The Fox and Her Bow

-22-

After twiddling my thumbs for a solid hour, Addison's voice finally sounds from outside the cave.

"You been pacing again?" She says, walking in.

She's hiding her nerves just as I am. I reposition my hood of my cloak and cross my arms. "How can I not? So much is at stake here."

Addison waves her hand. "Relax. The more confidant you are, the more they will listen to you."

I smile. "You're right. I've got to give this my all, for the good of our home." I walk out into the moonlight. "And even if I am exiled, there is more I can do to help then they know."

Addison claps. "There's the spirit!" She comes up beside me and raises her fist in the air. "Now lets go smack them upside the head with information they can resist!"

I laugh and the nerves bundled up inside me calm down a touch.

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Even with our loud and confident start, the walk to the village is dead quiet. Every snap of a twig, every hoot of an owl, every rustle in the bushes causes me to start. There are constant thoughts zooming around in my head at lightning speed; what is going to happen? Where will I go after this is over? Will I be excepted? And if so, why? What will I be used for? These thoughts cram my head until I can see the Chiefs hut. Then they overflow.

Addison puts an arm out to stop me. "I'll go in first, then tell you to come in."

I nod numbly and follow her around the houses. The streets are full to the brim, and I cannot help pulling my hood down a little further.

Addison gives me an encouraging nod and goes in.

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Chief Aldestienn sits at his table, massaging his head with one hand, the other furiously scribbling requests from the last villager. So many things in so little time. Were they even going to make it?

A knock sounds from the door. He waves mindlessly to Sten, who is also writing at a smaller desk in the corner. Sten gets up and opens the door to find Addison standing there. He opens the door wide to let her in.

Aldestienn looks up from his paper and smiles at her. "Ah, just in time." He slides the heap of papers to the left and folds his hands on the table. "What can I do for you?"

"First, of course I'm here on time. I wouldn't if there wasn't something important to be discussed." Addison waves it off. "Nevertheless, yes. There is something you can do for me." She places both hands on the desk in a 'no-nonsense' way. "But it is very big, and you might not say yes to it."

The Chiefs face hardens, and his eyebrows go up in doubt. "Is it now?"

Addison nods. "Something I understand if you were to say no to but would beg of you to say yes to."

"Well, go on. Tell my what you need." The Chief leans back in his chair.

"This is not a matter of what I need, but a matter of what you need, what this whole village needs."

The Chiefs shoulders sag. "There are many things this village needs, and I am tired of looking for them."

Addison claps her hands together. "Well, it just so happens, that I have what you need to help this village."

There is a little hope in Aldestienn's eyes when she says that. Then it is extinguished when she says, "But you are not going to like it."

"What is it?" He says sternly.

Slowly, Addison looks behind her. A hooded figure stands in the doorway. It steps in with light footsteps and a stride that hinted that great power had stepped through the doorway.

"Who are you?" The Chief asks.

The figure raises its hands and throws off its hood.

The Chief gasps in rage.

"You already know me."

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Addison gives me an encouraging nod and goes in.

Sten lets her in and I'm careful not to let him see me. I sneak down the wall of the house to stay out of sight. I hear the Chiefs voice come from the doorway, tired and a little strained. Hopefully I wont strain him further. Though seeing me could ruin every mood, I suspect.

"Ah, just in time." The Chief says. "What can I do for you?"

"First, of course I'm here on time. I wouldn't if there wasn't something important to be discussed." I hear Addison say. I am forced to control a chuckle. A little bossy Miss Know-It-All. Just like her, even in strained situations.

"Nevertheless, yes. There is something you can do for me." Here it goes . . . now or never. "But it is very big, and you might not say yes to it."

Even outside the house, I can feel the energy change. "Is it, now?"

Oh no.

"Something I understand if you were to say no to but would beg of you to say yes to."

"Well, go on. Tell my what you need." The Chief says.

There we go. The mission might be saved.

"This is not a matter of what I need, but a matter of what you need, what this whole village needs." That will get his attention.

"There are many things this village needs, and I am tired of looking for them." Don't worry, Chief, I think. I've got you covered.

I sneak back to the door, waiting for any cue Addison might give me.

She claps her hands together. "Well, it just so happens, that I have what you need to help this village." My hand goes to the doorknob, waiting.

"But you are not going to like it."

Here goes nothing. I open the door to find Addison blocking the view of the door with her body. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sten look up from his paper and look at me. Quickly, I put my hand up to my lips, silencing him. I can tell there is a little bit of fear in his eyes.

"What is it?" The Chief says sternly.

Slowly, Addison looks behind her. I hope I appear a shadow figure in the doorway, confident and powerful. If I was going to do this, I was going to have to have that energy.

The Chief eyes me suspiciously. "Who are you?" He asks.

I raise my hands and throw off my hood.

The Chief gasps in rage and I cringe a little beneath my hood.

He stands up in a flurry and yells, "You!"

Forcing my face to remain intact, I step forward a step. "Yes." I say in a deep voice to keep it from trembling. "Me."

The Chief sits back down with a hard thump. "What are you doing here?"