main

He saw the flash of something silver in his peripheral vision and turned, his long black hair sweeping across his eyes for a brief moment. One droopy pointed ear twitched, listening for any sound coming from the area... nothing. Deeming it safe, the youkai slid closer to the bushes, hoping to find some lovely trinket or bauble that someone had left behind.

He sensed no youki and crept ever closer to his target. He forced himself to take a deep breath and tucked his leathery wings tight to his back, lest they rustle the leaves and low-hanging branches.

The silver flashed again in the afternoon sun, mere inches from his outstretched fingers. He slowly reached out and stuck his hand through the leaves in his way.

Something strong grasped his wrist and he jumped, a startled yelp working free before he cold even think to stifle it. A low growl started near his ear and he turned to see two pinpoints of sparkling gold staring at him, hard, flat, and cold.

"Hey," he started, his voice dry and his blue eyes blinking in surprise and acquiescence, "whatever it is, you can have it, ok?.… I didn't know you were there and I didn't know it was yours." The youkai looked into those glinting golden eyes and gulped as a sudden and rather feral smile revealed glinting ivory fangs.

The iron grip on his wrist released and he pulled his arm back slowly, careful not to make any sudden moves that might alarm the… whatever it was… he still hadn't seen who or what had grabbed him. A low purring chuckle snapped him back to reality.

"I am glad you see it like that, my friend, it makes things so much easier that way."

He narrowed his eyes and one of his pointed ears twitched at the husky and definitely masculine voice… he idly wondered what kind of youkai went with that voice. He was not disappointed.

"And yes, it is mine, and I prefer to keep it that way."

"Huh?" came his intelligent rejoinder. Another chuckle.

"What you were after was my tail." The deep voice was definitely amused and the eyes danced, dappled with sun and shadow. A rustle of leaves preceded the body that accompanied the voice standing and stepping, no gliding, into the sun… and for a moment the bat-winged youkai was blinded by polished silver.

He blinked a few times and got his first good look at the other demon. He caught his breath and felt the edges of his lips curl up in what threatened to become a wondering smile.

The youkai was tall, standing perhaps only a few inches shorter than he was, and pale. So pale that the dark youkai felt his black hair, wings, and clothes were magnified in his presence. A spill of long silver hair brushed the base of his spine as he stood, proud, in his white gauzy robes and trousers. A flash of movement just above eye-level caught his attention, and he noticed the delicate pair of silver furred ears twitching in what he could only assume was the amusement reflected in the creature's eyes. His blue eyes traveled the slender length of the youkai before him and he lost control of his smile as he saw the idly swishing elegant silver tail, which had only before been the object of his desire. Not surprisingly, really, the demon was beautiful, a sliver of moonlight come to earth.

"A Silver youko," he breathed with no little wonder in his voice. Youkos were a fickle and finicky lot to say the least. They appeared as if by magic, seduced poor hapless youkai, and disappeared again just as quickly. He had seen few youkos in his life, but never had he seen a Silver… he was hushed, outright staring.

Silvers were rare, and now he understood why, ethereal beauty such as theirs was not meant for mortal eyes.

And it was no wonder he hadn't sensed the youko, for he'd been masking what was now clearly a Quest-class ki.

"You could at least tell me your name if you are going to continue staring so." His eyes snapped up at the unexpected sound of the voice that practically purred and shivered through his entire being. He blinked a few times before the actual words registered.

"Ku… Kuronue. My name is Kuronue." He stretched out a hand to the silver stranger and was pleasantly surprised when the other grasped his arm just above the wrist, loosely wrapping pale, slender fingers around the joint.

"Kurama."

*OWARI*