Thieves
Chapter 19 - Those Feelings in the Stomach


Over the course of the next few days, Jack and Sis' 'training' continued on a more regular basis. This whole thing was really exciting, Sis found. He'd have never imagined him voluntarily participating in something like that, but after the first step was done, he could just as well see where this way led. He still had some doubt about it, though. Hell, a male human and a male fox, who had ever heard of something like that?!

Though, Jack was really good in making him feel comfortable. He was strange, and had an awful sense of humor - funny at times, but awful - but he was a good friend. Sis felt safe around him. Not just safe, but also... in good company. Sure, sure, a thief might not be considered the best associate, but the human was smart and he knew how the game was played. He was honest and loyal, as far as Sis could tell, and that made him trustworthy.

However, their intimate time together, was quite enjoyable. For the both of them. And Sis had made noticeable progress in the short time. The whole..., well, how would one call it? The Initiation of the act? Anyway, the start has gotten easier for him. He could now go easily past the spot he formerly couldn't, and push down far enough to let Jack's member touch the back of his throat. The actual part of 'taking him in' was still a bit problematic, though. He still had to gag a lot and couldn't really get him down his throat. Jack seemed to enjoy it, as he had repeatedly assured Sis.

The last days, though, neither of them felt in the mood to fool around. The trip had taken immensely longer than expected. While Jack had prognosticated the march to last no longer than a week, they were traveling for the eleventh day in a row now. And their supplies got scarce. Seriously scarce!

Last evening, Jack had used up their last piece of bread to cook some kind of 'bread soup'. It was barely more than molten snow with hard bread, supplemented by a chopped onion and two otherwise inedible carrots, to give the stuff at least some taste.

The horse, they had seized from the dead slave hunter, was left behind. Neither could they offer the animal any of their supplies, nor had they enough time to rest and let it search something on its own. On top of that, they couldn't ride it. It would have made a good emergency ration, but Jack only knew how to steal meat, not how to prepare it, and actually, they weren't even sure if they could bring themselves to eat it at all, after they had slaughtered it. So it was decided to just let it go.

The situation was really getting serious. The only thing left was a piece of hard cheese and some potatoes.

"Didn't you say it would only be one week?" Sis asked, exhausted. "We're running around for almost two, now. You sure we aren't lost?"

They were just making a breather, so Jack took the opportunity and pulled out the map. "We're still with the river, so we can't be that far off. But we actually should be able to see the mountains by now," he spoke and tried to find their position on the map, scanning the surroundings for any landmark. "Only thing I can imagine is that we're already past the mining colony."

"Great!" Sis sighed. "And what are we gonna do now?"

"Goin' on," Jack answered. As if the fox couldn't have come up with that as well. "We need to make as much way as we can, while we still can! We'll reach something for sure."

Sis just grumbled and made ready to continue their way. They followed the river till far into the night, that day. In the forest, any signs of light, humans, settlements, smoke, or civilization was sought vainly. The only good thing that day, was that they'd found some mushrooms that Jack, by the off chance, knew weren't poisonous.

"Urrrg," Sis' stomach rumbled as he let his backpack drop to the floor, on the spot Jack had decided would be their camp tonight. "I'm hungry," he held his protesting stomach.

Jack had discarded his pack likewise, "Yeah, me too." He pulled a cigarette out and lit it. At least these weren't out yet. "Go and fetch some firewood, I'll take care of the tent. That'll bring your mind to other things. Keep an eye out for anything edible, berries, nuts, mushrooms..."

"Yeah," Sis laughed. "Trying to distract myself from hunger by searching for food. Brilliant idea, genius."

The human waved his hand, "I'm not on my top." He exhaled a smoke cloud and smiled, "Maybe you can catch us some rabbits."

The fox snorted, "Do I look like a damn dog to you, or what?" Jack's smile widened. "Don't you dare answer that," Sis warned, pointing a threatening finger at his friend.

Leaving Jack tend to the tent, Sis marched into the woods. "Don't get lost!" Jack yelled after him, but the fox didn't worry about that, he had a good nose.

Finding food in the forest was easier said than done. Sis grew up in the forest, but in a different one. This one was a conifer forest. Aside from firs and spruces, vegetation was thin. Nuts or other, comparable plants were just non-existing and the only mushrooms that grew here were bracket fungi.

He'd decided to look for food first to, well, yeah, distract him, or something, and bring some wood on his way back. Hell, if he'd find a bunny hole, he'd try and dig it out, so hungry was he. Fuck if Jack would call him a dog.

Eventually, and against all odds, he spotted a tiny, thorny, bush that held some thumbnail sized, yellow berries. The fox inspected them closer and identified them as the ones he knew humans at the Dolmans had eaten during the cold months. Sis couldn't remember to have ever seen these berries in his home forest, but they seemed to be common around here. Apparently the fruits survive the winter on the bush and are edible, too. Therefore they might have been a good way to provide some exotic fruit for the nobles, during the otherwise monotone food supply of the winter.

Sis plucked one and tasted it. It was sweet and heavy, a bit sour, too. The skin was hard and velvety, the flesh soft. He plucked the whole bush and stuffed his pockets, nibbling one every now and then.

