Hi everyone! I'm back from vacation! It's funny: during my week away, I was writing tidbits of this story in the middle of night before bed on my notepad. The writer's hustle never ends! I should seriously consider writing original works ;_;

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

Chapter 8: The Fox

The morning came. I made sure there was enough light outside to know where I was headed. I will get some clams for Fink and try and get him to undo what he did to the squirrels later.

There's one little problem: I got lost…easily.

Before I knew it, I was walking in circles and now I started freaking out. This is not good. I spent a good ten-twenty minutes looking for a clearing…but it's all just trees. Plus, I'm alone. With Fink, it's not usually a problem…he's the leader so everyone (almost everyone) respects him. Yet, without him, I might as well be somebody's lunch…

I prayed for a way out…or at least a sign that I was headed in the right direction.

Thankfully, I heard several voices nearby: a single female with several young children. I can see them walking next to a tree that had been downed for who knows how long. It's the opossums!

"Mom look, it's the Roz look-alike!"

"Where's your manners!?" Pinktail swatted at her eldest child with a paw.

"I seem to be lost; can you help me?"

"Wait, can he understand us?" One of the younger children gasped before another next to them sighed loudly, "mom's getting soft around strangers."

Pinktail didn't even need to ask how I understood her, only that I needed help. And so, I explained the situation and what I wanted to do for Fink…and the small critter family happily obliged. They led me out of the woods and toward the beach. There, they helped me collect clams: which I gathered in a small bag to take back to the refuge.

"So…do you eat?" I heard one of the kids say as they offered me a clam in their paw. Once I took it, I giggled, "of course I do!"

"Oh yeah, like what…you look like a carnivore" they said, putting their paws on their hips.

I took out my PDA to show them some pictures I had taken last Thanksgiving…many different images of food appeared as the kids gathered in awe.

"With that much food, they probably hibernate!" One said from the back.

"Do you aestivate?" One walked up and asked before I laughed.

"I don't."

Suddenly, the "leader" of the kids circled up my back and rested on my shoulder, "I'm Rowan…the oldest, smartest, and prettiest" she stated with such grandiose gesture. Then, she looked back and forth before whispering in my ear, "don't tell Petunia, she'll bite my face off."

"O-okay…"

"Promise me! Promise me you won't, or I'll bite your face off!" She warned.

"Okay, I promise!" I whispered back before she smiled and nodded in satisfaction…descending to rejoin the others.

The mother soon joined our side, nodding at all the raw mollusks we had collected, "that should be enough. I take it you'll need us to lead you back?"

I nodded "if it's not too much trouble. I, unfortunately, my kind does not have a great sense of smell."

"So, you can't smell us when we play dead? Where's the fun in that!?" Petunia exclaimed.

Pinktail just shook her head.

And so, the family leads me back to the only artificial structure in the forest. About halfway there, we hear a panicked voice not too far away…a familiar voice.

It isn't long before we all see who's all worked up: it's Fink! Ah shucks, he's awake!

"Kid! Kid, where are you!?"

Pinktail gave a stern look to me in response as guilt filled me, "you didn't tell Fink where you were going?"

"I was going to be quick, I wanted to surprise him! I got lost remember!"

"Terry, you have to be careful next time…what if it wasn't us who ran into you?" The mother scolded me before I nodded, "sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Fink" she suggested before I nodded. I will.

"Don't say we helped you. Say you did everything" Pinktail finished before rushing her children to leave the area.

"Thank you…" I said quietly.

"Bye Terry!" Rowan waved before I returned the gesture.

I watched them on, giving a light smile, they're quite nice…now I know why Roz was close friends with them.

As soon as they were gone, Fink came into view…jumping into the clearing I was at, "kid! Oh, thank goodness…I thought you were chow!" The despair, and soon relief, that was running down his face was insurmountable to ignore, "tell me where you're going next time, okay!?"

"Sorry…I…wanted to do something for you." I crouched down before he walked up and sniffed me, "w-where you at the beach today?" He raised an eyebrow

I nodded, "getting these" I brandished the clams me and the opossums had collected not too long ago, "I know you like them very much."

The red fox sighed softly, shaking his head, "gee, I wonder how you know" he sarcastically grunted, "come on then, I'll take you back."

"Lead the way, Fink" I adjusted my heavier bag, smiling gleefully at him.

Once we got back, we had the firepit going and I cooked the fish (we had caught previously) and the clams while Fink watched.

"I wish you could meet my dad…he programmed our robot with the ability to make paella…it's a wonderful seafood dish. I think you'd like it…that is: if foxes can eat that sort of human dish…"

"You humans sure put a lot of work into preparing your food…" Fink said with a raised brow.

I simply nodded, "this is nothing compared to what dad makes…but it will suffice" I offered him a piece of the cooked fish, "hopefully I didn't burn it…"

"I-I think you did kid…no offense?" He cringed upon tasting the vertebrae. I also realized that I messed it up a bit, "this is so much easier back at home…everything's automated…" I sighed softly.

"I guess living that life DOES have its perks" Fink laughed…still deciding to eat the portion given to him, "don't sweat it, just eat what you got there…your tummy will thank you later!" He grabbed a clam and threw it in his mouth soon afterward.

"Fink…"

"Hmm?" He looked toward me, still chewing.

"We should fix the problem with the squirrels."

He sighed…rolling his eyes, "was all this just a way to get me to do that?"

I nodded my head, "kinda…yeah" I admitted, "but honestly: I want to return the favor…after all you've done for me."

The fox stood there in silence, thinking to himself before standing up, "ah, what the heck…let's go."

I smiled wholeheartedly at that.

And so, we made our way back into the forest: gathering as many tree nuts as we could carry in my bag and then some.

As we work, I turn toward the animal, "so…how DID you destroy their nut supply?"

He groaned loudly, stopping to turn toward me, "I had Thorn run up their trees and eat them…"

"That's…awful" I retorted.

"Well, I didn't want Thorn to grow hungry in winter and eat me…so, there's that…" he growled at me.

Soon, we realized there wasn't enough space left…I had Fink carry the rest. Now, you might be thinking: how on earth can a feral fox carry them? Well, the solution was simple.

As we walk into squirrel territory, Fink (carrying the food in his mouth like a chipmunk) turns toward me and says with a scornful glare and mouth full, "I hate you."

I laughed it off and walked ahead, introducing myself. In my twelve-year-old high-pitched voice, I yelled at the trees, "everyone. Fink here would like to say something on your behalf! I believe it's an apology." Quickly, as if not to get embarrassed, the adult fox spat out the food behind me and quickly composed himself. I gestured forhim to walk forward as the rodents all appeared from their homes in the trees.

He sighed softly, grabbing my brown bag with his teeth and laying it down towards the gathering squirrels, "…sorry for destroying your rations…" he expressed regret.

The leader of the squirrels…an aging female…looking up towards him with vim and vigor, "we accept; however, this is but a quarter of what we lost. We require more to suit our needs."

The vulpine gave a "are you serious" expression before I shrugged, "nothing better to do as of late" I said playfully, "we'll make it our task to retrieve more."

We leave the squirrels as Fink scurried next to me…pointing his black nose at me in response, "what ARE you doing!? Do you realize what you did?"

"We're fixing your problem" I deadpanned.

He bared his fangs slightly at me in annoyance, "do you know how long it'll take to get that many nuts for these greedy rats!? Too long!"

"Then we better get started" I mischievously leaned down toward him before walking ahead. He stopped and groaned loudly, "you're the worst!" His howls echoed in the forest.

And that's another chapter done! I hope you enjoyed this latest segment and I'll see you all next time, peace!