Rabbit's Foot

Chapter I

              The rain roared across the meadow, wind pounding like a ferocious tide through the grass and leaves.  No living being was in sight, perhaps a hare or two looking around, yearning for warmth and shelter. Those who were quite fortunate, would stay hidden. The only thing they could do is listen out, and wait.

            A slender, Culpeo red fox would be perched in the woodland, their ears swiveling this way and that- Their brush swaying against the ground. Their ears would pause and twitch a little. Hackles raised, they would crouch down and stalk out closer towards the grassland. The trees spread farther and farther apart the closer the fox moved, and the rain would only begin to pound harder. Their fur was drenched, and laid flat, they didn't seem to mind anyway- Their eyes were blanketed with hunger. The graying sky crackled with light, causing the gray  vulpine to come to a stop, their ears drawing aback in shock. Their retina enlarging with fear. The sky grumbled once more, then in that same moment of time, the furry figure sprang to it's paws, sprinting across the woodland. Thicket through shrub, shrub through bush, light was ahead, and motivational for the beast to continue on. 

       The opening was in plain sight, not too long now. They would be freed from the darkening forest. Their heart pounded with anticipation. Animal instincts drew them towards the light, beckoned away from the darkness. Until that darkness started to fold, shriveling up around the fox. The fox barked, pulsing harder. The light before them began to fade. Their body streamed with sweat, head lowered, they pushed on with gritted teeth. Almost free.

     The hope died. Darkness overtook the fox, no light ahead, their paws suddenly stopped, then the fox wavered in a trance like state. Their mind became blank, and their eyes rolled to the back of their head. Blood pooled from the canine's jaws, and their paws were worn and bleeding the same scarlet blood. Flanks heaving with exhaustion, soon the time for the fox was gone.. Death approached, collected the life, others moved on. 

                                                             .                                    .                              .

    I was back in my skulk, only a couple foxes there though. My eyes adjusted to the morning light. Around me were trees, with light flitting through damp leaves. It rained heavily recently, the rivers were flooded. Perhaps that was where the rest of my skulk was? Fixing the flood damage? I had no idea, I merely stretched my arms and legs, then yawned afterwards. My eyes were fully open now, no time to doze. I sprang to my paws, and started towards the back exit- Which I never even noticed until a couple moon rises ago- We have many emergency exits in case a furless shows up, or coyotes and wolves raid. On my way to the exit, I was stopped by a series of simultaneous paw steps. "...Ikkeran! Ikkeran! Wait up!" I didn't want to turn, yet I couldn't be rude, could I? No. I stopped in my tracks for the other fox to catch up.

   I knew I recognized the voice- It was Ikena. My sister. She was a South American gray fox, just like me! Yet, the difference was she was more scrawny, and her tail was a fluffy darkening gray ombré. I just wanted to go see what the skulk was up to, I couldn't afford time with her. 

"The skulk is out hunting, are you off to join them?" Ikena barked. I turned to her, my ears twitching in shock. I hadn't known that's where they were off to. In reply I'd say; "What did they do about the flood...?" Ikena would look at me like I went through the depths of hell and back. "The flood?" Her nose wrinkled up in almost disgust, but I could sense the confusion. "It never rained. It hasn't rained for moons actually--" I cut her off. I heard enough. How could it not have rained for moons? The leaves were clearly damp. I told Ikena this, and she mocked me in laughter and undignified snorts. I couldn't take it- I sprinted away, flanks heaving. I arrived at the lake, and all I could do was stare.

    It was bone dry. No lake anymore, just a dip. The rain couldn't have been a dream- The earth even showed signs that it had rained! I couldn't believe it, witchcraft, sorcery, it all filled my mind. What if it was just me...? I'm not insane, or am I? My ears twisted around and my head rotated, I was attempting to pick up the scent trail of the skulk. My brush lifted when I caught onto something, then I ran towards the upper-hill, following footprints and scent markings.

     Moments passed and there was absolutely no luck. The skulk was long gone- Probably back to the camp. I looked up at the leaves, they were orange and bright red, some leaves falling already. Winter was creeping ever so slowly around the corner, the only thing we could do to prepare is hunt and bury our cache. 

    Back at the camp, great elder- the oldest fox in our skulk -would be sitting upon a mound of rubble. Great elder is there to pass on experiences to the second oldest, and when they passed away they would become Great elder. Great elder was to be protected at all costs, especially whenever hunting. Three triplet Pampas foxes were chatting, communicating within barks and nips back and forth, conversing about prey cache and the winter. Our leader- An old tibetan sand fox -would be sitting by the entrance. They looked at me, and beckoned me over. I sighed, I hope this wasn't about my disappearance. 

   "Yes Kaiki?" That was the name of our leader- Kaiki. He was a young fox, and his fur was a dusty beige and his eyes were a shimmering ocean blue. Kaiki was also more larger than me- Significantly larger. Kaiki's eyes narrowed like slits, and I stayed ever so still as he stalked around me, checking my scent patterns to determine where I had been. "The lake." He murmured. I nodded. His eyes flashed, gaze darkening. "We don't speak of the lake anymore, understand?" The statement bothered me, why not...? The lake was our primary source of water, and fish. What will we drink from now? Why hasn't any other fox questioned this? My head tilted in question, Kaiki had a snarl rumbling from his throat. "You do not query me, understood?" His jaws snapped at my ear, landing a mouse hair away. He drew back, and whipped his tail left from right. I gulped, Kaiki was intimidating. Though my questions probed me- This was mysterious. Kaiki must have known about the lake disappearance. He knew that lake for all his life! Kaiki was also loyal to the Star Council- A high ranked fox being that was a tribe in the north. They power and control most of fox nature, loyalty was one of them. 'A fox must be loyal to their skulk, or loyal to none- If they defy, let their corpse burn in dread.' The quote was quite bold, especially in a leader's case.

  If there was one thing I could do now, is return to the lake. If it disappeared, where could the water have gone? I paused. The Star Council has a force that has been threatening them for a while. Our tribe has the closest connection to Star Council- Thanks to Kaiki. The opposing force is the Taken Light. They only want disturbance in nature, the nature that the Star Council had created. A backstory unknown to mortal foxes that was between the Star and the Taken. My curiosity always throbs at me- I have to see what this is. I have to know if this was from the Taken Light. I inhale, then I begin my journey back to the lake.