The two of them walked along the narrow forest road, sunlight filtering through the canopy above. Henry, carrying the massive Forest Boar over his shoulder like it was a sack of flour, kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead—or at least he tried. His attention kept drifting to the catfolk in front of him.
"You're not tired, Henry?" Riku asked, glancing back with wide, curious eyes.
"Hm? No," Hiroshi replied casually. "This is light."
Riku's ears twitched, and his tail swayed as he tilted his head. "Nya? Light? Really?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Nothing…" Riku mumbled, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Then, as if dismissing the thought, he turned back around and kept walking, his tail swaying rhythmically behind him.
Hiroshi sighed, shaking his head, but his eyes betrayed him. They were glued to that tail. It moved with an almost hypnotic rhythm, swaying side to side as Riku walked.
Why does he walk like that? Henry thought, narrowing his eyes. It wasn't just the tail—it was his entire demeanor. Everything about Riku screamed femininity, from the soft curves of his hips to the slight roundness of his butt that moved with each step. The gentle sway made it hard for Hiroshi to see him as just a boy.
And that tail.
I really want to touch that thing…
The thought nagged at him, growing stronger with each step. The way the sunlight hit Riku's golden fur, the way it flicked playfully whenever he spoke—it felt like it was practically begging to be touched.
"Henry~," Riku called, snapping him out of his trance.
"Yeah?" Hiroshi replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"You were staring at my tail, nya~," Riku teased, turning his head slightly, a playful grin on his lips.
Hiroshi froze, embarrassment flooding his face. "Wha—no, I wasn't."
"Nyahaha~! Yes, you were!" Riku giggled, his tail swishing even more dramatically now.
"I wasn't staring!" Hiroshi shout, looking away, though the heat rising to his face gave him away.
Riku stuck out his tongue playfully. "Big Hyuman is so weird~."
Hiroshi sighed, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, well, you're the weird one." But even as he said it, his eyes couldn't help but dart back to that damn tail.
"Riku…"
"Nya?" The catfolk turned around, his golden eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Let me touch that tail."
Riku froze, his ears shooting straight up, then—
"HISSSSS!" Riku puffed up, his tail stiffening defensively as he stepped back. "Nya! No way! It's mine!"
"Damn it, I just want to touch it," Hiroshi said, crossing his arms and glaring at the stubborn catboy.
"Nya! You can't!" Riku huffed, hugging his tail close as if to shield it, pushing his soft curves forward in a way that made it hard for Henry to look away.
"Just this once," Hiroshi persisted, his eyes narrowing.
Riku's ears twitched as he glanced at Hiroshi , then at his tail. He puffed up his cheeks in frustration before sighing. "Ugh… fine…"
Hiroshi 's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Haaa… nya… fine. Sit down," Riku grumbled, his voice tinged with embarrassment as he pointed to the ground.
Hiroshi smirked triumphantly, lowering the massive boar from his shoulder and setting it down like it was nothing. He plopped onto the dirt road, waiting eagerly.
"No touching!" Riku warned, pointing a clawed finger at him. Then, with visible reluctance, he turned his back to Hiroshi and swayed his tail toward him.
The tail brushed lightly against Hiroshi 's face, the soft, fluffy fur tickling his skin. It was even softer than he had imagined, like a perfect blend of silk and warmth, accentuating the feminine elegance of Riku's form.
Hiroshi closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the texture as the tail grazed his cheek. "...It's so soft…"
"S-satisfied?" Riku stammered, his voice high-pitched with embarrassment, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade.
Hiroshi leaned back, his smirk still plastered on his face. "Yeah, that'll do."
Riku spun around, his cheeks bright red as his tail swished behind him angrily. "Nya! You're so weird, Henry! Who even asks to touch someone's tail?!"
"Hey, don't blame me," Hiroshi said, standing up and grabbing the boar again. "You're the one walking around swaying that thing like you want people to notice."
"Nyahaha!" Riku laughed nervously, hugging his tail to his side once more, emphasizing the curves of his body. "Big Hyuman is a big weirdo~."
Hiroshi rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the small grin tugging at the corners of his lips. This world was weird, but it was starting to grow on him.
