[As of yet un-named story.]
I ran. No stopping, no looking back. The cold dark metal ring out with each every step my boots made onto them in my attempt to flee. Everything was dark the occasional red light or a loud klaxon sounding shaking my thoughts even more. I didn’t know why I was here, or even what here was, all I knew was as the whistling tones of death passed my ears...Is that I didn’t want to be here.
I was outside in the dark embrace of the night air. My long hair being gently caressed by the breeze that covered this nightscape. Loud noises and gunshots still rang out, I was far from safe.
“I think she went this way!” A guard of some sort yelled out but his voice seemed to be going quieter, they were going the wrong way.
I took my change and escaped deeper into the fields, hoping to find a place of refuge soon. I don’t know how long until the cold would start to ebb at me.
I staggered for a while and eventually found a cave, it wasn't brilliant but it was some shelter from the wind. I went as far into it as I possibly could, but I had disturbed a vixen and her kits. Not wanting to continue to disturb them I sat to one side and tried to conserve my heat, well of what little I had. The kits seemed curious and approached me slowly, but they acted, almost empathic towards me, even the vixen was acting as if I was hers and tried to cheer me up. They ended up surrounding me and sharing their heat with me too allowing me to fall into a slumber through the darkness outside.
A rather loud yip shocked me from my slumber, it was the vixen. She and the kits were already roaming around as if preparing for the day like a normal family. I slowly stood up and the kits attempted to run up my legs.
“Hihihi, cut it out you guys, I’m too tall” I laughed and smiled, I didn’t expect them to understand but to my amazement, they started clambering on each other, as if trying to prove me wrong. One of them got high enough to hop into the pocket on my dress and got himself caught in there.
“Need a hand there little one” I slowly sat back down and let him hop out my pocket and they all sat around me and let me stroke them, I guess I was no threat to them. My stomach grumbled and that instantly got the attention of the vixen as her head snapped around and looked at me with a look I could only describe as concern. She padded over and rested a paw on me as if checking if I was okay. The kits followed suit and I smiled and nodded.
“I am okay, just a bit hungry, that’s all” After saying that the vixen made a set of barks and yips and as much as it would seem crazy to say, I understood them. We were going to find food, and I was going to help...And find some way of keeping warm in these cold autumn winds.
We all left the sanctuary that was that cave and ventured into the forests looking for food.
“I’m going to find something to help keep me warm, Is that okay?” I asked the vixen just to be sure. She didn’t make any noise just a silent nod as herself and the kits looked about. I was looking for about half an hour, keeping within visual distance of the small group picking up sticks and anything else I could use to make a fire, additionally carrying anything that the vixen had killed for food. She was precise and quick as if making sure the animal didn’t suffer, a clean kill of sorts. I just smiled at her efficiency. One of the cubs ran into my leg.
“Eep!” I look down and see the little kit looking rather dazed so I crouch down and pick her up placing her on the stack of items. “Better view from up here don’t you think?” She just yipped at me and I swear I saw a smile on that little kit’s face. Soon after the other kits wanted to join their sister, so I accommodated them. The vixen turned around seeing the three bundles of fur and our gatherings in my arms and for the third time that day, I saw a smile. It was a nice feeling knowing that these 4 foxes didn’t mind me being around. As we walked back the vixen slowed up a little so we were walking side by side and the spring in her step was evident.
“You seem happy, I’m guessing this was rather successful?” The vixen yipped and bark in response...I understood her, she gave me a yes and a thank you. What was going on with me? It was as if I was learning what they said, each yip, bark, howl, and growl, had a meaning and it was like talking with...an old friend.
“You’re welcome miss.” The kits had fallen asleep on the stack, they looked so peaceful, and their mother, so powerful yet caring.
Dusk was falling as we returned to the cave so visibility was limited, I gently lowered the stack as the kits woke up, as hungry as me by now. They padded off a little bit and sat in a neat little row watching as I attempted to start a fire, they were watching the smoking piece of wood that I slowly built into a small fire. Even the vixen was impressed with what I had achieved and basked in it, as did myself and the kits. The vixen brought over one of her kills and I stopped her.
“I can make it better if you want.” My instincts kicked in inside me, I knew how to do it but I had never actually done it. I followed what felt right and cooked the meat of that Hare and when it was finished we all started eating. The contented growls and barks from the kits and the, what I could only describe as a purr, coming from the mother told me I got it right. The vixen’s tail was flopping side to side as she sat in between me and the kits eating, she was most definitely pleased with this and was enjoying a lesser workload. Being a mum with three energetic kids could not be fun if resources were scarce, but as the night drew on, the kits tired and the fire low but still warm the kits curled up and tried to sleep. I curled around them as well lying on the bed of leaves and grass they had built up. The vixen joined us not long after, she sat outside for a little bit watching the night sky. She had seemed sorrowful but decided to leave it be. We were tired, fed and warm, with eyelids heavy and the soft breathing of the kits and the vixen I drifted to sleep content with the feeling of the day’s adventure.
