Love Stories From Starlight Kingdom (ch4)

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY $50+ PATRONS!!

And at last, the winter chapter! As you'll notice this one is much longer than the others. Similar to when I did this idea in my RWBY fic, I slow it down a lot and give it more events, make it a longer, slower, more detailed burn. I supposed I'm a bit biased to this ship... I'll admit, I got into it much more than I thought I was going to, especially with the story of the curse...

The fairytale this is based off should become clear very quickly. But my twist on it should make it rather enjoyable!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

---------

										Chapter 4. The Wanderer And The Monster

Once, there was a kingdom sprinkled with magic. But unlike most others, this magic was dark and cursed.

Claudine had heard of the tales; a cursed princess, poisoned fruits, a girl that turned into a swan by night…

She'd never heard much more than rumors in each instance, fleeting mumbles from passerby and whispers in the crowded streets and open fields she traveled.

But none of those are the reason she's headed for Starlight Kingdom.

She'd struck out on her own years ago, leaving behind a family that wanted nothing more than to pressure her into marrying some young wealthy man. Claudine had never wanted anything to do with men, especially not spoiled rich ones she'd never even met before in her entire life.

Leaving her snobby parents and uneventful hometown hadn't been difficult at all; she'd simply packed a few bags in the night, left a note, and crept out her bedroom window to find horizons of her own.

She'd been traveling for nearly three years now, evading any and all mention of the search for her whereabouts. She'd spent nights at little run-down inns and cottages here or there, gotten fleeting jobs waitressing and used her earnings for food, clothing, and lodging before quickly moving on. She never lingered for too long in one place for fear of someone recognizing her.

She'd forged her own path, found her own adventures, braved battles with her sword, and the elements with her wit.

But for all her moving around, leaving behind nothing but fading footprints, there was a part of her that longed to settle down and rest her head.

She'd tried it once or twice, moved into abandoned little homes and cleaned them up, lived there in secrecy for as long as she could.

But something or another always had her leaving. Sometimes it was nothing more than a feeling - the feeling that this wasn't where her journey was supposed to end. Not alone in some old little house outside a kingdom she barely knew.

In spite of the fact that she'd run off to avoid an arranged marriage, she'd always longed for love. The kind she'd read about in storybooks and seen in the theatre.

She's never found it, of course, not even to this day eighteen years later. But what she fails to find in the love for another person, she channels into her love of adventuring.

And that's what had eventually led her to Starlight Kingdom.

From what she'd heard of it as a child, it had seemed like a far-off fantasy land, a fragment of a dream.

And yet, when she finally arrives at the gates and pays the traveler's entry fee, it seems just like every other kingdom she's been to.

The first thing she notices upon her arrival to the bazaar is how oddly she fits in, even in her foreign clothes. The people of Starlight dress much better than anywhere else she's been to. Claudine fits right in with her warm wool sweater, her short plaid skirt over thick black leggings, all cozied up in leather snow boots and a shawl. Even with the sword at her hip, no one stops her or stares for too long.

She's glad she'd managed to arrive before winter. So far there had only been a few flurries of snow, but she'd beat the worst of it. She knows she'll probably have to spend the season here somehow, and as she traverses the streets now she keeps her eyes open for the inns and lodges. The buildings are quaint but well-made; sturdy. From all she'd heard about magic and curses, the place seems to be fairly normal.

"Disappointing…" she mutters, kicking a small pebble with the tip of her boot. Her stomach aches from hunger, and she briefly recalls that she hasn't eaten since last night.

She makes her way to a small bar and orders a meal with some of the last of her earnings, making a mental note to seek more temporary work here soon.

As she sits in her corner of the establishment and keeps to herself, the chatter from the bar reaches her ears, though thankfully the scent of beer and smoke don't get that far.

"That's a load o' crap!" one man blurts. "Ain't no such thing as monsters."

"Them's the words of a fool," another replies. "Saw it myself the other night. Was out huntin' deer up in the mountains and I saw the beast with my own two eyes."

At this point, Claudine looks up from her soup, intrigued and invested. A waitress saunters to the men and chimes in on the conversation.

"I've heard of it," she says. "That old mansion has been up on that mountain for centuries. No one's even sure if it's considered part of the kingdom or not. It's just on the border. That beast's been living there for the past ten years or so. Never been much of an issue in the past, so no one hardly knew about it. But as of late, people say they've been seeing it more and more." She lowers her voice, and Claudine strains to eavesdrop. "I heard it snatched up a girl and killed her a few years back. That, or made her its prisoner. Someone said they saw a girl up there one minute and a monster the next. Must've eaten her whole, poor thing."

The men whistle and shake their heads.

"Damn shame. The princess should give an order to send troops up to kill the thing."

"Not with winter comin'," the other answers. "Snow and wolves on that mountain'd kill ya sooner than the beast. If it's still causin' trouble come spring, I'm sure Princess Hikari will have somethin' done about it now that her own curse is broken."

The conversation tapers off just as Claudine finishes her soup. She wipes her napkin daintily across her smile. Rather than working menial shifts for petty paychecks, why not earn her dues from the Princess herself?

If she could find and slay the beast, she'd surely earn enough to live easily for a few years. Or if she could rescue the kidnapped girl, perhaps the family would reward her handsomely.

Typically, Claudine wasn't concerned so heavily with money, but with her only just having arrived in a new place and winter on its way, she has to have her priorities straight.

After all, she is a very skilled fighter, and has won her fair share of battles with other swordsmen and women across the country. Surely slaying a single monster would be child's play for her.

With her mind made up and her stomach full, Claudine makes preparations to scout out the mountain a bit today. She'll return to town at nightfall to find an inn to sleep at, then set out tomorrow morning to slay the beast and free whomever it had kept prisoner.

Claudine thanks the staff for their hospitality and heads for the door. The day still has several hours of sunlight left, more than enough for Claudine to scout out her path and return.

So she sets out, getting information and directions from the natives as she goes. And each and every one of them gasps when they find out where she is headed. But Claudine smiles at them and gives the same vow.

"I'll defeat the monster and save the girl. I swear it on the name of Saijou Claudine."

By the time she reaches the base of the mountain, half the kingdom has heard whispers of the peculiar traveler who seeks to slay the beast.

Claudine had traversed the stretch of woods separating the mountain from the kingdom, and now looks upon the mountain itself. It's visible even from outside the gates of the kingdom, but up close is intimidatingly larger. The trees are dark and thick with foliage, mostly evergreens, which explains how dense they still are in spite of winter just beginning.

Even in broad daylight the shadows are thick here. The grasses are tall and unexplored, the plants and soil untouched and untainted by people.

Claudine will proudly be the first.

She inhales the crispness of the air and tastes the faint tang of snow on the wind. With the shadowy forest and unknown mansion before her and the kingdom at her back, Claudine steps into the woods.

She marks her trail as any expert would, slashing the trunks of trees with her sword or making lines in the soil.

The earth wastes no time with its incline, leading her upward. She pauses now and again to catch her breath, hardly noticing that her air has turned white. The thrill of her newest adventure clouds her judgement, and even when the flurries begin to fall, Claudine pressed onward.

With the sun sinking now, she knows she should turn back, but her curiosity to glimpse the mansion fuels her onward.

She can't discern how dark it truly is. Thanks to the blockage of the trees, it already seems like nighttime here. Her steps become slower and heavier, and her breath becomes shorter and clipped.

But she's stubborn if nothing else.

She climbs onward, her original plan of turning back to find shelter for the night gradually fading from her mind. The snow continues to flutter down around her, soft and quiet.

Everything's quiet here. No birdsong, no small animals rustling in the undergrowth. Nothing.

She presses onward, and at some point or another it feels less like her own stubbornness, and more like something is pulling her in. The wind pushes at her back, beckoning her-

Claudine gasps suddenly and stops. She looks around wildly, as if she's just woken from a dream. Her mind doesn't remember coming this far, but her body aches the truth. The forest is dark all around her, and the fragments of sky above are black.

"When…?" she pants. "When did it get so late…?" She doesn't remember. She can barely see anymore. If not for the grey glow of the snow, she'd be entirely blind. It sinks her at least an inch down.

She looks forward again, squinting through the outlines of tall dark trees. It almost feels like they're watching her, but she can't tell if they're telling her to come closer or turn and run.

She isn't sure what she should do now. Night has fallen, and the snow has likely covered her markers. She's much closer to the top of the mountain than the bottom.

Perhaps the mansion is just some uninhabited hut. The peoples' rumors could very likely have blown things out of proportion. There probably wasn't even any beast or any captive girl to speak of. And even if it was true, she could simply slay the beast tonight rather than tomorrow.

So Claudine decides to keep going, to find the mansion and the answers she seeks.

As if to further confirm her decision, a low, distant howl suddenly shatters the cold night air. Claudine clutches her shawl closer to herself and pushes onward. Her steps have become trudging and unsteady, and her breath has become labored.

Soon, she hears nothing but the unruly heaving of her own breaths, the ache of her pulse in her skull, and the echo of a howl. It sounds closer than the last one had.

The wind blows hard now, until it's all but lashing at her back. Eventually, it gusts so hard it rustles every tree in the forest. And all the burden they'd been holding.

Layers upon layers of freezing snow come loose now, falling all around and on top of Claudine. She shrieks and stumbles backward, slipping on something, then tripping on another. She feels as well as hears something crack in her ankle, and sharp pain shoots through her even stronger than the numbing cold. She buries her sword into the earth as a crutch to keep herself from rolling.

Now that the breeze has cut through the canopy, the snow falls more quickly. The wind slices right through her, making her shudder almost violently.

Claudine hisses, teeth chattering as she tries to heave herself up with the support of her sword. Her ankle burns in protest, but the rest of her knows she'll freeze to death if she doesn't keep moving.

The mansion is her only hope now, and it could very well be her end.

Either way, death seems to wait for her.

But she'd rather risk it in some monster and four manmade walls than in the cold fangs of the wilderness.

So in spite of the pain in her foot and the numbing chill in her chest, Claudine fights onward. Her pace isn't even a quarter of what it had been when she'd started. On top of the elements and the injury, the worst thing of all has started to set in.

Fear. Of all things, that's the one that spells certain death for most people. The fear causes irrational decisions, and the rest seals the deal.

Claudine refuses to fall victim, to die out here in the woods where no one knows her or will miss her, without having truly made anything of herself.

The trademark stubbornness rears its head and forces her onward, upward. Step by step, she limps through the snow, her lungs freezing more and more with every passing second. She's getting close to the top now. She has to be…

"Damn it…"

The first words she's spoken in hours seem to draw even more cold air into her body. She can't see anything other than snow and shadows, and her head has begun to spin. Her heart is in her throat as it is, her breathing both heavy and thin at the same time. Those are the two things she's been hearing the most, those and the wind, and something else…

A howl splits the air. Then a growl. Then a snarl.

