ROLEPLAY HQ - now-what

You've done it! You've manage to catch a fox girl! They all said you were crazy, they said it's impossible, but you just succeeded in finding the right combination of ritual and magic and summoned your own kitsune! But now what? You have a gorgeous, terrified fox girl cowering in the center of the summoning circle you made with salt and crystals. She looks so innocent! If you ask her name, she would say, "Youko."

21:11

Dm me to discuss plot please!

@Deleted User

This one too

It had been a miracle that he had even been able to cast the spells required, given his.. mediocre aptitude, but he had managed to do it! Now, just outside of his little cabin deep in the woods.. What the hell was he supposed to do? He had avoided doing anything that would bind the being to his will, as other mages had suggested. Maybe he was naive, but Kale wasn't looking for a servant or anything of the sort. In all reality, he had simply sought someone he could speak to through his abilities, without all the hassle of carrying a notebook and writing everything out. He had lost his voice several years ago due to a spell gone wrong, but had worked to acquire the ability to speak to animals, honing a natural affinity into true communication. However, most mundane animals had simpler minds than a human's, focused more on survival, their family's, or other more immediate needs. He wasn't able to have a true conversation with them. Which had led him to this moment, seeking a spirit that he'd be able to communicate with that had a greater intelligence. It had been fairly quiet this past year.. He remained at the edge of the circle, reaching forward slightly with a hand and reached out to her mind with his magic, hoping to make contact.

@reddeR (here you go)

Tul!auto "Youko" #now-what

Now automatically proxying messages in channel #now-what with 'Youko'. To disable autoproxy, use tul!auto off.

I was racing down my favorite trail with my brother, a familiar route we often ran. The white light appeared out of nowhere, I didn't have time to try and stop, and I couldn't turn quick enough! I went straight into the light! It felt like time stood still, and a century of centuries passed at once. Then, without warning, I was on the ground. I can barely move, but I see the person reach toward me hesitantly. I try to growl and snarl, but I feel as weak as newborn. When I feel him touch my mind I block him out. "What do you want? What did you do to me?!" I try again to sit up, but just collapse back to the ground.

10:26

@Cecil

(fuck, hang on)

He frowned as he felt her block her out. That really shouldn't have been all that surprising, considering her terror and obvious anger. It would make things that much more difficult, however. Kale turned and walked inside for a moment, walking outside with a weathered book and a charcoal pen. Sitting down at the edge of the circle, he quickly starting writing in it. After a few moments, he slid the book over. It read: "Sorry for the sudden summoning and rough ride. I'm a spellcaster and hermit who summoned you here to have someone I can really speak to. What you felt was me trying to reach out to communicate, since I don't have a voice. The summoning spell said that you would be weak for a little while after the ritual, but I can see about getting you something to eat or drink, if that will help you regain your strength." @reddeR

My ears twitch as I read the note. I turn big, dewy amber eyes up toward him. I seem to be recovering, as I've managed to get myself sat upright, and I pull my tail into my lap and knead it with small hands tipped with tiny, sharp black claws. I look fretful over something. "You... You have fish? I am very hungry, I would very much like if you had any fish to eat?" I ask, explaining the concern. @Cecil

He motioned for the book back, and when he gets it, he writes and hands it back. "I do have some fish from the nearby river. It's not the freshest fish out there, gotten from earlier today, but it should be fine. Do you prefer it to be cooked or raw?" Well, if she was asking for food, that meant that she was likely willing to at least hear him out. Which was good. And it was possible that this summoning wouldn't be a complete and utter failure, like he expected it to be. Though, he doubted that she would allow him to speak to her how he wanted to. Not yet. He'd have to give it some time..| @reddeR

"you do!" My face brightens as I read the message. "I don't care, cooked or raw, I love fish!" I say enthusiastically. Then I pause, thinking. He had tried to touch my mind, which had startled me. Now, though, in the hopes it will get me fish faster, I push my tail behind me and blink at him innocently. I relax my mental barrier, just enough to allow contact. I don't trust him, but I can't know what he is trying to do unless he does it. I watch him closely as I slowly ease back my defenses. @Cecil

He took the book back and motioned for her to follow him. Kale turned, leading her over to the cabin and stepping inside. He didn't quite try to reach out to her again, since he didn't think that she'd be so willing to open her mind to him. Which was a challenge that he had faced with nearly every animal he first came into contact with. The cabin was small, suited primarily for one person to live there. It had a small woodstove, with a pot above it. It had a table with some plates on it, as well as shelves with herbs and bread and other such food supplies. There was a bow hanging above the door, a quiver hanging beside it. It wasn't a particularly fancy bow, and was likely used for little more than hunting. There was a plain bed in the corner, a small rug, and a small cabinet. Kale walked over to one of the shelves, pulling a moderate-sized fish off of a hook and holding it out to her. @reddeR

I manage to stagger to my feet and gracelessly stumble after this stranger. The inside of the cabin is not as important as the delicious smell of fish that fills my head as soon as I step inside. I snatch the fish enthusiastically, sit down on the rug, and within a few moments I've consumed everything but the head and tail. "Hmm! Fish are so tasty! How did they ever get them so good?!" I wonder out loud. My strength is returning quickly, it would seem. Suddenly I look over at you with a shrewd look. "Hey! What's your name, boy?" I ask curiously. I start looking around the cabin, seeming to have forgotten my question as soon as I asked it. @Cecil

He watched her eat the fish, taking a seat at the table with a piece of bread and taking a bite of it. The fact that her strength was returning was good. It meant that the magic hadn't weakened her too much, and that if all things go well.. Well, this would have been a successful day. When she asked what his name was, he took a moment of think of how to answer that. If she was recovering, maybe her mind would be more open, so he reached a hand out a little bit and tried to create the connection. She felt the same presence at the edge of her mind as before. If he managed to make it, she'd hear his voice in her mind- It sounded young, but with an edge of calm experience to it. He seemed at home in this cabin, and in these woods in general. "Kale. I'm Kale. What's yours?" Of course, should the attempt fail again, he'd just write it down instead. @reddeR

My ears twitch and my head tilts to the side. I crawl over to him on all fours and sit back on my heels as I look up at him. "My name is Youko. You can't talk? But you can talk? What happened to your voice?" Only moments later, however, I've moved away again to peer under the bed, my tail slowly swinging side to side. @Cecil

Kale watched her approach, smiling slightly at her, trying his best to seem friendly. "..I've been out here studying magic for several years, and what happened to my voice needs a little context. When I was younger, I was always able to sense an animal's emotions better than anyone around me, and I could 'talk' to them more clearly than anyone I knew. But it wasn't truely talking to them, just reading emotions and showing my own. Which led me to search for a way to speak to animals in the same way we're talking now, since they've always fascinated me. "..However, early attempts at the spell backfired, causing me to lose my voice in the normal sense, which of course led me further down the path until I completed the spell." There wasn't anything particularly interesting under the bed. Mainly just books, to be honest. A fairly large amount of books.

I frown as I peer under the bed, then reach under and start moving the books around. In just a few minutes, half of me is under the bed. Shortly after that the rest of me disappears under it and I can be heard shifting things around. When you finish your explaination, I respond from under there as though it were an ordinary thing to crawl under the bed. "But I'm not an animal, boy!" I say with a laugh. "Can't you tell that?" I burst out from under the bed and put my hands on my hips, standing proudly. My thick, orange tail drapes over one leg, and the black claws also tip my toes. My ears stand up straight from the top of my head, and my confident smirk reveals no one, but two sets of long, sharp canine teeth. "I'm a kitsune, boy, not an animal at all!" @Cecil

"Kitsune, at least with all the research that i've done, are spirits that commonly take the form of a fox, though can take human forms as well. Yet, in this form, you still have some animal traits, like your tail and claws. So yes, while you are not completely an animal, there is still a natural spirit- Which my magic can connect to. I'm actually a little surprised that it worked as well as it did.." He seemed lost in thought for a few moments, before shaking his head. "The fact that you're more than just an animal is the reason why I ended up summoning you in the first place, if i'm being honest. Even though I have an interest in the animals of these woods, their minds are simple, compared to a person's. I can't have a full conversation with an animal the way we're having now." ..It'd take hours to reorganize all those books, but he wasn't all that annoyed. He actually expected his cabin to end up being a mess if she ended up staying for more than a day or two. The combination of animal and human traits.. It was something that he had only lightly read about, but he remembered reading that kitsune, no matter their form, tended to be beautiful and elegant creatures. And now that he was seeing one in person and had a moment to think, yeah. The books were right on that. @reddeR

I frown, uncertain how to respond. My ears twitch, and my tail seems to wind tightly around my leg. Unfortunately, while I am recovering quickly, the summoning spell that brought me here drew it's energy from me, as I was pulled through one dimension to another. My burst of activity catches up to me an I sway dangerously, vertigo catching me off guard. "Uh-oh, I don't feel so good!" I say quietly, then abruptly sit down where I'm standing. It's not clear if I chose to sit, or if I was going to fall anyway. @Cecil

When she sat down, Kale turned his attention back to her, shaking himself out of his mental tangent. "..I hope the spell isn't affecting you too much still. Do you need anything to drink? I have water over here, and maybe you'd prefer to sit down on the bed instead of the floor.. It's a lot more comfortable there." He had stood up and walked over at this point, crouching down to look her over and make sure there wasn't anything visibly wrong with her.

@reddeR (forgot to tag, sorry!)

"water is good, yes, I am thirsty." I say, peering back at him as he looks me over. "I'm tired. I feel tired. I want to sleep, but I... Where can I sleep?" This is a major dilemma for me. I am still quite a young kit, for a kitsune. I have only ever slept curled up in a tangled heap with my siblings. At this point, only my brother and I are still at the den, but it's still unnatural to me to sleep alone. I look up at him with weary caution. When he offers a wooden cup filled with water, I drink it down eagerly. I glance at the bed but would rather curl up on the rug if I would have to be alone in the bed. On the rug, under the bed. @Cecil

"..Well, you can sleep anywhere in here if you want to sleep here." He looked around the cabin, realizing that he really.. didn't think that part through. There was only the one bed, and he couldn't expect her to just.. sleep on the floor. After a few moments of thought, he motioned to the bed. "Go ahead and take the bed. It's better for you to rest up more." Upon closer inspection, the bed was a bit on the rougher side, as was almost everything in the cabin. It almost seemed a lot of the furniture here was hand-made. As for Kale.. Well, he'd figure out where he'd sleep. For now, he went over to the bed and started picking up some of the scattered books.

( @reddeR )

I look at Kale curiously. He said I could sleep in his bed, which is wonderful, but he isn't laying down to sleep with me. I stand up slowly and walk over to him. I'm quite short, with the top of my head reaching just to the bottom of his chin. I take the books from his hands and set them on the floor, then take his hands and draw him over to the bed. "Kitsune do not sleep alone." I growl. Climbing onto the bed. Then I blush a little bit. "Well, kitsune can sleep alone, if they are old enough. But I have not left the den yet, boy, I've never been alone, even if my parents left a while ago. It's just been me and my last brother, but... I mean, we could be on our own, if we wanted. OH!" I suddenly exclaim, pausing as a sad look crosses my face. "I guess we are on our own, now." @Cecil

He looked down at her, caught off guard by her actions. The books that he read had said that these spirits were very social creatures, but it had failed to mention that they didn't sleep alone. Did he just not do enough research before conducting the ritual..? Either way, the ritual had been completed, and he would have to simply learn more about this Youko and how she lived. "..I see.." He frowned as he watched the sad look cross her face. "I'm sorry that you were separated from your brother." Kale took a seat at the edge of the bed, his face mirroring her sad expression. "I really wasn't sure if it was going to work in the first place, and the spell was vague about where exactly you'd come from." It was at that moment that he decided that if she needed him to just be in the same bed as her for her to feel comfortable for the moment, he'd do it. He did summon her away from her family and her home, so he'd do his best to make it up to her. So, he laid down on the bed beside her. @reddeR

The moment he lays down I drop on top of him. Several minutes of wiggling, arranging, repositioning, and rearranging occur before I'm satisfied. We end up with our legs and my tail tangled together, with my body draped over his side. One of my arms lays across his chest, with my hand alongside his neck. The other wrapped around his shoulder and arm. My head rests almost directly in his armpit. I let out a soft little sigh and tense all over my body, then relax again with a shiver. A heartbeat later my breathing becomes slow and regular, and I stay still, relaxed against him peacefully. @Cecil

Given the situation he was in, he ended up with one arm around her back, resting against her shoulder. And he just let her lay there, quietly questioning how he had gotten into this situation in the first place. This certainly wasn't what he was expecting from summoning a kitsune, laying in bed with her snuggling up so close agaainst him.. He had to admit that it was nice to have company- actual company, not just hunters asking for directions- for the first time since he had come out here. There was something.. comforting about the warmth of another person against his body. ..But it still felt strange, completely outside of what he expected would ever happen. I mean, what hermit mage expects to have an elegant spirit cuddling up with them in their bed the night of the summoning? And he had no idea how to react to it all. He'd just have to take the situations as they come. That's pretty much how he has lived his life up to this point, after all.

( @reddeR )

I wake up with the sun and bound out of bed, clearly much recovered by a decent night's sleep. The first thing I manage to do is knock things off the counter as I try to get up on it and peer out the small window. As soon as the items hit the floor, I dart under the bed, into the hole is made myself amongst the books under there. I stay still and silent, waiting to see what he will do. @Cecil

In the process of her bounding out of the bed, she nearly took him with her, so he was trying to shake the tiredness from his mind as he processed his situation. And then with the crash of wooden utensils, he was up, with confusion written all over his features. Then, understanding dawned on him as he remembered the previous night's events. He rubbed his forehead as he watched her dart under the bed, and then walking over and starting to pick things up. A hand reaches back, and she can feel him try and create a connection again, as he severed it when they had went to sleep. "..There's a door, if you want to look outside. I promise you'll get a better view."

( @reddeR )

I stay silent for a moment, then slowly come out from under the bed and look up at him with big, innocent amber eyes. "You aren't mad at me?" I ask. My tail is raised up, along my back, and perfectly still. My ears are alert and upright. I seem tense, as if ready to bolt at any moment. @Cecil

"..While having to clean is.. annoying, I highly doubt that you're used to living in a home like this. I.. expect that I will end up cleaning many messes if you end up staying." His 'voice' conveyed a sense of calm from his mind, like he had expected this all. Or he was just full of shit and rolling with the punches. Either way, he definitely didn't seem mad. "..I'll be headed out to gather wood and water. You can either stay here, or you can come with me." After placing everything back where it was before, he grabbed a bag that was hanging by the door and a couple of buckets. @reddeR

"well of course I'll be going outside with you!" I say excitedly, standing up and taking a bucket from his hand. "after all, outside is where kitsune belong!" I head out the door with you, and my ears seem to be trying to spin in circles. I'm curious about every sound, every movement, and precyically quiver with energy and anticipation. The first chipmunk I see on the ground has me after it in a heartbeat, bucket forgotten on the trail in front of you. I streak after it nimbly, diving through the brush without so much as hesitating. The startled chipmunk darts up the nearest tree, leaving me to glare up at it as it chitters angrily at me. "Well don't tell at me! You wouldn't have been so scared if you had just let me catch you!" I grumble at it. Then I disappear into the undergrowth. Only to come casually strolling back toward you down the trail a few minutes later. "Oh! The bucket!" I exclaim, grabbing the bucket again. @Cecil

As he watched her run around, Kale seemed to chuckle a bit. Of course, very little sound came from him, but it was still a chuckle! "The little ones of the forest don't like being chased, Yuoko. You have to be gentle with them if you want to hang out with them." As the two of them walked, Kale would stop every so often to pick up sticks and place them in the bags, careful to only grab the drier ones for building a fire. It didn't take long before they got to the river, which was moderately-sized and had fresh, crystal clear water in it. Immediately, he set aside the bag and used his bucket to scoop up plenty of water. @reddeR

I watch him collecting water, then do the same. As I'm trying to lift the full bucket, I spot a fish. A different sort of look comes over me. I carefully and slowly set the bucket down, then slowly move down stream from the fish. I slip into the river smoothly, not making a single splash. With the ease of a practiced hunter, i line up with the large fish and creep toward it, my hands under the water, gaze intent on the fish. Then, with a sudden flurry of movement, I snag the fish by its tail, my sharp claws biting into its slimy skin to give me a good grip, and haul it from the water, yipping triumphantly. The fish is at least three feet long, thrashing wildly at unexpectedly being flung out of the water, but my claws give me a good enough grip that it doesn't have a chance of getting away. It does manage to put up a valiant fight, though, almost managing to knock me back into the river at one point. "It's so big! I've never seen one this big!" I exclaim excitedly. @Cecil

"..The fish here do tend to be quite large. That's what happens when a place is mostly untouched by humanity. And while I live out here, yes, I do my best to avoid harming nature too much. If you want to try it cooked, we can take it back to the cabin and i'll cook it up for you. Otherwise, feel free to eat it how it is." He grabbed a particularly large stick, putting the buckets on the ends and lifting them up on his shoulders. "Would you mind grabbing the wood bag, please? I'll need it to start the stove." @reddeR

I look over at the bag, then sling the still struggling fish over my shoulder and grab it. I proudly strut down the trail behind him, this time not getting distracted by anything as we walk back. The fish is still putting up a fight when we get back to the cabin. The only harm I've done to it is the little holes where my claws pierced through its skin. "I don't know how to cook. What do you have to do to cook a fish?" I ask excitedly. @Cecil

"That depends on how you want it cooked. I make an excellent smoked fish, and I have various herbs that will give it an excellent flavor. Otherwise, I can carve up the fish and cook it in one of my pans." He stepped inside and motioned to one of the walls near the stove, where a bunch of iron pots and pans hanging from the wall. "I could also cook the meat into a stew. There are a ton of different options." @reddeR

