Unfamiliar Territory

I spent the next four months at Mr. Quincy’s cabin. There was no word from Mutt, Mr. Mallard, Stallion, or any of the others. And with Kat gone most of the night and day, and Mr. Quincy becoming more and more distanced with me as the weeks dragged on, I found myself alone with my thoughts most of the time.

Well, when I wasn’t with the kids, that is.

“Better run faster this time, fox, or I’m gonna whack you good!”

“Gust, stop.”

It was rough for awhile. Though Gust had grown slightly more tolerable of me, and in turn becoming slightly more tolerable himself, he still made it a point to remind me that I was the enemy--the ‘fox’.

“What’s the big deal? He should be able to hit the dumb fox if he wants to.”

“Yeah, if the fox is slacking off, Gust definitely gets to hit him!”

And whether it was due to their loyalty to their older brother or their own personal feelings, the twins weren’t shy about their distaste of me either. Leaf, in particular, was quick to follow his brother’s taunting with an insult or jab.

“Ooh, look, Leaf. Maple is giving us the ugly eye.”

“Oh no! Not the ugly eye! Over here, Lilly, if we hide behind Meadow she’ll forget we’re here!”

Whatever connection Meadow and I had made never really amounted to more than the occasional brief conversation. She remained quiet when Gust and the twins got on my case, looked the other way when they got a little loud or rough. She was just a kid, so I couldn’t blame her--but it still hurt.

“Guys, really, stop it. You’re making her uncomfortable. And if anyone whacks Alex, I’m whacking them twice as hard.”

The only one I could depend on was Maple.

Like her younger sister, Meadow, Maple wasn’t like most other kids her age. I had some idea of her maturity from the moment I met her, but I would watch how she handled her younger brothers and sisters--helping to feed them, watch over them, settle disputes between them--with never a complaint or even appearing bothered by it, and I realized she was more of an adult than most of the adults I knew.

Only after the first few months did Gust, Leaf, and Lilly really start to give me some slack--to trust me--and I knew that it was all because of Maple. For whatever reason, she never saw me as the enemy.

I kept Kat’s hat and her bunny with me every day.

“Okay, so the fox lifted that dead log yesterday. Leaf, Lilly, what should we get him to lift next?”

“A giant rock!”

“I don’t know. I kinda want to see if he can lift that log higher than last time.”

“Okay, fox, lift that log higher, then that rock. After that, you’re gonna climb the tallest tree we can find, then Leaf and I are gonna fight ya, then you’re gonna lift more of daddy’s weights or--”

“Or you’ll whack me?”

“Or I’ll whack you good!”

It was almost unnatural how much I improved over the course of just a few months. The first month was rough--actually, it was downright hell. But every cup of tea I drank continued to fuel me with an unnatural amount of energy and I would eat every meal like it was my last.

Soon, the morning runs weren’t enough. I had to climb trees, lift Mr. Quincy’s weights, wrestle with his surprisingly strong kids, and generally keep my body active for hours at a time just to get the energy from the tea out of my system. The weak spells grew less and less frequent before they just stopped altogether.

“How was work, daddy?”

“Just fine, sweetheart. Only had a few check-ups today. Surprisingly slow.”

“Aw, that’s no fun! Not even one broken bone?”

“Sorry to disappoint, son, but no. And even if there was one you know I’m not a surgeon. Daddy doesn’t deal with anything so extreme.”

“Yeah, Leaf! Daddy is a general prac...prasti...”

“Hah! You can’t say it!”

“Now, now, Leaf, there’s no need to get ugly with your sister. It’s not an easy word, I’m sure even Alex or El-”

“Kat.”

“Yes, thank you sweetie. Kat and Al—”

“Foxy.”

“No, that’s dumb, he’s just the fox. That’s all he gets called.”

“Gust, manners. Alex is our guest-he is called how he wishes to be.”

“Alex is fine with me.”

“See? Easy enough to remember.”

“What are you again, daddy?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, I’m a general practitioner. It means I just deal with colds, infections, and simple things like that.”

