by Kate Dreyer
‘It’s okay. It’s night-time. Trains don’t run at night-time. I don’t think,’ Rita said.
‘You don’t think?’ He looked down at Rita, his eyes wide with fear.
‘I don’t know. I’m not nocturnal. But neither are humans. There are fewer cars at night, so there probably are fewer trains too.’
‘Fewer is not none,’ Vince snapped.
‘Well, I haven’t heard any, have you?’
‘I… I don’t know.’ Vince edged out from behind the tree, eyes locked on the tracks. ‘Go and investigate.’
‘What are you so scared of? You can run across in half a blink.’
‘That’s easy for you to say, you don’t have to go near them. We definitely can’t go around them somehow? Or just stop here for now?’
‘I don’t think we can go round. They seem to stretch for a long way… There might be a bridge somewhere, I suppose, but I’d have to go and look. If you wait here—’
‘No!’ Vince barked and Rita jumped back, startled. ‘I mean, no. It’s fine. Stay here. Please,’ Vince said.
‘Okay, okay, don’t worry.’ Rita stretched a comforting wing towards the fox. ‘We could rest in the small park over the way until tomorrow.’
‘But we’ll just be delaying the inevitable, right? And there could be more trains then, you reckon. Might as well get it over with.’ Vince’s fear was turning to embarrassment, despite Rita’s understanding. ‘Go and have a look and make sure it’s safe. But don’t go too far. Stay where I can see you.’
‘Okay,’ Rita said, before flapping to the nearest lamp post. She looked both ways along the tracks, then flew across to a lamp on the far side. ‘It’s fine. Come on,’ she called.
Vince approached the rails cautiously, head snapping back and forth with each step. ‘How do you know which way it will come?’
‘We don’t, I guess. But there isn’t anything coming. Listen.’
Vince listened. Beneath the rustling of the leaves above him, a low rumble vibrated in his ears. ‘I hear something. Sounds like thunder. Far away.’
‘I can’t see anything. Maybe it is thunder? Just come on! You could be across by now!’
Rita was right. He was being ridiculous.
‘And trains definitely don’t run at night?’ he called up to her.
‘I didn’t say that, I said there were fewer. But even if there was a train coming, you’d still be able to run across in time. Come on!’ She hopped from foot to foot.
It’s fine. Dad was out during the day. He was always taking risks like that…
‘Okay. Count me down. From three,’ he shouted.
Was that rumbling getting louder? He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.
No. You’re being ridiculous.
‘Three…’ Rita began.
Just my imagination…
‘Two…’
…but it’s getting louder.
A horn blared, vibrating the air around them both. Orange lights flashed out of nowhere. The red-and-white poles juddered as they fell horizontal and thumped into position to block the way. The road on the far side taunted him through the gap beneath.
Scat. What do I do?
Scat.
Scaaaaat.
Vince hurled himself under the barrier.
‘No! Vince! Stop!’ Rita screeched.
As his front paws touched the road on the other side of the tracks, he half opened his eyes. The glare of the street lights dazzled him, doubled by the reflections from the train hurtling towards him. His back legs followed his front and pounded onto the tarmac. The horn sounded again and noise coursed through Vince’s body. A warm rush of air tugged at his tail, dragging it sideways. Vince stumbled, but kept his footing, as the demon-eyed metal hulk cruised past.
‘You did it! Well done!’ Rita cheered as Vince sprinted past her into the near darkness. ‘Wait!’ She flapped after him, barely keeping up as he tore along the road.
Vince’s heart pounded in his ears and chest. He had to get far away. Quickly.
In his peripheral vision a building flew by. A car park. Tall metal fences. He raced onwards, gaze locked ahead. Lamp posts. A flash of scarlet and white. One of his paws landed on something cold. Then trees. Bushes. The road narrowed. More bushes. The cold air stung his eyes and burned his throat, but he ran on.
‘Vince!’
He darted to the right and disappeared into the undergrowth, leaving the brambles rustling behind him. Rita dived into the trees, following his noisy trail of snapping twigs and paws on leaves.
‘Vince!’ Rita called. ‘It’s okay! Slow down!’
