Coyote Tricks: The Bone Eaters Well

This chapter is very long because I didn’t really want to break it up. Toshiro and Kit hammer out their differences.
As usual, if you have not read the warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter, please do so now before proceeding.
This chapter is rated R for language, jumping females in heat (not what you think), more bath nudity (what is it with the Japanese and bathing anyway?) and psychological nudity.

Kitsune Honor

Toshiro returned the next morning. When Toshiro came in, he went first to his father.
“I apologize for my inappropriate conduct yesterday, Father” he said bowing. Standing up he noticed the change in the scent markers. “I see the situation has changed somewhat.”
“Yes” Shippo said “I hope it meets with your satisfaction because it is not going to change anytime soon.”
“Of course Father” Toshiro said bowing again. “There are things I must do to resolve my honor and clear the air between myself and Kit. Please excuse me while I attend to this.”
“Of course” Shippo said.

Toshiro walked over to Kit and bowed.
“Please forgive my conduct yesterday Kit-kun. It was not my place to interfere” he said.
“That’s quite alright” Kit said uncertainly bowing back. “After all you saved my life the day before; I think that puts me more in your debt. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you.”
Toshiro grinned “Alright then clan brother.” He said gripping Kit’s shoulder acknowledging his new status in the family. “I have something I would like to show you, would you come with me?”
“Sure” Kit answered.
Toshiro stopped by his room to pick up his swords and led Kit downstairs to a basement gym. The room was large, mats and martial arts training gear dominated it.
“This is my personal training area” Toshiro said.
“You caught me by surprise this morning” Toshiro said turning to face Kit. “However, your attack has a weakness that I would like to demonstrate so you will know about it. Can you change again?”
“Uh sure” Kit said sounding a little nervous and with a shimmer changed back into his female form. Toshiro smelled the heat scent indicating she had complied with his request completely.
“Like thi…” Kit started to say but didn’t finish as a rectangular piece of paper with Japanese lettering appeared in Toshiro’s hand and he flung it at Kit. The paper struck Kit on the forehead and stuck there. The room suddenly started spinning and when Kit’s head cleared she was lying on her back on the floor with Toshiro sitting astride her. Kit found she couldn’t move.
“This is a spell scroll” Toshiro said. “This particular spell binds your spirit energy, rendering you helpless.”
Toshiro leaned over Kit pinning her hands to the ground with his.
“Your heat scent is affecting me, true” Toshiro continued and Kit could feel the truth of that where Toshiro’s groin was pressing against her stomach. “But the same hormones are also affecting you so if your opponent can disable you…”
The warmth Kit was feeling in her own groin confirmed what Toshiro was saying and Kit realized her predicament. Sealed like this Toshiro could have his way with her and her heat stimulated body would respond in kind.
Slowly Toshiro lifted himself off of her and pulled off the spell scroll.
“Fortunately, I am a man of honor” he said.
Kit quickly changed back into his male self. “Or maybe I’m too much of a Bitch for you” he said in an unsuccessful attempt to cover up how much Toshiro’s ‘lesson’ had shaken him.
Toshiro walked over to his sword rack picked up his katana and wakizashi swords placing them in his belt samurai fashion.
“Would you do me the honor of sparing with me?” he said turning back towards Kit. “We can see how good you really are.”

Kit grinned in earnest and summoned his favorite weapon from ether space. To Toshiro’s point of view, Kit raised his right hand over his head and a spear appeared in it. Kit spun the spear hand over hand in front of him for a few seconds before standing it point up next to him.
“This is Silver Fang” Kit said “It was made for me by the weapons master at Spirit Peak.”
With Kit’s permission, Toshiro took the spear and examined it. The workmanship was outstanding. The 6 foot shaft was decorated with Amerindian markings and symbols, the bindings where the spear tip was attached was decorated with two eagle feathers and tip itself was made of silver that, given its elven origins, Toshiro was sure would cause most human metallurgists to tear up their degrees in frustration. He sensed something else as he looked from the weapon to Kit. It was bound to Kit’s spirit energy which made it far stronger than mere wood and metal could be. Nodding his approval he handed the weapon back to Kit.

“Now can you use it?” Toshiro asked taking a large step back.
Kit never saw the Katana leave the scabbard and barely blocked the stroke about an inch from his nose. He pushed the blade away while swinging the butt of the spear at Toshiro’s head forcing him to retreat.
‘He’s good’ Kit thought
“Not bad” Toshiro said to him as they both fell back into a guard position and proceeded circling each other sparring back and forth looking for openings.

