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Nako did not like forests.

Particularly, he did not like the forest he was currently having to travel through. Though life's obstacles gave him no other option, he still felt irritated at not finding a way around this particular dense, unsettling land. The trees above him towered over him like giants ready to crush the very life out of him, and as it crossed his mind, the white and black modifox looked up at the trees, his ruby red eyes narrowed. He had his reasons for avoiding these lands. Every tree he passed brought a stray memory to his mind, a whisper in the back of his ear, the terrible emptiness of regret. For the hundredth time, he cursed himself for even choosing this route, for he, as a fool, knew the consequences for setting a paw in this forest.

Hopefully, he thought with bitterness, I will find my way out. But, even if he prayed to the gods to grant him luck at giving a fast retreat, Nako knew he was not going to find his way even if he tried. The feeling of dread ate away at him, the feeling he often contained. As his insides turned tremendously, the modifox stopped at a tree, one that appeared smaller than the other, more gigantic, trees.

Everything stopped there for him, then, as he examined the small tree. It would not grow anymore, that was obvious, but it had caught his attention nevertheless. A feather of familiarity danced in his mind, one that grew as he remembered bittersweet misgivings from his past.

"You new around here?"

He had been a kit when he found his way into this forest; lost, alone, terrified. Every shadow brought unimaginable horror to his tiny frame and Nako never approached anyone at the time. However, in a last attempt to hide from two approaching modifoxes, he had hidden himself rather inefficiently behind a small, growing tree. Nevertheless, he was spotted, and in the process, met the female he would deem more as his mother than his real mother could have ever been.

But, as the years passed, Nako wondered if she was alive. Did she bear children? He laughed a dry, brittle laugh. Over the course of his escape and disappearance, he had become mute. Never wanting to hear his retched voice, he had shut himself away from others. To hear himself for the first time in months, he was not surprised at how terrible he sounded. Flicking his ears back, the modifox dropped his head to sniff experimentally at the small tree.

Nothing.

Since his first step into this tormenting place, Nako had not heard, smelled, or seen anyone. There was no trace of any other modifoxes in the land. It was as if the land was abandoned.

Just the way he wanted it to be.

Even though Nako had matured over the years, he still carried himself with his head low, tail dusting the ground as if he was being hunted by every shadow he passed. His coat showed signs of abuse, his once white fur feigning gray from the months of neglected cleaning. Muscles ripped under his dirty coat, and above, countless scars; some newer than others, still showing the terrible red and green of infection. It was surprise, even to him, that he had yet to succumb to sickness. Distantly, the modifox wondered if he really cared for his health anymore, or the desire to pursue happiness. With a shake of his head, he guessed not- after all, what good reason could he give for keeping himself presentable?

It was a very good question, and the smirk that shown on his face was nothing but intimidating and dangerous. His dark eyes shown with mistrust as he scanned the trees. Though he knew no one was nearby, the distant prickle of curiosity burdened his mind. Nako wanted to know why these lands had suddenly become ghostly after many years of occupation by countless modifoxes.

The answer was among the most desired in his mind, but he honestly did not want to know the answer. For Nako, the answer caused a bubble of sadness to settle in his stomach, and the modifox felt his legs give in. He sat down heavily, his gaze concentrating on the misty ground. Even if he had attempted and succeeded at connecting himself from his past, the realization that everyone had possibly passed on and left him behind was not anything but bitter.

He deserved it, really, for the way he ran. For the pain and anger he left on everyone who cared about him. Yet, life went on, and though Nako never wanted to continue moving, he could not stop either. It was the way of life he had chosen for himself long before he met anyone who gave a damn about him.

Maybe Nako would have caught her scent in the air, but by mere coincidence, the wind never blew in his direction, and he was forced to be the oblivious modifox walking right into the predicament he never wanted to be in from the beginning. Even though he had left due to his life falling part around him, he still felt the familiar tug of remorse build in his chest whenever he thought of his family. The first blow done to his heart was when his mate disappeared without word. The next blow was when his adopted children also left, never leaving him a goodbye. The final blow came in the form in her, and he could not bring himself to remember.

