A Fox's Journey Book 7: Lavender Willow's Dream; Part Two

Chapter III-- Rebuilding and survivors

The day after the gathering was very hard for MountainRange the Range was still badly wounded and fought for life everyday. Lavender Willow still couldn't believe that CanyonRange had sent a messenger to them to tell the sad news that Red Fern had died.

"MountainRange the time has come that I shall appoint a new deputy, and I know that no fox will be able to replace the spot Gorse Flight has left to be filled, but I know that he is watching us happily from StarRange right now with Pine Tail, River Song, Tiger Leap, Blizzard Storm, Tree Bark, Rip Tide, Pearl Paw, Amber Paw, and our mother Willow Frost. I think now is the right time to appoint the new deputy: Reed Heart.

Also I have two Survivors to make; Willow Paw and Storm Paw come here please. I know this may seem a little strange, but I would like Amber Paw and Pearl Paw to have Survivor names to and so to StarRange I say Pearl Paw you are now Pearl Fur, and to Amber Paw I now pronounce you Amber Heart. Alright now, Willow Paw I saw how hard you have trained long and hard even without the help of Gorse Flight your mentor who I am sure is watching from StarRange right now as I make you Willow Fern. Storm Paw I have watched you every moment and have seen you come a long way and so now I hope that you can fulfill your destiny as Storm Whisker. Even if times are not peaceful we must have strength and find the good in all. Even if it all seems to be dark," Lavender Willow announced to her Range with ultimate authority. Then she got down from her cliff and padded to give each of her living daughters a huge cuddle. Suddenly she let out a moan of grief for all of the pups she had lost which even if it wasn't many.

"Oh, mom we miss Amber Heart and Pearl Fur too!" Both of Lavender Willow's pups shouted at her in unison. Reed Heart noticed them and went to fetch Juniper Tail to help comfort them. Before she could leave Skye and the other pups came barreling at her.

"Pups! Get off whatever do you want?" Reed Heart asked the pups with her eyes full of amusement.

"We want to be apprentices now! We are four months old and that is clearly old enough to be an apprentice." The pups shouted at Reed Heart in unison. Reed Heart blinked at them thoughtfully and then started playing along.

"Oh, if that's right then what would you do is a scary pack of wolves attacked you?" Reed Heart playfully asked the pups who seemed to have gotten the idea to tackle her as if she was a huge wolf.

"Get back you vicious wolf! This is MountainRange's territory not yours!" Skye shouted at Reed Heart trying to sound tougher than she was. Reed Heart then pretended to be frightened by the little pup.

"Oh whatever will I do. I have no other wolves to help me fight off this terrifying range of foxes," Reed Heart said as she pretended to be defeated by the pups.

"Reed Heart can I tell you something? One day when I am a survivor I am going to be just like Lavender Willow," Skye told Reed Heart with a faraway dream like look in her eyes.

"Something tells me you will little one. Now go and play with other pups, and remember don't look too far into the future because the present is best." Reed Heart said told Skye as she gave her a little nudge.

"Skye come here please and stop messing with Reed Heart and play with the other pups." Shining Pebbles happily called over to Skye. Skye looked longingly back at Red Heart before joining the others at the elders den where they were pretending that Nettle Herb and Holly Fern were CanyonRange foxes attacking them.

"Hey you CanyonRange foxes you are not supposed to be here this is MountainRange territory now!" Dew and Tiny shouted at the elders deviously pretending to be the most ferocious foxes in the forest, while River, Little, Rabbit, and Fiery were planning the attack with careful decision.

"Hey, you guys can I join in and play too? After all those stupid CanyonRange foxes did mistreat us at the last gathering, and like Lavender Willow says we must unite or the darkness will come," Skye said to the other pups angrily as she came up to them.

"Go away Skye you can't fight worth anything all you can do is act tough." Rabbit told Skye meanly which sent her running away.

"Come here Skye help me with these herbs please it might take you mind off of how mean they are plus I see great potential in you being a healer." Polar Blaze said quickly to Skye before she could pass by her makeshift den.

"So what am I supposed to do put the herbs that look alike together?" Skye asked Polar Blaze with curiosity in her gaze.

"Yes that is exactly what you should do. Now I have to take these healing herbs to Lavender Willow to try and fix her eyes from her skunk accident and when I get back I want most of them to be sorted." Polar Blaze curtly told Skye before she took off.

"I don't want to be a healer," muttered Skye. "There are already two." Polar Blaze came over.

"What's wrong, Skye?"

"I don't want to be a healer."

"Oh that's okay, you can be whatever you want to be. Maybe you'll be leader of the Range one day," Polar Blaze turned her head. "Nettle Herb is calling us. Why don't you ask Yellow Fern if she needs any help sorting the prey?"

"Sure," Skye said as she walked away.

Meanwhile, Lavender Willow wasn't feeling good.

"Lavender Willow, what's wrong?" Juniper tail walked into her den.

"I miss my mother."

"We all do," Cinder Whisker bowed his head. "I love you."

"Sometimes the words are just not enough, Cinder Whisker," growled Lavender Willow. She walked out of the den.

"I know. I know." Cinder Whisker barked back.

"Why do you want to impress Yellow Fern?" Lavender Willow growled at her father. "Are you just willing to let my mother go?"

"No, no. She'll always be in my heart, my daughter. But I've realized that life has to go on."

"So are you just going to forget Willow Frost?" Lavender Willow's sharp bark pierced Cinder Whisker's heart.

"No, I'm not. I love Yellow Fern, Lavender Willow. And this is my decision. Your sisters and brothers are okay with it, and so should you." Cinder Whisker went over to Yellow Fern. She and he were laughing.

Leafbreeze had come and gone, and it soon was HotBreeze. "I have an announcement. Yellow Fern and I are mates," Cinder Whisker said loud and proud.

"Did you forget about Willow Frost?" shouted Tiny Tree. Cinder Whisker shook his head.

"She has always been in my heart, but now, my heart has made room for Yellow Fern,"Cinder Whisker replied.

By then, Skye, Dew, River, Fiery, Tiny, Little, and Rabbit had become apprentices and Storm Whisker, Juniper Tail, Reed Heart,Willow Fern, Polar Blaze, Shimmering Lake, and Icy Wind were their mentors, while Spider Paw and Fish Paw had both been named Survivors called Spider Nose and Fish Leap. Yellow Fern had given birth to Lavender Willow's father's pups: Walnut, Blue, Mountain, Jay, Feather, Hope, Joy, and Love. She had eight pups three tod and five vixens, the biggest in any of MountainRanges' litters.

"They all are healthy and by StarRange, all of them will live," Nettle Herb told Cinder Whisker. Then they heard a scream coming from camp.

"Pearl Fur, Amber Heart and all who died in the battle are here!" cried Juniper Tail. "And alive!"