Fictional Life

REDEMPTION

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 23
Surprise Guests

Sofiya and Richard looked over the swatch of land that had contained the simulated colony, the rest of the Furs behind them. Apart from the cargo containers awaiting retrieval, most of the terrain looked the same as when the group had first been deposited in the wilderness setting a little over two months prior. The latrine pits had been filled in with bags of enzyme agents to assist biodegradation and the bramble palisade had been broken down and burned in the central fire pit with the remnants buried while the building materials and equipment had been stowed and sealed in the containers. The group had been instructed to leave the animals in the pens for a wrangling team that would collect them later. Within weeks the local vegetation would reclaim the site and erase the last traces of the group.

“I am almost sad to be leaving,” Sofiya told her partner, holding onto the silver fox’s paw-like hand. “It almost seemed to being home…”

“As far as I’m concerned, home is wherever you are,” Richard whispered with a smile which turned into a grin when the vixen’s tail wagged happily, thumping against his leg. “We learned a lot here, though, became closer as a group. In a way I’m going to miss it as well.”

From between the peaks of the outlying mountains came the staccato thrumming of crickets and frogs deep in the forest undergrowth. Most of the colonists milled around, a few carrying canteens of water, the only supplies that they would be taking as the group performed a survival march back to the operations center. “The next time we are doing this will be forever,” Sofiya said quietly. “Richard…you were a Marine. Are you feeling that we are ready?” She fidgeted slightly and squeezed his fingers, “Do you feel we are truly prepared?”

The Adirondack Fur nodded slowly, almost solemnly. “We are, miy liubov. We really are. There’s no way that we can be ready for every single thing that we’ll encounter, but we’ve seen that each of us is smart enough to stay calm, use our heads, and that there are others to help. A lot of the Marines I’ve been with, good, dependable men and women weren’t this well trained or prepared.” Richard squeezed her fingers back and looked down, giving the blond vixen a warm smile and wink. “We’re ready. We can do this.”

Though she didn’t suffer the doubts in her abilities to lead her fellow Furs as much as she had upon first accepting the position of colony leader, her mate’s support and encouragement never failed to bolster Sofiya. There wasn’t a single Vulps Fur from her group that she hadn’t spent time with getting to know as well as she could, and it was daunting at times to see the blatant trust in their eyes, that she would do what was right or that the little vixen would fail to keep them all safe enough to see the end of their first five years. Sofiya doubted that she would have been able to shoulder her responsibilities were it not for the solidarity of their group, the unwavering love and support of her beloved Richard and the attitude from the entire colony group that showed they were confident with the lessons that had been learned and the abilities that the simulation had honed.

“This next part is to be a test of what we have all been learning,” Sofiya told the others that looked at her. “Since we’ve been here at the simulation site, all of us have learned new skills and put to use the lessons that were taught at our different Institutes. According to the GPS and the marked waypoint, the training facility center is less than twenty-three miles. It should take two days to make our way back, though this will mean that we will be making it with very little in the way of shelter and the only supplies are to be the canteens of water.”

A paw-like hand rose from the back of the assembled Furs and Sofiya nodded. Yun Chu Zhi, one of the Toyohashi Vulps bowed slightly. “Twenty-three miles is very far. How is it that it will take only two days?”

Richard stepped forward and smiled. “The average person can walk twenty-six miles in a single day, but I don’t think we can be called average!” The silver fox’s assessment was met with several chuckles and voiced agreement. “Our advantage is our increased stamina, speed, ability to travel either upright or on all fours. We’re in the best shape of our lives, and that includes me, and you all know what I used to do! While the best path would normally be a straight line, we do know that there is some rough ground from our time here. That is why the Vulps that have requested being on the scouting and survey teams when we get to Bastien will be running ahead of the rest of the group.

“Their job will be to find the easiest, safest path in the direction that we need, marking the trail as they go. That’s also why the rest of us have certain jobs during this part of the exercise. Some of us will be fanning out when we stop for rest breaks and camp tonight to pull water detail and hunting. While the water is almost guaranteed, the food isn’t. To be honest, the protein would be nice, but our main concern is everyone staying hydrated.

“We’ll be stopping for thirty minutes every four hours and bivouac at sunset.” Richard nodded at Toshiro and two other Vulps with him, Maria Paccini and Daniel Holt. “You three are tail end to help anyone that starts to lag. If it gets too bad, give out one whistle. Riva? Would you mind working with them in case anyone gets a sprain or hurt?”

