A winter in Yetinburg ch.10

	"And that do it." Kotori smiles, Kazuna removing the needle from Sonia's arm. The spot doesn't even need it but after she has the blood sample put away a wad of cotton wool is put on Sonia's arm with a bit of medical tape to keep it in place. It didn't bleed at all. "Did good, no squirming."
	"I've always just been pretty good with pain. And they're not designed to hurt, right?" Sonia asks, smiling as she keeps her hand away from the bandage. I stop watching from my spot in the kitchen, going back to preparing the large lunch. I know that Sonia had a hunger binge last time she got a liver, and the main course for this meal would be another. I'm just glad she can hold back and keep from snatching the cooler out of the fridge before then.
	"No, course not. Nobody like pain... maybe P'orc." Kotori jokes.
	The liver sizzles when I put it into the pan, and I try not to think too much about what I am cooking. It's easier to get squeamish about this when I'm not stinking drunk. That it looks so much like a pig liver helps.  The conversation in the other room stops abruptly at the noise. I have no doubt Sonia's mouth is watering already, and hope that Kotori is getting some good observations. After a few moments Sonia finally speaks.
	"I knew a few of them in high school, they can go both ways on that. " Sonia chuckles. "I haven't seen any up here, must not like the cold."
	"Who like this cold? Yeti and Yuki-onna don't count. Lot of oni up here, surprised." The tengu comments, "Yet not many fox. Only saw two tail with daughter when ate dinner last night. At 'Lion Den Steakhouse'. "
	"That must be Utagi and Ulani! Might be nice to go there, sounds like they have lots of meat!"
	I can practically hear Sonia swallowing to clear her watering mouth as I turn the liver over.
	"They had salad. Father ate ribs. Share one with kid."
	"That's good, Ulani needs to grow still. Is lunch ready Sebastian?!" Sonia calls from the living room.
	"Just about, five more minutes!" I call back, getting the other food off of the stove and to the table. Plating comes next, and part of me hopes Sonia manages to use the knife and fork I'm setting out for her.  Lastly, I put the cooked liver right onto her plate out of it's pan. All the while the pair in the living room trade gossip, though I can tell Sonia is very distracted by the smell coming to her. I'm glad it doesn't smell any different for me.
	"Alright, lunch is ready! Come get it!" I call, putting the pan and spatula I used into the sink. When I turn around, there is already three eager tails in the back of Sonia's seat as the fox drools metaphorically onto her plate. I seat myself next to her, letting Kotori and Kazuna have the seats  across in order to witness the event.
	"Go ahead. Ready." Kotori gives the signal to the fox, Sonia's eyes already looking half-way in their predatory state. Sonia picks up her cutlery with shaky hands before cutting into the liver with some level of restraint. I watch her take the first bite, and she seems to actually have the willpower to not scarf the whole thing down at once. With that in mind I begin plating the simple lunch for the rest of us, having made pasta to go with the meatballs in sauce I had prepared. Sonia keeps eating the liver, savoring each bite without meaning to. I stop plating and notice Kazuna's face, looking a bit sad. Looking next to me, I see Sonia is still eating but with tears coming down her cheeks.
	"Are you okay Sonia?" I ask, putting my hand on her back. She takes a moment to swallow, wiping the tears with her sleeves as she takes a deep breath.
	"Yeah, it's just... remembering all the other times. Feeling guilty now, knowing..." She answers. She can't stop herself from cutting another piece to continue her meal, but I keep rubbing her back to get her through the ordeal.
	"Don't worry about it. This was a donation, nobody died for your sake." I reassure her. It seems to help at least a little, so I take my hand back so I can start eating my own food. The table is quiet until Sonia finishes her meal.
	"Feel different?" Kotori asks, waiting for Sonia to answer. The kumiho next to me thinks for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, that 'hunger' is gone. It's hard to tell, I'm feeling rather hungry for normal food now."
	She plates herself a heaping helping of pasta and covers it in the saucy meatballs, her fork moving quick to get the first bite to her mouth. Kotori nods and watches, not having to pay attention to her food as her assistant keeps feeding her. Conversation ceases again. Sonia puts down one plate. Two.  A third.  The rest of the food I prepared disappears before she gets up to look for ready to eat or easily prepared food items.
	"Always this hungry after liver?" Kotori asks, which I only guess is directed at me.
	"The first time, but she was emaciated before that."
	Sonia swallows the large piece of apple she had bitten into before looking at Kotori, shaking her head no. "When I was a kid I was always satisfied. I don't know why now." Sonia admits, before going back to her eating. I'm hoping I don't need to do too much shopping later.
	"Still need take blood to compare.  Do after finish eating." Kotori muses.
	Sonia only stops once she's eaten all of the spare food in the fridge, to Kotori's utter surprise. After Sonia washes it down with some water, we gather into the living room again so that the tengu's assistant can take the next sample. Sonia is fidgeting and frowning a bit, but doesn't seem to be bothered by the needle.  Standing behind her on the couch, I put my hand on her head and rub between the ears to try and calm her down.
	"What's bothering you?"
	"Well, my tail feels like someone is pinching the tip." She answers.
	"Which one?" I ask, Kotori looking a bit concerned but curious in her own right. Sonia singles out the tail, flinching as I reach down to inspect it with a gentle touch from my fingers. Kotori takes the needle out of Sonia's arm and applies the cotton to the spot like before as I try to figure out what is wrong. I have to let go and circle around to the other side of the couch to check the tail proper, Sonia frowning while dealing with obvious discomfort.
	"Has this happened before?" I ask, trying to get a clue while tracking down the bone inside all the fluff.  Sonia distracts herself by thinking about it, trying to come up with an answer.
	"I th-think so. I can't remember s-so well." She answers, "It must have been a while ago."
	I hum, finding the bone. Bones. There are two of them. I feel it gently and let Sonia squirm, and feel the bones spread out under my touch at a slow but steady pace. It's already gone an inch down the tail, before the tip splits and she lets out a subdued squeal.  Placing a finger between the space, I spread out the fluff to show what is going on.
	"Your tail is splitting."
	There is a moment of silence in the room, the information stunning the two others in the room that can understand me. After the gears of Kotori's head manage to turn she stands up from her seat and says something quick to Kazuna, a flurry of instructions in zipanguese rushing from her mouth. Kazuna rushes to their medical bag. A video camcorder with a small tripod attachment, a hand operated magic detector, and a stopwatch come out of it.. The stopwatch is started right away, the camcorder set up and fiddled with by Kazuna immediately after. The magic detector is last, the kappa holding the long forked wand near the tail in question.  The tail has split about another inch, with a long ways to go. Sonia is doing her best to bear with the mild pain and strong sensations of one tail becoming two, with no anesthetic in sight.
	I let go of the tail to let Kazuna take over, sitting on the couch before pulling Sonia onto my lap, her head going on my shoulder while she grasps at my thick sweater, claws not meaning to harm but leaving small scratches on my back. I try to ease her along by rubbing her back and head to get her through the pain. The only experience I had with a tail splitting was once in medical school, so all I can hope is the support being enough. They usually sedate kitsunes for this.
	Kotori keeps muttering something to Kazuna as the kappa keep the ends separate, an extra inch having split by now. It seems to be getting increasingly unbearable for Sonia as she stays on my lap and her claws keep clenching, breathing getting faster as she tries not to get overwhelmed.
