Chương 18: Man and Magical Fox

Ch. 18 - Man and Magical Fox Magical foxes are infuriating creatures. No matter what, they will always act like they are your superior — like you are some slow-witted dullard, being incredibly fortunate just to be in their presence! They are sneaks as well, always snooping where they shouldn't. Thinking they have a right to go through your private — (Unfinished entry, damaged and ink-stained) - from the writings of Steadholder Eckhart"Kit? You're … talking?"

Wyatt stared at the little fox on his chest — only now she wasn't quite so little.

Double the size she'd been when he'd gone to bed, Kit perched on top of Wyatt, looking down at him with a definite smirk. Kit casually scratched at herself with a hind leg, fluffed up her fur, and then settled again. She gave Wyatt a smug look.

'Mmhmm. What, do you doubt your own ears?' Wyatt gaped at Kit. He wasn't entirely sure he was registering her voice with his ears. Certainly her mouth wasn't moving. It was like her voice was appearing in his head, a memory of speech happening in real time. He licked his lips, his mind racing.

"I could be going crazy. I've certainly been through enough to warrant it." Kit gave him an arch look. She flowed lithely off of his chest onto the ground next to him, then stretched languidly.

'As if a lunatic's mind could ever conjure something as stunning as I.' Kit sounded so self-satisfied and proud that Wyatt rolled his eyes out of sheer reflex. Then he shook his head, focusing. Kit was talking.

"But … how. How are you talking?"

'I woke up.' Wyatt regarded the silver fox steadily, but it didn't appear that anything more was forthcoming. His eyebrow twitched, and he resisted the urge to throw his hands up in the air.

"… what does that mean?"' In good time. But first — you will go and wash. You are verging upon being … pungent. And the fire has gone out so you will need to rebuild that. And for breaking my fast … the river fruits will do if there is nothing else.' Wyatt's eyebrow twitch had evolved into being a full face tic. Kit's litany of orders, and the assumption that he would do as she said, was enough to almost make him overlook the fact that she was speaking! And her voice …

even if he wasn't technically hearing it, she sounded so mature, so self-assured. Her size and demeanour before this had always made Wyatt picture her as young, playful. However, there was a noticeably amused tone that still danced behind everything she said. Still, one part of her demands stuck out at him, something that he couldn't help but address.

"Wait, you're telling me I smell? You were all the way inside of an Orc yesterday!" Kit's tail swished idly back and forth, and she sniffed. Pointedly.' Phrasing, please. And I said you were starting to smell. So go. Wash.' Wyatt found himself in a staring contest with the silver fox. Her piercing, jeweled eyes stared into his, unblinking. Wyatt had no chance of winning, so he gave up, heading down to the stream to wash. Although he wouldn't admit it to the imperious fox, he did feel rather less than fresh.

Wyatt had done little more than a cursory clean the night before, and even that had been an effort considering everything he'd been through. He still hadn't fully recovered from his bleak mood, but the sheer insanity of Kit being able to speak was working well as a distraction. The stream running by the camp was tiny, even shallower than the small ponds had been in the forest. At least he was guaranteed of decent clean for once; Marie had had some soap in her belongings that Wyatt had almost cried to see.

The best he'd been able to manage for weeks had been scrubbing at his skin with handfuls of coarse sand. The soap was perhaps a bit more floral than he would have personally chosen, but he smiled to use it, remembering the cheerful [Hedge Mage]. Wyatt stripped his shirt off, then started with his pants — intending to kneel down in the stream to make things easier. He hesitated though, glancing back at Kit. The silver fox was still sitting where he left her, watching him.

She gave him an encouraging nod, as though signalling her approval for him doing as he was told. Wyatt turned his back on Kit, his face heating slightly. He felt stupid for his reaction — Kit was an animal, he shouldn't feel embarrassed! But then again, her voice really did make it sound like she was a grown woman. But she was a fox! Even so, Wyatt moved quicker than he otherwise would have. He knelt in the stream, biting back a yelp as the water closed in on him.

