《Kasey: The Fox Curse》


 Chapter 1 - A Strange Tail

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, Mom!¡± I almost trip and fall, putting on my shoes. It¡¯s been way too long since I¡¯ve seen my best friend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too late, Kasey. Remember, we got church tomorrow.¡± I¡¯m Kasey, and my mother is very hyper-religious. It can get tiring to listen to. She always expects me to act prim and proper.


    I manage to get my shoes on and practically run out of the house. It¡¯s my birthday today, and I am finally 18 years old. An adult, though this, has the downside of marriage. My parents are expecting me to get married this year. I can¡¯t even choose my husband either and don¡¯t even mention that they are super homophobic, or at least my mom is. Not sure about the rest of the family. Mom runs the household, so what she says goes. So my lesbian ass is still in the closet.


    My best friend knows, however, who has decided that today we will celebrate my turning 18. She invited me to her house for a birthday party, and it will only be us two, however.


    I felt itchy across my whole body, very subtle but noticeable. I took a long shower this morning, so it¡¯s not because I¡¯m dirty. As I thought about my weird itchiness, I made it to her house, clicked the doorbell, and heard chaos inside.


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m coming. I¡¯m coming.¡± My friend sounded like she was warring with kitchen appliances on the battlefield. Then it went quiet.


    Thump thump thump thump


    The door opens, and I see a distraught Lucina with bed hair inside. She is about as tall as me, at 1.7 meters, and she has brown hair that goes down to her shoulders versus my ginger hair that reaches the middle of my back.


    ¡°You look like hell. Did you forget what day it was?¡± I laughed at her guilty-looking eyes. She was sweating.


    ¡°My alarm didn¡¯t ring, and I rushed to get everything ready.¡± She led me inside, and I could see stuff being moved. The living room was clean, with snacks, ciders, and the like. The Switch was set up on the big screen. We had planned to play some multiplayer games.


    ¡°I have a pizza in the oven and some pudding in the fridge. The pizza, by the way, is homemade.¡±


    ¡°Homemade pizza, snacks, and cider. You are going all out, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course, anything for you, hon.¡± She winked at me. It made me blush, I quickly tried to look away so she wouldn¡¯t see, but she knew me too well.


    The itchiness came back, I had managed to ignore it until now, but now it¡¯s worse, concentrated on my lower back, with some added pain to boot. ¡°Everything okay, Kasey?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± I tried not to show anything to Lucina. We¡¯ll have a good day, and I don¡¯t want to ruin it with my complaining.


    With the blankets already on the couch, I grabbed one, opened an apple cider, and got relaxed. I don¡¯t get to drink anything alcoholic at home, so this was nice.


    ¡­


    A bit later on, the pizza was on the table half eaten. I had like five ciders and felt bloated. The itch and pain in my lower back had disappeared earlier, and I felt relief like nothing else. Lucina had questioned me too, why I let out such a sigh, bordering on a moan.


    Then it hit. The worst pain I could ever imagine, right above my butt. I screamed and fell to the floor, trying to reach for my back.


    ¡°KASEY¡± Lucina shouts at me very loudly. I couldn¡¯t respond to her due to my unimaginable pain.


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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kasey? Speak to me.¡±


    ¡°B-Back, l-lower back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in your back?¡± She gently lifted me onto her couch. I barely felt anything that wasn¡¯t the stabbing pain above my butt as if something attempted to break through my skin.


    She pried my t-shirt off, not asking for consent because I could not care now. She very gently turned me onto my stomach, gasping as a result.


    RIIIIP


    ¡°?@#$,¡± I scream louder. A ripping sound could be heard from my back. My best friend¡¯s scream came directly afterward, with a warm trail of something from the source, then finally¡­ Relief, the pain disappeared.


    ¡°WHAT THE FUCK? You¡­ You.¡± Okay, I¡¯m worried now. Am I dying?


    ¡°Wh-what is it? Am I dying? I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡± I started to sob. I don¡¯t want to die and haven¡¯t escaped from my parents yet or confessed to my crush.


    ¡°No¡­ No, you¡¯re not dying, probably. You¡¯ve grown a tail, Kasey. A FUCKING TAIL.¡±


    ¡°What? What the fuck are you talking about? This is no time for jokes, Lucina.¡± Honestly.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not lying. Just look.¡±


    She helped me sit up, and I took a look behind me. What I saw made me gasp. She was telling the truth. That is a tail¡ªan orange tail with a white tip. What the fuck? I reached to it to touch it.


    ¡°What the fuck? It¡¯s real. Am I hallucinating? How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, Kasey. We may have a bit too much to drink. The pain, though, I don¡¯t think you could fake that.¡± She made a good point. But how is it possible for me to have a tail? A fox tail, by the looks of it. It was moving and twitching slightly as well. I could feel it so well. It felt bizarre if my brain didn¡¯t know how to process these new feelings.


