The Journey of the Red Fox

3

….
It’s been five days and Cale is still walking through the vast Forest of Darkness. He is thirsty and he is tired, he is literally crawling because of the heat. Near the core of the Forest of Darkness is a deserted land before a large lake. And he is currently on the deserted part.
‘Just a little bit. If I get pass this hell, I will be able to drink water’
….
‘I barely survived’
That is what the red fox is thinking while soaking himself on the water. Cale looked at the blue fish swimming in the middle of the lake with the other fishes. It is hard not to look at it because of its unique color but then he remembers what happen just an hour ago.
….
Cale can see a shade on the distance. It was the border of the core where the lake can be found, when he realized that he immediately run to that place.
Cale looked at the crystalline water that literally reflects his face from cleanliness. The water was just an inch away from his mouth, when he suddenly feels dizzy and fell into the lake.
He gasps for air and try to move his feet in a fast motion to continue floating, but since he doesn’t know how to swim, he slowly starts to sink as his feet get tired from trying.
‘Is this my end? Is this how I am going to die?’
When Cale is about to close his eyes and accept his fate. He suddenly feels a small head pushing his back upward. He abruptly opens his eyes and try to look who or what is it, when he noticed he can’t move from being hold.
‘I am sure the thing that is pushing me is small, so how come I can’t move an inch. What kind of strength is this!?’
Cale pushed forward in a swoosh from the lake and was immediately landed on the ground. He uses that time to cough out the waters on his lungs and gasp for air, before he looks at the person helping him.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah. Yes, I am okay now. Thank you very much”
Cale was beyond shocked. He is currently looking a beautiful blue fish, if not for the strength that it showed earlier, he will surely be bewitched from this appearance.
‘You really can’t judge a book by its cover’
“So, what are you doing here?”
Cale was pulled out from his thoughts and answered.
“I plan to go to the core of the forest since some hunters – “
‘Burned some part of the forest and my house was caught in it, so I am finding a new place’
Cale was then cut off when the blue fish shout.
“What!? Hunters!? Are you being chased by them!? Is that why you enter this dangerous part of the forest just to get away from them!?”
“No. That’s not – “
“Oh my! You look extremely weak and will surely be killed in one strike if you fight them. I think its a good choice you go to the core even if it’s a little dangerous, at least you will still live!”
Cale just shut up as he was strike twice.
“Umm. By the way, I am Witiria. Nice to meet you.”
“Yes. Nice to meet you too. I am Cale”
….
Cale shuddered as he remembers what happen earlier.
“Oh no. Mr. Cale, are you cold? Maybe you should get out of the water, it would be bad if you get sick. You still need to go to the core and meet the king”
Cale slowly got up from the lake, but the word ‘king’ caught his attention.
“King?”
The fox asked but instead of an answer the blue fish just shake its head.
“I can’t talk about him. But I can give you a warning. Be careful of the king, he is the king for a reason”
“Okay, Thanks for the info, Witiria”
....