Fox Kitten

Fox Kitten
Author,
Cheyanne Garrett

  It was a humid rainy day, and only two days left till summer vacation. Like usual in my math class, I’m staring out the window watching the pin prickled water hit and glide down the window pane. Rain has always been my favorite kind of weather. Nothing beats a warm summer’s shower.
    Bing-Bing-Bing, sounded the muffled bell. Finally fourth period is over, time for lunch. I grabbed my notebook and backpack and began walking to the cafe. We have 5 minutes in between classes to get to our next. Luckily, the school isn't so big.
    My name is Sinopa Vulpes, foster child of Mr. Ferris and Gineen Tremblay. I was abandoned at an orphanage in Toronto, Ontario Canada. I was found laying in a homemade basket, wrapped in a hand knitted blanket with an image of a faded fox silhouette, and a piece of animal pelt with my name and date of birth, March 11th. I’m sort of the outcast in school, many tease me because I live with foster parents at an orphanage.  And today is the day, I learn something new.
    I finally arrived at the schools cafe. Students of my grade, 11th, began to flood the cafe with rumbling stomachs.
“Hey Sinopa!”
That’s my only friend, Shelly. She’s also sort of an outcast such as myself. Shelly is a quirky and sweet canadian nerd. She wore purple glasses, eyeliner, and her hair usually down or in low pigtails. Today her brown hair was up in a high side pony. Her uniform, always well kept. Me, well, my uniform is always a bit on the wrinkly side. I hate skirts but it’s school policy here in Canada. My long black hair was down, and always a strand or a whole half of my hair, would cover my two different colored eyes. My left eye blue and my right eye  brown.
“Hey Shelly. How was french today?” I asked.
“You could say, Va bien, going well. I aced my last test. It sucks you have to know both english and french. And well, I am moving more north this summer, so it’s mandatory”
“Well, Canada is  majorly french after all.”
“Yeah. Shall we find our seats, drop our stuff, and get lunch? It’s meatball subs today. So yum!”
“Kay, lets go.”
We put our stuff down at our favorite table by the cafe windows in the back, then got into our lunch line.
“Ooo! Vanilla pudding, my ultimate favorite!!” I grabbed two puddings and Shelly grabbed one. I punched my lunch number in, waited for Shelly and started walking to our seats. And the worst thing that could ever go wrong, went wrong.
I didn’t realize my shoe was untied, and  next thing I knew, I felt myself lunge forward along with my lunch tray!  My  meatballs and my pudding all landing on my adversary Maria Smith and all over her brand new sweater vest that she was so proud of. I’ll be honest, I snickered and had myself a giggle. Bad move.
Maria Smith just moved here from England last year.  Instantly she became the prettiest and most interesting girl in school. Boys would go all ga-ga over her, I just think it was her accent.
Maria was furious!
“You incomponent bloody fool.” She growled, “Do you know how much this sweater cost! I’m going to get you for this!”
“It was an accident Maria, I’m sorry. It can be cleaned can’t it?”
“It can be cleaned can’t it” she mocked me “I’ll show you what can be cleaned!” she began trying to hit me, aiming just for my face. I remember she gave some kid a black eye and fat lip just because he didn’t care how pretty she was. So, I was screwed. She began running more after me. So, I ended up running out the cafe doors, and then it happened.
I was running through the decaying leaves that lay upon the soft ground of the woods past the high school. I was running so fast, my heart was pounding a mile a minute!
“ Where are you Sinopa! I got a nice bloody treat for ya!” I kept running. Jumping over fallen branches, logs and tree stumps. Suddenly, I felt as if I was running through spiderwebs, my nose and ears felt like they were  being pulled. I tripped over a fallen branch landing on my hands and knees, “Sinopa! Come out, come out wherever you are!” I was still running faster than fast! Quicker than quick! And then I stopped.
I was at the edge of a creek. I couldn’t hear Maria’s voice anymore, so I stopped to take a breath. I collapsed, knocking a pebble into the slow moving creek. I gazed into the rippling water, I saw two pointy, grey triangular ears the right one with a white tip, two almond shaped eyes, the left was blue, and the right was brown just like my own eyes, then I saw a small rounded triangle nose and whiskers!?   Then, it hit me! That’s not any animal, it’s a fox, and the fox isn’t any fox, it’s  me!!! Suddenly an aura of exhaustion grew upon me and everything faded to black.
I awoke.
“ I had the most strangest dream ever” I said to myself.
I looked  at my surroundings, I was in the woods, and it was sun down, everything looked more vivid and more clear than usual. Then I remembered something. I looked into the creek again, and there it was my reflection, was a silver fox with one white tipped ear and my eyes.
“ It really wasn’t  a dream”
“ I’m afraid not.” said a disembodied male voice. 
“Who said that!? Where are you!? I shouted
“ Up here.” I looked up and right in the maple tree above me on a branch was a brown barn owl with a tan belly.
“Who are you?” I asked again.
