Searching for Security 2.2

Chapter 2, Part 1

Natsumi glanced towards the humans on her lands. They were back in town by now. Their dogs panted at their feet as they settled in the long house. Fires burned at her skin, a mild irritation that she had learned to quickly ignore.

Near the beaches of the shore she could feel the dull life of their food. It was weak and felt like a minor ache on her arm, or a callus on her hand. The imp felt the wind push against her face. The warm breeze was tugging at her hair and skirt.

"You must be a lonely person."

The man stopped in his tracks. His shoulders came back. He looked over his shoulder at her. His eyes thinned as he stared at the little imp. She dropped down on her heels rocking back on them. She folded her hands behind her back and smiled.

"Oh, I see. You don't like people knowing you're lonely." Natsumi skipped up to the man, and past him. She spun on her toes and backed away from him as she smiled towards his glaring eyes. "It's alright. I understand." The little red skinned imp gently touched a finger to her chest flaring her others around. "I am lonely too." She tucked her head down to look up at him, curious as his shaggy black greasy hair covered his eyes. "I suppose that's why it is hard to ignore things that make me curious." Natsumi carefully stepped closer to the fox.

He didn't back away. His chin tipped down as he stared at her until she stood just a hair's breath away, staring up into his eyes.

"You're pretty." She whispered. Emotions flashed across her face like a waterfall of thoughts. Her bushy dark brown eyebrows speckled with sands of clay and gray rock, twitched together. Her wavy hair swished against her back as the little green leafy vines clung around her neck like a draping of cloth. Her red eyes twitched with her eyebrows as they switched from pulling together, to spreading out, or up. Her eyes finally danced across his reddening cheeks. "I like your freckles." She teased.

"You are sneaky little imp." The fox slowly reached out, his long bony hands coming to rest on her shoulders. They were wide for such a small creature. The weight of his hands on her shoulders settled her down on her feet flat for once. She stepped back so she could still see him without bending backwards any farther. "Now stay in your place, and leave me alone."

The imp sighed and stepped aside bowing her head. Her wavy hair fell over her shoulders trickling down her chest.

The fox watched her. His eyes thinned as he regarded the creature to his left. "You did something," he accused bluntly.

He turned towards the girl and looked her over.

She had her hands folded in front of herself, covering them.

"You were in my pocket." He accused suddenly outraged. "Give that back!"

"I just want to look at it," she replied holding it out to the creature, her head dropping as her shoulders shot up around her ears. "I wanted to see what it looked like."

"Fine, you can see them. Leave me alone once you get your fill."

Natsumi's head shot up with a bright grin. She watched as the fox reached into his pocket and pulled out the glittery metal he hid there. He held out his large hand. Four shiny metal rings lay across his palm. Three were a cold grey that shimmered like molten sand. The last was a yellow of a warm sunset, or her pretty leaves in early fall. She smiled as she saw little flecks of color glittering over the surface of a cold grey metal band. The band was not large enough to fit around a wrist, just barely the size of a finger.

"Why did you take them?" she questioned as her small hands carefully touched the sides of his hand as her eyes caught on a glint of red from a different silver band. This stone was larger, and set out of the stone with vines of the steel like metal wrapping around it.

"They were shiny," The fox wasn't paying close attention to the girl. She glanced up for a moment and realized he focused on the road towards town. "Hurry up. I need to get moving before they come this way with news."

"They're so pretty, and I don't understand why they put these jewels on metal."

"To hold it on their person. The rings go on human fingers as a sign of wealth and endearment. The bracelet goes on the wrist and is the same."

"Do you have someone you wish to impress with these too?" Her eyes trailed over the simple golden ring. It was small and thin like a delicate new stem.

The fox chuckled and didn't bother answering the question. He pulled his hand out of her grasp, up above her head until the little imp let go and stepped back. "Now leave me alone. I am traveling far, and you will not make it."

Natsumi felt her cheeks darken. She kicked at the stones on the ground digging it out. "I don't know if I will be able to make it, but I am going with you. I want to explore and you are curious to me."
The fox took a deep breath and sighed. "Then make yourself useful and guide me through this damn forest of yours. I need to go northwest."

