FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I think you may be right." His smile widened, his hand on the back of her neck slowly pulling her down to him. Their lips met, and the taste of his own blood was added to the metallic taste of hers on his lips. Somewhere deep inside him, the animal that he was grinned as it pointed out the symbolism of that to him. It was a final sealing of their new bond; they were well and truly mated now, bound to run together from this point forward. He felt calm, a part of him that had for so long been empty now finally filled once more. A small part of him still winced at what he had done, feeling that he had replaced his mate too soon. But the greater part of him, as well as the animal within him, knew that this was right. She would not have wanted him to remain in that dark, empty loneliness. She would have wanted him to take another mate. His lips played along hers, and he felt very much at peace.

"...but not just yet," he murmured against her lips. The feeling of her body pressed against his no longer brought feelings of arousal; they evoked within him a desire for closeness and intimacy of a different kind. His arms tightening around her, he pulled gently, rolling the two of them over onto their sides in the dirt. His lips left hers, and he began to gently kiss his way across her face. His kisses feather-light, he gently planted them along her cheeks, briefly against her nose and forehead, and even against one of her temples. He nuzzled her cheek with his, having no means of vocalizing his inner feelings. Whether human or animal, his particular species could not purr, and for once he found himself missing that ability.

She let him pull her down, meeting his lips with a tender warmth. The taste of her own blood was strange in the aftermath of their passion, the tang of his own still lingering and mingling together. She closed her eyes, absorbing the implication of it before he drew her closer and she purred against him, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her.

The ground felt gritty beneath her sweaty form as they rolled over, but his caresses washed away her concern for the sand that was trying to work itself into untold crevices. His lips left hers longing for closeness, but his feathery touch across her face soon soothed her need for contact. She sighed, inhaling his musky smell as she nuzzled him back.

Questions began itching at the back of her mind, however, and try as she might she could not put them away. She'd already told them "tomorrow" and they were demanding satisfaction. She sighed, her eyes rolling playfully as she pushed herself gently away and looked up into his eyes.

"Why are you here?"

Her question took him completely by surprise and for a moment he froze. It wasn't that he was afraid; he knew all too well that how he had gotten there would not change her bond with him even the slightest bit. But the sheer magnitude of the question, and everything that would be required in order to answer it properly, temporarily stunned him. He didn't know how or where to begin. He lay there, looking down at her, for many long moments as his brain processed, trying to come up with a suitable answer to her question.

Ah, fuck it, he eventually decided. He couldn't sit there and answer EVERYTHING that was tied into that question, so he would start by just answering the question itself in it's most base form. After that, they could begin to work their way into deeper, more complex things. A quiet, sad sigh escaped his lips. This was going to be painful. But she deserved to know. He looked down into her eyes again, his own now beginning to cloud over with past memories

"It's been six months since I lost my mate."

It was like something inside had been snuffed out. Her smile faded, her eyes flicking with too many conflicting emotions. She felt her heart skip a beat, her blood running momentarily cold. Somewhere she felt rage at not being his first mate. But a deeper, sympathetic sorrow washed over her anger, drowning its voice out. She continued to watch him, unable to find the words to express the multi-layered emotions that continued to chime through her and instead reached out to him physically.

His eyes were dark now, his normal fire temporarily extinguished by the memories that now clouded his eyes. "I have not shifted since. Finally, my impulses could not be repressed any longer. I had to go somewhere safe and deserted... somewhere that I could let myself become feral safely, without endangering innocent lives."

So, she'd been an accident. A chance happening. Yet, was that such a bad thing? She felt anger at being the product of happenstance, and yet she had experienced such ecstasy over the last few hours that she could not ignore her desire to be with him. The closeness of her bond with him over such a short time frightened her and for a moment she wondered if she might be so "casually" tossed aside at the first hint of a new mate if something were to happen to her.

A look into his eyes told her otherwise. There was still so much pain at the loss of his mate. It spoke many more volumes than his words ever could. His release had not been a selfish one, but a needed one. But a release for the feral spirit was not necessarily a release for the mourning soul, and he was grieving now. She wrapped herself around him, feeling his anguish becoming her own as she held onto him tightly. "What was her name?"

Her arms around him were warm and soft, a sensation that he had not experienced in what seemed like forever. The empty gap within him had reappeared, and it's pull felt strong enough to pull in everything he was. His lips opened to tell her.

