Stella:

"Stella?"

"Hm?"

"What do girlfriends do, exactly?"

"Uh... Hold hands, I guess? Kiss each other, sleep together-"

"Like we're doing right now?!"

Lien's arm wrapped tightly around Stella's waist. The Wolf's head hitched comfortably next to the girl's neck. It was... stressful? Frightening? Exciting, perhaps? Probably all three.

Nevertheless, the Human girl couldn't relax. Her heart ran to an absurd rate to the point she was on the brink of hyperventilating.

"Y-Yeah!"

"Sweet! That means I'm doing it right!" The Monoke's tail eagerly wagged. Namadi's Light, how would Stella survive a night like this? Mind you, they were only doing the not-nearly-as-indecent act of cuddling. This is not THAT type of story, you sicko.

"W-Wow..." The Human nervously laughed. "You're taking this so well..."

"Yeah!" Lien pressed her head further against her neck, her body shaking enthusiastically. "I'm glad, out of everyone, you asked me. You already are my best friend, so replacing 'best' with 'girl' feels right."

Was Lien on the same page as her? It seemed like there was a dissonance between what this meant for them. Bah, you know what? As long as she could kiss her without feeling guilty, it was a win in Stella's book.

...Until Tash discovers and uses her spine and skull as a morning star. Fuck, what would she do now? Spend the rest of her days tuckered in a hole like a gopher and hope the Knight would keep her at bay? He would probably be a victim as well...

"Your heart is beating like crazy." Lien pointed out. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" Stella denied. "I'm just... not used to sleeping with anyone like this." Her cheeks burned by the lingering warmth of the Monoke's soft, soothing fur, acting like the world's best plushie. Even that octopus wasn't as appealing next to her.

Lien lifted her head, her eyes attempting to meet hers, only to lock on a black stain with the weird shape of an elephant's head. "I can stop holding you if you want."

As a good masochist, Stella abhorred the perfect chance for a good night's sleep. "Look, if you need someone to hold you that much, I'm more than willing to not sleep for a night." She scoffed. "How bad can it be?!"

Pretty bad, she knew. But her words succeeded in appeasing her girlfriend, so all was good as far as she was concerned.

Lien resumed using her packmate as a glorified pillow. The feeling of her head connecting perfectly with Stella's was divine. However, the Human was still cautious about harboring these feelings toward her.

"I know I'm too clingy." The Wolf murmured.

"Excuse me?"

"Even my people comment about how I still act like a little pup, even if I should've become an eira months ago."

"A what?"

"Sorry. Eira is what we call the stage between a pup and an adult. They gain permission to hunt outside Pantsti's borders."

This surprise moment of Wolf culture exposition was what Stella needed to calm her heart and mind down as her curiosity took center stage.

Her hand boldly rested on her girlfriend's hip. "I guess you don't care much for these rules..." The Human snickered.

Lien retributed with her adorable, squealing chuckle. "I know. That's why I keep sneaking out! They think I'm too soft and trusting to walk by myself!" She frantically gesticulated with her paw to get her point across. But then... her voice dropped to a defeated whimper. "My lack of sight doesn't help my case much..."

Damn it! Stella couldn't stand there like a fucking statue! She mentally cursed herself as she slightly rolled to lie on her side and wrapped both arms around her girlfriend's waist. "Don't blow up on me now, heart!"

"Listen," The Human's voice straightened. "If people say you're too soft, they don't know shit about you. You saved my butt from so much in just a couple of days." Her hands buried further into her fur. "I have no doubt in your abilities, and neither should them."

Stella's stomach suffered a painful chill as the words came out of her mouth, and her hold on her girlfriend tightened. Her earthy, wild smell took over her nostrils, its familiarity soothing her anxiety by a smidge.

Lien returned the embrace by wrapping her other arm beneath the Human's body. "Mom asked the elders to postpone my officiation as an eira for a few years." She sobbed. "My own mother..."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Stella's heart ached and fluttered for the pup, but what could she do? Platitudes, kisses, and hugs were nice but could only go so far. No, she wanted to take action, to do something that would soothe her troubles.

The Human planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll talk to her."

Lien's tail froze. "What? You?"

"Yeah." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I can talk about how amazing you were when hunting that bear or how powerful you became because of our training. She already knows everything about our first day of adventure, right? And what happened while she was knocked out?"

The Wolf nodded. "But I don't think that'd be enough to convince her. The illustrious Captain Tash is known for her stubbornness." She chuckled.

Stella smirked. "Now, who does that remind me of?"

Lien pouted. "What do you mean by that?!" She broke into a childish giggle that sweetly echoed through the girl's ears. "I'm joking!" She sighed, melting into the Human's embrace. "Thank you so much..."

"For what?"

"For being here. For caring. For... making me smile so damn much!"

Stella gasped. "You said a bad word?!"

Lien shrugged. "Well, Mama isn't here."

