Memory Hunted

by Christopher Kincaid

  Her hand dropped, but she didn’t turn. She remained silent, but her tail wagged.

  "It looks like without me you can’t even take care of your tail. Just what am I going to do with you?"

  Her shoulders quivered like a lamb facing shears for the first time. She whirled, tears on her face. "How dare you die on me, Timmy? Did you know what that was like? What it did to me?"

  Timothy leaned back, aware of his labored breathing. "It wasn’t exactly my idea. I wish our first kiss was on better circumstances. Funny how I had to die to get you to make the first move."

  Kit blinked, and her ears fluttered. "First…move?"

  Timothy shrugged his stiff shoulder. After that walk, he needed to sleep. "We were to both go to Belafonte."

  Kit skewered him with a glare. "You were kind of dead at the time."

  "I’m not now. You owe me for Kyle’s man-kissing. You and I will go there together."

  Kit’s ears wilted, and her tail wrapped around her legs.

  How does she stand the cold with only those leggings and blouse? They are not that warm. No. She’s shivering. "Why aren’t wearing anything warm? Are you trying to catch your death?"

  She whispered something.

  He waited, stifling a yawn.

  She looked up and glanced away. She hugged her tail. "It’s my fault. It’s all my fault."

  I’ve never seen her like this. I…I’m not sure what to do. This isn’t like her at all.

  She looked up. "Normally a man would offer comfort at a time like this. Not that I want to have your scent all over me one last time."

  He frowned. "Is this another game?" He stood and walked around the desk.

  She glared and shook her head. "No. It’s not a game. It is good-bye. One last argument before I go." Her attempt at a smile failed.

  "Go? You know you are not the only fox now. There is no more need to run. Besides, do you think I will let you go just like that? What about your memories?"

  "There isn’t anything more for me to remember. Yes, we got all the way out here and nothing. There is nothing for me here. It would be best if you never had…it’s my fault so much has happened to you."

  "We could stay."

  She frowned at him.

  "We could stay. I had been thinking about it. The Vatican got want they wanted. They have no reason to return now that the last of the foxes have been found. We would be safe, and you wouldn’t have to hide anymore."

  She shook her head. "Staying here would still be hiding."

  "Then I will go with you." He approached her, backing her into the door.

  "No..." She thrust out a hand and hit him right in the wound. Pain slashed, driving him to his knee.

  She knelt beside him. "I’m sorry. Are you okay? Can you breathe?"

  "Fine." Timothy grimaced. "Hurting me never worried you before."

  "Let me take a look." She hauled him to his feet and dragged him to the chair. She tugged at his shirt buttons, exposing his bandaged torso. "It’s not bleeding."

  "In a hurry to get my clothes off now, are you? What happened to leaving?"

  Kit paused. "You wouldn’t have died if I’d never asked for your help."

  "You may have asked, but it was my choice. Just as it is my choice to go with you now." Timothy felt the cold air pebble his skin.

  Her hands fiddled with the bandage’s knot. "I—I can’t have you get hurt again."

  "Watch where you punch me next time."

  She met his gaze. Timothy’s grin faded. She’s worried. "I…this is the end. If I…leave you won’t get hurt again," she said.

  He grabbed her tail. "Not if I have you by the tail."

  She stiffened. Her eyes widened, and she drove her fist into him. "Don’t grab it like that." She tugged her tail free, stood, and turned away.

  Timothy grabbed her shoulder, whirling her around. "If it wasn’t for you I would have died. You breathed life into me in more ways than one."

  She rolled her eyes. "Can you put more theater into your line?"

  "Pardon me, mine princess. But thou dost play a bad theater role thyself."

  "I’ll miss this. Our banter, not your white chest."

  "I will follow you."

  She frowned. "Dying made you blunter."

  "I realized what is important to me."

  "Ugh, if you keep that up—you’re serious."

  "Deadly serious."

  "Funny." She sighed. Her tail caressed his cheek. "What am I going to do with you?"

  "Clean and comb your tail, to start. Maybe a bath."

  Kit blushed and looked away. "You….you will follow me, wouldn’t you?"

