The blue sky rose above the woods. Mild morning rays of sun lightened the still-asleep plants in the field. I woke up with the first ray in our hole, where we were hiding. The hole wasn't big, but big enough for me and my cubs to squeeze inside. It was protected enough from weather disasters, and soon winter would come - we would need a place to hide from the cold.
I slowly raised my flamboyant tail, while watching out not to wake my cubs. I slipped through stones and slowly got out of the hole with mouse-like steps, silent as the night. The morning was still fresh. You could still smell the rain from last night. The grass was still wet, and flowers sank in the dew. The sun slowly rose, and life grew in the forest. Sparrows started singing, while lilies opened their petals to illuminate themselves.
I went on a patrol. When I arrived at the closest village, I grabbed a chicken and quickly ran out of the hencoop. Luckily, nobody saw me, everybody was still sleeping.
On the way home, with a chicken in my mouth, I heard a whimper. I recognized it immediately. That was the whimper of my cubs. I ran as fast as I could. When I arrived, it was too late. I watched as two-legged creatures took away my cubs. They were humans. I didn't have a choice, I had to find them!
When the truck started leaving the woods, I ran after it. I could hear my cubs whimpering. I didn't give up. When I finally reached it, I jumped inside. But someone was in there. I started growling. He booted me, and then threw me out. Wounded, I still ran. The truck sped up. I wasn't strong enough. I was so tired. I fell asleep under the first tree I saw.
I was lying so calmly when suddenly, something started to sniff me. I opened my eyes. It was a dog. Black as coal, his eyes were blue like the deepest sea.
"Hi! Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm a fox." I barely said.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have a house?" he asked in surprise.
"No, I'm a wild animal. We live in the woods; we feed on what we find."
"What? How? I always thought that life here is better than mine. Nobody plays with me, owners are too busy. I'm sure that it's better here! You play all day!" he said enviously.
"That may be true, but it's not always a fairy tale. You have a roof over your head and food served every day; I don't. I live in the cold, everything I eat I catch by myself." I said while standing up.
"Weird, now I'm kind of sorry that I ran away thinking that it's better here."
"You can always go back."
"I will, but why are you here? Do foxes live like this?"
"No, I ran after the truck. They took my cubs away! Those cruel humans!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. But what are you waiting for? Let's go find them!"
I could expect everything, but not that I would be saving my cubs with a house dog.
And that's how we began. We followed tire tracks. They led us to some village. I hadn't seen it before. We entered the village, careful not to get noticed. Something was strange about this village. I didn't hear the usual dog bark when they sensed a fox. I thought this village didn't have dogs.
We looked up a bit, I was right; this place doesn't have dogs. It was horrifying to watch this village. Everything dirty, cats barely alive. All sick and plucked. How evil this place must be?! So cruel!
"Psst! Come here!" we heard a voice.
"Who is there?" I asked.
A cat came out of hiding. It was plucked, just like the rest.
"It's not safe here! They will come back!" it said in horror.
"What happened?" the dog asked.
"Dogs were running around as always. But then some humans came and put them in the truck. We cats, tried to fight, but they beat us and left us here to die like this." the cat shrieked in dismay.
"That means that this village is not guilty, the people who took my cubs are!" I said.
"Where did the truck go?" the dog asked.
"It went in that direction, to the city. Just follow the main road and you will come there." said the cat, pointing towards the road.
"Thank you. I promise that we will find those humans. We will free your dogs and all the other animals. They won't get away with this! Enough of animal abuse. We also have a life! And each one matters!" I exclaimed firmly.
We took the road as the cat said. As we walked, we heard a rustle. We ignored it, but it got stronger. Suddenly, something jumped in front of us. It was a she-wolf. She looked mad but also terrified. I wondered what had happened to her. She was white like clouds in snowy weather. Her eyes were pure black. You could drown in them. Her fur was long and dense. That was the most beautiful she-wolf I had ever seen. You could read sadness and despair from her face.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the she-wolf asked furiously.
"Calm down, we are not here to attack you." said the dog calmly.
"We are just passing by. We are going to the city." I said, while trying to hide fear in my voice.
"You look terrified. Did something happen?" the dog wondered.
"It's not your problem!" she said angrily.
"Really, we don't want to hurt you. Can we help somehow?" I asked.
Now I started to feel sorry for the she-wolf.
