Maxim
The scent--and distant sound--of potential prey animals heightened the hybrid's senses. He had left the alleyway and stores to seek out the more serene side of this new land. Perhaps he would run into Skeil agian, if not than life moves on.
Ears pivoted as he carefully made his way through the surrounding forest. Confusion gripped him as he came upon the clearing and the small house with the cages. His eyes darted around frantically as he dashed back into the bushes. He reprimanded himself for being so careless with his entry and sniffed the air warily--for any human scents. Finding none that were extremely fresh, Maxim proceeded into the clearing and toward the large boxes from which the varying scents were coming from. What is this? Maxim studied the boxes and the wiring that made their contents safe, meeting frustration in the end. His eyes could not clearly make out what was in the shaded corner of the box he was currently sniffing.
*Fox*
A grey fox, a vixen, was curled up within a dog house in the corner of the cage Maxim was investigating. One of her front legs was mangled rather badly after she attempted to amputate it a while back. Like many of her kind, it was a gruesome choice to make when caught in a trap when the alternative is giving your life up in certain, brutal death by a human. It was to her luck that the lady of the Woodland Farm had found her in time and tended to the wounded leg which was now wrapped in gauze.
Hearing the approach of the hybrid, the fox's eyes snapped open and her large ears shot up. Her lean muzzle was lifted up slightly as she picked up Maxim's scent and concluded he was a danger to her. The fox shifted uncomfortably in the dog house as she watched the canine.
Maxim
Maxim's nose picked up the faint scent of dried blood as he continud to warily sniff the contents of the cage. His body shifted to another position, making his eyes look into the box at a different view. Seeing the vixen he lost his sense of mischief. Sensing her tense up, the hybrid backed away a step and sat down.
*Grey Fox*
Her time in captivity had taught her that no prowling creature, at least not one of Maxim's size, could get into the kennel. And so seeing no indication of threat from the much larger canine, the vixen took a few mincing steps from her dog house until she was half way out from the shelter, "I was caught by a human contraption; a thing that looks like steel jaws." she replide in a wary tone, uneasy about speaking to one she considered a preditor. Her leery attitude eased up a bit though as she continued to speak, "A human found me and released me from the trap, but brought me here." Now the vixen gave a slight frown. "I don't know what she'll do to me, but I hear humans wear our fur." She gave a slight shutter and wondered why a human would wear the skin of an animal; after all, no other creature she knew of did that.
Maxim
Maxim was still highly curious about the vixen, and did not attempt to hide his emotion. His gaze looked horrified as she mentioned that human's wear other animals' fur. That is terrible! His ears shot up, listening for any sounds that would alert him to the approach of one that eluded his gaze. Have you tried to escape?
*Grey Fox*
She shook her head, "I can't get out; I've tried though." She glanced at the cast on her leg and grimaced, "I would have chewed this off long ago, but it is covered with some horribly bitter tasting stuff. It also hurts much less than I expected it too." The vixen says suddenly, in a thougtfull way. It was partly from the medications that dulled the pain, as well as made her so quick to talk with the much larger canine. "At least I have been getting food, but I'd rather be out in there." The fox turned her narrow snout towards the timberline that was so nearby before turning back to Maxim, "What brings you around here?"
Maxim
Maxim looked thoughtfully upon the fox, before settling his rump against the earth in a comfortable manner. His ears still pivoted, for any sign of an approaching being that may try to take him by surprise. His keen eyes studied the cage a moment before answering her question. I came looking for food. There is hardly anything for risking my life for in the human part of the world, and I scented this place from not too far out. However, I am not coming across anything accessible. He studied her again. Do you want me to see if I can help you out? Maxim tilted his head quizically in the vixen's direction. Perhaps she would know where food was, and eating her was far out of the question as she too was a carnivore--and probably not very palatable anyway.
*Grey Fox*
The fox flicked her tail to the side before letting it lay idly. "You would help me? I certainly should repay you if you could get me out of here." Her fear of Maxim had evaporated almost completey for the time, partly from the medication she had unknowingly received, and mostly from the fact that she was desperate to excape.
Maxim
Maxim parted his muzzle in a canine grin. The hybrid dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement. I will try. He studied the cage and sniffed it warily, testing it with his teeth. I cannot promise anything though. Suddenly with a growl--only for his own motivation--he began gnawing on the cage. After a moment he stood back, apparently perplexed by the whole thing. How did you get in there in the first place? Perhaps he could open the spot where she had entered easier than the rest of the cage.
