Fort Redfox

Wow! Exciting! Great job Amy!

I just finished reading chapter 6 I am going to finish the next chapter later..it's really cool! good job!

Hey guys,
here's the continuation of the book I'm writing. I posted the first few chapters a few months ago as a short story. I've changed itt a bit, but anyway, here's the next part. Please read it if you have time and post any comments etc. you might have. Thanks!

Chapter 6


“Which way are we heading?” Cinder had scratched a rough map in the dirt and was staring at it intently.
“Northwest, I’d say,” said Flash. “I don’t know. I’ve never been outside these woods. What do you think, Flint?”
Flint stuffed a small amount of food into a sack and licked his nose. “You know, we could try for Catfish Lake.”
“Where’s that?” asked Flash. “And what is it?”
Flint dropped the sack and knelt beside Cinder. “Look. The forest ends here, right? Something like this.” He drew a wavy line with one claw. “Then there are downs all around. Catfish Lake is somewhere…here.” He sketched a large oval in the dirt.
Cinder eyed the map. “Hmm. Never heard of it myself.”
“Da and I used to catch fish there every summer. We kept it pretty secret.”
“How far is it?” said Flash.
Flint shrugged. “Oh, a good distance. The bears would never find us.”
Flash folded his arms and leaned back. “How far?”
Flint scratched his chin. “Used to take…two or three days to get there from the village. A day or so out of the forest and then one or two days on the downs.”
“Umm. I don’t know. If the bears keep expanding their territory like they have been…”
“Oh come off it. They’ve got to stop somewhere! It’s not like they’re planning on taking over the whole world.” Flint waved his paw as though trying to swat a fly and turned away.
“All the same, I think we’d better find somewhere a bit farther off.”
“Maybe the mountain then,” said Flint.
“Mountain?” Flash raised his eyebrows.
“I’ve never been that far. But we did see a mountain north and west of Catfish.”
Cinder yawned. “Yeah, well I say we head for this…Catfish place, at least for the moment. We can scout the area once we get there. What do you say, Flash?”
Flash nodded. “Sounds good.”
Cinder stood up. “Well then, I’m going to get a few hours of sleep before we leave.”

* * *

Flash inspected the supplies laid out for the journey on the mine’s floor. A woven, grass-fiber sack filled with tiny portions of grain, meat, and crab apples. A leather pouch containing flint and steel. An axe, stolen from the bears. Three oak staves.
Flint arrived, carrying three full water skins.
“Flash! Catch.” He tossed one to Flash and hung his own around his neck.
“Hey. Looks like Smoke got us walking sticks.” Flint ran a paw along the smooth bark of one of the staves.
Flash looked more closely. One end of his staff had been sharpened like a spear. “I think these are more for defense than anything else.”
Smoke and Cinder emerged from deeper in the mine. Smoke dusted his paws on his fur. “Everything ready?”
“I think so,” said Flash
Smoke rubbed his nose. “I…wish I could go with you, Flash.”
“Someone’s got to stay behind. To manage things.” Flash lowered his voice. “Look. There’s a chance the bears will find you out before I get back. Make sure everything is hidden. Everyone.”
“Right.”
Flash clasped paws with Smoke. “See you later.” I hope.
“Good-bye,” said Smoke.
Cinder threw the sack over his shoulder. “Till later, Smoke.”
Flint tossed the axe over his shoulder and grabbed his staff. “Bye, Smoke!”
Together, the three foxes threaded their way through the boulders littering the ground. Foxes huddled in small groups around campfires waved as Flash passed by.
“Good-bye, Flash!”
“Good luck!”
* * *







