《The Compendium》 Ambush Ambush. Try as we might, we could not defeat them. Thirteen men strong we patrolled our post, talked up as the best of the best, awarded, lauded, cheered on everytime we all returned home. We fought as a well oiled machine, the staple of the western battalion, our ranged attacks devastating to any enemy who came in range. Should they survive the accuracy of the three eyes trio, the enemy would have to contend with the front ranks, and were surely as good as dead. Steel on steel our bulwark was said to be unmatched, reinforced in a dying dragon''s flame, unbreakable and magical in nature, so it was only fitting when the second prince, our leader, took that post and became one of us. He would hack with his curved short sword, smash with his mace if need be, crushing and slicing and killing any enemies that dared challenge us. And yet it was all for nought, for he was cut down in an instant, the three eyes trio had their other eyes removed, and suddenly we were sightless, armorless, and at an enemies mercy. The first time we retreated just the prince had died, our eyes still alive, still firing, still hurting. The monster''s screams could be heard, a devilish, squealing that grated on your mind until you couldn''t stand it. No matter what we threw at them they wouldn''t die forever, oh they''d stop and fall and rot, but days later they would be back, flesh grown around arrows and sword slices closed like they were never there. We had found a cave, the large awning of an entrance spelling death of it collapsed, but warmth was more important in the desolate dead forest we resided in. By this point we didn''t realize we were already dead. Come tomorrow, we all dreamed it. The day after that? It''s just me. Our eyes were picked off in the night, deciding to keep watch. One at a time, Travis was pulled first, his deranged scream shaking us awake as he thrashed and was drug into the darkness. We all sat and listened as they ate him. Our three water boys, on their first tour and little more than farmhands, pleaded to make a run for it with us, but we refused. Outside was more of a death with the coming blizzard than being eaten one at a time. Come morning Jesse and Quentin were gone too, Quentin swearing in his southern islander accent all the way. When I looked at the men around me, I knew we were already dead. They looked at me and knew it too. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. As I write this book the fires are dwindling, the one thing we now know is a weakness of these creatures, and even still I wonder why Commander Drak sent us this far north. I suppose it doesn''t matter, it''s staring at me even still, it''s beady black eyes rotating like a carriage wheel, the hairs on its crustaceous body twitching as it inspects me. The others made a run for it, and I do not know if they made it. What I do know is as I''m writing people back home are reading, and that''s all that matters. I implore you, don''t come north, leave the wastes to be. I''ve been thinking of ways to fight, to have a chance of survival, and have tried imbuing my sword with a fire enchantment, but to no avail. This creature has adept external control on mystical energies, and is more intelligent than it seems. Six legs, a hundred eyes, and furs the size of spokes on wheels. It''s bulbous body just waiting to get it''s hands on me. It actually started drooling earlier, just sitting there, watching me, waiting. The fires are almost dead now. The only hope I have to kill it is to sacrifice myself, and I don''t know if I can do it. Which death would be worse? Who knows. I guess I should find out. Closing the book Alec Bradwinn the second set it down, it instantly fizzled into dust against the cold damp stone. Walking to the edge of the ring of fire entrapping and keeping him safe he watched as the creature turned, following his movements. ¡°I don''t know if you can understand me, but know this. I will be the end of you, as it''s the end of me. You can smother my magic and crush my bones, but when my sword of flame slices through you, just know we will scream together in the underworld.¡± Smiling, Alec called on his energies, the meager amount left desperate to leave it''s mark on the world. Alec had something different in mind however, and left a mark on himself. When his sword lit up in blood red flame and drips dropped down his arm to the floor the creature skittered, as though trying to understand how. In the back of his mind a demon roared, already growing stronger. Screaming back, Alec charged. Drefan Pt 1 His roar was of the earth, splitting it in two. Each beat of his wings toppled trees, spun up sandstorms, tore houses from foundations, he was more a force of nature than beast. Drefan was the bane of the unworthy, a monster unlike any other. So why was he suddenly about to die? These thoughts swirled in