“Just an owl, and an old family friend.”
“ What do you mean by old family friend?”
“ Well, I was sent out years ago to look for you by your mother.”
“My mother? But how? I heard she was dead. Today has been the most confusing and ridiculously unrealistic day of my life! First, I almost get clobbered by a snooty rich prick, then I somehow turned into a fox, and now I hear my mom is alive! What am I supposed  to do now.” I began to trail off into a small whimper, and everything was getting blurry.
“Its okay Sinopa, no need for the waterworks. And soon, all your questions will be answered. Here’s what you’ve got to do to get them. Come with me for just a minute.”
I followed him across the creek, through some leaves, and past an old big pine tree. Then, just a little past the pine tree, he stopped and perched on a low branch.
“ Look.” He pointed his feathery brown right wing just past the bush in front of me. I walked around the bush and to my surprise, there were old railway tracks. They were old  and  corroded with frail, flaking off rust and dirt embedded in the metal beams, held together by the rotting wood of the rail ties.
“All you have to do, is follow these tracks to Blackfoot, Alberta. It will take about 3 days. I will meet you there at the welcome sign.”
“ But, what about food and shelter?!
“ For that you may need to let your new found instincts help you with that. For example, you may have to hunt for rodents or find some berries.”
“ How about shelter?”
“A fallen log perhaps. Now, no more questions. I have told you what I can so far, and I’m hungry, and would just love a delightful rodent for myself. And I wish you the best of serendipity Sinopa. See you there.”
And the barn owl flew off.
“ So, my mom is alive? But, then why didn't she keep me? Why must I be bullied and tormented?”
I began trotting, following the train tracks as told. A few hours on, it's pitch black and I'm wide awake, seeing surprisingly perfect. I noticed a dim and distant light to the left of the tracks. It was the orphanage “ maybe I can get my blanket and some food. But,  how am I going to get in my room?” I moved closer, luckily my room is in the back of the building and lucky me, my window was open.  I went toward my window and jumped through it. “Lights off,  doors closed. Perfect” I went toward my bed. I bit down on my blanket and flattened on the floor. I then went under my bed, went through my secret stash and grabbed a big bag of  trail mix, then wrapped my blanket around it making a satchel like pouch. I stuck my head through the hoop I made and wore it around my neck. Finally, I jumped back out my window. And thus, my journey begins.
Morning was breaking in, and I’m still wide awake. I’ve trotted at least, 20 to 25 miles by now. *sighs* 
*Russell-russell*  “What’s that?” I turned behind and looked to the left *Russell -russell* I noticed a bush was slightly moving. I moved closer and saw a brown fuzzy being. It was a hare. Then I felt something stir up inside me, something new like an urg…  I grew closer toward the innocent bystander. And she flew. I found myself chasing her. She scurried so quick but I was quicker. I cornered her, she was rapidly breathing. Just as I went toward her again she zoomed past me! “ I got you now!” I said to myself under my breath. *crack!* Then I felt her limp, lifeless body dangle from my jaw. Her blood seeping down to my neck and a few drops slamming on the dead leaf covered ground. It tasted so sweet. And everything went dark, once again.
After my blackout I  awoke. A  bloody carcase lies in front of me. My stomach turns into knots. “I can’t believe what I’ve done, yet, it was so damn good. I really am a fox, aren’t I?”
Before, I continued my journey, I  buried the leftover hare carcase and moved on. Half way through the day, the sky began turning grey. “A storm is about to hit, I hope I can find freaking shelter for the night.” I kept going.
3 hours passed, and it was beginning to drizzle. And 5 minutes in, *Crash!,* It began to downpour. I began running now, looking rigorously back and forth for shelter. I continued running and I soon  saw something large in the distance. My gut was telling me to go, and I did.  I got closer, wind and rain blowing toward my face. At last I’ve reached the amorphous object in the distance, to find it to be an old abandoned wooden cargo box car from an olden train. It had two entrances but only one was open. And so, I took advantage of my random luck, and with great celerity, I jumped into the car just before a lightning strike stabbed the ground where I just was. My heart was racing and my breath was heavy. I eventually caught my breath, and made a nest for myself with the pile of hay pushed to the back of the car, and my blanket over me. I laid where I   could watch the storm. It was so wild and beautiful for a storm almost like a dancing flame. I found myself eating some trail mix, and soon I was lulled to sleep by the storm.
*Chirp-chirp-chirp* sounded the brown female sparrow. I awoke, at first I forgot where I was until I looked down and saw two light grey paws above dark, rustic, stained oak flooring.
The storm was over, but the ground was moist, the air smelt fresh, and clean, and the warm sun beats down. I got up, shook off and went to repack my stuff. I ate some more of my trail mix then went to wrap it in my blanket, and put it around my neck. I jumped off the train car, and began following the tracks again.
About 8 and a half hours later, I saw the sign stating “ Welcome to Blackfoot, Alberta”  It was almost dusk, and the barn owl hadn’t arrived yet. I began studying the sunset. The sky was a beautiful orange and pink hue, with a tint of purple at the top.
