[h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
The fox girl continued to profess her innocence and dismiss the notion that a person could shapeshift into an animal.  Her augments didn't come off as convincing in her arguments, and her mischievous tone only further undermined any chance of it alleviating Novak's suspicion.  If anything, her nonchalant, playful denial suggested that she wasn't making any real effort to convince him of her innocence.

[color=ed1c24][i]She's playing around, just like before.  She's clearly not the least bit worried.[/i][/color]

It was at this point that Novak noticed the items behind her as she moved.  The leather bag was there, as he expected, but what really caught his notice were the fox mask and a pair of bladed weapons.  Together with the woman, these items spelled out a concept that Novak could recognize.

[color=ed1c24][i]This woman is dangerous, no wonder she's so calm,[/i][/color] Novak concluded, alarmed.  The blades were enough to worry about- people didn't usually carry weapons unless they knew how to use them (with obvious exceptions like himself), but together with the mask, it cast the impression that she was fighter or...what was the word...ninja?  The point was that fox transformation or no, the woman had nothing to worry about.  It was also only at this point that he realized that his white-haired companion had not followed him in at all, meaning he was alone with this potentially dangerous fox-girl.

[color=ed1c24]"I'm not accusing you of anything,"[/color] Novak responded, not quite able to mask his alarm, [color=ed1c24]"But that bag there appears to be the one that the fo...err, the animal had run off with.  If you would allow me, I would like to return the misplaced item to its owner."[/color]  In truth he had already resolved to play along in this manner, to politely and non-confrontationally talk her into allowing him to return the bag, but it had suddenly seemed very unwise to deviate from this approach.

[@Rune_Alchemist]