    ¡°Did you get cursed by any fox spirits lately?¡±


    ¡°Fox spirits? Lucina?¡±


    ¡°Well, you did just grow a tail. I feel like anything is possible at this point.¡±


    ¡°My parents are going to freak out over this.¡± They hate anything that is not related to being a stereotypical religious family.


    ¡­


    My parents!


    ¡°Oh my god, I got church tomorrow. I can¡¯t let my parents see this, and they will try to cut it off or something.¡± I¡¯m freaked out by this point, hyperventilating.


    Lucina hugged me.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. We¡¯ll uh¡­ Hide it.¡± She says, and I¡¯m feeling too freaked out to blush due to her hugging me.


    ¡°Hide it? How can we possibly hide a fucking fox tail right above my ass? It¡¯s not as if it¡¯s small. It¡¯s freaking long.¡± I say, almost shouting at her. Like, it¡¯s at least a meter long. How could I possibly hide that?


    ¡°Calm down. You have to wear a long skirt tomorrow, right? You could hide¡­ Your tail under the skirt¡­ Wow, that feels strange to say. Like, wrapped around your leg.¡±


    My tail, I got a tail. So many furries and cartoon fans out there would love growing a tail. Why did I have to be the one to get one?


    ¡°I suppose that just gotta work. I do have some long skirts. We¡¯re lucky that it¡¯s the middle of winter, and I can also wear a coat on the outside.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll save the rest of the food and the dessert so we can have it some other day. It would be best if you borrowed some of my clothes. Can¡¯t let your mom see your tail when you make it back home.¡±


    She headed off to her bedroom, probably to grab a skirt.


    I stood up and immediately felt standing up was weird. My balance was all off, and I directly sat back down. Having a tail messed up my ability to stand up and walk.


    I stood back up and tried to hold my balance. This time around, my tail started to move around. My brain still couldn¡¯t comprehend it, so I let the tail do whatever it wanted, which helped. I tucked my tail around my left leg. It felt weird. First, I had to hold my arms out to avoid falling. I quickly got used to it, however. I could still feel the tail, but it didn¡¯t interfere much with my center of gravity, so it was relatively easy to walk with it wrapped around my leg.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a skirt you can borrow.¡± She hands me the skirt, and it¡¯s relatively long and poofy.


    ¡°Thank you so much¡± I took the skirt, went to the bathroom, and changed into the skirt. It fits reasonably well, and I don¡¯t have to worry about it slipping off.


    As I made my way to the living room, Lucina checked me out. Her eyes went from my feet up to my eyes, then looked around my waist.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect and quite an innocent skirt so that you could wear it tomorrow. I know you don¡¯t like skirts, but what can you do?¡± At least I won¡¯t be killed when I get back home.


    ¡°Alright, you should head off, it¡¯s getting relatively late, at least from your parent¡¯s point of view, and you should probably sleep early. You¡¯ll need that extra rest for all the stress you¡¯ll experience tomorrow.¡± She made a good point.


    ¡°Are you going to be fine here?¡± This time, I put on my shoes with less excitement than this morning.


    ¡°Yes, yes. You get going already.¡±


    ¡°Can I come back after church tomorrow? I¡¯m going to need help to figure this out.¡± I ask, blushing slightly. Hoping she missed that.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re always welcome, darling.¡±


    And with that, I went back home. I was dreading the days to come, especially tomorrow.

 Chapter 2 - The Odd Tail

    I woke up early on Sunday morning, feeling a familiar sense of unease. It was the day my family went to church, a weekly ritual that had lost its appeal for me. As a child, I had been deeply religious, following in my mother''s footsteps. But as I got older, I realized I was not as straight as I had thought. After meeting my best friend, Lucina, I gradually began to understand my true feelings.


    Exiting the bed and stretching my arms, I noticed a faint tingling sensation in my fingers. I shook my hands, thinking it was just a standard morning stiffness. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I saw that my hair was longer and thicker than usual, and I shrugged it off, thinking it was just a result of not getting a haircut for a while.


    As I dressed, I noticed my favorite ring missing from my finger. I searched the room for it, but it was nowhere to be found. Shrugging it off, I decided to wear a new ring I found in my jewelry box. It was a small silver ring with the symbol of a fox etched into it. It looked cute, and it fits my finger perfectly.


    ¡°Good morning, Kasey. You¡¯re up early today,¡± my mother greeted me as I entered the kitchen.


    ¡°Morning, Mom,¡± I replied, grabbing a cereal box from the pantry. ¡°I went to bed early last night.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Oh, by the way, don¡¯t forget to watch for potential suitors at church today.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Mom, can we not have this conversation again? I¡¯m not interested in getting married.¡±


    ¡°You should feel happy that I at least give you a choice to choose someone yourself. I never got this choice, you know.¡±


    I didn¡¯t give a reply back. We have similar conversations at least once a month. My father comes into the kitchen, so the topic is immediately dropped. My father, while religious, is way more down to earth. He is submissive, so he usually lets my mother do what she wants. Not surprising, and she can be a bit scary.