I look at all the pots and pans curiously, then reach for one that's low enough for me to lift off the hook. I peer inside of it, then hold it out to him, looking like a very precocious child. "Show me how?" I ask, turning on that innocent and sweet look I seem to give so well with my big amber eyes. @Cecil

"Well, first thing's first, we need to kill the fish so I can work with it. Can you take care of that while I get the woodstove set up?" He set down the buckets, taking the wood bag from her and crouching down beside the stove, opening it up and placing wood inside. @reddeR

I drop the fish on the floor and look at it as it flops weakly. Kill it? Usually I'd be eating it by now! I assume he means with a knife, and to gut and clean it like I've seen done on the riverbanks by the monsters before. I look around and find a knife, then squat down and take aim, meaning to cut it's head off. Just as I'm about to chop with the knife, the fish lets out one huge flop, startling me. I yelp and fall backwards, dropping the knife and slicing my arm in the process. I yelp again, the second one more of a pained yip than a startled yelp, and quickly clasp my hand over the cut, hoping he won't see it. @Cecil

After only a couple seconds, he had grabbed the fish, put it on the counter and chopped its head off in a few swift motions. It was almost scary how smooth it was, as if he had done it thousands of times with struggling fish. Once the fish was dealt with, he kneeled down in front of Yuoko. "That yelp sounded painful. Did you hurt yourself? Let me see it." His eyes and voice were full of compassion as he was kneeling, but of course he wouldn't force her to do anything. @reddeR

I back away defensively, instinctively wanting to hide my injury. I whimper when blood wells up between my fingers and trickles to the floor. Then I get scared. "That's a lot of blood!" I observe, watching it flow between my fingers even as I try to squeeze hard enough to keep it in. "Boy, that's a lot of blood!" I sound somewhat panicked now. I've never had am injury from a knife. I've never had a cut of any kind. If I had, I would have most likely died. @Cecil

He stood up and grabbed another small bag off of the shelf, quickly setting to work. In only about thirty seconds, he had put together a poultice and grabbed bandages. "Take a moment and breathe, friend. You'll be alright. It's just a simple cut- Something i've gotten quite good at treating over the years. Let me see it." He was surprisingly calm for the amount of blood she was bleeding, holding out a hand. @reddeR

I hesitantly extend my arm, though my hand stays wrapped around the cut. It's on the back of my forearm, fortunately, so little risk of bleeding to death. I actually close my eyes and turn my head away to remove my hand from the cut. A tiny whimper escapes I grab onto my own tail, smearing blood on the thick fur. @Cecil

"This isn't too bad. I've seen worse. It'll sting for just a moment as I apply the poultice and the bandages." As he said, there was a cold sting for just a few seconds as he smeared the plant poultice over the wound and wound bandages around it, working very efficiently as he tended to her. Once he was done, he nodded. "There we go! It'll take a bit to heal, but that poultice will speed it right along! How're you feeling?" @reddeR

I look at my arm closely, then carefully tuck it close to my body. Then I suddenly move closer to him, tucking myself against against his chest. I sniffle a little bit, and tremble. Seeing all the blood that I bled had been alarming, and left me feeling very disconcerted. I also feel guilty. Getting hurt was one sure way to ruin everything at home. With all of us kits, it was usually me getting hurt. I don't want him to be angry with me. "Did I ruin the fish?" I ask quietly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it. I was trying to help." @Cecil

"No, of course you didn't ruin the fish. See? It's all ready for me to prepare over here." He looked surprised at her, still not getting used to how.. cuddly she tended to be. It was just so strange to him, after several years of nothing and then all this physical interaction. Oh well, he'd get used to it. He gently patted her head and then motioned for her to come over, where he started showing her how to prepare the fish without stabbing herself. Once it was cleaned up, he put it in the pot and began cooking it, seasoning it with foraged herbs and spices. It wasn't too long until there was an excellent cooked fish ready to be served. @reddeR

My excitement grows the whole time the fish cooks. The cabin smells incredible! I end up sitting on the floor, just sniffing the air and wringing my tail. I look very concerned about the fish. My stomach growls audibly and I whimper quietly. . "Is it ready yet?" I ask for the third or fourth time, big doe eyes turned up toward him. I I've never had to wait so long to eat something I'd caught! @Cecil

He carefully set the fish on a wooden plate with some greens and bread, placing it at the table. There was plenty of fish left over after filling two plates, but he had been sure to give her considerably more fish than him, since he figured she'd enjoy the meat more than anything else. "Here we are, one freshly cooked meal, ready to eat. Dig in, Yuoko." Kale sat down at the table and began to eat as well.

( @reddeR )

I look at the fish suspiciously, but my hunger wins out. I take a tentative bite, pulling the flakey meat apart with my fingers and popping it in my mouth. After a moment of chewing, my whole face lights up and I dig in with gusto! I eat all the meat, but don't touch the other things on my plate. When I finish it I look around as though looking for more, but after a moment I sit back down on the rug, having stood at the table the whole time I was eating. "That was sooo good!" I exclaim. "That was the best fish I've ever eaten!" @Cecil

He had taken a lot longer to eat his food, as not only was he eating everything on his plate, but he was also using the utensils that he had for the fish. "Well, i'm glad you enjoyed it. I actually quite enjoy cooking, and would like to think that i've gotten good at it. If you want more fish, feel free to get some. There's plenty left." @reddeR

"I'm ok, I don't need any more right now." Now that I notice you using utensils, I watch curiously. It's no longer strange that you speak directly into my mind. I've gotten used to it. I just watch you closely as you move the food bite by bite to your mouth with the fork. I shake my head a few times, struggling to understand why you would do this so slowly. If I were at home doing that, my siblings would have stolen all of my food. After you've eaten almost all of your food, I suddenly look around warily, then turn and slip under the bed, completely out of sight, without saying a word. @Cecil

Her sudden change in demeanor confused and concerned him, which led him to grabbing a dagger off of the table and strapping it on. "What's the matter, Yuoko?" His eyes quickly turned to the door, narrowing. Was there someone out there? Who the hell would be coming out here this early in the day? A hunter, perhaps? That's the only explanation.. @reddeR

I whimper quietly from under the bed. I don't know how to explain the feeling. At home, my siblings shared the same feeling. It wasn't safe, I know that much. Outside, if he could see through the foliage, he would see, on the horizon, a thick line of dark, ominous cloud. The could is building rapidly, carried on a cold wind, racing to fill the sky. Flashes of light indicate lightning, and under the cloud is just grey. The rain it drops as it moves is relentless. Instinctively, I can feel the storm coming. I can also feel that something else is coming with it. It's not just me that feels it. Other animals sense it too. The birds stop singing, squirrels and chipmunks race for cover, deer and elk all hunker down. This storm has everything on edge. @Cecil

Considering his familiarity with the forest, he sensed the change in the air almost immediately. Kale went over to the door and grabbed the bow from above it, slinging it over his shoulder and grabbing the quiver. If it was anything major, he wouldn't be all that useful with a hunting bow like this.. But it was better than being armed with nothing but a dull dagger. "Something's coming. I can't tell if this storm's just a big one, or if there's something else out there.. But the forest itself seems to be on edge. Be careful." @reddeR

The storm builds and builds, darkening the horizon throughout the day. It feels like there is something to fight, but the rain doesn't even reach the little cabin until nightfall. I stay mostly under the bed all day. Occasionally, if he were to look, he would see two amber eyes peering out from under the bed. When the first patters of rain fall on the roof, I whimper. Suddenly a bright flash, the deafening ring of thunder, and the chilling sound of a large tree ripping apart nearby fills the little cabin. I dart out from under the bed and straight to Kale. "I'm scared!" I cry out, "I don't like storms!" @Cecil

He was seated in the center of the cabin as the storm hit, visibly alert, watching and listening to all of the sounds outside. The bow was resting across his lap, quiver hanging from his shoulder as his eyes were narrowed. That is, until he looked over at her as she cried out. "Everything'll be okay. I didn't build this cabin for it to get knocked down by one lousy storm.. We'll be alright in here." @reddeR

Despite his reassurances, I yelp with the next flash of lightening, shove the bow off of his lap, and climb in it myself. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face against his chest. Quiet whimpers are all the sound I make as I tremble in his lap. The rain begins to fall with vigor, the loud, rushing, white noise muting all other sound. It gets darker than usual at night, with the clouds completely blocking out the light from the moon and stars. As the night progresses, it only falls harder. @Cecil

He looked like he tried to shout, but didn't have a voice to shout with, as the bow was thrown away from him. He then gave Yuoko a look, then seemed to sigh. He wasn't gonna be able to get up currently, with her there, so his only means of defending them if it came to it was his knife. It'd be dangerous.. But it was better than the alternative. But he was confident that it was just a storm. It'd pass. @reddeR

I curl up completely and peer over his shoulder, out the window. With the next flash of lightning, I let out a startled yelp. The silhouette of a creature had been momentarily visible as the lightning flashed, something snaking it's way through the sky. "There is something! There is something out there! Boy! There is something flying!" I shout, panicked. I curl up even tighter as I cling to him. "I don't like it! I don't like storms!" I repeat. @Cecil

"I- If there's something out there.. I need my bow!" He hissed in her mind, trying to reach for the weapon, just barely not being able to reach it. "And lower your voice! It might not know we're here, but all that shouting'll definitely draw its attention!" This wasn't good. The situation was quickly falling out of his control, and they'd both be in danger if there was something big out there. @reddeR

I look over at the weapon and nod, then nod again and slowly get off of his lap. I stay close to him, but try not to get in his way. I'm terrified, this is all way scarier than anything back home, except for when the monsters come through. But the monster at home didn't fly, and what I saw was definitely flying. I don't say a word, though. I just stay close to him and try to find a calm place in my mind as I tremble. The next flash of lightning reveals not one, but three of the creatures in the air. They look like long snakes, but with a triangle at one end that tapers about halfway down the body. It's hard to see any details in the flash of silhouette revealed by the lightning. A second flash, fast on the heels of the las one, reveals them to be engaged with each other somehow, possibly fighting. Their long tails writhe as they twist around each other. @Cecil

He drew an arrow from his quiver, picking up the bow and nocking it. Whatever the hell was out there, was this kind of weapon really going to do anything? It had to. There were no other options. It was either they didn't notice them, or he'd have to fight. Although, if these monsters were here.. He doubted this was a normal storm. If there were three of these things.. There were more. Was this storm some kind of warning of a swarm? He really fucking hoped not. All he needed to do was.. just.. keep Yuoko safe. That was his responsibility right now. @reddeR

A chilling sound reaches my sensitive ears over the noise of the storm. A screeching, screaming, shrill sound that makes me want to hide under the bed. With the next flash of lightning, we can see that two of the things seem to be tearing at a third one's wings. The third one starts to fall. The breaking branches and shrill hissing of the creature seems to be quite close. I look at Kale with wide, terrified eyes. Im scared, and the dark isn't helping. "Can I make a light?" I ask as quietly as I can. @Cecil

"A small one, at most. Don't light us up like a beacon." He replied, slowly creeping over to the door with his bow at the ready. If that thing was close... He really didn't want to think about it. @reddeR

I nod, then focus for a moment. I place my thumb and forefinger together and gently blow through the loop created. A small bubble of light forms, and floats in the air, giving off a faint, soft light. A ghost light, as some would call them. I have always enjoyed making them. @Cecil

He slowly opened the door, just a crack, to the point where he could see outside and listen for the creature's enraged roars. He needed to figure out where the hell it was before he could figure out what to do about it. The light would help him see, though he worried about it bringing the thing over to them.. @reddeR

The thing is in front of the door about fifty feet, tangled in a tree. It shrilly screams and flails it's long tail around wildly. One of it's wings seems to be pierced by a standing sapling, preventing it from moving without tearing it's skin-like wing even more.

16:26

@Cecil

He paled as he beheld the creature. This.. This thing, this abomination wasn't native to this forest. "..Be.. very.. careful. That monster.. It's.. There's definitely something happening. That thing's not from here. I'd know." His grip tightened on his bow. It wouldn't be powerful enough to pierce those thick scales.. If it noticed them, they were fucked. @reddeR

I tilt my head and stay silent. It looks like a monster, all right. Just like a nightmare monster. I don't know why he doesn't kill it, though. Nightmare monsters run from light, that's why the dark clouds. I look at him expectantly. @Cecil

A thousand different scenarios were running through his head at this very moment, freezing him in place. What the hell was he supposed to do? He hadn't trained for killing anything like.. this. These kinds of things don't happen here. Was this how he was going to die? Trapped in his own cabin the day after finally achieving his goal of summoning a companion to speak to? @reddeR

I look at the creature, then at the boy, back and forth, waiting for him to do something. The monster is trapped, he has to do something now! Before it frees itself! I gather mana and use both hands to push the boy out the door as I load him with a rush of magical energy. The air between him and my hands crackles for a moment as the power floods him. @Cecil

He stumbled out into the open, a shout entering Yuoko's mind as he tumbled forward, landing far closer to the creature than he ever wanted to be. He stared up at it, eyes wide as he felt the energy flowing through him. Far more energy than he had ever dealt with at once, being one of the weaker mages out there. And the magic was so unfamiliar to him. It wasn't his own, that much was for sure. It had to be Yuoko's energy flowing through him- But.. why the hell would she do that?! Kale placed a hand on the ground in order to start crawling away, but he felt the magic surge down his arm, quite painfully, and into the ground, which erupted upward toward the creature, impaling it through the chin and out the top of its head with a large earthen spike. The sudden surge of energy left him dazed, for the moment, barely able to process what had just happened. @reddeR

Once the creature is dead I hurry to him, grab his arms, and pull them around me. I huddle to his chest as the pouring rain soaks us through. After a while, I turn my head up and stand on my toes to put my mouth as close to his ear as I can. "You did it! You are my hero! You killed the monster!" I say, just loud enough to be heard. @Cecil

Looking over at her slowly, she could see just how out of it he actually was. His gaze was unfocused, like he was staring off into space. And then he slowly looked down at his arm, which had multiple gashes in it and several large stones sticking out. But.. he barely felt it. His entire body was numb. @reddeR

I take his uninjured arm and gently lead him into the cabin. Once inside, I blow several, bright light bubbles to float gently around the cabin as I find the things he had used to patch up my own injury. I attempt to pry the stones out of his arm, but only a couple are able to be removed. I e particularly large one won't even wiggle, like it's attached to bone. With a sigh, I just apply the poultice left over from my injury to the wounds and use gauze to wrap his whole arm, stones and all. When I finish I tentatively smile up at him, then lower my head and kiss the bandages on his arm. "All better?" I ask, "I fixed it for you?... Boy, are you ok? You have to be ok, you're my hero!" I smile at him agai. @Cecil

As she was attempting to remove the large stone, she could feel it almost.. resonating with her own power. It was almost like there was still a fragment of the mana she had given to Kale still contained within. It was several minutes before he seemed to stir, blinking slowly as he looked around. Where.. Oh. This was his cabin. When had he gotten back in here..? He remembered stumbling out of the door, and then just.. nothing. And then there was Yuoko, trying to get his attention. Trying to talk to him. Calling him.. what.. a hero? No.. He wasn't a hero.. Heroes saved towns and cities from massive beasts. This.. What had even happened? Kale sat up on the floor, and she could.. almost feel a slight bit of his confusion, at the very edge of her mind. It was a strange feeling, to be quite honest. "..Yuoko..? What the hell happened?" His 'voice' suddenly entered her mind, far clearer than it had been before, and she could tell that he hadn't cast the spell he had been the previous times. @reddeR

I yelp in surprise, reaching up to my head with both hands. I look at him with wide, startled amber eyes. "What happened? What was that?" I ask, still holding my head. I can feel him there, like he is inside of my head? "How did you get in there?!" @Cecil

He blinked in surprise, which she could feel. "..W-What..? Why did I.. Fuck.." Something had changed that he didn't understand, whatever had happened when he had stumbled out had caused it. "..What exactly.. happened, Yuoko?" @reddeR

"can you hear me? How come I'm not in your head? That's not very fair!" I think without speaking, wanting to test this new thing. I can feel what he feels, however faintly. I reach forward and stroke my finger along his cheek. My eyes widen as I feel my own touch. @Cecil

"..Whoa. Is *that what it feels like when I talk to you..? That feels weird.."* He rubbed his face his with hand when he noticed something bumping his side, causing him to look down and notice the big shard of stone and his bandaged up arm. After several seconds of silence.. "Yuoko. What happened when you shoved me out of the cabin?" @reddeR

This part is easy. I just think about what happened, let the events replay through my mind for him to see. By the end of it, I'm smiling happily. "I told you, you are my hero!" I conclude, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. As I think it, I feel it, and those feelings are there for him to experience to. Respect, adoration, gratitude, attraction, bashfulness, hope that he feels the same way I do. Becoming someone's hero is a very powerful thing. Mostly I'm in awe of what I saw him do. It seems like the act of a god. Or a hero. I also don't seem to realize he can pick up these emotions with my thoughts. @Cecil

He looked down at his arm, seeing the bandaged wound and the large stone sticking out of it. There were only theories he could have based on what had happened.. The overflow of magic in an inexperienced mage's body could cause terrible things.. He was lucky to be alive, in all honesty. A theory to what was happening now, why they could sense each other's thoughts and emotions, even vaguely, was due to the stone.. It likely still carried some of her magic, and it being imbedded so deeply in his body, it might be connecting itself to his own powers.. And considering his natural-born ability to read the emotions of animals, that might be having an effect.. Though, the swarm of emotions was slightly overwhelming for him, especially in his state. "..I'm.. I'm not a hero. What happened there.. That was total luck. Hopefully though.. Maybe that scared off the other ones, and we can get some rest." He didn't know how to process the emotions he was feeling from her, since he never really dealt with anything like it. "..I don't think I can walk by myself. Can you help me over to the bed?" @reddeR