	"You're doing fine Sonia, you've done this twice before." I try to reassure her, Sonia sinking down my lap as her strength seems to melt away. Her head ends up breathing heavy and quick on my chest. Her hands don't move from where they're not hooked into the fabric, but her eyes are hazy and unfocused in the moment of rest.
	"I know, b-but it wasn't this bad those times." She manages to pant out, a squeak coming from her as the sensations return to her. The claws rip my sweater up a bit more as she holds onto me tight, squeezing my chest tight in a powerful hold. I just rub Sonia's back as her face gets buried in my chest, other free hand stroking her head while I bear with my own pain and try to keep breathing.
	"It gets worse with each tail. But you'll make it through this." I manage to speak out, relieved when she releases her hold and rests for a minute. It lets both of us catch our breath, and grants me a glance at how far along the tail is split. It's only a quarter done. It's going to be a rough ride. I look around for something Sonia can bite down onto, not much having the ability to handle her teeth without being bitten in half. Nothing presents itself, so I just hope she can keep from biting her tongue. A loud cry comes from her and the hold returns harder than before, taking my breath almost completely. I really hope I don't get a bruised rib from this. It helps a bit to have a pretty fox straddling me. Even if she keeps putting new holes in my sweater and fresh scratches on my back. Her teeth dig into my clothes, thankfully missing my skin as she clamps down to bear the pain.
	The cycle repeats for what feels like forever. The sweater on my back keeps getting more and more torn up, the front of my sweater gets moist from Sonia's few tears and the small bit of sweat. It takes nearly an hour until it finally reaches the base, Sonia letting out a loud cry before going limp against me to recover. The new tail is measured with a tape measure and the pair are still busy taking information. I don't mind, as I have some recovering to do as well after bearing the brunt of Sonia's struggling. I'm a bit more than thankful it's over.
	"Good data, getting tail splitting on tape great!" Kotori chirps with delight, Sonia unresponsive to the voices around her while she clings to me, my hand still rubbing her back. With a simple check I find out that she's asleep, the fatigue having caused her to doze off right where she lay. "Need stay till sure patient alright." Kotori adds, getting comfy on a cushion already laid out for her as the pair get their equipment put away. I don't have the heart to move Sonia off of me. She's pretty nice to have where she is when her arms aren't trying to squeeze the life out of me, and the scratches are pretty mild compared to others I've had. Some that weren't caused by Sonia even. As the tengu and kappa review their notes, I find a chance to talk to them without Sonia hearing and decide to take it.
	"That eight tailed fox you mentioned. Did she have a name?"
	Kotori looks up, looking a bit confused. She didn't catch all of the question, but tries to piece together what I said to remain polite. I decide to relieve that burden from her.
	"That kumiho that you said fled west from the mist continent. Does she have a name?" I ask again, this time making the tengu perk up with a big grin on her face.  Granted a chance to use her favorite area of 'expertise',  Kotori responds with confidence.
	"No true name. Just one called by people in stories. Prominent one when became famous was 'Yuhyeol Aejong'. Rough translation to 'bleeding heart'." She explains with pride. I frown a bit, trying to dismiss it as someone taking a famous name from the east.
	"What kind of stories was she in?" I inquire, making the tengu even happier with the current circumstances. Kazuna has to put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting too excited before she goes back to the footage, reviewing the tail splitting.
	"Hm... some well known. Others rumor. Try put in order." Kotori pauses, before speaking up again. "First story about five tail. Seduce city lord went out to city. Lord let into bed after romance. Died with liver eaten, food stores devoured. Aejong gain sixth tail. Escape castle with riches." She summarizes. I don't mind, she doesn't have the english speaking skills to tell it proper. "Popular story. Told to stop class mixing among lords to children." I wait for the next one, it taking a moment for Kotori to realize this and start.
	"When six tail. Monk was meditating under tree. Had six visitors, each lovelier than last. Skip those parts. Sixth was Aejong. He has bested riddles of last five, and refused their offers of marriage. Aejong took amusement testing morals. Ask questions... don't translate well. But unpleasant. The monk eventually relented, he could answer no more. Their game done, she took his life. Gain seventh tail." Kotori recants. "Told to make good men not have high standard. More or less."
	I nod, waiting for the next story as I rub Sonia's back some more. She's still snoozing on top, nice and soft against me. Not a bad blanket either, her tails cover my legs or the most part.
	"Seven tail next one. Plague time in region. Small village, isolated. Fox appear, offer village cure for plague. When asked cost, said 'belongings of anyone who die.' Village chief agree. She isolate healthy ones. Tell not leave building no matter what, take priest with. Hear silence. Stay for seven day, before leave when... smell came. All sick gone. Valuables gone. Homes with no sick untouched. Told as warning against deals too good to be true.  Common theme at time."
	"Last one eight tail. Story tell of group sent by lord find, kill kumiho. Witch hunt number thousand soldiers. Story theirs, end with Aejong. Kumiho hunt not uncommon, this one done more modern time seventy year ago. Swept south to north, many innocent foxes in region hung. Nobody know how many true kumiho. Skip over their stories, skip to Aejong. Foxes flee north. Cornered northernmost city. Surrounded. Aejong find general at night, kill guards. Kill in sleep, try kill other officers. Alarm raised by one said have great awareness, still almost killed. Aejong flee, army chases her in fury. Lose couple hundred lives chasing. Foxes can flee to Zipangu with army gone after vengeance. Aejong leave region, army cannot pursue. No moral, but seen as tragedy in region to loyalists of last lord. History say was kunoichi in books. No photography in region at time." Kotori recants as best she can. "Lord who order it overthrown, army and loyalists seen as racist. Kunoichi being responsible accepted, kumiho just in lore. Say army chase kunoichi band. Might be both."
	"So, after that Aejong disappears?" I ask, almost forgetting I might be hearing about someone that really existed. I am hoping not.
	"Yes. No story in west. I think gained nine tail, turn human!" Kotori theorizes. It gives me pause, and I'm forced to ask.
	"A mamono. Turning human?" I ask with and eyebrow raised. It seems rather absurd.
	"Kumiho lore say after gain nine tail, after thousand liver, change to human. No way confirm, but most famous rule." Kotori explains, looking at Sonia and pondering. "Won't live long enough confirm with Sonia. Want hear stories of Kumiho changing?" Kotori asks. I shake my head no, thinking it too farfetched to be true. I'm not interested in that so much. The tengu is a bit disappointed but accepts the answer. Seeing Sonia start to stir and nuzzle her face into my chest, she stands up and makes sure everything is in order.
	"Should leave, get sample to lab soon. Let Sonia rest before take more sample for after tail." Kotori smiles, Kazuna snapping away from the footage to begin packing things away once she gets the order. They're packed up and headed for the door in no time, the kappa at least making sure I have the remotes to the television and dvr so I can watch the television until I'm ready to move Sonia off of me. They let themselves out after a brief word of parting, leaving me alone with the sleeping fox.
	With nothing else to do I turn the television on and turn my body to lay myself down against one end of the couch, keeping  Sonia laying on top. Mostly for her comfort. Mostly.  The news isn't on yet, so I look for something else to waste my time with.
	A show about some boy in high-school that gets challenged to a fight by a dormouse in a leather jacket. Not my thing, looks like a drama show for teens.
