Family of the Fox, #1

by F. M. Isaacs

  As I witnessed the battle raging in the clouds, a conflicting emotion gradually took over. This rock didn't need me. It had been fine without me for eons, and it would survive for many more millennia without my support. But my family did need my help. Remaining here was starting to make me feel useless. Like my father, Daniel, and Jonas, I was currently an inanimate object at the whim of some very powerful people.

  But I wasn't useless. And perhaps I had just as much power as they.

  Dad, I know you can't hear me, but I can't just sit by like this, I thought.

  The sky lit up with explosions of fire and flashes of light. I could just make out my mother bombarding Allen with a bluish flame, as he answered with a shower of green.

  We have to help them. I know what Mom said, but she needs us. I allowed myself to warm up and glow without taking my gaze from the war overhead.

  Grandpa Brian rushed up from behind, hitting Allen with a violet orb which simply bounced off his scales. My grandfather roared angrily, this time showering the other dragon with a thick, liquid flare. This rolled off Allen like it was water, and his mocking laughter echoed through the sky.

  “Was that really Greek fire? That's all you've got, old man?”

  I bristled at his words. Brian Fox never once struck me as old.

  Grandpa Brian did not reply. Instead, he bellowed so deafeningly that it would have made my ears ring– if I had had ears at the moment. Flames and an incredible amount of wind issued forth, and Allen was blown across the sky.

  Without pausing, he changed direction and charged back at my grandfather. “You know what? I don't care who you are anymore. Whether you're kin or not, I'm going to destroy you,” Allen declared in a deadly voice.

  This was all I needed to hear. “No! No!” I gasped weakly. I slid from the crevice, forcing myself back to flesh and blood. Dad was back in my hand as an object, and I could only hold him there, uncertain as to my next move. Was he less likely to be hurt like this?

  There was nothing to stop Allen from doing whatever he wanted to Mom and Grandpa Brian. If he managed to overcome them, he could murder them, and I couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t.

  I placed the hat on the ground. I couldn’t leave my father powerless. “Dad,” I whispered. “Dad, I need you. Help me.” Faster than I'd ever done before, I forced the object into a glowing sphere and pushed it into my father's form.

  The first action my newly-restored father did was to yawn, which under better circumstances would have made me laugh. I flung myself into his arms and embraced him. “Oh, thank God,” I whispered into his chest.

  “What happened? What did he do to me?” he demanded.

  “You don't want to know.” I pointed to the epic battle taking place above us.

  Dad merely stared, mesmerized. “Dragons in the sky...like some medieval fantasy...”

  “Dad! It's them! He's going to kill them!”

  He snapped out of it. “That's Mom, Brian, and Aldous? We need to stop him.”

  “How can we help?”

  Scratching his head, he glanced nervously at the clouds, failing to answer.

  “You can fly, right? Go up and help them!” I exclaimed.

  “Yes, I'll fly. Then Aldous will quickly roast me alive.”

  “So teleport away from him!”

  “When I'm on fire?”

  I shook my head in frustration. “Dad, I can make you–”

  He snapped his fingers and cut me off. “Corinne, can you figure out how to turn me into fog?” He didn't wait for me to answer. “Yes, it's possible. Your mother was even a hurricane once.”

  “Oh! Years ago we had that storm. Was that Mom?”

  “Which one?”

  “Hurricane Patricia?”

  “No, Corinne. She was a minor, local atmospheric event. She wasn’t around long enough to be named. Now please hurry up and make me fog.”

  “Why fog?”

  “I want to obstruct Aldous' view so one of you can get him. Fly up to him as a bird, keep out of his sight, and then change him into something that's not conscious.”

  “Won’t he sense me?”

  “Try to close your mind. Even if you can’t, he’ll be so busy battling your mother and Brian that hopefully he won’t notice you. How close do you need to be to transform him?”

  “How would I know that?”

  “I guess pretty close, then.”

  “And if I actually manage to change him?”

  Pursing his lips, he grumbled, “We'll figure that part out later. Now change me.”

  Truly, I was afraid to transform Dad into something so insubstantial. Would he stay together, or would little bits of him break apart and be lost forever?