I'm quick to help, slipping under his arm easily and bearing his weight, as much as I can, to help him get to the bed. I stand nearby anxiously once he is seated, clutching my tail in my hands. Im worried, that much he can feel. I'm worried that the other creatures might come back, that the storm will never end, that something will happen to him and I'll be alone in this strange place. I'm worried he doesn't want to be my hero. I'm worried he won't heal. I'm so filled with worry, it starts to overwhelm everything else. I whimper quietly as my tail and ears droop. "Are we going to be okay, boy?" I ask, as though if he says it, it will be true. @Cecil

"..I doubt what's going on is deadly, whatever it is, but i've never read about anything like this having these kinds of side effects. I'd need to do some research on it.. And that means heading to town and asking questions." He seemed to deflate slightly at that though. Kale had never liked going into town. People always thought of him as strange there, the man who couldn't speak and stayed secluded in the forest for years? He didn't belong there, at least that's how it felt. But, there wasn't anything he could do about it. He needed the knowledge held by other mages there. @reddeR

"there's a town!" I say, excitement coursing through me, "I've never been to a town!" I'm not even entirely certain what one is. I wiggle a bit with how excited I am, then take a deep breath and calm down. After all, he can barely get into bed. He needs to rest, and heal, before we can go anywhere. I nimbly hop over him and wait for him to lay down. It is very late by now, and unloading that much magical energy left me drained and in need of rest, too. I try not to think about the fact that he never said if we are going to be okay. @Cecil

He slowly laid down, having to take several moments to get his arm into a comfortable position, considering its.. recent addition, but he was sure to leave her ample room to get comfortable herself. He was exhausted as well, and he could feel her exhaustion. They both needed rest, and they were gonna get it, dammit! @reddeR

I throw myself against him, carefully, avoiding his injured arm. I end up getting myself comfortably positioned, my head resting on his shoulder, tucked into his neck. I sigh with content, sending my breath dancing across his skin. "Goodnight, hero. Tomorrow we will go to town. Tonight we will rest, and heal, and be close together." Being close to someone while sleeping is a form of bonding, for kitsune. It builds and strengthens relationships, and makes affection and care grow stronger. I settle down to sleep with absolute content, knowing I will wake up with my hero. @Cecil

"..Good night, Yuoko." He was restless as he slept, remnants of magic flowing through his body. He could feel himself changing, even if he wasn't completely sure what was. When morning came, the storm had passed, although it had left the forest in a far worse state than before. Trees were knocked over by the beasts, with the massive earthen spike still impaling one of their corpses. They could hear the roaring of the flooding river in the distance, which was undoubtedly causing further damage to the area, and it was very, very quiet to him. Kale slowly sat up in the bed, blinking the tiredness from his eyes. They needed to eat and prepare for their travels for the day.. @reddeR

The moment he moves, I bound out of the bed. There is still fish from yesterday, and I tear of a large chunk of it, then remember he likes to use a plate. I find a clean one and put the fish on it, then bring it over to the bed, tail wagging slowly side to side behind me. "You should eat, you are hungry." I say, feeling his hunger alongside my own. When he takes the plate, I return to the fish to grab a chunk for myself and sit right beside the bed to eat it. @Cecil

"..Yeah, thanks." He took the plate and slowly started eating. She could tell that he was considerably more subdued today than he had been the previous day, but it was hard to tell whether it was due to being tired or simply them having to head to town. What she was seeing from his mind was a muddled mess of memories and emotions. After he finished eating, he got up and started gathering things he needed, like his bag and bow, in order to head into town. @reddeR

I see that he is much better able to move, and I can't help but be excited. My excitement is big, consuming, and energetic. I practically vibrate with it. I help as best I can, collecting the things you need before you ask and trying to predict anything before you do. "Hero, I'm so excited!" I finally burst out. My ears quiver and my tail runs up my back and over my shoulder. My large amber eyes are wide and alert, almost shining with enthusiasm. @Cecil

"..You know you can just call me 'Kale', right? You don't need to call me 'boy' or 'hero'. Which i'm still not a hero." Once they had gotten everything packed up, he took a deep breath and opened the cabin door, frowning at the spike in his front yard. "It's this way to town. Just stay close to me." @reddeR

I try, truly I try to stay close. The pouring rain doesn't seem to deter me, though. I push ahead and investigate things, dart off the path at every curiosity, and fall behind to check things out. Always, though, within a few minutes, I'm popping out of the undergrowth with a smile, just when he starts to worry. It's not in my nature to be still. Curiosity is an inmate part of my being. I have to explore, investigate, and discover. Being in my mind, he would find that I have a constant stream of questions, and I attempt to find the answer to each one. I don't think in words or pictures, my thoughts are all questions. It would exhaust anyone who didn't have the seemingly inexhaustible energy I have. @Cecil

Her uninterrupted energy and questions, combined with his own concerns, led to him feeling drained already. He'd end up recovering by the time they got to town, he was sure, but he didn't have an inexhaustible amount of energy like she did, so it was a little overwhelming for him. And the questions he had about their situation weighed down on him.. How far would this bond go? Would it end up causing any issues? Was there a way to close off someone's mind if they needed privacy? It was certainly possible, at least in his opinion, as long as they were strong enough, but it was all just theories with little to no evidence, so it was impossible to know for sure.. The town the two of them arrived at was moderately sized. Definitely not the largest one out there, but it had a sizable market and many shops around. People were walking around the town, doing their daily rounds of shopping, going to work, or visiting their friends or family. People who noticed the two of them looked surprised or confused, seeing Kale with someone they've never seen before.. Or seeing him with anyone at all, really. @reddeR

I have no fear of the people or places I see, only avid curiosity. As soon as we reach the town my uninhibited behavior becomes problematic. At a small pie shop with outdoor seating, I don't even hesitate to go straight to a table and ask the man there what he is eating. Before he can even answer, I've spotted something else interesting and go straight over the table to investigate. I go from there down a narrow alley and out of sight. It's clear I've completely forgotten about Kale, despite having him in my mind. I'm hardly even aware of my own thoughts, in the frenzy of curious investigation. @Cecil

"..Okay then.." Letting out a quiet sigh, he went over to the first place he wanted to visit- The library, where he had found some of the magical knowledge that set him down this path in the first place. Entering, he starting looking through the shelves, grabbing a few books about various kinds of magical bonds and mishaps, before sitting down at a table and beginning to read. @reddeR

Shouting from a shop down the street reaches you inside the library. Several people burst out the door, looking ready for a fight. They scatter and all take off in different directions. I snicker to myself and dart out from behind the door, choosing a direction none of them went with a string of sausages hanging out of my sleeve. I glance back, and run full on into a guy who stepped out of a door at the wrong moment. We both go down hard in the rain soaked street. "What the hell!" He shouts, and just as I'm about to scurry away, he grabs hold of my tail, making me yelp in pain. I twist around and sink my teeth into his hand, causing him to let go, but his other hand comes around and smacks me so hard I see stars. I stumble and fall, and he grabs my throat, clearly thinking he has won. I shake my head, trying to clear it, as he brings me close to look at me. Suddenly both of my feet come up and slash at his stomach, leaving claw marks across his abdomen. I take at his arm with my hands, snarling at him, and he drops me. I dart away quickly, ducking under and around obstacles. "They're after me!" I cry out to Kale mentally, "they want to kill me! Help!" @Cecil

He visibly winced as he felt her tail get grabbed and he started to get a headache from her being hit in the head. Quickly, he shoved some books into his bag without (hopefully) anyone seeing as he rushed out. "..Damn it, Yuoko! What did you do!?" It wasn't hard to find her based on her mental images, so he quickly grabbed her and dragged her into an alleyway, tucking her into an alcove. @reddeR

I whimper quietly when Kale grabs me and hides me. The guy I ran into isn't easily deterred. He stalks back and forth on that part of the street, peering into shops and looking pissed as he bleeds from his arm and stomach. "Here kitty kitty, come back here you coward!" He growls out just before peering down the alley. @Cecil

He was standing there, leaning against the wall and blocking the man's view of the alcove, just doing his best to seem casual. His heart was beating a mile a minute, but he was able to seem fine by going through his bag. @reddeR

I stay quiet, trying not to make any noise as I munch on the sausage I stole. When the man speaks, I freeze. "Have you seen a cat girl with orange hair around here?" He calls out. "Cat girl? Cat girl! No cat girl could have messed him up like I did! What a dummy!" I manage to mentally snort derisively. @Cecil

He looked up, feigning confusion with a tilt of his head. A.. cat girl? Yuoko wasn't a cat girl.. So no, he definitely hadn't seen a cat girl. Kale shook his head simply. @reddeR

The man, unable to see clearly in the rain, sounds irritated as he asks again. "You there! Which way did the cat girl go? What are you, stupid or something?!" He sounds quite angry and starts walking toward us. I start to growl, not loud enough for him to hear, yet. @Cecil

He waited a few moments for the man to approach before he was about to shake his head again. "Don't do anything. People know who I am in this town, once he recognizes me, he'll understand that I can't speak. But.. I might be able to misdirect him." He turned and pointed further down the alleyway, motioning that the 'cat girl' went around the corner. @reddeR

I stay hunkered down and wait quietly. I watch the man approach and recognise you. "Kale! Oh, it's you. Eh? That way? You sure?" He scratches his head, then jogs down the alley. I snicker behind you and munch down another sausage. "You really are my hero! Want a sausage?" @Cecil

He nodded, watching as the man ran off. "..Yuoko. Why was that man clutching his arm? What kind of trouble were you getting into while I was gathering books?" He looked over his shoulder at her, a stern expression on his face. @reddeR

I immediately look shocked, then hurt, then my amber eyes look at you with purely innocent intention. "It wasn't my fault, I didn't do anything to him! He was the one who stepped in front of me! He grabbed my tail, and tried to pick me up! It hurt so much!" Tears fill my eyes, and when I blink they spill down my cheeks in two big crocodile teardrops. @Cecil

He frowned at the tears, shaking his head and sighing. "I leave you for twenty minutes, and you're getting chased down by men in the middle of the town. I swear, i'm learnin' that I need to keep an eye on you everywhere we go.." After a few moments, he turned and glanced both ways, grabbing Yuoko and walking back out of the alley, starting to head back to the library. "If we're going to figure out what's going on here, we need to sit down and do the work." @reddeR

"okay, but what are we working on, Kale?" I ask, munching on another sausage. It really is good sausage. It's not that I wasn't paying attention, I've just had so much going through my mind since coming here, it's been easy to forget what we came here for. In all the excitement, yesterday seems like ages ago. The rain continues to pour down, with flashes of lightening occasionally illuminating the sky. It doesn't seem to bother me as much now though. @Cecil

Without a word, he motioned down to his arm, where the stone was sticking out of it. Then, he flicked his own arm so she could feel the slight sting from it, and then he gave her a look, almost as if saying 'you serious?' He led her inside and to one of the seats, motioning for her to sit down as he placed a book in front of her, sitting across from her and pulling out some others one, beginning to read. @reddeR

I flip through the book, skimming the pages quickly. After a few minutes, I sigh, shift in my seat, and begin to fidgit. Then I sigh again and start tapping my claw tipped fingers on the tabletop. Studying has never been something I enjoy. Finally my attention wanders and I find myself lost in a daydream, staring vacantly at Kale. In my mind he is fighting the flying creature again, only there are three of them. He dispatches them heroically, using spikes of stone to destroy them without even breaking a sweat. He runs back to me and enchants the lock off of the cage I'm in, then scoops me out and smiles down at me. "You're safe, now, Youko!" He says. "I know, you're my hero!" I respond, gazing up into his eyes. He leans closer and-- The book I was reading drops onto my foot, making me yelp and whimper with pain and shock. My whole daydream had been playing in Kale's mind too, a fact I seem to be unaware of as I nurse my injured foot and pride. @Cecil

He was staring at her, blinking several times as he processed what she had accidentally shown to him. "..You really are restless. I can't even get you to read anything for a few minutes without.. whatever that was.. happening. And you realize that spike was a one-time fluke, right? I don't have offensive magic, the only spell I have is the one that lets me speak to animals." Is this what went through people's heads when they had such an.. admiration for someone? It seemed very strange, and he wasn't sure exactly how he'd handle her wild imagination. Especially since it was spilling over into his thoughts and distracting him from his work. "..Is there something I should know about kitsune that could be causing this?" @reddeR

I hade my face in my hands as I blush, mortified that he had seen my daydream. How am I supposed to remember that my thoughts aren't even my own anymore? This isn't fair! "I don't know, hero, I can't read minds, you can." I say into my hands. "This stuff is so boring! How can you stand to read stuff like this?" I lower my hands, but the moment I see him looking at me I blush crimson again and look away. At least I know there is no chance of my daydreams coming true. Obviously he isn't interested in me, in that way. I pluck at my skirt, then stand up and head toward the door. "I'm going to go for a walk. I won't get in trouble, I promise." I say before I leave. I have something in mind, but on some level, my thoughts are hidden. Not consiously, it's just a certain way or type of thought that only comes across as vague ideas and emotions, because they are nothing but vague ideas and emotions to me. @Cecil

..This exact situation was why he was trying to figure out what was going on. It was strange for both of them, and he could sense her dislike of the situation. "..I can stand to read this stuff because it's necessary to-" By the time he was halfway through his response, she had left, causing him to sigh. ..But.. the way that her mind was blocked off, even slightly, sparked an idea in his mind, it'd just take some time to read about any similar instances.. Hopefully he'd be able to get her the privacy she had before. @reddeR

I wander through the town as it gets darker, letting my humiliation fade. Just before closing, I slip into a tailors shop and hide myself in the displays until the shop empties. Then I take my time going through the clothing available until I find something I think will look good. I slip it in the front of my dress and slip out the door, using my claw to pick the simple lock. Nobody notices me, and I make my way back to the library without incident. @Cecil

He was still inside, another pile of books beside him, reading intently. Something she could notice if she paid attention to his thoughts is that he was focusing primarily on random words- It was hard to notice anything else in his mind, since those words were at the forefront. When he noticed her, he shut the books and stood up, letting out a breath and walking over. "I think I have as much i'm gonna get from this today. We can go back home now." @reddeR

I perk up at the mention of going home. My tail slowly wags side to side. Now that the books are put away, he will be able to pay attention to me. I hope. Its late, and today has been exciting. I follow him without question, and this time I stay right behind him on the path, not wanting to wander in the dark and rain. I blow bubbles, but they don't last long in the rain and I have to blow many. A torch wouldn't stay lit at all. When we get back to the cabin, the water is washing under the door. I don't say a word - having lived underground, taking measures to keep the den dry is just second nature. I dig a trench, not to deep, and leave the dirt piled up on one side of it to catch and redirect the water away from the cabin. It only takes about an hour, and when I'm finished I just stand outside and let the rain wash the mud off of me and my clothing before I come in. "I wonder how long the rain will last?" I ask, then blow a few bubbles to light inside the cabin. I have a few sausages left, and offer him half of them. They're still good, even cold. @Cecil

As they walked, he glanced at her every now and then, not sure how he wanted to start the talk they had to have. He didn't want things to be awkward between them, but the incident earlier in the day had definitely made things so. It wasn't that he was bothered by her admiration of him, and he was flattered about how she was daydreaming of him- Even if it was completely inaccurate to his capabilities. When they got back to the cabin and saw the water, he frowned. This particular storm was rougher than any he had ever seen.. Would his home even manage to survive? He'd built it to be sturdy, but it was getting old at this point. Kale didn't want this place to just fall apart.. Now he was worried. He sat down at the table and looked in her direction. "I'm not sure. This is going a lot longer than it normally does." @reddeR

My ears, already looking a bit waterlogged, droop a little. I sit down on the rug and start trying to dry my wet tail with my wet sleeves. I can sense his thoughts about my daydream, and I try to avoid that subject. It's still rather embarrassing. "Well, what can cause rain like this? Where does rain even come from?" I ask, trying to think logically. "I mean, the clouds, but where do they come from? These clouds came from that way." I point in the direction the clouds had come from. @Cecil

"..Considering those monsters that came with it, I don't think it was a natural rain. I can't know for sure, but I'd guess that it was caused by some form of magic. Giant beasts like those usually are a result of magic, after all." He could tell she was still not ready to talk about earlier, which was understandable, so he didn't press her on the topic. @reddeR

Knowing what someone thinks about makes conversation very strange. I just watch him, look at him, knowing what he is thinking. Whether it's about the books he read earlier, or the rain and the monsters, or my embarrassing moment, I know what is in his mind. "Hero?" I ask suddenly, "what do you think about me?" @Cecil

What did he think of her? Well, she was pretty, if a bit too energetic and full of mischief at times. Her clothes were nice, and while he wished that she was able to sit still for longer while he needed to do research into ways to give her the privacy she deserves back, he didn't regret summoning her in the first place. It had been nice to have someone to talk to for the first time in years. ..He didn't bother verbally responding to her, since he had a feeling she'd be listening to his thoughts, and he didn't know how to truly convey those thoughts through speech. Kale started looking around the room, a quiet thought forming in the back of his mind. Maybe there was a way he could learn more about magic directly.. If his theories about the storm were correct, anyway. @reddeR

I let out a tiny, dissatisfied huff, and my ears droop. My thought become full of regret and self-doubt. Then, like a quiet whisper, "I'm sorry!" I turn and disappear under the bed, trying not to think and distract him from his own thoughts. I just curl up in the little den I'd made out of books and wait to find out what he wants to do next. No daydreams come. I put effort into thinking the same things he thinks, and don't allow my mind to wander. @Cecil

He watched her hide under his bed, letting out another quiet sigh. "Yuoko. Get back up here." @reddeR

I pout under the bed and shake my head, not realizing that it's probably the only way I can't communicate with you right now. After a moment, however, I come out and sit on the rug, looking up at him with my big, innocent amber eyes. "I don't want to distract you. You are thinking about things. I don't want to make it hard for you. If I take a nap, maybe you can have some peace to think." I suggest timidly. I hug my thick, fluffy tail to my chest, even though it's still wet. My eyes drop to the floor after a moment. @Cecil

