A/N: This is an original fic I'm doing as a school project. I have no idea how I thought of it but I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think. :)

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".12." Covering his eyes, Koei began the countdown. His large ears twitched as he heard his friend, Tanuki, ambling through the underbrush in search of a hiding place. Smiling, he chuckled to himself, knowing that this game, as all the rest, was a sure win. Nothing, not even a cunning raccoon-dog, could escape or hide from his acute senses.

"! Ready or not, here I come!" he exclaimed, bounding away from the thick and gnarled trunk of a massive cedar. From out of the darkness of its shade, he leapt in-between patches of sunlight, through blades of golden grass and bamboo swaying softly in the calm breeze. White herons, disturbed from their afternoon slumber by his gallivanting, took to flight towards the unseen heavens, the dark canopy blazing a brilliant white from the span of their outstretched wings.

Butterflies drifted about his face, tickling his nose with their tiny black feet, causing him to giggle, before gracefully landing on a nearby bed of flower. Watching their wings slowly flutter, he crouched low to the ground, his tail swishing excitedly behind him. He crept forward, making sure not to alarm the beautiful insects, all the while questioning if he should pounce. After a moment's thought, he decided against it. He'd catch them another day. Right now, he had more important things to do.

Lifting his nose to the wind, he took in quick breaths, utilizing his keen senses in search of his concealed comrade. Among the glorious fragrances of maple, freshly cut bamboo, and the tangy spice of pine and herbs, Koei was assaulted by the pungent scent of his dear companion. Forcing air through his nostrils to clear his sinuses, he kicked up his heels and continued the pursuit.

Growing quite tired and thirsty, wondering how Tanuki could have gotten so far so quickly, he came across the forest spring. Rays of afternoon sunlight trickled through the dense canopy down to the beautiful landscape below, making the ripples of the pond sparkle like waves of sapphire. The peaceful serenity was disturbed by the splash of a koi's sunny tail as it swam quickly to the surface to venture a bite, and by the gentle creaking of bamboo as it swayed with the wanton wind. Along the banks of the pond, willow trees cascaded their saddened branches down to the water, hoping to find solace within their depths, much like the toads. There they sat in line along the muddy shore, eyeing the dragonflies hovering over the waters, seemingly amused and entranced by their reflections. Beside them, on grand thrones of blooming lily pads, frogs croaked a merry tune, their slippery skin wet and moist, having just emerged from a refreshing swim in the spring, catching stray strands of sunshine.

With confident steps, he approached and asked, after taking a drink, "Have you seen my friend? He's a-" Before he could even finish, the frogs gasped and quickly disappeared into the blue depths of the pond. Biting his lip, Koei went over to the toads, and asked, "Have you seen my friend? He's a raccoon-dog no bigger than I am, with big black smudges on his eyes and stripes. Have you seen him?"

Impassively, the toads ignored his inquiry, finding no benefit in telling a crafty fox anything.

He marched back over to the water's edge in a huff and looked down through the glass-like surface. Below him, carp flittered away in fear, their silver scales shimmering, as they quickly swam to the safety of the pond's center.

Koei sat upon his haunches, puzzled as to why everyone was frightened of him. Sure he was a kitsune, but that didn't mean he played a trick or wanted to eat all the time. Didn't they understand that? Obviously from the sudden lack of cheerful life around him, they didn't.

Sighing, his head bowing sadly, he shuddered at the loneliness, having been left with no one, not even a crow for company - however annoying they were. Even their constant nagging and badgering was better than nothing. And that was all he presently had, nothing and no one.

That's why I named myself 'Koei,' he thought forlornly, because I am a 'lonely figure.'

However, his optimistic nature would not allow him to remain sad for very long. Well, I'm not really lonely anymore, he mused. I have Tanuki, and one friend is better than none.

Beaming, his attitude perked up, his mission having been placed in full swing yet again. Turning his nose in the direction of his friend's scent, he returned to his seemingly forgotten assignment and resumed the search.

