Foxheart

Chapter Twelve

Fox spluttered and coughed as River Oak threw him out of her waters and onto the muddy bank. He lay there, slightly confused and disorientated, with mud smeared over his face and clogged up his nails. He felt sick, like his stomach was twisted in an awful knot, and his head hurt badly.

'Gods, what happened?' He groaned as he blinked heavily, trying to get rid of the water dripping over his eyes.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at the canopy. The leaves were dark and the sky far above was black as night with the moon hanging like a bright light-bulb in its depths. He furrowed his brow. It had been the middle of the afternoon not long ago. What had happened? Why was it so dark?

He jumped slightly, startled by the silent movement to his side. The roar of the river made River Oak's appearance noiseless. She slipped out of the surface, cradling something close to her chest, and slithered across the earth. Absolon the Sprite clung to her back, whistling tiredly, before letting go to drift into the air. Fox watched as she lay an eerily familiar fox in the long grass.

River Oak remained low, her long claws buried deep in the earth, as she stared with her yellow eyes into the darkness.

'The thief must leave. Take the Bloxham Sprite with him.'

Fox stared at her, suddenly realising Esme Dupont was nowhere nearby. He couldn't see her shape in the rushing water, sprawled on the damp banks or amongst the mottled trees. Her sprite was however. It was floating about, tumbling in the air aimlessly with the Grimoire drifting closely by.

'Where's Dupont?' Fox said as he pushed himself onto his feet unsteadily on the unstable banks.

'Here.' River Oak said, gesturing to the unconscious creature she sheltered.

Fox stared at it in confusion. That was clearly a fox, not a human, but River Oak was a Spirit. She couldn't lie, or so everyone claimed.

Fox shuffled forward and peered down at the fox. It looked oddly familiar. Despite being as wet as himself with the red fur clinging to the body, it looked healthier than most foxes. Its patterning was clear cut and sharp and its body was full of plump flesh; not like the scraggly city foxes. He then recalled the weird fox that had followed him last night and trailed him all the way home; how it acted so aggressively and stared at him with intelligent eyes. Suddenly he realised someone had been listening to his conversation with no about his Task and the Eye. Dupont had been.

Fox cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a little stupid. The Doe had rules for a reason and, in a world of magic where nothing is as it seems, you never knew who was watching and listening.

'This is Dupont? You sure?'

'Yes.'

Fox stared at Dupton's strange glossy figure. 'Why isn't she human?'

'She has been cursed, now take her somewhere safe. The liar knows the Bloxham Sprite is in this one's care. Her domain is being searched along with Tranquil's.'

'But won't she get found with me? I can't keep Wizards from findin' her.'

'She has a rock. Keep it wet. It will keep her hidden.' She gestured to the tiny rock now attached to Absolon. 'Now find a safe place. This one cannot keep the Bloxham Sprite and the thief hidden in her waters any longer.' She said and suddenly reared, pushing herself onto her thick powerful tail. She hissed. 'They come. Leave now!'

Fox, while confused and feeling very lost, didn't argue. He scooped up the vixen that was supposedly Esme Dupont and ran. He didn't know why he did. He had been so relieved when that Wizard arrived. She was going to arrest Dupont and rid him of this ridiculous blackmail. Even now he could just walk away and leave Dupont to be snatched up by the people who were coming and let justice word. But then he recalled how scared Dupont was. She had been red and pale, her eyes watering with fear and her hand shook in his. Instinct screamed at him to get her out. He couldn't just leave her, no matter what his brain said. So he didn't. He did as the River Oak Spirit demanded. As Elenore would say, he was too nice for his own good, especially if he was willing to risk his neck for a blackmailing murderer.