002

This is not a home. It never was. For a fox living among the wolf clan, this place is nothing but a cage.

The ones knocking on the door—no, pounding on the door—were proof of that once again. My father immediately stood up, told me to get into the closet quickly, and walked to the door without another word. Back then, I never questioned my father's orders. I hid in the closet without hesitation.

When the door opened, I heard those disgusting voices. Harsh, commanding, condescending.
"You owe us a job. This job… the pigeons…"
My father's response was clear: "No. This is not something I can do."
"Are you telling us what you can and cannot do, fox?"

There was a moment of silence. Then the thuds began. They were beating my father right in front of my eyes. The sounds of punches, something heavy hitting the floor, followed by a brief pause… and then the violence resumed. Each sound echoed within me. While I was trapped in that closet, I dug my nails into the wood. The helplessness—it was tearing my soul apart, but I could do nothing!

After a while, one of them spoke:
"If you don't do the job, who will protect you and that pretty daughter of yours?"

At that moment, I didn’t hear my father’s voice. Only footsteps. The wolves opened their beers, and I heard the clinking of glasses. While my father was forced to go outside and do the vile job they gave him, they sat at the table. Feet stretched out, laughing loudly. I could only imagine my father’s state in my mind. His bloodied face, the way he hung his head, the silent way he walked out…

The injustice was driving me insane. But I couldn’t come out of the closet. I just waited.

Two hours later, the door opened again. My father had returned. When he placed a dead pigeon on the table, its blood seeped out. A few drops fell to the floor. My father didn’t sit, didn’t speak. He just stood there and looked at me.

I will never forget that look—a gaze filled with helplessness and heartbreak. As if it said, "Don’t hate me." But in that moment, I couldn’t stop myself from hating. That’s when I made a vow. One day, I will destroy the wolf clan. Their table, their laughter… I will destroy it all.