No Need for a Core?

Several days earlier...

On opposite ends of the dungeon's border with Kuiccihan, two usagisune took off toward their destinations. To Azeria ran Erryn, and to Riverbridge ran his sister, Aliyah.

They wore similar, simple outfits: a snug, soft vest with plentiful pockets, short pants, and soft ankle boots designed to accommodate the flexibility of their feet while providing both protection and traction.

They were chosen for this duty because they had always been runners and they shared vague memories of racing each other even before Mistress Kazue's presence had tugged at their minds.

Erryn dashed across the road and into the forest as they'd both been instructed and did his best to put the disconcerting lack of connection to the cores out of his mind. He focused on the terrain in front of him as he ran, testing himself against wild terrain as he dodged or jumped over hurdles while doing his best to never break his pace. Pushing himself to race as fast as he could in such difficult terrain was exhilarating, with the ever-present slight thrill of danger should his skill prove inadequate.

He and his sister had trained with Betty as well once they'd been gifted this evolution, and this new, kick-focused fighting style blended with their athletic skills and their basic chi training to make their legs powerful, and no bush, rock, or sudden dip in the land proved a challenge as even the trees could be used as surfaces to jump from, at the right angle.

This skill he pushed to the test when he heard voices and wagons on the road that was hidden from his sight. He picked a pair of trees close to each other and jumped his way between them to gain height and a perch from which to spy on the approaching travelers.

His task was to deliver his message, but he was well aware that Mordecai and Kazue would like to keep innocents from being involved in this if they could. These should not be the ones assaulting his home, but he didn't feel he knew enough to be sure. After a moment of indecision, he went with the decision he felt less likely to bring sorrow to dungeon cores. "Ho to the caravan!" He called out to get their attention, "Danger lies ahead, help will be on the way. You should camp and fortify!" He gave a quick wave and then worked his way down to continue his run.

Which proved trickier than he'd expected. Erryn made a mental note to train on jumping down from difficult positions in the future, this was much slower than he felt it could be. Questions were being shouted at him from the caravan guards, but he couldn't allow himself to be that sidetracked. As soon as his feet hit the ground once more, he took off running and once more sank into the rush of running through such challenging terrain.

Erryn's route through the woods made it impossible to miss when a small road cut across it, more than an hour after he passed the caravan. According to the instructions he'd been given there should be no other road of this size in this area, though he had passed many trails. The road was the first one wide enough to allow a wagon, though two wagons would have trouble passing each other.

He turned onto the small road, facing away from the larger road he'd been paralleling. Now Erryn could use his full speed. As much as he loved his home, there'd never been a straight stretch this long to run through. It was intoxicating to push himself as fast and as hard as he could.

The usagisune got so lost in the feel of running like this that he almost didn't notice the kitsune patrol on the road until he nearly ran one of the kitsune down. Or rather, nearly impaled himself on her spear. He yelped in panic as he leapt over the small group, landing awkwardly on the far side but managing to stay on his feet.

It didn't help that he had his hands in the air while trying to keep his balance. There were three bows tracking him, and he was under no illusion that he was faster than an arrow. "Whoops, sorry, didn't notice you. But great timing, I have a message from Master Mordecai. The dungeon is under assault, but he doesn't want you guys to just run down there. He has a plan and wants me to talk directly with Matriarch Aia if I can please."

That last word came out as a little bit of a wheeze. Erryn wasn't entirely out of breath despite his long run, but that had been a little much to say while still breathing hard.

The women glanced at each other and then back at him. One of them stepped forward and asked, "Your name? And what are you, we've not heard of a dungeon inhabitant quite like you." She was examining him rather thoroughly.

"Erryn, miss," he replied, "and they named us 'usagisune', as Master Mordecai based our bodies in part upon kitsune, and we were evolved from the other laganthro clans."

"Interesting," the woman murmured, then glanced at one of the other kitsune, "go, tell the matriarch. We will escort our visitor to her." When the woman looked back at him there was an intense light in her eyes, though she seemed pleased. "Now, tell me more about your people Erryn. How many usagisune are there?"

Erryn felt a little impatient as they were insisting that he walk with them instead of running with their messenger, but arguing would only waste even more time. This was their land. "Not many right now, the cores have agreed that they want to progress slowly for now, and offer this form only to the oldest of us. They said their focus was going to be on those who were adults before we were awakened by Mistress Kazue's boon."

The woman licked her lips thoughtfully. "It seems a shame that there are so few of your new clan right now, but whetted anticipation trains patience." The cryptic comment left him confused, but Erryn just smiled and did his best to maintain small talk with his escort. The group all kept close to him, and he wasn't certain that they were paying as much attention to the woods nearby as they should. Was news about the dungeon really that interesting?

