Part 1.4! Anzou finally meets someone friendly but she seems to have more in mind for him.

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A Fox in Wolves Clothes is a novel length story that I'll be uploading periodically, probably once a week. The original idea came from this short story that I wrote (https://www.sofurry.com/view/1930299) but I expanded the story because I wanted to know more about the characters! It's been sitting in my files for over a year 90% finished and I hope that starting to load it will give me the kick in the tail to actually finish it.

It's divided into 3 parts. Part 1 is about Anzou arriving on the strange shores of Kaugrush. Part 2 is him discovering secrets about himself and others. Part 3 is where it all comes together in a twisty turvey ending.

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The only thing Anzou could focus on as he followed Willow and the other Tuff Tails was his own tail. Theirs were different than his, slender with fur that crept up them almost like ridges of a mountain. His looked no different than a bushy tree and anyone looking closely would probably be able to tell. Anzou thanked his stars that he had his cloak and that it hid his body, also that he had kept the sight from Willow. Still, he’d have to figure out how to adjust it so he could pass it off as a Canine tail.
Willow lead the small gang through the back streets and towards the main roads where the vendors had been. The sun sat halfway over the horizon casting a golden glow over the town but the streets were no less crowded, if anything there were more. The lanterns that had been strung were being lit, adding to the mystical feel of the evening. Anzou thought to himself what they meant before Fen nudged him.
“What do they do for Progenitor’s Day in Wellspring?” He asked, a goofy grin spread over his face. Another question Anzou had no idea how to answer. He had some vague idea of what a Progenitor was but not a full picture. A deity? No. Some ruler? No, that didn’t quite fit ether. Yet when he thought hard about it he knew something was beyond the fog of memory. Fen continued to look towards him with that grin, he had to answer somehow. His stomach, still screaming for some sort of food, provided the answer.
“A large feast.” He said keeping as vague as possible. No festival could be complete without some sort of food he thought and the little cub jumped.
“Ooh! Exciting! Do they have Housha there?” He asked and Anzou felt cornered agin but slightly shook his head.
“I don’t know what Housha is?” Anzou said and Fen’s face changed from excitement to worry.
“It’s only the most delicious thing in Kaugrush!” He started and began to list of a bunch of ingredients.
“Fen, quiet!” It was Willow. “Fang, take Heel, Ay, Read and Fen and get some Housha.” She gave him the collection of coins that they had been counting. “Anzou come with me.” She said. Fang gave a goofy grin, took the money and raced down into the crowd with the other’s behind him.
“I’ll get some for you!” Fen called, waving back as he disappeared into the crowd of Canines in the streets. Something felt a little off as Anzou looked to Willow but a sly smile curled at the edge of her muzzle and she tilted her head as a gesture to follow. Anzou did and they found themselves in an alley just on the other side of Ol Whiskers stall. He still stood behind it, all be it much grumpier looking than when Anzou had seen him before.
“Trying to steal from Ol Whiskers is gutsy.” Willow said.
“Why? He seems pretty harmless.” Anzou said back, looking over the meek Canine again. His ears still looked to close together and now his eyes felt a little too far apart as well.
“Why do you think we call him Ol’ Whiskers?” Willow said turning back to Anzou. Then she rubbed one of her own whiskers with two fingers and made a pulling motion. “If he catches ya, he’ll rip out your whiskers one by one. Hurts like hell.” She said. Anzou at first wanted to say is that it? Pulling out ones whiskers? While painful he thought it was pretty lax but held himself from saying it. These Canines were all but cubs, and the sights that he’d seen over the last few days had been things any cub would have fallen apart at. So instead of that he feigned a motion to his own whiskers.
“Ouch.” He said and she nodded.
“Which is why you’re going to try again. You want that Moon Fruit so badly, let’s get you some!” She smirked, her sharp fangs glinting in the fading light. “I’ll make a distraction, you go behind and take it.”
She didn’t wait for a nod or any confirmation and just sunk into the crowd, disappearing in seconds. What was she going to do? When would he know what the distraction was? A sense of urgency filled him and he looked back towards Ol’ Whiskers. The baskets had been set back up again and were only a quarter full now. So Ol’ Whiskers has had a pretty good day. Anzou said to himself.
Anzou moved to a better position, crossing the busy street and falling back into an alley that was a few paces from the side of the stall, a much better vantage. He peaked around the corner at Ol’ Whiskers and waited. What would the distraction be? His eyes darted around. He saw Canines of all sorts, large ones like Baruuk, meek ones like Ol’ Whiskers, but most importantly he saw weapons. Not everyone carried one, in fact most didn’t but he noticed that around one out of every ten and their paws resting on some sort of small blade. Hidden and out of sight.
