Vulpine Summer

Inside Glenna’s hut was awful. The place stank of fish, raw meat and herbs. Flies fussed over a wild pig running blood into a bucket and the drying animal skins. Knots of plants and bones dangled from the ceiling, jars filled with various organs, insects and rodents lined the walls and an awful stench puffed from a large bubbling lab. The only clean area was the very back, where a large animal skin bed sat surrounded by books and single stove. It was horrendous and just what Esme had always imagined a Witch’s den to look like.

Esme hung by the door, keeping her escape route available and holding Absolon, as Catriona and Glenna delved in further. Fox stayed beside her. Esme observed him but he didn’t show any reaction to the decaying stink. Either he was good at not reacting or he just didn’t care.

‘So.’ Glenna boomed as she pulled out a chair, gesturing to it. ‘Sit. We’ll talk about what you need of Old Glenna.’

While Fox sat in the creaky ancient chair, hobbled together from wild wood, Esme remained standing, her features glaring still. Glenna didn’t seem to care however.

‘Suit yourself.’ She said and shuffled over to the stove to set the kettle on.

‘We need Vic to be glamoured. Make her look like a boy.’

‘Temporary or permanent?’

‘Temporary.’ Esme said swiftly. ‘If your magic can even be that specific.’

Glenna turned slightly, letting her odd eyes sweep over Vic. ‘Awfully haughty and stuck up for a lass lookin’ for mining work, ain’t you?’

Esme pressed her lips together, ignored the warning glare from Fox.

‘Aye, it can be specific.’ Catriona said, smiling sweetly. ‘Trust us.’

Esme rolled her eyes and barely contained her snort.

‘So, what do you want us to do then?’ Fox said, pushing them to the point.

‘I want you to get somethin’ of Catriona’s.’ Glenna said as she brought over a grubby looking tea tray to the table and thudded it down heavily.

‘And what’s that.’ Fox coaxed.

Glenna glanced down at Catriona who was shifting her weight nervously and tugging at the single whistle around her swan-like neck.

‘Catriona’s whistles.’ Glenna said.

‘They took all my whistles, save this one but only because it was hidden so well and its magic so weak.’ Catriona explained, looking suitably upset with her soft mouth frowning miserably.

‘Why?’ Esme asked suspiciously.

‘Because he’s a Wizard. It’s what Wizards do. Don’t like our magic or way of things so just take our whistles.’ Glenna snapped heatedly before Catriona could answer.

Esme glowered at the insult. Wizards were not like that. They wouldn’t have just taken her whistles. Catriona had to have done something to warrant the detain. Her trust shrivelled even more as she stared at the beautiful face of Catriona, sad doe eyes and her wobbling lip. She hugged Absolon tighter.

‘Okay, so we get the whistles. How many and where?’

‘Ten of them.’ Catriona said swiftly, rubbing her watering eye. ‘Please get them back for me.’

Fox was instantly on his feet, striding across the room and snatching up Catriona’s small hand, leaning close to her with a firm and confident expression. ‘We will. Don’t worry.’

Instantly something twisted in Esme’s gut. Something hot and fiery; like a mix of rage and pain. Her eyes glowered at the sight of Fox fawning over the Witch. It felt like betrayal, stabbing and twisting.

Catriona smiled softly and thanked him sweetly. It just made her mood sour even more.

‘You do this first, mind.’ Glenna snapped. ‘Get those whistles and then I’ll do this magic thing you want, not a moment before, lad.’

‘Agreed.’ Fox said without hesitation.

Esme’s grip on Absolon tightened, hating how easily Fox was trusting these Witches. She didn’t notice how the Sprite tilted his head to look at her, confusion flickering over his eyes.

Catriona clapped her hands together, her pretty features brightening within moments. ‘Thank you so much!’ She entangled her fingers in Fox’s, squeezing his hands tightly. Arrogance touched his face. The knife twisted further.

‘Where are the whistles?’

‘At the school.’ Catriona said excitedly. ‘I can show you where but there are many Wizards. It’ll be hard.’

