By: T.L. Andra
Deep in the forest beside the river lies the Fox Stone. It is said to possess strange abilities, though no one can explain what they are. Today I intend to find out. My notes say that I must first find the Fox Father and complete a task, then find the Fox Mother and do the same, from each, I will earn a map fragment leading me to the Fox Stone.
My journey begins with a short hike to the river. Along the way, I am met by a few squirrels searching for snacks, a bird singing its songs, and a butterfly floats past me. After a time it begins to feel as though the forest itself is watching me.
I follow the thinning trail until I realize it has disappeared entirely. Waiting amongst the tall grass is the Fox Father’s Stone. I rest my hand on the stone snout, surprisingly warm to the touch, weathered but still pebbled beneath my fingers. I take my seat across from the stone and meditate. After several hours, I have made little progress, but I stay in my spot and continue another hour until a wet poke on my nose brings me back. I open my eyes and an elderly fox sits in front of me.
“You come seeking the location of the Fox Stone. You must complete my challenge to succeed. Follow me young one.” The fox’s mouth never moves, but the words appear clear in my mind, bringing a rush of warmth.
“To walk in the forest you must learn to listen to the forest.” He begins to walk away. I scan the forest ahead for any sign of danger, walking beside him. We approach the edge of the forest, opening onto a large clearing a river flows through the middle.
“You must cross the river stealthily, you must not disturb a bird, or a frog. If any creature notices, you will not receive your map fragment and will have to return tomorrow to try again.” The old fox lifts his snout in the air, testing the breeze. “If you make it to the other side you will go on to meet the Fox Mother. You may cross at any time.”
I nod and sit in some tall grass, waiting for my chance.
The sun settles on the horizon, creating a glare in the sky. Just enough to conceal me. I sneak across in the tall grass, careful not to step on any fallen branches. Moving with intention, eager to get to the edge of the river. Here, I watch for a moment as a frog hops across on his bridge of rocks and wait for the minnows to swim lazily through the shallows while a trout pair holds steady against the current beneath the surface. The waters finally settle before I take my chance and I leap across the resting water. The creatures are all undisturbed by me.
Quietly and deliberately, I arrive at the edge of the trees where I am greeted by the Fox Father with a small nod before he begins weaving through the trail, I follow instinctively.
The Fox Father escorts me through the forest, sharing the secrets of the animals that live in the forest.
“The elk remembers paths older than any map,” The Fox Father shares, “If it lifts its head while grazing, then you best lift yours as well… it has sensed something before you.”
I walk deeper through the forest, a blue bird with a black mohawk lands on a branch and watches intently.
“The Steller’s Jay, it remembers faces and if it stops to watch you, it’s a good thing to wonder what it has noticed.” The fox nods to the bird respectfully continuing deeper into the forest. “The Steller’s Jays are the eyes of the forest. Listen to their warnings. They see danger before you do.”
Nearing the end of our time as travel companions we come to an old oak tree that stands high in the sky. But the Fox Father goes into a hole beneath its roots and emerges with a fragmented map.
“You have earned this.” He gives me the map. A small blue-green dragonfly lands on the map.
The Fox Father smiles, “It seems your next guide has arrived… It has spent much of its life beneath the water.”
He watches the dragonfly as it lifts into the air hovering a couple inches from the map. “But most only notice when they fly.”
The dragonfly drifts forward and a few feet down the path, then waits for me to follow. The Fox Father says, “Don’t judge a creature by the season you meet it.”
He settles underneath the large oak tree and watches. I bring my attention to the dragonfly to follow it after only a few steps. Looking back for one more glance, but the Fox Father is already gone.
The dragonfly guides me through a winding trail, filled with foliage and flowers. Foxgloves as tall as I am and graze my face. The ground begins to incline and I can already feel we are getting closer. As the ground levels out, in the shade of tall trees is a stone in the shape of a fox and a small basin around her. The dragonfly settles into the water and I take my cue to sit and meditate. The morning rays beam on to the stone before the Fox Mother makes herself known. I hear her voice in my mind “Good morning.” I open my eyes and I see her sitting before me. She flicks her nose, moving her whiskers.
“Good morning.” I am grateful to be in her presence.
She stretches and asks, “You seek the Fox Stone, yes?”
I nod.
“I can help with that. But first you must pass a test.” She walks toward the basin and takes a quick drink. “I need to go hunting this morning for my kits. Will you help me?”
“I can do that.”
“Great, but you can’t go like that. Meditate with me and we will change that.” She sits next to me and we start meditating.
A short time goes by, I can hear the wind rustle the trees, chickadees sing near the basin. Swirls of bright orange and shimmering golden clouds surround me. I am lifted into the air. I am pulled out of the meditation with warmth spreading through my body as if I have been kissed by the sun. I shift slowly and painlessly from a human into a fox.
