Chapter 2

The world slowly faded back into existence, his eyes quickly fixated on a familiar set of faces hovering over him; one dragon and two familiar blue furred vixens. He wasn't sure what had happened, he was certain that he had lost consciousness for some reason, but regardless of whatever damage he'd taken he was back in the forest, and oddly enough he seemed to be unharmed...

"Welcome back among the living..." Jeffery said as Fox sat up.

"What happened?"

"We were running from the soldiers when you were hit by an arrow...you're lucky that your friends here know how to tend such wounds."

Fox looked over to Nalya who was smiling brightly, "Good to see you back so soon."

"Your fiend...Jeffery is a very nice man."

After a bit of time Fox was dressed in his standard green tunic, which now had a sizable blood stain, and was left alone with his dragon friend...

"I will be going back soon..." Jeffery said, "I must find out what the king knows about all of this. You feel it as well Fox, a foul wind has blown through Corneria, and it carries with it the scent of war."

"Yes Jeffery...I've felt it for the last few months...though I think there may be an outside influence in the king's recent lapse in better judgment."

The two walked out into the village where Fox noticed that it was early morning, "Be careful...there may be patrols watching for us now."

"Perhaps..." Jeffery remarked looking back with a smile, "...but there was never an animal born that could catch me. I will return in four days."

As Fox watched the dragon disappear into the woods he sighed, "What next?" He asked himself.

Fox found himself at some point doing nothing more than roaming around the village until something caught his eye at one edge of the village; Marr was as it would appear teaching himself to use the sword he was given, hacking at what looked like an old, narrow tree stump...it reminded Fox of the time he had first received the small weapon. Fox's attention was diverted however when he heard something like falling logs. His attention was drawn to a familiar looking vixen who had dropped a load of firewood, and being the fox he was Fox instantly walked over to help, he was lucky to have found something to do. Krystal gave no complaint to his helping, Fox figured that this was mainly due to her slight lack of being able to speak Cornerian clearly. To keep his mind occupied Fox went about absorbing whatever information he could about the blue foxes as he'd not gotten the chance before, it was odd to him but, they always seemed to be happy. His entire time that day was spent helping with menial tasks wherever he could; fetching water, tending animals, carrying firewood, a great many things that he'd done for himself at home...by the time night had set in he was happy to see that the tribe had given him a hut for himself, one with what seemed to be a rough type of rug made of the same animal skins that he had slept with the first time he had been there, and what appeared to be a bed made of a mass of the soft skins...he found this roughly made bed to be unbelievably comfortable...it soon dragged him to sleep...

The next few days sent Fox about the same routines, doing menial tasks for the people of the tribe, helping where he could with what skills he had. The last day had brought about the sheerest sign that winter had finally rolled in...the snows; the land became blanketed with a thin sheet of white that fell from the heavens. It was peculiar, now that the lands were blanketed with snow he saw more of the kits of the village than he ever had before; unlike the children of Corneria whom tended to hid from the cold the children here came out to romp around and play in the snow, sometimes even dragging the former knight into their little games. It didn't seem to matter where Fox was in the village, he always seemed to be able to find Krystal somewhere nearby. As Fox lay down to sleep on the fourth day something startled him out of his sleep...

"Fox!"

Being as Fox was half asleep at the time his paw went for his sword before he realized, "Jeffery? What took you?"

The dragon looked no worse for the ware, "I ran into...trouble...but, for the most part the king and the city are all mourning your death."

"Grand..." Fox replied sarcastically.

"Ah...but, you haven't heard the best part. They are blaming this entire issue on me." Jeffery said, "Seems several residents saw the two of us leave the city together, and you know how quickly speculation becomes rumor. My bounty has been set at 50,000 crowns." (crowns were older gold coins used a lot by the Angelo Saxons...I have no clue why they were called crowns)

Fox sat up in his bed, "What are you going to do?"

"I am going to the east to see the High Council of my people...this could lead to war against them." Jeffery informed him, "I will return as soon as possible...you have nothing to fear for yourself or these people for now...with the winter months around the armies would not dare march into this forest, the snow has been known to bring about feral beasts."

"You be careful." Fox said removing a small gold medallion form around his neck which was tucked into his tunic, "Take this to Katina Port to the south and ask for one named Peppy Hare...he was a soldier under my father's command and is a good friend, let him know of everything that has happened and tell him of your trouble, he owns a shipping company now and can get you home."

"Thank you Fox..."

"Do not thank me...just come back in one piece...it would be a sad day indeed to loose the only friend I had left."

The dragon bid Fox farewell and was soon gone once again...this time however he took with him Fox's ability to sleep, who now simply stared at the ceiling of his small hut wondering what would become of the last man he knew he could trust. He tried his best to get some rest but, eventually the morning came and he found himself awake without having gotten much sleep at all. The village was unusually active that morning however in a way that made him smile as several young ones rushed by him nearly knocking him over, there was a large group that had gathered in the center of the village where there was a much larger than usual community fire...

"What's going on Nalya?" He asked approaching the blue vixen chuckling as the same kits made another pass nearly knocking him over.

As Fox approached the group he noticed that several young males as well as a few females standing out among the group all carrying weapons, "It is the last hunt of the season. This is the last day before most of the game here will go into hiding until spring. We use this day as a right of passing into adulthood as well."

"Is there a way I can help...I must eat as well?" Fox said.

"The winter snowfall brings the beast out of hiding...the Basilisk you mentioned."