He traveled for what felt like forever. It had been hours since they had started the game and he still had not found Tanuki. Frustrated, he inhaled deeply, finding his friend's scent still a long way's away. Under his breath, he muttered angrily and in disbelief, "How did he get his fat body so far?"

Suddenly, the forest, once teeming with an abundance of sound, lulled into an eerie calm. No cicadas chirred their love-songs to hopeful partners, no birds twittered in the boughs of the trees, not even the sound of falling leaves could be heard. The silence was thick and heavy, fearfully weighing down upon Koei's shoulders, nearly deafening to his sensitive hearing. Glancing at his now motionless and hushed surroundings, he drooped his ears warily, wondering what had happened to make the forest grow so still, as he continued somewhat cautiously on his way. Frightened by the deathly calm, he murmured Tanuki's name quietly before hurrying his steps, wanting to get as far away as possible from the strange and unnatural tranquility.

With a painful thud, Koei was hurtled to a halt. Rubbing his head, he whined softly, wanting to know just what had he ran into this time. His eyes widened in fear at the sight before him. Pulse quickening, chest heaving with labored breaths, he staggered to his feet and stared face-to- face with one of the most feared creatures of the forest - a wolverine.

Under a thick coat of dark, matted fur, its tense muscles rippled in anticipation, as it towered over him. Glaring with startling blood-red eyes, it growled, its breath reeking of carrion, its teeth black and bloodstained from a recent kill, its features distorted horrendously with contempt and disdain. From all the tales Koei had heard, no one who had ever faced a wolverine was left unscathed. Trembling with dread, he tucked his tail between his legs, as it spoke, in a deep, raspy voice.

"So," it hissed, taking in his cowering form with a piercing stare, "I finally found you, you no-good fox. Now I'll exact the revenge I so richly thoroughly will enjoy." Taking a heavy step forward with its large paw, sharp claws curled and ready to strike, it sneered maliciously, drawing ever closer.

More than a little confused and frightened, Koei stammered, but managed to say, "I-I don't know w-w-what you're t-talking about."

With a backhanded slap, the wolverine set Koei flying across the forest floor. Thankfully, he did not receive much damage, save his bruised pride, his fall having been broken by a large pile of leaves. He rose, watching with dread as the wolverine strutted towards him, its heavyset body proclaiming the frightening power it possessed. Riling with hatred and ill will, it scoffed, "Don't play stupid with me, fox. I'm wise to your ways. Ever since you gave me this scar, I've been searching for your wily little self and now that I've found you, I'll rip you to shreds!"

Another deadly swipe of its massive paw directed towards his head, and he tumbled to the ground, just as the claws swooped for the kill. Hastily he bounded away, hoping to outrun the stocky, oversized weasel. However, it proved to have both power and speed, for progressively it advanced upon him, nearly to the point of overtaking.

Glancing over his shoulder as he sprinted from one side of the forest to the other, Koei noticed a large scar running down the side of the wolverine's face, the severity of the wound matching its owner's disposition in both ferocity and depth.

Sliding to a stop, he turned, facing his rapidly approaching pursuer, and shouted, "How could I have given you that scar? I've never seen you before in my life!"
The wolverine took no note of his words. Fueled by animosity and carnal instincts, any form of persuasion or reason was immediately rendered useless.

Koei quickly evaded a series of brutal attacks, so fierce that if any one of them made contact, he was as good as dead. Finding no use in arguing with a stubborn weasel, he decided it was time to enact the kitsune art of losing one's opponent.

Swiftly, he darted through the shade and sun, running a large circle around his pursuer. Out of breath, he stopped, hearing the relieving sound of the wolverine trudging ahead of him. That was too close, he thought to himself, resting against a tree to calm his racing heart.

