Read in Landscape

Now down the dusty road they go as boy does lead the man
On briefest trip they both do run no hardship either plans
To meet on way of path they take for child does know it well
The safest course through forest roads that long the boy has dwelled.

The night does fall and camp is made again at sun they rise
And head about the meager course to place their goals do lie
The boy to journey back to home he holds in peasant's keep
While man for master's vaunted grave does current wond'ring seek.

Along their path they speak at length of all they current know
As man does seek to learn the way that child his skills did hone.
To gain much craft inside the woods at such an early age
What training granted gave him reign to long this venture wage.

"Of the dangers of wilder place and the workings of bandit men
As the latter will use the former to often cover their sin
The boy is quite skilled for a child so tender and so young
And is granted so few a day that are under eternal sun.

How gained you your woodcraft with which you do your work
Avoiding the spiting of nature and of bandit's foulest hurt
By the virtue of hard knowledge that tells of the shadows and trees
And grants my junior companion his wage and soft reprieve?"

And hearing words the boy did speak he tells the man his tale
In hopes to meet his guesting gaze with story given well.

"My parent passed from life as babe
And both the pair were laid in grave
Before the time my mouth could ask
Apart from peer I'm gave this task

To earn my keep and way through life
I'm bidden more than peers this strife
And struggle hard to gain my wants
Yet even though the path may daunt

The hearts of those with lesser still
Yet still I every need fulfil.
But many pity took on child
And taught the boy of forest's wilds

With which I gain for self my good
Alone in wilder places stood.
So take not long a pity's sake
I've met the challenge gave by fate.

And do for self a work that's well
And earn the keep of place I dwell."

And master hearing words did nod not feeling pity's sting
For many men an envy great atop this boy would deem.
How many folk of greater age don't have a way to make
Their way through world and earn for selves and all their families sake.

Yet child did know the ways of world and surely well would live
And go about the roaming lands and take what nature gives
To nourish self and help his lot and keep his needed life
At early age this babe had learned to wage for self this strife.

So on they go no thought is gave for rest of day they journ'
And talk the pair a walking make as dangers both now spurn.
Not lacking any words to give they go about their way
Unfearing hearts are grant by peace along the road they lay.

And days then came and parted fast as pair the land did walk
Not fearing well for any task for men from paths did balk
That gave the risks  of danger great or any other harm
So on they went along the way not fearing any harm.

Then finally forest broke above the pairs own daunted head
And out they came from place where paths they took had led.
Then spoke the man to cunning boy who lead them through the green
With woodcraft great and very good a gift that's great he deems

For any one to ever hold much less a little child
The skill by which he led them through the places often wild
And kept them secret still from any one who sought their harm
Thus granting men a better path that lessened much alarm.

"The path you chose was well and truly greatest course
That man could take through forest that had many other worse
I thank you child for your help of which you freely gave
That probably spared not only I but many others grave.

I wish a favor returned could I give to peasant child
Who by subtle craft of hand has led me through the wild
Yet man does deem no thing that I current keep on form
Except for my vaunted blade of which I ever more yet sworn.

To never part or give to yet any except my clan
That never deem I to grant except to warring man.
So only words are thing that I hold of any worth
I grant this now no better friend have I living on this earth."

And boy when hearing words was pleased but grounded still his thoughts
That life had fashioned well to aid not highly thing were wrought.
It's always easy lending thanks when after help is give
And words unproved by any act do easy praise yet bid.

But still he took the praise yet heaped and nodded little head
And knew he worked a righteous work to spare the man from dread
Of any harm that sure befalls those taking forest path
Though man was warrior skilled and great and given well to wrath

Yet still an easy path he made and such was goodly work
To spare not only warring man but other men from hurt
That sure would fall if man had gone and tread the forest far
For certain other fools would come and path of warrior bar.

So lives were spared apart from man though lives were lowly lived
To go about the world abroad upon the path of sin.
Yet still he knew his goodly work and never doubted thing
Was wise and good to warring man on safer road yet bring.

