The moon was shining across the large forest, illuminating a small clearing that was located in the very heart of it. A serene atmosphere reigned in the night, no disturbances breaking the calm peacefulness in the forest. And yet, within that clearing, a young rider was sitting against a rock, clear exhaustion written all over his eyes. Alongside him, laying tightly curled around his body, was his dear monstie that he had bonded with when he was still nothing more but a child.

A Mizutsune.

Unlike him, it was enraptured in a peaceful slumber as it rested its head almost against his own, and upon closer inspection, one could see that the edges of its mouth were curled upwards, smiling within its sleep.

Entirely oblivious to the internal struggle its beloved rider was fighting with…

Manis was breathless as he all but stared at the small monstie that was staring back at him with eyes that were full with pure innocence and eagerness, the glow of his kinship stone slowly beginning to fade away again, signalling that the rite of bondage had been fulfilled. With slow but curious steps, the newly hatched Mizutsune approached its bonded before it suddenly leaped from the ground, earning it a gasp from its rider as he fell onto his back from the sudden action.

And he found that the little Mizu was fiercely cuddling against him, showering him with affection.

"Ohohoho! It looks like she has already grown fond of you, my dear boy.", the elder of the village, Augmon, couldn't help but to chuckle wholeheartedly as he witnessed the loving scene in front of him. The first bond Manis has ever forged with a monster… that special memory would remain forever.

Slowly stepping forward, Augmon smiled at the young pair of rider and monstie, but the small Mizutsune was far too engulfed in nuzzling her head against her bonded.

"When a rider connects their heart to their chosen monstie, it will never forget them anymore. A kinship bond that is formed upon the birth of the monstie can never be destroyed, it will last for your entire life.", Manis was tickled by the small flappers of her head as the small Mizu nuzzled her head and nose against every bit of skin that she could reach, and he could barely force himself to suppress a giggle.

Yes, their bond would grow into something truly beautiful… Augmon could already see it.

…

Night had replaced the light of day, and the moon was shining upon the small clearing in the forest where Manis and his dear monstie had successfully managed to catch their first fish, earning them their first meal together that they had caught themselves. Manis held a hand against his stomach in pure and utter content, almost mimicked by the small Mizu that was curled together upon his lap, a look of pure satisfaction upon her face.

He fondly regarded the moon as he absentmindedly stroked her head with his other hand, causing her to growl softly, which caught his attention. As he gazed back towards his monstie, he witnessed that she regarded him fondly before she decided to move from his lap to curl close around his head instead, placing her own against his.

"Good night, Mizu…", feeling the growing sleepiness tug at his eyelids after their hearty meal, she gave him a lick in reply before she purred in content.

And they fell asleep in a peaceful slumber, curled together within the clearing.

…

"Ohohoho, how much you have both grown!", the years have passed, and within that time, Manis and his dear monstie had grown inseparable, sharing a bond that is unbreakable. And, much to Augmon's delight, he witnessed that the once small Mizu was still the only monstie at his side. But regardless how much she had grown, it never changed the fact that she took every single moment that she could to nuzzle her rider and shower him with affection.

However, what would normally have caused him to smile fondly only caused him to frown instead, for the moment he looked into Manis's eyes, he witnessed that they were devoid of the same warmth that they had always possessed when he was still small…

… and it was this that caused his monstie to pull back slightly with hurt in her eyes, for regardless how often she tried to get him to smile, regardless how often she tried to make him happy so that she could be happy as well… she didn't understand what had changed between them.

Why was he pushing her away…?

"Manis, my dear boy, would you come with me for a moment? I would like to speak with you with a little bit more privacy.", Augmon witnessed how the young rider perked up almost as if he had been lost in thought, merely giving the elder a small nod.

"Of course."

As they walked, Augmon witnessed out of the corner of his eyes how his Mizu was walking close to his side. As she ever so slightly brushed her tail against his hand to gain his attention, he barely lifted his head to glance at her, and despite that, she tried her utmost to gaze at him with the same warm and loving eyes with which she had always regarded him, hoping to convey every single wish and longing for her beloved rider as she smiled at him.

And still, it faltered once he merely looked back upon the ground again, never once sparing another glance at her. And again, sorrow filled her eyes as she was so close to him, and yet, it felt as though he was so far away…

"My dear, would you mind waiting here for a small moment?", even though she could not literally reply, she only reluctantly spared a glance at the village elder, who gave her a patient smile. With a small and begrudging growl, she kept on staring at her rider with a longing gaze, but she remained in place as both her rider and Augmon entered his small hut.

