Chapter 1:
In the ending days of summer
as spring gave way to winter
there sat beside the river
two lone and silent figures
a family of foxes
a father and a daughter
the fishing rods inside their hands
lay loosely with their fingers
they waited there together
that sleek and furry pair
the sun rose up to greet them
and through the shimmer they did stare
as it danced upon the surface
of every gleaming stone
engorging every color
as it’s golden sweetness shown
as they sat beneath the huge trees
the wind began to blow
“We ought to try once evening comes
I’ve seen them here, you know.”
Her voice was sweet like morning rain
and brought to him a smile
he pushed his hat back on his head
and grinned at her a while,
“My darling Aerthwin, I’ll never mind
sitting with you and spending time
out here amongst the changing trees,
the rising sun, the cooling breeze.
You are my only in this world
my little child, my little pearl”
Danfyr was his name. He stood tall and lean in the cool morning air. His fur was red like the autumn soaked aspen trees down in the valley and his cub’s fur was just the same. His eyes were deep dark blue like the caves up in the mountainside and his cub’s eyes were just the same. The end of his soft, sleek tail was white like the big misty clouds in the sky and his cub’s tail was just the same. He wore a dark green hat on his head that shaded his eyes and a little brown backpack on his back that held something in it that Aerthwin had been thinking about all morning long. She looked at it out of the corner of her eye.
“Daddy, isn’t it time for us to eat? Shouldn’t we rest for our poor feet?”
His smile grew wider as he stepped under the shade of a nearby tree. As Danfyr unpacked their lunches little Aerthwin ran and washed her face in the cool mountain stream. When she was done she ran back and hopped under the mossy green tree where her lunch was sitting on her napkin.
Foxes love to eat all the freshest, most delicious food they can and Aerthwin knew just what to eat first. Her eyes flew straight to a tasty ripe tomato the size of her little paw. When she bit into it the tart juice dripped out the sites of her snout and down into her lap. She laughed and took another bite. It was sweet and bright red like her coat. Danfyr liked the tomatoes, too. They ate them together there in the green gold sunlight and quietly giggled about the mess they had both made. As Danfyr was unwrapping a sandwich his sharp eyes noticed a beautiful blue jay slowly floating over the treetops.
He reached a hand over to Aerthwin and snapped. She was instantly quiet. She knew from her many trips into the forest with her father that when he snapped his finger like that it meant that there could be danger nearby. She followed his eyes and saw the bird drifting from treetop to treetop. She smiled. He smiled too. Sometimes her daddy would get her attention just to show her something she would like. Aerthwin loved all birds but especially blue jays. It was large and proud as it’s deep dark wings whooshed through the cool air. She held her breath hoping she could be quiet enough for it to come closer.
Foxes are very good hiders. They can be so quiet when they are hiding that they might just as well be invisible. Danfyr watched the bird very closely as it passed. It was just about to get out of sight when he stepped out into the open and called to the bird. Startled, it spotted them and quickly came down. When it landed on a rock beside them it motioned to Danfyr and they spoke together quietly by the stream for a moment. Danfyr motioned to Aerthwin and she came closer so she could hear.
The Blue Jay looked at them both and said:
“Oh, Foxes! Dear, Foxes! Why are you still here?
The enemy is close and danger is near!
We birds are safe up here in our sky
But any other left here surely will die.
They are coming this way that shadowy clan,
killing and burning and scaring the land.
They can never sleep. They may never die.
They’re coming this way. I don’t know why.
Wild coyotes, hungry for death,
have torn across forests and nothing is left.
They love only sorrow, they eat only pain,
Their eyes are too empty, too void to explain.
They stand on the ridge now, smelling the air
Hope against hope, you don’t meet their stare.
Fly away foxes and live while you can,
This evil is the deepest since the world began.”
He looked down at them both then spread his dark wings and flew back up to the treetops and out of view. The two foxes looked at each other for a moment then silently ran to the pack and threw their belongings into it. When it was full again they left the fishing poles and ran, hoping they could get back to the den to make a plan before the wild coyotes found them.
