FSE

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Chapter 10

"Cleansing and the Celebration of Life (Part I)"

Rowen woke up in the morning to an empty bed. Kira's scent still dwelled in his nostrils, her exquisite taste still welcomely loitered on his tastebuds. Her cute moans echoing in his ears. Her big green eyes burning their big green flame under the covers, still in his mind.

Rowen saw at the foot of the bed, to the side, of the bed, and on a chair and coffee table lay bags. What could they be? He retrieved a bag from the edge of the bed. It was soft. He blushed reminded of Kira's soft body. Clothes?

Five bags of clothes.

Nice clothes.

She had gotten him his own necklace, it had no emblem, but it was engraved,

To: The one who keeps me warm at night, you are all the warmth of a hearth, with the spirit of the fire itself. To my little flame; I love you. Always and forever.

_From: Kira, the Cold One. _

The date was engraved on it. He put it on, tears of joy falling with a splat. It dangled gloriously around his neck, silver shimmering as sunlight bounced from it.

He pulled out hit new clothes and made an outfit. Long brown work pants, black belt. White socks. A nice grey shirt. He also found a comb in the bag which he used to push his dark brown hair to the side of his face.

"Good morning Madame Gnar." Rowen sat at the dining table.

"Why hello, Rowen. Have fun last night?" She shot a knowing glance at Rowen.

Rowen looked away, embarrassed and nervous.

"You look simply dashing. Make sure you thank Kira, she was beyond excited while she was dropping those off."

"Oh, I plan on it!" He told her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Gnar toyed with him, "No, not like that. I mean verbally, tell her thank you. With your words."

Rowen was crushed by her cruel playfulness.

"But, in all seriousness, either take it a bit easier, or tell her to quiet down at night. Some people actually use that time to sleep." She finished her half-serious jests. Rowen again stayed silent.

"So how do you like that necklace? It suits you well." Gnar ruffled his hair.

"Honestly?" he blushed, "I cried. This is the nicest thing anybody has done for me. You and your girl, you have been nothing but nice and respectful; I feel almost unworthy." Rowen felt guilty.

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Gnar laid a paw on his back.

"Well, my mom didn't want me, Madame Kiel doesn't want me. I am afraid I will do something to upset you, or even worse, Kira." Rowen hugged Gnar's waist.

"Well, there is no reason for me or Kira not to like you. You are a sweet boy. I doubt I could ever let you go." She reassured him with a kiss on his forehead. "Here, take some food. Kira told me that you'd know where to meet her."

Rowen pocketed some food and walked into town with a renewed swagger. He felt like a new person. Head held high after hearing Gnar's feelings, new powers, new clothes, new experiences with Kira. Everything was new. Nothing seemed real. He felt as if he was someone else.

He trotted along to the book merchant.

The old merchant wore an exceptionally wide smile, humming joyously.

"Good day." Rowen nodded to the man.

Kira stood in the overhang, watching passerby's behind the book cart. She wore a dazzling, yet still strangely civilian, white dress. Rowen noticed that a gold circlet hugged her head, encrusted with a large shimmering flawless jade gemstone. She did not look unlike an Egyptian queen.

"Oh my god! You look breathtaking!" Rowen gasped, grasping her paws and kissing her.

"As do you, handsome." Kira nodded at him shyly. She was still embarrassed about the lats night's adventure.

"I cried when I saw the necklace. Thank you so much!" He hugged her tightly,"No one has ever done anything that nice for me before."

Kira held him tightly, blushing, "I'm glad you like it!"

The cubs held each other's paws before being called over by the merchant. "I've got good news. It does regard the lack in material today, I apologize. I will be here no longer."

Kira gasped.

"I am opening a shop, closer to that forest path you guys like. It is spacious, I can move four times my current selection in there, plus some tables and chairs. It has a living space above, so I don't need to ever leave my house!"

Rowen was amused to see an adult acting in such a manner. Especially an older adult.

Kira was sparkly-eyed, "Really? That's great! When do you open?"

"Beginning of next week."

"Oh, do only two days, not including today."

"I'll be hoping to see you there!"

"Oh you will."

Rowen butted in, "We'll see you then! But right now, we must go. Thank you sir!

The man just smiled and waved.

"So your mom wants you to be 'quieter' at night."

Kira was alarmed, "Did she look angry at you? She must have seen us last night."

"Or, heard you. No, she wasn't angry. I think I'm still in your bed."

Kira blushed, ashamed of her behavior, "Good." she pecked his mouth.

They walked aimlessly through the chaotic streets of the town, holding hands, tails interlaced.

Rowen asked Kira, "What do you want to do?"

"Why, do you tire of the lake?"

"No! No, it's not that. I thought that maybe you were becoming bored." Rowen admitted.

"I am quite fine." She tightened her grip.

A gentle breeze blew, bringing a smile to Rowen's face as he saw the content raccoon.

"Let's go out today. Money is no object right now, I still have about eight and three-quarters silver." Kira jiggled her coins.

"Let's go get food." Rowen sudgested.

"Let us avoid the Foodicide man for a while. I'll be sick if I even hear his voice." Kira groaned.

"Good idea."

They found a nice smelling resturaunt and ate brunch.

A waitress made her way out to the cubs, "Breakfast of champions! Here you two go, enjoy!" She flamboyantly skipped away.

