The Gray Vixen

Pg.11-20

I identified a set of a paw holds leading up to the wall. Refusing to look down, I reached hole after hole until I heaved myself over to the other side. Not wanting to be caught or fall, I pushed away the urge to look back into the camp resting in the giant hole.

I pushed my way into the forest until I found a large clover patch to lay in. As I lowered myself down, I noticed heather colored fur weaved in the dirt. A little further off, I saw pale gray fur pressed in the ground. It was as if two foxes were in those very spots once a while ago. But recently.

I examined the heather colored fur. Sweet-tail. But there was more. The strands were short, and Sweet-tail was a long-fur. No, not Sweet-tail. Sweetheart! I looked at the pale fur a grown rabbit away. Turtleheart.

I closed my eyes and saw the clover patch with two vixens. The oldest seemed very worried, but the youngest was surprisingly calm.

"She's not a rogue! She's from the Ice Kingdom!"

Turtleheart froze at the outburst. "So you- like- like this vixen from the Ice Kingdom?" I watched in awe as the rage in Turtleheart grew but settled down as Sweetheart admitted her mistake.

I cleared the odd flashback I'd never seen with my own eyes out of my vision. This is where it all started. The betrayal. I looked down at the fur. And I'm the betrayer. I stood up to walk to Turtletail's old spot, but a gust of wind blew the pale fur westward. I followed the fleeing strands.

The setting sun hid the fur several times, but each time I found it again. It flew south then west then south again until it settled in a clearing that was pitch black. I lied down and looked up at the starry sky. My small legs ached at the long trek, and it was almost midnight.

Suddenly the whole clearing lit up in silver as moonlight reflected off a stone centered in the middle of the clearing. The light shot off the clear stone to a stone at the edge of the clearing. It shot off to another rock and another until the whole clearing was bathed in moonlight.

The small, glowing creek that cut through the middle of the clearing caught my attention. Red rose bushes reflected young in the water. I glanced down at the creek and didn't see one but two vixens: one mud colored and one cream colored. I looked up to see an adult vixen with curly fur and cyan eyes. She glittered with starlight.

"Hello," I yapped nervously.

"Hello," the vixen echoed.

"Don't hurt me," I pleaded.

The vixen smirked. "You shouldn't worry about the Sky Kingdom foxes." She's from the Sky Kingdom! "Just stay away from the darkness. The dark kingdom will persuade you." I never heard of the Dark Kingdom. "My name is Quietsong." I jumped. "You recognize the name I presume?"

"Yes," I squeaked. "You're Sweet-tail's mate."

The cream-colored vixen nodded. "And you must be Mosspaw, her greatest fan."

"H-how do you know my name?"

Quietsong chuckled. "I've heard a lot about you." A heather colored vixen emerged from the ferns.

"Hello, My Dear," Sweet-tail cooed. I nearly fainted. "Why are you so far from home?"

"I want to new sister," I confessed.

Sweet-tail grinned, slightly showing her fangs. "I did twice Thistlelight being the cause of my loved ones' death and almost mine, I wanted to be the one to destroy her. But no matter what, she was my sister, and I can never do that to her."