch fish.
Izan tried holding the rod but struggled, awkwardly swinging it. "How do you hold it so easily?" he asked.
Sayaka smiled. "Balance, focus, and a little practice. Watch me first."
She cast her line, pulling out four glistening fish with smooth, precise movements. Izan tried again and caught two, grinning as he held them up.
Next, Sayaka taught him to clean the fish. She demonstrated scraping the scales and gutting them carefully. "Be gentle, or you'll ruin the meat. See? Slow and steady." Izan mimicked her movements, messy at first, then improving with her guidance.
Fire came next. Sayaka collected dry twigs and stones, showing Izan how to spark friction by rubbing sticks together. "It's all about patience and steady pressure." After a few tries, a small flame flickered to life. Izan's face lit up with pride.
Cooking was simple: she guided him to place the fish on sticks over the fire. "Turn them slowly, make sure they cook evenly. Smells good, doesn't it?"
Night approached, and the meal finished, Izan curled onto Sayaka's kitsune-form stomach. She wrapped her tails around him like a blanket.
"Thank you…" he whispered. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sayaka smiled softly, tail draping over him. "Of course, little one. Ask."
Izan shifted on Sayaka's stomach, tail curled gently around him like a blanket. "Sayaka… what kind of powers do you have?" he asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Sayaka let out a soft sigh, stretching lazily. "Well… I can make illusions—images that people think are real. But it's tied to my perfume. Depending on how I use it, it can be poisonous, or… healing." She tilted her head slightly. "The perfume can be visible, but I can also make it invisible. The scent just blends with the air, but… that takes more mana."
Izan sniffed the air curiously as a faint green mist drifted from her nose. A sweet smell of green apples with a hint of mango reached him. He giggled. "It smells… amazing!"
Sayaka chuckled softly. "I know, my sense of smell is… weird. Watch this."
Izan turned, spotting a tiny bird perched nearby. He blinked, and the bird faded into nothing. "Whoa… that's so cool!"
"What else?" he asked excitedly, leaning forward.
"I can shapeshift," Sayaka said, "into anyone while my perfume lingers. I can even use their abilities… though the longer I stay in that form, the more mana it costs. Using their powers adds to that too." She stretched one ear lazily. "I also have… supernatural agility, heightened senses, and fast natural regeneration."
Izan's eyes lit up. "Aw… I wish I could do all that!"
Sayaka chuckled. "You can."
"Really? But I'm not a kitsune!"
"Well…" she said, tilting her head with a gentle smile, "I'm your spirit guardian. Anyone with a spirit guardian can use their abilities… as long as they meet the requirements. Mostly, it's about training—strength, intelligence, speed… that kind of thing. Not everything comes instantly."
Izan jumped up, excitement radiating from him. "Can we start training now?!"
Sayaka laughed softly. "We start tomorrow, little one. Relax… you'll be better than me soon."
"So… I can really use all your abilities if I train?"
"Yes. But for now… sleep. We have a long journey ahead."
Izan curled back onto her stomach, tail snug around him. "Sayaka… Mother said we should go north. What's up there?"
She smiled, her ears twitching. "North is… more welcoming. People accept anyone who's a good person. I even want you to go to the school I used to attend."
Izan's face lit up, a bright smile breaking through. "I'll go to the same school as Mother? Really?"
"Really," she giggled softly.
"But… will I have friends?" His small voice trembled, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I never had friends… not in the villages near us, not in the cities…"
Sayaka's heart tightened, but she kept a strong face for him. She swiped his tear away gently with her tail. "Don't worry. You'll have plenty of friends. Anyone who wouldn't be your friend is someone who would drag you down. God knew it was best you didn't have them before."
She paused, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "One last thing… your mother wrote you a letter."
Izan's eyes widened in surprise. He slid carefully off her stomach, retrieving the folded note from his backpack. Sitting next to Sayaka, he unfolded it slowly, anticipation and curiosity mingling in his eyes.
