The Fox of Richmond Park

by Kate Dreyer

  *

  He must have eventually fallen asleep, because the tramping of hooves above his head startled Vince awake. He got up, looked around at the comfy chamber and sighed. Familiar constellations of shallow lines, made when his grandparents’ claws had scraped the curved walls, hung over him as they had for the entire five seasons of his life. He’d only heard stories about them, but the marks they’d left on the earth were a constant reminder of the new life they started here in Richmond Park. When he was a cub, it had always been a happy story, but Edward had slowly leached the joy from it, and now the marks themselves would soon be gone too.

  As he padded through his tunnel towards the blinding spring sunshine, the booming voices of the deer grew louder.

  ‘… don’t know what he thinks he’s playing at…’

  ‘… won’t last a day in the city…’

  ‘… gone too far this time…’

  Vince shielded his eyes with a paw and took in the surrounding herd as he exited the only home he’d ever known for the last time. He forced a smile, despite his knotted stomach. ‘Calm down, I’m out, I’m out.’

  ‘You look cheerful, considering,’ Edward said. ‘Have you decided to accept our offer?’ The rest of the herd were behind him, watching Vince closely with narrowed eyes.

  ‘Nope. Just happy to be rid of the lot of you, to be honest.’ A few leaps away the rest of the foxes, Sophie included, had gathered at the edge of the trees.

  Another strained goodbye with Sophie was the last thing he wanted this morning, but he tried to appear optimistic in front of the herd. ‘I’d best say goodbye to my friends then, before you crush my skull with your fat hoof, eh, Edward?’ As he turned away from the deer, Vince heard Edward snort before instructing the herd to destroy his den. Head high, ears up, Vince padded towards his friends as the hooves and antlers began to grind into the earth. His family’s home for ten seasons, gone in a few blinks. It took all his strength to not howl with grief.

  ‘We’ll miss you,’ said Alice, who was one of Sophie’s friends.

  ‘You can still stay,’ Marge, an older vixen, added. ‘Just come to the cemetery with us.’

  The platitudes were genuine, but Vince was a nuisance, and they all knew it.

  ‘Nah, I think I’d finally like to find the place where my grandparents came from. Besides, I don’t think the deer want me here anymore.’ Vince looked over his shoulder at the herd. They were making light work of his den, using their antlers to collapse the ceiling of the tunnel, then pushing the loose soil into the chamber. There was now a deep gouge in the earth, soil strewn for leaps in all directions, radiating from the line the tunnel had followed just moments before. Vince blinked, stalling the tears for a few more moments. He wouldn’t give the deer the satisfaction of seeing him cry.

  ‘Please just stay, Vince,’ Sophie said. ‘You’ve made your point.’

  Vince locked eyes with the vixen. ‘Is that what you think of me, Sophie? You think I’d risk my life, everything my family built, just to make a point?’

  ‘That’s not what I meant, I—’

  ‘Save it.’ Vince shot a glance to her mate, Jake, who was sitting at the back of the group, washing his paws. ‘Enjoy your new home, both of you.’

  Jake looked up at him, but said nothing.

  Vince continued, ‘I wish I could stay here, I really do, but when something feels right, or wrong, you have to do what you have to do. I hope you can understand that one day.’

  Sophie, whose muzzle was now buried in Jake’s fur, began to sob quietly, while Jake himself only frowned before wrapping a protective tail around his precious vixen.

  Vince tried to ignore the lump that had risen in his throat and the salty sting pricking his eyes.

  ‘Goodbye, everyone,’ he whispered, then quickly turned and ran.

  He ran north, away from his old friends and the vixen he’d once loved, the trees and the lake, the deer and his den. He was as unaccustomed to the warm morning sun as the smattering of birds, squirrels and humans he passed were unaccustomed to seeing a fox tearing across the open park in broad daylight. Luckily, they were far enough away that they couldn’t see the torrent of tears seeping into his fur.

  *

  It wasn’t long before Vince reached the edge of the park, where a chain-link fence marked the north boundary. On the other side a strip of oak and sweet chestnut woodland stretched westwards, bordering the cemetery that his friends would soon be calling home sweet home. To the east and the north, the trees thinned out to make way for rows of large human houses.

