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La Vie en Rose

"I can't believe our trip is going to end soon! Just three meager days left to explore everything left in India! I feel like it's flown past, almost like I was kept prisoner for two weeks in the middle of it..."

"Kaylee, I think you're being a tad dramatic-" Apunda said, with her dark skin crinkling with a smile around her lips. Behind her smirking face, the small kitchen was cluttered with shelves of simple dishes for visiting guests while the window was wide open with curtains fluttering softly around its frame, letting in the smell of the dusty road outside while sunlight streamed through.

The leopardess just shook her head in response. "There's no such thing, I was kept locked up with only coffee to sustain myself-"

"It is not my fault you refused to eat anything before you'd downed two cups!" Alexa interjected, entering the breakfast nook of their rented house. She rounded the corner without a sound, walking on the soft pads of her feet. Her fur was matted down and damp from a shower, though she'd already pulled on a loose-fitting cotton dress for their first day back exploring with the full group. The fabric of it fluttered beneath her knees, but the loose, thin fabric gave the faintest shape of her slender form beneath it. As she walked, the fabric held firm on her tight hips, but swayed around her legs. For a moment, Kaylee stared at the familiar sight of the feline's fluffy, pale face smirking at her, but then she let Apunda draw her gaze back.

"But calm down," Alexa continued. "Three days is plenty of time. We've still got a lot more to see-" She started tinkering with the withered blender set out on the counter. The thing could have been in a glass display case as historic and no one would have questioned it. Instead, it sat out on the counter, daring anyone to try and use it.

She started feeding leafy greens into the blades as Kaylee groaned behind her. "God, how can you eat something green before nine in the morning? Anything in my mouth before ten should be jet black-"

Apunda met Kaylee's eyes with a tiny smirk, nudging her foot beneath the table. The touch of the human's bare skin against the leopardess' downy fur tickled. The human didn't say anything, but Kaylee's eye crinkled with bemused understanding nonetheless.

"You're heading back right into a new semester, right?" Kaylee asked instead, cupping both of her furred hands around the steaming mug of black coffee she sipped at. The pads of her furred fingers stung with the heat of her mug; she pressed them tighter and breathed deeply. Apunda gave a solemn nod that bounced her tight, natural curls atop her head.

"Yeah, I arrive the day before... I'm not sure I'll even have time to move anything into my dormitory- I might just sleep on the mattress until the first weekend. My storage unit is almost an hour out of town, cheaper and whatever... But it was worth it, the first days don't matter much anyways."

"How will you find time to edit your videos with classes starting? I can't imagine..." Kaylee slurped at her coffee, relishing the stark scent of the coffee wafting into her face. When she drank, her face momentarily slacked with the jolt of pleasure from the bitter drink.

"I need a solid two weeks after a trip to sit with my content and just... work. Uninterrupted. I sustain on coffee and inspiration until the trip has been captured into the great gold of creative... content." Her hands waved in front of her face, drawing a rainbow shape.

Apunda laughed a warm, shaking belly laugh that made Alexa's lips twitch up at the corners while she worked the misshapen lid onto the blender's open maw. It was infectious, her laugh. The sound of the blender hissing to life with a rattling whirr didn't even overwhelm the ringing sound of her laugh.

"How luxurious that'd be!" Apunda chuckled, shaking her head incredulously as her glee petered off with a breath. "I find time. I've already been doing the initial cuts in the evenings-"

"-What? A shame! Certainly there's more interesting things you could be filling your nights with-" Kaylee's smile momentarily flashed her sharp, pointed teeth as her eyes twinkled with mischief. Her gaze was locked onto Apunda's own, warm eyes. The intensity of the leopardess' gaze was naturally charming. She somehow poured her gaze forward, as if silently affirming how much she was paying attention. Whether interviewing locals or flirting, Kaylee's talents soared in coaxing people to talk. "If you need, I could make some recommendations..."

At the counter, Alexa fed her blended smoothie into a glass and pivoted to the table to the sight of the leopardess and human leaning towards each other. Apunda's slender, strong arms both rested on the table's edge while Kaylee had an elbow balanced forward on the table, leaning in, but still facing her body partially out to the room. The human's lips were curled in a coy, amused grin while her eyes locked onto Kaylee's. Alexa could practically see the unseen stare shared between them. Apunda's fingers, tapping against the table, slid forward slightly, diminishing the gap between them without closing it; Kaylee's hands stayed on her coffee mug, obvious or coy.

"Good morning, ladies!" Reggie appeared around the corner of the kitchen, interrupting them with a wave of his smooth tail, still dribbling a bit from his shower as he waved a pamphlet in a slightly webbed hand. "Welcome, officially, to Nepal, India! I hope everyone is caffeinated because today we are seeing one of the most renowned sights that this city has to offer us!"

The slender sand cat snuck into a stool across from Kaylee, flashing her an amused grin. Kaylee's lips curled up at the eye contact, but they both stayed silent, listening.

"We're heading out in FIFTEEN MINUTES-" His voice raised, face turning to direct the yelling back towards the rooms and bathroom where the rest of their group hadn't yet appeared from, "-for the Pashupati Nath temple."

"Pashupati is a sacred temple on the fringes of Kathmandu, the capital, of course. It's dedicated to Lord Pashupatinath, or Lord Shiva, along with the River Bagmati that flows up to the temple-" Apunda interjected, voice practiced. She had studied India's history and religion extensively before traveling, it had partially inspired her trip. "Many Hindu will visit the site for blessings, but it's popular for all sorts of visitors. It's one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, which entice many to visit for religion or curiousity."

Kaylee leaned back, lips partially curled as she watched the girl speak. Her curls were free, bouncing slightly as she spoke with animated movement. The sun, pouring now through the window at the peak of the morning's concentrated light, shone against the human's dark skin and accented the natural glow atop her cheek bones and along the plump curve of her upper lip. The leopardess sipped her coffee in thoughtful gulps, enjoying the moment of calm before their day out while she stared at the girl speaking like she studied a sculpture. Her gaze was lazy, wandering over the entire sight before her. She drank in the sight like she drank at her coffee.

Reggie nodded, seemingly finding his job completed. Instead, he turned back up the hallway with a clap of his hands. "COME ON PEOPLE! We have three days left, you can last that long without a shower! Deodorant and let's go!" The distant sounds of feet hitting the floor intermixed with wall-muffled groans. "Gosh, it's like I had 20 pig-headed children!" he muttered before disappearing up the hall to rap on doors.

On queue, Hugo came stumbling out of his bedroom, pulling a loose cap onto his speckled, furred head. His shorts were already dusty.

"Did someone run out of clean clothes?" Kaylee joked, spinning in her chair to watch the cheetah approach the coffee pot with missle-like fixation. He jolted a bit at the sound of her voice before meeting her joke with a wide grin.

"Oh, weeks ago!" he laughed, pouring his mug and instantly swigging the lukewarm drink without pause. "Someone decided to ring in the, uhm, new location with a late night-"

Interrupting his voice, a slender wolf appeared in the halfway, freezing when she saw the kitchen full of strangers. "Oh! Uh, hello!" She lifted out fluffy paw, but she didn't wave it. Her eyes were wide as saucers, frozen in place.

Hugo pressed his teeth together, looking distressed, but Alexa beat him to speaking. "Good morning!" Her sandy-colored paw bobbed out of the mass of strangers' faces with a wave. "Want some green smoothie, I've got some left-" Before the girl replied, Alexa was already up and headed to the blender where her leftovers sat. "It's got spinach, apple..."

The startled girl took the escape route, following Alexa away from the table and into the kitchen proper where the blender sat. Hugo landed onto the seat beside Kaylee with a stressed exhale. "I told her if she waited a beat I'd introduce her preemptively and it'd be smoother, but..." he grimaced. "Alas, I did not act fast enough-"

Kaylee just grinned. "I've never seen a wolf in the headlights before, so... I thank you for that-"

"God," Hugo groaned. "A girl comes home with me and I throw her to the leopards!" His lips twitched with a smile despite himself. "Can you believe that Professor Stockton introduced me to her? He is a very unassuming wingman-" His voice had lowered, not wanting to hear the girl dishing about his hook-up, but his face was nothing but sweet glee as he spoke in a near whisper.

"Well, that's unfair! I would have gone out with you all!" Kaylee whined. One hand left her coffee cup to gesture with disbelief, but it quickly returned to the warm glass.

Hugo chuckled, "Yeah, and have you steal all the girls? No way! Plus, we hadn't meant to go out for real, we were just taking in the stars, but we heard music and... well-" He gestured towards the kitchen where the wolf was sipping Alexa's creation with a calmer expression. "I met Anika... so that worked out well."

"I did think I heard some dying animals last night-" Apunda interjected with a chuckle, Hugo just glared, finally standing up and rounding towards the wolf with a soft voice, apologizing for the surprise introduction.

Anika bopped his slender muzzle with a paw, visibly more relaxed. "Yeah, here I thought you knew how to treat a woman-" The table behind snickered, welcoming her into their chatter smoothly, but Kaylee watched Alexa round back in alongside the girl, giving her a seat at the table. "God, she's good at that."

***

Ten minutes after they were meant to leave, the bus was full of the entire group sans the visiting wolfess. She slipped out before more strange faces appeared, but she left Hugo with a warm kiss lingering on his cheek that seemed to be still triggering a dumb-faced grin as he sat on the bus's warm seats.

"So, Hugo already got laid in Nepal, I think that is incredibly unfair-" Kaylee teased, standing and leaning her knee into her chair so she could see the feline as she teased. She had slid a backpack onto her shoulders before they left, layering it over top of a loose cotton top tucked partially into soft, tight jeans worn out by their repeated wear on the trip. Her usual laced boots were tight around her ankles with dust clinging to the laces and clumping on the tread. The only color she wore was her own bright hair with the blue fading towards the roots and tinging towards purple through the ends.

"Well, it only took him four cities to warm up-" Reggie added, cracking a bold-faced grin as Hugo blushed a pink heat beneath his fur.

"Don't worry, Kaylee. I'm sure you can even the score-" Melody purred, grinning from her seat beside Apunda. The griffin wore a tight workout set with a short, cropped t-shirt that showed off her feathered mid-drift. As she spoke, Kaylee couldn't help but let her eyes roam down her sculpted outfit to the camera strapped to her hip. "You planning a big shoot today?"

"I'm hoping for aerials!" She perked up at the shop talk, instantly launching into a plan. Alexa, sitting behind Kaylee's bench seat, nodded along while Kaylee grilled her angles and plans with eager, professional interest. Apunda fit easily into the conversation, talking cameras. Hugo leaned against his seat, catching Alexa's eyes. "Thanks for this morning, I was totally oblivious-"

The sand cat's warm smile flickered to life. "It's no trouble. I know how hard it can be to find your place in a group-"

Hugo nodded, smile flickering for just a second. "Yeah, I know. You're good with people-"

Alexa touched his shoulder with a little purr in her chest. "I'm just glad you had some fun, she seemed like a lovely girl."

"It was amazing," Hugo blushed. "Like I was in a rom com, but... a bit R-rated-" He blushed, ears flickering atop his head. "I felt so suave last night, but this morning I was clueless."

"Alcohol has that effect," Alexa snickered. "She left is a good mood though-"

Hugo touched his hand to his cheek for a moment, smiling as if he was replaying her fleeting kiss. "Yeah... she did..." For a second, his eyes were distant, but he re-focused with a little bounce. "But how about you? Any fun since you re-joined the adventuring party?"

Alexa just laughed, shaking her head. "That's not really on my itinerary for vacationing," she said smiling a warm, bemused grin nonetheless wiggling her small nose when she chuckled.

"Really?" Hugo's smile softened to a thoughtful line. "Even with Kaylee for like... two weeks? Nothing at all? I mean, if I can..."

Alexa blushed, though the dense coat of her face hid the glowing pink from view. For a second, her eyes darted to where Kaylee, Melody, and Apunda all leaned together, talking lenses, then she refocused on the cheetah boy with a little shake of her head. "No, no of course not. Kaylee and I just hung out. Friends like anyone else."

Hugo's lips parted, thinking, but then it closed with a pause in the conversation. "Any specific plans for the temple then?"

"Oh yes, there's several beliefs tied to the healing opportunities I'm hoping to explore..."

***

"Oh, there go Melody and Apunda!" Rodger chuckled, gesturing at the human and griffin heading off towards the temple, side by side. Kaylee looked towards the lion, whose mane had nearly reached a full ring around his face without his usual trimming throughout the trip.

"Have they been a thing?" She lowered her voice, leaning into the gossip. Behind the two felines, the others were still unloading from the bus with their faces turned up towards the walls and towers of the temple. Already, streams of people led up towards the main structures, swallowing up Melody and Apunda as they headed up quickly in hopes of snagging better spots for photos as the light changed.

Rodger snickered, "Oh yeah! You were away for the blossoming of their tale-" He did a flourish with a shake of his head. "When we were passing by Lakhimpur, our hostel was short on beds and before Saanvi could arrange for another room elsewhere, Melody volunteered to shack up with Apunda... word on the street the next day was that their bunk mates didn't sleep much-" The lion gave Kaylee a lingering side glance, raising a brow with emphasis. "I'm sure they'd let you into the mix though-" He looked over the leopardess with a playful smirk. She smacked at his shoulder, but with her lips curled with a laugh.

"I knew they had a vibe together, but damn..." Kaylee half-turned, catching the eyes of Alexa as she exited the bus alongside Hugo, talking between each other. The sand cat didn't meet Kaylee's stare, so she fell in alongside Rodger as they headed up the temple's main walkway. "What other gossip did no one mention to me?"

Rodger snickered. "Well, did you hear about Saanvi and Kizza yet?"

Kaylee's eyes went wide, imagining their stiffly professional guide and the bold sex therapist. "Whaaat?" The lion laughed, stepping close so he didn't lose the girl in the crowd.

"Oh yeah, it was a single night, but basically..."

***

"God, I'm sweaty and the dust is sticking to my sweat... I'm like a paper maché filled with a human!" Apunda moaned, waving a hand in a sad imitation of a fan at her shining face. The inside of the bus was dense with the heat building. The air conditioner had been meager on the drive up, but combined with a slight breeze had cut the feeling of being cooked alive down. Since the temple, however, the bus had broken down. The engine ran enough to roll the wheels, but any hope of air conditioning was lost.

"As if walking six miles before a proper lunch wasn't enough, now we're being roasted alive-"

"You're making it sound like someone is going to get a proper lunch-"

"Oh my God!"

Kaylee closed her notebook, tucking the worn pencil back into her bag alongside it. She checked the zipper twice, ensuring the notes were safe before she turned her face towards the group of complaining travelers. "You guys, you're in India... Every other day of the trip has been a near perfect 70 degrees, now it breaks 80 and you act all dramatic." She leaned over the back of the seat to where Apunda sat, leaning forward so her back didn't touch the sticky seat. "I had hoped you'd be heartier than this," she added, in a private, soft voice.

The human laughed, swatting towards Kaylee's furred shoulder. "How are you so furry and not dying?" Her fingers left a lingering track through the exposed fur of the leopardess' shoulder.

"I've been traveling since forever, no one's climate really bothers me anymore, plus... I quite like a little sheen of sweat sometimes, for the right reasons-" she smirked, flashing her fangs for a second as Apunda dabbed at her shining forehead. The sweat only brought out the natural shine of her skin even more, glittering on her sharp cheekbones while the flush made her appear even warmer, cozier somehow.

Safely in the privacy on the bus, encouraged by the heat, she'd stripped out of her top, sitting in a thin tube top that clung to her form and showed the outline of her breasts pressing together beneath, glistening under the harsh afternoon sunlight where sweat skimmed over the skin. Leaning into the seat, slightly above her, Kaylee stared down at the swell of her tits under the straining fabric.

Apunda shook her head, pushing her curls out of her face with a soft whine. "I don't get it, everyone here is covered in fur and I'm the one who's too hot!"

"It's about the temperature regulation, not the layers-" Melody interjected, stepping up onto the bus, shouldering her bag of equipment. She slipped easily down the aisle between the bus seats, stopping at Kaylee's bench seat before sliding in beside her. Her feathered arm nudged to the leopardess' side as she did with a soft, textured tickle.

"You're exactly right," Kaylee turned slightly, letting her butt press to the wall and window of the bus so she could face outwards at Melody and Apunda together. She was aware, at the edges of her vision, of the others loading onto the bus. Alexa walked beside Rodger and Reggie, still scribbling onto a notepad of her own while Reggie clutched onto his camera, holding it slightly over her shoulder to capture an action shot.

