Muzaka laid on his back right next to where he had smelled the strange scent, arms behind his head and legs crossed at the ankles. He had always enjoyed stargazing. The oak tree's branches covered most of the sky, but he could still see some stars through the leaves.

The others had departed hours ago. None of them had been as interested in the stranger as he was, nor did they believe that the stranger would return. He honestly didn't believe she would either, but tensions were running high between himself, Maduke and Zaiga, so he had decided to remain here for a little while so as to avoid any further conflict.

It wasn't like he needed to be anywhere, and this was as nice a place as any to spend some time.

The stars wheeled overhead as the night progressed. This island was one he had never travelled to before, so the positions of the stars were new to him. He smiled softly to himself.

Dark clouds began to form overhead as the wind picked up, blowing the stranger's scent toward him. Had she really been a Noble? He had never met a Noble before, so it wasn't like he had anything to compare her to. And what would they have been doing on this island anyway?

…. This couldn't be the Noble's homeland, could it? He shook his head, quickly dismissing the thought. No, he seriously doubted that was the case. If it were, why had no one come to investigate why five werewolf warriors were on their land?

The clouds above thickened, blocking out the stars. In the distance he could see flashes of lightning, though it was too far away for even his hearing to pick up the thunder. It probably wouldn't rain here then, not for a couple of hours at least.

A nearly full moon was sinking lower in the sky opposite the storm clouds, its soft glow providing the only light on this otherwise black night.

The wind buffeted the leaves above and the scent was brought to him again, stronger this time. It frustrated him that he did not know who the scent belonged to, that he had seen her and yet was unaware of her identity. What was she? Who was she? What was her name? Why had she been on this hilltop? Why did she run? Where did she go?

So many questions and no hope of answers.

The storm crept closer, the frequent lightning now providing light as well.

He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them wearily. Two stars above him kept winking in and out of sight. Perhaps the clouds were breaking up, though the ferocity of the storm seemed to negate this possibility.

A flash of lightning illuminated the stars again.

…. Odd.

He sat up, closely watching the slice of sky he had seen the stars.

Another flash and his eyes widened. He leapt up and into the tree, coming to rest on a branch not too far from the ground.

His startled silver eyes met the blue eyes of a white fox, a white fox with nine tails.

He stared, mouth agape, for a full minute. Then he smiled. "Hello, stranger."

Her soft peal of laughter rang out for a moment before the storm broke around them.

-xxxxxxx-

A/N: I have stuff I probably should be writing, and yet, this lol. For those wondering, she's a kitsune, a Japanese Yokai, and no this isn't a Naruto reference or anything lol. Kitsune are foxes that can take the shape of humans (usually women) and are said to have extended life-spans, superior intelligence and supernatural powers. Generally the more tails a kitsune has the older, wiser and stronger they are. Nine tails is the most, and when they reach nine tails (one tail every hundred years seems to be the general consensus) they turn white, hence the character above.

Zara is a character I made up, not a canon character.

The island he's on is an island in Japan.

Not sure about Kitsune, but I do know that artic foxes are sometimes called snow cats, because they can and do climb trees, a fact I find endlessly fascinating ^-^ so I'm mixing fantasy and reality here lol

This idea has been bumping around in my head for months, because I think Kitsune would be a cool addition to the Noblesse Universe :) I have a name and something of a backstory for her, but I just wanted to post this and get it off my chest while my muse was around. As with every story I post, I hope to write more.

(Also, the 'stars' he was seeing was the reflection of her eyes up in the tree. Just in case you were wondering lol)

Hope y'all like!