Chapter 24 - Vvyndicate
The ravine became visible on their right, looking like a dark gash in the land, moonlight throwing strange shadows down the trailhead.
In front of Sage, the fluid-looking group of foxes made it to the trailhead first. They divided, foxen dropping down onto the trail, while the wild foxes ran along the edge, yipping and laughing.
Sage reached the trailhead and found Frannie and Paisley waiting for her. They picked their way down by starlight, with grace and instinct for help. Behind them, a male started to chant.
“Uruh oo
Uruh ee
Uruh oo
Uruh ee”
Sage chanted with the others, reaching the bottom with no problems. Foxes zipped by from all directions, ignoring the path, jumping over anything in their way. At the bottom of the ravine, a wide brick path made the going easy.
The others fell behind Sage, until she was in front. She turned to find Paisley and saw her and Frannie walking slowly, holding hands. She slowed, not wanting the moment to end.
From behind her, the chant changed:
“Today, tomorrow, always
Today, tomorrow, always
Today, tomorrow, always
Today, tomorrow, always”
Sage looked around and someone in a fox suit placed her offering in her hands.
“Thank you,” she murmured, then she faced forward, still walking, holding the offering out, ready to start the final prayer. She joined in with the others for one verse, then called out over their voices, strong and clear.
“I praise Rhen and seek her,” Sage called, her eyes straight ahead, searching for the Throne of Seven Foxes. “I uphold her. I keep her.”
The other non-shifting foxen joined in, chanting loudly, with no fear, and no reservation.
“I turn from the demon. I offer him no bread.
I take from him no succor. I do not his bidding if I can help it.
If I am forced, if the mark is placed upon me
I will call out to Rhen, and trust my life is still valued
I will wait for rescue, I will hope for release
In Rhen I rest and trust, today, tomorrow, always.
TODAY TOMORROW ALWAYS!”
The chant ended, leaving the ravine ringing in the silence, while ahead of them, at the end of the ravine, the Throne of Seven Foxes came into view in the moonlight.
It was a fifty-foot-high rock jutting out of the wall of the ravine.
It resembled a giant fox looking over its shoulder, with a magnificent tail wrapped around its feet.
Naturally occurring in the rock, and situated around the fox, were seven clear indentations that resembled high-backed chairs.
One was at the very top, above the ears, two were on either side of the face, two on either side of the shoulders, and two on either side of the tail.
The five members of the Vvyndicate were already in place in the ‘thrones.’ A masked and hooded foxen sat at the very top, whose identity was not shared with ordinary foxen.
The thrones on either side of the face were empty, while Ava Alice Van Crimson and Kitsune Kitty Van Crimson sat at the shoulders and Slinger Van Crimson and Rosenvelt Van Boeson sat at the tail.
Behind Sage the others gathered in a still group, while Sage continued forward. She placed her offering at the foot of the fox and said, “I offer the best I have to Rhen, that she may guide me and that I may remember to listen today, tomorrow, always.”
She lowered her hood, bowed her head and waited.
“Step back,” Ava Alice said.
“Into the circle,” Kitsune Kitty said.
Sage held her thoughts carefully neutral because AA and KK could read minds when they were together. She took seven steps backwards, which positioned her inside a natural, circular depression. She bowed her head, clasped her hands, and waited to be addressed.
After a moment, thick muttering started from the foxen behind her, and she looked at the Throne of Seven Foxes to see what was up.
AA and KK were each in their ‘throne’, facing the other, gesticulating, nodding, laughing—obviously deep in an intricate ruhi conversation that included only the two of them, while the other Vvyndicate members looked on.
The masked foxen sitting at the top ‘throne’ was hard to read.
He or she wore a fox suit similar to what Sage was wearing, but without the human face and belly showing through, and Sage could find no eyeholes.
Sage never thought about or discussed who this person might be, because to do so was to weaken the Vvyndicate, and foxen as well.
The two ‘thrones’ at the fox’s face were empty, and Sage took a moment to silently pray to Rhen for their filling, because filling them would strengthen the Vvyndicate, and foxen as well.
The two ‘thrones’ at the fox’s shoulders were where Ava Alice and Kitsune Kitty sat.
They were Sage’s age and had been the first foxen Citlali born in fifty years, and the first female foxen Citlali ever, so they’d been coddled and fawned over.
They both wore black gowns with black gloves and veils and bare feet.
They both had red hair they could grow out at will.
The only way to tell them apart was because Kitsune Kitty wore cat ears in her hair—bright pink ones today.
The two ‘thrones’ at the fox’s tail were filled by Slinger Van Crimson on the left and Rosenvelt Van Boeson on the right.
Slinger was in his 80s, still looking tall and strong with thick red hair, beard, and mustache.
No one knew Rosenvelt’s age, but it was at least 80.
He was clean-shaven, and didn’t look frail, but was slimmer and slighter than Slinger, as were most of the Van Boeson’s.
He had thinning brown hair and a plain, kindly expression.
Both Slinger and Rosenvelt wore simple dark suits.
Slinger stared openly and disapprovingly at AA and KK, while Rosenvelt only watched Sage.
Sage met his eyes, and they shared a smile.
It bolstered Sage and made her feel like she had an ally on the Vvyndicate.
