Foxfire

Chapter 6

I saw my first human that wasn't hunting in over 5 years, 3 years after I joined Adolf's pack. We were hunting a bear when this guy came out of the bushes nose so buried in a book, he almost ran into the bear. He was tall, like 6 ½ feet, dark blond hair, and blue eyes. When he did finally look up from his book, he saw the bear, screamed and tried to run away. I jumped down from the tree I was in, right in front of him and made him lie on the ground by pushing him on the shoulders, then I jumped on the bear. By then the rest of the pack was there biting and clawing at the bear. When the bear had weakened, a few of the strongest wolves killed it.

When that was done I walked back over to the man and looked at him. He was shaking so badly he looked like a bowl of Jell-O. "What's, your name?" I asked. I had to concentrate hard because I hadn't spoken English in about two years. "It's Ethan. Please don't kill me." He begged. "Why would, I kill you? I just met you, and you are the first person I have met in over, 5 years that wasn't hunting my friends. So again, why would I kill you?" Oh boy. Here it comes, the old chatter box me. He looks up at me and stares. "What are you staring at?" I ask him. "What. Oh, sorry. I just. Umm. What's your name?" He stammered. I stared at him suspiciously. "It's Andreina. What are you doing here?" "Am I on your property? If I am I am really sorry." "Y-you aren't on my property." I said smirking. He looked confused and it actually looked funny. I laughed. "What's so funny?" He asked looking confused. "Sorry... it's just, your expression looked funny. So why are you here?" "Oh, Ya. I was camping, not very good at it, but it's enjoyable."

I thought for a moment 'What would it be like to live with people again. Maybe I could find my mom, dad, little brother, George, and big sister, Sophia. I have to get him to let me go with him.' "Will you excuse me?" I ask him. I walk over to where Rolf and Adolf were sitting. "I, wanted to tell you first, I'm planning on getting Ethan to take me with him to a place where I can start looking for my family. Plus, I am human it's not in my nature to live alone, not that I'm alone, I have you guys but... I promise I will visit often I just... you understand right." I said stammering. "I understand, but, Andreina, promise you won't forget and, next time you visit, umm, could you bring one of those chew toys you talked about?" Rolf asked a little sheepishly. I smiled at that. "Ok. I will bring a chew toy." I give Rolf a big hug and walk back to Ethan. "I'm going with you." I tell him. "Ok, why." He says a little hesitantly "I need to find my family. What is the nearest town called?" I say with determination. "Well it's actually a city, it's Fairbanks." "Ok. Well lead the way." I gesture north-east "We should stop at my house and get some rest so we won't be falling asleep when we reach Fairbanks. Ok?" he asks "Ok. Come on we better leave if we want to get there before dark." I reply "What! We can't make it before dark. Yeah, it is still early in the morning but I live about 40 miles away, at best we can make it there tomorrow night." "Oh, right, you haven't lived in the wild running with wolves, chasing moose and caribou." I started walking north-east and he followed.

"I like your belt." He said after a while. I looked down as I remembered I had wrapped my tail around my waist so it wouldn't get ripped off by the bear. "Oh. Ya, my belt." I scratched my head slightly embarrassed. "You said you've been out here for 5 years right." Ethan asks, I nod "So, how did you get that fox eared headband?" he asked. I had put a piece of cloth, with holes where my ears were, to keep my hair, which had become a brighter red over the years, out of my face. "I made it obviously." "Oh true." He stopped and stared at my tail.

I turned and looked at him "What's wrong?" I ask him. "Your belt, it moved." He said "Of course it moved." I replied, "What do you mean of course? Belts aren't meant to move." "It is a belt, but it is also real." He raises an eyebrow skeptically. "Yes I understand that it is real, you probably cut it off from a fox same as the ears. But when a tail isn't attached to the animal it shouldn't move." "You are correct they don't move unless it is attached to the animal and the animal is alive." I unwrap my tail and shake it to loosen it and then I keep on walking. "And this tail is connected to, well, me and I am alive." He stands there staring wide eyed and open mouthed for a little while then continues walking too. "Are the ears real too." He asks "Yes, I can also speak to wolves and turn into a fox. Come on let's go." I answer, starting to run. "Wait, how did this happen. I have heard of people who can turn into wolves, but a fox. I have only read stories about that, you're not teasing me are you?" I turn and give him a goofy grin. "Nope and I know one thing about a certain human/fox." I tell him. "And what is that?" he asks "She's faster than you." And I take off running. I look back and see him smirking then he starts running after me. I turn sharply right and stop abruptly behind a rock, Ethan turns a second later "Boo!" I yell, he screams like a little girl, I turn and start running again, laughing on the way. He stands there for a second then shakes his head. "No fair." He says when he sees I had started climbing a tree, "All I said was to come get me. I didn't say I would stay on the ground." I say "But, I can't climb very well." I look down to him "All right, fine. I come down, you fail to catch up with me, and I prove my point." I jump down and the moment my feet touch the ground I'm running. 'why am I acting like a little pup around him.' I think to myself.