"It was..."

His throat seized up, as if trying to prevent the name from exiting his body. A part of him knew that if he said her name aloud to the woman in front of him, it would in some ways be the last time. He would no longer be able to hold onto that special place in his heart where her presence dwelt. He would be letting go of her for the final time; acknowledging at last that she was truly and permanently gone.

He swallowed and the knot lessened some. He took a long, deep breath, and tried again. Still, nothing emerged from him. His throat seized up once more, just as strongly. The emptiness within him was growing larger, pushing at him from the other side, and he felt himself beginning to fly apart from the tension. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, and "pushed."

"...Nabiki."

As her name exited his lips, he felt like every wonderful thing that she'd ever brought into his life was leaving with it, leaving behind only the cold, hard realization of what he would never have again. He would never touch her again, never hold her again. He would never again see that smile that she saved and kept secret, that smile that was for him and him alone. No matter how long he lived or where he went, he would never again feel her lips against his, nor be able to count on her voice just when he needed to hear it. Never again would he be able to count on her intelligence to save the day, or even just his chess match. Never again would he hear another of her witty, slightly biting comments, and detect her affection hidden deeply beneath the surface. Never again would he get to see her lower her mask for him, trusting him to tell no one else what she shared with him in confidence. Never again would he hold her small, lithe body against his in the aftermath of their mutual pleasure. Never again would he...

The waves spiraled higher and higher within him, each realization of something he would never again have leading to another realization of something else he would never again have. The emptiness fed upon itself within him, the pain magnifying itself as it grew, and he felt himself curling inwards, both emotionally and physically, as tears began to flood from his eyes in ever-increasing waves. He wanted to scream out his pain to the world, but his vocal chords felt fused shut, and all he could do was shake silently from the pain, like a leaf in the wind, his tears trailing down his face to wet the ground beneath him.

He was withdrawing from her, his pain pulling him inwards in engulfing waves. She watched him tremble and felt herself shaking. Her breath was ragged, her eyes full of pain and fear as she began to realize she didn't know how to help him. His overwhelming grief was beyond her knowledge to heal, one way or another.

And yet, he needed her. She felt responsible for his current state, having provoked him to speak of her with such finality. She had shattered his world again as surely as the first time he had known. It filled her with a bittersweet feeling, knowing she had helped him take the first step to letting go but also that she'd had to break his heart again to do it.

"You don't have to be alone."

The sound of her voice startled her, but she moved closer, worming her way insistently into his arms and holding him tightly. More than anything she wanted to be the person to draw him away from the depths of his personal asylum. She remembered what it was like to be on the edge of nothing, ready to throw herself away to despair. She held him tighter.

"Take me with you."

As the waves began to roll over his mind, a part of him heard her plea. She wanted to be with him; to help him through his pain. It hurt so much... and he didn't want to be alone. He'd been alone for so very long... the last six months had been an eternity.

He buried his head in her shoulder as the memories began to consume him. He felt the tears begin to form in his eyes.

Three brothers, all proud of each other, close like no one else. Training in the family's inherited martial style; long hours spent practicing techniques, maneuvers, and strategies. Sparring sessions that were trying, but with a feeling of confidence in each other's abilities. Challenges and tests, adventures and tragedy. Getting "booted" by one of his brothers across a table into her arms to find himself sprawled unceremoniously against her, followed by her slightly acerbic "What, hoping to test the goods before you buy?" as he realized that her chest had been what broke his forward momentum. An impossible rage when he found her being assaulted in a back alley; sending four people to the hospital for their mistake, and thanking the Kami that he'd arrived before anything happened. Carrying her home in his arms, naked as the day she was born, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. Her look of astonishment as he set her down in her room, having never once looked at her nakedness. His heart suddenly racing in his chest when she told him to look as he began to turn to leave, saying "consider it payment for saving me." A secret confidence; things shared privately with each other that neither felt safe telling anyone else. The bond of trust forming, knowing that of all the people in the world, there was one who understood what it was like to hide away one's innermost self. Her kidnapping, and almost acquisition of a horrible curse. His desperation as he raced to get to her. His unbridled fury when he found her. Permanently blinding the nearsighted idiot who had kidnapped her, nearly killing him and leaving him in the hospital for six months in recovery. The shock and self-loathing at what he'd done, and almost done. Running from the scene in shame. Her words of acceptance and comfort. The peace as she accepted him for who and what he was. Time spent together, intimate both physically and mentally. More challenges, more adventures, and more bonding. An amazing, but not horrible accident that made him into the creature he now was, changing both of them into something new. A reforging of bonds as they each came to deal with their new life and everything that came with it. Adjusting to their new existence, learning to accept and deal with the heightened animalistic qualities they now possessed. Unleashing the beast within, facing the darkest side of himself, his most brutal and suppressed animalistic desires, and turning it free for the sake of protecting her. The feeling of completion as he finally accepted what he was for the sake of her.