  When he was a tiny cub, his father would sneak out to forage in the gardens. No doubt Edward quickly put a stop to that. After his father’s death, Vince’s mother became more protective, making him promise to stay in the park and not even approach the fence. Neither his grandparents’ park nor their journey from it was ever mentioned again.

  Even after his mother died he honoured his promise, but always wondered what he was missing. Now he could finally discover what no one else in the park dared to. He hoped she would understand.

  But first, rest. His emotions were still raging. Everything he cared about was either gone or may as well have been, and he had no plan other than to get the hell out of Richmond Park and away from the deer. He didn’t even know where the next nearest park was, let alone where his grandparents had travelled from before he was born. It was north of the big river, he knew that much, but his parents had never told him the name. Perhaps they didn’t know it themselves. A good sleep would help clear his head. Plus, it was daylight. There would be humans everywhere.

  Finding a gap in the fence, he squeezed through and made his way into the trees. Above him, grey squirrels leapt from branch to branch and chased each other up and down the thick trunks. After a brief search, Vince found a particularly large tree with broad, twisting roots growing at the base where he could safely curl up unnoticed for the day. A thorough sniff of the surrounding ground confirmed that no other foxes had claimed this patch. Good to go, he wrapped himself in his tail and settled in for a few hours’ kip.

  2

  ‘Scrrraaaack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack!’

  What… ugh… Goddamn birds.

  Vince slowly peeled open his eyelids and looked around for the source of the irritation. It was dusk, the sky deep orange and navy, the trees around him almost silhouettes.

  Breakfast time.

  His stomach growled so loudly he almost mistook it for another fox. Unfurling himself, he set about finding something to eat. He could worry about directions later.

  Head to the ground, he sniffed around for anything that would pass for a meal. His nose led him to small log, which he rolled over with his snout to reveal a wriggling pile of beetles and worms. Vince prepared himself. Although not unfamiliar with such a meal, frogs were his go-to diet. A bird was a rare treat, back when his parents were still around, before Edward started to crack down on everyone.

  The birds bring humans to the park, Edward would always say. Humans help the park, apparently. The nicer the park, the more humans that visit and the better the animals will be looked after. Give and take. That was the lecture he used to give the foxes every now and again. Of course, more humans meant more attention for the deer. And the more attention they got, the more power they had. A vicious circle.

  ‘Scrrraaack-ack-ack-ack!’

  ‘Shut up!’ he muttered to himself.

  Stinking parakeets. Always shrieking. At least leaving means I can get away from that racket .

  Vince sniffed the insects once more before scooping a few into his jaws. He crunched the tiny bulbous creatures between his teeth and swallowed the gritty mouthful. He shuddered.

  A nice plump bird would go down very nicely right now.

  ‘ScrrraAAAAAACK!’

  ‘Shut up!’ Vince called to the hidden owner of the noise.

  ‘Vince?’

  ‘Who’s there?’ Vince jumped to his feet and looked up into the trees.

  ‘Th
ank goodness! I thought I’d missed you!’

  ‘Who is that? Where are you?’ Vince craned his head back and forth, trying to locate the bird, but the blanket of thick, spring leaves obscured his view.

  ‘It’s meeeeeee!’ The bird emerged atop a high branch.

  Vince sighed. Not a parakeet, but a magpie. Bird calls were never his forte, but he blamed his still-half-asleep brain for not recognising her voice sooner. ‘Rita? What the hell? Did you follow me? And please stop squawking, it’s very annoying.’

  He wouldn’t have described Rita as a friend, more of an irritating acquaintance. She’d built her first nest in the woodland near Vince’s den when his parents were still alive and never moved, so they’d been neighbours his whole life. He’d explained to her – repeatedly – that her singing, if you could call it that, was very much not appreciated, but her love of music transcended her courtesy. And her common sense. Luckily, Vince’s underground sleeping habits meant he avoided most of the din, but he’d heard the blackbirds complain about her after she insisted on joining their choir and drowned out their songs with her tuneless chattering.

