Kibbles, Puff and I were all laying down heaving and puffing from exhaustion. After lunch Kibbles and I spent the afternoon asking Puff as many yes or no questions that we could think of in regards to magic.
Puff then tried to draw things on the ground which to both Kibbles and I ,looked liked scribbles. Then we moved on to trying to act out what we thought magic would look like.. most of the time Puff would just shake its head in a no but sometimes there were breakthroughs in the conversation.
This continued on till we all fell over unable to ask any more questions.
" Hey Puff, do we know enough to at least learn a little magic?" I said panting.
Puff looked over at me, its little dragon body moving up and down trying to take in as much oxygen as it could.
It looked at me for a while, then looked at Kibbles and nodded once.
" YES! YUKI YOU HEAR THAT!? WE CAN TRY MAGIC NOW!" Kibbles yelled excitedly.
He jumped up from laying on his back and rushed over to me. The look in his eyes was sheer excitement.
It was like the Kibbles I first received and the Kibbles in front of me were two different beings. He no longer called me " Meowster" but " Yuki".
He has gone from someone who merely gave advice when I needed it. To someone who could be excited about magic and life in general.
He wasn't calm anymore but highly excitable. In a lot of ways he had become very childlike, exploring the world, he was truly looking at the world through his own eyes. For better or for worse.
I still cringe thinking about all the miscellaneous objects he had " found" to show me. Spirit beasts that look like spiders and snakes being on the top of the list.
I looked at him. He was standing right over me as I lay on the ground. His hands were on his hips to balance himself and his face was right near my own.
I could feel his hot breath tickling my nose. Kibble's black and red hair fell over my cheeks and ears like a waterfall. The smell of earth and sweat was strong. It took every inch of willpower to stop myself from grabbing him and doing something stupid.
It must have been all the time that I had spent with him alone in the woods making me see him differently. I mean, I do have adult urges and we have been alone in the woods camping and exploring.
If this were back on Earth it could have been considered a date right?
My last thought left my mind a little murky.
Staring up at him I was left slightly confused. I couldn't help but look down to his well-defined stomach and to the lining of his pants. The way his hips were shaped reminded me of a set of lights at an airport telling you where to fly the plane.
I smiled with my biggest plastic grin as I reminded myself that he was and always will be Kibbles. My chest was left with murky feelings.
I looked up at his face before I gently rubbed his forehead down to his well-shaped nose with two of my fingers. I took my time to reach the tip of his nose and poked it gently.
His slitted green eyes stared at me confused.
[ He is just my cat, right? ]
"You are too close " I mumbled.
"Oh sorry!" Kibbles said with an apologetic look.
He sat on the ground next to me.
" Yuki, you think when we get out of here, I will keep being a cat? " Kibbles said while deep in thought.
" Probably, you said this was a soulscape right? " I said in response, trying my best to muffle my previous thoughts.
" Mmm! When I get stronger, I may get a human transformation though! " Kibbles said proudly.
" I will miss being human with you... It's been fun! I mean thumbs are pretty useful! " Kibbles said as he stared at his hands.
" I mean, I was never able to catch prey this easy last time. I tried on a mouse that was in your room once and I couldn't catch it! With thumbs, the sky's the limit!" Kibbles said with a broad grin. He showed me his delicate yet calloused hands while the two little front fangs in his mouth shone brightly.
What he said made my chest swell up and a massive laugh escaped my lips. I held my belly in an attempt to make it stop feeling like it was going to explode.
" What are you laughing at?!" Kibbles said embarrassed.
" You are a good cat Kibbles!" I said between laughs.
" I am a very good cat!" Kibbles said proudly.
As the laughter subsided, Puff came over and sat on my stomach. It looked deep into my eyes.
" Okay, you're right let's get started!" I said looking at the tiny dragon.
Although Puff couldn't speak, its simple gestures were enough to get its point across.
Puff then jumped off my lap as I sat up.
Puff swished its tail twice and walked up to the place where the campfire was. The meat had been put away in the cave and hung to be dried already.
The dragon closed its eyes before taking in a few deep breaths.
" Yuki what is it," Kibbles said.
" Shh" I responded before he could finish as I pointed.
Puff started drawing a circle around the campfire with its tail. Green gas seemed to come off its tail and bore into the dirt, scorching it.
A rune in the shape of a flame had been created with the campfire sitting dead centre.
The centre of the campfire roared to life as a green flame dragon rested in the centre. Puff looked over at its own handy work and nodded before walking over to Kibbles and nipping his pants beckoning him over.
Kibbles followed Puff before asking " Do I sit here?"
Puff nodded.
Kibbles sat in a meditative position in the place where Puff had shown. Which was right near the campfire.
Puff then covered his tail with a green glow and smacked the back of Kibble's head with it.
Kibbles became dazed for a second before closing his eyes with his hands out near the dragon flame in the centre of the fire.
His hands were almost directly touching the green dragon in the centre of the fire, it didn't seem to be hurting Kibbles in the slightest. Sweat dripped down his brow as the flame dragon came to life. Flames licked across Kibble's fingers as they turned from the original green colour to a deep crimson red.
Puff then looked at me, walked over and gestured for me to follow.
I nodded as I sat up.
Walking behind Puff we trekked a little farther out of camp until we came to where Kibbles and I normally fished.
It was a beautiful crystal clear lake with a waterfall cascading from the top of some rocks. There was a massive tree that Kibbles and I would sit under in the centre.
Around the lake, there were different types of reeds and a few small spirit beasts. What I had always found strange was that there seemed to be sunlight that danced on the water. Since there was no sun in the sky I always wondered where it came from. Regardless, it was as beautiful as a painting in a children's book and seemingly just as surreal.
Puff motioned me to go to the centre of the lake. I was worried that there was something underneath the water so I held my breath as I approached the side.
The water was gently swaying.
Standing at the side I dipped one foot in the water. The liquid engulfed my foot giving it a cooling sensation.
I took off my pants and robe. I then folded them and put my geta shoes on top. I began to put the entire bundle over my head. Puff had taken that moment to jump on top of my shoes as I moved them.
The weight from all of my clothing as well as the tiny dragon was a little uncomfortable as I began to wade through the water to the tree in the island centre.
The water wasn't incredibly deep but it still came up to my waist.
Halfway through I felt something squishy under my feet which made my whole body scrunch up in disgust. I waded as fast as I could to get across as I finally made it to the island unharmed.
I looked down at my feet that had just touched the lake bottom. They were covered in dirt and filth so I quickly washed them off.
[ At least there are no leeches here! ]
I placed the bundle on my head to the side of the tree where it was dry and waited for further instructions from Puff.
Puff jumped off my clothing and patted the ground gently and methodically. It reminded me of when a builder was checking for studs in a wall.
Tap! Tap!
Tap!
The dragons little feet moved with precise motions.
The water near the small island began to bubble. First, it was small bubbles and then the water acted like it was boiling.
Rumble!
Rumble!
The ground beneath me began to shake.
" PUFF?! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!?" I shouted over the loud quaking as I grabbed my clothes and clung on to the tree.
Puff completely ignored me and it continued to dance as the earth underneath it moved.