"I'm proud to help a man so good
Who seeks through foreign realm and woods
A way to grant his master's will
And final wish of man fufill.

This place we stand we soon depart
And both we'll go to work our parts.
Perhaps another day you'll aid
So help to boy is welcome gave.

Now place we stands the place we'll leave
And each of other person grieved
Shall split and go about our way
Along these paths the ancients laid."

And hearing words the man did nod and gave a little say
To promise boy his vaunted help if trouble ever came.

"My goodly child this I bid that a gratitude fairly grant
Shall not yet die with passing time or any effort scant.
Should trouble ever fall or yet any other act
I'll grant you thing you seek by any mortal tact

That lay in power to give if its thing by man that's gave
I'll journey forth to cause yet even when that cause be grave."

And both did nod their head an understanding passed
So each had gained a goodly friend along the forest task.
Now on they parted ways the pair, and boy did point the street
On which the warrior journeyed long and village shortly meets.

And on he went the day along to find an inn to stay
Where man with bones of master towed may find a place to stay.
For sev'ral hours man did walk along the dusty roads
To find the village place that's kept as restful sleeping bode.

The dust of land his sandals met and chaffed his wearied feet
Though only low the hardships laid he resting place would seek.
Alone he went and quickly missed the friendly voice of child
Who took him safe through foreign place the woodlands great and wild.

But missing shortly gives yet way to great and hurried sound
As man does turn and see the boy with racing pace yet found
Approaching man with fearful eyes and swiftly pounding feet
His face an ashen pale complex and fearful eyes that greet

With hunted look the master eyes that bids him listen well
And know the thing of which the child did run from fear and fell.
The master stepped and sought what words the boy did come to grant
And ask the babe of thing he sought in manner very scant.

"My boy what trouble bids that your pace is so hastened well
To come and seek me fast in the place you bid me dwell.
Now tell your fear to man and I will remedy it's cause
Thus giving well my due to the ancient Samurai laws.

That bid me always serve from a heart of stoic will
Those people to whom I owe a debt and vows must sure fulfil
But ask and if a blade may grant that thing for which you seek
The man will grant your quest and your coming task yet meet."

But boy in gasping breath aloud now turned away his thoughts
And ask not any favor give that many other's sought
From warring men in days yore instead another boon He grants to mighty warring man to long delay his tomb.

By warning man of thing to come he learned a little ways
Before in village off a way where child for long was raised.

"My friend this child has heard a tell
Of fury dark and doom so fell
In village boy was given birth
A medium speaks to things of worth.

Of times to sow and times to reap our crops
And future acts at present hour unwrought
She spoke and said the kitsune comes
As sure as sound of beating thrum.

It comes with haste to place you go
And strikes where many men abode.
I come with haste to steal from path
My friend from dread of kitsunes wrath."

And just as spoke a coming wind across the land did sweep
The sky did darken well as boy to man did warning speak.
A sound as loud as waterfall a thund'rous noise did cry
As over whole of earth that's long the clouds did blanket sky.

Now hasty child did grab his hand and led him far aside
Into a ditch yet hid from road where man and boy did lie.
Beside the man his cart he pull and tried his best to hold
His masters bones yet still in place so deathly dark and cold.

Above the ridge the man and boy now look at line of sky
Some dreadful thing of fellest fame the vale of such did hide
For only shortest time did pass when sudden creature crest
The ancient beast of foxlike make with many tails abreast.

And each a typhoon whipping bout above it's ghastly head
As funnels made of angry wind that death now hasty sped.
So many stories tall it stood above the whole of earth
And bore a gaunt but giant frame of otherworldly hurt.

Across the plane the beast now bore a dreadful stalling pace
The malice heightened fear it brought by lack of any haste.
It loomed above the little town and bore a glint in eye
No mortal man of earthly make could ever dare defy.