    As we ate, I noticed that my father was acting strange. He kept glancing at my new ring, and a look of concern crossed his face. I wondered if he knew something about it that I didn''t. If he did, he didn¡¯t say anything.


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    As I finished my delicious cereal, my dad said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I guess it¡¯s church time now. I¡¯ve hidden my tail well so far, so I hoped to continue to hide it for the rest of the day until I returned to Lucina¡¯s house after church.


    During the car ride, I noticed that sitting down wasn¡¯t as easy as before. I got a constant bump above my butt, which is the start of my tail. Otherwise, the car ride went by without a hitch. Only my anxiety punched my gut at worryingly increasing strength the longer we spent.


    When we finally got to the church, I felt relieved. I already used to hate sitting for long periods in the car, but now that I got a tail? It¡¯s so much worse. As I got out of my car, I could tell there were a lot of people here today. We all sat down at our seats, my paranoia still high. I had to sit weirdly and move around to find a good way to sit. My mother stared at me, and I was making a ruckus, so I tried to calm down and just sat down quietly as it began.


    After an hour or so, I got distracted because I never went to the bathroom this morning and had to go. I whispered to my Mom, ¡°Mom, I have to go to the bathroom. I will be right back.¡±


    She rolled her eyes and just gave me a nod to go. So I stood up quietly, trying not to stand out. The bathroom was back in the reception, so that¡¯s where I went. When I stepped into the bathroom, I bumped into someone and fell to the ground.


    Thump


    ¡°Ouch¡­ Oh gosh, I am so sorry¡± I got up in a hurry to apologize, but also because my tail was briefly showing, hoping they didn¡¯t notice, I hurried towards them and helped them up.


    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s quite alright, don¡¯t worry about it, dear.¡± As I helped her get up to her feet, I see she was wearing a ring¡­ A silver ring with the engraving of a fox. It looks exactly like mine. I looked down at my own ring. Yeah, they¡¯re the same.


    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am?¡± I looked back up to ask her where she got her ring, but she was gone¡­ How weird. I could swear she was just there. How odd. I shook my head and entered the bathroom. I went about my business and sat back down in my seat. I briefly looked around to see if I could find that woman, but there were too many people to find anyone.


    Let¡¯s hope she wasn¡¯t some secret agent or some such, like from those novels Lucina introduced me to¡ªone of those secret agents from a secret magical society.


    The rest of my time at the church was so uninteresting I almost fell asleep. No songs and singing today, just a lot of preaching upon more preaching. So I managed to survive today as well. When we arrived home, I noticed my fingers were feeling tingly again, and I had a weird headache. My ears hurt a lot as well. I probably imagined it, but it felt like my hearing had diminished just ever so slightly.


    I felt relieved again, and now it was time to visit Lucina. I sent her a quick message saying I was on my way. We will be researching whatever is happening to me, and I also got some stories for her. This strange ring, my hair growth speeding up, and that lady at church who wore the same ring as me.

 Chapter 3 - Research

    <div>


    Lucina cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses, which she didn''t really need. "So, let''s recap what happened to you," she said in a calm, measured tone.


    "Yesterday, on your way here, you felt a sharp pain all over your body, which eventually settled in your lower back." Lucina walked back and forth in front of the empty blackboard, holding a piece of chalk in her left hand but not writing anything on the board.


    "Toward the end of your birthday party, you felt an agonizing pain right above your butt, from which a tail resembling that of a fox grew." I nodded along, still feeling the weird tingle in my fingers.


    "Because it was getting quite late, and you had church with your family the next day, we didn''t get a chance to investigate your transformation. Instead, we focused on a short-term solution to hide your tail from your mother." I shuddered at the memory of how stressful that was.


    "Then, you woke up the next day with your favorite ring missing, so you decided to put on this new ring you''ve never seen before?" Lucina asked, tilting her head.


    "Yes." I answered nervously, it was a cute ring, how could I not wear it?


    "During church, you bumped into a woman wearing that very same ring, and she disappeared when you tried to confront her about it," Lucina continued.


    "And I haven''t been able to take off the ring since," I added, trying to pull it off my finger to no avail.


    Lucina held her chin in thought. "Is there anything else you''d like to add?"


    "Well, I don''t know if it''s just my imagination, but I''ve felt a weird tingle in my hand since this morning," I said, picking at my fingers. "It feels like someone is gently stretching them. And my hearing seems to be getting worse too, along with a headache."


    Lucina''s eyes gleamed with excitement. "Hearing loss... Maybe you''re developing fox ears to go with that tail?" I sighed, realizing that Lucina''s weeb tendencies were only going to make this situation even more bizarre.


