Kana sprinted through the forest on all fours, her face splattered with red blood, she growled as she rapidly looked around the forest before eventually slamming into a person headfirst, grunting before she looked up at them with wild eyes, growling as she slowly backs up, looking ready to pounce and attack them at any moment, her tails standing up straight as she digs her claws into the soil

You're no one special human. Back off, or else I'll tear you apart. Her ears flatten against her head as she lowers her body closer to the ground, hissing and showing her teeth in a snarl

Kana grunts, her body tensing as she bares her teeth and paws the ground in aggression. A low growl rumbles through her chest, almost echoing off of the nearby trees

So what if I do? You can't possibly help me against them. Besides, it's none of your concern. Now get out of my way before you end up hurt. Her voice rasps through her throat as she glares at the human with narrowed eyes

Kana takes an unsteady step backward, her golden eyes darting between the human and the forest around them. Her ears slowly twitch as she listens to his words and considers his offer of help. Finally, she mutters under her breath before taking another step away from him "Fine... I won't fight you. But if it turns out that you can't protect me..." She pauses, swallowing hard. "...Or if you just want to hurt me like they did, I won't go down easy." Her tail sways slowly behind her as she watches him warily.

Kana narrows her eyes, not quite able to hide the skepticism in her gaze. "They hurt you too...?" she repeats slowly, taking another step backward as if to gauge his sincerity. Even though a small part of her wants to trust him, instinct screams at her to be cautious around anyone claiming to understand her pain

Kana's ears perk up slightly at his words, and she glances over the human with a newfound curiosity. His features aren't as severe as those of her previous captors, and there's something about him that seems... gentler. Still, she remains cautious as she asks warily, "What do you want from me?" Her golden eyes flicker to the forest once more before returning to his face

Kana pauses for a moment, unsure how to respond to his assertion that he wants nothing from her. Finally, she shrugs, her expression unreadable as she murmurs, "Alright..." She takes another step backward, further away from him but still keeping an eye on the forest behind them both. Despite her efforts to maintain a tough exterior, there's a hint of vulnerability in the way she holds herself that betrays her wounded state.

"No... I don't suppose I do..." She trails off, her voice quiet and uncertain. Part of her wishes that she could trust him enough to ask for his help, but another part of her is too scared to put her faith in anyone else after what they've done to her before. Her tail slowly wags back and forth as she studies the human warily.

Her eyes flick over his form again, taking in his build, the way he moves, his expression. There's something about him that does seem... familiar. Not in a specific sense, but just... like someone she could trust. She licks her lips nervously, gathering up the courage to ask, "Why are you here? And how do I know I can trust you?"

Kana watches the human as he answers her questions. His expression seems honest enough, and he doesn't appear to be lying about his motives. Still, trust doesn't come easily to her. "So... you just happened to be walking here at this exact moment?" she says skeptically, her tail tense against her body as she prepares for any sudden moves on his part.

Despite herself, she can't help but wonder what it would be like to feel trust and companionship again. The longing in her chest aches almost physically, and the thought of returning to her lonely existence is suddenly unbearable. But she knows better than most that even when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. She takes a deep breath, trying to steel herself for whatever may come next.

Kana eyes the human warily. "And how can I be sure that you aren't working with them?" she growls, her claws digging into the dirt as if to ground herself against the turmoil of emotions within her. "Maybe they sent you here to bring me back." Her tense posture betrays both her fear and anger, making it clear that she is prepared to fight or flee at a moment's notice.

The thought that this human might not be who he says he is leaves her feeling even more vulnerable than before, but she can't let down her guard now. Not until she knows for certain whether he can be trusted. Even then, trust will never come easily again.

Kana glances at the human's head and spots his fox ears. A small flicker of surprise crosses her features before she composes herself once more, eyeing him warily. "You're not wearing a disguise?" she asks suspiciously, unsure why that particular detail would reassure her in any way but still finding it difficult to ignore the possibility.

She takes another step backward, maintaining some distance between them as she continues to assess him. "How do I know you aren't just like them? How do I know I can trust you won't hurt me?" Her voice is soft yet carries a hard edge that betrays her emotional turmoil.

Kana narrows her eyes skeptically and takes another step backward, studying the human's ears closely. Her fingers twitch, itching to reach out and test his claim that she can pull on them. Finally, after a long moment of hesitation, she slowly extends a clawed hand towards him. "Alright," she says softly, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "You win."

