“What is it, boy?” Iann whispers and slows his pace.
My movements lag with him, and I signal for the others to fall back.
The hound sniffs endlessly near an opening between the rocks. I call the hound back, patting him for a job well done as Iann inspects the rocks.
“I hear something,” he calls back, removing his coat and setting it on the dry rocks next to him. “I probably shouldn’t stick my hand in, should I?” he jokes.
“Might get it out faster.” I laugh. “Are we sure it’s even a fox?” I continue to keep the hound next to me despite its eagerness to get away.
“Let me try—” He’s cut short when we hear an arrow flying through the air.
It gets stuck in the trunk of the tree beside me causing the dog to become frightened. The hound pushes off the ground with all his strength, breaking my hold on him, which sends me flying back. I land right in the creek. My dress immediately soaks up all the water possible. The only thing that doesn’t get wet is my head since I’m able to hold it above the shallow water.
Iann doesn’t see the hound charge in his direction and he too gets knocked into the creek, the water only soaking his pants.
Eli and the guard stand with arrows drawn, but suddenly lower them, Eli taking a little longer to release the arrow’s hold on his target.
Yards away from the creek are Prince Marcel and Vera who are still in position with their bows. Behind them is the rest of Prince Marcel’s party.
They look to have caught many redtail and silvershadow foxes, clearly winning our little competition. I don’t know if it’s their obvious win or the fact it’s Vera’s fault that I’ve fallen into the creek that pisses me off more.
Iann comes into view and offers me a hand. My insides are raging but I keep my calm in front of the princes.
Suddenly, our hound starts barking, behaving crazier than before, and starts chasing something that scurries out of the cluster of rocks.
I blink triple speed at the sight. The fox running near us is not a redtail nor a silvershadow.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whisper between Iann and me.
A whitethorn fox, with the sleekest, shimmering fur, spotted with black comes running at us.
Iann pulls me in close, his dry body providing me warmth as the fox and hound race behind me.
In one quick movement Eli drops all the supplies, lowers the cage to the ground and watches the fox’s every movement.
Too concerned with the giant dog chasing it, the fox runs right into the cage, and we are the first team to capture a whitethorn.
“We did it,” I say, pulling away from Iann to look him in the eyes. I start jumping and he shares in on my enthusiasm. “We caught it!”
Prince Marcel calls out to me, “Job well done, brother. I didn’t think you would do it.”
Vera tosses me a half smirk, and the entire hunting party heads back to the castle.
Back in the courtyard where we began the hunt, the Queen grows overly excited about our findings. It’s almost as if she herself didn’t believe the rumors about the fox roaming her lands.
As she gives a small speech, Prince Marcel and Iann stand up there with her, and Iann finds me in the crowd and tosses me a wink.
Someone approaches my right side. From my periphery I see Vera come stand beside me. Together we watch the Queen show off her new pet.
“Looks like the White Fox caught a white fox,” Vera says.
“You shot at me,” I say coldly, not looking her way.
“I shot near you, not at you. If I wanted you dead, Ariah, I would have made it happen by now. Plus, the dead aren’t fun to play with.” It takes me a few seconds, but I look at her as she keeps her vision on the Queen. “Don’t be so bitter,” she continues, “You’re one of us now, you should be happy.” Her gaze shifts from the Queen to the princes. “You know, I’m not one to offer advice, but I will warn you to be careful.”
“Of what? You? I’m not afraid of you, Vera.” My stance gets a little taller, but this only seems to humor her.
“It’s forbidden for a person from Haymel to be with someone from Saden.” She sees me open my mouth and stops my words by continuing on, “And even more deadly to defy a queen.”