  A particularly loud explosion boomed in the skies, prompting me into action. I focused on my father, willing him to thin into a great amount of fog. Just as he became bright energy, I heard him gasp, “Yes, you've got it!” and then his voice echoed away.

  Now fully diffuse, he surrounded me, growing larger and snaking around the trees and grass. Very nice job, Corinne! I heard his voice in my head. At least I hadn't killed him.

  “Are you okay, Dad? What does it feel like being nearly nothing like that?”

  It's very nice. I'm not nothing. I just feel less...corporeal. And the way I can float myself around everything – it's amazing. Now I'm going to rise up and start expanding across the sky. Change yourself.

  I became a seagull, hoping that this animal was common enough not to call attention to myself.

  Let me keep you out of sight, Dad said, and I could see wisps curling around me.

  Now get going. But please be careful. If I don't have anyone to change me back, I'm going to have a very weird life from now on. His nervous chortle echoed eerily from several places at once.

  How totally bizarre, I thought as I wended my way upwards. My wings were strong and I maneuvered the air currents like the experienced flier I had become. Thanks for all the practice, Allen, I thought bitterly.

  I approached the three mythical creatures, my anxiety mounting. Compared to them, I was incredibly small and insignificant. The air stirred violently around me from their movement, making it hard for me to keep straight.

  I'm going to fight. I'm going to stop Allen, I told myself, forcing my body to stay on target.

  At that moment, Allen heaved a huge wall of fire at Mom and Grandpa Brian. Through my feathers, I felt the rush of heat, and I dipped back into the fog, fearing for my life.

  Careful! cautioned a thick cloudy area near me.

  Hearing Dad and knowing he was with me emboldened me considerably. I'm okay, Dad.

  Watch out for Brian there!

  Grandpa Brian changed Allen's fire to ice. Pieces scattered every-where, creating a literal hailstorm. An ice pellet grazed my wing, and another small one struck my head.

  Are you okay? Dad cried.

  Yes, yes, I replied, shaking my wing to make sure it wasn’t damaged. My forehead stung where I’d been hit, but the pain was bearable. I didn’t seem to be pouring blood or anything.

  What about you, Dad? How are you doing?

  My father took a moment to respond. I’m just fog, Corinne. Ice can’t really hurt me.

  It can rip holes in you, I’d think.

  And I can close them right back up!

  We watched the larger ice sheets tumble to the earth. They shattered into the woods with a thunderous crash. The shards reflected light up at us, blinding me partially, and I faltered.

  The fog thickened all around me, and I realized Dad was trying to keep me from falling. I blinked my eyes several times. I'm alright, Dad.

  You're shivering.

  Actually, my entire feathered body quaked in fright, and I couldn't stop my shaking, but I knew I had to persevere. Dad, I'll be fine. I have to do this. Let me go.

  I pushed through the vapor, caught an air current, and ascended. Just in time, I ducked back into the fog to view Mom direct a fireball straight into Allen's chest.

>   Howling as the flames hit him, Allen liquefied into water. He remained suspended in the sky as the rest of Mom's fire wafted off of him creating steam.

  If he partly evaporated, did this mean he had lost some of himself? Was he weakened enough that we could stop him?

  Apparently not, because after re-solidifying, he was totally intact. He held his arms up toward a nearby cloud, and it shifted into a fluid. This new, heavier substance spattered onto Mom and Grandpa Brian, fizzling when it hit their scales.

  Their cries of agony tore me apart. What had he done to them? I’ll kill him! I’m going to kill him right now, Dad!

  Corinne, no! Get away! Don’t you see he turned the cloud into acid?!

  Acid? Oh, Dad, they’re in pain! As I darted farther out of reach, Allen cackled a frightful, reverberant laugh. Did he know that Dad was all around? He must have been able to sense him! If he did, he didn't seem to care. Instead, he began to draw at more clouds, pulling at them and changing them, showering my mother and grandfather more and more with the noxious chemical. It was in their eyes, burning their scales and skin away, and soon they were plummeting to the earth like Allen had before.