his head of anger, as each moment he rose higher into the air. Something had pierced his side, a scale chipped off under his arm, a path to his fiery core. He knew it, all dragons knew it, one touch and boom, the core shuts down. So he rose, he flew, higher and higher, away from the pesky humans. The time for murder and mayhem would be soon, he vowed. Oh how right he was. The sound of whistling cut through the air and Drefan howled, his left wing pierced by another human invention. Large spikes jutted from it holding him in place, and Drefan saw his doom on the ground as several more ballistae moved into position. Twisting and turning he tore the spike through his wing, ignoring the pain. He could get away. He could turn and the horizon was right there- Drefan fell. He felt his core charging for a disperse of fiery breath, and smiled. They brought him right to their feet. The wind screamed by his ears, the tear in his wing seared as the open wound was torn further, but Drefan didn''t care. Those humans had made a grave error, they didn''t know about liquid death. Most dragons blew a thick fire, or bolts of jagged lightning. Drefan? He found acid to be much more intriguing, and took it for himself. He couldn''t wait to show them Just how magnificent he was. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°The dragon isn''t fighting sir!¡± Lieutenant Corben shouted this between frantic orders, his men steadily clearing the area, readying their shields. They all knew what this meant, the dragon wanted to fight on the ground. Looking around, the general could admit they should have chosen better ground to fight on, but to get this far was a miracle by itself, to hope for anything more than rough success was to court death, in his line of work. ¡°Corben!¡± The man turned to look immediately, a bit of fear plastered across his face. ¡°Call the mage, tell him it''s his turn to earn his worth. The dragon took it to the ground.¡± Nodding, Corben pulled a large scroll from a pack laying on the ground, reading words multiple times in pattern. Turning away as the message was sent the general continued barking orders. He could only hope the magic was here in time, for the fire was coming, and it was their only chance at survival. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Drefan snarled in anticipation as he crashed into the ground. Immediately spinning he shredded and destroyed all ballistae with his talons, but couldn''t find the humans who dared to attack his lustrous body. The dust kicked up from impact was just too thick, it billowed out like a blanket in the wind. So he waited. Drefan knew what he would do next, he knew the humans didn''t expect dragon''s acid, they only ever expected fire and ruin. Drefan much preferred the drawn out screams, and the acidic tang on the wind of dissolving flesh. He wasn''t so sure they would. As the dust cleared Drefan stood up to his full height, looking at the assembled ranks of humans, their large reinforced steel shields held by two men a piece, a sort of armor for their mushy interiors, who held pikes tipped with gleaming silver alloy under the rapidly setting sun. Did they really think they could hold the weight of a dragon''s ire? Drefan knew they couldn''t, and he couldn''t wait to see the looks on their faces when he waded through their blood. Drefan wouldn''t stop here, after he mutilated and decimated this excuse for an army, he would fly to the capital and melt it to the bedrock, not one building would be left standing, not a rat left alive. ¡°Do you know who I am!¡± The trees shook, men clutched their ears, birds took to the skies, no one could handle a dragon''s voice. ¡°I am Drefan the mutilator, razer of a thousand armies, destructor of the Bathlazar Mercenaries! I tore down their cities when they killed my brethren, and now, I will do the same to you.¡± Eyes to the sky he roared these words. Dragon fire called upon, it stoked in response. It was time. The heart beating within him pulsed, and gave him life, as well as magic. Green acidic magic, corrupting and corroding and dissolving all things. Drefan breathed, the only thing on his draconic mind, his breath of death. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 235 miles away a mage stood, overlooking the ocean, and the sun. ¡°Now!