Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

13 - Daidai

CW: Death

***

"Tsubaki-dono... where are we going?"

It was Ayame who finally, if a little timidly, asked this question. Eitsu had, uncharacteristically, been silently following after the dancer.

Well, she was a kaibyou. So long as she didn't die this time, she had all the time in the world.

Tsubaki was a human. She did not.

They had walked for another day, heading west, always west. Barely a word had been exchanged between them, with the most common sound accompanying them being their own footsteps.

The landscape changed. The limestone cliffs softened down to low hills, and travellers passed them both ways on the broad road, occasionally calling out and asking if they needed a lift. Tsubaki always shook her head. 

She was slowing down now, clearly tired and foot-sore, but continuing to plod doggedly on. Ayame was almost in tears. "Please, Tsubaki-dono."

"Go home, Ayame-san."

"No, I wont. You've got to stop, Tsubaki-dono. Eitsu-dono, please make her stop."

Eitsu shrugged. "Hey, Tsu-bo, want me to carry you? Your feet are bleeding."

Tsubaki sat down suddenly by the side of the road.

"Tsubaki-dono?"

"We'll rest here." She lay down and rolled over, her back to them. Damp patches stained her clothing. Ayame hobbled over and tried to offer a folded shawl as a pillow, but Tsubaki kept her eyes firmly shut. Miserably, the little girl lay down next to the dancer as close as she dared, and closed her eyes too.

Eitsu opened her box.

It didn't get easier, no matter how many times she saw them. Gritting her teeth, she set aside the first fur, gleaming gold, and picked up the second. This one was ginger, with stripes across the head and back. She was about to begin her reminiscence of her second life when a thought struck her. She reached into the box again.

The third pelt - soft fawn, spotted.

The fourth - feathery and grey.

Fifth - marbled tortoiseshell.

Sixth - auspiciously tri-coloured, calico.

She lifted the seventh from the box, feeling nauseous, and examined the snowy white fur. Drawing a steadying breath, she went to put the furs back.

There was one fur left in the box.

She hadn't seen it, dark brown and blending with the box wood.

She hadn't seen it under the much larger white pelt.

She dropped the box like she had been confronted by a venomous spider, and vomited into the bushes.

The pelt was scarcely bigger than her human hand.

She retched and trembled, drooling uncontrollably. Her clothes pooled around her as she retreated into her cat form. 

Run run run run

Tsubaki shifted slightly in her sleep.

She can't see this.

Suddenly and inexplicably, the most urgent thought in Eitsu's head was to hide the pelts. Transforming hastily back into human form, she seized the furs and packed them rapidly back into the box, making sure that the kitten pelt was well hidden below the others. Only the second pelt remained in her hand.