FSE

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She watched him stalk away, tension clear in every line of his body and let her ears fall flat to the sides. She couldn't remember feeling hatred towards anyone. Ever. Dislike, absolutely. But living with nuns taught her that love fixes all problems and in the stead of love, tolerance. Hatred devoured people and made them cruel. Hatred created Fury and she was someone even Micha didn't like.

She padded softly after him and paused before speaking. "I don't hate you." she said. She tried to put together the right words and found she couldn't, so she merely turned and walked away. Hate seemed like a word she could use for true evil. She hated the Empire. Not the soldiers. And not it Generals and Commanders of Chiefs. The Empire itself and everything it stood for. But never the people.

She huddled next to her pack, wracked with cramps and now, a mild fever. To her, it was a good sign. It meant it was almost over. But with the cramps and fever and shaking, came painful arousal and Lila trying to come forward at all times of the day. It was tiring to fight with herself.

He didn't want to lose her. Not in the next village and not for a long while. He hated being alone. He found her company intriguing at worst. He loved playing with Cassie when she ventured out. He even liked Micha's surly company. He couldn't lose that for the world. She didn't hate him. That was a good start. At the very least, she was tolerant of him, and that was better than dislike, in his book. She didn't seem to mind him sleeping next to her, and the shared warmth made chilly nights bearable. Winter was well on its way. By his count, it was early autumn, almost November. They had to find shelter - and find it fast - if not a town, a cave. He brushed off the responsible thoughts and focused on the task at hand. He found the still sleeping vixen and curled back around her body, resting his head on his arm and huffing lightly. One thing at a time.

He rose early, feeling refreshed and well rested. The early morning air was chilly and damp but he stretched and stood anyway. The sky was still dark, but would lighten quickly enough. He looked over the camp and curled the emblemless black cloak around her small body. He would be moving and she needed the warmth more than he did. He stroked her furred cheek a moment before rising from his haunches and tidying the camp. She usually did so while he fetched water and scouted ahead, but he had time and decided to invest in it wisely.

Across the camp Micha woke slowly and unpleasantly, finding herself colder than she was most mornings. Jason's scent was strong but stale and old around her. She sat up grouchily, her eyes following him around their small camp. She remained silent for a long while before crossing her arms beneath her breasts and letting her indignance show in a short huffing breath. How dare he wake up an hour early? She fumed silently for about five minutes before coming to a decision. She would not be deprived of her last warm hour.

She stood, went over to him and gave him a particularly menacing stare before dragging him back to the sleeping area. She pushed him down and snuggled back into his chest, covering them both in his cloak. Cleaning and running could wait. Small pleasures like the last warm hour in the morning, could not. She closed her eyes and tucked her muzzle under his arm, much as she did with her tail. Only her tail now resided draped across his middle. She would not be denied her last hour of Warm Jason Snuggle Time. It was unacceptable in every way possible.

The look on her face as she had stormed after him upon waking had frightened him. She looked no less than a vengeful Goddess come to collect her dues and he immediately wanted to recoil from her. He thought vauguly of protesting until she managed to knock him flat onto his butt with a simple maneuver. He glanced back up at her, nerves on edge. As attractive and painfully arousing as Lila was, he didn't want to meet her again until he was good and ready. And that time was most certainly not now. But upon closer inspection, he noted that the scowl there was all Micha. When she descended upon him he resisted minimally for fear of hurting her, then burst into full throated laughter as she snuggled deep into his side.

If she just wanted to sit like that for a while, he had no complaints. He imagined her simply asking him to return to her side would be beyond embarrassing for her. It was almost cute. "Is the little puppy cold?" he teased, stroking one of her oversized, sensitive ears. Her only response was a low growl and a noncommittal grunt as she snuggled in closer. He could tease her all he wanted, so long as he didn't move. She almost roused herself enough to correct him in saying 'kit' but realized that it wouldn't really mean much to him as a human. The called their offspring "babies" for crying out loud. She couldn't exactly expect him to know the difference between a pup and a kit. Maybe she'd explain later. When sleep didn't beckon her again.

It wasn't often that she insisted on more sleep, but he needed the rest as much - more - than she did. The man rarely slept and when he did it as lighter than hers. He woke whenever she shifted. They were out of harm's way for the most part. Cities away from the Empire's last strike. Her breath evened out as she thought about how they would need to stop traveling for winter and find a den. Her mind protested the term den, but it was the only way to put it. Even though they might not be mates, they would share a den.

And suddenly, she was okay with that.