Chapter 1

Yaro’s palms burned. She hated everyone like they hated her, so why would her Atho insist on an inn? Her Atho, her person, waited so close now. They could make it by the middle of the night if they hurried. Why would Ellis say they should wait?

Ellis opened the door, both of their long shadows stretched across the foyer as the falling day cast doubt upon them. It was not comfortable entering first, but he insisted, courtesy he called it. He should have gone in first, what with his normal face and cheery demeanor. She lumbered in, cloak pulled tightly against her frame, mask bowed so no one could even see her figure.

The receptionist greeted them with a hearty welcome to ‘New Sornata Inn’. It was a haughty statement of luxury, that the inn was a new age version of a fallen empire. They might as well have called it, ‘spend your entire savings for a night.’ Even the foyer was grotesque opulence: a marble floor, red embroidered tapestries, a large sitting area with velvet cushions and glass tables. Seated in that area were a small group of two muzoval, a tsohtsi -a giant bird of prey sporting the colorful inner wings of a male-, and a humi. The humi, the same species as Ellis, though they were far more hairy and sported a tail; it was also the typical greyscale where Ellis stood out to her and only her. The group eyed her for a second before returning to their conversation.

Ellis let the door shut with a hushed sigh and walked with her up to the register. A distance was necessary between her and the one checking them in, she didn’t want even a whiff of her aura to be felt. The group eyed her while Ellis worked to procure a room. 

They were staring at her with a not-so-subtle aura of bitterness and distance. A clear message of, ‘you’re not welcome here.’ She would have liked to listen to them, avoiding that conflict they would surely bring given the chance. But, she was with her Atho; they would not dare. The warm, slightly cinnamon scented, air filled her lungs. She would be patient, for his sake.

Ellis bargained for a cheaper room, using most of the money they had earned over the past month. She’d managed to not steal money, instead selling things she would catch like gorgon bones and bison steak. If she would have stolen, she might have actually earned enough to carry them more than a day at a time. He, on the other hand, worked more socially acceptable jobs, like contracting for construction or cleaning houses. Just enough that they could buy food and cheap lodging for the trip. But now, Ellis deemed it time to splurge. It was too early. His excuse was that he wanted to treat her to a comfortable and private bed.

He thanked the receptionist as they handed the key: a small, lone pink flame that sparkled in his palm; it would unlock the door once they were close. They turned, ready to head to their room on the third floor of the alabaster building. Instead, they were blocked by the group once sitting on the cushions. The muzoval, who clearly led them in some way, at least in personality and hostility, stared and said, “I don’t think a dreug should be staying here.”

Yaro clenched her teeth. Their form felt like an amalgamation of creatures to her, something to be hated. Instead, it was one of the intelligent species, tentacled tail to their beak full of fangs. If she were to respond they would only draw out her anger. Ellis would handle them, her way of handling might get them kicked out. He often handled these sorts of things, Yaro was far too confident in other methods of conflict resolution. He said in his ‘lets just calm down first’ voice and disarming smile, “we won’t stay long. We’ll be sure to stay out of your way for just tonight.”

The muzoval radiated contempt. “I’m sure you will, mask kisser.”

Ellis lost his smile, finally realizing that there would be no reasoning with people like this. He stood there, dominating the conversation with silence, a tactic that made Yaro itch. They took the bait, responding by spitting at Ellis’s feet. Yaro lurched, her Atho’s arm blocking her from ripping their throat out. His arm was not the most sturdy, but it didn’t need to be for her. She did not step back, despite his arm. The fox who gorged behind the door was to be their end, not the lowly prey of a rabbit.

“We will be leaving now,” Ellis commanded. Then, with his arm now around her lower hip, he led her around the Yon-bound group. They stared at them all the way down the hallway until they made it to the level shift.

The breeze of the level shift was nice, it cooled down her palms so they no longer hurt. It reminded her to keep her wits about her, she could not mess up now.

Ellis escorted her through the solid-wood door into their luxury room. Opulence bathed her several times before, but never she the guest. The new perspective felt off to her. I should be here. Of course I should. 

The architecture proved immaculate as it was gaudy; The dome suite rounded with dark turquoise stones lined with gold. A waterfall chatted from the corner where a small pool stationed fat koi weaving under blooming lily pads. The flowers were gorgeous, nearly begging to be plucked and adored. The urge shrank within her, she’d always been able to keep it at bay.

Next to it was their bed, a huge thing large enough for any creature to feel like royalty. Memories of rooms smaller than the bed kept things in perspective.. It also had turquoise stone pillars draped with white shawls: blankets a creamy ivory that looked like they even smelled clean. The room itself aired fresh rainfall, a fake kind scent but still welcome.

She stepped further into the room. The floor had heating wards and was plush despite being stone. Her talons did not tick with each step, it was as if they were on carpet. She basked. How much had this cost? Did he really spend the rest of their money? What if they did not find it? What would they do for food? She would be able to fend for the both of them, but it still rankled her that he would splurge in this way.

Ellis strode to the bed, dripping clothes the way. He sat down and patted for her to join him. For him, this was a sign of comfort. For her, it was a sign of vulnerability. The seat next to him gave and cradled her, still she sat nearly two heads taller. Careful not to get her horns tangled in the mess of pointless shawl, Yaro guided the shawl away like webs.

The bed was like a cloud against her scales and a warm pool against her skin. Ellis made a tiny dip in the bead; Yaro stifled a chuckle at how he had to lean to keep himself upright from her divot. Her arm draped over his shoulder, both instantly regretted the decision. The pleasant smell of rain quickly became overrun with the stench of days of travel. Unsanitary did not cross her mind often, but her father’s side meant she sweated, which was a prime breeding ground for bacteria. Arm dropped, she said, “get up, we’re going to check out the bathroom.”