“Good idea,” the bat eared vixen said and nodded. “We’ve got this.”

Sofiya stepped back up and smiled. “We are now having enough light. Scouting team can begin. The rest of us will be following your markers,” the red fox said, pointing at the colored strips of cloth that the four members of the scouting team carried, two of the members of that team being her own Richard and Hector. They would be accompanied by Nan Pi-Lei and Rupert Campbell, the two Furs that had impressed everyone with their adaptability to the wilderness.

Before he left, Richard nuzzled Sofiya with a grin. “Heads up,” he told her.

“Eyes on the horizon,” the vixen answered, finishing what had become the motto for the Abeona group.

***
Rupert Campbell cautiously pointed past the brush of fern leaves he crouched behind and shook his head. “That’s just too bloody big!” he whispered vehemently.

Richard and Hector both nodded. “Even if I had one of the rifles I wouldn’t chance it,” the silver fox said. “That moose has to weigh a good twelve hundred pounds, and with that calf, she’s more dangerous than a bull. Plus, she’s young and strong. I saw one tear a truck apart in Alaska once. The driver hit the animal and that only succeeded in making it just a bit angry.”

“This is a pity. We could feed the entire group quite well with her,” the grey fox from Buenos Aires observed.

“For a bloody month!” the former mason from Great Britain agreed.

Richard shook his head. “Maybe if we were hurting for meat, but there’s no reason to harm her or the calf. None of us are starving, and it’s too much of a risk. Not to mention a waste because if we killed one, we’d have to kill the other. I’d rather skip a meal or two instead.”

“What are you doing?” Rupert inquired as the silver fox started to stand.

“That’s the best path, and skirting around this little meadow will add time. This would be a good spot to bed down for the night, but I’d prefer it if she and the calf were elsewhere.” Without waiting for a reply, Richard rose to his full height and began to move around, stomping his padded feet in the debris of the forest floor to make noise, something that was actually difficult with his vulpine-like extremities.

Motion caught the attention of the moose, and the noise was making her anxious as the cow moved her bulk between her calf and the strange creature. Sticking to the edge of the clearing, Richard walked almost casually, though he never took his eyes of the gigantic cervine. While the animals were normally rather placid and avoided humans, more people were injured by moose than wolves and bears combined and were surprisingly fast when they charged. The cow snorted in warning when the anthrofox’s scent reached her oversized nostrils and she pawed the ground as her brain registered the smell of a predator. Using her rump, the cow nudged her calf to the edge of the woods, herding it while still facing Richard. Even at this distance the Fur could see her muscles trembling as the largest member of the deer family contemplated fight-or-flight, opting finally for the latter once her baby was in the wood line.

The others joined the silver fox once the moose had vacated the area, leaving the good forage of the meadow for somewhere that the strange predator wasn’t, and within a few seconds, all of them could hear the animals’ hooves churning leaves and twigs as they fled. Rupert was grinning as he came alongside the fox that had been put in charge of the colonists’ safety protocols.

“Do you think we’ll have anything like that on Bastien?” the red fox asked with a tone of awe to his voice.

“I haven’t seen anything in the information that the original colonists gathered, but who knows? Four years wasn’t all that long a time to document everything,” Richard replied. He then turned to Hector and Nan. “I think dinner’s taken care of, by the way. This whole meadow is chock full of rabbit holes. Rup? Nan? Why don’t you two go ahead and head back to the rest of the group and guide them in. Hector and I are going to go ahead and start chasing down some bunnies for supper.”

Hector grinned and nodded as the other two Furs smiled and headed back the way they’d just come.

By the time the rest of the colonists arrived at the meadow, the silver and grey foxes had a substantial pile of meat for the others in the form of rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels, both having continued on with the training exercise and used field kits to test one of each critter. While they knew what they were catching was edible, it didn’t hurt to continue setting the example for the others to follow.

***
Her belly full and the first of the night watchers set, Sofiya set about gathering a little more in the way of grass for a sleeping pallet. Other Vulps had simply gathered with one or two friends or significant others and followed the same process or lay down in the meadow. Already more than half of the total number of colonists were already sound asleep, many of them tired from the day and full of the meat that had been added to along with forage that they had all been gathering during their stay at the simulation site. The red fox vixen smiled as her mate joined her after checking the status of the watch and the ones that would take over in a few hours.