Hot, foul breath ruffled the fur of his neck and rasping, laborious gasps of a creature much larger, more powerful, and obviously smarter than he expected echoed loudly in his ears. Quickly, he jumped out of harm's way and immediately the wolverine was upon his tail yet again. This time, though, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how fast he ran, the wolverine remained ever-present behind him, a dark and threatening figure that in Koei's mind slowly began to represent his demise.

Eyes dilated with sheer panic, astonished that the wolverine proved to be what he had proclaimed - wise to fox ways - Koei found himself losing hope. He tore his throat raw screaming for Tanuki as he raced through the forest, hoping that his friend would hear and come to his aid.

Yet his cries remained unanswered and unheard. He called again, this time mentally sending his pleads, but could not find his companion's aura.

Hurt and saddened, Koei's legs stung with over-exertion. It took everything he had just to stay out of the wolverine's grasp. Branches spread their limbs, snatching his fur, as if trying to retain him for the wolverine's demented plans. Tripping over fallen logs and snagging himself on prickly bushes, Koei sped ever onward through the misting woods.

As he ran, he questioned sadly, why can't I find him? Why doesn't he hear me? Knowing Tanuki, he's probably asleep, up high in some tree. At least he's safe. Thanks a lot. Some friend you turned out to be.

Tears blurred his vision, as he dejectedly accepted his doomed existence and the lost of his dearest friend. With his melancholy thoughts of depressing magnitude, with tears of anguish streaming down his face, and with the epitome of his death chasing him, Koei never would have expected what fate still had in store.

Running ever onward, for the prideful fact of not allowing himself to give up, he dashed through a deeply shaded part of the forest, striving to get away, and without warning was jerked to a painful stop. He yelped as white, hot pain soared up his side through every nerve and sinew in his body. He stared perplexed at the cause of his torment - a set of jagged teeth clamped firmly on the thigh of his right leg. Anxiously, he tried to pry them away but the more he moved, the more the teeth sank deeper and deeper into his flesh. Screaming in agony, he watched helplessly as the wolverine advanced.

With malicious delight, the wolverine smiled at Koei's predicament, watching with pleasure as he tried to scramble away, only to be stabbed by burning anguish. "Well, well, well. Looks like you got caught in a trap. Silly fox, I thought you were smarter than that." Circling around his fallen form, it stalked and sneered, grinning madly, speaking words no animal longed to hear. "Now that you're unable to move, oh, I am going to have so much fun. Tell me, what should I do? Should I give you a short painless death by breaking your little neck? Or a long and painful one by watching you die in that very spot while the crows come and peck at your corpse?" The wolverine stepped forward, a wicked glint in its crimson eyes. "Yeah, I like the sound of that one."

Koei struggled to get away, to break free, yet nothing he did gave him salvation from the pain or from his hopeless situation. In desperation, he bared his teeth and snarled, raising the fur on his back in offensive defiance.

The wolverine snorted in amusement. "Where did all this vim and vigor come from? Guess it's like the saying goes, 'A cornered mouse attacks the cat.'" It smirked, hovering close to the fox's face in mockery. "But you couldn't possibly have the nerve to." The wolverine reached out, yanking the kitsune's face so the fox would look upon its horrifying countenance.

Koei trembled at the bloodlust consuming the beast's expression, as it panted in expectation of the torture it planned to inflict. In retaliation, with his right paw, Koei grasped up dirt that had settled along his frame, and snarling, flung it toward the wolverine, stinging its eyes. Bellowing in pain, the wolverine, instead of reeling back and releasing him, pinned him to the earth tighter and with more force.

Struggling beneath its merciless grip, Koei arched his neck forward and bit the wolverine hard on the nose. His adversary flailed in pain and soon tossed the kitsune back to his previous position, the trap still attached.

Visibly incensed, the wolverine's eyes blazed with rage and ire. "Just for that, you little chikushou, I'll kill you where you lay!"

