A Foxes Journey Book One: Bright Light's Story

Chapter II: Prove It If Your Worthy

Bright's eyes watered with sadness. It's not fair being the only nursery pup. I wish I had some fox to play with. I can't wait until I am a Rank, she said to herself. She put her head down, tears streaming out of her eyes, as she crawled into the nursery and cried herself to sleep.

"Bright, you will soon not be the only nursery pup. Don't worry our special Snow," Some fox whispered softly in Bright's ear. Bright sighed as her crying subsided, but she was still sad that she once again had no fox to play with. Bright walked out of the nursery the next day only to find out that the first snowfall was on the way, Bright shivered in the cold as she ran to catch up to Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw.

"Hey, guys wait up!" Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw looked at her and continued to talk to each other and walk. Bright thought they didn't hear her and thought, Maybe they really are deaf.

"Turtle Paw, Sorrel Paw, do you want to play with me if you aren't too busy?"

"Bright, leave us alone. We are trying to discuss our training. We want to become Ranks as soon as we can," Sorrel Paw told Bright with their reply.

"I thought you were my friends!" Bright shouted after the two apprentices.

"That was when we were pups. Now we are apprentices. Night Paw, Sage Paw, and Alder Paw are our friends now. Go back to playing with the other pups. We're due for battle training. Ant Leap and Turkey Feather are waiting for us. Night Paw and Alder Paw are going out on a hunting patrol. Don't worry, they'll bring you some prey. We'll protect you. You go stay in the nursery. We have to go," Sorrel Paw stated confidently to the little pup.

"I'm the only pup in the nursery now!" Bright wailed after the two apprentices.

"Then find something else to do. Your smart and I am sure you can come up with something to do in that little brain of yours," Turtle Paw said calmly to Bright before she walked off. Bright cast a glance towards Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw and then walked away from them angrily, but sadly. She saw Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw walk out of the camp happily with their mentors, while Bright thought to herself, Wow, it is their first time going out of camp I wish I was going with them. Alder Paw and Night Paw followed them, dashing out with Shining Pebbles and Funneling Cloud. They didn't even say goodbye to her! She thought angrily, then Bright dashed into the nursery, crying.

"Bright, my darling whatever has happened to make you so sad, my sweet and always happy daughter?" Briar Pool asked Bright as she had come running into the nursery. Bright didn't want to talk to her mother, so she stormed out, and stood at the bramble and holly entryway.

Bright took one look at the entrance and rushed out not caring how much trouble she would get in. She was amazed by the sight of the mountains, they looked as if they were made of stone and ice. Bright thought that the area surrounding the camp was some sort of forest or mini snow woodland. I will show them! Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw are wrong, Bright thought. I will be their friend! And the best apprentice ever, so I can get a high Rank! Although it is kinda cold out here. Though it was cold, Bright went out to try to hunt for her Range. She wandered far into the forest, not seeing or scenting any animal. She began to shiver because it was so cold. She became so cold in the night that frost crested around her whiskers. She wailed for the others to come and help her. She cried for Aspen Heart and Alder Paw. She even cried for Sorrel Paw and Turtle Paw to come and help her. After she stopped trying to call for help she curled up under a bracken bush, and cried. Her tears frozen on her fur. She suddenly felt warm. She closed her eyes, let her tail curl around her hind legs, and fell asleep. When Bright woke up the next morning, she was in the bracken bush and Bright found Turtle Paw wrapped around her.

Bright shook her pelt and out came the cold that had once been there. Turtle Paw got up shortly after Bright had awoken.

"Turtle Paw, what are you doing here?" Bright asked Turtle Paw angrily.

"Oh, nothing. I was just having a nice evening stroll and decided to save your life you little bramble!" Turtle Paw growled.

"Do you think that Dark Breeze will let me be an apprentice now? I mean I survived the night didn't I?" Bright asked Turtle Paw excitedly for she didn't know that her behavior had caused the Range much trouble. Turtle Paw just gave a very arrogant look to the little runt of a pup because she knew that Bright was going to be in so much trouble when they got back into the camp . As they drew out from under the trees, Bright looked around and saw white fuzzy stuff on the ground and flying through the air.

Bright marveled at the wonders in front of her and muttered to herself, "I wonder what the fuzzy white stuff? It sure is cold." Turtle Paw must have heard her, but didn't answer because of how much trouble Bright had probably gotten the both of them into last night. As they walked back to camp, Bright sniffed at the white ground it was fascinating to her, but not to Turtle Paw who grumpily walked back to the camp worried about how Dark Breeze would take them being out in the forest all night.

When they got to the camp, Briar Pool came rushing to them and said, "Bright, my poor baby, you had me and your father worried sick last night where have you been?" Bright looked towards her mom her head unable to think of the words she was trying to say, but then her father saved her. Tree Heart rushed over to them and licked the fuzz on Bright's little head . Bright's ears started to buzz as the whole Range gathered around her. All this for a little adventure into the woods? I guess it was kind of cold out there, but still all of this for that? Bright thought silently to herself.