The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

inside her. It lived like a person, talked like a person. Just because it looked like an animal didn't mean she could trust it.
    Paying no attention to the wary looks Youko was giving it, the rat nonchalantly set the tray on the table, and the pail at the foot of the bed.
    "How's your fever?"
    It reached out with its small forefoot. Youko immediately shrank away. The rat twitched its whiskers and then picked up the damp cloth that had fallen onto the quilt. It must have noticed that Youko had the sword clasped tightly to her chest but said nothing. It placed the cloth in the bucket, looked at Youko's face.
    "How are you feeling? Want something to eat?"
    Youko shook her head. The rat gave its whiskers a twitch, took a cup from the table. "It's medicine. Will you take it?"
    Youko again shook her head. She couldn't take any chances, couldn't expose herself to any possible threats. The rat thought about it for a moment, raised the cup to its mouth and, as she watched, drank a bit. "See, ordinary medicine. A bit bitter, but that's the only way to get it down."
    With that, it again offered it to her. Youko refused to take it. Confounded, the rat scratched the fur around its ear. "Well, then. What can I offer you? If you won't drink or eat anything, you won't get your strength back. How about some tea? Goat milk? Rice pudding?"
    Youko refused to answer. The rat sighed to itself, as if trying to figure out what to do next. "You've been asleep for three days. If it was in me to do something like that, I would have had all the time in the world, don't you see."
    The rat gestured with the tip of its nose at where Youko had the sword clasped to her chest. "You're even hiding that sword from me. Can you not trust me even that much?"
    Youko looked into its small black eyes. Slowly she took out the cloth-shrouded sword and laid it across her lap.
    "Now we're getting somewhere," the rat said in a pleased voice. It reached out again. This time Youko did not shrink away. With its tiny fingers it briefly touched her forehead. "You've still got a bit of a fever but it's gone down a good bit. Now, you settle down and rest. Is there anything I can get you?"
    Youko said uncertainly, "Water . . . . "
    The rat's ear's flicked back and forth. "Water. Great. So you can speak! I'll bring some water straightaway. If you need to get up, keep yourself wrapped up in that quilt."
    Not waiting for Youko to nod in reply, the rat darted out of the room. Its tail, covered in short fur, swayed back and forth as if to help keep its balance.

    A few minutes later the rat returned carrying a pitcher, cup and small bowl. The almost hot water was delicious. She drained the cup over and over. Then she peered at the bowl, caught the scent of alcohol.
    "What have you got there?"
    "Peaches pickled in wine and simmered with sugar. Want to try one?"
    Youko nodded. Then she turned to the rat and said, "Thank you."
    The rat's whiskers quivered. The fur on its cheeks stood out, its eyes narrowed and it smiled, or so that was how its expression struck her.
    "My name's Rakushun. And you are?"
    The question stumped her at first. She simply answered, "Youko."
    "Youko. And how is it spelled?"
    " You as in youki (cheerful), and ko as in kodomo (child)."
    " Ko as in 'child'?" Rakushun tilted his head to the side. "Huh," he said. "That's a curious name. Where are you from?"
    As it would be awkward to not answer now, Youko stalled as she wracked her brains. "Kei."
    "The Kingdom of Kei? Where in Kei?"
    Not knowing anything more of Kei, she promptly answered, "Hairou."
    "Where is that?" Rakushun looked at her with an only slightly bewildered look, and then scratched at his ears. "Well, that's neither here nor there. Let's take your medicine and get you back to bed."
    Youko nodded. She asked, "How do you spell Rakushun?"
    The rat laughed. "It's Raku as in kuraku (sorrow and joy), and shun as in shunbin (quick-witted)."

Chapter 36
    Y ouko spent the rest of the day in the room sleeping. She came to the conclusion that Rakushun was the sole occupant of the house.
    "It's got a tail. That can't be good, eh?" It was the middle of the night. The blue monkey's head sat at the foot of the bed. "One way or another he's bound to betray you, don't you suppose?"
    Though there were two beds in the room, Rakushun didn't sleep there. She didn't think the house had another bedroom so she wasn't sure where he bedded down for the night.
    "Isn't it about time you skedaddled out of here? If you