Slowly, he began to hide in the silence solitude offered him, until it consumed him whole. In the middle of the night, Nako had also disappeared, never signaling his goodbyes to the others as he padded out of the lands he came to call home. And now, here he was- traveling through the forest that started it all, the key to his past. He wished it didn't have to end like this, with him making an appearance and then retreating before anyone could make a move.

But that was how it was, and before he could give up, to finally leave, the wind rushed in his direction, chilling him to the bone. He didn't feel it like he expected to. All he could feel was the tendrils of dread build as a scent filled his nostrils. Her scent. She, Akuma, was here, and he knew it. His fur prickled uneasily as he padded forward, and though he wished to stop, his legs had suddenly claimed a mind of their own, and he continued without another thought.

Nako did not want her to see him in this state. To everyone he had passed over the years, they knew he was dangerous. By the way he carried himself and the many scars that marred his coat, no one approached him. But he never wanted someone he knew from his past to see him like this. He never wanted someone he loved so much to see how much he had fallen.

But he could not stop. And it pained him.

Even as Akuma came in his direction, all Nako wanted to do was turn around and run. He did not want her to see him in this state. But, a distant part of himself protested weakly against him. For no reason in particular, he wanted to see her again. But how would she react, knowing the past ordeals he had braved? He shook his head, already knowing she could be overly disappointed and saddened at his current state. Though she had left him before, running away from her responsibilities, he could not help but shake the feeling that maybe she had finally let go of him. It hurt, of course- to know that she might have, but nothing stopped him from thinking that.

She would not have let herself fall like he had. She would not have become mentally and physically unstable. Akuma was, and had always been, a strong modifox. From his point of view, nothing could make her fall. Nako did not know what awaited him, and he hoped for the better, for he realized that running was the worst possible thing to do at this moment.

As he grew closer, he could hear her familiar paws approaching. The time for escape was too late, and he could only pray that she would not deteriorate at the sight of him.

He just did not know how much she had already deteriorated.

He fixated her with a cold, calculating gaze, distantly wondering if the modifox before him was a hallucination. Nako knew that she was not, though some part of him eagerly clambered onto the idea of this being a projection of his destroyed mind. The vixen that stood before him bore every mark of her history, from her tiny frame to the haunting gaze that was fixed solely on him. Maybe this transition into depression would have been stopped if he had been there to support her. Though he was aware that he was one of many to blame for Akuma's condition, he did not feel the terrible remorse he had felt earlier, only a pang of sadness.

When she shifted her gaze to the ground, Nako drew closer, unaware of the shame she felt. Dark curiosity shown in his red eyes as he lowered his head, wondering what she would make of his defensive stance. Years of being a social outcast taught him the importance of being careful, and he always took this stance, even though Akuma would never harm him. He could tell she was having difficulties by the way she licked her lips, as if she was wondering what she could say. He would have liked to interrupt her, only to see if he was capable of speech, but he remained silent as she spoke.

A laugh threatened to explode from his chest. The irony of the situation was too much for him, for he never imagined seeing anyone - especially her - ever again. But here he was, analyzing her every move as if she was a danger to him. It was a pity to him. Nako always promised himself he would never fall to this level, but in his own ways, he had many years ago.

When silence met her, he finally begun to wonder what was the most appropriate thing to say. For a moment, he stood and stared at her, his gaze never wavering from her form. Then, as if he had discovered something important from long ago, his tail swept the ground in acknowledgment. "I suppose," he coughed suddenly, "that I am likewise in this situation." His voice had deepened considerably, even though Nako refrained from using his vocal chords. Once he spoke, his throat beat with a pace of its own, every pulse a throb of pain to him.

He ignored it easily. Akuma was too important for him to remember what pain felt like. As he stood in front of her, his body had become numb, unresponsive to everything and nothing.