Ferociously, it lunged at him, jaws agape and eager to taste flesh. Koei was ready for its attack and dodged, despite the pain incurred. The wolverine crashed to a halt a few yards away and for a minute, the two stared at each other, waiting for the right moment. Tensing his muscles, preparing to jump again, the wolverine crouched low and fidgeted with lust of promised carnage. Just as it was it about to attack, it remained motionless, listening, its eyes growing large with apprehension.

Koei relaxed slightly, wondering what could cause a wolverine to fear. Then he heard it - the sound of something trampling through the leaf-strewn underbrush with large, heavy steps.

The wolverine grimaced and said hesitantly, his tone fearful and quaking, "Well, looks like you're going to suffer an even worse fate. A hunter coming to get his catch-of-the-day and I'm sure you'll make a nice meal of Kitsune Udon. Hope you enjoy being skinned alive." At a rapid pace, the wolverine then disappeared from sight and smell.

Its words struck Koei crazed with terror, as the footfalls drew nearer. He writhed within the iron teeth of his unseen foe, renewing his efforts to escape. Frantically, he gnawed at it, every fiber of his leg throbbing and stinging with his actions. The footsteps grew louder and louder, maddening the fox to an urgent fervor, as he clawed, kicked, squirmed, and screamed, trying to attain freedom from whatever gruesome, terrifying, sinister being steadily approached.

Then, suddenly, the foreboding crunch of leaves and footfalls ceased. Hesitantly, Koei peeked open a wary eye and gasped in sheer horror. In front of him loomed a tall, ominous figure. Standing upon the soles of two feet, instead of four, it could only be one thing - a human.

And if there ever was anything more frightening than a wolverine, it was a human. They proved themselves, on more than one occasion, to be the embodiment of death and destruction for every- and all things around them, including their own kind. With their thunder sticks and their untrustworthy and callous nature, all creatures, whether residing in this forest or on the other side of the world, knew better than to cross paths with a human being.

Koei flinched as the man moved and gradually knelt to the ground beside him. Cowering as the human reached a naked hand towards his leg, he pinned his ears flat against his head and ventured to bite him. His jaws snapped, flashing white, never grasping flesh, but succeeding in the man pulling himself farther away.

Taking a moment to observe this strange being, Koei noticed that the human carried no weapon of annihilation or had with him a lurking hound. Well, he isn't dressed like a hunter and sure doesn't smell like one. Koei bared his fangs viciously. Still, that's no reason to trust him.

As the man's hand extended towards his leg again, a deep growl rumbled in Koei's throat warningly before he lunged. As a result of his brashness, his thigh ripped open with new burst of atrocious pain and he howled, falling to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

The man's motions became frantic and rushed as he tried to inch forward. "It's okay. It's all right. I'm not going to hurt you. Don't worry. It's okay," the man cooed softly, as Koei continued to portray himself as being tough and mean, unwilling to give in and be a hunter's dinner.

In the man's tone, he found comfort and concern, though whether it was sincere or just a ruse, he wasn't sure. What he did know was that he was beginning to feel light-headed and the surrounding forest slowly faded into red. His eyes grew heavy and he saw the man closing in, then darkness, as he fell unconscious.

***

Bending over its fallen form, the man sighed with relief as he felt the fox still had a pulse and wasn't floating in the sky with Inari, as he had feared. Quietly, he observed its small, injured form: its chest rising and falling with arduous breaths, its lustrous red fur slowly being stained a deeper crimson by the blood pouring from out of its deepening wound. Tears surging in the corners of his eyes threatened to overflow, as he clenched his hands into fists, equally saddened and outraged that someone actually found pleasure in hurting such a magnificent creature.

With much care and diligence, he strenuously wrenched open the trap and removed the fox's wounded leg from its brutal clutches. He frowned at the severity of the wound, his heart twisting and inwardly churning at the horrendous sight.