¡± He shouted, watching hundreds of panes of mirrors tilted to focus the energy right onto him and several others. They began chanting, ignoring the torture of energies blasting through them, lessening the load upon the one who mattered. Down below almost 800 cattle sat pacing around, and the mage raised a hand. 800 life''s of energy, plus a mages control, plus a spell fit to fight a dragon''s magic. It had to be enough. Screaming the words for a magic barrier at the top of his lungs, the mage called upon his own core of magic, feeling it dry almost instantly, just to be replaced by a foreign blood magic. The 7 men around him took the energy first, the Impure burned by focused sun energy, the rest concentrated and adapted to human anatomy, for the mage to use. Doing so gave him the strength of a hundred mages, and for a moment, he channeled as much strength as a dragon. He knew where they were fighting, he knew exactly down to the centimeter where they stood. And so he chanted. He chanted as his skin began to smoke, as the people dropped one by one around him, dead. As the sun disappeared he stumbled, but stood firm, chanting. Then a sudden sharp pain overrode his magic, a physical weight slamming against the barrier so powerful he couldn''t possibly hold it. The mage collapsed, doctors shouted, and the site of extraordinary magic was silent. Drefan Pt 2 Drefan was not having a good day. It took only 2 hours, and now he was surrounded, trapped on the ground, blasting acidic magic on top of hopeless rat like humans in an attempt half desperation, and half anger, simply to stay alive. Today was not a good day in his eyes. But right now? This one moment? This moment was the most satisfying moment he had ever had, in a long time. ¡°This! This is my might! Do you see the folly of your ways, puny humans!?¡± he roared through the thick, green acidic fog. His breath caused the fog to push away from him, tiny eddies forming from the force. Tucking his tail arrogantly, Drefan snorted. Now all he had to do was wait. He waited, for what seemed like entirely too long, before he stood in frustration. There were no screams of melting humans, no pleas to their long dead gods. It was¡­ wrong. Could it be possible he just didn''t hear? Forcing his wings to unfurl he blasted off, taking to the sky. Up here the air was still clear, and he could see the sun disappearing over the horizon. Looking down- wait, what was that? As Drefan rose, he saw the humans running around like chickens, preparing something on the other side of a seemingly invisible wall of magic. Yes, Drefan could see it now, they had erected a magical barrier. And then, in the dark of night, Drafen found the barrier for himself. Crashing into the top of said barrier.he shrieked, the magic searing against his skin, one wing buckling and snapping from the force of an instant stop. Then the barrier of magic shattered, magic shards piercing his body. Drefan shrieked some more and for the second time in his life, he fell. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Hold soldiers, HOLD!¡± The generals booming voice.quieted the troops, the rattle of metal on metal and uneven steppe stopping in a moment. The cloud of gas seemed to hit a barrier that lit up like the sun as it absorbed the energy of a dragon''s magic. ¡°It''s an acid dragon sir, do we bring the igniters?¡± Looking over at his lieutenant the general tilted his head, turning back to the dragon. His sword hummed at his side, hand squeezing the hilt so tight his palm was raw. Soon he would have his fight. Soon he would protect the kingdom. Soon he would have his blood. *¡±General Kaleth, the seventh igniters brigade is reporting, where do you need us.¡± Snapped from his thoughts the general''s hand left his blade, sinister thoughts quieting. Turning to his right he saw thirteen men, strapped with magical weapons that could breathe fire from nothing. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I need you positioned here,¡± he pointed a few feet ahead of him, ¡°and there, by each shield wall. When the barrier comes down you are to ignite the gas, and retreat behind the walls, the corrosive fire will harm everything, even a dragon.¡± fist slamming to his opposite shoulder the sergeant began shouting orders to his men, the general watching them deploy. His hand almost grabbed for the sword yet again, an instinctive reaction he had yet to get checked by healers and a saint back in the capitol. Now was not the time for thoughts, now was the time for action. Steeling his resolve, the general prepared for the final battle. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Drefan was feeling fear for the first time. As hatching fighting for his life against his siblings, he didn''t feel this close to death. Against his lone surviving brother for his magic, with scales torn asunder and both eyes missing, he didn''t feel truly afraid. Only sadness, and rage. Now? He couldn''t even feel rage. Even a dragon, as haughty as any, knows when to admit they''ve been bested, and Drefan knew he had been. Though his heart was gilded gold and more confident than any, he knew the odds were not in his favor. These soldiers had silver alloy piercing weapons, a mage of a level he thought didn''t exist anymore, and magical gear down below that could harm a dragon. Put it together? Drefan would still win, but he had a newfound respect for humans. Perhaps they weren''t as weak as he thought. As he fell into his cloud of poisonous gas he snarled, the magic even capable of burning the burning cuts caused by magic, once it left him it was no longer his, and had a mind of its own. Then the magic lit and changed to fire, a Drefan roared a new pain. He was going to slaughter them all. As the fire cleared, Drefan stood before an army of men, burnt, scarred, one wing broken. He wished he could smile properly, for it looked like he was snarling. He supposed both would do in the end. ¡°Well? Come on then, I''ll give you your fight.