Unfortunately, this remained the only highlight of his trip. He'd searched further into the forest, hoping to maybe find another bush, but before he would stray too far, and Jack probably came after him, he headed back.

Finding adequate firewood turned out to be the next challenge. The forest didn't offer much and what he offered was too heavy for the small fox to carry. However, a few brittle branches he found.

"That will do," he spoke to no one in particular and picked his pile up. He heard his stomach growl and felt a pinch, "God, I hope Jack's got something done 'til I'm back."

On the way back he kept his eyes open for more berries, or just anything else, and occasionally replaced a branch with a drier one, when he found one. He found himself thinking about the next day, and that they would hopefully reach the mines, and that Jack would get them something proper to eat. Meat again? Or maybe he'd grab one of those fine pastries?

"Urrrrgh...," his stomach rumbled again, louder, and the pinching increased to a constant pain. "About time I get something inside me," he said aloud and hurried back.

By the time the tent came into view, a small fire already lighting up the place, the pain in Sis' abdomen was intense, and he began to think that this might not only be hunger. It wasn't the pinch of hunger anymore, it was more like cramps, sending waves of pain through him. He pressed the pile of wood hard against his belly and made the last steps for the camp.

"Took you long enough, foxy," Jack said, his back to Sis as he tended to the fire.

Sis dropped the wood behind the human and clutched his stomach. That was definitely not hunger anymore.

Jack turned around. "Have you b-," he saw the fox's twisted face. "Everything alright?" he asked alarmed.

"I got stomach ache."

"Well, if it's that urgent, we'll have to sacrifice the last supplies today-" Jack said, but got interrupted by Sis.

"It's not that," the fox said. "Urrgh, it's something else...."

"Did anything bite you? Spider, snake, ants?" Sis shook his head. "You touched any poison plant?"

The fox shook his head again, "No, no, no. Argh, god." He kneeled down.

"Did you eat something? A mushroom, or anything?"

"No." He grit his teeth, "No mush- urrgh -rooms. Just.... Ohh, berries I found."

"Berries? What berries?" Jack wanted to know.

Sis reached into his pocket and showed Jack one of the yellow fruits, "These."

The human took the berry from Sis' paw and looked at it. "Oh foxy," he said, "these are toxic."

He looked at the human with a grimace. "But I saw how... humans ate them."

"Yeah," Jack nodded. "Humans can eat them safely, but short ones can't tolerate them. Didn't you know that?"

The pain got worse within the minute and Sis bowed down, holding his stomach tight. "Orrrgh god, please tell me these aren't lethal. I don't wanna die like that."

"How much did you eat?" Jack asked, leaning over to support the fox.

"Hrrrng Fuck! Not so much," he answered and barely felt Jack's hand on his shoulder. "Argh, seven, maybe eight...."

Jack patted his back, "These few won't kill you, foxy. Now get inside, I'll be there in a second." He took the metal pot from the backpack and opened his bag. "And if you need to leave something outside," Jack added, "leave it outside."

Sis turned briefly, "No... it's just, grrrr, ...stomach."

While Sis continued his moaning and groaning in the tent, Jack added some wood to the yet small fire and started melting a hand of snow in the cooking pot. He protruded a finely manufactured leather purse from his bag and unfolded it, revealing several small pockets. The pockets, finely ordered, were filled with different kinds of herbs, dried fruits and leaves in various colors and shapes. Selecting all needed ingredients from the purse, Jack added them to the, now liquid, snow.

The little amount of water was already boiling and quickly turned green as the herbs unfolded their effects. Jack let the mixture cook and the water vaporize, until it was a darkish brown, gooey mass. Another moment later and everything that remained was an almost black herbal dumpling, which Jack formed round with a spoon.

Done, the human entered the tent and offered the dumpling to Sis, who gave the lump a wary look. "What is... that?" he asked, still holding his aching belly.

"Chew well and swallow," Jack instructed him, holding out the spoon. "It'll help with the pain."

That was encouragement enough for the fox, as another wave of pain caused him to flinch. He took the spoon, chewed the leafy paste and swallowed. The dumpling tasted dusty and stale and the flavor wouldn't leave Sis' mouth for some time. "That stuff's disgusting!" Sis said, forgetting the pain for a short moment.

Jack laughed, "Just wait till it comes out again." He carefully touched the underside of the pot, testing hits temperature, "Here, lay down and put this on your stomach. It'll relax the muscles and helps the herbs do their work."

The fox lay down, pressing the warm pot onto his stomach. The warmth felt good, though it didn't do much just yet. Jack covered the fox with the blanket till over his waist, just enough to preserve the heat of the pot, but not too far so the fox got too hot.

"Whence do you know all of this? The stuff with the herbs, and things?" Sis asked Jack, while he tried to find a comfortable position to rest.

"Oh, y'know," Jack said, laying down beside Sis and chewing one of the berries he had brought. "If you're traveling on your own a lot, like me, you need to learn certain things to stay alive. There's easily as much that can heal you, than there is that could harm you. You just need to know where to find it."