  "To the bath? Maybe." Timothy felt proud that he managed to keep a straight face.

  She glared at him. "You know what I mean."

  He nodded. "A shepherd never gives up on a lost sheep."

  "I knew I should have just left, but I had to see you one last time." She groaned. "Your scent addles my brain."

  Might as well go for broke. He stepped closer. "Did I ever tell you how much I like your ears and tail?" He pulled her into his arms, and she wilted against him.

  "Your weapons are so unfair." She hugged him back. "I was afraid when you didn’t breathe. All the blood. I can’t do that again. It was worse than when you were sick."

  "Promise you won’t leave. If I have to chase you, I’m sure I’ll end up in more trouble."

  She shook her head against his good shoulder. "That’s a pretty bad marriage proposal."

  "Whatever it takes. Now promise."

  "Like a burr on my tail." She pushed back. Her hair mussed around her face. She closed her eyes. "Fine. I am an idiot to give in. Fine already. I promise." She stepped back, crossed her arms, and muttered to herself.

  "Tomorrow we will leave for Belafonte." He worked at the buttons on his shirt as he yawned.

  "I said there is nothing for me there."

  "I refuse to have come all this way and not at least look at it. Besides, don’t you want to stay at least a little while? In case you remember something else."

  She chuckled. "I’ve already spent nearly a week there. You’ve been…sleeping for a while."

  "Well several more days won’t hurt then."

  She chewed on her lower lip and watched him.

  "What is it?" he asked.

  "I…I want to sleep with you."

  He froze. What?

  "Not like that. Geez. I can’t have you getting sick after…everything. Seriously, muttonhead. I was going to leave after I saw you one last time but now…" She sighed. "You are a lot of trouble."

  "You shall have the whole of my trouble."

  She muttered something, grabbed his hand, and pulled him across the room and into the next.

  "Don’t get ideas, and keep your hands to yourself." She nestled beside him under the sheets. Her tail twined around his legs.

  "No—" He yawned. "Promises." His eyes felt heavy. "It’s a little crowded."

  "I’ll leave then." Kit moved as if to leave.

  He grabbed her hand. "It wasn’t a complaint."

  She cuddled next to him. "Let’s make our lie a truth. Your aunt can do it, right?"

  He hesitated. Might as well, woolhead. You are in this deep. If Kyle could ring Henrietta, you can Kit. "She may not be allowed, but that won’t stop her."

  "Grammie was right."

  "About what?"

  "That I would know the man meant for me, and I wouldn’t be able to get away when I did. I never guessed it’d be someone like you."

  "Thanks." He rolled his eyes.

  "I meant that as a compliment. How do you do that to me?"

  "Do what?"

  "I came to tell you good-bye, and now we are talking about marriage."

  "My boyish charm?"

  She chuckled. "Not too long ago you’d be crawling out of the bed to get away from me, blushing the entire time. Even just a few days ago you wouldn’t be so blunt. Not that I am complaining." Her breath touched his ear. "It j
ust means I will have to try harder."

  He blushed.

  "A lot of trouble for ruined houses and trees," Kyle said.

  Timothy breathed into his scarf. The journey to Belafonte had taken longer than two days with the pace they’d set. Perhaps it wasn’t wise for him to travel after only two weeks of rest, but he wanted to see Kit’s home. After everything I didn’t want to go back without seeing it.

  The ruins spoke to Timothy. People had lived and died here. He wondered who had lived in that building. Did children play in that street? Yuzu and Tell wandered among the crumbled stone walls that sectioned off a block. Why was that block walled away from the others? Kit stood in front of a pile of rubble. Her tail wagged beneath her cloak.

  Kyle shifted his knapsack. "I hate to go, but I am going to end up in a stew if I don’t."

  Timothy grabbed his friend’s outstretched hand. "It was nice seeing you, Kyle. Thanks for everything. I mean that."

  "Bah, that’s what heroes do." He scratched his beard. "Besides, you’ve always been like a kid brother to me. Never could figure out why you spent time with my old bones." He held up a finger. "Don’t go traveling until spring. Not with your wound. Old Jake told me winter was the worst for him. Couldn’t breathe. There’s plenty of food left at the camp. The boys didn’t carry all of it away. Besides, Tell could give me a run with hunting."

