Katya and Yikti - The Twinning Foxes

A pair of 18 tails swayed in a tree. They belong to two twinning foxes, both very old, both very wise, and both complete opposites. Adopting each other as siblings in the afterlife, they fail to recognize each other’s human lives. Their furs mirror each other like an inverted mirror. One was white with beautiful tips and under-shades of red and pink, the other was silver with powerful tips and underbellies of blue and purple. The white fox, Katya, had pearly blue eyes. The black fox, Yikti, had darkened red eyes. Katya always seemed to have a smile and always clicked and laughed with excitement when she saw a person stray near their precious tree. Yikti, however, was more than irritated with visitors. He hated the thought of the tree being disturbed, or even killed, by people who grew too close. Katya always scorned him for his harshness, but Yikti never changed.

Yikti snarled and warned people who dared to step within the tree’s reaching branches. Katya always welcomed people who found themselves lost and wandering under the tree’s great leaves. Both of them were bound to the tree. That reason was unknown, even to them. But, should you look below the ground, past the tree’s long roots, past the stone, and into a hidden chamber, you will find both the original bodies of Katya and Yikti. Corpses of a Delicate Russian princess and a powerful Japanese emperor. The two don’t remember their bodies or their past lives. It was far too long ago for both of them.

Katya could be seen stretched along the roots of the great tree she was bound to. Her tails slowly swayed from side to side as she rolled onto her back. She exposed her red belly and let out a yawn before chuckling and clicking to herself.

She sprung up and looked around, “I swore I heard something. Probably just me, though…”

She stretched one last time before trotting around the tree in a circle.

“My have you grown, just yesterday were you but a sapling!” She was complimenting the tree as if it could hear her. For all we know, it might just have heard her. The leaves of the tree swayed in a light gust of wind that suddenly appeared after Katya’s words. She giggled and sat at the base of the tree again. Staring up at it with awe.

She nodded her head, “You like my words. You do indeed, why else would you have responded with the winds’ soothing cool?”

She continued to nod her head before jumping up the tree and onto a limb. She balanced herself carefully and looked at some blooming flowers on the limbs that now hid her in the tree.

“It is spring, yes? Spring always seemed to be your favorite. Such a pretty season.” Katya carefully crouched and stalked the flowers. She smelled them.

She let out a small sigh, “Another century has passed, yet I already have nine tails. I can’t gain more. Why you ask? Foxes can’t have any more than nine!”

Another gust of wind was felt. Katya smiled and clicked with joy. She believed that the tree could hear her, and this was how it replied to everything she said.