The Silver Fox

Chapter 1: Annalisa

"Annalisa, could you please fetch some firewood?"

Mother's call rings across the meadow in melodious notes like a little silver bell.

My fingers guide the hairbrush once more through my sister's silky blonde hair. My toes grip the soft lime green grass and I stand up. Before I know it, I am flying among the trees. Leaves crunch beneath my bare feet and golden brown flecks dance on the breeze like little flying pixies.

I follow the worn path to the wood pile and breathe in deeply. Ahhh, I sigh. There are no worries out here, no one to judge me, I am finally myself. No more duties of "acting like a lady", no more being the princess that my parents want me to be (literally, I am the daughter of the queen and king). My heavy jewelry is shoved into my bag, the costly gold earrings that my mom snatched for me, the diamond necklace. I scoop up a pile of wood, humming the notes to a song whose words were long forgotten and skip back up the path.

My happy thoughts are interrupted by a scared neigh. The pain licks at the back of the sound like fire on the horse's heels. I locate the sounds and drop the wood.

I run through the trees, searching for the injured horse. I pray that I can help the creature, that I can find it in time. I have loved animals ever since I was a child. I have a connection with them.

Crashing through the trees, I am relieved to spot the limping black mare. Something is slung over her back, perhaps baggage from the abandoned rider. I hurry up to where she expects to die, to heave her last breaths. I crouch down to see a deep, clean cut in her leg and a pool of blood at her feet. I glance over my shoulders at the surrounding foliage to check for spies. I look to see if anyone is there and am satisfied to only see trees, I immediately crouch onto my knees.

Okay, Anny, focus on your breathing. In, out, in out. Focusing my power to heal the beautifully muscular leg.

I use my power, the good thing of being a Beny, and try to help the creature. With much effort, the gash in the mare's leg closes up. It sews itself up and heals before my eyes. The fog in her eyes blows away. As her eyes sharpen, she whinnies with relief. I feel her pain ebb away in my mind. She tells me that she will be alright and I sigh in relief. I am so lightheaded from healing her that I will have to ride her so that I don't pass out before we get back.

I let out a relieved and slightly mad giggle and if anyone was there, they would have thought me crazy. A twig snaps a little up the hill and my head whips around to look. A dark figure runs back into the depths of the forest. Bees start to fly around and sting inside my stomach as I realize that I have been discovered! Not the time now.

My attention turns back to the horse.

“There you go, it’s alright, you’re ok now,” I coax her as she nuzzles into my chest.

Help my master! Please!

Then I notice what is on her back. What I thought before was luggage is actually a grown man. I quickly  press my fingers on his neck and remember that I do not know how to check a pulse. Why did I not listen to Jacklen's lessons?!

I do know how to check if someone is breathing though. I place my ear against his chest. Good, he is still breathing. I lead the black beauty back to our home, praying that the man is still alive.