Felt the desire to try writing again. This time, it's a familiar fox (Sort of) and a new character. Two foxes were on a routine hunting trip, until they became the prey. Now they're in the belly of the beast. Will they escape somehow? Are are they destined to be wolf chow? Why not read and find out?

Edit: Updated the story to change Qimat's name to the final name I decided on, Qima. Normally, I don't go back and edit stories, but since this one has a followup story I decided to go ahead and do it.

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Two foxes walked through the woods, in the waning daylight. One carried a string of three rabbits on one shoulder, and the bow he used to hunt them on the other. He was a red fox, a common sight in these woods. Less common was his travelling companion. His sandy coat and big ears marked him as a fennec from the vast eastern deserts. He bore nothing but his cloak, but his presence was valued nonetheless.

“Never go alone” were words Sen the fox tried to live by when it came to these hunting trips. Having a travelling companion could be the difference between injury and death. Doubly useful was one skilled in the healing arts, as Qima was. Beyond that, spending time with his close friend in the woods was reason enough to have him along.

The two walked side by side, chatting as they made their way along the narrow trail. It seemed a mundane end to a mundane hunting trip, until Qima stopped in his tracks. His eyes were wide and his ears were swiveling around. Sen knew it was trouble.

“You hear something?” asked Sen. It wasn’t really a question, and it didn’t garner a reply. Though Sen had excellent hearing, Qima’s massive ears gave him an edge when it came to picking up noise. Sen strained to hear what had Qima so shaken. He thought he could hear footsteps in the woods.

Yes, footsteps! Definitely. Judging by the deep sound, whoever was making the noise was huge. A dragon? No, he couldn’t put his finger on it, and with the thick vegetation muffling the noise, it was impossible to know how far away it was.

Sen grabbed his companion by the wrist. “Let’s get going, Qi. The sooner we get back, the sooner we can stop wondering what that is.” The fennec nodded his assent, and the two of them continued their trek. The laughter and friendly banter from before was replaced by complete silence, the only noise the padding of their paws on the trail. That and the pounding of Sen’s heart.

Sen couldn’t detect the noise any longer. He hoped that meant it had gone away, but knew better than to mistake hope for actual safety. It was early spring and the melting snow had sent a blanket of fog to cover the waning twilight. Even with their excellent night vision, the two foxes could not see far into the thick woods. Sen knew it was the perfect scenario for an ambush.

Yes, perfect.

Sen could see it now. He stopped in his tracks. Through the haze, he saw an enormous form crouched behind a tree. He pulled the bow off his shoulder and nocked an arrow. No point in being stealthy now. It definitely saw them. “Come out! Can’t ambush a fox that easily” he cried.

The dark form crept onto the path. Sen could see clearly now: it was a wolf. A huge wolf. It crept out on the narrow path on two legs. Its shoulders were as wide as the path. Even hunched over, Sen had to look up to meet the wolf’s gaze.

The fox had met many wolves in his lifetime, and indeed, one of his dearest friends was a wolf. Though she was at least twice his weight, this specimen dwarfed even her. He pulled back the bowstring and took aim. “Look, I don’t know what you want, but we don’t want any trouble, so why don’t you just go back and -”

The beast lunged in an instant. Sen loosed an arrow the moment the wolf lept, but it failed to even penetrate his hide. This shortbow was intended for hunting small game, which this creature was most certainly not. The wolf slammed his hand hard into Sen’s chest.The fox was pinned to the ground with a massive hand, near as wide as his entire body.

Sen looked to his left, hoping Qima had taken the opportunity to run. To his dismay, the fennec was frozen in place where he had been standing. “S-Sen!” he managed to cry, before the wolf seized him by the neck. Sen’s heart dropped at the prospect of seeing his friend, one of his closest in the world, torn apart before his very eyes. Yet he couldn’t look away.

The wolf jerked Qima closer to his face. Much to Sen’s surprise, however, the ripping and tearing did not proceed. Well, except for Qima’s cloak, which the wolf tore loose with his jaws and tossed aside. Instead, the wolf opened his mouth wide, engulfing the fennec’s upper body. He threaded his massive tongue between Qima’s legs to support his back end. Then he effortlessly lifted the fennec into the air, his head tilted back slightly to ensure his prey would not slide free.

“Please, stop! Why are you - “ The fennec’s plea was cut short by the wolf’s tongue pressing him against the roof of his mouth. Sen couldn’t see much from his position on the ground, but the wolf seemed to be savouring the flavour of his prey. He ran his tongue along Qima’s body, squeezing him against his soft palette again when he squirmed too much. Strands of drool dribbled out of the wolf’s mouth onto Sen’s face. The fennec quickly gave up begging for mercy and was reduced to whimpering pathetically. Sen wished dearly he could shout some sort of encouragement to his friend, but the wolf’s weight on his chest meant he could barely even breathe.

