The Dragon and Kitsune
Is it too late to learn?
Litrix loved warmth. Not just the visceral heat of a good fire or a bright sunny day, but a deeper heat that a normal person would feel in sitting near a fire wrapped in a blanket. To a dragon, this heat was reminiscent of the warmth of the nest. That perfect heat where a dragon's body goes completely numb and basks in a self indulgent stillness. Admittedly, the heat required to cause this in Litrix was hard to find.
Luckily, He'd happen upon the rare find, an extinct volcano retaining that silent ember that is too hot for most creatures but perfect for a dragon to luxuriate in. Diving deep into the caldera he quickly found an outcropping of cinder at the bottom of the crater. He coiled around the rocks and proceeded to soak in the heat. The muscles and scales of his body basked in the warmth, his grand wings flattened out across the rocks. A calm stillness overtook him.
The dark depths of the caldera were welcoming for more than just the warmth. He tired of the world. A dragon is long lived and he commonly found himself lost in the lives of creatures so short lived and frenetic that it seemed they could not enjoy the simpler things in life. He concluded the life of a dragon was a curse. His longevity, intelligence, and superior perspective meant it was impossible for him to find commonality with other creatures. His thoughts sought seclusion; Eyelids started to become heavy as rest demanded a toll.
He eventually closed his eyes and let his mind drift, freed from the irritations caused by the outside world. The gentle rumbling and pervasive heat of the rocks under his scales seemed to seep away all of his cares. "You know" he mused to himself, "I could just lie here and nap all day" A smirk crossed his maw. He had nowhere to be. Why not drift off to sleep? Slowly, he started to doze; only occasionally disturbed by the deep rumbling beneath him. Litrix's dulled senses faintly heard the hissing of steam.
In a moment, Litrix was eyes pried open. A primal part of his brain screamed, wake up and move. His senses tried clear. His vision made out hazy red columns of vapor and soot. He felt the increasing waves of heat, the undulations in the crater, and heard the increasing hiss of steam. Barely awake muscles in his legs and wings flexed and strained as they clumsily pushed off the disintegrating cairn of rocks. Litrix completed a single flap before a furious updraft engulfed him as the floor was vaporized.
A tempest of hot ash, magma and steam roiled less than a dozen feet under him as he desperately tried to fly up and out of the crater. Although pushed by the expulsion of gas forcing an updraft, the massive turbulence caused dragon's every effort to maintain flight ahead of the cloud of debris. His scales were tough, but against that level of raw abrasive heat they would stand little chance of survival. He glanced up and knew escape meant reaching the crater's rim. Furiously he flailed his wings trying to control the air around his great body, desperately riding the shockwave of destruction rising from the caldera, barely in control. All he had to do was ride the tumultuous updraft until he reached the lip of the crater, then dive away from the explosion. The rim approached and in a singular movement his entire body focused into one hard flap that veered the dragon's body out of the way of the engulfing plume of cinder.
His wings immediately buckled. The pressure difference between shockwave and calmer exterior was overwhelming. He escaped the superheated plume, but now he was. Litrix tried to recover but his wings were at the wrong angle, body out of position, he could do nothing but start to go into the roll. However, he was quick and agile. He would right himself on the next roll and start flapping to achieve control. He focused on spotting the right moment. As he rolled, Litrix glanced at the terrain for bearings. The forest was nearby. If he could get in one good flap he would turn his momentum into a dive. After this, the speed could get him there quickly and the trees would obstruct the scalding debris. He readied for the flap out in mid roll, his tail was forward and head back, looking at the plume he'd just escaped and tracking the volcano's rim. To his horror, the slope of the volcano gave way, exploding outwards, heading right for him.
