Gaara (Gaara of the Sand)

Rustling. Screams. Watchdogs were barking somewhere behind us, and fierce voices were already rolling through the forest.

• There! By the ravine!
• Fire! She's a werewolf, burn her!

The little fox with snow-white fur darted between the trees, leaving dark drops of blood behind. Her leg was injured, scratched by a knife or a trap-she couldn't remember. Her heart was pounding, and her ears were fluttering at every sound. She was afraid. Panicked. Frantic.

-People... again...-*says girl-fox *

All she knew was fear. She'd never seen kindness in a person's eyes, only hunting. They didn't listen, didn't ask. They just... wanted to destroy.

Somewhere up ahead, the noise subsided. A white silhouette suddenly stopped among the roots of an old tree. Her small body trembled. She knew she could not escape.

But... it was quiet. It was too quiet.

When she looked up, she saw a boy. Red-haired, with black circles under his eyes. He stood silently, with his face tilted to one side, looking directly at her. He was carrying a huge jug of sand behind him.

The boy's eyes were as cold as the night around him. But he did not move from his position. He didn't pull out a weapon. He just stared.

Kitsune crouched down on the ground. She shivered, her fur tousled, and the next moment her body shivered in a strange light.

Right before the boy's eyes, she began to change.

The light fur disappeared, stretching out into long white hair. Before him now stood a little girl, barefoot, in rags, with white fox ears that fluttered and a long fluffy tail that she tried unsuccessfully to hide with her hands. Her eyes, large and golden, looked at him, filled with terror.

She whispered

• Don't kill...

Gaara tilted his head. His voice was quiet but firm

• Are you a monster too?