Fox Run (8 page)

"All right then. What are these buildings?"

"That one," Lara said, pointing straight ahead, "Is mine." I was looking at a modern, two-story house. It was large, but not overly ostentatious, not like the house in town had been.

"Does anyone else live there?"

"No, but people are in and out all the time. They don't knock except for my bedroom door."

"And these other buildings?"

"School," Lara said, pointing to our left. "And medical center." Then she pointed to the right. "That one is sort of a barracks. There are other houses on the compound as well. David has a house, it's a two-minute run that way." She pointed towards a path to the right of her house, passing between her house and the barracks.

"We are staying here tonight?" I asked.

"Yes. And tomorrow night, if you stay."

I nodded. "We'll see. Do I have my own room?"

"Yes."

"But you're hoping I'll share yours?"

She smiled. "Yes. I need to say hello to people, and introduce you." I nodded to her. She made a gesture, and the other wolves began moving towards us. Lara stepped out in front of me, and I moved up behind her, pressing against her back, as the large wolves moved closer.

"Are you really that nervous, Michaela?"

"I'm sorry," I said, forcing myself to step away from her, straight backwards. I put my back against the car instead and watched warily.

Lara greeted her wolves. They all wanted to touch her, although most of them split their attention between their alpha and me. Finally Lara turned to me and held out a hand. The other wolves were clustered around her. I took a deep breath, which may have been a mistake, as I pulled in a full lungful of wolf. But I stepped forward, stepping through the massed wolves, and took Lara's hand.

"Everyone," Lara said. "This is Michaela. She is alpha of the Wisconsin foxes."

There were scoffs at that. I was the only Wisconsin fox. Lara turned to the loudest scoff. "Elisabeth," she said. "Did you care to comment?"

"Alpha? She's an alpha? Of what foxes? She's practically trembling in fear."

"You walk into a tiger pride, Elisabeth, and see how you do," Lara replied. "Michaela may not command other foxes, but she is to be treated as a visiting alpha, and she is under my protection."

"If she were another alpha," said Elisabeth. "She would neither need nor accept your protection."

"Alpha," I said quietly. "If I may?"

She turned to me, offering a look as to say, "Are you sure?" I nodded, and she said, "Of course, Alpha."

I smiled then turned to Elisabeth, walking through the other wolves to stand in front of her. I had to slip between them, and none of them moved for me, but still I slipped between them.

Compared to me, Elisabeth was practically a monster. She was tall and powerful, and I barely came up to her chest. I crowded well into her personal space, making sure our differences were as evident as I could make them. I looked up into her face.

"Do you find me threatening, Elisabeth?" I asked her.

She laughed. "No."

"Do you want to challenge me? Do you feel a need to put me in my place?"

"I would snap you like a twig," she told me.

"Are you so insecure that you need to prove yourself by showing everyone you can hurt me? You are a tall, powerful wolf. I am one little fox. Would you feel more powerful if you crushed me?"

Elisabeth looked down into my eyes, then began to smile. She cuffed me on the side of the head. I'm sure it was meant to be gentle, but it hurt. I rolled with it, then stood up straight again, staring up into her eyes. Behind me, Lara started to intervene, but she let me handle it.

"I like you," Elisabeth said. "You have guts." Then she looked over my head. "And you make the alpha smile."

I cuffed her back. "I like you, too, Elisabeth. I could hide two of me behind you."

She lifted her head to the sky and laughed. "Yes, you could. Perhaps three." But then she lowered her gaze back to the alpha. "But guts isn't going to be enough to protect her, Alpha. She shouldn't be here. She's going to get hurt."

"By whom?" Lara asked tightly.

"Accidentally. Not a fake accident," Elisabeth said. "But an honest one. Everyone can walk on eggshells for a few days, but eventually we'll let our guard down, and she'll get caught in the middle of something. Or someone is going to have a bad day and look for anyone to take it out on. Or one of the adolescents will be looking for a fight. The only way she doesn't get hurt is if we treat her like a pup. I just cuffed her like I would a pup, and it was all she could take."