He desperately and tried to finish the roll. It was too late. Litrix was swallowed by the cloud of debris. Pain engulfed him as superheated rocks pummeled scales and limbs. Vicious steam currents permeated and scalded his wings. Primal instincts flapped wings madly. He felt an increase in speed, but it was impossible to gauge if he was making any headway in the opaque cloud. The constant burning abrasion of body was starting to take a toll. Limbs went numb with pain, reflexes slowed, wing beats listless. Through sheer force of will, he managed to focus past the pain and flap vigorously for one last desperate burst of strength. Litrix remembered seeing light, trees; Escape?
Darkness. There was only clouded thoughts. Was he conscious? Was he dead? The dragon tried to extend keen senses. He hurt everywhere, his mind was groggy. Then, oddly, a melody. Was that singing? He strained to force stubborn eyes open. Light; blurry unfocused light entered his eyes. Litrix tried to raise his head, only to be overcome by a wave of nausea and dizziness.
"Wow! You're alive! Guess what they say about a dragon's vigor is true."
He definitely heard that; and tried to raise his senses with a new stress on urgency. Eyes strained for focus, he made out a face, pointed ears and a snout, uncomfortably close; A violation of his personal space. He tried to snap his teeth in defense. All he managed was to open and close his in an uncoordinated fashion. It was futile to be ferocious; He was too numb, weak and unresponsive. He swallowed his pride and tried a different approach.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Litrix demanded assertively. .
"For you not to die was my hope", was the reply in a soft and whimsical voice.
He felt a moist cloth pad around his eyes. He wanted to snap again but the feeling was so soothing that his muscles kept still. After the cloth was removed, he tried to focus again, and was quite surprised when he could easily and clearly make out his surroundings.
He was in a cave, adorned modestly with a few tapestries on the walls. There was a small campfire in the far corner, above which hung a pot with something cooking inside. A large stone in the middle of the cavern was covered with a cloth and served as a crude table. Before him, there appeared to be merely a human. However, it was quickly obvious that this was no simple mortal. Protruding from the head was a pair of pointed ears, adorned with intricate earrings. The large gold and tassel earrings dwarfed the rest of her features yet beautifully accented, not distracted, from her red fur. The red shifted to white around the pronounced snout of a fox. Her compassionate green eyes stared at him intently. He realized the stare was not at him, but on his forehead. She applied ointment to cloth and applied it just above his eye.
"This is likely to sting a bit." She was right, it did, he snarled but refrained from reflexively snapping again.
"Now, now; save your strength. Your death would be most unfortunate." she commented in a soothing, but almost sarcastic tone. "Especially for you!", she grinned. "If you haven't noticed, you're lucky to be alive."
"I haven't noticed, I've been unconscious!" He replied sarcastically. He stubbornly tried to lift his head again. It swayed unsteadily, but this time he managed to keep it up. He looked down at himself for the first time since the blackout. Scales were scarred and abraded; the membranes on his wings were reddened and pock-marked with soot and pumice. He ached everywhere and was stiff from head to tail. "Was this from the eruption?"
"Yup, found you while investigating the remains of the forest next to volcano, covered in ash, was honestly surprised you lived. Must be because you are so young and healthy." She gave him a wink. "Seemed only kind to bring you here and see if you could recover." The fox removed the cloth, stood up and went to the boiling pot. She lifted the lid, taking a deep breath from the vapors escaping it. The dragon studied her carefully.
"You're a Kitsune. Correct?." Litrix stated plainly
This elicited nothing more than a humble bow from the Kitsune. She went back to stirring her soup and added ingredients. She seemed to be playfully swaying her body and tail back and forth in a rhythmically, almost hypnotically.
"You have a reputation for being charmers and tricksters, deceiving and fooling and for your own gain," he said with an indignant yet noble air of authority. "What game are you playing here?"
The Kitsune turned with an almost insulted scowl, but it was quickly replaced with a jovial smile. She spoke nonchalantly, "As folklore goes, we Kitsune only charm and trick and "play games", as you would say, to teach people a lesson. You know, showing the arrogant that maybe life is not always what they assume; demonstrate to the headstrong their folly." She dropped her ears and smirked at Litrix intently, "And we only do this if we are invited to do so, the truly wise or humble person has nothing to fear."
