A Fox and His Shadow

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Chapter One

"I'll have to what?! Now?!"

The great fox spirit sighed in exasperation. Why must his son be so loud? His nine tails twitched simultaneously as he lay his head upon his powerful paws.

He looked elsewhere as he gathered his thoughts, the large room was lit by torches, his legend sewn in tapestries that were hanging on the walls as two incense burned slowly, a flowery scent he could not remember what before he flicked his eyes back onto his son.

His son stood in front of him, frantically pacing back and forth with his claws in his spikey yellow hair as he muttered 'why's' and 'how could this happen to him'. The clacking of his multi-coloured beaded necklace, same yellow nine tails as he, wore silken robes of black and orange but why he chooses to stay in human form is beyond Kurama, not that he cared as long as his idiot son was happy.

"Naruto, the time for you to choose a mate is near. A ceremony would be held with honor and as respected spirits such as us, I have warned you about this as soon as you turned of age! It matters not of the gender of your chosen, just choose one before one is chosen for you," Kurama growled out, slamming his paw onto the floor causing a quake, "Now go!"

Falling on his rear, Naruto gulped, "o...-okay pops. Like sure, whatever you say, ya know? See ya later!".

As Naruto was scrambling out of his father's shrine, Kurama yawned.

That kid-

He lay his mighty head back down, the flames went out. He was overdue on a good nap anyway.

.•._.•._.•.

Naruto was grumbling as he walked through the forest, his fluffy tails wagging behind him. The sun was bright overhead, the cooling breeze felt just as nice as birds and insects were chirping happily. The forest was alive like every day today it seemed, no imbalance he could sense.

"Stupid dad. Stupid choosing...."

Plopping down on a rock, he huffed in annoyance.

This whole thing was annoying and nerve-wracking. Why did he even need to choose a mate straight away anyway? He thought to himself, one half of his brain was tinking bitter feelings but other thought it would be nice. He liked the idea of love but he felt he was the least bit ready yet nor did he think he would find the right match at the moment.

He giggled into his hand as he remembered the time he'd seen his own father, Mr. Cold, Big n Angry, acted like a lovable kit again when his mother was still alive. 'Head over heels' his mom would say about Kurama. How he missed her, he frowned.

His thoughts went to where his father, a being that was most vengeful that everyone feared, his cries shook the planet, dealt with the one responsible the same day it happened. The thing had the nerve to try and hide from the most powerful being in the land only to be crushed between sharp teeth and rage.

Never underestimate the nose and ears of a fox-

Naruto vowed to himself that his mate would be protected at all costs to prevent the same that happened to own mother.

Suddenly he heard heard a voice, he quickly ducked down into the brush behind him in his fox form as he waited, summoning a billow of fog to deter any suspicion as he began eyeing the path beyond the thick trees at a peculiar looking shrine. He had never been out this far from his own shrine in his entire life before as his father barely let him leave, this was the most field he had ever gotten.

In his sights were a a doe, two fawns and a spikey haired human were walking side by side. Strange, Naruto thought. Usually the deer would scamper away from humans, let alone let them near their young so openly

"How troublesome.."

The boy who looked to be around Naruto's age, sighed as he put his hand into his pockets, fishing out some treats. The doe sniffed before taking a treat into her mouth before nudging him in the side with her head.

"Aaah fine I suppose I'll pet you," he said with a grin, his knuckle brushing against her jaw. The fawns occasionally took a step to nudge their noses, trying their best at instigating play. The boy smiled as one fawn tried chewing his pant leg, "Please don't eat my pants. They're my favorite pair"

"Shikamaru, we're going to the markets for your mother," called out another voice. This one much gruffer, a man that looked a lot like the other as he stood on the porch.

"Okay dad!," Shikamaru yelled back over his shoulder, patting the doe on her flank as he turned and began to trek towards his father. Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he looked up at the sky. The clouds were fluffy and as lazy as he, he felt. Too bad he couldn't enjoy a not-so quick cloud watch at this moment in time.

His father pat him on the shoulder as they started walking together

Naruto's eyes widened at the pair as they disappeared out of his sights. Shikamaru huh. What a nice name, he grinned widely. His heart thrummed as he popped back into his human form, a blush covered up to his ears. Anyone nice to the innocent animals of the great forest was something he absolutely strived for, this human was something else.

Is this what mom said about being head over heels?

