The War for Eventyr

13 | Questions

The blundering tod––Tree––led the way through the woods. Skadi followed closely behind, flinching with each of his loud and crunching footsteps. He assured her that the foxes who patrolled the border were usually swapping shifts this early in the morning, still a ways from reaching this edge of the forest.

Skadi took note of each word he spoke, hoping that getting all the info she needed would be as easy as following him around.

They forged their way further into the forest, toward what Tree had called the "Central Territory." It was where their leaders gathered together once per season and discussed the problems their skulk faced. Like sitting ducks, waiting to be dragged under the tides of war.

Tree stayed true to his word in avoiding any foxes, and they finally reached the den they were looking for, tucked into the undergrowth away from one of many paths. They hadn't even seen any of the brown-furred Leafborn at all. It struck Skadi as strange.

Glancing a final time through the woods, Tree ushered her forward and they ducked into the entrance. The two didn't fit through the tight tunnel together, so the tod led the way. Finally, the walls widened into a large and dimly lit hollow. Skadi blinked until her eye adjusted to the darkness, met with the sight of a fox-shaped shadow pacing the back wall.

Trygve stopped just before Skadi could step out of the tunnel, meeting eyes with the unknown fox. He stepped toward her, while the vixen raced across the den to cover the rest of the distance. She wrapped her neck around his, a panicked look in her expression, and then she bit his ear.

The tod yelped. "Dagny, what is wrong with you?" He rubbed his ear with a paw and growled at the female.

"What's wrong with you?" she snapped back. "You should've been back hours ago! Where were you?"

His ears turned sideways, and Skadi noticed the hesitation in his muzzle, stopping before he could point to her. "It's a long story." Then his gaze darted back and forth through the den. "Where's Beste?"

The vixen's brows furrowed. "She's not here––for the same reason I thought that you were dead." She bared her teeth at Tree. "There's word that a Shadowborn snuck past the border. Someone saw it while out foraging. Your grandmother's at an emergency meeting."

Skadi swallowed. Tree's tail drooped. So much for stealth.

"What did you do?" the vixen shouted, and Tree ducked his head even lower. Only then did the tan-furred female look up past his shoulder. Fierce green eyes locked on Skadi.

She leaped past Tree in a blur of brown. The vixen's hackles stood tall while her spine arched with rigid hostility. Skadi returned the stance out of instinct, stepping toward the fox with a deep-throated snarl.

"Stop!" Tree stood between them, blocking the female and pushing her back. "Dagny, I brought her here."

She shook her muzzle. "I know, and you're stupid." The growl never left her tongue. "Why would you bring our enemy here?"

He shushed her with a harsh nip on the nose, and it only made her growl more. "She's not an enemy, she's my friend."

Dagny seemed taken aback. Her muzzle twisted into one of confusion. Her lips curled downward in a disappointed frown. The green of her eyes wasn't sharp; it dulled with a cloud of pain.

"Your friend?" she echoed. "I can't believe this, Tree. What are you getting yourself into?"

He tried to nuzzle her, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I know what I'm doing, trust me."

But she pulled away from him. "Do you?"

Without another word, or perhaps another question, she sighed and pushed past him. Stepping warily around Skadi, she reached the entrance of the den.

"This is risky," she said, back still turned toward them. "I should've stopped you sooner, but I can't be a part of this."

Tree let out a whine as he watched her go. Skadi turned to him, her jaw hanging open. She wasn't sure what she'd just witnessed.

"Who is that?"

He shook his head. "No one. Come on, we've got to get to the Gathering."