Chapter 37

Instead of returning to her seat to watch the rest of the game, Laura tried to follow after the dwarf once she had caught her breath. But with neither a commotion, nor the dwarf anywhere in sight, the Kitsune changed course and headed to her room, where she carefully bandaged her injured tail. Realizing just before she stuck a strip of medical tape into her fur that it would really hurt getting that off again, she instead tore the end of the bandage in two and tied them together to hold it in place.

Satisfied it would hold for now, the Kitsune grabbed a couple of six packs as well as the bag of rolls and left the dormitory. Outside Laura walked over to one of the trees close to the stadium, where she sat down and leaned back while waiting for her friends. A few moments later Laura had just taken a second sip of her beer when the spectators started to flood out of the Stadium. Watching them pass by, probably to find their own spots to relax and enjoy the rest of the day outside, the Kitsune failed to spot Daiki among the horde.

The reason for that became evident half an hour, and half a liter beer, later when he tagged along with Gabe and the rest of Yamatanuki's Rugby team. It took another handful of minutes for them to politely excuse themselves before they finally joined Laura in the shade.

"So where were you in the end? You missed a handful of impressive plays form Gabe here. He turned it all around in our favor." Daiki asked as he took the offered bottle.

"Fighting a dwarf on the way back from the toilets" Laura replied quietly as she handed Gabe a beer as well.

Sighing audibly, Gabe sat down next to the female of the group before he commented. "Only you Laura. Any more details you feel like sharing?"

"Sure" The Kitsune replied as she opened another beer for herself, as she began to recount what happened to her just moments ago quietly, trying to make sure they weren't overheard.

"You sure letting him just wander off was the right call?" Daiki inquired once Laura was finished for the moment.

"Eh, if he managed to just walk off campus like it seems, I doubt Austri'll have many issues getting home one way or another." Laura replied with a shrug as she finished her second beer. 

"Well if you say so." Daiki said shrugging as well, before he returned his attention to his own beverage.

"So, what did I miss in the stadium?" She asked Gabe as she leaned a bit forward to look past the local student.

"Well you know how we were behind by a single conversion after the first half time." Gabe began to explain. Not quite sure what that actually meant, Laura just gave a polite nod as she listened.

"It stayed that way for most of the second half time. Neither team managed to get through the other's defense. Most attacks were easily tackled down before they even got close to another try."

Taking a long sip from his beer, his face broke into a grin as he finished his short tale, "But just seconds before the end of the game, I managed to break through a scrum and take the ball past the line to score us the game winning try."

"In the end he even had an opponent that failed to tackle him holding onto his legs and Gabe just pushed on." Daiki gushed over his friends remarkable success.

"Huh that sounds like I missed something truly impressive." Laura commented, thinking back to some of the football videos Gabe had shown her. "Although I thought you were a defensive tackle in football."

Rubbing his neck Gabe chuckled. "Yeah, but the drills I've been run through here were halfway to what the Running backs did back home. Might just try out for that position back home after all this training here."

"Well in any case, I hope to catch one of your games on TV once we are all back home." Laura said as she handed the last two beers to her friends.

"You get college football in Germany? Wouldn't that be like late in the evening?" The American asked surprised. The only reason this was not accompanied by a shower of beer was the fact he had just taken his second bottle from Laura but yet to take a sip.

"It's like 5pm I think, haven't actually watched any, but they run ads for it regularly" The German offered with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Well then you better hope I make the starting line up next season." The larger man said before he leaned back and enjoyed his drink. The other two followed his example and relaxed against the tree as well.

Until darkness began to creep into the valley, they remained like that. Chatting about the classes they would have over the next week, or what else they had planned.

When they finally left, Laura picked up their garbage and threw it away while the rest headed of to their dorm.

Back inside her own room, Takeko was already asleep. Pulling the empty bag of chips from his head so he wouldn't end up suffocating, Laura walked past him, changed out of her clothes and collapsed into bed, wrapping herself in her tails once again to stay warmer and more comfortable than under any blanket.