Shadows Of The Past Novel: Stolen Heart (Jakovi Poza)

Chapter 4

Foxy was surprised to hear what Dark said. He could feel the anger rising within him until he tried to refrain from attacking the newcomer.
"Why do you want to join our group?" Gold asked, raising one eyebrow.
Dark gave Gold a calm look, though there was fear in his eyes.
"I have been traveling the world for a long time looking for a suitable home." Dark related, "I would love to live among you as a new friend."
There was an uneasy silence, only Gold, Alex, and Roxanne seemed calm and cautious. Foxy, however, still gave Dark a hostile look, telling himself that he would not let anyone into their valley for everyone's safety.
"How do we know if it's a trick?" Alex asked.
"I want to assure you that I am only looking for a good place for a new and peaceful life." Dark said, his voice filled with terror and anxiety.
"We can trust him, please." Roxanne suddenly spoke up.
The members suddenly looked expectantly at Foxy as if they were waiting for Foxy's decision. Foxy took a step forward, straightening up. He felt satisfaction when he noticed Dark's terrified expression.
"Such reasons still do not allow you to stay here." Foxy growled.
Roxanne made a surprised face at this, she was about to say something, but Gold stopped her with a worried look.
"There is no place for intruders like you here." Foxy said in a calmer tone.
"Foxy, I told you we can trust him." Roxanne screamed out in desperation.
"This is a stranger, Roxanne." Foxy answered seriously. "We can't trust him."
"Can't trust who?" Suddenly he heard a familiar voice behind him.
Foxy turned back, he saw Sting with a menacing face, Ella and Whiteflower were standing behind him. Foxy felt even more annoyed, why did they come at that moment?
"You can trust me, and I know I can trust you." Dark said quickly.
"Who is he?" Sting asked.
Foxy raised one hand to signal his friends to be quiet, then he looked at Dark as his enemy.
"Tell me the truth, why are you here?" Foxy said.
Are you the one to destroy our lives? He wanted to ask Dark, but he knew that Dark would think he's crazy, just like Roxanne and the others. Roxanne stood next to Dark again with a defiant look.
"He wants to live with us, is it that bad?" Roxanne asked sharply.
Foxy hesitated, unable to believe his beloved's rage. Roxanne hadn't been mad at him in a long time, but now? Now she looks at him as an enemy.
"Why did he choose our valley then?" Gold asked, saving Foxy from silence.
"He...he was injured when he got here." Roxanne stammered, as if she was seeing the wounded newcomer again.
Foxy got shocked again, is Roxanne seeing Dark again? Was she hiding it from me? Why? Foxy thought helplessly.
"What do you mean?" Ella spoke calmly.
Dark made a serious face and walked over to Foxy.
"Roxanne saved me when I came here, if not for her I would probably be dead today." Dark said.
Foxy looked at Roxanne who looked confused and nervous about the situation. For the first time he felt betrayed by Roxanne, as if someone had stabbed him in the heart. He only had one question, why? Foxy was still silent being in great shock.
"How did this happen?" Ella asked.
"I was attacked by unpleasant people, I managed to escape them, but I was exhausted, I thought I was going to die that night." Dark answered with a sad face.
"You couldn't find a town nearby?" Gold asked.
Dark shook his head, giving Roxanne a grateful look. Seeing them both as friends, Foxy became furious.
"It still doesn't change anything!" Foxy yelled.
Dark suddenly clutched his chest, moaning softly in pain. Roxanne let out a surprised sigh, then she quickly helped hold Dark.
"We have to help him, please, show him mercy." Roxanne pleaded desperately.
Foxy's heart began to beat faster, he noticed that Dark's chest was dripping with blood. If I leave him here, he'll die, but Roxanne will hate me for it. Foxy thought.
Foxy sighed heavily, then he made a grim face.
"Okay, does anyone know medicine?" Foxy asked menacingly.
Whiteflower approached them with a worried expression.
"I think I can come in handy." Whiteflower said softly.
Foxy watched Whiteflower and Roxanne closely as they helped Dark go home. When the three of them were out of sight, he looked at Gold with anger in his eyes.
"What?" Gold asked.
"It's a sign." Foxy whispered to Gold. "It's the newcomer."
