Taboo Love Chapter 8: Shattered Secret - Part 1
#8 of Taboo Love Forever
Well it's finally arrived! I apologise to you all that I couldn't get this done any sooner, but things got a bit hectic. I won't bore you with the details. Little side not is that this story is even longer than the last one, which came as a surprise to myself. Hopefully it is going to be worth the wait! So, please do enjoy!
Unfortunately, for some reason when i was posting this, it wouldn't allow me to post the whole thing a once! So i've had to carve it up into Part 1 and Part 2! >.
Warning: The following story contains descriptions of an adult nature. Those under the age of 18 should not read this story, for fear of how it might affect your fragile little mind. Yes, I am patronising you but you know who you are so leave now, I'm not joking. This story contains incest and should more than likely be avoided by people who dislike such things that come under that title. I cannot be held accountable for you actions beyond this point.
Another week of blazing sunshine had passed by, to the dismay of all those who were on their holiday's, knowing that school would soon fast approach. Friday-to-Friday had come and gone and nobody was any the wiser. For Mark, it was a week of quiet misery. Not only was his big brother Charlie leaving them again in just over a week, he was also having to deal with the heartbreak of losing a love. Being that it was a secret relationship, there were few who knew that they had broken up or had even been together. Out of the two whom knew of their little secret, only one had seemingly become aware of its disintegration.
Charlie hadn't said a word, but he was all too astute not to realise what had happened. He didn't even have to speak to Mark to know how he was feeling. He could see it in his body language; he wasn't full of energy like he usually was. The other thing was that he hadn't received a single phone call or visit from Mist, nor had he gone to see her. He could only imagine how that poor girl felt. However, the really frustrating thing was that he had no idea why they would break up. There were many reasons couples would split up, he'd been through most of them himself already, but it just didn't seem to make any sense. It didn't take a mastermind to understand how in love with each other they were and they shared something special together. It was a mystery he hoped he might solve before his time was up.
It was early Saturday afternoon and life as normal continued on. Charlie and Liz were in the kitchen preparing lunch for the family; a mixture of tasty looking sandwiches placed neatly on a specifically large plate. It was a tradition long held by the family to all eat meals together whenever possible. Of course it was not entirely compulsory and those whom had other things to do where excused. Though, those who saw no purpose in eating together and chose to eat alone lost some of their credibility. Fortunately, that was very rarely the case in this family as they all enjoyed each other's company equally. The only periods that were considered true 'family time,' were Saturday lunch times and Sunday evening's. Only in special cases could one hope to get away with missing 'family time.'
Derek was doing his usual thing, which was to read the paper in the lounge, safely tucked away from noise, for now at least. Hazel had found herself a nice spot on the grass out in the back garden to soak up some sun and read a book in peace. Their garden was quite large. A wooden fence stretched along the right side, while the bottom and left side was covered by evergreens. Two-dozen steppingstones imbedded in the ground made a neat looking path to the bottom of the garden where a shed and an old oak tree stood, both as lifeless as the other. A paved patio area was positioned right next to the French double doors and covered around a quarter of the garden.
Hazel would sit cross-legged in the middle of the grass for a few hours sometimes, whiling away time as if it were a commodity. She liked the feel of grass under her feet, it tickled between her toes, yet was smooth at the same time. A gentle cooling wind blew, although it could not undo the searing heat of the summer's sun, it was still a pleasant breeze. An ear flicked, batting away a bee that had gotten close enough to become irritating. She had drifted into a daydream like state, even though she was still reading and taking in much of what she read. She did it often, finding that she would become a character in the book, usually the one she most admired.
"Hazel," Liz called at a modest level, poking her head outside into the backyard.
Hazel's ears perked up immediately, breaking her out of her little fantasy world to turn towards the sound. It was like she had been asleep and had just been woken up as her eyelids flickered. Reality hit her and her senses reactivated, bringing back to life the world that was around her. As she was facing away from the doors, she had to swivel her upper body around and look over her shoulder.
"Hey mum," she answered cheerily, flashing her mother a smile.
"Lunch is nearly ready," Liz said, returning the warm smile she received.
"Okay, I'll be inside in a bit then," she gleefully responded.
"You do remember Auntie Josephine will be coming round later today?" Liz asked, knowing her daughter wouldn't forget, but she liked to make sure.
"Of course, who do you think I am, Mark," she giggled to some extent, which was quickly joined by her mother.
"Speaking of Mark, do you think you could go wake him up, please?" She requested pleasantly, holding a paw above her brow to block out the blinding sunlight.
"Is he still not up yet?" Hazel asked with an apt amount of surprise.
Liz shook her head lightly; her expression was now meek and gloomy, conveying her feelings for the situation. She turned and went back inside the house, returning to get everything ready for lunch.
Hazel's once happy smile had faded and was replaced by dismal concern for her little brother. She hadn't seen him this depressed for at least five years. Something had crushed his spirit, but for the life of her she could not figure out what. It made her sad to see him in such a way and try as she might, she could not seem to get a rise out of him. He hadn't even been in 'the mood' this past week, which left her with a burning desire that couldn't be filled without him.
Looking down she sighed into her book; silently wishing life could be more like the fictional world she held in her paws. Picking up her bookmark and sliding it in between the pages, she closed it and smoothed the hardback cover. Things always ended happily ever after in the stories she read. She thought it a shame that reality wasn't the same.
With a heaving puff she raised herself off of the grass, stretching out her arms on tiptoes as if reaching for the sky itself. She relaxed again, rolling her shoulders before setting off back inside the house. She walked into the dinning room through the French double doors and continued on towards the staircase. She could easily see both her brother and mother working away and chatting through the open plan archway connecting the dining area and the kitchen. She took the relative short cut, which meant she didn't have to go through the kitchen. The only true door to the dining room led straight out into the hallway. When she added it up, it was probably about the same distance if she went through the kitchen, because the first step was a single metre from the kitchen doorway.
A quick climb up the stairs later, she was on the landing and padding softly towards her room. She didn't like having to wake him when he was depressed; he was safe in his dreams, although lately that hadn't been the case. However, there was a limit to how much time he could spend sleeping. He should just think himself lucky it was her waking him up. In his present circumstances she would be gentle and sympathetic, but nevertheless forceful. On a normal day Mark would probably get a glass of water over the head for being so lazy.
She silently opened up the door and slipped in, trying not to make any sound so she could delay her duty and give him a couple of extra seconds rest. She approached the lump in the sheets on the rickety camp bed. The curtains were still closed, yet enough sunlight was piercing through the material to comfortably light up the whole room. A loud creak made her body tightened as she winced helplessly. That one accursed squeaky floorboard in her room and she had to step on it. Lifting her weight from her right foot, she stepped away and began her voyage once more. When she reached him she noticed that not one part of his body was showing from under the sheets. He was visibly on his side and she could see where his paw had collected up the sheet to pull over his head. It must have been too light for him because it certainly wasn't cold.
