... Continued from before with Ren and Kitsuna

Kitsuna continued to prance happily around Ren but she allowed her flames to slowly flicker and extinguish down her body. Coming to a final halt in a swirl of tails Kitsuna sat down to consider Ren’s words and she actually noticed he had called her by her full name, which pleased her. Smiling brightly at him Kitsuna already had her answer.

“Well I think we should take the slower route, we aren’t in any hurry and like I said I am hoping to improve myself as we move. I can’t keep relying on others to save me, can I? In fact why don’t we start now, no better time than the present?” Sitting up she smiled mischievously, lowering her front half of her body down onto the floor in the most puppy like fashion, a gesture of play fighting. All three of her tails wagging happily she spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “That is if you’re not too tired. I know how you old wolves get in the morning, aching bones, stiff muscles and such.”

She smiled at him, wanting a reaction from him. For a moment she considered what she must look like to him, such a puppy, always wanting to play and tease. She was almost a complete polar opposite to Ivy’s sensible manor. However she would not change who she was, her mother and father had kept her heart pure and young and she would not relinquish that playful innocence.

If wolves could raise an eyebrow, Ren certainly looked as if he was. He chuckles as he walked with exaggerated slowness. "Now, young whippersnapper. Did anyone tell you to respect your elders? Gosh what a disrespectful pup I'm teaching." He said in a mock tone of disappointment as his eyes shown with amusement at her teasing of him. He figured where to start first a thoughtful expression as he let go of pretending to be old his long gait taking him slowly down the forest. "Alright, let's start with the basics and I'll wing it from there, as I'm not a fire user."

Without warning, he lounged and pounced right on top of her looking down at her. "Let's say for now, I'm not your friend. Neither have we spent much time together. Without knowing anything, what would you do next?" He asked testing her knowledge.

Kitsuna mock growled at Ren as she was forced onto her back at Ren’s pounce and there she was held by Ren’s larger weight as he asked her what she would do to fight him off. Her more silly side wanted kick him with her back paws. Then her more rational side kicked in, fuelled by the weight pinning her down and his mock growls. From what she could see Kitsuna was in a really venerable position and she was left with few attack options.

“Well…” She mused “I could snap and bite, hard and fast at your throat and attempt to rip it out before you rip out mine.” Kitsuna flexed her neck muscles like a coiled snake and gently nipped at the thick fur of his neck. “Or I could do this.” Moving quickly Kitsuna again reached her head around to bite but this time her aim was for Ren’s left front paw. Holding it gently in her mouth Kitsuna shifted her weight, tugging Ren off balance causing him to fall to his side while she rolled out from under him and back onto her paws.

Moving forward so now it was she that stood over him, her eyes sparkling with enjoyment she smiled.

“Well that was fun. What’s next?”

Ren smiles glad she was taking this completely serious as she took his paw gently in her teeth and caused him to fall. "Well that was fun. What next?" She asked him and he chuckles as tendrils of shadow ball upwards pushing her into the air and catching her in a light grip her tails wrapped closely by the darkness making no oxygen flow around them, yet not smothering them or cutting any circulation. She was kept off the ground by the tendrils as well, they were wrapped around her paws gently as well.

"Very well done. Now I have you as I do. What would you do to escape this? You can use any means you think of, besides from the fire to your tails as it wouldn't get there anyway." He asked taking on an intimidating stance crouching as if seriously taking the part of her 'enemy' for now.

Kitsuna could not help the whimper that escaped her as she was strung up in the air by her tails by the shadows. She could not help the instinctive failing, the desperate kicking and the futile midair paddling. Her face was pointed downwards looking back at Ren as he crouched, her enemy, snarling up at her as she dangled helpless. Taking a deep breath Kitsuna attempted to calm down and remember that even if Ren was snarling at her like an enemy, she didn’t need to panic.

Kitsuna snarled as loud as she could and then began to swing herself back and forth until she finally built up enough momentum to flick herself upwards. Baring her teeth Kitsuna sunk her fangs into the tangible shadows that held her tails, so now she was upright and that at least was something, the blood was stuck in her head any more. She did have one idea for an escape route but it was not an option she was comfortable with. Her tails may be prevented from summoning flames but the rest of her wasn’t.

