Ch 7: I’m not sure taking a knife to my only piece of clothing is a good idea…
The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and I was standing in the middle of the campsite with my arms against my body as tight as possible while Kalia was about to rip through my only clothes with her dagger.
“Stop wiggling,” she said. “I’ve never done this, you know.”
“I’m trying, but it tickles, and it’s scary!”
“Listen, I’m not going to cut you no matter what, but the more you wiggle the more chance there is I fuck up and there’s a giant hole your tit can fall out of.”
That scared my still, finally. I held my breath while she ran her hand up my side, to my shoulder, trying to find the best spot for an armhole in the cloak. I suppressed the urge to move, trying to ignore the sensation. Truth be told, it wasn’t just tickling, wasn’t just fear. There was a different sensation, a pleasant one that radiated through my torso, made me want to beg to be touched more.
I let out a gasp as she slid her hand under the collar, along my bare shoulder.
“Sorry,” she said, continuing along, bracing the fabric between her hand before she went to make the cut. “Just trying to be accurate, honest.”
I could tell she meant it, so I tried to be as reasonable as possible, not react too much to the feel of her skin on mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her raising the dagger, slipping it through the cloak as she held it away from me with her free hand, then take her hand out. She widened the cut a little before stepping away. “Okay, try to fit your arm through there.”
It did take a little wiggling, and the hole was barely wide enough to get my hand through, but after my wrist it did seem to fit fine, as well as a hole cut with a knife would. “Seems okay,” I said.
“Good, other one next.”
That one was much easier, at least from the standpoint of expecting it. The hole ended up being a little wider than necessary, but that was fine. “We’re going to a clothes store today, right?”
“Yeah, soon as we get in to town. Assuming they have one, and it’s open.”
“What? Why wouldn’t they?” I hadn’t even considered the possibility that a town or city just wouldn’t have a clothing store.
“Small town,” Dreck said, looking at the map. “Not too small, probably has a clothes shop, but might just have a tailor or two that makes clothes to order.”
“But what do I do then?” I asked.
“Hope for the best,” Kalia said, stepping behind me. “Now stay still, I’m not done.”
“Huh?” I asked. But I was reminded immediately, her hand going down my back, stroking my tail from over the cloak. I jumped forward, yelping. “That’s sensitive!”
Both of them were staring at me, and I noticed I had instinctually crouched down, arms raised up like I was about to scratch someone. That’s new, I thought. But it wasn’t time to think about that. “Sorry,” I said. “It was… I didn’t expect that, and it felt weird.” Felt good, but I didn’t say that out loud.
“Well stand up straight and be still,” Kalia said. There was something different in her voice this time though, something a little more playful, and I was shaking as I stood up.
I waited, trembling, as she came back over. She ran her hand along my back, pressing her fingers in a cup shape around my tail, running down without actually touching it. The fabric moved around it as she did thought, brushing up against the hairs, sending shivers up it, coursing through my spine. It was a wild experience, like I could feel it throughout my entire body, just the barest of brushes.
And then she grabbed the base of it, and I clenched every muscles in my body, stifling another yelp. “Be still, now,” she said as I heard the blade cutting, as she reached through the hole herself, brushing her hand up against my tail, running it up the length, grabbing the tip and sliding it out of the hole. “Just gonna straighten your fur now,” she added as she grabbed the base once more, as I convulsed at the feeling, wriggling in her hands as she ran her palm down it once more.
I needed to catch my breath, panting as she stepped around, wry smile pointed at me. “That’s good to know,” she whispered, place her dagger back at her hip. “I’ll keep it mind for later.”
I nodded, blushing. I was embarrassed on so many levels, the way it felt, the why I’d reacted, both Kalia and Dreck looking at me, her with amusement and him with a red blush of his own. “Alright, he said. “Time to get going.”
Dreck had been picking up the last of the campsite while Kalia was working on my new “dress,” so we were ready. I’d learned about inventories that way, that there was a space I could just put stuff in, no pockets needed. Strange, and kind of exciting. Kalia had promised to teach my once we got to town.
“Sounds good,” Kalia said. “Come on, Mai.”
We walked. It was awkward. The conversation that did happen was curt, polite, necessary, but it was clear that neither Kalia or Dreck were in a mood to be chatty with each other, and I felt weird about breaking the silence, so we just walked.
It was nice though. Apparently spring time in this world, despite it being summer back when I had “died.” That was still strange. Maybe I should have felt more bad about that, sad, angry? I mean I had only died because of a broken piece of equipment, something that should have been tested and safe. But no, things were fine, honestly. I was a girl now, had found someone interesting to be around, and had a literal whole world to explore.
Eventually we came up to a tall hill, a steep climb. As we were approaching, I saw two structures at the top, flying red and green flags, and even what looked to be people coming down the road.
“I think this is it,” Kalia said. “Welcome to Valleytown, Mai.”