Chapter 2:
As the foxes ran through the forest toward the safety of their den they ducked through bushes and jumped over logs quickly and silently like a soft breeze. They looked over their shoulders as they ran so often that Aerthwin nearly tripped on a root from a particularly gnarly oak tree. The bright green and gold of the autumn afternoon surrounded them as they warily crossed into the valley where they lived. They weaved through the bright red aspen trees, which surrounded the place. Panting, they hid under a thick lavender bush near the front door where they could watch and see if it was safe to go in. Aerthwin could smell the steely sweet lavender as it baked in the sunny late afternoon but she was still too afraid to enjoy it.
Danfyr’s wise eyes scanned the den in every detail to search for any signs that the coyotes had beaten them there. The small door almost blended in with the boulder that stood next to it and he could see that it was still closed. Everything was quiet and still. No birds were singing. No sound came from the forest but the slight breeze rustling through the trees. When they finally felt safe enough they crept to the door and slipped in.
Their feet made little thumping sounds on the wood floor as they walked into the hall and toward the living room. The walls were painted deep green and the low ceiling was dark wood just like the floor. Danfyr had built it many years ago with Aerthwin’s mother before she died. He had raised little Aerthwin from a pup in this den and he now walked through it wondering if they would ever return again.
After he had checked the house, and found no hungry coyotes hiding there, Danfyr lit a small candle in the kitchen and set his hat on the table. They packed a few handfuls of carrots and a few simple sandwiches along with two big apples, which were Aerthwin’s favorite, into a little brown sack that Danfyr would wear on his back. As they packed, they whispered to each other about what to do.
“If we can make it to the mountains we might be able to hide away in the snow.” Aerthwin said.
“Yes, maybe. We need to go now though, the sun is setting and we will need the dark for cover.” Said her father. “Everyone is gone. They must have sounded an alarm while we were away because I didn’t see any animals in the forest as we ran here.”
“Is everyone alright?” She asked.
“Yes, I think they have all escaped.” He reassured her.
“All but us?”
“Yes.” He looked distant as he said it. “All but us.”
Just as Danfyr put his hat back on they heard the sound of the front door creaking open. Danfyr pinched out the small candle and they ducked down under the table. They quietly began crawling around the corner into the small hallway to the back door. The thumping came closer and closer and just as Danfyr pulled Aerthwin around the corner into the back hall the thumping entered the kitchen. The foxes stood silent with their backs against the wall. They could hear the sound of heavy wet sniffing. Danfyr knelt down and looked for a reflection in the picture frame hanging across from him. He could see the gigantic black outline of a muscle twisted back and four rough, matted legs silhouetted by the twilight seeping through the shuttered window. The strangely huge coyote sniffed the fireplace beside it and then turned to a basket of bread on the table.
Danfyr motioned to the backdoor at the far end of the hall and Aerthwin nodded. He looked at her and pressed his finger tightly against his lips. She nodded again and began to tip toe down the hall. Danfyr turned back to the reflection and saw that the coyote had not eaten the bread. These were not the sorts of creatures that ate simply to feed themselves; they would only eat what they had hunted. The coyote stood up on its hind legs and when it did its shadowy figure seemed to fill the room. Its dark head hit the small iron chandelier but it took no notice of this and continued to sniff for any trace of its prey. Danfyr caught a glimpse of sharp, jagged, yellowed fangs as the beast turned toward the hallway. Then Danfyr saw the creature’s eyes. They were white and almost glowing as if its skull were filled with an unholy pale light. He felt his heart jump in his chest as he turned down the hall and saw Aerthwin at the wooden backdoor looking at him. He turned back to the reflection and saw a hugely distorted mouth of razor sharp fangs yellowed by murder and hungry for foxes. The giant monster had crept closer and was now mere feet from the corner. Danfyr bolted down the hallway and crashed through the door catching Aerthwin by the scruff of her neck.
As they flew through the chilled air the sound of the coyote bounding down the hall after them sounded like fierce booming drums. The land sloped downhill when the foxes landed and the grass made them roll head over heels several times before they could catch their footing and run again. When Aerthwin looked back as she ran she saw the coyote explode from the hall, destroying what was left of the door. It’s eyes shown bright against the darkening sky and it’s shadowy figure looked even more massive as if a tree were crashing violently down on them.
The foxes ran as fast as they could. Danfyr led the way as they darted around trees and over boulders. The coyote tore the land underneath it as it galloped behind them. They flew over a large boulder and dove down into a large hollow log on the other side. There they sat quietly for mere seconds before the huge beast trampled over the boulder and knocked the log down the hill behind it. The foxes bounced down the hill and into the stream at the bottom.