	I switch to a different show, stopping on some sort of kung-fu series. Huh, didn't know Hinezumi could have white flames. It's a bit silly, they're fighting naked while the man has a raging erection. Not really in the mood for it.
	I settle on the next show, it an episode of 'twilight realm' where a boy is plagued by a red and black striped were-cat and her notes. It's a bit of a cute episode, and it gives me some amusement knowing what she really is from the start.
	I don't expect it when my cellphone rings. It's sitting on the table, out of reach. The ringing at least manages to make Sonia wake up with a start. Well, most of the way. I reach for the phone while she yawns and tries to figure out what is going on and where she is in her groggy state. Answering, I'm ready to hear my blue oni boss tell me to head to work early for excess bodies.
	"Sebastian, do NOT come into work. I mean it, stay home and stay away from that place."
	The stern words carry some worry with them. She almost sounds scared.
	"What do you mean? Did something happen?" I ask, patting Sonia's head as she stares at me. She shouldn't be able to hear the other side of the conversation if I keep her ears down.
	"In short, yes. You don't need the details. I'll call you when it's safe, so enjoy the vacation."
	The other side hangs up and the short call is concluded. Whatever it is that went down, it had to be big. Maybe that raid they talked about almost a week ago went south. Remembering the possibility of a nine-tailed kumiho makes me nervous, but it's hard to worry about that sort of thing with Sonia staring at me with her face so close to mine. I close my phone and put it back on the table, taking my hand off Sonia's head as she gives me a slow blink.
	"Work?" She asks, head falling down onto her right cheek to look up at me from an angle that takes less energy.
	"Yeah, but they're giving me some time off. Something about a renovation. Weren't too specific." I lie, Sonia believing it without a second thought. The fox is far too exhausted and tired. She nuzzles her face into my chest again, a gentle squeeze from her arms making me wince. She has to blink in the same slow manner once again, fingers telling her what had happened to my back.
	"Sorry..."
	"It's okay, foxes are usually sedated for that. We just didn't have the right equipment here for it." I assure her, "It's no worse than the last time."
	She frowns a little, before attempting to sit up straight. She can't quite manage and slips back down onto my chest, her soft body squishing against me again in a pleasant manner. I help her to sit up, feeling a bit colder for it. With some gentle maneuvering I have her leaning against the side of the couch for the time being, limp as a noodle. I have to add some fuel to the fire before getting a blanket for the drowsy kumiho, putting it on top of her as she almost tips over to return to sleep. With Sonia comfortable I retreat upstairs to disinfect my battle scars and get a new sweater on. The old one is taken downstairs and given the briefest of funerals before it gets tossed into the trash.
	With the fallen taken care of, I set about making some soup for dinner. Something Sonia won't need to chew, as she doesn't seem to have the energy for anything quite that hard at the moment. As I work, I hear Sonia's weak voice from the other room. I step away from the pot to check on her, and glance out of the doorway of the kitchen into the warm living room. Sonia has fallen asleep again but is mumbling and uttering things to herself. I turn to head back to the soup, before I hear Sonia say something I can make out.
	"...Sebastian... where'd you go...?" She mumbles. I sigh, a smile coming to my face as I come back into the room to rub her head. She almost catches my arm when I move away, her arms laying off the side of the couch. The scent on the pillow I had been using calms her down and lets her sleep, her arms wrapping around it. My wandering mind figures that scent is a big sense for kumiho, given the evidence.
	I return to making the soup, not getting disturbed this time around. I can hear the television a little where I am, the soup getting put together in a timely manner before the chunky mix of meat, vegetables, and noodles start to cook. Eventually it boils, and simmers, before being ready. I get a large bowl for Sonia and a spoon, keeping the mix on low heat so I can get some after the fluff-ball is fed. With care I take it to the living room to set it on the coffee table. With free hands to move Sonia's tails onto her lap, I take my seat beside her once I'm moved them to her lap. Sonia blinks awake once my presence is nearby, though I'm sure the smell of a pork soup entices her senses just as much. With some effort I pull her up against my shoulder, producing a smile on her weary face from the closeness. With Sonia in position I lean forward to pick up the bowl, feeling the four tails slip behind me in that moment. I bear it little mind as I come back up with the hot soup to put on my lap. My arm goes around Sonia's shoulders to keep her upright as my other picks up the spoon. She's confused but happy with the current state of affairs. After blowing on a large spoonful of the soup I hold it up for Sonia, the fox not sure what I'm getting at.
	"Come on, you need to get some food in you. It'll make you feel better."
	"I can do it... myself." Sonia yawns, smacking her lips. She tries to raise a hand to take the spoon before giving up, huffing a little. I feed her the spoon and go for another. She seems to enjoy the food I made at the least.
	"Don't tell anyone about this..." She urges. I just chuckle, giving her the second spoon once it's cooled.
	"I'm just taking care of you. I'm sure lots of people would be envious."
	She has to swallow the food slow before she responds again. "It's embarrassing."
	We stop talking as I keep feeding her, setting into a rhythm. I manage to catch half of the next episode of Twilight Realm, it featuring a story about a young boy moving to a sea-side town to be rescued from drowning by a tanned mostly shaven tomboy were-sheep. It goes along for a bit before revealing the were-sheep is a sorceress. Rather odd episode, not very suspenseful at all. Just silly.
	The spoon clinks against the bottom of the bowl before I realize the soup is all gone, breaking me away from my trance. Sonia seems to have some more energy, even if she is still snugging up to me under my arm. A content smile is stuck to her face thanks to the warmth in my stomach and around her. I set the bowl onto the coffee table, deciding to stay where I am until I feel more hungry. It's pretty cozy, thanks to the tails put behind me. The news is about to start so I switch over to it, Sonia uttering no complaint.
	"So, you'll be able to stay home at night for a while?" She asks while we wait for the news to begin.
	"That's right. It'll be nice to have some time off to let the stress melt away."
	"Well, if I can help with that just tell me." She teases, giggling a bit at my expense. That tone sure didn't help calm down my subdued arousal. I leave it at that however, and the local news starts up without any preview of the stories. I think it odd, but wait and watch as the blonde haired, light skinned kejerou newswoman looks at the camera with a bit of a solemn look.
	"The city of Yukinten is still reeling after this morning's discovery of dozens of bodies in an old apartment building on the south-east side of town where the Frost Hound gang had set up their base of operations, though exact numbers of deceased is unknown. Most known members of the Frost Hounds have been accounted for, along with a couple dozen belonging to the organized crime branch belonging to Yetinburg. Experts in the field have been astonished by the severe numbers of deaths in this incident but have had no further comments as the investigation is ongoing. An anonymous source has called the scene 'the most horrifying I've seen in my career'."
	My blood is running cold already, especially after the call from my boss earlier. I try to push it out of my mind, but it doesn't go away until Sonia notices the look on my face and speaks up.
	"Are you okay Sebastian?" She asks, voice soft and full of concern. I take a deep breath and nod.
	"Yeah. It's just a bit jarring." I explain, the news station showing interviews with people on the street. "Not used to having things like that happening around here."
	"It never happened down in Quinsland either. But it is. We'll be fine as long as we're safe though." She hums, not worrying as much as me. I have to reassure myself she's right in order to calm myself down, and convince myself I'm nowhere in the line of fire even if something did happen. That is why the boss told me to avoid work.