As each new memory bubbled up within him, it brought with it part of the foundation of who he was. Each memory or experience brought with it a belief, a tender moment, a feeling of warmth, or the knowledge that he was trusted and cared for. And one by one, each experience shattered like a pane of stained glass, leaving behind only a gaping emptiness combined with a horrible longing for what had been lost in it's wake.

And then the final memory came forth; the memory of the day of loss. It had all happened so fast. A vortex that felt wrong on every level and in every way imaginable, pulling in buildings, trees, people, and even the earth itself. A squadron of powerful beings arriving, taking one look at the vortex, and beginning to evacuate people. Becoming separated from her, and everyone else, in the oncoming rush. The sight of the house that had been their home for such a short but meaningful time being ripped from the ground, disappearing into the ever-growing vortex of nothingness. A hand on his shoulder, the face of someone he didn't know at the time but now knew a great deal saying "come with me if you want to live." Making it out of there alive, but alone. Being taken to where the rest of the survivors were being temporarily held. Looking for her; looking for any of them... and finding no one. The last six months of his life; six months of blurred memories. Not truly caring where he was or what he was doing. Six months of feeling like that vortex had eaten a part of him along with everything else. Trying to shift so he could help defend his new companion, and realizing that he couldn't. The slowly building feeling of pressure as his instincts pushed at him, without having any outlet for them.

If only I could have been faster...

...It wasn't your fault. Whatever it was, I forgive you.

I could have made sure she got out...

The last pillar that held his life up shattered, and then he was empty, floating in a sea of pain, with no warmth to remind him of who he was or what he believed in. The wave that had been building within him since her name first escaped his lips crested, completely engulfing him, and he found that his vocal chords could work once more. The sound that escaped his throat was the ultimate expression of his pain and loss; it reverberated across the land, going on and on as if endless, a single long, mournful wail of utter despair that continued to pour forth from him for what seemed like forever.

The sound of his loss seemed to strike at the core of her being. It was a note that seemed to resound through her, a bell shattering the whole of her soul like ice. It was like dying, drowning in sorrow. She felt the hair on her body standing on end, every inch covered in goosebumps. It hurt so much and she could not escape from it. It was not a physical pain that one could ease by simply ceasing to move or getting away from. It was a deep, spiritual pain that evoked every painful experience she had every had, combined them, and magnified them.

No more...

_ It's what you wanted. _

Please, no more....

_ Running at the first sign of trouble? _

The beast's biting remarks tore into her. She wanted to vomit. Her head spun and her ears rang. The lines between the world without and the world within blurred and she heaved, though nothing came. She felt the beast snarl within her, contemptuous of her weakness. Her fingernails dug into her hands and his as she squeezed tighter, the physical pain serving to distract from the pain within.

Kenshiro!

She reached out to him, wrapping herself around him in the tightest embrace she could muster, tears pouring down her face. He felt cold and lifeless in her arms, unresponsive to her touch. She felt her heart pound in her chest, the fear of losing him escalating within her. He was the only other of her kind she had ever found. He alone had showed her that the darkness that existed within was not evil or to be feared. She needed his guidance desperately. Don't leave me...

"...I love you."

The memories began to flash before his mind again, each one stabbing into him with the shards they had shattered into, and each time, fresh tears sprang to his eyes. But each tear took with it a small piece of the pain that had consumed him. As each recollection crashed through his mind, he cried, and some of the pain seemed to coalesce into the tears that washed down his face, lessening the agony and the sense of loneliness.

Something wet touched her lips and she instinctively licked them. Salty. She opened her eyes slowly. More tears touched her lips and she felt some of her own start to roll down her cheeks. The pain had to be released from every pore, every orifice, every facet of his being if he was to recover from his great loss. He felt so distant from her, lost in his own personal hell, and yet she was forced to let him go, unable to meet him there. She ached to take his pain from him, yet that ability was denied her. More tears fell and she held him tighter, eyes closing as she buried her face into his shoulder and chest.

