~Calling Of The Woods~

Hugo could see a number of emotions rushing over Cody’s face, but when he turned to Hugo all that was showing was rage.

“YOU COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING!” He exploded, jumping to his paws.

Hugo was rather hurt at this accusation, was it really his fault? However guilty he was, it was still Foalan and Cody’s idea to come after them in the first place.

“YOU, you.” Cody’s legs began to shake and he collapsed onto the forest floor.

“I -” began Hugo, but Lyn cut him off with a flick of her tail.

“We need to get back, the smell of blood will attract more unwanted attention.” she signaled to the sky, reminding them about the crows. But Cody didn’t need reminding, he was already on his feet dragging Foalan's small body across the clearing.

“Cody -” Lyn started as he struggled to bring the dead body of his friend across the clearing. “The smell of blood will attract - ”

“I don't care!” Cody shouted. “I’m not leaving her here! I won't! I won’t!” Lyn sighed and followed Cody into the woods. It was weird to see Foalan not moving, and she seemed smaller than before, she had been so lively and bouncy and ready for adventure. Although Hugo hadn’t really cared all that much for Foalan, he couldn’t help feeling rather hollow and shocked as they made their way back through the woods toward the burrows. Cody had collapsed again, because he was having trouble hauling Foalan's body or if he was too grief stricken Hugo didn’t know, but Hugo ended up carrying Foalan. But Cody had insisted on helping by running around Hugo’s paws trying to hold Foalan up, Hugo thought it was making it worse but he knew better than to tell Cody that. Foalan hung limp in his jaws, a dead weight, once lively and brave, now small and cold. A tear rolled down Hugo’s cheek and splashed onto the crusted blood that stained Foalan's fur. Oh, what would they tell Mother and Father? What would they tell Nyko and Alpine? He had imagined him and Lyn coming back into the Hollow, their jaws stuffed with prey and Mother and Father telling them that they would be allowed to leave the Hollow whenever they wanted, not coming back with Cody in a grieving mess and Foalan hanging limply in his jaws. Nothing went right today. He felt that he owed Foalan his life, she had saved him and paid the price. Another tear rolled down his cheek. Foalan saved me. Was Cody right to say it was my fault? He thought guiltily, I let her run past me, I should have done something! If proving herself was her mission, she had succeeded, if only there was no price she had to pay for my respect. Hugo heard someone calling his name, he lay Foalan down gently and scanned the forest. He tensed, it was Mother and Father, and by the sounds of it, Nyko. Three of the five foxes he didn't want to see at the moment.

“Quick!” He whispered. Cody, who was in tears and Lyn who looked uncomfortable, helped him carry Foalan through a wall of brambles. When all three of them were safely hidden on the other side of the thorns, Lyn spoke.

“We can't hide from them forever, we - ”

“No, you can't.” said a cold voice from behind them. Hugo jumped and turned around with a start. Hugo’s breath caught in his throat as he realized where they were. The pond gleamed in the moonlight and the burrows looked as warm and comforting as ever. Cold shock and realization flooded his other senses. Noctus stood in front of them, his expression as cold as his voice. “Thought you could cover up this little murder now did we? Well you're wrong, and you'll pay for what you've done, you hear me?”

“Noctus, please listen.” Lyn begged. “You don't understand, you have to hear us out.”

“Never!” Noctus spat. “You killed her!” He screamed. “SHE’S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!” there was no mistaking the quiver in his words.

Swift, Father, Nyko and Alpine rushed in on the scene.

Hugo flinched at their shocked faces. Noctus stepped back and his mother took his place.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DAUGHTER?” she screamed, and Hugo lay Foalan down at Nyko’s paws, dipping his head guiltily, and stepping back from Nyko. Mother, Father, Alpine and Noctus burst through the brambles and stood beside Nyko who was now bending over Foalan's cold body and weeping for her lost kit. Cody looked just as distressed and backed behind Hugo and Lyn to hide from the steely glare of all four foxes. Everyone was silent, except Nyko, who was still weeping and licking furiously at the crusted blood, trying to rid her daughter of red stains. Mother stared at Hugo, Lyn and Cody, she looked shocked beyond words, all her kits had gone out against everything she had told them, and they came back with the dead body of her friend's daughter? Her face showed every emotion from shock to disappointment to anger, the question didn’t need to be asked with words. ‘What is going on?’ was written all over the faces of the five foxes who stood before them. Or four who stood, Nyko still lay over the body of her kit, and Alpine came to join her. Licking her fur and smoothing her whiskers and pushing her broken limbs into a more comfortable looking position. Hugo felt queasy as Nyko pushed one of Foalan's broken arms into position with a crack. Noctus looked both confused and furious. His face was twisted with rage rather than grief and he rounded on Hugo for a second time.

