The Progeny of Able (The Burrow of London Series Book 1)

by Peter S. Case

  “I heard a few days ago that a Shadow Fox was born in Udela's Arch. That is supposed to be the burrow where the Light is strongest.” Roe stopped and lifted his paw. “These brands are going to be pretty useless should the Light fail completely.”

  Daegal shook his head. “Even if that happens the regime will continue to deny it and will continue to restrict access by branding as they have always done.”

  As an outsider there had been a brief controversy, one that Daegal quickly squashed with a few bribes, as to what brand Roe should receive. He had managed to acquire a middling sort of Burrow and a convenient one as it contained the entrance to the Inari Gang's hideout. Orva's Spear it was called and it contained spots where the Light was strong but they seemed to shift and it was largely down to a fifty-fifty flip of a coin as to whether a vixen gave birth to Shadow Foxes or foxes of the Light. Some of the less refined foxes even placed bets on the potential outcome of a birthing. As a result of his branding Roe now wore the permanent mark of a circle pierced by a spear scarred into his foreleg and went by the name Sky of Orva.

  The entrance to their burrow was opposite the entrance to the elitist burrow in all of Greater London. Sunniva's Womb. No vixen gave birth within the palace any longer. Instead all of the councillors and their families, including Alodia, travelled to Sunniva's Womb to give birth. The tunnel had been intentionally collapsed long ago when the council was first founded and access could only be made through an extremely narrow, dark and long corridor, the beginning of which was sealed by a thick bolted iron door. At least ten of the palace guard stood watch at all times supported by an entire platoon of Shadow Foxes. Every pup that came out of Sunniva's Womb was of the Light.

  They displayed their branded forelegs to the few guards outside Orva's Spear and were allowed to pass through with hardly a glance. One of the guards exclaimed, “Hey Sky Fighter...you won me six rat rations today. I bet that you'd kill that traitor in less than six minutes. You did it, but just barely, mate!”

  A straight shot of about four trots led into a large domed cavern pointed at one end. It was this shape that inspired the burrow's name. There was very little in the shaft of the spear other than a waste gutter which passed along the side. The grated vents expelled an intermittent pungent breeze.

  The laughter of the guards disappeared amid the dimly lit tunnel. Each burrow had its own miniature government, the head of which was appointed by the council. Of course, within Orva's Spear the governor was in the pocket and at the service of the Inari Gang.

  The responsibility of funding any and all public works fell to the local burrow. They couldn’t afford the high cost of lighting oil and the servicing of the electric lighting was incredibly slow given the precise work. The foxes knew how electricity worked but they lacked the ability to fix the system with an assured paw. Biting a live wire is an incredibly dangerous and deadly thing to do. Electricity had cost the lives of many foxes throughout London.

  A single bulb hung from the side of the tunnel every trot. They were of a low wattage and usually had a short, causing them to crackle and flicker. Under each bulb some enterprising Fox claimed the space setting up shop. Often they dug a small cave and never left, too afraid they would lose their place to another fox.

  It was at one of these individuals that Daegal came to a stop whom he addressed with a certain deal of respect. Her old frame was covered by a well worn and polished leather armour which wrapped around her legs and was connected as a single piece with a close fitting helmet. The age and stiffness of the leather seemed to be the only thing keeping the vixen upright.

  Roe stood behind Daegal as he had done countless times before. Although they viewed each other as friends and equals, it was important to present the chain of command in a very visual way for the greater public.

  “Bemia, I hear things are a bit slow these days,”Daegal remarked jovially. “ I want you to know that we are here for you if you need help with your surface hunting.”

  “Daegal, my little pup, my margins are pretty slim as it is. If you start helping me I'll need to give you a piece and it would no longer be a profitable business.”

  She had placed a treat on top of the nose of a small canine who remained absolutely still and focused as she spoke. Roe looked at the sign hanging within the sphere of the weak light. 'Bemia's Hounds' was all it said.

