There was the scent of roasting meat in the air - her ears could also hear the cracking of fire. Kou slowly opened her eyes and winced first thing, everything was hurting, but her chest the most.

Lowering her gaze she could see that someone had pulled down her robe and bandaged her whole upper body - she could also feel some kind of salve on it - sticky and oily. She could not sit up for her life - so her point of view was a bit limited.

But she could hear things, something was moving around. She was not dead - but from the canopy above her she could clearly tell she was still in the forest - whatever had dragged her out of the spider den clearly did not want her dead - otherwise, it would not have treated her.

She opened her mouth at first it was hard to speak her throat was dry. “Helloh?” with her voice rough and hoarse she sounded like an old granny. The person or creature stopped in whatever they were doing.

“Awake aren’t we? About time.” That voice.. did not sound human at all, it was not like that spider but - still sounded a lot more animalistic. Finally, the creature shoved itself into her view - it was a …dog? Wolf? She could not tell at all!

The creature had soft looking white fur all over its body - around its legs and midriff there were black stripes like a zebra, it also had quite familiar eyes, they were golden just like hers.

“Ya have to stay still for a bit, I’m no healer after all” The.. animal? Spirit continued to speak “I have some meat for ya, you can eat that with some herbs I gathered that should get you right back up on ya feet, little thief.” It chuckled again.

Kou narrowed her eyes a little, what did this thing know and what did it want from her? With these question swirling around in her head she stared at it, the creature crooked it’s head to the side, the so familiar golden eyes casting an inquisitive glance down to her. “Lil’ thief you are quite silent, should I not hear a thank you for saving me?”

The beast sounded amused at worst, not angry at all, it’s large and fluffy tail brushed over Kou’s face - startling the girl a little. “Well, I’m Shi Shi, the Shadowfox.” Shi Shi introduced himself while his tail continued to brush over Kou.

“As for the questions, not as much as you think - but more then you would like me to know.” Apparently, he could read her thoughts. “I’ve had an eye on this lil’ thief since she came here and made every noble a bit poorer, seeing their reactions were hilarious actually, also…” The creature leaned in a little sniffing Kou. “Lil’ thief’s scent is.. nostalgic, I would not have imagined on my old years I would still find someone like ya-self.”

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With these words the spirit stepped off to the side, Kou moved her head as best as she could to keep track of it. Standing there darkness suddenly engulfed the spirit - layer upon layer, surrounding her like a cocoon, just to burst open seconds later, emerging from said cocoon was an elderly lady with mischievous and kind golden eyes and gray hair, two fox ears were on her head and behind her swaying slightly back and forth she could see 3 foxtails.

“I’d assume ya lil’ thief will be more comfortable with this, It has been a while since myself had to assume this form, my - I’ve grown quite old haven’t I.” She chuckled before making her way back to Kou - making halt by the fire for a moment she brought a cup with water helping Kou to drink it carefully.

One has to remember, Kou is still a young girl of about 7 years, looking even younger, the presence of such an old lady that was kind to her was soozing to her, even more so because her eyes were so similar, she felt some kind of connection with this old woman.

And so to her own surprise she did not try to avoid being touched by her, she obediently drank the water - even if a part of her mind, was yelling at her that she should not trust some weird spirit in a forest. But after drinking fatigue hit her again, she had still not recovered from the fight with the giant spider, and her eyelids became heavy once again.

Shi Shi was looking down at the girl “Just sleep, nothing will happen for the time being.” An old wrinkly hand gently patted Kou’s head - and then the girl was sleeping again.

Shi Shi looked down at the girl for a bit before turning to the fire to tend to the roasted meat, what Kou did not see was the big spider corpse that was hacked into pieces nearby.

“At first I just found her interesting, but how could I’ve known that she was one of my own… which blasted child of mine left his heritage to be rotting somewhere.” She shook her head.

Shi Shi was quite certain on this-this little girl was either one of her grand or grand-grandchildren, back in her younger days when she was still strong and beautiful - suiters would even come from the larger empires, trying to get her hand in marriage - but she had never left herself be bound down somewhere for too long.

It was never her nature, she had children - but after they were able to fend for themselves she left.

Shi Shi came from one of the smaller families in the monster burrow - on the other side of this world - was a large den of spirits and monsters - it was a capital of sorts - and one of the great powers in this world. She had left that place many many years ago and never came back, she wanted to be free - and free she was for many years.

She reminisced about her old life in silence. Once that old monster wakes up I have to make sure this little one is far away from this place, ancient cloud sect - may not count for much in this world, but in this empire, it was a huge power, and so was that old monster that slept underneath the mountains…

He would do with her what he did with me, slowly suck her dry to bring his cultivation further along…

She shook her head - the old geezer would not wake up for another few years anyway - so letting this lil’ thief of mine grow under his nose a little just to have her be out of his range once he notices might be a funny bit of payback.

The old woman grinned a rather foxy grin and chuckled to herself. The heritage in this girl was not that much, but with proper training and some good fortune she would maybe even be able to surpass me back in my glory days, I've been never much of a kin person - but maybe my old age has gotten me soft? I wonder.