Alec's memory of the fox

An excerpt from my novella, "A Cunning Plan". This scene is a memory Alec has of a time when he and his brother had snuck out to the lake to play, when they were children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they headed home, they heard a noise behind them. When they turned to look, a fox stepped out from behind a tree. They stared at the animal, which stared back at them.

“Alec? Is it going to bite us?” Hugh asked, his voice quavering.

Alec made sure to keep his own voice steady when he replied, “No. It’s just...