  “Your interests are my interests, Bemia,” Daegal said. “If you joined the Inari officially you'd have all the resources and none of the worry. You could leave this little hole at night and need not be concerned about finding another fox here in the morning.”

  “Maybe when I am a bit older, Daegal, I'll want to retire to the Inari. I could become your consultant hound trainer,” she laughed as Roe pondered her age. At least seventy, he thought. “While I have my youth and vigour though, it is best to keep my independence. I have always loved my independence.” She signalled for the canine to eat the treat.

  “It isn't the lack of help.” she continued, “It is the fact that it is getting increasingly difficult to take pups from the surface. So many of the Hantsa keep them locked away inside their burrows. There was a time when they would always be outside or within an unlocked shed.”

  “How are you getting along with that stray you caught last week?” asked Daegal.

  Bemia glanced at a large scab on her right shoulder before she responded. “We've made improvements but she is still very dangerous. If we can find a system to capture and train the older hounds without them killing us first, then there will be no shortage of supply. The key lies with our scent I believe. As long as they get used to it as newborns there is no problem and they are obedient but to the even slightly older canines who are unexposed, it drives them wild. It varies of course from breed to breed. But those breeds most useful to us tend to be those breeds who are far larger and far more dangerous.”

  “Well, let me know when you are finished with this little one's training, and I'll buy it from you as usual.”

  “Nope, sorry Daegal, this one is going to the Palace. That has been the plan since I found her hiding under a log from the rain. With this orange coat and thick fur she almost passes for a fox pup.”

  “Pup, now,” responded Daegal, “but in a few months she'll be towering over Alodia.”

  “True. When fully grown she will be considerably larger than a Shadow Fox.”

  “Alodia will not be able to manage her and Gremian will have the animal put down,” he laughed. “But I'm sure your fee will be good, Bemia. Fine. Roe can deliver it for you. He'll be going that way in a couple of days anyway.”

  His comment earned a raised whisker from the older fox but no comment.

  Roe caught the vulnerable creature's eye and it cocked its head considering him before stumbling towards him and gently attacking his leg.

  “What about that stray?” asked Daegal. “Once you train it, as I believe only you can, we'd like to take a look at it.”

  “Okay,” she replied. “But don't hold your breath. It could be a while. Sky, it seems you are a natural with the canines. You are the first fox she hasn't been too terrified to approach. Maybe I will take you up on that offer of canine delivery,” She said with a barking laugh like slowly torn paper.

  They left the old trainer stroking the hound on the head with the underside of her jaw.

  “That vixen is the most tenacious fox I have ever met,” Daegal said. “If she had wanted she could easily have been leader of the Inari and I would be out of a job.”

  “Well, she clearly has no fear of you. I think we should send her something to eat. She's looking a little thin.”

  “That fox is like air, Roe, and doesn't need much more than that to survive. But I think you are right. She has no fear of me. Refreshing, really.”

  As they made their way closer to the spear head of the Burrow Orva an increasing number of handmade side tunnels began to appear until they were replaced by tightly packed terraced houses, each at least three stories high and in a d
iverse state of disrepair. The spearhead itself was lined with these houses, running along the walls in two long arches at the tip of which was a distant pillared town hall. At it's centre a tall column littered with broken and indecipherable carvings reached to the top of the dome. It was towards this that Roe and Daegal were heading.

  All of the foxes of Orva's Spear knew the entrance to the hideout but all had sworn to keep it secret with their lives. There was a fierce loyalty within the burrow and none of the foxes would give up this secret willingly. One thing a fox was not susceptible to was torture so the technique was only used for punishment, never to extract information. As the old saying goes, 'Grind away at a fox to get a secret, in the end you will have nothing but bonemeal'.