We're supposed to break together, remember?

Slowly, the darkness began to recede. Each tear that slid down his cheek lessened the pain by a small amount. Like a lake slowly draining drop by drop, his pain began to diminish. He felt life return to him once more, just a small amount. Eventually he was able to hold his head above the water, as it were, and he felt a cool breeze flow across his tear-stained cheek. His eyes opened, the vision blurry from the tears, and her face slowly came into focus. The pain was still very great, and his wounds were still tender, but he felt the warmth of her touch against him. The selflessness of her act hit him like a freight train, the presence of warmth in that cold place as bittersweet as the abandonment of said warmth had originally been painful. His free arm went around her, and he buried his head in her shoulder, a fresh gout of tears streaming from his face. He was no longer alone.

His grief washed over him, no longer all-consuming in it's massiveness. He was not alone, and a small part of his tears were laced with a feeling of joy at that fact. He clung to her, letting his sadness wash over him as he began to finally let go. Through it all, he could feel the warmth of her against him, an absolute reminder that she was with him, and he was not afraid. He was not alone.

She felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her somehow closer before burying his face in her shoulder. She felt fresh tears slide down her shoulder and she held him tighter, closing her eyes again, tears springing afresh to her own eyes. She felt her own grief rising in her throat, the memories of her past life making her heart ache with loneliness. It had been a simpler time, and she found herself missing it profusely. She could smell her mother's perfume, remember the way it felt to be held in her arms. Tsuki remembered her father and the stories he would tell while she sat on his knee. She could hear the mischievous laughter of her best friend, Seri, and the look in her eyes as she confided her latest scheme. Tsuki's vocal chords knotted in her throat, knowing she would be unlikely to ever see them again, but still feeling the intense need to know what had happened to them since she had left.

"_I want to go back... To see them..."_

As each memory passed through his mind, a part of him said goodbye. Each was a memory of something that would never happen again; he was finally ready to begin accepting that. Bit by bit, his tenacious hold on his past experiences loosened, and he let go. Eventually, the pain slowly retreated. It was not gone; more would come later. But for now, it was over. He felt numb, and slightly empty from the experience. But he also felt a measure of peace that had not been there before, and it was a very welcome sensation. It was then that he felt the wetness against his own shoulder. He knew that his grief had awoken the pain within her, and that knowledge caused a part of him that had gone dormant to begin to awaken.

Kenshiro believed very strongly in the power of symbols, and many of his personality facets had a symbol to represent them. The Beast Within was a symbol for that part of him that he could never completely control; the part of him that desired violence, bloodshed, and sex. It knew not the emotions of fear, pain, or love, and it had no strong beliefs. It existed purely for its own primal desires, and it would have them, regardless of the cost. The part of his psyche that was awakening now also had a symbol attached to it. It was the part of him that represented everything he believed in, all of the causes he championed and would defend, even to his death. It represented his belief in love, justice, fairness, duty, honor, and truth. It was the part of him that believed in self-sacrifice, servitude to a cause, and the greater good. This part of him was symbolized by a knight.

"My lady... Please do not despair. If that is what you wish, then I swear I will see it done."

His touch was warm, wrapped around her like a cocoon. It sent a quiet ache through her, reminding her of all she had lost and at the same time reminding her of all she had gained. Her grief clung to her, as stubborn as she and a sigh escaped through her dry lips, tears rolling down her face as the knot in the pit of her stomach refused to break. She swallowed painfully, her tight throat rejecting the impulse. But then he spoke, his voice a quiet, calm echo in her ears. The warmth of his strength slowly began to permeate through her and she found herself able to put her grief aside, if not cleanse it. That would require a final visit home.

She slowly unwound her body, her eyes opening to a blurry scene that slowly came into focus around her. Her gaze found the face of her mate, focusing for a long moment on his eyes before snuggling closer to him, feeling the last of her tears slide down her cheeks and into his shoulder. She felt spent, exhausted from the ordeal they had shared, and yet as she reflected upon it she found herself strangely grateful. She felt his gaze on her and looked up again, suddenly becoming aware of the crushing way she was holding his hands. She let go, slowly unwinding her fingers and withdrawing. She looked up, her words crawling from her slowly relaxing throat.