After making sure the trap could never be used again, he placed the creature in the recess of a hollowed trunk, covering it with leaves so that it could not be easily seen. Taking a last look at its fragile form, he dejectedly rose to go, believing there was nothing more he could do for the creature. Possessing nothing that would ease its pain, he was only able to stand aside and allow Nature's final judgment to take its cruel course. As he began walking, however, he was plagued by guilt and a war developed within his mind between his common sense and his conscience.

You can't just leave it there, Rakumei.

"Yes, I can. Watch me."

But it might die out here. It'll bleed to death for sure.

"So? What do I care? It's just a fox," his common sense retorted.

If you don't care, then why did you save it?

"Well . . ."

See you have no excuse. The least you can do is help it recuperate, nagged his conscience.

"But what if I get attached to it? Remember what happened with that stray dog that got hit by that car? I nearly got myself evicted from the apartment building! 'No pets allowed' ringing any bells?"

It could only be for one night. You could just tend to its wounds, give it a warm, safe place to sleep, and in the morning, take it to an animal shelter or a refuge. Come on, Rakumei, what do you say?

He glanced down at the small, poor defenseless creature and found his will and determination weakening. Cursing himself for his kindness, he retraced his steps and gently uncovered the cataleptic fox. Carefully, he picked it up and cradled it in his arms.

Continuing his trek through the woods, he smiled at the sleeping animal, then hardening his expression, stated seriously, "Remember, only one night and that's it. Then you're out of here."

-*-

The baying call of bloodhound, the sound of a horn wailing in the distance, a mother's desperation, the chilling ground under the light of the full moon, a hail of bullets from a hunter's gun, the feeling of utter and complete loneliness.

Emerging from a dreaming state, Koei's eyes fluttered open and immediately his body throbbed with pain. Gritting his teeth, he tried his best to ignore it and struggled to rise to his feet. However, his attempts proved futile as his injured leg buckled beneath him and he fell in an aching heap to the floor. The ground was not cushiony or ruffled with piles of fallen leaves, but was cold, hard, and smooth to the touch. He saw no sky or darkened canopies, only tall, wide, odd-colored rectangles closing him in on all sides. The light in the room was harsh and unnatural, giving no warmth or comfort.

"Am I dead?" he asked aloud to no one in particular. Well, considering I feel pain, I guess not. Then, where am I?

Resolutely, he discarded the excruciating pain plaguing his body, determined to find exactly where he was and how he got there, even if it killed him.

His throat was parched and sore; his tongue, dry and thick, stuck to the roof of his mouth. Sensing water nearby, he discovered a pond rising above the ground in a polished, white stone. He took a drink and was tempted to spit out immediately. It was an abnormal shade of blue and tasted like soiled frogs, nothing like the water in the spring back home, Yet he forced himself to drink more of it, not knowing when he would ever have the opportunity to quench his thirst again.

Across the floor of rosy squares, he hobbled until he arrived a short tower of vines blocking an opening that led out of the bizarre room. Backing up carefully, he made a running start and cleared the dying vines, landing on another smooth, glossy surface, one that smelled faintly of pine. His claws clattered against this floor with every step as he cautiously excavated the room. Piles of large discolored leaves and textured shrubs were scattered everywhere and large misshapen trees towered above him. One in particular caught his attention. It stood in the middle of the room, covered in thick layers of what looked like snow. Something was draping off it, something too large to be moss and too tan to be a snake. Curious, he tiptoed closer and sniffed the mysterious appendage. It smelled just like the human he encountered the night before! Panicking, he scurried from one side of the room to the other, trying to find a way out from this box prison.

Then like a beacon of hope from Inari himself, he saw his salvation. Sunlight poured into the room and he could see the sky, so bright and bold, so blue and beautiful! Happily, he raced towards the sun and ran smack into a solid, clear surface. A new pain was added to his list of injuries, this time in his head. Groaning with agony, he scratched desperately at the glass, hoping it would yield and set him free.