They rode inside the tree trunk as long as they could before it began to sink below the water. Cold and full of fear, they paddled over to the shore and hid in the bushes there. There was no sign of the coyote. The foxes licked their bruises and Danfyr pulled his hat down tight.
“We have to go before it comes back, my love. Are you alright?”
She nodded painfully. They quietly began trotting away from the stream and toward the deep forest. The night had only begun and the coyotes were on the trail.
Chapter 3:
The foxes walked quietly through the dark trees. Their ears spun in all directions listening for anything that could be a stalking coyote. Hundreds of small beams of starlight trickled through the tangled ceiling of branches as they passed. When they reached the summit of a particularly large hill, which rose slightly above the treetops, Danfyr stopped and scanned the horizon. There was no clue as to where the coyotes had gone so they continued over the hill toward the mountains. Soon they came upon a large flat field with a few jagged rocks scattered across it. The golden grass that waved in the night breeze was not tall enough to hide in as they passed. After looking to see if there was another way they found that the field was too big to try and go around. They could only sneak from rock to rock for cover and hope not to be seen.
Aerthwin could walk upright but Danfyr had to crawl so as not to show above the grass. They hurried across as quickly as they could but half way across Aerthwin stepped into a hole and tripped.
“Who’s there?” came a whispered voice from inside the hole.
Danfyr mouthed the words ‘prairie dogs’ to Aerthwin who nodded enthusiastically. The thought of seeing happy little prairie dogs on this scary night made her feel much better.
“We are foxes. We are trying to find a safe place to hide.” Danfyr whispered back.
“Oh yes, Oh dear!” came the small voice. “I’ll meet you by that big rock over there.”
Danfyr peeked above the grass for a moment and saw the large black rock ahead of them. They crawled over to it and hid on the other side. There was a small scraping sound from behind them and the foxes whirled around and saw a prairie dog poking his head out of a small grey wooden door in the rock.
“Come in Foxes. You mustn’t stay out there.” The prairie dog said in a hushed tone.
Danfyr nodded and motioned for Aerthwin to go first. Aerthwin was taller than the prairie dog by a head and shoulders and had no trouble walking right in. Her father who had to duck down and remove his hat before entering was very nearly too big to fit. The prairie dog led them down a steep hallway with dirt walls and floors and then around a corner into a large, well lit, domed living area. The ceiling here was considerably higher and Danfyr could finally sit upright though he was in danger of hitting his head on the dark wooden beams which ran the across the white ceiling.
All around the room were holes leading to other parts of the town. Most of the holes were small but a few were big like the one the foxes had just entered from. These holes led to areas that bigger animals were allowed to go. Danfyr had been in a prairie dog town once before and knew that it was not uncommon for a rabbit or beaver to come to town for trading or to see friends. The prairie dog led them to a large fire pit in the center of the room. Above the fire were a number of metal pipes that were lashed together and went up like a chimney splitting into different directions in the very top of the domed roof. It was warm and the foxes began to dry their paws.
“Oh, this is a dangerous night foxes.” Said the little prairie dog. “My name is Wilbert. I’m one of the night watchdogs here in Flatlend.”
“We’re glad we met you here” said Danfyr “A huge coyote was after us. We think there may be more. Do you know anything about them?”
“Yes, Yes we do.” Wilbert answered “We were told a little about them from some of the animals as they left the forest and they are more than coyotes. We, of course, are safe underground; so we have stayed in the forest to keep watch and help when we can. The coyote you saw was a scout for the others. There are five of those coyotes out there tonight. They are loose from prison or some laboratory or the grave depending on whom you ask. The truth is that no one knows the truth about these monsters. We heard tell of some wild animals that had been coming this way killing and ruining everything in their path. They haven’t come this far yet but we are hiding here and I suggest you do the same.”
“I see.” Said Danfyr, staring into the orange light of the fire.
“Well, welcome to Flatlend in any case. You will be safe here. Would you two like some tea?” said Wilbert sympathetically, “You look like you might need some.”
The foxes thanked Wilbert and drank the tea, which warmed them in their hearts just as the fire had warmed their feet. After sitting in front of the fire for some time, the foxes felt comfortable and safe and began to fall asleep, exhausted from the day.