The trees gave way to a wide expanse of grass and Vince slowed to a trot. He panted, tongue lolling from his jaws. Rita swooped down and landed in front of him.
‘Vince! Are you okay? You just shot off like a grasshopper!’
‘I’ll be fine. I just… I’m fine.’ Vince let his back legs collapse underneath him as he gasped for air. He looked around at the park he’d brought them to. ‘Where are we?’
‘A park. Small one. Not where I had in mind, but it’ll do I suppose.’
‘Is there somewhere else nearby?’
‘Yes, but you need to rest. Let’s go back into the trees and…’
‘No. I’m fine. We’ve hardly gone anywhere. Come on, let’s keep going.’ He hauled himself off the ground.
‘Okay, but in a bit. Let’s have a rest now, yes? You’ve had a fright. You need to calm down.’
‘I AM CALM,’ Vince barked. Rita flinched at his outburst, hopping a few steps backwards. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you. I’m just… I don’t like trains. Because…’ He pawed at the grass in front of him. ‘…I just don’t.’
Rita tilted her small head. ‘I understand.’
Vince managed a smile, despite the tightness in his chest. She was right, he did need a rest. His nerves were shredded. Rita started to hop towards the trees and said, ‘Let’s find somewhere to relax for a bit, hmm?’
Vince followed in silence, his breathing steadying. The pair reached the edge of the park and slipped through the long grass. The air was slightly warmer under the tree canopy. Vince looked around for a spot to lie down. A quick nap would help him forget the train and focus on what lay ahead.
Rita flapped up into a tree. ‘Well, this looks alright. Will you be okay down there? That was quite the near miss! And I can’t believe you crossed the second set of tracks without even stopping!’
Vince’s eyes widened. ‘What do you mean, the second set of tracks?’
‘There was another set. Parallel, a stone’s throw from the first. I was going to tell you after you’d crossed the first but I didn’t want you to get scared and turn back to the park.’
His head spun. The cold metal on his paw. The red and white. He looked at the ground, towards the direction of the tracks, over to the field. Everywhere but at Rita.
Another set of tracks. She didn’t say anything… I could’ve run straight into another train.
‘You lied to me.’
‘What? No…’
‘You tricked me,’ he snarled.
‘No, Vince. I was trying to help. Honestly. I—’
‘You couldn’t bear the thought of me turning back. You said it was fine to cross! Risked my life just so you could carry on with your stinking adventure?’
‘No! I didn’t know you would bolt off like that. And it’s fine, anyway. You’re safe! You’re overreacting.’
‘Am I? I agreed to let you come with me on the promise that you would help me and keep me safe, and you’re leading me into the path of trains.’
‘Vince, you know I would never do that. You’re my friend. I’m sorry for not telling you about the other tracks. I didn’t hear anything. If I had, you know I would have said so.’
‘Liar,’ Vince growled.
‘You’re tired. Why don’t you get some sleep and we can talk after, yes? Find some food too. That’ll help. I’ll wake you when the moon starts to fa
ll, okay?’
‘Don’t bother.’ Vince turned and trotted away, then slunk under the cover of a nearby bush, the white flash of his tail the last to disappear.
*
Edward was dozing in the woods, close to Vince’s old den, when Jake approached him. Edward always slept at night, as he liked to be awake when the humans visited the park so he could soak up as much admiration as possible, but it did not take much to rouse him.
‘Sorry to disturb you, Edward. Can I have a word?’ whispered Jake.
‘Of course.’ Edward rose to his feet, towering over the fox. ‘Is there something wrong?’ He was usually courteous. At first, anyway. It was really only Vince who rankled him, but Edward was definitely one animal Jake didn’t want to get on the bad side of.
‘Not exactly,’ Jake said. ‘It’s Sophie. She won’t stop crying. And she hasn’t eaten or slept since Vince left… She’s too tired to hunt now. I’m really worried about her.’
‘Can’t keep your vixen happy, eh?’ Edward sneered.
The deer was obviously saving some of his courtesy for another occasion. Jake refused to let Edward get to him. He had come for Sophie’s sake, and the thought of her in tears back in the den was enough to make sure he wouldn’t leave without getting what he wanted.
