To begin with, yes. This was the same fox who chased me down a few days ago. The three tails were a little hard to forget, even if she didn’t look and smell the same otherwise. I might not need to know the individual identity of everything that wants to eat me, but you start recognizing individual predators when they’ve gone after you more than once.

And for a change, I seemed to be more annoyed than scared.

“Well, isn’t this interesting? Fully awakened, and even developing meridian fractals. Not bad for being a novice for a mere week, little snack.”

I growled in response. I appreciated the compliments on my progress, but not being reminded of my place in the ecosystem.

“Oh? Haven’t learned to talk yet?”

Isn’t that obvious, vixen? I don’t have a human mouth, of course I can’t speak in their language.

“Yes, that is an obstacle. But there’s also a fairly easy trick that lets you use qi to create the sounds you want without needing the right vocal structure. Just let the qi around your mouth vibrate to your thoughts. Works especially well to mimic human speech, for some reason.”

“Alright.”

I focused… then squeaked in surprise when I realized I spoke that word. The fox laughed.

“Well, I can see why Mistress Song took a liking to you! You catch on quickly! It would almost be a pity to eat you at this point, really.”

“Yes, I’d be rather upset if all of this progression was for nothing. So let’s not follow through on those species instincts of yours, shall we?”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“A pity to do so, you were always one of my favorite toys. But you’ll be more interesting to spar with than actively hunt now, and the humans tend to frown upon eating cultivators. Well, at least cultivators that have reached the Novice stage.”

“I’m ever so grateful. Suppose it would be normal to develop Initiate level cultivation just living in this place…”

The fox smiled, and I shivered. We might’ve just negotiated a truce, but she’s still a natural predator of rabbits, and was clearly thrilled that she could toy with me through words.

“Oh yes. Food that talks is not food, but most of the monks don’t really see us as anything but animals. Human bias, they tend to think they’re special.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Yes, I was watching when you first entered the monastery. Mistress Song is quite exceptional in her senses, even when it isn’t obvious that a non-human has stepped onto the path of cultivation. The elders have actually warned her about trying to teach us.”

“Considering my current status, she isn’t listening.”

“Well, the whole facade of you being her pet works both ways there. I’m already known as a Novice by the monks, so I can get you a few resources you’d find it hard to ask for later.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, you’re more interesting as a rival than as a potential meal. And what’s the point of competition if your rival is at a disadvantage?”

I considered this.

“Fair enough. But I suppose we should know each others’ names if we’re going to interact like this. Plus Mistress Song will want to know how I figured out the whole ‘talking’ thing. I’m Xiang Tuzi. You?”

The fox smiled again. Really, I wish she’d show fewer teeth around me.

“Yamano Kaoru, at your service. Check for loose dirt by the compost boxes when you defecate, I’ll cache things there from time to time.”

Kaoru nodded at this, and jumped over the wall of the monastery. I went back to the very action she’d just mentioned, adding my fertilizer to the gardens as thanks for what I’d eaten.

Predators were so annoying.