âââââââââââââââââââââââââ
âââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Atomu sighed as he slowed his gait to a walk. He didn't need to run anymore after all. He had managed to leave the priestesses far behind him and he doubted they would still be chasing his tail this far into the woods. They had a village and a shrine to protect from the naughty nogitsune, after all. For all they knew, he could have been the bait to lure them away from their precious charges. It was stupid, in his opinion, but such was the way of the world and peoples' superstitions. Not every fox was trying to lie and cheat and weasel their ways into peoples bedrooms. People just never wanted to give him the time of day to explain what he wanted from them. It was always the first impression that mattered.
Atomu looked down at the cloth on his arm where one of the priestesses had managed to hit him with an arrow infused with banishing incense. Since he was half kitsune, the blasted thing did burn and his skin had taken on an unflattering red. He looked like a lobster! And she had singed his clothing to. He had to mend that now. Atomu gave a pout before he tried to lick his wound and ease the ache. Unfortunately, his tongue couldn't quite reach the inflicted area and he probably looked like quite the scene as he tried to get at it. With an exasperated sigh, Atomu gave up on trying to tend to his wound for now. He'd just have to visit river or a stream he passed by and wash it off the 'proper' way. That was for later however. He had something else on his mind.
Atomu grinned as he pulled out a little bag that contained two onigiri (rice balls) filled with plums. He soooooo loved onigiri. All kinds of them really. Plum filled, salmon filled, pork filled, tuna filled... the list went on.They were best thing humans ever invented. And he always made sure he grabbed a couple no matter where he went. Most of the time he could pay for these yummy treats but other times, like this time, he had to make use of his other talents. Okay so maybe the priestesses did have a reason for chasing him out of the town this time. It wasn't his fault the cook wouldn't lower his prices. Atomu knew for a fact he was overpricing his food but again, such was the bane of his appearance. Sometimes you had to do what you had to do, regardless of what others may think. At least he made up for his tiny bits of thievery here and there by paying back the stalls when he came around again or took odd jobs for those he met on the roads who were willing to offer him a bit of work.
The young half-breed hummed in his joy as he brought the first onigiri to his lips. He took the smallest nibble, just to taste the rice and savor it for a moment. He couldn't lug around rice himself and he found the idea of having a horse do it for him as inhumane so he only brought what he could carry and that usually included very little rice or none at all. "Mmmm little piece of heaven," he mused to himself. He continued his little nibbles until he finally found a tree that seemed suitable for rest. The grass in this area was lush and vibrant and this particular tree was large enough to cover the entire 'sitting' area with its generous shade. The light breeze in the air cooled the sunk-kissed skin and it did help relieve some of the itch from the wound as well. "Perfect," he crooned.
Atomu sat down and got himself comfortable, spreading out his deep purple robes with the frilly flower print down its center with splashes of white and pink. It was quite the contrast to his naturally pale skin. Atomu's pointed fox ears flickered atop his head as he listened to the chirping and buzzing of the area around and gobbled up his second treat a little more impatiently than the first. When he was done, he leaned his head back against the bark of the trees, his silky hair framing his face in strands colored like freshly fallen snow. His amber colored eyes matched the sunset in the distance and even took on a slight pink hue thanks to the lighting. Atomu smiled softly and picked up a foxtail weed and placed the tip in his mouth to chew the stem. He closed his eyes with the full intention of napping.
It wasn't long before his rest was interrupted by a little chirping beside him. He opened a single eye and spotted the tiny fox kit that was bobbing its head as it looked at him. The silly thing didn't know what to make of him. He grinned at his fox brother and slowly pulled the weed out of his mouth and extended it towards the animal. He dangled the fuzzy bit in the air to get its attention and then started to drag it across the grass. He was awarded with a louder 'yip' as the four-legged creature hurried after it and attacked the fuzzy tip. The fox even swallowed the fuzzy and Atomu couldn't help but laugh. "You are not supposed to eat it," he told the fox. The kit just stared at him and tilted its head to the side. Atomu indulged the baby by waving his own tail at the kit and watched as it tried to jump up after the appendage when Atomu lifted it. He continued to play with the little one even when the tyke eventually managed to bite down on the tail. Hard. "Oi! Quite the bite you've got there," he winced.
Unfortunately, the game didn't last much longer. A woman's voice called out in the distance then. Atomu lifted his head as his ears pointed forward. The little kit rushed away, calling for its mother in fright. Atomu tilted his head to the side as he judged the distance of where the call had come from. He couldn't quite make out what the woman was saying but the tenor seemed quite stressed. The kitsune got to his feet as he hurried after the sound. He wasn't going to abandon someone in distress after all. He quickly found himself in front of an old well lined with vines and weeds sticking out if its creases. Had someone fallen into the well? He cautiously moved closer and peered down into the hole. The sun was making it difficult to see into the darker area but he could see there was someone at the bottom.