‘She just wants to know that he’ll be okay,’ Jake replied.
‘And you?’
‘You know Vince and I never saw eye to eye, but he means a lot to Sophie, and I don’t like seeing her so upset.’
‘Oh, how very heart-warming. So, what would you like me to do, exactly?’
‘Send a bird to check on him, maybe give him a message? Just tell him we’re thinking of him, and that he can still come back. We won’t think any less of him. But if not, just to let us know that he’s okay.’
Edward snorted. ‘Who says he can come back?’
‘Oh, come on, Edward. You’ve already destroyed his den. If he wants to come back and live in the cemetery, then what difference does it make to you?’
‘You’re a decent fox, Jake. More decent than Vince ever was. I suppose that’s why Sophie chose you in the end.’
Jake didn’t reply. Edward would take some convincing to do him a favour, and mind games were the stag’s speciality.
Edward continued with a sly smile. ‘If he comes back – if I let him come back – then who’s to say Sophie won’t go back to him? You really want to take that risk?’
‘She wouldn’t do that. Vince and Sophie are just friends now. Like you said, she chose me.’
‘True. But she’ll always have feelings for him. You know that, surely? Anyone can tell you that.’
‘Okay, fine. I admit, I don’t particularly want him back here.’
Edward’s smile widened across his dark face. An admission of Jake’s real feelings towards Vince was clearly what he wanted to hear. ‘Ah, I knew you hated him, deep down. I don’t blame you.’
Jake sighed. Edward’s penchant for drama was wearying. ‘Hate is a strong word. Will you send a bird or not?’
‘I’ll send Kara to check on him, but Vince can’t come back to Richmond Park.’
‘Fine.’
‘And you’ll obviously need to do something for me.’
Jake knew Edward would want something in return. That was how it worked. ‘Such as?’
‘Oh, I don’t know… Letting me know the comings and goings of the cemetery, perhaps?’
‘Spy on my friends, you mean?’ It was a higher price than he’d expected. He did his best to hide his trepidation.
‘No, just keep an eye on them. And if anyone steps out of line, you come and tell me. They don’t need to know. One of the owls does it in the woodlands, some of the does from our herd check the perimeter every evening… It’s how Park Watch works. Now that you lot have relocated, I’ll need an extra pair of eyes. It’s really not a big deal.’
‘Not for you.’
The pair stood in silence for a long blink. If Sophie found out… But what else could he do? He had nothing to offer the birds in return for a favour. It had to be Edward.
‘Two full moons, then you find someone else,’ Jake said, finally.
‘Four.’
‘Two.’
‘Three, or no bird. Do we have a deal?’
Jake sighed. ‘Do I have a choice?’
‘Of course, but it depends how much you want this message sent to Vince.’
Vince wasn’t the issue, Sophie was, but it was only temporary. Worth it to put her mind at rest. ‘Then I suppose we have a deal. But if this gets back to anyone…’
‘Do your job and it won’t. If you even think about keeping anything from me, I’ll have you and that vixen of yours exiled from Richmond Park so fast your fur will fall off,’ Edward said.
Jake turned to leave. Despite the deal, he was relieved. The foxes tended to stick to the rules, so his new position as Chief Fox-Snitcher would hopefully not involve much disloyalty. Plus, it was for Sophie. She was his only priority.
‘Oh, and Jake?’ Edward called after him.
Jake looked over his shoulder at the deer.
Edward laughed. ‘If you need some advice on how to keep your female happy, then let me know.’
Jake narrowed his eyes, then turned back, fur bristling. Without a word, he headed in the direction of the cemetery, where Sophie awaited him – and any news of Vince – in their newly dug den.
*
Rita hopped around the base of a hawthorn, pecking off caterpillars among the small white flowers. Half an hour had passed since Vince stormed off, but she wasn’t worried about him disappearing. After their argument, she’d stealthily followed him and watched as he’d curled up under a prickly holly bush. She’d seen enough of his tantrums over the last few seasons to know that he always sulked for a while afterwards. It was worth putting up with, though. For the company. She stayed nearby so she could hear him when he eventually decided to emerge.
