Filip and his family are fugitives?“ exclaimed Dazel, squawking in surprise. “I cannot believe that!”

The three friends were at the lakeside as the afternoon sun headed westwards.

“I know foxes can be quite violent and vicious,” said Delma. But whatever did Filip do that he and his family is being hunted? And why did he come to you for help?“

“Remember, a few years ago Filip would visit my garden and spend some time with me. I used to share my lunch with him then.” reminded Din Din. “I even brought him to the lake to meet you all a couple of times.”

“Yes, I recall,” said Delma.

“Well, Filip felt I would help him in his hour of need. He came with his family and asked to stay at my garden and I simply couldn’t refuse. But then Reynold and his gang of foxes came hunting for them and Filip’s family fled. It’s been two days and they are nowhere to be found. Meanwhile Reynold keeps coming back to my garden looking for Filip,” replied Din Din in exasperation.

“Have you tried searching for them?” asked Dazel.

“I can’t risk going to look for them because Reynold and his companions are stalking me. I don’t want to lead them to Filip,” Din Din said tiredly glancing around. “You never know, they might have even followed me here!”

The sun was setting and casting a purple glow, when Din Din trudged back towards his home in Fruit Park.

“Pssst…,” came a noise as he passed a clump of thorny brambles. Din Din jumped up in alarm.

“Din Din…” came a hoarse whisper. “It’s me!”

Din Din peered into the mesh of brambles and saw Filip’s gaunt figure. He rushed behind the bushes and hissed, “Filip! Where have you been? And what have you done that you are being hunted by the foxes all over D’Land?”

“Just listen to me, Din Din. All my life I have been misunderstood. You are the only one who has ever given me the benefit of doubt,” the fox pleaded.

“Tell me the truth, Filip!” warned Din Din warily. “Reynold told me you and your brothers attacked his elder brother who is apparently the heir of their father-fox leader!”

“Reynold is twisting the truth!” Filip said angrily. “It was his brother Reggie who attacked my father. They were drinking from the same spring and my father vomited in the water — he was ill. Reggie began to rant and rave at him and then my brothers and I stepped in to shield my father. It was a nasty brawl and Reggie got terribly injured.”

“Go on…,” urged Din Din his eyes growing accustomed to the dark. The fox, on the other hand could see clearly despite the fading light.

“We knew that Reggie would not let us off so easily and run to complain to his father. His father is Fantom — the self-proclaimed leader of the foxes,” Filip spat out in disgust. “So we decided to flee.”

“Where are you hiding now?” asked Din Din grimly.

“We are making our burrows in the ground so it’s difficult to be tracked. Once in a while we have bumped into moles and rabbits underground,” he informed ruefully. “But the problem is that we are seven — thus, very conspicuous. But we finally found a solution. The jackals have decided to give us shelter!”

“The jackals!” exclaimed the dinosaur. “Those aren’t the right creatures to be around! They have usurped our land in Fruit Park and they are always looking for dinosaurs to step into their territory whom they can take hostage!”

“Really?” replied Filip unconvinced. “Jacko — the leader of the jackals said that wolves and foxes are basically the same family! He said he would help hide us from Fantom. He knew about Fantom and his vile ways. Apparently there was some bad blood between Jacko and Fantom when they were younger.”

“I don’t recommend that you stay with the jackals,” Din Din urged. “They are not to be trusted!”

“We cannot keep running all the time; my father is unwell!” Filip growled. “I need to settle my clan down. And, let’s face it;, no one else will help us.” Din Din couldn’t disagree.

“I just wanted to say thank you to you,” said Filip softly. With those final words he scampered away into the darkness. Din Din did not sleep well that night. His dreams were filled with images of an army of jackals and foxes taking over Fruit Park. The next morning Din Din could hear loud voices outside his cave home. The old oviraptor next door was talking to his father.

“A large army of foxes have surrounded Fruit Park!” he shared. “They are demanding for a family of fugitive foxes to be handed over. But there are no foxes here!” Din Din’s heart sank.

“Father…,” he said after the oviraptor had left. “I think I know where the fugitives are.”

And the entire story came pouring out. His father was stunned. “We must tell Tazzo — he is our leader.” When Tazzo heard Mr. D, he thundered, “We must make the jackals hand over the fugitives. We cannot put our territory at risk because of some strangers. I will demand that Jacko hand over the fox family at once!”

A council of the dinosaur and jackal leaders was called that afternoon in the large orange orchard. Tazzo and his council of dinosaur leaders were present on one side facing Jacko and a host of his jackals. Din Din, who had accompanied his father to the meeting, spotted Filip sitting with the jackals.

“We had a peace treaty, Jacko!” roared Tazzo.

“You stay in your part of Fruit Park and we stay in ours. You have tried to breach our treaty many times but we have been tolerant. Now you have crossed the line — you have put our entire territory in jeopardy by giving refuge to these foxes,” Tazzo glared at Filip menacingly.

“What we do in our part of Fruit Park is our business,” Jacko snarled baring his pointed fang-like teeth.

“Not when it affects us all,” Tazzo bellowed. “A band of foxes has surrounded Fruit Park. Our young dinosaurs will not be able to go to school safely. I demand that you hand over this fox family immediately.”

End of part 2

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