It was a subtle sound, a quiet snap, but as soon as it happened one of the lines of lanterns strung across the street began to fall. A shout and then points as the Canines attempted to get out of the way of the falling lanterns. The distraction! Anzou looked back to Ol’ Whiskers. He’d ran out of the way of the falling lamps and ducked with his paws over his head. Now!
Anzou dashed behind the now empty stall and reached into the basket for one of the Moon Fruits, this time gently grasping. It gave slightly and sloshed with juice. Got it! He told himself and moved to run but then thought about it. There wasn’t that many fruits let in the basket, might not be that difficult to take the whole thing. So Anzou turned, picked the basket up and made a dash for it right as hell broke out.
He’d only made it a few paces when one of the lanterns, still attached to its line fell into one of the buildings. There was no stopping it and the flame immediately jumped from the lantern to the building, spreading quickly over the dry wood. Screams rose to the sky as a panic set in. A few of the other lanterns had fallen onto other vendor stalls as well, sparking a tinderbox that roared to life.
Ash and soot filled the air clouding Anzou’s vision. He squinted, looking for a way to escape but every alley was clogged with Canines running from the quickly growing out of control blaze. He didn’t know what told him not to panic, not to scream and drop his prize but something said calm. Assess the situation and act. The alleys were blocked and were probably much more dangerous with panic stricken drunken Canines trying to get away. The best option, run down the middle of the now empty street!
He ran past a still cowering Ol’ Whiskers. He was hunched down, arms over his head and wheezing from the ash. Anzou didn’t have to stop but he did. He dropped the basket, threw back his hood, and shook the Canine.
“Get out of here, you’ll die if you stay still!” Anzou yelled among the cries. Ol’ Whiskers, paws still shaking uncontrollably looked from his terror. If he recognized Anzou he didn’t show it but it wouldn’t have mattered. Anzou pointed down the street. “Just go!” He commanded pushing the Canine in the direction. He stumbled and almost fell but dashed for the edge of town. Anzou grabbed the basket and started to make his own way towards the edge of town.
The smoke grew thick. It stung his eyes and tears welled, trying in vein to see through the blackness. It swirled like a miasma, searching for something to take down. Soot dominated his muzzle and the hot air singed his lungs forcing every breath to be a raspy cough. His plan of escape fell apart, the smoke had grown so thick that he didn’t which way was which!
Anzou’s head grew light. He was losing it, losing his battle with the smoke. It wouldn’t be long now. They’d find him, dead in the street still gripping to the stolen Moon Fruit, figure he’s a Fox. No! There had to be something to do, had to be a way out! But even his thoughts grew tired, like just stopping them was much easier, like just letting it go was the thing to do. Maybe it was right, maybe this was the way to go. Something told him he wasn’t supposed to have survived, perhaps this was the world’s way of righting a wrong and he let go.
A cloaked figure moved through the smoke. Anzou’s eyes, burning from the haze passed it off as a dying ghost but it stopped. He heard a strange voice, it was speaking something had made no sense to him but felt familiar in a way. Then a shape, intricately complex with perfect lines and angles, brillianty illuminated with its own light shone for half a heart beat. A gust of wind swirled around the figure and suddenly all the fire was gone. The acidic taste in his mouth evaporated, his lungs filled with clean air, the heat evaporated in an instant as the starry night sky, with its three moons, became clear.
Anzou looked to the figure. He was cloaked, hidden from the world behind a dark hood. Exactly like him. Yet, a pair of grey eyes peered through that darkness at him. They shuttered and he took a step towards Anzou like a beast ready to strike. It was then the pain surged back into his head. The eyes bore into his very soul, like it were ripping his head in two. He saw the shape again, the nine sided figure with intricately complex angles and lines filling it. A scream ripped through the air. It wasn’t the figures, it wasn’t anyone else. It was his.
“Anzou!” Willow cried. The figure both looked to see Willow rushing towards him. Be it taken by surprise or just not sure what to think the figure stopped and Anzou, mind still pounding, took his chance. He forced a jump to his feet, grabbed the basket and rushed towards Willow. Then they both escaped leaving the figure behind.

Getting back to the hideout was more difficult than when Fen had showed him. The alleys and side streets were still filled with Canines all chatting among themselves over what happened. Most were at some level of intoxication and the smell of alcohol wafted from their fur. Still though, the fact that alcohol and general debauchery was the only thing he could smell and not the remains of the town, burnt to a crisp, was strangely comforting. The two weaved through the legs of Canines who paid no mind to what looked like two young Canines heading home.