"Towards the mountains?" Natsumi's whole outfit brightened with more vibrant colors as she perked up. "You truly do go to the mountains after you steal?" She smiled, her teeth glittering int he light.

The fox nodded. "I do."

The imp folded her arms behind her back and swayed. "The humans give names when they make new acquaintances. Shall we practice?"

"Fine." The fox nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, gesturing out towards her, "What is it they call you?"

"Natsumi," she chirped.

The fox frowned. "That is much too hard. I shall give you something simpler."

"Alright. What is your name?"

The fox's eyebrow went up. "Don't you wish to know what I will call you?"

Natsumi dropped her head and drew with her foot. "If you are calling me it, than I shall recognize it."

"As you wish. I am Jackson."

"Jackson?" The imp giggled and smiled up at the man. "That is much too generic for the likes of you."

"Oh, and have you a better name?" He challenged with a smile.

"Kromski."

The fox's head tipped. His grey brows knit together as he considered that. "I cannot say I shall contest your nickname for me when I have yet to give you mine," He deflected. The fox turned towards the northwest and headed for the woods, eager to be underway.

The imp shifted in front of him slightly and directed them towards the path she felt would be easiest for the fox. "I shall call you Kromski, regardless of your approval." The bushes and lower branches shifted in the wind as they passed, covering their direction, and letting go of the fox's clothes.

"If you feel the dogs or humans near, you must tell me," the fox warned as he trailed after her.

"They will still recognize your scent?" Natsumi questioned glancing over her shoulder at the arctic fox.

"Yes." He held out an arm to protect him from a low branch, pushing it aside.

"They are an amazing lot of fools, are they not?" She questioned as she slowed enough to stay a step ahead, but at his side.

"The humans or the dogs?"

"The dogs. They could run free if they wished but they choose to stay with those stinky humans."

"You do not think fondly of the humans then?"

"Of course not! Why would I think fondly of them? They burn the ground and have no knack for moderation. It is hard to have them on like this. If I do come back and find they have taken liberties in my absence, I shall be put out."

"Well, Little Imp, you should stay home and ward them off, if that is how you feel. The journey could take months if we make good time. Humans are resourceful and quick. To get there and back again will take much too long."

"They will first spread towards the bay. Thoth believes that is where they came from."

"You think highly of Thoth. Is he the imp who was with you at the river?"

Natsumi blushed and dropped her head. "He was. He has gone on many adventures."

"Then adventure with him and not a stranger," the fox offered still trying his best to shake her off.

"I am sorry, but I do not consider you a stranger."

"Pray tell, what do you consider me?"

"I consider you a friend. Is that not what you consider me?"

"So suddenly? You give out your friendship cheaply Little Imp." The fox

"I don't have a reason to believe you are something foul. You steal these pretty things from the humans, but you do not attack me. You speak with me."

Jackson frowned and considered that for a while. He straightened up a little. "Most would believe that stealing is a sign that there is something bad about me. I take that which is not mine and call it my own."

"Like the humans do my land, but you do not offend me. You offend my enemy."

The two lapsed into a gentle silence as the black fox considered her words. He focused on his feet as Natsumi broke the way in front of him, her long skirt occasionally touching the bushes which gripped at her in joy. She held branches out of his way and continued to wind through the thinner parts of her undergrowth.

"I help your enemy." Jackson offered out of the silence as they crossed a field.

Natsumi stopped dead in her tracks. "Why would you help the humans?"

"They are resourceful creatures. They have brought more food for me to this island. They plant many grains and fruits which are absolutely delicious. Then, in the winter, they have these large fat birds which have no sense at all. Occasionally there's a strong one, but they are not nearly as hard to catch as a rabbit or mice."

Natsumi continued to stare at him, but now her face screwed up in confusion as she hurried after him. "You mean these humans have brought more than just the dog pests to my lands?" She rubbed her arm.

"Why do you see them as pests?" he asked, glancing down at her. "Some are delicious! Sure the dogs are a bit annoying and loud, but they are easy to fool most of the time. Sometimes they'll even help in catching one of these birds."