    Lucina slapped her hand on the blackboard, destroying the chalk and making me jump slightly on the couch. ¡°SO! Our plan for today is to visit the library.¡±


    ¡°The library?¡± I questioned, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes! The library is bound to have something, the one in the city is quite large. We should also collect some light novels, manga, and anime about transformations. We¡¯re in unknown territory here, and they might shed some light on what¡¯s going on with you.¡±


    Surprisingly, that made some amount of sense, yet I¡¯m sure she only wants to read some light novels and watch some manga.


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    ¡°Alright, I suppose we should get going,¡± -I said as I moved to put on my shoes- ¡°Oh, and take your phone with you so that we can look at the internet as well.¡±


    We took Lucina¡¯s car. Unlike me, she can drive, and I¡¯ve never been that good at it, so I¡¯ve never seen a reason to get myself a license. We made our way down to the city, as Lucina and I lived outside of the city. The library is relatively easy to find as it¡¯s a huge one. The biggest library in this region, I think.


    ¡°Alright, here we are. Let¡¯s get to it. I¡¯m sure we can find something here.¡± She paid for our stay since neither of us had a library card, and Lucina is much wealthier than me¡­ Not that it¡¯s any difficult since I don¡¯t get much of an allowance.


    We arrived at the library proper, greeted by the towering bookshelves and rows of desks filled with students and researchers. We headed straight to the occult section, searching for any information about fox spirits and curses.


    As I pored over old, musty books and scrolled through pages on my phone, Lucina took a different approach. She grabbed a stack of manga and light novels, hoping to find any clues or information about transformations that might help us understand what was happening to me.


    After hours of searching, we found nothing concrete. Just bits and pieces of information that didn''t quite fit together. But a mysterious lady caught my eye as we were about to give up and head home. She looked familiar. Wasn¡¯t she the one that I bumped into during church?


    She was sitting alone in a secluded corner, surrounded by books and papers. Her long, black hair obscured her face, and she wore a black cloak that seemed out of place in the brightly-lit library. As I approached her, she looked up and met my piercing green eyes.


    "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice low and smooth.


    I hesitated for a moment, taken aback by her sudden appearance. But I couldn''t shake the feeling that she knew something important.


    "I-I was just wondering if you knew anything about fox spirits," I stammered, feeling foolish.


    She smiled slyly. "Oh, I know a great deal about foxes. They''re fascinating creatures, aren''t they?"


    I nodded, unsure of how to respond.


    "And what about curses?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.


    My heart skipped a beat. How did she know about the curse?


    "I don''t know anything about curses," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.


    The lady leaned closer, and I could smell a faint scent of jasmine on her breath. "Are you sure?" she whispered. "I think you might have a connection to one."


    I felt a chill run down my spine. How did she know about the curse and my connection to it?


    ¡°You know¡­ Your grandmother quite liked foxes as well.¡±


    Before I could ask what she meant by that or ask any more questions, the lady stood up and slipped away, disappearing into the stacks of books.


    I turned to Lucina, who had been engrossed in her manga. "Did you see that?" I asked, my voice shaking.


    "See what?" she asked, looking up from her book.


    "The lady in black. She knew about the curse," I said, feeling more anxious than ever.


    Lucina raised an eyebrow. "The curse? What curse?"


    I explained what had happened, and Lucina''s expression turned serious. "We need to be careful. Whoever that was, she knew something important. We need to find out more."


    But as we continued our research, I couldn''t shake the feeling we were being watched. Every time I turned around, I felt like the lady in black was there, lurking in the shadows.


    As we left the library, I glanced back at the stacks of books, wondering if the answers we needed were hidden among them. And I couldn''t help but wonder what the mysterious lady knew about my curse and what other secrets she might be keeping.

 Chapter 4 - The Fox Cult

    ¡°So, what was that about a curse? Your transformation?¡± Lucina whispered to me. We had our heads huddled close together, trying to keep our conversation private in the crowded library. After the mysterious lady implied a connection between my curse and my grandmother, we needed to figure out what to do next.


    ¡°Yes, I think this transformation of mine, whatever may have caused it, is a curse. What else could it be?¡± I looked down at the ring on my finger, still trying to accept that it might be the source of my troubles. I could feel it was working on me, the transformation, and it hadn¡¯t stopped at my tail.


    ¡°So, that lady. Who was that?¡± Lucina said, switching the topic back to the mysterious woman who had set on this path.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I thought I recognized her from somewhere. She wore the same ring as I did.¡± I said, recalling the woman¡¯s familiar face and the strange connection we shared through the ring.


    ¡°You also mentioned she hinted at something related to your Grandma?¡± Lucina prodded, knowing that there was more to the story.


    ¡°Yes, she implied a connection between my curse and my Grandmother. But I have no idea what that could mean. My grandmother passed away years ago, and I never knew her very well.¡± I explained, feeling frustrated at the lack of information we had to go on.


