Where She Had Gone

“I was wondering where you had gone.” Wolf’s voice carried across the frozen ground and echoed in Fox’s ears. She felt her blood go cold, as she turned around slowly to face his grey face with those piercing eyes.

“I just thought I’d take a chance to clear my head.” She tried to seem as casual as possible, but wondered if Wolf could sense her fear the way she had sensed Rabbit and Cardinal’s.

“Anything in particular weighing on you?” He stepped closer, and Fox could almost feel his breath on her neck. She instinctively took a step back, and looked at him, fully revealing the fear in her eyes.

“I talked to Rabbit.” she began. Wolf laughed cooly and looked up at the sky as if he couldn’t be more bored with where this conversation were going. “And what did that little rodent have to say?”

“That little rodent is my friend.” Fox snapped.

“I am your friend!” Wolf stood and growled back. “She would only hold you back. I have shown you who you can be. Who you truly are. You are not like Rabbit. You never were, and you never can be. She will not trust you. Every molecule in her body screams with danger when she senses you coming- as nature has decreed.”

“Perhaps.” Fox said quietly. “But I’m not like you either.” She took a defiant step toward Wolf. “You don’t control me, I am not a part of your pack.” she spat, finding her confidence.

“You will not tell me what I can and cannot do. No one will.” And with that she walked off toward to the river to meet Cardinal.

Wolf did not follow her. Fox knew he had no use for disloyal friends, and she was quickly learning that her only allegiance was to herself. But she also knew that not having Wolf as a friend, meant having him as an enemy. She needed to leave this territory. As soon as Cardinal brought Life to her, she would cross the river and never come back.

_____________ *This piece was written as a part of a series for #Folktaleweek2021 in response to the prompt “River” for 11/20/2021.

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-Jessica