A Monk's Tail Read online

  The Morgen and the Monk

  The world is like a house; it can be as comforting or as cold as you make it and everyone who passes through leaves their mark. It has its histories - and its secrets - especially in the dark and forgotten places. But in a house there are two areas above all others that teem with the unknown: the basement and the attic. It is there where the imagination is captured. So if you wish to seek out the wondrous, the horrid, the never-before-seen, don’t explore the well-trodden middle ground of the world; look to its depths. Or its heights.

  - Orman the Bard, Between a Roc and a Hard Place

  Still as stone, I let the cold waters rush over me, soaking through my fur and down to the bone. I sit in the pose taught to me by my master and passed down through the generations at the monastery: legs crossed, hands resting palms-up on my thighs with my tail curled around my waist. There was a time where my tail would have had difficulty curving around my stomach but my trip through the Akama Desert fixed that. The hunger is like a tiny beast gnawing at the shriveled pit that is my stomach. Hopefully the clear waters will drive the beast away long enough for me to focus on my meditations. Only mountain waters have that special mind-freezing quality that’s perfect for inner reflection.

  Slow the breathing. Focus as each crisp breath enters the lungs and on each exhale let all of the distractions and anxieties (and sand) from my journey float away. My thoughts are but clouds (made of sand) floating past a mountain (Mount Sandy Sand). Let these cool mountain waters wash away all (sandy) thoughts, leaving nothing but calmness and sand...serenity. Sand sand sand sand-sand-sand-sand-

  “Aaargh! Fuck fuckity fuck-shit fucking sand!” I duck immediately after my outburst. I didn’t mean to, but after getting struck by their master’s ironwood staff so often one develops an instinctual dodge reflex. No such blow comes (duh). Sighing with relief, I can’t help but reflect back on the numerous times that staff met its mark. The knocks on the noggin, as well as the welts and lumps that followed, were always the result of my disruptive outbursts during meditations. However, in my defense, my outbursts were always for good reasons. There was that one time where I thought of a really funny joke, or the time when I decided to have third helpings of that lotus blossom and three bean salad, or that time where I was attacked by a deadly deadly Veloba wasp, only to have it magically turn into a falling cherry blossom when everyone turned their heads to look at me.

  But now it’s all this sand! Never in my life have I felt so uncomfortable. Despite my greatest efforts to shield myself from the elements while on my journey, the desert found a way to breach my defenses every step of the way. Even after leaving the vast white dead expanse of the Akama and entering the slow rolling foothills of the Giorrach Mountains I still continue to find tiny granules of sand in every nook and cranny. Every. Nook. And. Cranny. Climbing over the moss-worn boulders I could feel the sand nestling deeper into my fur. And ears. And nose. And...well, everywhere.

  The waterfall changes all that. Sitting under the chilly waters those thousands of tiny annoyances simply wash away. This place is a godsend; the journey through the mountains will be difficult enough without the mind-searing irritation of sand in my crotch. Clear, refreshing liquid fills my cupped paws, then slowly trickles through them. The vista before me is absolutely breathtaking; the waterfall is situated in a tiny alcove halfway up the foothills overlooking the desert. Green-gray speckled hills gradually smooth out and become drained of their color as the searing desert takes over. It’s certainly a beautiful scene, but having come this far in the journey I’m quite used to such panoramas. If only there was a companion to enjoy it with me. Perhaps one of those cute desert cats I met at that outpost. Heh, I bet they know a thing or two about...ugh. But the sand….

  “It’s pretty isn’t it?” I jump at the soft, lilting voice and look around in vain for its owner. “Down here, silly.” The voice coos. My gaze drifts down to the pool collecting the falling waters below me. Peering up at me from the crystal waters below is the sleek head of a gray fox, her soft edges melting seamlessly into the rippling waters. Speaking of companion...

  As if reading my mind, the fox giggles and gives me a wink. Only her head is above water, but despite the fact that the pool is completely clear she makes no effort to try and cover any other part of her body. Not that I mind.

  “I thought monks weren’t supposed to cast eyes upon an unclothed female?” She says playfully, twirling an ear.

