"How lonely am I? How do you measure loneliness?" I replied. I sat up so that I could draw my knees to my chest and capture a vague sense of warmth and comfort, before I continued. "I guess I'm really lonely. All the years before in my life, I've been with my sisters and brothers and mother and father during summer, but this would be my first year without them. Normally siblings stick together, but mine either found mates in winter or died from the frost. I've been alone since the end of spring."

My head tilted to the side as I gazed up at the moon and my mind formed the image of my family has it had been last summer, but it was a gray and faded memory. It seemed like so long ago. Even the suffering from winter seemed distant.

I sigh. "Fortunately for you there are only a handful of Lunarians whose shots actually hurt. Most of them just mess with your head a bit when they hit, but our kind are skilled enough with hand-to-hand combat that getting hit will usually spell the end for a predator..." he admitted.

At last I lay down on the grass beside him, my ears gave a light twitch. "Only problem is, firing in rapid succession takes a lot out of us. I could keep on firing all I wanted, but I'd have to push myself harder and harder to get each individual bullet out... but what about you? You said that your pack wasn't much for remaining in a group during this time, but just how lonely are you really?" I ask him.

"Wow," the word passed my lips softly as my eyes sparkled with the light from the shot. I shot a cheeky grin at Reisen and teased, "Remind me not to anger you. That looks like it would hurt."

My dark, brown/black tail wagged as I looked up at the standing boy and admired his cuteness. I felt only a vague desire to hunt now, and it was easier to control. The more I was around him the easier it got, and that made me pleased with my self control. My ears angled to listen to his heartbeat and I stayed silent.

Indeed I was there right after him, though I was looking up at the moon from one of the bamboo trees. At last I looked down at him, before allowing myself to fall the thirty-foot drop back to the ground, headfirst. My right hand gestured like a gun, and quickly I fired away, taking care to miss the moon, as the recoil from the shots allowed me to fall and land on my feet. Looking back up at the shots, my eyes glow once, and the bullets fired from my body explode. It was some impressive fireworks, really.

My head snapped up at Reisen's words and I looked at him and wagged happily. I raced below him, looking up to make sure he was following me. I sniffed the ground and followed a breezy scent to a cozy bright patch. Knowing that my companion would be there right after me, I rolled onto my back and just lay there.

I watch Migel run into the thicket silently. Then, closing my eyes for a brief moment to hold my breath, I take off after him, using the trees for more height and more speed. My powerful legs allow me to use the landscape to my momentum, and all just because I'm in the air.

I give a light grin as he howls. "Look up!" I tell him, running from branch to branch, before grabbing a small bamboo trunk and sliding it down to the ground.

Going into my wolf form was like water running down stream and soon a cute, dark brown puppy with a white chest and forepaws stand in his place. The pup is smaller than a full grown wolf and lacks that mean, fierce glint. My long, furry tail wags a fury as I look at Reisen and bark, "Come on then!"

Quickly, I weave in and out of the ticket, looking for a good patch. Suddenly, I sit down and howl, "Where are you?"

Reisen looked back up. "All right. And don't worry about frightening me with your form, I've seen and fought wolves before. Though, I have no idea where we could find any such patches of moonlight. I promise you, Eientei seems to have a mind of its own at times. At the very least it's a nightmare trying to find you way anywhere, especially if you can't keep yourself moving in a straight line." I close my eyes and crouch down, stretching before standing back up. "Well, shall we go, then...?" I ask him.

When he blushed, I almost cooed because it was so cute and I cracked my neck as I replied, "I was going to let you be the hunter, but I get your point, though you shouldn't worry. I will never let you be hurt or hurt you." As he shuddered, I felt guilty and I touched his cheek gently to let him know how I felt. I didn't want him scared; I wanted to see him smile, actually.

My eyes were on his fingers as his rubbed his ear, but I heard what he said and replied happily, "I'd gladly look with you! It looks like easy going for me if I went into my wolf form....if you don't mind that is. I don't want to frighten you and I can always look in the form," I added swiftly, with a warm smile at my companion.

I watch, ears lowered in apprehension, as Eirin leaves me with the wolf. Then he finally sets me down, and just when I feel as if I can relax, he suggests a hunting game. A worried blush immediately comes to my face, and I almost hurt my neck looking down so quickly. "Um... I'm a bunny... you're a wolf... if we hunt, you could end up killing me..." I shudder out, hoping he wasn't really serious. Because it had scared me.

"Um, but if it's not too much... could you help me find a good hole in the thicket above us? I mean, that was the reason I even came out here, to see the moon away from the rest of my village. I wouldn't mind if you joined me then..." I stated, massaging my left ear between forefinger and thumb.

"Of course I'll make sure he gets home safe," I said in a shocked tone, like I couldn't believe what she was saying. She almost seemed to disappear into the bushes and my gaze lingered where she had been. I wanted to call her back and ask her what this weird feeling were. Why did I not want to let go of him and what did I feel like he was mine? The only reason I didn't was because it would be awkward to ask her those things in front of Reisen and I couldn't help wondering what he would think of me after I asked. I'd have to find another time to ask her.

As good as it felt to hold him, I knew that any Lunaian would hate to be held so long. I set him down and replied in a chipper tone, "We could always play hunt." I meant it as a jest, but hadn't thought much on how he would react, especially since his protector had just left, assuming he was in safe hands.

Eirin smiled. "I understand your concern, Migel. Thank you for being nicer than most others of your kind." she responded. Don't worry, I will see to it that no one disturbs you at night, unless of course Reisen would like to see you. Reisen, you would do well to remember this place; after all, he means you." At this, she turned away. "It would be painful for me to try and separate you when you're getting along so well, so... just make sure he gets back home safely when you're done with him." she told Migel before leaving, much to my surprise.

He held me tight, and it felt strange. Not a bad feeling, mind you, just that I wasn't used to anything like it. It was just that I knew the full truth, that in any other context of this situation I would be throwing elbows and feet behind me in a desperate bid to get him to let go, so that I could turn around and shoot him. A light blush appeared on my face as I watched her leave. What had she thought about what she saw? About my being with a predator?

"Um... Is there anything you'd like to do, now that Miss Yagokoro has given her approval...?" I asked him, my ears perking up as Migel continues to breathe down on me.