He motioned for her to take a seat on the bed beside him. "..While yes, this whole mind bond thing is strange, and i'm not used to it, I don't blame you for it, nor do I want you to change because of something that I don't fully understand. I.. I like talking with you because you're different from everyone else, and you actually put up with me and the fact that I can't speak. You don't need to worry about giving me 'peace to think', it really dosn't bother me as much as you think it does." @reddeR

I glance up at him, then, after a moments hesitation, I come up on the bed beside him. I immediately lean against his shoulder. I just listen. There are no other busy thoughts in my mind, just listening to him. When he pauses I glance up at him again and scoot a bit closer. "I like you." Is my only response. I don't want to say any more, it's already embarrassing, but after a moment I have to continue. "I... Will try to be calmer. I'm sorry I bothered you. I don't mean to cause mischief. I promise I will try harder." It the best I can do. I wish I could give him more, but I don't have anything to give. I sigh again and lay down so my head is resting on his thigh. I am not going to cry, but I feel very upset. I feel like I don't belong here. "I miss my home." I say quietly. Memories of racing my siblings, and piling into the den at dark fill my mind. At first there are many kitsune in my memories. Then the start to be memories of each of my siblings leaving. Fewer, and fewer, and fewer, until just one sibling is left. The sense of home is gone. My siblings all left and took it with them. "This is my home now." @Cecil

As she laid against his thigh, he gently stroked her hair, listening to her speak. "..Change is hard, and I don't expect it to be all nice and easy in this world for you. I want to do what I can to make this as easy as possible for you." He continued to brush her hair with his hand, looking down on her with a sad smile. "I can understand how you feel. I may not be like your siblings or your other family, but I understand how it feels to be alone. I left home several years ago at this point, and haven't seen my parents since. I was alone until I summoned you." @reddeR

I look up at him with a sympathetic expression. My brow creases with concern as images of sleeping in a heap with my siblings, and images of him alone in his bed, flash through my mind. "You mean, you slept here... By yourself?" I ask incredulously. I bite my lip and try to imagine what that would be like. I don't like it, so don't try very hard before turning my head and curling up on your lap. "I won't let you sleep alone, hero. Never again. It's not okay to be alone." I insist. @Cecil

"..I appreciate the concern, Yuoko, but I had done well enough on my own for that time. Yes, I slept here, by myself, for the few years until I managed to figure out the spell to bring you here. Now, with how you don't like sleeping alone, I won't have to." He smiled slightly as she curled up in his lap, eventually laying back so she could get fully comfortable. He wasn't fully ready to sleep yet, but there was a lot he had to figure out, so he didn't mind just.. laying here and relaxing for now. It had been a long time since he had just.. done that. @reddeR

For such a large person, when I curl up and wrap my tail around myself, I seem like quite a small animal. My mind fills with content, and while I don't go to sleep yet, I have no desire to do anything else. This makes feel safe and cared for, while at the same time I'm caring for him, in my own way. Physical contact is important to a kitsune. My mind empties, entering a meditative state as I just enjoy being near him. While I'm still aware of him, I don't really think anything of it. There's nothing but warmth and content coming from my mind, leaving him free to contemplate things. @Cecil

..They needed to find the source of the storm. It had to be magical, of that much he was certain. Learning more about it could possibly lead him to learning more about how to fix this. But he didn't have the supplies for two people to travel, nor any real weapons to defend him. Heading into this storm meant that he'd have to fight more of those monsters, as possibly more, and he needed to keep Yuoko safe. He'd head into town with her tomorrow, and buy the equipment and supplies they'd need. Kale closed his eyes and just.. relaxed, allowing the feelings of warmth wash over him. @reddeR

I run faster, but it isn't a race. My siblings run with me, all pushing hard to get away before it catches us. One by one they fall behind, and the monster catches them. Suddenly I burst into a clearing where Kale sits by a little river. Only one of my brothers is left, and he spits and growls at Kale. "No. This is my hero! He will protect us from the monsters!" But when I turn to look my brother is gone! I hurry over to Kale as the rain falls harder and harder. The little river swells up. When I get to Kale he looks at me, then aims his arrow at me. "No! It's me, hero! Don't kill me!" I look over at the river and see my reflection. I am the monster! When I turn back to Kale he looses his arrow- "No!" I wake up in a panic! I grab onto him tight and cry, telling myself my hero would never do that, never! I press myself close to him and cry until I calm down. The dark, rainy sky makes it difficult to tell, but the sun has risen. Faintly, I smell smoke on the waterlogged air. @Cecil

He jolted awake, having dozed off to sleep several hours ago. "What is it, Yuoko?!" He sensed her panic and her fear, but not what had caused it. His dreams had been full of images of the storm, and the monster he had killed, and of the earth erupting forth and devouring him whole.. It hadn't been his best night. Gently stroking her hair, he held her close as she wept. "You're okay.. You're okay, Yuoko.." @reddeR

"it was just a dream, but..." I look up at him with tear filled eyes. Vague images from the dream flicker through my thoughts, and the guilt from being the thing that took away my siblings, and the fear from facing the arrow that he fired at me. "It was me, all along!" I whisper. Kitsune place much weight on the meaning of dreams, and this one seems to mean that I am the reason my siblings all left. @Cecil

"Hey, hey.. No, it couldn't be. How would you have driven away your siblings? I think it was just them growing up and going to live their own lives. You're not a monster, Yuoko. You're okay.."

( @reddeR )

I nod, still clinging tightly to him. The nod is a poor lie, since it's clear in my mind that I'm not buying it. I try to just let it go, though. A bit of wind blows outside, and I'm suddenly hit with the overpowering scent of smoke, ash, and fire. I wrinkle my nose and lift my head. "What could be burning in this rain?" I ask curiously. @Cecil

He understood how she felt, due to the bond. And then he was at attention, watching outside the door. "..If it's something burning, then it has to be a very large or hot fire.. Either way, if we're getting the smoke, it's not good. Come on." He quickly stood, grabbing his bow and rushing out the door, looking for smoke through the rain. @reddeR

I follow, sniffing the air. My nose is much more sensitive than a human's, and I pick up the scent much stronger once I'm outside. I point down the path we'd taken the day before. "This way, hero, it's coming from this way!" I say, then head down the trail, pausing and testing the scent every so often. "It's getting stronger!" I say excitedly. The closer we get to town, the more I smell it. It isn't long before he can smell it, too, and whisps of smoke become visible in the trees. @Cecil

"..If it's in the direction of the town.." He frowned, slinging the bow over his shoulder and immediately running. "Yuoko! Come on!" He was running full-sprint, fearing the worst. Smoke rising from the town.. Meant that there might be danger there. People could be getting attacked! With those monsters that came from the storm, who knows what else was wandering its way over? And if there was a monster, he needed to stop it! It didn't matter what it'd take, he'd just have to figure something out. Maybe he'd have to figure out how to use his magic offensively, not that he knew how right now. It'd just take some.. Well, it took stress last time, maybe if he ended up getting stressed about this shit again, something would happen.. Experimentation! @reddeR

When he starts running, I get excited. I easily outpace him, running the trail like it's what I was made for. I burst from the woods well ahead of him and slide to a stop, gaping at the scene before me. Several buildings pour out copious amounts of black smoke, and flames erupt from a few of the lower floors. People run around trying to put them out. Screaming can be heard from the farther side of town. Overhead, three of the creatures from the storm circle, occasionally swooping down on the village with a spine-chilling shriek. I yelp and scramble back as one of the creatures emits a bolt of lightening from its gaping jaw, causing a building to explode in flames.

13:49

@Cecil

As soon as he saw the buildings on fire, he slowed to a stop and looked at the scene. His instincts had been right.. People needed help! "Yuoko! Help get people from the burning buildings, and do what you can to help them put the fires out! I need to go find a better weapon, i'll meet you in the square!" And with that, he dashed off into the town, doing his best to avoid breathing in too much smoke. He quickly sought out a stronger bow and something sharp, like a sword, which he'd pay for later. Right now.. He needed to fight. @reddeR

My mind recoils from the suggestion that I help with the fires. It's fire! What can I possibly do?!! I watch him run into the town with a sense of dread. He enters a shop and I don't see him any more. My anxiety peaks enough that I start moving toward the building. A shriek from one of the flying creatures is the only warning I have before a bolt of lightning slams into the building he is in, quickly engulfing it in flames. I scream and run to the building, hardly able to see through my tears. "No! Hero! Hero!" I cry out. I reach the building and pull the door open, then throw myself through the flames. Immediately I start to cough, and the smoke burns my lungs and eyes. "Hero! Boy! Where are you Kale!" I choke out, realizing it's pointless, you can't answer anyway. @Cecil

She could feel him get hit by the bolt, enough energy to kill a man coursing through his body. In his mind, he let out a scream that pierced through her mind.. But he wasn't dead. Running in, she could see him on the ground, his arms shaking as lightning flowed around them. He wasn't fully conscious, but soon enough.. His arm shot forward, and the lightning leaped back out of the hole in the ceiling, slamming into the monster that had sent it in the first place. @reddeR

My whole body recoils from touching his body, which still has lightning arcing over his skin. I come close, ignoring the ache I can feel because he can feel it. "Hero? Hero! Are you dead?!" I ask frantically, still not touching him. I kneel beside him and just look, fearing the worst. @Cecil

He suddenly lurched up, coughing. "..What the.." He looked down at his hands, seeing the lightning dancing on his skin. "..I.. How am I not dead?" As he was coming to his senses, he, and by extention Yuoko, could feel the lightning. See where it was going to go. He turned his arm slightly, leaving a streak of lightning that jumped to the ground in a second. "..I.. guess it happened again." He pushed himself to his feet, stumbling slightly for a second or two. Once he caught himself, he took a deep breath. "..Time to go kill some monsters." @reddeR

I stand as he does, and reflexively reach to catch him when he stumbles. Electricity arcs at the contact, passing from him to me in a startling instant of pain. I yelp as I recoil. I stumble and fall backwards, then curl up, whpering. @Cecil

Noticing her pain and how she fell, Kale focused on the energy on his right arm, causing it to arc into the ground and dissipate. Then, he reached down and offered his hand to her. "..Sorry about that, still trying to learn how to control this." @reddeR

I take his hand, flinching as though expecting to be shocked again, and climb to my feet. I don't know what to make of this new thing you are doing. I watch with disbelief as you manipulate a force I've learned to fear deeply. "He...hero? You're okay?" I ask carefully. More screaming and the sound of lightning grab my attention. The horrible shriek of the storm beasts pierces the air, closer than ever. The flames consuming the building we are in are half extinguished by the powerful wind off of the wings of one of them as it lands and snatches a person off the ground with it's teeth. @Cecil

"..I dunno how I am. I should be dead. Being struck by lightning's usually deadly. I'm guessing it's something similar to what happened with the stone before, but I can't know for sure. Either way, i'm going to make use of it." He led her out of the building, quickly looking in the skies in search of the monsters attacking the town. He needed to find one and discharge a portion of this power before it caused any damage to his body. @reddeR

I follow closely, if hesitantly. The sparks are somewhat alarming. I'd rather not repeat the lightning exterience. But the beasts are even more alarming. The shriek they make makes my hair stand on end, which means my tail bristles every time. "Be careful, hero, I don't like when you get hurt at all!" I say, trying to express concern but unused to doing so. @Cecil

With a deep breath, he raised his hand up towards one of the beasts he could see. Staring up at it, he did his best to imagine the lightning arcing towards it, piercing through its hide, and taking it down.. And as he exhaled, the air around his hand became very hot as a blast of lightning shot out of it and slammed into the side of one of the beasts. Yuoko could feel his energy sag considerably as he channeled it through, and he leaned against the wall as he watched what the bolt would do. @reddeR

I only hesitate for a moment, then place my hand on his back. I can feel my mana drain, though it's much more controlled than last time. I don't give to much. I'm surprised when he seems to have all he can have, and I've barely touched mine. "That's... That's all you can have?" I ask incredulously, "hero, don't use that! That's barely anything! Use mine!" I step up close and press myself to him, opening my mana to him. @Cecil

"I told you.. I'm not really a strong mage." He took a deep breath as he felt his energy get recharged, and he launched another bolt at the beast, which had turned its attention to them angrily. And then it was down, a blast of lightning hitting it square in the face. He needed to recharge off of Yuoko again, but then he was moving. He rushed back inside and grabbed a sword, which he quickly clipped onto his belt, and a bow, which he threw over his shoulder, and then was running outside to look for another one of those beasts. Man.. Yuoko had called him a hero constantly since that first night, and here he was.. Fighting monsters attacking the nearby town, carrying a sword and wielding magic, like the old stories he read as a child of the great heroes of old. Was he actually becoming a hero, or was this all just a fluke? And what the hell had been causing this all? The only thing that had changed since this all began was.. Him meeting Yuoko. Did having her here inspire something in him? Change something about how he thought for the better? Did having someone he truly wanted to protect give him the strength and will to fight something far stronger than he was? ..All the great heroes of old had someone they fought to protect, right? Whether it be their family, or someone they loved, or their home.. They all had something to fight for. Had he just found his? @reddeR

I follow him closely, ready to give him my mama, should he need it. And he needs it! How can he do anything with so little mana available to him? Well, he can do more than I can, after all. I cannot even use all the manna I can access. Giving it to him is not even draining the mana available to me. "Is this why I have such big mana? To give it away?!" I think to him, not really expecting an answer. @Cecil

"You're a kitsune spirit. Spirits tend to have naturally high mana capacity, even if they lack the ability to use it easily. I, on the other hand, am just a human. And not a particularly strong one at that. Though, I don't think you were intended to just give it away." He let out another lightning blast, weakening another monster before slamming it with a final blast. "Not too much longer now, Yuoko." @reddeR

"You really are a hero, Kale! Look at you!" I concentrate on what I just watched, replaying the scene of him dispatching the last storm beast with lightning. It only takes a moment, and I grab his hand with both of mine to make sure his mana doesn't run low. I've stayed close to him the whole time, so I can make sure he has the mana he needs. @Cecil

"..I guess i'm becoming one." He said, continuing to watch the skies. "Yuoko, you've got better senses than me. Do you know how many people are actually getting out?" When he spotted another monster, he turned his attention in its direction, charging up another bolt. He noticed out of the corner of his eye a group cowering in fear from it, and stopped. "..Dammit." Kale quickly drew the sword, drawing his hand away from Yuoko as he ran forward, the weapon unfamiliar in his hand. Letting out a battle cry in Yuoko's mind, he placed himself between the monster and the group as it fired a blast of lightning in their direction, hitting him dead on. God, it fucking hurt, just like before, as his muscles spasmed from the sheer amount of electricity flowing through them, both hands gripping the handle of the sword tight as he tried to channel the lightning into the sword. After several seconds, he slashed forward at the monster, a large blade of lightning arcing into the air and flying straight at it, severing one of its wings and sending it to the ground screeching. He then rushed forward, stabbing the sword into its eye, causing it to thrash about. It slammed him into the side of a building before finally dying, knocking the wind out of him and probably breaking a couple of ribs and he fell to the ground. @reddeR

I pick myself up from the ground, running before I'm even standing. I don't stand up straight, it hurts to much. I get to Kale's side and grab him, pouring mana into him. I can feel his pain, his broken ribs, the way his body spasms and cramps from the electricity. "Kale! Hero! No, nonono, you're ok, you've got to be ok! Come on! You're gonna be fine... Aren't you?" I bring his head onto my lap as I sit on the ground with him. I brush his hair back and search his face, for what, I don't know. @Cecil

His breathing was rougher due to the broken ribs, his body sore from the electricity and damage. "..I'll..live." He coughed painfully. "Fuck.. That hurt. Are there any of them left, Yuoko?" He really hoped that there weren't any left. He wasn't sure that he'd survive another burst of energy so soon, especially with his wounds. @reddeR

I look up and use my eyes, my ears, my nose, and another sense that humans don't have, searching for any more creatures. "I...no don't think so, hero, but here come some people!" I say in a hushed voice. The people approaching just want to help you with your injuries. Gradually, a small crowd forms, and amongst all the whispering is heard the word "hero" again and again. It's unclear if they are calling you hero, or merely commenting that I had called you hero. @Cecil

Another coughing fit. "..Good. I guess I ended up being a hero, then." He watched the crowd form, a small smile on his face. It felt good to be a hero, but it also really fucking hurt. How did these people not die from fighting all these monsters? "..Hopefully my wounds heal up quick." @reddeR

The people who approach help you into a more upright position and take your shirt off to wrap your chest with bandages. Once it's well wrapped, the pain begins to fade, but getting it wrapped is excruciating. I stay as close to you as I can, getting in the way like only I can pull off, and when they finish I curl up in your lap. It becomes apparent then that I actually get smaller when needed. "I told you, hero." I say, picking up on your thoughts about being a hero. "Just don't forget me, okay? You were my hero first." @Cecil

He nodded in thanks to the others. "..Fighting monsters hurts. It hurts a lot." He looked down at her, feeling a little bit guilty that she could feel his pain. "..Of course i'm not gonna forget you. You're the reason I actually got the strength to do this." @reddeR

I actually pat very little attention to the pain. Part of my animal traits include the tendency to not display any outward evidence of pain. I accomplish this by simply neglecting to acknowledge it. It isn't really difficult when it's your pain I'm feeling. "Thank you hero!" I say happily, though I refrain from hugging you. @Cecil

"..Can you.. go get the sword and find the shopkeeper whose shop I took it from?" He reached into his bag, wincing as he moved, before pulling out a bag of coins. "..Go buy the sword and bow, please."

