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Flick. Flick.

Snap. Snap.

Each flick of fire emitting a sound of burning that only lasted a second before sputtering and eventually exhausting.

Flick. Crack.

Each flick of fire emitting a sound of burning that only lasted a second before fizzling into ash.

Flick. Crack.

That one lasted for three seconds.

Each flick illuminating the small wooden cabin-like bedroom, illuminating it, if only for a second, bathing it in fiery gold.

Flick. Fli-.

The flame exhausted before it even found life. It died after swirling once at about only half luminosity as the previous fireballs, it wheezed then puttered out.

"Rowen," a husky female elf burst into the doorway. This elf woman had sickly green skin and messy black hair strewn down to her shoulders. Her clothes barely were able to contain the "extra skin" she had been "blessed" with. "Get to sleep. Now!" she yelled.

Rowen grabbed his sheets and cowered as far up the tiny bed as he could, covering his snout with blankets. He trembled, staring back at the fat elf through darkly-masked amber eyes.

"And how many times must I ask you not to use that vile magic?" she sneered with a gaze that seemed to pierce Rowen's soul. Again she screeched; "I know for a fact that I have told you; to practice magic, you will surely be forsaken and rot in the fiery pits of Hell!" she spewed.

A tear rolled out of Rowen's big eyes and tumbled down the black rings of his mask. "Yes ma'am!" he choked, "it won't happen again! I promise you, Madame Kiel, I apologize!"

Some of the other orphans had awakened, too scared to so much as breathe too loudly.

With a disgusted grunt, she crossed her arms and lifted her face to the ceiling,

"That's what you said last time! Why don't you love me and be a good little cub like the rest of your brothers and sisters?" She extended a fat finger to touch one of the orphans to prove her point.

The little pink bunny let out a small cry upon being touched.

Crushed, the elf turned back to Rowen, "Half-rations tomorrow, and no lunch for you." Sensing all of the other cubs were now awake, she addressed them all, "If I find that you share any of your portions with Rowen, even just a crumb, anybody involved will not be fed the day after." With a mean-spirited smile she disappeared back down the hallway to her room.

Thirteen-year-old Rowen was about to object, but he thought better of it.

As Kiel went back down the hall, Rowen heard her mumbling something bout them being "no-good brats."

Some cubs were already asleep.

Rowen lay in his bed and wept himself to sleep. That vile woman terrified Rowen; he'd dare not cross her.

Rowen awoke in the morning to burning eyes, a crusty, irritated nose, and found he had slept hugging his rather large, ringed tail. He replayed the prior night's events in his head; he didn't want to leave the room, fearful of how the elf might harass him.

But still, he dragged himself out of bed, shuffling slowly out of the bedroom, adorned with a loose, dark-green sack tunic with beige drawstrings, as well as beige sack cloth pants, and worn brown shoes. He also found a beige cap and covered his cat-like ears.

Rowen entered the living area, lively sounds of cubs playing, people laughing and talking, and the clopping of hooves on stone came from outside.

"So the coon finally awakens," the elf began, "I let you sleep an hour later than your friends."

Rowen nodded a silent and embarrassed thanks.

"There are three-quarters of a bowl left of berries for you." she motioned with her head to the kitchen table, a room over. "I still expect an apology from you." She said sternly, but without the hostility of last night's events.

Rowen waddled over to her guiltily and hugged her. Resting the side of his face on her stomach, he told her "I'm sorry Madame Kiel." He looked up into her eyes, "I love you."

She bent down to his height and wrapped her fleshy green arms around him, "It's alright, Rowen. But you need your sleep."

Rowen rested his paws on either side of Kiel's shoulders and looked up into her eyes, tearing up a little again.

"You are a handsome growing raccoon, cubs like you need plenty of sleep." she told him, fixing his collar.

Rowen blushed and wiped his tears. "I'm sorry Kiel; I really hate it when you are angry." He hugged her again, tighter than before.

Tearing up a little herself, Kiel replied, "I hate being angry with you, or your brothers and sisters for that matter." She kissed him on the cheek and sent him to eat the three-quarters of a portion of berries that remained.

Afterwards, she told him to go play outside. She handed him an orange and three small pieces of dried beef. He stuck them in a leather bag he tied onto his pants. She told him that he needn't come for lunch, as she had just given him his full portion of lunch, and told him just to be back for dinner. She slipped four silver coins into his pocket and sent him on his way.