	The news eventually switches to something happier, mentioning the start of the annual snow festival in Yetinburg with some footage of the traditional zipanguese decorations and stands being set up around the city's temple, the glacies that runs it saying the usual lines with mild interest to try and get people to come. An idea is planted in my head. I remember those festivals well, went nearly every year of my life and had lots of fun. It's something in Yetinburg that Sonia may not have experienced yet, Quinsland was more western culturally. She'd look amazing in a kimono too.
	"Say, want to go check that out? Celebrate your new tail?" I ask, not wanting to beat the bush around. I'm getting too old for that. I'm almost thirty.
	"I guess we can. Who are we going to go with?" Sonia asks, yawning again. She is putting more weight on me as her eyes droop. "Might be fun to go with Ulani, she'd like it."
	"I was thinking just the two of us. Lets call it a date."
	Sonia doesn't respond right away, managing to lift her head up to look at my face. She can see I'm serious just from that and smiles with utter joy, her arms wrapping around my shoulders as she gives me a tight hug but leans into me due to lack of energy.
	"I'd love that! But lets think about it tomorrow, I'm only half awake. I'm not sure if I'd remember it's not a dream." Sonia giggles with glee. I smile and pat her back, slapping her ass when I want her to stop smothering me with her long golden hair. It makes her jump and get off of me, but doesn't erase the bliss on her face. She gets back into position against me as I put my arm back around her shoulders and relax.
	"We'll ask Catherine about a kimono. She usually goes in one, she'll know a rental place. And don't worry, they have lots of heat lamps there in between the stalls to keep it warm." I smile. Sonia nuzzles her cheek up against me as she gets cozy, about to fall asleep again.
	"Sounds fun... I'd like a... yellow one..."
	Sonia goes limp as she nods off again. I stay where I am with her in case she wakes up again, changing the channel to something that won't go back into the gang story. I don't want to ruin my good mood now, with such a warm embrace to enjoy. I lean over and give Sonia a kiss on the head, making me chuckle when one of her ears flicks and she gains a small smile in her slumber.
	After an hour watching television I give Sonia a gentle nudge to see if she'll wake up. She doesn't even mutter anything, too far asleep to react. I take it as the cue to scoop her up in my arms as I stand, carrying her upstairs and to her room. I place her down on the bed before getting the blanket out from under her, pausing for a moment when I see one of my sweaters had been hidden under the soft sheets. I just sigh smile still on my face as I tuck the fox in while she takes the cloth into her arms to press up to her face. She likes my scent a bit too much. Far more than Tava ever did. I leave her to the blissful sleep she is in, closing the door behind me before heading back downstairs for my own share of the still simmering soup.

	The shrine really seems to have gone all out at this year's festival. Or maybe they just got enough donations to do more. I stand right by the gate to wait for Catherine to drop Sonia off, the traditional zipanguese gateway having snow piled up on top of the arch. The sidewalk and street sit just outside with a small set of stone stairs leading down to them. Almost exposed to the street, if it weren't for the huge piles of snow where the summer gardens would be,  is the back of the rows of stalls in the large stone path leading towards the temple itself, organized like store aisles with heat lamps glowing a very warm orange light down between them. Paper lanterns on strings of christmas lights imitate the more traditional ones while remaining alright with the fire code. Families and couples are crowding the area to enjoy the food and games within. There are plenty more going to the temple to have their fortunes taken and give a new year wish after making their donation. Snow falls gently from an already darkening sky, the light of the lanterns becoming important. The chochin-obake are already wandering around, providing extra light and helping people find specific stalls.
	My mind wanders. I check the pocket watch that Sonia got for me, no picture yet inserted into it. They're a bit late, I think, but it occurs to me we didn't set a specific time to start the date. Putting it back away I look towards the shrine itself, the fortunes and charms being sold just before where a set of large bells are tied to a rope. Never was my thing, but the festivals are fun even without coming to worship. I know there is an area to the right of the temple where ice sculptures are made for a contest in the rock garden, and ice skating is done over a large frozen koi pond. The food from the stands is starting to smell really good and tempts me to move from my spot as more people move past, a shivering were-cat doing the same as me at the bottom of the stairs.
	Looking back towards the street, I'm relieved when I see Catherine's jeep pulling up in an open spot on front of the shrine.  I descend the stairs to get to them, knowing a traditional kimono will be hard to walk up stairs with. The passenger door opens and the fluffy tails that have blocked Sonia from view swing out into the open air to expose her.
	She's wearing a white kimono with yellow sunflowers dyed into the fabric, covering her arms up to the fingers but cut off at the knee in a loose skirt to make walking easier for her. To make up for this her legs have long tabi socks tightened with golden string to keep them up just below her knees, the solid pair of wooden sandals worn carefully on her feet as she swings her legs out and stands. I notice each of her tails has a light bell tied into the end that doesn't seem to weight the appendage down, before looking up at her face. There is a warm, fluffy collar to the kimono that hides her neck from view and tickles her cheeks, and her hair has been done up into a side-tail that runs down the back of her body while her bangs are left free to run down the front. It's tied up there with a decorative white lily, and the kimono's sash is a shiny yellow color that almost matches her tails. Sonia smiles a bit when she spots me staring, but turns to thank Catherine for the ride and close her door so she can leave, both trading waves before the kikimora heads home. Alone with her, Sonia looks back up at me.
	"It doesn't look weird, does it?" She asks knowingly, fishing for my compliments. I don't see why she needs it, I can see the flash of someone's camera taking record of her stunning visage. I pick my metaphorical jaw up and gather my wits.
	"I might have overdressed."
	Sonia snickers a bit at the comment. She at least found it amusing, as I was just in some nicer pants and a cleaner jacket than what I usually wore.
	"Aren't your legs cold like that? I thought you'd get a longer kimono." I comment, Sonia looking down before back up at me.
	"Not really. I had trouble walking in those other ones, so I wore this. I haven't been feeling the cold as much since I got this fourth tail." She explains, the bells on her tails jingling when she moves them back and forth while speaking. "Besides, they have those heaters by the stalls anyways right?"
	"Yep. Come on, lets go get something to eat first. You hungry?" I ask, turning to walk back up the stairs. Sonia comes up beside me, wrapping her arms around my left one on the way up. I don't have any complaints, Sonia answering me right after.
	"Not very, but we can eat something. The food really smells good here. I don't know that kind of meat." Sonia points out, sniffing the air to try and figure it out. "It's kind of oily?"
	"Sounds like the unagi. Fried eel. They're tastier than you think, want to give them a try?"
	"Sure!" She giggles, the pair of us getting to the top of the stairs and moving through the gate. We attract even more attention due to Sonia once we're inside the grounds, but her outfit doesn't stand out so much now. Sonia looks around with curious wonder at the surroundings, making me wonder if they have anything like this where she grew up. I lead the way towards the food stands while keeping a slow pace. I think I can smell some kind of perfume on Sonia's tails but don't ask about it.
	"They have games here too?" Sonia asks, looking at a stall with paper 'nets' and goldfish in a shallow tank. I glance over before nodding.
	"We can try them if you like. They're like carnival games though, don't expect to win." I explain, before getting a bit of a fun idea. "There is one that we can cheat back though. They have hammer games here that they adjust the difficulty just enough to entice you to try again, they'd misjudge you for sure."