  Dad!

  Now, Corinne!

  My father parted himself before me, and a clear sunlit sky radiated above. I had the perfect view of Allen. As I was about to act, he turned to me. I wasn't sure if he sensed me or not, so I quickly retreated into the welcoming fog. Pushing any thoughts away, I tried to close my mind off from him.

  Allen peered into the vapor. “I can feel you everywhere, 'Mr. Hat'. But you're no changer. You can't stop me!” he called aloud, sending flames at us.

  Dad withdrew from him, and I knew I'd be discovered if I didn't act right at that moment. I focused hard on the dragon, intending to change him completely, before he could react.

  For a moment, a bewildered expression came over his face. “What?” he managed to cry before being swallowed up into light.

  I concentrated hard on the mindless glow. “Be something soft,” I commanded, changing Allen to an insensate ball of cotton. As he fell lazily through the sky, I launched myself at him, catching him in my beak.

  Nice! my father exulted. You did it! Thank God! Now help Mom and Brian!

  The two remaining dragons feebly attempted to assist themselves. They fluttered their burnt, torn wings to stay aloft, endeavoring to surround themselves with a glowy haze. They were trying to transform, but they didn't have the strength.

  Corinne... I heard Mom's weak voice in my head.

  They were getting frightfully close to the earth, and I had no idea if they could die if they were dragons, but I didn't want to find out.

  Help them, Corinne! They're too weak to help themselves! They'll fall to the ground and die!

  Dad's words in my ear were all the encouragement I needed to hear. I darted toward the creatures. Mom's wing scraped against the soil as she attempted to land, but a strong gust of wind yanked her back up into the air.

  Mom! I yelled, throwing every bit of my power at her. She changed so quickly I almost missed her becoming solid light. She was now a seagull like me, and, even as she landed safely, she was muttering, “Thank you, thank you” under her breath.

  Oh, Mom! Are you okay?

  Not even taking a second to rest, Mom cried, Corinne, we’ve got to help my father! He’s worse off than I was!

  Grandpa Brian was plunging straight toward us, and he no longer fought to stay airborne.

  I heard Mom gasp. She looked completely exhausted, yet I saw her tense up, struggling to draw up the power to help her father.

  Mom, let me. You’re not strong enough yet, I pleaded.

  My strength is coming back, but I don’t trust myself. The slightest mistake... She slouched down, her bird-legs tottering. Help him, Corinne. But leave him as energy. His signature is so weak...

  I directed all my energy at my grandfather. Feeling physically sick, I changed him to pure light, praying that I wouldn’t do anything to make him worse. Slowly, holding my hands out as if to guide him, I gently pulled him through the air, directing him to the earth. I could hardly feel his presence, and I found myself silently pleading with him to stay with me.

  Good, good, Corinne, Mom said gratefully. You’re doing fine.

  Carefully, I set him down in a sandy spot. Mom and I crept over, gazing down at the bright orb.

  I almost couldn’t speak.

  Mom...is he?

  Mom didn’t answer. Instead, she laboriously took human form and indicated me to do the same. Distraught, I spat the cotton ball from my beak and forced myself back into my proper shape.

  “Is that Aldous?” Mom inquired without looking at the cotton.

  “Yes,” I uttered, not breaking my gaze. Grandpa Brian's light flickered before us. “Mom... Please...Is he going to be okay?”

  She held her hand over the orb and let out a small sigh of relief. “He's still there. But his aura is so weak...”

  A weak aura? How could we fix that? “So what do we do? Change him back?”

  “Eventually. But first...” She drew the light into her hands, staring into it and cupping her palms around it.

  “What are you–”

  “I'm helping him,” Mom murmured. “Giving him every bit of energy I can muster, which is not a whole lot right now.”

  I wasn't sure how that would help, but the orb grew brighter with her ministrations, and I heard some familiar expletives emanate from the ball: “Oh, holy hell!”

  I grinned. Grandpa Brian was back.

  “You can put me down, Patricia.”

  Mom's eyes shimmered with joyful tears as she placed the orb on the ground. The object grew into her father, and both embraced each other wordlessly. I joined them.

