A Foxes Journey Book One: Bright Light's Story

Chapter VI: Ice Tail's Secret

  "Bright Paw, you have to turn backwards to dodge Alder Paw's blow you can't just stand there and expect to dodge it," Ice Tail shouted at Bright Paw. Later as they walked back to the camp, Ice Tail pulled Bright Paw aside, so they could have a little talk.

"Bright Paw, you do seem to be getting better in battle training, but do you want to be the next Healer since you aren't succeeding? Getting a  Ranking can be very hard at times," Ice Tail asked and told Bright Paw sympathetically. Bright Paw then gave him a sad, unexpressed look.

"Ice Tail, can I tell you something? I had some sort of vision, two months ago. It was terrible. I always think of it there was so much blood in it, so I can't concentrate well on what I am supposed to be doing. I'm sorry. I don't want to be a Healer, I'm just so, so, so...." Bright Paw couldn't finish her sentence, but she didn't take off because she knew it would have been rude towards Ice Tail.

"Bright Paw, I may not understand what you are going through, but maybe I can cheer you up a bit. Bright Paw, I know that I am a little older than you, but as far as I can see there is no point in hiding my feelings for you. Since the day we first met I have liked you that is why when you looked back at me. When you guys were all younger that you saw Turtle and Sorrel laughing and making fun of me because they had suspected it. I know that this is probably weird to hear, but if it is okay with you I would like to be your tod friend," Ice Tail told Bright Paw who looked at him disbelieving at what he had just told her.

"Ice Tail, I don't know what to say. Honestly, I never really liked Alder Paw because I never really thought about that sort of thing, but I guess I am older now and it should be a priority that it might be okay, but I really need to check in with Briar Pool before I say yes or no. Even if this is my decision I want to be wise and make sure my mother doesn't think that I am still too young," Bright Paw said to Ice Tail eagerly, but at the same time trying to be formal. As they walked into the camp Bright Paw went to talk with Briar Pool about it.

"Mom. Uh... I have something to tell you. I was wondering would you be okay with me getting a tod friend? Not saying that any fox that I know of likes me or anything," Bright Paw said solemnly to Briar Pool who looked at her with confusion in her eyes.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Briar Pool didn't want her daughter to grow up even though she knew what she meant.

"Yes, mom I am fine and doing as well as I can, but you know as well as do that it is time that I start growing up and love is just one part of that," Bright Paw said to Briar Pool understanding how hard it was for her mother to watch Bright Paw grow out of her paws.

"Honey, you need to concentrate on what's important right now. You are way too young for this stuff. You can like a tod and all...but...." Briar Pool trailed off.

"Mom I understand what you are going through and I promise not to make any mistakes, but surely you understand that I am no longer a young pup or apprentice anymore. Also I would still be able to concentrate on my training with a tod friend. I think what is important to me now is not that same for you. I love you mom and I always will, but my heart has enough room to love more than just you," Bright Paw told Briar Pool and the love that she had for her mother was shining in her eyes.

"Oh sweety," Briar Pool was crying, "You can go with your tod friend. I just-- just don't want you to grow up is all."

"I know. Thank you mom. I promise that my number one priority will still be to make sure that everything is okay with you and that you are still well. I really have appreciated all that you have done for me, but now it is time for me to prove I am worthy of my independence," Bright Paw calmly told Briar Pool who had a look of pride in her eyes.

"I know baby," she licked Bright Paw's head. "I know."

"I check in on you later mom. Bye!" Bright Paw shouted to her mother as she backed out of the rankings den. As she was backing out she ran into Ice Tail who had a tired look in his eyes.

"Ice Tail, are you okay?" Bright Paw asked Ice Tail with concern.

"Yes, I am fine. What did your mother say?" Ice Tail asked Bright Paw.

"She said yes. Here is the best news you will hear all day. I am saying yes that I will be your vixen friend and you will be my tod friend," Bright Paw told Ice Tail excitedly and as she did Ice Tail gave her cheek a quick lick. Bright Paw than got too embarrassed to speak so she left Ice Tail to go into her den, but certain thoughts troubled her.

"Hey, Bright Paw!" Turkey Feather called to Bright Paw as she walked into the camps' clearing. Ice Tail saw them and got angry when Turkey Feather gently nudged Bright Paw's shoulder to try and cheer her up because he was jealous. As soon as Turkey Feather did it she ran off and barged past Little Song and ran into the apprentices' den. She laid down in her nest, and sighed because she just wished that her thoughts wouldn't be so troubled.

"Bright Paw, are you okay? You seem really upset about something and I wondered if I can help," Alder Paw asked Bright Paw before she could get to sleep that night. Bright Paw just growled at him for she was not in the mood to talk. In the morning Bright Paw woke up early because she had a stomach ache. No other fox was up. Not even Ice Tail who she wished was. Every fox that was except for Little Song.

"Bright Paw, you are up early what is wrong?" Little Song asked Bright Paw as she scrambled by the Healers den.

"My stomach hurts, but I will be fine probably just a bad vole I ate or maybe some regular stomach pains," Bright Paw sighed as another spasm of pain pulsed through her stomach. She then ran out of the camp not knowing what else to do. Bright Paw soon realized that she was at the edge of MountainRange's territory which was marked by a stream. She sat down at the stream in a dazed heap starting to go unconscious.

"I don't feel so good," she said to herself. Her head was spinning as she fell unconscious into a coma.

"Bright Paw, why are you out here so early and without your mentor no less?" Shining Pebbles asked Bright Paw, following her was the first hunting patrol of the day, but no answer came from Bright Paw. Shining Pebbles walked over to her and saw that she was unconscious and was a greenish color. Ice Tail who was on the patrol saw her and he was devastated by what she looked like. Both of them took her back to the camp worried that the little apprentice wouldn't make it back to the camp alive. Little Song saw the state that the apprentice was in and rushed into her den to get some yarrow. While Little Song was working she had a vision.

"Little Song, Bright Paw is not the one meant to be the next Healer, but who is is going to give a small river, and try to save the mountain and give herself a rightful place here," A fox of StarRange whispered to Little Song urgently. Little Song saw that Ice Tail had a concerned glow in his eyes that told her that he deeply cared for his apprentice more than most mentors do for theirs and that there was more going on between them than what meets the eye. When Bright Paw started to vomit, Little Song looked at it carefully, to see exactly what she ate. She shuddered with shock and fear of what it was.

"She will be okay as long as she rests and I keep giving her this yarrow. Now she needs sleep, and if she wakes up tell her not to eat anything until I say if she does it could potentially harm her," Little Song told every fox that was around her. " We have a bigger problem. This is fox poison. Set by a fair faced creature the only other living thing that lives with us that we don't know that much about that has made it most certainly clear that they do not like us. I need one fox to stay the day with her," Little Song said.

"I will stay with her. Since her mother has been as to do something. I am the reasonable choice," Ice Tail said to Little Song as fear kept striking though him. Every fox then started to whisper, but went back to what they were doing.