Four Paws and A New Tale

Chapter 17:

The next morning Jacob walked into the kitchen holding the pet carrier, his mother looked up from her breakfast and realised what was happening.

"Can I borrow the car?"

She nodded sadly in answer, Jacob technically wasn't allowed to drive because he was still a 'Learner', but she knew where he was going, and he wasn't without practice, she trusted him.

Jacob walked out the front and spotted Pixie lying underneath a rocking chair, he sighed loudly and smiled sadly at the fox pup, at his fox pup.

"Come on girl."

Jacob picked Pixie up and placed her inside the pet carrier, he placed the carrier on the passenger seat of the car before getting into the driver's seat.

He started the engine and drove, the nature reserve was several kilometres from his house, a short drive. Jacob pulled up to the reserve and stopped the car, he grabbed the carrier and walked into the dry bushland.

He found a clearing surrounded by tall trees, it had a small stream on one side. Jacob opened the pet carrier and placed it on the ground, he pulled Pixie from it and hugged her tight.

"I'll miss you Pixie, thanks for everything."

Jacob placed a confused Pixie on the ground and picked up the pet carrier.

"Arh?" She asked.

Jacob smiled sadly, his lip quivered, and a tear fell from his eye, his voice trembled, and he breathed hard. He knelt down and planted a kiss on Pixie's head, she licked his cheek and he uttered a choked laugh. He stood and smiled at his friend.

"Take care girl."

Jacob turned around and walked back to the car, the pet carrier in hand, it was lighter now.

Pixie barked loudly, Jacob kept walking, he didn't look back.

Pixie lay in the dirt, curled into a ball and whimpered quietly.

******

"Earth to Jacob, dude you listening?" Tim's words went through one ear and out the other, Tim looked at Rosie with wide eyes and a raised eyebrow, he placed an imaginary radio to his mouth, "Houston, we got a problem."

Rosie giggled and shook her head. Tim snapped his fingers next to Jacob's ear and his friend was brought back to reality.

"Huh, what?" Jacob asked dumbly.

Tim sighed, "Dude, we gotta get these tents up, once that's done we can start enjoying our camping trip! One-night only we go back tomorrow, hurry up!"

"Right, sorry."

Jacob began hammering pegs in the ground and pulling a tent upright, Tim began helping Rosie sort out the food and other items they'd brought.

The monotonous sound of hammer on peg echoed through the camp-site and drilled into the brain, Rosie and Tim shared a concerned look, they had a silent argument consisting of a series of head gestures and wild-waving of hands and then Rosie used her secret weapon.

She stuck out her lower lip, made her eyes go wide and she seemed to shrink inwards, Tim glared at her for a long time, but he couldn't resist her puppy-eyes, he threw his hands up, he had lost.

He walked up behind Jacob and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, Jacob stopped hammering and looked at Tim.

"Okay, come on, spit it out."

"What?"

"Something's bugging you, what is it?"

"Oh."

Jacob sighed loudly and sat in one of the three camp chairs, Tim and Rosie joined him around their unlit fire.

"So, what's wrong?" Rosie asked softly.

Jacob stared at the pile of firewood, when he spoke it was soft and both Rosie and Tim struggled to hear him.

"Pixie's gone, I set her free."

Both friends were stunned silent, Rosie spoke first.

"Why?" She asked.

Jacob shrugged. "She bit me, she's been acting weird lately, she's not a pet, she's a fox, she belongs in the wild."

Tim laughed quietly, "You know, when you adopted her I didn't think you'd get so attached, but you'll be okay."

Jacob offered a thin smile, "Yeah, I'll be okay, it was only this morning that I let her go, so it's still fresh is all."

"Alright then, here's to fresh starts!"

The trio laughed and while Jacob knew he would never forget the little fox, he also knew that'd be okay and so would she.