Pale Flame

Chapter Two

Dawn Rose crouched, hidden beneath the tall grass. She swished her fluffy orange tail tipped with white, ready to pounce on her enemy.

With a screech, she hurled herself out from beneath the grass stems. Her opponent pricked his ears in surprise and spun around to face her.

"I got you, Red Moon!"Dawn Rose yelped playfully, pummeling him in the stomach with her hind legs.

"You won't be laughing once I'm finished with you!" Red Moon growled, amusement glittering in his green eyes.

He tackled Dawn Rose, pinning her to the ground.

"I win!" Red Moon howled triumphantly.

Dawn Rose gathered her strength and pushed Red Moon off of her. She then pinned her paws to his stomach, as he writhed in the frosted leaves.

"Who's on the ground now?" she teased, puffing out her chest.

"Fine, you win. Just get your paws off of me," Red Moon grunted.

Dawn Rose let go of her defeated opponent just in time to hear paw steps behind her. She spun around to see her mother and father.

"Great stalking, he would have never noticed you sneaking up on him," her mother praised, licking her between the ears.

Red Moon sat up, shaking dust out of his pelt. He gazed at his father, "How was my counter attack, Sun Leaf?"

His father brushed his tail along Red Moon's back. "Very impressive, I would be quite surprised if any other fox fought as bravely as you, " Sun Leaf replied.

Red Moon's eyes glowed with pride as he and Dawn Rose began to follow their mother and father to their den, a small earthen hollow supported by tree roots wrapped in ivy.

"Dusk Flower," Sun leaf spoke softly to his mate, brushing his fur along her flank, "I should probably go hunting, the little ones will be hungry soon."

"Hurry back, the night approaches faster during these winter days," Dusk flower replied, gazing at the pink stained sky.

With a quick nod, he padded away into the trees.

Settling into the soft moss beside her brother, she wriggled closer to him, making room for her mother, who padded inside and squeezed in between them, wrapping her tail around her cubs.

"Rest, you two, your father will be back with prey soon," Dusk Flower spoke in a gentle voice.

Dawn Rose closed her eyes, she could sense a warmth in her chest, and reached out her senses to detect it coming from her mother. This sensation glowed pink behind her eyes. She knew it was the sensation of great love for her and Red moon.

"Thank you for loving us, Dusk Flower, and for taking care of us," she murmured gazing at her mother with wide eyes.

Dusk Flower stared at her, astonishment flickering in her eyes, as if she was startled by the fact that Dawn Rose had sensed her emotions. She then shook her head and laid it on her paws.

Dawn Rose tilted her head in annoyance. Any time she tried to comfort her mother like this, she always seemed disturbed by it.

Can't she tell how I'm feeling just as well as I can tell how she's feeling?

She laid her head down, confusion swimming in her mind. She then felt a tongue gently rasp around her ears and turned to see her mother.

"I will always love you, my little rose," Dusk Flower murmured softly, continuing to wash Dawn Rose's orange ears.