Claudine whirls around and nearly falls again if not for her sword. The shadows move around her and bare their fangs.

Claudine yanks her sword from the snow and faces them. They charge, and she swings - blindly - missing more than she hits, and even then it's only enough to push them back. They're already upon her, and she turns to flee. But her ankle gives out after only a few steps, and she collides with the freezing, hard earth.

Pain. Cold. Fear.

If she'd known these would be the last things she ever felt, she never would've left home. She should have just been a good girl and kept quiet, gone off with her husband and lived a boring normal life. Instead, now she'll die a fool - a lonely, stubborn fool.

The wolves charge and pounce, snarling. Claudine can't even see them. She just hopes it'll be quick. Her pulse rushes in her ears, frightened breaths on her lips, howling wolves and winds all around her.

But then, a sound she hasn't heard before.

Rather, two.

First, it's a crash and a rattling, like a heavy door being flung open.

And then it's… something much more terrifying.

A roar is all she can describe it as.

Deep. Guttural. An explosion.

It cracks the air and shakes the mountain.

The wolves skid to a terrified halt and whimper, as if in fear of something bigger, more dangerous.

What…? Claudine's mind races, lest it fade altogether. What could possibly… best them on the food chain…?

Some unknown apex predator.

A beast. A monster.

The wolves turn tail and flee. Claudine hears them scrambling back to the confines of their own territory, deep in the shadows.

She can't find the strength to move just yet, but she at least opens her eyes. Even that is a struggle, since the lashes have nearly frozen shut on her cheeks. Even the tears she hadn't realized she had shed have turned to ice on her skin.

Everything is gray and black - mostly the latter. The sky, the trees, and the looming shape of something else.

The locals had called it a mansion.

But this… this is a castle.

Sharp spires, old-fashioned shutters, gargoyles on the gutters…

And at the flung-open doors, standing in the faint yellow light of a foyer beyond - a girl.

She's shrouded in shadows, so much so that Claudine can only make out her general form; she's probably Claudine's age, her hair is long and brown and a bit frazzled, a bit wild. She wears a blue dress rimmed with silver lining, and doesn't seem at all fazed by the snow or the wolves.

In fact, she's perfectly still, perfectly calm.

Claudine desperately tries to push herself up, scouring the area for the beast that had made the booming roar to frighten off the dogs. She expects to see some deformed monster, some horrible, ugly thing.

But she sees nothing of the sort.

Only that girl, half-hidden behind the door frame, staring. Just staring.

Claudine drags herself forward, coughing harshly, trying to get her attention. She forces out a rasp of her voice and calls out.

"Please-! H-Help me-!"

The girl's eyes widen and she takes a step back, as though shocked Claudine is still alive. Claudine sputters and calls out again.

"Wait, please-"

She doesn't know where the monster is, or if it exists at all. She doesn't know what entering this castle might mean for her, but it's better than freezing to death and having her bones picked by dogs.

Her vision blurs as she meets the eyes of the girl at the door. Claudine has lost all feeling except for the pain in her ankle.

"P-Please…" she croaks.

She's afraid the girl will flee and slam the door.

But she doesn't. She just continues to stare, as if she's never seen another girl her age before. Or anyone, for that matter.

Claudine drags herself a bit closer, but the last of her strength is draining from her limbs. Her chin hits the snow and her eyes blur again.

Silence.

Wind.

Cold.

And then-

"You…"

A voice, one that rasps like her own, as if it hasn't been used in a very long time.

Claudine looks up at her meekly, listening.

The girl inches just a bit further past the doorframe. It looks like something moves or shifts behind her, but Claudine can't make much sense of it. The girl in blue speaks a little louder.

"You will run."

Claudine's frozen heart sinks.

"What… does that mean…?"

The other girl remains still, quiet. Then-

"You will run like they did… when you see what I am."

Claudine exhales the last bit of warmth in her body.

"I won't. I couldn't… e-even if I wanted to…"

"You will," the girl says surely. "In spite of all your pain and fear, your body will find some way to move."

Claudine - even on the brink of death - never backs down from a challenge. She pushes herself back up in spite of the fact that she can't even feel her arms or hands, and looks the girl dead in the eyes.

"Try me."

The girl in blue's eyes widen, and she dips her head.

"Very well."

Claudine watches her step fully into view, into the minimal light of the moon and the lamps from within the castle.

And clearly, she is no ordinary girl.

Two tall, brown, animalistic ears stand atop her head. Long claw-like nails glint in the moonlight from each finger.

And the tails.

Tails.

Five, six…

Claudine counts at least nine of them, large bushy reddish-brown tails, each one tipped with white like snow.

Claudine is stunned by her appearance to say the very least. But fear isn't what grips her heart. It's more astonishment, wonder, a cautious intrigue. Perhaps a dash of fear, but just a dash.

The girl descends the castle steps slowly, like a predator prowling, sizing up its prey. Her face is expressionless, her eyes cold.

"Well?" she prompts, tone unchanging. "Surely you are terrified. Enough to fight through your pain and run back to where you came from."

And in spite of it all, Claudine manages a laugh.

"Ha!" She coughs immediately afterward and sputters, but the grin remains on her lips. "You th-think… a f-few extra ears and tails will scare me off? Don't be… so full… of yourself…" The cold and the pain are beating her now, winning over her stubbornness. Claudine coughs again. "I don't know… what you are… but you are no killer… and if you don't help me now, my death is on your hands…"

The girl steps into the snow without showing any signs of feeling its bitter chill. She walks across the distance that separates the two of them, her bare feet leaving neat prints behind her, while the tails swish in the falling flurries.

She approaches, but Claudine feels no need to run. Maybe this girl wants to come off as frightening, but Claudine isn't about to fall for it. She wouldn't have run even if she could've.

The strange girl walks right up to her and stops, looking down at Claudine. Claudine gazes back up at her with fire in her eyes - the last bit of life she's got left in her.

"Let me in…" she grunts. "I dare you."

Whether she means the castle or something else, neither of them can be entirely sure. But the girl in the blue dress crouches down beside her in the snow. She reaches out, and Claudine instinctively flinches. But the clawed hand comes to rest on the fallen sword instead.

"You came here to kill me, and now you're giving me orders?" she says in a low voice.

Claudine scoffs.

"I came here… to slay a monster and save a girl..."

"And what if we are one in the same?"

Claudine doesn't waver.

"I see no monster. Only a girl with a few extra tails."

The girl blinks slowly, and her nine tails swish.

"You aren't like the others. I can tell. Who are you?"

Claudine chuckles a rasp.

"Usually… you're supposed to introduce yourself… before asking someone else their name…"

And she can't really be sure, but it almost seems like the expressionless girl's lips curve upward on one side, into the faintest of smiles. But when Claudine next blinks it's gone.

"Very well," the girl replies. "But you leave your sword at the door."

"Fine… Even better, I'll leave it here… because I can't even carry it to the door…" Claudine sputters off into another coughing fit and can't say anything more.

The fox girl crouches down and slowly slips her arms beneath her. Claudine can't feel the warmth of her skin or the texture of her clothes, but she feels the shapes of the girl's arms, the loose grip of her fingers in Claudine's clothes. She doesn't cling too hard because of her claws; she doesn't want to hurt her.

Claudine feels her head loll limply to one side as she's lifted up carefully. The pain in her ankle has become a dull throb up her leg. Once the girl has finally gathered her, Claudine can't help but curl towards her, seeking her warmth. She fades in and out of consciousness as she's carried to the door, and inside at last.

The howl of the wind is cut off as the door closes behind them, and a quiet, lonely castle fills her ears. She can see lamps aglow here and there, silver moonlight cutting in through stained glass windows, long spiraling stair cases, paintings, furniture…

The girl carries her into a red velvet room. The carpet, the couch, the chairs, the rugs, the tapestries, all red and lined with gold. A fire crackles in the hearth, but Claudine can only imagine its heat. She feels she can pick up on this girl's scent, though, and while she can't put words to it, she knows it's nice.

She's laid down on the couch, stunned at the inside of the castle, how neat and inviting and… normal it is.

The fox girl gingerly removes Claudine's boots, and is wary of her injury without needing to be told. She dusts the snow off of her clothes and hair, then pulls a thick warm red blanket over her shivering form. Claudine shudders and sighs, her eyes still fighting to stay open.

"Thank you…" she whispers.

The fox girl just blinks.

"You shouldn't thank me yet. I'm sure I'll scare you off soon enough."

Claudine chuckles dryly and repeats her challenge.

"Try me…"

And now, that flash of a smile once again. The fox girl swishes her tails.

"Maya," she says. "Tendo Maya."

Claudine exhales, and her eyes finally fall shut.

"Saijou...Claudine..."

And she falls into a deep slumber in the castle of a rumor.

Maya can hardly believe her eyes.

Even though it's been several minutes since she'd found this girl crumpled in the snow, talked with her, and agreed to bring her inside, Maya still can't believe what's lying in front of her on her couch.

Claudine. A young, beautiful girl with pale skin - much paler than it should be, thanks to the blizzard. The snow wasn't supposed to hit until tomorrow. It certainly was a stroke of bad luck for it to have come as this girl was making her climb up the mountain.

On top of that, she'd hurt her ankle and been attacked by the wolves. Bad luck seems like an understatement.

Her hair is silvery-blonde and curly, though the ice has stiffened and frozen it over for the most part. Her clothes are what the villagers typically wear on a winter day when snow isn't anticipated.

But even so, Maya doesn't think she recalls ever seeing this girl before.

She's been here in this castle for as long as she can remember, sitting and watching the people far down below. She surely would've known about a girl this stunning and daring.

But in spite of the blanket Maya has lain over her, she can still see the girl shivering in her sleep. Her lips are bluish, and when Maya reaches out to touch her cheek with her knuckles, her skin is still very cold.

Maya has encountered people before - most of them men with weapons come to put an end to her. She'd scared them all off in minutes with a few roars, snarls, and lies about cursing them if harm comes to her.

But never before has she seen another girl up close like this, let alone needed to take care of one.

Her keen ears flick at the sound of a straining pulse just from sitting near her. Maya's lack of socialization with people has left her more or less expressionless on the outside, but she still feels the twinge of worry wiggling in her chest.

Maya shifts herself, lifting the girl's head and torso slightly so Maya may sit there instead. She lets Claudine lie in her lap and pulls the blankets up to her neck. Maya curls her tails around the girl as much as she can like this, then reaches out carefully to stroke her fingers through the stiff frozen hair. She's slow and tentative, hesitant and nervous to snap or pull a strand, or to accidentally unravel her fingers and scratch her.

Maya is careful, so so careful with this strange beautiful girl, one foolish enough to venture out in this weather alone to take on a monster. She must have been strong and tenacious to make it as far as she had on her own.

And yet, she is so delicate and frail, still shivering pitifully in Maya's lap.