It wasn't unbearably cold, but submersing himself so soon after getting out of his warm blankets was indeed a shock. It did wake him up though, and he felt alert enough for his mind to start working. Wyatt scrubbed himself down, washing his hair with the soap, sluicing the suds off. He examined his body as he did, noting a myriad of new bruises that he didn't quite remember getting. Wyatt stood up, stripping as much of the water off his body with his hands, then patting himself dry with the shirt he'd slept in.

Then he dug a change of pants out of his bag of holding, put them on, and saw to the fire. Luckily there was still a decent bed of embers under a half-burnt log, and it wasn't too difficult to get it going again. Wyatt threw a few more pieces of wood on the fire, resolving to keep a constant supply in the bag of holding — it really did make things so much easier — and propped the shirt he'd used as a towel on a bush near the flames to dry.

Kit had moved close to the fire once Wyatt had got it going, shivering in pleasure as the warmth started to emanate and fill the small clearing.

'Much better.'

"Glad you approve." Kit opened her jaw in a laugh.

'You should be.' Wyatt ignored that. He knew he didn't have too much food left in the packs, so he decided to take Kit at her word, going back to the stream to collect the fruit from the shrubs that grew along the banks. There weren't as many as there had been at the first campsite, but then the waterway there had been far larger. There was still more than enough fruit to be filling though. Taking his haul back to the fire, Wyatt squatted down across from Kit. He broke one of the fruits open, and handed it to her.

Kit sniffed at the offering in his hand.

'You could at least peel it first.' That was going a bit too far, and Wyatt stared steadily at her. Kit broke first this time, laughing.

'I'm kidding! Breaking them open is enough. Thank you.' Kit started to tuck into the fruit that Wyatt had placed in front of her, making it disappear even faster now that she was bigger. Wyatt shook his head, but he held back a smile at her playfulness. At least that hadn't changed.

"You brat." Kit's tail swept through the air, but she didn't stop eating her meal.' None of that now. I'm older than you are.'

"You are? Really?" Kit sat up, gulping down the last of her meal. She looked meaningfully at Wyatt, and he gave her another fruit. She nodded her thanks, then looked thoughtful for a second.

'Hmmm … yes, I think so.'

"How can you not be sure?"' It's admittedly still hazy, but I'm fairly sure. You pup.' Kit grinned at Wyatt, then tucked into her second fruit. Wyatt regarded her thoughtfully, getting some fruit for himself. He bit into it, the rich juices running down his chin as he chewed. It tasted better this morning. The thoughts of his friends still made his mood dip, but he no longer felt numb about it. It hurt, but it didn't arrest him in place. Wyatt watched Kit for a moment, thinking.

"Can you tell me about it? About why you can talk? Unless it's a secret?" Kit sat up, licking the juices off the side of her mouth.

'It's not a secret. But it is a thing just for us. You'll keep my confidences, and I'll keep yours.' Wyatt blinked at the knowing and meaningful tone in Kit's voice. Then he realised what she meant.

"… oh! You remember. What I told you in the forest, I mean." Kit shuddered somewhat theatrically.

'Of course I do. But please, do not mention that damned and pestilential place if you can help it! The indignity of it all … I should uproot it, tree by tree!' Wyatt recoiled slightly at the vehemence in Kit's voice. The surety of her words had almost sounded like an oath, a promise. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You can't actually do that, can you?" Kit stopped glaring fiercely about herself, then hesitated. Looking a little embarrassed. She turned, hiding her face under the pretence of grooming her fur.

'… no.' Wyatt felt a surge of relief. He'd believe almost anything at this point, but he was glad that Kit didn't actually have enough power to pull up an entire forest.

"So what were you doing there? When we met, I mean." Kit sighed, sounding half rueful, half bitter.

