I stowed his basket and the kettle in my room, put three buns and one cabbage head in my saddlebag, and went back. The count had tacked up his horse. A gelding, at least there would be no distractions from that side.

No one else was descending into the town. Apart from it being early in the morning, everyone was on holiday. And with the market closed, no reason to go there. In town, the streets were empty too, again no market to go to, and a lot of people were out of town. There would be no market until the sixth.

Nevertheless, word spread quickly among the children that the swift countess had come back. So I was providing rides to laughing and chattering children, and the count was walking beside his horse, which was also carrying always two or three children. Some of them paid with New Year's sweets. They joined my provisions in the saddlebag. Count Radel had a large repertoire of jokes, which failed me in both language and cultural contexts, but they made the children giggle. He had quite a way with them. I don't think they even realised he was a count.

Eventually, we arrived at the town gate with twelve more sweet buns. The road outside was empty too, except for a lone rider in the distance. The only person not on holiday was the sole town guard, who wanted to chat more. He told us that in the afternoon there would be more travellers on their way back to Krenburg or even further north.

But we were heading out. The dreaded cobbles were great to focus only on the road if I didn't want to sprain my paws. Then we reached the path to the ridge and on to Litra.

"Can we running?" I asked and set off without waiting for his answer. The count followed. Ah, it felt so good to run free, without stones under my paws. I had been in the castle for too long. Soon we reached the slope, and a little later the first trees. But I kept going fast, just slowing down as it got steeper. Soon I was over the ridge. Panting, I waited for the count to catch up with his gelding. As soon as he did, I walked more slowly, showing mercy to his horse. My destination was a small clearing with a spring. The place where we had spent the first night on our journey to Litra.

We soon arrived there. "Count Radel," I began, but then stopped, at a loss for words. Simple had to do. First I took off the saddlebag.

He misunderstood. "Yes, let's have a second breakfast."

The trees were calling. But when he said it like that, all the walking and running had made me hungry. And the trees were not going away. So I nodded and took out the cabbage and some buns.

It was nice here. Most of all, the smell of the forest was strong after last night's rain, catering to my inner squirrel and dampening my overactive libido. Moreover, the wet air felt good in my lungs.

Tired of the repetitive taste of New Year's sweets, I wrapped a bun in a cabbage leaf. It added a new taste, although I would not repeat this experiment.

After five buns, followed by a few more cabbage leaves, I rose. The reason why I wanted to come here. And originally to go alone. But I no longer cared. And Freya had told him already about my squirrelling out. Still, I was worried about how it would look in front of the count, afraid of being ridiculed.

I took a deep breath. "Now, Count Radel, I showing squirrel Kiara." And with that, I jumped onto the nearest tree, raced up and then looked down expectantly. What stupid part of my brain had thought that the count would follow me? He is not a squirrel and certainly had no idea of squirrel mating rituals. And neither should I, no more thoughts of mating, Kiara! I jumped up and sailed to the nearest tree. Yes, pure adrenaline. With my last active brain cells, I tried to keep a safe distance from the count and his horse. The trees here were not so sturdy, so long jumps that would probably topple them, were out of the question. Soon I was in the zone, working out my body's hormonal frustration. Eventually, I was panting worse than Larina had ever done, and my claws were so tired. I fell more than I climbed down the last trunk and walked slowly to the count, my legs trembling. The count looked bewildered.

The shadows had wandered a lot while I had been in the trees. "So, squirrel, I, Kiara," I huffed, waiting for the verdict.

The count smiled! "That was amazing. You look so graceful when you jump. Almost like flying. You are the most amazing countess. Thank you for showing me."

I blushed, more than happy about his answer. My fears had been unfounded. Together with the heat from the squirrelling out, my head was glowing. "Freya not liking. Too dangerous."

"But that is you, Countess Kiara. The daring is part of you. You ran the race, didn't you? Even with a body like yours, most would not dare. And against a prince! And not only did you run, you won. And like your leaps, your strides were so graceful."

"Thank you." My brain was still starved of oxygen and I was not sure how to handle all these compliments. I had feared a completely different outcome.

"And I think the impressed spectators would agree." He pointed to the trees.

Oh no, there were more than five confused male squirrels sitting in different trees. They had understood what I had been doing unconsciously up there. Without thinking, I gave them a violent 'chuck'. And they retreated a little.

"You speak squirrel? You did that in the trees too."

I had done that too? Oh no, stupid Kiara. "Sorry. Animal Kiara you see."

"Don't sell yourself short. You are a woman, a woman with a unique body, yes. But a woman where it counts."

"But my ears, and"

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"Stop," said the Count, "you are special. But it is you, a special you. Accept yourself."

I could not hold back any longer, took two steps, folded my forelegs so that our eyes were level, and hugged the count. "Thank you." And then I shed tears of joy, my fears unfounded.

The count stood frozen at first, but then he stroked my hair. And touched my ears accidentally. I flinched. He then carefully stroked around them, denying me satisfaction.

"Your ears are cute. They look so soft."

My brain shut down at 'cute'. "Please, feeling ears." Yes, yes, please. I trembled in anticipation.

He touched them gently, moving slowly from their broad base to the tufts. I panted heavily again and my fur rose and fell in waves. "Count Radel," I panted. And then I kissed him.

He hesitated for a moment, overwhelmed, and then responded passionately. We kissed, my tongue finding its way around his mouth, and he licked my canines. I ran the blunt side of my half-extended claws down his back. Then I threw off my jacket and put his hands on my breasts. Yes!

I could smell his arousal. "Please, Radel. Please," I panted.