"Also the more intelligent and clever have nothing to fear," he retorted. "Remember, you are dealing with a dragon and we are not as easily deceived as mortals and have been around long enough to see every type of trick."
"True enough." She smiled broadly and flicked her tail. "I'm sure dragons have seen it all. They know themselves and the others around them perfectly; they know ancient knowledge and the workings of the whims of spirits like me. They even know the cycles of time and the land itself." She peered at his wounds as she ladled out some soup "although it seems you have challenged your mortality more recently than I. Here, eat this, I promise it tastes awful and might make you feel woozy, but it will help with the healing."
He sniffed the broth, it was worse than she warned. He was uncertain of its usefulness but determined that anything that smelled this bad must be medicine. "Promise this is not just some potion to beguile me?" Litrix leered suspiciously at the Kitsune.
The Kitsune laughed. "Ha! No! I would not dare such a thing. As mentioned before, we are both much longer lived than mortals and I would have to contend with the consequences for longer than a single lifetime if I did. Not a prospect I would take on lightly." She smirked again, and returned to stirring the pot.
The dragon drank the broth. It tasted strong, foul, and potent, but not entirely unpleasant. Just reassuringly awful enough to suggest it was medicine and not a "love potion". Those were supposed to be subtle and pleasant. He mused on it for only a moment before his head spun. The dragon felt ill, but thankfully Litrix fell unconscious again before his stomach had a chance to revolt against the concoction. Darkness.
In his dreams, he heard humming again. But this time it did not seem out of place, it felt warm and soothing. A hum that instilled that perfect stillness and contentment he enjoyed so much. He felt as had in the bottom of the crater, perfectly warm, perfectly content. But then images jostled his dream into a nightmare as he relived the steam, the explosion, the eruption. Litrix had to flee, had to escape.
Litrix awoke with a start. He was in the Kitsune's cave; Safe. He sighed and relaxed. He was able to move his head more freely and could easily look at his body without the same wooziness he had felt earlier . His body and wings were covered with towels and rags. They felt moist and soothing. He tried to move but he still ached and the movement disturbed the towels. His scales screamed in pain and suggested any movement was ill advised at best. Litrix decided to be still and instead peered around in the cavern.
There, on the far side, was the Kitsune, asleep. It seemed odd that, although her face had the same pleasant bright, furry red features it did yesterday, he noticed the subtle lines of fatigue. She was in a deep sleep as though her body had finished a long migration or some other great effort. And yet with the strain visible on her face, it only added to her depth. "This is not a simple charlatan," he thought, "who uses her wiles to get material goods and work out of others." He looked around the cave. It was decorated simply and looked like it could all be packed up and moved if necessary. "She is used to living on her own, living purely on her efforts." He thought about what he had said the previous day. He felt his noble assessments falter. He sighed deeply, only to be struck by a new sensation.
"What is that wonderful smell?" he wondered. He saw the boiling pot again, but unlike last time this time the smell tantalizing . It was vibrant and invigorating. His stomach rumbled and he started to salivate. He was hungry, and this smelled perfect, even though Litrix had not the vaguest clue what might be under the lid. He strained his neck to avoid disturbing his towel encrusted body while still getting his head closer to the pot. He inhaled deeply the wondrous vapors that escaped the caldron. The dragon audibly smacked his lips.
"It would appear dinner is done," echoed a pleasant voice from across the cave. The Kitsune was awake. It was amazing. Not a moment before her face, although attractive, seemed worn and fatigued. Now all the dragon could see was a bright exuberance and frivolity. "I assume from your drool that you approve."
Litrix quickly tried to compose himself. He felt guilty, but had no idea why. "I'm guessing this is not more medicine." His ravenous hunger betrayed his usual necessity for etiquette.