She crouched down beside him, sitting on her heels. She watched the bulge in the quilt slowly move up and down as he breathed peacefully. Hazel sighed once more, before extending a paw and placing it on what she hoped was his arm. She smoothed him under the duvet, seeking to wake him as serenely as possible.
"Mark," she whispered calmly.
There was no response, not even the tiniest of movements were made. She decided to up her game, one way or another he was going to be woken up. She gradually peeled back the sheet from his face, uncovering his features down to his neck. Fortunately, he wasn't gripping tightly onto the quilt or otherwise it may have been a task excavating him. He looked so tranquil when he was sleeping. His expression was hassle-free with no signs of stress or worry. She brushed her paw lovingly through his tuft of brown hair. His head moved slightly as the smallest of smiles crept across his muzzle.
"Mark," she called softly, only louder this time.
Mark's expression changed quickly. His eyebrows dipped towards his nose and his muzzle scrunched up somewhat. He made an odd murmuring sound as if displaying his displeasure vocally. A heavier breath escaped him as his senses began to rouse, but he did not wake. It seemed he was very determined to stay in wonderland, instead of facing real life.
"Come on little fox, it's time to get up," she stated more firmly, yet she kept a soothing tone.
Mark's unconscious mind was absolutely adamant that it did not want to be woken up. Hazel hummed to herself, both in compassion and thought. He really didn't want to get up. She thought about giving him a really pleasant awakening since nobody was about, but his disposition lately told her not to force him into anything. She wasn't even sure if he'd enjoy it or just tell her to go away. Instead, she lowered her head and licked his check a few times. Mark stirred a lot now, instinctively reacting to the wetness lashing against his face. Her tactful tender tactics were paying off as he flopped over so that he was lying on his back.
Mark's eyes began to delicately blink open as his awareness awoke from its slumber. The low lighting didn't impose on his waking as he promptly came to his senses. At first only blurred images could be made out, although clear ones replaced them when his eyes fully opened. That was a sight he would never get tired of waking up to, his sister's beautiful smiling face looking adoringly down on him. It made him smile, if only for a second, before memories of pain returned. His smile hurriedly disappeared as he remembered what he had woken up to. His eyes lowered and broke contact with his sister's.
Hazel easily recognised this and her own grin evaporated into thin air as well. Sleep, rest and time could cure most things and Mark had had plenty of each the past week. Emotional hurt could be compared to a laceration of the skin, depending on how deep the cut had gone determines how much time is needed for it to heal. Sadly some cuts leave scars and never truly go away. It was because of this, Hazel chalked Mark's misery up to Charlie leaving soon. There wasn't anyway around it, Mark was going to have to cope with it as best he could. But he didn't have to deal with it alone. She was always going to be there for him like she always had been. Little did she know, the wound went deeper than what she thought.
"Mark, what's wrong?" She questioned with concern in her voice.
"Nothing," he mumbled his reply.
"You've been pretty down recently, there has to be something wrong?" She continued to enquire.
"I said I'm fine," he answered meekly, keeping his tone low and barely audible.
Hazel didn't know what was the most saddening part of all this, the fact that her little brother was so depressed or the fact that he wouldn't tell her the problem. She stayed watching him in complete silence, never letting her eyes fall from his.
"You best get up Mark, lunch is nearly ready," she announced, before standing up. She walked away from him, leaving him to his own devices if he didn't want to talk. She would get it out of him eventually; it wasn't good for him to keep everything all bottled up like that.
Just before she exited the room, she remembered something she needed to remind him of. She turned to find him looking at her once more. "Auntie Josephine is coming around today, thought I'd just jog your memory," she said with a weak smile.
"I know thanks," Mark replied, attempting a pitiful grin of sorts.
He looked on as his sister left the room, making everything seem even more miserable. He listened to fading footsteps and creaking floorboards from the landing, then, nothing. Deafening silence gripped the young fox in its cold clutches. He felt so alone in his struggles, although he knew his family was there for him. Hazel was a ray of sunshine in the blackness of his days, but even she couldn't bring him through this one. This was something only he could sort out himself, for better or for worse.
Mark yawned widely, his muzzle opening as far as it would go before slamming shut. He sat up with a squeal of protest coming from the camp bed. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes using the backs if his paws. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings, carefully scanning the room to become familiar with it again. A hefty sigh broke free of his mouth as he decided it best to get a move on. The tedious things like showering could come later. He was simply clad in a pair of navy boxers and needed to address that certain detail.
He slid his legs over the metallic edge of the camp bed and lifted himself to his feet. He had dumped his clothes on the floor the night previous and figured there was no point putting clean clothes on with a dirty body. He picked up the remarkably creased black t-shirt and similarly tattered pair of jeans. It was the same old boring procedure of applying clothing that he went thought sometimes two or three times a day. In no time at all, Mark was making his way downstairs and trying to locate the rest of his family.
"Oh, good afternoon sunshine, don't need to ask how you slept," Liz chuckled with a grin. She was crossing over to the lounge from the kitchen with a large plate in her paws, when she saw her son and stopped. The plate she was transporting had an arrangement of sandwiches atop it. She didn't wait for any response and continued on walking, knowing they would have plenty of time to talk in a minute.
"Just in time Marky, we were beginning to worry you'd gone nocturnal on us," Charlie said chirpy as ever. He too was carrying a plate of sandwiches.
"Not yet anyway," Mark added, trying to make it sound as if it were a joke.
"Come on scruff, time to eat, you must be hungry by now," Charlie affirmed encouragingly.
"Well, you know me," Mark rejoined, putting on a mask of happiness.
He followed his brother into the living room where everybody had gathered. He was a bit anxious about going in because he knew he would be somewhat a pariah as he had only just gotten up. He entered the room close behind Charlie, almost as if he were trying to hide. He watched as his older brother placed the plate of sandwiches on the coffee table next to the other one that Liz had brought in. They did look tasty and a low growl from his stomach told him how hungry he was.
"Good afternoon son," Derek peeked up from his paper to say.
"Morn... afternoon dad," he said, quickly correcting himself.
