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"C'mon, settle down here next to me." Nate grinned up at Kachya and shifted over in the midst of her friends to make room for her.

The sleek panther had to crowd up against one of her class that had been hanging out with them recently, but the ferret didn't seem to mind in the least bit as they crowded against each other. The rabbit dropped down beside him while a few of her friends looked back and giggled slyly as they watched the pair. Most of the girls in her group were impressed with her seeming boyfriend; Kachya was sure that the rumors about them were far juicier than the truth. Granted, some of that came from last night after the election. Nate had been a perfect gentleman to her and all through the election, and had been running himself ragged yesterday while trying to get her some last minutes votes. Afterwards, she'd seen him looking a bit tired and haggard, so she'd offered to go to the indoor pool to cool off.

At first, she'd assumed that everyone would come with them, but her friends had bowed out with giggles and playful grins. She'd had the pool to herself and Nate, but nothing intimate had happened, no matter what other people thought. He had simply enjoyed the water as she tried her best to ignore the tension that was thrumming through her from waiting for the results. They were supposed to be given over dinner, only to be delayed until the next morning for a recount due to the close race between her and Maria. The panther had seemed to understand her tension and was quite silly in an effort to get her to laugh, something that she appreciated greatly. They'd left late in the evening, dripping wet, and she'd found most of her dorm up and waiting for her with large grins on their faces.

She had avoided their questions and inquiries along with their winks and laughter. She didn't think of Nate that way. He was handsome and personable, but he was more like a close friend--almost her best friend given how he'd helped her out. He was unfailingly polite and always had time to listen to her. She couldn't imagine taking things further, especially since her heart belonged entirely to Reikian. But she still took comfort seeing the panther at her side, especially since Reikian was sitting next to Maria and her group. She would have given everything to have him at her side instead.

"Alright students, quiet down!" Barrus rumbled out and loomed over the smaller students as he stood at the teachers table. "QUIET!!!!"

The murmured voices started to fade down to a rumble and finally towards silence as the teacher looked over the cafeteria tables with his ears held up high. She swallowed and moved her hand down to clutch Nate's paw tightly. Part of her didn't dare hope that her name would be called; she knew Reikian believed in her, but she still couldn't believe in her chances. It seemed surreal that she had come this far, and she had felt like she was going to burst when they'd refused to announce the winner last night.

She glanced to where Maria sat and wasn't surprised to see the wolf grinning confidently and whispering to someone in her group. Reikian wasn't joining in the conversation; the rakshasa was leaning forward and intently watching the bear with his tail lashing back and forth in an uncontrolled fashion. He didn't look as confident as he had yesterday, which made her own confidence sink.

At least she was in better position than Bala. The principal's pet had entered election day with a slim chance at winning; but, as the rumor got around that she was behind, her supporters had deserted her in droves. With Maria and Kachya hinting at court positions or other favors if Bala's backers would come over to them, and Bala in no position to pay off her own favors, the mouse had lost all but her closest friends and the furs that had voted earlier in the evening.

"Shhh. You're fine . . .. " Nate leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You keep gripping my paw like that and you're going to make it numb!"

"Sorry . . . " She gave a hangdog expression before looking back where the bear was moving to the front of the cafeteria.

"I want to commend you all for your patience." Barrus rumbled and turned his head about slowly. "We have had a close race and for a moment we feared that we would end it in a draw. Thankfully, we have teachers willing to help us double check the count to make sure we had a fair race."

"WHO WON?!" The ferret next to Nate called out loudly, earning laughter from the gathered crowd, the sound rippling around as the bear turned his head towards them in disapproval.

"As I was saying . . . " He rumbled warningly. "The winner will be allowed to choose her King, a princess, and two lady's maids. The maids and princess will be allowed to choose their own suitors, rounding out our winter court. And, to be absolutely clear, I will not tolerate any breath of scandal within the court. Any member that causes problems or breaks school rules will be removed without exception. This includes the Queen, who will be replaced by the runner up in such a case."

Kachya tried not to shift back and forth like she wanted too. She knew the rules well enough; it wasn't like the winner would break the rules. No one was going to risk losing being Queen for something silly and it was just drawing out the suspense. She was thankful that the announcement was happening before breakfast; she couldn't imagine sitting here with food in her stomach. She already felt like she was about to be sick.

"The winner is, by eleven votes, is Maria Rodgers!" Barrus finally gave the winners name, followed by a rush of applause from around the room.

Kachya didn't hear the applause; her stomach went cold as the excitement that had built up inside of her suddenly folded in on itself in crushing disappointment. Her ears fell down against her head as she tried to sink down in her seat with the automatic instinct to hide. She had dared to hope that she would finally win, but she'd still lost. An arm moved over her shoulder and squeezed tightly, Nate's warm body pressed against her side and another hand reached out to touch her paw lightly. She glanced up to see her friends turning towards her as she fought off the urge to bolt. She'd lost. After all her hard work, she'd still lost.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Reikian extracted himself from the laughing group that surrounded Maria and tried to keep his ears from pinning flat down to his head from the announcement. He didn't want them to see how he really felt, not when he was still playing the role of Maria's boyfriend, but his eyes were searching the crowded dining hall for Kachya. It took him some time, mostly because people were crowding Maria's table and trying to push for her announcements for her court. They were normal questions, but he didn't care about them; he cared about the small knot of people gathered at Kachya's table. Something in his stomach uncurled as he spotted her still sitting there, not having bolted as he thought she might.

At least she's taking it okay. . . He puffed out a sigh of relief before making his way through the crowd, trying not to look as if he were aiming in any particular direction.

He felt a stab of guilt as he watched her talking with someone, not quite listlessly, but certainly upset enough that he knew she was taking her loss hard. The rakshasa could have rigged everything, but he'd narrowly stopped himself. He wasn't exactly a moral creature, preferring to make his own rules, but he had hesitated this time. If he'd won it for her, what would that have proved? It wasn't just on her own merit that she would be the Queen. Besides, Maria and Kachya had thrown everything into this election. If Maria had been underhanded, he could have done it easily, but the wolf had run a fair race.

There had been many chances for her cheat, he'd actually wracked his memories of the last few days to try to find a way that she had tried to shift the votes in her favor using her intimate knowledge of the rabbit. She hadn't. She had run it with her popularity. She'd used her friends and done most of the footwork herself. It was startling to see that she wasn't pressing her advantage, and made him consider her in a new light. When he'd first met her she had craved popularity, seemingly willing to do anything to achieve it. He'd assumed that she just enjoyed submitting to him, but for the first time he had started to consider the relationship between her and Kachya. Had she run a clean race to impress him or because she felt something more for Kachya? That had made him hold back.

He had gone so far as to talk to Mr. Barrus, asking in a round about way about the plans on if things were a tie and what would happen. For one brilliant instant he had visualized a tie in which the girls would be able to reign over the court together, but it had been shattered by the bear's gruff voice informing him that they would have a lightning vote to pick the winner.

He longed to go over to the table where Kachya was sitting with her friends and try to assure her that he thought she should have been the winner. His tail tip started to lash back and forth rapidly as he edged around the crowd and started to circle closer to Kachya's table, straining to hear what was being said about the election.

"Reikian!" A touch to his elbow startled him out of his thoughts and Maria's arm slipped through his own as she came up to his side. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh . . .. " The rakshasa flicked his ears back a little as he glanced down at the wolf. "I was just going to see how Kachya was taking the news."

