Epilogue
#46 of Fox Hunt
Thank you for reading, faving, and commenting, and I hope you return for Fox Hunt 2: The Queen of Varimore.
Hell. There might even be a Fox Hunt 3.
/wave/
Epilogue
The light was so bright, Aina couldn't see. Everything was white, and rising around her ankles, she could feel the damp thickness of clouds. All around, voices were singing, and she could hear wings rustling as birds flew in silhouette through still beams of light. She took an uncertain step and the light cleared, revealing crystal spires in the distance, bridges, fountains, towers rising against the sky. Winding around the towers were winged silhouettes, diving and rising in their endless song.
The singing was beautiful. Aina felt it tugging at her heart like a thread and she took another cautious step. "Where am I?"
On a golden bridge, against the pink and pale horizon, a shapely silhouette stood like a flame of white light, hips and breasts round, waist narrow. It was beckoning with open arms.
"Come on!" Girlish laughter trickled across the sky. "You kept me waiting long enough!"
Aina narrowed her eyes. The light was reflecting off something around the figure's throat. Shells and pearls. Her heart skipped a painful beat. "Mi sihle?" Without hesitation, she ran. It seemed to take seconds to close the space between them. She halted and tears of joy sprang to her eyes.
". . . is it really . . .?"
Evelyn smiled. "It's me."
Aina took Evelyn's paw and kissed it as the tears fell. Evelyn caught her tear.
"Don't cry, darling."
Aina couldn't help it. She cried harder, her small paws smoothing Evelyn's cheeks as their foreheads touched.
"Come now, you'll make _me_cry," Evelyn laughed. She touched the back of her fingers to Aina's cheek, eyes soft with affection. "This is no place for tears. It's sort of . . . against the rules."
Aina laughed, voice thick with a sob. "He kept his promise."
"Who did?"
"Never mind. You're here."
"I'm here," Evelyn confirmed gently and took Aina's paw.
Evelyn was glowing, her white mane dazzled by the light and billowing in curls around her. Aina couldn't stop staring at her. She was breathtaking. Evelyn smiled at her awe: Aina had no idea she was glowing just a brightly. She squeezed Aina's paw and led her on into the eternity of paradise.
"I missed you, mi sihle."
"I know."
"How long did you wait?"
"It felt like an eternity. But now you're here, and eternity will feel like a second."
"Ha. That was bad. Try again."
Evelyn laughed. "I never said I was a great romantic. Just that I was one."
The End