“I am thinking that you should be tired,” Sofiya quipped with a grin. “Running scout and then ensuring there was food waiting.” She waited until the silver fox stretched out on the temporary bedding before straddling his legs and massaging his shoulders.

“Oh, man…” Richard sighed with a smile. “That feels good!” He let out his breath in a sigh as the vixen worked muscles that were tight and tired, his spine popping a few times, the release of pressure in the menial fluids causing his head to swim slightly. “We made good time today. I figure if we can keep the same pace, we should be back at the site operations center by about six tomorrow evening.”

“That would be good,” the vixen agreed, the smile evident in her voice. “I am thinking that I would like a very hot bath to soak in.” Sofiya felt the male relaxing under her hands, pleased that he was enjoying her attentions. She worried at times that Richard took too much upon himself and that his eagerness to help the others wasn’t good for him. It wasn’t really a bad thing, as they were all going to rely on each other even more very shortly, but it seemed that he did far more than he should. The vixen needed to find some way to slow her mate down.

“You know, there’s another reason that I’m looking forward to getting back to the training center,” the silver fox mumbled from where he rested his head on his folded arms.

“And what is that, miy liubov?”

He smiled and raised his head, his eyes sparkling mischievously. “We really haven’t had any alone time…”

***
The AHCP TS-7 site had housing for not only the Furs that would be utilizing the training areas for simulations but also visiting technicians, inspectors and guests, but was loaded with amenities that made it seem more like a resort than training center. The rooms had been designed by the same team that a prominent hotel chain used and the décor was based around the colors and cultural uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest. Art on the wall was based on themes that barrowed from Salish, Tilamook, Chinook and even Inuit Native Peoples while the colors of the rooms were cooler shades of blues and greens offset with rich earth tones. It was a comfortable place for the Furs to relax prior to being shipped to Space Station Sebra in a week’s time from the launch facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Each of the suites that the Furs were assigned had not only beds and the usual bathroom set-up but also small salons for small groups as an occupant could entertain visitors. As it was, most of the Abeona colony group met on large deck that looked out over the deep green woods or splashed in the heated swimming pool. There was a small cafeteria with a dedicated staff, though the Furs were encouraged to also utilize the kitchens as well.

Sofiya and Richard spent most of the time going over the results from the training simulation and were enjoying a gloriously clear day when a familiar voice made Sofiya jump up from the chair she was reclining in with her Personal Business Juxtapositioner.

“You know, you are allowed to relax occasionally, Sofiya,” Dr. Dimitri Kavalos said, his mustache conforming with the wide grin he wore as he held his arms open for the anthrovixen.

“Dimitri!” Sofiya exclaimed as she and the Doctor embraced warmly. “What are you being here for?”

The olive skinned man laughed. “Careful, Sofiya! You’re going to hurt me if you aren’t careful! I’m not the young, resilient man I used to be!” They parted and the Doctor looked over his former charge. “You are certainly looking well. And as for why I’m here, I suppose you could say it’s something of a well-earned vacation. Oh, that and I brought four more Vulps along. My latest graduates, if you will. They’re being assigned to your colony.” Dimitri looked over at the silver fox fur, his eyebrows rising in surprise when the Fur stood. “And this must be Richard Tavington. It has been a while since I’ve seen you last,” the man said. “Good heavens, what did Maria Ramirez feed you?”

The silver fox held out a paw like hand with a self-conscious smile. “She said something about being one of the bigger Vulps that she’d had go through her Wing, but I thought she was joking.”

“Hardly!” Kavalos replied with a chuckle. “I’m willing to wager that you’ve been accused of being from the Canis Wing as well, haven’t you?”

“A few times,” Richard answered.

“A vacation?” Sofiya asked when the Greek was finished scrutinizing her partner. “There is nothing wrong in Stockholm, is there?”

“No, nothing like that at all. The different Wings back in Stockholm are being equipped with the latest gene sequencers and other equipment. It’s going to take some time for the new equipment to be installed and tested, so the different Wing Doctors have been given almost a month of furlough. As it is, I’ve not only brought you the latest four Vulps from Stockholm, but I’ll be going up to Sebra with you to attend a few conferences.” Dimitri motioned the newcomers forward. “This is Amanda Sterling,” the man said as a fennec vixen stepped forward, her hair almost the same shade of her fur that was a uniform light, sandy color all over. “Enola Bellingham,” Dimitri indicated another vixen with dark red fur and brown hair, “Kurt Reichmann,” a strange Fur with white coat and dark grey patterns of a platinum fox and blond hair stepped forward, “and finally a young lady that says she knows you very well, Elena Amirova.”

