A Fox’s Deception

“Who’s there!”

At that moment, a sharp voice rang out. Peering through the bushes, she saw a young, slender man. Sohwa tilted her head.

‘Who is this?’

It was someone whom she had never seen before.

“This is the sacred mountain where the Mountain King resides! Didn’t you see the warning ropes at the entrance of the village? Humans are forbidden to set foot here!”

His scolding was so severe it made her ears ring. Startled, Sohwa covered her ears and pushed through the branches to reveal herself.

“What brings you here, sir? I am not a stranger, but a long-time resident of Mount Yeehwang.”

The man’s eyes widened at the sight of her. He was a delicate young man with light brown eyes and fair skin.

He hesitated, then pointed up at the hawthorn tree with a startled face.

“A-Are you perhaps the owner of these claw marks?”

Claw marks? Looking where he pointed, Sohwa saw terrifying tiger claw marks all over the tree.