Once I am back on the ground the Fox Mother brushes against me. “Now you will smell like me and the kits will think you are an older sibling.”
She stands and looks in the direction of a small path, “My den is at the base of an oak tree. The kits might already be out playing,”
I nod and the Fox Mother runs into the trees disappearing from my sight. I get used to being on all fours running and seeing everything rush past me with the wind in my fur.
Instinct tells me to pounce. I give it a try and I spring high in the air and land gracefully.
I notice my senses sharpen with every breeze come thousands of far-off scents a human could not experience.
The forest has always spoken to me before, but now I can understand it. Each bird’s songs, the rustling of leaves, even the flow of the river in the distance all have something to tell me.I’ve had enough time to acclimate, there are kits that need me to watch over them.
Back at the den, two kits are already out play-fighting. They stop briefly to acknowledge me before, the more energetic kit pounces on the other while it is distracted by me. She then gently bites her brother on the neck scruff. He attempts to break-free but is unsuccessful. But he keeps trying and is able to flip his sister over freeing himself. He takes a step toward his sister which begins a game of chase. They bolt off in the same direction away from the den.
As a parent would, I listen for the kits, making sure they don’t wander too far from the den. I let out a warning yip, letting them know they have gone too far. They stop briefly before continuing to chase each other. I should have expected that. I run in their direction and attempt to herd them back. They run more out of the way, a Steller’s Jay caws in the distance. I nudge the kits back to the direction of the den. The sister starts going that way, the brother watches his sister and follows her.
The adventurous siblings make their way back to the den. I peek inside to check on the other kits and the smell of warm earth, leaves and fox enters my strong nose. Three kits remain in the den, two sleeping, another waits near the entrance that yips with excitement. One of the sleepy kits jumps up from this and runs up to me as we both exit the den.
The excited one jumps on me, another tries to as well but miscalculates the jump and lands back on the ground and a third doesn’t want to feel left out and climbs on to me from the side and we play-fight together. The others join in and I use much caution not to accidentally hurt any of them while we all play together.
A bark comes from the distance and all of our ears perk up. I see the Fox Mother approaching with a vole in her mouth. She approaches and I see that it is still alive. She drops it in front of the den and all of the kits chase after it. The kits take turns trying to pounce on it. She is sure not to interfere. The kits must learn how to hunt for themselves.
The Fox Mother speaks to me again.
“You have done well, all of the kits are here and they look happy!” She gestures for me to walk with her and we head in the direction where we first met. “I must change you.” At the basin, she looks at me and flicks her whiskers. The clouds of orange and gold shimmer around me once again and I am lifted into the air. Changing this time from fox to human again, slowly and painlessly.
After my transformation, she walks to the basin and taps the water. Peering inside the basin, I see the other half of the map at the bottom. I reach my hand inside and pull the map out. I gently lay it on the ground next to the other and the pieces float into the air with the same shimmering clouds of orange and gold. The map is melded together and drifts to the ground as if it were never in two pieces. Glancing back at the Fox Mother I notice she is already gone.
Looking at the map, I study the long journey along the edge of the river to get to a clearing that will have the Fox Stone there.
Judging by this map it would take me about a day to get there on foot. I take a deep breath and head in that direction. After wandering for an hour until I reach the river bank again and I see an elk taking a drink.
I observe from afar as it quenches its thirst near the river. Remembering what the Fox Father taught me about elk’s secrets. I decide to follow it at a distance, to see where it will take me.
We are taken through a clearing of a trees, just wide enough for the elk to get through. It walks through a cluster of bushes and I find myself standing in front of the Fox Stone.
Everything changes, the wind stills, the grass seems to sing with the rocks and flowers. I put my hand on the moss-covered stone and close my eyes, thanking it for the lessons. As I do, it animates and licks my hand.
“I have done my duty, now it is your turn. The forest thanks you. I thank you.”
Thinking about the words and the way of the fox, I nod graciously.
Swirls of bright orange and shimmering yellow clouds cover The Fox Stone, transforming it into a real fox. She guides me to where she once stood.
Clouds of glistening blue and flashes of grey cover me as I step on to the pedestal. My feet become heavy as they transform into fox paws, fusing themselves with the stone beneath me. Slowly, the transformation continues until I am a fox made of stone.
“Once a new seeker comes by. You will live as a fox and I will fade, it will be your turn to protect the forest as a fox. But for now your role is quiet, but much bigger. You are the forest. You are the wind, the water and the trees. I will protect you, if you protect me.”
The fox runs off, no doubt hunting for voles. I watch over the forest, observing and waiting. Experiencing my new role as the forest itself. For the first time, I feel the wind through my leaves and the water ripple in my creek. I feel the forest breathe.
T.L. Andra 