Maya sits for a moment, the fire crackling calmly beside her as the girl in her arms exhales choppy little breaths. Maya is worried for her - far more worried than she should have any right to be.

She could sense right away that this girl was different than any person she'd ever encountered before, but not just because she hadn't run away or been afraid of Maya. She'd sensed the same aimlessness in her, the same loneliness in her eyes. Or maybe she was just imposing things.

Either way, Maya doesn't want to let her die.

So she gingerly scoops Claudine up into her arms and holds her up against her chest, sharing her warmth as intimately as possible. The girl shudders against her, pulse racing, and a moan slips from her cold lips. Maya wonders if she should kiss them to warm them, but decides against it for now.

She wraps her tails around her a bit more, keeping her hands flat across the girl's back, being mindful of her nails.

She holds Claudine for a long while, until her pulse has calmed and her shivering has stopped. But even then, Maya doesn't let go of her.

She's... never been this close to someone else before, close enough to breathe in their scent, feel their pulse or their warmth, faint as Claudine's may be. And her closeness is doing Claudine some good as well.

So Maya keeps the girl in her lap, surrounded by the fur of her tails. She looks over her pretty face once more, and wonders what will happen when morning comes.

Maybe Claudine will have run off. Maya wouldn't be able to blame her if she did.

Maybe she'll have killed Maya. If that will be the case, Maya would accept it; she'd rather be killed by this girl than anyone else.

Or maybe - just maybe - Claudine will still be here with her.

Maya closes her eyes. Only morning will tell.

Warmth.

It's the first thing Claudine can make sense of when her conscious eventually comes back to her. She can't comprehend why, being her dreams had only showed her visions of wolves and snow and monsters.

She can't remember where she is, which kingdom she'd wandered into, which humble little inn she'd paid for a room at last night.

Little by little, her senses return to her, and before long the throbbing in her ankle does as well.

And then the rest.

Gasping, her eyes fly open as she throws herself forward, sitting up so quickly she nearly falls back down from the dizziness it causes her.

It hadn't been a dream, or even a nightmare.

The fox girl sits right here with her, calm and peaceful in slumber until Claudine jolts. The tails around her rustle; the fur Claudine assumed to be tough and bristly is actually very soft.

The dull, emotionless eyes flutter open, and the clawed hands over Claudine curl slightly as if to keep a hold on her so she won't fall off. The tall ears twitch as Maya looks up at her now, unreadable.

Claudine's heart is in her throat again, not in fear but in shock, confusion. Her mouth hangs open in disbelief, but another pang in her leg confirms the reality of it all.

"Y…You…"

What to say? What to do? She hasn't the slightest idea. The tails swish around her as Maya withdraws her hands, curling her claws in. When she opens her mouth to speak, Claudine notices she has fangs as well.

"Claudine," she says almost robotically, as if reciting the name. Her ears flick again. "Your heart is troubled. Is something wrong?"

Claudine squeaks and clasps her hands to her chest.

"Y-You can hear it?"

Maya nods.

"I can hear many things, if I choose to. And even many when I choose not to." She looks down into her lap, at her hands that end in a beast's claws. "I hear what the people in the kingdom say about me. I hear that they plan to kill me."

Claudine suddenly feels that her own uncertainty has been eclipsed by the fox girl's sorrow. Or at least, Claudine has to assume it's sorrow, because Maya isn't expressing it very clearly. Claudine exhales and tries to get ahold of herself, not sure of what to say.

"Well… thank you… for saving me last night. We both know you didn't have to…"

Maya looks back up at her stoically.

"Do you feel better?"

"For the most part," Claudine replies. "The ankle will take some time. But I can probably make it down the mountain on my own in daylight."

That comment gets the most reaction from Maya so far. She shifts as if a thorn is poking at her back, and her tails sway.

"You're leaving?"

Claudine slowly pushes her legs off the side of the couch, wincing as her bad foot hits the carpet.

"Isn't that what you want?" She looks back over her shoulder. "I vowed I would save the girl who was trapped here, but not if it isn't her wish. If you want me to go, I'll go."

Maya's nose scrunches just a little.

"I never said that. But if you want to go, you may go."

The two girls stare at each other for a moment, Claudine glaring and Maya trying to mimic her with little success. Claudine doesn't feel any threatening energy from her. Just something neutral.

She's no monster.

"Well," she says, clearing her throat. "I suppose the snow has gotten rather deep by now…"

"Then you must stay," Maya declares. "Until the snow has melted and you have healed."

Claudine smiles a little.

"If that is your decision, then who am I to oppose?"

Maya tilts her head.

"You are Saijou Claudine, are you not? That's what you told me."

"It was a rhetorical question," Claudine sighs. Maya blinks and tilts her head, ear flicking. Claudine shakes her head. "Never mind. In any case, thank you for saving me…"

Maya's lips twitch at the corner.

"Your intention in coming here was to save me, was it not?"

Claudine tries to reflect the grin, but she lowers her head instead.

"It seems I won't be able to do that..."

Maya says nothing. Claudine pushes herself up, clutching the couch for support as she gets her bearings. Maya stands with her and offers her hands, then seems to remember her claws and retracts them. But Claudine reaches out and takes them anyway.

"I don't mind," she mutters.

Maya's lips twitch again.

She guides Claudine to a small closet, going slowly as Claudine hobbles. Inside are folded blankets on shelves, jackets on hangers, and piles of slippers on the floor.

Maya pulls out a pair of footwear for her, and Claudine slowly steps into them. Maya begins leading her elsewhere, and Claudine soon finds herself in the kitchen. It's spacious and clean, just like the rest of the place. The tables and chairs are made of polished wood, and the counters are topped with fine marble.

Claudine is helped into a chair, then left at the table as Maya goes to make food. Claudine had never expressed that she was hungry, but she figures Maya's ears must have heard the growling in her stomach with ease.

Claudine watches her quietly, how she moves fluently and with ease, her body much more expressive than her facial features. Things just don't add up with her, more so than just the tail and ears, and overall it's quite amusing to observe her.

Claudine believes she can read her quite well already though, in spite of only just meeting her and knowing so little about her. Her tails, ears, and posture give away what her eyes and face don't.

The pantry is full of food from what Claudine can see, and she can only assume Maya must keep a garden of sorts somewhere nearby, since she clearly doesn't go down into the market. She has so many questions, but keeps them to herself for now as Maya prepares a pair of fruit salads and a couple of sandwiches. She places one of each in front of Claudine with a neutral look in her eyes, then takes her own seat across from her.

Maya picks up her utensils, gripping her fork awkwardly thanks to the claws, and begins to eat.

Claudine watches her for a moment before she realizes she's staring, and begins to eat her food as well. Maya's face may be deadpan, but her ears and tails twitch in what Claudine can only assume to be curiosity. She realizes Maya is a bit nervous, and wants to know how she thinks the food is. Clearly, since Claudine can assume she's never exactly had a guest to eat a meal with before.

So Claudine swallows a mouthful of apples and pears and wipes her mouth with her napkin.

"It's very good," she says. "Exquisite."

Maya's tails swish.

"That's good. I'm glad it is to your liking."

Claudine hides a smile behind her napkin.

The two of them eat in an awkwardly-comfortable silence. Claudine feels immensely better aside from her ankle. She makes a move to get up and bring her bowl to the sink, but Maya takes it first.

"Sit," she says. "You're injured."

Claudine obeys, and treads carefully with her words.

"You've got a beautiful castle."

Maya doesn't turn back to look at her.

"Thank you."

"Do you tend to it all on your own?"

"Yes."

"That must be difficult."

"There isn't much else to do."

Claudine falls silent for a moment as Maya gets to washing the dishes, still trying to gauge her emotions.

"Have you tried singing?"

The fox girl pauses and doesn't move for a moment, not even a single tail. Then, she slowly turns her head back to peek at her guest.

"Singing…?"

"Or dancing," Claudine elaborates. "To pass the time. Some people find it best to do with a partner, but it works just as well if you don't have one."

Maya's lavender eyes are unblinking at her until she turns away and continues washing.

"What kind of monster sings and dances…?"

Claudine's heart sinks. She'd thought she was getting somewhere. She scrambles to try and think of something else to say, but before she can, Maya continues.

"I read."

"Pardon?"

"Books." Maya turns off the water, puts the dishes aside, and turns back to her. Claudine smiles and tilts her head.

"I could assume as much. I meant… where? Where are your books?"

Maya's tails swish. Claudine is starting to understand that means she's getting excited.

"In the library."

Claudine chuckles.

"Of course. And where is the library?"

Maya turns her face and lifts her chin. Claudine follows her gaze out of the kitchen, across the foyer, and up to a long staircase. Claudine grimaces.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'll make it all the way up there."

Maya's tails droop ever so slightly, and Claudine is torn between thinking it's pitiful and thinking it's adorable. She quickly continues.

"But I'll try. I would love to see your library."

The tails perk up again just like the ears, even without the sparkling eyes or bright smile to match. Claudine can only imagine what she'd look like expressing herself fully.

Maya walks to her and offers her hand, tilting her fingers downward as much as possible so the nails won't scrape. Claudine takes her hesitant hand with a confident one and pulls herself up.

"Thank you."

Maya says nothing, but her ears flick.

They go slowly, taking their time limping out of the kitchen and across the main hall. The lanterns hanging from the wall and lamps on the little tables give the place a sort of eerily-calm glow in contrast to the crisper, brighter winter light beaming in from the high windows.

From what Claudine can tell it might still be snowing, and any thoughts of making the journey back to town are banished from her mind.

They reach the bottom of the stairs and Maya takes the lead. Claudine follows more slowly, bringing both slippered feet onto the step at the same time, leaning onto her host. Maya's balance is flawless thanks to her tails, and she even goes so far as to rest several of them at Claudine's back to steady her.

Step by step they ascend. Claudine tightens her hold on Maya's hand and feels the clawed fingers gradually tightening their grip. Maya never pulls or tugs on her wrist, nor does she move any faster than Claudine can handle. She is patient, observant, gentle. Nothing at all like what the rumors say.

It takes some time, but they eventually reach the top without incident. Once she's on solid footing again, Claudine glances back down over her shoulder at the impressive spiral they'd just bested. Maya guides her away from the edge and checks her over.

"Are you all right?" There's no concern in her tone, no hint of worry. But Claudine knows in her heart she means it.

"I'm fine," she replies. "Thank you."

The tails at her back swish.

Maya begins leading her around the second floor, keeping a grip on her hand and her tails at her back. Claudine marvels at the architecture once more; even the high ceilings are absent of a single cobweb.

They pass by several doors, all of which are closed, and she has to bite back a dozen questions as Maya leads her on. The largest doors by far are the only ones that are open, framed by dark mahogany etched with spiraled patterns. Beyond it, Claudine can already see shelves upon shelves of books.