  "Spring." Timothy frowned.

  "Don’t be glum. Your ladylove will keep you warm and busy." He smirked. "What do you plan to do after it thaws, anyway?"

  "Kit wants me to ring her. Officially. And have Aunt Mae do it."

  "What do you mean, ring her? I thought you were already—"

  "We—we aren’t married. It was just a story to keep people from asking too many questions about Kit. You know, her being a fox."

  "Wait. So you mean all this time I was thinking you…I didn’t have to ring Henrietta?"

  Timothy smiled. "She was going to ring you upside the head if you waited much longer."

  Kyle rubbed his chin. "That’s dirty, Timothy. Here you had me thinking my kid brother had taken the lead." He laughed. "Ah well, just means I blazed the trail yet again. Henrietta’s going to want to see your future kids, you know."

  Timothy blushed.

  Kyle clapped him on the back. "Don’t fret. You’d be a fine father. Henrietta won’t pay their little tails any mind when you bring them to visit Uncle Kyle. No frets about that. Though she may have them all bowed up and braided. She threatens to do that to my beard. That’s why I keep it short." He looked at the clear sky. "Well, I’d best get going. Take care of yourself." He called out to Kit. "And be sure to take care of him too, foxy."

  Kit turned and flashed a smile. "He is quite helpless without me."

  "You two make a good pair. Be sure to visit." Kyle waved and strolled away.

  Timothy watched his friend until he disappeared into the forest.

  Kit grabbed Timothy’s arm. "He’s a good friend."

  "The best."

  "Oh? And I’m not?"

  "Nope." He walked toward the house. Kit watched, and she followed. "I feel…different inside, since dying."

  She frowned up at him. "Kyle said you will probably have problems breathing from now on. And you shouldn’t be out here. I never would have guessed he knew about wounds."

  "Kyle’s smarter than he lets people know. And it’s not that. Everything feels more intense. Everything looks different. Brighter."

  "Hmph. I don’t think dying had much to do with it."

  "What could it be then?"

  "You are a woolbrain."

  He stared at her.

  She sighed. "It’s because you—don’t make me say it."

  "What?"

  "You are in l-love with…me."

  "Hmm. I still think dying is the reason."

  She growled and punched him lightly in his side.

  "So this was your house?"

  "I think so. At least, I remember living here."

  "What do you remember?"

  She told him. While she spoke about her mother and father, her gaze became distant. Timothy knew she was seeing them. Her soft voice held awe and sadness. I understand what it’s like to not have real parents, other than Aunt Mae.

  It was deep into the afternoon when Kit finished. She slouched on the stone wall, looking exhausted. Timothy sat beside her and laid his gloved hand over hers. Tell and Yuzu threw balled snow at each other a few houses away. They ducked behind the stone jumbles and jumped out. Tell took one of the balls to his face.

  "Thank you for telling me. How do you feel?"

  She shook her head. "I thought I’d feel different, but I don’t. I thought there would be more. I just don’t remember much. It’s funny. I felt hunted by my memories, and now…" She shrugged. "I don’t know what I was expecting."

  "I don’t know. You remember your parents’ faces, don’t you?"

  She nodded. "Not clearly. I remember Mom’s eyes and Dad’s strong hands."

  "That makes it all worth it."

  She frowned at him. "How can you say that after all I—"

  "It was my choice. You didn’t put me through anything. Well, you did, but I don’t count this." He touched his chest. "Or what happened in Honheim."

  She jabbed a finger at him. "You are still a woolhead, sheepbrain, and frustratingly dense man."

  "I think those all mean the same thing."

  She glared at him from under her eyelashes. "I can make this a long winter for you. We aren’t going anywhere until spring."

  "I am not opposed to staying here, you know. You still haven’t given me a good reason why we shouldn’t. We can clean out Daeric’s lodge. I think I could even raise sheep in some of the clearings out here."