  “I’m not that kind of monk.” I reply. Thank gods. “Our guiding rule is to follow ‘The Path’ in moderation, and, well, no one really defined what ‘moderation’ actually was. Or what ‘The Path’ actually was for that matter. I mean, I’m sure they did, but I wasn’t paying attention. It was really hard to pay attention, especially when the weather was nice and sunny. I’m rambling now, aren’t I? I’m sorry that I’m rambling. And...wait...how did you know I’m a monk?” The fox grins and makes a motion of putting on an invisible necklace. I instinctively reach for my neck and feel the numerous wooden orbs around it. Duh. My prayer beads would be a dead giveaway to anybody.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a firefox in person before.” She drifts closer to where I sit. I force a polite smile. Truthfully I’m pretty damned tired of the faux celebrity status of being a red panda – more commonly known as a firefox. Most everyone is accustomed to seeing our larger, black-and-white cousins and the questions thrown my way oftentimes leads to my patience wearing thin. However, I have all the patience in the world for this beautiful creature in front of me. “What’s your name?” She inquires.

  “Bow.” I reply. She cocks her head to the side, curious. Then another smile breaks out. Such a pretty smile.

  “Bow.’ She rolls my name around in her mouth. “Bow.” This time she keeps the ‘ow’ sound going while forming her mouth into a perfect ‘O’ shape before smiling again. “Is that the name given by your father?”

  “No.” I can’t help but laugh. “It’s the name given by my master.”

  “Why?” She tilts her head again and stares up at me. Her inquisitive eyes are captivating, water-gray and sparkling like the still surface of a moonlit pond.

  “Why?” I muse. “I guess because I never did.” Wait. Something is missing. “I don’t think I got your name.”

  “Leena.” She says just before she ducking under the water. Her silhouette shimmers as she swims right up to the rock on which I’m sitting. In a sudden rush she springs forth from the water, her gray fur whipping trails of it in upward arcs. The droplets twinkle in the afternoon sunlight, diamonds that disappear as they hit the pond’s surface. She stands before me, everything from the waist up exposed to the brisk mountain air. I’m surprised my jaw doesn’t hit the ground.

  “Well, um, I ... uh,” C’mon Bow, stop stammering and get it together. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Leena.”

  “I can see that.” She grins impishly. Instinctively my paws shoot downward to provide cover.

  “It’s, uh, it’s just the cold water.” I wince. Holy fuck that sounded stupid.

  “Well then,” Leena smiles and begins to twirl her ear again, “maybe you should come down here and we can find a way to warm you up.” I open my mouth to try and say something, remember the stupid shit that came out right before, and immediately think better of it. Instead I stand, paws still covering my crotch, and gingerly step towards the edge of the pool. All the while Leena eyes me as a hunter eyes it prey. Hunger flashes across her face. She bites her lower lip as I slowly dip one foot into the pool.

  As the first toe breaks the water’s surface I pause and look down at my reflection. Staring back at me are searing purple eyes behind circles of auburn and stripes of white – a mask of mischief, as my master used to call it. I can’t put
my finger on it, but something is off. I quickly look back to the pile of rocks where I had set my things before my meditation. Phew, everything is still there. I look back at Leena, then my things, then back at Leena, then at my things, then back at Leena once more. Her smile falters slightly as I lift my foot out of the water.

  “Maybe I should just go and bring my stuff over here real quick.” I say, pointing at the rocks.

  “Don’t worry about that,” She replies, “Just worry about getting in here.” She takes a playful swipe at my foot but only catches air. I take another step to the rocks and look back. Leena’s face is a portrait of frustration. I turn away quickly and try to act like I don’t notice but my heart begins racing a mile a minute.

  Her fur had rippled. Right as I dipped my foot in the water her fur had rippled.

  No, that wasn’t right. She had rippled. Her entire body had coiled and waved, as if...

  “I don’t think anyone is going to come and take your things.” Leena calls out to me, a tinge of irritation in her voice. “Nobody comes up this way, so you should just come back here.” Maybe she notices her shift in tone because the next thing she says comes out much more gentle and alluring. “I’ll definitely make it worth your while.”