Danfyr awoke to Wilbert tapping him on the shoulder. Wilbert looked as if he had seen a ghost. Danfyr sat up, waking Aerthwin. The fire in the center of the room had been put out. When their eyes adjusted to the dark they saw that the room was now filled with prairie dogs silently looking up at the ceiling. Wilbert caught the eyes of the foxes and pointed up at the ceiling. He came very close to them and spoke in an almost inaudible whisper.
“Coyotes, … all five of them on the east side of the field. We saw that scout come down the hill the way you came and then it left. We thought it had moved on but it quickly returned with the others. They are all out there right now.”
“They tracked us here?” Danfyr mouthed back.
“Yes, I think so. We have decided to protect you if we can.” Wilbert said, rising to his full height and putting his hand on Danfyr’s shoulder.
A low murmuring came through the crowd in the great room. When it reached Wilbert he turned to the foxes looking more terrified than ever.
“They’re digging.” He shuddered.
“They’re going to dig us all up?” Aerthwin asked.
“They mean to.” Wilbert replied looking back up to the darkness.
“We have to get out of here and lead them away from you.” whispered Danfyr.
Wilbert and Danfyr went on whispering together for a moment as Aerthwin looked around the shadowy room. There was a small lantern being held by one of the prairie dogs that lit the room with a bluish gold. The warm light couldn’t quite reach the ceiling. As Aerthwin looked into the blackness above she felt a shiver of fear run down her spine.
“Come with me foxes. There is another door closer to the woods that you can use to escape. I’ll make sure you get as far as the tree line.” Wilbert said with authority.
Danfyr picked his hat up off the floor, looked at the brave little creature and gave a quiet, “Thank you, Wilbert”.
Wilbert led the foxes down another hall. This one had a brick floor and maroon painted walls. It was considerably wider but only a little taller than the entrance they had come in. There was intricate gold work lining the ceiling, which was further accented by the occasional chandelier. Danfyr would duck down lower as he walked by to avoid disturbing them. Aerthwin thought it all looked quite stately and that Wilbert looked very noble marching through it. He led them hastily through the long curvy hall until it ended at a little staircase that rose up into darkness. Wilbert took a long deep breath and began climbing the stairs. The foxes followed him at a little distance. After what seemed like a long slow climb they reached a wooden door painted to look like rock. Wilbert opened it slowly and looked in all directions. His eyes stopped when they peered back at the field. The foxes could see the bravery almost leave his face.
“We are almost too late! They dig so quickly! We mustn’t let them get through to the town.” He said as he motioned the foxes out the door. “Now, you two run for the trees and then I’ll run out and draw the coyotes away from Flatlend.” He said.
Danfyr stepped up to the door and pulled his hat back down tight on his forehead.
“They’ll catch you, Wilbert. I can run fast and draw the coyotes away from your town. You take my daughter to the woods and hide there.” His eyes met with Aerthwin’s and he gave her a reassuring wink saying, “Go, there isn’t much time!”
Wilbert and Aerthwin moved quickly and silently through the grass toward the trees. They could hear the sound of snarling and scraping coming from the field behind them. When they got to the tree line there was no hiding place to be seen. There were only groups of tall trees spread out in green grass and a jagged looking cliff, which hung out over black nothingness. Wilbert stopped.
“Can you climb a tree?” he said hurriedly.
Aerthwin looked above them and saw the thick trees. The leaves of the aspens had all turned red and gold in the autumn air.
“If you climb up a red tree you might be able to blend in with the branches.” Wilbert said quickly. “Maybe that would hide you from their noses as well. I’ll hide down here and keep an eye on you.”
She nodded and began to try and climb a big red tree near the cliff; hoping the coyotes would not come too close for fear of falling off. She looked back toward the field just as Danfyr shot out from behind the rock like a bullet. She saw him run straight toward the center of the field. Her eyes continued across and saw the five shadow covered coyotes turn and look at him. She could see one coyote step out in front and sniff at the air. It was the scout. It let out a huge grinding howl that hurt Aerthwin’s ears even from so far away.