    ¡°Well, maybe we can find some answers if we dig through her old things. See if there are any clues or hints about this curse.¡± Lucina suggested, always ready to jump into action, and I liked that about her.


    I nodded in agreement, grateful for her support. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s head to my old house and see what we can find.¡± Mother forced us to move to where we live now after grandmother died. However, our old house had never been put out for sale, so it should still be there.


    We set out to where we used to live with Grandma. The house was a bit ways away from the city. Out in a forest, the only house around. There used to be a neighborhood, but it was torn down, except this one.


    When we got there, we saw that the house was in fairly bad shape, and it had been many years since we had moved. We got inside the house, which wasn¡¯t locked, and looked for Grandmother¡¯s stuff.


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    We found a lot of journals and books in the cellar, among much other strange stuff. We rifled through the boxes and journals and looked through drawers, and they all seemed just like ordinary, mundane books.


    ¡°I think I got something.¡± Lucina half shouted to me with excitement. I made my way to her, and we read the old dusty journal she found, and it had a picture of a white fox on the front.


    As we read through the journal, my eyes got wider and wider. My Grandmother had written about a cult. A cult she was a proud member of¡ªthis fox cult, as it was called. The actual name of the cult wasn¡¯t noted anywhere. They worshipped a fox spirit, a fox spirit they called Mother.


    In the journal, she had written that the goal of this cult was to join with Mother, become one of her faithful children, and Grandma had been extremely devoted and desperate to achieve this.


    She believed the Mother had blessed her. She had gotten a ring, the same one that I was wearing now. The last thing in the journal mentioned how she would join Mother. The date on this page is noted to be right before her death was announced.


    We stood silently momentarily, trying to process what we had just read. My Grandmother was part of a cult that worshipped a fox spirit called Mother? It all seemed too strange and unbelievable to be true. Yet, the evidence was right in front of us.


    ¡°So, this is why you have the ring, possibly,¡± Lucina said, breaking the silence. ¡°It was passed down from your Grandmother¡ªpossibly from the spirit, who believed it was a blessing from the spirit.¡±


    I nodded slowly, still trying to come to terms with everything. ¡°But the journal never mentioned the transformation?¡± I said. ¡°Or what about a curse?¡±


    Lucina furrowed her brow as she flipped through the pages. ¡°It¡¯s not clear,¡± She said. ¡°But it seems like your Grandmother believed she was blessed instead of cursed. There is no mention of a transformation either, but they never found a body when she died, did they?¡±


    I felt a chill run down my spine at that. Was that going to happen to me as well? Would I disappear as Grandmother did? Or did I get cursed because of Grandmother? And if so, how could I break the curse? If I could at all.


    ¡°We need to find out more,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Maybe someone can help us, like that lady from the library?¡±


    Lucina nodded in agreement. ¡°We should try to find a former member of the cult, and they might have more information about the curse and how to reverse it.¡±


    With a renewed sense of purpose, we started digging through the boxes and journals again, searching for clues that could lead us to a former member of the fox cult. It took some time, but eventually, we found a name and address in a newspaper clipping.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going on a road trip,¡± Lucina said with a small smile. Oh my mother was going to get so angry at me for this.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive. What would we learn about my curse and my Grandmother¡¯s involvement in the fox cult? It was a mystery that seemed only to get deeper and more complicated.

 Chapter 5 - The Ex-Member

    I felt my heart pounding when we got back in the car. I had many questions and worries about what we might find. But at the same time, I was grateful to have Lucina by my side. She always seemed to know what to say and do, and I couldn¡¯t imagine going on this journey without her.


    As we drove down the highway, I felt a strange sensation in my ears and on top of my head again. It was like they were itching from the inside, and before I knew it, I reached up to scratch them. But what I felt wasn¡¯t what I expected at all. Instead of touching my ears, it was completely flat. My ears were gone entirely, but I could still hear.


    I reached to the top of my head, as it was itching there as well, and I felt something soft and furry. I quickly pulled my hand back, not sure what was happening.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucina asked, briefly glancing over at me.


    ¡°My ears,¡± I said, pointing at them.


    Lucina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ They¡¯re fox ears,¡± she said, her voice filled with wonder.


    I reached up to touch them again, still in shock. They felt so real, so soft and furry. But how could this be happening to me?


    ¡°Is it as painful as the tail?¡± Lucina asked.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± I said, relieved. ¡°It¡¯s just a little strange.¡±


    Lucina smiled at me. ¡°Well, you look cute with them,¡± she said, making me blush.


    But as cute as my ears looked, I knew we still had a job to do. We needed to find the ex-member of the Fox cult and figure out what had happened to my Grandmother. After all, time was running out for me, as the subtle itch and weird feeling had not stopped with my ears either. This time I could feel a slight tingle and tugging on my nose and face. As well as a tiny itch in my legs.