'I don't remember. I don't remember how I came to be there, or even how long I was there for.' That was something that struck true with Wyatt. The days had bled together while he wandered in that forest. What had Marie called it, the Gateway Woods? He imagined what it would be like, to walk endlessly beneath the boughs of those giant trees, never finding an exit, always searching, searching … Wyatt shuddered, changing the subject slightly.

"So could you always talk, and just didn't? I mean, I knew you were intelligent, but I never thought you could, you know." Wyatt gestured vaguely, and Kit rolled her eyes, hiding her amusement.

'No, it wasn't like that. I spoke when I was able. Not before.'

"So you couldn't speak before this morning?"' Yes, that is what I just said.' Wyatt frowned, trying to make sense of what she was telling him.

"Why couldn't you speak before?"

'… did you hit your head especially hard during the battle? Have you thoughts slowed? I am telling you, and you keep interrupting me!' Wyatt held up his hands in apology.

"Okay, I won't interrupt. Sorry." Kit gave him a steely look, then pointedly sniffed. She shook herself, then sighed.

'That forest is a cursed and hungry place. It devours every bit of magic that it finds. Taking it all, adding it to itself, but never finding satiation.' Wyatt remembered what Marie had said about the forest. It sounded the same.

"What is it taking the magic for?" Kit stared at Wyatt incredulously for interrupting her once more. He held up his hands again.

"Hey! It's a valid question!" Kit chewed that over, then grudgingly gave Wyatt a nod.

'Yes, fine. I do not know what it needs all that magic for.'

"Why not? If you lived there all that time …" Comprehension flooded through Wyatt, what Kit had been saying all coming together. He pointed at Kit.

"Oh! You're magical! So it ate all your power? That's why you couldn't speak!" Kit tilted her head as she looked at Wyatt. She sighed, but her tail was twitching about in a sign of good humour.' So you're not completely hopeless. This is good. You are right, of course. I was little more than an animal when I was there, when we met. I … do not remember much. Not clearly.'

"You seemed plenty smart to me." Kit started to groom herself, the action not affecting her ability to 'speak'.

'Not at first. But after you gifted me that highly magical meal …' Wyatt blinked.

"I did? What was — wait, you mean the electric deer?" Kit lifted her head, wincing as she looked at Wyatt.' That is the most inane name that I've ever — You've been told the proper name for the beast, so use it. But yes, the Galvadeer. Once I consumed its flesh I started to regain awareness for the first time in … ages.' Wyatt stared at Kit, fascinated by what he was learning. He'd had so much on his mind at the time, but he'd never realised that Kit had been going through such a change when he first met her.

"I'm surprised you came with me at all then. That you didn't just stay and finish off the carcass. There was so much meat left." Kit tilted her head again, looking puzzled.' It was your kill though. A freely given gift, the act giving it the power that I needed. It would have been little more than mere meat had I tried to steal it without permission.' The concept twigged a memory for Wyatt. A concept that he only half remembered.

"Is this that, uh, thing about intent? Intention being important?" Kit grimaced.

'Terribly worded, but yes. That is it in essence. The old magic. Surely your kind hasn't forgotten that completely.' Wyatt took that in, thinking about what she had said. What it implied. He regarded her closely.

"Kit. The stories I told you before we got out of the forest. About how I came up with your name. What are you exactly? Are you a spirit fox? And do you have a name?" Kit gave him a wide grin, flashing her sharp teeth.' I thought I was some kind of demon? What did you call it, a yokai? Or was I perhaps a goddess? Perhaps Inari is my true name.'

"Kit …" Kit settled herself into a primly perfect pose, wrapping her tail around her body and sitting very straight. Almost regally. She nodded importantly.' You may worship me if you wish. I won't stop you.' The only reason that Wyatt didn't burst out laughing at the silver fox was that he was certain that she'd be offended. Even though he was fairly sure she was just teasing him. At least fifty percent sure. Wyatt hammed it up only a little as he handed her another piece of fruit.

"I'm not sure about that, but here. Take my humble offering of fruit."' Don't mind if I do.' Kit ruined her posturing by eagerly devouring yet another of the fruits, making short work of it. Wyatt looked critically at her, asking something that he'd been wondering about.