"It is just a little bit of simple healthy food to help you regain your strength. You haven't eaten for days and I'm sure your body needs something to get flying again." She pinched his cheek in such a way that he could not tell if it was maternal, flirtatious, or sarcastic. He may have speculated more but right now the contents of the pot were more compelling. She lifted the pot placed it squarely in front of dragon, replacing the pot with a large water filled cauldron. She turned around and lifted the lid; his nostrils were overwhelmed by a thousand pleasant sensations.
"Go ahead, I have no utensils your size and I do not pretend to believe that you are so noble as to want or need them after such a long fast." She winked again. "I'll pretend not to hear anything" She grinned broadly and rubbed behind one of his horn ridges. He was not sure if she was checking a bandage or giving a reassuring touch. In either case, he decided that hunger had the upper hand. Litrix quickly slurped up the thick stew. His senses were lost in the flavor. The warmth hit his stomach. In turn, it felt as though the wonderful stew coursed its way throughout his bloodstream and, for the first time in days, his muscles stopped aching. They still felt distantly sore, but invigorated. Suddenly he felt coolness on his wings.
He paused momentarily in his meal to look down. The Kitsune was gently removing a towel from his wing. Blackened lines of soot and embedded pieces of pumice were gone. There were still marks where he was scoured and scalded, but the redness was gone, the cuts starting to heal. He tried to flex his wing. "Don't try to mo..." the Kitsune cried out but it was too late.
Litrix winced in pain as he felt a few cuts open under the motion. There were no major wounds opened, but more than enough pain to demonstrate the wing looked better than it was. The Kitsune exhaled out of the side of her muzzle in frustration and chastised, "Silly little dragon, you'll still need to rest one more day before you can move. Finish your meal and rest and you'll be good to go by tomorrow. Now eat! Or do you not like it?" She asked with such a broad smile as it suggested she already knew the answer.
"It's wonderful!" Litrix exclaimed pointedly, and then busily buried his maw back in the pot. She continued to gingerly remove the bandages. The cool air on his scales, the warm broth in his stomach, and the gentle touch of such a kind soul, caused Litrix to ponder as he finished his meal. "So, why do Kitsune have such a fascination with charming, beguiling and playing games?" He asked cautiously.
This time, no scowl, no terse look, she just continued to remove bandages. "Why do dragons hunt and then release their prey; or perform acrobatics in flight?"
Litrix paused for a moment, thing. "To practice what we are good at, for sport, to prove our superiority " he declared.
This elicited a thin lipped smile from the Kitsune; she clicked her tongue "Tsk, funny really. I pretend to be superior to nobody. I act not in control, not to score victory, and yet we get our reputation as tricksters and players of games. Huh? Why is that?"
"Because you use subterfuge and half truth," Litrix accused, he knew their reputation and was not going to let her escape it.
She roughly removed a towel from his hindquarters, causing slight pain, yet still maintained her quaint smile. "Only the headstrong and arrogant need fear that. Any game we play is a battle of wits, a battle of emotion. We assume nothing and our opponent has the misfortune of knowing everything." She gave the dragon's cheek another pinch "Must be tough." Litrix raised an eyebrow in contemplation.
She snickered, beaming, "The truly wise and humble have nothing to fear. Usually they thank us for the lesson and move on with their lives. Game over, we both win. They win because in the end they learn something, truth is so rare. I enjoy the sport of teaching, not unlike your flying. Only the ones who learn nothing feel the loser, at what point we both lost. So I'd best be good at my games."
Litrix sat quizzically. "Sounds like it means the world to you. What of games of love, no lasting consequences or repercussions? Are you cold to people being hurt?"
If this was meant to chastise it failed. She continued gently unwrapping his tail. "Much the opposite. If we have truly 'charmed' someone, they know what true love is, and realize it's best found with another mortal. Since I'm but a spirit, offspring are simply not possible." She flicked his tail, surprising him as a twinge of pleasure shot up his spine. Gathering the discarded towels, "You know how it is, mortals and immortals can't breed, remember?" she smiled over a heaping pile of laundry.
Litrix tried, but his mind got lost in a new question. "Mortals are sometimes silly creatures; did any of them still love even after the game was done?"