A moan came from the middle of the room and Koei froze. He watched as the appendage moved slightly and was brought up to the top of the strange structure. On nearly silent feet, he headed towards it and gently lifted himself up onto it. The new ground sank under the weight of his feet like mud right after the rain, only much softer and warm. He grinned at the comforting feeling, enjoying himself for the first time. All his happiness faded, however, when he spotted the man sprawled only a few inches from him.

The man's eyes were closed and his breath was light. Koei inched closer to the human, sniffed him, and sighed with relief. He was fast asleep in dreamland, unaware of his inquisitive presence. Sitting down on his haunches by the man's face, he took this rare occasion to study a human up-close.

Suddenly, he was assailed by a pestering itch behind his ear, and the urge to scratch it was simply uncontrollable. Without thinking, he lifted his right leg to liberate himself of this pain, but instead was stung by it like hornets. Wincing, he went to lick his open wounds but found the trap to be missing, and in its place were layers of bandages and what smelled like healing herbs. His fur reeked of the man's scent and he became puzzled. Most humans showed no remorse, yet this man had actually helped him, without him even asking for it!

His attitude towards the man changed, as he looked upon him in a new light. Uninhibited, he pressed ever closer until they were almost touching noses. After some consideration, he discovered the man had a distinct fragrance, almost as prominent as Tanuki's - he smelled of apples, of falling leaves, and the vivid colors of autumn. Koei felt tears welling up in his eyes, reminded of the forest, but quickly brushed away his sadness and focused his attention back on his exploration.

With his paw, he poked and prodded tentatively at the man, fearing he might wake him. However, the human barely moved. Koei pulled down the man's eyelids, making a humorous countenance, and still he did not stir.

He sleeps heavier than Tanuki does! Koei giggled at the thought of the fat raccoon-dog nestled in a tree. I wonder if he's still hiding, or if he even knows I'm gone. Oh well, he's missing some great fun playing with this human.

Koei tensed as the man slowly moved, sliding down further into the sea of cushions. His tail flickered, brushing against the human's furless skin. A smile lingered on the man's lips. The sight entranced Koei, and so continued stroking the man's face with his silky length of fur as he proceeded with his observations.

He knew that the human species varied in shades to the extremities - from as pale as snow in winter to as dark as the evening sky - but this one had quite exceptional hues. With eyes the color of a shady glen, hair dark as the moonless night, and skin kissed tenderly by the summer sun, he was quite attractive in a furless, humanly way.

Startled and captivated by this human's ability to endlessly amaze him, the longer Koei stared at the man, the more he wanted to look like him. Cocking his head to one side, he shrugged his shoulders and decided he would worry about the technical aspects later. For now, he was content with just the prospect of making mischief.

***

Jolted from a pleasantly peculiar dream of a royal court ruled by fuzzy kittens, Rakumei threw his shrieking alarm clock across the room and into a large pile of clothes that had accumulated on the floor. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he yawned and stretched before getting out of bed and staring, mouth agape in disbelief, at the chaos that was now his bedroom.

Pictures had fallen from their place, frames bent and torn, amidst billions of pieces of shattered glass. In numerous spots along the walls, paint was chipped and peeling off in large clumps. His laundry piles were strewn into scraps and shreds of fraying cloth and fabric all over the floor. Among the towers of tapes that had been toppled, the gate blocking the bathroom door had been torn down. Hurriedly, he ran in and found it empty. Then he noticed in terror that his bedroom door was ajar, and gulping down the apprehension of what untold horror he might witness, entered the living room and nearly fainted.

His potted plant lay dying in its own grave soil, decorated by shards of what was once a lustrous, antique urn. The large screen TV now had a large hole in it, and the couches were covered in a sticky substance that he didn't even want to know the source of. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worst, they did. Straight across from him stood his aquarium, vacant of the exotic life that used to swim amongst the broken coral and hermit crabs. He fought back tears at the thought of his beloved pet fish, the only kind of pet he was allowed to have in the apartment building.

