Chapter 182 The Kitsunes Dilemma (2/2)

Surai titled her head to the side, ”It has been an age, Juline. What brings you here to my humble home...and I sense that you don't come alone”.

Juline sighed, ”Forgive me for intruding, Surai, but our council did not know what to make of him, nor what to do with him. He was being pursued by a Magician with affinities for both water and shadow. Those who found him managed to conceal him, but we do not know if the Magician will return, nor if she will come with allies. We cannot hope to protect against such a force for a stranger”.

”Then why bring him here?” asked Surai.

Juline turned as the water brought the young man to the surface, then she delicately lifted his shirt.

”Because we sensed he is more like you than us”.

Surai, who until then had appeared elegant, but rather lazy. Suddenly rose, and between one step and the next, seem to transform to the image of a human woman with bare feet and flowing gossamer white robe. Her golden hair fell to her waist in waves, and her intelligent golden eyes peered curiously at the black lines that Juline revealed. Atop her head, her fox ears remained with their golden sunrise fur with darker tips. Her eight tails also remained presented at the base of her spine, fanning out as they rose in curiosity, their white tips almost glowing with how clean they were.

Surai stood with the water to her knees as she delicately took the shirt from Juline and lifted it higher to reveal more of the black marks.

Her eyes darted along them, first amazed, then growing sad, and finally, concerned.

”You can read them?” Juline realised.

Surai paused a moment, then let the shirt fall with a wet smack against the young man's skin. She then rounded him to the side and took a look as his pale face for a moment. Then she placed a hand on his chest and closed her eyes.

She stood there for another moment in silence, then her tails and ear twitched as her eyes fluttered open.

”You are right, he is more like me than you,” she stated.

Juline smiled, ”Then will you hel-”

”But he is not like me at all,” Surai continued. She then turned and stepped out of the water back onto the shore before she looked at Juline, ”And he will not be welcomed here the way he is. Little more than a child, yet with such desolating power. He will be nothing but a plague for this forest”.

Juline blanched, the water's hold on him falling away. He dropped to into the water with a splash, and seemed to float for a moment before sinking to the floor of the lake.

”I'm sorry, I did not know,” Juline stated.

Surai did not turn to look at Juline. She seemed deep in thought. Her eyes turned back to look at the young man lying beneath the surface of the water. She looked torn, and for a moment, Juline truly thought she was going to walk away, then, Surai turned back and stepped into the water before hauling the young man out onto the shore.

”But, I though you said-”

”You have done all you can, Juline,” Surai spoke as her hand softly caressed the young man's face, her eyes full of concern, ”Thank you for your visit”.

Juline hesitated only a moment before she dived back into the lake, the sun rising to the east.

Surai looked down at the young man's face before she leant down and pressed her lips to his, breathing hair back into his cold lungs.