"But, by all means, if it helps you feel more comfortable, keep stripping-" Melody crooned, catching Apunda's eyes with a sparkle glint in her own gaze. Her beak was curled into a grin of pure mischief. The human just smirked back, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Kaylee pressed herself into the window more, feeling the sizzling tension grow between the two. From her raised vantage point, she watched wordlessly as Melody pushed her petite chest against the seat, pushing her small breasts together beneath her cropped, short top. The fabric fluttered and rose slightly, almost threatening to reveal the underside of the firm mounds. Kaylee could smell the faint musk of both girls in the air, hot from the work of walking and the heat of the bus.

"Wouldn't you agree, Kaylee?"

"Huh?"

"Were you just staring at me?"

"I, uh-"

"Don't let me interrupt, by all means..."

***

The door of the bus cranked shut with a croak of the metal arms. The windows had all been dropped open, desperately streaming in the dusty air outside to cut down the heat building inside the box of the bus. The travelers had all piled in, only adding to the rising temperatures inside.

Kaylee still leaned into the window between Melody and Apunda while Alexa sat closer to the front of the bus, seated beside Reggie while he chattered. His talking seemed without pause while the sand cat hunched over a notepad, scribbling her thoughts from visiting the temple with a focused intensity.

"Oh man! I hope that shot turns out of those two crying, it was just beautiful! With the light sparkling..." Reggie's hands waved in front of his face, drawing the path of the sun beams and accenting each sentence he spoke. A small, encouraging smile from Alexa spurned him on, keeping him chattering with quiet encouragement.

Hugo siddled down the aisle of the bus, finding his open space beside Apunda with a sheepish smile. "I hope you don't mind-"

She squished into the window further, flashing him a bright, friendly smile. "Of course not, get in here. Are you going to dish about last night finally?"

The feline blushed beneath his fur, flickering his ears atop his head. "Oh, I mean... there's nothing to dish, I wouldn't want to..."

"Apunda, don't embarrass him just because you don't have sordid tales of your own yet!"

"Who says I don't have any yet?" Apunda raised one brow, flashing Kaylee a smirk. "Well, you haven't told any to me, so I can't verify them, you know, as a journalist." Kaylee's tail flickered behind her, swatting into the window while her eyes locked with the playful human. Beside her, Melody leaned into the flirting with a smile playing over her features. Squished into the seats, she almost nudged into Kaylee's side.

"Oh, I have my own sources-" Apunda met Melody's eyes with a sharp look, making them both smile wider with a quivering sort of tense excitement between the three. Hugo, seated on the edge of Apunda's seat, had wide eyes and a stiff expression. "Nothing like being the fourth wheel and still being unneeded," he muttered, quietly enough that the girls didn't even glance his way.

***

"Hey, Alexa-" The sand cat jolted up at the sound of Kaylee's voice ringing her name. She looked up, meeting the leopardess' violet eyes with a soft smile across the distance of the worn road beneath their feet. Behind them, the bus' engine still hummed, waiting for them to all exit before departing for the evening.

Kaylee smiled, showing the sharp edge of her fangs. "Re-order coffee beans for me."

For a second, the joke didn't register on the smaller feline's face, but as it did, her eyes went wide while a wide, shocked smile cracked across her face. She lunged forward with quick steps, "I told you to stop it!" She was laughing behind the complaint, diminishing her own severity.

Kaylee just laughed, waiting until the girl caught up before she started walking again, heading in the same direction as the other travelers streaming towards their rental property's simple open yard space with rusty seats worn by visiting butts. "I can't resist. I say your name and my brain just re-wires. Besides, you don't make it any easier by being just as helpful and all-powerful as the original Alexa herself-"

"You do know that I was alive well before the AI Alexa hit the market-"

"Well, sure, but for me... Alexa will always be Amazon's number one household friend and spy."

"Kaylee, you should really get out more." Alexa snickered, starting to pivot towards the house now, but Kaylee caught her arm with a soft hold that melted off when she turned towards her, eyebrow raised.

"I meant to ask you if you wanted to come to dinner?" Kaylee's face was softer, done joking. Her colored hair was pulled back from her face with messy flyaways fluttering around her forehead while her cheeks crinkled with her smile. Alexa's lips parted, starting to respond, but she spoke again. "Melody, Apunda, and Hugo all want to hit up this place around the corner, I thought you might wanna join us?"

"Oh, yeah!" Alexa's voice barely paused on her first syllable, a minute flickered before she understood the gathering was the whole group. "I'd love that, I need some proper food in my gut, I've had nothing but a smoothie and a granola bar all day."

"Yeah, try doing that temple walk with just coffee and one of Saanvi's peanut balls-" Kaylee snickered, falling in stride beside the sand cat's soft steps as they followed after the others lead, off to dinner.

***

"Oh. My. God." Kaylee let out a long sigh, closing her lips around the steaming bite of food. Her eyes sunk closed before she continued to mumble-talk around her full mouth of food. "This is it. This is the best thing I've ever eaten."

"Kaylee! Manners!" Melody snapped, laughing through the words. She leaned over her plate, shoveling another bite of the sauce-covered rice towards her mouth with a soft sigh of her own. The five travelers clustered around a small wooden table in the dark corner of the restaurant. The front space was bustling with a bar, but the back tables were still a bit quiet, early for the dinner rush. They squeezed into a small table, knees pressing together under the table while they noshed.

"How am I going to be happy with the Indian food back home now?" Alexa murmured, almost as if she was worrying about it to herself as she raised her bowl towards her, eating with a quiet desperation.

"This is seriously mind blowing-" Hugo echoed, squished between Melody and Apunda with a near-constant flush on his cheeks as they shared their meal, swapping bites and glances with equal sharpness. Kaylee and Alexa sat together, with the leopardess beside Melody.

"I'm going to have to hunt down something that's even a sad mimcy of this back home," Kaylee murmured, glancing into Alexa's bowl. "Do you want to try this one? It's a bit spicier!" She held her fork out slightly, already loaded with a bite. Alexa looked at Kaylee's face before nodding, parting her lips just enough to signify her intent. Kaylee smoothly brought the fork to her lips, guiding the food inside with a moment of fleeting, private contact between the two before Melody's voice interjected, "Hey, can I try? I got the peanut one."

"Can we get more of this one?"

"Yeah, where's our waitress?"

"There!"

***

"You know, now I'm extra sad to be leaving-" Kaylee pressed her hand against her full stomach, letting her weight relax back into the time-tested chair beneath her. To her side, Hugo nodded in agreement. "That was some of the best food of my life, I can't imagine eating what I used to order up back home-"

Their eyes tipped up, staring out at the scape of the rest of the town stretched out in front of them and the sky spilling up behind it. "-I honestly almost can't picture being home at all," Hugo added, not looking from the view as he spoke.

"I always feel like that at the end of a trip too" Kaylee softly agreed, speaking towards the open nothingness in front of her. "It's like your life finally adjusts to this. You're used to being sorta dusty all the time, used to the bag of clothes you brought, used to the temperature, the routine or lack thereof, and then suddenly... I'm back in my apartment staring at my laptop and the trip is nothing but words."

"I've never done something like this, a trip. I did a lot of road tripping back home, but I couldn't afford to fly out somewhere. This trip was basically my Christmas gift from everyone I've ever known. They all told me to finally go somewhere and quit worrying about it."

"I get that... I had those sorts of friends that loved to travel, but were somehow so homebound. I wasn't ever that, I would use my last $30 on a paycheck to go somewhere new." She breathed in a long breath, feeling the sleepy pull of a full stomach.

For a moment, the conversation lulled down to the hot coals. Neither of them was bothered by the sudden soft silence. Their ears flickered, picking up the sounds of the city on all sides of them and the laughter from inside as someone cracked out another bottle of pungent, cheap alcohol.

"I'm going to miss the people," Hugo finally said, voice small in his mouth. "I've never felt so comfortable with such loud personalities."

Kaylee smiled, picturing the group of this trip and the fleeting memories of past faces she couldn't quite connect with names anymore: a smiling German Shepherd with hair dripping wet, a stern badger leaning into a sun-toasted boulder while she held a thick novel with both hands, a panda laughing with her hands stretched above her head as she danced with swaying hips...

"Yeah, the people are harder..." The words to comfort the first-time traveler didn't come to the leopardess, and she didn't try to lie. Instead, she let the silence between them swallow up the end of her sentence. Hugo breathed in, an audible sigh. "Maybe we could do a road trip next year, aren't you and Alexa not far from each other? At least the three of us could meet up-"

Kaylee's mind filled with the images of the sand cat. Her face scrunched together as she fought with the aging coffee machine, working to make Kaylee's habitual drink. Her soft feet, chilled from the cold, pressing into Kaylee's thighs as they sat together on the worn couch both looking over their own notes in quiet companionship. Her small button of a nose twitching at the spicy scent of curry before she tried it. For a moment, Kaylee saw the flickers of the sand cat she'd collected from her two weeks of bed rest and the rest of the trip like an album in her mind. "Yeah, I'd be down for that, Hugo. I'm terrible at staying connected with people, so you'll probably have to take the lead though-"

"Why terrible?"

Kaylee sighed, letting her eyes close. "I don't know. I struggle to focus on things that aren't right in front of me. People inside my phone waiting to be called just don't... don't stick in my head, even if I'd like to call them."

"You should try letters," Hugo replied, without pause for judgement. "I used to write letters with my grandma, until she passed away. If she'd waited for a call... I can't imagine I'd ever get to it, but a letter shows up at your door and it sorta demands attention, plus once you start to write, it just comes..."

"I can see that... I've always liked paper better than screens."

Once again, the quiet noise of the evening fell between them. This time, they didn't break it. For several minutes, they just sat in the cooling chill of the night air and listened to the atmosphere of the city they'd soon leave, soaking it up.

Eventually, they both roused to go into the swelling party inside the cramped kitchen.

***

"Oh yes! Fuck! Yeah! Right there! Oh yes, yes!" Kaylee's head fell back in a moment of overwhelming pleasure, arching her back as she thrust her foot forward into Reggie's practiced hands. His fingers worked into the tired curve of her foot in a diligent massage. "Kaylee, never get a massage at an actual business, they will throw you out-"

She laughed, raising her half-empty glass in a sort of toast to that. "It's not my fault, it's the vodka and the, fuck! That feels so good! My feet have hurt for a week, I didn't think I could make it stop."

"You really should get some inserts," Reggie chuckled, glancing over at the others who all sat in similar situations. Their drinking had led them to the realization that if everyone agreed they could give foot massages and swap and get some relief for their tired feet. No one had flinched at the idea of touching some feet in return for something to ease their aches and pains.

"My boots are perfect as is-"

"Your feet say otherwise."

"Don't listen to those bastards."

***

"Hey, Skye... Hey Skye?" Kaylee's voice yelped into her phone with randomly varying volumes. The sound of the toilet flushing filled the back of the recording for a second before her voice exploded from the small speakers. "Skye, I wish you were here. We're having so much fun. My feet feel so good. I had the best food. I'm not gonna puke up that food, but I might make out with someone. They keep flirting with me, but I don't know, I bet you could tell me. You're smart about that. I'm good at it, but I'm not smart."

The sound of water covered her voice before the phone seemingly fell with a loud clunk captured by the voice message's recording. "Oye. Sorry. I dropped you, you bounced off the lid. I love you! I'm in India!"

Then, with a short thunk, the voice recording ended. Skye, sitting up in bed, on the other side of the globe from her friend, with her fur still mused from sleep squinted at her phone with frozen perplexion. "Well, I'd say it's probably too late for me to tell her to stop drinking..."

***

"Oh man..." Kaylee pressed her hand to her head, waking to a faint pounding at her brain's door. "I drank too much last night." For a second, she contemplated laying back down in the soft embrace of her bed, but she fought the urge and shoved her feet onto the cool floor. In the hallway, a small pile up waited for the bathroom shower to empty.

"Morning, Kaylee-" Hugo murmured, eyes half closed as he leaned into the wall.

"Hey," Rose, who wore a massive t-shirt that 100% wasn't her own over her curves, flashed Kaylee a dazed smile. "Welcome to the line of the hungover. Everyone else is already snacking for breakfast downstairs."

"How late is it?" Kaylee felt a sudden pulse of panic.

"Don't worry, it's not late-" Hugo waved a hand comfortingly. "Someone went to the market and brought back fresh fruit so everyone swarmed, but I need to shower first... I won't feel normal until I scorch away the stench of raksi."

"Have fun last night?" Kaylee directed to Rose, smirking sleepily.

"Oh... oh yes," Rose giggled softly, blushing faintly in the white lines of her face. She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "You know those rumors about Asian dick?"

Kaylee chuckled, nodding.

"Those are horrible lies-" She smirked for a second, but Kaylee raised a brow. "But that shirt.. That shirt is huge! Sato would swim in it."

Rose smirked, for a second just giggling. "Well, yeah, the shirt is Reggie's."

"Why, you dog!" Kaylee lowered her voice to a playful hiss, leaning towards the girl. "Back to back or..."

"Same time."

"Oh my gosh!'

"I think Reginald might have been more interested in Sato, but he didn't disappoint either-"

"Everyone is getting laid except me!" Kaylee whined, shaking her head.

Rose chuckled. "Well, you missed your window with your Facetiming last night-"

"Oh man..." Kaylee pulled up her phone, looking at the cluster of voice messages she'd sent to Skye. "My poor friend, she's going to wake up to a hopeless situation from the past." She chuckled at the thought. "Well, coffee might actually do me more good than a shower, tap me when it's empty though, 'kay?"

The leopardess headed down the hallway, wearing a loose shirt over a pair of clinging, tight shorts that rode high on her ass as she snuck into the kitchen. Her long, lean legs were on display with her fur in mused swirls from sleeping. Saanvi and Professor Stockton had taken over a small table by the door, but the larger table where the fruit sat was half full of other travelers: Sato and Reggie sat together, but with enough distance that Kaylee only noticed because of the gossip echoing in her head; Vera sat beside Alexa, sharing one of her smoothies.

"Mornin'" Reggie greeted, waving one hand before gesturing it down towards the table's spread. "Did you come for the bounty?"

"I think Saanvi was secretly worried we were going to get scurvy or something-" Sato interjected, chuckling.

"I came for this bounty-" Kaylee retorted, circling right towards the coffee pot. Alexa chuckled, watching her dart her way towards the machine.

"You're lucky Alexa put the pot to brew for you, otherwise you might have to wait for it-" Vera interjected. Alexa looked almost sheepish to have been revealed, but she smiled warmly when Kaylee turned to her. "Thank you nurse, for not abandoning your charge after my healing. The aftercare you provide is second to none." She filled her mug with a dangerous speed, yet somehow none of the dark brew sloshed over the edge.

"I suppose I could sneak a bit of fruit down with the coffee, but only a little or my body will rebel." She found a seat at the table, sneaking in between Sato and Alexa. She plucked a bundle of grapes from the platter up, dangling them up beside her mouth so she could pull them off the vine.

"You know what today is right?" Reggie asked, turning to the table with a wide grin. He didn't wait for a reply, instead he continued with rising excitement. "Today is the City of Lakes, Pokhara! This stunning locale is a popular spot for newlyweds, but anyone can enjoy sparkling water and the sight of the landscape stretched out all around them!"

"Reggie, have you been reading too many travel brochures again?" Vera teased, chuckling as the kitchen grew ever more crowded. The travelers in the house all clustered around the door, bouncing on their feet with excitement for the day. With only two days left in the country, no one wanted to waste time in the showers or sleeping.

"What are your plans for today? Got any interviews set?" Melody asked, lightly grabbing onto Kaylee's shoulder as she arrived at the table. Her fingers softly squeezed into the girl's fur as she leaned down to talk to her.

"Well, not many... This place isn't tied to many stories, so I'm sorta just hoping to see it myself," Kaylee looked up at her, tipping her head back slightly to see the griffin.

"Ah, I'm trying to get so many shots..."

"Well, of course. This place is supposed to be beautiful, it's made for film." Melody nodded along, chuckling as she caught Apunda's eyes and they clustered together chattering about their plans for the lake.

Rapidly, the action in the kitchen moved out towards the bus once it arrived, barely leaving it idling before everyone was squeezed onto its seats staring out towards the windows with anticipation.

"To Pokhara!"

