The Life Of A Demon Warrior

Chapter Five - Growler

       A couple days later I'm nearly out of meat and bread so I set out to go foraging for food in the forest, picking wild blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, some hazelnuts and some mushrooms - a couple giant puffball mushrooms and some chicken of the woods and going farther and farther away from the bunker. after a few hours almost all of my crude leather bags are full and I'm about to start heading back when I hear what sounds like another one of those patrols. I climb up into the trees, out of sight of the ground and I keep still until they've gone past, then I wait a few extra minutes before climbing back down and I start heading back - taking another, more roundabout way to the bunker so I don't accidentally come across the patrol again on my way. After a couple hours I hear this faint yowling and yipping like that of a small animal trapped or in pain. I tilt my head and listen {what do you think it is?} Ember asks {not sure - but I think I should go investigate} I respond as I start heading in the direction of the sound.

After about half an hour I find the source of all the noise - it's a young fox cub trapped in a snare, the wire wrapped tightly around his right hind leg. Judging by the looks of him hadn't been there any longer than a day at most. I look around to see if perhaps the mother or any siblings were nearby - there's not. I slowly approach the cub and it starts growling and tries backing away but it can't get far. "Shhhh..... it's okay little guy - I'm going to help you" I say softly as I kneel down next to the cub and examine it's leg - it's bloody where it was gnawing at the wire trying to get free. I pull out some of the berries I had gathered and offer them to the cub, the little fox keep growling at me for a minute before it sniffs at my hand cautiously then starts scarfing down the berries "yeah you're a hungry little guy aren't you?" I say as I gently pet the cub's side.

After a few minutes the cub has calmed down and I'm able to pull out my knife and start carefully cutting the wire. Once the cub is freed I gently pick it up and it starts growling softly "oh you stop that - I saved you AND fed you" I say as I pet it and after a bit it stops growling then I look under it's tail - it's a boy {Well now what do we do with him?} Ember asks {I don't know - he's kinda young to be going about on his own - he can't be any more than nine weeks old} I reply {We could keep him} Ember suggests {You can't be serious} I say back as I keep petting the fox cub {What? you said it yourself - he's too young to be by himself - besides he's cute} Ember says back and I sigh as I shake me head {I've never had a pet before - you know this} I say {Exactly - you've never had a pet - or a friend - this will be good for you Alex} Ember replies {Fine} I respond as I pick up my knife and get a better hold on the cub before I stand up and continue on my way to the bunker.

When I get back to the bunker the fox cub starts growling at it and I laugh as I set the cub down on his three good legs "You gonna go get it tough guy? It's a bunker" I say as he continues to growl at it. I lightly touch his back and he jumps slightly and turns towards me and growls softly and I chuckle as I open the doors to the bunker then pick him up "C'mon you little punk" I say before I step inside and close the doors before I cross the entry hall to the hatch in the floor and I open it and start going down while the fox cub starts growling. I chuckle and rub his ears when I get to the bottom of the ladder "silly fox" I say with a smile as I continue heading down through the bunker to my room.

Once I get back to my room with the fox cub I set him down on the floor and examine his leg again before I clean it the best I can then bandage it. After I'm done doing that I eat some of the berries I just foraged and give some to the fox cub as well "you need a name" I say to the fox cub as I eat and watch him start exploring the room and he starts growling yet again this time at my bag and I laugh "Growler it is" I say as I reach over and pet him.