"Can we just talk for a little?" Her ears tipped back along her head, keeping her hand resting along his striped forearm. "You can sneak away afterward if you want to."

Something in the way she said it made Reikian relax and tilt his head towards the wolf curiously. Her tone was soft and deferential, with just the faintest hint of pleading beneath the words. It was enough to soften him, so he turned away from Kachya's group and gave the wolf pup's arm a slight tug. Her own friends were already celebrating, but it was easy enough to sneak away, albeit there were quite a few literal and figurative catcalls as he pulled her out of the cafeteria. He turned to give a sly grin back at them, flicking his tongue out briefly, before nudging the wolf down the hall to a spot that was relatively private off the main hall. Maria almost instantly dropped down to sit on a stair, but he leaned back with a flick of his tail.

The wolf kept her ears tilted back, her paws looped around her legs, while she rested her chin on her knees. The pose was all wrong for her. She was always quite submissive with him, but she was cocky about it. She enjoyed being told what to do, but she also knew how to make a sensuous affair of it, showing off her body or coaxing him into punishing her for some small slight or another. He'd grown accustom to that behavior, so seeing her hunker down unsettled him and he pushed away from the wall and dropped down next to her.

"You didn't help me win, did you?" Maria lifted her slender muzzle just enough to look at him, her pale eyes searching his face.

"No!" Reikian leaned back and set his ears back. "I was helping Kachya, you know that. I just thought it should be fair at the end. You won fair and square."

"I know." Maria sucked in a breath from her nose and blew it out again. "I saw you looking at her afterward. I thought you'd look at me and just me. I mean, I won. You could be King and we'd make a wonderful couple together. Kachya has that leopard of hers and she'd be the Princess, you know. It would work out. We'd all be in the court and things could stop being. . .. " The wolf paused and gave him a small look. "Stop being just pretend, you know?"

Reikian opened his mouth to respond, but his normally glib tongue felt tripped up and he closed his muzzle again while weighing what she'd said. He hadn't given away Nate's secret to anyone, since it wasn't his to give, so she could see where Maria might believe that Kachya and he really did have something going on together. Unfortunately, he hadn't really put much thought into how things were falling on his putative girlfriend's end. She wasn't talking with a brazen edge or a sultry invitation, but with the faintest edge of hurt to her voice. His tail started to lash back and forth; thinking about the look on Kachya's face, he felt unnerved that things seemed to be crumbling at both ends of the spectrum.

"Would you be King?" Maria finally broke the silence, and her voice finally made Reikian shake himself out before reaching over and resting a paw on her leg.

"I was thinking about that, but. . . " He trailed off and struggled with himself and the right answer. He could be King, and it would even be expected of him, but he couldn't imagine just setting Kachya aside like that.

He had started out giving his all to give Kachya something, to make her into someone that he could appear with publicly without anyone batting an eye about his reputation. Now, things seemed to become tangled beyond what was apparent from the outside. Somewhere, in the course of everything, he had forgotten that the girls' emotions would be entwined with all of this. Not just Kachya, but Maria's and that meant they were both expecting him to make a choice with them. One that would decide which one he wanted to be with, perhaps going beyond the public eye to be exclusive with one of them in private. He pinned his ears back as Maria tried to draw away.

"It's fine. You can do whatever. I'll find someone." The wolf's tone shifted from hurt to cold and sharp, ignoring his touch on her leg as she tried to pull back toward the wall to get away from him.

"No, you won't." Reikian twitched his whiskers back and reached over to rest his paw against her shoulder, flexing his digits just enough that his claws slipped out to prick against the cloth. "I won't let you; you're mine. You should know that by now."

"Yours?" Maria's ears lifted, but the look she gave him was one of suspicion rather than of comfort.

"Mine and Kachya's." He amended and allowed a smile to curl his lips. "Come on, I'm going to prove it, to both of you. Just because one of you won doesn't mean I'm giving either of you up."

He reached down to grasp her paw, and he said the last with a ferocity that startled even himself. He loved Kachya, he could admit that to himself, but that didn't mean his feelings for Maria could just be ignored. He'd been acting like an idiot, but that didn't meant he had to continue that way. He pulled her up to her paws and let his smile grow, bearing his sharp white teeth, his mind alive with how to settle matters once and for all between the girls.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Kachya barely touched her meal; she didn't really feel all that hungry, not even when Pasha had brought her some of her favorite foods. She had seen Reikian flitting out with Maria's arm tucked in his own; his grin cast back at the room had almost seemed mocking. Of course he'd left with her--he was going to be King. She could have stood losing the election; it hurt, but she had her friends around her. That had warmed her, she had friends of her own, people that settled down around her despite not winning. They had been filled with consolations and promises that she should try again next year. And it had all crumbled with Reikian's departure.

"Maria said she wanted to have me on her court." Pasha settled down next to her with a wag of her thick furry tail. "So you still have that to look forward to."

"I dunno," Kachya murmured and pushed her plate away. "I think that it might be a good idea if I just skip it."

"You can't do that!" The fennec twitched her large ears up in surprise. "I mean, you gotta go. Everyone is going to go!"

"I think it'll be weird if I go." The rabbit puffed out a breath and pushed her chair back. "And it's not like I really have anything to wear. Even if I had. . . ." She pulled back her long ears and gave a slightly rueful grin. "I'm sorry, I'm moping."

"It's okay." One of her friends piped up. "It was close, though; you almost won."

"Almost doesn't get me the win." Kachya gave her head a little shake, a bit surprised at how bad it felt not to win. "I think I'm going to go for a walk, maybe clear my head, before I figure out what I'm going to do for the dance."

"Want company?" Pasha tilted her head to one side. "We can always see what we can do to get you ready for the dance."

"Nah, it's okay." Kachya forced a smile and pushed her chair back to the table. "How about if we meet up together later?"

She managed to extract herself out of the group after a few promises that they'd get together later after she'd cleared her head. Nate had even offered to come with her if she wanted to go swimming, but she'd declined that as well. Part of her wanted to have company, but the only company she wanted was not around.

Reikian is probably celebrating with Maria already. She kept her ears down hard to her head, feeling a mingling of anger and sorrow.

He hadn't even come to the table to talk to her. The best she could hope for was that things would go back to the way they were. He'd remain as Maria's boyfriend and she'd be left in the shadows like a dirty little secret that he didn't want to tell anyone. Before, she would have just accepted it, afraid to be out in the light with such a charismatic person, but now--now, it just made her angry that she'd be expected to be happy with snippets of time when no one would see them. That's what he had been doing; there was no way around it. He had played it off as simply wanting to keep her safe, but how much of that was true and how much of it was a pretense?

Had he done all this just to have a reason to break up with her? That doubt tickled her mind as she took the stairs up to the dorms. She remembered her earlier conviction that this had been a joke, but Reikian had been so terribly persuasive that he believed in her. She'd been touched at the time, but now she wondered if he had set this all up to pick between them. It felt wrong to consider him in that light, but all she could think about was how badly she hurt at the moment. Besides, he'd never failed her before, so it must have been intentional that he let her lose at the end. She had never had a chance at this whole election, not really; she didn't know why she had tried so hard when she was doomed to fail at it.

Stop thinking that! She gave her head a shake and took the steps two at a time, angry at herself for falling back into a funk. I was so close, and that was my doing! And so what if Reikian decides to be with Maria, it's not like I'm going to be all alone. I have friends now and--

"There you are!" A striped arm reached out and caught her right at the stomach so she nearly tripped, except another hand reached out behind her and tugged her back against a familiar body. "I thought you were going to stay down there forever!"