Fox snorted. ‘It’s fine. I’ve got this.’

Catriona turned to Glenna, her face glowing with excitement and joy. Glenna sighed heavily.

‘I can give a hand, lad. Give an opening. Them Wizards don’t like me much. If I make an appearance near town, their numbers will thin as they’ll try take my whistles.’

‘I don’t need an opening.’ Fox insistence, his voice touched by insult.

‘You do. This is magic we’re dealin’ with lad. Less of it around, the more likely you’ll get these whistles.’

Fox frowned but didn’t argue. ‘Well, where exactly in the school are they?’

‘The English rooms.’ She said. She smiled widely, party her full mouth, with Fox’s undivided attention.

Esme zoned out. She didn’t want to listen anymore. She didn’t want to hear Fox talk so kindly to a Witch, so attentively and reassuring. He so rarely spoke to her like that. He was either insulting her or get frustrated. She watched his face, noting how animated he looked. His eyes flashed with desire whenever they were fixed on Catriona, his mouth was smiling charmingly, his features filled with intrigue. His arms were folded, his fingers tapping as he often did when thinking. It made her so mad. Fox was meant to be helping her, not some Witch.

She leaned heavily against the wall, still clutching Absolon as he sang softly and patted her hands in comfort. Her eyes swept over the Witch’s hut, focusing on anything, not matter how disgusting, so long as it wasn’t on Fox and his face. The stupid, coy expression he had annoyed her.

It was then she noticed something amongst the morbid jars. Something out of place. A butterfly; blue in colour, bouncing off the glass. Ignoring the conversation at hand, Esme stepped forward to get a closer look. She peered at it, instantly noticing something strange. The butterfly was oddly shaped, large and with strange shredded wings. It could still fly however and fluttered madly, leaving a trail of dust behind it. Most odd of all though, the thing was magical. Powerfully magical.

‘Vic!’ Fox voiced shattered her attention.

Esme turned sharply, facing three pairs of attentive eyes. Fox looked annoyed at her. She glowered back instantly.

‘That good with you?’

‘Yes.’ She snapped instantly, not caring what she just agreed to.

‘Then the plan’s settled.’ He gave Catriona a charming smile, the type that would make any girl weak at the knees. The knife twisted further. ‘Vic and I will get into the school and get those whistles easy.’

‘And Glenna and I will glamour Vic.’ She said excitedly, snatching up Fox’s hand and pulling him to the door. ‘Come! We have to get back to town before dark.’

Esme watched as Fox willingly let himself be pulled from the hut. She sighed irritably before she noticed Glenna staring at her. There was no emotion there. It was just a blank, dead-pan stare. It made Esme’s spine tingle in alarm.

Without even saying goodbye, Esme fled the stinking hut. Outside, she sucked in the hot, muggy air. Despite it not smelling any more pleasant out here, she preferred the stench of the bog over the putrid air in that hut.

Esme turned only once to look at the hut. The butterfly inside; she wondered what it was. It had been strong magic. As Glenna came to the door, closing it firmly before plodding down the steps to return to her fishing, Esme wondered what Glenna was using it for. A sudden thought came to mind; how the plague in town was spreading and no Wizard could stop it. Were Glenna and Catriona involved?

The hot irritation and anger she had been expression cooled as a cold worry began to form. She turned to see Fox waving and bellowing at her to hurry up. Catriona was behind him, smiling beautifully, her eyes shining. She suddenly really didn’t like the idea of getting the whistles and dealing with these Witches. Her gut told her they were up to no good.

Esme scurried after them and tugged at Fox’s sleeve the moment she reached him, pulling him to fall in line with her and letting Catriona storm ahead excitedly.

‘Fox. Something is wrong.’ Esme whispered hurriedly.

‘Yeah, it’s you’re goddamn face. What’s up with you? You looked ready to murder someone in there.’ Fox snapped.

Esme flinched, taken aback by his tone. He sounded genuinely mad.

‘That is not the problem.’

