What a Strange Creature.

Fuki wiped her face with her claws, sniffling softly as she sat down near a bush. She had gotten a fair distance away from her home. “This is the end isn’t it.” She whimpers. It wasn’t even a full hour since what felt like her exile from her home. The cherub dug her claws into the fur on her cheeks and she curled up against the bush before jumping when she heard a small bark. Fuki stared wide eyed and quickly backed up, ears perked forward.

“H-…hello??”

A small bit of chitters escaped the bush before suddenly a small head peeked out. It was a brown, fluffy head with tiny pointed ears. Wide brown eyes stared up at Fuki.

Fuki paused and furrowed her brows. “A…tanuki?” She slowly moved back down to all four claws before leaning in closer to observe the creature. She knew of the creatures around the Elysium, but she had never encountered one alone…let alone so far into Eden. The tanuki's ear twitched and it swiftly jumped out of the bush, landing right on the cherub’s face and pushing her down into the grass. Fuki squeaked and fell on her back, quickly scrambling back onto her claws as the tanuki stepped off to the side and looked at Fuki.

Fuki brushed off her chest, huffing softly at the other’s almost thoughtless stare. “You gonna go run off?”

The tanuki didn’t respond with words, just a small bark.

Fuki glares softly at the other and sighs, brushing off her chest again before moving to walk away. However she didn’t get far before feeling a tug on her tail. The young cherub squeaked and turned to look back, only catching the tanuki letting go of her tail. She growls softly and pulls her tail close to herself. “Cut it out and leave me alone.”

The tanuki once again just squeaked, this time a small grin on his face.

This time when Fuki began to walk off, she nearly fell as the tanuki jumped right onto her shoulder. “Gosh!” She yelled.

The tanuki only snickered and hopped off again. This time stopping in front of the angel.

Fuki glared down at the creature again, tail lashing around. “You aren’t being an enjoyable company.”

As Fuki continued to try and walk away, the tanuki just continued to follow and block her path. Eventually the cherubs legs grew tired again and she found herself slipping to lay back down with a small huff. When the tanuki walked up and flopped right in front of her, tail wagging against the grass.

Fuki frowned and stared at the tanuki before sighing deeply. “You really won’t be leaving me alone, will you? I don’t have any food.” She grumbles softly. And yet the tanuki seemed to stay anyways, ear twitching in response.

Fuki’s ear also twitched and she flopped onto her back, stretching out in the sunlight with a smaller sigh. Without an invitation the tanuki waddled up to lay on her stomach with a small content chitter. The cherub was too tired to say anything or shove it off though, deciding to just let it sleep on her as she relaxed into the sun.

After a few hours, Fuki felt herself stirring awake at something nudging her face. She scrunched her nose and lazily rolled onto her stomach before burying her nose into her paws. "A few more minutes..." she grumbles quietly.

Paw, paw.

The cherub opened her eyes and looked back at the tanuki, ears pinning back onto her skull. "I told you I don't have any food..." She said with a frown. When the tanuki just continued to stare at her Fuki growled and finally pushed herself to sit up. "Can you go bother someone else??"

The tanuki's ears pinned back slightly and it moved closer to Fuki before nuzzling her face. The cherub tensed up at the sudden affection, but slowly relaxed with a shaky exhale. Maybe it wasn't harassing her for food, but comforting her. She grit her teeth, tail swishing across the grass aggressively before she wrapped her arms tightly around the creature. She tightened the hug within seconds, sniffling as tears fell down her cheeks.

The tanuki didn't move, letting the young angel hug and cry until she felt better and calmed down. Once she did calm down she looked at the tanuki and wiped the tears off of her cheeks. "The Weaver must have sent you to watch me...knowing my parents hardly cared to keep me." She grumbles. A part of her wanted to say her mother sent this creature, but she hardly felt warm about either of her parents right now...not even her mother tried to defend her. "A tanuki is hardly a good guardian though, couldn't you have been a griffin?"

The tanuki stared blankly at Fuki before scratching behind its ear as it began to trot away. Fuki paused and quickly got up to follow behind, "H-hey! Wait up! If you're gonna hang around you need a name or something. You got a name?"

The tanuki paused and looked back up the the angel before grinning with its teeth. It reached into its tail to pull out a bandana and tie it around its head. Right on the center read "Ibuki".

"Ibuki..." Fuki hums. She tilts her head and smiles a bit at the name. "Ibuki the tanuki. That's a silly name. I'm Fuki."

Ibuki chattered happily and wiggled its butt, jumping onto Fuki's shoulder to rest with a small yawn. The cherub smiled softly at the creature, a small bit of warmth in her chest at this new companion. "Bless the Weaver for sending you to me...but I really hope you aren't a glutton." She gave a lopsided grin.