He took a seat in between Hazel and Charlie on the three seated sofa. He did not sit back and relax; instead he stayed perched on the edge of the sofa. He looked hungrily at the food displayed on the table and licked his lips ever so slightly. It had been a long time since he had last eaten, considering that it was lunchtime and he had skipped breakfast whilst sleeping. Nobody else was eating. Liz, Charlie and Hazel were watching the television while Derek was reading. Lost in his mind he naturally jumped a little when Hazel lent forward to grab a plate and a sandwich of her choice. Taking that as a sign he could eat something he followed his sister's example and grabbed some food. It struck him as odd that he waited for validation to eat something. He simply shook his head and paid his crazy mind no more attention. There was so much going on up there lately that nothing seemed to make sense anymore. For now, he was just content to be munching on a ham sandwich.
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Deep in thought the time was ticking away, seconds turned to minutes then hours. Before Mark knew it, it was three O'clock and Aunt Josephine would be arriving soon. It definitely wasn't a bad thing; they all loved her because she was so nice. In fact, everybody always said they could see a little bit of her personality in Charlie. They were both infallibly cheerful almost all the time and had a very sunny disposition. Being that she was his father's sister, they seemed to be like opposites. One was happy and showed it, but the other could be happy or sad and it would be difficult to tell the difference. Derek took a very relaxed approach to family life, only getting involved if the situation required his firm paw. Derek's sister took a much more engaged attitude with her children as Mark had seen personally when he went to visit. There was only one rule in her house, Josephine's rule. Although instead of punishment, she used encouragement, which was where she differed from other parents.
Mark's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the ring of the doorbell. For the first time in quite a while, he managed to smile for real. This was a welcome change in his life right now; maybe it was what he needed to recover or at least gather the bravery to act upon the decision he made a week ago.
He threw his control pad beside himself and got up off of the foot of his old bed. He switched off both his gamestation and television before heading towards the door. He walked briskly down the landing and in the direction of the stairs. He was directly at the top of the staircase when he saw everybody had gathered in the hallway. Derek was standing idly in the doorway to the kitchen. Charlie had elected to stand across the hall near the lounge doorway. Hazel and Liz were in the centre, practically directly in front of the door. Mark raced down the stairway, watching his mother open the door.
"HAZEL!" Came a high-pitched squeal as soon as the door was opened. A small blurry fuzz of greyish fur flew towards Hazel at record speeds. She hardly had enough time to prepare to be pounced before the haze of grey leapt at her. She fell backwards like a freshly cut tree, narrowly escaping a nasty head injury.
"Hazel! Hazel! Hazel!" The excitable ball of fluff squeaked rapidly. Hazel was stunned from the fall and didn't reply as the world around her froze for a minute. She felt wet licks on her cheeks that instantly brought her round.
"Okay, okay, it's nice to see you too Josh!" Hazel laughed out her reply as a small pink tongue tickled her face repeatedly.
"Dear god Joshua! Get off of your cousin this instant!" A hard but unusually kind voice called.
"Yes mamma," the child said apologetically, his stout triangular ears drooping behind his head. The small grey wolfox climbed carefully off of his cousin he had ambushed in the excitement. He paced back towards his mother who was now standing just inside the hallway. The little wolfox boy was ten years old and very much so looked his age. His adolescent facial features showed this well and his size didn't help matters. He was a head shorter than Mark, which made him less than four feet. His fur was a perfect mix of white and black, combining to cover his whole body in a monotone of grey. Being a wolfox, he had traits of both his father and mother. His mother, Josephine, was an arctic vixen with pure snowy white fur. His father was a wolf with black as night fur and so Joshua was born a crossbreed. His ears, muzzle and tail were all wolf like in appearance, whereas the rest of him has more from his mother's side.
"I'm so sorry about Josh, he's been hyper ever since I told him we were coming here today," Josephine said in a slightly tired voice. It wasn't very often she came to visit, mainly because she lived far away. She was only one year her brothers senior, making her forty-seven. As siblings they were not dissimilar in the looks department, although the obvious difference of them being male and female made them different. She was rounder than Derek, not overweight, but she certainly had more meat on the bone. She still looked young, although she did not try to pass herself off as thirty-seven, she could have quite easily.
"Really, I don't mind, I think I should be used to it from him by now. I just wish somebody would have told me he would be coming so I could prepare myself," Hazel giggled merrily whilst standing back up. She looked knowingly over at her mother who was poorly concealing a laugh behind her paw. Hazel rolled her eyes at her. She found it funny, but would have liked at least some kind of notification from those who knew.
"Well come here and give your Auntie a big hug you two," she said emphatically to both Hazel and Mark, who had been watching his sister get mauled in great amusement. Almost immediately the two of them dashed over to the artic vixen and hugged her warmly. Josephine bent down to bring herself to their height and returned the embrace with enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around her two nephews.
"It's so good to see you again Auntie Joe," Hazel mumbled happily into Joe's side.
"Ditto," Mark added his piece, smiling to himself.
"I would come over more often if I didn't live so far and for one other reason," she spoke sweetly to the beloved ones in her arms. Josephine gave a dark glance over at her brother. It was no more than a second of eye contact, yet it was enough to make Derek shift uncomfortably where he rested.
The three-way cuddle was broken when all of the participants simultaneously decided to end it. Josephine stood back up, placing her paws on her nephew's shoulders and released a heavy breath. It was a pleasure to be in the company of them once again.
"You have not changed a bit little madam," she spoke joyfully to Hazel. She then looked over at Mark and gave him a thoughtful examination.
"You have changed..." she said as if stuck within her own mind, like she was drawing her own conclusions. "You've grown up into a big, strong and dare I say, handsome young man," she smiled cordially, patting the blushing young fox between his ears. What she said was true, but it was not the whole truth. She could sense that something else had changed, something deeper than external looks. She let it go for now, it wasn't her place to pry. Anyway, something else more pertinent was on her mind. She looked about herself and instantly locked eyes with a grinning blue fox stood not five feet away.
"Well bless my soul... Elizabeth said you had come home, but I would never have believed it until I saw you with my own two eyes..." she announced with the lightest of gasps imaginable.
"Hello Auntie, long time no see," Charlie spoke up, still grinning cheekily.
"Well don't just stand there, child!" Josephine called ecstatically.
Within a few brisk steps Charlie had taken his Aunt into his arms, being that he was taller than her now. He held her close, placing his muzzle on her shoulder and nuzzling ever so slightly against her neck. Both had their eyes closed as they basked in the long overdue reunion.
"You were the only one who understood..." Charlie whispered at a level only audible to her.
"I know dearest... I know..." she whispered back, a solemn look on her face.
They stayed like that a bit longer, each showing their appreciation for one another. The three children of this particular gathering, Mark, Hazel and Josh, all looked on in quiet fascination. Charlie had never spoken of Josephine before, but it seemed obvious that they were pretty close. Only the two parents knew of what was between them, though they never spoke of it. Derek suppressed a snide scowl through darkened eyes, not allowing anyone to see how he truly felt. Liz was nearly in tears; she knew how much Josephine meant to Charlie and it broke her heart to think about it. A few brave deep breaths corrected her disposition, if only on the outside.