The Kitsune stopped mid-motion. He couldn't tell whether it was what he said, or because she was busy lifting the massive pile of towels. With a mighty heft she dumped them into the boiling cauldron, and paused. "Two mortals have done so, in fact. Both of them fools, both wonderful, and both, sadly, were mortal." She finished in a happy, but almost sorrowful voice, pausing as memories washed over her.
She turned around, bright faced as ever, and yet Litrix was certain her eyes glistened. "But the game is still worth it, however they end. For even I learn things. I've earned insights that made me all the wiser, a little more complete. I would much rather that fleeting company, with all the benefit and hurt it invites, than to be alone in a crater. True enough?"
Taken aback by the obvious jab, he tried to retort, "Well, no but I..." but before he could finish he got lost in a knowing stare from the Kitsune. He could see a mournful sincerity in her eyes. Somehow she knew he hid from the world for comfort, to feel protected. Yet, he felt oddly empty next to the Kitsune. She was content, even happy. "I find it difficult to deal with mortals; I cannot find common ground," he stated stiffly.
The Kitsune gave Litrix a pointed look as if she expected him to say more. After a pause, she smiled and pointed at the cauldron of towels. "Make yourself useful and get that fire of yours going so I can finish the laundry." His body still looked damaged, but was free of soot and pumice and looked like it would heal up soon. "You still need a day's rest so might as well help me clean and dry this as a little repayment." She gave a gentle wave to the caldron. With a deep inhale, Litrix was surprised to find his inner fire ready and with a focused puff, brought the pot to a quick boil. "Heh, you ARE hot" The Kitsune chided.
The dragon let a subtle laugh escape. "Thanks, but there seems to be a lot of work left."
The Kitsune nodded her head. After many hours of laundry, packing, fire breathing, and healing, Litrix was drained. "Is it ok if I rest now? That much work exhausting, and I'm still recuperating."
The Kitsune stopped and bowed most humbly. "Thank you. You have been a tremendous help." She lifted her head with a wry smile "Don't worry; I'm sure your fires will return when you wake." She winked again. Litrix might have responded; but quite simply was too tired to give it much thought. He laid his head down and closed his eyes. This time the darkness was welcomed.
The morning sun warmed the cave and Litrix stretched freely for the first time in days. There was no pain, no aches, no cuts opening. The scratches and scars were barely noticeable. Craning his neck outside the cave longingly, the morning sky beckoned. He turned back into the cave. The cave was the tidiest he had seen it. The Kitsune, arms behind her back expectantly, seemed to be waiting for him to say something, make the first move.
"I feel healed enough to go. Do you think I'll be able to fly?" Litrix asked, hoping that was what she was seeking.
She moved her paws pleasantly over his wings. "They seem good, healthy and strong. Yup, I was correct when I saw you that first time, you are a healthy specimen." She cooed and gave him a subtle grin.
Litrix felt he had to say something, not just take flight and leave. "What do you intend to do with yourself now?"
She patted his cheek. "Heh, do what you think Kitsune always do. Play games and beguile the locals!" She smiled and swayed flamboyantly.
Litrix was not sure if he was being insulted or she was simply admitting her nature. "Glad to know that I was correct on both points when we first met." Litrix quipped in almost a scholarly manner.
"Oh, which points?"
"Identifying not only your nature as a Kitsune, but also that there are those like myself clever enough to avoid such games and charms," he said defiantly.
She patted his head and horns. "That you are, no doubt. Good luck in your journeys, may you find what you seek." She bowed and went back into the cave.
Litrix paused a moment, as if held back. Then, unfurling his wings, the urge for flight filled him. The dragon leapt with all the majesty and grace that dragons possess. Soon, the cave became a distant speck and the clouds were parted by his favorite acrobatics for hours until a shape on the horizon caught his attention.