Maya brings her to the entrance and pauses to let her catch her breath. When she breathes in, Claudine smells ink and old parchment, the earthy tang of leather-bound covers and worn fabric bookmarks. She's eager to go inside.

But Maya hesitates again, and Claudine can feel the claws on the back of her hand loosen their grip. Claudine looks away from the books and back to Maya to notice her ears have tilted downward a bit. Claudine's smile fades.

"I'm sorry. You never said you'd let me in. You've shown me, and that's more than enough." She squeezes Maya's hand back to get her attention. "Thank you."

Maya lifts her head, and her ears stand up again. She swallows, but her eyes and voice remain emotionless.

"No…" she mumbles. "I… want to… let you in."

Claudine feels something bloom in the top of her chest, something fuzzy and soft. They're the same words she'd said to Maya last night out in the snow.

Claudine feels the fingers in hers curl a little tighter. She takes that hand in both of hers now and lifts it up between them with a smile.

"Then, if you'll let me…"

Maya blinks, and for a split second Claudine believes she can see a glint in those dull eyes.

The fox girl then slowly turns and guides Claudine into the library. Claudine hobbles behind her as they enter, marveling at the shelves and shelves of books. There must be hundreds, even thousands. She exhales in wonder, awestruck at the sight.

The room gives off a nostalgic kind of feeling, even when Claudine has never been here before in all her life. She scours the titles of the books as they pass and recognizes many of them. What surprises her is that most of them aren't regular books at all.

"Plays…" she murmurs. "These are plays. You like theater?"

Maya pauses and turns back to her slowly, eyes glazed as usual.

"Yes." Her tone is flat, but her ears flick in curiosity. "You… know them?"

Claudine nods.

"I'm familiar with many plays. I've seen quite a few in my travels."

Maya hums quietly. She looks up at the tall shelves around them, and even though Claudine is here with her, Maya suddenly seems very very lonely. The tails stop moving, and the claws curl gently into Claudine's skin.

"I'd always wanted to be an actress when I was a little girl…"

For a second, Claudine thinks she can see another half-smile forming. But then Maya turns away suddenly, her hair covering her eyes.

"But that's impossible now."

The serene feeling in Claudine's chest is sliced by a sudden pang. Maya lets go of her hand, and Claudine stumbles without the support. She yelps as she staggers, but Maya quickly whirls back around to catch her. Claudine grips her arms firmly, leaning heavily against her chest. When she looks up, Maya's face is awfully close.

"I'm sorry," the fox girl mumbles.

"I-It's all right." Claudine clears her throat and straightens up, tossing a curl of hair back over her shoulder. "In that case, why don't we read a few scenes of something?"

Maya blinks.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me," Claudine says. "Surely, with those ears of yours. I said let's read a few scenes of a play together. I'm not the most skilled, but I could definitely show you a thing or two."

Maya's ears flick again.

"I would like that."

So they sit together on a little couch by the snowy window and chose a play, one about two girls who met at a summer festival. Claudine reads through the parts of Flora and has Maya read Claire's lines. All of her words are monotonous and flat, but Claudine gives her pointers as they go.

"You can stress certain words for emphasis," she advises. "Change your pitch a little if you can. It gives emotion to the act."

Maya listens well and tries her best to obey. Her voice doesn't change much, but after mimicking Claudine's inflection several times, she manages to stress her words a little differently every now and again.

Claudine laughs and praises her, then demonstrates once more. Maya repeats and repeats, changing her tone as much as possible as they read on through the play.

Claudine narrates in her normal voice and reads Flora's lines with flare, encouraging Maya to do the same. As time passes, her tails begin to sway and swish against Claudine's back.

They read through the entire play, until Maya's tone is fluctuating, nearly as emotional and expressive as Claudine's own.

"Flora!" she says, still a little stagnantly. "Flora!"

"Louder!" Claudine coaches her. "She's your best friend, the love of your life, and she's just fallen off the tower in front of your eyes!"

Maya inhales sharply and tries again.

"Flora!"

"That's it!" Claudine claps. "Wonderful!"

Maya's lips twitch upward, and this time they form almost a full smile.

They read through the rest of the play, engrossed in the story. When the final page is turned, and Claudine reads the finale, Maya's tails stop swishing. The little light in her eyes fades away, as if the spell the play had cast on her had been canceled.

"It's over?"

Claudine closes the book gently and rests a hand on hers.

"Yes. Sadly, it is a tragedy." Her heart aches a little. Maya's liveliness hadn't been much, but it had surely been more than she'd ever expressed in many years. And now she's back to her old self, dull and expressionless.

"I see…"

Claudine frowns, tracing her fingertips gently over the backs of sharp claws.

"You read wonderfully. I think you have a knack for acting."

Maya is quiet. One tail twitches, as if she wants to say something, but decides against it.

"It doesn't matter. I can never be an actress… when I am this…" She curls her hand into a fist beneath Claudine's palm. Claudine moves both her hands into her lap and gingerly tries to unroll Maya's fingers. But Maya stands suddenly, sharply, and the book falls to the floor.

"Enough. We're finished here." She walks swiftly and stiffly toward the aisles of books without so much as a glance back.

Baffled, Claudine bends down to pick up the book, then staggers to her feet.

"Wait-!" She limps to catch up to her, but Maya is already nearing the exit, her shoes tapping harshly on the marble floor as she leaves the carpeted library behind.

Claudine curses and puts the book back on its shelf, then hurries after her, leaning mostly against the wall. The pangs that shoot up her ankle are less painful than what's in her heart now. She'd gotten a peek at the girl inside the beast - the girl that had wanted to be an actress.

Claudine can't lose her now.

She hurries onward as Maya continues strutting, her body almost entirely cloaked by all the tails. Claudine scrambles to keep up with her, nearing the top of the stairs.

"I said wait-"

Maya stops and whirls around. But her eyes aren't the same emotionless pools of lavender as before, nor is her mouth the same neutral line. Rather, her eyes have slanted downward, and her lips have pulled back in an expression Claudine hasn't seen from her yet.

Anger.

Maya takes a threatening step toward her, baring her fangs, curling her claws.

"And why should I do that? Why should I wait?" Her words become scathing, hot. "So you can slay me with your sword? That is why you came here in the first place, is it not?"

Claudine takes an unsteady step backward.

"H-Hold on. Where is this coming from? I would never-"

"Never?" she snarls. "Are you sure? Not even if I was after your life? Not even if it was your only choice?" The fangs snap at her face, and Claudine staggers.

"Wh-What are you saying? You wouldn't-"

"And how can you be sure?" Maya growls. "I am a monster, after all- a monster!"

And then the sound comes again, the one from last night that had frightened off the wolves. That ear-splitting, bone-rattling roar.

Claudine gasps as the image of a massive red fox appears around the girl, crimson smoke manifesting and taking shape in the air.

It lunges, and Claudine shrieks. Her ankle gives, and suddenly there's nothing beneath her. The winding staircase yawns back at her, awaiting her fall, ready to shatter her bones.

Her heart freezes, her eyes squeeze shut, and a desperate plea falls from her lips:

"Maya-!"

And in an instant, the red fox is gone, leaving behind only a terrified girl with tall ears.

"Claudine-!"

That horrible, sickening feeling of falling is heavy deep in the pit of her stomach, dragging her down. Claudine waits for the impact. But it doesn't come.

Instead, clawed hands and firm arms wrap around her, digging firmly into her back, pulling her forward and up. Even with all her nine tails, Maya stumbles back and falls to her knees with Claudine in her arms. Claudine clings onto her, breathing in shallow, rapid gasps, shaking. She holds tightly to Maya, seeking the same warmth that had kept her safe last night. The claws in her back gradually loosen their grip.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Maya's tone drops back to its usual pitch, the height of her anger already dashed like a flame in a rainstorm. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

Her voice doesn't let her sound like she means it. But as Claudine finally lifts her head and opens her eyes again, she can see the pain in that lifeless gaze, the agony she's suffering silently, the guilt gnawing away at her from the inside out. Claudine steadies her breathing and swallows, praying she doesn't look half as frightened as she feels.

"It… It's all right," she says thinly. "It's all right. That… That wasn't you just now. I know it wasn't."

The real Maya is the girl she'd seen a few minutes ago in the library, the girl trying to read and laugh and live. Claudine tries to seek her gaze, but the fox girl deliberately looks away.

"But it was," she says, and though there is no change in her tone, it is still somehow laden with misery. "This is who I am. This beast and I… we are one and the same." She bows her head in shame, making her hair hide her face. "You should go. Get your sword and kill me if you wish. I deserve it…" She begins to pull away, making an effort to stand.

But Claudine doesn't let her. She grabs Maya's arms and keeps her there on her knees in front of her. She gives a tug, but Maya still doesn't look up.

So Claudine lets go of her arms and reaches out for her face. She hesitates, not because she's afraid, but because she isn't sure if it will hurt her somehow.

But in the end, Claudine steels herself and goes forward. She lifts her hands, fingers no longer shaking, carding away the soft brown hair. She clears it back, tucks it behind Maya's shoulder, until she can brush her fingers softly against her cheeks. She holds Maya's face gently in her hands and turns her head, having her look into her eyes. Claudine smiles.

"I refuse."

Maya blinks, but doesn't try to pull away.

"But I am a danger. To you, and to anyone else who comes here. I should've let those men kill me years ago…"

Claudine doesn't waver, not in her words, her eyes, or in her heart.

"And I'm glad you didn't let them. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to help you."

Maya blinks again. Her ears twitch.

"Help me…? But wasn't your intention to-"

"My intention," Claudine recites. "Was to slay a monster and save a girl, remember? But now that I know all of this, I must change my words." She holds Maya's gaze sternly and honestly. "I'm not going to save you. I can't. I can only help you. Because you've got to save yourself."

This time, Maya breathes in, slowly and deeply.

"How… How can I do that…?"

Claudine lets her go, resting her hands over Maya's in her lap instead.

"I'm not sure. But maybe you could begin by… telling me… about yourself? If you can. If it isn't too painful."

Maya doesn't say anything for a moment, but Claudine can feel her fingers kneading into her blue dress.

When she's ready, Maya helps Claudine to her feet, gentle and careful, just like she'd been last night, all traces of the angry red fox gone. Claudine stands with her, but the fright from nearly falling still has her knees weak, as does her sore ankle. She can't stay up for long, but Maya doesn't let her fall. Just like last time, she catches her, and instead scoops Claudine up into her arms.

Maya carries her down the stairs and back to the red velvet room. She sits her on the couch, feeds the fire, and then turns back around, as though unsure of where to place herself. She begins heading for one of the cushioned chairs, but Claudine calls out softly to her.

"There's plenty of room here," she murmurs, patting the spot next to her.

Maya dips her head, tails dropping a little in what Claudine can only assume is a mixture of relief and guilt.

Maya sits beside her rather heavily, and though Claudine feels the need to be close to her now, she gives her space.