"Reikian?" She yelped while the arms tightened around her and she felt his warm body pressed against her. "I thought you went off with Maria."

The door to the secret room was almost all the way open, giving him a perfect spot to watch the stairs. She probably would have spotted him if she had been paying attention; but, judging from the grin on Reikian's muzzle, he was enjoying the look on her face as she wriggled backwards a little bit and his paws dropped down to her hips.

"I did; we were just waiting on you." His grin grew a little bit broader. "I thought you'd follow us a lot sooner than this."

"Oh. . . " She splayed her ears to either side, bracing herself to be angry as he moved his paws away and stepped to one side. "I figured you two wanted to be alone, work out how you'd dress for the Ball."

"Then why'd we do it without you?" Reikian's brow furrowed, looking honestly puzzled, and he gave her a little push. "C'mon, I pulled a favor so we could have the room to ourselves today. I think we're gonna need it."

~ ~ * ~ ~

"But. . . " Reikian watched the emotions sliding across Kachya's face as he gave her a nudge towards the door that opened up into the secret room.

"Come on; you know the rules." He held the door open so that Kachya could drop down to all fours and get through the narrow opening. "Maria's waiting."

The look the rabbit shot him was almost hurt, but he gave her another nudge and grinned a bit wider in response to her hesitation. She reluctantly went ahead of him, making her way through the narrow opening while he dropped down to all fours in turn and followed her. He got a fine view of her curved rump cheeks and the white of her tail while she made her way to the hidden room. He was careful to close the door behind him to ensure that none of the teachers would see the secret opening. He knew what Kachya must be thinking when he mentioned Maria, but he had a plan in mind that would hopefully smooth things over for everyone.

Kachya scrambled back up to two feet as she entered the hidden room, then glanced back at him nervously as he followed suit with a smile still set on his muzzle. It had taken a few favors to make sure that no one would be coming into the hidden room, especially since a few of the kids were going to be making runs to town under the teachers' noses so they could get last minute items for the dance. But he wanted to have someplace secure and quiet to work things out, especially after talking to Maria. He had talked with her for a long time, trying to get her to admit what she wanted. The wolf hadn't wanted to do it, skirting the questions with everything she had in her, until she yielded in the end.

"What did you want?" Kachya's voice tried to be unemotional, but his keen ears could pick out the edge of upset to it. "I was going to congratulate Maria later on; you didn't have to drag me in here just to do this. Or is it to save my pride?"

"No, I just wanted to make sure we had a quiet spot." Reikian glanced over at the wolf pup, who perched on the edge of a chair. "And besides, I thought you'd want to talk to Maria. You two agreed to be on each other's courts right?"

"Yeah. . . " Kachya gave a look towards the other girl. "I'm glad you won; you deserved it."

"Yeah, it makes things a little easier." Maria's tail wagged a little behind her, her pink tongue showing from between her dark lips. "I mean, I'm the most desirable female in the school now."

Kachya's expression turned pained, and the rabbit tried to look away to hide it, but the rakshasa saw it. Part of the conversation he'd had with Maria was about her status in the school. It mattered to the wolf a great deal, like it did to most lupines. They had to have an established hierarchy to be happy, it was just the way it was. She had set out trying to be top bitch when compared to the rest of her friends, but a part of her remained firmly submissive in their presence. She had eventually admitted that she enjoyed the feeling of acceptance from leading her group, but needed the comfort and release of surrendering control to the pair.

Reikian kept his lips closed, trying not to force anything, as he watched both girls carefully. His girls. The thoughts sent a warm sensation through his belly while Maria stood up and stepped towards the rabbit.

~ ~ * ~ ~

"Well, I'm sure that's a burden." Kachya's tone was strangely snippy, showing more backbone now than she had ever dared exhibit at the start of the school year. Even her ears remained stiff and upright on her head, showing that she wasn't just forcing a brave face.

Maria tried not to yell; part of her wanted to shake the rabbit back and forth when Kachya turned away. She knew that it wasn't easy for the other girl to deal with losing, especially since she had come from the lowest point of the social spectrum, but she had risen above it. More importantly, she was strengthening her personality into something that made the wolf's tail wag slowly back and forth. No longer the shy girl that huddled into books, the lapine had actually been hard to beat in the election. Even winning hadn't exactly pushed Maria above the rabbit; she had started out popular and hadn't had to do too much work. Even with Reikian's help, Kachya had been forced to make a name for herself from scratch.

"What I mean is, no one is going to bat an eye if I try to recoup my losses." Maria's tongue lolled out a little with her grin. "You nearly wiped the floor with me and I have to make a good show at the ball to make sure they know I'm still top bitch."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure you'll do that." Kachya's confusion showed plainly on her face while Maria took another step forward, coming in closer.

"Well," Maria murmured, lowering her voice just a touch. "I'm going to steal your boyfriend out from under you. Nate will look a lot better on my arm than someone with stripes. We have the same color fur, after all."

For a moment, Kachya's expression hardened into anger, which made Maria tense up even though she had anticipated the reaction. Her tension wasn't from fear, but from desire to take that anger away and have forgiveness. It was the same urge that drove her towards Reikian. The confident feline made her want to please him--she desired his approval more than anything else--so, when he was upset, she tried to make amends. It spoke to the submissive part of her that wanted to follow her pack leader, something that was bred into her mind and merged with her personality. She had already loosely attached it to Kachya, but mostly because Reikian had arranged things that way. Now, Kachya's own personality drew Maria to her.

"Nate won't do that." Kachya finally answered, one of her ears twitching back. "He's my friend."

"Reikian is going to help." Maria took another step forward, her nose quivering with the warm scent of the rabbit that made her conflicting responses roil together. "Everyone knows I'm sneaky. I'll "blackmail" him into coming with me. And, afterwards, the poor boy won't have anyone since you'll be upset he went with me and I'm not going to waste my time with him after the dance."

"But that's. . .That's mean." Kachya turned her head while Maria was nearly touching her. Reikian's laughter made the wolf giggle slightly.

"Trust me, Nate is completely fine with it. You guys will make up and be friends, but he's probably going to be busy for a while with some. . .um. . .comforting." Reikian broke into the conversation. "He's really got no interest in you girls, but he's happy to step aside for me. And I'm going to make it look like he didn't have a choice."

~ ~ * ~ ~

"Wait, for you?" Kachya jerked her head up, her nose almost bumped against Maria's as she looked at Reikian and tried to puzzle out his Machiavellian scheme. The rakshasa lifted one of his brows a little and ran his tongue along his whiskers to smooth them back.

"Of course. I've been watching you this entire election. You're such a unique candidate that I'm intrigued and, when Maria sheds me off, I decide to take you to the dance." Reikian's voice was filled with amusement. "Because everyone in school knows I've been watching your side of the election closely, I think most of them think I was going to do this even if Maria didn't dump me."

"B-but . . .. " Kachya tried to wrap her mind around the way things were going to work out. "Then you're not going with Maria?"

"Nah. . . " Maria stepped forward again, this time Kachya felt the girl's body nearly pressed against her. "Reikian is too dominant in public, and it works better this way. I'll still be with you both in private, but I have my own reputation to uphold, you know."

Kachya turned her head, her nose brushing the wolf's while she digested the meaning of those words. It was true, the other girl did have her own reputation as a leader, and she had spent a long time developing it. It had always meant a lot to her, but the rabbit had assumed that her reputation was enhanced by Reikian's presence at her side. Her short, spade-shaped tail twitched back and forth nervously. Suddenyl, she felt warm breath tickling her whiskers. Maria started to lean forward, nearly pressing her lips against the other girls when Kachya's hand lifted up and pressed against the other girl's covered chest.