  A small gap ran around the base of the column forming a feature which to most foxes appeared to be the end of the facade attached to the inner supporting pillar. Roe paced around it to the side opposite the entrance and after a quick look stuck his paw within this space. He pushed up hard until he heard a faint click. After a moment the entire pillar rose silently off the ground a few jaw-lengths revealing a spiralling white marble staircase.

  They quickly descended, touching another stone lever once they were inside, causing the pillar to close behind them.

  “I hope whatever powers that thing doesn't give out some day,” said Roe.

  “It has always worked and hopefully always will. But I agree, especially if it happens while I'm passing under it.”

  They both laughed, twisting into the earth.

  *

  After they reached the bottom of the spiral stair and passed through an impressive series of colonnades, they were greeted by a thoroughly annoyed looking Mercia. She sat blocking their entrance into the Inari common room.

  “Sky, I imagine in the fantasy of your mind that once these prisoners are tossed down that pit they somehow are magically transported, without effort, above and off to your little glen of solace in the west.”

  Daegal immediately retreated around Mercia and whispered, “Good luck mate. I'll see you inside”, before ducking through the door.

  Her coat was a dark red bordering on black, an effect she highlighted by colouring a ridge of tufts along her belly in a line of white and in a 'v' between her eyes. Added to her scowl, the resulting effect was quite frightening. She looked slightly dusty and always had the faint smell of gunpowder.

  “Eadgar was so disoriented by the fight that he landed on his head rather than his feet. You knocked him unconscious, Roe, so I had to go in there with a torch to make sure you didn't actually kill him.”

  Roe tried to get a word in during her little speech but the tirade was so continuous all he could manage was a stutter as if he was struggling to keep from hiccuping.

  “You know I hate going in there. I agree to escort the prisoners to safety with the understanding that they have to crawl out of the pit themselves. All of those dead foxes were staring at me.”

  She paused and shivered slightly at the thought.

  “Yes that's true, Mercia, they were staring at you. But they are all dead so they aren't going to do much, are they?” Roe interjected, feeling a brief victory.

  “Well, it's beside the point. You could have really killed him this time.”

  “Mercia, what can I say. I'm sorry. I'm trying to save the life of someone who is trying to kill me. Not everything always goes to plan. They always move!”

  “What? When?”

  “Just before I give them their 'killer' blow. They always move, Mercia. Even though I tell them just seconds before not to move. So, I have to adjust my precise strike while flying through the air to make sure that they aren't actually dead when you get them.”

  “Of course they move! You are coming at them with a knife! Now, I think it is fair to say that you owe me one, Sky,” she paused before continuing in a much more gentle tone, “Dinner. Tonight. Under the stars. And you can organize the food.” She put an end to the conversation with the turn of her back and a resolute cross into the room.

  “It's not a knife it's a sword.” Roe called after her.

  Translucent layers of dirt filled the crevices of the common room but were unable to diminish its simplistic beauty. Shaped like a large egg and as equally white, the marble surfaces produced a mysterious soft glow which faded to black as the day wore on. Raised a few tail-lengths from the ground were a number of alcoves, each with an oval bowl carved into the marble. These ringed the room and some of these were filled with feathers for sleeping while others contained a fox lounging in a steaming bath. Opposite the entrance arch and its door was a relief carved into the smooth stone, the head of a warrior fox holding a heart between its open jaws. Behind it were crossed long swords. The air in the room, as well as the entire hideout, was kept fresh by a continuous breeze coming from inside the entrance pillar.

  The entire Inari gang was present, all silently staring at Roe as he entered the room. Even little Cedd who sat dripping in an alcove with soap had paused mid- scrub. Daegal had obviously not wasted any time.

  “I wanted to hit them with it while you were out of the room,” he whispered to Roe.

  “Hit them with what?” Mercia asked Roe tightly from beside him.

  Roe looked to Daegal for help, who shrugged his shoulders.

  “I won't be far...and I'll come back as often as I can.” Roe started.

  “Just out with it Sky!” Mercia belted.