"What do you propose?"

He leaned in, slowly kissing the tears away from her cheek. She had helped him with his pain. He would accept nothing less from himself in return. He knew not how she had managed to have such a profound reaction upon him in such a short time, but he knew that he needed it now. She gave him a purpose once more, and something to believe in. He would help her, and see where it took him.

"You can control yourself once more. They drove away the beast, but perhaps they did not know it was you. If you can keep from shifting, perhaps they will accept you back, at least to visit."

His hand brushed across her cheek, cupping it gently in his palm. "I will be with you. You will be safe."

She sighed, closing her eyes and relaxing into his hand as she mulled the idea over. They had indeed run off the beast. Her sudden appearance would no doubt spawn a great many questions, and she wondered briefly if she was prepared to deal with them. And at the same time she found herself not caring so long as she got a chance to say goodbye.

"I'm going to need some clothes."

It wasn't that she felt the need to be modest, but it struck her that if she waltzed into the town with nothing more than her hair to keep her modest it might raise more questions than she cared to answer, particularly in the company of her new companion. She opened her eyes, looking back up at Kenshiro with questioning eyes.

He nodded, as if prepared for that. "I think I can help do something about that."

She quirked an eyebrow at him, curiosity lighting behind her gaze. Her lips twitched, her head tilting sideways and it almost seemed one of her ears moved. For a moment she opened her mouth to ask the question and then promptly shut it again, deciding to instead see what he had in mind. She nodded, accepting his help. No other recourse seemed otherwise appropriate.

Carefully, he extracted himself from her embrace. He took a second to wipe some of the dirt off of him that had built up while they lay there, and began to pick his way over to where his shorts lay. Reaching into one of his pockets, he carefully extracted a small purple crystal, about the size of his thumb. The core of it was lit up in a lighter shade of purple, which gave the entire thing a mild glow. Smiling in satisfaction, he walked over and sat down across from her. He wrapped it in his fist and held it against his chest. Then he closed his eyes, and "reached."

Dracos?

At first, there was no answer. But after a few moments, he felt a familiar touch against his surface thoughts.

It seems like you've been having quite an adventure.

Were you listening?

Not really. Your emanations were strong enough to reach me on the other side of the room last night before I went to sleep, but I managed to ignore most of it. What's been happening?

Nothing dangerous. I'll tell you when I'm ready to leave. I still have some stuff to do here.

Meaning that you need something from me, or you wouldn't be contacting me now. What is it?

I need a set of female traveling clothes with an enchantment for shifting. He projected a set of hazy images of a woman's body, sized approximately close to what he knew hers to be, in both human and animal forms.

You found another were-beast?

Yes. Don't ask about it right now, I promise it will all make sense later. Can you 'port them to my location, using the crystal as a guide point?

It shouldn't be too hard. Give me just a few moments to weave the enchantments correctly.

Thanks.

He set the crystal down on the ground beside him, and turned to face her.

"All right, now wait just a minute."

She watched him, the thoughts causing his eyebrows and facial features to twitch expressively as he held what seemed to be some sort of internal dialogue. After a few moments he set the gemstone down and she raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what else this strange object could do, or perhaps couldn't do.

After several seconds Tsuki felt the hair on the back of her neck crawl, a stack of folded clothing appearing beside the jewel before the sensation ceased to raise her hackles. She reached out, curiosity getting the best of her, and taking the bundle into her hands, feeling the material. It wasn't anything particularly special, but it felt lightweight and comfortable. She lifted the top up, looking at the cut of the shirt critically. The material seemed moderately stretchy and the shade of jade green was not terribly unflattering. Setting it aside, she picked up the pants. They were a dark brown, and as her fingers caressed them she could feel goosebumps crawling up her arms. She pulled the fabric to her nose and inhaled deeply, sighing it outwards reluctantly. They appeared to be made from some sort of animal skin that was very soft, and it felt comfortingly natural to her fingertips. She finally noticed the sandals. They were a doe-skin brown with straps that seemed meant to wrap around her ankles. She raised her eyebrow at him as she set the clothing aside. "I think we should revisit that motion for a second bath."

A grin slowly spread across his face. "I'll try to contain myself." He leaned in, pressing his lips against hers.