	"Well, that does seem like fun! It'd only work once though." Sonia chuckles, looking ahead when the delicious smells get closer. I guide her through the crowd that gives us occasional attention, and have to pause as a pair of oni children run by with a prize in one's hands. We finally arrive at the unagi stand but I remember something I should have thought about. The school runs the unagi stall to fund-raise. It's just my luck that I see a huge blonde-bearded man and an equally blonde kikimora frying the eel on their grill. They've got aprons on over their sleeveless shirts, a heater in the back keeping them warm while cooking.
	"What can I getcha?" Sarah asks, looking up from the food to see who it is. She lets out a gasp, staring at Sonia with wide, adoring eyes. I can feel Sonia squeeze my arm, remembering something from last time they met. "Sonia! When did you get another tail?! Oh my god, you look amazing! Dad, let me have a break! I want to get a picture with her!" Sarah explodes into excitement, getting Charles's attention away from his side of the operation.
	He looks at me, and then Sonia, and then me while Sarah waits for an answer. He doesn't get angry as I expect. Instead he looks at Sarah and nods at the teen kikimora.
	"Yeah, I can handle this. Fifteen minutes tops. Don't drag her around everywhere." He instructs, Sarah cheering in delight and giving her father a hug. Her head only comes up to his belly, I notice. With the hug finished she hangs the apron on a chair and grabs her coat, pulling it on to leave the warm zone and move into the street. She peels Sonia off of me, giggling like mad.
	"I'll stay here Sonia!" I call after them, though I almost regret saying it. Charles isn't drunk right now, even if I can see the can of beer placed on a table just beside him and out of sight. He frowns at me, flipping the unagi as I see the hint of anger on his face.
	"So. Things are going well with her?"
	"Yeah. We're here on a date." I answer him. There is an awkward pause as I stand just out of the way, a jinko cub getting a couple unagi on sticks from Charles in the meantime. I'm surprised when he breaks the silence first.
	"About new years. I'm sorry about that. I was drunk and..." He trails off, not sure where to go with his words. "Well, I shouldn't be holding onto this grudge for so long. But you called my wife a whore."
	I frown in shame, but am almost glad to have the chance to actually talk with him about it. I take a moment to word the next thing I say carefully, Charles just staring at the grill in the meantime.
	"I never really meant it. She's just someone that helps anyone they can, even an asshole like me. That's why she volunteers down at the soup kitchen and helps with those charity drives. I was jealous of you, I suppose." I explain. Charles sighs, handing me one of the grilled eels.
	"Free, eat it. Catherine made me think pretty hard about it, and you were just in a lot of pain. I'd be in the same place if Sarah and her ended up the same way. It wasn't easy to watch the inevitable happen either. But I'm glad that Sonia has got you acting more like yourself when you were still in medical school." He replies as I hold onto the unagi in one hand. "Not that I'm forgiving you, that'll take some time. But how about coming to my place this sunday, catching the game. Most of the old gang will be there."
	I don't mention who would be missing. Tava used to love going to game nights like that. But it doesn't hurt remembering her now. I take a bite of the free food and swallow it before answering, a bit of a smile coming back to my face.
	"Sure. Sounds like fun. I have some catching up to do on the team though."
	We return to silence after that as I eat through the oily meat on a stick, and eventually I see Sarah coming back with Sonia leading the way while the kikimora complains. Sonia doesn't look impressed with being dragged off but brightens up once she's back. She latches right back onto my arm, linking one with my own before removing the other.
	"Sorry about that, Sarah just wanted a picture of me in this by the trees with all those paper tags hanging off them. She almost dragged me off for shaved ice too." Sonia huffs, but keeps her smile. "I did see where the hammer game was, it's got some nice prizes to pick from. Lets try that out after we check out the ice sculptures." She suggests, looking at Charles and then me. "Anything happen?"
	"Nothing bad. Will be joining them for a hockey game sunday, if you want to join us. There will probably be alcohol though." I answer while Sarah gets back into place, taking the order of a yeti and her husband, distracted by Sonia like many other people were in the area.
	"I can at least check it out, it'll only be next door." She smiles, both at me and at Charles. "Now, how many unagi should we get?"
	"Just one for each of us, there is other things to get here. You weren't that hungry yet anyways, right?" I ask, taking out my wallet with my free hand. It takes a bit of doing to get the money out, but I hand it over to Charles to get our food back. Sonia takes a big bite of her own, before licking a trail of juice that drops down onto her wrist with her long tongue. It surprises the two behind the counter, and makes me chuckle as I lead her away. "Have a good night Charles."
	He waves as we leave, Sarah still flabbergasted by the tongue even after it's back in Sonia's mouth and behind her teeth. I end up looking at her for a moment as we walk, eyes drawn to the missing tooth on the way to the ice sculptures. She notices and tilts her head, asking the question with her body language.
	"We should think about getting a replacement tooth for that. Maybe Dr.Yamauchi can figure out how dense it needs to be." I answer the silent question, Sonia thinking about it herself.
	"That would be nice. It's not a high priority, but lets ask about that next time we have. She does have those teeth that fell out. They've gotta be hard, I've bitten through the odd bone I missed in the soup without noticing."
	Not sure I needed to know that. Either way, we finish out snacks off before entering the chilly ice sculpture garden, dozens of smaller amateur sculptures set around the outside with sizes getting larger as they go towards the middle. At the very center is a gigantic ice statue of a blossoming cherry tree, too ornate to have been made by anyone but the shrine's glacies. We wander around, Sonia still not bothered by the lack of heat lamps in the area even when I feel the chill slipping into my clothes. Besides the large tree sculpture, there are many others that catch our eye on the way around. The snow keeps falling in sparse flakes as we take in the sights. A sculpture of a dragon in their true form with impeccable attention to the detail in the scales. A krakken standing on intertwining tentacles. A thunderbird perched on top of a lightning bolt, with feathers expertly carved to look real. A sculpture of a yuki-onna and her husband kissing while holding each other tight. That one gets us a bit anxious, so we head back to find the hammer game.
	We find it just where Sonia remembered it being, the oni manning the station fiddling with something in her jacket pocket while we approach. A confident grin is on her face, sure she's found another sucker for her game.
	"Oi! Come to give winning a prize for your lady a try?! Five dollars a play!" She exclaims in her delight. I try my best to suppress the shit eating grin that wants to come out until it's the right time, and shake my head no.
	"Lady wants to try for herself." I explain. It gets a rather real laugh from the oni, almost making her double over in her laughter. Sonia pouts, actually feeling a bit insulted by the continued side grabbing. I take the chance to look over what prizes the game does have, lined up on the tables around the game. Giant stuffed animals, some foot tall glass statues, video game systems to entice younger players, and a whole selection of sake in bottles or collectable gourds with paintings or carvings etched into the outside. "Which prize was the one you were after Sonia?" I ask. There isn't anything that I could imagine her wanting.
	"One of the coupons over there. They have one for that steak house Kotori mentioned, with no order limit on one visit for free." Sonia answers. I have to look around one of the boxes with a game system to see the coupons under a glass display. So there is a coupon for that there. We'd sure get our money's worth if we were to use it when she has a craving for meat. There are an assortment of other ones for local places, making me wonder how connected this oni really was.