And only once Manis was entirely out of sight, she slowly curled together into a ball, her eyes never leaving the spot where he had last stood. And at the very edge of her eyes, silent tears began to drip down her scales.

Why… what… what did she do wrong…?

…

Augmon wordlessly took a few steps ahead, silence reigning within the small and humble hut for a long moment. But still, Manis didn't utter a word, merely keeping his gaze trained upon the ground until the elder's voice finally cut him out of his thoughts.

"Your dear Mizu truly is something special. I remember the times when you two grew up together… she would never let anyone else but you ride her.", to his surprise, he could hear the small but earnest chuckle that escaped Augmon. And yet, as silence reigned once more, his tone suddenly changed the moment he broke it once again.

"My boy, you know that the kinship you share with your monstie is the most precious thing that you could ever possess in your life?", Manis almost hesitantly looked up towards Augmon, his back still facing toward him. Uncertainty krept into his entire posture, multiple feelings of uneasiness and suppressed guilt dwelling within him as he undoubtedly noticed the tone with which Augmon was talking to him.

It was the same one he had always used when Manis was being taught an important lesson after he had done something wrong.

"... do you realize what it would mean if that bond was to be neglected…? If your monstie loves you with no bounds, but it is not reciprocated…?", it was only then that Augmon finally turned around to face Manis completely, and his eyes were sternly fixated upon his own. And yet, as his inner feelings almost overwhelmed him, as his fears and sorrows threatened to consume him, Manis barely managed to give another small nod. Thus, Augmon wordlessly approached him once more before he stopped almost directly in front of him, bending down to be on eye level with the young rider.

"Then tell me… what has changed?"

Every single word died in his throat. How could he ever answer that…?

Seeing that something was hiding deeply beneath his eyes, Augmon did not leave it at that.

"Once a monster forms a bond with their rider, it never forgets them. When Mizu first bonded with you, her eyes gleamed with the same amount of warmth and love that she is showing you even now… even as you all but ignore her.", his last words almost struck Manis like a physical blow, taking his breath away. But Augmon merely stared into his eyes, demanding the truth.

"Do you not see how she longs to be with you in the same way that you two always used to?"

And thus, no longer able to hold it back any longer, Manis all but broke down in front of Augmon. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and before he knew it, all of his feelings broke loose within himself, causing him to speak of his locked up memories sooner than he could realize.

…

Regardless how much sleep tugged at his eyes, begging for him to finally rest, Manis could not do it. Despite his best efforts not to glance at his monstie, he stiffened in discomfort when his dear Mizu only hugged him even closer against her fur, even whilst she was still asleep in a peaceful slumber.

Coiled around him almost like in a vice grip, the position in which she was hugging him was almost provocative, her tail resting between his legs whilst her head was nestled against his own.

And thus, even though it felt like an eternity, the night passed on until the first rays of sunlight graced Manis's face again. For he did not gain a single ounce of rest, his eyes almost blood-red from his lack of sleep.

Years ago, when they were both still small, they had always used to sleep together like this. But now, now that she had long outgrown him by a small amount and they had both grown older…

… he felt nothing but shame and disgust, and all of it was directed at no one else but himself…

…

A gasp escaped him once a hand gently wiped his tears away, causing him to look upward. And to his utter shock, he found that Augmon was smiling at him. The same kind smile that he remembered while he was still a child… when everything was still so uncomplicated…

"Don't cry, my dear. You thought you were doing the right thing by distancing yourself, for that, you are not to blame…", words still evaded Manis as he all but stared at the village elder.

"... but your feelings are nothing to be ashamed of. They are only telling you what your heart truly seeks… and your dear Mizu has long embraced that knowledge."

"...w-what…?", nothing but disbelief was evident in the young rider's eyes as Augmon gently placed his hands on Manis's shoulders.

"It is nothing uncommon. Do you know why a bonded monstie is, even as it grows older, still so small compared to their wild counterparts? Those feelings are only natural, and your Mizu has long chosen to follow her heart. But now that you know…", the warmth upon his shoulders left him the moment Augmon stood back up.

"... what will you do? Will you leave her waiting, hoping, and longing…? Or will you finally embrace your feelings as well? That is now for you to decide."

And with no other word, Augmon turned and walked out of the hut, leaving Manis to stare at the ground with wide eyes.

However, unbeknownst to him, everything that he had just revealed… Augmon had not been the only witness. For just outside of the hut, Mizu had long been secretly eavesdropping on the two of them. And the moment she heard these words from her rider, confessing about his every feeling towards her… she could have almost squealed with joy.

