Kick Rat
"Wait here," I grumbled.
"Understood."
The response of the tall, weird-looking fox man took me aback. Its eyes gleamed with intelligence as it conversed with its tribesmen. I snorted and grabbed hold of the rope of my carrier. There was something peculiar about this fox man, and his lack of full body fur wasn't the sole indicator. His small group consisted of upperworlders, creatures who often visited the caves of our homes. I could tell by the long, pointy ears of the smaller female and the roundish ears of the other man.
There was always a language barrier between us and the violent creatures, and we had to fight off many interlopers from our homes. They'd kill and maim our kin, alongside the other creatures with whom we share our ecosystem. It is awful, so my heart nearly leapt out of my chest when I encountered them. While usually, they would attack us on sight, this group didn't.
Their clothes were torn and stained with what I imagined was their blood. However, I did not see any injuries on them. Their chief spoke his language with confidence and calmed his tribemen from attacking. It was at that moment, I felt a pull towards their chief, and he that he could be trusted.
The large, fluffy tail of their chief was reminiscent of the local fox men tribes who exist on this plain with us. They are a friendly people who enjoy the Good-Good fruit that helps with our strength. To my relief, he accepted it, and I decided to welcome these creatures to our home.
When I disabled the seal to our home plane, the large fox man fell to his knees from magical whiplash. It was then that I realized that he wasn't solely a much larger, weird-looking Fox Man, but something different. He was similar in appearance to the upperworlders.
I was startled by the sight, as that mutation only occurs in Darkly Touched Beings. I thought I had made a mistake, but his eyes didn't flicker with rage. When the Great Beast declared our plain as a part of its dominion, many of our people gratefully accepted that she had placed a spell on our access.
Those who were not allowed would be consumed with an all-consuming wrath that caused Darkly Touched Beings to become berserk. They would remain in that state until they consume their stamina and drop dead in exhaustion. I had seen that transpire before, and it was not comfortable to witness.
After passing the threshold, the tribesmen battled each other in their proof of foolishness. Their tantrum awoke and summoned a guardian beast of the forest: a Kongarillo, a powerful beast who raids and steals our food. I had prepared to run, but the Fox Man did the unbelievable. He went toe-to-toe with a Kongarillo. Not only did he do so, but he managed to win and tame the beast.
I didn't think it would be possible, but I know what I sensed. His magical power was so immense that his showcase of strength hardwired the beast to obey him. However, instead of demanding obedience and slaying it, he allowed the beast to go on its way.
I knew at that moment that he must meet my wife, and that is reason enough for me to bring him to my village. It wasn't until we arrived there that I had second thoughts, which is why I asked him to wait there.
When I arrived at the gate of my village, I placed my palm onto the barrier safeguarding it. I focused, and the magical energy began to shift and change. A hole formed for me to enter, and the gate opened behind it. The sight of my village greeted me with its familiar wooden structures and smells of cooked meat.
I ignored the curious gazes of my kin and instead focused on those who mattered most: my family. Gripping the rope of my carrier with my mouth, I pulled my fruit to my home near the wall. It was close to the exit, but far away from the other homes of my kin. As I approached, there was a large, wooden wall with no holes for others to peek through. It was exposed at the top, allowing our gardens on the other side to grow properly.
It might not have been much, but this place was my home. It is where I raised my family, no matter what my other kin thought of me.
'Scurra, I am home.'
My thoughts were pushed towards my mate, and upon receiving them, she stepped outside to greet me. While I was relatively unremarkable among our kin, my wife would be someone considered 'special.' Scurra was a mutant, a Dark Touched Being, and an outcast of our people. Her presence is the reason that we had to hide our home behind a wall.
Scurra was smaller than I was, but she appeared similar to the large Fox Man I met in the cave. She shared the furless flesh of the upperworlders from her birth, but shared certain characteristics of our kin. Her tail was shorter, and her eyes were smaller. If not for the claws and whiskers, I would not assume she was one of our people.
There is no better word for her than ambomination, but I'd bite their head off if anyone dares utter that word to her. I have done that before, and that is why we remain isolated for their sake and ours. Scurra was more than our kin; she was the next step, and I was the only one who understood that. The rest were fools, stuck in their ways, content with groveling to our chief.
"You have returned bearing fruit?" Scurra asked, hobbling to greet me.
Scurra was a wonderful mate. She was smart, strong, and different. The only issue was our curse. Upon our union, our chief was riddled with envy. He coveted Scurra for her difference, despite bullying her whenever he had the chance in public. I couldn't allow his actions, and so I took Scurra as my mate to spite him.
The chief did not appreciate that and cursed her with his magic. She would be doomed to speak the language of the upperworlders, and I was forced to speak the language of our ancestors. He did so, knowing she and I would not be able to communicate effectively.
