The young orange haired girl ran through the sunset light path panting as she picked up her speed on top her head two fluffy orange and white tipped ears flickered on her head. The girl was a spirit fox, the young fox girl paused and looked around her surroundings "Where to hide?" she said as she hurriedly looked around "They'll be here any minuet!" she panicked. The fox girl continued to look around until her ears flickered as they heard a noise it was faint, but, she knew exactly what it was it was the sound of running footsteps and they were coming towards her.

The fox girl grimaced "Crap!' she cursed and she looked around harder as the footsteps got closer she became more panicked "Where, where, where, where!?" she repeated as she circled around in place. The girl froze as she heard a voice "Hey, Zero-Tails, we're going to get you!" came a young male voice the fox girl twitched "Oh no" she gasped. The first voice was fallowed by another which also belonged to a young male "When we catch you, it's in the lake you go!" the second young male said.

The fox girl was at her wits end "Oh no! They're almost here!" she panicked she didn't feel like being thrown into the lake as she knew of the water spirit that lived in the lake, and it was said not to be the friendless spirit when another spirit enters its territory. The fox girl swallowed hard at the thought "Got to hide!" she said that was the most important thing she had to worry about in that particular moment she then finally decided to duck into some bushes that seemed would hide her well.

Without hesitation she made a beeline into them and nestled down to the ground and peered out from the convenient space to look out from at the bottom she stifled her breathing and stayed still. She heard the sound of two sets of running feet getting closer "Please, don't let them find me!" she prayed. She waited a bit, then two figures came into view, they were two young boys and like her they had orange and white tipped ears on their heads but, unlike her the two boys had long fluffy orange and white tipped tails flowing behind them.

The two fox boys paused and the began to look around one of the fox boys was tall while one a bit shorter, the tall one clicked his tounge in annoyance "Where in the hell did she go?" he said looking around. The shorter fox boy chuckled "Man, for a Zero-Tail, she sure is quick" the taller fox boy smirked "Heh, at least she has something going for her" the shorter fox boy laughed "Yeah, she may not have a single tail but, she sure can run away" the taller gave an smile of agreement "You got that right" he chuckled. In the bushes mere feet away from them the young fox girl watched and listened as the two fox boys talked badly about her.

She grumbled, they were making fun of her again, the fox girl took a quick look at her backside, there was no tail to speak of, she had been like that ever since she was born. Most spirit foxes have at least one tail by the time they become 9 years old but not her, the young fox girl had turned nine a few years ago and no tailed showed up. She looked away from her tailless backside and eyes the two foxes boys long flowing tails she was mesmerized by them. Looking at them made her remember that she herself had none which took her out of her mesmerizing state "Why, why don't I have any tails" she said lowly her face turning sad the young fox girl shook her head and slapped the side of her face she had to focus.

She couldn't let her sight drift from the two fox boys she groaned lowly and softly to herself, the hard ground was starting to hurt but she knew she had to endure it otherwise, she'd be caught and she'd meet the nasty lake spirit personally. She watched the two fox boys as they continued to search for her she would breath a sigh of relief every time they'd pass her hiding spot but, she couldn't relax and let her guard down on the off chance they'd find her which meant, she's had to pick up and quickly run away. The taller fox boy grumbled in annoyance "She's not her man" the shorter fox boy looked back from some bushed he had parted and was looking behind.

"Damn, where did she get to?" he grumbled as he rejoined the taller fox boy "Maybe she ran further along the path" the taller one said looking straight up the path the shorter one groaned "I guess so". The two fox boys started to walk away and the fox girl started to feel relief as they moved away but then, she made a mistake she let a audible sigh escape her mouth which she quickly clasped her hands over and cursed herself for being so stupid. She then peered out hoping that she wasn't heard, the fox girl froze in shock as she saw both of the fox boys ears twitching as they picked up the noise she let out. She let out a low 'Eeep..' when she saw the taller one look directly towards her hiding spot she shook a little as she stared eye to eye with the taller fox boy.

