The Fox and Her Bow

-15-

I cast my thoughts of those battle plans out of my head and make my way back to my cave. The whole way, I'm fighting to keep my mind on other things. I need to do something. I take my bow and quiver of arrows and run off into the woods. In a few moments, I reach my cave. But I just run past it, hoping to get far into the woods.

I run to work up a sweat, to forget for a second: I shoot every tree I go past and shoot everything that makes me think. I shoot arrows 'till the moon climbs high into the sky. The ground disappears and my Fox eyes adjust. The sounds of my footsteps sound in the woods as I walk back to the cave. Slightly sweating and ready for bed, I enter the mouth of the cave and pull the curtain back.

The smell of home fills my nose and I immediately relax. Nothing like the smell of home to calm your nerves. I take my bow and quiver and out it on the ground by my bed and light the fire for some light and warmth. The fire slowly builds up and while doing so, my thoughts travel back to the map of plans of the war on the Chiefs desk.

Should I tell Mary and Torsten? What would happen? What would we do? I nudge some wood around and collect my thoughts. They would know what to do with this information. Right?

I go over to my food bag and pull out some food. Berries to eat, and nothing else. I need to get more food. I think as I look at the slowly emptying bag. I think of all the veggies I used to eat back at the village.

I MUST go to the village sometime to get more food.

Only everyone will be looking for me.

No. Can't do that.

Some day. Soon. I don't have time to wait.

I pick the berries out the bag, one by one, trying to savor every last one. When they're all gone, I crawled under the covers and watched the fire slowly die out.

____________________________________________________________________________________

The morning sun shone through the cave entrance, casting a fire-like glow on the curtains. I sit up and stretch, thinking about what I must do today. Food is obviously a priority. It always will be.

I get up from the floor and tidy my blankets. Looking at my quiver of arrows, I notice some missing. During yesterday's run, and for every run I do, I salvage all the arrows I had shot, but some were beyond repair or retrieval. I can make my own, but I need resources. A sturdy stick, rocks and a rope of some kind. There were some arrows I could make myself, but most of them I bought in the town square in the village.

People always gave me odd looks when I bought arrows. I made my own sometimes, just to avoid those looks. The arrows I made aren't very good, but they did what they were made to do.

I went to my bag and peek inside. A few stray berries roll around in the bottom. My stomach grumbles. I sigh. I need food. I take up my bag and sling it over my shoulder. Pulling the curtains back, and sun shines down on my face, warming my face. Right before I let go of the curtains, a snap sounds in the forest. My Fox ears perk up and my tail fur stands on end.

"Oh no." They're coming.

I back into the cave again and hide in a corner.

After minutes of silence, no one comes forward. I step out of the shadows and into the light of the sun. Nothing's changed. I walk out the cave and sneak around the rocks on the outside of the cave, trying to be as quiet as possible.

There's no way I have the time to get caught. I would be taken to the Chief and put on trial. I would probably be publicly hanged. I can't afford to die when I could finish this war.

Deciding there's no threat, I walk along the creek. The water sounds in my ears and I long to jump in. It's been days since I last touched water.

I take off my shoes and dip my feet in the water. The water welcomes me with open arms, and I run into them. It's been so long since I had a dip in the lake like this. It feels more comforting than I care to admit.

After a few minutes of long-awaited splash in the water, I walk back to the cave with my shoes in hand, carefully walking around any sticks or twigs that may be in my path. My stomach reminds me of its existence and grumbles a painful growl. "I know." I scowl. "Food time."

Finally. My stomach growled back.

I laugh. Picking up my bag, bow and quiver, and walk down the slight path I have made over many weeks. Along the path, I pick the berries that line the edges and stash them in my bag. I eat a few of them as I go as well. Every berry I eat fills my stomach a little more.

Soon, my bag is full of berries and nuts. A small apple tree grew just a small sprint away, a good treat after some hard work. Coming back to the cave, I eat a few berries as I walk back. Stomach full and the sun high in the sky, I sit up on top of the cave and think.

The Chief was actually planning to win the war; there was nothing wrong with his actions, just the fact that, with this plan of his, it wasn't going to work out. I had come up with a few plans myself a little while back, and now, if I didn't get caught fixing the Chiefs battle plans, they would be put into action.

But what would happen if I did get caught? We weren't exactly on the same page when it came to war. Or anything else.