¡± The men roared in response, and charged. Balls of magical fire flew over their backs, arcing through the twilight like comets, splashing across Drefans scales harmlessly, until they found the cuts and gashes he had been given. It was no matter, just a sting, and Drefan retaliated instantly, tail sweeping up like a scorpion¡¯s. Dragons fire bellowed in his chest, coursing through his veins like a serpent, collecting in his tail like a ball of death, and liquid acid shot, his own volley of magic crashing across the human magic users. Drefan loved the smell of their death. At the same time he swept around with his wings, collecting stab wounds across his wings from spear and sword, ignoring the pain in favor of throwing a dozen men every which way. Roaring he strode forward, crashing through their shield wall wings in front, the screams of men crushed and splattered like paintballs, a symphony in his ears. Oh how he missed this! The carnal battle, no planning, just one against another in a battle to the death. Drefan almost didn''t want it to end. Almost. So when he saw the general atop his brilliant white steed, cursed sword drawn, Drefan howled in delight. Here was a fight worthy of his sole attention. Every fighter could feel it, and they backed off, warily stumbling about, tired. Bodies littered the ground, helmets crushed, shields torn through, a mix of metal and flesh on Drefans claws. ¡°Any last words, beast?¡± The general charged, his horse fearless in his control. ¡°They aren''t yours to hear, human!¡± roaring, claws sunk into the ground, and Drefan Charged back. Drefan Pt 3, final. One man and a cursed sword, versus a dragon. For most it was a fairytale, a dream, something unreal. For those standing around a small clearing under the moonlight, it was a nightmare. Bodies laid strewn about, crushed and ripped in half, some on fire, some melted into puddles of acidic waste. Others were still alive, crying out for help that never came. Drefan felt ecstatic at the pleas, moreso when they finally went silent. Charging across the rocky clearing he skidded to a stop, thrusting a wing in front of him as a sword sliced through it like butter. Roaring in pain he pushed out, tearing his wing further, but shoving the general from his glossy black horse. Walking forward, Drefan sighed. Perhaps he shouldn''t have been hopeful for a fight of the ages, the general was just a human after all. What a disappointment. Then, he was blasted back a dozen feet, the concussive shockwave pushing friend and foe alike, blood and guts falling across Drefans scales, and eyes. The general staggered to his feet, teeth gritted, and yelled thrice. ¡°From the sun and moon, grant me a boon.¡± By the end he was screaming the words, his body growing larger, and glowing, even as the sword in his gloved hands turned a sickly red. The man charged, slashing a broad stroke across Drefans left leg, scales shrieking as they caved and cracked like glass. Drefan snarled and snapped down with his teeth, but the general spun away. Lunging again, he met claw with blade. The resounding shock sent a shockwave of force, but Drefan weighed more, and he watched as the general shot back like a cannonball into a cliff side hundreds of feet away. Roaring, Drefan stood up, energy building in his chest. This fight was over. Crawling to his jaw and dripping from his teeth like raindrops, the dragon''s fire within him stoked itself for the third time that night. Condensed into a beam of pure acidic energy it melted through the cliff, obliterating anything in its path. Drefan was sure to win, nothing could survive such a force- screaming, Drefan stopped his energy, twisting and stumbling away. A silver alloy spear was lodged under his arm, where they had taken one of his scales earlier that day. His magic roared, pulled it it like a magnet, no longer under his control. Shuddering, Drefan felt his dragon fire go dormant. Then the humans charged. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Crawling from the rubble the general discarded his armor. It was reduced to slag. His boon was exhausted, but he was alive and his sword required more blood. Stalking towards the dragon he watched in grim satisfaction as it thrashed to and fro, roaring as more silver alloy spears began sprouting from its body. By now it should be on its last breath, life energy pulled every which way. ¡°Chain the beast to the ground!