Xihr Banke

TW: Suicidal Thoughts, Demonic Possession

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Long ago, in a rainy forest, a young cat walked down the road. They were sinking into their own mind, a dark fog swimming at the edge of their vision. 

What was the point of living? No one loved them, no one cared. A nasty breakup after forcing themself to be sexual, after trying to be as straight as an enby could be. And their so called friends at the time so willing to stop talking, to abandon them.

The cat stopped, desperately looking around for something, anything to take the pain away. 

A large tree stood to the side of the path. Remarkably climbable looking for such a big tree. and up above, a thick branch, solid, sturdy, inviting.

With trembling paws the cat began to climb. 

Almost slipping, once, twice, the rain making things so wet. 

But finally, the young cat could sit on the branch. To think, or maybe to do something else.

They sighed and leaned back against the tree, legs dangling on either side of the branch.

No, not the something else. They were a coward in that regard.

And then, in front of them, a shadow shifted and came forward, coalescing into a shape before the cat could even react.

"Hi there! I'm Banke!"

The cat jumped, attempting to scramble around the tree in fear. But the treacherous rain was pouring harder than ever, and they slipped...

Plummeting downward.

With a tremendous speed, the shadow wrapped one end around the branch and stretched, lengthening, and caught the cat right at the last second.

Setting the cat, now fluffy and in shock, down on the ground, the shadow formed a tiny pair of legs and let go of the branch above, landing on the ground and bouncing back up into a round shape. 

Taking a breath, the shape started again.

"Hello there! I'm Banke! I'm a demon! Please stop being sad!!"

The cat took a few deep breaths and listened. Then they sighed.

"Hello, Banke, I'm Xihr. Thank you for saving me."

The demon's face was nearly expressionless, with starry eyes and a jagged, drooling mouth. But the horns on their head, which had been orange, shifted in color, becoming a bright green.

"You're welcome! I'm Banke!"

The cat, Xihr, blinked at this. Hadn't the demon already introduced itself? But then a few more things sunk in. The demon's voice sounded young, albeit grainy and gargly. 

Xihr held out a paw. "Well Banke, what are you doing out here?"

The demon stretched out a piece of shadowy anatomy and took the paw. "I havta find a host! I'm a little demon, but I gotta learn how ta use my powers! Demons like me need a host or we can't use our powers real good."

Xihr gripped the shadowy tendril. Was this a chance to change? A sign?

"Well, Banke, what do you need in a host?"

Banke's voice deepened slightly, as if reciting a script. "A host needs a demon and a demon needs a host. The host must ask the demon for something, and the demon provides that something in exchange for sharing their body. And together they live, for as long as the contract lasts."

Xihr felt thoughtful. So another creature, for as long as the contract lasted? But what could they want to convince this young demon to stay? 

"Well then Banke, I have a proposal for you. I will be your host, and exchange...will you be my friend?"

The demon's horns faded from green to a clear striped with brown. And then, they nodded, and shadowy darkness extended around the cat, enveloping them with a soft warmth. 

When the darkness cleared, Xihr was standing on the path, and where their tail had been attached to their body, Banke cheerfully looked around.

Banke's voice came, not from their mouth this time but from inside Xihr's head. "Thank you! We will be friends, forever and ever!" 

It wouldn't be until later that Xihr realized that their eyes had changed, matching Banke's horns. Though now, the moods reflected belonged to them both.

Nowadays, the darkness still wriggles inside, but manageable. 

Banke does everything possible to protect Xihr from the darkness, afraid that one day, the darkness will win, and Xihr will leave to a place Banke can't follow.

Codependent? Maybe.

But together, they are at peace.

Together, neither is alone.