The Fox and The Zodiac Realms

Chapter One

The sky glowed against the soft tuffs of fur, sticking up on this cold day. The slick animal jumped up and out of its den swiftly running through the thick, frosty patches of grass. It ran straight avoiding all obstacles. Seeming as it knew where it was going. It hid under a log and waited patiently. Yet what was it waiting for? Let us find out.

~~~

"Mom!!", I whined, looking at my mother, annoyed. I held a box full of my belonging, placing it on a nearby table.

"Yes, sweetie?", she responded placing a box on the same table.

"Why did you insist on moving here?"

"Well", she paused for a moment. "Since your father passed, I thought we could use a fresh start, in a fresh new place!"

"Doesn't smell fresh", I said sniffing the air, before covering my nose.

"Give it a chance, dear. We'll make it work!"

"Fine, but if I find a rat carcass, I'm moving!"

My mom laughed at my comment, "I doubt you'll find anything like that"

"Oh yeah?", I said pushing aside an empty box and picking up a dead mouse. "You're lucky it's not a rat"

"T'was just a coincidence", she said with a hint of sass in her tone.

"Yeah yeah whatever", I picked up my box off the table and went upstairs to find my room. The floor creaked and the walls were musty. I had walked into the room my mom picked for me and the door squeaked as I pushed it open. I put the box down next to the door. and went to the window. I attempted to open it, but it was jammed. I walked around the room for a moment, tripping over a loose plank. I caught myself, sighing as I looked at an old bed frame left here. It looked ancient! The walls could use some paint. But other than that the room wasn't half bad. I put on a soft smile and made my way back downstairs.

"Of all places", I said leaning against the railing on the stairs. "Why this one?"

My mom came out of the kitchen, and looked at me in the eye, "It was within my price range, it needs a few touch-ups but we'll manage" She said as she swiped her finger across the wall, then rubbing some dust off of it.

I scoffed, continuing down the stairs and past her to the front door. I slid my boots on and my winter coat on. "I'm gonna go explore the forest", I said waiting by the door for a response.

"Don't go too far!" she yelled from the kitchen.

"I won't!", I said exiting the house. I stepped off the porch and onto the soft snow. I walked around the house and to the forest behind it. I kept a small pocket knife on me, so I cut into some dead brush to form a pathway into the woods.

I listened to the soft crunching of snow and leaves under my feet, as the sky let down small flurries onto the ground. I sighed to myself thinking what it's gonna be like in this new place. I walked through the forest trying to find a good place to sit down, as I did so I looked up at the sky, gazing at the snow-covered trees before looking forward again and seeing a rock. I sat down on the rock.

I looked around for a moment. Seeing a small creek. I didn't think anything of it until I saw snowfall onto it and melt. I looked at the creek confused and wonderous. I walked towards the creek and knelt down, carefully putting my hand in the water.

It was warm? I stood back up and followed it upstream. Thinking to myself how it could possibly be warm. I came upon a tree, that the creek is flowing from. Where's the source? How could it be coming from a tree?

All of a sudden, a fox sprung out from under the tree and spun circles around me. I jumped in surprised. Placing my hand over my heart, I watched it. Is that fox blue? I stared in confusion, but then suddenly everything grew large? I felt small, yet big. What had just happened? I looked around pushing a fairly large piece of grass out of my way. I followed the tree thinking it would be a perfect place to look around and try to get my bearings. I saw the fox again. It was 10x bigger than me!! It looked at me and sniffed me before picking me up in its mouth, and crawling under the tree. I was so confused, yet I looked around as if this was normal. My brain was trying to process this as we suddenly came upon a big room. The fox dropped me and I felt myself return to its normal size.

How was that possible? Are we underground? Not in the tree anymore? I stood up examining the room. There were large statues of beautiful women, forming a circle, in the center of the room. The walls were covered in moss and dirt, while the floor has this dirty tile-like pathway. There were rocks sticking up out of the ground and the walls had roots growing out of them. It looked sorta magical. Felt like it too.

I looked around and the fox was gone? Had it trapped me in here? Was it gonna come back? Then suddenly I hear a voice call out. "Hey!" I looked towards where it was coming from, and my eyes widened with surprise. This tall man stood in front of me. He had blue frosty hair, and he wore white and blue garments, similar to a robe as he had small jewels on him everywhere. He even had a blue and white fox tail. I stare at him in awe, confused yet he looked like an interesting person.

"I need your help", he said. I was speechless.

"Right, you're confused", he hummed thinking. "To put it simply, I need you to save the universe"

I thought for a moment. "Why me?", I looked at him while fidgeting with my fingers. "I'm just a forteen-year-old girl, still waiting for my boobs to get bigger"

"Well- um- yes- but you also have the most imagination out of everyone in this realm. You may not act like it but you do. You'll realize that in due time"

"I don't even know you", I stared at him blankly.

"Listen, the Zodiac realms are in danger. You're the only one who can save the last 11 realms. There's not much time. We need to head to Cancer's realm immediately"

I took a moment to process this. "If there are 11 realms in need, does that mean I'm in one of them? The 12th one?"

"Indeed"

"What's your name?"

He sighed, "I'm Virgo, I need your help to save my friends. Their homes are in danger, and we don't have much time."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Step into the center of the room", he referred to the circle of women statues. "It will take you there. I'll see you there."

"You're not gonna go to the circle with me?"

"I can't use it, plus someone has to start it up"

I stared into space, thinking for a moment more. "What about my family?"

"They won't even know you're gone"

I looked at him, having the look of trust in my eyes, and I stepped into the center. He started it up and he saluted me. "Thank you, Kattie." He smiled at me softly, as I felt myself turn into nothing.