The Fox, the Hound and the Virus

The Fire

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Chapter Twenty-Four

The Fire

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Their reunion was tense and short lived. Will was incredibly aware of the other humans watching as he hugged his sister. Some distant part of him knew these humans but it was a struggle to remember. The fox in him was too distracted at being reunited with its litter mate. Will rubbed his cheek against Zoe's, apparently immune to her spluttering.

'I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we probably should discuss the problem at hand,' Rob said, eyes still fixed on the huge hound. Rob wasn't worried about Will. He wasn't sure why he was so confident, but he truly didn't think the fox would hurt his sister. Rob watched, his muscles tensing as the hound began to shift.

As a human, the hound was huge. Black hair and canine eyes, his naked torso littered with scars created by everything from bullets to bites. Rob heard the others shift uncomfortably behind him.

The hound nodded his head. 'We know. More come.'

'More? More what? More like that stag thing?' Josh asked nervously.

As though suddenly remembering, Zoe shoved her brother back so she could look him full in the face. 'Will, they have that stag! The soldiers took it back to their camp and it's still alive!' Zoe said.

'Please... go slower,' Will said, his words slightly slurred. It seemed even his mind was more fox than human. He could understand them, but his verbal responses took more effort. Zoe squeezed his hand, fighting to breathe around a lump in her throat. She was overjoyed that Will wasn't dead. Obviously, she was glad for that but... he wasn't the same. Even now, Zoe was aware that Will's life as a human was over.

He would never be able to come with her to the city. He didn't look or act like a human anymore. There was also the hound. Zoe still wasn't completely sold on this Bran person. He had, after all, hunted Will for weeks even before the stag had created a common enemy for them. Zoe didn't want Will to go off with the hound. The idea that she would never see him again...

'Zoe?'

'Huh?'

Rob frowned. 'The hound just asked for our help.'

Zoe blinked, brain catching up. 'He did?'

Will nodded. 'The infected threatened our pack.'

Zoe felt a flash of annoyance. 'Our pack?'

The hound nodded, finally coming forward to stand next to Will. In all honesty he was standing a lot closer than was necessary, practically, tugging Will against him and away from Zoe. That did not help her mood. 'Yes. Our pack.'

'Foxes don't have packs,' Zoe said flatly.

'Will does. He has joined my pack. He doesn't live with humans anymore.'

Zoe showed her teeth. 'He's my brother! He has me!'

'He is mine,' Bran growled, the sound like thunder.

'Back off,' Rob warned, stepping up protectively beside Zoe.

Bran looked from Rob to Zoe. 'You have your mate. I have mine.'

This caused an explosion of spluttering from both Rob and Zoe as well as several other smothering laughter from behind them. Zoe's face went bright red. 'Now you listen here you oversized mutt! I am not-'

'This isn't helping,' Will said flatly.

'I didn't start this!' Zoe howled.

'I wish I could film this...'