As they continued walking, Hiroshi adjusted the massive boar on his shoulder with ease. The road stretched ahead, winding through the dense forest, but his curiosity about this strange new world kept growing.
"By the way, Henry," Riku began, his voice breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"This is the first time I've seen a huge Hyuman like you," Riku said, tilting his head to look up at him, his golden eyes sparkling with interest.
Hiroshi chuckled. "Hmm? Really?"
"Yeah."
"Oh." Hiroshi furrowed his brow. "Hyumans here aren't big?"
Riku shook his head. "They're taller than beastkin like me, or the other races like elves and dwarves, but… not as big as you!"
"Elves?" Hiroshi 's eyes widened in surprise.
"Nya!? Never seen an elf?" Riku asked, his ears perking up, adding to his cute demeanor.
"No," Hiroshi replied, then added with a smirk, "It's also my first time seeing a catfolk like you."
"Really, nya?" Riku grinned, his tail swaying behind him, emphasizing his playful nature.
"All the catfolk look the same as you?" Hiroshi asked, his tone curious.
"What do you mean, nya?"
Hiroshi gestured vaguely, trying to find the right words. "I mean… smooth skin? Hairless? Long hair? Cute?"
Riku's ears twitched, and his tail swished in agitation. "Nya? No, it's just me that looks like this. Everyone else is lucky to have fur. I only have these ears and tail, nya~."
Hiroshi blinked. "Huh. So you're the odd one out."
"Yep, nya!" Riku said, surprisingly casual about it. "I got teased a lot when I was little, but it doesn't bother me anymore. I'm unique!"
Hiroshi raised an eyebrow, giving Riku another once-over, taking in the delicate curves of his figure. "Unique, huh…" he muttered. If this world thought someone like Riku was strange, then Hiroshi couldn't wait to see what "normal" looked like.
Riku glanced back at Hiroshi and flashed a bright smile, completely unaware of how his words had piqued Hiroshi 's interest. "You'll see soon, nya~! My village has all kinds of beastkin! Big ones, small ones, ones with fluffy tails like mine—"
Hiroshi smirked. "You really like talking about your tail, huh?"
"Nya~!" Riku huffed, puffing his cheeks in mock annoyance, his playful expression accentuating his features. "You're just jealous because you don't have one!"
Hiroshi let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, sure. Let's go with that."
When they finally reached the edge of the village, Riku threw his arms out dramatically. "This is where I live, nyaaa~!"
Hiroshi stopped and looked around, taking in the sight before him. The village was small, with simple wooden houses clustered together. Smoke drifted lazily from chimneys, and beastkin of all shapes and sizes wandered about, chatting, carrying goods, or tending to small gardens.
"It's… small," Hiroshi said bluntly, still carrying the massive boar over his shoulder like it was nothing.
"Nya~! It's cozy!" Riku said, sticking his tongue out playfully. "Come along, Henry~! I'll show you around!"
"Alright, alright," Hiroshi muttered, following the energetic catboy through the dirt roads.
As they walked into the village, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations halted, heads turned, and eyes widened in surprise.
The beastkin villagers froze in their tracks, staring at the hulking figure of Hiroshi . His towering height, combined with broad shoulders and a muscular build, made him look like a giant compared to the smaller beastkin. The fact that he was casually carrying a massive Forest Boar over his shoulder didn't help either.
"What the…?" one of the villagers whispered, their ears twitching in disbelief.
"Is that a Hyuman?" another muttered, clutching a basket of vegetables with wide eyes.
Even the guards stationed near the village gate gripped their weapons nervously, their tails bristling at the sight.
Hiroshi sighed, feeling the weight of their stares.
"Nyaaa~! Don't mind them!" Riku said cheerfully, waving to a few villagers as if nothing was unusual. "They're just not used to seeing someone as big as you, Henry!"
With a grin, Riku leaned closer to Hiroshi , his golden eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're like a majestic creature they've never seen before!"
Hiroshi rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a small smile. "Yeah, well, I'm just trying to blend in here." He let Riku lead the way, amused by the flurry of whispers and astonished gazes directed at him.
( End Of Chapter )