"I didn't say you'd be with us in private; you didn't ask me." Kachya knew she sounded breathy, but the warm feel of the wolf's body and the scent of predators always put her on edge. Her tension didn't stop her from putting force behind the words.

"Then I should ask you . . .. " Maria's lips hovered right over Kachya's and, for a moment, the rabbit thought she was going to be kissed--yet the warmth of the tongue slipped right along the curve of her jaw line.

It wasn't a swift lick, but a slow sensual brush of the tongue as the wolf pup's muzzle slid in close to her shorter one. Warm breath ruffled along the edge of her cheek as Maria ran her tongue all the way back to the edge of jaw and back again. The lick was only broken up with the gentle feel of teeth nipping right at the corner of her lips, teasing lightly--almost like a kiss, except so terribly strange and different. Maria's paws carefully remained back, not touching her, not even trying to rest against her hips for balance as she leaned forward. It was such an odd sensation and touch that Kachya had no idea what to do or what it meant.

"Please. . . ." The tongue flicked up, briefly touching her lips. "Let me be with you both."

The voice held the faintest trace of a whine, making Kachya's fur rise along the nape of her neck. Maria was doing what she had been told; she was not just asking, but begging in the way of wolves. Gently nipping and licking along the curve of the rabbit's jaw, Maria turned her please into a sensuous touch seeking the most sensitive spots for eliciting a response. It wasn't something the wolf had ever done to her before and it sent a shiver down her spine as she turned to see Reikian's smug smile watching both of them.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Maria found it hard to lean forward and keep her paws to herself, but she was begging, and that meant that the first gesture had to be from the dominant. Abasing herself to the rabbit felt far more natural now than ever before. She hadn't just bowed to Reikian's will blindly, but had demanded that she be asked as well, showing how the election had changed her. Kachya's newfound assertiveness made Maria feel a subdued shiver of desire as she breathed in the sweet warm scent of rabbit fur and licked down the other girl's neck briefly. The only other contact between their bodies was the press of Kachya's paws on Maria's chest to keep her back.

"Please--I want to be with you both . . .. " She nipped gently downwards, carefully using her teeth to just brush through Kachya's fur.

"You mean Reikian. . . ." Kachya's voice was breathy as Maria explored her, fingers spread open lightly to feel the fullness of her breasts.

"I would serve you too, asI already have." Maria pointed out and just rested her muzzle against the pale furred neck. "I could serve you again."

The pup's fingers spread wider against her breasts, thumbs curling along the undersides of the mounds. "You should prove that we should keep you. " Kachya's voice was trembling. "Make amends for taking Reikian from the cafeteria earlier. I come first, not you."

"Yes," Maria answered. Kachya's fingers moved up to cup beneath her muzzle, then trailed along her lips, making the chastened pup's tail droop submissively. "Let me show you I'm sorry."

Kachya didn't stop her as she dropped to one knee and lifted her paws to slide along the line of the rabbit's hips. Maria felt the skirt catch, but she didn't peel it down, preferring to run her muzzle lower and welcome Kachya's paw as it rubbed along the backs of her ears. Maria's eyes flickered towards Reikian and heat rose to her cheeks at his posture. His body was posed lazily, stretched out and relaxed looking, but his eyes were bright and eager. He didn't attempt to intervene between them, but simply locked his gaze avidly on their bodies.

The wolf pup lifted her muzzle and tipped her ears back submissively, rolling the side of her muzzle along the line of the girl's inner thigh. The fur here was softest of all, so she luxuriated in it, letting the velvet down tickle her nose. She kept her paws on either side of the rabbit's hips while she ran her tongue in a slow wet line all the way to the rabbit's inner thighs. Kachya shifted her stance just enough to accomodate the wolf, letting herlick until her tongue pressed along the line of the panties and brushed over the soft fabric. Kachya's female scent was warmer here, differently enticing than the prey scent, so arousing that the wolf let out a breathy whine.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Kachya kept waiting for Reikian to speak up or to stand up and join in, but he watched them both with obvious enjoyment as the rabbit moved her hand back to brace herself against the wall. Maria's warm breath hit against her panty clad mound before the tongue pushed over her. She'd been with the wolf before, and even been the dominant, but she'd always been subtly or overtly supported by the rakshasa. This time, there was no word of guidance, as he left her with free rein. It was a heady experience, especially after being defeated by the wolf in the election. Now, Maria was on her knees with her muzzle pushed up beneath the edge of her skirt and the heat of the pink tongue working over her cloth covered mound.

No matter the setback she had just suffered, she was in charge here. It lifted her spirits even as she felt the warmth of the mobile tongue curling inwards and hooking right beneath the edge of her panties. The slick muscle barely brushed her mound while the rabbit drew in a shivering breath and let it out again. Maria's tongue pushed up harder and nudged her panties to one side, then probed higher,forcing the outer lips open and brushing between them to catch the bud of her clit. The growing stimulation made her hips quiver and tense up, thengive a slow rock.

"Take off your clothes; you should be naked," Kachya panted softly. She wanted Maria even more visibly off balance, and it would serve the dual purpose of offering Reikian a clear view of her body. The wolf started to pull away, but she flexed her paw against the girl's neck. "No moving your muzzle away!"

Maria let out a soft whine under her breath, but didn't attempt to pull back again; instead, the girl's tongue pushed out harder between her folds. Slick saliva glided along them and warm breath puffed against her time and again as the pup's paws moved away from her hips. Kachya twitched her tail and bit her lower lip as Maria's tongue pushed down slowly, tracing right against her opening with a teasing caress. The touch didn't stay deliberate, waveringwhen the girl moved her paws to start to undo her shirt. The lupine muzzle bumped a bit more firmly against her, nudging and rubbing. Maria's tongue began to work in long slow strokes, gathering up Kachya's arousal on the tip of her tongue and swallowing while the rabbit gave a rock forward, enjoying the sight of the wolf pup peeling off her shirt with fumbling paws.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Maria tried to keep her attention on her muzzle, but it was hard to do two things at once. She managed to get her shirt off, but her bra was harder. She couldn't slip her hands back to unhook the bra; instead, she had to slip it upwards until the fabric hung down loosely from her neck. She pushed up onto her knees and curled the tip of her tongue right into the lapine's snug passage. Kachya kept gripping lightly on the scruff of her neck, holding her in place as she curled her tongue into the warm opening and started to plunge inwards. Slippery arousal coated the edges of her muzzle while she strained deeper and deeper, the aroused scent filling each and every breath as she pushed her skirt downwards.

The rabbit didn't even try to undress, keeping that upper hand while the wolf slipped her panties down and pushed them down over her hips, baring her rump cheeks. Maria flicked her freed tail upwards, wagging it back and forth lightly, while her tongue pushed upwards to drag along the smooth silken passage. She stroked her tongue deeper, trying to find the sensitive spot just inside, while her nose nudged right up against the bud of her lover's exposed clit. She couldn't push her panties down lower than her knees in her current position, but the other girl didn't make any demands that she continue stripping; rather, Kachya let out a breathy moan of pleasure. The rabbit's inner walls clamped down tightly around her tongue, massaging her tongue while the wolf slowly pulled it outwards, inch by slow inch.