She led the way this time, passing through the invisible barrier to a bathroom completely covered in white tile save for a wall-wide mirror opposite; she pointedly ignored looking at it. It had a drain in the center, two toilets, a large pool of a tub, and buttons on the wall. Upon inspection, glyphs for up, down, sayk, zuyg, and rotating arrows waited to be pressed. Stupid, she should have known what they meant, what was left was to guess they were the controls for wherever the water may come from. She pressed the one looking like a sayk.

Instantly, a rainfall drenched them both, Ellis squeaking in surprise. Yaro lifted him up, pointing him up and unable to escape the localized storm. The water was cool and removed dust and itchiness she'd ignored for so long, she'd forgotten about it. 

“Let me down,” he said.

“And let you escape? Not a chance.” She spun him around, whacking away the thick droplets. They both laughed so uncontrollably she had to put him back down. With a smile, he went over to the controls, pressing the sayk tile a few more times. Each press increased the water’s temperature until steam rose from her and his bodies. He then pressed the down arrow until the rain became a gentle drizzle. “I’m going to shave first.”

She didn’t understand his fascination with shaving. If he had her body, he wouldn’t care about appearances. If he were there, she might even have been able to convince him to grow in the hair on his face; it made him look more wild. The picture formed in her head, color lost and a face like a lion's. He then roared in her head, something he’d never do but was adorable in her mind.

“Ouch,” he cried. 

She rushed to his side in front of the wall mirror. He’d dropped the razor to the ground, red streaming down his face and dripping off his chin. 

“Here, let me see,” she said softly as she removed his covering hand. The wound was shallow, a red gash against his pudgy chin. Close, her breath cooled against the warmth created by the rain. Her tongue touched him, a long twin cord she pulled up the cut. Time passed slowly, allowing the completeness of his taste wash the pleasant rusty blood over her tongue; not many chances to taste him like this arose. His aura bristled within his blood, a tiny cool spice to it that reminded her he was real. Her tongue glided slowly, feeling his skin pull underneath. He didn't move, a perfect barber’s choice.

She came away with a smile on her face for him. Plush skin with some missed stubble had taken the place of the wound. He smiled back at her and kissed her on the stomach. “Thank you.”

He returned to shaving, she sat and watched him. He took his time as she had told him, and no further accidents occurred. They then went to get the soap and truly clean themselves.

“I think we should leave after the shower,” Yaro said.

“Why? We paid for the night.”

“But don’t you want to see me? We’re so close, we could make it there before the sayk rose.” He had to be excited too, his aura uncontrollable and completely counteracting his metered expression and words. I hope you can manage your aura better when we meet.

“Of course I do, Ruby. But, we should have patience. This may be the last night we can spend together like this for a while. We just don’t know if it will even happen.”

“Exactly, we don’t know, that’s why we should go find out!” He lathered her wings. His small fingers didn’t really know how to stroke them so they would feel good, but she trusted him to get her clean where she had trouble reaching.

 “It just doesn’t make sense to me, I guess. We’ll do what you want... this time.”

They cuddled in the bed under a, she had a hard time accepting it, enchanted sheet. It molded itself to their forms, shifting its thickness and softness to ensure a wild amount of comfort. She’d not even heard of such a thing before and marveled at it, shifting in a bed for a few minutes before they fully settled.

They were finally going to meet. After all this time, they would finally be able to embrace fully. She squeezed him at the thought and he squeezed back. The road had been washed away, leaving them in soft scents of lavender and renua, a strange combination but not unwelcome. Under it all was his scent, a blackberry-lime scent unmistakably him. He too had a smell he associated with her: cinnamon-apple. The descriptions fit them each.

“I can’t sleep,” she said honestly.

“Neither can I,” he replied in the dark.

“Are you ready to admit defeat?”

He kissed her on the mouth. “Yes.”

They did not leave that night, but early the following morning.

Yaro shook from the dreamed memory.

There was more, Yaro was sure of it. She could not- it was difficult- it hurt- she could not bring it back. Even that, what she just woke from, her past was… gone. It left in its place a nothingness which she’d never experienced before. It was gone. The vile witch had taken him from her. She, that witch of finding, had taken him from her.

It entered her, overcame her, that feeling of deep unsettling violation. Yaro had allowed herself to be eaten by the fox- allowed the fox through the door to gorge on her very being. That witch would pay dearly.

The tree home burned under her rage. No matter how the witch pleaded, Yaro did not cease. The space became plunged into a molten pit, crackling and suffocating that witch from yon with her wrath.

The witch had taken him from her, had left her with a void she could never fill again. Yaro crumpled, unable to hold herself any longer. The witch escaped, yelling about the monster in her home. They were no longer a concern.

The ground burned comfortably, a warmth that cradled Yaro like no living could. The crackling soothed her, gently telling her it was okay to fall, that it was okay to give up, to just let the flames take her. There was so little left of her now.

The fire ate the tree, grazing around her but leaving her with only licks of worry. The fire was not like the fox nor the witch, nor any of those who wanted to take her away. It would take her where she wanted to go, to that other place that people talked about in stories, that she entered when…? She couldn't remember.

The building burned as she laid on the floor, wondering why she kept going. She’d been going for so long, surviving and barely living. The world hated her, after all, so why shouldn’t she listen to the flames, why shouldn’t she let them take her? They warmed her, burning her exposed skin lovingly. So much had been lost. Everything that meant anything to her burned. The memories crept in on her, of why she’d come to the witch’s aid at all, why she allowed the evil woman to enter her mind. She knew, deep within her soul, that the door was at fault. The tuumon kova was never meant to be opened.