Bleeding Lotus

The day that my life changed forever was just like any other day, the forest was unusually peaceful that morning, the only sound breaking the silence being the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant songs of birds. Not a single twig snapping from a passing animal could be heard, it seemed as if the only living creatures in the forest were me and birds. I walked slowly between the trees, lifting the hem of my long brown dress, my worn leather shoes stepping onto the overgrowth whenever it became too thick. My mousy brown hair was loosely braided over one shoulder, the length going past my thin waist, several strands of hair had quicky escaped the braid and clung to my cheeks. A small woven basket that I had made myself hung from my tan arm, gradually filling with the berries I found among the endless bushes. My many siblings would need the food, and there was little sense in returning home empty-handed, these berries could be dried and saved for later consumption. I crouched beside another bush and carefully picked a handful of dark berries, inspecting each one before placing it into my basket. At the time I was so focused on my task that I nearly missed the faint rustling coming from somewhere deeper in the forest. I straightened and listened. At first, I assumed it was merely an animal moving through the brush, but then I heard something else-a soft, frightened whimper. Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed the sound between the trees. I pushed aside a curtain of branches and froze in my tracks. Several feet ahead stood a hunter dressed in worn leather, his poorly crafted wooden bow was drawn tight. An arrow rested against the string, pointed directly at a fox crouched near the roots of an old oak tree. The fox was beautiful, its reddish fur trembling as it pressed itself against the hard forest floor. Then I noticed the roundness of its belly. She was pregnant. My heart clenched as I realized the hunter intended to kill her despite the kits she carried. "Please, don't!" I shouted before I could think better of it. The hunter startled and turned toward me, but his fingers had already released the string. I saw the gleaming arrow flying through the air, and for one terrible moment, time seemed to slow. The fox scrambled backward, but there was nowhere for her to go. Without thinking, I threw myself between the arrow and fox. A sharp impact struck my back, knocking the breath from my lungs. I stumbled forward, my basket falling from my arm as berries scattered across the ground. A strange warmth spread beneath my dress, followed by a terrible pain that seemed to burn through my entire body. I reached behind myself and felt the coarse shaft of the arrow protruding from my back. My fingers trembled as I stared at the red blood staining them, unable to understand how something so thin could hurt so bad. My knees buckled beneath me, and I collapsed onto the forest floor. The hunter stood several feet away, staring at me in horror, his bow hanging uselessly at his side. I desperately wanted to tell him to help me, but my voice barely came out as a whisper. Instead, I turned my head toward the fox. She was still there, watching me with wide frightened golden eyes. Slowly, she rose and took a hesitant step toward me. "Run," I coughed out, forcing the word through my weaking lungs. "Take your soon to be born babies and run." The fox seemed to understand, she hesitated for another moment before disappearing into the dense trees. I let out a sigh of relief at her escape, even as the strength drained from my failing body. My breathing became shallow, and the forest around me began to blur. I spend my final moments laying beneath the trees, staring up through the branched at the patches of sunlight filtering through the trees. The pain slowly faded into a distant numbness, my body no longer able to move, and I couldn't feel the cold earth under me. As blood from my back pools around me, my thoughts drifted toward home, toward my family, and finally toward the female fox and the unborn kits I traded my life for. I closed my eyes, listening to the wind whip through the forest. My final thought was that perhaps my life had been worth something if it had given another creature the chance to continue living. Then my breathing stopped, and the forest fell silent around me. As soon as my heart stopped beating a melodic voice rang in my ears. "For your sacrifice, I shall give you a chance at a new life, however, you will never be able to lead a normal life like you used to enjoy. Everything comes with a price. You will have the freedom your heart desires, but a heavy responsibility comes with that freedom, are you willing to accept such an offer?" The ethereal voice asked, tone filled with a mix of care and temptation, as I feel my soul slowly slipping out of my dead body. Fear of death grips me, not wanting to die yet I reply to the melodic voice. "I gladly accept an offer from a god or whatever it is that you are, I am more than honored to have unknowingly sacrificed myself for what you love." If that deity is giving me a second chance at life then he has to love foxes dearly. Done speaking I cough as the blood flowing out of my mouth chokes me while trying to hold onto the soul that is fighting to leave my body. "Your new name shall be Lotus." As my soul slips halfway out of my body I use the shape of my soul to bow down to the