She flicked her tongue tip out and worked it up to trace along the pink swollen clit. She flicked her tongue out with short rapid flutters, teasing over the nerves, and felt the way the paws on her neck moved downwards. She felt Kachya leaning forward while the paws moved and spread along either side before the palms cupped right against the warmth of her mounded breasts. She let out a muffled whimper as the light touch kneaded against her, squeezing and brushing until the rabbit's blunt claws drifted up and pinched lightly against her nipples. She wriggled in place, but kept her tongue up along the clit, slipping beneath it so she could catch it between her lips and suckle teasingly. Her teeth gently teased against the other girl, drawing another groan from her muzzle, while the paws kneaded along her breasts.

"Hand between your legs...." Kachya's voice was shaking, her breath coming too fast. "Show Reikian how much you want to service me."

Maria flushed hotly, her ears tipped back, but she moved her fingers down to stroke her lower belly while working her tongue right back over the swell of the clit. She could almost feel Reikian's eyes on her, on them both, and it made her feel a new rush of desire flowing through her. She was trapped between them, not physically, but on a deeper level that made it all too easy to slip her paw down and slide two fingers along her mound. Her ears pinned down a bit harder against her head in embarrassment as she felt just how slippery and slick she already was. She curled her fingers forward and slipped her middle finger up to press between her nether lips.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Kachya felt the tongue working in and out, the tip curled and dragged backwards before plunging forward again as if drawing in every bit of arousal she could get. The wolf's body was arched, but the rabbit wasn't quite able to keep her attention on that sight, as she was caught up in the building pleasure in her lower belly. Maria knew how to use her tongue, repeatedly curling the tip upwards to tease along the wall as the rabbit moved her hand away from the dark neck and gripped the wall with a weak cry. Her ears splayed to either side as a short moan burst from her lips and she gave another buck of her hips forward, her legs spreading a bit wider.

The wolf seemed to know how close Kachya was, as the tongue began to curl and work over her g-spot mercilessly. The swift fluttering strokes put just enough pressure on her that she let out a short, high-pitched cry. The soft nose pushed up right against the bud of her clit, rubbing back and forth as her walls started to clamp down tightly and pulled around the silken appendage. Her back arched upwards, her lips splaying while her claws dug down against the wall as the first rush of orgasm swept over her. It crashed through her body as her heart pounded even faster, each throb rippling along her passage as she kept clutching and pulling, squeezing and milking around Maria's tongue.

The wolf pup didn't stop, but pushed her head up and began to lick harder, scooping up the arousal and swallowing it down. The whiskers teased long her inner thighs, brushing up higher while the hot breath came out and hit against her. Every stroke of the tongue kept her on edge, pushing her higher and higher while the dragging tongue worked in and out, the thickness of her tongue base forcing the walls open with each entry. The combination of physical pleasure and the unfamiliar feeling of being in control left her shaking while she moved her paw down and cupped the back of the black furred head. Maria slowly pulled her tongue out with a slick sound, licking hotly along the edges of her muzzle before rubbing her nose upwards towards the lower curve of the belly.

"C-can I be with you both?" Maria panted out shallowly, her paw still resting between her thighs. "Please?"

"I think you've earned it. . . haven't you?" Kachya looked back down at her and flicked her ears up. "But you really should make sure Reikian is tended. He has been. . . very patient."

The rabbit glanced up and felt her cheeks heat a bit. She had taken charge of the wolf, seizing on a chance to make Maria earn her place. She felt a bit embarrassed at her audacity, but she was rewarded with the feline's slow grin as he made a show of stretching out in his seat. He chuffed softly in approval before extending a paw towards her and curling a finger invitingly.

~ ~ * ~ ~

"I guess it will work. . . " Kachya turned around in the mirror and tried not to wince as she tugged at the edges of her dress until it laid smooth over her.

She tried to look happy at the reflection in the mirror, but she couldn't keep herself from wincing as the pale yellow dress hung loose along her shoulders and proved too big along the hips. The rabbit's ears fell against her head and she sighed before turning around to try and get the edges of the skirt to sweep open to show off her legs. It didn't work, though; the garment just tangled as she tried to get it to swish around. She moved a hand up and smoothed her head fur down before looking back behind her at the high backed outfit. It was just as horrible from the back as it had been from the front. She felt like she was about to cry, but she drew in a steadying breath and closed her eyes after a few moments so that Pasha wouldn't see her upset.

"I can pin the sides for you. I think that will help a lot," the fennec offered, her voice carrying a bit of a falsetto in an effort to sound helpful.

"It won't; I think it's a lost cause." Kachya dropped down on the bed and sighed. "It's not like I'm going to be able to get anything else."

"Well, take it off. I'll try to do something with it." The fox stood up and held out her hands. "I think you just are looking at it wrong now. Did you give your mother the right measurements?"

"Oh, yes. . . yes I did." Kachya forced a smile that was soon hidden as she pulled the dress over her head and folded it up so it could be handed over. "I guess she just missed something. Do you think you can really do something?"

"Yeah, just let me take it down to Home Ec. I was going to fix my sandals anyway and I think, if I split the skirt and tighten the shoulders, it'll fit you better." Pasha gave a sly grin, her pink tongue flicked out a little bit. "You need to get ready for tonight. You're on the court--and that means you gotta make a good show of it."

"Yeah . . .. " Kachya's mood lifted at the mention of the dance, and she couldn't keep a little smile from appearing on her muzzle.

"I still can't believe Reikian asked you to it." Pasha headed towards the door with a flick of her bushy tail, her eyes looking a bit sly. "I'm sure Nate is going to regret missing his chance."

Kachya didn't get a chance to answer as the fennec fox slipped out of the door and back down the hall, leaving her in front of the mirror. Her excitement abou the dance faltered as she considered what she'd be wearing. She knew that Reikian would be wearing something dashing, consider that he'd already been boasting about it earlier in the day. She had written to her mother and tried to explain things, and then she'd gotten the package. Her mother's awkwardly worded apology had accompanied the dress that her older sister had worn, two sizes too big and made for an adult, not for someone her age. It wasn't surprising. She knew her family didn't have the money that others had, but her hopes still fell as she stared at herself in the mirror.

She had foolishly hoped that she'd at least look beautiful, but the dress would make her look like a kit in adult clothes. She would look stupid. She shifted back in the chair and looked at the mirror, then down to the scattered articles sprawled over the top of the desk. She'd had to beg and borrow things from other girls. She still wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with half of it, but she could at least try to make a good show of it. She could try to prove herself worthy of Reikian and what he was offering her.

At least Maria is being helpful. Kachya didn't feel the stab of jealousy that the thought of the wolf once would have brought to her. Instead, it had turned into something akin to affection and embarrassment.

Maria was behaving differently with her. The girl responded to her and didn't snipe at her in small ways any longer. The wolf had even stopped by and offered a small container of a palce white powder, telling her to brush it in her fur so she would have sparkles to highlight her natural tan and cream coloration. Ever since their time in the Hidden Room they had been able to have an accord between them--not based just onshared desire for Reikian, but also on their mutual respect. Maria seemed to be accepting Kachya's private position as a dominant without trying her limits. It was a heady feeling to have a predator abasing herself to a rabbit, which helped to reinforce her growing confidence.

Most of the demonstrations were done in private; in public, her friends were livid that Nate was going out with the wolf pup. They had been vocal about how they felt about the wolf, sometimes even offering to do something to get revenge on the other girl for stealing away the athletic panther. Kachya had been hard put to hold up her role as the victim while fighting butterflies in her stomach from the wait for Reikian to formallyask her to the dance.

