8. Lost Heart
Red's first night with Scout's family had only been the very beginning of a rocky slide into darkness. Still lacking any knowledge of who he was Red decided to begin carving out a new life for himself. A dark and bitter existence revolving around fighting, killing and a total contempt for all those around him. He was greatly aided in this task by Scout's father Chief, who seemed to be delighted by Red's descent into a completely amoral existence.
Come the end of Autumn Red's personality was almost unrecognisable from his former one. Twisted and uncaring Red lived for but one thing, killing. He was now Chiefs ultimate weapon in the war upon the northern foxes. Not only was Red a perfect soldier but he also struck fear into the hearts and minds of the enemy, and Chief knew that in war morale is everything. Having killed over two dozen foxes during the short few months he had been with the southern foxes Red had become a legend in more ways than one. The southern foxes saw him as a hero to be celebrated and honoured whereas the northern foxes thought of him as nothing more than a cold-blooded murderer.
The war had been going heavily in the southern foxes' favour through most of the autumn months and they now controlled close to the entire of the town. The last refuge of the northern foxes was the rubbish tip and the woods behind it. If Chief had anything to do with it even this would soon change. During the last night of autumn things did just that.
Red having fought hard the previous night defending territory from attacking groups of northern foxes was resting in his earth when the first news of a final offensive was brought to his attention. Bounding into his den Fearsome came announcing the plan.
"Outcast! It's come, the day's finally come! Tonight, we finish this war for good!" bellowed Fearsome excitedly. Red kept silent and unmoving.
"Didn't you hear me?" continued Fearsome.
"I heard, it was quite hard not to. Don't wake me up like that again!" snapped Red.
"Sorry…I…I, just thought you'd want to know," quivered Fearsome apologetically.
"You're just lucky I'm in a good mood," pointed out Red angrily.
"It won't happen again I promise," said Fearsome.
"You're dead right it won't," thundered a new voice from the dens entrance, it was Chief.
"Out now!" ordered Chief. Fearsome immediately turned and exited the earth as quickly as he possibly could, not wanting to enrage his two leaders any further.
Chief strode into the chamber like a fox half his age, the delight at the possibility of a final victory had put a new spring in his old step.
"He's right though, victory is nearly at hand my boy," remarked Chief trying to get Red's attention.
"So, it makes no difference to me," shrugged Red as he turned to face Chief "I'm not fighting to win your war, I'm here because I like the work."
Chief was literally beaming inside, he'd certainly done a number on this young fox. A perfectly crafted tool with but one problem, defiance. Chief could certainly do without that in his favourite weapon. It was also the reason he'd decided it was time to dispose of Red. Red was about to become a very dead hero of a very wrong war.
"I've come to give you your orders," replied Chief.
"Whatever, just get on with it," said Red flippantly.
Chief felt anger burning in his stomach at this reply, but he managed to suppress it. For he knew he wouldn't have to deal with such remarks ever again after tonight. "Your job tonight is to lure the northern foxes out of their hiding place in the rubbish dump and into the town," explained Chief "once you've accomplished that let out a howl and I'll bring our entire army in from behind and wipe them out, understand?"
"You want me to be the bait? You know what, I don't even care, can we just go and get on with it?" remarked Red impatiently.
"Certainly, in fact we're all just waiting on you," said Chief with a cruel grin on his face.
It wasn't until he got outside that Red finally realized Chief meant business tonight. Virtually every male fox in fighting fitness was lined up ready to move out. Red was mildly impressed, maybe tonight wouldn't be like all the others. Without wasting another word Red sped off in the direction of his goal.
"Where's he off to?" asked Scout as his father paced up and down the line.
"That's none of your concern, he has his own orders as do you," replied Chief sternly.
Something bothered Scout about his father's response, something sinister was going on.
Stepping back Chief addressed his troops. "Now listen up this is it the final offensive, what we've been working towards all these long years. Tonight, is the night we win back our land and our homes. To do this we are going to attack the root of the problem, their homes!" bellowed Chief.
