The evening mist rolled lazily across the hills, settling softly over the rustic villages below. In the shadow of the looming mountains, a crouched figure perched high on a branch, wings barely stirring in the cool wind. The Tengu, perched like a stoic guardian on the edge of the world, had seen many things in his time. Like the scene that was unfolding below him.
From his perch, he could make out the figure of a beautiful but familiar woman, her long silvery hair shimmering like moonlight, and the glint of her eyes betraying a mischief he knew all too well. She was no mere mortal. No, this was a Kitsune, one he knew all too well—this one was a nine-tailed creature of trickery and pride.
"Here we go," the Tengu muttered to himself, a grin pulling at his beak-like mouth. He'd seen this act before. It was the same every time. The fox would allure the unsuspecting human, tempt them with promises of fortune, and then vanish at the slightest sign of trouble. What made this particular evening interesting, however, was the fact that he knew this fox.
Below, the Kitsune was attempting to ensnare the attention of a young man—a farmer by the look of his ragged clothes. She had that flirtatious gleam in her eyes, the kind that could send any naive mortal into a dizzying spin of infatuation. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a gust of wind, rustling her kimono and making her movements appear graceful and alluring.
But the farmer, his face flushed red from the onslaught of attention, stumbled backwards with an awkward squeak.
"W-who are you?" he stammered, eyes wide in confusion, hands raised defensively. "A ghost? A demon?"
"No, no, no!" the Kitsune giggled, swishing her hidden tails in playful circles. "I'm no ghost. I'm just a woman who's here to—"
Before she could finish, the Tengu's wings flapped powerfully, sending a gust of wind strong enough to knock the farmer off his feet. The young man fell backwards with a loud thud, his face palming into the dirt as he scrambled to stand.
"Ah, come on!" the Kitsune huffed, her ears flattening in irritation as she turned her gaze to the trees. "Really?"
The Tengu, now hovering overhead, was clearly amused. "Scared him off, didn't you? Again?"
"You—!" The Kitsune's eyes blazed, and before the Tengu could react, the illusion vanished into a puff of smoke. Moments later, she appeared on the ground in her fox form—a large, nine-tailed fox with a snout so perturbed it practically dripped with frustration. "You ruined it! I almost had him!" she growled, her tails flicking wildly behind her.
The Tengu couldn't help but chuckle from his position above. "That's not how you do it! You know, luring people in with, I don't know, a bit of finesse might work better than scaring them witless."
"Shut up," the Kitsune shot back, her eyes narrowing as she began to chase her own tails in a fit of frustration. "It's not my fault he was so scared of my charms! Some humans don't appreciate real beauty, y'know?"
The Tengu rolled his eyes, but his smile was evident. "Uh-huh. Sure, that's it. Nothing to do with the fact you looked ready to bite his head off with those teeth of yours, right?"
The Kitsune froze for a second, then her tails drooped. "...I did get a little carried away."
"And you're supposed to be the master of deception," the Tengu said, crossing his arms and leaning back against the branch. "More like a master of disaster, huh?"
She stuck out her tongue in mock irritation before scampering up the hill. Her tails swished like a broom, sweeping up the leaves that had gathered there.
"Alright, fine," she muttered. "I'll try again. But next time, you have to stop interrupting me!" She paused, glancing over her shoulder with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "And, just for that, I'm telling everyone that you're scared of crows."
The Tengu stiffened, his wings flicking nervously. "You wouldn't dare—!"
The Kitsune's grin grew. "I wouldn't have to. I already told the ravens."
With that, she disappeared again, leaving the Tengu cursing under his breath. He'd never hear the end of it now.