	When the stall-owner finally stops laughing she hands Sonia the mallet for the game, the hand still in her jacket pocket fiddling with something another time. I step out of the way while the oni explains the simple game to her, assuming she needs it. Sonia looks annoyed by the treatment and pretends to have trouble lifting the hammer up, Oni wearing the same amused grin that has been stuck on her face the whole time. Hefting the heavy wooden mallet, Sonia swings it down with all the strength she has. It slams into the target and the weight is shot up the scoreboard with no resistance, getting stuck in the bell as it impacts the cheap metal. The oni's mouth is hanging as the dull ring of the bell goes away, staring up at the feat in disbelief. It's my turn to grin now as I tap the red skinned woman's shoulder.
	"So, that means we get any prize right?"
	The oni snaps out of her stunned state, looking back at me and then at the bell again. She scowls but the large number of people staring at the feat are forcing her to not complain or use the damage to the bell to her advantage. She grumbles and moves to the case, getting the coupon out and handing it over to me. I put it into my wallet for safe keeping before moving away and getting Sonia latching onto my arm again.
	"Good job. Didn't quite expect that though." I chuckle. Sonia joins in with her own, squeezing my arm a bit. "You've gotten even stronger. Try not to hug too hard or you'll break a rib."
	"I'm more careful than that! Most of the time. Kotori measured it, but I don't know the exact measurements. Just compared them to an oni's. I don't have an idea how strong that is, but it must be impressive." Sonia explains as I lead the way to find more games. I can't see any others that really suit her skills, but I spot something that fits mine.
	"My turn to win something."
	Sonia looks up at me before following my gaze while we move, spotting the shooting game I've picked out. She chuckles, letting go of me as we reach the stall so I have use of both hands. I put down the money for the shots from the air rifle, the yeti tending the stand moving out of the way. It takes a minute for me to pick out a prize to aim for. There are all sorts of trinkets sitting on the shelves, waiting to be knocked down by some feat of luck. I decide to aim for one of the large tail brushes, looking gold plated with silver teeth. I check the air rifle, before firing the first shot to the center. It curves a bit to the left, edging the case towards the back. I adjust, and take the second. I hit it the case on the top, tipping it over to fall off the shelf onto the pillow beneath. With a shot left, I aim for a watch on a lower shelf. It drops off as well before I put the air rifle down, grinning when the yeti hands me the two items. I hand Sonia both, making her smile as she tucks the watch into the sash of her kimono, having to hold onto the brush as she links her arm with mine.
	"Forgot you were a hunter. Surprised you're not rusty though, you probably haven't practiced with a gun for a while." Sonia comments as we wander away from the game stand.
	"No, not in a while. But I was always a good shot. Guess it's my hand-eye coordination, could have become a surgeon if I got more than a few years of medical school."
	Sonia almost asks why, but stops herself when she realizes what it had to have been. Instead she looks around, trying to find something else to interest her before yelping when she almost trips, only saved by the arm linked with mine. I look down to see what is wrong, and see the wooden sandal she was wearing has broken it's string.
	"That's no good. Must have been damaged during that hammer game." I frown, "I'll need to carry you out of here now."
	The fox blinks and looks up at me, before pointing to something just behind me. "But there is a stand with sandals right there."
	I look back, seeing the convenient stand sitting right where she was pointing. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or happy with that. I assure myself I can just carry her off later and help Sonia get to the stand, making a mental note to pay Catherine back for the bit of the deposit they'll lose from this. We get a replacement pair quick before resuming on our way. As if nothing ever happened.
	Sonia notices the increase of light and activity first, turning her head towards the entrance of the temple even before we reach the center path. The chochin-obake are herding people to the sides to make space, and I realize why after a moment of wondering.
	"Oh, that must be the nightly sidewalk parade."
	"Sidewalk parade?" Sonia asks, trying to see as I get us a good position to watch. I get us behind a group of kids, able to see the parade approaching now. Oni have a large chair lifted up on poles, with the shrine's glacies sitting on top of it. Sonia stares at the rare being, the light of the festival shimmering off the icy curves and form.
	"They move around like that on a path around the city. The maidens behind throw out good luck charms to people they pass. It's too small to take up the street, so they just go down the sidewalks." I explain. I'm not sure she's listening with how she's staring. Eventually the glacies passes by, and the yeti in their shrine maiden uniforms trailing behind start tossing the last of the small paper charms out into the crowd.
	"I've never seen an elemental before." Sonia finally speaks, still staring up at the shrine.
	"The shrine here can't house a shirohebi, and there isn't a body of water for a ryuu. Kitsune don't like the cold so much, so she's found a home here." I chuckle, amused with Sonia's wonder. "They get back just before the fireworks start, the show should begin anytime now."
	The chochin-obake let people use the center pathway again once the temple doors close, giving me time to lead her to a nice spot where the stalls end and the shrine's area begins up another small set of stairs. We stay at the bottom, Sonia waiting with anticipation before the first firework goes up and explodes into a white snowflake shape. Her ears fold down as she yelps, flinching from the noise. Only now do I recall that Tava didn't like the fireworks either due to her own sensitive ears. I lead Sonia back towards the entrance until the noise doesn't bother her so much, letting us watch the display in comfort.
	"Sorry, I forgot how close they were." I frown. Sonia just squeezes my arm and smiles up at the show, the color of all the lights reflecting in her eyes while she enjoys the moment. I look back up at the show as well, but it's over already. I also forgot how short the show was.
	"That was nice~" Sonia giggles, putting her head onto my arm. I just sigh and get a grin of my own before I pat her head with my free hand.
	"It's getting late, lets get one last snack and draw some charms before we head home." I suggest. "Your pick, I chose the unagi."
	"Well, not so much now. But I did spot an ice cream stall, lets get that." Sonia suggests.
	"Alright, lead the way."
	Sonia does as requested and pulls me straight to where she had spotted the stall in mind, it turning out to be a rather short trip around the corner of the nearest row. I pay for the large soft serve cone and put the brush into my jacket for safe keeping. It's a bit uncomfortable, but Sonia can eat her own cone now. I decide not to get one, as my sweet tooth isn't that big. As I lead the way towards the temple, I watch Sonia take some slow licks with that long tongue of hers, taking very little ice cream for the size of the nimble oral appendage. I can't help imagining what else she can do with it. My daydream is broken up when she holds the ice cream up for me, giggling a bit.
	"Want some?" She asks, almost with innocence. I take a small bite out of the top, though it seems to please her either way as her tongue starts licking away once more. With the sharing complete it disappears in the short time it takes us to walk to the displays of charms and the fortune lottery box, no guards standing around as risk of divine anger was threat enough for anybody to be kept from stealing. I lead the way to the large lottery box, custom designed to dispense the paper fortunes. Sonia stares at the odd device, taking the brush back as I put some money in and a slip is dispensed. I take the paper and open it up, reading it out loud.
	"Health, terrible luck. Money, bad luck. Love, great luck. Be wary of older women."
	Sonia frowns a bit, even if she doesn't understand the slip. "That's a rather bad one, isn't it?" She asks. I chuckle and pat her head, tucking it away.
	"Don't worry. There isn't anyone at this shrine with actual divine power. It's more for fun." I assure the worried kumiho. She nods, taking the money to put into the machine herself. She gets her own slip and opens it up, red blush coming to her face. I get curious when she tries to hide it from me, but I manage to snatch it away. There is a small protest, but she looks the other way when I open the slip to read. Love, great luck. Fertility, great luck. Family, worst luck. You will have a healthy child.