  “You really want me in that pool, don’t you?” I chuckle as I bend down to gather my belongings. My paw stops just before it clasps around the straps of my pack. She really wants me in that pool. I twist my entire body to the right to block Leena’s view and begin to sift through my pack. “If nobody comes this way,” I call over my shoulder as I feel around the small linen sack, “then how did you get up here?” Where is it, where is it, where...aha! My fingers wrap around a small metal disc – a coin with a mandala etched into it – and slip it under my tongue before picking everything else up and turning back to the pool. At the water’s edge I drop everything within arm’s reach: my pack, the drab brown tunic of a monk, and a staff made of ironwood.

  “Oh, well, you know,” Leena fumbles as I stare down at her. “I come up here often when I want to relax. It’s my favorite place.”

  Double-checking that everything is within reach I dip my foot again into the pool, only to remove it once again with a shock. The water is warm, much warmer than a pool up in the mountains at the foot of a frigid waterfall should be. Leena stares back up at me. Her smile is innocent enough but her eyes flare with desire - a deep unquenchable appetite. For what, I don’t know.

  But I have an idea.

  Oh well. Fuck it. I try to lower myself into the water but my foot slips on the slick stones and sends me flying tail over teakettle into the pool. Leena giggles as I shake the water from my ears. Wrapping her arms around my neck she gives me a knowing smile.

  “Told you we’d get you warmed up.” She whispers as she gently pushes me toward the edge of the pool. I find a flat, submerged stone to sit upon, leaving my midriff exposed to the chill mountain air. Slowly she brings one leg up and over mine, then the other one. My heart races; I had always dreamed of this kind of scenario before I entered the monastery...well, even after I entered the monastery.

  I keep my paws at my side for a moment and then slowly bring them to Leena’s waist, hoping she doesn’t notice my trepidation. She simply feels...different. It’s as if the fox has no form to her. I’m almost positive that if I try to put my paws together they would pass right through her. Her misty gray fur quivers in front of me like the ocean before a large storm. There must’ve been something in my stare that caught her attention; her murky eyes narrow as she locks her gaze in mine.

  “What’s wrong Bow? I though you would enjoy this.”

  “Oh, I am! I am!” I nod my head vigorously. How could I not? But there’s still that nagging suspicion eating at the back of my skull. Gotta think fast. Say something. Say something. “It’s just I’ve never felt someone like you before and, well, I just don’t know what to do exactly.”

  “Aww,” She smiles and caresses my lips with her fingers. “Am I your first?” Blood rushes up to my face.

  “...Yes?” Not technically a lie.

  “Really? Heehee!” Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “I somehow doubt that. Either way I’m sure you’ll be absolutely...delicious.” She breathes in my ear as she presses herself against me. I try to say something but a slick paw keeps my lips shut. Leena grins playfully and reaches down between her legs. I gasp as she presses herself down onto me.

  There is a little-talked-about branch of monks that believe that Enlightenment can be achieved not only through lifetimes of meditation but also within the brief-yet-infinite moment of orgasm. These monks have been ignored and ridiculed by most of their peers at the monastery, myself included.

  At this very moment I regret everything I ever said about them.

  And I’m converting.

  Leena’s moans grow louder as her hips move faster and faster. “Mmm.” She says with gasping breath. “It is your first time.” All I can do is close my eyes and hold her waist tightly. The fox slowly melts away in my paws and envelopes me. I clutch tighter and begin to move with her rhythm. Soon we bring each other to the edge, and with one final push send each other tumbling over. Leena opens her mouth and lets out a scream of ecstasy.

  It’s now or never.

  I grab her face with both paws and pull her close into a passionate kiss. I stare into her surprised eyes as she pushes away from me. Her mouth hangs open in a state of shock, the small metal coin resting on her tongue. A choking sound rises from her throat as she tries to speak. The noise quickly turns into a thick gurgle as her entire body begins to flutter and pulsate. Her fur moves like ripples on a pond, losing its foggy gray color with each wave. Her body takes on the crystal translucency of the water around us. Her eyes are the last to change, maintaining their surprised look even as they become two colorless, watery orbs.