“That’s boring. Why don’t you wanna do anything cool?”

“Well, being a general practitioner means I can be used almost anywhere, which is good since we like to travel a lot. And I like boring because it means peaceful, little Leaf. Once you get older and slow down I think you’ll think so too.”

Every dinner was like this. Loud, chaotic, and full of life. It took a few weeks to wipe the stupid grin off my face I’d get every night I sat down to eat with the Quincy’s.

It was more than just about my own desire to have control over my body again. Every question and every doubt that continued to eat at my mind only helped to strengthen what I already knew. I had to be as prepared as I could for what would come next.

If those lost students showed up again-or their Master, Fawn-or those dogs, I couldn’t just be some limp doll that had to be totted around everywhere. I had already put Mutt, Stallion, and Kat at risk because of it. I wasn’t prepared to do the same with Mr. Quincy and his kids.

“It’s like I’m looking at a different person,” Mr. Quincy said with a smile as I appraised myself in front of the weight room mirror. It was the first time in a long time he had initiated a conversation with me.

“Yeah.”

It made me feel that much worse when I couldn’t come up with anything more to say.

“It hasn’t even been that long. People get bodies like yours after years of intense training. One of the many perks of that Knowledge business, I suppose.”

“I suppose.”

By the end of four months I had more muscle then I ever had before—a lot more. I was still slim, but I could see definition in the muscles in my arms and legs that I had only seen in athletes.

I wasn’t sure what to think about it. Like Mr. Quincy said, it was like having a foreign body- a similar sensation when I was nothing but skin and bones.

Even though I no longer needed it, Mr. Quincy insisted that I hold on to his father’s cane. He said ‘just in case’, but I think he just didn’t want to have it anymore.

“Did she really ask that?” Maple asked me, her eyes wide. She was trying her best to be quiet, but her stance-the way she leaned forward- betrayed her excitement.

“I couldn’t believe it at first either,” I said, trying to suppress a dry chuckle. “But I wouldn’t say she asked me. Kat doesn’t really ask people for things. More like ‘you go out with that girl or else’.”

Maple leaned back on the bed as she tried to stifle her laughter with her hands. We both looked to the bedroom door. No lights, no sounds. We were safe, for the moment.

“You almost blew our cover,” I whispered.

She moved her hands away-laughter gone, but with a big smile in its place. I smiled too. Here, one-on-one, she was very different than with her brothers and sisters.

“You made me think about how she always talks to daddy.” Maple sat up straight and did her best to lose her smile and control her face until it looked as smooth as marble. When she spoke again, it was deeper and deadpan: “Master, I must insist that you take these matters more seriously.”

It was my turn to try and not give us away. I wanted to laugh so much it hurt. Maple leaned over and gently shoved my shoulder, almost making me lose it. Her solemn expression transformed in the blink of an eye as she brought a finger to her mouth.

“Now you’re going to blow our cover!”

I kept my hands over my mouth until I could control my breathing again. Afterwards, I rested my back against the wall behind the bed and closed my eyes. I didn’t lower my hands until I knew for sure what I wanted to say.

“Sorry, but you sounded just like her.”

I tried not to linger on thoughts about Kat or our forced connection anymore. Though, whenever I did see her- which was maybe once or twice a month-my dreams for the next long while would be plagued by her and her eyes.

Sometimes they would be sweet dreams of us just enjoying each other’s company alone, usually somewhere deep in the woods. But most times it would involve me running through the dark- knowing that her eyes were on me- that she was moments away from striking. Whether it was the dream or the nightmare, I would wake up in a cold sweat, confused and unable to sleep again.

“I can’t even think of her doing that. Did it bother her? Asking you to trick someone like that?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Probably not as much as it bothered me.”

“Because you like her?”

I opened my eyes. Maple was still sitting on the other side of her bed. Her head was slightly tilted, a playful grin still hanging on to the corners of her mouth.

I chuckled again. “What are you talking abou...”

Oh, wait.

“Right, I guess you did hear us that night.”