"Ugh! I saw you oggling that busty cat!" Kira accused Rowen, half-joking, half-serious.

"No, I was just looking at her outfit."

The large chested catgirl winked at him from across the room. "I never eat at resturaunts." He eyed another waitress that was passing by. "It's weird. They are all wearing the same thing."

Kira laughed at him and held his hands, "Is this your first time?"

Rowen flicked his tail, "I think so." he blushed.

Then they noticed their food.

A bowl of steaming rice, a bowl of vegetables and chicken douced in thick meaty, tangy, sauce, a rather large bowl of thick, doughy noodles, and a big bowl of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and chopped up tritip mixed with peas and carrots.

"Oh my gosh! This looks so good!" Rowen got up and sat on the same side as Kira to hold her.

The catgirl waitress came back, Rowen decided to stuff his face and let Kira handle it, so he couldn't be accused again.

"I'm sorry, what would you like to drink? We have water," she stopped, "You don't look old enough to drink yet, so water, freshly made cider, milk, and tea." She smiled warmly at the lovers.

Kira requested water, Rowen settled for some cider.

"Alright, coming up! Sorry again for the wait!"

Rowen stared at the food, "If this is burnch... what the hell is dinner like?"

They held each other and ate for a few minutes.

The waitress returned, bouncing, "Here, sorry for the wait! Your drinks will be on us today! Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything!" With that, the waitress turned and skipped away with a jiggle.

They ate.

They ate more.

They ate all but the bowls.

No more rice.

No more noodles.

No eggs, tri-tip, peas or carrots.

Not even any more sauce.

The waitress glided back, huming a tune, flicking her tail, "Here's your che-"

Kira interrupted her, "Desserts."

The waitress blinked. She did not understand, "Desserts?"

"Desserts." Kira was determined, "What desserts do you currently have?"

"In the afternoo-" She trailed off, before she could finish Kira snapped at her.

"Yes. In the afternoon."

"Um... well, right now, lunch time, we have cinnamon covered sliced apples-"

Kira cut her off again, a great waterfall of saliva streamed from her open maw, "We would like that!" she slammed her paw down on the table, startling both Rowen and the poor waitress, wiping her face of drool with the back of her paw.

The waitress jumped, "Ye- Yes ma'am! We'll get right on that!" She bolted from the table flailing, terrified of the assertive little raccoon.

Rowen watched in both fear and amusement. "Wow you must really like food." Rowen jabbed.

Kira stared at him, with a deadly serious look that was fueled by rage. "Yes. Food is my favorite thing in the world."

"Even more than m-"

"Yes. Even more than you."

Rowen looked crushed.

"Because if you are my universe, what fuels my universe?" Kira had unadvertantly grabbed her mate by the collar.

Rowen was terrified, a bead of sweat leaked down his face. He put his paws out in front of him, and tried to think of something to say; unable to cower as she held him. "F-"

"Yes! Food!" she set him down apologetically.

Rowen saw the waitress holding their deserts on a tray, hiding behind a corner, tears of terror plummetting down her face. Rowen chuckled as it was both comedic to see this grown woman terrified of a girl, and because he knew how she felt.

Suddenly, the food was on the table, he saw the waitress backing away from the table in retreat, staring at Kira with huge eyes, hands on her knees. She didn't want to make any sudden movements.

Kira looked up, "Than-"

The waitress had disappeared.

Rowen laughed hysterically, rubbing Kira's shoulder.

Kira looked ashamed, scooping the apples into her mouth before squishing them with her teeth.

This made it even funnier for Rowen.

"We really ought to do this again!" Rowen wiped tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, also consuming the warm, slimy fruit.

Kira looked at him with a crooked head and gave him an awkward smile, cinnamon stuck to her face in an area.

Rowen extended a finger and pushed the cinnamon into her mouth, gently and caringly.

Kira blushed, full of embarrassment, sucking the sticky, syrupy cinnamon off of his finger.

Rowen removed his finger and russtled Kira's hair. "Shall we leave?"

Kira left behind a silver coin for a thirty-eight piece lunch.

"I feel bad for the waitress," Kira confessed.

Rowen laughed, "Should be fine. Especially with that extra sixty-two pieces you left."

"Whaa? You saw that?" Kira's cheeks burned. She didn't know what she wanted to keep the tip secret, she just had.

"What shall we do now?" Rowen rubbed his satisfied belly.

Kira sudgested, "There is a hot spring near the lake. Nobody ever uses it. What about that?"

"Oh! Yes, that would be nice!" Rowen held her excitedly.

"Ugh! It's been days since I've had a propper bathing.

"Days? I haven't truely bathed in weeks!" Rowen complained.

The orphanage was a busy place, there was rarely time for a thurough bathing.

"I'm excited, I've never been to a hot spring before."

"Oh? You'll love it!" Kira grasped his paw.

Rowen becamse nervous. "It is a hot spring, right?"

"Yep! The best kind!"

"Well... How hot does it get?"

Kira was about to laugh at him, but quickly realized he was serious. She thought. "Hm. It is hot, but not painfully hot." She was satisfied with her answer. "It is like the warmth leaking out of an oven, but all around you, and silky smooth."

Rowen felt reassured after the explanation, soon becoming excited again.

"I should go ask mom something, will you go to the forest path and wait for me?" Kira had an idea.

"Uh... sure."

Kira disappeared and he started on his way to the path.