Once they had made it back to the outer part of down, it wasn’t as deserted as it had been with some having sought refuge there but Willow didn’t pay them any mind. She climbed the stacked boxes and slipped through the window. Then she leaned out and extended a paw. Anzou, unsure if she was extending it to him or reaching for the basket of fruit defaulted to handing her the fruit. She gripped it and Anzou climbed up and through the window. Once inside Willow knocked on the wood frame of the door and a familiar voice spoke.
“What is-”
“Its me.” Willow interrupted, walking straight through the door. Anzou followed. Inside a few bright candles burned and he found himself overly relieved to see every member of the Tuff Tails all together, sitting in a half circle holding sticks skewered with some sort of fish, or rather, sea creature, doused in a heavy sauce. They all looked to Willow, eyes wide with fear.
“What happened?” Fang spoke first. Willow dropped the basket of Moon Fruit in the center of the circle, grabbed two of them, and returned to her regal seat near the window. She bit into one of the fruits and it exploded with juice, which she lapped up with a quiet solace.
“Nothing, everything’s fine.” She said and then shot an eye towards Anzou. “But you.” The words turned sour and Anzou thought he saw her bare her teeth ever so slightly, he recoiled. Fen stood up. “You…” then she tossed the fruit towards him and he caught it, careful not to squeeze too tight. “You’ve earned a spot!” She smirked. Anzou felt the fruit in his paws. His stomach roared and muzzle ached for it but thought for a second.
“I thought you said I already had it?” He asked.
“Trust but verify.” She said in the midst of another bite. Anzou wanted to ask more questions but he couldn’t take it anymore and he sank his fangs deep into the red fruits flesh. He didn’t know exactly what to expect but it didn’t matter, it exceeded anything he had imagined. The moment his fangs punctured it, it began to gush its nectar, spraying into his muzzle. The juice was sweet, sweeter than the most coveted food in the highest castle. He chewed and the flesh, a texture similar to a loose jelly, began with the same sweetness before transitioning to a savory saltiness that somehow complimented the juice. It was devine. The entire thing was gone before he realized it.
“Don’t eat too much, you’ll get sick!” Fen piped up and the gang looked to him with a questioning look. He shrank back as a nervous grin spread over his face. “It’s just something my dad says.” He offered and all of them, except Anzou and Willow laughed.
The late night had come and all of the Tuff Tails had left, returning to their own homes. Except for Willow who stayed in her chair. Anzou had eaten his weight in fruit and Housha which turned out to be some sort of bottom fish slathered in a salty sweet glaze. The idea was to eat it off the stick, bones and all. He thought the bones worrying at first but his hunger won over and it turned out to be delicious in the end. Stomach full for the first time in what he could remember Anzou felt content.
“Why don’t you go home?” He asked Willow after silence had fallen over them for some time. She settled in the chair, sitting on it sideways and looking out the moonlit river and fields.
“Same reason you don’t I assume.” She turned to him. “Don’t have one.” It wasn’t an unexpected realization, after all Fen had said she was the only one who was not from around here.
“Why here?” He asked and she shrugged.
“You ask a lot of questions questions.” She smiled, what Anzou was becoming to recognize as a knowing smirk, but her eyes grew heavy and she looked back to the night. “It was the first place I came across after running from the attacks.” She paused but Anzou didn’t push. “They started small at first, we didn’t think much of them. One day long boats landed on the shore, their decks filled with silver tongued devils.” Anzou’s muzzle went dry, that’s what Tillah had referred to him as…a silver tongued devil. He forced his body not to react. “They charged without mercy…my father and the other men went to stop them but they didn’t have the armor or weapons to match. Just their claws and enough time to let-” her words stopped and she held a breath before letting it out. “To let me get away.” Anzou felt himself at a loss, holding his tongue but she looked to him. “You?”
“I…” Anzou’s mind had already created an entire story that he was pretty sure anyone would buy. A young cub, orphaned by disease and left to wonder. It was clean, easy to tell, believable, and neigh disprovable. But he stopped. “I don’t know.” Anzou said pulling his cloak further over himself. “I woke on a beach a few days ago. I know nothing of what was before.” Willow didn’t react how he thought she would. He thought she would look back out the window and say something half profound but no, she just laughed.
“If you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to!” She finished but Anzou didn’t look away. Willow hopped down from her chair and moved closer. “Honestly it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve figured out a way to survive.” She said. Anzou wanted to plead with her that he was telling the truth but something told him that he shouldn’t, his instincts said to hold back. So instead he reached into his cloak and pulled out a leather bag weighed down with an entire days take of coins.
“Compliments of Ol’ Whiskers. Don’t tell the others.” Anzou said. Willow stood shocked, like she was trying to figure out when Anzou had a chance to do that. “I found him cowering, he would have died if I didn’t tell him to move. Thought it was proper payment.” Anzou smirked while Willow’s smile widened.
“Verified.”