With renewed determination, Iris continued her pursuit of the fox. She traversed the woods, jumping over fallen logs and pushing aside branches as she tried to keep the creature in sight. All the while, her [Storm Armor] crackled around her, creating blackened scorch marks in the nearby trees.

The chase seemed to go on forever, but Iris refused to give up. She was starting to feel the strain on her mental stamina from the repeated use of her spells, but she couldn't afford to let the fox escape. Every now and then, she would hear its taunting laughter, spurring her to push herself even harder.

Eventually, Iris found herself in another clearing, where she spotted the fox standing calmly in the center. Its three tails flicked lazily behind it, and it seemed almost amused by the exhausted state Iris was in. She pointed her sword at the fox, her breathing heavy and her brow furrowed in determination.

“I know you can understand me,” she called out, her voice full of conviction. “Let's cut the shit and how about you just leave the damn farmer alone. You're causing too much commotion.”

The fox tilted its head, its eyes seemingly locked onto Iris's sword. It had been carrying a stick in its mouth throughout the chase, and suddenly, the stick began to shimmer and change. Before Iris's eyes, the stick transformed into an exact replica of her sword. At that same moment, she felt a strange sensation in her hand and looked down, only to see that the sword she had been holding had become a mere stick.

Confusion and disbelief washed over Iris as she stared at the stick in her hand, then back at the fox. Realization set in. That bastard switched them when he knocked me over!

“Okay, so you've got some tricks up your sleeve,” Iris said, trying to keep her voice steady. “And we don’t have to fight, I just want you to stop causing trouble for the farmer. Can we come to some sort of agreement, man?”

The fox suddenly dropped the sword. It barked at her and growled, its eyes narrowing. Iris hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Wait... are you... female?” she asked tentatively, remembering the red-haired Kitsune she had encountered earlier. The fox tilted its head and lolled out its tongue, seemingly amused by Iris’s question. This only served to make the situation more confusing for her. She wondered if the kitsune and the fox were somehow connected, and if that was why the kitsune had led her on such a wild chase.

“Was that kitsune… you?” Iris pressed, trying to make sense of everything.

As Iris watched the fox, its form suddenly began to shimmer and waver, like a mirage in the heat. Within moments, the fox had disappeared completely, leaving Iris momentarily stunned. However, she didn't have much time to process this development, for as the fox vanished, the illusion of the kitsune appeared in the same spot, her red hair and bushy tails unmistakable.

The kitsune gazed at Iris with an enigmatic smile, her eyes glinting with mischief. It was now clear to Iris that the fox and the kitsune were one and the same, a trickster that had been leading her on a wild chase through the woods.

Well now. That’s not fucking strange.

She dropped her [Storm Armor] spell, but kept her two body-enhancing spells active, just in case. The drain on her mental stamina was reaching a crucial point after the constant magic use of the past who knew how many hours.

“Well, uh, hello there,” Iris said, uncertain of how to proceed.

The kitsune barked in reply, her tone seemingly more friendly. Her face was still eerily similar to Iris’s, which was only a little disconcerting. Her ear twitched as she stared at Iris. That caused Iris to feel a massive urge to go move the being’s red hair to see if it also had human ears.

And those tails are so damn fluffy. Clearly, she needs scritches.

Iris took a deep breath and tried to address the kitsune, even though she could apparently only communicate through yips and barks. “Look,” she began, “I don't know what your intentions are, but I'm asking you to stop bothering the farmer. He doesn't deserve to have his livelihood disrupted by your antics.”

The kitsune tilted her head as if considering Iris's words. She then yipped softly, and Iris took it as a sign that the creature was willing to listen.

She continued, “If you agree to leave the farmer alone, I promise I won't pursue you any further. We can both go our separate ways, and no one gets hurt.”

After a moment, the kitsune barked, seemingly agreeing to Iris's proposal. It was difficult for Iris to know for certain, but she chose to trust that the creature would honor their agreement.

She sure is cute as hell, I look good as a fox girl.

Iris smiled. “I'm glad we were able to come to an agreement. It's not every day that I encounter a magical creature like you.” She tried to maintain a friendly tone, hoping to build some rapport with the kitsune. “In fact, my best friend is a magical horse. Her name is Mocha. Do you have a name?”

The kitsune perked up, her tails swaying a bit more enthusiastically behind her. She nodded quickly and let out a series of yips and barks in response, her eyes seeming to sparkle with amusement. Iris couldn't help but smile at the creature's playful demeanor, despite the earlier mayhem it had caused.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Listen,” Iris continued, “I know you're probably just trying to have some fun, but there are consequences to your actions. People can get hurt, and their lives can be disrupted. I hope you understand that.”

Her fox-eared doppelganger narrowed her eyes and barked in an almost questioning tone.

Iris rolled her eyes. I know what she's asking.

“No, you cannot steal his chickens…" she said with a sigh.

The kitsune mirrored her sigh with one of her own.

“So, do we have an agreement?” Iris asked.