After a time, the blue fox and snowy white vixen parted, leaving the hallway in deathly silence. Josephine had said her greetings to practically everyone; including Liz whom she had hugged while Josh was affectionately pawing Hazel. The only fur she had not paid attention to was her own brother; with the exception of the few fleeting glances she gave him. It was an odd moment when the two locked eyes permanently. Neither one of them could look away, not even for a second. An eerie pause besmirched the high spirits and loving emotions that had once existed not one minute ago.
"Hello brother," Josephine chose to break the mood with a simple greeting.
"Sis," Derek merely replied, giving her the slightest of nods.
Josephine smiled a little. To some this would have seemed odd at such a point of anguish, but it meant more between brother and sister than met the eye. As Josephine had been with her brother for many years when they were teens, like most siblings, she knew him well. It was because of this she understood the nature of Derek. He was indeed a proud fox, who always had a sense of nobility and to receive that seemingly harsh welcome was all Josephine needed to know that she was accepted. The past was never behind them and Charlie only served as a constant reminder. She hoped that one day all would be forgiven and forgotten and they could carry on as normal, but it appeared that forgiveness and forgetfulness were not traits Derek had.
"Lets have a sit down and a nice cup of tea, yeah?" Liz perked up, stepping out of the background and into the limelight.
"Oh I'm dying for a cuppa," Josephine grinned earnestly in return.
A short dispute about who was going to make the tea later, with Josephine finally backing down after Liz's 'you've been on the road for hours,' argument, winning out. Derek, Josephine, Mark, Hazel and Joshua, who followed closely behind his cousins, filed orderly into the living room. Liz and Charlie went into the kitchen to prepare cups of tea for those who would be having some. With a loud rumble the electric kettle was boiling in no time and four distinctly different cups of tea were made. With one mug in each paw, the two crossed over to the lounge and passed out respective cups full of hot light brown liquid to the adults.
Having only six seats and seven furs was no problem, especially when the little wolfox among them had no objections to sitting on his cousin Hazel's lap. Hazel didn't mind either, she thought it was cute, kind of like a young Mark. She still thought Mark was cute, but he'd never sit on her lap like a child would. She phased out for a bit, simply staring intently at her brother who was smiling. God did she ever miss that smile; she thought she'd never see it again. With her own satisfied grin, her ears flicked actively as sounds of conversation finally hit home.
"I'm afraid Emily couldn't make it, she's still on her gap year, last we heard she was doing volunteer work in Africa, but I'm not going to pester her with phone calls, probably the last time she'll get to have that much fun anyway. From her letters she sounds like she's having a great time anyway," Josephine regaled the gathering by telling them of her 18-year-old daughter.
"Nice to get away from education though, I'm right in saying she's going to university when she comes back?" Liz asked curiously.
"Yes she is, going to study psychiatry... my little sweetheart is growing up," she answered reminiscently. "But at least I still have this little monkey!" She called out, leaning forward and scooping up her grey fuzzy son into her arms. Joshua giggled freely, beaming broadly in the clutches of his loving parent. After a few moments, he settled down and noticed everyone looking at him. He went quiet and blushed heavily, seeing that all eyes were literally on him. He took special note of the blue fox he couldn't remember ever seeing before. He found it very odd when he hugged his mum like that, especially when she had never even mentioned him.
"Mamma, who's Charlie?" He looked up to his mother, tilting his head skywards and whispering quietly, when ordinary conversation had continued.
"He's both my nephew and your eldest cousin," Josephine replied in a soft voice.
"Do I know him?" He questioned quizzically, cocking his head and gazing at the blue fox.
"Yes you do, but I think you may have been too young to remember him, it's been five long years since even I've seen him..." she drifted off slightly, but kept her composure.
Josh didn't quite understand, yet his adolescent mind did not allow him to question further and he accepted things the way they were. Another feature of his young brain was that it got bored very quickly and all the adult conversation became rapidly arduous.
"I want to play with Hazel and Mark," Josh stated in his diminutive voice, still speaking lowly to only his mother.
"Well I'm sure if you ask them nicely, they'll say yes," his mother grinned sweetly with a light-hearted chuckle.
Joshua climbed carefully off of his mothers lap, sliding himself stealthily to the floor. Unnoticed, he padded his way back over to Hazel and stood before her. She was not looking his way at first and was engrossed in a conversation with Mark who was sat beside her. He looked at them as if worried and confused at the same time. He looked back over to Josephine, but she was in a three-way discussion of her own with Liz and Charlie. His naturally low childish patience ran out pretty quickly. Barely a few seconds had passed and his bored mind made him act so that he could quench his thirst for entertainment. He gripped onto Hazel's light blue jeans leg and gave it a gentle tug. She didn't seem to notice. His brow furrowed in slight frustration at the feeling of being unintentionally ignored. He tugged a bit harder, the fabric visibly stretching over her knee. He caught Hazel's attention this time and she turned her head to see Joshua's face.
"What's wrong sweetie?" She asked pleasantly, a warm smile spread over her muzzle.
"I want to play," he simply stated, having nothing else to add except his request.
Hazel grinned widely and giggled faintly at how cute he was. She placed a paw behind his ear and rubbed his head fur softly. He tilted his head into her strokes, a serene look covering his expression. Both his ears folded back somewhat, obviously enjoying the attention.
"Of course cousin," she answered him whole-heartedly. She stopped scratching his head and he smiled excitedly at her response. "What do you want to do?" She questioned.
"Um..." Joshua's voice faded reflectively. The young wolfox hadn't actually put a lot of thought into it. He wanted to do something that wasn't boring, obviously. Though he didn't know what there was that they could do. Quite a few thoughts sprung to mind, but he was not sure what Hazel and Mark would think of any of them. Hazel noticed he had drawn a blank and was struggling. A great thought jumped to mind instantly and she knew her little cousin was bound to love it.
"How about we go to the park?" She asked with a due amount of mirth.
"YEAH!" He shrieked childishly, almost jumping on the spot.
"That sounds like fun," Mark added, joining in to give his approval, having been listening to them talking.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" The cliché rhetorical question arose from Hazel. She stood up, pressing her paws against the cushy sofa to provide extra force. Mark was close to follow, rising from his comfortable seating position.
"And where do you think you three are going?" Liz asked, acting as if she were annoyed with them.
"The park!" Josh barked in excitement. His expression was of pure glee and his wolfish tail wagged energetically from side to side.
