The Guardian Spirit (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #2)

Chapter 29: Dance of the Fox and the Bunny

Lutecia greatly feared the nearness of vile tailed foxes, so she preferred to spend time in the evergreen garden at a lake where no one would disturb her. There she contemplated the water flow, the Koi fish swim around, and ate her carrots peacefully.

One night, she was sitting at the calm water as usual and was munching a carrot when she spotted an icy glow in the middle of the lake, and once she looked at it more attentively, a marvelous picture unfolded before her - it was Huli Yuehong, not in his red fox form, but completely white like an arctic fox, with soft, fluffy white nine tails, and ruby red eyes. He was wearing a light blue kimono instead of a red one, and his fans too were light blue, as well as his long nails, and oh, my, he danced so graciously on the water! Each time he stepped onto the water surface, the little space where he stepped on would immediately turn into ice, and turn back into the water once he took his foot off. Snowflakes were spreading off his beautiful tails while he danced with his fans under the moonlight.

Wow, he has completely changed colours... So, maybe that is his Yin form he talked about. He's so beautiful in his white form, and his dance is so gracious, too...

She began watching him eagerly, her bunny ears jumping with excitement. However, soon even these slight waves caused in the air by her jumping ears reached the fox lord. He opened eyes, turned around, and spotted Lutecia. The bunny gasped - oh, goodness, she was noticed! She sprang up, but it was late - Yuehong had already walked there as it was too easy for him to step on the water due to his steps instantly turning into ice. He grabbed the girl and grinned, showing his sharp teeth. Lutecia's nose began twitching with fear.

"What are you doing here at such late night, my little one?"

"I... I was just relaxing, Your Holiness, when I suddenly saw you dance, and it was so beautiful I couldn't take my eyes off you. It's just... I too love dancing so much, I..." 

She cast her eyes down. Yuehong could feel she was trembling. At such a compliment from her, he grinned with pride and caressed her on the light blue hair:

"Thank you very much for such kind words, dear... Well then, would you mind having a dance with me?"

"Y... You would like to dance with me, Your Holiness?" 

Why would he, a tailed fox and the lord of all spirits, ever want to dance with her, a hostage bunny princess and the last representative of her extinct clan?

"Yes. I think there's nothing strange for a husband to ask his wife to a dance".

Lutecia got even more stupefied - so he already acknowledged her as his wife, even though she was such a miserable creature compared to him?

"Um, I..."

"Come, don't be scared! It's fun..." 

Yuehong grabbed her hand and took her out on the water. Lutecia got frightened she might drown, but there, she saw how, due to Yuehong's power, the water under her feet too turned into ice! The fox man took her hands and began gliding through the icy water together with her, taking little steps. She soon picked up his pace and accompanied him, gazing into his ruby red eyes, getting charmed by him more and more:

He is so majestic, so magnificent, so... lovely...

She got astonished at her own thoughts - she considered a fox lovely?! But when she gazed into his eyes, he did seem lovely indeed...

"My lord, we are only walking while dancing... Don't you foxes ever jump or hasten your pace when you dance?"

"Huh?" Yuehong chuckled, "That's indeed a question a bunny would ask... We foxes do not jump and run like you rabbits. It is hard for us".

"So, you cannot jump high and run fast? It is indeed true like those rabbit viziers say?"

"No, we don't. It's true. However, I'd really like to be able to jump as high and run as fast as you rabbits can..."

Lutecia had pity on him - poor boy, he couldn't even jump up to high heavens, and yet was called a Celestial-Fox of Nine Heavens...

"I could teach you if you desire that much".

Yuehong picked up his ears:

"Huh? You'd really be willing to teach me - a fox, the strongest moves of rabbits which are the only things that render you advantageous over us?"

"Not only that, Your Holiness. I shall teach you how to teleport in both long and short distances. After all, I should thank you somehow for being so kind to me and not eating me in my sleep. What's more, Teleportation is a hidden skill of De Lapin Clan which shall go extinct after I die... I do not want the teleportation skill to be forgotten. I'd rather teach it to the lord of all spirits even though he is a fox than teach it to those disgustful Kaninchen Clan".

The fox man blinked with utmost shock, but then beamed with gratitude:

"I'd be honoured to learn from a professional".

Lutecia giggled proudly at such a compliment:

"Well then, follow my instructions..."

She began teaching the fox her hidden skills - the thing she could never imagine she would do just a few days ago... But now, when she was doing it, contemplating the fox husband's funny failures and correcting his mistakes, she, after so many years, finally felt the warmth within - the lovely warmth she could never imagine she would receive from a fox...