"Come on, I told you it was just a dream." Gold mumbled, she ran to where the others had gone.
Foxy sighed heavily and made a sad face. Not only was Roxanne hiding it, he felt worse than before. What will he do now? Will Dark wipe out his group in the future?
"Come on, let's go home." Sting said.
Foxy nodded and started walking beside Sting, avoiding his friend's eyes. Suddenly he began to think. Maybe I was too soft a leader? Foxy asked himself mentally. Maybe that's why Roxanne thinks Foxy won't do anything about it? Foxy felt as if someone was stepping on his pride and trust in his members. I'll show her I'm not like that. Foxy thought furiously.
Foxy sat outside watching the sky. Several hours have passed since Whiteflower tried to heal Dark's wound, and Foxy was annoyed that Roxanne hadn't paid him any attention since Dark arrived here. Foxy had the impression that he was a ghost that no one paid attention to. He still didn't understand why Roxanne hadn't told him, he thought she trusted him, but she didn't. Foxy felt the urge to talk to Roxanne about it, but the thought of her refusing to do so made him feel bad. All he knew was that he had to pull himself together, he was a leader, and he had to keep his members and friends safe no matter how long. He woke up from his thoughts when he saw Ella leaving the house with a worried face. When Ella noticed him on the bench, she started walking towards him.
"How are you?" Ella asked.
"Good, how's Dark?" Foxy asked impatiently.
"He's doing better, Whiteflower is trying everything to heal him from these wounds." Ella replied, smiling at Foxy.
Foxy calmed down as Ella took a seat next to him.
"I see you've been nervous since Dark is here, are..."
"I'm fine." Foxy interrupted Ella sharply.
He knew there was no point in talking to Ella about it because Ella didn't know why Roxanne was hiding everything from everyone. He felt powerless in this situation, but he didn't want to show that he was soft.
"Are you sure, Foxy?" Ella asked, grabbing his arm.
Foxy faked a smile, nodding politely. Ella nodded respectfully, then she got up and walked towards the forest. Foxy sighed, wondering if he should go home and take a break from it all, but would that do him any good? As he was about to get up, he noticed Sting coming out of the house and running quickly towards him.
"There you are! I thought you went to the Tall Tree, what's going on?" Sting asked.
"Everything's fine, what did you come for?" Foxy called back.
Sting looked suddenly worried, and Foxy felt slightly annoyed.
"We need your decision, should Dark stay with us?" Sting asked calmly.
Foxy was surprised, imagining Dark living with them as a new member.
"You don't need my final decision now." Foxy growled nervously, looking away from Sting.
"Of course we do! Dark needs medical attention." Sting mumbled as he noticed Foxy's emotionless look, he said, "You're not going to banish him, are you?"
"I will tell my decision later." Foxy replied, ignoring Sting's question.
Sting was shocked at this, but then his gaze changed.
"What's wrong with you?" Sting spoke sympathetically.
"Nothing, I just want to be alone." Foxy replied in a tired voice.
"You're lying, I can see your look and don't deny it." Sting said, when Foxy was about to say something Sting said, "And don't say you're okay, don't lie to yourself."
Foxy got up from the bench and he rolled his eyes.
"I understand that you don't trust the newcomers, but this one needs help." Sting was persuading.
"What help? Roxanne healed most of his wounds, so I think he could handle it." Foxy said firmly.
"You sound like you'd like to leave this man for dead." Sting replied in horror.
"Did I ever mention that I want to leave him to die?" Foxy asked sharply.
Sting fell silent, making a scared face, Foxy snorted at this.
"I thought so too." Foxy replied shortly.
"I'm sorry, I'm really nervous about what's going to happen next." Sting mumbled guiltily.
Foxy, seeing his terrified friend, calmed down the same way, throwing him a calm look.
"I understand, I'm scared too." Foxy said.
Sting hugged Foxy, which made Foxy hesitate but then he hugged Sting as well.
"But I hope everything will be fine." Sting said as he stopped hugging Foxy.
Foxy nodded in agreement with his friend. He also hoped that Roxanne would talk to him and that everything would work out.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" Sting asked.
Foxy looked at their house with a deathly expression, then looked back at Sting.
"Sure, let's go."