“What did you do to my sister?” He said. It was barely more than a whisper, his voice was cold and soft, yet had a sharp ting and sounded hollow and empty. “What did you do to my sister?” he repeated louder this time. Nyko turned on Hugo and nodded at her son as if to say ‘thank you, but this is my fight.’ Hugo backed away in fear.

“MY KIT IS DEAD AT YOUR PAWS! EXPLAIN YOURSELF, YOU, you, you - ”

“The woods around, Nyko! My son is not responsible for the death of your daughter!” Swift said, shocked.

“Then who is? TELL ME, WHO has killed my daughter?” She rounded on Hugo and Lyn, and Cody who was hiding behind them, they were all cowering in fear of Nyko’s rageful face. She looked quite intimidating, her hackles were raised, her teeth were bared in a snarl and her muzzle was tainted with blood from licking Foalan clean. Mother came to stand between Nyko and her scared kits.

“Nyko, you lay off my kits and let them explain themselves.” Nyko snapped at Swift’s snout and said with a snarl; “You are a monster, I should have known your - your kits would be the same, if you can bear to call them that. I can't believe we live beside something like you. Do they know what you are? Do they know what they are?”

“That is enough, Nyko!” snapped Swift savagely, she looked scared. Hugo didn't think it was because of Nyko’s twisted revengeful face, but something bigger, greater than Hugo did not yet understand. Hugo would have liked to know what Nyko was talking about but Swift continued.

“Let them explain themselves.” Mother said, casting a warning glance at Nyko.

What was all that about? What is Mother hiding from us? Nyko’s steely gaze swept over all the gathering foxes. She looked savage. Hugo wasn’t sure where to start, he glanced at Lyn for help, she looked just as unsure as he felt.

“We -” she began,

“Well -” Hugo said awkwardly, but caught the look Nyko was giving and quickly spoke up. “We followed Father.” Lyn began casting an apologetic glance at Father before going on. “Because we thought that maybe if we showed you -” she nodded at Mother, “that we can be good out in the WideWorld and catch prey, that maybe you would let us out.”

“And we got lost.” added Hugo quietly, he still felt the steely gaze Nyko bore into his face, hanging on to every word. Her tawny and grey coat was spiked up in places and twitched from time to time.

“And then we, we found a clearing and we were super tired and, and then there were these crows.” Hugo left out the part where Tamar had told them all about the fox in the mountains and everything about the wolves.

“They attacked us and we, um, well Cody and Foalan -” Lyn said the name ‘Foalan’ quickly and quietly as if wanting to skip all parts with her in it, to avoid Nyko’s gaze. “Well, I ran to the bush where Cody and Foalan -” she whispered the name again.

“Were, were waiting for us, and then -”

“And then -” Hugo took up the story. “And then Foalan ran out into the clearing and, and then I got away and then the crows picked her up and then, and then…” his voice drifted off as he remembered Foalan thrashing in the talons of the crows, struggling for freedom. He shivered and Mother stepped to his side, pulling her three kits closer. She whispered into Hugo’s ear; “That's enough darling, we know what happened next.” Cody still looked destroyed and Lyn was shaking.

“You see, Nyko? My kits are innocent, but I will grieve for your lost kit as if she were my own, if it weren't for her, I may also have lost something so great.” Hugo thought his mother’s words were comforting, but Nyko looked sour and insulted.

“LIAR!” she screeched. “YOU MONSTER! You vermin! You will leave me and my family alone.” She then whispered something into Alpine’s ear and they both picked up Foalan gently in their jaws and carried her away, Noctus followed his parents, taking extra care to trod on Hugo’s paws as he departed. Noctus cast a furious glance over his shoulder at Hugo as he left for his Burrow. It wasn’t my fault! He tried to comfort himself.

“Time for bed I think.” said Swift miserably. Hugo knew his dreams would be haunted by a cyclone of black wings and pale eyes, and a bright orange body falling from the sky. He turned to Lyn who sat with a sorrowful expression on her face. He padded over to her, and sat down.

“Something's calling me, Lyn.” he said wistfully.

Lyn watched the leaves swish in the wind, she watched the waterfall pour into the pond, she watched the birds fly off for bed and the owls wake for their night of hunting, she watched the sun as it hid behind the trees and the moon spring into the sky, she watched the nighthawks dive for mosquitos and other bugs. “The forest.” she said simply. “I feel it too.”