Well that's not something you see every day.

The fox's ears perk up, and it looks at him with a pair of intelligent hazel eyes. Do foxes typically have eyes of that color? It's very striking.

Its tail lashes, and the fox turns and hops ever-so-gracefully into the bushes by the road. Apparently it's not feeling very social. Perhaps it's afraid of him.

He is not a very fearsome person, to all appearances. Well-dressed but unarmed, without a wizard's gem-studded rings or even a hedge-wizard's hodgepodge of silver. In some places it wouldn't be wise to walk around looking so invitingly harmless - his clothes don't speak of outrageous wealth, but they do speak of some - but around here, people tend to be kind to strangers.

When the fox jumps off the road, he pauses and gazes thoughtfully into the bushes after it.

A pair of eyes look back at him. They flick towards his hands, his neck, and his hip, as if the fox knows where possible signs of danger might be located. As if it's assessing him.

After a moment's study, it cautiously pokes its head out from the bushes it hides in. The fox isn't particularly well hidden, but one gets the impression it's not trying to be. It'd be awfully inconvenient to grab at it through the bushes.

"Hello," says the traveler, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Do you need a lift somewhere? I'm rather taller than you are, I imagine you'd make better time with my help."

The fox's head tilts slightly, and one of its ears twitches.

"You're obviously not an ordinary fox," he says reasonably. "I can't imagine why someone would have turned a person into a fox or given a fox the mind - and eyes - of a person, but those are the obvious possibilities. Either way, it seems only polite to offer, since we're going the same way. I can take you as far as Tumbledown Pond, maybe farther if you turn out to be an agreeable travelling companion."

Its ears perk up at the first sentence.

After a thoughtful pause, the fox gives a little affirmative yip, and summarily hops out of the bushes.

He smiles at it, and bends down to pick it up.

It gives him a bit of a wary look, but cooperates with this with only a little hesitation. It has very soft fur.

Scoop! Now he is carrying the fox.

"Comfortable?" he asks. "Or would you rather ride on my shoulder or in my bag?"

The fox noses at the bag, but sort of curiously. Perhaps it depends on what's in the bag.

He opens it to show her: miscellaneous objects including a coin pouch, a small leatherbound notebook, and some apples. Not a comfortable assortment, all in all. "Sorry. If I'd expected you I would've put off buying the apples."

Yeah, the fox doesn't want to hang out with the uncomfortable assortment. It noses at the bag to close it and instead nestles down in his arms, apparently content to be carried.

He nods agreeably and sets off.

He's not really hurrying, but he is very tall, and walks briskly. They are in fact making better time together than the fox would have alone.

The fox is a quiet travelling companion, but after a while it looks up at him and yips curiously.

"Hmm?"

The fox makes a show of looking around at the road they're on, then noses him.

"Why am I going this way, you mean? Oh, I thought I might climb Tumbledown Hill and sit and draw the view."

Affirmative yip.

... That seems to be as far as it can really converse. It's hard to have good conversation skills as a fox.

The traveller seems content to walk in silence.

After they've been walking for an hour or so, he says, "My arms are getting tired; would you mind climbing up to my shoulder for a while? It's not too much farther to the pond."

Agreeable yip! And an apologetic nose to his hand.

The fox obligingly hops onto his shoulder. It's a rather small fox, so it doesn't have too much trouble. It decides to become a soft fox scarf instead of attempting to stay balanced on his shoulder.

He giggles at his fashionable new accessory, pauses to make sure it's settled in all right, then keeps walking.

His fashionable new accessory carries itself with all of the dignity of a monarch. ... And innocently tickles his nose with its tail. Ever so innocently.

Splutter-giggle.

"That was uncalled-for!" he protests, laughing.