"They snatched them from me! They took my cubs!" she cried desperately.
So much sadness was visible on her that my heart ripped apart.
"I understand you." I barely spoke. "They took my cubs too. That's why we are going to town. We will rescue them."
"You two? A fox and a dog? But you are enemies!" the she-wolf said in surprise.
"I didn't think like that. I went searching, and he came and wanted to help."
"Interesting..." admiration was visible in her eyes.
"I don't know how much more we will travel. We are following the road, just like the cat told us to." said the dog while watching into the distance.
"The city is not far from here. A couple of trees and you will be there. But be careful, it's dangerous there. If they seized our cubs in the woods, what would be in the city? Those humans are everywhere in the city." she warned us.
"We didn't think about that. What if they take us as well?" the dog spoke.
"I can lead you. I'm often in town." said the she-wolf.
"That would be awesome!" I cheered.
"We need to go now so we can be there before night. It's the best time; they won't notice us. Those men don't care about animals, they don't pay attention. It will be a perfect chance." she explained.
And so we went to town. I was still surprised that we were cooperating, and we are so different. But when something happens to our biggest treasure, we are ready to save it - even if it means cooperating with enemies of our world.
It was just like the she-wolf said: the town wasn't far away. I'd never seen anything like it before. I couldn't even imagine it. My view didn't reach even half of it. It was as big as five villages. The buildings were so big that I thought they were reaching the clouds.
How many humans! But everybody seemed so distracted, busy. Nobody noticed us. Was it normal here that a fox, a dog and a she-wolf walk in town? It's like they don't see anything around them. Streets full of people, but nowhere life or happiness.
We used the main street. It was huge as a mountain. We turned into a smaller street. That one was narrower than the first one. It was paved with stones, dirty; animals were skinny, they looked worse than the ones in the village. But humans also looked like that. They were sitting on the street wrapped in blankets, barely alive.
Why are people in the main streets so dressed up, but here so sick? Is there a difference? Did those evil humans leave them here too? But they also have a life!
We went down the street. We arrived in front of a building. It was gray, with bars on the windows.
"We arrived. This is an asylum. If my nose is right, they should be here." the she-wolf said.
When we entered, everything was so sad. There were many animals trapped. But I didn't see my cubs or the wolf's cubs. We heard steps. I panicked.
"Go find the cubs, I will handle this" whispered the dog.
We ran around. Nothing. I noticed a door. We opened it. Inside was something awful. I saw cubs, a lot of them. There was a man. He had a knife. He took a bear cub and ripped his fur off, then threw him to die.
Will he do this to my cubs too?
"We must do something! This isn't legal in town! These men are killing animals! This can't be hidden!" shouted the she-wolf. "This is what we do: you distract him while I go out and howl until someone hears me. Then I will bring them here so they can see this."
And that's how it went. She went out and I jumped on that human. I bit him and I didn't let go. But then, I felt something. It was like someone stabbed me in my heart.
I'm losing strength. I feel the floor beneath me. Nothing matters anymore. I feel so empty. It's like I'm flying. I don't doubt the dog or the she-wolf. I know they can make it.
What will be with my cubs? I came here to save them, at every price, and I did.
I don't feel my body. It was worth it - every second I spent on this adventure.
I'm thinking about the town. Humans are so dirty, but so busy, they don't have time for each other. But there are still humans who live life to the fullest every day. They teach their kids how to walk. They are so happy when they see their loved ones. Just like cats when they see their dogs coming back to a village.
Humans would do anything for their loved ones, so would animals. Even if that means teaming up with enemies of our world.
When I look around, I see life. I see happiness in people's eyes when something good happens to them, just like the happiness and pride in my eyes when my cubs hunt their first chickens.
When I look around, in the end maybe we aren't so different at all. We all desire love and happiness. We are all searching for life. In the end, we are searching for ourselves and for our place in this world.
I hear a noise. I know that the she-wolf made it. These men are arrested, and all animals are free now.
I don't feel the floor beneath me anymore. Someone lifted me up.
I'm in a white room. Humans are doing something to me. I don't feel pain anymore. I think they healed me.
The dog went home. The happiness on his owner's face was priceless. The dogs returned to the village. The she-wolf and her cubs are home now. They are all happy.
I'm sitting under a tree. My cubs are playing. When they ask me about my scar, I remember what the true meaning of life is.