And thus, her eyes narrowed with a fiery determination. How could he ever think that she felt any different towards him…? If anything, she thought she had made it more than obvious how she felt…

… but if that was what he truly thought, then she would finally remove all of his doubts.

The night sky had long replaced the sun once again, and along with it, Manis found himself within the same clearing inside the forest that both him and his Mizu cherished so dearly. But this time, both rider and monster were gazing at the small lake at the center of the clearing, neither of them moving as they sat side by side.

Unbeknownst to him, she had long trained her eyes on him as she glanced at him out of the corner of her vision. But he was internally agitated, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden pressure and knot in his stomach. Thus, he was more than tense, and with each moment that passed, the urge to escape all of this grew stronger.

His mind was torn, and he didn't know what to do… all while Augmon's words echoed within his mind…

Suddenly, his eyes widened the moment Mizu finally broke the silence, for she no longer accepted the distance he was trying to maintain. He was her bonded, and she wouldn't allow him to leave until she finally knew why he was avoiding her.

Her tail brushed against him, teasing against his skin as it almost touched him in a painfully slow manner. Curling her head so it was facing his own, she purred in the most soothing manner and simply gazed into his eyes, daring him to look away. His entire form was stiff, his eyes filled with so many emotions at once…

… but the moment he so much as tried to escape all of this, Mizu immediately acted upon instinct and all but pounced on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

No you won't…!

Silence reigned in the air for a long time, their breathing heavy as she kept his arms and body pinned with her claws. Leaning her head against his own, it earned her a gasp from her beloved rider once a soft purr escaped her. And without giving him so much as a chance to speak, she gave him a tender lick upon his lips.

He believed his feelings were wrong… that by pushing her away, he had to drown all of his emotions and be strong…

But not any longer, for regardless how much he tried to resist, she would show him that it was futile for his fears to persist.

Despite how much he had tried to suppress their bond so nearly, she loved him most earnestly and dearly.

And whatever may come in the future, she would love him with all of her heart and soul.

The gentle rustling of leaves slowly began to wake Manis, causing him to stir from his slumber. Blinking his eyes open, the cool morning breeze touched upon his face, and for once in a long time… he felt so well rested and relaxed. A small touch upon his cheeks made him aware of any last traces of his dried tears…

… however, his stirring caused his dear monstie to awaken as well, and it was then that he realized what kind of position they were in. Tightly curled around him, Mizu was hugging him close to her fur with her claws, and her head was mere inches away from his own as she woke from her slumber. And her eyes immediately met his own.

A mere second passed before a gleam suddenly seemed to appear within her gaze, for once she realized as well in what position he was in, she knew that he could not evade it. Leaning closer towards him, she gave him the warmest smile, fully exposing him to her care.

When was the last time that they had spent like this…? When she could be with him just as they always used to…? All until he began to push her away… but now, now that he was within her embrace once more, it all felt like a dream.

And she couldn't do otherwise but give him a tender, almost painfully slow lick against his cheek before she cuddled her head against his own. Her rider would have no chance of escaping from her relentless assault of nuzzling…!

Her heart leaped when she heard a small giggle from him, something that she could listen to all day, for he could not suppress it as her flappers upon her head tickled against his skin while she continued her merciless onslaught of cuddles.

And yet, it died down after a long moment, and she froze once she felt a small shudder from his body. For it was not long after that she realized he was sobbing. Pulling her head back with nothing but concern within her eyes, she witnessed how his head was facing to the ground. A whimper escaped her as his sorrow immediately became her own, but just as she lowered her head to nudge him, he suddenly hugged the base of her throat. And he buried his face against her scales.

"... I-i… I'm… so s-sorry…!", his voice was broken, and his body trembled almost uncontrollably as he sobbed, preventing him from speaking any further. For all of his long suppressed guilt and sorrow came crashing down upon him, reminding him of what he had done.

Why… had he been so foolish…? Never once did she cease to love him, to try and make him happy, to smile at him whenever he would spare a glance towards her… and all he did… was to push her away…!

"Never forget, my dear. Monsters may not use words like us, but they are far more attuned to feelings instead. Your Mizu will always hold on to the bond that you share with her, come what may. But it also means that she will be the first to pay the price for it should you make a foolish decision."

Augmon's words echoed within his mind, and before long, warm tears were once again streaming down his cheeks.

Until suddenly… a tender lick brushed them away.

Ever so slowly, he trembled as he raised his head to follow the muzzle that was close to his face until he met her eyes once more. Hugging her dear rider closer with her claws, she leaned her head against his own, her tail gently swaying along the ground.

She finally knew now why he had done so… and thus…

'I forgive you… my dearest.'