( @reddeR )

I look at the dead beast with the sword protruding from it's eye and cringe. Instantly my head is filled with a resounding response. "Ew! Yuck! Yuck! Gross! Blech! Aw, *Heeroo! Do I haaave tooo?"* Even as I think it, though, I edge toward the beast, despite the thoroughly disgusted look on my face. @Cecil

"..I'm not in any condition to go tearing swords out of eyes, Yuoko." He suppressed the urge to chuckle, knowing that it'd hurt. "It won't take long. Just one swift pull." @reddeR

I creep up to the creature and hesitantly reach for the handle of the sword. When I touch it, the head shifts, making me yelp and scramble for cover. When I realize what happened I blush, then approach it again. This time I use both hands, grab hold of it, and pull. It seems to be stuck for a moment, but I keep pulling, my hands slipping on the handle, until, with a sickening, slurping sound, the sword pulls free. I stumble back and land on my butt on the street with a shocked yip. When I realize I did it, I race back to you, forgetting the sword. I run back to grab it and race back to you again. "I got it, hero! I got the sword!" I say happily, pleased with myself. @Cecil

He watched her run around for a few moments before managing to retrieve the weapon, nodding to her as she approached. "Good. You can leave it here with me, and take this money. Go find the shopkeeper who was selling the sword and pay for it for me. I'm not gonna steal it." @reddeR

I nod and start to walk away, looking at people. Then I stop. I have no clue who the shopkeeper is, or how to pay for something. My thoughts scatter for a few moments as I look from person to person. I feel very conspicuous and small. Then it occurs to me that you could be trying to trick me, so you can get rid of me. My ears, tail, and shoulders droop. I tell myself over and over that my hero would never do that, but it doesn't help. The thought is there, stuck in my head. Now I don't know what to do. I look at the bag you gave me, then let my hand drop to my side again. I just stand there in the rain. Trying to figure out what I should do. @Cecil

"..Go use your sense of smell in the shop, Yuoko." He could hear his voice in her head from where he laid. "Their scent should be all over it, and the fires should be put out by the rain. Ask how much the sword and bow is, and then have them take that many coins out of that pouch. No, i'm not trying to trick you or get rid of you." @reddeR

I smile at him, then turn and return to the building he was in when he was first struck by lightning. Right away, I know it's going to be difficult at best to get any scent from this building. With the rain and the scent of ozone layered over the wet fire permeating the ground so strongly it will be a week before I don't smell it anymore, there is not much chance of finding another scent. I poke around a little bit, anyway, and turn up a stuffed animal that has obviously been well loved. It was tucked under the edge of a blanket under an overturned table, and it smells like... My ear twitches and I duck down to look under the table again. Hesitantly, I reach for the blanket, then slowly lift it and reveal a little girl, curled up in a tiny ball. She can't be more than two. Human children are considerably larger than kitsune children, I realize as I lay her gently against my shoulder. I put her blanket over her, grab her bear, then the sword in my other hand. I hurry back out, looking around for people. Everyone seems to busy to be bothered with the girl, and nobody seems to know where the owner of the shop might be. The beast grabbing a man with his teeth flashes though my mind and I grimace. I don't give up until well past lunchtime. The little girl does eventually wake up. I'm pleased to discover she can walk just fine, and is content to keep a hand on my tail without pulling. The one time she did let go of me and make me worry, she was only going to a ditch to pull her little skirts up and pee, which is a big relief. I don't know how humans handle this business. finally, I return to where I'd left my hero, the little girl holding my hand and not making a peep the whole time. "What am I supposed to do with this!" I think as I get to him with my unique loot. @Cecil

At this point, he had gotten up and sat down on one of the nearby benches, watching people work toward cleaning the bodies of the monsters. The rain made the work difficult, and they'd likely be rebuilding for several days, maybe even several weeks. He wanted to be able to help.. But there wasn't too much he could do in his current state. When she approached, he raised his brow at her. "..A.. child? It must be.." His expression saddened. "..He didn't make it, did he? We'll need to look around for any remaining family.. But if we don't find any.." What could they really do? The girl would be safer here.. But would people be able to take care of her in the state this town was in at the moment? Maybe his plans to investigate this storm would be put on hold.. He stood up, wincing slightly. "..Come on. Let's see if we can find someone to take care of her." @reddeR

The girl stays silent, just holds her bear in one hand, with her blanket over her shoulders, and grips my hand with her other hand. She holds on so tight I know she is afraid of loosing me, so I grip her hand just as tightly. I'm afraid of her being lost, too. I'm also afraid of loosing my hero, so I grip his hand tightly. I'mBlinking, I look down at the little loot girl. "Wait a minute! Hero, Loot thinks *I'm her hero!"* I realize with shock. I let go of your hand and pick her up. Her tiny feet have been moving non stop, and she hasn't made one complaint. the way she cuddles into me when I pick her up, I know she is grateful. Then I hear her little tummy gurgle and realize I'm very hungry too. "We need to find some food, hero, we're all hungry." I point out quietly. lootbpicks up her head when I talk and watches me expectantly for a moment, then lays her head back on my shoulders.

18:09

@Cecil

They were all hungry. The two of them hadn't eaten this morning before noticing the town was under attack, and that had been several hours ago. It was quite difficult to find the girl's family without being able to speak, but Kale managed. He had for years, after all, so he knew what he had to do. "..Well, you are the one carrying her around, so that doesn't surprise me. But you are not calling her 'Loot'! She's not some object you found in one of these buildings." He shook his head. "We're going to find someone to take care of her." Or they'd do it themselves. Either way, he'd make sure she had a place to grow up where she had people who cared for her. He stepped away from the two of them for a moment, coming back with two loaves of bread and handing one over to Yuoko. "..Here, it's probably not to your liking, but it's what I could get quickly. I'll go get some meat later." @reddeR

I take the crusty, fresh bread and sniff it, then tear a chunk off with my teeth. After chewing the horribly dry, bland stuff for a long time, looking very displeased, the girl wiggles in my arms and reaches for it with both hands. I hand it to her and she starts to devour it, mostly by sucking on it until it's soft. For myself, I just wait. I'm used to getting fairly hungry between meals, sometimes being unable to catch anything for a couple of days. It's easier for me than for the girl. "But I did loot her out of a building! She is Loot!" I counter, "at least until she has someone else, I'm sure they will give her their own name for her." @Cecil

"But what if we don't find anyone who can take care of her? Then it's up to us to take care of her, and we're not calling her Loot." He shook his head, getting more and more concerned slowly as they failed to find someone willing to take care of her. He didn't know the first thing about raising a child.. But if nobody else took her.. Then he'd have no choice but to learn. He hadn't expected Yuoko to enjoy the bread, but he was glad that the girl.. whatever she was going to be called- Definitely not 'Loot'- was eating. When someone's that young, they need to stay fed. After another hour or so of helping the people where they could, Kale let out a sigh. "..Looks like there's nobody who can take her in. We'll have to take her home with us. Which means we're NOT calling her 'Loot', got it? We're going to give her an actual name."

( @reddeR )

I blink up at you, then smile and turn the girl around to face him. "Tell Hero your name, girl!" I say happily. The girl looks up at him and smiles, then blushes cutely and hides her face, then shakes her head. I put her down and she walks around behind me. "Hero! You scared her!" I tease @Cecil

He smiled, chuckling slightly before looking away and rubbing the back of his neck. "..Are you sure it wasn't just you puttin' her on the spot?" In all reality.. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing with these two. Yeah, he had some time to prepare for Yuoko, but that had only been what, three or four days ago? And even then, he didn't know everything about what Yuoko liked and all that. Now, he'd have to learn how to raise a kid at the same time.. He glanced over in Yuoko's direction and then nodded, starting to walk back to the edge of town. "Alright. Let's get home, and then i'll go get you some actual food." He suddenly became very aware of how exhausted he felt. Fighting was exhausting. Getting hurt was exhausting. Using this kind of magic, even if he was getting his mana recharged by Yuoko, was absolutely exhausting, since he wasn't used to working with it. And now there was another mouth to feed? This was going to take a lot of adjusting.. @reddeR

"I think she is being shy!" I say, taking her hand and bringing her around to face me. "Hi girl! What's your name?" I ask her pleasantly. She smiles at me and points at herself. "Lute!" She says happily. "Good girl! Such a pretty name!" I praise her. "And who do you go to?" She peers up at me and points at me. "You-ko!" "Very good! And who else?" I prompt, and she turns in a circle and points at Kale. "Hero!" She says, then blushes and hides her face as he looks at her. @Cecil

He seemed a little lost in thought as they walked, though he did glance in their direction as he walked. Well, either he was lost in thought or so tired that he couldn't really focus. It was hard to tell. They were exiting the town by this point, and he was still on the quiet side. Would he be able to get rid of the giant stone spike in the middle of his front lawn? Would this storm keep going for several weeks, and how would that affect him hunting and trying to feed all three of them? And what if more of those monsters came? There were thousands of worries swimming around in his mind, and he had very little to actually answer them. The rain was unrelenting, so he'd just have to adapt. Lute, which was what she was apparently called, would need a bunch of things made for her to be comfortable, so he'd have to make them. Or buy them. But the town needed to recover first. @reddeR

I pick up every thought that crosses Kale's mind. I start to wonder how we will possibly accomplish all that we need to do to take care of Lute. It seems impossible! Finally I just stop, tears running down my cheeks. "We can't do all that, Kale! How can we ever do all of that?! I'll take her back, maybe if I put her back where I found her someone who knows her will find her." I cry miserably. @Cecil

He turned aronud, looking at her. "..I.. I'll think of something, okay? I've gotten quite good at figuring all this shit out over these past few years." He was slightly stressed out about everything, but over the past couple of days.. Well, he had to improvise almost everything he did after he had summoned Yuoko. No reason why he couldn't now, right? "I'll figure this out, okay? I figured out how to get you here on my own, after all. I can figure out how to take care of a little girl. It can't be that hard, right? I mean, I built that cabin and almost everything inside by hand, so I can absolutely build some things for her, and I have an idea of how to take care of the spike.." His concerns about the monsters went unspoken, but he knew that she'd still know about them. He'd have to practice with his new weapons to avoid tiring himself out if more of them showed up. "..Now come on. If we stay out here, she might get a cold." @reddeR

My eyes drop to the ground. She has nothing but a blanket and a teddy bear, and the clothes she has on. It's lucky she is already toilet trained. She really is cute, too. Suddenly I look up at Kale and smile. "Don't worry, Lute! Hero will take good care of us both!" I say with confidence.

17:30

@Cecil

With a quiet nod, he turned and led them all the way back to the cabin. Once they had entered, Kale set down his new equipment on the table and grabbed the hunting bow from above the door. "..I'll be back in a little while. I just need to go get you some actual food." @reddeR

I'm torn between wanting to help hunt, and staying with Lute. Lute stands there silently, looking absolutely adorable. She sits down on the rug and takes her shoes off, then picks them up and look at around. She looks at me quizzically. "Huh? I don't wear shoes! Ask Hero what to do with them, he knows about that stuff." I say. She looks up at Hero expectantly. @Cecil

"..I can't talk, remember? At least not to normal people.." He looked down at Lute and motioned to a space beside the door, where he normally put his boots when he wasn't going out. Afterward, he disappeared out the door and didn't return for a couple hours. Once he did, Yuoko could see him outside skinning a couple rabbits and a deer. @reddeR

I watch through the window as you work in the pouring rain. I don't even notice Lute putting her shoes on, but she gets my attention when she needs help opening the door. I open the door without a question, then stand there watching her slog through the water to get to Kale. She doesn't say a word, just squats down to watch what he's doing. After a few moments, I sigh and trudge out in the rain to do the same thing. @Cecil

He glances in her direction, raising a brow at her, but ultimately shrugs and returns to work. If she wanted to watch him work, he wasn't going to stop her, although he wished that she had some kind of covering to protect her from the rain. If she caught a cold, there wasn't anything he'd be able to do to help her. He wasn't a medicine man. Once he had cleaned the hides, he brought them over to the side of the house to hang, and brought the freshly butchered meat inside, placing a good amount on one of the shelves and wrapping it in animal skins as he brought some of the deer over to the stove and started getting ready to cook some of it for the three of them. @reddeR

Lute and I trail after you through the rain, and when we get back inside, the little girl remains fascinated with everything you do. Once we're in the cabin, it doesn't take long for me to get bored. I sit on the rug and rest my head on my hand, my tail twitching side to side as I wait. It takes more to entertain a kitsune than a toddler. @Cecil

It didn't take long for the meat to be cooked to how he knew Yuoko would like it, and he set out a plate for her to eat and then just flopped down onto the bed. "..Go ahead and eat. I'm just gonna.. lay here for a while." @reddeR

I get up, then pause when Kale excuses himself. Lute stands beside the bed, to short to climb up, waiting for him to be finished. I look from him to her, then grab the plates of food and bring them to the bed. I climb over him, then lean down and help Lute onto the bed. She sits beside me, looking at Kale happily. "He-ro!" She says, then makes grabby hands at one of the plates. I give it to her, and she picks up a bite and pokes it at Kale's mouth. "Eat!" She exclaims, trying to poke it between his lips. @Cecil

One eye opened as he looked at both of them. "..I just I haven't eaten today." He sat up and took the piece of meat, munching on it quietly as he looked between the two of them. "..I'm really gonna pass out soon. I'm drained." @reddeR

I shake my head and press a plate of food at him. *"Please eat, Hero. Eat before sleep, and we can all sleep together." * I insist. I don't want him to be so hungry, I can feel his hunger. Even Lute knows he should eat. She chooses another bite to hold out to him. "Eat!" She says in her tiny voice.

18:11

@Cecil

He nodded and took the plate from her, continuing to eat quietly. He was in no position to argue, since he knew that he was so hungry, and that she could feel it, and he didn't want her to be uncomfortable. After they all ate, he set the dishes aside and laid down again, closing his eyes immediately. They'd fall into place. @reddeR

Lute lays down, looking at Kale curiously, then scoots close and cuddles up to him. When I see this, I smile and lay down behind Kale, then work my way under his arm, so I'm draped across his side. I close my eyes, discovering that I'm more tired than I thought. Once Kale's arm is over me, I fall fast asleep. @Cecil

He was asleep just as quick, having been so unbelievably exhausted from all the fighting in the day, not to mention how sore his ribs were. Hopefully it didn't take too long to heal.. His dreams were restless however. There was suffocating smoke everywhere, fires throughout the entire forest, yet pounding rain far greater than the first storm's. He could hear the sounds of the monsters fighting in the surrounding area. What kind of hellish landscape had his forest turned into? How could he have let this happen? He began to run, looking for Yuoko and Lute, calling out with his mind, not receiving any response. Where were they? Where was he? He heard the sounds of rushing water, and he turned, only to be slammed by a massive flood from the river. It felt like every bone in his body broke, right then and there, as he was carried past trees and screams and burning buildings. After being carried for what felt like an eternity, the waters receded and he was left on the cobblestones of the plaza. Looking up from where he lay, he saw Yuoko and Lute standing there in the rain, unfazed by it all.. And he could see the monster slowly approaching them from behind, lightning charging from its maw. He wanted to reach out, to scream for them to run- But not a sound came out as the blast fired. ..He awoke with a start, resisting the urge to sit up, since he didn't want to disturb the others. Glancing out the window, he could see that it was still quite dark. What time even was it..? Carefully, he untangled himself from the two others in the bed and sat down at the table with a cup of water, sipping it as he tried to make sense of what he had seen. Was it just a simple nightmare, or.. was it an omen of things to come? @reddeR

I wake up and see Kale at the table. Terrifying images flash through his mind, and at the center of them are myself and Lute. I carefully climb out of bed and go over to him, then sink down to my knees and rest my head on his thigh. I'm worried about him. "You okay, Hero?" I ask quietly, looking up at him for a moment before closing my eyes. @Cecil

"..I'll survive. It's just a nightmare." He looked down at her, running a hand through her hand. "..Did I wake you?" He was bothered by the dreams, but he knew that they were just dreams. He wasn't the kind of person who got prophetic dreams, so it was just his own worries about everything that had happened. @reddeR

I shake my head, then move closer and put one hand up on your thigh. My mind is a jumble of half-waking thoughts. All of them focus on you, on how amazing you are, on how handsome you are, on how much I look up to you, admire you, wish I could be closer to you. How much I wish I was a human girl, so you might want to love me. I'm only half awake, and these thoughts form, unbidden, unfiltered, and half nonsense. Some ideas are clear though. As I fall more asleep, a dream starts to form. In my dream I'm with you, only you are a kitsune. We race through the woods, running as fast as we can. When we reach the stream I slow to a stop, but you don't. You run right into me, and we tumble end over end into the water. We paddle across the stream, and just am I'm climbing out, you sweep me up and lay me down in the warm, dry grass, then lay down with me, my head on your arm, our tails twined together. I stare at you as you touch my face, then kiss my nose. It makes me blush. You tell me I'm the cutest kitsune you've ever met, and I blush more. Then you kiss my forehead... I wake up slowly, reluctantly leaving the wonderful dream I was having. I open my eyes and look around, wanting to find you. Lute sleeps soundly, still. The rain falls still. @Cecil

He hadn't moved much since she drifted off, but was very much not looking in her direction at the moment, yet she could feel a sense of embarassment from him. Of course, he didn't really want to move and disturb her, but how the hell was he supposed to respond to that? Was him not being a kitsune bothering her? Was she worried being a kitsune bothered him? He could tell that she.. loved him, and he certainly cared for her, but he didn't know what he was feeling towards her. Living alone for so long made it very difficult to understand his emotions, and how he was supposed to go about dealing with them and expressing them, what was right and wrong when dealing with people.. "..Yu..Yuoko.. You know that you.. being a kitsune.. doesn't bother me.. right..? I.." He paused, a flurry of words quickly passing through his mind, too quick and too disorganized for her to understand, "..Like you for who you are.. I don't want you to change." @reddeR

I look up at Kale and smile sleepily, then lay my head back on his thigh with a contented sigh. No words come to my mind, but a bright, warm, comfortable sense of peaceful belonging envelops it. "You're my hero, and you're perfect." Finally drifts through my mind, "I want to be perfect for you." He could tell that she was still not fully awake, but that just meant her thoughts were not gaurded. She smiles and closes her eyes while thinking, "I had the most wonderful dream, Hero! You were there, and we were racing, it was so much fun!..." @Cecil

