Bandit

I liked the sogginess underneath my paws. The way the water seemed to swirl up to meet me. The complete and utter silence.

It was nice.

Beautiful even.

I never thought I'd ever consider a swamp beautiful. Sure it was misty and foggy with strange molds.

But didn't that just add to the charm of the place?

My only complaint.

The smell.

The one thing keeping me from moving here, it smelt awful like rotten eggs mixed with soggy bread mold with a nice topping of fungus.

It had a nice cave though. It was made from stone of the desert a while aways, it was brown and soggy with moss growing all over it. It wasn't exactly a cave actually… more like a hovel.

I don't know when it was built but it helped me think.

Heather was always patient and liked being right no doubt about it. That's why she couldn't admit my idea was better or that I came up with it. Not admitting we were wrong was probably both of ours flaws. The war was going to come up us soon enough anyways if the radio in town is any indication.

I didn't like sitting around and waiting. Not only was it boring but it made me feel like a coward. Dad died for this. I had to uphold his honor right? I could go there and win the war for Daddy and everything would be good and Mom would stop crying!

I heard a rustle in the bushes beside me…

"Mom?" I asked creeping up on the reeds.

I was soon face to face with a giant… uhhh… I dont know!

It was dark blue with a weird umbrella like tail and strange marings on its face. They had fluffy petal like things sticking out of their head… nad it was extremely tall… did I already mention that? It stood on its hind legs and it was tall!

"W-Who are you?" I asked.

"Hmm," said the strange fox like creature slowly turning its head to the side almost in a creepy manner, it almost felt like they were seeing into my soul, "You can call me Don,"

"Don?"

"Don." they confirmed.

"My Mom says not to talk to stranger," I said instinvetly slowly backing away, Mother always said to be wary of strangers especially with what times we were in, the creature despite being big didn't seem that scary a little odd but that was just because I had never seen anything like them before, "So if I could just…" I said slowly...

"Oh no, that's perfectly reasonable," they said, "I was just going on a evening stroll sorry to disturb you,"

I glanced up at the sky, evening? It was that late already… Momma must be worried sick…

"Sorry I need to go," I said quietly, "My Mom will be worried about me,"

"Of course, of course," said the sweet fox lady, "Don't mind me, I like to come here sometimes to clear my thoughts,"

"Really?" I asked, "Me too,"

"The swamp is very soothing, and it just radiates energy," Don smiled looking down at the swimming koi fish.

I blinked at her, radiates energy? Were they magic too? Only one way to find out… they probably wont tell though.

"Are you magickal?" I asked looking at them, "B-Because you said you could feel the energy of the Swamp so I guessed… I wont tell anyone I promise,"

They studied me carefully with their gray eyes that looked like shining stars, "Yes, yes I am, and you… are you as you put it "magick"?"

"Well I uh… er..." I fell silent, Mom always told me never too tell… but they were too so it had to be fine right?

"Oh, pardon me for asking, sorry lil old nosy me," they chuckled, "We all have our secrets I suppose,"

It couldn't hurt to tell this nice fox right? They had it too after all.

"Yes,"