Odd a thing as it was to look forward to, Sen hoped that his turn would hurry and come. He feared if the wolf didn’t finish when Qima soon, he’d suffocate before he had the chance to be swallowed. Fortunately (relatively speaking), the wolf decided he’d had enough fennec after a few minutes, and tipped his head far back. Sen could see Qima’s struggling paws slide further towards the wolf’s throat. Soon, they disappeared completely.

It was a miserable sight, seeing his friend reduced to a twitching bulge travelling down the wolf’s throat. Sen could still see it squirming a little, and heard the occasional muffled whine. After what felt like an eternity, the bulge disappeared into the wolf’s shoulder rib cage. A few seconds later, the wolf’s stomach expanded. Not much, but Sen knew Qima was in there. And that could mean only one thing…

The wolf lifted his right hand off Sen’s chest, causing the fox to reflexively gasp a breath of fresh air. The wolf wrapped his other hand around Sen’s right side, firmly gripping the fox with both hands. The wolf worked a finger under Sen’s utility belt, snapping it and allowing it to fall to the ground. As he had done with Qima, he yanked Sen’s cloak off and tossed it aside. Sen couldn’t help but feel he’d be unwrapped like a candy bar.

Sen briefly feared he was not going to get the same gentle treatment as Qima did, but the wolf quickly fed Sen into his mouth without any unpleasant chewing. As he had done with Qima, the wolf ran his tongue across Sen’s body. His chest, his stomach, between his legs, his paws, his tail - The wolf seemed to be savouring him all over. He could still smell traces of Qima’s scent in the wolf’s mouth, and knew he’d be joining his friend before long.

Sen didn’t bother to struggle. He knew it would do him no good. He wasn’t going to leave Qima behind, either, even if he had to go into a wolf’s belly to stay with the fennec. Due to previous experiences, Qima was terrified of small spaces. As unsavoury as it was, Sen had to get back to him so he could provide some sort of comfort. He could worry about the consequences later.

As the wolf tasted him, Sen’s thoughts wandered to what this creature could possibly be. He’d never met a wolf that saw foxes as food before. Sure, he and his wolf friend, Des, liked to play predator and prey sometimes. But that was for fun, and she wouldn’t swallow him without his consent. Moreover, he had never seen a wolf this large before. Of course, there were all sorts of magic spells to change your size, but they didn’t alter your mental state. The wolf seemed to be motivated primarily by hunger, and didn’t say a word as he consumed his prey. Could this have been some sort of magic spell gone horribly wrong? Some kind of curse? Maybe an alchemical accident. Those alchemists were never using proper protective gear, always getting sprayed with something or -

Sen was jarred out of his pondering by the wolf lifting him higher into the air. Looks like he’d had enough of a taste. Sen’s fur was saturated with drool, and he slid easily towards the back of the wolf’s mouth. Sen took a deep breath before he slid into the wolf’s esophagus. It was an incredibly tight fit, even tighter than when the wolf was holding him on the ground. In complete darkness, all he could hear was the wolf’s beating heart, pounding like a drum. All he could feel was the wolf’s esophagus squeezing him further and further through the slick, tight tube.

Sen was pressed so tightly he couldn’t even breathe. It felt like an eternity, travelling down towards the wolf’s stomach, and with increasing panic Sen wondered if Qima had even survived the trip… and if he was going to. Eventually, however, Sen heard something new: angry squeaking and thumping. There was only one person that could be. The kick to the nose he got as he entered the wolf’s stomach confirmed it.

Sen wriggled his way out of the tight entrance to the wolf’s stomach, and slid right up alongside his partner until they were nose to nose. Qima was, understandably, rather agitated. “S-Sen! I’m- I’m sorry. I-” he managed to stammer.

“It’s okay, Qi,” responded Sen, “My nose is the least of my worries right now, to be honest.”

“Sen, you should- shoulda just run. I-” Qima let out a defeated whine, “I don’t want you to die too, Sen.”

“I didn’t really have a choice, Qi. If I’d tried to run, that wolf would have caught me in no time. He probably wouldn’t have been as gentle with prey that tried to run off. I’d rather be here with you in one piece.”

Qima slid his muzzle under Sen’s and let out another soft whine. “If I’m going to be digested with anyone, I’m glad it’s you, Sen,” he said.

Sen appreciated the romantic gesture, but he wasn’t ready to become wolf fat just yet. He wracked his brain for anything that could give them even a chance at survival. Qima quickly interrupted his brainstorming. “Sen, I can smell your blood. Are you ok?”

Sen had been too preoccupied to notice, but he could feel the sting of a cut along his abdomen. He figured it couldn’t be too deep, but the tight quarters prevented him from inspecting himself. “I must have gotten caught on one of his teeth on the way down. Not a big deal.”

“You’re going to get an infection in this disgusting place, Sen!”

In spite of their conundrum, Sen couldn’t help but laugh. “Infection? I think I’m more worried about becoming fox soup, Qi.”

