Raven

I wiped a fallen tear from my cheek. How did this happen? Was I ever going to get out of here?

I sniffed. Looking around, I was all alone in this dark room the men threw me into.

Suddenly, I heard a scratching at the window. My heart leapt out of my chest. I looked up and saw it was my fox. I rushed over to the glass. More tears fell, this time they were happy. I was glad he was alright but, what was he doing here? He must have followed us through the magic doorway.

I placed my hands on the glass of the window. The fox pouted from outside. Newfound courage bloomed it's way into my heart. I have to find a way out of here. But how? I traced my fingers over the windowstill, looking for a way out. I could hear the three men talking downstairs along with a voice I didn't recognize.

My hand slipped over what looked like a latch, I unlocked it and tried pushing the window open. It wouldn't budge. My brows knit together, confused about why it was still jammed. I looked on the outside part of the windowsill. Tilting my head up, I saw there was a long wooden bar placed across the upper part of the window, holding it in place. I was locked in from the outside. How am I going to get that bar down?

I was overwhelmed and in pain. My broken wing still ached, and my ribs were sore from being thrown around. I held my head in my hands, feeling defeated.

The fox tapped on the windowsill again. That's it!

I looked outside, trying to find anything to use to lure the fox. He was the only one who could take down that bar. I pressed my cheek up against the cold glass, trying to view the area above the window. The gutters were overflowing with plants and vines. If I could just touch them to make them grow, they could lure the fox close enough to step on the bar. But I can't reach them from inside.

I looked up at the ceiling, noticing that vines were pouring in from the cracks in the walls. I could only reach them if I was flying, but that would be near impossible to do with a broken wing. I looked around for any furniture to stand on. There was a bucket in the corner of the room. I ran over, picking it up and positioning it above the vines on the ceiling. The bucket was smelly and I tried not to think about what they used it for. I stood on it carefully, almost cursing when I realized I was still too short to reach the plants.

I had no other option. Gritting my teeth, I pulled my wings out from my inked back. Crying out in pain when I felt the broken one tear from my skin.

I held a breath in as I shakily fluttered my wings, pushing through the pain. My wings faltered as I flew up a few inches towards the vines. I quickly held the green ivy and used my strength to grow the plant. I watched as it grew further down from the inside and outside of the house.

Since growing, the vine was now long enough for me to reach it from the floor. I gently set myself down, hissing as pain erupted from my wing. I retreated my wings into my inked back and the pain became slightly muted from under my skin.

Reaching for the plant again, I grew it some more. Not stopping until it hung right over the top of the window. The fox cub watched intently as the vine swayed in the wind. I silently prayed to the gods that he would take the bait. He stood on his haunches and pawed at the vine playfully. When it swayed out of reach, he stood up straighter, placing his front two paws on the bar. He put his weight on the wooden rod as he tried to catch the swinging ivy. The bar slipped under him and fell to the ground, frightening the little fox as he jumped back safely onto the lower part of the windowsill.

I cheered for the success of my plan and ran over to the window, quickly sliding it up. I sat on the windowsill, swinging my legs over the edge. I pulled the shaken fox close, kissing him on the top of his head to thank him. The sky was even darker than the room, making the woods look scary.

My heart kickstarted in my chest as I heard multiple pairs of footsteps trudging up the stairs. I had to move fast. Holding the fox tight, I swiftly hopped from the window to the grass below. I took off running as soon as I hit the ground. There was yelling coming from the house behind me as I fled. My legs didn't stop even when I passed the treeline into the forest. I hopped over rocks and streams, my heart pounding with every step.

I ran for what felt like forever until I came upon a small clearing. A garden covered the area. It seemed safe. My legs wobbled, I was exhausted. The weight of the day came crashing down on my shoulders. My wing and side were throbbing. My lids were heavy and the flowers seemed inviting. They welcomed me with their soft petals as I crawled underneath a large hydrangea bush. The fox still in my arms, licked my face as I fell into a deep sleep.