A Scorpion and a Fox

Danica

had a dream, and this time it was different, it wasn't about how I was changed or how mu mother left, no, this one was an entirely new scene.

In this dream five year old me was sitting with an old woman, not that old mind you; she looked somewhere between fifty and sixty by in human she, so she must have been pretty old in shifter world. She looked almost like my mother, but older.

The room was empty,. Twenty feet wide on each side, the only furniture present was the door and the two chair we were sitting on.

She wore a shirt that was twice her size and a trouser that had seen better days.

She was smiling at me, her teeth yellow at the bottom, her front tooth crooked ands bit black. as she talked.

"Today I'm going to tell you about the story of the fox and scorpion." She told me, smiling like she just thought about the most amazing thing in the world.

I nodded, I seemed eager to hear another one of her stories.

"One day a scorpion walking around, searching for prey when he stumbled on a swamp. The scorpion couldn't go back the way he came because he already sighted one if his predators, an he couldn't go into the swamp because then it would also be in the open for other predators to see. So when he was contemplating on what to do a fox came along, the scorpion saw an opportunity so he approached the fox.

"Would you help me little fox to cross the river? It asked, the fox disagreed, he couldn't risk getting stung by the scorpion.

No, the scorpion proclaimed, why would I sting you when I know I need your help? If I sting you you die and that means I would die along with you.

The fox reasoned, the scorpion was right, why would it sting me when it needed my help to cross the river, the Fox thought, and so he agreed.

The scorpion got on its back and the fox got into the water. Halfway through the fox felt a sharp sting on its back, he suddenly became paralyzed. He asked the scorpion, 'why did you sting me? Don't you know that now we'll both end up dying?

The scorpion was sorry, so he answered the fox saying; I can't help it, it's my nature." She stopped talking.

I waited a little more before I talked. "Is that all?" I wondered, her stories were always longer than that.

She chuckled, smiling at me like I was ridiculous.

"Dear, what did you learn from the story?, or should I say, what's the moral lesson?"

I squinted before answering, "that a scorpion would always be a scorpion?"

"Are you asking or telling me?" Her eyes narrowed.

"No mamè, A scorpion would always be a scorpion now matter ho much it says it wants to change."

She nodded, her hand patting my head, "I always knew you are the smartest, same thing goes for people." He told me. "People can vow to change, and even if they so try, they'll always be a part of them that rivals the change. So remember, not all words that come out of people are the truth, some are just fabricated lies turned into the truth for people to help themselves get out of a situation. Never fall for it, and I if you do, always remember this story. A person can change its skin, you can even change the insides, the heart, you can manipulate the mind, but never blood, the blood remains the same."