A Foxes Journey Book One: Bright Light's Story

Chapter III: The Shocking Mistake

       "Bright! what did you think you were doing going out into the forest alone like that? We are all glad and thank StarRange that Turtle Paw was able to find you so easily," Dark Breeze told Bright causally hoping the little pup wouldn't be scared of her in that moment.

"Dark Breeze, I am sorry I just wanted to prove to that I was ready to be an apprentice, but I see now that what I did last night just proves that I am not ready I will take any punishment you give me because if anything that I have proven to you is that I should be in this position of trouble because of the trouble that I caused for all of you last night just to find out that I broke our code. I am so very sorry Dark Breeze for my actions," Bright said anxiously. Bright shot a glance back at Turtle Paw because she was looking for regards that she had just said the right thing. Turtle Paw then in turn looked smugly at her sister Sorrel Paw and gradually she gave Bright a devious look.

"Dark Breeze, it's true that I found this dirty little pup in the forest," Turtle Paw told Dark Breeze cautiously. "She shouldn't be made an apprentice, in my opinion. She is a disobedient, little bramble." Dark Breeze just shook her head at the apprentice in disbelief at what she was calling a pup.

"Bright, you are confined to the camp for the first part of your apprentice training as punishment for leaving the camp. As for you, Turtle Paw, you will have to clean out the nursery for your rude remarks. MountainRange is all linked together. We must be strong. From the smallest pup, to the oldest elder. We need to look out for each other and stop these selfish acts like calling pups names and leaving the camp. Both of you must learn to abide from our Code not ignore it no foxes could live within these boundaries if we did not have this Code to follow," Dark Breeze angrily told Bright and Turtle Paw who shrank back into their pelts at seeing the sight of Dark Breeze angry. Bright saw the look of hurt and anger in Turtle Paw's eyes and rushed away from the angry apprentice back to the comfort of the nursery and her mother.

"Go ahead and run, you little runt. You won't be able to do that for much longer, and no we are definitely not friends. Bright, mark my words you will die at my and Sorrel Paw's paw's now. After all I did for you, you should be in DarkRange's blood cursed forest for this you little arrogant bramble," Turtle Paw yowled after Bright deviously. Briar Pool heard what Turtle Paw had said and shot Bright a worried glance, for she did not want to lose another pups life for she had lost too many to count in her lifetime. Nervously later that day, Bright peered out of the nursery. She only saw Alder Paw and Night Paw sitting on the ground playing one of their puphood games.

"Hi, Alder Paw and Night Paw. Please say that it is safe for me to come out now," Bright timidly asked the apprentices because she was worried that Turtle Paw would actually kill her if she did come out to play. They both took one look at Bright and shot off to their mentors sides because they were afraid of what Turtle Paw would do to them if she caught them talking to Bright. Bright sighed as she remembered all the good times she had had with all of the apprentices, when they were pups. That day was the coldest day Bright had ever felt before shivering in the very cold weather she went to the prey pile to get some prey. Bright got a small stiff frozen mouse off of the prey pile and started to eat it.

"No!" wailed Sorrel Paw suddenly as she saw a dead body of a young fox being dragged into the camp . "No! Night Paw!" Sorrel Paw wailed again as she rushed up to meet the patrol. Dark Breeze ran into the clearing. Sorrel Paw put her paws over her head, and wailed even more as the patrol placed him in the center of the camp. Moss Fur went up to Dark Breeze and told her something. Dark Breeze then went up onto the DarkCliff to announce something very important to her Range.

"Foxes of MountainRange, Night Paw has been killed. A racoon took his life while on the patrol. May you have successful running and swift hunting in StarRange from now on and always and may you have the Ranking there that you desire. Since we cannot afford any delay in our apprentices' training, when Bright becomes an apprentice, she will have no delays and hopefully by then she will have learned the aspects of our Code and will abide rightfully by them. Lighting Pelt, Sage Paw, and Alder Paw, you can bury Night Paw, if you wish." Alder Paw and Sage Paw went sorrowfully over to Night Paw's body along with their mother Lightning Pelt who cried no tears for her son because she had seen death one too many times in her life. Bright cried too. Alder Paw and Sage Paw had lost their brother. Bright got up from her spot and walked to the nursery only to find that Briar Pool was gone for a reason Bright couldn't figure out or know.

Two months later Bright tossed and turned in play wrestling with Blue Flower's two month old pups, but Bright was gentle with them even though she was already five months old. Blue Flower had named her pups Sweet, Silent, and Coal. Bright had been the only one in the camp able to help her have her babies because death had once again came.

This time, Bright's father had died due to a mechanical beast that was running on hard stone. It had killed him and the worst part was that the strange creature inside of it didn't even notice. Briar Pool was so grief stricken that she no longer stayed in the nursery with Bright, but left Bright to take care of herself. Briar Pool had almost died a couple days later to her depression of Tree Heart -- Little Song was able to save her. After almost having her mother die in the same week that her father had Bright didn't eat for weeks, she was so distraught and malnourished. She almost died herself, but thanks to Little Song, she survived her horrible, shattered puphood that wouldn't be the only treachery she would have to face in her lifetime.

"I have something to announce to the Range," Dark Breeze called. "Bright, has survived the cold SnowFall months and now it is RainFall and she has endured all of the hardships in her life too which makes her even more worthy for this. I believe that she is ready to become an apprentice. Bright, from this moment forward until you get your true Ranking you will be known as Bright Paw. It has been decided that your mentor will be Ice Tail, and I hope that you have a great journey and become the Rank you want to be," Dark Breeze told Bright Paw as Bright Paw rushed down from the DarkCliff to touch muzzles with her mentor Ice Tail who was an Ice Fox which meant that she was going to be trained to be a stronger Rank. The whole of MountainRange cheered for Bright Paw even Sorrel Paw, but not Turtle Paw, because she was still angry with her.

Bright Paw ignored it, and saw a look of pride in her mother's eyes and gave her an excited look back and thought, Finally I get to train to be a Rank. And I get to prove myself worthy to Turtle Paw and Sorrel Paw that I am ready for this!