  Rita’s metallic feathers glittered in the evening light as she hopped from her branch and flew to the ground in front of Vince. ‘Sorry! I was just looking for you. Been looking all day. Was just having a little practice before I went to bed. I’m so glad I found you! I thought you might have already left the park and then I would have had to look in all the gardens and that would have taken ages and—’

  ‘Rita, shush. Why were you looking for me?’ Vince sat and rubbed his sleepy eyes with a paw.

  ‘I want to come with you,’ Rita said as she hopped from foot to foot, her long tail bobbing up and down excitedly.

  ‘What? No.’ He stood up and stared down at her.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because.’

  ‘That’s not a reason.’

  ‘Why do you want to come? I don’t even know where I’m going.’

  ‘I want to travel with you. See London. Have an adventure!’

  ‘I’m not going on an adventure. I’m just looking for my grandparents’ old home.’

  ‘Sounds like an adventure to me. Come on, I’ve spent too many seasons in this place. There’s nothing for me here and I’m getting old… I want to see the city! Fly to new places and taste new food and hear new birds!’

  ‘I’m not stopping you.’

  ‘It’ll be better with two of us. Just imagine the songs I’ll sing! A sheltered park bird like me, experiencing all that the big city has to offer, accompanying a freedom-fighter fox on his quest for a new life in his ancestral homeland!’

  Vince sighed. ‘I’m not a freedom fighter. And I’m really not good company. Besides, I could eat you, you know. Just turn around one day and CHOMP! Haven’t eaten a tasty bird in a while, thanks to the deer…’

  Rita laughed. ‘You wouldn’t do that.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘We’re friends!’

  ‘No, we’re not.’

  Rita’s face fell. ‘Neighbours, then. Or, we were.’

  ‘And?’

  Rita blinked. ‘And… I can help you,’ she said.

  Vince sighed again. She could definitely help him. She could tell him what was in each direction, where the nearest place to sleep was, if any humans were near… He could put up with her. Maybe. If she stayed quiet.

  ‘Who says I need help?’ he replied.

  ‘You’re just going to wander about, are you? Bumping into humans and rivers and roads and train tracks…’

  ‘Train tracks?’

  ‘Yes. Lots.’

  Vince knew all about trains. Huge, rumbling metal carriages that don’t stop for anything in their way, especially small, furry animals. He’d heard stories that they weren’t even controlled by humans. That’s why they ran on rails instead of roads.

  ‘And you know where the train tracks are? And the big river?’

  ‘Well…’ The magpie poked at the ground with one of her claws. ‘No. Not all of them. But I can. I will! I’ll fly ahead of you every day and tell you which way to go and warn you about things. I’ve been exploring today already, when I was looking for you. I can help you. Please let me come with you.’

  I’m going to regret this…

  ‘Do what you like.’ Vince sniffed and began to walk off.

  ‘Really? Oh, wonderful! Scraaaaaaaaack!’ Rita screeched as she hopped alongside him, flapping furiously to keep up with his long strides.

  ‘On three conditions.’ He stopped dead and stared into her inky eyes. ‘You can come with me, and I’ll promise not to eat you, if – and only if – number one, you help me find my grandparents’ park; number two, you keep me out of danger; and number three… You. Absolutely. Do. Not. Sing. While. I. Am. Asleep.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I just got overexcited!’ Rita flapped her wings and hopped in a circle. ‘I’ll try to be quieter. I hope you don’t mind the odd sing-song, though. I don’t want to get out of practice.’

  Vince continued on towards the edge of the trees. Rita flapped a few leaps ahead, then settled on the ground and waited for him to catch up. It was easier than hopping beside him. ‘We’re going to have a great time! The Fox and the Magpie! Vince and Rita! The Famous Travelling Duo of Richmond Park! Scraaaaaack!’

  Vince winced. ‘You know I’m nocturnal, right? We’re not going to get very far if we don’t travel at the same time.’

  ‘Of course. I’ll adapt!’

  Vince smiled through clenched jaws. ‘Well, I’m awake now, so, which way? All I know is that my grandparents came from north of the river, but right now I could do with getting as far away from here as possible.’

