Fox In The Woods Part 3

By Ahura Werewolf

A couple of years passed since that night and my parents still didn’t catch wind of Artcos. I was forced to keep Arctos outside most of the time.  I had built a lean-to in the woods next to my house, the trees and small bushes obscured the view. Knowing that my parents wouldn't find the shelter that I had built I felt confident that Arctos would be safe. But as a precaution, I placed some spare metal fencing from the garage around the lean-to to keep any potenial predators out. However there were a few times I had to bring Arctos into the house. One day a fierce storm blew down the lean-to and I smuggled Arctos into the house before my parents could notice. There were a few close calls during those years, once on my birthday Arctos was hiding in the loft of the house. Curious about the different people coming and going from the party Arctos crept alittle too close to the edge of the loft. He tumbled down into the cake and before anyone could figure out what had happened I managed to smuggle him outside. I laughed as I watched as he licked himself clean.

Arctos had gotten bigger, his fur was a bright shiny red and he had a snow white underbelly. When school started up I could no longer spend very much time with him since I was swapped with homework. But I make every effort to visit him, when I do he bounces around like a pup which he still is.

As I started my freshmen year at Bellows Free Academy high school I became increasingly wondering how I was able to talk to animals specifically Arctos. As I walked into the library I noticed a book called Indians Of The Green Mountains, now from what my parents had told me we had a bit of Native American blood in our family.

As I sat down and opened the book I scanned the table of contents and saw “Native American Beliefs.” I flipped to the page and began to read it. From what I read Native Americans had a special relationship with nature and every animal in it. As I continued to read farther into the chapter I realized it was the native blood in my family that had something to do with my ability to speak to animals.

After school was over I ran home with the book clutched under my arm, I found Arctos sitting in the nearby woods. His ears perked up he looked at me saying, “what’s wrong” I all out of breath didn’t answer him. I shoved the book under his muzzle he looked down at it saying, “what are these markings” once I caught my breath I replied, “it is a book about Native Americans I believe it will help me understand why I can talk to you” Arctos looks up at me and says, “let me know what you find out” he curls into a ball and falls asleep.

I petted his fur while I was thinking of anyone I could talk to, to help explain my gift. I remember my mother saying something about my uncle John having a lot of Indian blood. I got up off the ground and walked back to the house, my father had just arrived he looks towards me saying, “what are you doing sport” I replied, “nothing” I clutched the book behind my back so he wouldn’t see. He walked into the house, I followed him inside and ran to my bedroom in the back of the house.

I stowed the book under my bed and then approached my mother saying “mom where is Uncle John these days” she cocked her head and said, “he is over on the Bronson Road back in the woods” I nodded and said “I am going to go visit him” she replies, “why?” and say, “I have some questions for him” I went out into the garage and mounted my bicycle.

As I rode up the driveway Arctos started to follow me crying “wait for me Jim” I stopped my bike and picked him up and put him into the basket of my bike covering him up with my hoodie.

As I rode to his house I looked at the lake as I passed by. The water was sparkling with the sunshine reflecting off of the water. I could smell the fresh scent of the water, I looked at the beauty and thought I was lucky to live here. As he rode up the Bronson rode he was surrounded by rocks and woods. He saw a mail box at the end of a drive way that went off into the woods on it said “John Bromley” I looked down the long driveway the trees arched over it giving it the look of a cathedral ceiling. Arctos pokes his head from under the hoodie saying, “that looks really creepy” I nodded in agreement.

I rode my bike down the driveway and as I rounded the corner of it a log cabin came into view. The cabin was made on of birch trees and it had a wooden porch on the front of it, on it in a rocking chair sat a man. He had a worn face with a tint of red, his eyes were brown. He had his graying hair in a pony tail, I stopped my bike in front of him. He looked up at me and says, “who are you” I replied, “I am Jim Bromley your” he cut me off saying “my sisters son I know who you are last time I saw you, you were in diapers” I blushed. When he looked behind me and at my bike he noticed Arctos looking around. He then looked back at me saying, “why is there a fox with you” I reply, “I will tell you when we are inside” he nodded and I followed him inside so didn’t Arctos.

To be continued……