The Fox Child

Chapter 3:

Autumn changes into a pair of jean shorts and a blue tank top because it is hotter today. According to the thermometer, it is 95 degrees outside and she could tell. When she went downstairs there was a fruit salad in a bowl and a note on the counter. She read the note and it read, "I am heading to town and I should be back on her birthday by dinner time. I have already stocked up enough berries and roots for the next few days. The animals are taking care of. Everything should be fully taken care of and I just want you to have fun. Please be careful and I love you.". Huh, Autumn said out loud. She had realized her birthday was in a couple days. She ate her breakfast and called Ivory. She gave Ivory some of her fruit salad and she grabbed her travel stuff. Her travel stuff included a backpack with a water bottle, homemade trail mix, rope, rope climbing clips, her hunting knife, compass, extra clothes, a one person tent, and a first aid kit. She clipped on her bag,  left with Ivory and headed for the forest. She started out on the trail which leads to the meadow but curiosity grabbed hold. The decided to leave the trail and went towards the fox den. As the headed to the den she heard the bubbling creek to her right and knew she was going the correct way. She had been down this path a couple of times. As she walked she could hear Ivory trotting behind her thinking about how her mom would feel about this. So she turned around and stopped. She looked at Ivory and said "I am safe enough and I doubt my mom would have a problem with it" but Ivory only looked at her and thought of what to say next, instead they just continued walking. Unlike Autumn, Ivory knew the truth about the two of them. She knew about Autumn's past because she was there when it all happened. Ivory knew better than to tell Autumn though because she doesn't want to hurt Autumn, and because her mother had forbidden her to tell. While Ivory was lost in her thoughts she realized that Autumn was about to fall in a trap and before she could say anything Autumn was snatched up by the vines and branches, tied and tangled, 15 feet above the ground. Ivory just stared up in shock and didn't know what to do. Autumn carefully pulled off her backpack and pulled out her knife. Then she started cutting some of the vines. Ivory watched with horror as Autumn cut the main piece holding her 15 feet off the ground.