"Oh gosh...."

The same doe and fawns strode up towards him as he petted their fur, getting at any itch they couldn't scratch for themselves. The deer here loved these people in the shadows, interested as they told him more about this Shikamaru and his family, which was good enough for him.

His mind was set as he sped back to the Kyuubi shrine with new found glee

"I gotta tell dad!"

.•.•.•.

Kurama almost fell on his face, couldn't believe it as his son rambled on about his day and his findings. "Ah the Nara Clan, I've heard of them from your mother, smart as they are secretive. They're powerful shadow weavers, to which is why they live close to the trees. They are most unique"

Naruto was giddy, his father never complimented other humans before, aside from his mother.

"Have you came into contact with this Shikamaru?"

Oh shit. Biting his lip nervously, Naruto wrung his hands, "ah well......n..-nooo?"

A fist plummeted down on the cobblestone flooring, cracking under the weight. The flames of the torches shown brighter as the shadows grew scarce. Kurama thinned his lips to hide his mighty fangs, and then he spoke up once again, "The ceremony is weeks from now and you haven't spoken to your chosen mate? What kind of fox spirit are you if you haven't played your tails right?."

"I only just met him, dad! Gimme time!," shouted the blond, steaming in anger as he began stomping his foot, "He's really nice to the animals from what I've seen today and I don't want to mess this up! 'Sides what's the council of spirits gonna do anyway? Like how many weeks-"

"Three"

He froze in shock, fluffing his hair at the words, tapping his claws together. Three weeks for the ceremony? This was ridiculous! He, who had just found a chosen, had three weeks before the most important ceremony of a young spirit's lifetime. Ugh springtime, the humans call it.

The Ceremony of Peace, one where a child of a spirit who had turned of age, could either choose an eternal lifetime as a god, set amongst other gods as they healed the Earth and Spirit realms or be a spirit that walked amongst humankind like his father, for good or how some chose evil, as they also had to choose their mates in the meantime to aid them in their journey for perfect balance.

The council of spirits didn't take diddly-dallying lightly....

"I ca-......"

"I believe in you, my son," Kurama huffed, "your mother was better at this than I but I made a promise to her. So get your tails together and do your best before then, I don't want to deal with the council as much as I have to."

Naruto nodded.

His father curtly nodded back in response as his giant form disappeared into a cloud of smoke. As the fog parted, a human with long blood red hair and beard, tan-ish skin, long sharp claws stood in his father's place. His silken red and black robes with golden details brushed the floor as his tails twitched behind him in his wake.

Kurama grinned, his fangs poking from his lips. His red eyes stared at his son's blue ones, "I will show you how to court a mate, or as humans call it the "birds and the bees".

Naruto flushed and hung his head in embarrassment, he wasn't ready for this whole ordeal. His father was going to give him that "the talk" his mother once mentioned. He heard bits and pieces as a young one but-

.•.•.•.•.

"Your mate is in front of you, what do you do?"

Naruto began sniffing into thin air, purring as he did so. "You sniff their neck!"

Kurama stood in front of his shrine as he eyed his son demonstrating what he had been taught. He clapped. He was doing so well, and Kushina said it would be an awful idea if he taught their son. HA! He's doing a fine job right now. If only she could see his accomplishments.

"Then you circle them before scenting them!"

"And then what?," the red fox motioned on. Naruto looked up at his father, as he started punching the air.

"And then I beat up my opponent who wants my chosen! And then we get hitched and live happily ever after!! Woot woot!!!"

Job well done, he felt, all going according to plan. His son was ready now and those pesky council members would be out of his fur in no time, he smirked.

He was brought out of his head when his son landed on his face, tripping over a log that was on the path when he was galavanting around like an idiot high on fermented fruits.

Kurama facepalmed. Now if only he could teach Naruto to be more aware of his surroundings that would be nice.

.•.•.•.•.

Halfway out of town, as they walked back to their house, Shikamaru sneezed. 'ugh gross," he muttered. His father, Shikaku, looked at him with concern.

"You're not getting sick, are you?"

Shikamaru shook his head, shifting the bags in his hands to alleviate the weight of the contents, "Nah, it's probably allergies from being around loud people"

Shikaku chuckled. Such a comedian his son was....

They strolled inside their house, while unbeknownst to them as eyes were watching their every move. Spying on one person in particular

Waiting.....

Watching......

Listening.....