A quiet smile came to his face as he listened to her unguarded thoughts. It felt.. good to have someone care so deeply for him. He wanted to make her happy, but just didn't know how. She seemed content just to.. share a space with him. He reached down and picked her up, holding her as he sat, back against the table, letting out a contented sigh as he felt her warmth. "I'm glad I brought you here, Yuoko. I've felt.. whole, since you arrived." @reddeR

I happily curl into his embrace, resting against his shoulder, my tail wrapped around both of us. I smile without opening my eyes. I like this. "I'm happy to be here with you, Hero..." Just then, a tug on Kale's shirt draws his attention to Lute. The little girl stands beside them, rubbing her eye sleepily until Kale looks at her. She reaches up toward him, her stuffed bear dangling from one hand. @Cecil

He looked down at Lute, and then reached down and scooped her up as well, holding her with his other arm, waiting to see her reaction. @reddeR

Lute curls up to his side and puts her bear in her own lap, then wraps her short little arms as far around Kale as she can reach. I open my arms, and suddenly she scrambles onto my lap, resituated her bear, and the both of us cuddle up to Kale comfortably. "Hero, you cant talk to Lute!" I realize, "you can't talk to her at all!" @Cecil

"..No, I can't. I told you that before.." He nodded. "..I haven't figured out how I want to get around that." He really had no idea how he was going to handle it. It'd be strange to have one person taking care of the child who could just never speak, and another who could. Maybe she'd just have to be the one who really took care of her, and he'd just provide them both with food and shelter and all those necessary things. @reddeR

As it turns out, Lute doesn't seem to care if Kale speaks or not. She's fairly nonverbal herself, and seems to want to do everything Kale does. She spends the whole day acting like his shadow, watching everything he does closely. I follow the both of you, wondering what I can do to help. @Cecil

He spent the first half of the day preparing food for the three of them, as well as cleaning up the cabin. He worked silently, obviously, and didn't do anything too interesting. Several hours later, he looked over at Yuoko. "..Yuoko, when you gave me a section of your mana, it allowed me to create the spike out there. Can you try and help me put it back into the ground?" @reddeR

"of course I can." I say out loud, then look outside. Still raining. Time to get wet again. I sigh and walk over to the spike with Kale. Lute stands nearby, watching us as usual. "What do you need me to do?" I ask, not sure how to proceed. @Cecil

"You just need to do whatever you did that first night that caused me to create this spike in the first place.. Although, i'd prefer if it was more controlled this time. I should be able to do something with it." In all reality, he had no idea if this would work. It was just a basic theory that he had in mind. Time to put said theory to the rest, though. @reddeR

"but all I did was..." I replay the memory, and how I just put power into him as I bumped him out the door. I'd meant for it to encourage him, boost him, and he had come out my hero. I can't help but smile at the memory. @Cecil

"That. Give me that power again." He raised both of his hands, preparing to channel the energy that she would give him. He believed that she had some kind of affinity for manipulating the earth, something that he didn't think he had, so he needed access to her power in order to remove this spike. Plus, it just was so terrible to look at outside his front door. @reddeR

"okay, ready?" I ask, then put my hands on him and dump a large amount of mana, just like before, hoping this time it won't affect him like before. That concern alone has me put a much smaller amount into him than before, though still more than he should have at once. @Cecil

Immediately, he seemed to buckle slightly at the amount of magic flowing through his, and she can feel the discomfort in him. The spike began to rumble as he poured magic into it, it slowly starting to retreat into the ground. The mage's hands were shaking, sweat forming on his face from the exertion, mixing with the rain. It was difficult to focus through the rain and the amount of difficulty he was having with controlling the unusual magic flowing through his body. Letting out a shout, he shoved the remaining piece of the earth into the ground, smoothing it over and letting out a groan after it was all over. "..Well.. My theory was right, I guess.. But it's really tiring to do.." @reddeR

"I don't want to do that again! I hurt you!" My mind races with countless terrible thoughts of what could have happened, and berating myself for putting you in harms way. Lute even looks upset. "I will never do that again, Hero, I'm sorry!" I say, hating myself for being so foolish. @Cecil

"..Yuoko. It's not your fault." He shook his head. "..It's an issue of my own strength. My body isn't used to the amount of mana needed to do something like this, so it's just overwhelming to try and control it. I'll be fine." He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Everything's fine. I'll live." @reddeR

"I know better, though!" I grind the palms of my hands against my eyes and sigh. When he puts his hand on my shoulder I turn into him and step close, leaning against him, to rest my head on his shoulder. My guilt permeates every thought. @Cecil

He just shook his head and pulled her close. "It's alright. I can grow strong enough to withstand it, it'll just take time, and if more of those monsters show up, I need to be strong enough to handle it. Don't worry." @reddeR

His reassurances and embrace feel nice. My mind immediately goes from guilt, to more physical sensations. He can feel his arms around me, and how good it makes me feel. He can feel my heart race, and my nervousness, and my longing. He can feel my affection for him. I don't pull away or try to block him out, either. I welcome him to these feelings of mine. I open myself to him. I share myself with him. @Cecil

He.. still didn't know how to handle her emotions, her longing for him, since he didn't know how to handle his own emotions toward her. There was definitely some attraction there that he knew she could feel, but.. How the hell would they do anything about it? A quiet thought came to the back of his mind, though it was quickly drowned out by his own concerns. He took a deep breath, glancing in the direction of the little girl. "..Let's head back inside and get some food." @reddeR

I hold on just a moment longer, not wanting to let go. Then I pull away and quickly scoop Lute into my arms and toss her up in the air. She looks startled, shocked, but I catch her just fine. She grabs onto me and starts yelling. "No! No! No!" Followed by an angry string of babbles. I feel like I'm being severely scolded. "You know, you don't have to be so grown up yet, Lute. You need to have fun, too." I put her on her own feet and she stomps over to Kale and grabs onto his pant leg, then glares at me. "Hey, I was just playing!" My ears flick back briefly and I roll my eyes. "Great, someone else who doesn't play." @Cecil

"..Maybe you just scared her." He offered, reaching down and picking her up. Instead of tossing her up, he put her on his shoulders and stood up again, glancing up at her to see his reaction. @reddeR

I watch, arms crossed as I pout slightly. At first she grabs onto his head, eyes closed. But after a moment she cracks open one eye, then the other, and looks around. She still hugs his head tight, but she doesn't look afraid. She looks curious. Which makes me pout more. @Cecil

He smiled as he looked up at her. "Don't worry, Yuoko. She'll come around to you eventually. Now come on, let's get some food." He turned and started walking back to the cabin, gently bouncing his shoulders as he walked. When they got inside, Kale set Lute down on the bed and quickly got to throwing together another cooked fish in herbs with bread for them all to enjoy, and then he sat down on the bed to eat.

( @reddeR dammit i forgot to ping again)

I follow you both inside and sit on the bed with Lute. I give her a chilly look, and when she discovers my tail I flick it away from her and put my ears back. My mind fills with irritated thoughts and grumpy complaints. I seem less than happy about Lute all of a sudden. @Cecil

He looked in Yuoko's direction, raising a brow at her. "..Are you alright, Yuoko? It's not like you to be this irritated." @reddeR

I just want her to like me! I think, sounding very petulant and childish. I cross my arms and grump. Lute grabs at my tail again, falling onto it and hugging it. I look over at Kale. Why is she being so cute now? She yelled at me before, and now she is... Not. She doesn't like me the same way she likes you! She doesn't follow me around, or copy what I do! I turn toward her and pull my tail away gently. She climbs in my lap and stands up, grabbing at my ears. When my ears twitch away from her grabbing fingers, she lets out a burst of laughter, topples backwards into her butt, and claps her hands. I look bewildered, my eyes shift from her to Kale and back. What is so funny?!! @Cecil

"..Well, I did frequently go to the town while gathering the resources to summon you. Maybe she just remembers me from some vague memory. Other than that, I dunno. Maybe she just feels a sort of kinship." He sat down beside the two of them, watching Lute try to play with Yuoko's ears. "Maybe she didn't like how you were trying to play before, but she's showing you how she actually wants to." @reddeR

"I don't know how she wants to play! I'm a kitsune! I play like kitsunes play!" I protest, then, as Lute stands back up and comes to hold onto me and reach for my hears again, only to giggle when they twitch away from her questing fingers, I smile a little bit. "She likes to play like this?" I ask, finding it strange and funny. "Humans are so strange!" @Cecil

"..Yeah, we are pretty strange." He nodded. Then, his attention turned to the door and he frowned, his mind turning back to the dream he had the previous night. "..Yuoko, i'm going to be doing a quick look around the surrounding area tonight. I'm getting a bad feeling." Taking a deep breath, he looked down at his left arm as his fingers twitched. If one of those things showed up again.. He hoped that he'd be able to activate that lightning power again, since it was the only thing he had that really did any damage to them, even if it was exhausting to use. @reddeR

"be careful, Hero!" I say, grabbing Lute so she doesn't try to follow him. "Are you sure you don't need me to go with you? I can keep your mana full!" I sound worried, and Lute struggles to get free from my arms for a moment, then pouts. @Cecil

He picked up his new bow and glanced back at them. "..No, i'd rather have you here with Lute. Someone needs to keep an eye on her, and I have more than magic to fight with now. I'll be fine." ..He hoped. As he put the sword on his hip and slung the quiver over his shoulder, he took a deep breath and glanced out the window. He'd just take a quick look around, patrol the immediate area.. It wouldn't take long, and then he'd just come back and watch over the two directly. @reddeR

I watch you go out, then put lute down on the bed and run to the window. I watch you walk off into the rain, dissappearing quickly. I wait as long as I can, but in the end, I tell Lute to stay on the bed and slip out the door. Only when I'm outside do I let myself actually think about where I am. Hero? Where are you? I think to you. I'm already outside, I want to go with you! @Cecil

"Dammit, Yuoko! You need to stay at the cabin! If what I saw was true.." ..Then they both were in danger, with or without him. "Yuoko. Go grab Lute and hide. I have a terrible feeling that one of those monsters will be coming, and it'll hurt you both. I'm on my way back." It had only been a handful of minutes, but he was paranoid. Turning on his heel, he started running back. @reddeR

I hesitate, then turn and run toward the house. The door is open when I get there. Oh no! I run inside and search for Lute, but don't see her anywhere. I run back outside. I can't see very far in the pouring rain. It seems like it has only rained heavier with each day. "Lute?!!" I cry out, "Lute!!!" I practically scream for her. "Lute!! Come back! Lute! I'm sorry! Please come back..." My mind is filled with guilt. I should never have left her alone! I search frantically, getting absolutely soaked as I peer under bushes and behind logs. Then the terrifying sound of one of the storm beasts shrieking tears through the forest- followed by the terrified scream of a little girl. @Cecil

He had gotten to the door as he heard the scream, his eyes going wide and his skin paling. No. No. His nightmare would not come true. Kale ran toward the sound, and he could feel his arms getting surrounded by lightning as he ran. The uncontrolled bit into his skin with little sharp pains that he didn't seem to notice. He needed to save Lute. @reddeR

the storm beast grabs the girl with it's toothed beak and picks her up. She screams and screams. The beast looks over as Kale bursts into the clearing. "Hero!" Lute screams, reaching her arms toward him, still crying.

The only thing Yuoko heard was his shouting in her mind. "Let her go! Now!" He lunged forward, slashing at the monster's side with his sword, lightning arcing from his arm into it. Every time the lightning jumped, a sharp pain was left on his arm. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit! @reddeR

"Lute!" I scream, running toward them as fast as I can. The beast whips it's incredibly long tail around, catching Kale across the legs and knocking him away. Lute cries in it's jaws still, thick globs of drool drip from it's open maw. I run at the the beast, snarling as I leap onto it's back and kitsunebi bursts from my hands . It screams, almost dropping Lute, then its tail whips around and catches me, throwing me from it's back. It opens it's wings and starts to take to the air again, Lute crying heartbreakingly. @Cecil

He hit the ground hard, pain flaring up as he hit his head against a root of a tree and dazing him. Then, combined with the pain from Yuoko getting hit, Kale was absolutely out for the count for a solid minute before he was able to make sense of his surroundings again. He watched the beast fly away with the child, his heart hurting at her cries. As they disappeared, he slammed his fist into the ground. "Dammit!" He punched the ground again. "Dammit.. I.." ..He wasn't strong enough. His dream.. It had been a warning, and he didn't do what he needed to do to stop it from happening. He failed. He punched the ground again, catching his knuckle on the edge of a stone and splitting the skin, though he didn't seem to care about the pain. He stared at where the beast had gone, and then he slowly stood. He had failed. @reddeR

I watch him, picking myself up slowly and moving toward him. He hits the ground, making me wince as I feel his finger being gashed open. Tears fall down my face. "What are you doing, Hero? We have to go! We have to get her!" I cry, "we can't waste time! Come on!" I start off into the woods, after the creature. @Cecil

"..We need to grab some things from the cabin first, so we're not completely fucked." He turned his head back to the cabin. "..I'll go throw together a travel pack, and then i'll catch up with you. I know these woods quite well." With that, he made his way back to the cabin and quickly started gathering traveling supplies. Some bedding so they wouldn't be sleeping on the hard ground, an old tent to protect them from the rain, among some cooking supplies and a knife. They'd be traveling light, but he didn't really have much to travel with. Then, he left the cabin and started working to catch up to Yuoko. @reddeR

I move in the same direction as the creature. Straight toward the blackest clouds, the heaviest rain. Into the heart of the storm. I don't know what I will find when I get there, but I hope to find Lute. "Why did they take her, Hero? Why would they take her back with them?"

20:29

@Cecil

"..This storm isn't natural. My guess is that whatever summoned the stom commanded the beasts to capture people. I can't know for sure, though.." It was clear that he still blamed himself for what happened. There was an edge to his thoughts that wasn't there before.. @reddeR

I travel fast in the woods, as it's my natural habitat. Having Kale in my mind ensures he knows where I go, but I pull ahead steadily. As fast as Kale can move, I can move faster, and through more difficult terrain. I am a fox, a kitsune, moving is what we do. @Cecil

He wasn't happy with her rushing off ahead of him, but he raised no protest. She wanted to find Lute just as much as he did, and having her lead the way would warn him of any danger. Although, if she got into danger herself, there was no knowing if she could handle it.. Either way, he trekked onward, moving through the brush at a determined pace, bow in hand. @reddeR

I don't know if I could handle any danger either, and cheerfully admit as much. "Honestly, Hero, everything is different here! I only had a fox body where I was before! And the magic is all different!" I admit as I make my way under and through a patch of stickers. @Cecil

"..Different doesn't necessarily mean 'better', unfortunately.." He sighed, continuing to try and catch up. This'd be difficult, trying to keep up all the time in case something went wrong.. He didn't know what he'd do if she ended up getting hurt. Or killed. Or captured. Or anything that could happen to her as they ventured further into the storm. He had already failed one of them once.. He didn't intend on doing so again. It had been so empty before he had managed to summon Yuoko.. And he wasn't sure if he could go back to that. @reddeR

"don't get your hopes up, Hero, it's gonna be a lot harder than that to get rid of me!" I assure him. "We just need to teach Lute to be more like a kitsune!" I scramble up an embankment and pull myself over the edge, then freeze, gazing out ahead of me. "Hero..." I send a mental picture of what I'm seeing. It's the edge of the woods, but there is a raging river. It's flooded it's banks with the rain. As I look, a tree nearby tears its roots up and falls, spanning the river. I look at it, seeing the potential to cross. @Cecil

He didn't like the idea of crossing a tree like that.. He wasn't incredibly agile, unlike her, and if either of them fell in.. Well, it was safe to say that it wouldn't be fun for them. And if his dream was right in one sense, it'd be possible that it'd be right in another sense, and crossing that river would be very dangerous, so suffice to say, Kale was very nervous as she sent the image. "..Is that the only way across nearby?" @reddeR

"I don't know, I haven't looked!" I admit. "I think I can cross though, it looks easy!" Just then, another tree comes racing down the river and slams into the one spanning the water. More of the roots tear free, allowing the log to shift more toward the water. The sound is loud and shocking. I cover my ears, eyes on the log. "..." @Cecil

He finally caught up with her, just as the log was crashing into the other one, and he grimaced. "..I think it just got a whole lot more difficult." He didn't like this one bit. His dream would not come true again.. @reddeR

"are we doing this? We should go before anything else happens!" I say, already heading toward the log. Being a fox spirit, I'm quite fleet of foot, and have never been afraid of challenges to my physical ability. However, while I can swim, I'm not the strongest swimmer, and raging river would be difficult for even the strongest swimmer to cross. I try not to allow my apprehension to reach Kale by ignoring it myself. I climb up the root ball, clinging to the twisted, gnarled roots and getting covered in dirt. Once I am on top of the log, I can feel the whole thing straining as the branches are pulled powerfully by the swollen river. The whole log sways and vibrates. It won't be long before the log shifts again. @Cecil

He watched nervously as she began to cross. It had to be quite treacherous, with the log able to shift as the riverwater slammed against it at such high speeds. "Be careful, Yuoko. I don't want you to fall." @reddeR

"no worries, Hero, I don't want to fall either!" I assure him, looking back to smile at him. I get to the branches part of the tree and start sending my way through them carefully. It's much easier than it looks, as I now have something to hold onto. A loud cracking and splashing sound reaches us from upriver. The water surges, splashing over the end of the tree. I cling to the branches so I don't get washed away. My heart races as adrenalin surges. I'm about halfway across the river, and I'm certain another tree has fallen in the water upstream. "Hero! I'm scared!"