Acting her flame powers over the rest of her body Kitsuna closed her eyes and concentrated, she poured all her energy into the waves of rolling heat. She opened her eyes and looked at herself the flames had reached the blue stage of heat and she was still getting hotter, her whole body swirling and moving with the flames. Growling again she pushed harder forcing her energy to fuel the flames hotter and hotter, she felt herself hit the wall she had always encountered before, the limit of her power. Snarling in determination Kitsuna pushed on until she became a ball of white flame, she no longer had a body coated in flames, she was just fire, fire that for now held the shape of the wolf. With a thought released that form and slipped to the ground free of the shadows that held her, but once she stood on solid ground again Kitsuna took the form that felt most natural to her. Looking down at her bright white form Kitsuna smiled.

“Well this is new; I haven’t gone this hot before.” She found she had much more control over it now, she wasn’t burning the floor or anything around her, it was just her that burning. She gave herself a quick shake in this fire form then like releasing the tension from her muscles she released her power and returned to normal. Kitsuna was panting hard but smiling brightly at her triumph.

(OOC - just to let you know Kitsuna has changed, she has grown a new tail now. Just in case you wanted to 'see' or mention it.)

Ren walked over and bopped Kitsuna's nose softly a look of pride on his face. "You cheated. Good. You will have to use every bit of cunning when facing an unknown enemy." He said glad she was already that far. He continued to walk until they reached a body of water. He continued walking as his body seemed to change, his gait smoother and more relaxed than his usual gait. Even his fur began to change from the ragged black and red changing the harshness to reflect a soft blue hue in the sun his eyes a bit demonic as it learned new abilities laughing softly.

"Illusions might be Ivy's strong point. But she really should know not to use her powers when we just went away. But no matter." He said as a tendril of darkness filled with water soaked Kitsuna's entire body and picked up the water as if it were nothing. "Tell us little one, how would you battle with your opposite? Especially since your so soaked." He asked a small smirk.
You hurt her...
Yes yes, you'll find a way to destroy us, yadda yadda yadda. Its a good thing then that YOU are still slightly in control ain't it? But be careful Fenrisùlfer. I will not always be so accommodating.

Kitsuna beamed happily as Ren bopped her nose affectionately and she saw his face break into a proud smile she would have not thought it possible for him to wear. She trotted around him, picking her paws up high with each step with happiness tails wagging back and forth however something did quite feel right the weight was wrong. They had reached a small fast moving stream now and Kitsuna dipped her head down to it, she was tired that last show of power had drained her and she drunk greedily from the stream, ignoring everything else but her immediate thirst. However she was disturbed midway through by Ren using his power to scoop up a large quantity of water which he then proceeded to pour over her head, soaking her through.

"Tell us little one, how would you battle with your opposite? Especially since you’re so soaked." Kitsuna look up at him from under her sopping wet fur and she gasped as she looked at him for the first time since they had walked to the stream. His fur had changed colour slightly from its normal colours to a different, more bluish hue but what scared her the most was that familiar and the unwelcome glint in Ren’s eyes the change she associated with the demons influence. What had he said, tell us, us? There should only be one Ren coming through or had the demon started to slip to bonds that Ren had used to bind it in his mind.

Kitsuna reacted instinctively leaping about a foot backwards from Ren, her hackles raised along her back and her face held a look of horror in it. Despite being drenched through her power activated without thought, starting by raising her internal body heat so she began to steam as the water dried on her.

“Ren … Is that you or is it him? What’s happened to you?” Her voice held the slight tremble of a growl as her heat continued to grow, she was now dry from her soaking and her temperature was still soaring as the air around began to shimmer with a heat haze. Digging her claws into the ground Kitsuna was honestly readying herself to flee as she had no intention of facing the demon again. While she had been honest when she said that she trusted Ren, the demon she did not. "Ren?" She said again, her voice soft but clear.

Ren tilted his head as he looked at her as she prepared to bolt. "Yes I am still in control. Which I am not sure to consider a relief or to question his motives." He said as he once more soaked the fire user. He stood walking with a fluidity that came with his new 'body' staring at her as he walked getting aboth closer then far away again.

"I will not always be able to keep him behind a cage and I rely on his abilities. Now did you still wish to come along? I wouldn't blame you if you said no." He said, his eyes still the same just had a small tint of the demon there as they considered her actions dumping the water into the river after taking some down his throat to assuage his own thirst.

