Mistress wasn’t happy with us when she woke up. Less happy because of the headache I could feel from her. Kaoru didn’t look much better off, so I was personally grateful I’d held back.

“Both of you. Honestly, what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I haven’t had a solid mating since a couple months before I awoke as a Novice. It’s not that big a deal.”

“It is if your fling notices you have giant rabbit ears instead of normal human ones! And what if Kaoru forgot herself?”

“Ow… please not so loud.”

I patted Kaoru on the head, and sent her some soothing earth qi to help ease the pain.

“You yourself said it was unlikely. And alright, I probably would’ve suggested she not imbibe if I’d known she was in heat last night. Probably just as well human shape brings our biology closer to human standards, or she would’ve been far more desperate.”

Mistress still could only glare.

“Alright. Try to shift.”

I did as she asked… and couldn’t. Kaoru’s eyes widened as she seemed to have the same issue.

“Just as I thought. Congratulations you two, your mating succeeded.”

I could hear the venom in Mistress’s tone, but honestly wasn’t worried.

“Alright, so we’re pregnant. Don’t know about Kaoru, but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had kits by a long shot. My species is rather famous for it, remember?”

I didn’t see the slap coming, but definitely felt the anger in it.

“Your species, Xiang Tuzi, is known for having an average life expectancy of less than a year in the wild, and a very high mortality rate in your young. Plus this isn’t a rabbit pregnancy, or even a fox one. The two of you will be trapped in human shape for the entirety of your gestation period, the full nine to ten months any human would suffer through, will give birth to mostly human children, and will have to care for them as such until they are old enough to fend for themselves. Which, by the way, takes humans approximately fifteen to twenty years to accomplish.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Okay. We might’ve screwed up a little.

Kaoru just focused inward, unusually pale. “I’ve… never had kits. I don’t know if I’m ready.”

Mistress Song took a deep breath, centering herself.

“There… there are ways to end this now. Technically neither of you is actually pregnant yet, but your cultivation makes it far easier to conceive and far harder to miscarry. Any children you do have will be born healthy, and you’ll have far fewer complications or risks while being pregnant or giving birth… but it’s also harder to stop an unwanted pregnancy before it settles in. If you want to take that option, it has to be now.”

I thought about it, and shook my head.

“I don’t mind, and if Kaoru needs support I can provide it. Human children are definitely sounding more difficult to raise than rabbit kits, but I’m… well, it just always felt right to have some children around. I’ve kinda missed it.”

Kaoru stood up, and looked out the window for a bit.

“I… the boy last night. I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but… I liked him. Not enough to start a family with, but maybe I should let him know?”

“He will,” Mistress replied. “I can track both of your baby-daddies by the leftovers of their qi signatures inside of you two. And as the responsible thing to do, I’ll be visiting them to make them aware of what happened.”

I shrugged. It wasn’t so important to me, but I figured that was more of a rabbit thing. I’m not incapable of emotional attachment, it’s just not as important to me on a personal level. One mate’s the same as another in my world.

“I think…” Kaoru nodded. “I think I want to follow through on this. I know I didn’t plan on it, and I’m fairly certain I’m nowhere near ready, but I’ve got you two to help me out… and it just doesn’t sit right with me to end my child’s life before it begins. Maybe someone else would have a different viewpoint on the matter, and they’d have a right to it. It would even be as valid as my own. But since I’m the one who has to suffer with the consequences of my actions, I’m the one who gets to decide what those actions will be. And,” she placed a hand on her lower belly, “I think I want this.”

Mistress nodded. “Then I’ll tell your lovers, and we’ll head back to the monastery. I should warn you that your cultivation will be stunted while you’re pregnant,” she winced and sighed, “Not that I’ve ever regretted that when it was me.”

“You-”

“I’ll talk about it on our way back, Xiang. But yes, I’ve had children of my own over the centuries.” And Mistress seemed to look… sad? “Yes, I’ll talk about it while we’re headed home. We have other worries right now.”