“I just wanted you to know” Toshiro said as he deflected a jab “it was not you that I was objecting to before. I really was only concerned with Father’s honor.”
“I understand” Kit grunted as he blocked the counter stroke. “A five-tailed Kitsune and clan leader having a young pup like me as an alpha would be embarrassing. He explained it to me.”
“I see I should have taken a more intellectual approach to stating my objections” Toshiro said as Kit deflected away his blade with a spinning maneuver that brought the coyote around to jab at Toshiro’s head.
Ducking under the spear thrust, Toshiro continued “I am sorry Kit-kun. I was taken by surprise by your relationship and should not have underestimated your ability to understand the situation.”
“No problem” Kit said blocking another blow.
“At least” Toshiro said with a grunt as he executed a one handed attack intended to reach Kit’s side “I understand some of the change that has come over Father.”
“Change?” Kit said as he engaged Toshiro’s blade with twisting motion of the spear shaft that flicked the blade out of the hanyou’s hand.
“Ha!” Kit said triumphal but his grin quickly faded has he felt a pressure on his left side.
“Change” Toshiro repeated as his other hand pressed the flat side of his other blade into Kit’s side.
Kit stared at the blade against his side a moment then staggered back, grabbed the spot on his side.
“Oh, you got me” he called out falling to his knees. He waved one hand in the air.
“I’m going, the room is getting dark, urk!” he said dramatically.
Toshiro looked up at the ceiling with a ‘why me?’ look as Kit fell onto his back and started jerking around while quoting various death lines from bad movies. Wondering who ‘Lizbith’ was and why Kit was coming to see her, Toshiro recovered his fallen katana and walked over to coffee bar in the corner. He sat watching Kit’s death spasms for about a minute.
“If you don’t die already” he yelled at last “I’ll come over there and kill you for real. That has got to be the worse death scene I’ve ever seen.”
“Ooo” Kit said grasping both hands to his heart “the coup de grace to an actor, a bad review! Goodbye cruel world!”
He collapsed arms spread out, tongue hanging out, completely still except for one ear that twitched rhythmically.
Toshiro clapped half heartedly. “Water?”
“Sure” Kit said popping to his feet. He pulled his t-shirt off and used it wipe the sweat of his face as he walked over to where Toshiro was pulling a bottle of water out of the coffee bar fridge. He took a swig and handed it to Kit.
“Come on” Toshiro said looking at the sweaty coyote. “You need a bath.”
“Are you saying I stink?” Kit said with a grin.
“In more ways than one” Toshiro grinned back.

Shippo made a point of not looking at them as they passed him in the living area on the way to the bath. He did sniff the air as they passed though.
‘Sweat but no blood’ he thought ‘that is good sign’
He also noted with interest the slight trace of coyote heat scent but no other indications that the sweat that covered them was anything but the product of a good workout. Not that he had much to worry about along those lines; Toshiro had never shown interest in other males much less one his father was currently involved with.
‘Although Kit is hot enough to change a lot of attitudes’ he thought casting a surreptitious glance at the sweaty coyote’s bare chest and back as they passed.
‘Maybe I should worry’ he finished the thought with a grin.

Toshiro was impressed that Kit appeared to have mastered all the aspects of civilized bathing that so many of Kit’s countrymen seemed to have problems with. He also took the time to appraise the coyote’s physique as they cleaned and then entered the tub. He had to grudgingly admit if his father was going to take on a new young mate, even if it was only a temporary love mate, he couldn’t have made a better choice.

Kit noticed the careful observations. He realized it was just part of an evaluation he was undergoing as Toshiro worked out the issues of Kit and Shippo’s relationship. He felt like he was undergoing an interview for a job he already had. He also knew he couldn’t afford to blow this interview. But he wasn’t about to be intimidated either so he made a point of observing in return and if Toshiro met his eyes he refused to allow his eyes or ears to drop. Toshiro’s body was certainly worth observing as well. It seemed all that sword swinging and martial arts paid off.