Kitsuna looked at Ren for a moment and saw the truth in his words, he was still himself at least for now and she watched his movements as he stalked closer and further from her. Giving herself a quick shake she walked forward to meet him, giving him a long hard stare and snuffing his scent. Winding herself sinuously around him until she was satisfied Kitsuna proceeded to nip him, harder than normal, on his flank in mock anger for scaring her however the smile she wore was genuine.

“Don’t scare me like that Ren! You have changed, what changed you? Your coat is different…” She came up close to him and looked deep into his eyes, sighing for a moment Kitsuna bumped her head gently against Ren’s. “What are we going to do with you eh?” She held herself against him for the space of a few heart beats, not wanting to be away from him, despite the danger he posed. Then getting to her paws she turned her back on him slapping him lightly around the shoulders with her tails, prancing around she smiled back at him. Then suddenly her face turned to shock and confusion, jaw hanging open to gaze over her back at her tails. Swishing her tails back and forth Kitsuna finally noted the change, a fourth perfectly formed, identical tail now rested next to the other three.

“I … My tail! I have a new tail. That wasn’t here before!” She let out a bark like laugh and looked back at Ren. “Well it’s been a while since I had a new tail, this is a good sign.” Kitsuna caught his slightly confused look and explained. “I started out with only one tail you see and each time I gained a new level over my powers a new tail would form. It’s good as with each one my powers increase which is what I sorely need in these dangerous times.”

Swishing her tails around her a few more times so she could admire the new addition Kitsuna then turned back to Ren, one paw was raised and her ears flicked forward, there was an aura of energy around her.

“I think we have had enough training today… Run with me. Let the wind blow out any bad thoughts.” Mischief sparkled in her bright blue eyes as she sauntered up to him, maintaining eye contact with a little grin on her face. Getting so close their noses nearly touched Kitsuna smiled warmly, then quick as a coiled snake she leant forward and gave him a small lick on the cheek. Beaming at his look of surprise, Kitsuna turned her four tails on him and sprinted away, laughing merrily, in high anticipation of the chase.

Ren was amused when Kitsuna had asked what changed him. It wasn't more than perfect illusion making others see what those that controlled it to see. The illusion washed away with the waves leaving him with his ragged red and black coat again, his gait becoming normal as well. He had noticed the other tail but hadn't brought it up as they were training.

He was a bit surprised though when she bit him a bit harder than normal which caused his natural alpha instincts to rise wanting an apology from her. But being able to ignore it as he didn't know he had it, he shook off the thought. Besides she was in the right, he had scared her. Then she crouched down before him inviting him for a run licking his cheek.

She used his surprise as an advantage and ran, causing him to grin wolfishly his whole body thrumming with the thrill of a chase cracking his neck and giving her a full three seconds before he took off from the river using his height to its fullest wanting to wait until he used his new found speed. It wouldn't be fun other wise.

Kitsuna barked a laugh as Ren gave chase after her; she was enjoying testing the limits of her new found speed as well. Gaining a new tail was no mean feat for those of her bloodline, it meant she not only had access to a larger variety of powers but it granted her a larger reserve of power on which to draw on. She could now nearly keep pace with Ren and as he had been kind enough to grant her a head start she was not going to squander it, instead they flew together through the woodland, her like a bright flame and Ren was the shadow it cast, flickering behind her brightness.

Together they laughed as they ran, Kitsuna throwing out small taunts over she should to Ren, and by either luck, skill or Ren not trying she kept managing to evade his capture. They ran together until it was dark and even then it was not until moon rise that Kitsuna finally slowed and came to a stop at the edge of the tree line. They had made extremely good time, crossing through the forest should have been a two day trip and they had run it in one. Panting hard, sides heaving but smiling, with eyes that gleamed with the wild joy of freedom, Kitsuna surveyed what lay before them, it was a town. She had never seen a human town so close before and from where they stood at this distance it looked like a bright jewel shining in the darkness. She could feel the thrum of life coming from it as if the very earth it was grounded on was alive with beating heart and quick sharp breaths, like they were. And the smells coming from it, the wind brought them to her nose but there were so many to sift through, some so delicious they made her mouth water and some as foul as rot and death.

