“Ah, there you are.” Shichi glanced up in an instant. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy to see Chiyo. He’d been sitting in the cold for nearly an hour. The villagers had eventually returned, their weapons…

The only thing louder than the rain was the sound of Chiyo’s laughter. The fox was completely overcome, collapsed on the muddy ground as she cackled at Shichi’s predicament. “I-I thought you were adorable before,” she snickered. “But this is…