"How do you fit so much food in without exploding?" Kit looked down at herself, nosing her still-sleek belly. She grinned.' I'm bigger than I look of course.'

"Wait, are you being figurative when you say that, or …?" Kit didn't answer, just grinning at him wider. Sensing that he wasn't going to get a straight answer, he changed the subject.

"Anyway, did being in the dungeon help you as well? The mana in the air here I mean." Kit finished off her fruit, then nodded.' Yes, the air here is rich. As soon as we arrived, I felt my mind beginning to stir. It was … disorientating, knowledge coming back after so long. It was like everything was expanding, like I could now look at you and understand what you were going to do, not just what you were currently doing in the moment.'

"That must have been a lot to take in." Kit sighed, nodding.' Indeed. I could follow conversations around me, thinking about what was being said instead of just getting a vague impression.'

"Sorry, I have to ask — what about the Orc? The one that you … ate?" Kit flicked an ear dismissively.

'It was a monster rich in mana. A meal that gave me the final push that I needed.' Wyatt was silent for a moment. Kit was grooming herself now, seemingly unconcerned, but his thoughts were racing. Kit wasn't just a fox anymore, she was a person. Someone that was as intelligent as any person that he'd ever met. She wasn't an animal that he could rely upon to follow him just because he fed her. Wyatt's throat felt a little tight as he asked the burning, obvious question.

"So where does this leave us now?"' What do you mean?' Wyatt took a deep breath.

"Well, where will you go now? If you're remembering, coming back to yourself …" Wyatt trailed off. Kit looked at him quizzically, then with realisation. She trotted over and hopped into his lap with easy familiarity. She didn't fit there quite so easily now.

'Why do you assume that I am leaving?'

"You … don't have a life to get back to?" At that, Kit hesitated for a second.

'Perhaps. Not everything has yet come back to me. I think I was alone. But even if that wasn't the case, there remains a debt between us. You freed me from my cursed prison — I would have remained there, a dumb animal, forever without you. Maybe my luck would have eventually run out, and I would have become prey for some other creature! My forebears would have laughed themselves out of the afterlife if that fate had befallen me.'

"I didn't know I was helping you though."

'It doesn't matter. Deeds matter. Besides, you are an interesting creature, Wyatt. Your choices are interesting. You will not be rid of me that easily.'

"Oh." Wyatt felt a surge of relief, an assuaging of a fear he hadn't fully realised he'd had. He wasn't going to be alone again, wasn't going to lose someone again. Not yet anyway. Wyatt felt his eyes beginning to sting, and he blinked them rapidly. Kit gazed up at him, watching him wrestle with his emotions. She sighed, but then stretched her head up so she could nuzzle him affectionately on the cheek. Then she hopped off his lap, her tail slapping across his face as she did, making him recoil.

She turned to look at him, her eyes serious.

'Enough about me. We may discuss it on some other occasion if you wish, perhaps when I remember more. But now let's turn to you.'

"Me?" Kit nodded.

'Yes. You levelled up in the night. What skills did you receive?' Wyatt got to his feet as well.

"Can you level, Kit?" The silver fox shook her head.

'No, not as I am now. I have my abilities, but no classes. No skills.'

"Why not? I barely know anything about skills." Kit looked slightly exasperated.

'Yes, that is yet another fascinating thing about you. But we are talking about you levelling. So. Your new skills?' Wyatt scratched at his head, thinking back to the voice that had spoken to him during the night. It always seemed strange to him that he could remember what it had said so clearly.

"Uh, I got —" Kit let out an irritated, growling whine. The first sound she had made with her actual mouth that morning.' Stop hesitating like a — who taught you how to speak? Be confident, and don't fill my ears with meaningless prattle.' Wyatt raised his eyebrows at her.

"Well, excuse me."

'You're excused. Now answer my question.' Wyatt bit back a retort. Getting lectured and taken to task by a fox was certainly a new one.