He could see the still smoldering volcano not far away, and curiosity got the better of him. He dove to survey the devastation. He now realized that half the mountain had uncorked. Debris and ash were everywhere. The forest was leveled for miles, stripped of branches and leaves well beyond that. He explored ruined landscape until he noticed an odd patch where trees had been leveled while others around them still stood. The snapped timbers were odd as he could see no debris that could have broken them. Also odd was the discoloration at the center. He landed carefully and found the ash in this area not soft and airy, but muddy and caked. He used a talon to trowel some up and sniffed it. He knew the smell, and his eyes widened.
"This is where I crashed!" Litrix gaped at the size of the discoloration. "It's blood! I must have crashed hard." He could not believe it. His hunter's instinct would swear that nothing could have survived, not having bled so much. How could he have healed so quickly? His mind raced trying to make sense of the impossible contradictions. His keen eyes caught a glimpse of something.
He noticed a trail. An unmistakable trail of paw prints next to a shallow trench in the ground. Litrix's eyes traced the trail as it twisted through shattered trees. "She must have found me half dead, somehow bound my most grievous wounds, and then dragged me elsewhere." Quickly following it to a place where the trail stopped and changed direction. The ash around the area contained several side tracks. His keen tracking senses put it all together. "She must have stopped, rested, tried to find the easiest path." He suddenly realized, "How could she easily move me? I'm massive. This must have taken her a all day, maybe more." He pondered the amount of effort it required to accomplish. "All this effort she did, to keep me alive?" Somewhere deep in his chest he felt an emptiness stir.
He never considered how selfless she was. He had obviously been mortally wounded, and now studying where his wounds had been, he felt selfish by comparison. He'd slandered her nature, assumed a sinister intent, and neglected to see the simple acts of kindness. He felt ashamed. All his pretensions of nobility and superiority seemed silly and self centered. He continued down the trail. "I never even asked her real name," he admitted in a somber tone.
He followed the trail until he spotted the cave that, earlier this day, had been his sanctuary. He sat motionless, staring at the cavern, then back at the volcano, finally concluding the least he could do was thank her. It was dishonorable not to acknowledge the tremendous act of kindness she had shown him. He was better than that. He approached the cave cautiously to avoid startling her, nor intruded on her privacy. He peered in seeking that familiar face.
There was none. The cave was empty. Briefly he thought he was in the wrong place but confirmed the rocks and walls were exactly the right place and proportion. He inhaled deeply for a scent, "Definitely the right place, but she must have left shortly after he did." He was frantic. He felt empty, as though he'd misplaced something. His eyes darted around the cave looking for anything familiar. He focused on something he'd initially missed, sitting on the large central stone.
On the stone was an origami crane. He studied the perfectly folded piece of paper. Why was it here? Why leave only this? Curiosity lead him to unfold the crane, slowly and carefully he and discovered, to his surprise, the paper contained writing. Was this a note? He read it.
Several expressions crossed his face at once. First rage and indignation. Then it morphed to one of incredulous confusion. Finally, he found himself lost in deep contemplation staring at the barren walls of the cave, then out the exit towards the far off volcano, and back at the note again. Litrix smirked, chuckled, then laughed a hearty, unembarrassed laugh. He studied the note again, nodding his head, and said in a reserved tone, "And I'm all the wiser." Then it hit him.
Suddenly a new expression crossed his face; he looked around quickly, and felt a heat deep within his body rise. A heat that he had never felt before, but burned brighter than any he knew. It was contradictory to that perfect stillness previously pursued. His heart raced, his cheeks grew flushed, and he was infused with a new sense of purpose. He glanced and smirked at the note, tossing it away. "You know, my fine Kitsune, I think I will!"
Litrix inhaled the air in the cavern deeply until his nostrils detected a scent. He moved low to the ground, limbs moving with the purpose of a predator, years of stalking prey were focused into a singular seamless action. Leading with his nose, Litrix bounded out of the cave in a graceful stalking gate, intent on finding his target, leaving the cavern empty again, save the unfolded paper.
It read, simply: "I Win, Play again?"