"They are pests because I cannot feel them." Natsumi tried to explain, hoping it made sense to him. "They leave this heavy pressure on me like I'm being pulled down, and they give nothing in return."

"Ah, but you are not working with them right." The fox held up a glittery ring. "That is why I steal."

"They already give you stuff though!" Natsumi contended, frowning as she glared up at him. "You are taking their animals and their food with no repayment."

"I do repay them. I help their plants. I am a supernatural being Little Imp-"

"Don't call me that!" Natsumi exclaimed, stomping her foot. The fox stopped to watch her, waiting for an explanation. Natsumi searched for one and eventually spat out the first thing that sounded better than 'I'm older than that' which was: "If we are to travel together than you must not refer to me as 'imp'. My kind is hunted by these humans."

"Alright. My kind is as well," Jackson assured her with a weak smile. "I am, in particular. It will be best for both of us if we can avoid them all together as we travel, but the roads are quick."

"Not as quick as straight. Now what was it you wished to say?"

Jackson's bright blue eye's widened slightly and he smiled. "I am supernatural, I have a talent just like you live as land. My power is less extreme, but it is help for the humans. I help their crops and their fields when things are going poorly. I can help revive the crops with energy and supplement the land with nutrition."

Natsumi's face softened as she considered this. She smiled over towards him. "Do you do this for me as well?"

"Hardly, you are better at the process for your own land than I could ever be."

"Could you?" she questioned gently again.

"I could. If you had a field or a single tree that you wished for me to help, I could strengthen it."

"Oh that is amazing. How would I repay you for that?"

"You? Well you don't own anything. The lands where I live do not have an imp, so I suppose I have never considered what my price would be."

"I could make you a resident, but I don't see what good that would do for you. The other animals of my land would accept you better, but it seems rather pointless aside from the benefits of hunts."

"Oh no, I am too much of a traveler to bother with such things. Do you have any material possessions?"

Natsumi frowned again, her arms crossing over her chest as she considered it. "I do not. I dislike being unable to feel my lands and my things, so I tend to abandon material possessions."

"We will have to talk more on this later. I hear water up ahead. Who's border is this?"

"This? We are near the junction of Thoth, myself, and a fairly new imp I do not often meet. I doubt she will say anything about my passing."

"What of Thoth? Do you wish to say goodbye to him?"

Natsumi gazed longingly towards the north. "I do, but you would leave me behind."

"Have your time. I will not go too far."

Natsumi smiled over towards the man. "Thank you."

The fox just nodded as they came upon a slower part of the river. It lulled across the land like a slowly moving lake rather than anything as young as the rushing currents further east. Natsumi stepped into the river and waited for Thoth to come. It didn't take him long to appear on his shore. "Thoth," Natsumi smiled.

"Who is that with you?"

"Jackson," The fox offered as he eyed the way westward.

"Jackson? That is a strong name. Are you taking Natsumi with you?"

"She wishes to come, and I am not against a bit of company." Jackson offered as he smirked down at the little imp. "She has proven to be entertaining enough."

"If you wish safe passage on my lands again, you will watch over her, Jackson."

"I would just because this naïve little girl appears to be my problem now."

"I am not completely helpless. I am in shape and I can help with the imps we will pass. Moreover I can fight well enough to ward off those bloody dogs. Thoth, please watch over my lands in my absence. Kromsky believes the humans will push inland and take them over."

"If you are going that far, you should quickly find yourself some clothes. Yours will vanish when you are too far from your lands."

Natsumi's eyes screwed into confusion. "I see. Thank you Thoth. I will miss you while I adventure, but I promise to return in one piece."

Thoth nodded and vanished into the forest behind him.

Natsumi turned towards the fox to find him on the far side heading straight towards the sun. "That is not north west."

"I know Little One. Come on, we have a long journey ahead of us and I doubt clothes will be our only trouble. Somehow that seems like the least likely thing to give us hassle." The dark fox vanished into the woods.

Natsumi felt anxiety creep up into her heart as she crossed the river. Her breathing picked up and she felt excitement dig into her heart. She had no idea adventuring would begin like this.

Chapter 3 Part 1