Izan's hands trembled slightly as he held the note, the paper soft and familiar beneath his fingers. Sayaka shifted closer, her tail curling gently around him, a quiet anchor in the growing weight of his emotions. The forest around them was still, the fading light of afternoon casting long shadows between the trees, as if nature itself had paused to give him space.
Gently, Sayaka extended her kitsune arms, wrapping them carefully around Izan as she took the note from his hands. With a delicate touch, she unfolded the paper fully, holding it before him so he could see every word clearly. Her voice was low and steady as she began to read, each syllable carrying the warmth of his mother. Izan instinctively leaned into her fur, feeling the gentle pressure of her arms around him, bracing for the memories and guidance about to wash over him.
"My dear Izan… if you are reading this, it means I was not able to be there when you needed me most. I wish more than anything that I could have protected you, that I could have stayed by your side, but sometimes life is cruel, and even mothers are powerless."
Izan's small fingers clenched around Sayaka's fur. His eyes shimmered, and a quiet hiccup escaped him.
"You are special, more than you know. Your potential… it is immense, and that is both a gift and a danger. Strength can tempt you, lure you into paths you should not take. Promise me… do not let it control you. Do not let it decide the life you will live."
Izan blinked rapidly, his lips trembling. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
"I wish I could have been the one to guide you, to teach you right from wrong, to show you love and safety as you grow. I cannot. But… Sayaka will be your guide now. Think of her as a mother, as I cannot be. Trust her, and she will protect you."
Izan's shoulders shook slightly. He hugged Sayaka's arm closer, trying to keep himself composed, but quiet sobs began to slip out.
"One day, you will meet your father. You will learn about him… and about your entire family tree. I am sorry I cannot explain it to you now, and I wish I could have been there to do so. But know this—your family exists, and one day you will understand your roots, your heritage, and the people who care for you."
Izan's breaths hitched, small tears rolling freely now. His hands tightened on Sayaka's fur, clutching her like an anchor.
Sayaka lowered her voice, gentle, soft. "Little one… do you want me to stop reading?"
Izan shook his head quickly, muffled sobs escaping as he tried to tell her to keep going.
Sayaka nodded, smiling faintly, and continued.
"If you look inside your backpack, beneath your blankets and clothes, you will find something I saved for you. Your dragon toy… the one you wanted on your fourth birthday. It is special, just like you. Keep it close, and remember… I have always loved you. I will always be watching over you, even if I cannot be there."
Izan's body shook as he tried to breathe through his tears. His hands scrambled toward his backpack. Slowly, he pulled out the dragon, clutching it to his chest as his sobs grew heavier.
Sayaka wrapped her tail gently around him, pulling him close. Her kitsune arms circled him, holding the letter unfolded for him to see while keeping him safe. "Shh… it's okay, little one. I'm here. You're safe."
Izan pressed into her fur, letting the sobs wrack his small body. His tears soaked the dragon, his cheeks wet against Sayaka's chest. The letter trembled in her paws as she kept reading the final words, her voice soft and steady, giving him time to let the emotions flow.
By the time the letter ended, Izan's breathing had slowed slightly, though quiet hiccups still escaped him. Sayaka held him tightly, tail curled around like a protective blanket, rubbing his hair gently as she hummed a soft tune.
It was a lullaby she used to sing to his mother long ago—soft, warm, and soothing. Izan's body slowly relaxed, his cries quieting into small sniffles, and finally, exhaustion claimed him. He drifted into sleep in her arms, clutching the dragon toy, comforted by her warmth and the gentle rhythm of her voice.
Sayaka continued to hum as she brushed her fingers through his hair, murmuring softly, "Rest now, little one. I'll always be here… always watching, always protecting you." The forest around them held its quiet, peaceful vigil as the boy finally slept, safe for the first time in what felt like forever.
The first light of dawn filtered through the trees, painting the forest in gentle golds and greens. Birds began their morning chorus, and the rustle of leaves hinted at the life stirring around them—a quiet reminder that a new day, with its own challenges and discoveries, was about to begin.