The fox girl knew that she had been caught now, there was no way she could get away in time so, she stayed low to the ground, still hiding herself in the bushed hoping that somehow the two fox boys would leave. But, when she saw that the taller fox boy smirk she knew he knew where she was and that he was toying with her, it was like he was waiting for her to make a move. The fox girl stayed put, she would try to wait him out, even if it took until night fell for him to give up she was going to stay put.

The taller fox boy chuckled he elbowed the shorter fox boy who turned and looked at him "What is it man?" he asked the taller fox boy made sign for the shorter one to go quiet, which made a confused look scrawl across the shorter ones face but, he did as he was told. The taller fox boy made a simple move, he pointed to where the fox girl was still hiding, the fox girl swallowed hard a second time "Crap" she said under her breath as she saw the shorter one turn and looked towards where the taller one had pointed. At first it took him a while, then when he finally realized what was up he smirked and chuckled, the two fox boys looked at each other and smirked and laughed and they both looked with a smile to where the fox girl was hiding "Double crap!" the fox girl mumbled.

The taller fox boy walked slowly over to her hiding spot, the shorter one fallowing behind him with a devious smile on his face. The fox girl backed up into the bush, she had to make a run for it, it's what her brain was telling her. As the two fox boys approached she would etch further back into the bushes "Got to' run" she said to herself, the two fox boys drew closer and she kept crawling further back. In the next moment, she would pick up and make a dash for it, she was waiting for the two fox boys to step a few inches closer then when the time was right she'd bolt. The taller fox boy stopped a few inches from in front her hiding spot which caused the shorter one to stop behind him. "Oh, Zero-Tails!" the taller one said in a singsong voice "We know you're there Zero-Tails" he chuckled, the shorter one chuckled and chimed in "Don't try to run for it, your caught!".

The fox girl sighed, the two fox boys were right, she had been caught, and she knew she had to give up on her plan to run so, she decided to take her lumps. The fox girl begrudgingly, hoisted herself from off the ground she had been laying on for the past few minuets. Her chest hurt a bit, but she ignored the pain and stood straight up and poked her head out the bushes. The two fox boys smirked "There you are!" the said together with a chuckle the taller fox boy grinned, "Come on, come out of there" he commanded the fox girl sighed and walked out from the bushes and stood in front of the two fox boys.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Well, you caught me" she said in a defeated tone with an unhappy look to accompany it. The two fox boys looked at each other and smirked, they then looked back at the fox girl the taller one spoke "You know what happens now, Zero-Tails" the fox girl grimaced, she was going to answer before the shorter fox boy beat her to the punch, "Your going to take a nice, dip in the lake!" he grinned. The fox girl sighed, "Lake spirit, here I come" she was then taken by the arms and hoisted off the ground and the two fox boys started their way to the lake. When they arrived, the setting sun made the lake shimmer the fox girl though the sight was very pretty but, she didn't have time to gawk at the beautiful scenery.

The taller fox boy looked to her, "Ready for you dip?" he said with a wry smile the shorter fox boy chuckled. The fox girl looked at the lake and knew what was waiting in it for her, she groaned "Not really" she said with a deadpan tone. "Too bad" the taller fox boy grinned "Ready?" he said looking at the shorter fox boy who nodded "1,2..." they counted and the two of them paused, the fox girl stared at the still water she was about to be thrown into, "I hope, the lake spirit doesn't like fox girls" she said to herself "3!" the two fox boys yelled and the fox girl felt them release her and her body fly forwards.

She landed with a loud splash into the lake and because she couldn't swim, she slowly started to sink to the bottom. As she sunk, she looked around at her watery surroundings, her lungs were on fire, she needed to breath but with her inability to swim, she knew she wouldn't get it soon." I hate this" she said inside her head, "I hate that they do things like this to me" she went on "I want to make them pay.." she said, "I want to make them sorry.." she scowled with anger. She felt a burning sensation welling inside of her as her anger rose "I want to make them sorry for treating me this way" she said, at that moment a set of glowing eyes came into view and they were locked onto her, the lake spirit was there. She stared into the glowing eyes as a large shadowy figure started to appear, she felt anger well up inside of her again, she wanted to make the ones that teased her be sorry, she didn't want her life to end before she did, she glared at the lake spirit, "I'm not going to let you get in my way" she said as more anger welled up inside her the burning sensation, increasing, then everything went black.