The transition between 'woods' and the clan proper was a very gradual transition. Erryn didn't know a lot about the outside world, but he knew enough to gain an understanding of why there was no 'Azeria village' or 'Azeria city'. Even at the heart of the clan there were many trees, and the kitsune had built their homes in a variety of styles near, against, inside of, or even in the branches of the largest trees. The way that a large group of hunters was being formed up already in response to the request for aid suggested that a lot of kitsune lived nearby, but he wouldn't have guessed that there were so many people by looking at the housing he could see.

His sense of how many people might live here was especially uncertain after having seen one in fox form exit a small doorway nestled into the roots of a tree before resuming her bipedal form. And while he had known about the discrepancy in genders in this clan, it wasn't until now that he really felt the impact of having nine times as many women as men in a group. There were a lot of them looking at him curiously.

When they arrived at the Matriarch's home, he discovered that it combined several of the other styles. The main hall to greet visitors and conduct business was built up against and partially into the trunk of the largest tree he had ever seen or imagined, while stairways spiraled around the trunk and up to various walkways and buildings up in the great branches. It seems like it might be almost a small village all by itself.

Inside the great hall, Matriarch Aia awaited in a throne-like chair, though its design looked much more comfortable than any image of a throne he knew of, more designed for lounging than sitting up imperiously.

"Matriarch Aia, I greet you upon behalf of the Azeria Mountain Dungeon, and come to ask aid of the Azeria clan," Erryn said as he bowed.

"Greetings Erryn," Aia replied softly, "I am happy to welcome you to my home, though I would wish for happier circumstances. I do not think we need to stand on ceremony and it must have been a long, hard run here. So please, refresh yourself with food and drink as you tell me of Mordecai's plan." She had a slight rolling sound to her voice that he found pleasant yet unsettling at the same time.

Several small tables sat near her throne with various vegetable and fruit dishes, and he was happy to partake as he explained the plan. "The Master and Mistress are luring the invaders in, allowing them to think their deception of appearing as small parties was successful. They will wait as long as possible before revealing their hand and channeling the invaders into the sewers. This should allow them to begin the counterattack while the enemy is spread out and split apart. Master Mordecai requests that your forces take at least a few days to reach the edge of the dungeon's territory, and he will make sure to send out a messenger when you get close."

The drinks were fizzy and slightly alcoholic fruit juice, and he found their sweet bite quite pleasant. "Oh, and they said to let you know that the territory is much larger than most are aware of, and you might want to send someone who is capable of noticing it. Once the invaders are either lured in or are trying to escape, that is when the cores will signal you and the Riverbridge forces in to either secure the trap or prevent their escape as needed. And thank you for the feast Matriarch, I really like spicy tofu the best." There were three different plates of fried tofu, and all were delicious, but the heat of the spicy tofu was wonderfully invigorating.

"Please, call me Aia," she replied, and it occurred to him that the vibration in her voice could be described as a purr. "Well, the plan is simple but robust, and quite flexible. I see no reason to have my people do otherwise." The nine-tail's gaze shifted to the other kitsune in the room. "Go and see that it is done as Erryn has described. You may all leave us now."

Erryn was hungry enough to not notice anything unusual about that order at first, it was all he could do to just eat neatly and politely. "Aia, I appreciate the care your people took in making sure that the food would be fine for me, but my kin were already not bothered by the presence of meat and we usagisune should be able to eat anything kitsune can."

"Well, that certainly explains your love of the fried tofu," she said with a smile, "and I will keep that in mind for the future." Aia crossed her legs as she watched him, and Erryn suddenly felt how empty the room was and was very aware of her presence. Which might have something to do with the revelation that her robes had side slits. And that she'd deliberately crossed her legs to reveal that side slit, along with a distracting amount of leg.

He found it briefly hard to swallow and quickly grabbed his cup in order to help the food down. While he was recovering, Aia asked, "Is something wrong, Erryn?" The purr in her voice had become more pronounced, especially when rolling the r's of his name. They weren't supposed to be said that way.

"Ah, um, no, nothing is wrong. I just got, um, distracted a moment and swallowed wrong, that's all." Erryn reached for a pitcher to refill his cup and noticed his hand was shaking a little. He squeezed it into a fist a couple of times to work it out, then filled his cup full. He made sure to keep his eyes on the table and food in front of him, he didn't feel like he dared look at the Matriarch.

"Oh good, I wouldn't want anything to be wrong with your ... health." Aia sounded amused as she inserted a pause before that last word. "I am hoping that you haven't taxed your vigor too much during your run." There was a rustle of cloth as she rose from her throne and slowly walked toward him. "I am also quite curious about the exact similarities and differences between kitsune and usagisune."

Erryn had forced himself to eat a few more cubes of the fried tofu to keep himself distracted, but his body froze when she stepped up close behind him. "I don't insist of course." Her breath was warm on his neck, and he felt very aware of the fact that she was a fox and he was a rabbit. "You may enjoy this repast at your leisure, and if you leave my home you will find plenty of women willing to host you, or even find a small guest house nearby if you wish to be alone." She'd moved to his side and her breath now whispered across his ear, making both of them twitch nervously. "But if you turn down my invitation to follow me to my chambers, then that offer will never be available again. I won't be angry, but I never ask again once I am turned down, nor will I accept an invitation after that."