Sofiya’s paw-like hand darted to her mouth while her eyes went wide. “Elena?” she asked in stunned amazement. “Is it really being you?”

The last vixen was the same size as Sofiya though she had selected a platinum fox as well, her fur was a uniform gold color with the only white showing being a lozenge at her throat and the tip of her tail. She brushed her auburn hair back and gave the red fox a toothy grin and nod. “Da, miy tovarysh!” the last of the four new anthrofoxes said.

Rapid conversation in Ukrainian flowed between the two females that Richard and the others couldn’t follow, though both vixens’ tails were wagging furiously and they hugged often. Finally, the two slowed and calmed a little, though their tails continued to churn the air behind them. “Elena, this is my Richard, Richard, this is Elena. She and I were almost as close as sisters during school!”

The silver fox couldn’t help but smile as he shook paws with the latest arrival, “Pleased to meet you, Elena.”

The platinum fox said something in Ukrainian that both amused and embarrassed the red fox, though her response was somewhat long. Sofiya then greeted the other Furs, noticing not for the first time that she was also associating the new Vulps by smell as well as by their physical appearances. While this was happening, the Greek moved closer to the American Fur, the man with an amused gleam in his dark eyes.

“So, Richard, is it true what I heard about Sofiya fighting a bear?” Kavalos inquired lightly.

The silver fox laughed at the red fox vixen’s chagrined look. “See? I told you it would become the stuff of legends!” He nodded as he turned back to the man. “I don’t know exactly what you heard, but she fought a bear and took it down. I can even show you the pelt and skull. I thought it would be good for her to have some trophies.”

Kavalos looked at his former client and shook his head with awe. “You never cease to amaze me, Sofiya. Truly you are an astonishing young lady!”

Richard promised that he would meet back up with the others in a while, but wanted to introduce the other three Furs and Dimitri to the colony group, giving Sofiya a chance to get reacquainted with her friend. The two vixens sat down at the table, the red fox still surprised at the appearance of her friend.

“I had no idea that you were in the Class after mine,” Sofiya said, dropping easily back into Ukrainian as she regarded her best friend from her days in school. “Whatever made you join the AHCP? The last I heard you were living in Kiev and happily married to Sascha.”

The platinum fox waved her hand negligently, a moment of chagrin crossing her vulpine features as her ears pressed back against her skull. “That ended rather poorly when I discovered that Sascha had not only me but two other women that he was seeing. Our parting was a rather ugly matter. It seems that all of the decent men from our country have vanished. I did not want any of his money or his things and decided that perhaps it was time to pursue something very different.” Elena’s expression sobered and she reached across and took the other vixen’s paw-like hand. “I heard about your father. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I was to hear of his passing. He was a good man, almost like a second poppa to me.”

Sofiya accepted the other female’s condolences, enough time having passed that it didn’t hurt as much as it had. “Fortunately I was able to see him one last time. Knowing now how sick he was, perhaps it was for the best.” Her yellow-green eyes narrowed a little and a small smile twitched the corners of her mouth. “I still cannot believe that you volunteered. This is so amazing!”

“And now I will be going to Bastien with all of you,” Elena agreed. “Not only that, but you are our colony leader. I think that the right person was certainly selected!” The vixen developed an amused look. “So tell me about this Richard of yours! Is he really the son of Nathan Tavington? And very handsome as well!”

***
Richard introduced the other three Vulps to the rest of the Abeona colonists, Dimitri Kavalos tagging along, having met silver fox Fur years before when the now furman had still been a young boy of fifteen. “Judging by the reports that were sent to Stockholm while you were engaged in the simulation, I should think that your group should do rather well on Bastien,” the Greek commented with a warm smile.

“I’m hoping so,” the silver fox replied. “We’re about as prepared as training can make us, and I’m confident in everyone being able to think clearly if something goes down.” Richard pointed to a table that overlooked the woods and waited for the human to claim a chair before sitting down as well. “The only way to improve will be for actual experience.”