Fox could hear the worry in her voice though she tried to mask it, "Worry not...I will see to the serpent if it rears it's head."

"You have dealt with the type of beat before correct?"

Fox lay his paw on the handle of his sword, "I have...it killed quite a number or my men, but I know how to deal with the snake...do not worry. I know your fear is for Krystal's safety, with all you have done for me, I swear that she will remain safe."

"Thank you."


-000-

None of the hunters were even able to notice that Fox was there as they left the area, and disappeared into the woods. Being as this was a right of passing Fox stayed as far behind as possible while still keeping an eye on the young foxes. The minutes passed and Fox scouted the areas for any signs of a basilisk; snake tracks of abnormal size, destroyed underbrush, bark rubbed bare from trees. It was as he scouted the areas that he noticed one of the hunters examining something he'd found on the ground, it was Marr and he was looking at something odd. Fox quickly made his way over to the Fox who handed the object to him. Fox's expression seemed to say all it needed to as Marr pointed to the ground where he'd found it; the object was a small brownish colored scale, basilisks shed their skin more in the manner of a dragon than a snake, flaking off small patches of scales rather than the entire skin itself, sometimes a scale or two was no unheard of being lost here and there. Fox looked for tracks but, unfortunately what tracks there would have been were none too visible under the blanket of snow. Fox gave the scale back to Marr and allowed him to continue what he was doing sending him off in another direction to continue his hunt. The hours passed slowly and soon Fox could hear an eruption of cheers form the village...he could only guess that meant someone had brought back their kill, it was a goon sign that meant there were only seven more people in the woods. As more time passed there was more cheering until Fox realized that there was only one person left besides himself. Fox took to the trees to gather a better vantage point and hopefully spot the last hunter which he did. It was Krystal who was struggling with a large deer dragging the carcass through the snow, he was certain that her mother and father would be proud, but, such a slow moving target would draw quick attention to a snake. Fox made his way down to her but, the vixen refused his assistance, it was a pride thing, he fully understood and trailed behind her keeping himself at the ready for anything...and soon enough they found themselves at the edge of the village, Fox trotted forward into the village but froze as the villagers attention was drawn behind him...

Fox didn't turn he had a good idea of what was behind him as he slowly drew his sword from it's sheath looking into the reflection in the blade he could see the massive brown scaled serpent's head, it wasn't nearly as big as he'd thought, but was still large enough to swallow a horse. Fox noticed something that was only visible for a few seconds, the unmistakable tip of a furry blue tail that vanished into the creature's mouth, like most snakes basilisks swallowed their food whole, but as it's soulless eyes fixated on him Fox realized that this snake was hungry and he was the next morsel in reach. Any sudden movements on his part and the serpent would pick up on it, he waited to bide his time. The basilisk's strike was like lightning and it's nose struck the ground with the sound of a clap of thunder, to any watching it would have seemed like the snake had claimed it's meal, but, it quickly drew back shaking it's head side to side waving about the fox that clung to the blade buried in the side of it's neck. As the serpent flailed it's head through the air Fox took note when it suddenly stopped...had he killed it? No as he looked to the ground he could see Marr baring his short sword at the beast, it's attention was no longer to the minor annoyance of the wound Fox had inflicted, instead now it had notions of another Cerinian snack. As the creature reared back to strike at the vulpine Fox tore his sword free rushing over and knocking the young fox aside. Within an instant Fox found himself wet and sliding down the creature's gullet. The tribe of blue foxes had no choice but to fall back in fear as the snake rushed forward only to instantly stop as something quickly jutted from it's neck...the object made a quick rotation about it's spot sending the creature's head to the ground causing the serpent's body to whip about terribly in a last convulsion of death. As the severed body hit the ground Fox was tossed from the wound, but he quickly rushed to his feet and over to the fallen animal's body, the snake's girth made it's body seem to meet Fox at the shoulder. It took him several seconds to find the swell in the animal's gut, he only prayed that she had not suffocated yet as he opened a large slit in the snake's belly. He stabbed his sword into the ground and reached into the wound he couldn't find anything he then pulled his arms back out of the snake and took a deep breath. This time he himself plunged into the deep cut, his upper body swimming in the animal's insides until his arm brushed something...it was wet but unmistakable, the feel of fur. Whatever it was he grasped it with both paws and placing his legs against the side of the beast pulled with all the might he could possibly muster. He released his breath as his head emerged and as his arms withdrew from the creature he found that there was a sopping wet blue tail in his fists. He pulled until he could see her legs which he then grasped and pulled finally pulling the vixen free who took in a long waited breath before vomiting a vile liquid, she began sobbing heavily as she threw herself onto Fox tightly wrapping her arms around him. Her breathing was incredibly erratic, as was understandable for an animal that was just eaten by a giant snake...her erratic breaths soon steadied as her body went limp...she'd passed out...

Nalya rushed over taking her daughter in her arms, "Thank you..."

Fox's breathing was heavy as well, "I hate snakes." He replied with a smile, "but at least one good thing came of all this."

"And what is that?" Nalya asked as she began to carry Krystal to their hut.

"Basilisk meat is quite a rare treat in the east lands...it dose not taste half bad at all."

"Then it looks like we will be fed for some time..."


AN: Okay so...I've had writer's block for a bit referring to Chains of Fate but, hey 35 chapters. I was bound to hit a snag somewhere right? Well either way you look at it I'll be back on work with that soon enough. Don't forget to R&R and I'll see you all next time around...C'ya.