Kitsuna stood quiet and tense, trembling with emotion and wonder at the sight of this town, it was so alien, so unknown, there was a deadly fascination about it. So she stood, staring, her eyes reflecting the light from the town.

“I never knew humans could make something so big, so bright. It is strange and wonderful and terrifying all at once. It … It makes me want to go down and explore, find out more about this place.” One paw had already been raised as if preparing to move forward, her body trembled as two forces fought together inside her, curiosity vs survival instinct and both were so strong that neither was winning. She was locked between the two, needing action but unable to decide.

Ren looked over the town they had found in their long run and pushed her back shaking his head. "Humans are not to be so easily trusted. They carry a darkness that he will glorify in and his cage isn't as strong as I like it. We should rest and do our best to avoid this place breathing the toxin of the cars the people had not minding it since he could produce even more destructive poisons.

He hadn't been trying when they were running knowing that she was having a ton of fun when he had tried to get her. Even though they had run so far in a day he was only gradually breathing heavily looking down. He knew just how two faced humans were. They claimed to have a goodness but they all had darkness in their hearts...at least those he had met and seen.

Kitsuna allowed Ren to nudge her away following him back into the forest very slowly with many pauses and glances back over her shoulder. She was still dragging her heels as they made their way to a deserted clearing less than half a mile away from the tree line. Kitsuna set herself down on her haunches but her posture was still tense and all her tails twitched back and forth in a fan like pattern causing a little stir of dust and leaves around her. A half formed plan lingered in her mind, one of sneaking off and exploring that human town the excited and fascinated her. However she knew slipping past Ren would be difficult but that just made the challenge more exciting.

With a real effort of will Kitsuna stilled her tails and faked a large yawn. Getting to her paws slowly she padded softly over the hollow roots of a tree and turning herself on the spot three times over she settled herself with a small grunt into a sleeping position. Looking up at Ren she gave him a small smile which implied nothing but a sleepy innocence.

“I am feeling too sleepy to hunt now and I am rather more tired than hungry Ren. Don’t worry about me though, you go hunting. I am sure you need to keep up your strength old one.” Her face was alive with cheeky delight.

Again, if Ren could somehow raise an eyebrow, he would certainly look as if he were doing so in that moment. "You are going to sneak away when I leave. I'm telling this for your own good Kitsuna. Do. Not. Go. Into. The. Human. Village." He punctuated each word, the shadows cutting down limbs from trees as his anger for humans grew in his body. He had told her first hand how awful humans could be and yet she would risk her life looking as she did going to that village?! He knew that those that hadn't experienced humans might be curious but it was up to him, it supposed, to quell that curiosity. He wouldn't mind doing so, since it seemed he had the horrible experiences and besides, if she were to go, he'd follow her, and then that city wouldn't be safe. The demon would glorify in the evil in their hearts, and once more, he wouldn't be able to keep that side of him inside. And who knew? This time it might actually lead to more than just her being pretty much killed. It would be everyone in that city.

"If you don't think about your safety think of those in that city. I'd follow you there. We are traveling together after all, and I will want to be sure you are alright. As I travel there, no doubt I will come across with people that have done evil deeds. And the demon will delight in them and grow even stronger in my head until he once more gains control. And I barely fought him off last time. Everyone there would probably die." He said trying to explain the entirety of what would happen.

Kitsuna’s ears were flat against her skull and her face changed from one of cheer to a standoffish, distant look as she did not meet Ren’s eyes. Her claws dug small grooves into the soft earth as the silence between them dragged on.

“So can you read minds as well as control shadows?” Her voice was lofty. “If you wanted to know I did have a vague notion of heading into the town, yes for curiosities sake but also to see if I could find any information regarding the people who used you and the others.” She paused to gently lick a paw. “You know I am not powerless nor without any forms of defence. You indeed should know this.” Again she paused to lick the other paw as her face softened and her eyes found his. “You’re not the only one who has someone they care for and want to protect and help. And don’t mistake me, I appreciate your care but … but I don’t think you can survive this … or him … alone.”

She stood and walked over to him circling him quickly at a trot then sitting down in front of him, her white coat catching the starlight. “Plus this is not the form I would have taken to go into the town, I am no fool, I have been caught by humans in this shape before remember, the first time we met.”