She still felt sorry for Nate having gotten caught up in the crossfire between the groups. The panther had actually sought her out and offered an awkward apology for what had happened. He'd also said more; even the memory made her ears darken as she recalled the talk she'd had with him about his situation. He had been almost frightened as he stiltedly discussed why he wasn't really interested in Maria and what he really was interested in. Or rather who.

I can't believe he told me that. She blushed a bit harder. I'm glad he could trust me.

Nate had been blunt when he said that after the ball he'd be telling the school Maria had blackmailed him. He'd also told her why; he had no sexual interest in girls. He didn't care for them like he did other males, and this entire affair would give him a good reason to swear off them. He'd been afraid that she might be hurt that he wasn't interested in girls, but it didn't bother her; she felt more at ease with him knowing that he really did want to be friends with her. Besides, the rabbit could hardly fault Nate for favoring his own gender after what she'd done with Maria. Then again, she reflected with a warm glow in her belly, I don't think I'll be swearing off the opposite sex anytime soon.

Maria simply ignored the whispered words against her and Nate, seeming untouched by anything besides sorting out her court for the Winter Formal. It was hard for Kachya to pretend she was upset with how things worked out and a great relief to drop the pretense when Reikian had dashingly offered in public to take her to the dance.

Her features heated up again as she relived that moment of triumph. Not because it had been flashy and hugely public, just a simple moment that made her treasure it. The rakshasa had slipped to her table, ignoring a few annoyed glances, and reached down to lace fingers with her on top of the table. His paw had rested over her own in a possessive way before he started to talk to her softly, his expression one of relief as he apologized for not coming to her sooner. His approach had gotten tongues wagging, hinting that he had been admiring her for a long time, but had been loath to dump Maria.

Her friends had gone from annoyed to almost scandalized as she had flushed and not tried to push him away. Instead, he had made a show of seducing her with soft carefully chosen words that had required no acting for her to blush hotly in front of everyone. His attention had sounded sincere and ardent as he complimented how she'd run the race, doing something great in rising up to stand for the poorer students. He was truly inspired by how she was becoming more herself instead of a quiet shadow; and, as he spoke, she'd heard sincerity that had riddled the planned speech. He did admire her, even as she tucked her chin down and managed not to stammer her own reply.

By the end of the second day, she had agreed to go with him to the dance as he took his spot next to her, without even a glance at Maria. She had been ready for the wolf to be hurt or angry, but she took it without even flinching. Maria seemed to be focused entirely on her reputation with the public. Kachya would have been more concerned if they hadn't had time to get together the night before so that the wolf could quite ardently prove that she enjoyed having an 'alpha' male and female above her. The rabbit's tail twitched rapidly back and forth as she recalled the heat of that tongue plunging into her and the way Reikian had deliberately teased her with the sight of his body mounting the other female.

The old me would have been stammering, she realized suddenly, considering the things that Reikian had taken pains to show and teach her.

Kachya fought to keep the smile from her muzzle, but she couldn't stop it from blossoming as she smoothed down her freshly washed fur. It gleamed where the bristles were smoothing over it, bringing out the subtly darker markings beneath the soft cream color. The last few days had gone well, and she looked forward to tonight. She had woken up excited yesterday, especially when coupled with the package she'd gotten. That was until she'd seen what it was like--but that didn't mean that she had to let it color her entire dance. Pasha would know how to make it presentable one way or another. She'd make the best of things; even if her dress wasn't perfect, she would be on Reikian's arm and beneath the lights of the dance together with him.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Reikian fidgeted and looked down at the box in his hands before looking up at the girl's dorm. He felt a bit awkward, a new sensation for him, but he had finally managed to get matters arranged so that Kachya wouldn't be stuck with what her mother had sent. Pasha had been easygoing about it, though the fennec had seemed a bit puzzled that Reikian was openly going to the dance with Kachya. She still seemed to be waiting for it to be some sort of joke that was being done at the rabbit's expense, but he didn't really care. He was enjoying himself and was able to smugly look at how things were turning out and deftly maneuver them to fit his own plans. The only thing that he felt any real regret over was how Nate was getting to take on the role of King. He lashed his tail a bit in annoyance, having seen the panther getting ready earlier in a suit that was a bit more tailored and expensive than the one Reikian had gotten.

It worked out fairly, he reminded himself, puffing out a breath before nudging the door open without knocking.

He moved quietly, even for a feline. He kept his ears up as he strained to listen to the shared bathroom that the girls were using to get ready. He didn't hear anyone else in there, but he had figured that Kachya would be getting ready alone. Most of the court were getting ready early since it was expected that they'd be meeting up with Mr. Barrus before the start of the dance so they could go over the opening. The rakshasa padded past the other two beds and made his way to Kachya's before setting down the box. His tail tip curled as he carefully lifted up the lid so that she'd have her eyes drawn to it once she left the bathroom.

She needs to match me for the dance, after all, he convinced himself, while pulling out a bit of the silken fabric and admiring how the deep red coloring looked against his orange fur.

It had taken him a while to find the perfect dress for her, not being an expert in women's clothing, but he'd found something he thought was attractive. He'd even had her measurements from the tags on her clothing. He had managed to blow through most of the money that he'd bullied or tricked out of various younger students, but it was worth it. He'd even gotten a tie that would match the dress, and a pair of cuff links as well. Kachya would look beautiful, and would likely even rival Maria when all was said and done. And there's no question who will win in my eyes, he added silently to himself. Reikian stifled the urge to chuff in satisfaction before drawing in a deep breath that was tinged with her scent on the air.

He was tempted to stay to watch her face, but he had to get ready as well. And, he wanted to see it on her as a surprise. He had imagined what she'd look like in it already, quite a few times and quite vigorously when he thought about the silken material hugging her soft form. He knew that Pasha would be good at helping her get into it and she would look amazing. She'd make him look even more amazing as the rest of the school took a look at the rabbit they'd overlooked, but he'd managed to claim as his own. It served them right; they should be forced to watch as she walked along beside him and rubbed in their faces that they had been so short-sighted. He had certainly known a prize when he'd spotted one.

With a smug grin, Reikian slipped back out of the dorm and closed the door behind him. He still had to get ready and figure out if he could rival Nate's outfit. He didn't want to be outshone, not tonight.

~ ~ * ~ ~

"You look great . . . " Maria's eyes were a bit wide as Kachya tried not to lift her ears up with her pride at how she looked.

She knew immediately where the dress had come from from the taste of Reikian's distinctive scent, but it had still shocked her that he had brought her a dress to wear. It had been on her bed, the lid off and part of the dress spilling out so she couldn't miss it; and, when she had lifted the gift, she'd been almost speechless. It wasn't a frumpy ten-year-old dress that still smelled of the cedar closet, but crisp and new. The dark red was almost black where the shadows hit it, save where sequins had been sewn along the edges of the single sleeve that ran over her shoulder and just above the rise of her breasts. Seeing it, she was reminded of the panties and bra that Reikian had teasingly given her to wear, both of the same color and looking as if they'd been made together.

She felt like Cinderella, transformed from a humble exterior into something new and thrilling. Her dress hung down to her ankles, but it was thin and form-fitting to accentuate her legs as well as the starting curve of her hip. The color was perfect for her, standing out boldly against her pale fur, a vision that made her turn several times in the mirror to see the line of her back. It wasn't like an adult dress, not really; rather than revealing her entire back, the dressshowed just enough fur that she could see the faintest pale tan markings dappling the length of her spine. The material was soft on the inside, brushing against her sensuously, so that every movement was an experience that made her want to squirm--though she firmly suppressed the urge.