All five coyotes turned and began to run at Danfyr who immediately stopped in his tracks. He stood there in the field facing the coyotes for a moment and then bolted back in the direction of the trees. Aerthwin hopped up to a higher branch remembering not to look down. In the past she had always enjoyed trying to climb trees but tonight it was terrifying. Foxes are not good climbers and she had only ever climbed up the trunks of some of the bigger trees near the river they fished at. She reached for a little branch and slipped, almost falling. She caught another branch with her arms and pulled herself on top of it. Danfyr was getting closer now; leading the coyotes so they would pass into the forest without seeing her. She got up to the highest branch she could and watched as Danfyr ran as fast as lightning across the golden field. The coyotes galloped behind him and were slowly gaining ground. The distance between them was closing but Danfyr did not look back. When he passed into the dark red and yellow trees he was like a blur of crimson and white. The coyotes slowed at the tree line and as if expecting a trap.
Aerthwin looked down and saw the coyotes clearly in the moonlight for the first time. They were battle scared and as grey as tombstones. Their hair was matted and bald patches lay where it had been caught on trees or torn out by some brave victim. All five were strangely large and roughly muscled. All of their eyes were pearly white and full of hatred and hunger. As they passed under her she held her breath for silence. The scout lagged behind the rest and slowed to a walk, sniffing the ground. The other coyotes disappeared into the forest and could be heard howling in the distance as they hunted Danfyr.
The ghostly scout sniffed the ground all around the path Danfyr had made. As it passed under Aerthwin’s tree a second time it suddenly froze. The huge beast put its nose to the tree trunk. Behind the scout Aerthwin saw little Wilbert poke his head out of the dirt under a nearby bush. He crept out from his hiding place and closer to the enormous monster. The coyote’s white eyes scanned the tree trunk and then suddenly locked on the small fox hiding in the branches. It bore its sharp, yellowed teeth at her and stood to put its gnarled front paws on the trunk. It’s white soulless eyes shown in the night like lanterns. Wilbert jumped forward and bit down hard on the coyote’s filthy leg. The coyote snarled and turned on the tiny prairie dog. Wilbert bore his teeth at the coyote and stood up barking madly at it. Enraged, the coyote reared back with its huge frame and lunged forward at Wilbert. Just then Danfyr appeared out from the trees and hurled himself at the scout smashing into it. The force of the blow knocked both the scout and Danfyr over the ledge of the cliff and they plunged down into the darkness together.
Chapter 4:
The night’s darkness had been softened by thick snow filled clouds that made the moonlight shine like silver across the sky. The cold light reached down the edges of the cliff and onto the twisted treetops below. Aerthwin stood on the ledge peering into the shadows. Wilbert stood beside her looking over his shoulder and sniffing for any signs of the coyotes.
“We have to go. We can’t risk leading the coyotes back to the town, although, all the dogs will have gone deep into the emergency tunnels by now.” Wilbert whispered quietly as he picked the leaves out of her hair. “We’ll go find what’s become of your father and then we will hide until the morning high up in one of those trees you climb so well.” His eyes began to mist as he said it.
She gave no response. He bit his lip holding back the fear and tears.
“We cannot stay, oh little one
You know of our great danger
if we sit here, the danger comes
and eats us up for dinner.”
He put his paw on her shoulder.
“We cannot flee to Flatlend now,
the smell will lead them to us
If we go now and climb on down
Our fates we can discuss.”
She nodded. He took her by the arm and led her down to a less steep decline. The grass was tall there. As it blew in the slight breeze it hissed in waves over them, gentle and understanding. As they walked warily down the hill Wilbert walked beside Aerthwin and spoke softly and bravely.
“Now, Prairie Dogs have settled here
for many long a cent’ry
when I was young as you are, dear
I lived among these trees.
And I would play among the flow’rs
Their smells were never fading
But winter came and froze the blooms
For death is always waiting.
Now, we don’t know if death has found
Your father yet this eve’ning
but death is like a hunting hound
and it’s work is never through.
So follow me I’ll lead you there
To rapture or disaster
And by my hide you’ll be my heir
If no father waits for you.”
She stopped and looked at him.
“You would take care of me?” she whimpered.
“If you need me to.” Said the brave little Prairie Dog.