    We stopped at a gas station to buy a cap for me, and as we got out of the car, I noticed something else. My hearing had become much more sensitive, and I could hear things I never could before, like the rustling of leaves on the trees and birds in the distance. It was like my new fox ears had unlocked a new world of sounds.


    Once we were back on the road, we headed to the address where the ex-member supposedly lived. But when we arrived, we discovered the house had been sold a couple of years ago.


    Confused and disheartened, we asked¡­ Or more like Lucina asked the new owner if she knew where the previous owner had gone. She told us the previous owner had moved away to live in seclusion outside the city.


    With no other leads, we drove to the small-ish forest that occupied the space outside the city. The lady didn¡¯t tell us exactly where the house was, and since the roads in this general direction stopped right before the forest, we had to walk.


    As we walked through the forest, my ears picked up every sound around us. The crunching of leaves under our feet, birds chirping, and animals'' distant rustling. It was overwhelming initially, but I soon realized it was also amazing. My hearing had never been this sharp before.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucina asked, noticing my wide-eyed expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s just that my hearing has gotten so much better. I can hear everything!¡±


    Lucina chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s great. Maybe you¡¯ll hear something that¡¯ll lead us to the ex-member.¡±


    We continued walking until we reached a small clearing where a cottage stood at the forest''s edge. It was secluded, just as we were told.


    As we approached the cottage, I felt a strange sensation. The tingle in my nose had turned into a full-on itch, and my legs felt like they were being pulled in different directions. It was like my body was trying to change again, but it was too fast. The time between my tail and my ears was much longer than this.


    I stumbled, and Lucina quickly caught me.


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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, concern etched on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, trying to steady myself. ¡°It¡¯s like the curse is accelerating.¡±


    Lucina looked worried. ¡°We need to find the ex-member quickly, and maybe she can help us.¡±


    We knocked on the door of the cottage, and a woman answered. She was older, with greying hair and a kind face.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for the ex-member of the Fox cult,¡± I said, showing her my Grandmother¡¯s journal. ¡°We were told she lived here, please. We only want to ask a few questions.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened briefly as she saw the journal, then her expression softened. ¡°I see,¡± She said. ¡°Please, come in.¡±


    We entered the cottage, and the woman led us to a small sitting room. There, we saw an older woman sitting in a rocking chair, her eyes closed and her breathing calm and slow. She was breathing in a rhythmic pattern.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± the woman said, gently shaking the ex-members shoulder. ¡°You have visitors.¡± Lucina and I looked at each other. Is this the ex-member?


    The ex-member opened her eyes and took a look at us. Her eyes widened in recognition when she saw the journal. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± She asked, now thoroughly focused on me.


    ¡°You knew my Grandmother,¡± I said, showing the journal.


    The ex-member nodded with understanding. ¡°Yes, I did. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°But I need to know more about her and this blessing, or rather, this curse she spoke of.¡± I fidgeted with the journal, anxious, ¡°Can you help me?¡±


    The ex-member looked at me for a moment, then sighed deeply. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time for me to tell my story,¡± She said, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°But I warn you. It¡¯s not a happy one.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ready to listen,¡± Lucina said, giving her an encouraging smile.


    The ex-member took a deep breath and began to speak, recounting her time in the Fox cult and the events that led to her leaving. She told of the rituals, the teachings, and the strange powers some members seemed to possess.


    ¡°And then there was your Grandmother,¡± She said, turning to me, ¡°She was different from the rest of us, you know. She didn¡¯t have any powers, at least not that we could see. But she had something else, something that made her special.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡± I asked eagerly.


    The ex-member hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°It was her compassion, her kindness,¡± She said finally. ¡°She was always helping others, always putting their needs before hers. And that¡¯s why she was chosen for the blessing, leading to her disappearance. Your Grandmother¡¯s disappearance is also why I left this cult.¡±


    ¡°But what is this blessing?¡± Asked again, my heart pounding.


    The ex-member took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s the gift of transformation,¡± She said. ¡°Changing you into an animal, a fox, and to become closer to Mother, the fox spirit.¡±


    ¡°So it is a curse,¡± Lucina said, her voice low.


    The ex-member¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°The transformation is not under your control,¡± She said. ¡°It can happen at any time, without warning. And when it does, it can be dangerous.¡±


    I swallowed hard, my mind racing with questions and fears. ¡°Is there a way to break the curse?¡± I asked, almost pleading.


    The ex-member shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t know of any way to break it.¡± She looked at me with pity.


    ¡°But there must be something we can do,¡± Lucina said, her voice firm. ¡°We can¡¯t just accept this as our fate.¡±


    The ex-member looked at us, her eyes sad and hopeful. ¡°Perhaps there is a way,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°But it¡¯s risky and not something I would recommend lightly.¡±


    ¡­


    The ex-member leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes momentarily, contemplating what she just said. Finally, she opened her eyes and said, ¡°I might be able to help you, but it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, my heart sinking. Was there a catch?


