The Fox
1242 Words
The cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.
Thomas Paine
It was early in the morning when I got up. The sun had just risen and the rooster could be heard singing. I yawned as I came out into the fresh March air. Spring was already starting, but it is still cold as that the colourful flowers can also wake up. Today was market day in Ghrian, my village. My father and I will participate with our vegetables and fruits. We have a fruit and grain field, as does almost every inhabitant here. I especially like our apple trees, which turn really red in summer and taste delicious. ''Elara! Come and help me with this stubborn one!" My father was tampering with our mare Sophie, who wouldn't budge, no matter how hard he pulled on her. I couldn't help grinning and helped him to convince her to come along. "So! You got up a little earlier for the first time in weeks. Usually you sleep until noon. I don't know what you do at night, sleep or read one of those books.'' He gave me a stern look and finally sat down on Sophie. ''And now jump in, we don't have any more time! Soon everything will be full and we won't find any more room!' He was already trotting off and I managed to grab onto the edge of the cart at the last second and swing myself up. I sat down among all the baskets of vegetables and fruits and watched the surroundings pass us by. It didn't take long to get to the market place, it was right in the centre where the big fountain was. I was off school for a fortnight, every other month, because everyone had to do some work. Whether they helped in the fields, cooked in their own house or were employed in a shop, the important thing was that they earned something. I myself sometimes helped my father with the harvest and in the village library, where I was the only one who volunteered. No wonder, but you already know the story.
All the residents we passed wished us a good morning. My father just nodded and paid attention to his destination. I smiled at them or waved back. Politeness and courtesy had always been the most important thing for me, unlike my bad-tempered father. We reached the market place, where things were already going on. One could just squeeze through the chaos of people. We went to our normal spot where we set up the stall, next to the same people as every week. By the time we managed to put all the baskets down and get stubborn Sophie to the other animals and tied up, my dad was already selling a handful of potatoes. I stroked Sophie's mane before sitting down in the back corner of the stand. Of course I brought a book with me, I wouldn't be me if I didn't take one with me. Just as I was about to start reading a chapter, I noticed that my father was involved in a conversation with our neighbour, who was also our sales neighbour. I was about to find out what they were talking about when I saw something strangely red standing by our stall. I got up to have a closer look at it, when suddenly it took one of our chicken legs and wanted to quickly get away, but a donkey was riding by at that moment and the thief got stuck. Only then did I realise it was a red fox, he was about to leave when he caught my gaze and examined me with his brown eyes. Somehow I had the feeling that he wanted me to follow him, but that couldn't be, he just wanted that club. Lost in my thoughts, he had already started running, I startled and began to spot him among all the people. "Hey! Stop that's ours, you thief!", I shouted after him, but it didn't help and he increased his speed and dashed between the people. I was just able to keep up when we came to a neighbourhood where there weren't so many people and so it was easier to chase after him. The fox dashed to the end of the village, where the forest already stretched out. I was about to give up, but the thief now slowed his pace and calmly strolled into the forest with his prey in the mouth. Before he disappeared into the depths of the labyrinth, he gave me one last look and his eyes showed pride in his win. He must have wished it so. I took another deep breath and ran. The fox didn't seem surprised, it seemed as if he had just been waiting for it. So the chase started all over again. We ran through a tangle of trees, it seemed like an eternity and I already had a side stitch. I'm not the most athletic person, you should know. Finally he stopped when we were in front of a huge thorny bush. He gave me one last look and finally walked through the bushes. I sighed loudly and ran a hand through my sweat-streaked forehead. I wondered where he was leading me, but I had a feeling the destination was behind those thorns. So I gathered my courage and ran into the monster. After only a few steps it stung me everywhere, especially on my arms, my blue dress only went as far as my elbows. I already had over a hundred scratches when I saw the end. Relieved, I rubbed my arms when I was outside and at the same time looked around in wonder for the fox.
But I didn't see any red fur, instead I heard voices. It sounded as if there were several people here, because someone was shouting angrily, others were whispering more quietly or...were they perhaps orders? I walked between a few trees until I recognised a clearing further down, a small valley you could say, when I saw where the voices were coming from my jaw dropped open. That down there was a whole camp full of Narnians. Red tents were set up, red flags with a golden lion waving in the wind, centaurs, dwarves, fauns, people in armour with sword and horse. Everyone was going out or into the tents, talking, and then I saw a training field a bit off to the side, where the shouts were coming from. You could hear the clash of swords as the soldiers fought each other, men shouting orders and firing for their favourite. I awoke from my stupor and quickly hid behind a bramble bush so that no one would discover me. After all, I was here on a private plain and this was guaranteed to be a military camp. Just as I was thinking of turning around and going back to my, surely already worried and upset, father, I was grabbed by two strong arms behind and held. "What are you doing here, girl?" As he turned me around, I looked a minotaur straight in the eye. "I...", I couldn't finish a sentence and was led by him into the camp. "You'd better explain that to the king yourself," he said and pulled me roughly along. Panic rose up in me all at once, while the ruffian dragged me further towards the camp. I was in a trap.
- Writer
