Her mom was a maid for the Sohma family, meaning that they lived on ground in the outside residence. She grew up knowing to stay out of the inner residence because they weren't 'family'. But she grew up loved, and happy by her mom.
But, of course, being younger she was curious. Why did the famiy not let hem in the inner residence? Maybe they had a cool playground or something for the Sohma kids to play on... She felt a little jealous at that! So, she snuck inside one morning. She was all smothered giggles as she wiggled under the fence-line, and stood in what looked to be overgrown garden.
It had a tall, beautiful gazebo, and a shed further back. She brushed off her hands on her dress as she wandered for a bit, 'oo'ing and 'aa'ing. Unaware she had stumbled into a place even the head of the family refused to ever acknowledge. The cat wasn't the only zodiac animal that had been rejected.
She hesitantly went up to the small shed, trying the door. She felt a bit weird around this shed, like she needed to open it. But should she...? Maybe she should head home, maybe she shouldn't-
The handle gave in her small palm, the door opening slowly. Creaking as years of dust scattered down from above.
A shrine.
At least it looked like one to her.
It was decorated with vines, and had a low bowing deer statue in the middle. A shrine to deer, maybe? It was pretty, at least, and there were many dried flower bouquets on the alter piece. They looked like they'd crumble at the slightest touch-
She touched one, and recoiled as it crumbled.
"Oops..." She whispered timidly, before looking back to the shrine. Maybe she should apologize? What'd her mommy say to do when she was praying to a shrine?
She put her hands together and dipped her head. "...um... sorry." She said quietly.
She felt a warmth in her chest, something foreign, it scared her. It made fear turn in her tummy because she didn't know what it was. Why she felt it. She didn't think it was bad, but that definitely wasn't normal and she was scared.
Akito felt it. A foreign presence? No. A zodiac member. But this connection was weak, and frail. Like a deer-
A deer. Someone must've been in the forbidden gardens. But how? It was closed off. A deer zodiac hadn't been chosen in decades, not since his fathers father was head of this cursed family. It was written about in texts that the deer was a finnicky zodiac, not picking at birth but rather by choice like a sentient being.
Either way, he hurried from his rooms towards the forbidden gardens entrance hoping he was wrong.