07:56

@Cecil

..No. He heard that sound, he knew what it meant. He needed to do something, or else Yuoko would get thrown from the tree and down the river. He wasn't going to let that happen, he wouldn't fail her. As the log swiftly approached, his mind was racing trying to figure out what he could do, and he ended up shoving his hands out, trying to will the log away. It was stupid, but.. what else COULD he do? Yuoko could feel a sudden surge of energy coming from him, the same kind of surge that came whenever he used his own magic. When she looked up, she could see the log flying through the air, large bubbles of water underneath it, carrying it above her head. It dropped into the river on the other side with a loud splash, and then Kale collapsed onto one knee, trying to catch his breath. ..What the hell just happened? @reddeR

I freeze, torn between going back and moving forward. I don't know what to do! "Hero! Tell me what to do?!!" I plead. He needs me to replenish his mana! I start to slowly move back down the bare trunk of the tree, toward him. The tree sways dangerously and earth crumbles more around the roots. "Hero!" I cry out, wishing I could hear your voice just this once.

18:03

@Cecil

"Go! Don't risk coming back here!" He just needed a moment to breathe. A moment to regain his composure. "Keep going! I'll find a way across and meet back up with you, okay? You're faster, you're more used to the forested terrain, you'll be able to catch up with that monster easier!" He waved his hand in a shooing motion. One of them needed to keep moving, and he wasn't in any state to be doing so. "Go! NOW!" @reddeR

"Lute!" I turn and race over the log, looking almost like I will drop to all four any moment. I maneuver the branches effortlessly, and leap off the trunk onto the far bank, rolling as I land. I stop and look back at you just as the log suddenly breaks down the bank and turns over. I watch sadly as it is pulled more and more into the current. "I have to go, hero!" I reluctantly turn away, then turn back one more time. "Be safe! I need you!" This time I turn and run fast, quickly dissappearing into the undergrowth and pouring rain.

04:52

@Cecil

Letting out a quiet sigh, he slowly climbed to his feet. He couldn't make it across here, so instead he started walking upstream to find an easier place for him to cross. It was slowgoing, what with him feeling just.. so tired, but he'd do what he needed to do. This storm wasn't going to clear up any time soon, there was something unnatural about it. Waiting for the river to calm down wasn't an option. It took a solid hour before he found another way to cross, having to move up the river and then back down until he found something sturdy enough for him to pass over. Now that he was across, though with a few scrapes and cuts from losing his footing, he was doing his best to catch up to Yuoko. @reddeR

The rain falls heavier the farther I go. Soon I am on the sides of a jagged stone mountain. It had once been a much gentler mountain, but rain had washed it away down to bare stone. Climbing it is impossible, with the way the water is pouring off. More and more earth washes away from it, making it seem to grow larger and larger out of the earth. At the very peak of the mountain, a single tree grows in a single ray of sunshine. The storm beasts circle the peak, seeming to be afraid of it. "What is it, Hero?" I ask , showing him everything I see.

@Cecil

*"..I'm.. not sure. Why does the beast seem.. afraid of the tree? Wait there, i'll do my best to catch up to you as soon as I can." Was that tree the source of the storm? If so, why was the beast scared of it? What kind of magic was radiating from the tree..? There was something strange going on there that he really didn't like.. @reddeR

I manage to accidentally find a cave in the rock face of the mountain. Inside of it is relatively dry, though water pours down over the entrance, concealing it from view. "A safe place!" I sniff around, finding no trace of any other animals using the cave. There have been no animals but the storm beasts for quite a ways. I can hear them outside, their shriek making goosebumps stand out on my arms. @Cecil

..As she discovered the cave, he nodded to himself. At least they'd have a place to have shelter from the rain, and it'd give them a way to investigate the mountain without getting attacked. It'd be.. Difficult, he was sure, but they'd be able to do it. No, they had to do it. That tree meant something important to whatever was causing this storm. Slowly, he crested the hill and began approaching Youko. "I'm almost there!" @reddeR

"can you see me?" I ask as I jump out of the cave. I burst through a wall of water as if I materialized from the rock itself. I spot you right away and wave you toward me. The cave, being relatively dry, is a good place to rest and regroup. @Cecil

"I see you!" He carefully descended to her, going into the cave. "..I think this'd be a good place to rest for tonight. It's been a long few hours, and i'm pretty tired. But, I don't think it'd be a good idea for us to just sleep at the same time, at least for right now. One of us should keep watch for a few hours, and then wake up the other one to cover the rest of the night. Who knows what's out here?"

( @reddeR )

"I don't need to rest yet, you get some sleep. I'll keep watch. But... I would like to lay down with you please? I want to be near you." I look at you hopefully, at how wet and cold you are, thinking my heat would warm him nicely. @Cecil

"..As long as you're actually keeping watch. And please, wake me up so I can actually take watch in a few hours so you can sleep as well." He shrugged, setting down his bag and weapons before putting together a pile of bedding so he wouldn't be on the cold, hard ground of the cave and would sleep.. somewhat comfortably. He laid down and closed his eyes, absolutely exhausted. @reddeR

I watch him prepare his bed, then lay down. Instantly, I lay down with him, tangling our limbs together and pressing myself close to him. This time I even take his hands and put his arms around me, so he holds me close and tight. "Do not worry, Hero. I will not fall asleep on my watch." I assure him, then rest my head against him so that I can see the door. For the next three or four hours, I diligently watch the water pour down over the entrance. At one point I see movement through the water, dark, vague shapes that can hardly be seen through the cascading rainwater. They seem to sticker around for just a few moments before dissappearing from sight, so I don't wake Hero. After a good king while, I start to gently nuzzle into Hero's neck, and snuffle at his ear. "Hero, wake up! Please Hero, it's been so long!" When he doesn't respond, I lay my head so I can see his face. My face is just a breath away from his. I reach with my hand to stroke some of his hair from his face and look at him. I like touching him like this. I gently caress his face again, this time letting my fingertips trace his lips. The things in my mind are enough to make me blush, but I don't stop. I trace his jaw, and stroke his cheek back to his ear. I follow his cheekbones, and his nose, and his brow. I imagine touching all these parts of him with my lips. I want to badly. @Cecil

He stirred slowly, barely conscious of her touch against his face for the first few seconds, before his eyes slowly opened and he looked at Youko. "..I'm awake.." When he noticed how she was touching his face, and his mind registered the thoughts she was having, she could see that his face lit up like a tomato. "..Uh.." How was he supposed to respond to this situation? Here he was, waking up beside her like this, and that's what she was feeling.. His arms were already around her, so he couldn't do anything like that.. Did he really want to.. Yes, yes he really did. But what if he went in and she refused? That'd make things so incredibly awkward, which is something he didn't want to happen.. "..Youko.." Taking a breath to calm himself down, he pulled her in for a kiss. @reddeR

My mind goes completely blank when his lips meet mine. I freeze, then mold myself to him, arms around him, body pressed tight against his. No thoughts go through my mind, just the most incredible feeling of fulfillment, of validation, of need. I won't pull away from this kiss first. Instead, my lips part and my tongue tentatively ventures toward your mouth, wanting to taste you. @Cecil

She faced no resistance as her lips parted. In fact, the fact that she was leaning into it just spurred him on as he started to become more and more bold, becoming more and more passionate as he kissed her. @reddeR

"Hero! Yes! Please, yes!" I finally form coherent thought as our tongues explore each other's mouths. The longer I kiss you, the more I want to. I want to be claimed by you. I want you to put your marks on me, and your seed inside of me, and tell all of them that I'm yours and only yours. Because I am only yours. @Cecil

As their kissing got more and more passionate, his hands began to wander around her body, searching for anything that would make her feel good. One hand kept her close, while the other traced down her body and ultimately ended up between her legs, rubbing against the fabric of her panties. @reddeR

I break the kiss when I feel him touch my sex. I gasp, surprised, but make no effort to stop him. In fact my body gives every encouragement. He would find my panties wet within moments of touching me. I hold him tightly, and my hips tilt into his touch as my thighs part. "Hero?" I ask, uncertainty hitting me hard from nowhere. "are you... Are you sure you want this?" @Cecil

As he felt how wet she was getting, he understood the message perfectly. Her body wanted this. She wanted this. There had been this.. tension.. building between them for a long while now, and now that tension was about to snap. His fingers dug further into her, rubbing her harder through her panties. "..I.. I don't just want this.. A part of me NEEDS this.." It was a feeling that he wasn't accustomed to at all. This raw, burning need that they shared. "I need you" @reddeR

Pleasure and excitement and validation, joy, and a giddy anticipation fill me so completely it overflows into his own mind. "Hero I NEED you!" I moan. I can feel his need for me, as well as my own. It consuming and overwhelming and arousing. @Cecil

With her arousal overflowing into his own mind, it was absolutely impossible to ignore. He adjusted himself on the bedding, his hand slipping into her panties and immediately entering her, fingering her pussy with no mercy as he invaded her mouth with his tongue again. Deep down, was there a part of him that had summoned her here for this? Was a part of him just.. lonely and frustrated? Well, it didn't matter. This was happening now. @reddeR

As soon as his finger enters me I erupt with sensation. I want him so badly, and I can feel how badly he wants me. I give in to all of it. I unfasten his pants and slip my hand in to begin stroking his cock. I moan passionately as I experience the pleasure he drives from this act. "Hero it feels so good to touch you!" I exclaim, writhing under you. I feel frantic with how much sensation I'm feeling. @Cecil

He pulled away from the kiss to stare her in the eyes. "Fuck.. Youko.. That.. This.. I.." He could barely form a coherent thought as he- they- were feeling just that good. His free hand went to her chest, groping it through her clothes before undoing her top and continuing to feel up her now-exposed breasts, cock throbbing in her hands as she stroked him. There was just so much he was feeling, it felt incredible and overwhelming and he knew that he'd want to experience this again. And again. He needed her more than he was getting. His hips subconscious thrusted into her hand, his hands staying busy as he began to kiss her neck. "I love you, Youko!" @reddeR

I go blank again. From the overwhelming sensations of both our bodies, to nothing but a faint ringing sound that completely overrides every thought in my mind. "You do?" I ask, "do you really? Because I love you, Hero! I've loved you for so long!" I'm so happy I want to cry. I want to shout my joy on top of this mountain. I Want to celebrate. I want to have you so deep inside of me we can never be seperated. "Now. Hero, I need you NOW!" I frantically writhe under him, eager for more. "Please, Hero!"

12:54

@Cecil

..He couldn't take it any more. He drew both of his hands back, pulling her panties with them. Sitting up, he positioned himself so he was leaning over her, his dick prodding at her entrance. "..Youko.. Fuck.. I.. I love you so much." He grabbed her hips and thrusted, pulling her toward him as he pushed into her, beginning to fuck her. @reddeR

I cry out, my back arching, gasping as I feel him enter me, and also feel him enter me. For a moment I can't remember how to breath. I grab onto him, and as he starts to thrust his hips my body instinctively meets each thrust. The sound of our bodies coming together fills the cave, accompanied by my breathless moans and whimpers. "Hero! Hero! Oh god, Kale! Yes!!" I writhe under him, lost in both of our pleasures as tension builds rapidly in my center.

14:15

@Cecil

This was.. an amazing feeling. Absolutely amazing. His own pleasure from her tight pussy combined with the pleasure she was getting from him.. It created an unbelievable mix of feelings and emotions as they both called out to the other. His thrusts started to speed up, his grip tightening on her hips as he felt her tension building. "..What.. What is this feeling..? I feel.. amazing.." @reddeR

My body continues to build more and more tension as sensation explodes with each thrust. My toes curl, my hands clench into fists, and my passionate cries become more urgent as I finally reach my peak. My body spasms, my walls clench around his cock. "Hero! Yes, oh god yes Kale!" I exclaim when I collapse back to the bed. Every nerve pulses with the most incredible energy. @Cecil

As she reached her peak, he stopped thrusting as he felt everything through their link. "..Wha.." He looked down at her, surprised, confused, and still really fucking aroused by the situation. After just a few moments of just.. feeling what she was, he renewed his efforts, pressing down further into her with every thrust. Him fucking her like this.. That's what caused that feeling, so he knew that she was feeling just absolutely incredible, not to mention how she was clenching him. "..I.. I'm going to make you feel that again!" @reddeR

I clutch at him as he starts moving again. For a brief moment I feel a confused, overstimulated sensation, but it rapidly becomes more pleasurable than anything. The pressure of his cock makes me tremble and gasp as he pushes deeper into me. "You... You are?" I seem surprised, and impressed, and eager. "I want to make you feel that, Hero!" I insist. "I want to be filled with your seed, I want you to cum inside of me!"

18:05

@Cecil

At this point, he had wrapped his arms around her instead of grabbing her hips, passionately kissing her as his thrusts got faster and rougher. At this point, she could tell that he was getting very close, but he didn't want to cum yet. Not until he pushed her past that peak again. "..Cum for me again, Youko." @reddeR

It takes a bit longer for me to reach that point again, but with how close he is,, and bring able able to feel how close he is,, it doesn't take long. I arch up from the bedding, my hips crashing into hiss. I don't have to say anything at all, just kiss him and let myself peak as he does. The sensation is incredible! I feel him cum, I feel his seed erupt into me, and I feel myself being filled. It's intense. My own release rocks me, I cum hard, squirting my pleasure to soak his balls and the ground under us. I cling to him tightly, caught in both of our bliss. "I love you, Kale, you're my favorite person ever." I pant breathlessly. @Cecil

As he finally reached his own peak, he pulled her close as he thrusted all the way in, shooting as deep inside as he could, a silent moan coming from him as both of their pleasure went through his body in waves. As he was coming down from the pleasure, he remained in that position with her for several minutes, just basking in.. everything that had just happened. After that time, he got off of her and plopped down onto the bedding beside her. "..Fuck.. We're definitely doing that again at some point.. I love you, Youko. So much." He put an arm around her and pulled her close. @reddeR

"...happy!..." My mind is still, quiet and content in his arms. I could easily forget about the whole rest of the world right here. I want to stay with him here forever. "I love you Kale! I love you more!" Keeping track of important things is particularly difficult for me, but something nags at the back of my mind. I'm forgetting something. "Lute!" I suddenly exclaim, "Hero! We have to get to Lute!" @Cecil

He sat up quickly. "..Right. You woke me up to take watch, right? You haven't slept at all, have you?" He was quickly dressing himself again, grabbing his bow. @reddeR

"I'm fine, Hero, I don't need to sleep yet." I'm say. I'm feeling particularly invigorated now, and not the least bit ready for sleep. I blush when I think it, though, and glance down to the ground. "I think a storm beast was outside, earlier, though. We should be careful." @Cecil

"If you're sure." He nodded, moving to the mouth of the cave and peering through the water. "Get dressed and we can head out. We'll keep this cave as a little base until we figure out what's going on here." Slinging his bow over his back, he glanced back and nodded to her. "Agreed. If it notices us, I should be able to take it out if needed." @reddeR

I quickly get my clothes back on, then peer out of the cave with him. "It's not going to be easy, getting up the mountain. I hope we can find a way to get up there." I hold my arm up to try and keep the water off of my face and jump through the water quickly, as if I could keep myself from getting to wet in the downpour. It doesn't work, and I end up soaked through, just like before. @Cecil

He looked up at the cliff face, an idea striking him. "Youko, come here. Give me your hand and access to your magic, I have an idea to get us up there." @reddeR

I immediately comply, grabbing his hand and pouring my mana out into him. I have the utmost trust for my hero. I don't need to question him. I just watch what he will do with the mana I make available to him, and wait to see what happens. @Cecil

As he felt the magic flow into him, he placed his hands onto the stone and channeled it to create stairs of sorts for them to climb. *"There we go! Come on!" He began climbing up with her, creating more of these stairs as they went. @reddeR

I can feel the mana pouring through me and into him, and it feels incredible. It's easier now, too. Its almost effortless to pass mana to him, and I find I can continue to do so even when we are not touching physically. It's still a difficult climb. The water pours down the side of the mountain, trying to push our feet out from under us with every step. Progress is slow, and there is the risk of the storm beasts finding us at any moment. @Cecil

He took it slow and steady as they climbed, crouching down low any time he heard one of the storm beasts make any kind of noise. An idea slowly came to his mind, and he pressed a hand against the wall, closing his eyes for a few moments before creating a barrier of water around them, essentially creating a tunnel to protect them and the earth they were climbing on, from the rain. With Youko at his side, it wasn't too tiring to do, so it'd make the climb so much easier. @reddeR

The watery tunnel also helps make us less visible, and I marvel at the brilliant idea. "You're so smart, hero! You even made us dry!" I observe, almost bounding up the stairs as the form. @Cecil

"I'm learning all kinds of new things about what I can do.." He nodded, running after her. "We should still be careful, though, Youko!" @reddeR

"yes, of course, but Lute!" I don't slow down, instead I begin using my hands on the stairs, basically running up them full speed on all fours. I don't even slow when I pass the point where he's created stairs and out from under the dry area he made. I burst into the rain, and only as the water drenched me again do I realize my mistake. By then it's to late. A storm beast lets out a blood curdling shriek and I feel it's hot breath and the piercing pain if it's teeth embedding in my sides. I struggle and flail at it, using my own claws and teeth, until I realize it's brought me up into the air. I don't want it to drop me from this height. "I guess I found a faster way up the mountain, Kale!" I think, trying not to panic. @Cecil

"Youko, wait-" He tried to call out to her as he saw the storm beast quickly approaching, but it was too late. As she was carried off into the air, he did his best to make his way up the rest of the mountain while she was being carried up. "I'm coming, Youko! I'll catch you!" He was ready to channel the mana he had gotten from her to catch her when she fell, and he was preparing a strike of water if the beast tried to hurt her. @reddeR

The beasts razor sharp teeth stab into my sides, but it's clear it's not trying to kill me. It flies to the top of the mountain, where the single tree is in the beam of sunlight, then unceremoniously drops me on the mountaintop and flies away. The first thing I see is Lute. She seems to be sound asleep, laying in a cage of sorts made from the living tree roots. "Lute!" @Cecil