She melted. His kisses always seemed to set something off inside of her and she saw no reason to resist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him backwards with her into the water again with a splash. A part of her felt very intensely toward him, a momentary desire sparking within her before she began to relax again, putting it aside for later and cherishing the closeness of the moment. I love you. She rolled it around in her mind, wondering if he'd heard her the first time she said it. She let go of him then, sinking into the water as she wandered into the lake's depths, backstroking over to the waterfall and pulling herself up onto the ledge and scooting her way behind the cascading waves that fell from above, drenching her long locks once again in its deluge.

Part of him wanted to follow her, but he was not a lost puppy. Focusing his mind, he caused his hands to once more expand, manifesting the fur and claws he had been using to scrub himself clean before. He scrubbed himself thoroughly once more, making sure to cover every inch. It didn't take him long; he was pretty efficient about it. He dunked his clothes in the water as well, scrubbing them thoroughly against themselves to get the worst of the dirt off. After making sure that they had been well-cleaned, he set them out to dry on the rock she had ambushed him from earlier and dived into the water, slowly working his way towards her.

The worst of her dirt had already been washed off, and the act of rinsing the newest addition of sand off her was an easy matter. Her fingers combed through her hair, trying to smooth it back, the unruly locks insisting on falling into her face and covering her eyes. She sighed, finally giving up, and sat down on the ledge behind the waterfall, blowing a puff of frustrated air up at her pale locks, her legs dangling into the water below as she contemplated, fingers combing out the tangles.

She seemed lost in thought as he approached. He pulled himself up a bit and rested his head on her knee, his hands lacing together halfway up her thigh. He looked up at her, and allowed himself get lost in her expressions, studying the delicate lines of her facial features. He felt a warm smile slowly spread across his lips. He waited patiently, not wanting to disturb her thoughts. Her skin was warm and soft to his touch; he found himself wanting to kiss it.

For a few moments she continued her contemplations, combing out her hair until the worst of the snarls were gone. She felt clean and content, her thoughts wandering away from her. His touch drew her out of her mind, however, and she smiled down at him, feeling a sense of warmth well up within her at his gaze. She could lose herself in it so easily, the warmth of his gaze making her ache with a longing she couldn't name. She analyzed her thoughts, for this longing had a different spark to it than the desire for sex. It felt giddy in some ways, yet at its core was a deeper, intense burn that warmed her all the way through. Love is such an inadequate word, she mused, running her fingers through his hair. But it's all I've got. She sighed, leaning down to kiss the top of his ear, a quiet whisper escaping her lips. "I love you."

The words shot through him like a lightning bolt, and he felt himself stiffen. He didn't know what to think. His brain froze at the power and magnitude of the words she had just uttered. She was his mate, and the animal within him understood that. But her words... she loves me... she as a person wanted him. Intimately. Her human half was attached to him as deeply as the animal within her was. A part of him protested; he was alone only as of recently. Did the memory of his past mate mean nothing to him?

And yet... when he examined his inner self, he felt an attraction to her that he could not explain. One that had nothing to do with his animalistic half. She was strong, but with an inner vulnerability that entranced him. She had braved a great ordeal and come out on top. There were very few who could have survived out here on their own, animal or not. And yet she had shown him a softer side that entranced him. He didn't know if he could quite call it love yet, but... he had grown to care deeply for her.

"Tsuki... I..."

He looked up at her, unable to express himself properly, and dearly wanting not to miscommunicate his feelings. "You mean... a lot to me. You are my mate. But..." he shook his head. "I don't know... it's so fast... so recent... I'm not sure I..."

Her lips met his, cutting his words off with warmth. Her hands touched the sides of his face, stroking his cheeks gently. She sighed, enjoying the closeness for a few moments before breaking apart and looking him deep in the eyes, her expression serious. "It's okay. I understand. I'll wait for you." She smiled at him, a warm, understanding lilt to her features. She would be patient for as long it took. She could do nothing less.

She slid down off the rock, standing next to him, and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She understood what he was going through, perhaps deeper than anyone else. It would be wrong to ask for that commitment. He would give it when he was ready. She took a deep breath, sighing and shifting proverbial gears.

"Are you ready to go?"

He nodded slowly. His clothes were likely to still be wet, but he would be okay. They would dry soon. "Whenever you are."

