Okay I know it was a long wait, but here's chapter four, and if I miss any details, blame it on the fact that I'm doing this pretty late.

I realize that besides the whole gender thing and the explosion, this is still following the original story line, so I'm going to change it here and now.

Over the next few days Yuki had to stay in camp, until she was healed at least. Alfina would go off into the woods and try to find food, while Yuki would cook whatever she had found. Of course, Alfina wondered why Yuki was so insistent that she not cook. Luckily, for Yuki, she took the excuse that she shouldn't do everything.

It was uncomfortable for Yuki to walk but as long as she didn't have to walk a long distance she would be fine. Though being stir crazy was a whole different matter. When she wasn't cooking, she had nothing else to do. She couldn't do any exercises with her chest wound, and without any tools, taking her frustrations out on her flier was out of the question.

She ended up practicing her skills with her Mana Eggs, if not to just tire herself out.

Three Days Later

"Okay, as long as we don't run into any strong monsters out here, you should be fine as long as we walk slow." Alfina, blushing heavily told Yuki. A little dirty and with a few scratches from nearby weak monsters was all that she had suffered, physically, and had just rebound Yuki's chest, hiding the long gash under her breasts. This, of course, meant that Yuki had to be topless, which was the reason that Alfina was blushing.

Seeing Yuki's breasts filled Alfina with a strong desire to touch them, but held back, for Yuki's injury and the uncertainty of how Yuki would react. When Yuki saw Alfina blushing she covered her amusement with great difficultly.

"What's the matter Alfina?" Yuki asked innocently. Alfina stood up, huffed, and began packing the camping supplies while trying to get the blush on her face to go down. Yuki laughed to herself while putting on her shirt and jacket on over her bandages. Looking down she was glad that she had the bandages, because if she didn't her breasts would only be covered by her thin blue shirt and the leather jacket could only cover so much.

'Great, now I have to wear a bra.' Yuki hadn't needed to wear a bra when she had been younger, and becoming a boy made wearing a bra a bit pointless. (...unless your like that, then go right ahead)

"Alfina, I think I'm going to need new clothes when we get to the temple." Alfina jumped from being snapped out of her reverie on Yuki's breasts, but was able to hid the blush when she realized she hadn't been packing. Hurrying her packing of the small tent Alfina nodded, but didn't trust herself to talk

'I guess I really did a number on her, maybe I have a bigger chance than I first thought.'

"I need a break." Yuki breathed out, breathing heavily. Sitting down on a nearby rock, Yuki groaned in exhaustion.

"B-But, we're almost there." Alfina didn't sit, but was a little tired herself.

"I know, but we've been walking the last two hours non-stop, and this pack is heavy." Yuki had convinced Alfina that'd she'd have to carry the pack, considering that she couldn't fight in her condition.

"I can't carry it and fight, but since we're almost there, why don't I carry it and you lead, I'm sure any stronger monsters are deeper in the forest." Yuki nodded and stood to take off, when she heard rustling in the bushes nearby.

"Whose there?" Yuki yelled, dropping the pack fully, then went to pull out her sword, before wincing and falling from the sudden movement. Alfina moved in front of Yuki with her staff drawn.

"Show yourself!" A female humanoid figure came out with her arms down, her stance open, showing a full sense of vulnerability. The girl had yellow slitted eyes, long violet hair tied behind her in a long, thick, braid, with black ears sticking out the top of her head, sharp claws that could probably do some serious damage, and small fangs sticking out of her closed mouth.(Think a Mithra from Final Fantasy XI, without the fur)

"Who are you?" Yuki asked from behind, Alfina. The girl didn't move, but spoke out in a quite, girlish voice.

"My name is Raija(1), and I mean you no harm. I wanted to ask you to let me accompany you." The girl still didn't show any signs of hostility, but Alfina still stood on guard.

"How can we trust you?" Yuki asked again, now standing, but clutching her injury, slightly hunched over and breathing heavily. Raija turned her gaze to the injured teen and smiled, showing her white teeth, and her sharp fangs.

"Your injured, and while I sense a great magical power from your blonde friend, I could stop her before she had gotten a strong spell off. In other words if I had wanted to do anything to you, I would've already." Yuki nodded to Alfina, who put her staff away, but was still on guard just in case. Raija relaxed showing her full height, which was a few inches shorter than Yuki.

"Why do you want to come with us?" Alfina asked curiously, while Yuki sat back down. Raija, still in her same spot, shrugged.

"For the fact you actually trusted me. Had you attacked, I'm sure you'd be a little worse off than before. That's what happened to the last group I had approached, but don't worry, nothing life threating happened." Raija laughed to herself then spoke to Yuki, "You know, I'm sure I could make something to help with the pain from that wound."

"You could tell?" Yuki asked surprised.

"Besides the show you put on?" Raija dead paned. Yuki blushed embarrassed, then Raija continued, "I'm sure you'll need something, I can smell the blood from the injury opening back up."

"I would be vary much obliged if you did, this thing hurts pretty bad, and a little relief would be nice." Raija nodded and turned to Alfina.

"I'll go get the herbs and such that'll I need, you take off the bandages, but keep the wound covered. It wouldn't do to let it get infected." Alfina blushed and nodded, then left the camp, not missing the mutual blush between the two girls.

'Perhaps these two are closer than I first thought. Oh well.'

"I'll be right back." Then Raija went off back into the woods. Looking to Yuki, Alfina blushed harder.

"Looks like we have a new traveling partner." Yuki said, trying to change the subject on both their minds, though from different perspectives.

"Yeah, and a cute one, that knows something about medical stuff." Whether Alfina had meant to say the first part out loud or not, it had the same effect on both their minds again, leading to a different series of thoughts, now including the cat girl, Raija.

"I know." Yuki sighed, not meaning to say that out loud, but didn't take notice.

(1)Raija is my form of Raiju, which I think is the Japanese god, I think it means "thunder animal" or something, and appears as a smaller animal, or a cat in this instance.

Raija is mine, seeing as how that wasn't in the front.

About halfway through this chapter I decided to add mine own character, and I think I'll just have to make you imagine Yuki in your own way as a girl, because it's kinda hard to work it in, but if I get the chance I will.

Sorry the update took so long, but I've had school and stuff to worry about. I'll work on chapter five ASAP.