With single swipe it's windy tails the whole of place consumed
And proved the craft of mediums words that came pronouncing doom.
Then back its turned from ruin fell it wrecked atop the whole
Achieving none but cryptic thing if beast had any goal

Apart from death it brought to bear inside this mortal realm
Where beast of ancient fame had come and quickly overwhelmed.
The ones who kept it's guard and vain but bravely fought their last
From moment beast had first been shown the die already cast

Had granted doom to all who lived inside the village walls
Where many men and women lived and children playing sprawled.
Then man did ask the child to tell him thing at present seen
What omen fell and dread at time of to man's supposed to mean.

"I bid you speak and tell of thing before my eyes beheld
That beast of awful fame that came to a place yet dwelled
By mortal men for not but hurt and raised against it wrack
What dreadful thing to see that is the kitsunes fell attack.

What purpose gave these folk that that great beast aspired
To raised against the whole what was a fate so awfully dire.
Tell me now what purpose serve is this beast of magic make
That such would come about and claim those live as deathly fate."

Then spoke the boy to tell the plight of those he live yet near
How men of all the rest of realm were drove to long yet fear.
The whole of mortal days for life for sake of beast he'd seen
That often death atop of men at fickle will did deem.

"This beast is long a plague of old
And slays at will the mannish holds
The homes of men that beast does chose
Unknown the reason such behooves

The creature fell, what will encants?
Perhaps but child's who stomps on ants.
But still to wrath of kitsune's might
Though little know we any slight

We ever deemed in ancient time
To gain the wrath of fox's kind."

Then man now thought with heavy brow at thing he just had heard
A troubled mind by fate that's grant and angry heart yet stirred.

"Then who's the royal line that holds their power over realm
How dare a Samurai clan let this land be overwhelmed
By daunt of creature fell those of ancient code aspired
Should meet with vex of steel what has earned this rightful ire.

If not for any love of folk at least for duty tasked
Some lordly prince of realm should do as Bushido's code does ask.
And slay this beast where it does stand for the benefit of all who live
Including men to which this task by the emperor's laws are give."

But boy when hearing speech of man did quickly turn aside
Yet any words the man did say though words no guile did hide.

"No hand of any living man
The beast may slay or even plan
To bring about a harm on head
For beast by boon foretold and dread

No mortal ever needs to fear
Who fails to ever draw yet near
While also keeping hold of life
It never meets with any strife."

And man when hearing thing was wroth at words the boy had spoke
That told of telling long ago that none have ever broke.
So man inquired a greater length of thing the child had said
To know for self what task was give so fell and awfully dread.

"What prophecy foretold by seer that beast would ever roam
Across this rolling land and on these meager men yet hone
It's tails along with fangs on the folk lain in it's way
Without a grievance gave for the sake of ones that it does slay.

Now tell me boy what's the thing you know and the way you know
So man may act upon this task like a Samurai of old."

And boy when hearing words at first was loathe to do such thing
In fear that telling man the truth may greater troubles bring.
But still the boy was bid by caste to answer well his lord
Thus giving man the knowledge need though thing he pale affords.

"The saying came before my life
In days when fox first waged it's strife.
And none do know where words then came
But all our seers from such have claimed

These words as first the time their give
And still to heed their cause we're bid.
Less men before that creature fall
In grave unmarked to ever sprawl."

Then hearing words the man then spoke commanding boy to take
The man to foreign home of one who speaks of others fates.

"Then take I bid you boy this man to vaunted seer
So words of prophesying maid this man for self can hear
And learn of ways to spoil the fox's besieging wrath
That current lay upon this place that lays inside it's path.

I'll know of doom that's spoke against these land that I now walk '
Of ancient lore that harms and of that great beast I'll stalk."

So boy when knowing man was set refusing well to leave
Though fearing thing he current ask would sure this prince yet grieve
Resigned himself to do as liege required the child to do
Though boy did greatly doubt this act the man did well behoove...

Hey guys what did you think about this chapter? The Kitsune was scary huh?