Random Little Written Things

Fox Tales

This is just a little thing I made for fun. It may become a full story, but who knows?

  Yawning, I roll over in my sleep nest and gaze at the artwork I painted this morning. I hum a soft tune quietly to myself as my thoughts wander to landscape surrounding the Solar Summits, wondering what life would be like out on the fields or in the forests or out on a delta or beach or even on a narrow strip of land surrounded by the deep blue seas. A voice breaks my train of thought.

  "Bwazey?"

  I lift my head to look in the direction the little voice came from. My little sister, Elaine, is sitting up in her sleep nest. She's nearing seven months old now, and some of her yellow dusted kit-fluff is gone, lost to her sleep nest and replaced by soft young fur a few shades darker.

  "Yeah?"

  "Wiw you gets Auntie Kenzie to wead bedtime stowy?"

  Elaine's large, lavender eyes peer into my sun-gold ones, silently begging me to oblige. Which, of course, I do.

  "Alright, Ellie." I turn to a cave opening near our Home Cavern's entrance. "Hey, Cyrus?"

A golden yellow fox head pokes out.

  "Sup, Blaze?"

  "Could you keep an eye on Elaine while I get Auntie?"

  "Sure thing," he says, emerging fully from his cave and letting the main sun gems grace his glittering fur with their incandescent light.

  "Thanks."

  "O'course, sis."

  I smile, leaving the cavern and trotting down the corridors lit by winding strips of sun gems.

  Padding quietly, I note the empty halls, then realize everyone must be training, hunting, or staying in their caves like Cyrus and Ellie since it's almost sunset.

  I near the training solarium where my aunt is stationed today and a bright light suddenly floods from the entryway, nearly blinding me.

  "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU, ALLEN?!" A voice roars, making me distinctly grateful I am not this 'Allen' being yelled at. "BE CAREFUL WITH THE GOD. DAMN. SUNSTONE!!"

  "Sorry," squeaks a different voice.

  "If you drop it ONE MORE TIME, I swear to ALL PURE LOVE you will join the others. Am I clear?"

  "But—"

  "Am. I. Clear?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Good."

  I step through the doorway, looking up to the smoldering SunFox as she whips her regal head around to look at me.

  "Hey, Auntie?"

  Her frustrated face softens some, her flaming pale blue orbs fading to a warm mauve. "Yes, love?"

  "Well, I was wondering if you could come tell Ellie a bedtime story when you have time?"

  Of course, we both know when it comes to Ellie's bedtime stories, 'when you have time' translates to 'as soon as possible'.

  "I'd love to, sparks," she smiles warmly.

  "Thanks, Auntie!" I beam, dipping my head and leaving the room.

  "Don't forget the deer for tomorrow, hun!" She calls out in a helpful tone.

  "On it!" I reply cheerily.

  I hear a whoosh and suddenly I can see my very clearly defined silhouette on the wall ahead of me.

  "ALLEN!!"

  Stepping into our home cavern, I notice Ellie pacing quietly around her sleep nest as Cyrus fiddles with his latest invention in the entryway. I smile to myself and trot over to my distracted brother.

  "Hey."

  He jumps, startled, before recognizing me and letting out a small laugh.

  "That was quick," he comments, moving his intricate device resembling a tree out of the way.

  "Well," I remind him. "The SunStone Training Solariums aren't that far away."

  "Oh, yeah," he realizes. "I forgot about her schedule shift."

  I chuckle, heading towards the back exit. I spring up onto the marble sill too high up for Ellie to jump. Looking out to the gorgeous landscape below, I sigh quietly in awe.

  The Solar Summits rise to my right, the stone peaks dotted with the occasional opening similar to the one I'm standing in. Vast open grasslands of the Tranquil Flat lay to my left, the expanse of rich grass cut by the snaking strip of the Amble River running down to the Keen Sea. In front of me stands the lush green forest of the Weaved Woodlands where tomorrow's breakfast wanders. Somewhere in the distance, past the forest and over the horizon and across the broad Cuddled Lake, lay the fabled Ascending Aetheric Alps.

  Hearing the soft click-clack of claws on stone behind me, I turn. Auntie Makenzie pads into our cavern, calm now that she isn't dealing with her troublesome student. Ellie perks up, excited for her story, and hops into her sleep nest.

  Auntie Makenzie and I share a smile, before I turn away. Descending the mountainside, I trot into the Weaved Woodlands to find the deer for tomorrow morning.