The War for Eventyr

18 | A Perfect Family

It wasn't long before excitement returned to Tree's steps, and Skadi trekked after him as they trotted through the woods. Finally, they reached an area with worn dirt underfoot, where the trees grew sparser and foxes were toiling. Some lay and chatted in the cozy warmth of dawn, while the light bounced off the shifting field of brown, black and gold. Then there were others arranging strange items in rows behind them.

A few had long stalks with pale and rounded caps––mushrooms, she thought they were called––and were piled together with small bushels of berries, bursting with vivid hues.

"This is the market," Tree explained, allowing her to take in the sights. "Trading is a big part of how our skulk thrives." He walked over to one of the tree-shaded areas where a vixen was sitting before her wares. All of them looked foreign to Skadi––like the curved pieces of bark, or even a weaved bird nest.

"For carrying things." A laugh left his muzzle, and he regarded the vixen who owned the oddities with a nod. Skadi noticed that she didn't glower at the sight of her white pelt. She didn't even bat an eye at Skadi's lack of one. Maybe it was just good business practice, not offending potential customers.

"The bark can be used to hold water, and the nests for berries and other forageables," he explained. Skadi was more concerned with a group of small, wooden chunks, resembling animal-like shapes but crude and rough on the edges. "And those are little carvings. Not much use to them, but they're cool to look at. Oooh!" His eyes locked on a relatively bird-shaped piece, and he glanced up at the vixen. "Can I buy that? I'll bring you something from Mom in just a minute!"

The fox nodded, and Trygve gently picked up the carving with his teeth. Skadi followed him as he moved away from the shaded trading spot and set down the bird in front of her, grinning. "This is called a Guardian," he said. "They're supposed to be crows. They say crows fly solo when the weather is bad." A smile lit up his muzzle. "I want you to have it––I've got one at home. Together, two crows signify fair weather and better days ahead. It's a sort of friendship symbol, no matter how inaccurate the saying is."

His tongue lolled, and Skadi wondered if the sentiment was genuine. They hardly knew each other. He was ready to call them friends? Her stomach rolled at the thought––a reminder that she was only using this naive, innocent fox to save her own hide.

Before she could do anything but awkwardly accept it, Tree was running off again. "Come meet my sister!"

On the other side of the clearing, a blond-furred fox stood, strikingly similar to Tree. She gave Skadi a sly smile. "I've heard you two caused quite the ruckus this morning."

"Blue, this is Skadi. Skadi, Blue––or eh, Abellona. But no one calls her that," Tree interjected, and Skadi was thankful for him being there to break the ice.

True to her name, the vixen had striking blue eyes. Skadi nodded politely, unsure where her voice had gone. She didn't like being the center of talk, grown used to being treated like she didn't exist.

"Nice to meet you," Skadi muttered. She had to try to keep up her public appearance.

"You too," Blue replied, then glanced down at the leafy plants at her paws. "Anything I can interest you in?"

Skadi scrunched her nose, unsure of what anything was. "Leaves?"

Tree laughed a little too. "No, they're herbs. Some with medicinal qualities. They can help with anything from stomach aches to infection, and Blue here knows just what each is for."

She kept herself from humming in thought. Using plants to heal and cure? She wasn't sure that the Shadow Skulk knew about this––that the Leafborn had an asset that might be beneficial to the war.