The Tail of Things to Come
An Alleycat Crew Short
Chief Volci sat at his desk, methodically field-stripping a rifle. The familiar rhythm of the test pulses of the magnetic rails kept his hands busy while his mind stayed sharp.
He wasn’t expecting company.
When Svata padded into the room, he didn’t even look up at first. She was usually in coveralls, tail tucked discreetly away, smelling faintly of engine grease and ozone.
But this time, the sound was different. No clunking boots. A soft swish grabbed his attention.
He glanced up. And froze.
Svata stood there in a dress of deep violet fabric that caught the light like liquid. Her tail swished lazily behind her, the tip of the blade glinting. For the first time since he’d known her, she wasn’t hiding it… or herself.
Chief blinked, once. Twice. His eyes trailed down her body, exploring her curves, but he quickly forced his gaze back up to meet hers.
“You…” His voice came out rougher than he intended. “You look…”
Her ears twitched and a smirk tugged at her lips.
“Careful, soldier. That pause was long enough to be insulting.”
He cleared his throat. “You look… incredible.”
Her smirk slowly grew into a beaming smile. A spark glinted in her eyes.
“Better than the time I wore one of Calynn’s dresses?”
Chief’s ears burned. That day was seared into his memory. Svata was nearly shot, he had been abducted and beaten, and Calynn somehow kept them all from exploding. But Svata—tugging awkwardly at the hem of Calynn’s borrowed dress, grumbling about impractical fabric while still somehow looking stunning in it. He could hardly keep his eyes off of her then, and the memory burned just as hot now.
Her flowing tail brought him back to the here and now, its hypnotic sway a reminder that she wasn’t hiding anymore—and he couldn’t look away.
She was always kind and very capable, but now… in that dress. His heartbeat quickened.
“This one’s yours?” he asked, voice steady now. “It looks like it was made for you.”
Her tail flicked, swishing through the air. She laced her fingers behind her back and tried to replicate the way Calynn would sway her hips. She looked a little nervous.
“Do you like it?”
“That might be an understatement,” Volci said, longingly.
He set the rifle down and leaned back in his chair, shifting just enough to leave space at his side. Still, he studied her like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. She wasn’t hiding herself, tucked away in her coveralls. On the contrary, she was presenting herself to him.
“An understatement?” Svata whispered as she moved closer. “What’s better than… like?”
Svata’s hand landed on his shoulder as her tail wrapped around his leg.
“Like a lot, very… lot,” Volci replied, tripping over his own words.
Svata tilted her head, amused. “Very… lot? That’s the best you’ve got?”
“I, uh… well…”
“Yes?” Svata smiled, leaning in just a little.
“Well, um…”
She grinned wider. “More wells… that’s fantastic.”
“Ugh,” Volci groaned, running his hand down his face. “It’s not my fault… you and that dress have stolen my wits.”
Svata’s grin sharpened as she leaned closer still, her finger tracing lightly down his chest. “What else can I steal?”
For once, the normally unshakable Chief Volci didn’t even try to answer. He just smiled, knowing full well he’d already given her everything she wanted.
His hand unconsciously found the silky soft fur of her thigh as his gaze darted past her to the office door. It was already sealed. Svata had made sure of it.
Of course she had. She was brilliant and always planned ahead. Chief Volci smiled up at her, wondering what she had planned for him.