Strange... After this conversation, the crushing apprehension was... gone, for the most part. Holding the pup in her arms felt... more natural. Perhaps everything would turn out alright. Maybe... Stella deserved some happiness for herself...

...

"Hey! Your heart has calmed down!" Lien's tail swished back, full of energy. "Yay! I helped!"

Yep. That settled it. Stella tilted the Wolf's head upward so their lips could connect again. While her heart accelerated again, it was much more manageable than before, fueled by passion, not anxiety. She could finally focus on the softness of her girlfriend's lips and how her fur tickled hers. Shame was not breaking in as she took about a minute to pull away from the kiss.

In hindsight, the long duration probably butchered the mood. Can you imagine if Lien's mom was lurking in the shadows, watching the scene unfold?

Hahaha... Ha...

...

The thought sent a chill through Stella's spine.

Lien yawned. "I'm gonna get some shut-eye. You're the best girlfriend ever, by the way."

Stella scoffed. "I'm your first."

"Yeah. So?"

The Human chuckled. "Nothing." Her hold on the pup tightened. If she was being used as a pillow, she might as well make this a two-way street. "You're the best girlfriend ever, too."

"I know..." Lien's eyes closed. Before a minute could even set in, her loud snoring blared in Stella's ears. And she couldn't be happier about it.

Soon enough, exhaustion claimed her as well. Her muscles relaxed, and her eyelids became heavier as she was enthralled by the warmth and the fluffiness that cherished her...

...

......

.........

"Psst."

Hm?

"Kid. Are you asleep already?"

Hōkō? No, that voice felt much different. However, it was so familiar...

"Over here, you dumb child! Hello?!"

It was far more of a jerk as well. Unbelievable...

Stella opened her eyes again, realizing she wasn't in bed anymore. The hut was replaced by an ethereal mosaic of undulating tones of green, yellow, and a purple, jagged rift in the middle.

"Another dreamscape?" Stella scratched her head. "This one is kinda nice..."

"You learned how to speak without a mouth? Fascinating..."

The girl turned around, searching for the voice's source until a familiar, Frankenstein-esque Monoke stood a few meters away.

"Look who it is... The freak show himself." Stella tapped her foot on the invisible floor, a frown carved on her face. "Hey, didn't you also talk with your mouth last time?"

The Baku waved his trunk dismissively. "I prefer running my mouth."

"You don't say..." She rolled her eyes. "What do you even want, you prick?! I'm dreaming already, so eat up and fuck off!" She lifted her middle finger at him.

The Monoke stomped his hooves in frustration. "I'LL GET TO IT, YOU INSOLENT BRAT!!!" He trumpeted. "BUT BEFORE THAT, I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU, BELIEVE IT OR NOT!"

Stella cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Explain, shitstain."

"Your guard pals will or are being attacked by a powerful Yūrei as we speak!" He gesticulated and pumped the air with his trunk, bringing more gravitas to his words.

"The hairy one?" She scoffed. "That creepy lady wasn't a problem for Lien's mom and her gang before. I doubt she-"

"NO! NO! NO!!!" He swatted her nose, making her wince.

"Asshole!" She exclaimed.

"Listen! It's not her! It's her companion!"

"But her companion is a Daien!"

"She has another, idiot!"

Stella's eyes widened. There was another one of those skinny freaks running around for her?! Fuck. That.

"Her name is Yuki-onna," The Baku explained. "She's a powerful ice magic wielder. She hunted me and my companions weeks ago and only left us alive as a warning!"

Damn it! Was there no end to these monsters?! At this rate, she'd stay locked in Pantsti for the rest of her days!

...

Well, there were worse fates, now that she thought about it...

The Baku's trunk wrapped around her shoulder and shook her like a rag doll. "Don't you get it?! Those guards are in danger!"

Fuck! He was right! If the Knight's helmet was removed amid the confrontation, they would... They would...

......

Wait a minute...

"Why should I believe you, who tried to snatch me twice in a single day?!" Stella frowned. "Props for being so persistent, by the way. I gotta respect that." She relented.

The monster sighed. "Look, I don't like you, and you don't like me-"

"Nice start, Drowzee."

"But I owe you and that armored buffoon for not tattling on us." His tiny eyes begged at her. "Besides, I want you to alert other guards of what's happening. You don't have to step out or anything."

After a few seconds of deliberation and growing apprehension, Stella conceded. "Fine! But how do I even explain where I got this information?! You're a wanted criminal! They'll never believe you!"

"Say it was someone from the Gunka Army! They'll buy it!"

She sighed. "Alright. I can work with that."

"Yes! I have faith in you, little rascal!" The creature's tongue hung off his mouth, dripping pink, sparkly saliva. "Now, if you excuse me..." The entire dream plane shifted and funneled toward his trunk, similar to their first encounter.

As Stella felt her hold on this realm waning, another question popped into her noggin.

"Where's the other two?!"