Cloth and skin and soft tails brushed across his arms and back when she turned and moved away. "Give yourself a minute or three to think, I don't need a puppy chasing after me. But do not dither too long, I hate indecisiveness." She slowly made her way to where a curtain fell across an alcove, and she lightly pushed it aside to reveal a stairway. Aia paused with one foot upon the stairs, the side of her robe falling open to display her leg once more, and she turned to give him a lingering look. "One more thing. While I do not offer more than a dalliance, I do have my vanity and no desire to share attention. If you accept the affections of another during your stay here, that will be the end of our playtime. Which, well, I do think that would be a shame. But the choice is yours." Then she ascended slowly, letting him watch her hips and tail sway with each step.

Only when she had disappeared was Erryn able to move again. He breathed heavily as his body shook, and he forced himself to take deeper breaths to calm his nerves. The looks the other kitsune had been giving him suddenly had context, and that knowledge felt overwhelming. But Mistress Kazue's boon had made him a sapient being and given him free will, and Master Mordecai had felt that Erryn deserved this form. He could and would think damn it. He was not just some prey animal!

But, he was curious. What he could remember of his experiences as a rabbit seemed much different than the passions of most people. And he couldn't tell if the sweet, warm scent of her lingered around him in truth or only in memory. It was enticing and helped him understand why words of hunger were so often used when describing this sort of passion. And he was rather certain Aia could make most people feel like prey. It was a bit scary somehow, but all the more enticing for it.

Erryn finished off a final cup of fermented juice and made his way to the stairs, following a faint scent that he found much more intoxicating. His courage was rather thoroughly rewarded, even if he found himself more helpless than he had anticipated. The woman was impossible for him to resist. Erryn also discovered that rabbit tails could be quite sensitive.

When he awoke the next morning, his body ached thoroughly but pleasantly, and he found it difficult to move. So he watched Aia get dressed through half-closed eyes, and she smirked at him when she caught his gaze in the mirror. "That was rather enjoyable, and I would love to indulge myself some more, but I do have duties to attend to. It would make me quite happy to continue to host you for the next few days until we have verified your way home is safe." After fluffing out her hair and tails, she turned to face him. "Assuming you gain the energy to move, there is another way down should you wish to explore. You have my permission to use it as you please." She leaned down over him and her hair fell in a curtain around their faces, blocking out the outside world. "But remember what I said last night. I don't want to share your attention while you are here." She kissed him then, and he felt as if she was devouring him whole in that single action. "I do hope to see you again this evening."

Erryn was no fool. Or perhaps he was a great fool, just of a different sort. While he did manage to explore for several hours each day, he did not take up any other hints of invitations and explored no homes or other private spaces. Though there were not a lot of advances, which he suspected had much to do with the fact that his vest did little to hide the marks on his skin. The memories of her nails and teeth were pleasant despite the faint sting, and he had a better idea of why Master Mordecai had often born such minor wounds despite his ability to heal.

He and Aia did talk a little, but their worlds were very different and he was more ignorant of hers than she was of his. It was at least educational for him, and she seemed entertained to teach him a little about her duties. Still, while they enjoyed the time between dalliances well enough, bonds beyond those of simple passion were light.

The morning after they received word that it was safe to return, Aia had one final conversation with Erryn before she would let him leave. "I have enjoyed our time together Erryn, but it is also over. This isn't to say that future dalliances are not possible should our paths cross again. I just require a little more from you. While you are pretty and pleasant, that only carries us so far." Aia paused and waited for his acknowledgment before continuing.

"First, you must have found at least one other lover. I am aware of my effect on men, and will not have you pine for me. Second, you must find the strength to be able to take charge more." She smiled mischievously at him. "Mind, I have quite enjoyed ravaging your willing body, but a woman likes variety. You need to be able to contribute more and not surrender quite so completely every time. And finally, you need to be able to handle that my bed will not be empty either."

Aia's dark eyes hardened dangerously. "The slightest hint of jealousy, or possessiveness beyond the span of a dalliance, and you will never touch me again." Her expression softened now, and she gave him a light, lingering kiss. "Now go. I hold you to nothing, and I make no demands of you. I am letting you know upfront what I find acceptable for me, and I dislike clinginess in any form. Should I next meet you as a happily married man, you will have nothing but my heartfelt congratulations." She swatted his butt one last time as she sent him off.

Her send-off left Erryn with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the raw thrill and pleasure he'd experienced made the idea of seeking more time with her enticing. But he also couldn't deny that there had been little else between them. Nor could he deny that he'd been her toy. He'd enjoyed being her toy, and he'd learned much, but looking upon it like that made it obvious that there was a limit to how fun it could be for either of them.

So, live his life and grow his experiences. Don't wait for her, and find love if he can. That was what her words meant to him. And they were something he could live with.