Snippets

A Fox from Another Life - Chapter One

Read on Wattpad Now - Work in progress

So here I am, hiding under some random shield I found in the middle of the forest from a rainstorm. Last night was tough. I can honestly say I have never experienced anything like it... I think. I mean, I woke up in a fox's body. A white fox at that. In the middle of what I believe to be summer in a very green forest. The Gods must have a sense of humor...

My snout moves slightly as I rest, and my tail curls around to cover my eyes from the morning light.

I do not remember anything of my past life, but I was human once. In a city? I'm not sure. Now, I am unaware of where I am and what I will do next. Survival is the next step.

The sun's warm rays shine through the trees above, warming my fur. A moment later, the bright rays hit my eyes. My body stands on its four paws as my mouth clicks a few times from dryness. I need to find some water, my mind thinks when I shake the wet fur, trying to dry it off.

I stretch my body wide before feeling a tight grip on the scruff of my neck and am pulled upwards. What the... In the blink of an eye, I am face to face with a woman with black hair. Half of her ponytail was colored green, and her armor was black and slim against her body. The eyes that stared at me were just as deep green as the tip of her hair.

My eyes move to her armor—simple hunter armor, brown leather gear that matched each piece, a simple breastplate over a green long-sleeve shirt.

This lady seems like a hunter of some kind. I tilt my head as I look into her eyes.

"A fox?" questions the woman while holding me up and examining my form. "Must have been hiding under my shield from the rain last night. It was coming down pretty bad."

At that moment, a realization hit my core. I am a fox. Not a human. A small fox. My eyes dart in every direction, trying to find a way out of her grasp.

I could bite her hand? No. That is a bad idea.

She towers over this small form, and my eyes move to her forearm, which is covered by a sleek black fabric. She must be a warrior of some kind. Those are weapons among themselves.

I look down as she twirls me around, slowly examining me. A dagger lies on her hip in plain sight, as well as a sword on her left hip. Even if I could struggle against her grip, she seemed skilled enough to kill me in one swift motion.

People eat foxes, right? Like in the woods... My eyes go wide. I do not want to become a meal for some random warrior. What can I do though?

Her grip tightens on my fur as she can see my eyes darting from one thing to another. She brings me close to her face. "This one is a little small. Must be a runt of the litter." Her other hand examines my tail and adds, "Its pelt would not fetch much in Halivaara, and the meat would only be a snack, unfortunately. About a foot and a half tall. Around ten pounds..."

My eyes widened as she spoke her last few comments. I must do something, but what? I was not summoned to this world to be skinned and eaten like prey. Her eyes watched as I glanced around everywhere. She tilted her head to try to figure out what I was thinking.

Her eyes showcased a more curious look than anything before my body instinctively leaned out without a second thought... I licked her nose.

That's right, the only thing I could think of at the moment was to be as non-threatening as possible. I licked her nose. A warrior woman who probably hunts small things like me for sport and I licked her nose. I could have gone out fighting.