***

"Okay, everyone, the boats only hold two people each so please pair up! We're going to be loading out from here-" Saanvi gestured towards the shallow edges of the large lake where already there were clusters of people, some of them loading into boats and some of them helping. Rapidly, the misty edges of the lake where the water seemed to melt into the thick waves of trees coming down the mountain side had colored specs of distant boats sliding across the calm, glassy water.

For a second, there was a flurry of activity, not unlike grade school when friends rapidly rushed to grab their favorite partners and not be left waiting in their desk. Melody and Apunda slid together like there were magnets between them pulling them together. Reggie and Sato rapidly connected together, claiming one of the front boats with a fierce eagerness. Kaylee hung back, watching as people peeled off from the pack, collecting in pairs until Alexa looked up and caught the leopardess' eyes.

"My nurse," Kaylee called, stepping in beside the shorter girl with one long step. "Will you be my ship's doctor?"

Alexa grinned, leaning towards the girl with an easy smile. "Well, not officially, but of course-"

The pair loaded into their long rowboat with wobbling legs. "Do not tip my vessel!" Kaylee warned, seated already as Alexa eased down onto her bench seat with her eyes wide as the boat quivered under her in a few inches of lapping water.

Once seated, they nudged their long, slender oars against the ground and pushed off towards the water. With a soft slap of the water rushing against the sides of the wooden boat, they glided across the smooth surface out of the loading zone past the other stationary boats rocking in place. The air rushed through the girl's hair, brushing the wispy pieces of Alexa's hair out of her face and back across her shoulders.

With a gentle push of the oars though the water, the boat slipped easily into the center of the lake with the soft wash of the water against the sides. The other boats, despite how clustered the lake was, didn't seem to be close. The list that gathered over the water cloaked the others on the water, making it seem like their slender boat was whisking across the mirrored lake alone in the crisp air.

"So, no interviews today? That seems unlike you-" Alexa asked, voice quiet in the calm of the lake.

"Well, this place is basically all tourists..." Kaylee looked out across the stretching, glittering water. "I could interview those who rent the boats out, see what stories they have, but I'd be interrupting their work and I'd be stuck on shore. Today, I thought I'd just see what's here-"

Alexa smiled, following the leopardess' gaze towards the dense treeline at the foggy edges of the large lake. "I can see why."

"It's gorgeous-"

For a long minute, neither spoke. Their eyes were turned to the same spot, staring into the distance as the water glimmered and stretched out beneath their sight. The horizon seemed to fade into a blended blur where the fog pooled over the shoreline. Their oars sat over their laps, lazily dripping onto the surface with faintly rippling motions. They didn't paddle. Instead, they just let the boat drift slightly as they looked towards the less populated edges of the lake.

"Should we go further?" Kaylee asked, lightly tipping her oar until it kissed the water's top and broke into the surface. Alexa nodded in soft agreement before they started out towards the foggy distance, gliding slowly with their steady, paced strokes of the oars.

"Not surprisingly, I've never been around lakes very much," Alexa murmured, speaking just above the sound of the water on the wooden oars, but no louder. Her voice didn't catch on the wind and travel off to other boats this way.

"You know, me neither. My family did the cabin business, sometimes, but I never felt too drawn to it. I preferred to be on top of a jet ski-"

"Of course you did."

"What's that mean?" Kaylee laughed, softly and glanced back over her shoulder to Alexa behind her. The sand cat just smirked slightly.

"I feel like I've got a slight read on you, Kaylee. We did spend two weeks almost locked up together-"

"Well, okay then! Tell me some assumptions about me. I'll tell you if you're right or wrong." The oar sliced through the water with a soft splash, echoing the quiet noise for a beat.

Alexa pressed her lips together, thinking. Her long, white whiskers twitched as she mused over this game. "I assume that you had a brief period where you were obsessed with energy drinks."

Kaylee stopped paddling, momentarily letting them lurch towards one direction as she glanced over her shoulder. "That is... so oddly specific."

Alexa raised her brow, smiling slightly with a little twitch of her dark nose. "Does that mean it's wrong?"

"No, it's 100% correct. I had a very cool babysitter once, who was way too good at posing as a goody two-shoes at church, but once the parents left she was very cool to my thirteen year-old self. She wore thongs and drank Monster like it was water."

"I can picture this person's essence exactly."

"Yeah, exactly that. She wasn't amazingly attractive, but she handled herself like a sex star. She had huge tits, which is a big deal when half your class doesn't have any yet. She wore her nasty, one dollar lace thongs whale-taling out of the back of her jeans. She just chucked on a Christian camp sweatshirt whenever a parent was around and went from sexy to comfy and they never questioned it, but to me, she was the ideal." Kaylee laughed softly, remembering suddenly this lost recollection. "She watched me maybe twice a month, when my parents had 'date nights' which I'm sure was a Bible study group really, but she'd bring me those chocolate milk straws and then we'd sit at the island and she'd tell me about the boys she'd kissed since last visit."

"What a great role model," Alexa softly laughed, letting her oar come to rest as they stared up at the thick trees at one edge of the lake. The water lapping the shore intermingled with the sound of her voice.

"Yeah, Roxy was a role model to behold, the perfect charmer." Kaylee chuckled, glancing back. "But of course, the summer rolled around and whenever my parents let me go hang out away from home, I'd get my hands on a Monster. A lot of the time I'd have to slam them so I could throw the cans away in Mrs. Rothway's trashcan on the walk home." Kaylee shook her head, reeling still at the accuracy of Alexa's strange prediction.

"It's no wonder that coffee goes down like water-" Alexa laughed.

"Well, that's just a requirement for journalism. Your first internship is basically a barista job!" Their boat rocked with the rippling water, spinning slightly so they looked into the fog rising around them and fading the image of the rest of the lake out behind them.

"I'm guessing that as a kid you actually liked water-"

"Hey now!" Alexa laughed. "I lived in a very hot temperature! Water is the most hydrating option!"

"I bet you were allowed to drink soda, but you didn't because you didn't care."

"That... is correct." Alexa laughed a soft, breathy sound that quivered her long whiskers. Kaylee, in the front of the boat, rose slightly, just enough to turn her butt on the bench until she faced the laughing cat. "My parents were very relaxed. My mom obviously knew a lot about the science of restrictions and the result on behavior, so I was allowed mostly anything I wanted, within reason. Soda isn't that good-"

"Oh, how I would have hated you in grade school! I practically had people smuggle me Dr. Pepper between classes just so I could taste it. I wasn't allowed anything besides milk, water, and juice at home."

"Oh boy," Alexa snickered softly. She splashed her oar against the water, shifting forward in her seat as Kaylee met her eyes. "Okay, so, I've got another one. You were... at some point... very, very emo."

Kaylee's eyebrows bounced up, meeting Alexa's inquisitive stare with a sudden laugh. "No! Nope! I skipped over punk and went straight into electronic dance music..." She gestured over her face. "Picture this streaked in neon at a rave-" Her lips fluttered, almost in control before she started to snicker.

"Oh my gosh, that's even better than the punk phase I was picturing" Alexa laughed.

Kaylee jabbed a finger towards the sand cat, flickering her thick tail. "Let me guess, you listened to primarily show tunes and acoustic versions of pop hits-"

"H-how?" Alexa laughed, mouth dropping slightly open.

"Well, you sang the opening song to Oklahoma! about four different times when we were on bedrest, plus you've been humming songs from Les Mis basically the entire trip-" She waved her hand, smiling at the girl's gaze. "I figured there's been others I don't recognize, so you'd need to be learning those for awhile-" Alexa gave a shrug, grinning at her successful guess.

"I have always loved theater. I tried being in theater in high school and realized that I hated being on stage, but I love the shows, especially musicals. I've been to Broadway every time my family went to New York. When my dad has conferences there, I'll often come with him and see shows while he's in and then hang out... I mean, when my classes allowed it."

Kaylee nodded, smile softening. "That must be so nice... I can't imagine hanging out with my dad, I don't know what we'd do or talk about..." She shook her head, looking out across the sparkling top of the water, that had stilled around them to a glassy finish that reflected their boat and the trees above on land.

Alexa nodded, knowingly letting the conversation lull down and bounce back as Kaylee met her eyes. "My dad is great, he's always gone along with me to shows. My mom likes them, but my dad has gone to more. He doesn't even really like theater, he's just willing to come along." She paused for a second. "I'm going to guess you've never been to a live production-"

Kaylee clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Nuh uh. Nice try. I've been to a few while traveling, but I've never been to Broadway proper."

"What? Never Broadway?" Alexa shook her head, making her whiskers wiggle alongside her cheeks. "You've got to see something on Broadway, it's just... it's a life experience, a must-have experience!"

Kaylee found Alexa's pale, blue eyes. The soft, tan fur of her face fluttered slightly in the passing breeze over the water. The leopardess smiled, nodding slightly. "You'll have to take me sometime, show me New York proper."

Alexa smiled, crinkling her nose. "I'd love that, I'd love it a lot."

For a beat, the silence stretched between them. They realized, after a second, they'd been talking not about their past anymore, but about the future past this lake in Nepal, India. After the silence pulsed between them for a second, Kaylee nodded towards the distant line of the shore where they'd come from. "Should we go back, we've got to be close to our allotted lake time-"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot we're here with a group-" Alexa chuckled, softly smiling before she picked up her oar and drew it against the water's surface. Kaylee mirrored her, glancing over her shoulder for a second without turning herself around. Instead, she adjusted her paddling to keep facing backwards towards the girl.

The sand cat sat on the edge of her bench seat, with her slender legs balanced in the center of the boat. She wore wide leg linen pants that were as pale as her fur was that rose high on her smooth stomach up to the hem of the cropped t-shirt she wore, pre-tied just above her belly button. Kaylee could see a tiny slice of the pale fur of her stomach, just a tinge lighter than the fur that coated her arms. Her hair was loose, looking extra pale after the sunlight of the long trip that had bleached out the dirty blonde color. So much of Alexa's figure was the same hue of soft tans and whites that her pale blue eyes, a soft color even then, seemed to pop and sparkle. As they paddled, her hair danced around her shoulders, fluttering softly as her slender arms worked the oar. Kaylee didn't try to speak over the sounds of the oars in the water, whisking them across the mirrored lake; instead, she pictured Alexa against a backdrop of New York's high stretching buildings wearing not a thin, white shirt but a bundled pink coat with her hair tucked into a knitted hat and a playbill clutched in front of her. She saw the image so crisp it was like she was there.

"What show would we go to?" she called, softly enough that the sound didn't roar across the water, but loud enough Alexa heard it over the sound of the water lapping up to the edges of their boat. Alexa's forehead crinkled, marking her thought as they emerged from the foggiest edge of the lake and headed into increasingly populated waters towards their load-off point.

Already, they could see the small figurines of their fellow travelers clustering around the beach. Kaylee turned her head, focusing on their direction as they breached the land, suddenly caught up in the commands of escaping their boat and getting onto the land without splashing in. Kaylee grabbed Alexa's arm from the shore, helping her up with a gentle lift. As the girl stepped up onto land, leaning into Kaylee's chest for balance, she tilted her head up with a little smile.

"I'd take you to Kinky Boots, it's cheesy and funny and romantic, you'd love it."

***

"Hey, Kaylee?" A familiar, smooth face poked into the doorframe of the leopardess' room, walking in on the girl Facetiming back stateside.

"Who's that?" Skye's voice rang out of the phone's speaker with a soft crackle. Kaylee turned the phone towards the door, showing the red panda's scrunched face.

"That's Apunda, one of the ever-lovely photographers traveling with us."

"Oh, go go! Go have fun!" Skye waved, kissing at the phone while a distant, male voice shouted something about fun in the background. "Nick says so too! Believe it or not, there's still gummy candy left, but it's hardening at an increasing rate! Bye, dear!"

Kaylee tossed her phone back onto the bunk, meeting the girl in the doorway. "So, what can I do for you this evening?" Her hair was loose around her shoulders, the patches of different colors all curling together.

Apunda smiled, leaning close enough to smell the shampoo of Kaylee's fur. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come see some of my favorite photos so far, from the trip..."

"I would love to," Kaylee followed the girl back into the hallway. They gathered in a small living room of the house where Melody already perched on the couch with a laptop balancing on the table in front of her.

"Hey, Kaylee!" Melody perked up at the sight of her, scooching into the arm of the couch further. The two newcomers collapsed onto the couch together, squishing in between the cushioned arms. Kaylee felt the smooth skin of Apunda's arm on one side and the soft tickle of Melody's feathers on the other.

"We thought, since tomorrow is the last day, we'd be too busy to be sitting around looking at photos, but I've been flagging my favorites so..." Apunda leaned forward, grazing the softness of her chest against the top of Kaylee's thigh as she clicked the computer on, showing the first colorful photo. The photo showed the peak of a mountain with sunlight cracking against the top and spreading across the pale sky.

"That is stunning-" Kaylee murmured, scrutinizing the screen. One by one, Apunda flicked through some of her favorites as they chatted back and forth about the location. They squeezed in around the computer screen, arm to arm to arm. Kaylee felt the heat of the girls on either side. As they turned, sharing the fleeting memories each photo triggered, their faces hovered inches apart.

"You are really, really good at this..." Kaylee murmured, almost whispering with their proximity.

"Why thank you," Apunda whispered, meeting Kaylee's eyes for a second. "I am insulted to think that's a surprise though-"

The laptop clicked to another photo, this one capturing the back of Kaylee's head on the lake the day before, just beyond the soft tangles of her head was Alexa's face, crinkled up with laughter. Her whiskers were twitching, caught mid-motion in the throes of her giggling. Kaylee almost gasped at the photo, leaning in. Her eyes lingered on Alexa's laughing face, noticing that her eyes were locked, not on the unseen camera's lens, but on Kaylee's face turned away from the shooter.

"You two seemed to be having fun..." Melody interjected, realizing the photo seemed to have broken Kaylee's concentration.

"These are all stunning, really." She shifted, turning to sit on the coffee table and face the two girls. "Can I suggest your names when I publish? I bet the outlets would buy photo rights out of these."

Melody gave a little squeak, nodding. "Yeah, that would be amazing, I mean, seriously amazing."

"Consider it done," Kaylee gave a brief thumbs up before she bounced to her feet, marking the end of the encounter. The photos continued to flick by on the screen, a few more of the lake, but they weren't watching anymore. Instead, Kaylee crossed through the open space towards the kitchen where other travelers clustered around the table, sharing an opened bottle of liquor. "Hey all!"

The conversation sucked her in. Melody and Apunda trickled in together, the changing clusters of people in the kitchen changing throughout the evening as it grew later and later. After weeks together, they had ample stories and jokes to swap.

"I just can't believe tomorrow is the last real day-"

"Then it's back to real life, huh?"

"It feels like I've been here forever, but also like it flew past."

"You know, I will enjoy my own bed..."

"And a long, hot bath..."

"My mom is going to make a hot dish-"

"Oh my God, yes. Maybe I'm ready for home-"

Kaylee followed along, lamenting the end of the trip and excited for the comforts of home, but she didn't fully understand the sentiment. She longed not for a mother's cooking, but for the familiar Chinese delivery near her apartment and for new tickets to another destination, but she knew not to say that to the more casual travelers. They wouldn't understand.

"I'm just ready for one more day."

***

"Hey! For once everyone is awake and ready on time!" Reggie clapped his hands, filling the clustered kitchen with noise. Everyone was there, caffeinated and waiting. This time, they'd walk to their destination: The Thamel Area and it's many markets. The day was open, but people were planning to stick together, soak up the last hours of their fellow travelers.

"I need to get a few more quotes and to pick up snacks for tomorrow!" Kaylee offered, finishing her coffee with a sudden gulp.

"I need to find things for my family-"

"Yeah, I want something to hang in my-"

The conversations tangled together, overlapping and intermingling while everyone pushed towards the door, naturally starting their walk into the thick of the markets. The noise of the city around them grew louder and louder as they headed towards the cluttered stalls of wares and foods. Once they hit the main market, groups started to break out from each other. Alexa walked alongside Hugo, leaning into his side as they talked about souvenirs for their family back home. Kaylee ended up beside Melody.

"Can I take some footage of you talking to people? I really liked that for B-roll before," The griffin's shoulder nudged into Kaylee's, jostling her for a second as she glanced over with a smile. "Of course, just don't be too in their face with the camera, you know the drill..."

