FSE

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Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there were two beautiful cats. One was named Snow, with fur just as white as their name. And the other went by Calico, whom had soft sleek fur of tousled black, brown, and orange.

And Snow was in love.

Snow had not yet told Calico that they were the owner of their heart, but planned to do so soon. One day, when Calico is swimming at the pond, Snow finds Calico, and confesses their love.

For Calico, it's love at first sight. They fall madly in love with Snow. They start planning for the future, "We're gunna have nine kittens, and we'll name them..."

They're together for a few weeks and Calico is ready to propose to Snow.

But Snow feels guilty, "Love is honest, and because I love you I will tell you. I'm not a cat, I'm a Kitsune."

Kitsune are known for their treasured tails of up to nine, and magical powers of deception. Because of this, their status is the highest of any animal.

"You've betrayed my heart..." The young cat, struck with grief, says, "I cannot be with you... I cannot be with a kitsune."

Snow cries, "But I am a kitsune! We're beautiful, everyone loves kitsune!"

"My heart belongs to a cat," Calico cries, "I want to have proper kittens." Calico's heart pounds out of their chest. They loved Snow so much, but to find out that they weren't real...

Calico falls over, and dies of heart break.

Snow clutches their lover tight, crying a river in the middle of the forest. Suddenly, a black figure appears between the trees and slinks toward them, scythe clutched in hand.

The young kitsune watches as the reaper comes for Calico. "Please, reaper! Please do not take my love!" Snow begs and pleads, "If only I was honest with them this wouldn't have happened! In return for their life, I will give you one of my tails."

"Kitsune tails are more valuable than gold," The reaper says, "Beautiful, massive, fur smooth as water..." He hesitates, "And cures any illness."

The reaper thinks for a minute, and instead of taking the cat's head, he trims a tail from the kitsune and adds it to his pouch, "I'll be back for the rest," he murmurs, before disappearing.

The kitsune is so happy, and hugs the cat. But Calico denies Snow with a push, "You're not who I want to be with."

"But I brought you back!"

"You are the one who killed me."

"I traded my tail..."

"I did not ask for that."

Distraught and annoyed, the kitsune uses their power to possess Calico so that they have no choice in the matter, and loves Snow with all of their heart. For weeks, Snow and Calico are together. When they take a date to the river in the middle of the forest, Snow thinks, "After all this time, Calico must love me back." So they undo control.

As soon as they do, Calico cries, "I don't want to be told what to do anymore. I don't love you, this isn't my heart!" so the cat dives down into the river and swims until the bubbles stop.

Reaper appears behind the couple beside the river, scythe readied, "I have come for the cat."

Snow cries, "No, Reaper! Please. If only I let Calico choose to love me of their free will this wouldn't have happened. I offer you another one of my tails for their life. "

And so Reaper claims another tail. "I will be back for the rest."

Cold, shivering, wet Calico cries while Snow tries to help them. "Here," Snow says, "I can use my fire to dry you off and keep you safe." And Snow produces a white flame which doesn't burn and warms Calico up from the inside.

"I don't want your warmth," Calico whimpers.

Calico refuses to love Snow, but Snow cannot love anyone else. Snow tries fire, illusions, making fantastical gifts out of leaves, and on until they're out of tricks. Time after time again, Calico refuses Snow's love and kills themself to escape the bonds. Then Snow trades another tail for their life back. All until the kitsune has two left.

Snow devises a plan, "If you will not love me, then you will love me for our child." And thus forces Calico to give them a child.

But before the child is born, overcome with the idea of having a child they don't want, Calico tears off one of Snow's tails.

Calico pleads to the unseen reaper, "Reaper, I know you hear me! Please, take my life. Don't make me go through with this. I have a kitsune tail, so you must listen to my wish!" Sure enough, the reaper was listening. He comes up behind the couple, and with a quick swipe, he steals the cat's life and the kitsune's tail.

"Reaper..." Snow addresses, "Why didn't they love me? What did I do wrong?"

The reaper, bemused with them, utters, "Not everyone will love you. No matter how hard you try, or how much you do or sacrifice for them, they don't have to love you. They don't owe you their heart. That's only theirs to give."

Distraught, the kitsune agrees. "You're right, Reaper. To atone for the wrong I have done to their father, I will love our child and keep them safe."

A few months later, a single perfect kitten is born. With fur so white it shines of blue flames, and eyes as blue as the great forest river. But it wont drink. It does nothing but cry while the kitsune forces their breast upon its lips. "Drink," Snow pleads, "You must drink!"

A day goes by, and Snow's tried everything. Their magic is almost entirely gone with the lack of their tails. The only thing Snow can do is possess the kitten, but they've promised to never force someone again. Soon, the kitten dies.

Crying like never before, Snow clutches the baby as the reaper appears for them. "Please reaper, take my last tail for my kitten's life."

The reaper is only too happy to oblige, taking their 9th tail and starting to sink away. But before he does, the kitsune stops him. "Reaper, even with my kitten alive I do not know how to feed them. They carry the disdain their father had for me."

The reaper crawls from the shadows and looks over the kitten. "It will not love anyone besides a cat. And you cannot force it to love anyone else."

"Reaper!" Snow cries, "Please, if it will only love a cat, make me one. I give you my status of kitsune!"

The reaper, happy that Snow learned their lesson, takes their coat of white fur, and leaves them as a cat. There's nothing extraordinary about this cat, with its dirty brown and unkempt orange fur with green eyes. Except that it has no tail.

The once-kitsune runs to their child, and thrusts their breast upon the kitten. It cries and refuses the nipple once more. "Please, little one. I have no tails left to give. You must..." Snow starts, and realizes their mistake. Snow lets the kitten crawl upon their breast on its own. And sure enough, a moment later those little lips latch onto their mother of their own desire, nourishing the kitten.

But the kitten never loves Snow.

The kitten grows big and strong. And on the day they grow old enough, they leave the now-cat. The reaper appears on the same day to watch the cat leave its mother. "Do you resent them for leaving?" He says.

"No," Snow says, "I love them. It's their life to lead, whether it's with me or not; I have done all I can."

"Then," the reaper grins, "you have learned much. Are you ready?"

"Do you..." Snow hesitates, "do you think Calico will love me now?"

"I am not the owner of their heart." He titters, "Would you trade your afterlife for their love?"

"No." The now-again-kitsune smiles,

"Their heart is only theirs to give."