He quickly climbed up the rest of the way, closing the distance between him and Youko. "The hell..? Why did it just leave you up here?" He put a hand on Youko's shoulder. "..I don't like this. Something's definitely off with this whole thing. Stay here, i'll check it out." Slowly walking over to the tree, he left the barrier of water to keep Youko protected as he approached. The first thing he examined was the cage made out of the roots. @reddeR

There is no opening in the cage big enough for Lute to be pulled through, and many thin roots seem to have grown right against her skin, wrapping around her and cradling her in the tree's embrace. No rain touches this mountaintop, and the storm beasts continue to circle it. I am not as focused on Lute as he approaches the tree, which allows me to see the subtle way the area where no rain falls grows as he gets closer to the tree. My eyes widen as I watch this happen. "But what does it mean?!!" @Cecil

"..Why has this tree created a cage around her..?" He gently reached out to the tree, running his fingers on the bark. Closing his eyes, he had a thought- His mind was attuned to nature. Maybe he could reach out to the tree itself and try and understand the tree's intent. Channeling some of his own mana, not Youko's, he attempted to form a connection with the tree to be able to communicate with it, even if it was simple communication. Why did it need the girl? Why did it seem like it was controlling the beasts? Did it want something from him? @reddeR

The moment his mana enters the tree, the tree pulls, dragging more and more mana from him. Parts of the tree grow rapidly, entangling his hand and arm tightly. The tree pulls harder and harder, taking his mana into itself. The area of no rainfall grows rapidly as well, and the storm beasts scream their terrible screams. I run to him, grab onto him, try to pry the branches away. "Stop! Stop hero! Don't let it have any more!" I cry out into his mind. @Cecil

As soon as he realized what was happening, he drew his knife from his belt and began cutting at the branches to free his arm. Due to how little mana he actually had, however, it was quickly draining all of his strength. When he managed to break enough branches to free himself, he stumbled backward and fell, trying to catch his breath quickly. "..Fuck.. Youko, I need mana. I need to get Lute out of there! If it's draining from me, it's draining from her, too!" @reddeR

"but Lute isn't a mage! She has no mana! What is it draining from her?" I ask frantically. I approach Lute and try to reach her through the branches. The moment I touch the tree, I feel it pulling. With how much mana I have, it knows it can take much from me. I pull away, afraid it will find a way to force me to give it my mana. I hurry back to hero and place my hands on him to fill him with my mana. @Cecil

Once he was recharged, he pushed himself up to his feet. "We don't know if she's a mage or not. It's entirely possible that she just has unknown power." Pulling out his sword, he approached the tree, trying to slash at the cage holding Lute. "I'm going to try and get her out of here." @reddeR

The moment the blade touches the tree, there is a shriek from the storm beasts and they seem to go into a frenzy. They try to land on the mountaintop, but as soon as they reach the area of sunlight they flinch and veer off. Unfortunately, also as your blade touches the tree, the area free from rain shrinks dramatically. @Cecil

"..Youko. I'm going to need more mana." He created a barrier of water around the two of them again, with a single opening for his sword, not letting a single drop of magically-charged water touch the tree. If he could just cut the part of the tree that had the cage off, he'd be able to get to Lute easier. All it'd take was some persistence and a lot of preparation, as they'd be under attack of storm beasts before too much longer. @reddeR

"okay, but hero...we want the storm to end, right? Because the...the tree, when it took your mana the sunbeam got bigger. And when you attacked it, it got smaller." I point out, "what if the tree has something to do with... Not with the storm, but with the GOOD weather?" I don't really know what I'm talking about, I just point out my observations and thoughts. "what if attacking the tree will make this storm last forever?" @Cecil

"..We don't know how much that'd actually require, though. If we're going to try this.." He looked down at his hand, letting out a sigh. "I can let it drain from me. You keep recharging me. That way we can control how much it gets. Got it? We'll do this carefully." @reddeR

I nod my head, thinking, "okay! That's a good idea!" Then I put my hands on him, against his skin, and begin to pour mana into him, slowly. I'm nervous, as I've never done this before, fed mana to an apparently magical tree that had the fate of the world on the line, and the life of a little girl I am trying to save. "Be careful, Hero. I need you, too." @Cecil

He took a deep breath, sheathing his sword. This was.. going to be painful, he was sure. Constantly having his energy drained by some kind of tree? Definitely not how he expected to spend today.. He slowly reached a hand out to the tree. "..Alright.. tree. Don't try and kill me.." @reddeR

The moment he touches the tree, it pulls. I can feel it through him, just like the tree can feel me. And it can feel me, of that I have no doubt. It pulls hard, and constantly, steadily taking mana as it passes through Kale. The tree chooses the rate at which mana is transfered. As it is fed, the space where no rain falls grows, slowly at first, but it gradually grows faster. From a single beam of light, just enough to illuminate the tree, to the entire mountaintop, then more. The shadow beasts flee the light, shrieking as they circle farther and farther away from us. It seems like the storm will dissapate, and take them with it. But for the first time in my life, I feel myself slowly running out of mana! "Hero, what will happen if I give it everything I have and it still wants more?" @Cecil

"Then you're going to let go." He replied, his eyes closed and a harsh grimace on his face. The constant transfer of mana was uncomfortable and exhausting, but if this was what would ensure the safety of Youko and Lute, he'd do it. "Once the tree lets Lute go, take her and get back to that cave. I won't be far behind." @reddeR

The tree also reacts to the mana being fed into it. It grows, gradually at first. New growth appears on the branches, then unfurls into fresh green foliage. The trunk twists and reaches for the clear sky above. Branches spread wide and high. But Lute does not get released. With alarm, I notice the roots around her thickening until I can barely see her through them. "It's not letting her go!" I lament. "You stupid tree! Give her back!" I shout out loud. The only response is a beautiful, haunting, pure call, like a musical instrument, or a bird call, and a large, orange and red feather that drifts down and lands nearby, then bursts into flame and turns to ash.

09:06

@Cecil

He tore his hand away from the tree, stumbling back a few paces. "..Dammit. Dammit! I knew it wasn't a good idea! The storm's clear, but the damn thing isn't going to release her." His gaze lowered. There had to be something he could do. But.. not with both of them so drained, and not with so little knowledge. He watched the feather fall and turn to ash, eyes narrowing. There was something more to this tree. Something far greater than it just being a tree. He kneeled down and examined the ash closer before sighing. "We need rest, Youko. Can you go grab our things from the cave?" @reddeR

"of course! I'll be back before you know it!" With that, and a flick of my ears, I turn and run to the stairs he made to come up. Suddenly, I stop, almost skidding from how fast I turn around and run back. I run into Kale hard enough that he stumbles, but I'm small enough that he doesn't fall. I kiss him, deeply, holding his face as I consume him passionately. Then, just as suddenly, I turn and dissappear over the edge, heading down the stairs with all the speed I have in my kitsune spirit. It doesn't take long to get to the bottom, much less time than it takes going up. The rain has stopped falling here, under the opening around the tree, so the cave is easy to find. I grab Kale's bedroll, quickly pack it up and tie it to his pack, then hoist the pack into my back. I may be small, but I'm strong and force and stubborn. If you tell me I can't do something I wasn't to do, I will do it anyway. Hauling the heavy pack back up the mountain is exhausting. It takes much longer to get up the stairs than it did the first time. I almost wish a storm beast would grab me and take me to the top. It's difficult, but I persist. When I finally make it to the top I am tired, out of breath, and trembling from exertion. I just lay down at the edge and curl up, pack still on my back. "I... I made it! I did it, Hero!" @Cecil

He had to catch himself as Youko turned and ran back into him, locking him in a passionate kiss that surprised him more than anything. He hadn't expected it, so it absolutely threw him off balance for a few seconds until she disappeared. He stared after her, blinking a couple of times as he felt his face get warm. He turned his attention to setting up a small camp while he waited for her to return, and when she made it back to the top of the mountain, he walked over to her and took the pack from her. "You made it, yes you did. Good job, Youko. Let's get camp fully step up, and then we can rest." He kneeled down after putting the bag on his back and lifted her up gently. Kale carried her over to the place he had picked out, setting her down before setting up the bedroll and putting her in it. "There. I'll have some food ready in ten minutes or so. Rest up, Youko." Then, he went about the motions to finish setting up camp and begin cooking some food. He was cooking a fairly simple venison stew. Once it was done, he handed her a bowl of it and sat down beside her. @reddeR

I lift my head, then move just enough that I can rest It on his lap I eat the bowl of stew, then put the bowl aside and climb more fully in his lap, where I curl up against his chest and soon my breathing becomes slow and regular, sleep breathing. @Cecil

He watched her curl up in his lap and smiled. She really was adorable.. He'd do anything to help keep her safe. His eyes slowly turned to the tree. ..He'd figure out the secrets of this tree. It was going high into the sky, maybe he'd be able to figure out what secrets it held if he managed to climb it.. However he'd do that. And then there was the pile of ash where the feather had fallen. He didn't have much mana left.. But maybe.. Reaching out a hand to where the ash lay, Kale closed his eyes and drew upon what remained in him, trying to restore the feather from ash. It was a creation of nature, after all, and if the tree or whatever created it was the thing that left the feather.. Maybe having it with him would be of some use. @reddeR

As soon as you try to tap your own mana, mine flows into you. Even asleep, my mana seeks to provide what your body needs. Even depleted so much, I selflessly and thoughtlessly give mana to you. There is still some mana available to me, just a tiny trickle. It quickly tapers off as that, too, is exhausted. I hardly stir in my sleep, though my hand goes grip onto your shirt. @Cecil

When he realized that he was getting mana from her, he did his best to prevent her from giving him any more. She needed to rest and recover her mana more than he did, since she had so much more to recover. "..Just rest, Youko. Let me handle this." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before turning his attention back to the ash. Slowly, he tried to only draw on his own mana as he sought to reclaim the feather from its ashes. It wasn't easy, especially with how little mana he had left.. But now he was holding the feather in a hand, examining it. @reddeR

despite needing to be coaxed into reforming, the feather seems almost eager to do so, and once it is formed, remains stable, as though it hadn't ever been ash in the first place. It seems to be filling itself with traces of some form of mana, though not something Kale would have ever experienced before. Tiny traces of fire seem to ripple over the surface of the feather, though without damaging it in the least. The longer it is in this state, no longer ash, the more it seems to be building up that strange mana within itself. It would seem to be drawing it from the air around it, but, with enough time and observation, Kale might notice it would not draw mana if it wasn't in sunlight. @Cecil

He could feel the mana coursing through it as the sunlight was hitting it. Reaching up, he tucked it into his glove so the majority of the feather was still exposed. It was strange.. He could feel its mana. Maybe he could draw upon it when it gathered enough, whenever that'd be. For now, though, they both needed rest, so he laid down on the bedroll and closed his eyes, letting himself fall asleep quickly. @reddeR

as they slept, the tree put their gifted mana to use. It grew on top of the mountain, hoping to reach the last bit of sunlight left in the world. Now, it was going to reach it. Steadily, gradually, the tree grew larger, taller, and stronger. Its roots overgrew the mountain, though it was careful to avoid disturbing the sleeping pair. Its branches grew ever upward, it's trunk grew large around and straight and tall. It seemed there was no limit to how high the tree could reach. But it only had to grow just above the clouds to reach the sunlight. At the cloudline, the tree extended it's branches, opening itself out with a beautiful, green, leafy canopy that appeared to rest atop the clouds. As for Lute, once she was cradled high in the branches of the tree, she was plucked, like a ripe fruit. @Cecil

His eyes opened slowly in the morning, staring up at the tree in surprise. "..Youko." Well, now he had to figure out where the hell the tree had taken Lute.. Which mean he needed to find out what the tree led to. Untangling himself from Youko, he went through his belongings and pulled out another glove, pulling it on. "..I'm going to climb the tree. I'm going to need you to hold on tight to me as I climb, since I don't want either of us to give it any more mana than we already have. I need to find where it took her." @reddeR

I look at you incredulously. That looks like a very long way to climb, and of the two of us, I'm the better climber. But I can't cover my hands and feet and climb. At least the tree doesn't look like it will be difficult to climb, with it's deeply textured bark, and the way the trunk twists and winds it's way up itself. "You be careful, hero! If I get to heavy, I can put your cloak against the tree to hold onto through it so you can have a rest. Make as many stops as you can, and don't push to hard... I need you." Fortunately, I am small and light. I don't think it will be to difficult to carry me, if I hold on to your back just like your pack. @Cecil

He could understand her concerns about it, but he had been climbing trees for most of his life. This one couldn't be too much worse, right? Taking a deep breath, he gripped onto the tree and started to climb with her on his back. It wasn't the easiest thing he'd ever done, but it certainly wasn't as physically draining as it could be. At least the trunk wasn't soaked, and there wasn't any rain to make it more difficult. He took several breaks, roughly every twenty minutes of climbing, to help keep him from tiring out too quickly. @reddeR

"you're a good tree climber!" I observe, getting more comfortable with the arrangement as we go. During one of his breaks I direct his attention to the view from this high up. "We can see the whole world, Hero! It's beautiful!" However, there isn't much to do while holding on tight for this gradually rising ride up to the top of the world, and my mind tends to wander. I easily slip into daydreams, as usual starring Kale. Only now my daydreams go much further than the first, chaste kiss. Every time I remember he shares these vivid images I blush and hide my face into his shoulder, but it never takes long for me to forget and slip back into another fantasy. @Cecil

As he rested, Kale looked at the world below. "..That's.. Really high up." During one of the rests, he looked over at Youko. "You.. slip into these fantasies all the time. You really.. like to think about me like that." @reddeR

I blush and hide my face again. A flurry of though rushed through my mind, to much to make any sense of at all. "I'm sorry, Hero, I don't mean to!" I think vehemently, "I try not to, I really do, it's just hard to remember..." I sigh, blushing profusely as I hide my face. @Cecil

"I don't blame you for being bored. It's a long, long climb, with very little to do." He took a deep breath. "I have no idea if we're going to get to the top by tonight, and if we don't.. I need to figure out how we're going to sleep." @reddeR

I look up the tree skeptically. It is a long, long climb. "I don't know, Hero. You aren't getting tired? If we can just make it to the first branches..." But the first branches are near the top, a long way above us. My worry is easy to read. "You would tell me if you think you are to tired, won't you?" I ask. @Cecil

"You'd be able to feel if i'm getting tired." To be honest, he was moderately tired, but he could still keep going. A thought crossed his mind, though.. The higher they got, the more sun they'd be getting. That feather would be constantly charging. Closing his eyes for a few moments, he attuned his mana to the feather, allowing its energy to flow into him. It'd give him a constant boost to energy as long as the sun was out. After a few more minutes of rest, he started climbing again. @reddeR

I can feel the energy from the feather flowing into Kale, filling him with energy. Ii frown, then glare at the feather. He can feel my jealousy as I pout. "I can do that, Hero!" I think bitterly, "I guess you don't need my help, that feather can do my job? It isn't as heavy as me, either. I'm just more to carry!" I start to move around on your back, then he would feel my weight dissappear. I grab onto the tree, using my small, sharp black claws on my fingers and toes to grip the bark. I don't look at him, I just start climbing as fast as I can. "But your feather can't get Lute back, can it! And it can't climb as fast as me, either!" I climb quite fast. Almost recklessly fast. It doesn't seem to phase me when I slip a little, I just grab on tighter and keep climbing.

00:50

@Cecil

He looked up after her and sighed. All he wanted to do was not tire her out in case something happened.. But now she was mad at him and climbing ahead of him. She probably wouldn't listen to him if he tried to explain the situation, so he just needed to continue climbing and hope that he could catch up to her. @reddeR

Hard work will disipate any anger, given enough time, and while climbing isn't particularly difficult labor, there is plenty of it to be done. By the time I reach the lowest branch of the tree, with a proud and haughty air, I'm shaking with exertion, sweaty, and my irritationan irritation is gone without a trace. I look down the tree and see Hero still coming, and guilt washes over me. How silly, to be jealous of a feather. On another note, though, "Hero... The tree did not take any more of my mana!" @Cecil

He was still a far way from getting to the lowest branches, having more to carry than just her. At this point, he had stopped taking so many breaks, so he was exhausting himself a lot, lot more, even with the feather giving him energy. Now, however, he was leaning heavily on the tree, having to take a long breather. "..Good.. to know.." @reddeR

"are you going to make it up here?" I wonder. I consider how best to help him. Some way to pull him up would be good, but the concept of a rope and pully is beyond my mechanical mind. I have an idea, some way to use my own weight to bring his weight up, but bringing that idea to a fully realized plan would take experience with such simple machines. I can conceptualize something serving the purpose of a rope, but I couldnt actually tell him what we need is a rope. Given his unique insight into my mind, however to, Kale would be able to put my ideas into a plan, or at least fill in the blanks on what I am trying to envision. @Cecil

"I just.. need a moment.." He took several deep breaths as he tried to rest his exhausted arms. "..I doubt you have some rope.. But I have some in my pack here, if you're going to climb back down here to grab it. You can tie it to the first branches to make my climb easier.." @reddeR

I tilt my head, watching his arms shake. With a small huff I grab onto the trunk and start working back down the tree. My claw tipped fingers and toes make it easy to get a good grip on the trunk, and I descend rapidly. Once I reach him, I smile and rub my cheek against his shoulder. "Okay, Hero, we've got this! You're so strong!" I fill my mind with praise and admiration as I open the pack on his back and scrounge around for the rope. When I find it I start back up the tree immediately. By the time I reach the branch again, even I am starting to feel fatigue in my arms and legs. I wrap the rope around the branch, but there I am stumped. "Hero, how do I make this stay?!" @Cecil

"You need to tie it into a knot." He sent the mental instructions of how to tie a rope securely to a tree, something he had done countless times throughout his childhood. If she did it right, the rope would be able to hold him easily. Once they got up there though, they both needed to get some rest. It had been a long day of climbing for the both of them, and th dry were absolutely becoming exhausted. @reddeR