Rowen walked through the town, looking for the book cart. After walking about four minutes, he found it. He greeted the merchant that ran the roadside vendor, he was about to ask the man a question when, as if he had read his mind, the merchant pointed and said, "She's right over there."

"Thank you," Rowen breathed.

With a chuckle, the old man leaned on the counter and told him, "Don't act so surprised! You two meet here all the time."

With a smile, Rowen walked over to his friend, "Hey Kira." He approached her nervously.

Kira looked up from a book, "There you are!" She gave him a big hug. "Where were you?"

Rowen blushed and scrambled for words, "Madame Kiel let me sleep in today."

Kira walked up to the merchant, replying to Rowen as he followed, "Well, that was awfully nice of her."

"I know."

The merchant turned to Kira with a friendly smile, "Find what you're looking for?"

Kira told him that she had, but a mischievous glance at Rowen shot from the merchant told him that the question had actually been for him.

Rowen reddened.

Kira placed the book she was looking at before Rowen had arrived on the counter. Rowen noticed the title; it only had one word, "Wind." Rowen thought the book looked very plain, and from the title, very boring.

"That'll be six bronze pieces," the merchant paused, "well, for you little lady, I'll drop it down to four pieces, just because you come here so often."

Kira smiled, brushing her long brown hair out of her face, and dug into her coin purse.

She paid the merchant and they left, waving at the old man. They continued through the small-but crowded town until they took a path into the forest. Rowen knew where she was going, he loved these walks.

Rowen loved Kira's company. She was beautiful; she had long brown hair, and deep green eyes. She was a few inches taller than him, with a small muscular frame that was still very feminine. She was only slightly older than him, by two years only, and seemed so easy to talk to. But most importantly, she was a raccoon. Brown fur mostly, with the occasional black area, white fur accentuating her face and tail. She was very caring, and loved helping people when she could. One feature that always strikes Rowen, are her cute fangs that always protrude from her top lip on her charming cat-like mouth.

Kira takes Rowen by the paw as the continued down the path. Rowen blushes and complies nervously.

"Aw," she sees him blushing, "don't be nervous, it's just me." She cocks her head and gives him a warm smile.

This makes him even more nervous.

After a while, Rowen got comfortable. "Hey," Kira meets his gaze. "that book you got... Wind? Is it a good book?"

Kira rests a finger on her mouth thoughtfully, "Hm," she ponders, "I don't know yet, but if I learn something, I guess it would be worth it."

Rowen curls his lip, "But it looks so boring!"

"Maybe to you!"

Both laughing and having fun, they finally reach their destination.

Kira opens her mouth and takes in the beautiful lake, making the cutest moan of excitement Rowen has ever heard. Rowen blushed again. She releases her grasp on his hand and puts both paws on her hips, taking in the sight.

"I don't understand why you still do this," Rowen sighs playfully, "We always come here."

"Yeah well..." she trails off, not really listening.

He walks over to a large, shady tree and sits under its protection. Kira was still taking in the sights, walking along the grassy lake shore in the opposite direction of Rowen. He sat in the cool shade, watching her.

Flick. Flick.

Flame swirled to life in his left paw, before pathetically dying after less time than a second.

He lounged and practiced, right arm supporting his body as he lazed.

He focused a little bit more.

Flick.

A fireball sat in his paw, swirling for about three seconds. Extinguishing itself, Rowen looked up and saw Kira standing about three feet from him, unmoving, mouth a gape. She suddenly moved towards him.

"Um..." Rowen scrambled for words, but he found none.

She drew closer.

"Uh... What are you doing?"

She sits on his stomach.

Rowen blushes hugely and stiffens. He wanted to ask what she was doing, but he couldn't speak, only his lips moved. He couldn't even make eye contact with her, so he looked at her slim belly instead.

She leaned forward, eyes wide, "Do that again."

He tried to crawl out from under the squatting Kira, but to no avail, as she readjusted herself accordingly.

"Do it again. The fire." She crawled down from him, supporting herself with a paw to Rowen's side, other paw balled thoughtfully on her chest. Now even she blushed.

Pulling himself back, just a little bit, enough to sit almost all the way up, but not fully from under her. He turned serious, rising his left paw.

Flick. Flick. Flick.

Not even a spark.