And she waits. She waits a long time, listening to the fire crackling and the wind blowing through the snow outside. And at long last, Maya begins to speak:

"My father was a hunter. But he didn't kill because we needed it. He killed for sport. He was famous for shooting an entire pack of wolves, herds of deer, and many many foxes." She pauses, and Claudine sees the claws dig into the dress at her knees. She reaches out silently to rest her hands over them. Maya continues:

"He nearly exterminated the foxes in this kingdom. I was still very young, but even then I never liked his killing things without reason. He wanted to show me how fun it was. So one day he took me with him into the woods. We found a cave of foxes and their babies. I begged him to leave. But he didn't. He shot the babies first, and then the father.

"But before he could kill the mother, I pushed the muzzle of the rifle away, and his last bullet missed. But the mother fox died of grief and fear in that instant. She rose up out of her body in a red mist and cursed my father. She said she would punish him by hurting his offspring, like he had hurt hers.

"She took hold of me, and her rage burned into my soul. She gave me her ears, and a tail for every one of her babies. She said I would never be loved or accepted by any human, that I would live my life suffering and alone, like she would have to live hers. She hoped to hurt my father by hurting me…"

She stops again and breathes, but still no emotion comes into her features.

"My father was terrified by how I looked, and he abandoned me in the woods. And ever since, the fox's curse has been a part of me. I only feel her rage, and her anger. So I've spent years trying to suppress my emotions, to just feel nothing at all. I would rather feel nothing than that awful, destructive fury." She exhales, long and weary. "I secluded myself to keep others safe… but it's so lonely here…" She tapers off, and by the end of it all Claudine is hiccuping softly, wiping tears away from her eyes.

Even crying is a luxury Maya doesn't allow herself, so Claudine feels guilty for being able to shed tears in front of her now.

How cruel. How horrible. For an innocent girl to be cursed and made to suffer for the sake of an uncaring father who - in the end - didn't even reap the proper punishment. Instead of anguishing over ruining his daughter's life, he'd run away and forgotten about her. Essentially, Maya had been cursed for no reason, and with no outcome other than to bear the burden of her own senseless suffering.

Maya - a girl who had wanted to be a lively actress - had been forced to distance herself, and suppress herself and her emotions for the sake of others, for the sake of people she didn't even know.

Claudine hisses another curse under her breath, one meant for the retched man who'd caused all of this. She wipes her eyes once more and looks up to the girl in blue.

"It isn't fair," she growls softly. "I won't allow it."

Maya scans her face silently for a moment.

"I'm sorry for saying," she mutters. "But I don't think it matters what you will and will not allow."

"It does!" Claudine snaps indignantly. "It does matter, because I'm here with you now!"

Again, the ears flick, and again the tails swish.

"But-"

"No!" Claudine huffs. "I won't hear it! I'm going to stay here and help you break your curses and that's final!"

Maya tilts her head - a little something she'd picked up on from Claudine during their acting practices earlier.

"And what if my curse can't be broken?"

Claudine huffs.

"Then I'll just be staying here with you forever, won't I?"

"…Forever?" Maya repeats. "That is quite a long time."

Claudine shrugs and smiles.

"And that's time I've got," she replies. "I have no one waiting for me down that mountain. I have nothing."

Maya picks her head up from the tilt now and shakes it from side to side.

"You're wrong." She lifts up Claudine's hands and tries - really really tries - to move the corners of her mouth. They wobble and twitch, until her lips curve upward in an awkward, but unmistakable smile. "You have me now, Claudine."

Claudine's heart flutters, and a smile finds its way to her lips once again.

"And you have me, Maya. That's a promise."

Maya dips her head.

"A promise."

And so they make their pact - their honest, tender vow, with nothing but the fire as their witness.

Maya soon gets up to begin on supper, and Claudine rests her ankle to have it heal as quickly as possible. Maya brings her to the kitchen where they eat and clean dishes together. She then leads her to a large bathroom, offering her the shower and a change of clothes. As Claudine bathes, Maya washes her attire and hangs it up to dry.

Claudine dries off her hair and dresses herself in the long pink dress Maya had provided for her. It's soft and warm and smells like her.

Maya then helps her back to the couch and bathes herself, emerging later dressed in black.

The fire continues burning in warm contrast to the wind outside. More snow has begun to fall, making the fire all the more pleasant. Claudine has grown drowsy at her seat by the hearth, and by the time Maya comes to sit beside her, she finds herself fading.

"I'm all right," Claudine tells her, knowing she's about to start fretting. "You should go to bed."

"I will," Maya replies, sitting down. "Right here."

Claudine crosses her arms.

"Surely you have a nice bed of your own upstairs?"

"I do," she nods. "But you don't, and it's cold tonight." Maya shifts closer to her, moving her tails to curl around her. Claudine can't help but lean in against her.

"It's going to be awfully cramped."

Maya takes the red blanket from the back of the couch and begins to lay it out.

"That means it will be warm."

Claudine rolls her eyes, but doesn't protest further. She lies down on her side with her back against the couch cushions, figuring Maya will have room for all her tails on the open side. Maya pulls her legs up and lies down as well, facing her possibly-permanent guest.

Now that she's settling in, Claudine realizes it's a bit closer than she'd been expecting, and for a moment the image of a red fox returns to her mind, fangs glinting. She shakes her head to clear it away, and only Maya remains.

Claudine waits patiently as her host gets situated, draping the blanket over the both of them, but more over Claudine. As she lies down, Maya ends up face-to-face with her. Claudine curls her hands up against her chest, uncertain. Their knees knock together a bit, and she can tell Maya is doing her best to avoid bumping her ankle with her feet. She can also tell the poor girl is about to roll right off in trying to keep her distance.

So Claudine opens her arms and pulls her in swiftly, hugging her torso and tucking her head into Maya's collar. Maya seems to stiffen for a moment, but eventually puts her arms around Claudine as well. Claudine feels the tails swishing a bit more than usual. She has to admit, it is very, wonderfully warm. Even warmer than last night.

She clings to Maya with bated breath, hoping the awkwardness will dissipate sooner rather than later. Of course, Maya doesn't seem fazed - at least not in any way Claudine can discern, aside from her tails - and that irks her in an innocent kind of way. Claudine buries her face in Maya's shoulder and just tries to sleep. But Maya's hands start twitching on her back, the claws gliding so lightly and mindlessly they end up tickling, and Claudine jolts, trying to suppress a giggle. Maya responds to the movement.

"Claudine? Are you all right? Should we… perhaps not do this after all…?"

"I'm fine," Claudine assures her.

"Are you sure?" Maya's embrace on her tightens, ears flicking. "Your heart is beating very quickly."

"It's-" Claudine exhales. Her face feels warm. Warmer than she knows it should. "It's nothing. I'm fine. Honestly… Are you?" She peeks up at her as best she can. Maya simply closes her eyes.

"I am fine, so long as you are."

Claudine sighs and lets her eyes fall shut.

"Good. Then… goodnight, Maya…"

And even though Maya can't even remember the last time she'd had someone tell her 'goodnight,' she still remembers that it's something she needs to say back.

"Goodnight, Claudine…"

It takes a bit of shifting and sighing, but eventually they both fall asleep, enveloped in the heat of the fire, and the comfort of a promise.

The following morning, the two girls wake and repeat what they'd done the morning before in the beginnings of forging a routine of sorts. Maya makes breakfast as Claudine changes back into her own clothes, which are now dried and clean thanks to her host. They eat together, do the dishes, and then decide on what to do with the rest of the daylight hours.

Firstly, Maya ventures outside into the snow to retrieve Claudine's sword. Just like before, she doesn't so much as flinch upon walking into the snow with nothing but her simple shoes and dress on. She dusts the blade off before bringing it back to its owner.

When she accepts it, Claudine takes it by the bladed side rather than the handle to silently convey that she doesn't intend to use it. Maya's anxious tails relax as Claudine leans the weapon up against the corner near the front doors.

"We'll use it for self-defense," she declares. "Nothing more."

Next, Claudine insists on helping Maya clean the place up, as she knows that's what Maya must spend most of her time doing. Her ankle is still sore, but better enough that she can stand and move and walk on it by herself now.

As they tidy the place, Maya gives her a brief tour of a few other typically-unused rooms along the second floor. They even proceed to clean the various secret rooms on the top floor, which all just turn out to be leisure spaces, another bathroom, and a few rooms that are mostly vacant aside from some rustic knick-knacks, old paintings, and lonely pieces of furniture.

They dust off the library's book shelves as well, letting Claudine understand the vastness of the room.

But her favorite discovery by far is a little greenhouse on the lower level that connects to the main castle. Maya explains she has gardens outside as well, but during the off-seasons she grows her food here. The next task on their list is to tend to the indoor gardens, weeding and watering and gathering the ripe vegetables.

As they go about the day, Claudine finds herself humming and singing softly to pass the time. Whenever she does, Maya's ears perk and her tails sway.

After the gardens, it's back to the kitchen for lunch, and then a bit of laundry.

When they've finished all of their chores, Claudine proposes something a little more fun. She takes a slice of Maya's self-made bread from the pantry and peels off the crusts, then pointedly heads out toward the back doors. Maya follows her quietly, but her tails rustle in curiosity.

With her help, Claudine pushes open the heavy back doors and steps out into the little snow-covered patio Maya had showed her earlier. The snow is still falling, but not heavily, and the breeze isn't too strong, so Claudine is fine without any extra layers for now. Maya walks up beside her and peers down at the bread crusts in her hand.

"Claudine, what are you doing?"

Claudine turns to her with a spark in her eyes.

"Watch."

She crumbles up the bread crumbs into tiny pieces, then sprinkles some out into the snow. She then takes Maya's hand and they ease back a few paces. Claudine crouches down a few feet away and has Maya do the same.

"Shh…" she whispers. "Just wait."

And so Maya waits, her eyes focused entirely on the tiny crumbs atop the snow. Claudine's hand is warm in hers and she gives it a little squeeze.

After a few chilly moments, there's a fluttering sound. Maya can discern it isn't just Claudine's excited pulse this time.

Birds. Tiny little songbirds appear seemingly out of nowhere and begin hopping around, pecking up the little bread pieces and chirping happily.

Maya is stunned - Claudine can tell by the way her jaw drops ever so slightly.

"I've never been so close to them before," Maya mumbles.

Claudine looks down to the remaining bread in her free hand and smiles.

"Then just you wait. I'll show you something even more amazing."

She crumbles some of the bread into her open palm and then reaches out her arm. She whistles, and the tiny birds turn their heads and continue hopping around, but she notes at least one of them had seen her offering.

The little brown sparrow hops cautiously toward them. Claudine can feel Maya stiffen instantly, like she's about to run. She has to stop herself from laughing, lest she scare the bird away.

"It's all right," she whispers to her. "It won't hurt you."

