Blanc's Mommy
Being held is a truly wonderful feeling.
"Grrrr…"
Cradled in the arms of my mother — who had taken the form of a human woman — I clutched the hem of her clothes in my front paws and fawned over her to my heart's content. I had only ever seen her face once, but my soul still told me, without a shred of doubt, that she was my mother.
This is so nice…
My body went limp all on its own. When I nuzzled my cheeks wildly against her chest, Mother gathered my head and body into her arms with the utmost care, as if I might shatter if she held me any less gently.
I melted into her warm, soft body heat for a long while. Then, wanting to see her face, I poked my head out from between her breasts.
"Kyawng!" Mommy, you're pretty!
I opened my mouth wide and looked up at her, and a gentle smile spread across Mother's face.
Peck.
Huh?
Mother lowered her head and pressed a deep, tender kiss to my soft cheek. But the lips that touched me were trembling, ever so slightly. When I lifted my head and met her eyes, I found them flushed red, as if tears might spill at any moment.
Why cry on a day this good?
"My baby… I'm so sorry… that I became your mother and still couldn't hold you close and warm the way other mothers do…"
Mother's voice grew wet, cracking with sorrow. The fat teardrops gathering at the corners of her eyes looked ready to fall onto my fur at any second.
…I'm fine, though. You're holding me now.
I lifted both front paws and firmly, neatly cupped Mother's tearful cheeks.
"Kyau! Kyaaang!" Mommy, don't cry. Instead of apologizing, just say you'll treat me well from now on.
I growled at her.
"Kyawng!" Stop wasting time crying and pet me already.
To reassure her, I beamed, folded my ears, and shoved my head into her hands. At my words, a faint smile bloomed again across the face that had been trembling with tears.
See? You're so pretty when you smile. I hate tears.
"Heheh… That's right, my baby. You grew up so admirably… so well, even without your mother. I'm so proud of you."
Mother flushed with emotion, then slipped out her red tongue and began to lick the crown of my head and the nape of my neck with the utmost tenderness.
Lick. Lick.
"Kyauuung… Grrrr…" …Mommy's grooming me…
I drooled at the corners of my mouth from that affectionate grooming, surrendered myself to her hands and her tongue, closed my eyes, and flicked my tail.
…What?
In that instant, I felt something going wrong.
She opened her eyes and looked down at her son. Because she had licked him in human form, his soft fur was soaked with saliva, and the tangled patches were clumping even more messily. If it had been her original body, this never would have happened. She had been so eager to lick her son that she hadn't even considered her current form — and had only made him dirtier. Shame flooded her face crimson in an instant.
…To make a mistake like this… in front of my baby… I only wanted to show him my best side.
She quietly averted her gaze from her son's startled eyes and hugged him tight, so that he couldn't see her face.
"Baby… I'm so sorry… I'm still not used to this human mortal vessel… I've made such a mess of your fur."
Mother stroked my ruined tail and the top of my head with a deeply apologetic look. She carefully tried to untangle the matted clumps, but the saliva-soaked fur would not come apart.
"I'm truly sorry… I couldn't even lick you properly…"
"Kyauuung." It's okay, Mommy. I actually like it — it smells like you a lot.
I shook my sticky head and gave her a bright, sunny smile. Sure, my fur was even more tangled and messy than before — but more than that, just being with Mother made me happy. I didn't really know why I felt that way either.
"Kyawng!" So what if my fur's a little tangled? I like that you licked me, Mommy.
At Blanc's consideration, her face gradually softened into a warm smile.
"How… how can you say such sweet things… My baby, you really are so good."
She planted a loud kiss on my forehead and resettled me on her lap.
"Kyawng." Does this mean I can see you a lot now, Mommy?
When I asked, tail wagging with anticipation, Mother let out a faint sigh and stroked my head.
"Because this inadequate mother of yours is lacking… meeting in my true form is still impossible. But like this, in human form, we'll be able to see each other often now."
"Kyau!" Really? I'm really looking forward to it?
"Heheh. Of course you should. Every time your vessel grows a little larger, the time we can spend together will grow too. And there will come a day when you meet my father — your grandfather — as well."
Grandpa had said something similar before. So if I just got stronger, I could see Grandpa and Mommy more often?
I nuzzled my head against Mother's belly and chest, wagging my tail wildly — and then, suddenly, my prey came to mind.
Gotta brag about this.
"Kyau! Kyaaang!" Mommy! I have so much to brag about!
Excited, I began pouring out everything I had experienced out in the world, without a pause. For some reason, I just wanted to keep acting spoiled with Mother.
"Kyawng!" I caught a weird werewolf, and I found my little sister's mom too. Plus I even caught a dragon.
There was so much I wanted to tell her that the words wouldn't line up. They spilled out without passing through my brain at all. I waved my front paws through the air, passionately reenacting the moment I had smashed the dragon's jaw.
She didn't cut off a single word. She listened with a warm smile, as if every story were something precious.
"My baby already… catching a dragon at that age… I'm so proud of you… I haven't even taught you anything…"
"Kyawng." You're about to cry again. Cut it out.
When Mother started welling up again mid-praise, I immediately covered her eyes with my front paws. A little later, once she had calmed down, she gently scratched my ears. And as I soaked up her pets, something occurred to me.
"Kyawng?" Oh, right. Mommy, have you been eating the bread I send you every day?
I hadn't been able to send any when I was out hunting, but other than that I had sent it at the same time every single day. When I asked, tail wagging, she nodded with a happy smile.
"Of course. You sent it thinking of this mother of yours. I eat every last crumb, always. I always worry whether I'm even allowed to receive something so precious."
"Kyawng." Please. It's nothing.
Mother and I talked without end as we walked side by side across the pure white Snowy Mountain. With every step, the clear, crisp crunch of snow tickled my ears.
Cradled in the arms of Mother — who had slowed her pace to match my short stride — I watched the scenery around us begin to blur, little by little. That meant it was almost time for me to wake.
Had that much time already passed…? I smacked my lips in disappointment.
"Kyawng…" I wish I'd slept a little deeper. What a shame.
Seeing my drooping tail, Mother sensed the farewell too. She couldn't hide her own regret as she came to a stop.
She sank to the ground and pulled me into one last tight hug.
"My baby, it's almost time for you to wake… Time is such a cruel, stingy thing."
She pressed a light kiss to my cheek, then looked straight into my eyes and whispered.
"But… baby, you don't have to be too sad. This mother of yours will work hard… and before long, I'll come down to the human world myself. When that happens, I'll lick you properly."
"Kyau?!" Really? That's possible?!
At the unexpected good news, my tail swished so fast it might as well have had a motor attached. I couldn't contain my joy and bounced in place. I had to introduce her to my butlers, and to Lumia too…
She gazed lovingly at her son as he bounced and fawned, unable to contain his delight. In that instant, a peculiar possessiveness and obsession gleamed in her eyes. Having spent proper time with her son for the first time, her maternal love had burst its banks.
She carefully gathered bouncing, fawning Blanc back into her arms, then slowly brought her lips to his small ear.
"Kyawng?" Well, that's obvious? How could I have two mommies?
Mother's fingers scratched my tail and ears in the most satisfying way.
"I know there are many others by your side… No matter who dotes on you and takes care of you… you must never call anyone else Mother, or think of them as one. Understand? This is the one thing I ask of you."
At Mother's suddenly serious tone, I nodded with a puzzled look.
"Kyau." Of course. No matter how well they treat me just because I give them meat, I'd never call them Mommy.
At my stout answer, Mother smiled tenderly, looking satisfied.
"Heheh. That's right. My good baby."