They walked along in silence for some time. Snowflakes began to fall down from the silver sky. They were getting close to the bottom of the cliff and were walking into in the huge shadow cast by the black rock as Wilbert’s sharp eyes searched the darkness. He spotted a small light in the distance. There was a spreading fire in the top of one huge tree under the spot where Danfyr had fallen. The two ran as fast as they could to the giant tree. They stood beneath the branches and looked up into the light cast down by the fire. Wilbert squinted his eyes to see what had started the fire and saw many sharp broken branches around and within the body of the huge scout. A few branches beneath the scout lay the body of Danfyr curled up in the leaves. Wilbert’s heart sank into his stomach.
“Daddy!” Screamed Aerthwin “Are you alright?”
Wilbert felt the tears explode from his eyes.
“Daddy?”
Danfyr stirred. Wilbert choked on the emotion in his throat as he tore through the grass to the trunk of the huge tree.
“Wait here.” he said, “That is no place for a pup.”
Wilbert, who had never climbed a tree, dug his claws into the bark and scraped his way up to the lowest branch. He dared not look down because he had always been told Prairie Dogs are terrified of heights. Instead he looked up and jumped to the next branch, wrapping his arms around it tightly. He pulled himself up and wiped the remaining tears out of his eyes.
“Danfyr!” he yelled over the crackling flames as they ate their way down the tree. “Danfyr, wake up!”
Danfyr raised his head weakly and saw Wilbert climbing up to him and Aerthwin down below crying and yelling for him. The heat of the fire grew stronger as the flames quickly spread and Wilbert pulled himself onto Danfyr’s branch. Danfyr‘s arm was broken and his body was badly scraped and bruised from the fall. He found his tattered hat sitting next to him and tossed it down to his daughter.
Aerthwin picked it up and looked on as the two climbed slowly down from branch to branch. The fire moved more quickly and soon it blazed at their backs. They jumped from the tree and landed on the cold hard earth with two thuds.
“We need to find a place to hide” choked Danfyr.
“This way” coughed Wilbert.
He led them away from the fire and into a small cave he knew in the side of the cliff. When they were safely in the depths of the rock Wilbert tended to Danfyr’s arm the best he could with a few bandages and a rope, which the prairie dogs kept there.
After they all caught their breaths the fire spread closer and they decided to keep moving. Danfyr and Aerthwin thanked Wilbert for all his help and promised to visit Flatlend one day when the coyotes had gone. Wilbert argued with Danfyr but Danfyr would not allow Wilbert to come with them.
“Those beasts are tracking us. They are coming for us. If you come with us you could die. You need to go back and protect your town incase those coyotes turn back.” Danfyr said appreciatively.
Wilbert nodded, “Be safe, dear foxes.” He waved as they passed out of sight into the dark woods and toward the icy mountain.
The two foxes made their way through the dark cold forest as quietly as they could. Danfyr’s broken arm made his face wince every time he tried to walk on it. He tied it close to his chest with the rope and put his weight on the other arm forcing him to hop a little when he walked. The thumping sound of Danfyr’s limping seemed loud to the foxes now in the silence of the trees. The snow had begun to float down thickly like a torn feather pillow. They avoided the spreading piles on the ground around them so as not to leave tracks behind.
“Where will we go?” Aerthwin asked, stepping over some frost.
“To the mountain. We can hide deep in the caves there.” Danfyr whispered back.
“Can they find us there?”
“Yes. Darling, I think they can find us anywhere but the caves are dark and deep and the smell may become lost to them. Do you need to rest?”
She shook her head and kept walking beside him. “Tell me what happened to you when you fell, I couldn’t see anything.” She whispered to him as she tried to help him over a root sticking out of the ground.
“The coyotes chased me to the forest,
they almost chased me down
but I have traveled far and wide,
and I know my way around.
I slipped beneath a pine tree
Jumped over rosemary
I sailed through the lavender
And so I’m sure you see
The demons couldn’t track me
Under my fragrant shroud
And as for any steps I took
I took not one aloud.
I silently made circle back
And saw that gnarly beast
I flew with him over the ledge
But the danger hadn’t ceased.
I bit down hard upon his neck
His blood was sour black
He clawed at me and then we hit.
The tree came through his back.
Those things are not immortal
I heard it’s dying breath
Just before a passing limb
Convinced me of my death.
See, when the darkness took me
I thought it was forever
I thought I knew that you and I
Would never be together.
But now we live again
We run on for tomorrow
We can’t afford to look behind
On all our fear and sorrow.
