Elegy for a Star

The walk to the training yard was a frustrating one. Tess had to wake up before the sun rose just to get to her early start time with Sergeant Howlcrag. She was bitter about the assignment. She hadn’t yet worked with Sergeant Howlcrag but she was certain that he was going to be angry with her for not having any prior experience; no gift.

The path to the training yard was outside of the castle and a long walk up one of the mountain trails. There were a few snowcapped trees here or there, but it was mostly just rocks. Especially so when she got into a bit of a gully. It wasn’t a tall one, but it was about twice her height. The sides weren’t perfect 90-degree cliffs either. She could climb them if she really had to.

As she walked, a small stone slipped down the side of the gully and fell in her path. Tess looked up toward the top of the gully and saw a white fox with a big, bushy tail. It stared at her with bright, blue eyes.

“Oh,” Tess said, stopping in her tracks and looking up at the fox, “Hello. You’re not going to attack me, right?” She searched her knowledge of animals and twisted her face up a little, “I’m… pretty sure foxes don’t attack humans.” The fox cocked its head to the side. “You’re a really pretty fox, you know that? Do you want to follow me? Become my companion forever and ever? Maybe I can develop a gift of ‘foxes.’”

“There’s something weird about that animal,” Miri spoke softly, worriedly, in her mind, “I don’t think it’s a fox.”

“What else could it be?” Tess asked, “One of your demon buddies?”

“Tess,” Miri said with some seriousness, trying to draw Tess into that same serious state.

“Okay,” Tess said, looking up at the fox, “What are you, fox? Can you nod if you’re not a fox?”

The fox did not nod, but to Tess’ relief. Instead, it turned around and began to trot off and out of sight.

“Follow it,” Miri insisted.

“What?” Tess spoke aloud, “I’d be late to training. Howlcrag would kill me for being late on the first day. I’m not doing that.”

“Tess,” Miri said again, “I’m serious. Follow it, or I’m going to be as annoying as I possibly can during your training. And no more sex!”

“Oh, please,” Tess rolled her eyes, “I don’t believe that last one at all.”

“That obvious, huh?” Miri replied, “Listen, positive reinforcement, or whatever, I’ll do something really hot for you tonight if you go after that fox. Okay?”

Tess could feel her pants tightening at the thought of Miri’s surprise, “Alright. Deal.” Tess turned and began to climb up the side of the gully. She slipped on some loose rocks, but she otherwise managed to get to the top. Sure enough, the fox was waiting for her just ahead, staring at her.

Raising a brow, Tess began to approach, “What the fuck is up with this fox?” She began to walk toward it and the fox trotted off toward a small patch of trees and a large boulder jutting out of the ground. Tess followed, but the fox was faster. Thankfully, it seemed to wait for her every few seconds, stopping and turning to watch Tess slowly approach.

“Sorry, sorry,” Tess said, putting her hands up with guilt, “I’m coming.”

She rounded the boulder and saw the fox already digging into the snow. Tess slowly approached and dropped to her knees beside the growing hole in the snow. She started digging through it. Eventually, through the snow, appeared a brown lockbox with iron banding. Tess pulled it out and set it into the snow. “How did you know this was here?” She asked the fox.

“Told you it wasn’t a fox,” Miri spoke in Tess’ mind.

Tess tried opening the lockbox but, as expected, it was locked. “I don’t have a key,” Tess spoke to the fox. It lowered its head, opened its mouth, and out dropped a small key covered in slobber. “Well, that’s gross, but thank you,” Tess took the key and inserted it into the lockbox. With a twist, it clicked and came open. Within it was a small, yellow, velvet pouch and a pair of brown gloves.

Tess picked out the gloves and looked them over. There was string wrapped around the ring finger on each glove, bound onto it by wrapping around the wrist as well. The strings supported a coin in the palm. The left hand held a gold coin, the other was silver. Both of them were a currency that Tess hadn’t seen before.

The fox was watching her inspecting the items.

Picking up and emptying the yellow pouch into her palm yielded a silver chain. The chain held onto it a silver symbol of a fox.

“Don’t put it on,” Miri whispered, as though the fox might hear her. Sure enough, the fox turned to look at her when Miri planted those words in Tess’ mind. The thought gave Tess chills.

“Is this for you?” Tess asked, holding up the chain to the fox. The fox turned around and began to trot away. “Thank you!” Tess called out after it, stuffing the chain and gloves into her belt pouch.

“That was so fuckin’ weird…” Tess murmured.

“This isn’t good,” Miri spoke with a sense of urgency, “Don’t put those items on, okay? Not ever.”

“What is it?” Tess asked, beginning her walk back to the gully, “What was that fox?”

“I don’t know for certain, and I don’t want to plant ideas into your head. We need to do some reading. Or, you know, we could just bang Scirocca for an answer,” Miri suggested, “I know which one I’d pick.”

“Yeah, me too,” Tess said, “Besides, we need to talk to Scirocca about what she’s found about Pava’s ledger. I want to know what the snake-bitch did to me.”

Tess sighed, knowing that she was going to be late on her first day with Howlcrag. This was not going to be a good day.