  Rita explained how she had seen some big green areas to the north-east, in the middle of the city. She would take a better look in the morning, but for now it seemed like his best option. She flew past Vince again and rested on a low branch while he strode through the long grass below.

  He looked up as he passed below her. ‘Just to be clear, Rita, I don’t want adventures. I want to find my grandparents’ park, dig out a den, eat, sleep and maybe do a bit of frolicking about. No drama, okay?’

  ‘Ha! Drama is your middle name. I’ve heard all the arguments you’ve had with Edward over the seasons.’

  ‘That wasn’t my fault. He made it his business to piss me off.’

  ‘And you lost your temper every time.’

  ‘Shut up.’

  ‘There you go again,’ she called from the branch, Vince now a short way ahead of her.

  The pair continued in silence for a while before arriving at the tall brick wall that marked the north edge of the dense woodland. On the other side were a path, a road and some houses. What lay beyond that, neither of them knew for sure.

  ‘Well, this is it,’ Vince said. ‘The big wide world.’ He tipped back onto his haunches and sprang upwards. His front claws grasped the top as his back feet found purchase on the rough bricks, propelling his slim body onto the top of the wall with little effort. ‘Are you absolutely sure you want to come?’

  ‘Yes.’ Rita grinned and flew up to join him on the wall. ‘Adventure awaits! Scraaaaack-ack-ack-ack!’

  Vince rolled his eyes. ‘After you.’

  *

  The evening was quiet and the pair made good progress zig-zagging through the house-flanked streets. Vince padded along the path, pausing momentarily to look up at a tall, red cylinder with a thin slot near the top, and wonder what on earth the humans used it for. Rita glided from tree to tree, chattering constantly as she waited for him to catch up.

  The first few cars that roared past sent Vince slinking away into nearby gardens, or behind less terrifying, static versions of the same metal monsters that dotted the street, but after a while he’d started to get used to them. If he stuck to the path that ran alongside where the cars were, he would be safe. Plus, Rita was always nearby yelling at him to hurry up, which somehow calmed his nerves. Or distracted him from them, at least.

>   Every now and again, though, Rita would quieten before disappearing off into the dark sky, leaving Vince alone. The street lights that lined the roads – and the absence of them – made a rudimentary map that helped the magpie locate nearby areas of grass and trees. Once she’d got her bearings, she returned to Vince and they continued on their adjusted course.

  The bark of a dog echoed from a back garden up ahead and Vince’s ears flattened instinctively. They’d only left the safety of the woodland a short while ago, but with all the harsh noises and no cosy den to return to, he felt exposed and on edge.

  ‘We’ll need to find somewhere I can sleep without being seen. I don’t want any hassle from humans,’ Vince said to Rita, who was now hopping along the pavement in front of him.

  ‘Already?’ she replied.

  ‘We’ve got all the time in the world; might as well take it slow,’ Vince said.

  And I don’t like it out here.

  ‘Sure!’ she chirped. ‘I saw the perfect place just now.’

  ‘Good. I’ll need food as well.’

  ‘We’ve got hours of darkness left yet, don’t you worry your little paws.’

  ‘My paws are not little,’ he grumbled.

  They approached a place where several tall lamp posts cast their yellow glow onto rows of gleaming metal bars that traversed the road they were on. The bars were sunk into the surface of the tarmac so that cars could cross over them. Long red-and-white-striped poles reached upwards on either side.

  After surveying the situation, Rita shouted from the air, ‘Right, just across here. Still a few houses about on the left. But you should be able to find… Vince?’ Vince had retreated several leaps and ducked behind a tree. ‘Vince?’

  Rita flew back along the road until she caught sight of him peering around the tree’s thick trunk at what lay ahead.

  ‘Are they…?’ Vince whispered.

  ‘Are they what? Train tracks?’ Rita landed next to him.

  ‘Thought so. Scat.’ He exhaled slowly. The stories Vince’s mother had told him had always scared him, but he’d never expected to actually see a train, let alone go near one. After she’d died, he’d all but dismissed the threat of human vehicles; he’d grown up in Richmond Park, after all, with no intention of going into the city. Now that he was within sniffing distance of the metal rails, the stories came flooding back.