The Fox and Her Bow

-1-

The sun shines brightly through the curtains, blinding me as I wake up. Yawning and stretching, I push off the thin, cotton blanket, and swing my feet off the edge of my bed.

Today was Tuesday, just another ordinary day in the village. Nothing like a short round of target practice to start off the day with a bang! Not that it would be of any practice for me, more like showing off.

I can make a shot not even the Chiefs best archers could make, and I won't even try! Often people call me a freak, but I don't stop them. I know it was true, being a Foxblood and all. Being a half fox, well, it's hard. Because I'm the only one, everyone labels me as an alien, a freak...different. Not only that, but they think I'm dangerous. And because of that, people expect me to act different.

People look at me funny when I pick up fallen objects, they shoot strange looks my way if I help someone with their luggage, and I notice side glances from pedestrians as I walk to the Forest of Pine for some alone time, freedom of all this.

Nighttime is my time, a time where I can pull my black leather jacket over my green camo tank top and jeans, slide into my black, healed boots, and slip out to the forest under the blanket of night. Even on a night with no moon to lead me, my sensitive Fox-y vision tells me exactly where to go. With everyone at fast asleep, I can do anything I want! But I choose to take my time walking down the moon lit roads to the forest, maybe stealing an apple or something as a nighttime snack...or maybe a less than difficult target.

I'm looking forward to that time as I get dressed in to my normal camo outfit and slip my bow and quiver, full of freshly sharpened arrows over my shoulder. Tummy rumbling, I step outside the door of my hut and slowly walk to the Great Hall for a well awaited breakfast.

When I arrive at the door of the Hall, I open it, revealing almost all the villagers gathered around the tables, stuffing themselves, or lining up to get food. All conversations stopped, and all their beady, little eyes turn to me, and for all the wrong reasons. Every stare I get is always for the worst. It's not like anything is wrong with me, people just don't like me.

Walking to the back of the line, conversations slowly continue, while the people in front of me quickly moved aside, letting me go first.

I look up at the Cook, my golden yellow eyes boring into his. I quickly look away, not wanting to scare him more than I already was.

"Everything, except the meat." I ask, the usual order for everything I eat. You may think, being a fox, I would eat as much meat as Normal animals do, but I just can't do it knowing I could be digging into my great-great uncle's guts right then. Just the thought of it is enough to make me go vegetarian!

I pick up my newly made breakfast and walk to the furthest table, the place everyone knew is mine.

It's not like I purposely hide away from the other villagers, they choose to run away screaming whenever I offer to shake their hand! Hey, I even keep my claws in! But, really, if I were them, I'd probably scream too... but running is a little over-the-top.

After a few minutes of silenced eating, someone sits down next to me.

"You finally showed up!" I say, smiling wide. There is only one person in the whole village who really excepts me, and I love her for that.

"Sorry, got held up talking to the Chief." Addison says. "Having a quick chat about the trading."

Returning to my food, I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? And what kind of "quick chat" would take 15 minutes?"

"Heh heh, sorry." She frowns. "We were...discussing something longer than a quick chat." She turns to face me. "I'm going to have to talk to you later."

Her sad expression makes me worried. Addison is the Head of the trading of our village, so she's super important to the survival of our tribe. If we didn't have her, well, there wouldn't be anyone to organize the training, which meant no regular food supply, which meant we would starve. And I can tell by the looks people give me, they think, if I was hungry enough, one of the villagers would be on my dinner plate! But of course, I'm not interested in eating one of them! Plus, I don't like meat and that would just scare them more. Like I need anymore strange looks shot at me!

We finish up our breakfasts and part ways. Addison went back to the Chief, after promising to talk to me later.

Going back to my hut, I think about what Addison was so anxious about. Normally, she goes to neighboring villages and trades there. She always told me when she was leaving, even if it was only for a day. What could possibly make her this worried? She was never this worried about trading!

Opening my door to my hut, the familiar scent of home travels quickly to my keen nose. I walk quietly to my room, not wanting to wake my little owl, Feathers, from her nap. Her beak was tucked behind her in her back feathers, snoring peacefully.

I retreat to the Forest of Pine, leaving the village a distant shadow in the clearing. The sun is hot on my face as I slip my bow off my shoulder and take an arrow from my quiver.

I look around, scanning the forest floor for a target to shoot at. A little, pink, flower is in full bloom on the ground, a perfect target for such a skilled archer like myself.

As I draw my bow, I squint my eyes, just barely able to make out the little flower, dancing gracefully to the wind off to the distance.

I let go.