Fox Magic

Chapter 14

Twister's pov

Flashback

I didn't know how long the hawk carried me, or how far it flew. It was probably just a few minutes, hawks do fly pretty fast. But when you're in it's talons waiting to be eaten, it feels more like hours.

I could only watch the land below as I passed by it. There was no use wasting my energy trying to fight it anymore. I watched as the forest below gave way to a small beach, then it was nothing but water.

I eventually began hearing chirping somewhere ahead. When I looked up, I saw the hawk was approaching a mountain. The mountain appeared to be completely surrounded by water. And at the very top, a nest. Two baby hawks sat in the middle, chirping theirs heads off.

I thought of a plan as quickly as I could. As the hawk neared the nest, I went completely limp. The hawk dropped me in the nest as it landed. Its chicks gave me a curious look. They didn't look like much; small, scrawny, and almost featherless. But their beaks still looked sharp and their feet held tiny claws.

Without moving, I quickly looked around for somewhere to hide. The nest was very well built, with no holes for the chicks to fall through. But there had to be a weak spot somewhere.

The hawk reached its head down and nudged me closer to its chicks. One chick pecked at my ear while the other grabbed my tail. Satisfied that the chicks we're going to eat me, the adult hawk flew away, probably for its own meal.

Now's my chance!

As quickly as I could, I jumped up and darted to the nest wall, yanking my tail out of the chick's beak and scaring them both. I quickly found a loose twig and pulled it out. I clawed and chewed at the twigs that make up the nest wall, burrowing into the space I created.

As I worked, the curious chicks ventured closer. One chick nipped at my tail and I turned around, snarling and snapping at it. Startled, it backed away along with the other one. I went back to work on my hiding place, making sure to keep the chicks at bay.

After a few more minutes and a couple more threats towards the young hawks, I was finally able to squeeze myself into the wall of twigs. Even if the fully grown hawk were to see me here, it wouldn't be able to get to me. Obviously I can't stay here, but I at least have time to think of a better plan, a way to escape for good.

As I rested in the wall, I already had the start of a plan. Hawks are diurnal, they can't see in the dark. But foxes can. I'll rest here where I'm as safe as I can get at the moment, then when night falls I'll sneak out. I'll try not to wake the big hawk, but even if it does wake up it won't be able to see me.

Only one problem, this place is surrounded by water. And I've never had to swim before. I guess I'll just cross that hurtle when I get there. I decide to try and get some sleep, it's going to be a while before sundown. It's hard to fall asleep when hungry baby hawks are starting at you. But I eventually fell asleep.

I didn't have a very restful sleep, though, and I woke up fully a while later to the sound of crunching. I looked towards the inside of the nest and saw not only the baby hawks, but the big one as well. It had its foot on what looked to be the remains of a large fish, while it used its beak to tear pieces off to eat. The chicks squalled as they begged for food, but the parent wasn't willing to share. As far as it knows, they already had a fox.

But their squalling eventually irritated the parent enough to win them a bit of fish. The other parent appeared soon after and they all settled down in the nest and began grooming themselves with their large beaks. As the turned from blue to orange, they slowly began to fall asleep.