The travelers stepped into the crowded streets and melted into the hustle and bustle of the market, lost into the crowds. Furs and humans alike snuck up to stands to peer down over tables spread with potential gifts for family back home or fresh produce stacked high awaiting inspection.

"I think my mom would like a trinket, she loves those little dust collectors-" Hugo mused, keeping his shoulder close to Alexa's as they browsed, ensuring they wouldn't lose each other. The small feline hummed thoughtfully as they browsed, finding that the market seemed to slow time as they checked from stall to stall.

In another clustered space, Kaylee finished talking to an aged farmer, tucking away her notebook. "You know, I think it'd be fun to grab some more local produce, maybe we can all cook something?" She turned to Melody, raising a brow in question.

"That'd be so fun, a good final activity for everyone!"

The two set their mission, gathering supplies and ingredients as they wandered through the streets. Kaylee occasionally took notes, but her story was already taking shape, already a cluster of interviews that spoke to each other and a few more comments that would most likely just be cut out. Instead, she let the idea of a big dinner with the traveling group take focus. Her loose bag grew heavier and heavier as they shopped.

The rest of the afternoon went quickly. As fast as they'd all arrived in the morning, the afternoon was already arriving with an intense wave of the day's peak and the rush of the coming evening's cool air afterwards. Clusters of the traveling party started to head back towards their rented home, finding each other along the way.

"Hey, you!" Kaylee spotted Alexa gingerly carrying a box in front of her. "Did you find the gifts you needed?"

"Yes I did! I found the perfect statuette for my mother's garden-"

Hugo appeared on the girl's other side, hands full of greasy papers and street food. "I didn't find a single souvenir-"

"Once Hugo started eating, he wanted to try everything."

"I'll just get them magnets at the airport!"

"I hope you'll still be eating tonight because I thought we could all cook a big dinner together rather than trying to fit everyone into a restaurant. Plus, it'd be fun to cook, right?" Kaylee glanced past Alexa at the others who had found them and were walking in the same direction towards the shared house.

"Lovely idea, Kaylee!" Professor Stockton agreed, "I happened to buy a bottle of something local that I'm sure would go great alongside a proper meal."

"Hopefully someone else wants to take lead though? I'm a carry-out connoisseur, but no chef," Kaylee grimaced.

"We'll handle it together!"

"This will be fun."

"Hopefully at least..."

The group piled into the small kitchen. First, everyone stood in still circles, staring at the same recipes on their phones as they studied the tasks at hand. They consulted a recipe guide for an authentic Indian feast with each of the many recipes that would make up the spread. For a few minutes, the scene was a quiet click of their thumbs scrolling down their respective screens, studying the directions.

"I'll handle the curry, seems easy enough-"

"I can do the roti, I've made bread a couple times before."

"I'll do the chicken prep-"

"Can I do a chutney?"

"Need help?"

One by one, roles were claimed and the ingredients began to disperse into eager hands. Chopping and prep stations began to appear on every available surface. First, the kitchen counters were turned into a massive washing spot next to the sink, cleaning the dust and dirt from the fresh ingredients while others used the living room's coffee table to chop their vegetables. The main kitchen table housed slabs of meat cuts as they dried and seasoned the cuts of chicken and fish.

"How do you anticipate this going?" Apunda asked, nudging Kaylee's arm with a laugh. The African had staked her claim on prepping the chicken curry while Kaylee was preparing spinach for palek paneer.

"Well, I've ordered this from my favorite takeaway about 26 times so that should basically make me an expert," she retorted, flicking her thick, bushy tail against the girl's bare legs with a tickling scold.

"You know, I've actually made some of these dishes before," Alexa offered, looking up from her careful mincing. She was preparing one of the chutneys first though she appeared to be helping with several other recipes. "My dad had an Indian cookbook, we probably made about 15 of the recipes all together... a couple curries, some chutneys or course, a few seafood things..." She gave a little shrug. "Just get the seasoning balanced right and it'll be delicious, they are simple enough."

"Of course you'd say that, you're naturally nurturing." Kaylee gave her a passing grin over her shoulder before she continued with the cooking of her spinach, trying to puree it inside the clunky blender.

"Hey, careful. You gotta trick the buttons into pressing right-" Alexa rose, appearing at the leopardess's side with her fingers sliding up Kaylee's furred arm from her elbow towards the hand fiddling with the blender. "It's a mean old thing, if you just push that button it will unstick and turn off. You have to..."

Alexa's voice softened, siphoning into Kaylee's ear as they leaned together, hips nearly touching in front of the worn counters. Behind them, the others were all set to their tasks. The entire downstairs of the small house was a tangle of noise of knives hitting chopping blocks and questions and laughter. Everyone focused on their own tasks, but tangled into one another as they shared the limited knives and bowls in the little space.

"Are you done with this?"

"Yeah, but I used it on chicken, wash it first-"

"Oh, me next!"

"Hey, is this ginger?"

"What's the difference between mince and chop?"

"Is this skin edible?"

"That looks good!"

"Oh man, this onion is strong!"

Their voices were overlapping, almost muffling each other out, but somehow they still heard each other, passing knives with only a bit more clumsiness that true chefs had and chopping to the best of their ameteur abilities. Before they'd even reached the cooking stage, Stockton's bottle had appeared and quickly poured out into glasses and mugs alike to provide everyone a taste. Saanvi slipped away somewhere in the middle and appeared with more libations for the night and desserts from a local shop she swore were a must-have.

Outside, the sun reached the edge of the horizon while curries bubbled and rice fluffed and simmered on the stovetop. The night air grew colder and colder, but inside the small rented house, over twenty near-strangers slaved together in the heat of the kitchen. Jostling job to job, they bumped into each one of the other travelers, whether they'd become best of friends or merely smiling acquaintances during the trip, everyone got a final little laugh together or, if nothing else, stepped on each other's toes once more.

When the meal finally hit the table, the sun had gone home for the night, leaving the nightwatchman of the moon glowing above outside, keeping watch over the dark sky. The entire kitchen table was covered in rice and sauce and small fresh chopped chutneys.

"Everyone! Wash your hands, please! We are not animals!" Reggie announced, peeling off the apron he'd found with a laugh. They lined up like dutiful kindergarteners, Kaylee behind Hugo at the kitchen sink and bathroom alike. "That was a fun idea, Kaylee-" he smiled, glancing back at her. "It was the perfect idea."

"I had a lot of fun, hopefully no one gets food poisoning."

The other feline laughed, slathering soap up to his wrist and making room in front of the sink's basin for the girl. "You know, by the time they really know, they'll be on a plane so you'll be safe."

"If someone gave me food poisoning that hit on my international flight home, no matter how far away, they still wouldn't be safe."

"Well," he laughed. "That's true." The water splattered against their hands, washing away the stink of onion as they scrubbed their fingers against the pads of their paws. Hugo opened his mouth, as if he had another thing to say, but instead he just smiled after a beat and grabbed the waiting towel. "I'm ready to eat!"

They crowded the table, spilling onto the couch and finally the floor in the end. The entire group hadn't eaten all together like this since their first night at the welcome party buffet. This was different though, better. The conversations were fast and familiar, full of loud barking laughter and none of the soft, awkward laughter of a first meeting. Arms hung around shoulders and roti was shared as they sampled everyone's cooking, a little attempt at replicating the culture they'd been living in for weeks.

Kaylee sat beside Melody, meeting Apunda's eyes across the table. Alexa had landed on the couch with Professor Stockton and some others, chatting in excited voices over their lap-balanced bowls. "This is surprisingly good!" the leopardess sighed, filling her cheeks with spicy chicken.

"Are you surprised?"

"I never underestimated you, Apunda!" She smiled, showing the white of her fang for a beat. "I promise."

"I don't know if I believe you."

"I'll do anything to convince you!"

Melody nudged Kaylee's arm, "Let me taste, I'll back you up." The dish for the chicken sat across the table, plenty close enough to grab her own serving, but Kaylee didn't say that. Instead, she gingerly poked her fork back onto her plate and selected a bite before raising it to the girl's mouth. Gently, almost not touching, she hovered her hand under the fork to catch any escaping sauce and nudged the griffin's soft chin with her pinky. "Open wide then-"

A moan of enjoyment followed, supporting Kaylee's claims about the food. They laughed, veering towards the wider conversations once more.

"Well, Alexa. Did the trip accomplish what you hoped for your research?" Professor Stockton balanced a bowl of rice dotted with bright green chutney on his knee and held onto a mug of strong liquor instead. His face crinkled with his warm smile.

"I did, actually. Kaylee's injury wasn't a blessing, heaven forbid, but it did make a natural transition for talking to locals about their health methods here." She gave a small laugh, glancing over her shoulder towards the kitchen's table at the mention of the leopardess. Their eyes met across the distance, perfectly timed. One of the leopardess' purple eyes twitched with a wink before she looked back to her food. "I'm eager to get back and continue the research. The experiences here supported my concepts very well, so I'm confident that my thesis will be strong."

"I never doubted it, upon meeting you." The man smiled, his voice was warm and molten. His naturally kind personality seemed to emanate from him with every word. Alexa knew he was a wonderful professor without ever taking a lesson. "You are clearly a sharp lass. If you ever need a recommendation for further schooling, you let me know. My word is good in some places-" he winked, showing the twinkle in his eyes that kept him young before sipping on his drink again. "Speaking of, I need to have a chat with Reggie about his documentary... I know some people-" he rose, carting his food and drink with him and leaving a small space beside the sand cat.

"So, what do you think?" Alexa looked up, finding Kaylee sliding into the open seat beside her. "How'd our collective cooking turn out?" As she sat on the couch, their knees nudged together, fur on fur.

"Honestly, I think we nailed it. Apparently, that adage about too many cooks in the kitchen is wrong. I think it worked in our favor tonight."

"I mean, I'm sure the food safety groups wouldn't support the methods used here tonight-" She looked around at larger group sitting on the floor and cushions across the living room, "-but I agree. This was better than take out."

"Wow, a hearty recommendation." Alexa laughed, crinkling up her small nose with the dancing of her whiskers.

"Hey now, " Kaylee's own lips curled with amusement, struggling to defend herself. "Don't you laugh at me." Their eyes met over plates of biryani and dosas for a second holding together in the noise of the room, but a voice called Kaylee's name and summoned her back into the kitchen for a refill of her drink. She dutifully headed off, grazing Alexa's knee as she did.

The night went long. The amount of food and the impossibility of leftovers left everyone grazing as long as the lights stayed on. No one was tired enough to miss out on the minutes of their final night. They stayed, lingering at the kitchen counter and sneaking additional cubes of paneer from the pot with their drinks in hand. At some point, the desserts were brought out, adding sugar into the mix to keep everyone lightly buzzed. They retold stories from the start of the trip that suddenly felt so long ago even though it was mere weeks and quickly told other stories they'd missed as though relying on each other for history keeping. At some point, one of the photographers arrived with a tripod, demanding a group photo of absolutely everyone.

"Come on, I don't think we have a group photo from before the first day! We need one!"

They clustered in the kitchen, using the harsh lights of the little house for as much as they would provide. Everyone squeezed together some still holding plates or sweet pastries as they squished together, smiling into the flash. "Happy last night!"

Eventually though, the food grew cold even with cycles of sitting on the hot stove top. The bottles Saanvi brought emptied out while stomachs were stuffed full. The excuses to stay lingering in the kitchen dwindled and left only sleep awaiting them to transport the day into tomorrow.

Some of them gave in faster, heading off with final hugs to their closest bonds while some left in un-sheepish pairs for a final hurrah. Kaylee found herself met in the kitchen by Apunda and Melody alike as she washed her plate for the night.

"So, Kaylee, since it's the last night..."

"...and we can no longer enjoy your ever-present flirting..."

"Will you join us?"

Apunda's eyes met the leopardess' with a little jerk towards the stairs before her lips curled in a slow smile. "I feel as though you've given me certain expectations, I'd really love to fact check them-"

Kaylee grinned, leaning into the girls, "Oh, I'll make a journalist out of you yet."

With a little laugh, Apunda nodded, raising a brow. "Is that a yes?"

The leopardess laughed again, rocking back against the counter. "Apunda-" she pivoted enough to look Melody straight on. "-Melody-" Her hands gestured in front of her before sliding onto one of each of the girl's hips. "If I turned that down, it would haunt me forever and ever. It'd frankly ruin India." Her fingers lefts their sides with a single, retreating stroke. "But if I don't pack now while I'm alert, I will leave all my belongings here. Morning Kaylee is not a reliable person, so give me... fifteen minutes?"

"If you're going to be packed up, we'll meet you-"

"My room is still a mess."

"Same."

"Deal. But fifteen minutes." Kaylee gave them a final, lingering look. Apunda had, at some point, changed into a pair of loose cotton shorts for the evening. Her long, toned legs were on show with her dark, smooth skin beckoning to be touched. Melody wore another tight, matching set. Her perky ass was sculpted inside the fabric, round as a peach and begging to be tasted. Kaylee's head gave a little shake as she turned from them, bounding up the stairs two at a time towards her room.

"Huh, I didn't peg Kaylee as the early to bed type," Hugo retorted, gesturing to Alexa in the direction the girl had gone. They sat together on the couch still, sharing a final mug of tea each as they hoped to hydrate away the hangovers threatening them for tomorrow.

"Ah, the day before a flight is a different ballgame. We all have our travel things..." Alexa leaned into the cushion, letting out a soft sigh. "I don't think it had sunk in yet that this is it. We fly home tomorrow."

"Yeah..." Hugo sighed himself, looking towards the worn carpeting. "I was talking about it with Kaylee last night, it feels weird to think of arriving home. I feel like the plane is just going to take me to another hostel."

"Right?" Alexa laughed, but it was soft and muted. "I'm excited for my work, but it feels weird to be going back." She found Hugo's eyes, smiling. "You promise you'll keep in touch right? I'll miss you."

Hugo grabbed one of the girl's hands, squeezing it slightly. "I'm going to miss you too! I'm going to miss everyone, but you most of all!"

"More than wolf girl?" Alexa raised a brow, grinning.

Hugo laughed. "Even more than wolf girl, yeah. I'll never forget that-" His head shook, remembering the whirlwind one night stand. "But I won't miss it like I'll miss you!" For a second, they paused before solidifying the promise by checking every social media and number entry to be sure they could reach each other once their planes went separate directions.

"Will you miss anyone else?" Hugo prodded, thinking of the leopardess already up in bed.

"I will," Alexa's voice was softer, glancing over towards the kitchen. Only Saanvi and Reggie remained now, chatting together in quiet voices. The deer was yawning every few sentences though. "We can all stay in touch though, phone, email, it's easier than ever-"

"Yeah, but it's still hard, sometimes."

A twinge of sadness soaked Hugo's voice, momentarily caught up in the end of the trip rather than the memories of the whole. He finished his mug of tea and gave a small nod. "Okay, that's enough of that. I need to get to bed before I get too sappy. This trip was awesome, nothing but awesome."

"My own bed will be a welcome sight," Alexa agreed, helping him transition to happier thoughts as they headed into the kitchen to clear away and clean their own dishes. With soft goodnights, they headed up their stairs, each into their own rooms. Alexa flopped onto her bed with a soft sigh, still feeling the clinging feeling of the end hugging onto her.

"It'll be nice to be home, comfortable to be home..." she whispered aloud, as if convincing herself though the image of her cozy apartment did come to mind. The cushions of her bed seemed almost real in her mind's eyes. She didn't feel tired, not when her mind was churning with the nostalgia of the final night. Instead, she focused on prepping her suitcase while her thoughts swirled together.

***

Knock Knock

The soft rap of knuckles of Kaylee's thin, slider door sent a zip up her spine. She gave her suitcase a final push underneath the coverage of the bed with her foot to hide it from view before she opened up the door to the sight of Apunda and Melody on the other side. The two girls were close together, framed as a pair in the doorway.

"Why hello-" she breathed, barely finished when Apunda stepped forward. The human's smooth fingers slid up Kaylee's form, skimming over the slight curve of her hips before cupping the underside of her face with both hands, tipping her chin up. Her smooth, soft skin glossed over Kaylee's furred form. The gentle touch pulled the leopardess into a kiss in one fluid motion, stepping forward as she did so they crashed together with a muted impact as their lips met. Apunda's open lips pressed into Kaylee's, deepening the kiss instantly as one hand eased up into the girl's hair with a gentle squeeze.

When they broke, leaving a tingling heat on Kaylee's lips, Apunda just grinned. "I have been waiting to do that for days." The leopardess felt a rush of heat down her form, tingling low in her gut.