Elisabeth looked down into my eyes again. "I like you, fox, but you don't belong here."

I agreed with her, but I didn't think Lara would appreciate if I said so.

Lara stepped forward and put her hands on my shoulders. She looked around. "Michaela is mine," Lara said clearly. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, Alpha," came the replies.

"Does anyone have a problem with that?"

No one spoke up.

"All right, I am going to show Michaela to her room." Lara directed me towards the house.

We had just arrived at the steps when I heard Elisabeth's voice, very low. "Good luck, little fox. You're going to need it." Lara didn't hear her, but I turned around and nodded. She was right.

Prey Big and Small

The house was comfortable, built to be lived in, open, with sturdy furniture and lots of windows. I received the basic tour, ending with, "My room. And yours across the hall. You may use this bathroom." She gestured to a third door in the hallway. "There are fresh towels and everything else you may need.

"Has my bag arrived?"

"No. Are you still up for a run?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

"Your bag should arrive before we get back."

"All right," I replied. "I'll turn furry after my shower and be ready to go."

I slipped into the bathroom, stripping out of my clothes and starting the water. I made sure I would have all the supplies I would need before stepping into the shower.

It felt good to clean off my stench of fear. I wondered how long before it would be replaced. Once out of the shower, I dried off and brushed my hair. Then I cracked the bathroom door open. I could open a door in my fox form, but it was awkward, and I didn't like to do it.

Then I made my shift. As usual, it took only a few seconds. When I was done, I scratched open the door and went to find Lara.

She wasn't in her room or waiting for me in mine. I offered a quick yip.

"Downstairs, Michaela," came her voice. I padded silently down the stairs and cocked my head listening. I heard voices. I listened further.

A standard fox has very fine hearing, able to hear such things as a mouse up to a hundred yards away. I was a were; all my senses were enhanced over those of a standard fox.

I heard a faucet dripping. It sounded like it was coming from the basement. I heard someone walking slowly around a room towards the back of the house. I thought perhaps it was David. I heard Lara's voice from the same room. And I heard countless noises coming from outside.

I slinked towards the voices, poking my nose around the corner and verifying with my eyes what my ears had told me.

Lara was sitting in a chair with David walking back and forth in front of her. They had been talking about me but changed the subject when I appeared. I slipped into the room, hiding behind some of the furniture. Lara saw me, of course. I wasn't really hiding, but it was my nature to stay in cover whenever possible.

Lara smiled at me. "You look so much better when you aren't dangling from your neck."

I offered a small growl and yip.

Lara frowned. "I have no idea what you just said, Michaela, so I choose to believe you just asked me to pick you up."

She rose from her chair and began stalking towards me. I backed away from her, then dashed around the exterior of the room, finding better cover behind another chair. I poked my nose out to watch her.

She chased me around the room for several minutes, David laughing at our antics. I yipped every time she got close. She managed to brush my fur once when she lunged at me, but otherwise I was able to keep at least one piece of furniture between us at all times.

Finally she sat down on the floor, laughing herself, still watching me.

"If I promise not to pick you up, will you come out here so I can see you?"

I crouched down in play posture. Foxes are also in the same family as dogs and wolves, so I knew she'd recognize the posture.

"You want to keep playing?" she asked.

I stood up and yawned. A yawn from a canine is a calming signal, not a sign of boredom. I took two fox-sized steps out into the room, keeping a close eye on both David and Lara.

"I promise not to pick you up, Michaela," she said. "Come out. I want to smell you before I turn furry."

I stepped out two more steps and looked pointedly at David. He laughed. "I won't try to pick you up either."

I stepped fully into the clear, then turned sideways to them.

As a fox, I am a beautiful animal. I am also very vain. I love to show off, even though I find little opportunity. I stretched myself so that I looked long and sleek.

"Posing, Michaela?" David asked. "Really?"

"Oh, tell her she's beautiful," Lara said, staring at me.