Fox made a frustrated cry. ‘Look, Dupont, we’re doin’ this. We’re gettin’ those whistles and gettin’ you glamoured.’

‘That is not-‘

‘Look, I know you hate Catriona and Glenna, but they didn’t give me any weird vibes.’

Esme stared at him, her mouth agape. How could he trust them so easily?

‘They are Witches! That alone should be giving you ‘weird vibes.’ They are up to no good, Fox! I saw a butterfly in there and it is magically imbued. Powerfully so.’

‘So? They’re Witches, Dupont. They’re gonna have weird magic knick-knacks everywhere.’ Fox waved his hand, brushing aside her worries, and cast a firm gaze at her. ‘Just control that prejudice of yours.’ His firm expression faltered and a grin spread over his features. ‘And that jealousy.’

Esme’s face was suddenly hot and red and her heart was sent into a beating flurry. ‘Jealousy? Now look here, Fox-‘ Esme spluttered.

Fox laughed at Esme’s contorted face of disgust. ‘Just relax, Dupont. I’ve got this. Nothing’s gonna go wrong.’ He said confidently and slapped her back to march ahead, catching up to Catriona.

Esme was left blustering and red faced, clutching Absolon for dear-life as her mind whirled. Jealous? Jealous?! Esme Dupont was most certainly not jealous of a filthy, low-class thief! How could he even suggest such a thing? She was just upset with how he trusted Witches quicker than he did her and brushed aside all concern she had! That was it!

‘Moron.’ She muttered under her breath and cuddled Absolon tightly. He sang soothingly, relaxing her hammering heartbeat as she made off after Catriona and Fox who pranced through the bog further ahead.

She watched them and how easily they moved, evading pits, sink-holes and slick dips in the earth. She however just bumbled through, using Absolon as a float to keep her up-right. She watched how they laughed and talked, how relaxed Fox was, how he looked at her. How his eyes gleamed. A bit of her wanted him to look at her the same way. Like she was something more than a job and a nuisance. Like she was desirable.

The thought made her body freeze from hot embarrassment and she instantly lost her footing, falling face first into a thick swell of insect infested mud. The bugs flew off into a frenzy while Absolon, safe from the fall, hovered about, whistling sadly.

She lay there for a moment, her mind whirling and her heart no longer stabbing with rage, but instead drooping a little from sadness. She couldn’t tell why and had no time to think about it as Fox was at her side, hunkered down with his head titled to one side. His eyes watched her intently, worry touching them slightly.

‘Takin’ your time gettin’ up. You hurt yourself?’ He said, scratching his long nose.

Her face reddened and it worsened with every second she lay in the mud, staring up at Fox’s face. She kept noticing everything, only this time she couldn’t shake it. His mouth, the slant of his jaw, his fluffy hair, his vibrant eyes. Everything.

Fox, taking her silence as a stubborn yes, sighed and hauled her up onto her feet. He pulled off twigs and swatted away the worst of the filth, all the while tutting under his breath.

‘Elegant as a bull you are. Expected more from a supposed lady.’ Fox snorted.

Esme scowled down at him, embarrassed by her lack of finesse and how awful she looked right now. She hated it. She hated how stupid she looked and how stupid she was reacting to Fox. Most of all, she though as she noticed Catriona prance up, mud-free and elegant as a fairy, she hated that woman.

‘Everything okay?’ Catriona asked.

Fox flashed a smile at her. ‘Yeah. All’s good.’ He slapped Esme’s arm. ‘Right?’

Esme managed a feeble smile and nodded.

‘Then follow. We haven’t an awful lot of time.’ Catriona encouraged.

Fox didn’t need to be told once. He was off, leaping over a fallen tree and off into the distance. Catriona was behind him, blond hair streaming.

Absolon came to float beside Esme, patting her face and cleaning her as best as he could. She smiled at him, took him into her arms and marched off as elegantly as she could manage as she watched Fox, her heart mixed between hot and cold.

Jealousy.

She snorted at the thought of the word. There was no way she was jealous.

Because that would mean she loved Fox.