    ¡°Keep in mind. This is all speculation on my part¡­ To remove the curse, you must perform a ritual to summon The Mother,¡± the ex-member explained. ¡°She is the one who bestowed the curse upon you and your Grandmother, and only she can remove it.¡±


    ¡°And how do we summon her?¡± Lucina asked, intrigued.


    ¡°There is a ritual that must be performed,¡± the ex-member said, ¡°It¡¯s not for the faint of heart, and it requires a sacrifice.¡±


    My stomach turned at the mention of a sacrifice. ¡°What kind of sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°An animal sacrifice,¡± the ex-member said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a large animal, but it must be a living creature, preferably a fox, but we found that it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be a fox.¡±


    I felt sick at the thought of sacrificing an innocent animal, but at the same time, I knew we had to do whatever it took to break this curse.


    ¡°What else do we need?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Salt, sage, and candles,¡± She said. ¡°And a pure heart.¡±


    ¡°A pure heart?¡± Lucina asked skeptically.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the ex-member confirmed. ¡°You must come to The Mother with a pure heart and clear intention. The ritual will fail if your heart is clouded with darkness or ill will.¡±


    ¡°And what about the consequences of this ritual?¡± I asked, feeling like I needed to know all the details before we proceeded.


    ¡°The consequences can be severe,¡± the ex-member warned. ¡°If The Mother is not pleased with your offering or intentions, she may curse you even further.¡±


    I gulped, feeling a knot forming in my stomach. This would take a lot of work, but I knew it was our only chance if it were to work.


    ¡°Will you help us?¡± I asked, looked at the ex-member in the eyes.


    She nodded, a determined expression on her face. ¡°I will help you, she said. ¡°But you must be sure this is what you want.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sure,¡± Lucina said with conviction.


    ¡°Very well,¡± the ex-member said, standing up from her chair. ¡°We have much to do, and the ritual must be performed on the night of the next full moon.¡±

 Chapter 6 - The Inner Fox

    The previous day''s events weighed heavily on my mind as I lay in bed, sleep eluding me. Thoughts of the elderly woman, the ex-member of the Fox cult, and the journey ahead consumed my thoughts. Restlessness filled my veins, leaving me vulnerable to the whims of dreams and the mysteries that awaited me in the darkness.


    ¡­


    I awoke from a deep slumber as the moon glowed softly through the curtains. My heart raced, and a sheen of sweat dotted my forehead. I sat up, the fragments of a strange dream tugging at my consciousness, leaving me both exhilarated and uneasy.


    In the stillness of the night, I gazed out the window, drawn to the cool embrace of the night air. The moon hung in the sky, its silvery glow beckoning me forward. It felt like an invitation, an unspoken call to delve deeper into the secrets that lay within.


    The remnants of the previous day mingled with the tendrils of the dream, intertwining my thoughts. A part of me had been awakened, a dormant presence stirring within. It was as if the encounter with the ex-member and the newfound knowledge had sparked something deep within my soul.


    With bated breath, I allowed my mind to wander back to the dream that had swept me away. In that ethereal realm, I found myself standing on the edge of a vast forest, the same forest where we sought answers. The trees swayed gently, their branches reaching out like guardians of a hidden realm.


    Beside me stood a fox, its coat a mesmerizing blend of russet and amber. Its eyes held a captivating mix of intelligence and mischief, drawing me into its enigmatic gaze. There was a connection between us, a bond that defied explanation.


    The fox moved with fluid grace, leading me deeper into the heart of the forest. Its steps were light, almost ethereal, as if it danced upon the forest floor. I followed, trusting the silent communion that blossomed between us.


    Through the dream, I began to see the world through the eyes of the fox. The forest came alive with vibrant colors and heightened senses¡ªthe dappling sunlight filtering through the canopy, the rustling of leaves underfoot, and the earthy scent that permeated the air. It was a world where instinct reigned supreme.


    With each passing moment, the fox''s influence seeped deeper into my mind, intertwining our thoughts and merging our consciousness. I caught glimpses of my human self, but they felt distant, like faded memories slipping away. It was as if the fox''s essence had taken root within me, slowly but surely shaping my perception.


    The dream unfolded, revealing scenes of the fox darting effortlessly through the forest, a symphony of grace and precision. Its movements mirrored the untamed spirit that resided within, a testament to its wild nature.


    At one point, the fox paused, its gaze fixed upon me. Its eyes held a mixture of understanding and wildness, a silent language that surpassed words. At that moment, a flicker of recognition passed between us¡ªa recognition of the growing bond between my human self and this inner fox.


    The remnants of the dream clung to my thoughts, leaving me with a subtle shift in perception. I could feel the fox¡¯s presence lingering within me, its influence slowly seeping into the depths of my being.


