Rilestone: A Day with Kit

He peeked around the corners of his bed. No one.

He peeked around the corners of the closet. No one.

He peeked around the entire room before peeking outside the door.

No one.

Where was Kit?

Rilestone was a bit worried. He had sworn to his dad that he would not let Kit out of his sight, specifically anywhere around the house. They kept a regulated pen next to them, opposite of the greenhouse, where all manner of fowl from chickens and geese to ducks and even a couple pheasants wandered about, eating and laying eggs. That was their main source of protein here at home, and if his dad caught Kit going anywhere near there...

His suspicious were relieved, and he almost relieved himself as a white fluffy ball of joy jumped out from the hallway and tackled him to the floor of his room. Immediately, he felt something wet tickling his face all over, with the sound of giddy yips accompanying each curl of the tongue.

"Kit, you silly fox, get off me!"

The young fox jumped off, only to leap back onto the nine-year-old white-haired boy and resume his attack. Rilestone rolled with the fox, being careful not to hurt the animal. He giggled along with his friend, and eventually managed to get a hold of himself and a literal hold on this skilled hunter. "Okay, okay, don't run off like that, okay? Dad would have you ousted if he saw you alone now, won't he? Yes, he would! Yes, he would!" he explained in glee as he rubbed his nose on the fox's nostrils. More licking ensued.

Coming down the stairs, Rilestone greeted his parents, making sure to keep Kit in his arms until the harness could be placed. Once said harness was secured, he leashed the back and led Kit around the table, placing a bowl of chopped rabbit and a bowl of fresh water under the table and on top of a towel, just in case. He sat, the leash resting in his lap as he ate his breakfast. His mother, Lilli, was reading documents on a case she was stated to be working upon while his dad, Harris, talked with one of his personnel from his security company. Once the call ended, he turned to his son. "So, Rilestone, today is Saturday. An entire day off for everyone, if they so desire. What will you be doing?"

Rilestone thought about his answer, and then gave it: "I want to take Kit for a walk, but at the park near the city. And...I want to train him without the leash."

There was a pause as both parents now looked to their son. Lilli was the first to ask, "Why so?"

"Well, we had Kit for almost a year. I trained him as best as I could, with leash and harness, and if it is all right with the both of you, I want to see if he can be trained without the restraints."

Harris nodded. "Well, you have kept your promise to keep Kit in check, away from both the fowl house and the greenhouse."

Rilestone couldn't help himself in the moment. "And the toilet."

Lilli stifled a laugh while Harris tried to appear serious. "Yes, son, and the toilet. You have leave to try, but if Kit slips, it's back on the harness until he's inside. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Help clean the dishes, and then you and Kit can go have fun."

An hour later, Rilestone and Kit were finally at the park. Rilestone held the leash and patted his pockets for the hemp bags; Kit had already done his business near the forest close to Rilestone's home, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He looked to the city of New Seattle, rebuilt after the Second Civil War, and he saw Onyx Tower, where his cousin's family resided and worked. Looking back to Kit, he saw the fox had been sitting and waiting on him. "Okay, Kit," he said, "I'm gonna trust you on this. Please don't do anything rash."

He reached down and undid the leash, then backed away a couple paces. Kit cocked his head to one side, as if wondering why Rilestone was doing this. Then, he got up and walked over to Rilestone, sitting down again and waiting. Rilestone then reached down and undid the harness, once more backing away a couple paces. And, again, Kit cocked his head in curiosity, getting up and following Rilestone. This time, he seemed to be more energetic, lifting up his right pay instead of sitting. Rilestone smiled, and the fox opened his mouth in a gleeful yip. The fun would now begin!

Rilestone ran from one end of the park to the next, with Kit keeping pace and letting his white and fluffy tail flow like a conductor's baton, moving to a natural rhythm that only animals seemed to understand. When Rilestone stopped running and turned around, Kit had intentionally slowed down just so he could leap once again upon the boy and attack his defenses with a flurry of licks and yelps. Rilestone laughed, carefully grabbing the animal and putting him down on the ground. "Okay, okay, let's begin!" Rilestone kneeled in front of Kit. "Sit!"

The fox sat down, waiting.

"Stay!"

The fox stopped moving altogether, even shutting his mouth.

"Shake right!"

Kit lifted his right paw and Rilestone grasped it, shook it twice and then released.

"Shake left!" The same happened with the other paw.

"Speak!"

Here, Kit would start with a few yips, followed by yelps, a bit of a howl, and then bark, bark, bark, before toning it down to a high-pitched hum.

"Really?" asked Rilestone. "Tell me more!"

Kit started yipping again, but added a few jumps from the left to the right. Rilestone followed him with his head turning after the fox.

Finally, Rilestone called out, "Okay, let's roll!" And roll they did! Frontwards, backwards, one side, the other side, and they even performed a couple flips of their own designs. After this, they had exhausted themselves, and headed to a water fountain. Rilestone took his fill, after which he would cup his hands and fill them with water for Kit to drink out of, repeating again and again until Kit was full. Then they went over to a large tree on a small hill and sat down, staring out at New Seattle and watching as the lights of the remade Space Needle started lighting up.

"Summer is almost over, Kit", said Rilestone. "Pretty soon, it'll be fall. You know what that means?" When Kit turned to look at him with a face that seemed to ask, "Whaa?", Rilestone responded, "Leaves will fall, the air will be cooler, and we could get you hunting some rabbits. Would you like that?" He smiled as Kit licked his lips at the mention of the rabbits. Looking at his watch, Rilestone got on his feet and looked at the harness and leash. "Will you stay at my side until we get home?"

Kit looked up at him, and stared into his eyes, shifting his head to lean upon the boy. His gentle breathing lifted Rilestone's heart, as if any fettering within his body was suddenly cut down. He decided to not put on the harness and leash, holding onto them in his left hand as he patted the fox with his right hand. "Okay, Kit, let's go get some lunch. You wanna come back here next week?"

Kit huffed a sigh, turned away from Rilestone, and headed to the tree. Before Rilestone could ask, the white fox stopped and lifted up his leg, peeing upon the roots of the tree. Rilestone laughed; that was a definite "yes".