His plan would have worked if not for my mate's tenacity. One day, upon encountering a powerful group of interlopers, I managed to steal a book from one of them. While they escaped, their transgression brought me and my mate salvation. Scurra informed me that this book possesses untold magic within it and a connection with something beyond the Great Beast.
Within those covers was a spell that allowed Scurra and me to push our thoughts inside each other's minds. It was then, for the first time in six years, that I was able to hear my mate's voice. It brought me to tears, but I was determined to meet her where she stood. I asked her to teach me how to understand the upperworlder's language.
While I have not completely mastered the language, Scurra has taught me much to bridge the gap. It would have taken longer to do so if not for her dedication and fortune smiling on us.
"Yes. I have brought you dinner," I responded, pulling the carrier to the door frame.
"You have done well," she responded, grabbing a Good-Good Fruit.
She sniffed the fruit and began nibbling at it. Scurra savored the taste and looked at me expectantly. I, too, grabbed a fruit and began to feast.
"I have news from the outside. It-"
"I think we should leave the village."
Scurra's thoughts appeared quick, as if she were dying to tell me. I was stunned by her words, and the soft thump of my fruit falling onto the carrier filled the void. I licked my lips and stared at her, hoping to detect a lack of seriousness in her expression. I didn't find one.
"What is the matter? Are you not satisfied with our home? I can tear down our wall if you'd like?" I asked.
"Our home..."
I waited for her to finish, and a somberness washed over my mate. She turned and looked at the building. It was not much in size compared to my kin, but I thought I did my best. She once told me that she was satisfied, so what has changed?
"Our home doesn't desire our presence. The village hates us, and they will attempt to harm our children. I am Darkly Touched, and..."
"Nonsense, Scurra. I will not allow them to harm you!" I respond frantically.
Scurra gazed at me before brushing her nose against mine. I copied the affection and stared into her eyes.
"I hate our kin, Nabu. I hate them greatly," Scurra admits, but I wasn't surprised.
"I know, but the village is the safest place. Outside the barrier, creatures lie in wait to steal from and eat us. It is dangerous. You know that I risk my life to scavenge for us."
"Our kin steals from us, too. We are not safe from them either. The closer we become to having children, the more dangerous it gets for us," she whispered. "Also, our lady has shown me another vision."
My breath caught in my throat, and I nearly staggered without taking any steps.
"You saw another one?" I asked, wishing that I didn't.
"Yes. The Mistress of Ashes pulled my soul into her realm and gave me her blessing to leave. She told me, 'Find the tail of the orange fox, and follow his white tipped trail. Only he will bring your family and kin true salvation.'I will follow her guidance just as I have done in the past."
'The orange fox?'
I kept my thoughts to myself as the weight of her words crashed on me. It wasn't just a crash; it was an avalanche, burying me under implications. My paws trembled, and the ground seemed to tilt beneath me.
A dizzying array of images flickered through my mind: the towering fox man I'd just left, his powerful tail, the impossible taming of the Kongarillo. Could it truly be him? The very creature I'd been so wary of, just moments ago? My mind spun, struggling to reconcile the mundane reality of my village with the scale of Scurra's visions. I stumbled, tripping over my feet, scattering the fruit across the yard as I attempted to gather my bearings.
Scurra pounced on me, aiding me to my feet. 'Is this a coincidence? This can't be. Her visions are never wrong. Our Mistress of the Ashes has never led her astray... but what are the odds? He's waiting right outside the village, right now!'
"Is there more to her guidance, Scurra?! Please tell me more!" I demanded, grabbing hold of her shoulders, my voice ragged with a mixture of terror and dawning hope.
"That was not all, she mentioned fire, but I believe she speaks of the Fox Men, so I-"
"No! She doesn't!" I yelled, cutting her off. Scurra jumped at my outburst, and her ears folded behind her head. "I-I am sorry, my love, but..."
'The fruit...I need to get the fruit together.'
My gaze shifted around the scattered fruit in the yard, and I began to collect it. I moved quickly as if my life depended on it. The key to our family's salvation is nearby, and I made him wait for me. I need to prepare more offerings for him to win his favor. If our Mistress in Ashes demands it, then we must adhere to it. If not for our sake, but for our future children. Upon finishing the collection, I took the rope from the carrier into my mouth and began pulling it towards the exit.
"Wait, Nabu! I'm sorry for asking to leave! Don't leave me!" Scurra's thought, laced with raw panic and confusion, flooded my mind.
Her small body trembled as she stared at me, her eyes wide with bewilderment and fear. I pushed my thoughts back, a frantic stream of urgency.
"No, my love, I'm not leaving you. Never! There's no time for full explanations now. The prophecy... it speaks of the Fox Man outside. He is the one! We must go to him, now, before he leaves!"
Her bewilderment slowly shifted to dawning comprehension. She looked from me to the open gate, then back to my desperate gaze.
"Just come...There is something, no, someone I need to show you," I urged, my voice low and strained, pulling the carrier with renewed purpose. "You were right, Scurra, you are always right, so I will trust you."