The Fox Girl

Fear strikes

The cave was warmer than what lay outside but it felt as though my skin was frozen. I shivered and felt Usagi's gaze return.
"Where's mum and dad?" The thought echoed in my head. Where were they? Maybe they got stuck in the snow storm or maybe they took the wrong path.
"The storm's finished. " Usagi said.
"We should keep moving." I said.
"What?! Why?!"
"Because this walk is only supposed to be a one day walk. We can walk out of here."
"I'm hungry, Kitsune."
"Well if we move fast enough then we can get food." I mumbled.
"I know you have food in that thing!" Usagi said, pointing at my backpack.
"Alright." I said, giving up on myself. "You can have something." I pulled the backpack off my shoulders and felt my mouth water at it's contents. I took out two of the muesli bars and chucked one, which landed at my sister's feet. A look of utter joy spread across her face. Once they had been unwrapped the muesli bars were gulped down in only a few seconds.
"Come on," I said grabbing Usagi's hand "we have to keep walking now."
I pulled her fragile hand back out into the cold. The first step into the snow was strange. The snow seeped through into my socks to meet with my wet feet. I looked up at the sky to see the sun was right up above, perfectly in the middle.
"It's around midday." I said.
"Well that muesli bar was my lunch." Usagi said through gritted teeth. It got harder and harder as you went along to push yourself to take more steps through the snow. A bird swooped above our heads and made circles in the sky. It's feathers were white in colour with an almost black brown hanging off the tips. It's feet had sharp, deadly claws that threatened to slit your throat. As it flew it screeched loudly and opened it's brown beak. It's small, beady eyes refused to lose Usagi and I as it flew beside us. I turned to see Usagi staring in amazement.
"Wow." She said but it sounded like a whisper because of the fact that her breath was literally taken away.
"It's beautiful, don't you think." I said, looking back at the bird.
"Magnificent." Usagi sighed.
Now it flew ahead, still screeching as it did.
"I wish I had wings so I could fly away from here, instead of having to walk." Usagi said. "Cold feet, lots of snow, pretty birds..." Usagi began to sing as she walked. But now as she walked their was a certain skip in her step. "Big trees, muesli bars..... snow angels!" She continued. And as she sang the last word she jumped into the snow and began to make a snow angel.
"Come on Kitsune," she yelled. "Make a snow angel with me! It's fun."
I felt a smile spread across my face. "Oh, alright." I said and as I dived into the cold, white snow I let myself imagine we were home.
"Woohoo!" Usagi laughed and I couldn't help but laugh with her.
"Cold feet, lots of snow, pretty birds. Big trees, muesli bars, snow angels. This is our adventure! Kitsune and me. We will find our way back home to find mum and daddy..." Usagi sang in a cheerful voice that echoed all around us.
"That's quite catchy, actually." I said, standing back up.
"You think so?" Usagi asked, blocking the sun with her hands.
"Yeah." I said and began to hum the tune. Usagi pulled herself up from the snow and began to walk again.

The sun sat high on the horizon. Only about one more hour of light until it was dark and still no sign of shelter, or of the end of this stupid walk. Usagi sung to the nothingness that surrounded her.
"I miss mum and dad." She said suddenly, in the middle of one of her songs.
"I know," I said. "And so do I."
"Can you sing mum's lullaby?" Asked Usagi.
"Not very well but-"
"Please." Usagi asked.
"Alright, fine." I muttered.
"Lullaby and goodnight, with roses bedight
With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed"
Her eyes slowly closed as if remembering mum as I ended the lullaby. For the next half hour, Usagi hummed the tune of the lullaby on repeat.
"Hey, are we ever getting out?!" Usagi cried, stressed with fear.
"I dunno when the walk will end!" I said, impatiently.
"Well, if we die here it's your fault!"
"What?!" I screeched.
"We could've stayed in that nice, warm cave instead of coming back out here again!" She cried. "But no, Kitsune is always right! She's in charge and perfect!" Usagi complained in a sarcastic tone. "I'm sick of you telling me what to do!"
I stared down at her, starstruck. Was it all my fault? Had I wanted to be in charge? No, I told myself. She's just tired.
"Well fine, do you want to lead the way?" I asked. A light flickered in her eye as she slid in front of me.
"Sure." She said, calmly.