"That isn't what I'm afraid of…" Maya brushes her claws against Claudine's knuckles as a reminder. Claudine huffs.

"You won't hurt it either. I know you wouldn't."

So Maya grasps onto Claudine's belief in her. She holds her ground as the bird approaches Claudine's lowered hand. It chitters and turns its head from side to side, pausing, then hopping closer again. Claudine can tell Maya is holding her breath.

At last the tiny bird hops directly into Claudine's hand and pecks up the bread crumbs. Maya's whole body tenses up with quiet, suppressed excitement. Claudine can feel her fidgeting, her tails going wild in wordless amazement, her hand squeezing tighter.

"Incredible," she says. There is no wonder or awe in her tone, but Claudine understands she means it. She must be feeling those things somewhere deep within her heart.

The sparrow finishes the food and then flutters away to the rest of the flock. Claudine wipes off her hand before offering the last of the bread to Maya.

"You can try it too, you know."

Maya's expressionless mask cracks for a second, and her brow furrows.

"I couldn't. They would never come to me. All they would see is a predator trying to trick them into a trap…"

"Really?" Claudine looks her over pensively. "They got this close to you already. I think all they would see is a girl giving them a treat."

Maya has no reply. She's never had anyone be so confident in her - as a person, not as someone possessed by a fox. So she lets Claudine pour the remaining crumbs into her palm, then mimics what Claudine had done earlier, reaching her hand forward and keeping it low.

Claudine keeps one hand on Maya's back and one on her shoulder to keep her steady. She whistles again, and again the birds seem to notice the food. A moment passes, and none of them move. Claudine can feel the energy draining from Maya's body. But she gives her an encouraging pat on the back.

"It's okay. Don't lose hope."

She whistles again, and this time one bird breaks away from the flock. It bounces over in a zigzagging pattern, cocking its head as it follows the scent of the food. Maya is so stiff with anticipation that Claudine has to hold back another little chuckle.

The sparrow pauses just in front of the unnaturally sharp fingernails, and Claudine sends out a silent prayer. Maya holds her breath and trembles.

The sparrow peeks its head over her palm and pecks up one crumb. Maya's tails fluff up. And then the bird hops right into her hand and begins gobbling up the crumbs.

Claudine has to refrain from squealing in joy.

And while Maya may still not be the greatest at expressing her feelings with her face, the rest of her body says plenty for her excitement. Her tails swish softly, and her free hand grips Claudine's shirt tightly. And it's only for a second, but Claudine notices the tiniest sparkle flash across her eyes, and a tiny, tiny smile to match.

The bird finishes its snack and hops away, and before long the flock flies off. Claudine is beaming quietly, watching as Maya inspects her hand in deadpanned disbelief.

"It… touched me…"

"Yes!" Claudine can't contain herself any longer. She throws her arms around Maya gleefully. "You did it, Maya!"

This was a clear message for her: that she was more girl than beast. If even a biased prey animal could see that and still trust her with its life, that knowledge must be worth something.

Maya lifts her arms to return the embrace, nodding into Claudine's shoulder.

"Yes…"

It's a momentous victory for the both of them.

They linger outside a bit longer, then stand and head back in before the cold becomes too much.

The rest of the day is spent cooking and finishing up chores before they can spend more leisure time reading and acting in the library.

And all the while, Claudine notices that Maya's lopsided little smile comes back more and more often, and eventually is there to stay. Her eyes become a little more animated than they'd been yesterday, and her body movements and posture are just the tiniest bit more expressive, too.

That evening, after they've both bathed and eaten, Claudine makes her way for the red velvet room to rest. But Maya wordlessly takes her hand and guides her away. Claudine follows quietly - trusting.

Maya helps her up the stairs, even though Claudine can manage on her own now, but she doesn't complain about the hand on hers.

They reach the top and then make their way past the several closed doors until they reach the only one Claudine hasn't seen inside of yet. Maya opens it slowly and brings her in.

Claudine admires what she can only assume to be Maya's own bedroom. There is a mantle, vanity, dresser, chairs and a desk all made of the same fine wood as the library's intricate archway. The walls and carpet are a soft lavender and violet, respectively. There's a fireplace across from a large bed, and a single window beside that, allowing in a faint silvery winter glow.

As Maya escorts her in, Claudine feels her heart rate spike up for the first time in a while. Maya clearly notices and pauses, turning back.

"Claudine? I'm sorry. If you don't wish to stay here-"

"N-No!" Claudine blurts. "I want to, i-if it's… if it's with you…" She tightens her grip on Maya's hand, but is painfully aware of the fact that her fingers are quivering. Maya steps close to her and looks her over.

"And what if it wasn't with me?"

Claudine snorts.

"Then I'd want to be staying wherever you were."

And this time, Maya's lips turn into almost a full smile. She lets go of Claudine's hand to allow her to settle in at her own pace as Maya herself crosses the room to start the fire.

Claudine tentatively pulls the covers back from the bed and sits down, watching Maya. Her ears and tails are set at comfortable angles, causing her to wonder if Maya is as flustered about sharing a bed with her as Claudine is. She knows she has no right to be feeling such… warm feelings for this girl - Claudine is supposed to be helping her break her curse, nothing more. She inhales a deep breath and exhales slowly as the fire sparks.

Maya feeds it a few logs until it springs up, already filling the room with a cozy kind of heat. When she finishes and turns back to face the bed, Claudine feels her heart jump up into her throat. Maya's ears flick.

"Claudine?"

"I'm fine!" She puts her hands up defensively. "I just feel like I'm… imposing… This is your room, after all…"

Maya tilts her head a little bit. Claudine begs she won't make her say any more than that. Her face feels as hot as if she'd been sitting next to the fire all day long.

But luckily, Maya seems to understand her dilemma. She approaches the bed and sits down on the opposite side. She turns to Claudine and then lies down on her side, pulling the blankets up over as much of her tails as she can. She looks up at Claudine and pats the space beside her.

"Sleep."

Claudine exhales, a bit more relieved now that Maya has gotten in first. She would've felt horribly awkward if she'd lain down in another person's bed before they did.

So Claudine pulls her legs up and under the blankets, muttering apologies when her bare feet accidentally bump Maya's. Maya is unfazed as usual, watching her with dull eyes, but Claudine doesn't miss the corners of her lips still curling up a little.

Claudine isn't sure if she should face Maya or not, if it would be too bold to do so or too rude not to. So she settles for lying on her back, pulling the covers up slowly, staring up at the dark purple ceiling as the fire crackles across the room. She bites her lip, feeling Maya's eyes on her, watching her every move.

She knows Maya is just curious and also getting used to sharing her bed for the first time ever, but her expressionless features make Claudine feel like prey somehow. Not in a bad way, just in an awkward way.

The silence is killing her, and before long she closes her eyes and croaks out a whisper.

"G-Goodnight, then…" She just hopes this will be enough.

But of course, she feels Maya shifting, hears her tails brushing against the mattress. Claudine reopens her eyes and glances over to find Maya's hand innocently outstretched toward her - hesitant, nervous. When she notices Claudine has spotted her, Maya gasps and quickly curls her nails in, ears going flat. But Claudine smiles and reaches for that hand, carefully uncurling Maya's balled-up fingers.

"It's all right," Claudine murmurs. She brings Maya's hand to rest across her stomach, silently giving her consent to touch.

Maya doesn't move for a moment, but when Claudine continues to reassure her with an honest smile, Maya eventually slides closer to her.

Claudine feels the fox girl's arms slipping around her back and over her waist, coaxing her onto her side to face her. She can feel how painstakingly cautious Maya is being with her claws, never tightening her grip too hard.

Claudine moves as she interprets Maya wants her to, slowly enough that she can stop her if she wants to, but she never does.

Maya blinks up at her one more time before quietly burying her face into Claudine's nightgown, nestling in against her stomach. Her tall, soft ears swivel and press over Claudine's chest, and her embrace becomes a tender sort of clinging.

Claudine wraps her arms lightly around the girl's shoulders, cradling her head against her collar. Her fingers move in small, experimental stroking motions through Maya's hair, remaining tentative for the moment. But when Maya makes a sound somewhere between a hum and a sigh of relief, Claudine knows it's all right to keep going.

Maya moves closer, as close to her as possible, and becomes a little bolder with her embrace. Claudine reciprocates, hugging her tight until there's no space left between them. Maya makes another sound in the back of her throat and nuzzles against Claudine's stomach, hands spreading across her back as if to touch as much of her as possible.

"Warm…" Claudine hears her sigh. "You are… so warm, Claudine… Your heart is very nice, too. I like listening…"

Claudine chews her lip in contemplation at the comment.

"Thank you…" she says, deciding it was probably meant as an uncertain kind of compliment. "You're very warm as well, Maya."

Silence comes over them, but it's a comfortable silence. Odd, but comfortable.

Two girls who have never shared a bed before, never been pressed up close to someone else before, never met another person so oddly brave and let down their defenses for them.

One is trusting a girl possessed by an angry beast.

And the other is trusting a girl who had originally come to kill her.

The fire cracks softly, filling the room with its quiet melody.

But the warmest place isn't at the hearth.

It's here - Claudine knows it. Here on this stiff old mattress, in the arms of a monster.

In the morning, Claudine wakes wrapped in a soft tangle of blankets and arms and tails. The fire had tapered out in the night, but she's never felt warmer.

When she opens her eyes, she finds Maya in the same position she'd fallen asleep in, nestled up against her, breathing softly. Claudine feels an immediate softness curl up in her chest.

When she's sleeping is the only time Maya's face shows her emotions naturally. Years of conditioning and training herself to be stoic had been a conscious effort, but when she sleeps the mask falls away and the act is put on hold. Now, her brow is relaxed, and her lips are free to twitch however they please without subconscious monitoring.

Claudine can't help herself. She hugs Maya gently, gingerly, cradling her head, and without thinking presses a tiny kiss into her hair. Once she realizes what she's done, however, Claudine's pulse takes off and her face turns pink. Naturally, Maya wakes due to the internal noise, blinking sleepily.

Claudine hates that she can see the emotions draining from Maya's features as she rouses herself, but in the end she's happy to see her eyes opening. Even if Maya never learns how to express herself properly, Claudine knows she'll always be able to read her.

Maya unwinds herself from Claudine and pushes herself up, shaking the loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Claudine…?"

"Good morning," she says quickly, praying she hadn't felt the kiss. "How did you sleep?"

Maya rubs her eyes and blinks.

"Better than I ever have in my entire life." Though her face and tone don't incline any truth to her words, Claudine knows she's being honest.

"It was the same for me," she replies.

They both sit in silence for a moment, searching each other's eyes, unsure of what they're searching for, or what they end up finding.

In the end, the two of them climb out of bed, and start the day.

It goes as yesterday had gone - breakfast, cleaning, gardening. Then the majority is spent in the library. Reading. Acting. Singing.