With a small poof and a puff of smoke Kitsuna suddenly disappeared and in here place stood a woman who looked no more than 18. She was small and slim like the wolf; her hair was of palest blonde, eyes of brightest blue. She was clothed simply in a dress of deep blue which was covered in patterns like her coat. Looking down at herself Kitsuna smiled at the perfection of her change, ten fingers, ten toes and no tail … that part was new, her old transformations had been imperfect and she had retained some vestiges of the wolf including tails and sometimes ears.

In another moment there was another poof and she was back to her normal form, standing as she had been in front of Ren.

“That is a lot easier to do now.” She said with a smile.

"I can't read minds. But I do not need to with your thoughts as easy to read in your expressions." Ren said with a shake of his head and watched as she changed her form to a humane one. His ears bent back looking at Kitsuna as a human. He stares as she went back to normal.
"That's a lot easier to do now." She said as if that was as natural as breathing. He was confused and impressed at the same time.

"That was an interesting trick." He said getting out of his defensive stance. And to make matters worse that form changing she did got the curiosity of the demon. It wanted to learn to do that so he could make Ren the thing he hated most. A human. It would enjoy making it's host uncomfortable and as disgusted with himself as possible.

Kitsuna glanced over at Ren, her expression casual but her gaze was intense as she watched him for a reaction. She was happy to see he was suitably impressed and with a smiling swagger she trotted before him, taking in his expression of confusion mixed with awe. Swinging her tails around her with pleasure she tracked her blue eyes on him.

“I have always been able to do it, ever since I was a pup. It’s in my blood, my father was a true Kitsune of many tails after all.” Sitting herself down a little way from Ren she looked back towards the city of men but her eyes were not focused on anything in particular as a small sigh escaped her. “So you see I am not as defenceless as you seem to think and in order to help you, which is of course the reason we are making this trip to begin with, there seems to be some things I have to do.”

For a while she was still and silent as she continued to gaze at nothing in particular, her thoughts buzzing around inside her head for a few silent minutes.

“Do you remember that dream I had about you … I remember walking into a place … and when I walked I was tall and I walked on two legs…” She turned her face back to Ren, she was calm and serious as her eyes bored into him.

"Yes I remember your telling me that you had a dream about me. I had pretty much the same dream if you remember my telling you so. Do you think possibly that you could have been there? It's impossible. I would have recognized you, and no doubt HE would delight in saying so had you been there to make me question your loyalties." Ren said remembering that conversation making himself comfortable as she said that her father was a kitsune. Hmm, curious. He never heard of a kitsune mating with a wolf before. They tended to stick to their own. Then again, he's been inside a factory pretty much all his life.

"I never said you were defenseless. You can take care of yourself otherwise you wouldn't have asked me to help you enhance those tributes." He points out knowing full well that she could. He just worried about her. He stares back into her blue gaze his own dark brown gaze never braking or wavering.

Kitsuna got up from her lonely position at the edge of the trees and walked towards Ren, face wrinkled in amusement that she could not help it showing in her face. She relaxed her posture again as she gave him a wolfish grin, trotting back over to him so they once again sat together and she gave him a bump with her shoulder.

“You are silly Ren, of course I wasn’t there, and otherwise I would be as old as you are! My dreams are prophetic and they aren’t always meant to be taken literally. I think my dream was telling me that I can find a way to … to …” Here she struggled for words not knowing what it was she could do but knowing it was something. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling there is something I can do for you.” Smiling again Kitsuna gracefully reared up and lounged over Ren’s back, her head resting over his. “And thank you, it’s nice to know that and considering I now have the upper hand on you this means we now know who is the stronger of us.” Kitsuna said with a laughing growl as she very gently teased his left ear with mock bites.

Kitsuna continued to play with him in her most puppy like fashion, it was infectious and no one could ever stay mad or grumpy when she got like this.

"Oh do you?" Ren asks with a wolfish smile as his ear was attacked by small mock bites from Kitsuna as she acted like a pup. There was no way his nature would allow anyone having the upper hand in something. It wouldn't mind having an equal in power of course, but she was outright challenging him.

His nature wanted to teach her just who was the strongest in this but he pushed it back as he pushed her on her side as she reached up to once more mockingly bite his ear a small laugh escaping at her mildly surprised look in her blue eyes.