"What?!" the flustered anthro fox blurted as his fur rose on end. "No! I'm... a fox; I'm into other foxes."

"Just asking~" the dragoness responded with a knowing smirk. "I don't judge~"

The two of them continued on in silence. Having been directly called out, the fox now strode alongside his guide, though now he sorely missed the wonderful view he had been enjoying to take his mind off of the cold. For a while, there was no sound aside from their footsteps across the packed snow. As they walked in silence, the fox's mind worked restlessly, thinking in circles until finally he could stay silent no longer.

"So, say... say I was into dragons."

The dragoness laughed—not in a cruel way, but in an amused fashion. "Say you were," she prompted through her smile.

"Are you... into... a-anthros?" he managed, his heart hammering.

"Depends on the anthro," she replied, knowing exactly what he was getting at, but savoring the tease.

"What kind of anthros do you like?"

"Oh, y'know: dragons, birds, gryphons, felines—I once met this charming reindeer anthro who was a hunk and a half."

"Ah, I see..."

They continued in silence. Their two states of mind were absolutely perpendicular, the fox's thoughts invaded by self-consciousness, while the dragoness delighted in the teasing.

"Oh, and foxes," she finally added through her grin. "I've got a thing for shy foxes who lag behind so they can stare at my rump while I lead them~"

The fox's eyes widened. He had never felt his fur quite so on-end. They took several steps in silence before he could find his words.

"...Was it that obvious?"

"Completely," she said with a laugh. "That's why I kept my tail swaying through the air. I don't usually hold it so high~"

"Sorry..."

"Don't be~ Girls like to be admired, and a girl like me even likes it when that admiration is sexual~"

"Well... I like admiring you," he managed through an embarrassed smile. "Do you mind if I... follow behind you again?"

The dragoness laughed, and then stopped. "I was thinking you'd like to do more than just stare~"

The fox's racing heart skipped several beats.

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