Until now, I thought that writers were making it up when they said that their characters fur bristled. Yeah, no. My fur stuck up in every direction as the growl rolled over me. Ears flat to my head, tail tucked in, I dropped to the ground. While I didn’t know if it was luck or not but the bush around me shifted enough to hide me from sight.

I refused to move, to not even breathe as the largest wolf I had ever seen stepped into view. Its nose lowered to the ground as it took a deep breath. Almost as though it was searching for something, or someone. With its nose twitching, scenting the air, its head swiveled around until its eyes locked onto where I was hidden.

“Come out.” Came a base deep voice filled with as much growling as it was words. I didn’t move. “I said, come out!” This time, a pulse of mana flared off the beast. As it washed over me, I found a part of my mind wanted to obey the creature. I beat that piece into submission. I would not give myself over to a beast to be eaten.

He stepped forward as a growl rumbled out of his chest. It was powerful enough to shake the plants surrounding me. The rustling leaves gave me an idea as well as a way out.

I slunk my way backward until my hind foot found a tree stump. A little maneuvering put me on the opposite side. Out of sight of the creature, my mana pumped into my body as I went from dead slow to as fast as I could move.

Twigs dragged at my fur as I jumped over logs. Leaves and mud stuck to my pelt as I dove under bushes. My paws stung slightly as I bounced off tree trunks. All so that I could get away. Eventually, the sound of the growling wolf faded into the background as I pushed myself ever faster.

A few minutes later, I heard the growling ahead of me. It sounded annoyed as it forced its way through the underbrush. Sometimes, it paid to be the smallest in the group. They were the ones that could just slip through the tight spaces everyone else had to beat their way through.

I took a chance and activated one of the only open abilities on my new collar. One that I had asked the dwarf to add. A hauntingly loud chiming bell echoed through the forest. The sound caused the wolf to spin around to see what had created the noise. Not that I was there.

I had dodged to the side as soon as the bell chimed. Again, I pushed myself as I ran around to nearly the other side of the wolf. Without waiting, I activated the bell and dove back in the direction I came from. Behind me, I heard the wolf let out a threatening growl. “Come back here you foxy brat!”

Yeah, like I was going to do that. Instead, I took my time circling the wolf. I popped my head up just long enough to see him and make sure that he was where I expected him to be. He looked alert and pissed. Whoever this wolf was, he was not happy with me. Maybe he expected me to be an easy target. Too bad, I didn’t give in to the demon so why would I give into this thing?

With a burst of mana, the world blurred as I cut across the space behind him. I came close enough that, if he had known I was going to be there, he could have taken a heck of a bite. Of course, he didn’t know I was there until I was gone. The sound of a bell echoed through the forest as his growls turned into a howl of anger.

Unfortunately, all of this empowered running was draining. I felt it as my mana pool started to get low. So I tapped into my new accessory. Sure it would take a while to recharge but it was well worth it for this.

An idea hit me as I raced around him. Small platforms of pure wind runes supported my feet as I raced over the wolf’s head. His head snapped up as the bell tolled out. The howl that chased after me was agitated and rage-filled.

I could run as I figured he had been annoyed enough, but I was pretty sure the only reason he hadn't given chase was due to me still being in the area. If I tried to run, he would give chase. Sure, I could lose him in the underbrush, but he likely knew the place better than me. He could just wait me out or circle around and come at me from somewhere I wouldn’t expect. No, I needed to deal him a finishing blow. Something that would at least give the rest of the pack time to arrive. Of course, that was assuming they would arrive. Whereas I was unknown to the pack, that didn’t mean he was. After all, just because I didn’t recognize him from the clearing didn’t mean he didn’t live here full-time.

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I continued to run in circles as I looked for an opening. The moment it arrived, I took it. Everything blurred as I raced at the wolf’s back. He didn’t get a chance to react as I wrapped my paws around his tail. My teeth sunk into the fur as the bell rang out.

The wolf howled as he spun in place. His head twisted around as his tail tried to whip me off. I clung to him. Refusing to let go no matter what he tried. My body smacked into dirt and bushes between swipes.

Suddenly, he took off running. He moved faster than I ever had as he barreled through the forest. I had no clue where he was going or why. Then, without warning, I found myself drenched in water. The fucker dove into a river to get me off. Icy water soaked through my fur as he splashed his way into the river.

Hah, he didn’t know just who he was dealing with. Instead, I used some mana to heat myself as I tightened my hold. The wolf howled as its tail flung me back and forth. Through the water and into the air before smacking back into the water and repeating the painful attack.

He bounded through the shallow part of the river. It turns out that water, while annoying, was a fairly good cushion. As his tail whipped me around, my body smacked into the rocks at the bottom hard enough to sting, but that was it.

Then, he turned around and dove toward the middle of the river. His momentum drove us both under as he tried to outlast me in the lung capacity department. Sucks to be him because, while he was pulling us along, I was simply holding onto his tail. Yeah, my lung capacity was quite a bit smaller, but so was my energy expenditure.

With a massive heave, he launched us both off the bottom and toward the edge where he promptly collapsed. My ears were stuffed with water but even they could make out the bellows that was his chest. It was rivaled only my own as we both fought to catch our breath. It took him a minute to get out his question. “Why. Are. You. So. Stubborn?”

I wanted to speak but I didn’t know how. Could a fox talk? I was pretty sure that the answer to that question was a resounding no. Then again, I was a Kitsune and not a fox. There were many myths where they talked to various people while still in their fox form.

A sudden guffaw of a laugh startled the both of us. Other voices joined in as they trickled out of the forest. They weren’t all human either. It was weird hearing various creatures laughing. A voice cut over all the noise. “Father?! What did you do to her?” I rolled over the tail just enough to see who was talking.

Standing there, in nothing but her birthday suit, was the Alpha’s daughter. While that was pretty bad, it wasn’t as bad as the fact that she was talking to the two of us. Given that I was the she that she was likely referring to. My heart dropped into my stomach as I realized whose tail was in my mouth. It wasn’t just anyone's tail. It was the alpha’s. FUCK!

Jaw open, I tried to stand up. To get away from the guy before he could kill me, but my legs refused to hold my weight. While they were numb, I could feel how sore the things were. There was no way they would be able to support me.

The giant wolf’s eyes met mine. Sure enough, they were the same amber eyes with golden striations as before. However, they did not look angry or sad. They looked, of all things, happy. Was he happy that he would get to kill something tonight? I was sure that I should be freaking out about now, but I just couldn’t find the energy to care. It was like every one of the emotions chose that moment to abandon me. Even the licking of his chops did nothing.

His daughter smacked the back of his head. “DAD! Can't you see that she is dead tired? Shift already.” He snorted in response. I didn’t react as he moved his tail while the rest of his body shifted. At first, I thought he was removing it to stand but it stayed where it was and I found myself surrounded by warmth.

His nose pressed into mine. The words that came out of his mouth caused me to relax. “Rest, you deserve it for keeping up with me.” So maybe I wouldn’t be getting eaten tonight.

How I hoped that this place would be somewhere I could call home. I just didn’t know if I could stand to lose this forest and the freedom my animal form offered me. Not when I just found it. As the darkness pulled at me, a sense of belonging filled my chest as their hushed voices lulled me to sleep.