As the fox girl drifted in blackness she could swear she heard a voice calling to her, "Mayako" said a older female voice. The girl moaned as she didn't move an inch "Mayako! Get up!" the older female shouted angrily, this time the fox girl shifted and the blackness faded, when she opened her eyes she found that she was in her room, in her house, in her bed , and not in a lake with a nasty lake spirit staring her down. "That dream.." she said drowsily "Mayako!" yelled the older female louder this time, and in her ear, the fox girl jolted out of bed and looked around startled. She then spied and older fox girl looking at her with a displeased look.

The fox girl grimaced, it was her older sister Yone Matsuyama, she had five tails swirling behind her, and the young fox girl herself still, even though she was now 15, still had no tail, she was Mayako Matsuyama. Mayako chuckled lightly, "Good morning, Yone-neechan" she smiled Yone clicked her tounge, "Honestly, how come on the weekends you can wake up just fine on your own, but when it comes to school days you have to be woken up" Mayako chuckled "Sorry, I just can't help it Yone-" Mayako paused and her expression darkened, "Did you say school day? "Yone sighed "Yes" Mayako went silent, she creaked her neck slowly as she looked at her clock, when she read the time her eyes widened. "Oh crap!" she cursed loudly and she hopped out of her bed her leg getting caught in the blankets, causing her to fall flat on her face.

"Ow" she groaned" as she sat up rubbing her head, another sigh came from Yone "That's what happened when you rush" she said walking off "Get dressed, and get downstairs quickly" Yone ordered Mayako nodded, a small tear dripping down her cheek. Yone went down the stairs and Mayako picked herself up from off the floor, she dusted herself off, she stopped for a second, "Can't believe I had that dream after so long" Mayako mulled. Mayako shook her head "Focus!" she shouted "Got to get ready!" Mayako took a breath she walked over to her closet and opened it, she pulled out a school uniform which consisted of a white blouse, a red blazer with cold trim, and a skirt that was black and red with a plaid pattern. Mayako quickly threw off her sleep clothes and threw her uniform on, she found a pair of clean white stocking and pulled them on her legs.

She checked herself on her dresser mirror, she fiddled with her hair a bit, she made sure it was straight like she liked it. When she looked over her finished look, her ears on top her head flicker happily "Perfect!" she smiled she turned and in the reflection in the mirror she caught sight of her tailless backside and a sad smile appeared on her face. She stood there for a bit just staring, she then heard Yone call her from downstairs, "Coming sis!" Mayako replied and she looked away from the mirror and ran downstairs.

Mayako saw her mother and father were in the kitchen "Morning!" she chirped as she walked in "Morning honey" her dad said with grin "Morning dear" her mother called, while she was looking at what she was cooking. Mayako looked around for Yone but didn't see her, "Did sis leave already?" she asked "Yep" her dad replied Mayako frowned "Oh.." her father sighed "I'm sure if you hurry you can catch up to her" Mayako seemed to perk up, she nodded "Alright" and she started to turn "Oh wait! Are you sure you don't want breakfast?" her mom asked looking at Mayako.

"No,I'm good" Mayako paused, "Did..Did Keishi-nii come back yet?" her dad looked at her, Keishi was her older brother he was the oldest among the Matsuyama siblings. He was a seven tail, he was the second strongest spirit fox in Mayako's family her father holding the number one spot, her father was a nine tails the strongest spirit fox, Mayako's dad grumbled "No, not yet' Mayako frowned "I see" and she walked out the kitchen.

Mayako loved her older brother, whenever Keishi was around he'd drive away the other fox spirit kids that would pick on her but nowadays he was being called out to handle problems in her dads place as he was to be the next head of the Matsuyama family so Mayako rarely saw or spent time with Keishi. With thoughts of her older brother swimming in her head Mayako walked to the front door slipped on her shoes and grabbed her bag and started on her way to school. [Chapter 1 END]