Scarlett

The wind howled outside the cabin, a prelude to a chilly night. Next to me, Quentin has already fallen asleep, his light snores echoing in the room. Despite him sleeping well, I couldn’t fall asleep. The reveal that my brother was a traitor kept me up. I got out of bed and paced around the cozy cabin. There was a lot to unpack.

The most insane thing was that war was upon us. The avian aliens weren’t too far away, and it seemed like they could show up at any time. I stopped and shook my head. “Okay Scarlett, you just need to get yourself together,” I whispered to myself. “Your brother is helping the aliens in trying to destroy human settlement of their world. There is no way to go back to space, meaning the only option is war.”

Feeling the need for fresh air, I walked outside of the cabin and felt the rushing wind against my fur. The twin moons in the sky emanated a faint light, casting a glow upon me. I walked back and forth until I felt myself calm down. There was a lot to do, and freaking out wasn’t going to help.

As I turned to face the door of my cabin, I noticed that there was a note nailed to it. I grabbed the note and read it aloud, “Dear Scarlett, there is a matter to discuss. Your unique existence allows for this opportunity you have been granted. Meet me alone in the forest clearing directly to the northeast. Do not bring your husband or any weapons. Sincerely, Someone You Know.”

The matter of the sender was obvious. I knew Arthur’s handwriting from a mile away. The wind kicked up, blowing my hair back and rustling my fur. I knew I should meet him one last time before we became enemies.

In the silent night, I walked into the specified clearing. While there was nothing notably different at first glance, I could smell Arthur and some aliens nearby. “Arthur, show yourself!” I shouted. “I can smell you!”

As soon as I said those words, Arthur walked out from the shadows into the clearing. He looked notably different. He replaced his clothes with a loincloth and a fur cloak from some animals that must’ve been killed recently. Looking at his outfit, I could only ask, “Why did you decide to dress like a barbarian? Surely, the nights on this planet are too cold for that.”

Arthur looked at me with a serious face, more serious than anything he has ever given me. It was as if the Arthur I knew was just a mask for an entirely different man. His blonde hair now seemed intimidating instead of jovial. He spoke with an authoritative voice. “My old garments were as flawed as the society they came from. I envy you, Scarlett. Your external appearance dispenses of any human flaws, becoming a new and uncorrupted creature with potential.”

I scowled at him and crossed my arms. “Arthur, I am not some ‘uncorrupted creature pure from the taint of humanity.’ I am human.” There was a short pause when no words were spoken. The still air permeated the clearing, daring one of us to dispel it.

Arthur finally spoke up. “I see your mind still has some lingering corruption. It seems you see the humans as your own, seeing them with a lens of species loyalty. I assure you, when you know the true nature of the filthy, you’d join me.”

“Bold words for a human. Pray tell, why are you betraying your own kind? Isn’t treason one of the evils of humanity?” I asked back as I glared at him. I knew there was still good in him. All I had to do was draw it out.

The response was a hearty chuckle. “I’m using my inherently evil nature to commit the necessary evil for the natives. They are an innocent people, unaware of the horrors beyond their planet. It is my duty to protect, guide them to a harmonious future unlike the mistake humanity is.”

“So instead of fixing our species, you decided it was better to ditch us for some birdbrains?” I retorted. His explanation made no sense to me. There were several people who thought like him, so he could’ve just gathered several of those people. Yet he decided the optimal thing to do is attack our civilization with his army of birds.

Arthur whistled loudly. At his command, two aliens flew down next to him with outstretched wings. He pointed at me and asked, “Do you not feel a close connection to these birds? They, like you, have been rejected by the humans. They are animals too.”

“I am not an animal! I am a woman and the more you keep calling me an animal or a fox, the more I’ll deny your scheme!” I shouted back. He knew me. I was his own sister, yet he acted like I was some alien creature.

Arthur sighed and faced the trees. “This world is so beautiful. It is untouched by humanity. Untouched by the smog that clouded Earth’s skies and the sludge that polluted Earth’s rivers. The disgusting taint of capitalism and imperialism were what turned Earth into the hellscape that it is. Do you not feel the life in this planet? The life that those horrible humans are attempting to snuff out?”

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“There is a better way, Arthur,” I said, calming myself down so I could attempt to convince him. “You can be the spokesman for the natives, their way of life, and the nature of this planet. You could become a respectful figure that brings the two worlds together peacefully, seeing how the aliens trust you. You can leave behind your violence. We’ll forgive you of those soldiers you killed if you ditch your goal.”

There was a brief pause. Arthur’s face made it evident that he was rethinking everything he thought was true. However, that hope was crushed when he said, “There is no other way. Scarlett, you know as well as I do that humans will continue to encroach on this land. They’ll say it’s for a good cause, but all it does is bring pain in the end. Whether it is Manifest Destiny or the March of Progress, it’s all the same. Humans are driven by greed, and there is no other way to put it. Let’s put humanity out of its misery.” He extended his hand and looked into my eyes.

