CHASE

Chapter 13

The hot days were merging into the cooler days of autumn. Chase had begun to notice the leaves were turning a crisp shade of yellow as she walked along the familiar path toward Yew's den.

She'd been working diligently each day to master cat tongue. She was now able to form sentences and employ basic grammar. Claw had been satisfied with her progress so far and believed she would be fluent by the time the leaves were a deep red.

Chase was thankful for the frequent lessons. She rarely saw her family these days. They shared the same den and often ate the same prey, but she did her best to stray away from their incessant nagging.

They rarely asked where Chase was going, and even when they did, Chase simply just said she was going to hunt, and they let her be. She knew her parents had given up on her anyway. They were much more concerned with raising Whorl, Hop, and Pounce to live as proper foxes.

A cool breeze rippled across Chase's auburn fur as she crossed the stepping stones of the river to Yew's residence. He was not always at her lessons, but he was in the den often, witnessing Chase practice. He'd often walk her home after, though she kept assuring him that he didn't need to. She'd learned the route home easily after only a few sunrises of lessons.

When Chase arrived to the den today, she could hear hoarse coughing inside. Tilting her head, she slowly entered, finding Yew tending to a sickly-looking Claw.

"Is everything okay?" Chase asked.

Yew glanced up, his eyes tired from what she could only guess was a sleepless night.

"I've--cough--just picked up a bit of a cold, that's--cough--all," Claw called from the corner of the den.

Chase turned to Yew for more explanation.

"He started coming down with this cough after you left yesterday. He was up all night coughing. My parents have gone to find some herbs," Yew stated.

"Would you like me to head home?" Chase asked Claw.

He shook his head. "I can still teach, can't I? Come and sit."

It was a painfully long lesson interspersed with coughing fits and Yew's worried remarks to call it a day, but Chase continued practicing and learning. Now that she had memorized all cat vocabulary, her goal now was to work on speaking coherently and in formed sentences.

The sun was beginning to descend as Yew exited the den with her.

"You can stay with Claw," she told him. 

Yew shook his head. "My parents will be back soon. It's getting darker sooner these days. I want to make sure you get back okay."

"What about you?" Chase asked.

"I'm a big strong fox who already knows how to live around the woods. Don't worry about me," Yew assured her. 

Chase slowly nodded and silently walked alongside Yew. She was beginning to rival him in size, though she doubted she'd ever be as tall or muscular as him. Her siblings were catching up to Chase's own parents as well. Though she had not yet lived through four seasons, she was not looking like a small pup anymore.

"Claw is on his last legs," Yew muttered beside her.

Chase's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"He's an old fox," Yew explained. "He's fathered many. My mother is his most recent child, and she's already had a few litters of her own."

"Do you think he'll..." Chase let her voice drift off.

"I don't know. He might," Yew admitted. "But even if he does, you already have the basics of cat tongue down. I can help you practice and learn the rest. You forget I'm fluent as well."

"I suppose so," Chase murmured, though she'd grown saddened to know that Claw might be in his last days of life. She'd always noticed the white around his muzzle and his graying eyes, but he'd always had a vibrant energy whenever he taught her. She wasn't ready to give that all up yet.

"I hope he feels better," Chase told Yew. 

"Don't come to lessons tomorrow. I have a feeling he will only get worse tonight, and I don't want you catching it," Yew told her.

Chase frowned. "But you're susceptible to catching it too!"

"Just don't come tomorrow. You can start up the next day if he's better," Yew promised.

Chase let out a long sigh. "Fine."

...

For an entire day, Chase remained home with her family, straying off to the side as they played and hunted. She tossed a pebble back and forth with her paw, watching the long meadow grass sway in the wind. She had not spent so much time in the meadow than when she was just a young kit.

Her father teased her for not going off and running away into the woods while her siblings seemed adjusted to life without her there. It felt strange being in their presence again. If anything, the day taught her how much she struggled interacting with her family these days.

When the sun finally did rise the next morning, Chase was relieved. She set out bright and early, hoping to get an update from Yew on whether or not lessons would occur. She knew he would want her to wait for him to arrive, but she could not spend yet another whole day in the presence of her family.

The sun was rising over the forest, casting orange shards onto the pine trees as Chase leaped across the rippling stream. As she grew closer to Yew's den, she noted several smells, most likely belonging to Yew's parents and siblings.

The sound of her feet crackling against twigs and leaves was interrupted by the quiet sobs. Chase froze in her tracks, wondering if it was best to stay back. From those sounds, she could only guess what Claw's condition might now be.

A head peeped out of the den. Chase let her shoulders relax as she noted Yew. He looked upset and angered as he quickly padded over to her.

"You shouldn't be here," he growled.

"What happened? I wanted to see how Claw was doing," Chase honestly admitted.

"Claw is dead. He died this morning."

Chase felt her heart break. She dug her claws into the soil and hung her head, letting a few spare tears drip onto the ground below. She had lost a kind soul in her life and potentially the best teacher she would ever have. 

"Chase?" Yew asked.

"Why-why didn't you come get me?!" Chase exclaimed, feeling miserable. "I didn't even get to say good-bye to him or thank him."

Whatever frustration Yew had shown earlier had vanished. HIs eyes grew concerned as he stared down at Chase.

"I-I didn't think it would get this bad. I didn't want you coming because I didn't want you getting sick. It's true it was just a little cold, but his old body couldn't handle it," Yew said quietly. "I'm sorry, Chase."

"I wanted to tell him he was the best teacher ever," Chase whispered, still withholding tears.

"He knew that, Chase. He knew how much you enjoyed his lessons. He was always so excited for you to arrive," Yew assured her, gently setting one of his dark paws over hers.

"I'm glad," Chase said, sniffing a bit. "Tell your family I send my regards then. I'm sure you're all going through a lot more than me."

She spun around, ready to leave the scene of misery when Yew spoke up.

"Be here tomorrow," he said.

"What for?" Chase asked, the realization that her mentor was dead slowly setting in.

"I promised I would teach you, didn't I? You need to keep practicing, so you can talk to the cats one day," Yew reminded her.

Chase slightly grinned. That was right. She had come here after all to communicate with the cats, to someday bring peace to the forest. Claw had wanted the same thing too. She hoped she could achieve that goal for him.

"See you tomorrow," she said, waving her tail as she disappeared into the thick brush of the forest.