"You could have asked sooner!" Kaylee laughed, holding a hand towards Melody who hovered towards the door. The griffin perked up at the invitation in, jerking the door closed hurriedly before she grabbed Kaylee's soft, furred fingers. "I thought maybe you two had a thing and were just enjoying the game of flirting. There's a step from flirting for fun and fucking, you know."

Apunda chuckled, sliding one hand up the small of the griffin's back where her cropped shirt and high pants left her feathers exposed. Her fingertips stroked idly, temptingly along the smooth layered feathers exposed there. "Not at all, we thought maybe you had a thing-"

"Me?" Kaylee glanced from one girl to the other, brow cocked with confusion. "I don't have anything."

For a second, Melody looked confused with her small beak partially open like a question still lingered inside, but instead she turned to Apunda for a kiss. Kaylee watched as the two girls collided together with a familiarity that confirmed the rumors about them. As their faces turned to each other, smiles twitched up onto their lips for a flash before they leaned into each other with a kiss.

The human cupped the small of the griffin's back, using the leverage to pull her lithe body against her while Melody's small fingers slid up to the human's soft cheek, sliding her hand back into her hair. Their breasts, Apunda's full chest and Melody's perky tits, pressed together buffered by their clothes in the space between their bodies. The soft smack of their lips connecting echoed out in the small room. Kaylee watched as Apunda's fingers tightened on the girl's back, sliding up behind her ribs and pulling her in tighter, pressing them together in front of the doorway.

Their kiss deepened, the flash of Melody's smile momentarily visible before they collided again with opened mouths. Melody's fingers ran down the girl's cheek, sliding onto the soft skin of her neck. The texture of her feathers tickled against the softness of her skin as she cupped behind her neck, pulling her into the lip lock. For several seconds, Kaylee stood as a bystander to the deep, tense kiss, watching from a front row seat.

With a breathless laugh, Apunda pulled away. Her eyes turned up to meet Kaylee's bemused smile. She tipped towards the leopardess, grabbing onto the waistband of her pants and pulled her close enough to circle an arm around her waist. "We didn't forget about you-"

"Are you sure? Because I can leave, give you some privacy-" A shit-eating grin spread across the leopardess' face, earning her a withering stare before she slid one hand onto the soft fabric covering Melody's back, pressing into the girl's shoulder blades. The soft tips of her fingers pressed and massaged into the girl's back before the griffin turned slightly, enough to press one perky breast into Kaylee's chest as she leaned up to her lips. Kaylee kissed her, leaning towards into the pressure of her soft lips as Apunda's hand wandered down the curve of the leopardess' spine and onto the soft round of her ass with a gripping squeeze. The grope sent a warmth blooming over Kaylee's skin and her hips rolled to press herself back into the touch.

The soft noise of their breathing puffed into the air as Melody and Kaylee kissed, pressing slightly towards each other with Apunda still pressed into the triad. Melody's fingers ran up Kaylee's chest, finding the soft heft of one breast still buffered under the fabric of her shirt. The soft gasp of a moan left the leopardess' lips before she broke from Melody and turned towards Apunda once again, biting at her bottom lip with a playful, bubbling growl before they collided in another kiss. Her furred fingers slipped up the smooth skin of the girl's thigh, skimming her way to her hip with a strong squeeze.

"Come 'er," Kaylee mumbled into Apunda's soft cheek, pulling the girl's towards the bed scrunched into the wall of the small room. She crawled backwards, making room for the other two with her arms partially open, welcoming. Melody crawled up onto the bed, standing up on her knees as she reached Kaylee's side. She pressed the warmth of her feathered form into the girl as Kaylee pressed into her back, pulling her in tighter as Apunda leaned in from the other side, leaning forward so her full chest pressed around the front and back of Kaylee's arm, squishing her between them. "Mmm, this is a very challenging game..." Kaylee mumbled, tipping her head now to kiss down the line of the griffin's throat.

"How am I supposed to perfectly balance both of you at once?" She let out a throaty, feline purr as she switched over towards Apunda, kissing over the smooth, bare skin of her exposed shoulder. "I can't risk either leaving with India tainted..." The leopardess' hands spread out, each taking a spot on one girl. Her soft fingertips found the bit of exposed back on Melody's backside, stroking over her feathers while the other cupped around Apunda's rounded ass with a testing squeeze.

"You don't seem to be putting enough trust in either of us to pick up the slack-" Apunda teased, cut off by a long, deep kiss with Kaylee's rumbling purr buzzing against her.

As they broke, Kaylee tilted her head back towards Melody's chest, kissing along the line of her shirt so all the exposed chest was dotted with fleeting kisses that had heat slowly spreading over every inch of the griffin. "I only live to serve, I can't imagine-" Kaylee's voice fizzled out, lost into the soft beak-like lips of the griffin girl as she kissed her with an eager impatience. The girls' tongues lashed together, kissing with open mouths as Apunda leaned in from the other side. The human's fingers slid down Kaylee's form, curling her fingertips into the hem of her shorts.

Kaylee's hips moved, helping Apunda peel down the clinging fabric of her shorts to reveal the simple, black thong the girl wore over her gray and blue patterned fur. Her large, fluffy tail lashed behind her, curling around Apunda's form like a second, less agile arm before the leopardess turned to her with a long kiss of her own. As they kissed, Kaylee brought both hands to her body, gripping at the softness of her hips before gliding up to the underside of her top. As they broke apart, panting softly, Kaylee pulled the shirt up and over Apunda's form to find her breasts bare underneath, bouncing into view. "Mmm-" A happy little sigh left the human's lips as Kaylee leaned over her, nuzzling the soft fur of her muzzle into the bare skin of her chest. Kaylee's muzzle was ticklish with short, soft hairs that nudged their way closer and closer to the peak of the girl's breast. Her warm lips finally found a nipple with a small, testing kiss before her tongue smoothed out over the skin around with a teasingly close circle.

As she focused on Apunda, Kaylee's tailed uncurled from her waisted and tangled instead around Melody's form, curling around her upper thigh so the fluffy mass of muscle wriggled against the girl's tingling pelvis. Melody's soft voice whined with the meager tease, crawling across the bed to Apunda's other side. Her feathered fingers slid up the girl's smooth, naked stomach with a unique contrast to the sensation of fur. The individual feathers that covered her skin broke up the smooth glide, introducing a play of textures over the exposed skin.

Melody bent forward, foregoing Kaylee's teasing as her lips closed around one stiff nipple with a soft, introductory suck. The vacuum of her hot mouth tugged on the sensitive skin, shuddering Apunda's hips with a faint mewl. On her opposite breast, Kaylee mirrored her, locking her mouth around the firm nub of her nipple. Apunda's form quivered with a shake of her hips. Her fingers slid into either girl's hair, cupping them against her chest as her breath wavered in her mouth. "Oh fuck... That's good."

Kaylee's eyes sunk closed, relishing the taste of the girl's skin. A faint bite of saltiness graced her tongue alongside an otherwise sweet taste as her tongue swirled over the firm nipple inside the hot vacuum of her mouth. Beside her, Melody had opened her eyes, tilting them up to let Apunda watch her gaze as she suckled on her. Apunda's fingers slid down Melody's form, tracking her nails down the girl's back until she found the bottom hem of her short, tight shirt. She started to peel it up and away from the feathered girl's form, forcing her to break from her nipple long enough to free her from the top. Melody sat back, letting Apunda take in the sight of her skimpy bra. A wired cup held the underside of her perky breasts, but it stopped short and left her nipples raised and exposed within the half-cup shape.

The leopardess opened her eyes then, seamlessly shifting to kiss over the soft texture of Melody's feathers as her fingers gripped the girl's waist, holding her steady as her teasing grew closer and closer to the sensitive nub of her stiffening nipples. "What a sight... You are..."

***

"I should make sure everything is plugged in..." Alexa murmured to herself. Her suitcase sat open on the bed. Her dirty laundry was tightly rolled on one side, divided by a loose bag opened beneath it. Her remaining clean items were rolled tightly on the opposite side while her shoes and trinkets all fit into compact slots. On the small bedside table, her outfit for the next day already laid out waiting for the sun to break on their final hours in India.

She puttered around the room, plugging in her computer and phone before she ended back in front of her suitcase. "I guess I'm all packed..." She stared down at the organized case. "I'm all ready to go," she said aloud, but the words didn't ring true to her ears. With a slight pout on her rounded face, she pulled the packed bag onto the floor so she could sit on the center of the bed.

Without meaning to, her mind filled with dancing memories of Kaylee's bedrest, tending to her ankle. Her mind easily flickered to life with the montage movie of the leopardess' trip and every moment she'd appeared at the sand cat's side.

Then, she thought of Hugo's surprise that they hadn't had anything during two weeks together. "Even sweet Hugo had a one night stand..." she murmured, blushing beneath her soft, tan fur.

"He thought we had something... is there something obvious I'm missing?" She fidgeted with the blanket of her bed, pulling it partly onto her thighs as she thought, murmuring aloud to herself.

***

"Mm, that's better..." Kaylee licked over her lips with her fingers still gripping onto the girl's pants before flinging them towards the floor. Melody's tiny thong was the only thing covering her cunt from view now. She leaned back on the pillows of the bed, legs spread with a soft bend in her knees. Apunda and Kaylee sat at her feet, looking up at the view. The lithe griffin had a smooth, compact figure. Her perky tits sat up on her chest, held by the skimpy structure of her bra atop the blending colors of her feathered form. Her legs were slender, tight with smooth muscle like the tight flatness of her abdomen.

"You're like a living pin-up," Apunda whispered, crawling forward. Her body closed over Melody's, skewing towards the left as she straddled one thigh and leaned over the avian with a long, deep kiss. Kaylee, for a second, contemplated mirroring her on Melody's other thigh and grinding onto the fur surface of her thigh, but instead she moved to the upturned round of Apunda's ass, partially covered in a pair of bikini panties.

Kaylee eased back, sliding her fingers up the smooth, dark skin of the girl's thighs. Her fingers traced along the edges of the panties as she enjoyed the view. She could see the cotton clinging to the girl's cunt, wet between her thighs and sticking the fabric to her. Then, she grabbed onto the hem and slowly began to peel them down the curvature of her ass. Inch by inch, the moving fabric revealed the full bubble of the girl's ass. Kaylee pushed her panties down to her knees where the bend of her body blocked them from moving any further. "Mm, fuck..." Her hands gliding up the girl's thighs, grabbing onto the rounded cheeks of her ass with a soft breath. The human's cunt was exposed then, squeezed between her thighs with the tight hole of her ass nestled just above. Glistening droplets of excitement clung to her lower lips, sparkling on her dark skin.

Kaylee licked her lips, listening to the soft, building sounds of Melody's moaning voice as Apunda lavished her tits once more, kissing her in between her teasing suckles. Then, the feline leaned in with a long, raspy lick up the length of the girl's snatch.

"Ooh," Apunda's voice moaned, muffled into Melody's breast. Kaylee pushed her muzzle into her more, using one hand to push Apunda's lower back down, lifting her ass for better access. Melody and Apunda mashed together, feathers on skin as their lips met in a long kiss. Kaylee drew her tongue along the length of the girl's cunt, using both hands to spread her full ass open for her, letting her drive her tongue with precision up to the beat of the human's clit. The tip of her tongue started swirling, focused on the sensitive nub while one hand relinquished its groping place and instead stroked up the inside of her thighs, easing towards the dripping open hole of her cunt.

As her tongue continued to repeat its patient teasing on her clit, one finger pushed into the girl's hot sex, instantly squeezed by Apunda's clamping walls. A muffled moan buzzed into Melody's lips as Kaylee's finger pressed deeper, starting to finger fuck the needy human.

"Oh fuck..." Apunda mewled, lips sliding onto Melody's throat with nibbling kisses as her hand slid down the tangled form of their two bodies, finding the little barrier of the griffin's panties. She felt the building wetness through the meager fabric, easily showing her where to begin her rubbing teasing.

The scent of intermingling need began to build in the room, filling their noses with a cocktail of lust. Kaylee's nose pushed flush to the girl's ass as her tongue ran right around the sides of her swollen clit, keeping an unwavering pace while her finger sped up. Between the girls, Apunda's fingers pushed Melody's little panties to the side, exposing her slit to the warm air of the room before she sunk a finger into the wet, clenching walls of her sex. The soft slap of fingers pumping into a wet snatch echoed through the room.

***

"Tomorrow, we leave... It's the end. If it goes horrible, awkward then we just... we leave awkward, but if not now when?" Alexa asked herself, still sitting on her bed, but her eyes were on her own door. She was fretting through her last chance to say something to the leopardess.

"What if she doesn't feel the same?" she thought, staring into her empty room as if it would answer, but instead she heard the echoes of Kaylee's voice in her head, talking about her family, her passions... "She's like that with everyone though, we're nothing more than friends." She shook her head, but in the back of her head, a little voice with all the confidence the girl had on the matter whispered: "for now."

***

"Ooh, fuck..." Kaylee hissed out a moan, shuddering over Apunda's face buried beneath her cunt. Kaylee straddled over her face, facing Melody who sat on the girl's stomach, grabbing Kaylee's face with a long, eager kiss.

At the same time, Apunda's tongue lashed into her cunt, fighting to find a deeper reach with each new breath. Kaylee writhed on top of her, grinding her tongue into the spots that had the leopardess quivering. Melody's feathers were already striked with her own drying juices clinging to her thighs as she pressed up to Kaylee's nude form. Their breasts mashed together, soft together as they kissed with a feverish need. Kaylee's burbling moans muffled into Melody's beak, but her shaking legs revealed her reactions to Apunda's unwavering tongue.

"Oh, more... yes..." Kaylee's voice went silent into Melody's maw, but her toes curled into the bedsheets.

***

"I'm just going to go... this is the last chance. Maybe..." She didn't finish the thought. There were too many maybes to pick just one. Maybe she liked Alexa too. Maybe she felt the connection too. Maybe she was in her room waiting for Alexa to arrive, thinking about going to her on their final night too.

Alexa took a deep, shaky breath and stepped off the bed, hesitating inside the safety of her own room for a beat more before she pushed the slider open and moved to the hallway.

It wasn't a long walk down the hall to Kaylee's own room, but it felt like a mile as Alexa questioned every step. Finally, she saw the door of Kaylee's room. Light streamed out through an imperfect close on the slider and left a streak of light on the hallway floor.

"Ah, she's awake!" Alexa felt her heart soar. Kaylee was awake, her door partway open? It was like an invitation! She had been waiting for this!

Alexa rushed the final steps forward, rounding to the slight crack in the sliding door. For a moment, the harsh light after the dark hallway overwhelmed her eyes, but then she saw motion. Her eyes adjusted as a moan filled the air.

"W-what?"

On the bed, framed by the sides of the doorframe and the slider itself, Kaylee's thighs squeezed around Apunda's head as Melody clutched her close, lips pressed together in a kiss. Their intermingling noises wafted out, muffled but obvious now.

Alexa almost gasped, stepping away from the door with a hand rushing up to her lips. Instantly, a dark burning blush filled her cheeks with heat while her stomach sunk with a rocky sensation. "Oh... Oh..." She turned away from the light, relishing suddenly the darkness of the rest of the hallway.

Her cheeks were speckled with heat, pulsing on her skin as she rushed back to her own room, closing her sliding door firmly behind her.

Back in the other room, Kaylee, Melody, and Apunda were a tangle of bodies, oblivious to their visitor. While the rest of the rented house sunk into a quieter sleep, the only noise was from the room with the slightly ajar door with a single stream of light streaking into the hallway until the earliest hours of the morning.

***

"Good Morning, everyone!" Reggie's voice rang through the small, rented house louder than any other morning. Kaylee jolted in her bed, moaning at her lack of sleep. She instantly rolled out of the sheets and stumbled towards the hallway for the bathroom.

"We have to leave for the airport in fifteen minutes! If you're not down here, you will have to find your own transport to the airport! Chop chop, people!"

Kaylee pushed her face right into the blast of the cold shower, not waiting for the heat. She scrubbed fiendishly fast at the crust of the night before clinging to her fur. She washed away the intermingling sweat and musk on her form, stepping out of the shower right when hot steam started to show.

With a shudder, she rapidly dashed back to her room and wrapped up her pre-packed bags.

The travelers clustered downstairs, focused more on their belongings and the bus than each other for the first time. Kaylee came down with the last few stragglers, exiting right onto the bus with a mug of hot coffee to start her day.