After swallowing one last beakful, she’d settled on a low branch to preen her feathers when a rustling from behind alerted her senses. Too big for a mouse or rat. Definitely not a bird.
The creature let out a deep guttural grunt. A white pointed snout with a black mushroom nose appeared, methodically snuffling at the ground. Close behind, and very much attached, was the unmistakable black-and-white-striped head of a badger. Its large body followed, lumbering along slowly and awkwardly, as if its four short legs couldn’t quite decide how to work together. The wiry grey fur covering the creature was patchy in places, and one of its ears had seen better days.
Rita let out the breath she’d been unaware of holding. A badger was no threat to her. Not that Rita was a particularly nervous bird – she was more of a predator than most.
‘Hello there!’ she called down. He might know the surrounding area well enough to give them a few directions.
‘Uh…What’s that Sid hears? Show yourselves!’ he spluttered, twisting his small head back and forth.
‘Up here.’
The badger looked up. ‘Oh, hello. A single pie-bird? Curious. Not from around here, you’re not.’ It was less of a question and more of a statement to himself.
‘No. Just passing through. But you are, I take it?’
‘Here and there. Sometimes there, but mostly here,’ he said.
‘Ah, good. Maybe you can help us?’
‘Who is us? You appear charmless, lonely bird!’
‘My friend is sleeping over there. He’s a fox.’ She pointed her wing in the direction of the holly bush. ‘Vince, he’s called. I’m Rita.’
‘Very good, very good. I’m Sidney or Sid, whichever suits your beak.’ Sid sniffed at the ground absentmindedly, then looked up sharply and continued. ‘A fox, Sid heard you say?’
Rita nodded.
‘Sid finds this interesting. Most remarkable indeed. And you are… friends with the red-furred mammal?’
‘Yes. Sort of. Well, he’s angry at me right now. But he’ll be alright soon. I think. I hope
.’
‘Oh, I suppose it was yourselves quarrelling earlier, then? My, my, what exciting drama unfolded before Sid! Such interest Sid has in your personal existences!’
‘Um… Really?’ Rita replied.
‘No. Very not quiet, you were. Woke old Sid up, you did. Very not quiet, indeed.’
‘Sorry. I was trying to stop him getting too scared. He doesn’t like trains. But he thought… Well, I don’t know… He thought I tricked him. To stop him from going back home. But he got frightened and lost his temper.’
‘Scared of trains? Whose ears ever did hear of a fox scared of trains? These fresh litters… Pfft.’ He shook his head. ‘Well, no matter to Sid. Help you if I can, I will, I suppose. What can Sid do for you?’
‘We’re looking for a park. The one Vince’s grandparents came from. It’s north of here, apparently. We don’t know what it’s called, though.’
‘Northwards, the pie-bird says?’ Sid frowned. ‘Well, Sid’s not left these woods in many seasons. Sid’s directions may not be of any purpose to yourselves now. New roads popping up all over the situation… Why do the furless ones need so many? All this journeying around… Here, there… It’s all the same anyway, if you ask Sid. Where are you from, pie-bird? If you don’t mind Sid asking?’
Rita fluttered down to Sid’s level. ‘Richmond Park.’
‘What’s that now? Sid knows that name. Close by, is it? Why would you leave?’
Rita explained about Edward and the deer. ‘It was okay for me, I suppose, but Vince had had enough. I think he’s pretty brave, standing up for what he believes in. And he left his vixen. Well, she’s not his vixen any more, but he still cares about her. Don’t tell him I told you that.’
‘Deer you say? Hmm… Met some of those I have, perhaps. Or not. Hard to remember, now. But Sid knows something, indeed. You fresh-litters don’t comprehend the good life. Standing up for what he believes in? A fool’s errand. Your red-furred mammal is unwise. A few rules might help arrange these woods, if you ask Sid. Bush-tailed-climbers keeping me up all sunshines. Small beasts stealing my food. Speaking of such…’ The badger lifted his head and peered over the top of Rita. ‘Is that your red-furred companion?’