Chapter 7


Flash slunk through the woods behind Flint, his eyes darting from tree to tree.
Flint stopped suddenly and pointed to his right. “What’s that?”
A tiny orange speck glowed brightly in the distance. A black shape passed in front of it, momentarily obscuring their view. Flash groaned softly. “Looks like the bears have sentries.”
“In the middle of the forest?” Cinder shook his head.
Flint snorted. “Well, I don’t think someone’s just gone camping. They’re up to something.”
Flash bit his lip and exhaled. “It doesn’t matter. We can just veer left a bit until we’ve passed them.” Flash shouldered his pack again. “Let’s keep going, Flint.”
They continued on, careful to avoid the campfire.
Another orange glow appeared directly ahead of Flash. Flint altered his direction slightly.
Two more fires came into view to their left.
How many are there?
More fires popped out every second, forming a wide half circle.
Flint stopped. “Great. They’ve got the entire area surrounded.”
“They’ve been expecting us.” Flash clenched his teeth. Now what?
Cinder frowned. “Think we’ll be able to get past them?”
“Dunno,” said Flash. “Those fires are pretty close together. Good thing we didn’t try to bring all the foxes in one go, eh?”
Flint chewed his lip. “I think that’s what they were expecting us to do. Which means we may be able to get past them. If we’re careful.”
“We’ll have to split up. I’ll go first. If they notice me, I’ll make a dash for it. While they’re distracted, you two slip by,” said Flash.
“No, I’ll go first.” Cinder crossed his arms.
“Sorry. I already volunteered.”
“But –”
Flash waved his paw. “Don’t waste time arguing. Look. If we lose each other, then we’ll meet up in two days at Catfish Lake.”
“You’ve never been there,” said Flint.
“I’ll find it.” Flash said. “Shouldn’t be too hard, once I get out of the forest. I can just head northwest and…I’ll be all right.”
“And what if you get caught?”
Flash didn’t want to think about that. “Then you’ll have to go on without me. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Now let’s go.”
They crept forward until they were only a few dozen yards away from the wall of campfires.
Flash held up his paw and signalled a halt. “I’ll go between those two. Looks like the one to the left is asleep.” Flash shook paws with Cinder, then Flint. “See you. Two days, at Catfish Lake.” Flash crawled forward slowly, narrowing his eyes to slits so the bears wouldn’t see the reflections.
The bear manning the fire to Flash’s right was moving his head constantly from side to side. As his face came into view, Flash recognized him. He was a Redfox guard named Arum.
Flash waited until Arum’s gaze had passed him before creeping forward a few steps. He glanced at the other bear. Still asleep.
“Hey Mugwort! Wake up, you drunk!” Arum shouted.
Flash flattened himself to the ground. Then his mind registered what Arum had said and he relaxed slightly.
Mugwort jerked awake. “Not sleeping,” he muttered. “Not drunk.”
“No? What’s that flask hold then?”
Mugwort shook his head and shrugged. “Just water.”
Arum stared hard at Mugwort. “Huh. Well you can’t tell me you weren’t asleep. Ha! You jumped a foot – you shoulda seen it!” He slapped his thigh and guffawed.
Flash lay still. The bears were watching each other right over Flash’s head.
“All right, maybe I was dozing. So what? This is very dull work, you must admit.”
“If I report you to Toadflax…” Arum shook his head and pursed his lips.
“Come on! You wouldn’t do that! We’ve always been good pals,” said Mugwort in a wheedling tone.
Arum grunted. “Next time, I might not wake you up. How’d you like that?” He glanced up at the moon. “Toadflax is coming for inspection in a quarter of an hour. What d’you think he’d do if he came around and you were out colder than a block of ice?”
Mugwort took a swig from his flask and poked the fire. “Alright, alright! Then I’ll say ‘thanks.’”
Arum muttered something and resumed his vigil, keeping as sharp an eye on Mugwort as on the forest surrounding him.
Flash inched forward slowly, shifting his gaze constantly from Arum to Mugwort.
Mugwort let out a yell and hurled himself toward Flash. “Fox!”
Flash sprang forward. No!
Arum ran in front of Flash, drawing his sword. Mugwort lumbered toward Flash, yelling in Bear Speech.
Flash feinted left and darted around Arum.
Something caught Flash around the ankle. He slammed into the ground. Flash rolled onto his feet and groped for his staff.
Mugwort threw himself on top of Flash. “Got him!”

* * *