Kita flicked a finger at the one grabbing his wrist. White foxfire teased his assailant's fingers, the neko youth let go with a cry, and bounced up and down in a circle while clutching his hand. Kita almost stopped and stared in confusion, it certainly pulled him out of his anger. When had his blue foxfire turned white? It had been years since he'd called it forth, but he had never heard of such a thing. This encounter raised a lot of questions that Kita would have to explore later.

The fox created a staff with his magic, instead of his usual katana blades. He didn't want to kill these kittens, only scare them into behaving. He didn't want to damage his hands either, so a staff seemed like a good answer. The staff landed perfectly in one hand. It glowed with a pearly sheen. He twisted it back and elegantly raised both hands, keeping one free so he could use his magic.

His movements flowed and ebbed as if he was dancing. You didn't survive hundreds of years without knowing how to fight, and the gang of neko wouldn't be able to stand strong against him for long. He lashed out with his staff, knocking down the cat with the short nose at the same time he flicked his fingers, telling his magic to push another attacker back.

It was harder to fight without killing, so Kita gave acute attention to any movement close by. One white haired neko climbed to the edge of a dumpster and leaped at the fox. Kita sidestepped and slapped the kitten's bottom with his staff. The cat was swatted out of the air and landed hard on the filthy concrete. He groaned and started to crawl away.

Another gang member tried to rush Kita while he was taking care of the white kitten. He spun, smacking the attacker near his ear with the side of his foot. While he was stunned, Kita swung the staff to take his legs out from under him. The gang member landed hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

A couple of neko tried to rush him from either side. He simply waited until the last moment and stepped back, letting the two of them crash together. Kita grabbed the staff with both hands and held it horizontally. He hit the two attackers hard with the staff and pushed them over their fallen cohort.

Kita moved back into his original pose, both hands held out, one holding the staff and waited for more attacks. The gang of kittens looked too afraid to try again and someone started slow clapping off to the side. Kita glanced over and it was Ginger. He still rested his back against the wall as if he had no care in the world.

“Well played little one. You're more impressive than I first thought. What is your name?” Ginger pulled himself from his place against the wall and sauntered towards the fox.

“Kita.” He said without relaxing his ready pose, he wasn't sure what the cat was up to just yet and he didn't want to be caught unaware.

“Well Kita, you have won this round. We won't try and keep you this time. My name is Akai and you have my word.” The neko continued to walk closer.

The fox dropped the staff and it disappeared in a puff of pearly smoke before it hit the ground. He turned to fully face Akai and tilted his head as the neko held out his hand for a shake. Kita furrowed his brow but reached out and clasped the offered hand.

Akai rubbed his thumb along the fox's knuckles then brought Kita's hand to his face and kissed the back of it. Kita yanked his hand back with a huff and the neko simply grinned. Akai twisted his own fingers and a flash of orange light made Kita blink. When the light dissipated a single origami rosebud was left in it's place.

The ginger cat handed it to Kita, “If you ever need anything or you just want to have a chat, simply kiss the bud and I'll show up.”

Kita blinked. “That isn't an easy spell. I wouldn't think a youth could cast it,” he said as Akai began to shoo his gang away from the back of the alley.

“That's because it's not. I only said we were all over  the age of thirty.” Akai glanced over his shoulder and winked with another grin.

Kita hadn't made the distinction when Akai had first mentioned that, he simply decided by himself that meant they were all in their thirties which was extremely young for a Yokai. The fox was impressed by the sly neko.

“He has a fiance!” called out a deep voice from behind Kita.

The orange haired neko simply shrugged without turning back around and called out, “That means he's still fair game since he isn't married yet!” Then he turned a corner and was gone from sight.