Pasha had helped her with brushing her fur and trimming her whiskers. The powder that Maria had given her, and was wearing herself, made both girls sparkle in the light. Kachya had applied it most heavily along her chest and just along the bridge of her cheeks to draw eyes there. It smelled like vanilla and made her crinkle her nose at how it hid her natural scent, but she still felt beautiful. The ensemble was completed by a pair of dark dress shoes that were more like sandals, with a very mild heel to spare her balance for the dance. Her ears were held against her head by a series of three gold-colored ear bands that Pasha said made her look elegant, though she felt awkward having her ears held back so she couldn't even twitch them with her moods. Her short tail twitched a few times as she lifted her head to grin at Maria.

"You look even better," the rabbit offered honestly as she looked over the wolf's dress with an admiring eye. "Like a Queen."

The wolf pup grinned back at her. The girl was dressed in a pale blue dress with hints of white to evoke wintry frost. It wasn't so clichéd as to match the decorations in the party, but the flecks were just chilly looking enough that no one could mistake the intent behind it. Someone had applied small, metallic, blue snowflakes to her chest and shoulders in a dappling that caught the light. There was even one at the corner of one of her eyes, setting off their amber color and the sparkling dust that she had worked onto her fur. And unlike Kachya, Maria actually boasted a set of heels and looked perfectly comfortable in them.

"At least she's got the theme right." Lizzie snapped, drawing herself up a bit with a disapproving eye to Kachya. "You mix this up with the summer theme?"

"No, I just think I look better in this." Kachya tried to answer politely, but it was hard when she could almost feel the other two girls' annoyance at her outfit.

The court had been chosen, though Maria had seemed to choose at random more than by any plan. It included Lizzie, a coyote with a smart mouth who made no bones about her dislike of Kachya as the princess, and Larca, another wolf who had apparently been one of the last votes that had gotten Maria the win. Both of them were solidly on Maria's side, so Kachya felt awkward standing among them while they gave her odd looks in the side room away from the ball and the gathering people. The rabbit glanced around, for the sixth time, and didn't see any sign of Reikian or the other dates. They should have been here. She felt vulnerable standing on her own without any friends behind her and Maria's support was dubious at best.

"You look like you don't belong." Lizzie sniffed, making an adjustment to her dark blue dress. "Not that that shocks me at all."

The wolf didn't rise to support her. Maria had only said she'd picked Kachya as the princess because it showed a certain amount of humility to the school that she would elevate her former rival to such a position. That seemed to make Lizzie bristle, completely ready to try and assert her rights after having been pushed aside for someone that had been so unpopular before the election. If Reikian had been here, he would have had something to say; he had a way of turning his words into weapons so slyly that most people didn't seem to figure out his plan until it was too late.

"Right, girls!" Barrus' voice was a deep rumble as the bear lumbered into their group, wearing a tuxedo that looked as if it had been dragged from some aging chest. "Your dates will be meeting you at the entrance to the dance. I had originally intended for all of you to meet together here, but I believe that it will spare me quite a few headaches if some of the drama doesn't start until well after the ball."

He means the rivalry between Nate and Reikian. Kachya fought the urge to shrink down as the aging teacher cast a look towards her and Maria.

"The duties of the Queen are important. First, you will start the dance. They are gathering tickets now, and there will be students in the gym, but the dance will not start until the Queen and her Court arrives." Barrus adjusted his coat slightly and rumbled the words, the capitalization audible in how he emphasized certain words. "You will exit into the main room at the first song, the Queen first, succeeded by the Princess, and then the Ladies In Waiting. Your dates will greet you at the end of the walk and escort you onto the dance floor, where they will personally crown the Queen and Princess. Once both of you have been crowned, you will have the very first dance, and please do not make fools of yourselves if you can help it. At the end of the dance, Maria, you will pick out the next set of dancers, thus starting the ball for the rest of the attendees."

"Only those I invite can dance?" Maria's ears went up, showing a sprig of mistletoe worked into the base of her left ear.

"At first. By the second song, it will be an open dance, and you will be required to join the royal table. From there, you will have control of the music, when food is served, and so on." Barrus waved a heavy paw back and forth. "I expect you to behave appropriately, so do not disappoint me. I will, of course, be chaperoning everything, you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Maria put her ears back a little and looked put off, but Kachya didn't blame her. It didn't sound as if the Queen had much to do in the midst of the ball. "When do we go out?"

"You have ten minutes; if you have any adjustments, please see to them." The bear looked entirely bored at whatever girls might have to do, tilting his head to look at the long walkway that led towards the transformed gym.

Kachya's stomach gave a nervous leap; she shifted on her paws, wishing that she had at least seen Reikian before the start of all of this. She would have felt better with his reassurances. Her glances towards the rest of the court didn't settle her, as she met the aggressive coyote's eyes while the two wolves tried to get Maria's skirt to settle in a certain way. With a sigh she watched the clock, both wishing it would slow down and hoping it would speed up, all at once.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Reikian stood up straight and tilted his muzzle up so that Nate could deftly help him with his tie. He had thought about a bow tie, which would have been dashing, but he liked the full tie better. It was a broader streak of red that would make sure everyone noted how well he matched his date. His whiskers bristled a little bit at the thought of her, nearly giving in to the urge to excuse himself to do some spying. But he talked himself out of it, since he wanted to get the full effect of the work he'd put in on her. The rakshasa almost preened as he lowered his head and moved a paw up to touch his tie to make sure it wasn't too tight. He had transformed the rabbit, wholly and completely. He wanted to strut and brag, but instead remained quiet as he reached down to pick up the delicate silver crown that the principal had shoved at him.

His eyes went over the gathered people; most of the students who were coming had already arrived and were milling about restlessly or chatting with one another as the teachers fanned out in an attempt to contain the madness. The formal was an occasion of high energy and spirits, a mood that was infecting everyone as they chattered back and forth, bragging about one thing or another. He wanted to join them, restless with the urge to move, but he and the rest of the court were stuck standing stiffly at the edge of the dance floor with himself and Nate right at the front. The panther somehow seemed to look entirely relaxed as he spun the larger crown between his paws without really looking around except to grin at his latest boy toy now and again.

Reikian had only had a few things to break up the wait, and those had been more than a bit distracting. He had known he looked quite cleaned up in his outfit, but he hadn't realized how nice he must have looked until a few teachers had casually stopped by and looked him over. One of his old teachers had slyly suggested that he might get in a bit of trouble tonight if he didn't watch out. He knew that a few of them would probably love to have a well-dressed student to abuse--the idea of stripping away the formal clothing to reveal the quivering writhing victim beneath would be a turn on--so he had resolved to keep out of trouble.

"STUDENTS OF SAINT MARY'S! I GIVE YOU YOUR FIRST WINTER COURT! QUEEN MARIA!" A voice boomed over the microphone with a scratchy sound behind it before music spilled out.

He winced at the loudness, but his eyes unerringly went towards the aisle that had been made from the back of the gym to the dance floor. Maria came out, her head held high as she balanced on a set of high heels. Reikian's eyes slid over her naturally, taking in her outfit with sheer fabric just along her hips and sides patterned after snowflakes whiling showing flashes of bare fur. The combination seemed a bit off from her dark coloration, but it also made sure that nearly every male had his eyes locked on her nubile form as she made her way down the pathway with confidence in every step.

