Wolf’s Fox by Juniper Hart

10

It was impossible for Ruthie to get a moment of peace from the time she shifted back into her fox form. Usually, the transformation brought with it a certain sense of ease, knowing that the moments when she was not a human assured her that she was not a sitting duck for Luthor.

If she were being honest, she realized that she had thought less of him those days than she had in a long while. Perhaps she had tricked herself into believing that enough time had passed, that Luthor had finally forsaken her. Or maybe she just hadn’t thought about it, being so alone for so long.

Whatever the reason, her anxiety was through the roof now that she had met Nicholas Konrad. It reminded her that she was not as forgotten as she wished to believe.

Baneism is still a concept alive and well, she thought miserably. His bloodline lives on. Luthor must still be around, even if I haven’t seen nor heard from him.

She cursed herself as she ran the remote wooded areas, straying from anywhere she had once known well. She had no idea where she was or even if she was in Minnesota any longer. There should have been a sense of comfort in that, the unfamiliarity. If she didn’t know where she was, no one else would chance upon her there, would they?

The days passed, and her legs carried her further north as far as she could tell. The trees were just as thick here as they were on the outskirts of the Twin Cities, but there was something different about this place. The air was thinner and the terrain higher. Springtime was upon her, but the atmosphere here was still decidedly frigid.

Two weeks after she first left Nicholas’ house, Ruthie finally stopped her running. Like she had in Minnesota, she found an abandoned cave and made it her home, careful to watch out for bears she might have evicted. More importantly, she sought out any animals that might be shifters. Although Nicholas had made no effort to follow her, that did not put her mind at ease. She knew now that anyone could find a way to connect with her. She vowed never to make that mistake again.

In the days that followed, she looked for houses from which to steal. The full moon would be upon her again, and she would need clothes, even if the weather was warming slightly. Yet unlike the place she had just left, there were no farmhouses to be found.

Where am I?

The understanding that she was hopelessly lost was bittersweet. It had been what Ruthie intended to accomplish, but it was unnerving all the same. She wasn’t sure she could make her way back if she wanted to.

But I don’t want to. This is perfect. I’m happy here.

The loneliness threatened to seep in again. She swept it aside, foraging and hunting, learning her new terrain until the place wasn’t as confusing as it had been.

A week after she arrived, she found a small cabin near a lake, surrounded by acres of uninhabited land. Smoke billowed out of a chimney, and Ruthie crouched down to watch for a long while.

After a few hours, a man and a woman emerged, snuggled up against one another, murmuring so softly that even Ruthie’s sharp ears couldn’t pick up what they were saying. It was clear that there was strong emotion between them, and simply watching them interact sent pangs of unhappiness through Ruthie’s chest.

I am such an idiot, she cursed herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the loving pair. Why would I ever think I could have this with anyone? I’ll never be anything but a wild creature, jinxed to live like this forever.

She wished she could wash herself of the feeling she’d had in Nicholas’ presence. Even after all this time, she was still receiving deep stabs of regret. She wondered if she had been wrong about him and had misconstrued his intentions with her.

Don’t be stupid. He’s Bane’s son. Nothing he could say or do could change that. You saw what Luthor was like.

But the doubts still filtered through until Ruthie thought she might go crazy. She couldn’t even trust her own mind.

Crouched in the tall grass, she waited for the couple to retreat inside. The sun began to fade away as night fell upon them. Soon it would be dark, and she would have an opportunity to steal inside and take whatever she could find to keep herself warm when the moon turned full next week.

Finally, the lights of the cabin went out, and Ruthie crept forward, swallowing her nervousness. It seemed palpable to her, radiating from every pore of her white body.

It was commonplace for her to be unsettled during these heists. At the beginning, when she had first escaped Luthor, she had only broken into houses in her human form. It had been easier, opposable thumbs assisting in the process, but she had quickly learned that being caught as a fox was smarter than being caught as a human. Her rare markings were sure to enthrall, not scare, whereas her mortal form would create a panic, rousing the authorities.

Still, Ruthie was worried about being found, even if it had yet to happen.