She grinned a bit wider. “We all did.”

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat. Tried to hide the painful squeezing in my chest behind a smile. “I guess there’s no use hiding it then, but that wasn’t the only reason. I wasn’t just thinking of Kat. I also didn’t want to hurt Mary, either.”

“Who’s that?”

“Mouse.”

“Oh.”

Our conversation slowly whittled away after that. It wasn’t much longer before Maple slid of the bed and wished me goodnight. Talking about the past was hard and it hurt, but Maple was a good listener- knowing when to joke, and when to say nothing.

I knew Kat probably shared most of the story with her and her family. I could tell in the way they treated me since the very beginning. Even Maple would get uncomfortable about the worst of it- of what I did.

Thoughts of escape still lingered. I had selfishly asked Maple to talk with me at night because being alone was terrifying. When I was alone, I felt the most trapped, uncertain, and desperate. It was bad when I was weak and feeble and unable to have any choice at all, but as nights passed- as I grew stronger, faster, and more capable- the choice was killing me.

I wanted to run away. I knew I needed to run away. But I was afraid. Afraid to face Mary again. Afraid of Mallard and the Masters. Afraid of finding my family and dragging them into this mess with me.

Being alone was terrifying.

So, for four months, I stayed at that cabin. I drank tea, I grew stronger, I watched Mr. Quincy’s kids, and I tried to forget. I tried to pretend that I had found a new life, a peaceful life- one that was detached from the Sorrow, Fawn, Mallard, Hero, and everything else that was strange and unnatural. And I almost succeeded.

That is, until the day Mr. Mallard came back for me.

The kids and I were on our way back from our morning run. By that point, I was starting to outpace them and Gust was adamant that they didn’t let me win, not even once.

He had pushed everyone a little too hard that day. Leaf and Lilly were practically leaning on each other to keep from falling as we walked. Maple was hunched over under Trout while she carried him-normally a weight that didn’t faze her. I adjusted my own burden I was carrying when I felt her arms go slack for a moment.

Meadow had taken it the hardest- she was practically asleep against my back. I was worried that I would drop her, but she refused to be carried any other way.

“You drop my sister and you know what happens,” Gust called back from the head of the pack, waving his stick in the air for unneeded emphasis.

“Gust, not now,” Maple breathed. Gust was the only one who appeared unaffected by today’s run.

Well, so I thought before he turned to face the rest of us and I saw just how red his face was and how hard he was still breathing. “I bet you’re thinkin’ that you can kill us now,” he declared, pointing his stick at me as he walked backwards to keep pace with the rest of us.

“Nuh-No way!” Leaf pushed off his twin. “Not a chance!”

“Don’t push me,” Lilly hissed, shoving her brother. Leaf almost fell over.

“Yes, Gust, you caught me. You figured out my master plan. After waiting patiently for four months- slowly getting stronger and faster- and, knowing that it would push you to try and beat me, I figured the day would come that you’d push yourself and your siblings too far.”

“I knew it!” Gust declared, back pedaling a few paces back to put some distance between us. “But you failed fox! Because I’m not tired at—!”

The rest of his declaration was lost when one foot tripped over the other and he fell backwards.

He hit the ground and did not move. Maple called out his name, the twins ran over to him, and I was about to apologize when he raised his stick in the air. “I’m not tired at all!” he repeated.

“Don’t scare us like that,” Maple sighed. She readjusted Trout who was awake and trying to climb on to her shoulders.

“Yeah, you’re making us look uncool,” Lilly said, pinching his cheek a bit while she and Leaf lifted him up.

Gust leveled a glare at me when he was back on his feet. I tried to hide my smile.

“Well? What are you waiting for?”

Leaf and Lilly looked from him to me, their eyes suddenly wide. Maple sighed again, shook her head, but her eyes went to me too.

I didn’t hide my smile any longer as I shrugged. “Lilly’s right, you guys look way uncool right now. It wouldn’t feel like much of a win if I attack now. I’d rather take you down when you’re at your full strength.”

