Nobody liked being attacked on their blind side, especially one-eyed demon-wolf things. Katsuko was already moving as soon as she'd landed the kick, flipping up and over Kuromaru's furious charge. She landed square between Tsume and her familiar. Tsume's shout caused her to glance at Kuromaru and do a double-take. Gone was Kuromaru's playful, slightly ridiculous demeanor--in its place was an enraged predator.

Time for a tactical retreat, then. The smoke from the explosion tags still permeated the clearing, obscuring sight but doing nothing to conceal her scent. Tsume was getting closer, by the feel of one of her clones discharging, and Kuromaru...was coming straight at her like a hell-dog out of hell okay time to go now.

Katsuko flung herself to the side and rolled out of the smoke, calling up more clones as she went.