"Argh," he began as a new wave of pain, although a smaller one, struck him. "You know what's good about this shit? At least I'm not hungry anymore."

Jack smiled, "Yeah, there's always something positive." He scooted closer to Sis and got his Book from the pack. Knowing where he'd left, he opened the page and found back into the story. "Hey, foxy! You wanna have another read?" Jack asked, peeping over the book cover.

Sis laughed sharply, "No, thanks. I'm miserable enough as it is."

"Really? This part isn't nearly as graphic as the spot I've showed you earlier," he promised.

Another sting met his stomach and he pressed the metal pot tight to his fur. A little bit of distraction, Sis thought, might help him to forget the pain. Or maybe it would be so boring that he'd just fall asleep. "Actually...," the fox said. "Maybe just one page or so."

"Okay," the human answered, pressing himself softly against Sis' side. "You already feeling a bit better yet?"

"A bit. This stuff works quite fast."

Jack mumbled, "Hm-hm, it was a rather strong mix." He brought the book to his nose, "Alright, then, let's start...."

Jack read aloud for the fox, for quite some time, easily more than 'maybe just one page or so'. The story itself wasn't as boring, or vulgar as Sis had thought, he found it indeed rather interesting. He listened to Jack's voice for a long time as he spoke of the wolf on his journey, how he fought against all oddities, made his way towards a better life, got in trouble and out again, and how he was sure he'd find what he sought after. His life wasn't an easy one, but he did everything to make the best of it, and he didn't let a chance to have fun slip.

The reading session went till deep into the night and before long the warming metal pot went cold again. Though, that was no problem. One of Jack's hands quickly replaced the dish and offered its warmth. Albeit the pain had eased up by now, Sis didn't mind. He just focused on the warm feeling and the slowly rubbing thumb that made its way through the fur just under his lowest ribs, closed his eyes and listened to Jack's words until he slipped into sleep.

***

A gentle touch between his ears woke him, and Sis opened his eyes, taking in the familiar smell of the leather tent. "Mornin', foxy," a known voice said and a finger played with his left ear. "How do you feel today?"

The fox stretched awkwardly, in his laying position. To his surprise, he didn't feel any pain, though he was still queasy. "Better," he said simply.

"Think you can walk?" Jack asked, letting his friend sit up. "We don't need to walk all day, but anything is better than nothing."

Sis nodded, "Yeah, sure. I'm fine. Better than starving, I guess."

"Oh, if you feel like eating, there are two potatoes ready for you, outside," Jack pointed through the closed tent flaps. "I'd recommend, though, to save one up for later, even if you'd have to eat it cold."

Sis nodded again, "Yeah, yeah, sure. Thanks, Jack." He put on his jacket and made his way outside.

"Take your time, foxy," Jack called after him. "Imma break down the tent. Just rest before we go."

Walking was even more taxing, with an almost empty stomach and one that ached, on top of that, but Sis did his best. It couldn't be far anymore. The terrain got more and more hilly with every step. The forest thinned out noticeable and stone formations divided tiny, moss covered valleys. The thinner the forest grew, the more snow covered the ground, forming small dunes at the peak of the land folds that occasionally sagged down and covered the last spots of green on the ground.

"Oh!" Jack snapped his fingers into the sky. "There we go!"

Sis tried to look over the distant row of trees, Jack had pointed over, but he was too small. "What is there?"

"The mountains," he said, pointing again, and as they drove nearer Sis too could see the snow-capped peaks of a small mountain range.

The 'mountains' were actually barely more than rocky hills, rising only a few hundred feet high. They were flat and the bases were hidden under the last plants that were unyielding enough to survive on the stony terrain.

Finally parting with the river, that had led them here, Jack and Sis headed for the range of hills. Driven by the possibility of a warm, fresh meal, Sis put the pain aside and followed Jack until they finally - FINALLY - reached a settlement.

Still hidden by the forest, the two scanned the small working place. The mining colony, positioned just under a steep slope, had some living quarters, workshops, a place that seemed like a trade post, stables and some other buildings like storehouses or taverns. From the distance they couldn't make out any people, but Jack had spotted a railroad just outside the place that had to connect the mine with other mining colonies, and eventually with a larger city.

It was bright daylight, so the place was busy. Sis could hear dozens of voices carried by the wind, stomping horses and the carts they were pulling, and the metallic clink of hammers in the blacksmiths.

"So," Sis announced, taking his eyes from the place. "Shall I get out the rope?"

"Hmm," Jack thought for a long moment and stared into the distance. "No," he answered, having made his decision. "I guess it's best if you wouldn't show up at the places we travel anymore, as long as someone still might catch our trail. Travelers alone are rare in these regions, but a fox would leave an impression." He thought for another moment and placed his backpack on the ground. "You'll wait here. First I'll go alone, checking the situation. I'll see if we can get somewhere from here and bring some food for the night. Then we'll decide what to do," he scratched his chin, which has grown a light beard over the course of the last days. "That sound like a plan?" he added.

"Yes," Sis said. He wasn't particularly keen on going into the mining colony anyways. "Just hurry and get back here with something tasty, alright?"

"I'll fly," the human said, ruffling Sis' head fur, and then he headed for the place.