    The dream had unveiled a hidden aspect of myself, this curse or blessing, a connection to an inner fox that was steadily growing stronger. I knew that this transformation was not just physical but also a transformation of my mind and spirit. The journey to understand the intricacies of this metamorphosis had only just begun, and I was determined to navigate its path, even if it meant unraveling the mysteries within myself.


    ¡­


    I had no clue how long I was staring out that window, up at the moon, the night sky turned to a morning blue sky. I had gone most of the night much sleep at all, and the sleep I had gotten had been restless.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    My phone next to my bed pinged me with a notification. It was a message from Lucina, my best friend who was helping me throughout all of this. Getting a message from her brought a smile to my face and butterflies in my stomach. She was checking in on me, making sure I was doing alright, and reminding me that we had to go shopping and looking for materials for the ritual.


    I felt a surge of excitement, my mind buzzing with anticipation for the day ahead. The sun was already streaming through my window, casting a warm glow into my room. I couldn¡¯t wait to embark on our journey to the city with Lucina to gather the materials for the ritual.


    Feeling a rush of energy, I quickly got ready, carefully selecting my outfit for the day. I wanted to look my best, hoping to make this outing with Lucina feel like a special occasion. As I admired myself in the mirror, a mischievous grin spread across my face. Today would be a date, masked as a mission.


    Making my way downstairs, I found my mother, Martha in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Mom glanced up from her cooking, her brow furrowed with concern.


    ¡°Kasey, we need to talk. Your behavior has been rather unusual lately. Is something going on?¡±


    My heart sank. I hadn¡¯t expected mom to address my behavior directly, had it really changed to such a noticeable degree? Or was this just more of Mom¡¯s nonsense. Regardless, I wasn¡¯t ready to reveal the truth about my transformation. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts.


    ¡°Mom, I appreciate your concern, but right now, I have something important to do. Lucina and I are going to the city to find some materials for a project. It¡¯s really excited, and I don¡¯t want to be late.¡±


    Mom regarded me with a mix of confusion and worry.


    ¡°Are you sure everything is alright? What could it really be for you to behave so differently? It¡¯s probably that friend of yours, she has always struck me as a bit unhinged.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, she never did like Lucina, and she loves to point it out anytime she enters the conversation. My excitement for the day began to outweigh my mom¡¯s concerns. I couldn¡¯t let my plans be derailed by a conversation that might dampen my spirits.


    ¡°Mom, I promise I¡¯m doing alright, I¡¯ll explain everything later. I don¡¯t want to make Lucina wait too long for me so I need to head out now. I¡¯ll eat outside so no need to wait for me.¡±


    Mom¡¯s expression softened, but concern still lingered in her eyes. I¡¯m not sure I could explain anything to her, but she would find out someday if we can¡¯t stop my curse.


    ¡°Alright, Kasey. Just be safe and remember that I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    I nodded, grateful that my mom didn¡¯t try to escalate the conversation. With a quick goodbye, I headed out of the house, eager to join Lucina and start out day together.


    Her car awaited me, and I hopped into the passenger seat with a wide smile. ¡°Ready for an adventure?¡± Lucina asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.


    ¡°Absolutely! Let¡¯s go on a magical shopping spree!¡± My face lit up, and I nodded eagerly.


    As we drove through the city, my enthusiasm soared. The busy streets were alive with energy and possibility. I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement, feeling a tingling sensation in my fingertips, though that might just be the curse acting up again. I did notice some fur growing on my arms.


    We found ourselves in a small, mystical boutique tucked away in a quiet alley. The moment we stepped inside, I was overwhelmed by the strong aromatic blend of herbs and the soft glow of candles. Though it was quiet, a small relief from the noisy city outside, my furry ears could finally relax a bit.


    My eyes widened as I scanned the shelves, taking in the various vials, crystals, and bundles of herbs. We were on a quest for specific items: salt, sage, and candles. Each component held its own significance in the ritual we were preparing¡­ I think so at least. The elderly ex-member whom name escapes me hadn¡¯t really told us much at all, just what we needed.


    As we perused the aisles, my excitement bubbled over. I couldn¡¯t help but share my thoughts with Lucina.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this together. I feels like a date, doesn¡¯t it? A mystical adventure just for us.¡±


    Lucina grinned, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Absolutely. It¡¯s our own little secret journey. And who knows what wonders we might uncover along the way.¡±


    As we moved from one aisle to the next, my mind wandered to my mother. I couldn¡¯t help myself but feel a twinge of guilt for walking out on our conversation. I hoped when I returned, I could find the right words to explain myself and reassure her. Hopefully she won¡¯t get too suspicious. She would get absolutely livid if she discovered the truth, I only hope I could get cured before then.


    But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside, determined to savor every moment of this exhilarating day with Lucina. Together, we would gather the necessary materials, strengthening our bond and unlocking the mysteries that lay ahead.