Claudine continues teaching Maya how to express herself, how to convey her emotions, how to wear her heart on her sleeve.

They spend a bit of time outside feeding the birds again, and then it's time for dinner, and finally bed.

And step by step, day by day, their tentative moments together become bolder, more confident, more comfortable. The intangible barriers that had existed between them upon their meeting melt away under the warmth of their newfound bond.

The light returns to Maya's eyes as she remembers all the feelings she'd locked away deep inside her heart. Little by little, she begins to smile.

And little by little, Claudine realizes she's falling in love with her.

And it isn't long before she understands that isn't something she needs to hide.

It's in the library one bright afternoon, when they've just finished reading through another play, when Maya suddenly breaks out into a beaming smile. She pulls Claudine into a spritely dance all around the room, laughing like Claudine has never known her to before.

And she kisses her, softly and unabashedly.

And Claudine kisses back in a heartbeat.

When they part, neither of them say a word.

But they feel they don't really need to.

Two weeks go by as the winter colds rage on outside the castle.

Somewhere along the lines, Claudine realizes that she'd lost the motivation or desire to return to the kingdom at the bottom of the mountain. She would love nothing more than to stay here with Maya for as long as her heart wishes for it.

But some part of her knows it can't be that simple, not when Maya is still burdened with her curse.

It hasn't been much, but the anger of the fox has shown itself briefly over the past few weeks. Sometimes it would manifest at the slightest inconvenience, such as Maya dropping a utensil or misreading a word in one of their books. It was always sudden, and the anger rose to unwarranted levels in split seconds.

It always shocked Claudine, and she'd scramble to get Maya in control of herself again. Whenever it happened, Maya always became despondent for a while afterward, as if wallowing in guilt for it.

Claudine has to wonder if this had ever happened before she'd come to the castle. She has to wonder if her presence here is doing Maya more harm than good.

She dwells over the thoughts at supper that evening, stirring her soup more than sipping it, until it's turned cold and unappetizing. Maya, who has by now re-learned how to raise her eyebrows and change her tone, notices.

"Claudine?" she says, sounding rather natural in inquiry. "Is something the matter?"

Claudine quickly drinks a spoonful of cold broth.

"Nothing," she assures. "Sorry. I got lost in thinking about how much better you've gotten in your readings."

Maya's tails swish, and her mouth curves into a grin.

"You really think I've gotten better?"

"Exceptionally!" Claudine praises. "Your dance and tone are incomparable!"

"Much like your beauty, no?"

Claudine sputters. The flirty comments are a rather new development in Maya's progress.

"Honestly…" she mutters, blushing behind her napkin.

Clearly proud of herself, Maya stands and brings her bowl to the sink. Claudine finishes her soup quickly and joins her.

As they clean the dishes, Maya leans against her shoulder, sighing.

"I still can't believe it," she murmurs, and her voice lowers into a genuinely affectionate hum. "That you've come into my life like this. That you've done all of this for me…"

Claudine leans back into her equally.

"I find it hard to believe as well," she says. "And yet, here we are, and no one is complaining."

Maya hums again and pulls her in by the waist, kissing her cheek. Her ear flicks.

"Forgive me for saying it, but your heart seems a bit erratic tonight. Perhaps we should retire early."

Claudine lifts her chin indignantly.

"F-Fine. After a shower."

"But of course."

"Goodness. I must be an incredible teacher because your act is getting quite infallible."

"It's not an act." Maya turns honest, sparkling eyes to her. "What you first walked into - that was the act. The hollow shell I'd taught myself to be, so much so that I'd forgotten my true self." She presses another soft kiss to Claudine's temple. "But you've helped me find myself again, Claudine. And for that, I can't possibly thank you enough."

Claudine dries off her hands and rests them on either side of Maya's face, bringing their foreheads together.

"You don't need to thank me."

"Then what would you say to a kiss?"

"I suppose I wouldn't say no."

They lean into each other's lips, sharing a soft chuckle into the kiss.

They wrap up the evening a bit early and take turns bathing, and are curled up in bed before long. They've found themselves copying the same position they'd used on their first night ever since, and tonight is no different. Claudine hugs her shoulders as Maya loops both arms around her waist, cuddling up to her collar.

"Such a lively lullaby your heart is giving me tonight," she teases.

"Quiet, you…"

It isn't long before they fall asleep together, breathing softly, nestled in warmth.

Not knowing of the cold to come.

. . .

. .

.

. .

. . .

The pain is so sharp and sudden that it rips Claudine right out of her slumber. It's deep, burning, filling her mind with the images of snapping red fangs. She screams herself awake, her jumbled mind and racing heart believing the pain would stop after she'd woken.

But it doesn't stop. It only gets worse.

Claws.

Claws are digging into her back, sinking in through the fabrics of her clothes, tearing through and scratching skin. She can feel all ten punctures in her back and sides, buried in as far as they can possibly go.

Her screams echo throughout the castle, throbs upon throbs of agony searing through her body in violent waves. She gasps, trying to catch her breath and find her words, eyes squeezed shut. She barely manages to squint them open.

She wishes she hadn't.

The same red fangs snap back at her. The entire form of the massive fox crouches over Maya's unconscious body, growling her crimson fury - sheer hatred. Maya sleeps on, unknowingly.

Claudine knows this will break her. But she has no choice. Curling her fingers hard into Maya's back, she shrieks.

"Maya-!"

And Maya hears that cry of heart-wrenching horror, and she is smothered by the unspeakable terror of understanding what's going on, what her own body is being made to do.

Claudine forces her eyes back open, forces her screams down, and only lets out a strained, sobbing whimper.

"M-Maya…"

And she sees the horror, the terror, the soul-crushing fear in her eyes. Those eyes that had always been so dull, so empty.

The eyes Claudine herself had helped give life and light to. The eyes she'd only just begun to see twinkling with joy and love.

And now they're drowning as the realization of what she's done slams over her.

Horrified, Maya wrenches herself away from her, trying to get back as quickly as possible. But the desperation of her panic only causes Claudine to cry out again as the claws tear free.

Claudine tries her damnedest to swallow back the scream, but she isn't strong enough. Her arms fly to her stomach, crossing tightly around her sides to cover the wounds as best she can. She can feel blood seeping through.

No- no- stop, stop, stop-!

"No!" she yelps, already feeling it as Maya leaps out of the bed to distance herself. Claudine lifts her head sharply, wincing past the tears that have begun to fall. Not as much because of the pain of her wounds, but because of the pain it's causing her to see Maya like this.

Maya backs away, shaking and pale, ears flat. And her eyes…

"W-Wait-" Claudine pushes herself up, only to collapse back down onto the mattress, sputtering.

But Maya doesn't wait. She just backs away, shaking her head slowly, heavily. The red glow around her fades away. She backs into the door so hard that it clatters. Forced to stop now, she raises her trembling hands and looks down. Her nails are coated in red. Claudine's blood is smeared all over her palms and drips down her wrists.

Claudine knows this might be her only chance. She pushes herself up past all the aching agony shooting through her back, grabbing the blankets and throwing them aside. Panting, she lifts her head as tears spill down, calling for her.

"Maya, wait-!"

But it's too late.

Maya clutches the door with her blooded hands, pushes through, and runs.

Claudine is gripped by a deep, twisting nausea, something dreadful and sickening in the bottom of her heart.

It's the feeling that she's going to lose her. The knowledge that she'll never get to see Maya again if she doesn't go after her right now.

The burning scratches across her back scream in protest as she forces herself up, stumbling out of the bed and onto the carpet, hissing. Her vision blurs with stinging tears as the echoes of Maya's frantic footsteps patter through the castle.

Claudine forces herself up, ignoring the feeling of blood dripping down her back. She races to the door and rams her shoulder into it, sending it flying.

And she runs.

Faster than she's ever ran before, barefoot down the cold marble hallways all the way to the top of the stairs. She limps down them as quickly as she can, hearing the reverberating slam of the back doors as Maya flees.

She isn't running just to get away. She's running to disappear.

Claudine won't - can't - let that happen.

She stumbles down each step so quickly she eventually trips on the ends of her nightgown, only barely managing to grab onto the railing to prevent herself from falling the rest of the way down. She catches herself and quickly moves on, pulse pounding throughout her entire body, from the back of her skull to the tips of her toes.

She scrambles to reach the bottom, jumping down the last few stairs and breaking out into a desperate run, tears and sweat and blood falling in her wake.

She follows Maya's panicked path to the back doors - the same doors where they'd sat so many afternoons together feeding the birds, watching the forest, enjoying their time together.

Now, as Claudine flings the doors apart, she runs right past the spot where they'd used to sit, straight into the white blizzard raging outside.

The winds blast all around her, whipping her hair in every direction, freezing her to her core in a matter of seconds. She hardly manages several steps before a powerful gust knocks her clean off her feet, bowling her over, down into the hard frigid snow.

She gasps, breath thin and white, wheezing as she looks frantically around in the gray darkness. It's the same as that very first night; the same harrowing forest, the same deep shadows, the same bone-shaking chill.

The only thing that differs is the fear.

It isn't the same fear she'd felt on the first night - not fear of the unknown. It's the exact opposite.

This is the fear of knowing exactly what's happening.

She's losing her. In fact, she may have already lost her.

Claudine tries to get up. She puts every remaining ounce of force into her hands and pushes herself up out of the snow, but only gets as far as her torso. She can't find the strength to move her trembling legs; the snows covering them in a numbing deadweight. She can feel the tears freezing over on her face, eyes searching wildly in the darkness.

She can see footprints leading away into the forest, footprints that are already being filled in by the falling snow.

Even the pain in Claudine's back has been numbed by now, so only the anguish in her heart remains.

When she breathes in, it doesn't feel like enough air to sustain her, and the wind seems to steal her breath too quickly from her lungs. She coughs, fighting an internal battle to muster up the last remnants of her voice, drawing it up her throat and to the back of her lips to produce a cry that rings throughout all of Starlight Kingdom.

But it doesn't draw in the one it's meant for.

Instead, it draws in the same hungry shadows she'd encountered once before.

Low growls and barks rumble in the snow-laden undergrowth as paws shuffle closer. To them, she's a gift. A bleeding treat being served, running straight to them without the safety of her guard. With the apex predator gone, she's theirs for the taking.

If Claudine had had the life left in her, she would've tried to run.

But with Maya gone, she doesn't see the point.

Helplessly, she watches them prowl closer, their bodies taking shape, outlined in the dull grey glow reflecting off the snow. The wind howls louder than her heart.

She can't get up. She can't.

The snow and the wind drag her down, and nothing is left to pick her back up.

Nothing.

"Ma…ya…"

She whispers the name, and the wolves pounce.

Maya runs.

She runs, and she hopes Claudine won't follow.

Not after what Maya had done to her.

