Vulpine Summer

Esme fanned her face violently as they marched through the sodden earth. The sun was still high, despite it being now late afternoon, and her legs hurt from the ridiculous amount of walking they had done. Fox was determined to keep her going though, avoiding the roads until they were a safe distance from the freight yard. He wanted to be sure they had left without tipping off the White Wizards to their presence.

It was hot. Very hot. And at first the earth had been dry underfoot as they followed the carved-out backroads that slipped through farmland and flat meadows. Slowly the earth became boggy and thick and fat trees covered in lichen began to multiply. By the time dusk was growing, they were in the middle of a vast marsh.

Esme hated it. It stank to high heaven, her boots were covered in filthy slush, midges swarmed her and her body was sweltering from the muggy heat. Absolon was attached to her head like an unhappy, deflated balloon. She much preferred the dry heat. She could cope with that.

Fox didn’t seem too bothered. Despite his fluffy hair losing its volume and his clothes now sticking to his back, he continued onwards. She was too tired to feel impressed.

Fox suddenly stopped, holding up his hand to her, and hunkered down. She followed suit and wrinkled her nose as she felt her boots stick deeper into the mud. She looked up, waving away a small cloud of midges from her face, and gazed to her Fox pointed.

Further up the largest road they had been following was a police blockade. A single car was flashing its colours while a couple of policemen were sitting, drinking water and playing a card game.

‘Are they looking for me?’ Esme asked as she nervously made sure her hat was covering her black hair. She really didn’t like that the glamour had gone. It worked so well.

Fox shook his head though, rubbing away some sweat from the back of his neck. ‘Nah. Too relaxed and we’re getting’ close to Farmire.’ He said just as a car came putting up the road.

Instantly the police stood up and waved for the car to stop. A few moments of talking to the driver, the car turned and drove back up the road.

‘Seems they’re keepin’ people from entering Farmire. The sickness must be gettin’ bad.’

‘Should be stay away then?’ Esme asked. She didn’t want to get sick, she had to remain healthy if she wanted to reach the Granite Tower.

‘Safest route through. Everyone’s assumin’ you’ll go around if you head this way.’

Esme frowned then sighed heavily. ‘The White Wizards seem to be everywhere then.’

‘That’s what Warbler said. Every Tower is hunting you down.’

‘So nowhere in this country is safe.’

‘Not really.’

She sighed again. The scope of the danger just never felt real, not until now. Even though she had travelled miles and miles away from the Ivory Tower and entered different County, the White Wizards still hunted her. She was still known as the Grand Wizard’s murderer.

Fox slapped her arm with the back of his hand in annoyance. ‘Look, don’t go mopin’ now. We knew this which is why Warbler told us to come here. They’re too focused on this growing epidemic. We just swan through, end of.’

He was giving her a firm stare, one that made her go a little pink. His expressions had

‘Will Wizards be there?’

‘Yeah but not White ones. Healing ones apparently.’

Esme bobbed her head and rubbed her neck, pushing away midges and sweat. ‘I just want to find somewhere safe to sleep.’ She said as she glanced around. If this wasn’t a swamp, she’d be happy to curl up somewhere and sleep beneath the stars, but lying in warm, bug infested slush was not appealing to her at all. She may have been learning to give up some luxuries but Esme had her limits.

‘If we keep away from the worst affected areas, we should be good to nap.’ Fox promised and rose softly. ‘Follow me. We’ll give ‘em a wide birth.’

Fox scuttled off through the slurry and puddles of stinking water, causing bugs to buzz angrily at the disturbance. He didn’t seem the least bit worried about his surroundings or if he fell, unlike Esme who took very cautious and carefully placed steps.

It took them longer than she hoped to reach Farmire, the unlucky town filled with disease. As they plucked their way through reeds, cottongrass and ferns, the sun sunk further and further, casting the sky deep red with the cries of moorehens, turns and grebes growing quieter. Soon the marsh began to pull up and away from the mildew ponds and ruts and lights of the town began to peep through the trees’ boughs. Soon they looked down the town of Farmire. It was bigger than she thought it would be and built in a mix of wood and brick. The buildings weren’t particularly tall, three floors at most, and a thick road swerved through it. The flashing blue lights that flickered throughout the town and the deathly silence were ominous. It was so quiet.

‘We go in.’ Fox said before she could ask what to do. ‘Police are at all vehicacle entrances but they won’t be lookin’ to see if someone will just waltz in from the marsh.’

Esme shifted her weight. That seemed risky. ‘Then what?’

‘We stay at a small hovel of a hotel or whatever they’ll have here. We sleep, we move on. End.’ Fox glanced behind him as the croaking of toads and something grumbled in the distance; something big. ‘Don’t want to be out here in the night.’

