nya. as might be expected, tomoe did not have a happy or easy childhood. he never knew his parents–––his father was never present in his life, having gotten his mother pregnant and fleeing the scene. tomoe’s mother died during childbirth. yōkai traditions are far from that of humans, and as such, there was no one else present when his mother gave birth. being a much more powerful demon than she was, tomoe sapped her life force upon his birth, using the energy to survive the first few years of his life.
yōkai children are nothing like their human counterparts. pregnancies last much longer––––often years at a time as spiritual energy develops and so that the child that enters the world will be able to defend themselves. for the lifespan of a yōkai, it’s hardly different than the pregnancy of a dog.
tomoe was fully aware of his mother’s death when he entered the world, though it meant little to him. bonds are forged differently in demon society, and tomoe’s sheer power ensured his survival.
however, it wasn’t until he met akura ou that he truly began to embrace his abilities. they were both young when they met, and easily influenced by each other. easily the most powerful yōkai around, they turned their attention to humans––––wouldn’t it be fun to not have to hide and live in fear anymore? to tomoe––––the only family he needed was akura ou.
and power went to his head. he used it to abuse his position and rise to immense power with akura ou by his side. and to him, it seemed natural. he and akura ou had been reigning over feudal japan through terror for many hundreds of years before yukiji even entered the picture. / ( answered for @cagefated )