Free Fox

A small figure darted across the forest, running on four, long legs. It's speed was quite amazing, most likely because of its small, compact size. The creature kept running, never stopping, for it could hear the sound of hounds barking and running clumsily behind it. Even so, the fox was starting to lose his breathe, having run away for so long. He knew that he had to find a spot to hide as soon as possible, or he would be caught. Thoughts raced through his mind, of every single hiding place he had ever been to and if they were close by. Suddenly, he remembered a hole that was dug in a cliff by the river bed, which flooded every time it rained.

"Please.." he thought to himself, running harder now that he had an objective. "Please, don't be flooded!"

Suddenly, he heard the gunshots behind him. He pushed himself, running faster then he ever had before. Up ahead, he saw the river bed, the water flowing across the rocks lazily. Turning the sharp corner around the cliff, he saw with glee, that the hole was not flooded,. Rushing inside, he quickly started to dig, making it deeper, ignoring the irritating feel of dirt under his claws. As soon as he turned around, he was welcomed by the faces of two, old, ugly Basset hounds, both of them snarling and barking, spitting saliva at him.

"Did you find 'em, boys?" he could hear a human, male voice say, the country accent thick as honey.

Remaining in the very back of the hole, he let out a small whimper, never ceasing to take his brown-eyes gaze off the hounds.

"Well?" the man said again, impatient this time. "Did you find that fox, or are you two so old you're worthless?"

The fox couldn't help but smirk at this little comment. It was pretty bad when your owner thought you were worthless because you were old. But, then again, it was also pretty bad having an owner at all. The fox couldn’t imagine why some animals stayed with the humans. Never being free to roam the forests, never sleeping under the moon in warm, summer nights in the forest….

"Come on you two!" the man yelled, as he grabbed and picked up both the hounds by the collars and knocking the fox out of his small day dreams.

They both yelped, whining, knowing that the fox was in the hole. The fox, in turn, smirked knowing that they deserved it for letting themselves become what humans called 'tame'.

"See?" he thought to himself. "Humans never believe you; even when you're right about something and they are completely wrong."

"Then again..." he mused with a smirk. "Why should you believe in humans? This is why I show no pity for you... letting yourself get tame...chained up... How pitiful."

The fox yawned, suddenly realizing how tired and worn out he was. His body ached from running and hitting branches and thorns and he could feel the small cuts, stinging. Sighing, he looked outside of the hole, his ears perked up high, listening for every single sound, twitching in different directions. After a few more minutes of this, he walked out of the hole, stretching his long, lean body. Padding up to the waters edge, he peered down, seeing his shimmery reflection.

The fox would be considered 'handsome' with his orange pelt, yellow under belly and black legs, or 'stockings' as some called them. His tail was long and bushy, as was his pelt and his ears were black tipped. Some humans called him fluffy, though that was completely untrue and rude. Though at the moment, small twigs and leave were stuck in his fur, which he would clean out in a moment.

Frowning, the fox leaned down, flicking his tongue against the water and his figure disappeared for the time being. Standing back, he looked around the forest after picking the twigs and leaves out and letting them fall into the water. All was calm, nothing showing the trace that a chase had just occurred. Then again, it was always like that in the forest; something big might happen, but in the end, the forest was bigger and would knock it down to a small, puny size.

The fox smiled, in spite of himself; he secretly loved the fact that the woods could so that. Knock something big into something small, no, something unimportant, something completely worthless to remember.

Sighing, the fox sat down, licking at a small cut on his paw pad. He knew that it would end up stinging for the next few days, but there was no helping it unless he could find some herbs. He sat down, closing his brown eyes. The sounds of the forest seemed to swallow him, carrying him into a dream...

Yet the sudden sound of a twig snapping awoke him from the forest's dreams. Jumping up, his fur bristling and he snarled, turning towards the sound. A female fox, around his age, walked out from under some nearby brush, her pelt being much like the male foxes only for the fact that she had socks instead of stockings.

"Oh..." he said slowly, sitting down, and letting his fur start to go back down, yet keeping his guard up. "Who are you?"

"Kuro..." she said slowly, her voice small but sweet. "And you are?"

"Victor." he answered Kuro, keeping his eyes on her.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Kuro asked, tilting her head and twitching her ears.

"Sure, go ahead." he nodded; after all, the river was not his, but the forests and the forest was home to all creatures.

Kuro walked slowly over next to Victor, sitting down beside him. Victor smelled the flowers on her pelt. Like a lily. He watched as she stretched down, lapping up the water slowly, enjoying the slippery feel. He couldn't help but feel his heart pound lightly as he watched her.



And it was then that he found himself thinking about how beautiful this fox was. He had never felt nor thought of a female fox that way but for some strange reason, Kuro was different.



"Could this be something new?" he thought silently.