Rowen growled in frustration, his hat sliding off of his head, uncovering ears that lay flat on his head, looking defeated. Kira rolled over and laid next to an angry, now upright and cross-legged Rowen.

"Why didn't you tell me? We've known each other for nearly two years."

"I was thinking of showing you today, but our walk made me kind of nervous, and I forgot I wanted to show you until you were out sightseeing. I thought I might practice a bit and get comfortable before I showed you."

Kira blushed, "When did you find out you could do it?"

"The tail-end of Frost-Leaf." Rowen explained.

It is mid-Thaw-Leaf currently.

"For only a leaf-step?"

"Yes, about. One day, I just felt the urge to snap my fingers. I did, and it made a spark. I'm addicted now. I'm sorry; I really meant to tell you." Rowen was so relieved that he had finally been able to tell someone.

Kira blushed lightly and stood up, brushing off her khaki cargo pants, and readjusting her black tucked-in t-shirt. She extended a paw to him, and helped him up, leading him over to the lake edge.

The water was motionless, everything was dead silent. This is why they enjoy the lake, they re alone, and have it all to themselves. It is like their own oasis.

Rowen glances at Kira who looked space out. He looked back an saw only few ripples on the water's surface. "What'd you want to show me?" he asked without looking up at her.

Kira turned to him; Rowen noticed the surface of the water was flat again. It was a calm day. "I just want you to admire the lake's beauty like I do, every time we come."

They both blushed after meeting each other's gaze. Rowen saw Kira space out, and counted the ripples on the water.

Suddenly, Rowen made a realization, "Wait a sec- Is uh-" He looked from Kira to the lake, and back again, "Are you doing that?" Rowen exclaimed, astonished.

Kira turned to look at him; she cocked her head to the side and gave him a narrow-eyed smile. Rowen felt cooler, a breeze was gently blowing. He noticed some unease on the water's surface. Blades of grass swayed and danced to some unperceivable rhythm.

Whoosh.

Rowen felt cold now, grabbing both arms with his paws, trying to keep warm, it was more than just a breeze; it was more like wind now. Large ripples in the lake turned into small waves. The blades of grass whipped around, seemingly holding on to the ground with all their might. Even Kira's hair seemed to act as a whip, lashing out at everything.

Rowen notices that the grass about twenty-feet away from Kira lay still, the water unmoving.

She was doing this.

Then, the possessed grass stopped moving, all at once, as if nothing had ever happened. The waves turned into large ripples, and then dissipated.

Emerald eyes pierced eyes of amber upon a bewildered face. Wide-eyed, mouth a gape, Rowen stared at her, who, under his gaze, looked away shyly, becoming red in her cheeks.

It was he that now approached her. Rosy faced with shaky paws, he grasped her paws in his. Caught off-guard by this, she let out a quiet squeak and looked to the side, embarrassed.

Still holding her paws, he leaned in and told her, "That was purely amazing, the singular most incredible thing I have witnessed in my entire life." She met his gaze. Flat ears lay on an embarrassed face.

Rowen leaned in, red painted his face, and he kissed her.

Kira moaned, surprised, ears erected, pointing straight up to the heavens above. She wanted to pull away and run, but her legs wouldn't move and her lips lingered. She tightened her grip on his paws.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Rowen opened his eyes, and slowly pulled his face away from Kira's. They stood and stared into each other's eyes for an eternity still, unblinking, fingers locked.

They both breathed heavily, winded after all of the excitement.

Rowen let go of Kira with one hand, side-stepping. Kira cocked her head, puzzled.

Flick.

Rowen summoned a fantastic swirling sphere of flames.

"Oh my..." Kira trailed off. Rowen watched the flames' dance reflected off of her large, expressive green eyes. She covered her mouth with her free paw.

Kira felt the warmth Rowen's left paw exuded wrap around her body like a blanket, or like soup even, warming her from the inside out.

Rowen broke his gaze from her and realized that this flame was alive. It twirled and pirouetted, sparks jumping up from it. Crackling, it was waiting for him. He noticed that this was the longest he'd gone without end. Upon this realization though, the fire swirled into itself and vanished.

Rowen was filled with excitement, grinning from ear to ear. Kira chuckled, still a little bit flustered, "You've never done it for that long, have you?"

Rowen shook his head.

"It was about twenty-eight seconds."

Rowen gave a silent scream.

They released paws for the first time since just before the kiss.