Wiping his eyes, he swore. "I knew I shouldn't have brought that fox here." At the thought of the injured animal, he began searching for it, looking for a trail of blood, a fur ball, anything indicating where it had gone.

He stopped digging through the couch cushions, as he heard a sound - a small, barely audible noise that broke the silence permeating over the disaster he once called "home." Straightening, he gawked in astonishment at a memorizing creature crouched upon his kitchen counter, amidst open cabinets with their continents spilling all over the floor, munching on a box of pocky.

Rakumei stood in stunned silence, not only because of the awkward and confusing situation, but also because of the creature's unsurpassed beauty. Dark hair spilled over its pale shoulders into a deep crimson, like a haze of twilight settling on the horizon, overtaking the startling burgundy hues of the sunset. Its eyes were wide and a vibrant gold in color, taking in his every movement. Completely naked, save bandages wrapped around its thigh, it appeared to have no feminine curves, but no ordinary man could possibly be that breathtaking.

Then something dark moved in the corner of his eye. Clenching his hands into fists, Rakumei prepared himself to reach for the nearest hard object. Those accursed rats! This is just what I need. I've had it up to here with them!
Breaking away from his rude ogling of the intruder, he grabbed the now useless television remote, intent on hurling it towards the filthy pest. It fell with a clunk from his hands the instance he realized that what he had seen was the furthest thing from a rat possible. It was a tail, long and feathery with a white tip, covered in fur the same color as the trespasser's hair, swishing slowly behind it.

Rubbing his eyes until he saw various shapes and phantasmagoric colors, he strove to clear his vision, positive that what he saw was only an apparition. Yet as he opened his eyes, it was still there, attached to the intruder and waving back and forth, in and out of the sink.

Stumbling in his thoughts and words, Rakumei exclaimed, "You have a tail," while slapping himself mentally for his stupidity.

Unfazed, the creature continued to munch on the chocolate-coated wheat sticks. "Yeah, I thought you knew that." Its voice was sweet and cheery, pleasant to the ears like that of a school-age boy prior to puberty. It smiled and, lifting the empty pocky box, asked, "This is good. What is it?"

Shocked that it actually spoke, Rakumei momentary lost the ability to think rationally, or at all for that matter, yet soon recovered. Boldly, he demanded, "Tell me. Who or what are you, and what are you doing in my house?"

"You brought me here, silly."

Rakumei furrowed his brow perplexed, having no memory of welcoming this fair creature into his home. "I did?"

"Of course, no one else could have," it stated as if the answer were obvious, then took on a more serious tone. "I'm very grateful, too. Not many people would have done that."

"What?"

"Saved me from that bug-eyed beast and that nasty trap! It really hurt," it explained, while rubbing its injured leg.

At the sight, Rakumei's mind jerked back to the previous evening when he had saved a fox and wrapped its injured leg, letting it, against his better judgment, stay in a 'warm, safe place for just one night.' Overwhelmed by shock and completely flabbergasted, Rakumei covered his mouth with his hand, shaking his head, unwilling to believe. "There's no way. This just isn't possible." He backed into the coffee table and becoming quite faint, sat down.

The creature, intrigued by his distress, hopped off the counter and timidly peered around the leather furniture. "What's so hard to believe," it inquired innocently.

Massaging his temples, longing for aspirin to alleviate his abrupt tension headache, he glanced at the creature and noticed two furry ears protruding out the top of its head. "You can't be. It's just not possible. A fox can't turn into a human. That's stuff of fairy tales and folklore. It's not true. It can't be," Rakumei muttered silently to himself.

Those ears apparently were in working order, for it responded, "Why not? I am what I am. And what I am is a kitsune, a fox. Why is that so hard to believe?"

Staring down at those golden eyes and furry tail, Rakumei raised an eyebrow. "You have got to be kidding me." He stifled laughter and sighed, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "Great. I've finally lost it."

The kitsune mimicked his expression before stating, "You're weird."