For life is not a gift
it’s something that we’re made of
and when everything is left behind
all we have is true love.”
They walked on in silence, both of them smiling in the darkness.
Chapter 5:
They had been walking for what seemed to them like hours. The snow was still falling thickly around them. Their sleek red hair was caked with the powder and they shivered as they trotted across a small open field at the foot of the black mountain. The ground rose steeply underneath their numb paws as they began their ascent to the mountainside. The trees began to thin as they got higher and higher until there were only a few. They stopped for a short break behind a boulder on the steep slope. Aerthwin was panting from climbing over all the rocks. She shook her coat until all the ice had fallen off and felt much warmer. Danfyr peered down at the path they had made through the snow in the field below and then he saw them. All four coyotes floated through the snow and pressed their noses to the tracks the foxes had left. The grey devils looked huge in the glossy moonlight and the shimmering snow. They showed no signs of weariness.
Danfyr sighed, “They are hoping we take a long break this time.”
“I’m ready to go now.” Aerthwin said coughing.
“No, we have to cover our tracks now and hide in the caves.” Danfyr said reassuringly.
He reached into the tattered brown bag he wore and tossed Aerthwin the last apple. She smiled and took a bite. By the time the coyotes were half way across the field the foxes were on the move again. Danfyr had tightened the strap around his arm tucking it close to his chest and was now running out in front of Aerthwin looking for a cave that looked deep enough to hide down. Finding one, the foxes slipped in and down as far as the moonlight could reach. It was very dark in the cave. The foxes could barely see by the moonlight trickling in from the entrance and the glimmer of the snow that had blown in. As they crept lower and lower into the darkness they realized they were walking down rough steps. Aerthwin clung to the end of Danfyr’s tail so she wouldn’t get lost in the cold blackness.
“This could be a bear’s den.” Said Danfyr. “These steps will lead to the bears house, which will be connected to many caverns through the mountain. If the bear is gone we can pass through the mountain and out the other side while the coyotes are lost in these caves.”
Aerthwin bit her lip in the darkness and followed her father deeper into the black. Suddenly Danfyr walked straight into a wooden door smashing his nose and making his eyes water.
“Well, I found the door.” He said.
Aerthwin giggled for the first time in what seemed like ages.
“The lights are still out,” he continued, “so, I think maybe it’s safe to go in.”
Somehow Aerthwin felt better facing a cornered bear than facing four of those huge monsters and their yellow hungry teeth. They creaked the door open a crack and went in. The den was warm and cozy feeling. Danfyr felt around and found a small lamp beside the door. When he finally lit it the light shot out across the room and Aerthwin’s eyes were full of warmth and color. The huge room stood around them, wooden beams filling spaces between rocks. It was like a coalmine with plush oversized furniture and goatskin rugs of all colors and sizes stretched across the smooth stone floors. Danfyr took the lamp and led Aerthwin quickly down a large grey hall. The foxes felt especially tiny in the huge passage. They found the kitchen and hurriedly grabbed what little food was left on the tall tables. It was obvious that the bears had all left when the alarm had reached them. The foxes crept back into the giant hall and continued looking for the back door. The house was very large and the foxes passed many bedrooms and several staircases as they trotted down the hall. They both looked in wonder at the decorative wood paneling, which lined the walls. Everything looked warm and inviting bathed in the golden light of the lamp.
The sudden sound of the front door smashing open and heavy feet thumping into the den made the foxes stomachs freeze. Danfyr put out the little oil lamp. They were plunged back into darkness. Footsteps scratched across the den and the sound of wet sniffing seemed to get closer. Danfyr gave Aerthwin his tail and led her further down the hall quickly and silently. She could see a dim light coming from behind them as if the coyotes had brought the moonlight in with them. They felt their way to the end of the hall and out the back door. They could barely see the passage by the light the coyotes had brought in with them. Danfyr stopped, pouring out the oil from the lamp he carried and from another, which was standing by the back door. He motioned for Aerthwin to back away and then lit the floor a blaze. The sound of an earsplitting howl came from inside the dark halls. The foxes ran down the passage as quickly as they could. The back door caught fire immediately making the heat from the violent blaze soar.