A murmur went up from the gathered foxes.
"Sure, it's not going to be pretty, attacking the defenceless never is, but just think about it. Would they attack your homes if given the opportunity? Of course they would! A second thought wouldn't even cross their minds! So go strike a victory for us, show them no mercy for they would show your families none either!"
The murmur from the arrayed foxes got louder and they began exchanging glances. This was clearly not a popular plan.
Chief turned to Fearsome, "Wipe them out, all of them!"
Fearsome nodded and stepped forwards. "Quiet! Move out!"
With Fearsome at its head the group of fifty or so foxes moved reluctantly off into the night. All save one, Scout. He had been disgusted by his father's orders and wanted no part in the whole bloody affair. So he slipped away, deciding to follow Red instead. He had a funny feeling Red might need his help tonight.
Red moved quickly through the town, utilizing every shadow he could find as protection from any prying eyes that may have been watching. Stopping at the church Red took in his surroundings. Things were quiet, but there was nothing unusual about that. He was still deep inside southern fox territory after all. It just occurred to Red that there was a tangible sense of change in the still night air, he wanted to savour it. Tonight was going to be eventful if nothing else. Watching a car drive by Red began calculating the best way to approach the tip.
Figuring that the most direct approach would suit his orders best Red set off towards the dump's main entrance. Moving quietly Red had soon left the church far behind. He began following a road he knew led directly out of the town and towards the tip. Before long his goal came into view. Stealing himself behind a lone oak tree at the roadside Red began to watch and wait for the best opening with which to get himself noticed. He could see shadowy movements within the confines of the rubbish tip, it looked like a lot of animals were present within. Concentrating hard on what he was seeing Red had unknowingly let his guard down, and a young fox was about to capitalize on that mistake.
"What are you doing?" whispered a voice in Red's ear. Full of surprise and acting purely on instinct Red spun around as quickly as he could assuming a defensive posture.
"Ugh, what do you want?" replied Red.
"I've come to help," answered the young fox, it was Scout.
"You're lucky I looked first and didn't just attack," said Red clearly annoyed at the younger fox butting in on his business.
"Seems to me that you're the lucky one, lucky that I wasn't a northern fox," joked Scout trying to sound all important.
"Right," snorted Red as he turned to face the tip once more. Scout stepped forwards and stood at Red's side. "So, what's going on? My father was a little sketchy on the details," asked Scout.
"And so he should be!" replied Red "for it's none of your concern, in fact you should be carrying out your own orders, why aren't you?" Red looked to the young fox again with eyes narrowed to slits.
"I am...he...he told me to come help you," blurted out Scout to try and explain his presence "you know...because we make such a good team and all."
"We do?" said Red sceptically "they sound like very suspect orders to me, but I just don't have the time to argue. Now listen, I'm about to go stir up some trouble in north fox HQ and then lead the angry occupants directly to your father in the town. I suggest you make yourself scarce unless you think you can outrun them too!". Without waiting for an answer Red bolted directly towards the tip. Scout meanwhile was still taking in the enormity of what he had just heard. Cogs began whirring in his mind and before long alarm bells were sounding too. Red was going to lead the northern foxes nowhere but his own grave site. Scout knew that his father had taken every fighting fit fox out of the town, ready to attack the northern foxes' homes. Red was going to get no assistance at all and his father obviously wanted it that way. He was going to die and there wasn't anything Scout could do about it, he had figured it all out too late.
Red hit the northern fox camp running. He charged in full pelt and began making circuits of the entire area. Barking as loudly as he could and charging into any foxes present, Red soon made himself known. Taking a vicious bite out of a passing young fox and hearing the howls that followed made Red realise he had finally worn out his welcome. Aiming himself for the exit Red made his escape. Leaping a fox trying to block the entrance Red steamed down the road leading out of the entrance. He began making his way towards the town centre with at least forty or fifty of the foxes from the tip now in tow.