There were no Citlali in her family, and so they had no representation on the Vvyndicate, but the council still was sworn to protect them like all foxen.
Ava Alice and Kitsune Kitty, finally done with their conversation, turned their attention to Sage as one, and they both gave her smarmy looks.
“State your business,” Ava Alice called out loudly.
Sage blinked. She’d expected this to go differently. “I ah, would like to request recurring Vvyndicate escort and protection for my daughter Paisley White, while she goes to visit her grandmother, Paige White, near Chicago every month.”
“While you’re in treatment,” Kitsune Kitty said.
Sage blinked and said nothing.
“Why don’t you just get a hysterectomy?” Ava Alice said.
Kitsune Kitty looked at her and they both laughed.
“Snip, snip,” Kitsune Kitty said, her expression cruel.
Sage’s mouth fell open. This was a sacred ritual—and they were mocking her? She looked at the other members. Slinger looked interested in hearing her answer, while Rosenvelt seemed pained.
Sage wanted more young, but that was none of their business!
Rosenvelt spoke. “Perhaps a better question would be, ‘How long do you see this protection recurring for’?”
Sage hadn’t thought about that. “A year,” she blurted out, thinking she could renegotiate at the end of it.
“So, the Vvyndicate should do for you,” Ava Alice said.
“Even if you won't do for the Vvyndicate.” Kitsune Kitty said.
Sage clasped her hands in front of herself and dropped her eyes.
“I’m willing—”
Ava Alice interrupted, “Oh, now she's willing.”
Kitsune Kitty sneered. “Before she was too good for it.”
Sage shook her head. “Not too good. I just think we should be working with the vod, not spying on them.”
“Tell that to the vod,” Ava Alice said.
“After they throw you in jail for existing,” Kitsune Kitty added.
Sage dropped her eyes to the rocks again, nodding. “I'll do whatever you say. I was wrong to refuse you. I’ll take the dispatcher job.”
“Pshh. We put someone in that position already,” Ava Alice said. “You're going to work at Mugshots, that way your predilections can be put to good use.”
AA and KK laughed nastily. Inside, Sage was horrified; outside she hardened her will and stared at the face of the fox statue, ignoring AA and KK.
She’d gone to school with those two and they’d always thought they were better than anyone else, especially Sage, and especially after they’d discovered her innocent crush on the vodvod Canyon Wheeling.
If AA and KK knew what Sage had done years ago…
Sage blanked her mind, not thinking about it.
No one knew, and if anyone ever found out, she’d be ostracized by her own kind.
Silence spun on. Sage could feel their stares, like they were mentally clawing at her.
Finally, after what felt like hours, someone spoke.
“Reynard,” Ava Alice snapped.
A fox came forward with a pouch around its neck.
It was Reynard Van Crimson, shifted into his perfect red fox, with his vibrant flag renqua moving fluidly on his left shoulder, white fur set into orange fur.
Sage smiled and knelt to open the pouch.
Inside was a driver’s license with Sage’s picture on it and the name ‘Sage Greene’ with an address at Fox Valley Apartments, downtown.
Internally, Sage panicked about the last name. “Thanks,” she whispered, holding the license tightly in her hand.
Reynard cackled wildly and flipped his tail in the air, then ran off.
Ava Alice turned into a fox, shrugged her way carefully out of her clothes, and hopped down the ravine wall. She sniffed all around Sage, then ran back up the ravine wall to her spot. She nosed her way back inside her clothes, then twisted and shifted in an expert move.
“She doesn't need to cover her scent,” Ava Alice said.
Kitsune Kitty laughed. “Because she smells just like a human.”
Sage flushed hotly and dropped her eyes, feeling like she was back in school, shuffling her feet, heat burning up her throat and into her head.
A small, cool hand crept into her left hand, and someone else grasped her right hand—Paisley and Frannie.
She smiled at them, her cheeks cooling. Mina came close as a fox and crowded around her feet, and Aunt Bristol also, until most of her family were gathered close. Sage swallowed a lump in her throat.
Kitsune Kitty rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
Ava Alice slumped and looked away. “Whatever.”
Rosenvelt Van Boesen stood and looked up at the others. “All vote,” he called out. “Kitsune Kitty and Ava Alice vote yes. I vote yes.”
“Yes,” Slinger said.
The hooded foxen at the top inclined their head.
Rosenvelt turned to Sage with a kind smile. “Unanimous approval. I’ll coordinate the team to protect Paisley, and I’ll lead them myself each month. I’ll also be your contact with the Vvyndicate.”
Sage’s shoulders unknotted and she smiled at him. She didn’t know Rosenvelt well, but his support was welcome.
Kitsune Kitty caught Sage’s eye. KK put her claws out and showed her teeth. Sage looked away. What in the hell was KKs problem?
Behind her, the chant started, signifying they were to walk back.
“Uruh oo
Uruh ee
Uruh oo
Uruh ee”
Paisley and Frannie ran off. Sage turned around and followed the others, her cheeks still warm as she thought about what had happened, and the fact that she’d be working at Mugshots, a bar and grill that the vod frequented.
What if she saw Canyon Wheeling there? She should dump a drink on his head, but he knew her real last name, and so she’d have to avoid him at all costs.