To be or not to be a ferret

So hard was his body trembling, the slight movement beneath him almost went unnoticed, a subtle shift from the creature below him. He couldn't afford to be oblivious though. Not with this thing. To be too caught up in his fears would mean the end of his life.

The shift was met with more substantial movement, the yokai jerking back, throwing himself away from the reaper's awakening form. The faster he got away, the better; but where was there to go? His only hope now was reason, to convince the reaper he was no threat. Humans were rarely creatures of reason, however. His chance of ending this well was slim.

"P-please," he whispered, his new voice coming out strange. He knew the language of the humans, but never before had he spoken. The words were forced and uncertain. He had no time to grow comfortable with speech. The reaper was shifting upwards, seeming fully awake. "Don't hurt me."

"What did you do to me?" The reaper growled, pushing soaking hair from his face. The rain was still pouring down, not ceasing its barrage. 

"I didn't! I was just protecting you from the rain!" The yokai sputtered, curling into himself as he sat. Why couldn't he run? Why couldn't he get somewhere safe? Why was fate tormenting him so?

"Not that!" The man snapped. His voice rang loud with annoyance. "How did you knock me out?"

"I.... didn't. I don't know what happened." 

The reaper sighed before pulling himself to his feet and grabbing the weapon that had fallen not far from his current position. "Why didn't you kill me while I was unconscious?"

"......" The yokai wrapped his arms tighter around himself. Why hadn't he killed the creature he knew would end his life? That was a good question, and one he couldn't seem to find a worthy answer for. "Because.... killing is wrong."

Whatever reply he might have expected, there was none, only an impatient sigh and the sound of the reaper stepping away. He was leaving? The yokai lifted his head, squinting through the rain. The reaper did not make to end him?

"Where are you going?" The ebon-skinned man called out softly, his voice hardly carrying through the thunderous downpour.

"Home." 

"Did... did you dispel the net?"  He asked, his hope soaring. If the reaper meant to leave him be, then he could return to his burrow, and forget this ever happened. 

No reply. The reaper just kept walking, furthering the distance between them.

"Please tell me! I want to go h-" The words were interrupted by a piercing noise. Once more he'd screamed involuntarily as thunder shook the ground. In an instant, he was in his ferret form and on his feet, chasing after his enemy. If the net had not been retracted, he would soon enough meet the edge again, unable to stay away lest the pain find him again. Until he knew he was free, he could not lose the reaper. To be lost in the storm with no way to flee would be his nightmare come true.

Little by little be followed, keeping pace, finding shelter where he could. Every so often the reaper would turn and lunge at him, scaring him into running back. He couldn't stay back for long, though. In the end, even as the stranger came to what seemed to be his dwelling, the ferret stayed in sight. He would have gone so far as to follow him into the house, but the door was quickly shut in his face. At least the man seemed to be willing to stay put now. Perhaps he could take another shot at reason.

Once more in human form, and doing his best to ignore the tears that started streaming down his cheeks the instant he shifted, the yokai pounded on the door. "Please, I want to go home!"

"Then go, you little shit." Came the reaper's voice, muffled by the door.

"I can't! Not until you release your spell! It hurts when I try to get away from you!" His fists hit the door, over and over. Why would the reaper not listen? "Please undo it! I want to go home, please! I want my home, to be safe, to be near my human. You reapers care about humans, don't you? You protect them? I have a human, a little one, with long yellow hair like the sunshine, and eyes blue as the sunlight on the pond. She's going to be worried for me! She'll be so upset. She always comes to get me when it storms, and when she can't find me, she'll be so sad. Please let me go home!"

The yokai's choked words were stopped suddenly as the door began to open, just a crack. "You... you were friends with that girl?"

What was this? As his eyes met the reaper's, he could see an emotion he didn't understand. Was this sadness? Pity? He didn't understand. "Yes. She calls me her pet. She's.... my family. Please let me go home to her."

His words fell on deaf ears. Once more the door was shut, leaving him out in the cold and the rain, unable to escape from his fears. The yokai slid down to his knees and wept. Home, it seemed, no longer existed.