An arrow whizzed past her from behind, striking a nearby tree with a deadly fwop. Runa didn't have time to look back; she had to keep running, deeper and deeper into the woods. The humans were right behind her; three or four men armed with swords and crossbows, shouting their brutish obscenities. She stood little chance of fending them off if they caught up to her. Why did humans have to be such assholes all the time? Sure, she had snuck off with a bit of their gold and ale while they were snoring, but did that really warrant this cutthroat chase to the bitter end? Runa rolled her vulpine eyes, dashing behind a tree to narrowly dodge another arrow.

Glancing back through the spaces between the trees, she met eyes with one of her pursuers. She stuck her tongue out at him and gave him a taunting wink. Catch me if you can, you metal-clad idiot, she wanted to say.

Around another tree bend she dashed, followed closely by her pursuers. Using her kitsune tail she picked up a clump of half-dried bird droppings, and flung it at one of the men, splattering it directly on the forehead of his helmet with a wet metallic *CLANG*. Runa burst into laughter. This was just as much fun as the humans were irritating.

At least, until the brutes started to close on her trail.

Back when she was a kit, Runa's mother was always scolding her for provoking some creature or another. She was always stirring up trouble.

It was only now that she understood how much she'd worried her poor mom.

When one of the men nearly caught hold of her tail, Runa decided her worldly belongings were a small penance for her life and took her fox form. She scampered away through the underbrush. For a moment things still hung by a delicate thread, swords slashed through the brush in a last-ditch effort to reach her. . .and then she was home free.

Or at least, free to hit the next town and steal someone's clothes.