animal jam - the first fox (book one) under editing

chapter six, the mistake

the speaking of the name went by fast, but i still heard it. the crowd had gone silent, glancing around for signs of motion among them. but there was none: i could not move. i could not speak. my body was frozen in fear, and i didn't dare look up at the stage.

a few moments earlier, mira had read the name off of the mysterious paper that had been left in the bowl of redemption unnoticed. she had read, "amelia fox. you will... be our new fox alpha." murmurs of confusion had wafted throughout the township, for no fox alpha was thought to exist.

but there was. and i had been chosen for it.

the realization was sinking in bit by bit, and i backed up into duke, shaking. he didn't even bother to push me away out of his own shock. but flora reacted differently: "what is the meaning of this?" flora hissed under her breath, grabbing me harshly by the ear; i didn't respond - my mouth was able to form words, but i just couldn't manage to say them.

"is there an amelia fox?" mira asked, extending the length of her neck to look questionably into the searching horde. unlike her and many others, some of the animals around me had begun to notice my desperation to become invisible and had whispered variations of "go up there" and "are you amelia fox?" i didn't reply, attempting to shrink even more than i already had into the shadows.

flora stared in horror and even decided to growl to the animals, "nothing to see here! she's a nobody. come on now, fox, we're going home immediately." i couldn't help but agree, but there was one part of me that wanted to stay and admit myself to mira. but that chance was eliminated once flora shoved me towards the thinning of the crowd.

a white arctic fox rushed up and stood in front of us. her small paws were raised in a halting manner, and she yelled, "stop! she can't just leave." her beady, black eyes shone indignantly. then addressing me, she said, "you must go up. you have no choice."

heads turned and gaped at the commotion. eventually, mira noticed the clammer as well and flashed off of the stage faster than lighting. unknowingly, i stammered, "i-i know but - "

"i will not allow this creature to receive such an honor! do you even know who this is? she's a thief and a scam. trust me, you do not want her to be your alpha!" flora protested, advancing upon the smaller animal in fury. the victim's friend ran up to defend as well, but i didn't hear the oral battle. my ears were invaded with noise, and my heart was pounding rapidly throughout my body. "no, this can't be happening," i thought to myself faintly. 'flora is right, i'm not qualified to be an alpha!'

"stop this immediately!" a booming voice howled. mira flew in between the opponents and pushed the two apart from each other with her wings. "i've never seen such an ignominy. this is the redeeming, not a fight club!" she squawked at the steaming canines. mira's perfect, turquoise feathers were ruffled hotly, and her talons tapped against the ground impatiently. "if this is amelia fox, then she must present herself with dignity to the stage; not run away," she added.

"which is what she did! therefore, she does not deserve the title," flora snarled, zipping in front of me bitterly. i hung my head and refused to look mira directly in the eyes, though i could tell she was trying to see mine. intimidation and terror tickled my veins, and once again i attempted in vain to disappear. surprisingly, the heron rebuked flora, "don't push it. she has no choice." that comment was to which the arctic fox nodded in agreement and to which i finally looked up into the eyes of the sky goddess.

"step forward," mira ordered, and i did. silenced, flora watched, unable to speak any longer as she gazed flames at the back of my head. my orange fur bristled in the midst of my foster mother's death glare, but i wouldn't dare to look her in the face again.

mira greeted me nevertheless, in defiance of the fact that i had been caught in the middle of another escape. but the dialogue was a lot different than the basic welcome that the other new alphas had received: "amelia, you have been chosen to be the first fox alpha in the history of jamaa. from this point on in time, you shall watch over both the foxes and the arctic foxes, and you will defend them with your life, as well as with the rest of jamaa if the circumstances come to it. do you take this title with pride?" mira stated.

i hesitated - and trust me, i didn't mean to, but i usually wasn't faced with such big decisions. but even though, i seemed not to commit, the animals of jamaa watched me with intent... and in the crowd, i could see the faces of a few foxes who watched me with hope. 'they need you,' my mind echoed.

and at that, i came to my decision. "i do," i answered shakily, bowing my head as mira pecked my ear with her sharp, orange beak. lightly, i could feel the pain pierce my skin, but it decreased to a soft burn within a matter of seconds.

"very well," mira squawked. "welcome, amelia fox."