The twins actually paled a bit. Maybe I sounded too serious. I could practically feel the scolding waiting to come out of Maple’s mouth as she glared at me.

But, before I could apologize again, Gust grinned. “You’re gonna regret that, fox,” he said.

“Maybe,” I shrugged again and paused a moment to make sure Meadow was still asleep before continuing. “But if I still win, then you won’t have any excuses.”

“’Cept that you’re older,” Lilly countered.

“And an animal!” Leaf added.

“He’s nothin’ special,” Gust said. Shaking off his sibling’s hands, he walked closer to me and raised the stick in the space between us. “You aren’t even smart. Mom said fox’s were crafty, they trick, they don’t let their enemy know their plans, and they strike only when they know they’ll win.”

I fought the urge to shrug again. I was doing it too much already and I didn’t want to risk waking up Meadow. Even though she would probably like to be awake to see us right now.

“Guess I’m not much of a fox,” I said.

Gust lowered his stick a fraction. He tilted his head, looked at me-really looked at me. No smug smirk, no glaring, just a ten year old kid seeing something for the very first time.

“Yeah, I guess you’re not.”

The rest of the walk was very quiet. The twins whispered between each other, looking back to me occasionally. Maple walked with her youngest brother cradled in her arms. She looked my way only once to flash me an approving smile. Gust stayed at the head of the pack, holding his stick loosely in one hand. He didn’t look back once.

...

He was waiting for us. We caught sight of him when we arrived at the base of the small hill that the cabin rested on.

I frowned almost instinctually as I looked up at him. A small frame that stood straight- despite needing a cane to stand at all. Exuding confidence, superiority, and power. I was reminded of being in a similar position at the asylum and at the park. More memories I tried not to think about.

“It is good to see you have improved so much in such a short time,” Mr. Mallard said, a tired smile appearing across his wrinkled face.

“It’s the duck!” Gust declared, moving in front of me, his stick extended towards Mr. Mallard. “Stay back, devil!”

Mallard’s smile faded away.“New friends of yours, Foxy? Still the charmer, I see-that is good.”

I felt Meadow’s little hands grip my hair. Of course she would be awake now. Maybe the way my body stiffened made her uncomfortable.

I carefully lifted her off of my shoulders and held her to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my shoulder. Maybe she didn’t want to see what I looked like right now.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Yeah! What do you want?” Leaf chimed in, running up to one side of me. Lilly walked up to the other side-quiet and frowning- her dark eyes focused on the old man.

I thought I saw a frown come across his own expression, but it was quickly replaced with another smile. “What do I want? Why, Foxy, to bring you back home, of course.”

“No!”

The cry was immediate, almost surprised. I glanced to Maple. She looked back at me- wide-eyed, before glaring down at the ground.

“He’s our prize, duck. Get your own,” Gust shot.

“You don’t think I need to recover anymore?” I tried. “You pretty nearly-” The invisible hand had its hold on my throat again. A familiar and unwelcome sensation.

I coughed a few times before rewording: “Well, it’s still only been a few months since I got really hurt.”

“I’ve had Kat keep tabs on you this past month; you have been recovering well- perfectly well, in fact- and I’m afraid you are needed for something urgent. It is time to come home.”

“Don’t go,” Meadow whispered into my shoulder, her arms wrapped tighter around my neck, almost suffocating me.

I had almost thought that she didn’t care because she was so shy. How stupid of me.

I stared back up the hill to the old man. My jaw started to hurt as I clenched my teeth harder.

Where did he get off calling that rotten asylum my ‘home’? Who did he think he was, coming back like it was nothing-telling me to come back with him like I was nothing? Just a pawn- an animal to be commanded.

Like I hadn’t spent all this time trying to forget- to move on. To come back and rip it all away in an instant? It was...

It was unforgivable.

“Are you sure I’ve completely recovered, Mr. Mallard?” I called, having to fight the urge to growl at him. “You don’t think it’s a problem that I’m not compelled to help you? That you might have to force me? That I might kill you if you fail?”

