Foxheart

Chapter Thirty-Six

Fox woke with a start. For a moment, all he felt was excruciating pain and heard water filling his ears. His breath came in gasps and his body went rigid in the need to run as panic took him until a large hand gentle slapped against his chest.

'Easy there, Fox. Easy. You're safe.'

Fox took a few seconds to recognise Warbler sitting beside him, his usual happy smile on his hairy face. His breathing began to settle and his body relaxed, realising the pain he distinctly remembered wasn't there anymore. Instead he just ached.

'Where am I?' Fox croaked out as he settled into the pillows, gazing about the room. It was familiar to him and brought up memories of his visits to his aunt's house when he was little. When both his parents were alive.

'At Mouse's.'

'Lydia?'

'Brought you here a few days ago.'

Fox fell silent. His brain was numb, trying to connect the last moments he remembered, the fear and pain and blood, to the room he was resting in; the room he always stayed in when visiting Lydia and his dead aunt and uncle. He felt disjointed and confused. Nothing but a black hole filled his mind between now and then. He shouldn't be here. He should be in a river.

Groaning, Fox pulled back the sheet and gazed at the bandages covering his waist and shoulder. Two shots. He paled.

'How did you find me?

'Vic came to get me.' Warbler said and leaned back. 'She helped me getting those bullets out.'

Fox stilled. Dupont. Billy had tried to take her and hand her over to police. Fox had refused and fought him but Billy had already done the damage. He had already called the White Wizards. He and Dupont ran but he got shot. Twice. Then they were in the river. Then nothing.

'Is she safe?' Fox asked suddenly, trying to push himself out of the bed. He felt a sudden need to find her, to check her over. Being attacked with knife must've been terrifying for her and he had no idea what happened after he fell unconscious.

Warbler however gently pushed him back into the beg and pulled the sheet back over him, silently demanding him to stay still.

'She's safe. I'll go get her soon.'

Fox tried to relax but his body remained tense. It hurt. Then, very slowly, his muggy brain began to work. He began to realise Warbler was calling Vic a 'she'. Fox stared up at Warbler, his eyes searching for some kind of malice but there was none. Just relief.

'What happened?'

'Vic came to me with supposed heatstroke. She knew not to take you to a hospital so sought me out. I came and found you in the care of River Willow oddly. Vic said he was willing to help.'

Fox recalled something now. A song. A deep melodious voice singing as he was wrapped up in secure, warmth. Was that River Willow?

'We worked on you for hours. Got those bullets out eventually, mopped up most of the infections, and let you rest in the woods. You were feverish though. I had to get you elsewhere so you had a chance. Brought you here in hopes your body could gather strength. That was five days ago.' Fox opened his mouth to speak but Warbler held up his hand. 'Fox. I know who Vic is. I know she's Esme Dupont and I know what you two are up to.'

Fox stilled but he didn't cut eye contact. He tried his best to stare down the doctor, to challenge his judgement on Fox's choices. If Esme had told him everything, then Warbler knew about her blackmail. He knew the Eye was in her control. He wasn't going to show that bothered him.