"I … have two new skills. My fortitude skill turned into [Advanced Fortitude], so that's an upgrade? Didn't know that could happen. And I got [Lesser Resist Magic] as well. Oh, and I got [Mask Presence] the night before, as well as [Nature's Bounty]." Kit blinked at him, taken aback.

'That's … a lot of skills.'

"Is that not normal?" Kit shook herself as she pondered.

'Perhaps. Most people tend to be positively giddy about new skills, trying them out immediately. We will explore what you can do with [Mask Presence] and [Nature's Bounty] today. I can see how you earnt [Advanced Fortitude] though. You have been through so much in such a short time, and yet have held yourself together admirably.'

"So it's like a reward?" Kit flicked her tail about as she regarded Wyatt.

'It often is. That, or a consolation if it is given through loss. [Lesser Resist Magic] is intriguing though. You managed to throw off that [Shaman's] charm spell, did you not?'

"Uh, the — oh, sorry. I mean, yeah I did. If it's that weakness spell it cast on me that you're talking about."

'Very strong willed. That is a skill that may well save your life one day. But make sure you don't rely on it to always work — there is always a stronger spell out there.'

"I'll keep that in mind." Kit nodded, pleased. She shook herself, then looked expectantly up at Wyatt.

'So what are our plans? Do you still intend to leave the dungeon?' The change in topic made Wyatt blink, but he nodded slowly at Kit.

"I — yes. I promised Raek that I would let his guild know what had happened." Kit nodded back at him, approval in her eyes.

'That is good, promises are made to be kept. It is a terrible thing to become an oathbreaker.'

"Are you okay with that though? Leaving the dungeon?" Kit tilted her head, looking confused.

'Why would I not be?'

"Well it's a city. Outside of the Dungeon I mean. I haven't seen it, but the others said it was pretty big …" Kit regarded him patiently, sounding exasperated when he just trailed off.

'What is the point that you are trying to make? Am I going to have to take on the role of teacher to you as well?' Wyatt threw up his hands.

"Fine. I was just concerned that you might have trouble being in a city. Like maybe it was a bad idea for you? I don't know — something. You could just give me a straight answer without being sarcastic." Kit regarded him primly, appearing calm but her tail was lashing the air a little faster than before.

'First of all, you didn't explicitly ask me that. And secondly, if you want a straight answer, you should perhaps learn to ask a straightforward question.' Wyatt opened his mouth, ready to launch a rejoinder, but then hesitated. He thought about what Kit had said, and then grudgingly realised she had a point.

"You know what, you're right. Sorry." Kit nodded regally, but she softened it with a grin.' You're very welcome. It is the duty of the wise to impart their wisdom after all.' Wyatt's lips twitched, and then he laughed, his first in quite a while. He gave Kit a bow.

"I appreciate it." Kit laughed back with him.

'See that you do. Speaking of wisdom, if you have room left in those magic bags, you should fill them with as many of those fruits as will fit.'

"Oh, so that we can try and sell them in the city? That's a good idea." Kit hesitated.

'… yes, that's what I meant. Definitely not so that we can eat them.' Wyatt grinned, his heart lightening more by the second.

"Kit, you have a bit of a sweet tooth, do you?" Kit growled, embarrassed.

'You try living off of nothing more than grubs and foul tubers for countless years, and see how you like it! Ugh, those are memories that I would just as soon lose — eating was my only goal for so long that practically all my memories of that damned forest are just that!'

"So you definitely aren't interested in some of the tubers that I collected before we left the forest? I still have a few left in my original pack. Just in case you get nostalgic." Kit gave Wyatt the flattest look imaginable.

'… I will bite you.' Wyatt attempted to keep a straight face, but he broke. He snorted, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Sorry." After a few seconds, Kit joined him, her tongue lolling out in amusement. She watched Wyatt as he packed up their belongings, only occasionally offering advice on how he could do things better. In short order they were ready to leave. Ready to journey out of the dungeon.