I could still see my brother in his eyes. The one whose life seemed primed for greatness. The young boy who always did his best because he wanted the best for everyone. That Arthur would never hurt a fly and always stood by my side. But it was clear to me that the old Arthur was dead, replaced with an ideological fanatic pretending to be Arthur. I had no idea what happened to him between my abduction and return, but I knew I had to snap him out of his mindset.

I slapped his hand away and shouted, “Do you not hear yourself? You are attempting to justify the genocide of an entire people! Our people! Arthur, it is in no one’s best interest to ‘cleanse this world’ of humans! The disease is already here, and modern medicine is the best hope these natives have of surviving! Like it or not, we’re here to stay! Now, will you rejoin us or are you going to brood with the brood?”

Arthur frowned as he looked at my face. He crossed his arms and replied, “I would’ve thought that the Qarri gave you a taste of what humans do to others, but I can see now that you are a human in vixen’s clothing. The fur that adorns your skin and that tail of yours are mere facades for a ruthless human willing to cut down anything in her way.”

“It’s not like that, Arthur!” I shouted as I backed up. “I want what’s best for us, even if you don’t agree with it! Arthur, let’s be a family again! We’re the only two Campbells on this world! Let’s share stories together, enjoy inconsequential conversations, and have a peaceful existence here!” Tears came to my eyes as I walked closer. I held my hand-paw out and asked, “What do you say? How about we return to the way things have always been?”

Arthur’s eyes turned red. They started to water as he looked at me, which I saw as a sign that he knew what we really needed. “Let’s do this, for our parents. For our sister. For us,” I added as I switched to giving him a hug. “I love you, Arthur. Perhaps in time, you’ll see how that’s what truly matters in life.”

Arthur then looked away before kneeing me. The strike was surprisingly strong, making me falter and fall back. As my hug fell, Arthur turned away and said, “Goodbye, sister. The next time we meet, one of us will breathe their last.” He disappeared as the two avian aliens took to the skies.

“Arthur! It doesn’t have to be like this! We can still find a way!” I cried as the tears streamed through my fur. But no matter how hard I cried, the truth was undeniable; I lost a brother that day.

With a solemn face, I returned to the settlement with my ears drooping and my tail between my legs. Arthur and I weren’t particularly close after I returned, but he was certainly better than Amanda. And yet here I was with no family left. I don’t know if Amanda made it, but I knew she wouldn’t change.

As the lights of the settlement neared, I looked at my own shadow. My vulpine form was reflected, showing how I even lost my human appearance. I lost everything. It was almost as bad as being lost in space. In fact, I started to think that I should’ve never returned to Earth.

But when I entered my cabin and looked at the photo on the wall, I knew I couldn’t be further from the truth. It was the photo of my wedding day, when I married the best man in the galaxy: Quentin Alexander Smith. He always said he was pragmatic and heartless, but I knew he deeply cared for others. He deeply cared for me, saving my life from Gruma’s outburst after he barely met me. The man’s willingness to help a foxwoman like me was endearing. And the fact that we became a married couple only made me feel like the luckiest girl alive. My tail wagged as I thought about him.

Next to that picture was one of me and Carl playing a video game. Quentin’s older brother has become like a brother to me. He was protective of us and was a beacon of stability. My biggest surprise is that Carl hasn’t found a girlfriend yet considering how great of a man he is.

The next photo is of me and Quentin in front of our parents. My father and mother always loved me, accepting me back into the family with tearful eyes. While my father died only a year afterward and my mother was despondent, that year was one of the best years of my life. Unlike the great year with Quentin on the spaceship, the year with my parents was one of pleasant mundanity. For a girl turned into a foxwoman who spent most of her life in slavery before going on a crazy adventure, having an internship and driving to and from work is oddly comforting.

As I looked at the photos, I knew I had much to be joyful for. While I wished my family was whole and united, I knew I had a new family, the Smiths. Quentin’s parents are great beacons of wisdom and guidance, filling the roles left behind by my own parents. And there was also the new business empire I was building.

As I was walking back to bed, I felt nauseous suddenly. I didn’t know why it had suddenly overcome me. As it grew stronger, I ran to the bathroom and vomited into the toilet. Just as suddenly as it appeared, the nausea disappeared. I looked at myself in the mirror and told myself, “I don’t feel sick. Maybe I should check my temperature.”

I opened a drawer and pulled out a thermometer. I stuck it into one of my ears, glad it somehow worked with my fox ears. The temperature came back as normal. I tried on my other ear, only to get the same result. Finally, I grabbed the tongue thermometer and placed it under my tongue, careful that my sharp teeth didn’t damage it. Yet again, the temperature came back as normal.

Whatever the mysterious ailment was, I probably shouldn’t be too concerned about it. I would probably wake up the next morning feeling fine.