"Hmmm... I don't know about that," Liz commented teasingly. "I think you best ask your mother," she said, looking over at Josephine and winking subtly. She grinned in return. Joshua's appearance dampened a bit for fear that his mother might say no because of his unruly act previously bestowed upon Hazel. He walked carefully up to her in that way children do when they're being crafty and trying to sweeten you up for something. His tail had ceased waving to and fro, stopping and hanging limply.
"Muuuuuum?" He began his juvenile guile technique with a classic manoeuvre.
"Yes dear?" She asked, playing the fool and forcing back a laugh, trying desperately to look her pleading son in the eyes.
"Can me and my cousins go to the park, pleeeeease?" He beseeched her sweetly, his big puppy eyes gleaming.
"Of course you can sweetheart, just don't have too much sugar while you're out or otherwise you won't get any sleep tonight, okay?" She made sure to add sternly.
"Yes mamma," he beamed a cheery smile. His tail resumed its active wagging, threatening to knock over a cup and spill the tea within all over the carpet.
"And be back before dinner," Liz added as the three of them were about to exit the room.
Hazel and Mark nodded their reply; Josh was too far gone to even notice. He scampered towards his shoes and tugged them on. He didn't undo his laces when he took them off so it was a quick procedure putting them back on. He waited eagerly; fidgeting on the spot by the door while his cousins collected their own shoes. He was almost bouncing by the time they got to him and opened up the door.
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It was a quicker trip to the park than it usually was, although that was only because of little Joshua's keenness. The two siblings had to jog to keep up with Josh's running. He seemed to want to stay at least a few paces ahead of them at all times as if they were in a race. He would shout back at them taunts about being slow and not being able to catch up with him. Of course, the two foxes could easily catch the kit up, but they knew that's not what he actually wanted.
There were barely any cars on the road as it was the weekend. What also made a difference was the summer's shining sun that was withering the un-watered plants and because of this, most people were walking anyway. There weren't many roads to cross on the way to the park and no cars to speak of. However, Mark and Hazel still caught up immediately with young Joshua to make absolutely sure he was safe when crossing the road. Much to his displeasure and whining, but all was well when they got to the other side because he simply started running again. They had been to the park quite a number of times and it had become quite the tradition whenever Josh came round to go there. Consequently, Josh knew the way from memory and could probably make the journey wearing a blindfold.
Josh arrived at the entrance ahead of his cousins and let out a squeal of elation. He already had everything he wanted to do mapped out perfectly in his mind. As well as knowing how to get there, he also knew where everything inside was. He turned to the foxes and beamed at them.
"HA! I beat you slowpokes!" He laughed teasingly.
"That you did. I could swear you get faster every time we see each other," Hazel grinned, praising the wolfox.
"Too fast for me Josh," Mark commented happily, looking over at Hazel and winking.
They watched as Josh's tail wagged furiously, proud of his victory over his older cousins. Mark's worries seemed to melt away when he was in the company of this excitable kit. He was unsure of the specific quality Joshua had that made him so cheerful, but he liked it. He supposed Josh reminded him of himself when he was that age: a ball of energetic fluff that needed constant action and entertainment to function.
"Race you to the lake!" He challenged, sprinting off right away.
The siblings stood still for a moment, then they looked at each other and both smiled. A silent contest was agreed in an instant as if psychically transferred. Hazel smirked at her brother, finding it quite amusing that he would be challenging her to a foot race. Mark's simper of a smile told the whole story that he was not going to back down. Almost simultaneously they rocketed from their position, dust from the dry beaten path kicking up from under their feet as they took flight.
The lake was far more than a stone's throw away and would take at least a few minutes to reach, if they were walking that is. The orange foxes were neck and neck to begin with, one would ever so slightly gain the lead, only to lose it when they had to slow down or the other sped up. They roared past Joshua, who was nearly spun around by the ferocity of the runners. He only saw clouds of dust after they had passed him and he was a bit bemused as to what had just happened. Taking little to no notice of Josh, which could have been considered irresponsible, Mark and Hazel raced onwards.
Mark wasn't the most athletic of foxes and his sister did have the advantage of longer legs, so naturally Hazel began to climb into first place. Try as he might, Mark just couldn't seem to recover the distance between them, which was creeping ever further in Hazel's favour. He muscles started to ache and a stitch formed in his stomach. Pain burned within him and he was forced to slow down and clutch onto his side. But he hadn't given up yet; he had too much adrenaline coursing through him to do that. In a last desperate effort to regain pole position, he picked up the pace and ran as fast as he could. His legs thumped hard against the dirt track and the lake soon came within sight.
Hazel glanced off to her side and noticed Mark was no longer level pegging. She grinned in a predetermined triumphant gesture. If she hadn't been so secure in her victory and had bothered to look back behind herself, she may have seen Mark closing the gap. Alas, she was contempt that conquest was already hers and slowed down from full speed.
Mark seized his chance and summed up all his will power and endurance to give it one last push. The lake was now a mere thirty metres away, but within the space of three seconds he had caught up with his sister. He nimbly ran past her, his head down and mind focused. He wasn't even that bothered about winning, nor did he see it as a true competition. The only reasonable conclusion he could come to was that he had too much energy from being incredibly lazy lately. The energy burning activity he had, as of late, become accustomed to had ceased due to his own mood.
Mark did the smart thing, or so he thought, and looked back behind himself to see that he sister had skidded to a halt. Feeling a warm glow of satisfaction that he had won he turned back to look where he was going so he could stop. It was only then that he realised how close he was to the lake. A sharp twinge in his chest told him to stop, which sent a message to his brain to do just that. He threw out a leg in front of himself and dug his foot into the ground. Mud and grass were torn from the soil as the fox urgently tried to stop himself before the water did. With literal inches of earth left to spare, he came to an abrupt end. He gasped for air out of need and shock. His eyes were wide at how close he had come to an early and very cold bath. Just the thought of plunging in there was enough to make him shiver, even on a scalding hot day that lake was an unwelcoming kind of cold. He weakly brought himself to his feet once more, his muscles tender from the race.
He stared out at the vast lake, watching it shimmer and glisten under the influence of the sun. When he turned around he was greeted by the positively evil grin of his malevolent sister. He looked at her curiously with a rising amount of panic. Her chest was heaving breathlessly and her mouth was open slightly to suck in air. He quickly looked back at the inch of ground between him and waters edge. His eyes went wider still as he suddenly achieved the ability to see into the future. Before he could even utter a word of protest, a familiar paw was placed on his chest. A gentle shove was all it took to tip Mark's balance. He flailed, frantically trying to recuperate his stability, but with no success. As inevitable as taxes, Mark fell backwards into the lake. Time seemed to slow as the clear blue liquid rippled outwards when he made contact. A powerful tidal wave was created in a circle around his body, flowing away from him. The sound of a loud splash and spray of water was all that was left of him as he was swallowed up.
