Nineveh woke slowly to a sickness all over, a cold hard surface under him that was causing his head to ache, a whining sound, and something small and warm pressing down on his chest.

He opened his silvery eyes slowly, blinking in the half-light. The first thing he saw was the cause of the only pleasant sensation, the warmth, brought to him by the small white fox that was standing up on his chest and watching him intently. The little fox had been trying to wake him, Nineveh decided. Its clever eyes were the color of emeralds, and its large pointed ears were tipped in black. It tilted its head to the side as if waiting for Nineveh to do something.

'Little fox,' Nine whispered as he instinctively reached to stroke its soft snowy fur. The fox whined and shifted, restless. Nineveh caught a spot along its jaw and scratched there, and for a moment the fox stopped his fidgeting, closed his eyes, and lifted his chin up in the ecstasy of a scratch in just the right spot. Presently, however, the fox seemed to remember something, and he again took up his task of nudging with his nose at and scratching with soft paws at Nineveh's chest, urging him to get up.

Nineveh scooped the fox up in his arms so as not to topple it, sat up, and peered at his surroundings mournfully. Back in Xyn's fortress. Trapped. He cradled the fox closer, doing his best not to cry.

'But what can I do?' he said to no one in particular, but the fox gazed up at him as if listening. 'I promised I would do as the Prince asked, and now Ishrael is safe somewhere far away, and if I do this thing Xyn asks of me, I will be safe and far away again soon too. And I will bring you with me, little fox, because Xyn is not very nice, and you should be living free in the forest, not trapped in here.'

The fox snorted and hopped dexterously from Nineveh's grasp. Fleet-footed, it landed on the ground, hopped once and twisted in the air, yelping loudly as it did so. Having done this, it looked up at Nineveh expectantly.

'What are you trying to tell me, little fox?'

The fox leaped, spun in the air, and barked again.

'I wish I could understand you,' Nineveh lamented. 'Poor little fox. You don't belong here at all. Perhaps you can dig your way out, you're good little diggers. Me, I can't go with you. I wish I could. I miss my dear friend Ishrael.'