Esme hurriedly agreed and stuck close to him as he made his way down the hill towards Farmire. There was a small wall, old a chipped and a clear half-hearted attempt to keep animals out, marking Farmire’s edge. It was easy to slip over and, just like that, they were in the Famire. Before them was a narrow alley filled with old bins and chucked out furniture that hugged the mossy buildings. Windows were open, trying to let out some of the heat, and what little wind had sucked out the curtains. Some lights were off, meaning the alleyway was growing very dark, but Esme didn’t like the silence. All she could hear was the marsh, a lone dog and screaming Fox’s.

Fox was quick in moving and urged Esme to keep close. He was eager to find a place to stay and kept glancing at the sky then back at Esme. Esme knew he was worried about her curse. She didn’t want to turn into a fox right in front of strangers and cause alarm and rumours. So far, neither Sodden or the White Wizards appear to know she was here. But the worry of the curse activating in the middle of a crowd grew readily pointless as they moved out of the alley and into a wide road well-lit by old buzzing streetlights. No one was out, not even a drunkard or a beggar. The road was utterly empty and most of the houses here were dark and silent.

‘This gives me the creeps.’ Fox murmured.

Esme readily agreed. Even sleepy Clockton was more active than Farmire this late at night and gave the impression of life.

They moved on in search of a place to stay, keeping their eyes peeled for a stray Wizard or policeman. None turned up. By the time they reached a road where several shops stood, the place felt so dead that neither Esme nor Fox were expecting any kind of movement. Not until a door opened gently and voices could be heard.

Waving off an middle-aged man who scuttled off was a youthful woman with vibrant golden hair and very pretty round face. She was about to close the door when she noticed Esme and Fox staring at her in confusion, surprised to see any life at all.

‘Ho there, friends.’ She said, opening the door wider again and smiled.

Esme noted her accent was completely different than to what she was used to; rougher and angrier. Logan instantly came to mind. She was definitely in the Hornfels.

‘You look lost.’

Encouraged by her happy demeanour, Fox stepped forward with the most charming smile on his features. It oddly annoyed Esme and she glared at the back of his head.

‘Lookin’ for a place to stay. Know any?’

The pretty woman looked surprised. ‘The place is in lock down. How’d you get in?’

‘Came in from the marsh. We walked.’

‘Walked? Oh, oh you shouldn’t be walking out there you know. Filled with bears and nasty things that can give sickness.’ She said hurriedly. ‘And the inns are closed down now until the plague is gone.’

‘It’s a plague now?’

‘Aye, was declared today.’ She hesitated, clearly not sure what to do with them, and glanced back inside her store. ‘Look, stay with me. I run a pharmaceutical of natural medicines. I can at least try keep you from getting sick.’

Fox was instantly grinning brightly. Esme’s scowl deepened. ‘That’ll be good.’

‘Then come in.’ She declared, pulling the door wide enough for them to slip by.

Inside stank of various strongly scented herbs. The woman hadn’t lied. Pots were filled with crushed plants, all labelled clearly, and various readily made medicines were prepared in tiny vials with prices marked. Beside the till were several little bags, chopping boards and scales; all showing signs of use. But there was something else in the air. Something that reminded Esme of Spirits.

The woman collapsed into one of the cushioned chairs by the window and sighed. ‘This plague needs to end. I’ve been keeping the shop open late for the last month, trying to give people something to fight off the symptoms.’

‘What symptoms?’ Fox asked as Esme peered at the jars on the shelves, reading the labels with growing suspicion.

‘Diarrhoea and vomiting mostly. It’s spreading and so far six people have died from dehydration. The Wizards are trying but can’t get to the root of the problem.’ She smiled abruptly as a thought came to mind. ‘I haven’t told you my name. It’s Catriona.’

‘Fox. That’s Vic.’

The moment she held out her hand to shake Fox’s, Esme noticed something about her neck, clinking and shining. A whistle. Instantly Esme was beside Fox, pulling him back and slapping away Catriona’s hand.

‘What you doin’?’ Fox snapped as Catriona sat there stunned.

‘Witch.’ Esme hissed in a deep tone.

Fox stiffened as Esme glared down at Catriona’s happy expression.

‘I’m a Witch, aye.’ She said. ‘One who’s worked in this town for years. My gran set us up here.’ She sighed at Esme’s continuing glare. ‘I don’t often use magic. The bonds I have with Spirits and Sprites are for emergencies only. I use herbal remedies to heal, most for bad stomachs or flus. You’ve heard of healing Witches, right?’

Esme nodded slowly. Not all Witches ran free, spitting on civilisation. There were some who weren’t shackled by a Coven and worked as healers and midwives for the poorer folk unable to afford standard medical care. But even so, Esme was suspicious. Witches were bad, chaotic and downright out of control when it came to magic.