"I'm going to die..." she moaned as the door of the bus clunked shut, starting the final drive of India to the airport.

"Forget something?"

"COFFEE!"

***

"It was a pleasure to travel with you all. I hope everyone enjoyed India and the group. I could tell you to review us and mention me, but instead I'll say that I'll miss you all and I hope that if you're ever in India again you'll call me." Saanvi held her hands together, pressing over her heart before she waved everyone through to security.

Some travelers dashed through to other security points closer to their gate, but most stayed clustered together like they weren't quite sure how to go about it without their group. Everyone clutched their passports, shouldering bags with a mix of expressions happy, tired, or melancholy.

"They are 100% flagging my bag-"

"Yeah, they always pull mine."

They chattered, but the focus was on the crawling line and their bags. Kaylee glanced back into the line of their group, spotting Melody and Apunda leaning together at the back of the pack. They didn't notice her looking.

Alexa, at the front of the line, clutched her toiletries and passport and watched her feet shuffle forward step by step.

***

"Well, this is it, people. I've got to hoof it to my gate. I love you all, I hope you'll find me online?" Reggie held his arms spread wide, giving everyone a metaphysical hug before actually hugging a few people. Last, he clutched Sato with a warm rub down his shoulder blades before he pulled away and dashed towards his gate.

One by one, the group continued to dissipate over hours at the airport until Alexa and Kaylee sat at their shared connecting flight side by side, all alone.

"The great trip is at a close," Kaylee sighed, leaning back into her chair. "How do you feel?"

Alexa looked over, seeing the purple-haired feline looking at her just as she always did. For a second, her mind flickered to the night before, but Kaylee nudged her arm, bringing her back into focus. "Tired?"

Alexa smiled slightly. "No, I just... the end of a trip is a bittersweet thing, you know?" She fidgeted with her bags, plopping her backpack onto the top of her small suitcase. "We have almost two hours, want to go grab some-"

"Coffee? YES!" Kaylee smiled, crinkling her eyes as she stood. Alexa felt her lips twitching, pulling up at the corners despite the faint cloud she still felt over her.

"So, how long is your second flight?" Kaylee asked, leading the way to the closest cafe. They chatted about their destinations, realizing they would land stateside at states only seven hours apart.

"I really do want to stay in touch," the leopardess' eyes met Alexa's as she spoke, staring at her over the rim of her fresh, hot coffee. She drank deeply, sighing out with an addict's relief. "I'm terrible at it though. You have my blanket permission to be rude if I'm rude."

Alexa chuckled, "I will instigate the calls-"

"Actually, what about letters?" Kaylee asked, thinking of Hugo. He had already dashed to his gate, but left Kaylee with a hug that felt like summer, warm and childish. She hoped, truly, that he would appear at her doorstep over his next break on a road trip and ask her along.

"Letters, how old fashioned," Alexa swirled a straw through her smoothie, settling onto her seat with a breath. With every second that passed, the night before faded off. They'd always been friends, why was she so tense about being friends now then? Alexa felt her shoulders soften and the tension started to melt from her frame.

"Well, you know I'm a pen and paper gal," Kaylee smiled, stealing a bite of Alexa's scone with a smirk. "Plus, to me, the computer is for work, the phone is... often the same or just laying somewhere... Paper though, I don't ignore paper."

"Letters it is," Alexa smiled, pushing her scone towards the center of the table, inviting the thief. "So, what will the first thing you do when back?"

***

"Folks, we're about twenty minutes out. We're going to be preparing the cabin for landing. Please put your tray tables up..." With a crackle, Kaylee pushed her headphones off, noticing that Alexa had slumped in her sleep. The sand cat's head rested on Kaylee's shoulder, fur soft against Kaylee's own. With every breath, her chest rose and fell with a little twitch of her rounded, large ears. Straining forward with one arm, the leopardess flipped up both their tray tables with as little movement as possible, staring down at the peaceful feline as she slept. Her whiskers twitched as she slept, dreaming.

"It'll be weird to be home." Kaylee thought, hearing the hum of the plane's engine now like white noise. All too soon, she'd be in the near silence of her empty apartment. The other passengers were fidgeting, gathering their things with a wild eagerness to be the first off the plane. Instead, Kaylee was totally still, calming even the pace of her breaths so she didn't lift her shoulder.

***

"This is it," Alexa glanced up at her gate, checking her ticket. "A8, that's me." Above them, the airport gate flashed its title while the attendant at the desk began to talk garbled language into the announcement speakers. People lazed on their chairs, waiting to pounce on the boarding lane.

"Well," Kaylee suddenly found herself unsure what to say. Her own gate was a wing away, but didn't board for another hour. She swallowed and stepped forward, opening her hands slightly. Her fingers fanned apart. "I guess this is the real goodbye this time."

Alexa swallowed a lump suddenly in her throat, tilting her face up as she stepped into the hug. Her soft eyes met Kaylee's own violet ones with a small twitch of her whiskers before she tucked her cheek down and let her face press into the hug. Kaylee felt the soft down of her fur on her own. Alexa's fur was so light and soft since she was accustomed to hot climates while Kaylee's fur had incredible density for the cold weather. Her arms tightened around Kaylee's back, pulling her warm form into her. Kaylee let her hands spread over the girl's shoulder blades, fingertips pressing into the girl's long tunic shirt. They lingered together for a beat longer than expected.

"Thanks for taking care of me-" Kaylee gestured to her knee as the broke apart, warmth still tingling over her fur.

"Thanks for being my practice dummy,"

"Hey now!"

They smiled, realizing that this had to be goodbye, no matter how they distracted themselves. Kaylee gave a nod. "I better get to my gate. I don't want to be stranded here." She turned, heading towards the main hub, but she stole one more look back at the sand cat.

Alexa was still looking, watching her leave.

***

"Hey, Kaylee?" The phone momentarily crackled before Kaylee's voice came through clearly. "Are you there? Can you hear me?"

With a sudden rush of sound, Kaylee plucked up her phone from where it teetered on the edge of her counter and raised it to one ear. "Yeah, sorry. I can hear you now." She let out a grunt, plucking up her bag from by the door. "I just set you down for a second. What did you say?"

"I was asking you if you'd gotten unpacked yet! You've been home for a few days now-" Kaylee sheepishly looked down at her suitcase in her hand. "Uh, yeah. I haven't yet. I was just moving it from the doorway to the bedroom."

"I suppose that's progress-" The red panda's bright laugh came through the phone crisp and ringing.

"Yeah," Kaylee felt a slight warmth under her fur, as if a mother had scolded her. "I swear I slept for my first full day back and then I had to start uploading videos and tapings and digitizing my notes... I didn't really realize it'd already been so long since I got home."

"Have you been eating?" Kaylee's eyes once again slunk towards the side, glancing over her shoulder at the cardboard pizza box sitting on the bar countertop seating area. "Uh, yeah. I even ate at home yesterday!"

"Pizza?" Skye's voice didn't pause for a second.

"Yeah... pizza..."

"You need to do some laundry and then go eat a real meal somewhere! Work can wait." Something interrupted Skye's voice, sound overlapping in from the background. "Oh, I guess my table is ready. I gotta run. Call me again this weekend though! I want to know you ate!"

Skye hung up, leaving Kaylee once more in her apartment. The leopardess glanced around, as though surveying what else she would need to lie to Skye about habit-wise. She spotted a Chinese takeout container resting by the TV stand, but she just shook her head and turned to the stairs instead. Her apartment was small which meant it was cheap enough to rent when she was traveling half the year. The space was considered an artist loft with two levels and a loft overlooking the bottom floor.

Kaylee rounded up the pivot of the staircase as it met the corner of the room and entered the "bedroom" that overlooked the living space below. Her massive extra king bed centered against the one plastered wall contrasted the brick of the others. Facing the massive, industrial warehouse windows that made up the main wall that scaled both floors of the apartment sat her desk, a sturdy worn wood table that was originally a dining table. Two sets of drawers were shoved beneath it on either end with a chair in the center in front of her open laptop littered with open tabs. On either side of the computer, the entire table top was spread with papers. Her main notebook from the trip was held up with heavy books on opposing corners beside her mouse.

Kaylee bypassed her desk, heading right to the large wall closets opposite the stairs and pulling open the slider doors. Tucked beneath the sparsely filled hanging rod was her laundry basket, already halfway full before she emptied out her suitcase's haul of dirty clothing into it. "Perfect" she grunted, shaking out the other bits of her bag on to the bed and tossing the backpack and suitcase together onto the high upper shelf of the closet. "Now I'm unpacked!"

Her fingers flickered over the screen of her phone, texting the success to Skye a state away before she tossed the phone onto the bed with the rest of the discarded bits from her bag and descended back onto her computer. Her shoulders hunched and her fingers fell onto the keys with the speed and practice of a lifelong practitioner. Once her fingers made contact with the soft bounce of the keys, her focus locked onto the screen. She flipped from tab to tab, occasionally turning to her notes in her traveling book or on the loose pages across the table top. She hunted through the interviews, sorting the shared ideals and starting to map out the shape of the stories she had from the trip before starting to draft the pitches that would earn her the money to cover the trip where it currently was a black hole in her bank account.

As she worked, the sunlight that streamed through the windows outside faded to a pale pass of light and then darkened into black entirely. Night didn't disrupt the girl as she worked. Eventually, somewhere in the middle of the moon's shift, she rose with a groggy look around and closed her computer.

The next day was much the same.

***

"Large, black coffee-uh, do you have any more pastries?" Kaylee handed the lanky canine behind the counter a cluster of bills and nodded before heading towards the back of the coffee shop to a weathered wooden table top. The coffee shop was dead quiet, just past the morning rush of construction and industrial workers grabbing their caffeine fix for the morning before work. Now, the small shop was deserted except for the man behind the counter and one other patron sitting by the window, sketching something in charcoal.

Kaylee sat down with a thunk, pulling out her laptop and connecting to the lagging, spotty WiFi that made the shop ideal for pitching and emailing, but little else. Besides its walking distance from her building, Kaylee appreciated the quiet focus of the shop. People came to Brew House to work, not to pretend to work. Her coffee arrived at the counter alongside a crumbly muffin just as her email finished loading with replies ready to be sifted through. The leopardess drank deeply of the dark brew and dove in.

***

"So, Friday night, you going anywhere?" Skye asked, her face framed on Kaylee's phone screen as the leopardess shoveled chow mein noodles into her mouth.

"Uh huh. I gotta get away from the computer, just for a beat. I'm going downtown with an old journalism contact. He wants to talk about India, thinks maybe National Geotraffic might be into the story if I can frame it right. He knows an intern-gone-full-time there..."

"That's a pretty big name, huh?" Skye shifted with a wave of water moving in her tub. Her face was fuzzy from the steam collecting on her phone's camera.

"Yeah, they've done one of my stories before, like a smaller one. I'd love to get cover-" Kaylee shrugged, tipping her carton to hunt down the noodles hiding at the bottom. "Plus, on Friday it is customary for me to find some social interaction, just enough to stay alive, you know-" Kaylee gave a shrug, not as sheepish as she should have been.

"What do you mean, didn't you just hook up with that puma from your building? An architect or something?"

"Yeah, yeah, but she's a neighbor. That doesn't count, it was easy. I mean, she bumped into me in the hall, practically delivery style."

"I don't even..." Skye shook her head, sending bubbles fluttering out from her hair. "How do you bump into someone in the hall and then have them in your bed in the same day?" Kaylee's eyebrows knitted together, as if confused by the question. "I, uh... I just asked her if she wanted to come with me for coffee, I was headed that way. We went and worked for a couple hours, headed back, I asked if she wanted a reward for getting her work done?"

"You could be such a dangerous woman if you didn't stay home most of the time-"

"Hey! I'm going out tonight!"

"And, that, is dangerous-"

***

"Hey, looks like you have some mail?" Kaylee rounded down the corner of her stairs, catching the last glimpse of the petite tabby from the night before waving from her doorway with a grin before she grabbed the cluster of envelopes set onto the counter top. "Mail?" she said aloud to the empty room, flipping through the advertisements and credit card offers until she was left holding a creamy envelope with her name penned on front in a sloppy, loopy style.

"Who?" She pushed a long nail into the seam of the envelope, tearing it open and extracting a pair of pages pressed together and folded in half. Smoothing out the fold, she saw her name penned on top again and the signature on the second page peeking out from beneath the first: "Alexa."

A smile twitched onto Kaylee's lips as she sat at the counter to read, letting the brewing coffee wait a beat longer.

Kaylee!

Remember me? Your not--really-a-nurse is back to trying to become a real nurse, well, doctor really.

I can't really believe that we've only been back a few days (when I'm writing this) because it feels like India is suddenly so, so far away. I feel like I haven't seen you in months, but maybe that's silly. As soon as I got home, everything got hectic right away. Right now, I'm writing this from rotations. I'm on a clinical rotation and there's no patients for another hour so I'm in the resident room just waiting around.

It was either study for my boards or write this letter, so don't feel too special.

I've seen a few patients myself, and my preceptor says that I'm very good with patient communication. I hope he writes me a good recommendation at the end of this. Did I ever tell you that Professor Stockton said he'd put in a good word for me if I needed it? I wish I'd had him as a professor, he would have been amazing to learn from, though I suppose then he wouldn't have gone out drinking with me... or maybe he still would have... Since I'm rotating, right now I don't even have proper classes just a lot of work though I have to be drafting my thesis paper too.

Remember that bar where Professor Stockton recited the introduction to his thesis? Because he claimed he re-wrote it and read it so many times it was burned into his brain?

"Kids, just you wait. I worked on my thesis for two years total before I finished. I rewrote my introduction paragraph more times than I've said my own name aloud-" He raised his hand, nearly sloshing the drink inside onto the floor, but instead he cleared his throat. As he read, with each sentence perfectly recited, without pause or hesitation, the clustered travelers whooped and cheered. Kaylee leaned into the wooden wall behind her with a holler of support, catching Alexa's soft eyes across the table with a crinkled smile on her lips, laughter buzzing just behind her eyes.

That's how I feel now, basically.

I figured you would probably be in the midst of working, I know you said that the first month back is pretty nutty with work, so I didn't want to call and interrupt. I'll put the responsibility of the first call on you, don't fail me ;)

That girl from India,

Alexa

She'd re-written her phone number, as if she worried Kaylee had lost it from her contact list. The leopardess smiled lightly before she folded the letter back up and rested it onto the counter while she poured the steaming coffee into her mug. As she headed back upstairs, she spotted her phone resting beside her bed, but instead she sat back at her desk, pulling one of the blank open notebooks towards her.

Alexa,

I remember you. Though, I think you may have gotten sassier since hitting the states again. You might want to watch that, I've heard that doctors don't like having their residents sass them. Unless that's reserved for me, in which case, I do feel special.

As you suspected, I've been working. It's nothing exciting. Barely even interesting. I'm trying to sell my stories and get the outlets to source photos from people on the trip. Apunda and Melody both sent me their professional details so people can buy photos from my trip, but some people cannot be convinced.

I think I've left the house exactly four times since arriving home to it, so that should give you an idea of what life is like here. I also haven't done any laundry since arriving, so that's soon going to convert me to nudism or come to life and eat me. Maybe when I finally venture downstairs to wash that (hopefully before I'm completely out of options) I'll call? Hopefully I do that before you get this letter or you might as well picture me naked while writing your reply because I'll be so (or dead).

Fuck. Someone is calling me (not you) and I have to be an adult or I can't buy coffee.

Send more letters, this is better than work.

Kaylee.

The letters did continue. Back and forth they wrote letters ranging from the briefest correspondence tabbed with postcard stamps and sent back only to warrant a reply or long, rambling five page streams of consciousness. When Kaylee finally arrived at the laundry room downstairs, infamous for clothing thieves, she did finally call, finding Alexa midway through a boring movie and eager for the company. They chatted once, while Kaylee guarded her washer and dryer, before calling seemed unthreatening. They talked often after that, usually while multitasking, just to fill the quiet space with each other's rambling voices. Together, they re-visited India, remembering and comparing stories from the second half of the trip and blathered about the mundane excitement of everyday life.

Alexa wrote of rotations and hard patients and called after shifts where someone died or a child appeared in the office with suspicious bruising and markers of abuse. Kaylee sat with her, checking Facetime out of the corner of her eye while she scribbled notes over her drafts and Alexa ate chips, re-reading the introduction of her thesis for the first dozens of hundreds of times while crunching in to the speakers. Kaylee sent over her drafts, allowing only Alexa to read the raw, rough versions of her stories condensed out of the interviews she'd wheeled her to.