¡± Pointing to four massive spikes the engineers had prepared soldiers set to work, tying rope to spear and slamming spikes through paw, straight into the stone beneath. The dragon had stopped fighting now, breathing in discomfort. ¡°You said your name was Drefan?¡± The general walked forward, looking straight into the dragon''s fiery eyes. ¡°Mine is General Kaleth.¡± Nodding, the general lifted his sword. The beast heaved, turning it''s head to face him. Nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell of Drefans breath. The general shook his head. ¡°Today is the day you die. May you sleep peacefully in whatever hell you belong.¡± Crashing his sword into the beasts neck he felt scales give, cracking like ceramic as the sword dug further into the neck. He hacked a dozen times, before pausing for his breath. Then, the dragon spoke. ¡°You made a mistake. Have you seen it yet?¡± Eyes narrowed, the dragon huffed another labored breath. Frowning, the general looked around. He was sure he had thought of every eventuality, every possibility. He had won. ¡°You trick and deceive to prolong life. Not very admirable for a dragon, wouldn''t you say?¡± the dragon just laughed in response. Laughed. Kaleth ignored the beginning of anger, and set back to work. ¡°What you forgot, tiny human, is that dragon magic has a mind of its own. And you took control of it away from me. I look forward to it deciding our fate.¡± Kaleth froze, looking at the dragon. He wanted to scream lies, but then he watched the dragon sigh, and close his eyes. His chest didn''t rise again. Face paling in a moment, Kaleth turned to run. God''s damn those silver tipped spears! No one had removed them. Those were his last thoughts as his body disintegrated, an explosive blast of corrosive gas killing everyone in seconds. When it was gone nothing remained, save the claws of a dragon, and a cursed sword, eternally hungry for blood. The Fox and the child Little Su watched as her parents walked away. They didn¡¯t need their little star catching a cold. So little Su watched from the doorway, watched as the sun rose past the tippy top of the treetops, the dew disappearing from the grass. She watched as her parents shrank to the size of ants, before finally disappearing around Warrowblac hill. Tonight they would be back, and little Su couldn¡¯t wait to go outside again. A screech woke Little Su around noon, seeming to shake the walls of her home. Blanket clutched in fear little Su looked out her window, the grasslands and woods empty as a cloudy night sky. It was as she turned a second screech began, causing her to whip around, and just for a moment, a fiery red tail was visible, disappearing like it was never there. Su ran, as fast as her little legs could carry, through the living room, through the kitchen, still warm from morning bread baking, all the way to her parent¡¯s room. Huddling in the bed, Su shook in terror. She had heard stories of terribly big bad wolves coming to steal children in the night. Was one here for her? Would she disappear without a fight? Stomach growling, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was past midday and soon enough, she would be safe. In the kitchen, Su grabbed the freshest loaf of bread. Sighing in anticipation, she took it with some soup heated over the stove, and let it cool by the kitchen window. It was there the next fright of the day came, three sharp clacks, like nails against a school¡¯s green chalkboard. Looking around she grabbed her bread, carrying it with her to the living room. Past her dad¡¯s favorite spot on the large, brown couch, and her mother¡¯s recliner, to the ornate black-painted oak wood door. Knock knock knock. Three more clacks. Su was sure of it now. Someone was at the front door. Glad to have locked it when she did, Su leaned against the door. ¡°Hello?¡± yelling, she squinted, straining to hear anything of the person on the other side. Tilting her head, she stepped back, prepared to open the door and see what was outside. Then she froze. What was it the wolves always did? Wait for you to let them in. Hand on the brass knob little Su stopped, waiting, head tilted, for any response. Soon enough, one came. ¡°Hello, is anyone home?¡± It sounded¡­ off, like an animal¡¯s imitation of a human voice, raspy and scratching and grating across little Su¡¯s ears. She didn''t like it, not one bit. ¡°Hello, who are you?¡± Her words were quieter than she expected and quivered in fear, yet little Su pushed through. Each second felt like an hour, and she waited, so long goosebumps appeared and disappeared before a response came. ¡°Ah! Are your parents home young one? I¡¯m a dog, and I¡¯m lost, and I¡¯m so cold and hungry. Do you think they could let me in?