The Journey

Chapter 3

Holly gruffly padded behind Tyler, frankly too tired to catch up. She dragged her paws through the grass, and ran into a thistle bush without looking. She was a reck.
    But Tyler padded across a small stream, very confidently, and sat down to groom his ruffled fur. The first signs of summer arose, and all Tyler cared about was when it came to winter time. If they were still traveling by the time snow began to fall, they would be doomed. Struggling to even make a few paw steps everyday, scavenging for food, their pelts being dragged down by the snow. Holly was doing that on her own right now!
    He looked back to see her plopped on the ground about 15 fox lengths away. Tyler felt his own bones getting tired, but he needed to give Holly some confidence. He needed to be her example.
    "Okay. We will go around the bay so not to get wet and then veer around that bears territory. Then when we get to the cave we will rest there for the night. But before we rest we need to hunt so we can fill our bellies for the next trip, and start a barking chain so we can warn you parents your safe and it should then get to them a couple days later." Holly said nothing but let the water drip off her nose. Tyler felt kinda guilty, but she could use the exercise.
      He turned his head around and started passing the first landmark, when suddenly Tyler heard a splash, and before he could look back she was gone. He raced back with panic, and barked out her name. "Holly! Holly where are you!" He got up on his two hind legs to look around, but was soon blasted by the mischievous fox. "Haha got you!" She barked. "I guess we're gonna camp here tonight." She confidently laid down with her paws beneath her, a challenged look in her eyes.
    "But, but that's not following our plan." He whined. Holly rolled onto her back and playfully barked. "Come on, let's have some fun!" She shot up into a crouched position, clearly doing it wrong. "If your gonna do it... you've gotta do it right." He got down in a hunters position, and Holly yipped with joy.
    They chased each other till the moon was full, then decided to get some rest for their big day tomorrow. Holly scouted out a clear spot with two thickets they could sleep in. "Night," Holly barked. "Night," he replied. Tyler curled up into his bush, and relaxed as he watched the full moon sink into the sky.
     His eyelids felt droopy, but he just didn't feel right. He cautiously tiptoed out, so not to wake Holly. He scavenged the perfect elm tree, and readied himself. He reared up and shot himself onto it, sinking his claws into the bark. He pushed himself up onto the second lowest branch, and settled in. 'That's it.' He thought.
   Every night before he met Holly he would stay in a tree and kept watch. Then in the morning he would sleep until noon, hunt, bury his leftovers, then repeat his schedule. Until he ventured off farther and later found Holly snaking on his prey. Oh how angry he was and decided to attack her, only to fall into the gorge. He shook off the bad memory and laid down his head, and for the first time in years he actually slept at night.
    Later Holly sat below him and asked him about his parents. "I don't wanna talk about it." He mumbled. "I think you won't be as grumpy if you came out and told someone." "Your dad never walked away. He never ate more food. He takes care of you. Because he loves you. But piece by piece my dad destroyed my trust. And if he wanted to talk, then find another fox!" He then told her how his mom and him had to run from his dad before he went crazy again. But in the night his dad found them and killed his own mother. Tyler ran away before he could kill him and a wolf took him as his own. The wolf and his family trained him so he could finally confront his dad, and he went to kill him but found out that he was taken by two-legs (humans) and put down. He was so ashamed that he was going to kill his own dad he left extra food for his wolf family and ran away. And here he is three years later. And yet, he's still ashamed.
    He looked down at Holly and she was sinking in what had just said. She didn't even interrupt him once. "Tyler you shouldn't be ashamed of trying to kill your own father. You should only be ashamed you had him as a father." Holly continued to pep talk him as the sun arose to dawn. "Thanks Holly. I feel so empowered now. I promise I'll come to you first if I have any more issues, before lashing out, bro."