Quickly, a week back melded into a month back.

"I can't believe it's been a month and I finally got the story picked up-" Kaylee let out a groan, raising her coffee to her lips with a long sigh. Outside, the early strands of morning light were starting to dance across the cloud cover. Skye, on the other line, yawned as the background sound of the bustling morning bus ride sounded behind her. Kaylee could see a glimpse out the window of the bus she rode over her shoulder on the camera. "How long until you get to work?"

"Another twenty-" Skye rolled her eyes up, momentarily mimicking exhaustion before she smiled. "That's great though. A month or not, that's what you needed, right?"

"It's exactly what I needed-" A thump behind the leopardess interrupted her, Kaylee turned partially, giving Skye a wobbling vision up the stairs just as a slender lioness came down the steps in a towel. "Hey, there's anything you need in the bathroom, I've got coffee?" With a clunk, the bathroom door shut and Skye lowered her voice, leaning into the phone. "Isn't that like the third feline this month?"

"What?" Kaylee faced the phone, eyebrow quirked. "What do you mean?"

"You've slept with felines all month. First the neighbor, the puma-"

"Twice now, she came back!"

Skye coughed, "Wow, okay. But then the tabby... Now this?"

"What's your point?" Kaylee drank on her coffee, staring at Skye without a flicker of understanding. Skye opened her mouth, thinking for a second before she just shook her head. "Are you still talking to Alexa?"

"Yeah, I actually have a letter to send to her today. The paper, uh, Geotraffic, is hosting some fundraiser surrounding the release and they want me to come mingle as a key writer. I usually hate these things, but it's a town over from Alexa... I'm thinking maybe we can meet up."

"That's exciting."

"I still have to ask her, well, see if she's even around." Kaylee shrugged, and Skye slipped off the phone so she didn't disturb the leopardess' hosting, but the red panda had a gleam in her eyes as she rode the rest of the way to work.

Alexa,

The time has come. I finally bear good news from the North. National Geotraffic has picked up my pitch! I've finally found a place for it and they pay well, thank gosh. My coffee funds are secure for a bit longer. Speaking of, I tried that butter thing you told me about and it was disgusting. You owe me one regular cup of delightful coffee to make up for that monstrosity. Pinterest shouldn't mess with coffee.

Geotraffic is very into their ethical brand though and they are hosting a fundraiser for the issue and they invited me out. If my mapping is right, it's only about an hour from you. Maybe we could meet up for some food after? If you've got couch space, I'd love to crash at yours instead of driving all the way home. I hate paying for American hotels, it's like four nights in a hostel's worth... Besides, I could use something to look forward to after one of these dinners, they are 90% people telling me about their lush resort vacations in the same country, comparing that to my article as if they have a clue. I can't stand those sorts, but they pay the bills.

No pressure, if you're busy though. I know that you've got that test coming up...

As Kaylee sealed up the envelope, she almost hesitated, feeling the twinge of anxiety about offering up the idea, but after a beat she tucked it with her and headed out the door towards the mailroom.

***

Much to Kaylee's relief, Alexa quickly agreed, calling her when the letter arrived with vocal excitement.

"I have that weekend totally free, I can host!"

"Oh, that's a relief. Even I don't usually go inviting myself to people's apartments."

Alexa laughed, the ringing tone of her laughter filling the leopardess' ears with warmth. "You're always welcome. Don't be silly. I just hope you can survive the benefit first!"

"No, don't remind me!" Kaylee groaned, laughing herself. "They aren't so bad. There's wine and food, I just don't like mingling. I am not a mingler!"

"Maybe it will be better than you think?"

"I don't know what would make that happen, but maybe-"

***

"Hey, I just made it to the event. I'll probably hang out for two to three hours, if I can last that long. I'll let you know when I'm driving your way-" Kaylee clicked send before tucking the phone back into the pocket of her loose blazer. Beneath the oversized jacket, she wore a tight fitting dress that hugged to her form the entire way down to the hem right above her knees. She had pulled up her hair, pinning loose, quick curls up into a loose style at the nape of her neck. In her ears, her many charms caught the light. She headed up to check in, already feeling the sinking sensation of exhaustion from these events. "Kaylee, uh, should be under press actually- oh yeah, that's me-"

Just as she checked in and began to stride up the steps, her phone buzzed against her side: "Have fun! It might not be so bad! See you soon!"

A little smile flickered onto the leopardess' lips. "If only," she mumbled, tucking the phone back out of sight before stepping into the event space, spread across a museum gallery. The photo for the cover, not one she recognized, was blown up on a few poster boards by the door. Her eyes instantly started to skim for the familiar sight of the open bar, eager to get some social fuel in her hand before someone spotted her for an introduction.

Just as her drink appeared in her hand, another buzz sounded from her hip, tickling through the fabric of her coat: "Get me one too."

"What?"

"I said, get me one too-" Kaylee turned at the voice, finding herself face to face with the sand cat, grinning with a delighted expression of successful mischief. The sand cat had curled her short, full hair into voluminous waves before pinning them slightly up out of her face so they framed around it. She wore a longer cocktail dress that hugged tightly on her chest and over the smooth surface of her flat stomach before flaring out with a skirt down to her knees. The small straps slipped off her shoulders, leaving the warm fur of her decollotte bare.

"Wha... Wha... What are you doing here?" Kaylee's mouth hung partially open, not fully up to date. Her eyes ran over the girl's outfit, quickly before she met her gaze. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd surprise you! I bought a ticket! I figured this might be a bit more fun with company!" Alexa smiled, almost nervously as she inched closer to the bar until they stood side by side.

"I can't believe you."

"You didn't suspect a thing did you?"

"Well, no!" Kaylee laughed, pushing her drink towards Alexa. "Have that-" She waved the bartender over, ordering another one. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Hah, one point for me then-" She picked up her drink, turning to survey the room. "So what do we do now?"

"Well, typically everyone stands around talking about how much they want to leave for awhile then someone important gets on the stage over there-" she jabbed towards it across the ballroom sized space. "Then, they talk about where the money from tickets are going and the company and the future. People clap. They make a joke. People clap more. Then, everyone continues standing around but they are drunker and eat more food until they think they can leave."

"I think you should have been on the marketing team, you're really selling this event," Alexa smirked. Kaylee laughed, feeling the tension from the event burble out of her as she did, knowing her friend was here now. "Let's investigate the snacks..."

Together, they scoped out the snack table, filling their tiny plates with cubed cheese and tiny toasts covered with spreads and toppings before finding a small, standing table towards the back corner where they gathered their haul of snacks. "So, how does it feel to re-enter the land of the living after your writing hole?"

"Does a medical student know what the land of the living is like?"

"Fair, fair."

"It's good. It's nice to have the big story sold, the money coming... It's how I pay bills after all, but there's a couple more tangents that I'm hoping to place. I had enough interviews that didn't make it in or were a bit off topic, but I think I can frame them in a useful way. I don't want people's time to have been wasted, plus, there's so many good stories!" Kaylee popped a cube of cheese into her mouth, signalling Alexa's time to speak.

"I can imagine... I've just finished digitizing all my notes and cataloguing them..." She rolled her head back, groaning softly. "Unlike you, I have to show transcripts for all my interviews because they are considered part of the research itself, not just the juicy quotes-"

"Whine all you like, but someday you'll be paid much more than me."

Alexa glanced around at the ritzy locale, shrugging. "I'm not sure that's true-"

"Hah, you think the money they make goes to the writers? No, no. Some goes to charities for the tax reasons, more money than other places, yes. But then, most of it goes to the fancy CEO who isn't even here tonight because he's golfing in Reno-"

"Do you actually know that?"

"I know that if it's not Reno, it's Maui and if it's Maui, it with his mistress-" She gave a little shrug. "I know some journalists who like to gossip, but our gossip is usually more factual, but they do give more money to the right people than others. I just don't know why the money has to be gathered through lavish events that burn 40% of the earnings-"

"It's very performative-"

"Exactly, exactly!" Kaylee rolled her eyes, clapping her hands. "But enough of that. We're supposed to be having fun! You actually paid to be here, you crazy person!" She reached across the table, grabbing Alexa's hands with a sudden warmth. "We should get refills!"

***

"Okay, your turn, best weird pizza topping-"

''Peanut butter."

"What? Really?"

"Not as adventurous as you think, huh?"

***

"Now, I really want pizza-" Kaylee clutched at her stomach with a grin playing on her lips.

"God, me too."

"Should we blow this popsicle stand?" The event around them was in its later stages. The talk had already been done, droning on in the front of the room while Kaylee hung back. Kaylee even survived a small bit of mingling, just to look good with Alexa trailing along as another traveler. By now, the food tables were trimmed down to desserts and there were only a few left of each variety. Many people still lingered, chatting or wandering the walls of the museum space, contemplating the paintings offered up here; but there was nothing else on the program to wait for, only a delayed departure.

"Up to you!"

"Yeah, let's go-" Kaylee smiled over her shoulder as she turned to go, seeing Alexa to her side as they strode down the steps and onto the street. Cool air rushed against their skin. Kaylee quickly set off, spotting the faint glow of a late night pizzeria just down the block. They walked together, matching pace as they continued to sling conversation wildly back and forth.

"The best meal I've ever had..." Kaylee leaned her head back slightly, sending her breath up into the chilled evening air as she walked and thought. "You know, this place by my college, Rusty's. God, it was like a gourmet chef never left the diner scene... I can almost taste the onion rings with chocolate..." She liked over her lips, sighing.

"Mine would be in New York, it's a little restaurant, but all their food is sourced from their farm. One cow made the butter, for example. Every element is fresh from their farm just up the road. The food was so fresh and simple, but exquisite. I'll never forget it."

In unison, in response to their chatter about food, their stomachs growled with anticipation for the pizza shop, just up ahead. The door chimed with a bell as they entered, announcing their arrival in the quiet space, brightly lit against the dark evening outside.

***

Sat on either side of a large, greasy disc of cheese, the girls' formal wear seemed out of place in the violently bright pizza shop. Alexa's dress bunched up to her thighs as she sat crossed legged on the bench seat while Kaylee stretched her long legs beneath the table, balancing her ankles on the opposite bench beside Alexa.

"God, this is heaven..." Kaylee whined, hovering an oozing slice of pizza above her lips, halfway eaten.

Alexa folded her pizza over, pressing the cheese and sauce together before she bit down on the double layers. "Nothing is better than pizza in the middle of the night-"

"Or after sex," Kaylee blurted, not noticing the faint sheen of pink that warmed Alexa's cheeks in response. "Whenever I travel, I miss late night delivery food: Chinese and pizza. They are greasy, unhealthy, and so American to me."

The sand cat chuckled, leaning back into her booth with a happy sigh. "I missed my bed, it was so nice to come home and realize I do have a favorite pillow and I can use it again-"

Kaylee snickered, chewing. "I don't think I could list most of my belongings, they are just... there. I could just leave without them and I'd be fine, I think, except for my boots!"

"What's that like? To have no creature comforts?" Alexa plucked up another slice, licking the sheen of grease off her lips. "I can't imagine not having the little things that make home, home."

"I think it's freeing. I have to experience life itself. If I have a box of things I treasured, how could I go out into the world and feel free to explore it? I'd be worried about that box or worse, I'd stay home with my box. Then, my whole life would be spent with that box of things instead of so much more." Kaylee gave a little shrug, making the charms in her ear jingle softly. "I've always had the travel bug, bad."

"Is there anywhere you haven't been?" The pizza left on the tray was dwindling while the amount of napkins beside it was growing, all dabbed with greasy residue.

"So many places! There's still so many places I haven't seen! Whole countries, yes; but each town is unique. I could re-visit every country I've been to if I chose different towns. I know I've missed so much." She leaned back, cleaning off her fingers with a cluster of napkins. "I haven't been to most of South America, just hasn't happened yet. I haven't been to Amsterdam, but it's high on my list. I haven't been to most US cities either, I think a road trip needs to happen."

"Hugo said something about a road trip-"

"Yeah, he would take one down here to meet up. I might just have to agree to it. I miss that kid-"

"Have you talked to him?" Alexa met Kaylee's eyes, now without pizza buffering their conversation. Kaylee winced, sheepishly looking towards her chest. "Not exactly, no."

"All you have to do is call! Text! Hell, leave him a comment on Facebook-" Alexa pulled out her phone, flicking through her apps until she found the other feline's Instagram. "See, he posted yesterday, a picture from India!"

Kaylee followed her example, visiting his page to find a smiling photo of the boy surrounded by plates of food. Her face flickered with a smile. She remembered this restaurant. They'd ordered an option each before realizing that the portions were share size. They'd had enough food for an army, at least a small one. "I thought my stomach was going to burst that day..."

"I ate enough that I wasn't hungry until breakfast the next morning," Alexa smiled down at the photo, remembering the rich smell of that small space as all the spices melded together. For a second, they both bent over their phones, remembering the feeling in the snapshot of gorging themselves on a small stop-over town in India. Their fingers met to their screens, leaving a comment for the cheerful boy.

"I wish Hugo lived closer," Alexa said as she set her phone back onto the table. "He is so sweet, I'd love to have him around. We talk a lot, actually."

"Oh?" Kaylee felt a warmth in her cheeks, realizing that Alexa was the only one she talked to from the trip. "How do you find the time for so many letters?"

Alexa's eyes widened. "Oh, no, no... I, uh. The letters are just with you... Hugo and I text a lot, when I'm on shift and bored and when he's waiting for class." She met Kaylee's eyes with a slight grin. "Were you worried you weren't so special?"

"Hey!" Kaylee felt the warmth on her cheeks double, spreading with an intensifying pink. "I just, I didn't realize! I haven't been talking to anyone else from the trip, obviously. I'm terrible at the talking thing."

Alexa snickered, shaking her head. "Should we get back? It's already midnight."

"Yeah, let's hit the road-"

***

The drive to Alexa's apartment was a montage of karaoke songs, alternating between each of the girls' selections.

"Noooooon, je ne regrette rien!"

"So though I can't imagine hoooow! I hope you're happy right now!"

"What kind of name is Elphaba?"

"Hey! It's from Wicked! A Broadway classic! Shut up and pick your song!"

"Come on, Eileen!"

"Come on, Eileen!"

"I think I love you so what am I so afraid of

I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for!"

"Is all your music so incredibly odd?"

"Your first pick was a French ballad!"

"That song is a CLASSIC! Plus, there's nothing more therapeutic than singing 'I regret nothing' with all the air in your lungs! Seriously, try it!"

"I don't speak French!"

"Nevermind that. I'll help you."

"Noooooon! Rien de reinnnn! Je ne regrette rieennnnnn!"

"Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait, ni le mal"

"What?!"

"Come on, you can do the next part! Nooon...."

"Je ne regrette rien!"

"You've got it! This is the end!"

"I don't know the end!"

"Aujourd'hui'hui ça commence avec toi!"

"Do you know what that song means?"

"Of course. It's one of my favorites," Kaylee glanced over from the driver's seat, smirking. "Did you take French in high school?"

"That doesn't mean that I remember any of it from high school! I know rien, nothing, right?"

"Yep, she's saying she regrets nothing. She doesn't regret the good or the bad things that happened in life up until this moment, because in this moment-" She looked over, watching how the passing street lights glimmered in Alexa's pale eyes. "-she's starting her life for real with the person she's singing to." A beat pulsed. "It's just fun to sing, 'I regret nothing' though. It's very empowering."

"Do you regret anything, though?" Alexa leaned her seat back slightly, tilting her gaze towards the leopardess.

Kaylee's mind flashed the memories from college, the familiar grin of the red panda over half a veggie burger slathered with a grotesque amount of mayo, but then the image flickered to her wedding day with frosting smeared onto her muzzle alongside the human, Nick. "A couple years ago, I might have said so, but it's like she says, everything before brought them to now, so how can you regret those things?" She looked over, catching Alexa's eyes tracking her expression. "Life is one way for a reason, right? We just gotta be happy when we've ended up on a good road."

"Even if we took a wrong turn?"

"Exactly."

"That's good because you missed your turn back there."

"Alexa!"

***

"So, what did you almost regret?" The felines had changed out of their formal wear and instead sat in their pajamas around Alexa's countertop. They'd already found a bag of leftover Halloween mini candies that were dumped onto the surface between them as Kaylee mixed drinks with the remnants of Alexa's meager fridge and liquor cabinet contents.

