When Sakura smiles and says, “Lead the way, Larrikan. I trust you.” it nearly makes his heart sing. Both of the foxes ignore the piglet’s derisive snort.
Larrikan leads Sakura and her chaperone a different path, to show off more of the forest. He correctly reads Sakura to be a city girl, and shows off some of the nicer parts of the forest that are on the way. One such place is a clearing full of brambles.
Larrikan looks and sniffs. he says, “Blackberries are ripe. Would you like to try some?”
Kaiwaii beat both of them to the bushes, and dug right in to man he could reach. His thick hide lets him ignore the thorns.
Larrikan is a lot more careful, and warns Sakura of the thorns. He pulls down a heavily loaded branch, and shows Sakura how to pick the berry and not get the core.
Sakura tries, and gets a berry, which she offer to Larrikan. He nips the berry from her fingertips, then kisses them gently. She giggles and blushes, but takes the berry he offers her the same way.
The berries are tart, and the foxes pick and enjoy them while the sun slowly moves across the sky.
Finally, Larrikan tells Sakura, “As happy as I might be to stay here and feed you berries all afternoon, I think I would enjoy dancing with you more.”
Sakura replies, “I agree… I would very much like to go and dance.”
Larrikan whistles for the piglet, and tosses the last bunch of berries he was holding in the piglet’s direction. The piglet chomps on them, and then follows.
More pleasant walking, and showing some of the less threatening parts of the forest lead to a clearing ringed with lights, and filled with people and music.
Sakura smiles, and says, “This reminds me of the first night we danced…”
The fox smiles, “This won’t be quite as special as that night, as it is just dancing, not a rade, but I hope you’ll enjoy it.” He adds, “Shall we get something to eat before the music starts?”
Sakura asks curiously, “A rade?” She follows Larrikan to the food, adding, “Please.”
Larrikan procures two bowls of stew, spoons, and a corner of a table to eat at, and then explains, briefly.
The dancing is energetic and quick when it starts. People have the chance to change partners often. Larrikan takes his turn with others as the dance demands, but he is always happiest when dancing with Sakura.
As the night progresses, the dances slow down. It is hard to tell if this is the band getting tired, or if it is deliberately to let couples dance with their partners more as the evening progresses.
Larrikan dances with Sakura, close but not too close. It is she who leans in against him, enjoying the closeness.
The night has fallen completely when the dance ends. Kaiwaii has been dancing with people, or watching, and getting talked to and fed tidbits. He finds the foxes as they prepare to leave.
Larrikan tells Sakura, “There is one thing more I’d like to show you tonight… a fox’s den… mine in particular.” He leads her off into temptation, which is to say, his home.