  “I've been summoned to the Palace,” Roe sighed. “I have three days.”

  “What?” Mercia spoke softly, then exploded. “Great! As if the pits weren't dangerous enough! You'll be fighting night and day now.” She stifled a cry as she scrambled into an alcove of bubbling water. “Don't come whining to me if you've lost your tail by the end of the month!” She curled under the warm water out of view.

  “As I was saying, we are not really losing Sky,” Daegal said, breaking the silence. “We are going to need to support him more than ever. I've been head of the gang for twelve years now and this is the first time we've managed to get a fox inside the regime.” He glanced at Roe and continued. “Ever since he came to us, his heart has been more focused on our political struggle than helping to keep up our guise of criminality. I think this is the best thing for him. What do you think, Sky?”

  “Guise? I don't think there is a guise. You are all a bunch of criminals,” he responded, knowing there was no way he could possibly join with Gremian, even as a spy. Gremian the fox who had attempted to destroy his village, who had killed Mayda. The ache of his past had begun to wear its way to the surface and he knew he had to get out of this new assignment. He just didn't know how yet.

  Everyone laughed at his response and turned their attentions away except for Daegal who twitched his whiskers at Roe's clear avoidance of the question.

  He was about to say something but Roe ducked out of the way and pulled Cedd out of the bath between his jaws. The pup was still staring at Roe and looking forlorn.

  “Cedd,” Roe said as he set the pup down. “Remember when I found you half frozen in Hyde Park?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You were sleeping on that dirty feather pillow.”

  “I remember.”

  “Well, I kept it. I gave it a good clean and it is in my bed.” Roe indicated towards an alcove set nearly the highest in the room “Once I go I want you to keep my place here in the barracks.”

  “Really? But I'm not even a full member yet and you sleep near to Daegal. Won't the others get upset?”

  Roe smiled. “If they have a problem with it you tell them to talk to me. You can give it a try tonight. I'm going to sleep elsewhere.” He tossed the little pup across the room and into the alcove landing him comfortably on the feather pillow.

  The rest of the crew witnessed it and looked to Roe before shaking their heads, smiling. He'd just initiated the smallest ever member officially into the Inari Gang.

  *

  Constant and blinking, Roe wondered if the stars were j
udging him as he stared up towards the sky. Foxes had a love affair with the night, the sparkling and dusty cosmos, and most especially the ever cutting slice of the moon.

  It had been five years to the day since he left Shon's Spring and still no word from Samson. He hadn't mentioned his surrogate father to anyone, not even Daegal, and as far as he could tell no one at Shon's Spring told the newcomers who the founder was.

  Samson's final instructions delivered from the banks of the Thames remained unfulfilled. There had been far too much for Roe to absorb when he had first arrived. He had been desperate to learn about his past. He had thought he might be unique in some way. But the Burrow of London had quickly dissolved that feeling. The best training had made him a great fighter but otherwise he was just another Fox. There were plenty of Foxes in London with a far greater air of mystery about them than he. That battle under similar stars and a breaching sun where he had unleashed an other-worldly roar had become an imagined exaggeration in his mind. And the pain of his past had been buried under the pain of the Great Burrow. Here his losses were not unique and few would want to hear about them anyway.

  Still, he wondered what had happened to Samson.

  “Roe?” Mercia whispered from within the hedge where the small tunnel released her into the night air.

  “Mercia, I am here. Try to keep quiet. There are a group of Hantsa below with a fire.”

  He sat on a marble step just outside an old temple which was situated at the top of a small rise within Hyde Park.

  She sat next to him looking warily at the Hantsa down the slope.

  “You don't think they can see us?”

  “No, Hantsa can't see much of anything. Even if it is right in front of their eyes and dancing.”

  “So what did you bring?” she asked with a smirk.

  Roe winked before swinging a satchel to the ground.

  “Well, what would you like?”

  “If I could have anything?”