Kaylee had slipped into a pair of tiny shorts that clung to her ass with a loose t-shirt that nearly disguised the shorts from view. The wobbling shape of her breasts beneath the shifting cotton revealed they were freed from any bra. Alexa opted for a simple nightgown instead. The silk-like fabric clung to her perky chest and hung smoothly over the rest of her form, stopping high on her thighs. She paired the vaguely sexy ensemble with massive, fluffy slipper socks.

"Well, your Tom Collins-" Kaylee slid the glass towards Alexa's chocolate stained fingers before she continued mixing her own drink. "In college, I was with a girl almost the entire time-"

"Just one girl?"

Kaylee laughed, watching how the surprised crinkled up Alexa's fluffy cheeks. "Yeah, exactly. Just one. We messed around, but we were a couple..." She paused to taste her drink, wincing at the strength. "Long story short, when we graduated, I took off on a big tour through China, a big job that basically launched my whole career, but I didn't call... or write... or anything really."

"But she did?" Alexa's soft, pale eyes were dropped, vaguely sad.

"Yeah, she did. She tried more than she owed me. More than anyone would have, probably." Kaylee sighed softly, leaning onto the counter. "I was caught up in making a story worth telling, I forgot that I had to be nice enough to have someone to come home and tell it to. When I finally crash landed back in the US, I'd been traveling for several years while she'd gotten engaged, I heard through some mutual friends." She drank for a moment, letting the conversation lull. "Anyways, I realized I fucked up. People don't sit on pause when you're away."

Alexa chewed thoughtfully at a Kit-Kat before she looked up. "Why don't you regret it now? That seems heavy."

"Because now she's married to the perfect guy for her." Kaylee's face lit with a smile, recalling her friend's laughter every time they'd all been together. "Better than me even. We were good, we pushed each other... We loved each other, but those two were born for each other." She plucked up a candy bar and peeled away the plastic wrapping. "If I had to fuck up big time for her to end up with him, it was worth the pain. Plus, she graciously forgives me now. We're friends again."

Kaylee chewed through her chocolate before nodding to Alexa. "What about you? Do you have any regrets?"

Alexa sucked in a breath, thinking through the rich flavor of chocolate intermingling with the tart fizz of her drink. "Probably many small things, but overall... nothing big. I regret speaking at the high school talent show, that went terribly... I regret yelling at my mom once over those shoes, but I was a teenager... you know, I do have one big one. I regret not traveling with my dad sooner." She smiled, but it was a melancholy smile. "Every summer, he'd invite me to tag along on conferences. I usually went for weekend ones, but I wanted to have friends, to work... when he invited me on the week-long conferences, often overseas, I turned him down the summer before college. I wish I hadn't. Those friends were just... fun, I don't remember what we did, but I remember every day I've spent with my dad traveling. I wish I had taken advantage of all the ones I got."

Kaylee smiled with a tinge of her own sadness. "Maybe not all regrets lead us someplace,"

"But I appreciate every day now, now that I've realized."

"I can't imagine traveling with my parents..." Kaylee sighed, drinking a long sip from her emptying glass. "I don't even visit anymore."

"What happened? Were they always... bad?"

"Not always bad, but always religious. Deeply religious. My childhood was one of church camps and mission trips, no wonder fake do-gooders rub me so wrong..." Kaylee shrugged. "When I came out, they flipped. They couldn't see past their little book. They wanted to fix it, make it go away. They didn't realize that it was really just me..."

"How did you know you liked girls?"

Kaylee laughed, "You know, it's a shock that I ever thought anything different. I always loved girls. I thought it was normal to be so infatuated with your friends. I thought maybe everyone did. I mean, all of the media for girls, especially teenaged girls is made up of really hot girls! I didn't realize I was supposed to want to be that girl, not be with that girl until about 14..."

"I understand that," Alexa chuckled, sipping a long drink. "I never felt like I had to choose at home. My parents were very progressive, almost exhaustingly so, sometimes." She laughed, "But that's not something to complain about, all things considered."

"Pssh. Complain a little. It's so fun!" Kaylee giggled, finishing off her drink with a long drag before chasing it with a fun size Snickers. "So tell me about your first love-"

"Oh, I..." Alexa blushed, the pinky glow radiating out from the fluff of her cheeks. Kaylee grinned at the sight of the girl's downy fur somehow radiating the glow of her skin coloring beneath. The girl's black slip hung over her form, but the downy fur of her collarbones were still beckoning with an enticing softness. "I don't think I have one yet."

"Well," Kaylee chuckled, leaning into the counter, close enough to smell the perfume clinging to the girl's fur, tangy with citrus. "I guess you're in for a treat then."

Alexa found the girl's eyes, their soft violet shade sparkling under the kitchen lights. She smiled, watching how the flecks of color in the girl's eyes shifted when she moved. She felt a sudden warmth, an intensity buzzing between them. She found herself leaning forward on her stool, just enough to feel her weight shifted.

Kaylee's lips twitched, shifting apart from each other.

Alexa felt her heart flutter, jumping into her throat. Her fingers clutched a candy wrapper in her lap.

Then, with a groan, Kaylee yawned broadly and the tension fizzled away.

"Oh boy, I'm beat..." The leopardess rubbed at her eyes. "Can we crash?"

***

Streaks of the eager morning sun shot through the curtains of the small bedroom. Kaylee's eyelids twitched beneath the persistent light before she opened them with a slow yawn. She stretched out her legs, feeling the heavy comforter shift as she moved beneath it. Then, her eyes found the sleeping sand cat across from her.

Alexa still slept soundly, partially shielded by the sunlight sneaking in by Kaylee's head in the way. Her loose curls had tangled together on the pillowcase, creating a halo of her pale hair atop her head as she slept soundly. Kaylee breathed in a long breath, feeling the settling warmth of being awake in a quiet bed. She could hear the soft rasp of each of the feline's breath along with a faint buzzing purr low in her chest.

Usually, her feet would already be in the kitchen, setting the pot to brew, but for once Kaylee felt eerily cozy in the bed. The sun pouring in was intensely warm over the lingering heat of sleep, but she sunk into it, partially closing her eyes as she studied the shifting of tans that made up Alexa's fluffy face.

Then, the girl's eyes flicked open with a sudden burst of pale blue. "Good morning," she mumbled, smiling slightly. "Do you need coffee to operate?"

Kaylee snickered, rolling up and away. "You know, yes. I only have enough charge saved up from the previous day each time to make a pot to fuel myself again for the next day!"

"Heaven forbid you die, I'll go put a pot on if you want to shower first-"

Kaylee agreed, grabbing her rucksack and heading into the bathroom. She spotted her only outfit, the one she'd driven here in settled in the bag alongside her toiletries, but rather than consider driving back home, she just stepped into the hot spray of the shower.

***

"So, what is a must-see in this city?" Kaylee asked, half a cup of coffee down when Alexa appeared from the shower. Her fur was lightly mused from being brushed through, but the smell of her shower products clung to her, sweet and tangy with citrus.

For a moment, Alexa realized Kaylee was staying, but she didn't say a word. Instead, she just smiled. "I'll show you all the best things-"

***

"First stop, which I know is essential to keep you alive, is the best cup of coffee in the city." Alexa turned towards the small coffee shop, gesturing inside. "This is the only coffee I ever drink, only before night shifts usually..."

As they stepped inside, the soft twinge of old big band music rang out from the wall-mounted speakers. The coffee shop was centered on an old oak coffee bar with mismatched leather furniture scattered around the room around small tables. "They take used furniture all the time, all leather... Nothing matches," Alexa smiled, heading up to the counter and ordering for them both. Kaylee hung back, imagining the girl stopping in before her night rotation in her loose, pale scrubs.

"Kaylee?" Alexa tapped a seat, calling her over.

"I'm coming!"

***

"I would say that's an affront to coffee, but... God, it was good!" Kaylee shook her head, staring into the empty bottom of her mug. The coffee had been mixed with a dark, rich hot chocolate, leaving every sip tinged with sweetness, but the darkness of the chocolate left the bitterness shining through.

"Told you!"

***

"Next up, the best park bench for people watching!"

"How do you know this?"

"I have seen seven proposals, four large scale breakups, and two first kisses on this spot."

"I'm convinced!"

They sat together, shoulder to shoulder, on the simple bench. The bench faced a tiny pocket of the park that jutted out over the river, leaving a distant backdrop of high rising buildings against the scenery of clustered trees and softened cobbled walks. As they sat, a couple wandered into view, holding hands across the space between them as they approached the small enclave. They stood together, staring into the distance of the city stretching out in front of them before one hand cupped against a back and another found a cheek.

As the two kissed, leaning into each other with an eager timidness that confirmed it was certainly the first one, Kaylee and Alexa met each other's eyes across the tight space between them: "Told you."

***

"This is the best, best mint chocolate gelato. You are not allowed to order any other flavor."

"I'm allergic to mint-"

"You are not!"

Kaylee smirked, "No. No, I'm not."

***

"I've been told this is the best chicken taco in the city," Kaylee grinned up at the waiter who promised to hurry back with proof. In the meantime, they sat across the small booth, watching as the height of the afternoon sun began to sink, heading towards afternoon.

"So, what's next?"

"Next is either the best macarons or the richest chocolate cupcakes?"

"I choose both."

***

Several stops later, the sun had completely left the sky, sinking off into the edge of the horizon and leaving a pale darkness sinking over the city as they approached Alexa's final stop for the night: "the bestmusic in town."

They walked together, keeping close as the streets grew darker. As they approached, Kaylee spotted a tiny dive bar lit up with buzzing neon signs clustered around the corner door: "Best Jazz in Town!" "A Taste of New Orleans!" "Gumbo on Thursdays!" Even from outside, the music was spilling into the street, a tangle of brass clashing together with bouncing vocals. Alexa grabbed Kaylee's hand, keeping her close as she led into the crowded space, snagging them a tiny booth that clung to the window opposite the band's scrunched stage. The entire band squeezed onto a raised corner of the bar with their brass glinting the lights of the neon back.

Quickly, they had strong, fragrant drinks in hand that wafted with the bite of alcohol. The band lulled between songs as they ordered, squeezing in, but as their drinks arrived with the wet kiss of melting ice sweating the glass on their palms, the band began again.

The brass blared, filling every inch of the available air while vocals rose in and out of the den, singing with a playful freestyle that felt like it shouldn't be on a stage, but tucked in private. Kaylee glanced over to the sand cat, but Alexa was transfixed on the stage. Her ears were flicking to the shifting moves in the music, soaking up the ringing tones of every instrument while her wide, pale eyes drank in the sight of the stage alit in the dim light of the rest of the space.

"She's in love..." Kaylee thought, watching the sand cat drink up the flavor of New Orleans spilled into the big city. She brought her cold, strong drink to her lips and sipped, letting the music crash into her like waves while beside her, Alexa surfed.

***

One hour melted into two, quickly. Soon, the crowd was thinning out around them. Patrons grew antsy to continue their crawl to other, rowdier bars, but Kaylee and Alexa stayed. Their arms were pressed together until Kaylee let out free to drape around the shape of the booth seat, almost cupping Alexa in against her. Alexa's thigh jiggled, bouncing with the beat of the music against Kaylee's own, sending a warmth rushing up her stomach. In the fleeting breaks between the band, they chatted. Kaylee heard how Alexa found the spot after a big test, desperate for an escape from her brain. They commented on the band, but Kaylee knew little about the technique of jazz. Mostly, they just listened, crammed together in the warmth of the small space.

Kaylee felt her mind wandering, set to motion by the bouncing of the drum. She could feel the faint rise and fall of Alexa's perky breasts just in front of her own chest as she breathed. She felt the heat of the girl's leg beside her own. She could so easily let her arm fall off the back of the booth and pull the soft sand cat into her. "Here, in her music, she might be swept up..." But Kaylee pushed away the thoughts, "We're friends. She doesn't need me hitting on her-" she swallowed, still feeling the nagging heat spreading up her stomach and tingling across her chest. "-no matter how much I want to."

The night grew late. Soon, the kitchen stopped slinging their greasy sides, then the bar called for final refills. Alexa clung to the very last song, waiting until the band had left the stage to circle the room for tips before she turned back to Kaylee with her eyes sparkling in the neon lights.

"Closing time," Kaylee mouthed, smiling. "We can't stay here!"

With the rest of the remaining crowd, they shuffled onto the street. Behind them, the door to the little bar clicked shut as the locks fell into place. They shuffled to the side of the door, unsure where the night should lead next even as behind them the neon lights were turned off one by one with a final fizzing buzz while their colored glow faded away.

"Where ne-"

Before Kaylee could finish, a passing canine, visibly drunk, caught Alexa's shoulder, pushing her into the leopardess. The sand cat stumbled a step forward, softly impacting Kaylee's chest as her arms grabbed on to steady her. Their chests brushed together as Alexa looked up, eyes glimmering in the night.

Kaylee parted her lips, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat as she stared down at the smaller girl, still holding her elbows from steadying her. Alexa mirrored her, staring up at the way the neon made Kaylee's hair glow with different hues.

"I should kiss her."

Instead, Kaylee gently pushed Alexa back to her feet. "Let's get out of her, it's dangerous-"

***

They walked slowly back towards Alexa's apartment. Far above their heads, the moon cast a pale glow over the city while the streetlights glimmered against the dark streets. Their shoulders met, rubbing between them as they headed back.

"So jazz?"

"I'm always loved jazz," Alexa smiled, glancing over to Kaylee's gaze. Her smile reached her eyes with a sparkling shine.

"I could tell," Kaylee smiled, spotting another rowdy group passing them. She stuck her elbow out, offering her arm. "Careful. Don't fall over again."

Alexa accepted the arm, wrapping her own around Kaylee's with a rush of warmth in the evening's chill. Long past the other group, they stayed locked together until they made it back.

***

As the night before, sleep came quickly, ushered by exhaustion. However, this time, Kaylee woke up second. The sunlight was dulled by the curtains, pulled tightly over the window and overlapping at the edges. She felt the warmth of the bed, but it was dulled without Alexa beside her. Instead, she breathed in the scent of food dancing on the air.

"Hmm, someone beat me out of bed..." Kaylee mumbled, sitting up in bed for a moment before she stepped out, stretching out the kinks of sleep. Her nose twitched with the beckoning aroma of food in the other room. "Mmm..."

The leopardess padded out of the bedroom, tracking down the short hallway towards the rich smells. Even from partway down the hall, she could see the scene in the kitchen. Pancake batter smeared the counter beside a plate with a growing stake of pancakes dotted with small red specs; "Cranberries, she remembered." Kaylee smiled at the fleeting memories of her childhood church speckling pancakes with cranberries rather than chocolate chips and how she loved the fruity sweetness. The faint burning smell of bacon cooked a minute too long tangled in the air with the sharp bitterness of coffee, strong coffee.

Kaylee slowed her steps, giving herself time to see every detail. The room was warm with the heat of the stovetop while the smells all danced together. Past the stove, a smoothie sat on the counter, waiting on the mixer stand, but the pot of coffee was already brewed. Alexa stood at the edge of the kitchen, already holding a mug in one hand as it steamed with dancing strands of its rich aroma. The sand cat raised her chin at the sight of the other girl, smiling slightly as she watched her arrive.

"She's waiting for something..." Kaylee smiled, studying her face across the closing steps between them. Her head was upturned, a sparkle twinkling in her crinkled eyes just like the night before in the flickering neon lights.

"She's waiting on me..."

They met at the edge of the kitchen. The warmth of the mug pressed into her hand while the thick, bitter smell of the coffee filled her nose. The smell was like home, but it was also like India, every morning when Alexa was caring for her sore ankle. She breathed in a long breath and closed her fingers on the mug as she stared down at Alexa's upturned face.

Finally, the uncertainty faded from her mind.

Kaylee leaned down, smelling the sweetness of pancakes on the girl's fur before their lips met.

They kissed.

On the edge of the kitchen, bathed in the rich smell of pancake batter and the bitter bite of coffee, they kissed.

With batter streaking her fingers as Alexa grabbed Kaylee's face and pulled her in tighter, they kissed.

With jazz echoing in Alexa's mind and strumming French ballads in Kaylee's, they kissed.

"Quand il me prend dans ses bras. Il me parle tout bas. Je vois la vie en rose."

"When you press me to your heart. I'm in a world apart. A world where roses bloom"