The Fox and The Cat (Lesbian Story, Rewritten)

Chapter 24

There was a long silence that passed between them. Eventually the two of them wordlessly began making a simple camp fire and setting up their sleeping bags before returning to their sitting positions beside the flame. The two of them still on the flat ground before the temple. Akeno placed her hand on Mikky's back and rubbed small circles there, trying her best to offer her comfort.

Still, there was silence even as the moon began to rise above them. It was hours later when Mikky began to speak.

"I've never had someone I cared about before." She confessed. "Besides my brother. Honestly, I didn't think I'd ever be able to care about anyone ever again, let alone a Goddess. When I saved you from the King's men, I expected to possibly get a pet and companion out of it. I didn't expect a friend."

Akeno made no attempt at an answer. She just continued to rub the cat's back to make sure that she knew that Akeno was listening.

"I was scared. I am scared. I don't want... I can't be hurt again." Mikky answered, finally raising her head to look at Akeno with eyes filled with nothing but sadness. Her ears had tilted backwards and to the side as she watched the Fox's expression.

"You thought that if you hurt me first it would not feel so bad?"

"Every moment I've spent with you, is another moment you reveal yourself to be farther from this image I had of you. You are not some fickle diety looking to take advantage of my kindness. Or looking to abuse my skills for your own selfish gain. You help people because you have the power to, and for no other reason. You're... You're the exact opposite of what I feel you should be."

"You think that if you left me, that your new image of me would still hold?" Akeno asked. "I fear you would just spend the rest of eternity wondering if I had ever actually planned on leaving you."

"You don't know that."

"I do. That's the kind of person you are. You are sad and brooding, and you expect the worst. So let me do my best to put your mind at ease. I have no intention of abandoning you. I know you may not like my need to help everyone I come across but-"

"I love that about you." Mikky confessed.

"What? But you always tell me not to. That they don't always deserve it."

"Because they don't. I love that you can look past the evil in people's hearts and just help them because of the kindness in yours. I wish I had that power."

"It takes effort." Akeno confessed.

"You're actively trying?"

"We are all actively trying. We may not think that we are, but we are. I help people because it feels right. But it only feels right because that's the ideas I've set for myself. No one is just naturally one way or the other. It's how we're raised. How we're designed."

"I wish I had your mindset." Mikky sighed deeply before staring back into the flames. "I envy your ability to help people just because you can. I keep seeing all the hate that they've given me and wanting them to suffer the same fate."

"What would you like to do then?"

Mikky was silent for a few short moments as she thought about her answer. "I'm going to ride back to Augerheim. I'm going to see how Edon is doing and perhaps speak to Minerva. She may know more about this Descendent of Merlin, and may be able to help me come to a conclusion on what I should do."

"Would you be opposed to me joining you?" Akeno asked.

"You want to come with me?" Mikky raised her head, her ears standing at attention as shock blanketed her expression.