Her fingers brush against his ear and she tugs gently, her expression intense as she watches for any sign of resistance or pain on his part. When he doesn't react negatively, a tiny spark of trust begins to flicker within her chest. It's small and fragile, but it's there nonetheless. "Okay," she says, withdrawing her hand and taking another step backward. "If you aren't lying... I suppose we can try trust

Kana paused, her golden eyes studying the human as he spoke. His words echoed through her mind, stirring up memories of pain and suffering that she had long tried to bury. The offer of help was almost too much for her to bear; it was a temptation she hadn't dared to dream about since her escape. Taking a shaky breath, she replied in a soft voice barely above a whisper, "Alright... if you can really help me... then I guess there's no harm in trusting you."

Her tail swayed nervously behind her as she took another step backward, unsure what to expect from this strange human who had somehow wormed his way into her broken heart. A tiny flicker of hope ignited within her chest, threatening to burn away the layers of mistrust and fear that had been built up over countless days of torment. But she couldn'

Kana snorted softly and glanced away, her golden eyes searching the trees around them as if looking for some sort of escape route in case things didn't go as planned. "I never thought I'd be saying this," she muttered under her breath, "but I guess we'll just have to see how it goes." Her tail twitched once before laying still against the ground, and she took another step backward, maintaining a respectful distance from him but no longer trying to actively avoid his presence.

A part of her knew that trust was a dangerous game to play; one wrong move could send her spiraling back into the darkness she had fought so hard to escape from. But as she studied the human's face, something told her that he meant well, and for now, that would have to be enough.

Her ears perked forward as he spoke again, the faintest hint of curiosity sparking within

Kana blinks, then glances down at her muzzle. Blood stains her face and lips, a harsh reminder of the pain she's endured. She looks back up at the human, her expression unreadable for a moment before she nods slowly. "Alright," she mutters, voice rough from disuse and strain

Trusting him enough to let him get close enough to clean her face... It was a risk. A tiny one, but a risk nonetheless. Still, as her gaze meets his once more, there's something about the way he holds himself that tells her she can trust this fox. Maybe it's the same something she saw in herself, before they took everything away from her.

She tilts her head to the side slightly, exposing her bloody snout as a gesture of submission and trust. "Go ahead," she says softly, taking another

Kana's ears perk forward and she glances down at herself before looking back up at him with a surprised smile. The warmth in her chest spreads as he calls her cute; it feels foreign but welcome all the same. She pants softly, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another. "T-Thank you," she manages to stammer, her cheeks darkening slightly.

The blood on her snout is gone now, and she can feel herself relaxing just a little more into his presence. It's strange how quickly he's been able to win her trust, but then again... She hasn't felt this safe or accepted since before they took her away from everything she'd ever known.

Her tail sways slowly behind her, and she takes another step closer to him, their bodies mere inches apart now. "I don't suppose I could ask your name, could I?"

Kana blinks, her ears perking slightly forward at the name. "Foxin...a...itaer?" she asks slowly, testing the sound of it on her tongue as she looks up at him with a curious expression. There's something familiar about his scent, and now that she thinks about it, his eyes seem to hold a hint of gold in them as well. Could he be related to another fox she once knew? The one who tried to help her escape from the beginning?

"You... you're not just any fox," she murmurs, taking another step closer to him. "Are you... are you from my old pack?" She hesitates for a moment, unsure how much of her past she should reveal to this stranger who might yet turn out to be no different than the rest of them.

Kana blinks, tilting her head to the side as she watches him carefully. "I... I don't remember many foxes from my old pack. Only you and one other," she says softly, lowering her gaze briefly before meeting his eyes once more. There's a faint glimmer of hope in her golden irises that she tries to quash almost instantly; this human has only known her for mere moments, and she can't afford to get her hopes up again.

The tension ebbs slightly from her body as they stand together, close enough that she can feel the warmth of his breath against her fur. It's a strange sensation, but it's comforting in its own way. She swallows hard and takes another step closer to him, her tail wrapping tightly around her legs as if seeking safety.

"I... I suppose we should get going," she says finally,

Kana freezes, her ears perking up and her eyes widening as she takes a step backward away from him "Wait... no! I don't know you!" She pauses, glancing around the forest nervously before turning back to him. "I should probably find someplace else to hide for now," she mutters, lowering her head slightly.

The idea of trusting this stranger is terrifying, but the alternative—returning to the lab or wandering the forest alone—is even worse. She bites her lip, torn between fear and desperation, unable to decide what the safest choice really is.

Kana hesitates, glancing between the human and the forest around them before finally nodding slowly. Her tail still wrapped tightly around her legs, she takes a tentative step closer to him. "Okay... I'll go with you," she whispers softly, almost afraid to believe that she's actually making this choice