	"G-give it back, it's embarrassing!" Sonia whines, snatching the paper back. I can't help but laugh at her meekness due to how much she had been teasing me at home up to the date.
	"It's not a real fortune Sonia. If you really want to be sure we can hang it on a tree to 'cancel' it." I inform the blushing kumiho. She ponders it a bit too seriously, before shaking her head no and putting the slip away.
	"N-no. That's alright, it's not a real fortune after all." She tries to laugh it off, before smiling up at me again. Warmer this time. "Lets get going home, I'm getting kind of sleepy."
	I smile back and lead the way. I can't help noticing Sonia feeling her sash where the fortune had been tucked, as if she didn't want it to disappear. She keeps the brush in the hand of the arm hooked around my own, her tails making the bells jingle as they wave back and forth a bit behind her. The lantern light almost seems to make the golden hair and fur shine. I stop us when we arrive at the gate of the shrine, just before the stairs leading to the street. Sonia looks up at me as I turn towards her before I catch her off guard with a kiss. For a moment she is stunned, dropping the brush to the ground as her eyes widen. After that moment passes she pushes back, opening her mouth to meet my tongue with her own. I use my skill to try and wrestle the stronger, longer, more nimble tongue that moves into my mouth as mine goes into hers. It's only possible with how little practice she has with this. Her arms wrap around my shoulders and mine wrap around her waist as the exchange drags on, neither one of us wanting to pull away from the other despite where we are. I have to control my hands to keep them from wandering down, our bodies already pushed together and sharing warmth in the cold air.
	After what seems like forever we pull away and take deep breaths to catch our breath, keeping the embrace as we stare into each others eyes and the thin link of saliva between our close lips disappears.

	The front door is thrown in as the two of us move inside as quick as we can. I close and lock it in the moment I have before Sonia pushes me up against the wall and we exchange another long kiss. Her hands work fast to get my jacket off, which I discard before grabbing at the round softness of Sonia's ass. She grabs hold of my sweater as we exchange spit and suck at each others lips. Her teeth graze my tongue on the way out to tease me, both of us breathing heavy as my sweater is discarded along with our shoes when we pass through the kitchen. We begin to head up the stairs, but I trip and take Sonia down beneath me. She doesn't let out more than a slight yelp, her tails brushing up and down my sides as I pull the kimono down and kiss at her neck and collarbone. Sonia lets out little gasps of delight from the treatment, hands moving along my back and through my hair as I plant the tender pecks at her exposed skin. I pick her up in my arms as I stand up, carrying her up the stairs and straight to my bedroom as she leans up and kisses my neck in return before starting to give me slow licks in their place.
	I reach the bedroom and toss Sonia onto the bed, the kumiho laying back as I nearly pin her to the bed with my body. One of my hands finds her and intertwines with her fingers, holding it next to her head as I lean in to give her another deep and passionate kiss. She returns my affections, her legs wrapping around my waist as the kimono gets hiked up her legs and frees their motion. My hand pulls the robe down off of her chest as it heaves in a soft rhythm in her own excitement. I pull back from the kiss to let her long tongue to fall on her lip before returning to her mouth. I gaze down, a small but attractive bra with black lace keeping the modest breasts contained within. Leaning in, I kiss at the newly exposed skin while my free hand snakes in under her to unhook the bra and get it off of her body, glad there are no shoulder straps so I can toss it off the side of the bed. Her face is flushed a bit more with her b-cups on display, but she uses none of her superior strength to push me away as I devour them with my eyes. Her tails wrap around me, silky softness caressing my form to urge me on.
	I take my hand back from her own and move one down to Sonia's legs, another reaching for her chest. I lean in again to trade a kiss with her, this time a short one before pulling back. I repeat the short kisses as my hand runs along her outer leg. The left takes in the soft firmness her bounty provides for it, making the fox below me squirm. They're rusty, but still remember all their tricks. I move to her inner thigh and begin teasing her nipple with the other. It surprises me how much Sonia reacts as she lets out a lewd little whine from the teasing to her chest, and I know I've found a weak point. I pull back and stand up, looking down at Sonia panting a bit on the bed with her eyes still locked onto me. I can see the lacy black side-tie panties now that the kimono is so far up her legs. I drop the rest of my clothing on the floor before moving back in.
	I pick Sonia up and sit her down on my lap as I sit on the edge of my large bed, the tails dousing me in affection as they wrap around my torso and move along my exposed skin. Her back pushes against mine as her bottom squishes the raging erection tight between us and my hands reach for her chest. Sonia lets out a moan as I start to give her nipples and breast my attention, her slight squirming not helping the painful amounts of hardness below. I speed things up by moving a hand below, feeling the soft mound beneath the silky panties Sonia is wearing. I can feel the moistness, and untie one side of the garments to allow them to slip down one of her legs. My hand returns to where it was and makes the kumiho let out another moan, her hands reaching behind her to use my head for support. Removing the panties only lodges my dick between the warm cushions of her ass as my hand strokes the wet fox-hole in front. I tease the clit before testing the depths with a finger. It's like a vice, but sucks in my finger with desperate need. I tease her along with the one finger inside her and the hand on her chest, and soon enough neither of us can hold back anymore.
	I get Sonia off my lap and put her back on the bed, her head on a pillow as the bells still on the tips of her tails jingle. I move up between her legs, lining up with her steaming hot slit. I get ready to push in, but Sonia speaks up even as her tails return to stroking along my nude form.
	"I love you Sebastian." Sonia breathes in a heavy voice, arousal seething through it as her hands reach around and rest on my back. I lean in to give her a kiss before smiling down at her.
	"I love you Sonia." I reply, before moving my hips forward in a slow, steady motion. She's far too tight not to be a virgin, and after what I went through with the weaker Tava during her first time I'm not about to repeat that with Sonia. She holds her breath when she feels it begin. A small yelp when I push past some resistance within the soaked, tight depths and reach all the way to the back at once lets me know I've gotten past her hymen. I stay still and let Sonia get used to it, her breathing rapid as her claws stop poking into the skin of my back. I know the pain won't last long, but with the muscles moving around my manhood it's hard not to start moving right away. After a short time her breathing returns to normal, and I feel Sonia's insides squeezing around me with more purpose. I know it's time to start moving, and use my hands to support me as I start to move my hips and make the fox moan and mewl in her carnal bliss. I kiss at her neck, leaving her mouth free to take in deep breaths as I tickle her nerves with the tender pecks and the hair of my face. I increase my pace each time Sonia seems used to my current one, the speed picking up until I'm thrusting as fast as I can into her hot vice. I let out a small groan as I feel my climax coming, not expecting Sonia's legs to wrap around me to keep me from pulling out. I can't fight it as her cunt milks me and my pent up sexual frustration is shot out, her claws keeping me in place on top of her as I leave plenty of my seed deep in her belly.
	I rest on top of her for a short time, our hot bodies pressed up against each other with naught but the kimono and it's sash between us, still around Sonia's belly and hips but not much else.  Her hands and tails move along the back of my body and lavish me with their affection while she kisses at the top of my head. It's relaxing, and I take a moment to rest. It surprises me when Sonia makes the next move, turning us over and getting into a position on top with my dick never leaving her tight depths. I prop myself up on my elbows to get a good view, but she leans forward so her mouth is near my neck. Hot breath brushes against it before being met with a moist warmness spread by her tongue. Her hands get placed on my shoulders for leverage before she tries moving, her motions fast and rough but lacking any practice. It still feels amazing having the tight kumiho's cunt squeezing me up and down, but it manages to slip out in my passionate movements. I back myself up to prop myself up against the headrest, Sonia following me to keep her position on top as she tries to get me back inside of her.