Red was truly flying and he reached the town in minutes. Skipping through the deserted streets with ease Red led the angry northern foxes straight towards the intended ambush spot. An alley terminating in a brick wall, a dead end. Red thought it a very apt decision by Chief to use this alley, it was going to become quite literally a dead end.
Sliding into the alley Red made his way straight to the back and took up a defensive position. Breathing hard Red tried his best to calm his nerves. Looking around Red noticed that a thick cold fog had descended upon the town while he had been running and as a result he couldn't see past the edge of the alleyway. He just had to hope Chief was ready. Time began to pass agonisingly slowly. Red knew he had a fair lead on his pursuers but by exactly how much he wasn't sure. As he waited something cold and wet landed on the tip of his nose. Red stared upwards, it was snowing. Red had never seen snow before having spent the last winter locked up in the test lab. It was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. Red began smiling, maybe it was some kind of omen. His sense of serenity was soon shattered however, when the first clearly audible barks from the pursuing foxes began ringing down the alley. These were soon followed by the emergence of the group's leaders from the swirling mists.
Continuing to smile Red watched as the group of foxes before him formed an impenetrable wall and moved forwards down the alley. Once his pursuers had closed to three meters Red let out an almighty howl. The group began to panic, suddenly realising what fools they had been. The back row turned to face the alley's entrance in a last-ditch effort to defend against the force that they knew was about to arrive. Seconds ticked by, but nothing came. The northern foxes began to relax a little, maybe they weren't the fools after all. Finally, a fox did appear through the gloom, but only one. A chorus of laughter erupted from the assembled northern foxes.
"This is your trap?" laughed the leading northern fox. Red began to growl, he didn't like being made a fool out of. The lone fox approaching the group was Scout.
"No, the trap is far more deadly than you can imagine, you're not seeing the whole picture," piped up Scout as he approached.
"And I suppose you're here to enlighten us are you?" snapped the leader.
Scout stopped. "Maybe I am, but it's going to depend on a few things."
"What things?" asked the northern leader "you don't really seem in a position to bargain for anything."
"Traitor, going to make a play for power are we?" growled Red.
"Far from it actually, I'm just trying to end this war with as minimal extra bloodshed as possible," answered Scout.
"I knew you'd turn out to be nothing but a coward," berated Red.
"Don't you see Outcast we've been fighting on the wrong side, my father's not coming to save you. He doesn't care about us, only himself," pointed out Scout, Red turned away in disgust.
"As I said I'm listening" butted in the northern leader impatiently. Scout began to explain what was happening. He explained what his father's plan was and how both Red and the northern foxes were being used. The leader sat motionless for a second, seemingly deep in thought. "What do you want in return for this information?" asked the leader.
"Two things, first I want you to help me end this war once this battle is over. Secondly, I want you to let Outcast go free," said Scout.
"What! No father you can't agree to that. The monster needs to pay for his crimes against us!" blurted out a young fox among the northern group.
"Quiet Red, this is not your decision," admonished the northern leader. Flicking his head around at hearing this, Red began staring at the young fox, the young fox with his name. Suddenly everything made sense again. The barriers inside Red's mind began to crumble, the memories and emotions he had long ago lost came flooding back. He froze and an icy chill ran along his spine. With all these reopening memories it had dawned on Red that he had become his own nightmare. He'd become the monster his brothers had always told him he was.
"I don't have time to dwell on this decision so I'm just going to have to agree, everyone let's go, if you value your families lives you'll move like the wind!" announced the northern leader as he turned and ran up the alley. Every member of his group followed leaving Red and Scout alone in the alley.
"Come on Outcast we need to follow!" shouted Scout. Red reluctantly followed Scout out of the alley but he stopped again soon after.
"I...can't, I can't live like this anymore," quivered Red.
"Like what?" replied Scout.
"I'm sorry," said Red trying to hold back the tears he felt collecting in his eyes. Taking a last glance at Scout Red made his exit.
