The Gray Vixen

Pg.1-10

"From this moment until you become main roles, you will now be known as Thistleheart, Eternalheart, and Tornclaw," Queen Turtletail announced to the kingdom under the Ledge on the south wall. Sweet-tail's pups seemed ready to burst with joy at any moment. All three pups' wide eyes were the same amber as their father's.

Although Sweet-tail had refused to take another mate after Quietsong was tortured to death, she finally decided to have pups with the brother of her best friend Thornstar who had been killed in a recent battle. Sweet-tail became very weak after her whelp and, being an aged baron, she died peacefully in her sleep. Fortunately, her two vixens opened their eyes so she can name them. Thistlepaw after her traitor sister and Eternalpaw after her mate's mother. Of course she had her traditional personality reasons for the names.

"Thistleheart, your mentor for both being a pirate and guardian shall be Birchsong." Birchsong's brown pelt matched her apprentice's, and the two smiled at each other as if they planned the choice. "Eternalheart, your guardian mentor will be Morningdew, and your hunter mentor will be Shimmerbreeze." Morningdew looked shocked to have been assigned an apprentice at such a young age, but she could always ask her best friend Wind for help. "Tornclaw, your pirate mentor will be Shoreline, and your guardian mentor will be Ravenstone.

"Be alert for what is special to you for when it's time for your main role ceremony. That is all," the aging leader recalled the traditional words. Watching the three new stem pups celebrating, I silently hoped Queen Turtletail would still be leader when I became a full role. I wanted to show the kingdom's hero's sister that I was going to be as great as Sweet-tail.

Although I never got to meet the former leader, I heard enough stories from original Fire Kingdom foxes to send chills down my spine.

"Mosspaw," a sweet voice called me to the Healers' Den. It was my best friend Shiningheart. Shiningheart was a beautiful light ginger vixen with amazing gray eyes. She was so kind and gentle like her mother, Shimmerbreeze, but even more.

"Want to help me with Nightdancer, Honey?" Nightdancer was born with black fur, but his dark fur had started to grow out, revealing light ginger fur like his mother's. The loose, black fur irritated the pirate and itched like ants crawling in his pelt.

"Of course!" I bounded into the isolated den where Shiningheart was pulling out the loose fur. Usually any pup or stem pup would despise such a job, but it was enjoyable when I got to spend time with Shiningheart.

I started shaking off fur in Nightdancer's flank. "In two moons, you'll become a stem pup. Isn't that great, Mosspaw?" I nodded. "I'll be a full healer in five moons, so if you become a healer, Dawn can train you for three moons then retire. Then I could take you for the rest of the five moons." Usually, a stem pup would train as a pirate for six moons, a guardian for four moons, a hunter for five moons, or a healer for eight moons depending on how suitable they would be for the two roles unless they became a healer. A healer is not considered a main role, and if you trained as a healer, you cannot train as any other role.

"Don't get too excited," Nightdancer mumbled. "I wanted to be a guardian, but I ended up a pirate."

"Nightdancer, shame on you!" Shiningheart scolded. "You know better than to crush a pup's hopes." The pirates scoffed. "So Mosspaw, what do you think about being a healer?"

"I'd love it!" I jumped up with a clump of Nightdancer's fur.

"Yooooow!" Nightdancer leapt to his paws with blue eyes wide open.

"Whoops."

Shiningheart settled the reynard back down. "It's okay. Nightdancer seems to be about done for today. Go ahead outside."