Fox Tales Book 1: Mountain Heart's Start

Chapter Two:

      "Come on Small the hollow pass is just ahead. We can get there if we really try." Dew called to a pup who was smaller than him. Small suddenly fell the ground beneath her paws was slick. Spot one of Small's sisters saw this and automatically went to Small's aid.

"Dew you shouldn't rush Small. She can't keep up with us." Turtle one of Small's other friends called up the trail to Dew as she helped Spot with Small.

"Oh, Turtle I think Small will be fine, but you girls can take it slow if you want too." Dew shouted back.

"Tods! Always never thinking. Swift come here. You care about Small don't you?" Spot shouted at her older brother who came over to them.

"Spot, couldn't you have gotten Swamp to do this? I need to stay up beat with Dew otherwise he will make fun of me for the rest of my life." Swift told Spot as he glanced at Small who was struggling to make her way up the slope.

"Oh, come on Swift. Small isn't that bad is she?" Turtle pressed to Swift who gradually gave in to her. Swift quickly, but gently picked Small up by her scruff and carried her up the slope. Small wiggled and wiggled trying to break away from Swift.

"Small quit squirming! You will hurt me." Swift cautiously told Small as he set her down on top of the slope. Small was then taken out of the air and put safely on land. Dew who had watched the whole thing walked up to Small and licked her little head.

"Now Small you will be okay. A little fall like that could never hurt you. You are strong and tough." Dew happily told Small who nodded her head eagerly.

"I want to learn how to hunt a trout in a stream and drop down on foxes from a cliff face!" Small shouted euthenastically. Dew looked at her with bemusement in his gase and thought, Small is such a brave little pup. Small then got on top of the biggest boulder she could find and tried to hop off of it. Although no fear shown in Small's eyes she was completely terrified.

"Small, get down off of that boulder! You will hurt yourself." Spot called to Small who just gave Spot a glance to shut her up. Slowly Small found her footings and slide to a stop on top of the boulder and thought, Now I will jump off of this boulder and show them just how brave I can be! Small then took a running leap and off she went flying through the air like a squirrel flying through the trees.

"Small! No you should have never jumped off of there!" All of the pups shouted in unison at Small who gave them a really confused look. Dew then took off after Small jumping into the air trying to catch her, but in his attempt he failed and Small fell to the ground with a blood curdling grunt.

"Dew is she okay!" Spot shouted at Dew as she rushed up to their side.

"I... I don't... I don't know! She fell out of the air too fast for me to catch her. I am afraid that she might not have made it." Dew said with distress in his voice.

"It is okay Dew we all make mistakes, but let's get her back home so she can be looked after." Spot calmly told Dew as she made sure that Small was breathing properly.