  Time is short; she won’t stay in this form for very long. As I try to reign in my whirling mind from the last few minutes I reach behind me into my pack. I feel around for a small vial – a gift from a traveling merchant - that had contained a rare rosewater liquor. I pull out the tiny, diamond-shaped glass container and place it under Leena’s watery chin. My other hand presses against her chest. Gods, I hope I paid enough attention during my studies at the monastery.

  With a low hum I chant the words taught to me by my Master: “この神を…嵌める?” Nothing. Shit. Try again. “この神を捕らえる!” A pale blue light blossoms from Leena’s chest. Yes! The fox gurgles again and looks down as the light sends bright blue tendrils to every part of her body. The glow seeps up through her chin and begins to pour into the vial until the entire glass glows brightly. With the vial full the light dims and Leena’s liquid form stands motionless for one more second before collapsing back into the pool with a splash. A spark falls in the center of the liquid. I strike out a paw to catch the falling mandala before it plunks into the pool. A tiny glass stopper in the shape of a crystal rose seals the vial tightly. Slowly I drag myself out of the now frigid waters and lay flat on my back at the pool’s mossy edge.

  Holy. Shit.

  A water spirit.

  I. Captured. A water spirit.

  My laughter echoes off the mountains. Master always told tales of the various spirits that inhabit our world. Some tales included water spirits who lured hapless travelers to their demise, drowning their victims and consuming their life essence. The younger monks ate that shit up, sitting cross-legged and wide-eyed as our master told the tale of Kuro and Shiro.

  Kuro and Shiro were two brothers who happened to set up camp by a pond during their travels. One night while sleeping near the pool’s edge, Shiro was woken by a water spirit who lured him to his doom. Kuro woke the next morning to find that his brother had drowned. Overcome with sorrow, he sat at the pond’s shore when the same water spirit, disguised as a lovely maiden, swam up to try and console him,. However, Kuro saw the spirit for what it truly was and managed to trick it into a bottle. He then buried the bottle with his slain
brother as retribution.

  My laughter dies down. “If I ever return to the monastery, I think I owe my master a bottle of his favorite plum wine.” I say to no one in particular.

  “Yeah?” A voice calls back, a bubbling stream in my ear. I look down to see the water in the vial swirl and cloud until the figure of a naked gray fox appears floating in the center. It glares at me, arms crossed and foot tapping on nothing. “So, now what are you going to do?” Leena huffs impatiently.

  “Dunno.” I shrug. “To be honest, I didn’t think that far ahead. I guess I’ll just hold on to you until I figure out what to do.”

  ”What?!” Leena’s tiny paws slam silently onto the side of the glass. “You can’t do that! I demand that you put me back in my pool right now!” She’s pretty demanding for someone trapped in a wine flask.

  “Why? So you can try to seduce me again and drown me? I know what you are now. I’ve heard the stories. Admit it, given the chance you would’ve drowned me.”

  “I wasn’t going to drown you. I was just going to...” Leena’s voice trails off.

  “Going to what?”

  “Have you not breathe anymore...forever.”

  “Yeah, no, that’s drowning. I’m just going to keep you in that bottle for a while.” I tap the vial twice. Leena crosses her arms again and pouts her lower lip. “I don’t wanna hear it. Maybe if you reform your murderous ways I’ll let you out. Okay? No more drowning...but the seducing part is fine.” I smile.

  “Idiot.” She sighs.

  Paying the Toll

  To you who claim to know what civilization is, who look upon the skins on my walls and dare call it barbarism: I look at them and see the history of my clan back to when the mountains were young and gods walked the earth. I see a tradition that had no beginning and will have no end. How many of you can claim such?

  - Chief Dagda, addressing the High Council

  “Stupid mortal. Stupid stick-carrying, bead-wearing, stripy-tailed, coin-kissing, vial-holding, stupid mortal. Stupid stupid ... somewhat attractive, but stupid mor-”