‘Wait, a Witch. So, a magic-user, right?’ Fox said, barrelling through Esme’s thoughts.

Cantriona nodded eagerly. ‘But I don’t use it often, like I said.’

‘Well. Can you do glamours?’

Esma cast a hostile glare to Fox. Esme was not going to let a Witch use magic on her! Gods know what would happen or if she’d even survive!

‘Glamours? No.’ She toyed with the whistle around her neck and her pretty brow furrowed deeply. She then shifted her gazed from the floor to Fox’s face and stared intently. ‘Why do you need a glamour?’

Esme watched Fox as various expressions flittered over his face; panic, plotting, confusion to happiness. ‘Vic here needs it. We’re currently makin’ our way to work out in the coal mines further east but, you see, Vic’s a girl. Tryin’ to get work so she wants to look more like a man.’

While Esme was staring at Fox, red faced with anger, Catriona was quick with her response. ‘I can’t but I know someone who can help you out. They live out in the marsh though.’

Fox bloomed with success, clearly happy that he had found someone who could fix their very urgent problem. Esme didn’t feel the same however.

‘We’ll go out at dawn.’

Catriona looked equally happy, as if she too had been successful in something. ‘There’s a spare room up the stairs. Second floor, third door.’

Fox thanked her again and pushed the blustering Esme away before she could blow a gasket. She’d broken the rule by saying one word but one word wouldn’t do too much damage. A raging tirade would however and she was barely keeping her lips shut.

‘Oh and, in case you need any help from the Wizards, they’re stationed at the church, school and police station, okay? Go there if you start feeling like you want to puke.’

Fox bobbed his head and shoved Esme into the stairwell behind the counter and up the stairs. He found the third door along the very narrow corridor, pushed it open, and stepped inside. Esme shut the door to whirled on him, her eyes blazing. Fox however was looking incredibly smug.

‘Got our problem fixed. We’ll go see that Witch in the marsh and get you fixed up.’

‘By a Witch?’ Esme sputtered. ‘This is very dangerous, Fox. She could melt my face off or make the glamour permanent! This is not controlled magic, this is wild and untamed! Chaotic!’

‘It’s fine.’ Fox said brushing it aside.

‘It is not.’

‘Look, we go out and talk to them at least. It might be a Wizard out there.’

Esme glowered and a stubborn look came to his face. He sighed and wrenched off her hat, letting her black, silken hair tumble about her ears.

‘We need to get this fixed, Dupont. We go out and see if this person can help us because we might not even live to reach the Granite Tower without you glamoured. We do this. Okay?’ He snapped.

Esme sniffed and, just as she was about to bite a retort about how uneducated he was with magic so had no right to tell her what to do, Esme felt something shift in her uncomfortably. Within seconds, she was in a bundle of clothes on the floor; small, vulpine and covered in red fur.

She yapped at him, gnashing her teeth together, the most she could do to continue the argument. Fox laughed and hunkered down in front of her, grinning from ear to ear with that stupid smile that made her heart flutter. He reached out and ruffled her ears, an action she didn’t want nor wanted to enjoy. She liked it though. Fire spread through her, making her warm, but she continued to scowl with her ears flat.

‘We’ll get this glamour then get out before we fall ill. Okay?’ Fox said.

Esme bared her teeth in misery. She didn’t want to trust her life with a Witch but Fox was giving her little choice. Obeying him was one way she had to keep alive.

Esme yelped, her heart in her mouth, when Fox suddenly picked her up. She didn’t wriggle, simply froze. Her whole being was sent into turmoil, overjoyed that she could feel his warmth and the strength of his arms around her. She could feel how strong his hands were, the muscles in his arms and chest, the broadness of his shoulders. But then the other half of her was upset that he had embraced her without her permission. No man had ever hugged her before and Fox was a lowly thief, not a gentleman of position and power. He had no right!

But her chaotic thoughts came to a stop when he dropped her onto the single bed. With her heart beating violently and trying to ignore the sudden bereft feeling and desire to leap back into his arms, Esme watched as Fox took a pillow and spare blanket to curl up on the floor.

‘Sleep, Dupont. We’ll hash out this plan in the morning.’

Esme watched him as, very quickly, he fell asleep, a clear sign he was exhausted. She twitched her ears and snuffled her nose as she glanced about the empty bed. It looked cold and lonely. She looked down at Fox and listened to his low, even breathing. She came to a decision and waited a few minutes before she slipped down beside him.

She watched his face, noting how at peace and relaxed he was. He was long gone now. Feeling confident that she wouldn’t wake him up and embarrass herself, Esme settled beside his head, curling up tightly, and buried her nose in her tail. She felt his warmth and sniffed his scent.

Inwardly she smiled. She was right. It was far less lonely and cold beside Fox.