As the foxes turned the dark corner of the passage Danfyr looked back and saw the fiery door explode as the coyotes erupted from it, bounding after them. Danfyr could now see the source of the sickly pale light that was radiating through the den. The coyotes eyes, which were now fixed on the foxes, all shown like neon pearls cutting through the black and into the souls of their prey. Danfyr picked up Aerthwin in his teeth like he used to when she was a little pup and bolted forward into the dark. He ran with his head down and his shoulder out incase they careened into a wall. As the coyotes scraped around the corner, however, the tunnel was filled with the eerie light spilling from their eyes.
Danfyr flew down the passage and skidded around another corner, grunting in pain from his arm. They were plunged back into darkness. He began to run again and smashed shoulder first into a wall. He let out a yelp of pain but only stopped for a moment before he was feeling again for which way the passage went. Soon he was running again, Aerthwin firmly in his grip. As the coyotes got nearer the light began to shine around to them. As the coyotes crashed around the corner the foxes could see that there were stairs down at the end of the passage. Danfyr poured on all his speed and raced to the stairs. He hit them so hard he almost lost his footing as he began to frantically climb. The coyotes were close behind smashing into the stairs and breaking some of the rock into splinters. When the coyotes looked up at the foxes the stairs came into view and Danfyr caught a glimpse of a gate at the top. He hoped the bears hadn’t locked it.
Finally the foxes burst through the unlocked gate and out onto the steep snowy mountainside. They hit the snow and instantly began to slide down. The cold air hit them hard in the face and the moonlight shown brightly on the glittering white trees around them. As they slid faster and faster Danfyr held Aerthwin close with his broken arm and with the other he tried to steer them away from the trees. The coyotes burst from the gate above and galloped down through the snow after the foxes. Their eyes burned with the ghostly white light. Suddenly, the moonlight fell on a ledge down in front of the foxes. Danfyr leaned back grinding his arm into the snow and kicked his legs out hard. They began to turn alongside the ridge. He kicked off a rock as it passed sliding over away from the cliff and down into the plain.
When they reached the bottom Danfyr released Aerthwin and began limply staggering into the forest, dizzy with pain. There was no sign of the coyotes. Aerthwin came beside her father and helped him walk. The sun was beginning to lighten the morning sky as they walked through the bright snow. Danfyr’s eyes were almost closed under his torn and stained hat. Aerthwin saw that he had hit more rocks sliding down the mountain than she knew. There was another howl from not too far behind them and Danfyr’s eyes shot open again. He hobbled faster and motioned for Aerthwin to do the same. They tripped over roots and rocks hiding under the snow, which bruised their numb legs. Danfyr fell and struggled to get up again. Aerthwin ran to him and pulled him up.
She pulled him through the trees and across a broken fence lying in the snow. He was barely conscious as she pulled him out from the trees into a clearing. Suddenly, she lost her grip on him and fell backwards into the snow. When she sat up her heart stopped and her stomach rolled over at what she saw. They were mere feet from a farmhouse. Danfyr had always warned her never to go near a farmhouse. She shook him, as the sound of howling grew closer. He stirred and his eyes fluttered but he did not get up. Aerthwin looked up and saw the farmer walking out onto the porch. Their eyes met. The farmer darted back into the house and for a moment Aerthwin felt relief but the farmer returned carrying a long black shotgun.
She shook Danfyr again and his eyes came into focus. The farmer raised his gun aiming at the trespassers. Aerthwin shook Danfyr hard and he came back to himself. The farmer cocked the shotgun and placed his finger on the trigger. The four coyotes suddenly tore out of the trees, snarling and wicked, and rushed toward the foxes, mad with hunger. Danfyr sprung up and began to hobble away with Aerthwin.
From behind them came the sound of several blasts from the shotgun. Danfyr looked back and saw the coyotes blown back into the brush and destroyed as the farmer fired more and more shots over them. A huge fire erupted from the broken bodies of the coyotes and the farmer ran for water to douse it with. The foxes limped into the woods and hid beneath a thickly snow covered bush. They laid there together for what seemed to them like a long time listening to the distant crackling of the fire and knowing the coyotes were gone.
The snow lay all around them,
bright in the silver sun
It shown on every treetop,
and all the darkness was outdone
soon the sun had found them,
and turned the white to gold
it glistened on the mountain,
and warmed away the cold
When the foxes finally rose,
they walked within the light
and on the road back to their home,
they had no fear or fright