She let go of him, swimming and wading over to where her clothes were. She pulled herself out of the water, shaking in a very dog-like way for half a second before she caught herself with a flush of embarrassment. "This may be harder than we thought." She rang her hair out, combing her fingers through it again and pushing it back behind her shoulders. She reached for her shirt, pulling it over her head and snaking her arms through it. A few tugs brought her hair out to cascade down her shoulder blades and back once again, and she pulled it over the rest of her. It clung to her frame, but seemed to stretch forgivingly as she moved. She took a moment to adjust herself, the clothing providing a strange feeling of support to her bodice.

He followed her to the shore, enjoying the look of her shapely curves flowing through the water. He enjoyed even more the look of the water slowly sliding off her naked skin. A possessive grin creased his face, but the fire that sparked within him was very small, most of his desires still recently sated. Nevertheless, he found himself occupied with a sudden desire to run his teeth along her cheek.

She pulled her pants on next. The doe-skin caressed her hips, accenting her backside and sliding down her legs to truncate at the calves like a set of Capri pants. The clothing felt strange after so many years of wearing only her fur, but she would grin and bear it. Modesty was a very human necessity. She grinned back at Kenshiro, slapping her rump suggestively before grabbing the sandals and pulling them on.

It took some time to figure out the straps and frustration marred her normally gentle brow. Once she got them, however, she was reasonably happy with the result. The leather straps intertwined themselves around her ankles in a lattice-like pattern, coming up to meet her pants half-way. She stood, slowly, but lost her balance momentarily and tripped, grabbing hold of the rock. She tested the waters a bit more carefully, becoming more confident and starting to slowly walk and then strut around.

She turned to Kenshiro, looking back at him over her shoulder, her alabaster locks cascading over her back, but unable to hide the luscious curves as she paused mid-stride. She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling. "What do you think? Will I do?"

A small piece of the animal within him uncurled, and a possessive smile slowly stretched across his face. An equally possessive growl, low-toned but quiet, slowly emerged from his throat as he observed her. In some ways she was even more enticing now than she had been when she was walking around naked; the clothes fit to her in such a way that they just barely hinted at the flesh beneath, thus inspiring in him the desire to see her out of them, preferably by removing them personally. They were very well-made. He would have to be sure to thank Dracos later. The animal within him grinned with pride; he had selected a fine mate. It was time to show her what else that outfit was capable of.

"It looks wonderful. Now try shifting."

She turned all the way around, facing him with an incredulous look on her face. "But-" she started to protest, but stopped herself. Clearly he had a reason to ask her and she decided not to question it. She closed her eyes, reaching deep inside of herself to wake the slumbering beast. It was not easy. She still didn't have the fine control and practice Kenshiro did, but she forced the creature to manifest itself.

It started at her toes, as it had last time, the transformation crawling up her legs and body until her long locks vanished, turning to fur as her face shifted into the slender shape of a fox. She opened her eyes slowly, but they widened with an incredulous look of shock as she found herself still wearing the clothing, which appeared unharmed. She looked up at Kenshiro. "How?" she stuttered.

He grinned, reaching back behind him and grabbing his shorts from the rock. "Magic," he replied, as he took a step away from it and bent over, beginning to slide them up his legs. They were still somewhat damp, and he felt himself shiver a little as they drained the heat from his body, but he knew that it would pass with time. His shirt was much easier to slip on, and his words emerged through it somewhat muffled. "It's an enchantment that a friend of mine created for me. They will shift as you do, changing to accommodate your growing form." He settled the base of the shirt around his waist and then walked over to her, running a hand down her spine until eventually he encountered the base of her tail, thus bringing to her attention that the pants had even "grown" a hole for her tail to emerge through comfortably.

Tsuki shuddered as Kenshiro touched her tail. It was very personal, and the sensations brought a need for closeness more so than sex. She inhaled, closing her eyes and savoring his scent with her heightened smell, sighing it outwards before she shifted back, feeling her senses dull slightly, but her clarity of thought return. "We should get moving while it's still early. This forest is not kind to its night travelers, nor is the village kind to those who emerge at night from the forest." She turned, looking into the woods and gaining her bearing once more. "The village should be south of here. They make use of this river as a local water supply. We can follow it to lead us there."

He nodded in understanding. Reaching out a little, he cupped her cheek in his hand, letting his lips graze across her other cheek. Her scent filled his nostrils, even as a human, and he felt himself smiling. After a few moments, he let go and drew away.

"Race you," he said, grinning.