And one day he spoke them. Softly, it is true. And to himself, it is true.
...
And as Liri played tripping tunes upon her pipe, the foxes chattered a tale to her of a vain human and a city and a challenge. Liri laughed. It was a fluting sound, as lovely as her pipes, as fickle as wind, and as slippery as water. She laughed and laughed and laughed and the foxes laughed with her in their coughing little way. "I believe it is time we paid the Emperor a visit," she said, tucking the pipes away and stroking the copper backs of each of her foxes."