“Nonsense. We’re going- We’re going to get out of this. And I can’t have you escaping this stomach just to die from sepsis.” Sen wasn’t sure it was worth the effort, but the purpose seemed to be calming Qima down, so he wasn’t going to object. Qima worked one of his hands towards the gash on Sen’s belly. As he ran his finger down the length of the wound, it was replaced by smooth, unbroken skin. “There, all better.”

“Thanks, Qi.” Sen thought for a moment, “I don’t suppose any of that magic of yours could get us out of this mess.”

Qima sighed. “I’m trained in somatic magic. Magic of the body,” Qima replied. “It’s hard to heal your way out of someone’s stomach,” he added morosely.

“There’s got to be something we can- Hey, wait. Remember when there was that big scaffolding collapse? One of the dogs broke his leg pretty bad. You had to go out and fix him up, but you had to set the bone before you could mend it.” Qima nodded, though he didn’t think Sen could see it. “Well, you put your hands on him, and he went from crying in pain to sleeping like a baby in no time. Maybe you could encourage our new friend to take a nap long enough for us to make our way out!”

“That’s right!” Qima near shouted. “If we were stuck in a dragon, or a snake, or something, my magic wouldn’t be able to do a thing to it. But a wolf? He’s big, but, maybe…”

“Maybe we wait for him to lay down?” said Sen. “We’re a pretty big meal, bet he’s looking for a place to sleep as we speak.”

The wolf had begun moving as soon as Sen had settled in his belly. The two foxes could feel the beast’s bulging belly swaying back and forth as he walked. He was clearly moving on all fours, probably unable to stand upright with two foxes weighing him down. Sen desperately hoped the wolf would settle down before the two of them suffocated. Or started to melt.

The two foxes settled into a tense silence as they waited. Though Qima had been projecting confidence, Sen could hear the fennec’s heart pounding in his chest. It must have taken everything he had to stay calm in this predicament. Besides the heartbeat and breathing of his companion, all Sen could hear was the gurgling and squelching of the wolf’s belly. His big meal had stimulated his digestive juices, and Sen could smell the juices the two of them were marinating in getting more acidic by the moment.

Being digested alive was a slow, painful death, no matter whether you were alone or not. Sen desperately hoped the wolf would lie down soon, before it was too late.

Luckily, the foxes didn’t have to wait long. They felt their cramped prison shifting, turning all the way upside down. The wolf probably didn’t want to put any pressure on a stomach that full. They got even more drenched in bile than they had been before, but it meant Qima had his chance. “Alright, just follow my lead, Sen!”

Qima twisted his body and placed the palm of his hand on the wall of the wolf’s stomach. Sen couldn’t see anything happening, but he could hear the wolf’s breath slowing. Even his stomach stopped gurgling quite so much. “Ok, that’s part one. Now, we just need to make our way out.” Qima put his hand on Sen’s chest. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

“I know,” Sen said. “Let’s do it.”

It would have been quite a sight, had anyone else been around to see it. A tiny fennec fox crawled out of the wolf’s mouth, with the huge creature not so much as fidgeting. In an instant, Qima returned to his true form, and stuck both of his arms deep into the wolf’s throat. It was just like surgery, except somehow less savoury. After a little digging, he managed to fish out a red fox. “You okay, Sen?”

The fox squeaked in agreement. “Oh, right, I should turn you back shouldn’t I?” Qima placed the fox on the ground and held his hand to the creature’s forehead. Sen was back to his normal self in the blink of an eye.

“We should do that more often, Qi, you’re cute on all fours,” said Sen, as he got back up on his hind feet.

“I’m cuter when I’m not covered in wolf gunk. Let’s get out of here, like, now!”

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Sen made his way through the threshold of his bedroom. Qima was already lounging in bed, spread out as much as possible. “Feels good to be clean again, doesn’t it?” asked Sen, a rhetorical question if there ever was one.

Qima’s ears perked up. “Clean and in a big comfortable bed. Big improvement! Are you finally dry, Love?”

“Dry enough,” Sen replied. He hopped in bed and drew his body close to the fennec’s. “A little damp, but I-” Sen groaned, “I’d like to sleep for about a week now. I can’t believe I lost those rabbits… and my bow!”

Qima nuzzled Sen’s neck. “At least we didn’t lose our skins,” Qimad said drowsily. “I’m so glad you came for me when I was in trouble, Sen. I’d be- Well, I hate to think what I’d look like now if you weren’t there to calm me down.”

Sen snorted. “Not that I had much choice. But I’m also glad you were there. I’d never have gotten out on my own. Hope the rangers find that wolf before he finds any more travellers. They seemed skeptical when we told them what happened, but I think that stench was enough to convince them.”

Qima didn’t respond. Judging by his breathing, the fennec had already fallen asleep. Sen decided he ought to do the same. As he drifted off, he thought about how lucky he was in spite of the thing’s he’d lost. Lucky to be here with his friend, and lucky to be here at all.