Page 107 of Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox
He turned and lifted an arm, pointing into the forest.
A figure approached through the trees. This Argent strolled toward their position with a lazy grace, silvery tails trailing. Even from a distance, Tsumiko could tell they were puffed and twitching. Irritation? Annoyance? But what struck her most was how young he appeared.
“It’s almost like looking at Gingko,” she whispered.
“I suppose there is a resemblance.”
Was that paternal pride she was detecting? If only Gingko could see his father like this, flaunting his heritage with the air of a lord, not the servility of household staff.
Argent moved behind her, almost as if hiding from whatever was to come. “And so it begins,” he murmured.
At first, Tsumiko couldn’t see anything—or anyone—who might be the beset village’s best and brightest, but then she caught the faint patter of running feet. Two children ran their way, cutting through the trees on a headlong course that would bring them straight to the younger Argent, who had paused to look out over the village in flames.
Tsumiko wasn’t entirely sure if this was a dream or a memory. Either way, she couldn’t sense power as she did in the waking world. But she knew which of the children had Argent’s attention. The girl had an aura of importance, as if she were the principle character, with spotlights swiveling to brighten the way as she stepped onto the scene. A reaver child. Tsumiko’s ancient relative. Argent’s downfall.
She couldn’t have been more than six, and she led an even smaller boy—a younger brother, perhaps—by the hand. They slowed to splash through a brook, scattering flickering fireflies. The younger version of Argent stirred at the sound, turning a wary glare from the sky.
“Hurry, Maru-chan!” the girl exclaimed. “We have to hide!”
“Where’s Da?” whined the boy, craning his neck to see behind. “Da comin’?”
“Not him,” she soothed. “We’re safe from Da and Uncle and the rest. We got away.”
“Comin’,” insisted the boy. “Hear ’im.”
The girl craned her neck to look behind, which is why she didn’t see the obstacle to the front. She yipped in surprise when she collided with Argent, who barred the way with hands on hips.
Tsumiko nudged her dream companion. “Why didn’t you get out of their way?”
Argent’s gaze never left the girl. “I was amusing myself.”
“Picking on children?”
“I was the least of their worries.” He held her more snugly and whispered, “Nona and Senna have noticed. They are coming.”
But Tsumiko was more interested in Argent’s encounter with the reaver village’s runaway beacon. The little girl looked up and whimpered, then threw her arms around the boy, as if she could protect him.
Argent spoke not a word, his attention on the forest through which they’d come. As the crash and scrabble of pursuit grew louder, he sidestepped the children, placing himself between them and the vixens who drew up short just beyond the brook. A four-tailed fox and her five-tailed sister.
Large eyes gleamed. The foxes weren’t nearly as large as Nona had been when she attacked Stately House, but each was easily as big as a bus.
The children shrank from sight, cringing against Argent’s legs.
Tsumiko saw his hand drift back to lightly touch the top of the girl’s head. Reassurance? Even more startling, he drew his tails around the youngsters in a manner she knew to interpret as protective … or possessive.
He spoke softly. “These are mine. Be gone.”
Nona transformed into a beauty with a seductive smile. “These are ours. Be reasonable.”
Argent’s chin lifted. “You cannot reason your prey out of my grasp. This hunt has ended, and its success is mine. As are these.” Again, he said, “Be gone.”
The other vixen also took human form. “Why can we not share? Are there not two?”
“Give us the girl,” wheedled Nona.
Pushing aside silver fur, the little girl latched onto Argent’s sleeve. She didn’t ask for anything, not with words, but every line of her slender frame trembled. And once again Tsumiko was given a hint of the import she held. It was as if Argent were sharing his impressions, weaving them into the fabric of this dream.
Beautiful. Innocent. Desirable. She gained strength until she shone like a star in Tsumiko’s eyes.
