Green Fox Chapter 3

The tempest raged outside, causing the cabin to quiver as the mighty oak’s boughs swayed threateningly in the wind. The hearth fire cast a warm, ruddy glow that lit up the cabin’s interior. Nestled under a heavy blanket, a pair of large eyes sparkled in the flickering firelight. Eva feared each crack and creak was the return of the wolf come to eat her toes.

She felt out of place, like a frog among men, fearful of being stepped on and tossed aside. She wondered how long it would be before they asked her to leave. Perhaps if she stayed hidden under the blanket, they’d forget about her? When daylight crept in, she could find hidden nooks to squirrel away in, but when night fell, and all were deep in slumber, she could claim the cabin as her own. She would clean, do chores, sweep the hearth, scrub the floors, and tackle any other tasks that she could find. The hens would need feeding, and she could keep watch over them, protecting them from the hungry jaws of prowling foxes. Would Wulka devour one of her chickens, Eva wondered. Unsure of the answer, she furrowed her brow, pulling the blanket taut until only a single eye peeked out. A lone candle wavering on the table drew her attention. Edging her head out from behind a sturdy pillar, she spied Elise engrossed in a tome at the table. Eva longed to believe that a grandmother as kind as Cosi’s wouldn’t cast her out into the storm, but her own nan hadn’t stopped the others from driving her from the floating village. Eva whispered a prayer to Fara, hoping this one might prove different. As an additional plea, she silently invoked Father Trout and Wulka. The door groaned as a chill breeze seeped in despite the heavy drape, allowing wisps of the storm inside. The fireplace coals sparked, and the dried flowers dangling from the ceiling beams cast ominous shadows across the room. Eva’s belly rumbled audibly, and she quickly sat upright. “It’s alright, child. You needn’t pretend to be asleep,” Elise said, rising from her chair. She kneaded her back with both hands and pushed the chair away from the table. “You’re safe here.”

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