The problem was, she didn't think she could outrun it. She could hear it gaining on her, and didn't dare look back!

The world around her began to slip into darkness, and with only a little crescent moon tonight, Freya didn't expect to be able to see to navigate. She took a sharp right turn, hoping to throw the pursuing vaesen off. It seemed to work, a little, but it didn't buy her enough time. She got a glimpse of how close it was when she turned. She ran parallel to the creek, looking for a place where she could get across, but there wasn't a chance!

She turned and slashed at the beast with her knife, and it halted, backing off a little. A chase it was prepared for, but a fight was unexpected. It eyed her and the knife, and Freya bent her knees and held the knife close to her chest, ready to slash at the creature if it came close.
The bear creature feinted, and Freya swung her knife. After a moment, it feinted again, and again she took the bait and swung her knife. It grinned unsettlingly at her and charged! She tried to block with the knife, but it knocked it from her hand.
Freya gasped and flailed, trying to catch the knife before it tumbled out of range, and failed. She fell on her butt in the dirt. The vaesen let out a gravelly chuckle and advanced on her. She raised her arms over her head defensively.

A new shape appeared behind the bear, with a glint of red sun on steel. A sword cleaved the bear vaesen in two, and Freya gasped. A pair of golden eyes gleamed green in the setting sunlight as the newcomer fixed his gaze on her. Freya felt the blood drain from her face at the familiarity of those eyes.

"Are you hurt?" a deep, smooth voice asked. His voice sent a shiver down her spine. He had the accent of someone from the Far East, but he was clearly a vaesen. He was nearly as tall as the bear creature had been. He had a long muzzle, pointed ears, and several tails. He was covered in orange fur, except for his cheeks, chin and chest, which were white. His hands and feet were black. He wore strange red and black robes that were clearly silk, and covered in fine embroidery. It looked expensive.

"A-a, a fo-ox?" Freya stammered.

The creature flashed a toothy smile.
"Yes, I am a fox. A fox yokai, actually."

Freya didn't recognize that word, but she understood contextually that it probably meant something similar to vaesen.

"Oh, ah, I-I'm not hurt," she said, finally remembering to answer his question, while patting herself to make sure.

"Good." The fox flicked his sword, clearing it of blood, before sheathing it in a smooth motion.

"What are you?" Freya asked, confused. "I mean, besides a fox?"

He smiled.
"What will you give me if I answer?" he asked, his voice almost a purr.