	When she gets the head of my prick back in position, I grab onto her hips with my now free hands and push her down. A small yelp comes from her, an extra tight squeeze feeling like she's using a hand to wetly wring it. It gets me to groan a bit in my own pleasure as well. Sonia starts to move as I guide her motions, only coaching her to roll her hips and keep me inside in her frantic motions. I have to keep my head back as Sonia keeps licking and breathing heavy on my neck to give her room for the motions, her chest squishing against me with every motion. We get lost in the lewd noises and shared heat, sexual scents mixing together to dizzy our minds. Our bodies enjoy each other to their fullest, and my second shot comes surging up as Sonia squeezes down extra hard with her internal muscles in a small spasm that pushes me over the edge. I pull her hips down onto my own as I groan, almost aching after I fill her with even more seed right into her womb. None is spilling out, but I didn't expect it as the muscles milk it into the inner depths on instinct.
	She stays on top of me to catch her breath, but I'm already ready for the next round. I grab the bow of her kimono's sash and pull it. A hard yank on one end of it makes her yelp as it unwinds, spinning her off of me and towards the edge of the bed. Sonia slips off with a small "Ow!" coming out when she falls to the floor, leaving me with the sash in hand and a pouting fox looking up over the side of the bed. Forgot how light she was, with how hard she was moving those hips.
	"Sorry. Get up, we're not done yet." I instruct her, Sonia grinning with lust as she gets back up on the bed and sheds the rest of the kimono. Her stark naked body doesn't seem bothered by the mild chill from the lack of fire downstairs. I take charge and pull her up against me before turning her around, Sonia complying with pleasure. I hold her from behind before pushing her down with my body, getting her face against the blankets as I line up with her messy slit again. My chest pushes down on her back as the fox uses her arms to prop herself up just enough to breath comfortably, Sonia pushing her bottom back against me to hurry my intention. My hands move to her chest as I know she can handle my weight, making her moan when my fingers find her nipples again. With the position made, I push all the way in as once and begin pounding as hard as I can manage.
	The rough treatment only makes her yowl and moan louder, her tough body taking it with ease. Her pussy is loosened enough to allow the fast motion while still clamping down on my iron-hard dick. Sonia's tails wrap around my hips and torso, urging me on with encouragement I don't need. The slapping sound of our hips fill the room to couple with the noises of the fox, the assault on her chest starting to make her babble. I keep going even as my stamina starts to wear thin, her pleasure prolonged until I finally shoot my third load inside. Sonia quivers and shakes, drooling on the blanket a bit with her tongue hanging out as I can feel her body orgasm under my own. Some rational part of my brain notes the synched climax, but I can't think about it.
	I'm caught off guard when Sonia turns to give me a peck on the lips, eyes glowing with love and lust in the moonlight streaming through the open curtains. It's a bit awkward, but it catches my attention for her to speak the only thing on her mind.
	"More."
	The night goes by in a heated haze of our bodies joining together and testing our stamina from that point. We chase after mutual satisfaction, wanton in our lust for each other. It goes on for hours, each time ending in me finishing inside the ravenous womb that demands more and more of my seed to fill it. I'm nearly at the limit of my ability when Sonia finally goes limp with satisfaction, content smile getting put on her face.
	We fall to the bed and pant to catch our breaths, Sonia stretching and moving her arms and legs across the bedspread in a blissful daze. She turns over and her hands meet my own sweaty, exhausted body. A wiggling lets her move up right against me, taking in my scent as she rides the afterglow and puts one of her hands on my chest, moving it down a little with her claws tracing along my skin. By then I've recovered. It takes a bit of effort to get the blankets out from under us to put them over to keep us warm, but I manage it after a bit of trying. Golden ears tickle at my chin when Sonia lays her face against my chest, blanket only laying at our stomachs until we can cool down from all the exercise. Our breathing calms, our heartbeats follow, and only the afterglow is left.
	"That was amazing Sebastian." Sonia coos, kissing my chin. I chuckle and put an arm around her to rest my hand on her hip, keeping her close.
	"You're sturdier than you look. That helps."
	Sonia giggles, pushing her chest up against my side. I'm not about to go for another round, but it feels divine. After a few more minutes, Sonia speaks up again.
	"I hope we didn't get that kimono too dirty..."
	"We can pay Catherine back for any deposit. I should pay her back for a lot of things, come to think of it." I muse, Sonia nodding to agree.
	"She's been really helpful... even suggested helping me get a job cooking at the soup kitchen for pay. I thought it was only volunteer work."
	"They do both. I'm sure you'll be good at that job, you've gotten really good at cooking here."
	"I hope so. It'll be nice to get a job." Sonia hums, her tails moving below the blankets to drape over our legs as she gets comfy using me as a pillow. There is a pause of another few minutes before Sonia speaks up again. "Say... what did you say to Charles to make him so mad at you?" She inquires, looking up towards me face.
	"I'd rather not say." I frown, ashamed of that particular period of time. Her insistent face makes me crumble when I look at it staring at me, making me sigh. I think of how to put it best, looking at the ceiling as I do.
	"It was about a month after Tava died. I was lashing out at anybody around me that got too close. Charles and me were in the same college course together, I got there right after high school due to my parent's having a college fund. He had to wait a few years to make enough to go. Back then, Catherine was in a help group for struggling or troubled students on campus. I started suggesting that she did some... unsavory things behind closed doors. Slept around. And only stayed with him since he was 'the most messed up'. Something about a fetish for that sort of thing. Lots of other nasty insults on his family I can't remember due to drinking so much back then."
	Sonia doesn't say anything for a short bit. It feels like forever, but I don't dare look at her to see what sort of expression she's making. Finally, she speaks.
	"That is pretty terrible. She'd never do that sort of stuff." Sonia scowls. "But I know where you must have been... sort of. I didn't go through the same things as you, but... I don't know where I'm going with this." Sonia laughs. It makes me smile and relax. I look down to meet her eyes and smile. I decide to ask her something next.
	"What was your life like down in Quinsland?" I ask, Sonia hesitating before speaking.
	"Pretty normal until... then, about four years ago. It was only a nightmare after that. Before, I was just a popular kitsune girl in a quiet suburb on the edge of the city, living a peaceful life." Sonia answers.
	"Did you know your father?" I ask curiously. Sonia again takes a while to reply, sighing a bit when she does.
	"No. Never saw too many pictures either. All I had to go on was second hand information from my... mother." Sonia noticeably shrinks down, the topic of her mother still touchy. I decide not to press her on it, as I doubt I'd like to hear about a real kumiho with one clinging so lovingly to me. I pull the blankets up to Sonia's chin, moonlight still shining into the room to continue lighting it even with our joining over.
	"Lets get some sleep. We can have some more fun tomorrow. Don't think you'll get away with teasing me now without getting an immediate punishment." I tease. Sonia moves up my body, her head resting at the top of my chest instead as her arms wrap around my chest. I turn over to get my own around her, kissing her head as she giggles.
	"I love you Sebastian..." Sonia whispers.
	"I love you too Sonia. Goodnight."