His Secret
by Tempo

~ ~ ~

Only I, Kasumi, know my lover's secret.

Other bakeneko smile as we walk by, arm in arm. My people have gathered for the harvest festival; the village brims with laughter, songs, and yowls. We cats bicker even when pleased, perhaps especially then. My mother teases me about how well we get along.

Sunlight fades through the trees, reflected double on silver river water. Tempting scents trail the air. Kawauso, the otter folk, waddle from their boats with baskets of fish. Dear Makoto pauses at a noodle stand and, with a twirl of his paw, produces a coin from nowhere. The merchant chuckles and exchanges it for a steaming bowl. My lover thanks him and begins nibbling the fried tofu with obvious delight. Beside me, his tail sways, as it always does when he amuses himself. The villagers think it a quirk of his foreign upbringing.

I roll my eyes and rest a paw on my sword. Though I often wear just one, I've woven both into my silk belt today. No offense to my ancestors, but a sentry needs to see. That sometimes means climbing trees, a difficult trick with an entire daishō at my hip.

We pass beyond the bounds of the village. Rogue yōkai do roam the forest, but Makoto has his guile and I have my steel. Leaves sing around us, stirred by summer air. He plucks one as we walk, flipping it along his knuckles like a coin. Flashing a grin, he brings the leaf to his brow and snaps it in his fingers. Smoke swirls forth to stream through his fur. Before the wind can even disperse it, his pelt changes. As the last wisp trails away, his slim feline tail puffs into a luxurious copper one. I bury my fingers in it, adoring how its silken fluff rushes under my paw pads like cool spring water.

Makoto, a fox, offers me a smile white as moonlight, on a muzzle black as night sky.

I cross my arms over my breasts and feel my whiskers tugged up by a smirk.

We kiss.

Stars shine above us. Grass lays cool under our bare paws. Wind stirs our fur. His heart calls to mine.

My people would be wary if they knew his true nature. They believe foxes are trouble. They are correct. What's more, he finds pleasure in deceiving them. What kind of lover would I be if I denied him harmless fun? After all, we cats enjoy a little mischief too.

Perhaps a day will come where others must know his true nature. But for now, only I, Kasumi, know my lover's secret.

~ ~ ~

I wrote this little story for Abando, a furry con in Brazil! It appeared in their conbook and I just got word now that it's okay to post it. The theme this year was ancient Japan, so they also managed to coax a matching haiku from me.

Blossoms dance leeward.
Woofs and purrs ring around us.
With love, our lives bloom.

The con takes place every year in the beautiful Intervales State Park, near São Paulo. (It's like a Brazilian version of Camp Feral!) If you're in the area and would like to attend, check out their website: http://abando.com.br/

Art:  Chromamancer
Con:  abando

~Tempo