“Fortunately there is already information on the world available,” Dimitri replied, liking the sensible adult the American Fur had become. “I must say, though, I am surprised that Nathan Tavington’s son chose this life,” he told the other with a light tone. “I’m sure it’s quite the story.”

Richard chuckled and shook his head. He told the man what had prompted his decision, the events and directions that he’d taken before joining the AHCP, and that he didn’t regret volunteering in the slightest. “Of course, if I hadn’t, I never would have met Sofiya, so I’m not complaining,” the Fur said with a wry expression as his eyes flicked to where his mate was still talking to her friend animatedly.

Kavalos chuckled happily. “She is a rather remarkable young woman.”

“You can say that again.”

“So, considering your experiences, do you think that Sofiya is a good leader?”

The fox nodded. “She has a knack for it, that’s for sure. I had some good officers in the Marines, and the way they interacted with us grunts made you want to follow them because you trusted them. Sofiya’s the same way. The others know that she cares, but that she still looks at the overall picture. As far as she’s concerned, she knows the colony has to succeed, but in order for that, and the company’s interests, it needs the others. It’s like she’s aware of the different angles all at once. I know I trust her.”

“So, why didn’t she nominate you for the position of her first officer? You’ve grown into a rather calm and level-headed adult, Richard. Not at all like the rebellious teenage boy that I recall meeting!” Kavalos expression was one of mischievous amusement, his dark brown eyes sparkling merrily.

“She tried,” the Fur replied with a laugh. “Boy, did she try! I never thought I would see one of us capable of pouting, but she did a pretty good job of it. By then we were a couple and I didn’t want it to look like she gave me the job because of our relationship. If anything it would have hurt the regard the others have for her.”

Dimitri grinned. “No, you certainly aren’t the boy that I remember. I must say again that I’m impressed with the adult that you’ve become. I hope your father knows…”

Richard nodded. “He does. Doctor Delgado allowed us a farewell party, and somehow Sofiya got my father to show up. Dad and I worked out our problems and…well, we’re good, now.”

“Excellent. He’s a good man, but believe me when I say I know how trying your father can be, especially when he is set on a particular course of action.”

It was the anthrofox’s turn to grin. “Don’t I know! I definitely inherited that aspect from him. I can be pretty stubborn as well.”

“That isn’t a bad trait with what all of you are doing. A certain level of tenacity will serve you well,” Kavalos pointed out.

Richard began to form a reply when one of the new vixens walked by. There was a strange quality to her movements, the motion of her legs and arms seeming to be slightly wooden. Likewise, there was a certain lack of vibrancy in her pale yellow eyes. The fennec vixen, Amanda Sterling, looked at him with golden brown eyes, but the scrutiny was oddly cursory as if she didn’t recall meeting him just a little while before.

“Well, that’s….” the fox shook his head. “What’s with Amanda, Doctor Kavalos?”

“No, no. I’m Dimitri, Richard.” The human looked at the anthrovixen, his eyes containing a strange mix of sympathy and something else. Kavalos shook his head. “I’m sure that you know the AHCP accepts criminals for the task of starter colonies, though one of the stipulations is a memory wipe. Miss Sterling is...well, she isn’t really a criminal or one of those being banished for illegal activity. This is her salvation, of sorts, though I think it would be prudent not to let the rest of your people know this just yet. Her case was…unique.”

“That might be a little difficult. We’re a fairly tight-knit group, now.” The fox’s eyes locked on to the female and watched as she ambled around the perimeter of the large deck, pausing to look at the other groups. It was evident that she wanted to join some of the others she saw, but there was a certain amount of timidity. “She isn’t going to be a danger to anyone, is she?”

Dimitri shook his head. “Good heavens, no! As I said, Miss Sterling’s case was rather unique.” The man sighed. “Before the incident that brought her to the program, Miss Sterling, and no, that is not her actual name, worked as an aide in a children’s hospital. Mind you, she was an aide, not a nurse or one of the doctors. During the bought of resurgent Avian Flu that hit Europe three years ago, the lead nurse of the hospital instructed the poor girl to help make rounds and administer medications as they were incredibly short-handed with most of their staff also ill.

“Unfortunately Miss Sterling was given the wrong medication to dole out and there were a number of deaths. The poor girl was devastated, of course, and because of the accusations of the head nurse that had provided the medication, Amanda thought that she was to blame.”