unseen god speaking to me, showing my immense gratitude for granting me a second chance at life. Letting my soul finally leave my body I'm engulfed in bright warm light that brings me a sense of peace and a calmness that I have never experienced before. This must be the wave of calm after death that I have heard about. Soon the world around me vanishes as my soul leaves for somewhere else. I don't know how long it has been before my eyes snap open as I desperately gasp for breath. My hands instinctively move to my back where the arrow should have been, upon seeing a pair of pale delicate small hands I suck in a deep breath. These hands are my different than the hands that are rough and calloused from farm labor, and they aren't tanned from being out in the sun. Immediately I recognize these hands are my own and realize the voice was telling the truth when he claimed I would have a new body. Slowly lifting my trembling hands, I stare in shock as moonlight filters through the thick canopy of trees above me. A cool breeze blows against the leaves overhead, carrying the earthy scent of moss and damp soil. My heart pounds violently against my chest as strands of silky white hair fall over my face. White. My hair is solid white. Frantically grabbing a handful of it, I pull it into view, my breath catching in my throat. Just moments ago, it had been a mousy brown. Panic begins to rise withing me as I scramble to my feet. The forest around me is dark and unfamiliar, illuminated only by shafts of silver moonlight piercing through the large ancient trees. Looking down at my arms, I find my skin isn't just pale, but it is unnaturally pale, almost glowing under the moonlight. My eyes widen further when I notice my fingernails. The are no longer short and practical from years of hard work, no more dirt under them that stubbornly refuses to go away. Long, ivory-colored nails almost like claws extend from each fingertip, sharp enough to tear through flesh. "W-what happened t-to me?" I stutter as my voice is nothing but a barely audible whisper. A strange sensation brushes against the back of my legs. Spinning around, I nearly lose my balance before discovering the source. Behind me sways a large white fox tail. My mouth falls open I stare at it in disbelief. The fluffy appendage seems to move with my emotions, twitching nervously. Reaching up to my head, my fingers encounter two soft furry ears protruding through my snowy hair. The ears flatten as I touch them in the same way a scared animal's would flatten. Before panic can completely seize me, a rustling sound emerges from a nearby thicket. Every muscle in my body tenses as the bushes part and a tall figure steps into view. The man is unlike anyone I have ever seen. Long white hair cascades down his back like freshly fallen snow, contrasting against the elegant blue and silver kimono draped around his lean frame. Nine magnificent white fox tails fan out behind him, moving gracefully through the night air. Matching white fox ears sit atop his head, occasionally flicking toward distant sound I cannot hear. His skin is as pale as mine now appears to be, and when he raises a hand, I notice his nails are long and claw-like as well. Pink eyes filled with ancient wisdom settle upon me. For a moment neither of us speaks, we just stare at each other. Then a warm smile spreads across his face. "Welcome, young one," he says softly. His voice is gentle, carrying a strange sense of comfort that immediately eases my fear. Taking a few slow yet cautious steps forward, he extends a hand toward me. Moonlight dances across his pale skin as his nine tails sway behind him. "You don't need to be afraid. I having been waiting for your arrival for quite some time." I stare at the offered hand with uncertainty. "What... what am I?" The man's smile softens further at the question. "You are what very few have become. A kitsune." The unfamiliar word leaves my lips in a whisper. "Kitsune?" "A fox spirit, fox supernatural, demon, whatever you prefer to call it," he explains. "Kitsune are chosen to serve as both guardian and protector. The one who spoke to you has granted you this second life, and with that life comes purpose." His pink eyes briefly drift to my single tail. "You have only just awakened, which is why you possess a single tail. As centuries pass and your power grows, more tails will follow." "Can I ask what your name is?" Slowly, I place my trembling hand into his. His grip is warm and reassuring. "My name has long been forgotten," he says with a faint chuckle. "Most simply call me Elder. I have walked this world for thousands of years and have guided many young kitsune before you." The forest seems less frightening as he gently leads me down a narrow path illuminated by floating blue wisps of light. "You have much to learn, Lotus," he continues making me jolt in surprise that he knows my new name. "How to control your sense, your transformations, your abilities, and the responsibility entrusted to you. The foxes of this world will one day look to you for protection. There will be hunters, dangers, and sacrifices ahead, but there will also be freedom unlike anything humans can imagine." A trace of fear still lingers within me, but it is slowly being replaced by curiosity. As we disappear deeper into the ancient forest, following the glowing lights through the darkness, I realize my old life has truly ended. My new one has only just begun.