  Kit sighed. "I’ve looked toward the past too long."

  "And what’s that have to do with staying here? We could carve out a future."

  "And hide away from everyone and everything?" Kit gestured. "I don’t want to hide. I want to move forward. I want to have friends who accept me as I am."

  "Yuzu and Tell don’t count?"

  Kit glared at him. "I want to live a normal life. One where I can go into town and enjoy a festival. Out here I will still have to worry. Out here you are also more likely to get yourself hurt."

  Timothy stretched his legs and ignored her verbal jab. "That may take a long time."

  "If it does, it does. At least our future children will have a better place to live."

  Timothy cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks heat. "I don’t know how you will pull any of that off, but I am willing to help."

  "I supposed since I am stuck with you following me where ever I go, I will just have to accept your…help someday."

  Timothy rubbed his forehead. "And just when I thought I could finally match your wit."

  Chapter 11

  Only a month and a half passed before spring began to green the forest. Timothy was glad poor Tell became the target of the women’s attention. Kit decided to resume Yuzu’s lessons. The boy’s decision to try to grow a beard didn’t help his situation. A pair of scraggly, patchy tufts sprouted on his cheeks, much to the women’s constant enjoyment. Timothy had to give the young man credit. He was stubborn. Timothy would have shaved those tufts off after the first time the women wagered how long it would take for the next patch to sprout.

  Under Kit’s watchful gaze, Timothy recovered, although the puckered scar remained on his left breast. Luckily, his shoulder loosened up enough for him to use it normally. His breathing became easier, but he became winded with even light work.

  Finally, on a warm, sunny day, they stood at the palisade’s gates.

  "I think I will miss the place." Yuzu held Tell’s hand. "It was fun."

  Timothy winked at Tell. "I’m sure Tell would rather forget that bath incident." The boy’s face reddened.

  "Hey, Sis was the one who gave me that idea."

  "Every interest needs to be surveyed to see if he passes muster." K
it patted Timothy’s arm. "Tell did better than this bookbug."

  "He has a cute tail. He shouldn’t stuff it into his pants like he does." Yuzu grinned.

  "Don’t fight battles you can’t win, Tell." Timothy shouldered his pack.

  "Then he would never fight, and where’s the fun in that?" Yuzu asked.

  Timothy turned his back on the camp. In a few years it will be reclaimed by the forest, like Belafonte. "Are you sure you want to go, Kit?"

  "Why wouldn’t I?"

  "Once we leave, you will have to hide your ears and tail again. If people found out you were a fox…"

  She stroked an ear. "We can go someplace else. A cabin in the woods. Besides, I’m sure by now Balwar has tried Daeric and Tredere. That should put an end to this fox-demon nonsense."

  "Or it may worry people more."

  "Well, I miss Mother Mae," Kit said. "Besides, if we lived too far out, who would you sell books to after you copy them, bookbug? I, for one, refuse to live barefoot in a cabin. Even with you. Now let’s go." She stalked out of the camp. Tell and Yuzu followed.

  Timothy looked back at the camp and Belafonte beyond.

  The journey away from Belafonte proved pleasant. The good weather held, and they managed to cover good distance each day. The forest was soon behind them. Timothy enjoyed the time spent with Kit, Tell, and Yuzu. Best of all he didn’t have to look over his shoulder for the first time in what felt like years.

  Timothy and Kit grinned as Big Al’s inn came into sight one evening.

  Tell glanced between them, looking confused. "It’s just an inn. Why do you two look so happy?"

  "Oh, you’ll see," Yuzu said.

  The inn’s warmth enveloped Timothy. The same farmers occupied the seats as if Timothy had been gone for just a few minutes. Big Al’s voice filled the room.

  "So there Marc was, hopping from foot to foot—why, look who has returned to us! I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again after you left with that shady red-haired man. Did you have something to do with him being all trussed up with that Inquisitor?"

  "I don’t remember you thinking that boy was shady," Marc shifted on his chair.

  "Not that boy." Big Al waved a hand at Tell. "That Daeric fellow. Where’d you find that lad? Looks like he could use some meat on him."