Akiko didn’t wait to be told twice, she ran into the woman’s house slamming the door shut. Once inside the adrenaline began to go away, Akiko then noticed the deep, aching hunger that brought her to her knees. She began weeping at the ache and emptiness. Knowing that she needed some form of sustenance she attempted to get to her feet and stumbled repeatedly. Once she found her footing and had settled the pain of her empty stomach away in the back of her mind she actually took in the small house. It was unlike any house she had even been in. Only one oil lamp on a desk provided plenty of illumination for her improved vision. The room in which she was in had one cushioned chair, a stool, a basket with sewing and knitting tools, further back was a table that had a vase with cooking implements, behind that was a cast iron stove that was providing ample heat for this small home. She didn’t see any signs of electricity or current amenities she relied upon. Akiko used the chair to support her as she moved from the sitting room to the dining room/ kitchen area. As she entered the kitchen area she noticed a curtained doorway on her right. Using the chair as a walker she managed to get to the curtain, before she could pull the curtain back the front door was opened.
In walked the woman who saved her, now seen in some light she had deeply tanned, leathery skin, and dark brown eyes “Baby girl, why doncha have a seat in that chair you carryin around? I’ll go about finding you something warmer and cleaner than what you got on. Just have a seat and let Mama D take care of you.”
Akiko sat down in the chair slowly, not trusting her balance to her exhaustion. Once seated the lady ‘Mama D’ scooted her closer to the iron stove. “Now go on and get them dirty rags off, we both women here. Stay near that stove and keep yourself warm.” Mama D ducked behind the curtain “Once we get you dressed I’ll make some tea for ya. Nothing like Mama D’s tea to get ya back up and runnin’. Now where did I put those dern pants at.” Mama D rambled on for a few more minutes before coming out with a heavy long sleeve shirt, woolen pants and wool socks. “Here ya go sugah, put these on while I grab the kettle.”
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While pulling the stained shirt she had woken up in over her head Akiko let out a small “Eek” as she became aware that her ears were no longer that of a humans, but either vulpine or feline.
“You okay there baby?” Mama D asked full of concern.
“Um… yes, I just didn’t expect all this.” Akiko responded with a slight tremor in her voice.
“Don’t worry about it sugah, we women gotta stick together and help each other however we can.”
Akiko had the warmer clothes on by the time Mama D had found her kettle and tea. As Mama D approached the kitchen she turned up the oil lamp, bathing the room in a light orange glow. “There we go, I don’t see so good in my later years it seems.” She then took a good look at Akiko. “I will be darn, I ain’t never seen a fox girl. Well, shoot honey. How did you end up here? Yall supposed to be far away across the sea.”
“I truly do not know, it feels like I’m in a whole new world. I am quite lost.” Akiko began tearing up while expressing the truth of her situation.
“Now, now little one. Don’t you be upset. Mama D will help you find your place in this scary world. But first let’s get you some tea and some rest. We will face tomorrow together and get this all straightened out. Mama D took the tea pot off the stove just before it started whistling, poured the water in some of the tea in the cups, followed by a splash of whiskey from a flask she had hidden on her person. “Just one second there, gotta add the final touch.” She came back with a small jar of honey and added a small amount with a wooden spoon and stirred it in. “Here ya go sugah, sip it slowly and we will try to get you to bed.”
“Thank you, Mama D” as the smell of the strong tea and sweet honey hit her nose Akiko’s stomach made a loud, rumbling protest.
“Goodness, look at me. Done, forget my manners, gotta have something to eat with some tea. When’s the last time you had a meal?”
Akiko blushed, “I really don’t know, it feels like weeks.”
“Hold on a minute, sugah.” Mama D walked into the curtained off room and came back with a half loaf of dark bread with tree nuts and dried fruit in it. She took off a small morsel and handed it to Akiko. “Eat it real slow now. Your stomach is empty and we don’t want it sending the food back up. Small bites and little sips, until it's all gone. Then off to bed. It has been an eventful night for us.”