The Many Adventures of Peter and Fi Volume I: Homecoming

Chapter 6- Caught Red-Handed

She clung to the high white walls, pressing herself against the granite as she peered around the corner. One of the men stood waiting, holding up the back end of the deer. She tilted her head in confusion as he seemingly disappeared into the wall itself. Hurrying around the corner, she slapped her forehead, ashamed by her stupidity. Of course there was a side door.

The door swung inward, a black slate piece against the white backdrop. As Fi crossed the threshold, her skin prickled at the immediate drop in temperature. A cool draft rushed down the length of the narrow corridor as Fi rubbed the shivers off her shoulders. The castle interior was nothing like she expected. The extravagance of the courtyard was lost completely in the shrinking rectangle behind her. Mottled grey brick, streaked with grime, paved walls, floor, and ceiling. Fi reached out a hand, letting the damp wall guide her in the unlit passage. Her fingers were soon wet, picking up the moisture that clung to it.

The men with the deer were nowhere to be seen. With each step, Fi debated turning back, and just when she decided that this was far enough, a soft mewling invaded her ears. The meager cry persisted as Fi quickened her pace. Doing her best to ignore the splashing of drops in a puddle and the rattling of metal against stone, Fi focused on the animal's call.

Another door barred her way, but she simply pushed past the wooden frame, taking little notice of the fur pelt draped over it. She arrived in a cavernous room just as dreary as the corridor. Cages of every shape and size stood cluttered throughout. Some were stacked precariously one on top of another; the towers scraping the ceiling. The back wall was sectioned off, iron grills embedded into the floor to form large enclosures. At the sight of Fi, every animal in every cage picked their heads up to see her.

Fi drew back her ears, clamping her hands over them at the onslaught of howls, squawks, and bleats. She desperately searched for a place to hide thinking someone would surely come investigate the uproar. With no shelter in sight, she stood rooted to the spot, but no one came. I guess they're always this loud. She figured.

Her initial shock subsiding, Fi marvelled at the wide assortment of creatures collected. An orange fire cat hissed at her feet, its fangs bared. She crouched down and stuck her tongue out in response. The beast took a defensive stance, flames gurgling in its throat. Fi cautiously retreated, only to bump into a tower of cages, causing them to shudder dangerously. A puffer parrot in the topmost cage flapped its wings vigorously as Fi desperately tried to prevent the stack from toppling. Annoyed by the disturbance, a plume of multi-coloured smoke emanated from the parrot's nostrils above its beak. Holding the stack steady, Fi backed away slowly, this time careful to watch her step. Her caution paid off, as she gave a wide berth to a balloon porcupine, already inflated and prepared to launch its razor quills.

She found her way to the back of the room, smoke still billowing red, then purple, then blue as it spread across the ceiling. A wet touch at her back gave her a start. Whirling around, she found a little mud fawn sticking its nose through the bars. It had big brown eyes that matched its supple coat. Its spindly legs, not quite fully developed, stood firm on the hard, stone floor. Fi let out a soft "Wow!" as her eyes met the cute little creature's. Kneeling down, she reached a hand through the bars to pet the fawn. Her palm hovering above it waiting for acceptance, Fi felt the warm breath of the little deer tickling the back of her hand. The fawn sniffed hesitantly, judging her scent, before giving her hand a gentle lick.

With a warm smile, Fi massaged the deer behind the ears, careful not to make any sudden movements. She stayed like this for several minutes, the rest of the animals quieting down, bored of her presence. As Fi scratched under its chin, the fawn mewled softly and she understood that this was the creature that had been crying out to her.