¡± Little Su perked up at the response, wondering why the person on the other side sounded so weird. Should she answer? She didn¡¯t see why not. ¡°My parents are in the village past Warrowblac Hill till evening, shopping, and I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t open the door, for I do not know who you are, Mr. Dog. What if you are a big bad wolf?¡± There, now the wolf knew her parents would be back soon, and that he should leave before they saw. The laugh she got in response was not what she was expecting. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Oh, but I am not one of those pesky wolves! How could you believe so? Come, stand near the window, and you will see for yourself. I am a brilliant red dog like the fiery sun itself, I assure you.¡± Walking to the window, she peaked past brown cloth curtains and sure enough, as bright as the sun, and vibrant as lava, sat the most stunning dog she had ever laid eyes upon. Scurrying back from the window, little Su responded. ¡°How will I know you aren¡¯t in disguise? It wouldn¡¯t be beside a wolf to dress so stunningly, luring in kids like me.¡± Running back to the window, little Su watched the maybe Wolf maybe dog pace, thinking. Then it turned back to the door and spoke once again. ¡°Ah, but you are right, fair child, which is why I have a game! Would you like to play? You could see for yourself then, how I am innocent as can be.¡± Thinking, Su didn¡¯t see the problem, so she agreed. ¡°Wolves are wild and as feral as can be, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr dog, they are.¡± Su nodded as she spoke, though unable to shake her deep-rooted uneasiness. ¡°Then they wouldn¡¯t know the tricks taught to all dogs, now would they? So¡­ I have a game, you tell me every dog trick you know, and when I do them, will you let me in where it¡¯s safe and warm?¡± Watching the dog through the window, Su debated, but she could see no trick, it seemed an honest bet, unlike most wolf wagers. ¡°That sounds reasonable, Mr. Dog. I agree!¡± so she went back to the window, and remembered the tricks she knew to ask a loyal dog. ¡°Sit!¡± With black ears perked and head tilted, the dog, wolf, or whatever it was, sat. ¡°Very good, now lay down!¡± The dog laid down, bushy tail curled under its tiny paws as if to keep them warm, head tilted innocently. ¡°Okay, Mr. Dog, I have just one more trick for you!¡± Little Su paced, debating on which one she should use. ¡°I¡¯m waiting, little one!¡± Su paced, wondering, would she ask him to roll over? She wanted to let the dog in, by the God it''s fur looked so soft, yet the longer she thought, the more something still felt off. She could see the sun beginning to set. Her family would be home soon, and perhaps they would let the dog in for her. ¡°Please, fair child, I will freeze if I don¡¯t come inside soon! Ask me a final trick!¡± little Su froze, finally remembering the one thing all dogs had. Something no wolf, in any story, could do. For all dogs could bark, where wolves howled. ¡°For my final question, my last trick, I want you to speak! All dogs can bark on command, surely you can too!¡± Watching through the window, little Su watched the dog, waiting. He tilted his head. Quickly hopping to avoid the cold ground, he paced. He even spun, giving her a good look finally at his angular snout and beady eyes. Still, he didn¡¯t bark. Growing weary, little Su checked the road leading around Warrowblac Hill. In the distance, two small dots grew larger, and little Su knew her parents were almost home. It was then, hours later, the fox spoke. ¡°Is there not another I can perform for you, little girl?¡± hopping too and fro. Little Su¡¯s weariness turned to suspicion. ¡°I''m afraid not. You must bark, or begone to the dark of night.¡± ¡°I see, little girl. It seems you''ve forced my hand.¡± Foxes are sly creatures you see, and knew when they were beat. This one, this one had almost succeeded. The sharp screech of the foxes suddenly anger echoed through the night and little Su screamed in response, running for her parents¡¯ room as the fox turned the door handle, teeth scraping across the metal. Running through the living room, Su ran into the warm kitchen. Stumbling, she heard the door crash open behind her, shaking her bones. She entered her parent¡¯s room and slammed the door shut. The Fox howled and screamed, and then the shouts of her father broke into the home. And then as suddenly as it seems to have begun, the fox was gone. Escaping into the heart of night, people in the village past Warrowblac Hill say you can still hear the fiery demon tricking and manipulating kids into its waiting jaws. That¡¯s how it got its name, playing a game, and winning its prize. The only thing you must remember to survive the fox, neither a cunning wolf nor a loyal dog, is one thing. Make them bark, for the scream that follows is sure to alert every hunter, and the fox will bother no one anymore.