The kitsune cocked her head to the side, appearing thoughtful. After a moment, it barked again, this time with a more solemn tone. Iris took this as a sign that the kitsune was acknowledging her words and was willing to consider them.

Hopefully. All these barks from what's essentially my face is weird.

With a final nod, Iris said, “Thank you for understanding. I hope we can both move forward and avoid any further misunderstandings.”

The kitsune offered one last, gentle bark in reply, and with a final nod, her form shimmered and shifted, revealing the fox once more. She stared at Iris for a brief moment, then turned and dashed off into the forest, her red fur disappearing among the trees.

Iris was left standing in the clearing, a mixture of confusion and relief washing over her. She shook her head, trying to make sense of the bizarre encounter, but ultimately decided that she had had enough for one day. With a weary sigh, she walked over to where the fox had dropped her sword. She poked it a few times and then tested the blade, ensuring it was real. Content that it was the real deal, she sheathed the weapon and began the trek back to the farmer's home.

The journey back took about thirty minutes, and by the time Iris arrived at the farm, the sun was already dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows across the fields. The day's events had taken more time and energy than she had anticipated, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of exhaustion as she approached the farmhouse, hoping that her encounter with the kitsune would be the end of the strange occurrences that seemed to constantly surround her time in this new world.

As Iris returned to the farm, she found the farmer waiting for her, his face filled with anticipation. “So, did you find the fox?” he asked, his voice a mix of hope and anxiety.

Iris nodded. “I did. I believe it won't be bothering your farm anymore.” She hesitated for a moment, then added, “However, I can't be completely sure, so I won't accept any payment. If it does cause any more trouble, try to get a message to me in Brightburn through Reeve Evelyn. I'll come back and deal with it.”

The farmer looked at her with gratitude and uncertainty. “You're sure you don't want any payment? You've done a lot for us.”

Iris shook her head. “No, it's fine. I can't guarantee the problem is completely solved, and it wouldn't feel right to take payment for something I'm not certain about.”

The man hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Alright, if you insist. Thank you, Adventurer Iris. We're grateful for your help, and I hope whatever you did discourages it from bothering us again. I'll make sure to contact you through Reeve Evelyn if anything happens.”

She started to turn but then stopped. “Hey, I have a question. Do you know what caused it to start messing with your farm?” she asked, curiosity lacing her tone.

The man paused, his arms crossing as he tapped a finger against his cheek in thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up with a spark of recognition. “You know, I think I remember when the harassment started to increase. It all began when the fox stole one of our prized pumpkins. So, I decided to spread a bunch of spicy pepper all over another pumpkin, hoping to deter it. But, the next night, that pumpkin was stolen as well. Since then, the fox hasn't stopped its mischief.”

Iris let out a low groan, realizing that the farmer's attempt to deter the fox had only backfired and made things worse.

That’ll do it.

“You may want to leave out a peace offering of some kind,” she said, shaking her head at how much of the day was wasted because of a simple misunderstanding. “I’m pretty sure the fox just saw all of this back and forth you two did as a game of pranks.”

The farmer’s expression froze. Finally, he sighed. “Damn it. You may be right,” he said, rubbing his chin. “I never thought about it that way.”

Iris offered the farmer a reassuring smile. “Just give it a try. Leave out a peace offering, and I think you'll see a difference.”

The man nodded in reply.

With that, she took her leave, heading back to the inn. As she walked, she couldn’t help but hope that Gryff and Laken had returned by now. She was eager to share the bizarre tale of the three-tailed fox with her party, especially Mocha, who always enjoyed a good story.

Plus, she’ll probably get a kick out of me getting pranked.

The sun dipped lower in the sky as she trekked down the road and into the village, the events of the day replaying in her mind. The strange encounter with the cunning kitsune slash fox had left her with plenty to think about. She had to admit, despite the confusion and frustration, it had been a rather exhilarating adventure.

As the inn came into view, a surge of relief filled her and a sense of warmth and camaraderie washed over her. The wagon was outside, filled to the brim with all sorts of loot that Iris was excited to sort through. Next to it, Gryff and Laken stood talking to Bree who had an arm around a clearly worn-out Kaira.

Mocha was, of course, the first to notice Iris as she approached. “Iris! We were getting worried! What took you so long?” the horse whinnied. “And what the hell happened to you? You look like you wrestled a pig.”

Iris snorted.

A mental image of Mocha and the fox running around together filled her mind. The adventurer shook her head as she chuckled.

She took in the expectant looks of her party, before looking into Kaira’s eyes. “Guys, have I got a fucking story for you,” she said with another chuckle. “But first, let's see what you have in the wagon. Then I need to clean up. Again.”

She couldn’t wait to sit down and share a hearty meal with her party. She looked forward to the chat about what had happened with the guys that went back to the bandit camp, and then recount her own peculiar tale of the mischievous fox that had led her on such an unexpected chase.

Maybe Bree was right. Being alone sucks.