The Vixens- Warriors of Xera

 Xera was a land full of riches, wonders and many hidden fortunes . It was a land completely desolate and free of magic. Of course there were fables and myths, but that was all.  Lately though, the myths had become far more plentiful, and far more had strange tales to tell around the campfire. Large groups of people were encountering small problems that they had never had to overcome before. What Xera's people did not know is, that it was only the beginning. In a few, uncertain years, mythical creatures, only ever before mentioned in stories, would come to concur the world of Xera. Xera's people would stand no chance against the dark, unruly magic that these creatures would bring. What the humans could not comprehend is that Xera was preparing itself against this invasion with its own magic, 'The Magic of Xera'.

        This year had been a bad year, in the small town of Rixford. The air was smoldering hot, the land dry and few crops had survived. Animals like dogs, cats, foxes, and wolves were on the prowl to hunt any creature, the size ranging from a chicken to as big as a cow. A farmer, Bruce Woodchuck, had lost many of his chickens. Paw prints and claw marks in the dirt were the only evidence that the chickens had ever been there in the first place. Bruce was certain it was a fox, he could tell by the chevron shaped indentation at the back part of the paw, and also by the way the paw-prints were marked in the packed down earth. His hunt lead stalking across the corn fields and then trailing all the way back to his own hay loft.

       Bruce heard a faint scratching, muffled squeaks, and sharp barks coming from his hay loft. Quickly he ran back to the farmhouse and called his wife Rebeca,

 " I think I found our chicken thief, dear. It is in the hay loft right now. I'm gonna grab my rifle and get this done for good.",Bruce said

" That's great Bruce, just make sure you get here for dinner, I made your favourite. Besides you've worked so hard lately and you deserve a good rest and food too." Rebeca shouted from the kitchen,

" Alright dear, I'll be in soon." Bruce replied.

       Bruce then grabbed his shotgun and shut the door with a quiet "Bang!". Once outside again he scurried to the barn and stealthily climbed up the ladder, being sure as to make no sound, so to not scare the animal. He heard the whimpering and positioned his rifle, ready to fire at any moment. There in the corner, not quite what he expected, but still could be dealt with. There were two pups, all he could see were their two tails, and their two sets of ears. He slowly stepped up to them, just about to fire,........ when he saw the two girls.

      The two girls stared at him with shock. Then the smaller one started to quiver and the big one, even though showing no fear throughout its body, started to squeal a high pitched note, with its small curved mouth into the calm, undisturbed air. Bruce too surprised to move or make even the smallest sound did not comfort the girls. Instead as soon as he regained sensation in his legs he made a mad dash to the house where he was greeted by his wife, Rebeca.

" What happened? Did you get the fox already?" Rebeca asked,"I didn't hear your rifle go off at all."

" Uhh... yes and no." Bruce replied quickly," But I couldn't shoot them."

" What do you mean?" Rebeca questioned, " What is the matter Bruce? Why couldn't you shoot it??? ...Them??.... You know, I can't read minds."

" Fox-girls. Two of them." Bruce said,

" What .... fox-girls, are you mad Bruce?" she asked,

" No ... come see for yourself. I couldn't bring myself to kill them, I just ... need you to see, to be sure of this madness." he said starting to head out the door.

       They both strode quickly to the hay loft where the girls sat, as still as stone. Rebeca stood astonished above them, carefully inspecting the one year old's over with her eyes. Their tails were huge, and reddish brown tinged like a foxes, same with their ears, which looked big on their foreheads. The fox-girls eyes were a bright green and their skin light and untouched from the sun's rays. Altogether they looked powerful, and magical. Yet they both sat there in Rebeca and Bruce's hay loft in the barn.