And I lay him down. His defences were broken, he fondled my breasts while I kissed him. My hind legs tore off his trousers without him even noticing. I licked him and then threw myself on my back, purring and panting.

The count was very ready too.

* * *

Even though it was the first time in this body, and of course neither of us had any idea what a good position was, it was better than anything ever before, including anything on Earth. It was wilder, perhaps that was the best description. It took me a long time to regain my senses. The count lay limp and exhausted on my soft belly fur in the embrace of my paws, his hands still outstretched where he had caressed my breasts.

"Count!" I whispered, lifting him onto my upper body for more kissing and caressing. I teased him too, licking his ears with my monster tongue.

This had been just what my body needed. Slowly the fog of the last few days lifted from my brain. Unfortunately, it made the whole mess so much clearer.

Now, I was sure that Freya had been a good friend with benefits for me all along. I still liked her, well, not the drunkard, but the real Freya, the gentle, helpful one. I liked her, she was sweet, no doubt, with the vigour of youth and her unbridled desire to help. But it had never been true love for me, in retrospect. With Count Radel, well, it was probably not the right time to ponder in the afterglow. Really, Kiara? Didn't you imagine already an evening with him when you met the second time? I sighed silently. Definitely more cuddling first.

Suddenly, an undeterred squirrel suitor did his 'Chuck' close to my ears.

We both flinched. "Pest, she's mine!" shouted the count, sat up and threw a stick at it.

"Thank you," I whispered, not referring to the squirrel, of course.

"No, thank you. It was mind-blowing."

"Yes," I sighed, "and now thinking what?"

"Honestly? I have to admit, I had imagined my first time a little differently. Yes, I never would have - dear daring countess, thank you for taking me."

"Oh!" That was unexpected. I grinned, first Freya and now Count Radel! At this rate, I would go down in history as Casanova Kiara, the devourer of virgins. Although technically this body had been a virgin too until today. "Yes, very good. Very. But now secret?"

"And lose the most amazing countess in the world? No, Countess Kiara, will you marry me?"

I was again overwhelmed. "I?" was the only thing I could say. Even though everything inside me was screaming 'yes'. Still in the afterglow bliss, I didn't want to make a mistake. "Later. Now hugging." And more kissing.

* * *

The shadows had grown long by the time the count rose. While we were both exhausted, we had to be back before the town gate closed. We could camp out, of course, we even had provisions. But it would lead to more rumours than I was prepared to answer for now.

Count Radel had resin sticking in many places, from where I had touched him with my paws and even from my hands, and from the broken twigs and splinters of bark in my underbelly fur; all of which I had collected during the squirrelling out.

The source was much too small for a proper wash, so he did the bare minimum. I watched as he washed himself, naked of course, and was grinning like a madwoman. Even without the hormonal bias, Count Radel was handsome. Perhaps not to the standard of the era which preferred slightly fat people, but certainly to mine. Despite being a count and therefore without the need for hard work, the count was well-toned. It was a wonder how he could find the strange creature Kiara attractive. And did I mention his smile? Really, Kiara, why haven't you said yes already?

We quickly chewed a few buns in silence after softening them in the water. He sat on my lower belly, facing me. Fully clothed because we really had to return, the shadows were now almost horizontal.

The path down was uncooperative outside the forest. The sunny day had dried and loosened the gravel. My already aching claws were out and I needed all my skill on the sloping path. The count even walked his horse. Finally, we reached the valley floor. The count mounted his gelding again and we rode as fast as we could, for the sun was beginning to sink behind the horizon. The other traveller ahead on the road was just passing through the town gate.

Totally out of breath, we reached the gate just as the last ray of sunlight was disappearing over the plains. The weary gatekeeper smiled at me. "Our countess, faster than a horse!" and then closed the remaining leaf after us.

I just stood there panting, no breath left for a reply. The count dismounted so that his horse could also relax. I was sure that tomorrow my muscles would ache all over, from squirreling out, from sitting and lying in awkward positions, from descending gravel paths and from galloping on cobblestones. No tortures had been spared. But it had all been worth it. I still smiled as I looked at the count. No matter what came tomorrow, today would be a precious memory forever.

We walked through the town at a very relaxed pace. The children were at home after sunset, fortunately, as I was in no mood to give rides to anyone other than the count. But he rode his gelding. Finally, we were on the last climb to the castle.

It was time to talk. "Today is secret?"

"Countess, I will not immediately speak to Dame Grendel or the other old blokes unless directly asked," Count Radel laughed, "but I do not want to keep my proposal a secret. I really love you. And you are a countess! No one could object."

I was not so sure. "You are very good, uh, nice." It was so frustrating not being able to say what I wanted to say. "You are an incredibly handsome count."

"That sounded like a compliment."

"It is. No speaking is bad."

"Come."

On his horse, I had to look up at his face. His hug buried my face in his chest. 'Yes, what are you waiting for?' shouted my cerebellum. But I remained silent.

He stroked my hair and then my ears, up to the tufts. I moaned and my forelegs got weak. "Please," I whispered.

He let go. "We better hurry." But he just stopped stroking. We kissed again passionately. Then he broke the hug and let his horse walk on.

I walked very close to him, as close as I dared to come to his horse's hooves. I sucked in his smile in the fading twilight.

A little later, the count spoke very silently, still smiling, "I think the Count of Litra saw this very early on. I must have been blind and I am so glad you showed me your squirrel side. And that you were so brave afterwards. Thank you. I want to give you a home away from your world, but Litra has already become that. Let me into your home."

He was so good with words, even if I only half-understood them. "Yes," I said, "yes, making a home." And then I cried again silent tears of joy.