  “You’re shaking, Corinne,” Grandpa Brian noted. He sounded tired, but not weak like Mom had been when I’d saved her. Had she healed him?

  “Dad, look what she’s been through!”

  “I’m an expert on shaking,” I tried to smile. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

  “That’s a brave daughter you have there, Patricia. You raised her right.”

  Mom blushed a little, then frowned at the cotton. It lay at our feet, gathering dirt like an old, discarded sock. “Dad...”

  Grandpa Brian followed her glance and abruptly pulled away from us. “I'm guessing that's Aldous?”

  I nodded. “And after what he's done, I have a few things I'd like to do to him.”

  “Me too, but you can't,” my grandfather warned. “You know that.”

  “I know,” I curled my hands into fists, “but Grandpa Brian, you almost died!”

  He put his arm around me. “Corinne, trust me. I'm a hard one to kill.”

  “I'm glad.” I hugged him. “You know, I could kill Allen to make me feel better, then we can go back in time and tell me not to.” I meant this as a joke, but it was tempting.

  “Corinne, this is not the time– Oo!” My mother jumped back in alarm as a wall of fog twisted around her. It thickened rapidly, making it hard to see her at all.

  “Oh...Julian...” From within the enveloping mist, I could still hear Mom's voice. “That's very...nice...” She sounded almost amorous. I didn't want to think too much about that...

  “Now, now, children,” Grandpa Brian chided, apparently agreeing with me. “You make an attractive wall of fog, Julian, but there are other things to do now. Take back your real shape.”

  The fog glowed, and soon my father stood before us, appearing somewhat forlorn. He gazed down at his body with distaste. “You know, I kind of liked that form. It's so liberating.”

  My Grandfather snorted, then picked up the ball of cotton, crushing it with his fist.

  Why did his action make me cringe? I had spoken of killing Allen only seconds before! “Wait, Grandpa Brian. Don't–” I stopped myself, but Grandpa Brian answered anyway.

  “He's a piece of cotton. Can cotton get hurt?”

  “I don’t know, but if you tear i
t apart...” I let my voice trail off.

  With good timing, Mom completely changed the subject. “Are Jonas and Daniel okay?”

  Amidst the total chaos, I had completely forgotten them. “Oh my God! They're bushes!” I almost giggled as it sounded so ludicrous.

  But my parents and grandfather remained stern.

  “Take me to them,” Mom demanded. “Dad, you stay here a second with Julian and figure out how we're going to finish with Aldous. Here, Corinne,” I wasn't expecting my mother to transform me, so when I was suddenly a bird again, it was a bit jarring.

  Mom changed too, and she took to the sky. “Come,” she called down to me.

  I met up with her in the air. She was flying surprisingly fast for someone who had been so frail before.

  Of course, she had an explanation for me. “I healed myself.” Another changer talent that was particularly disconcerting – she had heard my thoughts even when I wasn’t trying to communicate with her.

  “So you’re all fine now?”

  “Well, you need the strength to heal, so I couldn’t do it right away. And I saved it for my father first. But I’m much better now.”

  There was a lump in my throat. What if she hadn’t made it? What if Grandpa Brian hadn’t? “I’m glad you’re both okay,” I murmured.

  We lapsed into silence as we skirted the treetops. Even after being a bird for a while, it still was disorienting to view the trees from above. But Mom dipped and soared over them like a natural.

  She must have known I was admiring her because she flew up several feet, nosedived into the trees, and joined back up with me. “Just testing the reflexes,” she commented.

  “Reflexes?!” I exclaimed, impressed at her acrobatics. “Like, bird reflexes?”

  “Yes, and we might need to use all of our bird instincts to find Uncle Jonas and Daniel. Use your sense of direction, smell, sight, even hearing.”

  “But can't you just feel where they are?”

  “Not if they're fully transformed. If they are, then their minds are gone. I would have to be right on top to them even to see the ounce of aura they have remaining.”

  “Oh,” I responded. So I'd been correct in assuming that was why I'd had so much trouble finding Daniel as a bug. I had to get the rules straight.