Richard swore scathingly, to which the Greek nodded in agreement.

“Eventually the truth of the matter was discovered,” Dimitri continued, “but by then the damage had been done. Amanda spent a little time in prison until the true culprit was arrested, and then for a time in a mental hospital, languishing over something she thought was her fault. She suffered depression, nightmares, and eventually it began to affect the rest of her health. The head of that particular mental asylum was a schoolmate of our Director in Stockholm, and between the two of them, they helped the girl get a new identity through Euro-Pol, the continental police agency, a memory wipe at her request, and acceptance to go through the program. While tampering with someone’s memories is far more accurate now than when it was first used, she lost a little more than that particular period. Even the other Vulps that went through the process are unaware of just what transpired and I have deemed that there was no reason to inform them.

“Amanda’s a wonderful young woman and completely harmless. She truly is one of the most caring and gentle souls that I have ever encountered. If not for the actions of the head nurse at that hospital, I think she would have had a very bright future indeed. As it is, this was the only way that any of us could see to help rectify a situation that never should have happened in the first place. What is unfortunate is that chronologically she is twenty-three, after the procedure her behavior and mental capacity is more in line with a mid-adolescent. As she is now, the poor girl is a complete innocent.”

“So, what are her qualifications for a colony setting?” the silver fox inquired, feeling a pang of deep sympathy.

“Oh, she’s been thoroughly trained to assist in any administrative aspect, though her real talent lies in working with the livestock. That girl is one of the most natural horse handlers I have ever seen. Back in Stockholm, if I couldn’t find her in the Wing it was a safe wager that she was at the stables grooming the horses or tending to the sheep and cattle.” Kavalos smiled warmly. “Amanda is completely enthralled with horses, though, and most accomplished in equitation. Apart from that, we’ve made sure that her training will aid her and others in almost every aspect of colony life. You should have her cook for you some time.”

Both watched as the vixen they spoke about made her way back to them and stopped a polite distance away. “Doctor? Richard? May I join you? I don’t see any of the others to sit with.”

Before Kavalos could speak, the silver fox stood and pulled one of the two remaining chairs out for the Fur. “Sure,” Richard said with a smile. “You’re welcome here. And you can tell me what you think about going to Bastien with us. I hear that you’re very good with horses, too.”

Amanda seemed to light up at the mention of horses and the semi-vacant expression was banished as a grin split her tapering muzzle. “I’ve heard that instead of European bred horses or Arabians that we’re taking American breeds like Tennessee Walkers! Is that true?”

“I told you she loved horses,” Dimitri said quietly while smiling.

Richard chuckled. “That’s right,” he confirmed with a nod. The assessment of the Doctor put her mentally around a girl aged ten to twelve, and he’d never met a girl of that age that wasn’t thrilled with equines. “Walkers, a few Belgian draft horses and four Frisians.”

The vixen giggled delightedly and leaned forward in interest. “Tell me all about them!”

***
Tipper Harper had her arm linked with Ruiz Vallejo, Mina Brinkley on his other side, the two vixens carrying instrument cases while the male fox had his guitar case strapped across his back. The Arctic fox did a double take where her former housemate sat with the human Wing Doctor from Stockholm and one of the new vixens, noting the way the fennec fox was beaming at her friend and touching his paw-like hand. “What’s going on there?” she asked softly.

The other two looked as well, Mina suddenly scowling. “Is she putting the moves on Richard?”

“That’s what it looks like to me,” the white furred vixen replied acidly.

Mina nodded in agreement. “Who does that hussy think she is? Coming here and on her first day making eyes at him? How dare she!”

“I don’t really think that it is any of our concern,” the former mechanic added dryly.

“What?” Tipper barked, looking at the bat eared fox in irritation. “Richard’s our friend and so is Sofiya!”

“And both are adults that can make their own decisions,” Ruiz continued adamantly. “This is a personal matter for them to deal with as they see fit. I do not see her…putting the moves on Richard at all. Even if she were, it is not our concern.”

“But…it’s not right!” Mina complained.

“It is none of our concern,” the bat eared fox said again with more force.

The two vixens allowed themselves to be led to the other side of the huge deck where Ruiz began to unpack his guitar, though both continued to send withering glares at the desert fox that sat with their friend and former housemate.

— NEXT CHAPTER —