Kitsune (my original novel)

Chapter One

The events that systematically changed the life of one Rose Connors were said to have occurred on an average autumn night in the month of October. The night sky was clear, except for the full moon that cast an eerie pale glow on the trees that surrounded her house. None of which rustled, for there was no night time breeze to disturb them. Everything was calm. The nocturnal creatures were acting a little strange though. They went about their business shuffling along the ground or perched amongst the branches, but they all seemed to be avoiding one particular animal. It's snowy white fur looked like it almost shown in the light of the moon. It walked the forest floor with confidence and arrogance as if it owned the whole place. Indeed, the other animals acted as if it did as well. None of them wanted to be in the way of it while it swished all if it's nine tails around in sporadic directions. Wasn't a proper animal supposed to only have one tail? The animals were almost sure of it, but were too frightened of the creature to ask. Or maybe it did have one and the light was playing tricks on them. The white creature moved about smoothly until he came to the outskirts of Rose's house. Once it got close enough it sat down in the dirt and waited. 

In Rose's backyard, underneath her pool house was a hole just big enough for a forest animal to fit. And in that hole lived two male foxes. Brothers if you have to ask. Currently, they are sitting at their dining room table finishing up their dinner of steamed rice and mice. For the first time that night a tiny breeze picked up that came from the front of Rose's house and reached all the way down into their fox hole and right into the nose of the black fox. His ears perked up almost immediately. The scent the wind had carried was one he hadn't ever expected to smell again. He looked over at his brother red fox who had his ears perked as well. The two foxes made eye contact, the black one decided to go investigate. He hadn't made it far out his hole when he felt a tug on his tail. He looked back to find his brother lightly pulling on him to try to get him to go back in the hole. He didn't want him to go especially not alone. The two foxes could sense the almost palpable danger, but the black fox needed to go it was his duty. The black fox opened his mouth wide and lunged at his brother. The red fox let go of the tail and put his ears low against his head. He went over to his brother and rubbed his head under his chin. The black fox continued forward, following the sent the wind was carrying, his brother close behind. 

They followed the scent trail all the way around the house to the front. Careful to stay low to the ground and close to the trees so they weren't seen by anyone in the house. No other animals seemed to be out in this part of the forest, which was strange because it was usually teeming with activity. It worried the red fox, all he wanted to do was run back to the fox hole and hide. He wasn't going to leave his brother out here alone in a dangerous situation so he reluctantly pushed on. The black fox saw all of this too and was not scared, but intrigued. What power could the other creatures of the woods behave this way? Something that was very interesting indeed.  

When they at last reached the origin of the scent, the brothers were shocked at their discovery. The red fox was on the defense, his mouth open wide and stance very stiff. He stood shoulder to shoulder with his brother who was quite calm in contrast. Sitting just a little ways from them was a stark white fox. It wasn't an arctic fox, they knew that for certain. It's coat wasn't nearly as thick as it should be. It's eyes were a light purple rather then brown with flecks of gold like most of their kind. It waved it's tail in the air as if it were impatiently waiting for them to arrive. It's eyes narrowed in amusement at the sight of the two of them. 

"Is that all you are?" it spoke to them, his voice was rich and dark. "Frankly, I was expecting the two of you to be a bit more." He flicked his tail and it suddenly became nine. The red fox's eyes widened slightly and he shut his mouth. His ears that were down before flicked up. Alert.  

"What do you want from us?" the black fox was the first of the two to speak. 

"I've been watching you, Tate. You've peaked my curiosity." the white fox responded.