Hazel had stepped up to the edge and was now laughing uncontrollably, coughing from her already copious lack of oxygen. She bent over and placed her paws on her knees. A mixture of splutters and sniggers escaped her concurrently. The hoarse sound of her breathing became even more apparent when her brother resurfaced. He gasped immediately for air, splashing around himself to stay afloat. He was a strong swimmer, but when he's confused, shocked and in need of air, things become a bit more difficult.
The lake was quite deep, although it was not uncommon for people to go swimming in it, as long as they knew what they were doing. Mark gathered his composure and almost effortlessly began to paddle with his feet and arms. He stayed afloat, albeit he was rather breathless. He looked over at his vulpine sister with a less than impressed glare. She merely continued to laugh, examining the drowned rat of a fox.
"Don't you just wish you had a video camera sometimes," she managed to say between cackles.
Mark had to admit, it was funny. He wasn't really angry with her at all, but he definitely was not going to let her get away with it. He noticed Josh had finally caught up with them and was stood just behind Hazel. He looked very puzzled as to why his cousin was in the lake and was about to say something. Mark quickly put a single finger to his lips in the universal sign for 'keep quiet.' Josh nodded carefully, still bewildered and quite cautious. Hazel was starting to cool down from her giggle fit, though she was still unaware that somebody was behind her. Having Josh's full attention, he grins mischievously at him. He elevates his paws out of the water and makes a pushing motion in front of himself. Josh mimics Mark's maniacal grin and nods again.
Hazel now takes note that her brother was making signals in her direction, but not at her. A few more splutters and coughs later, she is fully alert once more. She raises an eyebrow quizzically at Mark's curious actions. She turns around to see her little cousin standing directly behind her. She jumps at his sudden appearance.
"Whoa Josh! You frightened the life out of me!" She joked humorously. Hazel then took note of the smirk he was wearing on his wolfish muzzle. She twigged. "Josh... Josh NO - " She pleaded sternly before being cut off. The wolfox shoved her only gently, yet it was enough to topple her over. Just like her brother before her, she fell into the lake backwards.
A splash and a spray of water sealed her fate. She felt the cold sting cling to her body as her clothes were instantly soaked through. She kicked her legs and pumped her arms underneath the surface, trying to get her head above water. Hazel re-emerged moments later. For a split second all sound had disappeared as her ears were still blocked. When she was able to hear again, she only heard the merry laughter of the two boys. A deep gasping breath brought the much-needed oxygen to her lungs. Kicking only with her legs she stayed buoyant. She wiped the water from her face and brushed aside clumps of wet blonde hair to clear her vision.
Mark had swum back over to the embankment and had latched back onto solid ground. Just looking at Hazel was enough to bring fits of hilarity. She didn't look particularly happy; though Mark could tell that she was just mock pouting. Having been with her for so many years he knew when she was actually angry or just messing around.
Josh had to sit on the grass to hold his sides from all the laughing. To nobody's surprise, Josh enjoyed doing that. It wasn't everyday he was allowed to be naughty like that and the image of Hazel tumbling into the lake was very amusing.
"What goes around comes around sis," Mark chirped cockily from the waters edge.
"Men," she huffed miserably, but she was noticeably just playing around.
Mark had had enough of the ice like lake and decided to get out. He placed his paws on the ground and pushed himself free of the chilly embrace. One leg after the other was pulled out and each of his foot paws were placed back on terra firma. His clothes clung to him like a wetsuit, moulding perfectly around his figure. His fur was flat against his body and it made him look as if he had just been on a crash diet. He looked down at himself and sighed with a smile. There weren't many park users today, so he figured he might as well take his t-shirt off. It was a struggle, but with determination and a few seconds of looking like a headless moron, he finally managed to get it up his upper body and over his head. He threw it to the grass and let the sun start drying it.
He didn't regret wearing jeans because he hated shorts and soggy jeans were better than dry shorts any day, although they were pretty uncomfortable right now. Only his sister, whom had seen him naked many times anyway, and his ten-year-old cousin were in the immediate vicinity. 'It's no big deal, so Josh will see me in my underwear, he's only ten for crying out loud, what difference is it going to make to him?' Mark thought to himself. He came to the conclusion that Josh wouldn't even notice as at his age there wasn't a lot for him to see through black cotton fabric. Besides, even with Hazel looking so sexy with wet hair and fur, the cold water had pretty much killed his sex drive and made getting an erection almost impossible.
With that in mind he removed his shoes, which were fully irrigated and took off his socks, throwing them on the grass to dry with his t-shirt. He then proceeded to strip off his trousers, pulling them down to his ankles then kicking them off. They too joined the pile of his clothes on the ground, each new addition making a wet plop. He sat down a little way away from the lakes edge and lay down with his back against the soft green grass. He sprawled out his limbs to get an even amount of sunlight on them. The baking hot sun got straight to work drying his sopping wet fur. He rested his head in the paws and smiled contently, feeling the warmth flow over him.
Neither Josh nor Hazel had been paying any attention to Mark. Hazel swam up to the embankment where Josh still was sat with an inane grin on his muzzle. She clung onto the ground and paddled with her feet to stay floating. She looked at Josh strictly, darkening her eyes as if she were angry with him. Of course, being only a child, young Joshua thought she was being serious. His ears flattened against his head and he adverted his gaze from his older cousin. His expression was solemn and his little paws were squeezing on each other like somebody trying the wring out a towel.
Hazel had every right to pick the wolfox up and throw him in that lake as well. The only thing that stopped her was Josh's inability to swim yet. She knew he had had lessons, but she also knew that he nearly drowned two year previous. He was terrified of water for a while after the incident and wouldn't go near even a small pond. Luckily for him, he had a kind and devoted mother that slowly introduced him to the idea of swimming again. Still, he wasn't very good at it and an experience like being thrown or even forcefully lowered into a lake could be too traumatic. This was why she was giving him a hard time, not matter how fake, a bit of payback never went amiss.
"And what do you have to say for yourself?" She asked in her most unimpressed and motherly tone. She felt guilty and cruel for doing this to him, nevertheless it was for his own good.
"Sorry," he mumbled meekly.
"Thank you." She commended him. "You're just lucky I don't dunk you in this lake and see how you like looking like a drowned rat," she smiled humorously. Josh giggled childishly, grinning now that he saw Hazel wasn't angry with him.