*Grey Fox*
She watched intently as he chewed at the cage, something she tried only for a short time before. She was hopeful for a moment, but soon realized even his jaws weren't a match for this strange metal that made her prisioner. "She opened up that part of the wall." The vixen replide to his question and now padded forward while akwardly holding her injured leg up and half-dragging it. Her sharp muzzle was pointed up to the cage's door, and the latch in particular, "She used her paws and moved that around. Then that part of the wall swung open."
Maxim
The hybrid studied the door that the vixen had gestured to. His nose worked carefully over it, searching for any hints as to how it opened. One overly large paw lifted as he swatted at the door. Each nail caught the wiring, or whatever material was used, in the slightest manner as Maxim continued to test the cage. He snorted as he pondered how to get it open. It is definately interesting. Maxim took his teeth and began working at the door portion, hoping it would budge some...
*Grey Fox*
She watched intently as he worked with the door's latch. As he took it between his teeth, he ended up grasping the end of the latch. Biting pulled the latch down enough and unlock the gate.
The vixen's ears perked up more now when she heard the sound. She had heard that before when the lady opened the cage. "What ever you did, I think it worked." the fox stated, inching closer to the door.
Maxim
Maxim started at the sound of the latch and backed up a couple of steps, ears high upon his head. His eyes fell upon the lock with intense wonder. One paw raised slightly from the earth, ready to bolt if something bad should happen. Finally, the hybrid steadied himself and looked to the vixen. The door had opened slightly, but would need to be pushed by the fox for it to open completely. He gestured his nose in the direction of the door. Is it open?
*Grey Fox*
Her keen gaze didn't stray from the door as she replide, "I think so; I've heard that noise before." Creeping slowly, as if going fast might bring about some hidden dangers, the vixen headed for the door. She nudged it with her slender muzzle and felt it push back. "Good..." she said in less than a whisper. Pushing harder, she managed to swing the door open enough for her to slip through. Once out of the cage, she turned her eyes up to Maxim, "I don't know what I can do to repay you for this." she said, keeping her body low to the ground. Now she was just hoping he would keep true to the words he had said earlier; she was very timid now.
Maxim
Maxim's tail swayed happily behind him as the fox exited the cage. His nose, akward in shape due to his mingled lineage, inched close to the fox's hind leg. He nudged it gently. What is that? The hybrid moved back again, realizing that she might be intimidated by his appearance. And you don't have to repay me. Maxim's head tilted slightly in a questioning gesture.
*Grey Fox*
She had flattened herself more to the ground when Maxim moved forward, but then pulled her ears up a bit when he backed off. Although she was begining to trust him, she didn't look up directly into his eyes when she replied; she looked at the casted leg instead, "I don't know for sure what it is. I makes it very hard to move around though." the vixen looked up at the trees which her kind often climbed. It would be impossible to climb now with the cast on.
Maxim
Maxim plopped back onto his rump and studied the vixen with wonder. How'd it get there? And What's it for anyway? His was truly stumped by the ways of humans and this event was no exception.
*Grey Fox*
She gives a small shrug, "I'm not too sure. The human jabbed me with a needle and I fell to sleep..." the vixen paused a moment, trying to recall just what had happened, "...I woke up later, and there it was. My leg doesn't hurt as much as I had expected, but I cannot move it." Sighing heavily with frusration and confusion, she glanced up at Maxim. Her gaze was still a meek one, but her fear was again begining to wane.
Maxim
Maxim studied the cast for a moment and thentook a piece of it between his teeth, gently trying to loosen it without moving the leg too much. He hadn't taken account of getting too close, he didn't know fox and was only partial wolf so the respect boundary was not a strong instinct. Can you get it off? Finally he resorted to sitting back and watching the vixen with a patient, yet curious gaze.
*Grey Fox*
Her ears laid flat when he took her casted leg between his jaws. She was about to snap at him in self-defense, but somehow managed to control her instincts. Still, she took in a sharp breath and her thick tail was ridged in suspense. When he sat back again, she took a step back and studied the cast. His teeth had done good to break up the material on her leg. "I think so." she replied after a moment and finished removing the rest of the cast with her slender muzzle. The leg was still bloody and not fully healed. But to the vixen, it was better than being confined to the cage. "If you can ever think of something I can help you with, you can find me at the Ruins most likely." That was where she planned to make a den when she found a mate. She didn't tell this to Maxim though, only because deep-rooted instincts comanded it so. "Thank you again." she said with a dip of her muzzle. Then she hurried off into the woods with a noteable limp.