"She knows she's beautiful," David said. "Look at her. She doesn't need me to tell her."

I turned my back on him, pouting.

David laughed. "Michaela, you are the most beautiful fox I have ever seen."

I looked over my shoulder at him. I didn't think that meant much. I was likely the only fox he had ever seen.

"I don't think she's impressed with your compliments, David," Lara said.

Suddenly I had an itch, right in the center of my back. I rolled over onto my back and wriggled around, trying to satisfy it. The two of them broke into gales of laughter at my antics. Offended I climbed to my feet, walked straight to Lara, and bit her hand.

Gently.

"I think someone doesn't like being laughed at," David said.

"Do you have an itch?" Lara asked. I turned my back to her, and her fingers began digging through my fur. I shifted around until she found the right spot, then closed my eyes and moaned in pleasure. With the itch satisfied, I turned around and licked her hand, then walked halfway to the door. I turned around to watch her.

She had promised me a run, after all.

Lara bounced to her feet. "Oh, a run is going to feel good."

I couldn't have agreed more.

* * * *

Lara stayed on two feet as we went outside. She held the front door, and I peered around it, then backed away, growling.

The courtyard was filled with wolves. Furry wolves.

"Michaela," Lara said. "Knock it off."

I flattened my ears and backed away several more steps.

"Oh for heaven's sake," she said. And with no warning at all, she scooped me up into her arms and carried me outside.

At least she wasn't holding me by my scruff.

I growled at her and bit her hand. Gently, but I let my displeasure be known.

"Behave," she said.

I squirmed, but she tightened her hold.

So I bit her hand. Hard.

"Damn it," she said, dropping me. I landed on my feet, tumbled slightly, and took off around the side of the house, skidding to a stop and pressing my side against the foundation before turning around to peer around the corner.

I eyed the door behind her, but David had closed it behind him. I was stuck out here with all these wolves, most of whom were shifting their attention back and forth between the alpha and me. Lara turned to face me.

"I can't read your body language, Michaela."

She could read my bite pretty good, I bet.

I looked at all the furry wolves.

She sighed. "We are going for a run. I hope you will join us." Then she turned her back on me and began shedding clothes. From the corner of the house, I watched. Then she started her shift.

One of the wolves separated from the group and walked slowly in my direction. I turned my gaze to her, my hackles raising. I barred my teeth. The wolf stopped eight feet in front of me, sat down, and yawned.

She was huge, absolutely huge.

Then she lowered herself to the ground in a bow, her head down, her tail up. She wanted to play.

David said quietly, "That's Elisabeth, Michaela."

I took two steps towards her, watching her carefully. Elisabeth watched me, but she kept the play posture. I halved the distance between us, then began sidling around her.

She was huge, easily four, perhaps five times my mass. Being this close to her was intimidating. I grew bolder and stepped up to sniff her. Then, to drive home the difference in our sizes, I took the same position she was in, right next to her, and whined briefly.

She looked over at me and licked me.

Eww! Wolf slime.

I jumped away from her, and she panted at me. A doggy smile. Bitch.

Then her muscles tensed. She telegraphed what she was going to do, but suddenly she pounced at me.

By the time she landed, I was ten feet to the side, my back to the house. She bounded after me. I waited until the last second, then jumped away. I was hoping she would overshoot me and bash herself into the house, but no such luck. She chased me around for another five or six leaps, never getting close. Between each attempt to catch me, we both crouched back down, our tails in the air, bowing to each other. She was just playing, and for now, I was okay with that.

I realized she was trying to herd me towards the other wolves. I glanced at them, and they were all watching, but not interfering. Lara's shift was almost finished, and I decided to change the game. The next time Elisabeth pounced, I bounded closer to Lara. Elisabeth chased after me, and I went diving underneath Lara's feet just as she climbed to them, turning about on a dime to stand in the shelter of Lara's four legs.

Elisabeth came to a sliding halt, inches from her alpha.

I immediately began yipping like I'd been hurt, holding my paw as if I couldn't step on it.