"But it doesn't stop me from doing this!" She yelled in exhilaration. Josh had not time at all to react as Hazel cupped some of the clear shinning liquid and threw it over him. He squealed as the water made contact with his body and made a little silly laugh as more was sent his way. He flipped over onto all fours and tried desperately to scrabble away. Hazel simple stretched her arm and caught a hold of his ankle. Josh shrieked gaily as a firm grip was applied to his ankle and any chance of his escape was halted. It didn't stop him from trying though. Sadly his lean frame and practically non-existent muscles didn't get him further than Hazel would allow. When he grew tired, Hazel seized her moment and dragged him towards her. He cried out for mercy, yet his cries fell on death foxy ears.
"Nu uh, you're my prey little wolfox and you are not escaping because I'm feeling hungry," she grinned evilly as the small child wrestled against her grasp.
"Mark help! Hazel's going to eat me!" He screamed helplessly, fully immersed in this fantasy world of hers.
The teen fox had been watching from the sidelines in great amusement. It was not uncommon for all three of them to play like this. Being three of them, one always had to be on their own and it was usually Hazel as she was the oldest. Sometimes he would be on his own in their play fights, but he didn't mind at all. Mark recollected one time when they both ganged up on poor Joshua and tickle tortured him. He could have felt a bit silly doing this kind of thing now that he was a teenager, yet the thought never even occurred to him. Seconds after Josh's initial cry for help, Mark was up on his furry feet and running to the rescue. He got there just in the nick of time as Hazel was about to chow down on wolfox.
"Let my cousin go now sea hag or suffer the consequences," Mark demanded in his hero voice.
"How are you going to make me?" Hazel questioned him with a smirk.
"Hurry Mark, please!" Josh pleaded again, still trying the claw his way forwards.
Mark mimicked Hazel's expression as he had the perfect idea already selected. He lowered himself to his sister's level and sat slightly back on his haunches. He gave a fleeting glance in Josh's direction to make sure he was not looking. Then he quickly leaned in and kissed Hazel on the lips. It wasn't a nippy peck either. Their mouths were in contact for a good five seconds before he broke away. Hazel was more in shock than anything else and not simply because he did that in public with their little cousin only arms length away. They hadn't kissed properly in a week. A full seven days had passed and Mark had not even displayed a remote amount of interest in her. She was frozen solid, her face fixed with a stunned look. Her grip on Josh's ankle loosened just enough for him to slip free and escape.
"That's how," Mark whispered, a certain amount of allure in his voice.
"Yay, I'm free!" The excitable kit called out.
"You know it Josh," Mark said as he stood to face him.
Hazel was left in a daze of confusion and lust. She could feel a burning desire rise within her body that threatened to boil the very water she resided in. She longed for his touch, to be held by him, to kiss him, to have him and make love with him. The vixen licked her lips a little. His taste still dwelled on them. She couldn't help drifting off into a daydream fantasy world where only she and her brother were allowed. Her paw moved elegantly to her inner thighs and stroked at the drenched jeans separating her from pleasure. She hummed at the glowing white-hot embers that sparked new yearnings of satisfaction. What really didn't help was Mark's current appearance. His young teenage figure was accentuated by his wet fur and tight boxer shorts. She new what lay beneath those confinements. She knew every inch of him under there intimately. It was only her conscious mind that kept her from sliding that paw underneath her trousers and panties and pawing off right then and there. She had to overcome her youthful urges and subdue her desire, for now at least.
With a deep breath to centre herself and a heavy sigh of disappointment, she raised herself out of the lake. Taking her clothes off wasn't even a viable option for Hazel. She did have two something's she needed to hide and exposing herself in front of Joshua may be a bit too much. She would have to make do with cold clingy clothes for a while. Hazel rolled over onto the grass while the other two played around, doing whatever it was that they wanted to do.
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An hour flew by easily for everyone involved. Hazel had joined in the games about fifteen minutes after she had exited the lake. It was not easy to wear Josh out. He had been running around chasing and being chased in various different games and still wasn't out of energy. Mark and Hazel could have called it a day, but they had plenty of get-up-and-go left, they were enjoying it immensely as well anyway. Hazel's clothes had mostly dried out; they still felt wet in some places, yet she couldn't complain. Having been laid of the grass and spread out for the sun, Mark's clothes were bone dry again. As a result, he was now wearing them.
"Lets go to the play area," Josh suggested actively.
"Okay, but on one condition?" Hazel asked motherly.
"What?" Josh questioned inquisitive of what the condition was.
"I get to push you on the swing set," she smiled warmly.
"Deal!" Josh's face lit up like a light bulb.
Hazel held out her left paw for her cousin to take. He grinned coyly and grasped onto her. Hazel then felt something wrap around her right paw. She looked over to her right and saw Mark standing beside her. She stared at his smiling face quizzically then looked down to see he had taken her paw in his. She made a timid grin because of his public display of affection. It wasn't like him to be so open in the community. In fact, she wasn't even sure if she really wanted to be taking it so casual. However, she couldn't help but think that any passer-bys that see them holding paws will simply think they are doing it because of Joshua. Anyway, people aren't that watchful, as long as they didn't know the two foxes were brother and sister then they could just be boyfriend and girlfriend. Hazel squeezed her brother's paw affectionately, telling him in her own way that she liked what he was doing.
In a long chain the three furs advanced onwards further into the park. The play area was the other side of the park further east. Having been there enough times they knew all the shortcuts to everywhere by cutting through the various wooded areas. Whichever way you went in this park was the scenic route. It didn't matter if you stuck to the path or cut through the forests. Each way would provide just as much visual stimulation as the other.
After a trek through a woodland area the trio found their way to the play area of the park. It was the largest in town and was usually well populated by children and teens alike. Grass fields surrounded the area and surrounding the fields were trees. There were several dirt paths into the region extending from all sides, although somebody could get to it through the trees like the furry threesome have. The play area perimeter was made up of a hip level metal fence. Inside this barrier were an assortment of climbing frames, jungle Jims, slides and swings all with the singular purpose to amuse park patrons. Even within the boundaries of the initial fence, the play area was split up into three sections. When walking in from the main gate all the climbing frames and assorted apparatus were directly in the centre in the main area. Off to each side were two smaller sections, each with a swing set containing four swings.
"Come on you guys!" Josh called to his cousins, running and swinging open the gate.
"Alright we're coming already," Hazel yelled back smiling. She looked around the playground, surveying the area. To her surprise she found that there weren't many people or furs using the premises. There was a mother and small child on a climbing frame and a family of four sat down eating at one of the picnic tables. She then spied two familiar looking furs using the swings in the west boundary as seats. One was a male black wolf and the other was a female cat that was a distinctly greyish colour.