Certain that the couple had retired for the night, she inched closer to the cottage, her pulse racing in her ears.

The smell of firewood burning in the woodstove wafted into her nose, causing her to sniffle slightly, but she swallowed the sneeze and continued forward. Her crystalline eyes peered through the windows as she rested on her haunches.

It was only a one-room building, not even a bathroom in the cabin. Ruthie had seen the outhouse, and she reasoned that the couple used the small shack as an escape from an urban life.

I could wait for them to leave, she thought, raising her pretty fur upward to sniff for them again. How long could they possibly stay here?

But the idea of sitting and watching them for days was more than her broken heart could bear. The sooner she got in, the sooner she could be on her way. She detected no movement and made her decision. Lowering herself onto all fours, she found the front door and nudged it with her snout. The portal gave way, and Ruthie found herself standing inside the warm, rustic room.

As she’d suspected, the pair had snuggled up against one another, their chests rising and falling in unison as they dreamt of one another. Another stab of jealousy spiked through Ruthie’s frame, but she pushed it aside, her eyes trailing over the spot for any clothes she could use upcoming.

A thick, plaid jacket caught her attention, and she gently took it between her teeth, storing it outside in a hidden spot before returning for more. She could always retrieve the belongings from her cache once she had what she needed. First, she needed to get it all out.

A pair of track pants, a shirt, and a blanket were located, but as Ruthie collected the last of what she could find, the female stirred on the bed.

“Joe?” she mumbled. “I think you left the door open.”

Joe moved slightly, and Ruthie froze in her spot, unsure of whether to sprint or wait. Cool air wafted in through the partially ajar door as the woman sat up on the cot she shared with her partner. She blinked once, twice, her face registering disbelief when they fell on Ruthie’s equally startled face.

“Joe!” she hissed. Ruthie wasted no time now, whirling around to race from the cabin, not bothering to secure the door in her absence.

Her paws pounded against the semi-hard ground, her ears flattening against her head. She paused for nothing as she raced away from the scene, careful to take landmarks so that she might return for her collection of garments.

She didn’t stop until she found herself back at her cave, lungs ready to burst. Carefully, she poked her snout out to check for the humans, but her paranoia was unfounded. She was far too fast for them, even if they had bothered to come after her.

Slowly, Ruthie retreated back into her cave and sank along the cold, granite walls.

That was careless, she told herself. If I were still in Minnesota, that would have cast suspicion on me. There might even be a search party.

But she forced her mind to be calm. Ruthie had run far and fast enough to put space between her and those who sought to harm her.

She lay out, nestling her furry head in her front paws, eyes glued to the entrance of the cave. There was little she could do now but wait for the excitement to settle before going back to recover the clothing. She considered going out for a hunt, but she was too tired now. It had been a long while since she had slept. Before she realized it, her eyes had closed, and Ruthie was fast asleep on the floor of her new hideout.

Her dreams were filled with images of Nicholas and Luthor.

* * *

Ruthie woke with a start.The nightmares lingered, the darkness around her helping nothing. Instantly, she sensed that she wasn’t alone. She was on her feet before she was fully alert, her head swiveling one way then the other as she tried to get a handle on what she was feeling.

It was unmistakable: Another being was nearby, but who and what, she couldn’t be certain.

Her night vision pierced into the blackness of the cave, and she was sure there was no one inside, but as she padded toward the entrance, the feeling became overwhelming. A low growl emanated from her involuntarily.

A rustle in the foliage caught her attention. She whipped her head around to address it, and a blur of movement showed in her peripheral vision. But before Ruthie could react, a body was upon her, pinning her to the dirt below.

“I got you!” a happy voice called out. “I finally got you!”

Ruthie howled into the night, but the man upon her made no move to release her. She struggled against his huge frame, mewling in dismay.

“Stop struggling, sister,” he said. “No one’s going to hurt you. I’ve come to bring you to the light.”

The words were terrifying to Ruthie because she’d heard them before.

Luthor’s found me. It’s over. It’s finally over.