Toshiro broke the silence that had dominated as they soaked.
“So if you don’t mind my asking” he said in a tone that indicated he wasn’t really asking “was the other night the first time?”
Kit looked at the ceiling considering the implications of answering truthfully. ‘Well’ he thought ‘in for a penny…’
Kit took a deep breath and answered “No it wasn’t the first time.”
Toshiro’s brows furrowed in concentration for a moment, “but the girl on the plane…” he said sounding confused.
Kit’s ears did droop this time “That is a little complicated” he said.
“I really was uncomfortable on the plane; I’ve never flown before you see” he explained playing with his tail under the water “and she offered to talk to me and help take my mind off it and well…she did.”
“In front of my father” Toshiro’s tone suggested there had better be a good explanation.
“Well that is kind of complicated” Kit said looking at the ceiling again. “I hadn’t intended to go that far when I flirted with her earlier.”
Seeing Toshiro’s expression hardening Kit figured he needed to change direction a little.
“Let me clarify a little” Kit said “the day before we left your father asked me to remove the scent markers of our relationship. I was a little miffed at that so I was flirting a lot to sort of rub it in.”
Kits ears and voice drooped a little as he said the last.
“I didn’t know about you at the time but I suspect he didn’t want you knowing about it.”

Toshiro looked thoughtful for a moment. “But if you were alpha he couldn’t force you to renounce the relationship” he said at last.
“I wasn’t alpha then, I was the one who submitted to him. I wasn’t even sure why I did it at the time. I think I just developed this great respect for him when we fought Sesshomaru that I felt I had to.”
“You fought with Lord Sesshomaru?” Toshiro said sitting up in the tub.
“Yes, he was a little upset with us for dyeing his tail pink” Kit said with a grin.

Toshiro’s mouth open and closed a few times soundlessly.
“How…where…I mean…” he stammered. He stopped himself, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“So” he continued “you fought with Lord Sesshomaru and won?”
“We lost actually” Kit answered “but your dad was holding his own there at the end before Spirit Singer and the other Demon Lords intervened.”

Silence dominated the room for moment. Kit looked over to see Toshiro leaning back in tub looking at the ceiling.
“Kit” he said after a moment “it seems I owe you yet another apology.”
“How so”
“Father was sure I would disapprove so he put you through that. The fact is, he was right and so it is my fault as well. Knowing my father he intended for me to get to know you and then discuss it with me but the other night interfered.”
“Yea I guess that makes sense” Kit said. “He said he submitted to me because I needed to regain a sense of control but maybe part of it was he was feeling guilty too.”
“Hmm” Toshiro nodded. “He helped you pull a trick on old Sesshomaru eh?”
“Yes” Kit said smiling at the memory.
“Then he really didn’t have that much to worry about. As much as I might have disapproved of Father taking a young male lover, no offense to you Kit…”
“None taken”
“…that disapproval pales in comparison to the impact you have had on him. For that I should be eternally grateful to you.”
“I don’t understand” Kit looked puzzled.
“Koto and I have been puzzling over the change that has come over him since he returned. Now I know that you caused that. You see he hasn’t really been himself since he lost his last lifemate and kits in the war. The only thing that has been keeping him going is his duty to Inuyasha and the shrine. I was truly afraid what would happen to him once the well is open and he feels that duty is discharged. But now you seem to have rekindled his Kitsune spirit and so I thank you clan brother.”
“Uh you’re welcome” Kit said trying to digest all this.
Toshiro laughed and Kit felt a sense of relief. Seems he had passed examination.

They got out and dried off and changed into fresh clothes.
“Toshiro” Kit said “there is something I would like to do for you in return for the kindness you have shown me.”
“Alright”
Kit led him back down to the gym.
“I need to see all your swords” Kit said kneeling down on one of the mats.
Toshiro raised an eyebrow then collected his swords and carefully laid them before Kit and knelt down across from him. Kit reached out and took Toshiro’s hand and held it with his over the swords. Kit’s eyes closed in concentration and Toshiro’s spirit senses could detect a glow beginning to form over their hands and the swords. After a few moments, Kit relaxed and the glow faded.
“There” the coyote said “now your swords are bonded to your spirit energy like my spear is to mine.
Toshiro picked up his katana and sensed it. This would mean he could channel and concentrate his ki attacks through the blade!
“Thank you” he said “I didn’t know you were weapon smith.”
“I’m not” Kit said “but the master smith who forged Silver Fang for me said I was one of those rare individuals with a natural talent to manipulate spirit energy. It is one of the reasons I can work with Spirit Singer even though I’m not a bard. So he taught me this technique.”

They returned upstairs and Kit wandered off to the kitchen to find something to munch. Toshiro joined his father on the couch.
“Everything is right with the world now?” Shippo said.
“Yes Father.”

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Author’s Notes: Everything right with the world and its time to take a turn from character development and into more action. Next Kit takes a trip to Nermia and Spirit Singer returns with a theory about the Bone Eaters Well and a surprise package. Next Chapter: The Theory of the Well.