Ever since she had first laid eyes upon the strange girl who had stumbled to her doorstep, she'd felt an odd attraction towards her, an indescribable kind of pull. And when Claudine hadn't run away, but had started spending time with her instead, Maya had felt that feeling becoming stronger.

She'd wanted to be with her. She still does.

But she knows she can't. Not anymore. Not after this…

All her life, Maya had never had other people by her side. She'd chased them off for her own good as well as theirs, but a tiny part of her had always hoped someone might stay, might come back.

So when Claudine had actually done that - had actually planted her roots here with Maya - it had excited and terrified her.

Maya loves her. She loves Claudine, and that's why she can't stay. Hurting her in that one moment had been the ultimate sin, more excruciating than a decade of her curse had ever been.

She runs as quickly as her bare feet can carry her, body numbed by a heated, pounding fear. She wants to keep running until she can't anymore, and then keep running beyond that.

But she hears them. She hears the beasts in the shadows, and she hears where they're going.

She hears that soul-shattering cry split through the harsh winds.

And of course, she hears even that tiny, feeble whisper of her name.

And in that instant, Maya understands that the strength of her love for Claudine is only matched by the fear of losing her.

Teeth grit, she turns tail and races back, pelting through the trees faster than the four-legged shadows, her vision turning red. She sprints back to the castle, to the snow-covered courtyard, to the shaking form of a bleeding girl fallen in the snow.

The wolves leap. Maya bears her fangs and roars.

The mighty red fox lunges forward, bidding to her will, knocking each of the dogs off their paws, swiping and snapping. Though it's only a spirit, Maya's fury manifests strongly enough to give it real power, allowing the beast to land solid blows. She lets it loose, beast against beast, and throws herself over Claudine, gathering her limp weight up into her arms.

"Claudine-!"

The animals snarl and tussle violently around them, the wolves charging tactfully as the fox defends. Maya blinks away tears as she looks over Claudine. Her eyes are closed, and for a moment, Maya's heart freezes.

But after a gentle shake to her shoulders, Claudine's eyelashes flutter open weakly, dizzily. For a second they are dull, like Maya's had once been. But then they light up with a quiet, grateful spark - the deepest, most profound joy, the most heartfelt relief.

"M… Maya…" Her lips quiver and her voice trembles, but Maya's ears tune in. Hearing her voice sends a wave of warmth through Maya's body, a comfort that trickles through every vein, touches even the darkest recesses of her heart.

Maya's features soften, the same mixture of love and pain reflecting in her eyes. She curls herself over Claudine, kissing her forehead, squeezing her into the tightest embrace she can muster. She spreads her fingers to cover the wounds she'd inflicted as if to erase them, wishing she could heal.

"Claudine-" She chokes, and with all the noise going on around them it's a miracle Claudine hears her at all. Maya pulls her up against her chest, shielding her from view of the ravenous animals. "Claudine…" she whispers. "You have to run… Please go… far away from here… from me…"

And the foolish part of her heart believes Claudine will deny her, that she'll refuse and stay with Maya until the bitter end.

But when Maya lets her go, Claudine staggers to her feet. She looks down at her, clutching herself as she shivers.

And for once, it's Claudine's eyes that are unreadable.

Maya swallows, and for a moment she can feel every throb of her heart stinging through her chest. She'd told her to go, but she wants her to stay.

So she knows she has no right to feel such horrible pain when Claudine turns and runs without a word.

Maya almost calls her back. Almost.

But she bites it down, lets the anguish of her loss mix with the desire to protect her until the very end.

As Claudine runs, Maya covers her, willing the fox to clear a path for her, keeping the wolves at bay until she reaches the castle doors. Maya watches her go until the last curl of silvery-blonde hair has vanished.

She rises, slowly and heavily, as if her body is made of crumbling stone. The wolves turn to her, sensing her weakness, feeding off of her draining will to fight. Now is their chance to take her down once and for all, and they know it.

So they charge. Maya turns to face them, and the fox rears up behind her. She fights, slashing with her own claws, tossing them off when they leap, wrenching herself free from the biting jaws.

She fights until they bring her to her knees, feeling warm blood dripping from too many places to count. And when she'd only just learned how to feel again, now she can't feel anything anymore.

Even the fox shrinks away, drawing back into her as her willpower diminishes under the beating chill of the wind. Head bowed, ears down, she waits for the finishing blow.

And with all her vigor gone, her senses have dulled enough that she doesn't notice the shift in the wind. As the breeze pushes down on her, something pushes back.

Metal cutting through air-

Maya opens her eyes and raises her head.

An angel appears.

Claudine stands with her blood-soaked back to her, sword in-hand, deflecting the deadly fangs of the largest wolf. She cries out defiantly as she pushes it back, then swings at another, forcing it away.

Maya can't believe her eyes. Her heart soars and more tears jump up to the rims of her eyes, but still cannot fall.

With the wolves temporarily at bay, Claudine turns back to her, panting, eyes alight with fire and love. She reaches out her hand, and Maya takes hold.

And they fight. Claws and blades slashing, battling through the cold and the pain.

Until Claudine's fingers are too numb to keep a grip on her sword.

Until Maya's claws break off one by one, and none remain.

They fight. For life, for love, and for each other.

And at long last the wolves retreat, bleeding and limping, back into the shadows.

The blizzard has calmed into a light flurry, and the winds have died down.

Maya exhales long and deep. But when she leans backward, she doesn't feel Claudine's weight pushing lightly back to support her.

There's a thin breath, a soft thud, and a crunching of snow.

Maya turns - too late to catch her as she falls.

"Claudine-?"

She drops down beside her, gathering Claudine into her arms once again. The fox inside her stirs and moans, and a pang of sickening nostalgia washes through their shared body.

"Claudine…?" Maya shakes her gently, but her eyes remain closed. She doesn't stir. Not one bit.

"Claudine-?" She angles her ears, but she can't pick up on anything like she'd always been able to. Even when she drops her head down onto Claudine's chest and listens, she can't decipher even a flutter of a pulse. She isn't breathing, and the wonderful warmth she'd always shared with Maya has faded into a horrible, stagnant chill.

"No…"

Hollow doesn't even begin to describe the feeling that takes hold of Maya now. It's numb, but it still hurts. It's suffocating. It's agonizing. It consumes her.

"No… No, please… Claudine…"

She'd had every chance to run. Maya had willed it on her. She'd had every chance to sneak away or give up on Maya, to let her live out the rest of her miserable life in cursed solitude.

But she'd stayed. Through it all.

She'd taught Maya how to express herself again. She'd listened to her story - to her dream - and done her best to help her live it. She'd let her feel again.

And even after Maya had hurt her, even after she'd been in such danger, such peril, Claudine had come back for her. She'd come back - to fight for her, to protect her, despite the odds and despite her fear. She had gone to such lengths to show Maya just how dearly she loved her.

And now, all Maya can do is say it to her, in a voice laced with more emotion than she's ever known before.

"I love you…"

Frozen tears fall at last as Maya sobs, after all the years she was unable to. She weeps from her very core, clutching Claudine's unmoving body. She wraps her tails around her as she'd done on that very first night, and holds her close. Bitter, bitter tears, thinking of all the things she'd never gotten to say to her in her newfound voice, all the expressions she'd never gotten to show her, all the emotions she'd never gotten to convey.

As she weeps, she can feel the fox within her stirring - restless. Maya feels her grief, like a boulder weighing her down from the inside.

They mourn together; regretting, lamenting, remembering. The sadness takes hold and doesn't let go.

And for once, Maya can't feel the anger. That subtle, underlying fire that had always seemed to be boiling and churning within her soul is nowhere to be found now.

Suddenly, as Maya cries, the image of the fox appears behind her eyelids. Swathed in a red mist, she stands perfectly still, projecting herself into the forefront of Maya's mind. Maya watches as she parts her jaws and speaks in a way only Maya as a vessel can understand.

"Enough," she utters. "Enough of this grief. Enough anger. I understand now it won't bring my babies back to me."

Maya tries to speak, tries to apologize for what her father had done so many years ago, but the fox already seems to understand. She shakes her head and dips it low.

"I was wrong to punish you. You were nothing but a babe yourself… But you've taught me that anger grants us nothing but tragedy in the end. It's love that will save us."

Her image begins to fade, swept away on an invisible breeze...

And then the fury of the red mist vanishes for good.

Maya opens her eyes.

Snow is still falling, spiraling down in slow, soft dances. Claudine is quiet in her arms.

But Maya can feel something. Something she's never felt before.

Her broken claws are retracting - no… disappearing. They shrink down and shift into human fingernails, round and smooth, allowing her to feel more of Claudine than she'd ever been able to before. Her ears flicker and fade, then reappear in a much more humanlike area on her head, and with a much more humanlike shape. And her tails sway one last time before dissipating one by one into a light red mist.

Her curse is broken.

Maya lifts her face to the sky as the soft glow of morning bathes the distant horizon. The red mist lingers, then gradually begins to float downward. It settles over Claudine, sharing its warmth and its life with her, healing her wounds.

And then, all at once, it's gone.

Claudine opens her eyes just as her chest dips with a delicate breath. Maya's fingers curl hopefully into her clothes.

"C-Claudine-?"

Claudine's eyes shift into focus, recognition. She inhales, trying to remember how to use her voice.

"Maya…"

Maya blinks, eyes wide in shock, disbelief-

"Claudine!"

Joy. The purest, deepest, most genuine joy she's ever known.

Maya pulls Claudine into her arms and doesn't let go, wailing her name like a prayer. Her voice trembles, thick with raw emotion, things she never even knew she could feel before. She feels Claudine's arms around her, folding with a gentle firmness - tender and strong.

"Maya…" Claudine hiccups against her shoulder, nuzzling her face into the side of her neck. "Maya…"

Claudine can't believe her eyes. Maya's ears have turned human, and her tails are gone. When Maya curls her hands into protective fists at Claudine's back, she can feel the claws have vanished, too. There isn't a trace of a scratch or scrape from the battle left on her.

And she can feel that her own wounds have been healed as well. The pain is gone, and even the sting of the cold comes second to the blossoming warmth thawing their hearts.

They cry as the sun rises and showers them in golden light.

At long last, Maya is free - free to live and love and express herself however she pleases.

And as Claudine eases back and beams a tearful smile up at her, Maya knows there's no one else she'd rather do these things with.

Claudine reaches up to cradle Maya's face in her hands, and Maya does the same. Claudine leans close, brushing their noses together.

"I love you, too."

And they kiss, soft and loving, just as the sun shines down its very warmest light over Starlight Kingdom.

--------

A/N: What a story! This one alone was nearly 20k words, but I had so much fun with it! And I finally got to write fox/kitsune Maya, after seeing all that art and stuff of it! I know by now I'm late to the party, (I remember I was working on this secretly during a professional workday last September.. that's how long I've been holding onto it) but better late than never!

I hope you enjoyed. This itself could've been a multi-chapter fic, but wanted to keep it a oneshot with the rest.