I froze. What did I just say? Did that really come out of my mouth?

Maple and the others all switched from glaring at Mr. Mallard to staring at me. The twins backed away a few steps, Gust’s grip tightened on his stick. Meadow released herself from my neck and gaped at me- fear evident in her large, dark eyes.

I stared back at her, lost for words to say.

“Heel.”

There it was. That voice. The weakness was so sudden I almost dropped Meadow. She shrieked and clung to me as I stumbled.

Maple and Gust were the first to react. They rushed up to me, Gust taking Meadow from my shaking hands as Maple helped to keep me from falling over.

She must have put Trout down. I tried to look for him, but it took almost everything I had to resist the urge to collapse. I gripped her small shoulders as lightly as I could as I fought to stay on my feet. It was hard- but I managed. I had just enough excess energy to glare back up at him.

“Interesting,” Mr. Mallard said. He began making his way down, slowly, towards us. “Heel.”

Maple cried as I nearly smothered her. I tried to keep my feet, but it was near impossible. My throat was closed up so I could not even tell her to get away. Maple’s cry of surprise turned into one of extreme effort.

I couldn’t believe it. I was still standing-barely. Most of my body had fallen over Maple, but she remained holding me up-impossibly supporting most of my weight. I kept my feet planted on the ground even though my knees shook like crazy and even though my legs were practically numb.

Mr. Mallard continued to descend on us. “Heel.”

That was it. I was going down no matter what. I heard Maple let out a small cry as I unwillingly let my entire weight fall on her.

“I won’t let you crush my sister, fox!” Gust roared.

And suddenly he was there, rushing up to Maple’s side and helping to support me. He pushed against me with both hands, dropping his stick in the process. “Stand up!”

I pulled at myself with everything that I had. I kept my knees from going out from under me. My muscles were strained to their limit. I thought my brain was going to snap.

“Heel!”

“Stand up!” Leaf cried out, running up to my other side and wrapping his arms around my waist. “Stand up!”

“I said heel, kit!”

“Don’t fall, idiot!” Lilly shot, joining her twin and supporting my other side.

“Heel!”

I was detached from my body. Even with their help, my knees would buckle, there was no stopping it.

I felt something grab onto my legs before they did. I looked down and saw Meadow and Trout- each grabbing a leg with their entire bodies.

Meadow stared up at me with her large, dark eyes. “Don’t fall,” she whispered.

I moved my focus back up to Mr. Mallard-but he was in front of me now. He looked at the kids, then at me. I couldn’t name the expression on his withered face.

I felt weak, but I stared back at him as fiercely as I could. “You guys can let go,” I said, looking deep into his bright blue eyes. “I won’t fall.”

The kids glanced between each other, but slowly, one by one, they let go.

I continued to stare into Mr. Mallard’s eyes. I did not once stop thinking about what he did to me- the humiliation, the suffering- but also I did not stop thinking about Mr. Quincy and his kids.

If I was going to help them, I could not let this mad man control me any longer.

“Say it,” I said through gritted teeth.

The expression I couldn’t name faded away as he stared back. I had seen him angry before, but the look he had now was like stone. I could see it in his eyes that he was trying to make me submit with willpower alone.

I would not make it that easy for him.

“Heel.”

My knees buckled. I shut my eyes and closed my fists and bit my cheek until I tasted blood.

I won’t let him control me.

I won’t let him control me.

I opened my eyes and could see the bug-eyed, open-mouthed, expression had returned to his face- tenfold. I could name it now.

It was fear.

I thought my knees would snap backwards as I forced them to straighten. I couldn’t help but groan in pain, but I did not break eye contact with him.

I will help Mr. Quincy, Maple, Gust, and their family.

I will wake up from this nightmare.

I was standing. The weight of this new, unnatural world lifted from my shoulders.

I took a step towards Mr. Mallard, and he took a step back. The stones had crumbled; I could see a new paleness decorate his face.

It was the fear that one feels when confronted with a truly rabid animal.

“No,” I answered.