"Are you all right?" he called. "Did you break something?" His gaze had already lifted looking for something he could use to help pull the woman out. It wouldn't do if she broke her arm or something though. She wouldn't be able to climb out. He may have to tie something out here with whatever he found and go in after her and pull her out. He really hoped he didn't have to do that.
Atomu looked down at the cloth on his arm where one of the priestesses had managed to hit him with an arrow infused with banishing incense. Since he was half kitsune, the blasted thing did burn and his skin had taken on an unflattering red. He looked like a lobster! And she had singed his clothing to. He had to mend that now. Atomu gave a pout before he tried to lick his wound and ease the ache. Unfortunately, his tongue couldn't quite reach the inflicted area and he probably looked like quite the scene as he tried to get at it. With an exasperated sigh, Atomu gave up on trying to tend to his wound for now. He'd just have to visit river or a stream he passed by and wash it off the 'proper' way. That was for later however. He had something else on his mind.
Atomu grinned as he pulled out a little bag that contained two onigiri (rice balls) filled with plums. He soooooo loved onigiri. All kinds of them really. Plum filled, salmon filled, pork filled, tuna filled... the list went on.They were best thing humans ever invented. And he always made sure he grabbed a couple no matter where he went. Most of the time he could pay for these yummy treats but other times, like this time, he had to make use of his other talents. Okay so maybe the priestesses did have a reason for chasing him out of the town this time. It wasn't his fault the cook wouldn't lower his prices. Atomu knew for a fact he was overpricing his food but again, such was the bane of his appearance. Sometimes you had to do what you had to do, regardless of what others may think. At least he made up for his tiny bits of thievery here and there by paying back the stalls when he came around again or took odd jobs for those he met on the roads who were willing to offer him a bit of work.
The young half-breed hummed in his joy as he brought the first onigiri to his lips. He took the smallest nibble, just to taste the rice and savor it for a moment. He couldn't lug around rice himself and he found the idea of having a horse do it for him as inhumane so he only brought what he could carry and that usually included very little rice or none at all. "Mmmm little piece of heaven," he mused to himself. He continued his little nibbles until he finally found a tree that seemed suitable for rest. The grass in this area was lush and vibrant and this particular tree was large enough to cover the entire 'sitting' area with its generous shade. The light breeze in the air cooled the sunk-kissed skin and it did help relieve some of the itch from the wound as well. "Perfect," he crooned.
Atomu sat down and got himself comfortable, spreading out his deep purple robes with the frilly flower print down its center with splashes of white and pink. It was quite the contrast to his naturally pale skin. Atomu's pointed fox ears flickered atop his head as he listened to the chirping and buzzing of the area around and gobbled up his second treat a little more impatiently than the first. When he was done, he leaned his head back against the bark of the trees, his silky hair framing his face in strands colored like freshly fallen snow. His amber colored eyes matched the sunset in the distance and even took on a slight pink hue thanks to the lighting. Atomu smiled softly and picked up a foxtail weed and placed the tip in his mouth to chew the stem. He closed his eyes with the full intention of napping.
It wasn't long before his rest was interrupted by a little chirping beside him. He opened a single eye and spotted the tiny fox kit that was bobbing its head as it looked at him. The silly thing didn't know what to make of him. He grinned at his fox brother and slowly pulled the weed out of his mouth and extended it towards the animal. He dangled the fuzzy bit in the air to get its attention and then started to drag it across the grass. He was awarded with a louder 'yip' as the four-legged creature hurried after it and attacked the fuzzy tip. The fox even swallowed the fuzzy and Atomu couldn't help but laugh. "You are not supposed to eat it," he told the fox. The kit just stared at him and tilted its head to the side. Atomu indulged the baby by waving his own tail at the kit and watched as it tried to jump up after the appendage when Atomu lifted it. He continued to play with the little one even when the tyke eventually managed to bite down on the tail. Hard. "Oi! Quite the bite you've got there," he winced.
Unfortunately, the game didn't last much longer. A woman's voice called out in the distance then. Atomu lifted his head as his ears pointed forward. The little kit rushed away, calling for its mother in fright. Atomu tilted his head to the side as he judged the distance of where the call had come from. He couldn't quite make out what the woman was saying but the tenor seemed quite stressed. The kitsune got to his feet as he hurried after the sound. He wasn't going to abandon someone in distress after all. He quickly found himself in front of an old well lined with vines and weeds sticking out if its creases. Had someone fallen into the well? He cautiously moved closer and peered down into the hole. The sun was making it difficult to see into the darker area but he could see there was someone at the bottom.
"Are you all right?" he called. "Did you break something?" His gaze had already lifted looking for something he could use to help pull the woman out. It wouldn't do if she broke her arm or something though. She wouldn't be able to climb out. He may have to tie something out here with whatever he found and go in after her and pull her out. He really hoped he didn't have to do that.