Red ran on through the last hours of the night. His only thought was of leaving the town far behind and maybe the memories of the things he'd done there would be left too. He left the town by means of the playing field and then on into open countryside. The snow was still falling, and it got steadily worse as the night drove on. Soon the ground was thick with it and everywhere Red put a paw it sank. He was too wrapped up in his own mind to care however and he just stumbled ever on well into the morning.
By morning Red had managed to gather his thoughts together a little and his sense of awareness had returned. He was standing knee deep in snow in the middle of a field surrounded by a thick fog that had not abated since the alleyway. Red knew he was lost, in both mind and body. It was at that moment that someone new entered his life, someone he had always been searching for but never realised it. Up ahead a shadowy figure began appearing out of the fog. As the figure came closer it formed into the most stunning sight Red had ever seen, it was a vixen. She had a vivid red coat of fur with black tips to both her ears. She seemed to glide through the snow like it was no obstacle at all, showing grace and poise that he knew he was never capable of. Red watched her come closer and closer. Eventually coming so close that she was right on top of him. Red realised she hadn't noticed him, she was too busy looking down trying to shield her eyes from the biting wind. Red was unable to move out of her way either, he didn't seem to be in control of his body anymore. Fated to collide the two foxes butted heads.
"Ouch!" yelled the vixen as she looked up at the obstacle in her path "Why don't you watch where you're going? Some of us are in a hurry!" and without so much as another word the vixen side stepped Red and continued on her way into the mist. Red sat in stunned silence, he couldn't believe her tenacity. To blame him for something that was obviously her fault. What nerve! Red thought to himself. It was then that Red noticed his heart was pounding and he was breathing heavily. It wasn't like he had been doing anything strenuous he had just sat there, but why was he in such a state? Shaking the thought away Red continued onwards. He needed to find some shelter from the snow, his joints were starting to freeze up.
Crossing into the next field Red began following the line of a hedgerow hoping to find a scrap of land not covered with snow. He ended up finding something altogether better, an old, abandoned foxes' earth. For a brief moment he managed a smile, but it was soon wiped from his face by the sound of an all too familiar voice.
"Hey, that earth is mine I saw it first!" For the second time today the same vixen had appeared ahead of him.
"No you didn't, I was clearly here first," rebuked Red.
"Oh please, you're so slow and awkward you could never get anywhere quicker than me," mocked the vixen scathingly.
"Fine! Whatever! Take it, just don't bother me again okay?" said Red angrily. He turned and began to walk away. The vixen studied him for a moment then she glanced at the earth, her eyes softened. "You know this earth does look big enough for two, perhaps we can share for now?" suggested the vixen.
Red stopped. "I don't know, you sure there'll be any room left once you get that giant over inflated head of yours inside?" he said as he turned to face the vixen once more. The vixen shrugged and entered the earth. Red rewound back what he had just said. Great, he thought, there goes the chance of getting any comfortable sleep for a while! Expecting the chance of being able to take the vixen up on her offer now to be gone, Red started to walk off again.
A voice called out at him from the darkness of the earth behind him, "Are you coming in or what?"
Keeping his wise cracks to himself this time, Red did as he was asked. Inside the earth was actually pretty roomy, quite the contrary to how it looked outside. The vixen had taken up residence at the very back of the den. Deciding to keep his distance Red curled up just inside the entrance.
"Why don't you come further in, it must be cold over there. I don't bite." said the vixen in an unintentionally patronising way.
"No thanks, I'm just fine," replied Red trying not to let himself get rattled.
"Suit yourself," remarked the vixen "so what's your name?"
"Red" he answered deciding not to elaborate.
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Scarlet," said the vixen.
"A shade of Red. A more naive fox would call that fate I suppose," mused Red.
"You don't believe in fate?" asked Scarlet.
"If my life up to this point is all preordained, then whoever decided on it has a very sick sense of humour," replied Red.
"Things have been hard of late?" asked Scarlet.
Red nodded, his left eye twitched involuntarily.
"You look tired, you should sleep, things can always be better tomorrow," continued Scarlet.
Red rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes, how could they be worse?