"Hey, isn't that Jimmy and Mist?" Hazel pointed out to her brother.
Mark looked where she was pointing and narrowed his eyes, as they were a fair distance away. They were indeed Jimmy the wolf and Mist the cat. Mark gulped at the mere sight of them. He hadn't seen or heard from Mist for a week now, which was to be expected. He was glad Jimmy was there with her because he knew he'd be a good source of comfort, but in saying that it also meant that he knew the full story. He gulped harder this time and silently regretted coming to the park today.
"Well?" Hazel asked, prodding him with a finger because he seemed to have drifted off.
"Uh... yeah," he replied meekly. And just when he thought things were on the up.
"Go on, I know how much you want to go over and say hello. Don't worry, I can look after Josh by myself, go say hi to your friends," Hazel told Mark with a nudge in their direction.
She really didn't have a clue did she? Going over and saying a simply hello to his 'friends' shouldn't have been as harrowing as it was to Mark. He had purposefully avoided all contact with them for this past week. Not just because he was depressed and didn't feel much like going outside, but also because he didn't want to have to face up to them nor did he want to face up to the decision he made a while back. Another nudge was sent his way from his sister and he knew as fact he couldn't say he didn't want to because then Hazel would know for sure something was up. He seemed to have gotten away with not seeing Mist after many days of visiting and being visited by her. If Hazel knew there was something going on then, she was hiding it pretty well. Maybe it was because his sister trusted him, which only made the sting more painful.
A reluctant step in their direction was the first of many he would soon be taking. He looked on in agony as each footstep only brought him closer to impending damnation. A magnetic force repelled him away from them, as they became a clearer picture. Mist was sat limply on a swing, gripping the chains at her sides loosely with her paws. Her head was hung slightly lower than usual and her expression was none to pleasing. The black wolf Jimmy was on the swing next to her in a similar sort of position. He was looking over at her and although Mark could not hear what he was saying, Jimmy was obviously speaking to her. Neither of them looked happy and that was a task in itself for those two. Jimmy was rarely sad and Mist was usually a generally cheerful fur, it wasn't often she would become upset with anything.
Mark felt his guts twist into a tight knot and he felt quite like throwing up. He was sheer metres away before he was noticed. Jimmy looked over at him and Mark froze on the spot. He was truly unsure of what kind of reception he would be receiving, although he did have a fair idea. He attempted a weak smile at his friend, but received none in return. Jimmy looked away from him and over to Mist again, who was still staring at the ground. Mark's expression faded rapidly and a look of solemn regret marred his muzzle. He stepped closer to them, the awkward feeling beginning to rise even higher.
"Please leave Mark..." Mist said lowly to the bark chippings that covered the ground.
"I just want to talk," he murmured pitifully.
"You've said everything you needed to say to me last week... just leave me alone," Mist spoke softly, still not looking up at him.
Mark stepped closer once more wanting to try and fix this. Jimmy rose immediately from his seating position and glared at the orange furred fox. Mark's ears flattened completely against his head now and his tail tucked slightly in between his legs when he looked over at Jimmy. This was hurting even more than he thought it would. Mark's heart ached and his stomach threatened to expel the sandwiches he had eaten for lunch. It wasn't merely the thought that he had converted friends into enemies that made him feel so bad. It was also the thought of the pain and suffering he had caused Mist.
"I-I'm sorry Mist... I-I really am... it's just... I never wanted to hurt you..." Mark tried to sum up all his courage to stop himself from curling into a ball and crying.
"Leave..." Mist said with a low growl.
"It's complicated Mist... I just didn't to want see you hurt..." he persisted in his diminutive tone.
"What the fuck do you think you have done then Mark?!" Mist abruptly thrust up from the swing and looked he former lover right in the eyes whilst shouting at him.
Mark could see her eyes were bloodshot and glistening with tears, but also the burning flames of rage. Those were not the eyes he remembered... so full of sadness and anger. Her bared white fangs and aggressive stance complemented her rage well. She looked just about ready to rip him to shreds. He had done this to her... he had broken her heart into a thousand pieces as carelessly as if it were nothing more than sand slipping through his fingers. He hardly recognised her in this state... this was not the beautiful girl he had fallen in love. He had tainted her soul and drained the good out of her like some kind of emotional vampire.
"I-I... I didn't mean to..." he replied faintly, his lips quivering.
"You didn't mean to? So it wasn't your intention to rip my heart out with your bare paws? It wasn't your intention to tell me you love me then kill the part of me that cared? It wasn't your intention to destroy my happiness?" She asked angrily, a growl concealed behind her teeth.
How could Mark answer those questions? Of course it never was his intention to do any of those things, but it doesn't change the simple fact that he did do them. Tears now began to well up in his eyes and slowly trickle down his cheeks.
"I loved you Mark... more than you could ever know..." Mist finally uttered through a choked throat. She turned her back on him and placed her head in her paws, running off towards the gate.
"Mist wait!" Mark called. He tried to run after her, but found himself being held back. He swivelled his head round to see Jimmy holding onto his shoulders.
"She said leave her alone Mark," he said simply.
"Jimmy please," he pleaded with him desperately.
He just shook his head and held onto his shoulders more firmly. Mark could feel fury in his grip and silently thanked Jimmy for not having a go at him; god knows he deserved it. Mark had to watch as Mist slowly disappeared into the distance, still running and more than likely still crying. He couldn't keep looking; he couldn't stand here and do nothing. His mind was made up.
"Forgive me my friend..." Mark whispered to Jimmy behind him. In one simple thrust he sent his back crashing into the wolf's stomach. Jimmy's grasp loosened as he craned forward and held onto his abdomen, groaning in pain. Mark seized his chance and darted from the spot, kicking up bark as he did. He crashed through the small gate and ran as fast as he could down the path Mist had traversed. He already had a good idea where she would be heading.
Jimmy stood back up from his hunched position, one arm still cradling his belly. He sighed, as there was little point in chasing after him. He knew all to well that even if he did manage to catch up with him and stop him, Mark would find a way to escape. Sure he was angry at the fox for breaking the heart of a good friend, but he believed everything Mark said when he was talking to Mist. He had known Mark for years and he knew very well that he truly did not mean it. He was too kind to hurt anyone willingly.
"Hey Jimmy," came a call disrupting the wolf from his thoughts.
His ears flicked actively in the direction of the feminine voice. He twisted his body around to face the vixen walking towards him. He easily identified her as Hazel and also recognized the young wolfox in tow as well. She had a quizzical look on her face whilst Josh had a more baffled expression.
"Oh, hey Hazel, sup Josh," he gave a small wave to the small greyish fur.
"What's up with Mark and Mist?" She asked curiously.
End of Part 1