It was a confidence he could strip away, turning her into a quivering, eager little submissive with the right touch of his paw and command. Reikian felt a roil of desire, must like the teachers who approached him must have felt, at watching the coiffed wolf make her way up beneath the spotlight and finally stop just in front of the black jaguar. Her eyes hesitated and naturally traveled to him, locking in place while he lifted his muzzle up and made a show of looking away. It was just the sort of mild drama the school expected from a recently parted pair and he had to hide the smile as Nate calmly crowned his "Queen" and executed a bow before offering her his paw to draw her towards the dance floor. Let them start the dance. Reikian had the real prize.

"CHOSEN BY OUR QUEEN, PRINCESS KACHYA!" The voice boomed again and Reikian's ears went straight up on his head as he watched his rabbit step out beneath the flare of the spotlight.

His chest swelled and he drew himself up as the entire school watched the pale furred rabbit walking along the line of students. Her dark red colors made her seem more alive and vibrant, fiery and desirable, even if she did glance about nervously. Step by step, her head raised higher and her steps became longer as she seemed to adjust to the attention. Reikian drank it in. The dress that he had bought her fit perfectly, hinting at her growing curves and what she would one day possess. It gave him a glimpse of what she might look like as an adult and his body reacted as he drew in a shivering breath. She lifted her eyes to watch him as she approached, her gaze warming him as his earlier thoughts crumbled.

He hadn't made her, but had merely shaped her like a sculptor finding an image hidden in a stone. Kachya had always been this bold looking rabbit beneath the shyness and attempts to hide herself. She had always been this lovely girl who tilted her head down at just the right angle to show the gold band wrapped round the base of her ears while she stopped with her body posed beneath the lights. He had given her guidance and pushed her past her comfort zone, but she had simply been hidden beneath the surface. The entire school saw this, all watching her with mingled curiosity and amazement, but he was the one to step forward with the crown in his hands as she lowered her head towards him, her padded nose delicately twitching. He felt almost an electric spark as he lowered the crown to rest on her pale brow, his fingers just barely brushing her head fur as it sparkled in the light.

~ ~ * ~ ~

"May I have this dance?" Reikian's voice was a touch rough as Kachya lifted her head and felt her heart beating so fast she thought she might faint.

The rakshasa lifted up his arm towards her with a smile that showed the tips of his fangs, looking almost innocent except for the darkness in his eyes. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, to press her body against him in sheer relief that she hadn't made a fool out of herself. The walk down the aisle had seemed to be made of miles of eyes that had been staring at her. The amount of attention focused on her had been terrifying, but then she had seen him waiting for her. His suit was crisp and black, with the only colors coming from a tie the same red as her dress and a set of cuff links that were gold and red like fire contained at his sleeves. He had steadied her just by being there, giving her the goal she needed to make it to the end of her walk.

Even his scent was a reassurance as she listened to the song beginning to play and lifted her hand to rest on the back of his own gently. Her fingers spread and lightly brushed along his wrist as he drew her to one side, leaving her glancing at a rather chubby-looking raccoon that seemed to be another person's date. She looked back to him and offered a shy smile as his hand moved and wrapped around her waist and pulled her in against him. That broad paw rested right along the small of her back and his fingers curled lightly, just barely touching the base of her tail as he swung her away into the empty spot in the dance floor left for the court.

"I . . . don't really know how to dance." Kachya got the words out with a startled moment of fear that was rapidly followed by laughter that bubbled up from her chest and spilled past her lips as Reikian turned her in a neat circle. "I can't believe I didn't think of that until now!"

In all the race to claim the spot as Queen, in all her time working towards one goal without even looking back, she hadn't thought about this. It had all been abstract, but now she was on the floor and her hands automatically lifted up to rest right over the curve of Reikian's shoulders, looping behind his neck and curling a naturally as he drew her to him so there was barely any space between them.

"That's because you knew I'd be here to teach you." Reikian flashed a grin and leaned in close, his muzzle almost touching her own. "And because you had other things on your mind."

"I suppose that's true. . . " She leaned forward as he lifted his head and brushed his muzzle higher along her forehead, his soft voice tickling the base of her ears.

"Besides, you look too beautiful to ever be clumsy." The compliment wasn't laden with a sly tone or a hint of wicked amusement; it was offered with simple admiration as his hands tightened around her and swung her around.

Their bodies matched one another, pressing close without any care as to the people watching, and they followed the sound of the music. Not even the booming voice over the loudspeaker broke through her focus as she rested her head against the swell of his chest and let herself be turned about by the graceful movements of the cat that held her close. His paws didn't roam, but simply kept her as close as he possibly could. To her amazement, he danced well; more than well, he danced as if he had done this a hundred times. It was shockingly easy to follow his pace when he shifted his weight and turned about in a slow circle meant to carry them around the dance floor.

It should have been awkward--her own body was so unlike his own, with mismatched species and strides--but they found a middle ground. His chin pressed against the curve of his head so that she felt his breath against her ear while they music flowed around them. The explanation for their smoothness together came to her with a sweep of his body that moved her in a circle while they swayed together as one. He had shown her so many things, had let her experience the world as he knew it and taught her what it meant to be a part of it. Her time in this school was always meant to change her, but he had made it into something that would shape the rest of her life. How could she not move well with him?

"You got me the dress, didn't you?" She finally spoke against his chest, drawing in his familiar scent while he tilted his head down to the point that his lips rested against her ears.

"I thought you'd need one and you look beautiful in it." His fingers moved upwards until one hand rested right along her shoulders and gave a firm squeeze.

"Thank you." Kachya felt a moment of pure pleasure. "I wasn't expecting it...And it was...." She trailed off, unable to quite continue as Reikian leaned back and moved a paw up to slip beneath her chin. "I really am sorry you didn't get to be King."

Various emotions slipped over Reikian's features, and the rabbit was hard put to actually figure out what they were, but he finally just grinned. "I'm not." He replied earnestly. "And even if you didn't win, you had fun running, didn't you?"

"I . . . Yeah, I did." Kachya felt surprised at her own response and her smile grew before she tilted her head and brushed it along the palm of his paw.

She had had fun. She had assumed that she'd be stressed and afraid the entire time, but she had found a quiet strength within herself as she competed. She had found friends on her own, not just because of Reikian; she had found a place she belonged. She'd once been too used to defining herself by the roles the school had applied to her, but she'd pushed past that over time. Reikian had tutored her, but it went far beyond just learning what teachers to avoid. His lessons were so terribly varied that she felt as if she now had a world of experience to rely on.

"I think I found a place," she continued, letting out a happy sigh as Reikian's smile grew a bit wider. "Are you sure you don't mind giving up being King?"

Reikian tilted her head all the way up until he was looking down at her. He had felt a moment of jealousy at Nate being declared the King, but it had melted away. He grinned to himself, looking down at the vulnerable eyes and face of the rabbit he had picked out simply out of boredom, and leaned down to cup either side of her cheeks before pushing his lips up against her own. He didn't try for a lustful kiss, but let himself explore the warmth of her muzzle as she clove so closely to him that he felt every inch of her resting against him. The silken material of her dress caressed him as he stopped moving with the music to simply kiss her. He didn't care if no one was watching or the entire school was looking as the pair lingered in the kiss for a long moment. He only pulled back with a slow flick of his tongue to tease right along her bottom lip before smiling down at her once more.

"I have what I want, right here." He flicked his tail out and wrapped it around the curve of her legs possessively.