“Breathtaking isn’t it?”
“Ahh! You've got to stop sneaking up on me owl! What gives?!”
*chuckles* “ I’m sorry, Sinopa. Are you ready to meet your mother
“ I guess so…”
“ Follow me please.”
And so, I did. We went more up the tracks. 20 minutes on, we went into the woods on the right side of the tracks.
“Almost there, Sinopa.”
He began to speed up, and I followed and bagan to run a little just to catch up to him. I stumbled a little over some twigs and branches. Until we came to a small cottage. The front door had a fallen tree pressed up against it, and the porch was falling apart. Under the crumbling stairs was  a medium opening, like an entrance to a den. Owl nodded to me as a way to suggest me to speak,
“ Sokanon, someone is here to see you.” said owl. No answer.
“H-hello? Is, a, anyone home?” I asked, then I saw something move from under the porch. I saw 2 gray paws except one was white. Then I saw animal almond shaped eyes like mine except both eyes were a crystal blue grey like my left eye only brighter and full of sorrow, and despair. She walked out toward me, “ Sinopa? Is it really you?” She was starting to circle me, study me. I began to study her features too.
She was all gray like me, her belly white, and white speckles like rain droplets, that ran down her back to her tail’s base and She was a good 2 inches larger than I was.  Her body was slender and feminine, she moved with grace and radiance. She was beautiful.
And as I watched her with awe, she grabbed my blanket and gently slid it off my head. She untied it, and removed the trail mix. And she, just stared,
“It is you.” She looked at me with her eyes watery and filled with what seemed like, joy. She came up to me, and said “My baby.” She then, rubbed her soft head against mine. I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say or do.
“All these years. . .” I said in a low quiet voice.
“All these  years they told me you didn’t love me, all these years they said you were dead and that I’ll be stuck as an orphan and never be loved by anyone!!”
My voice cracked when I shouted. I couldn’t hold back anymore, I  bursted out to a whimpering , almost devastating  cry.
“Did  you even ever truly love me?!”
The fox who says shes my mom wrapped her white paw around me.
“ Of course I do, Sinopa”
“Then why did you leave me at such a young age? Why did you abandon me?” I asked.
“ I did it to protect you. We had no food, and were being hunted for our tails.”
“ And, and,  how was I a human before and now im a fox? How do I even turn back? I mean, can I? I don’t mind being a fox because it's surprisingly fun and cool but I miss me too.”
“Yes, in fact  you can turn back and forth if you’d like. How? And Why? Well you see, your father and I were apart of an old native tribe known as the Blackfoot. We were a separate part of the tribe, in a good way though, and we were able to change into our spirit animals. Mine, a fox him, a mountain lion hence why you have a golden brown eye like your father and a blue eye, like me.” She shivers, it was getting cold out. I shivered too.
“ Why don’t we come inside? I’ll tell you more in there so we don’t freeze our tails off.” She turned to the owl, “ Thank you so much papa, I’m so happy you found my little Sinopa. You may rest in peace now”
“ My pleasure, I will be watching over the both of you.” he said. And he flew off and faded away into the night.
“Sinopa?” said mom, “ Come on in honey.” I watched her walk under the stairs and I followed. We walked into at first what looked like any regular wood and dirt hole. Till we reached an old looking blanket, a homemade one like mine but, a bright red woven with some grays, whites and blacks.
We walked through it and found ourselves in a very small, warm and cozy cabin. There was beautiful blankets strewn across the walls. One specifically called my attention to it. It was a blanket like mine only, it wasn’t just a fox silhouette, it was a picture of a fox and a big cat putting their heads together and a basket laid beneath them with the image of a baby hand sticking out in a way of grabbing for attention.
“Over here Sinopa.” I looked over and I saw a naked woman wrapped in a black blanket. She was beautiful. Her long hair was black hung  low over her light skinned breasts, she had  a tribal art tattoo, in the image of like a bracelet around her left ankle. Her  bright blue eyes glistened with excitement and joy.
“It’s ok Sinopa, it’s just me.” she started a white gas stove, and put a tea kettle on. She then came over to me and had me sit down in the small living room with a small stone fireplace in the middle of the whole cabin separating the kitchen, living area,  a sleep area and only two doors appear, one was the front door and the second I’ll assume was  the bathroom.
“So, I can change between human and fox anytime I like you said?”
“ That is correct, would you like to know how?”
“ Yes, please” I said with a bit of excitement. She left the living area and went into a homemade basket and took out two night gowns. One green with a little frog on the breast and another light blue with a little butterfly on the breasts.
“What are those?” I giggled.
“What you don’t like them I thought they were cute I got them at a thrift shop in town.” I just giggled.
“ So how do I turn back to human?”
“ Drink this, it's camomile tea, to change back to human you must be relaxed.” So she placed  the cup of tea in front of me. It was a white coffee cup, it was so warm you can see a bit of steam curling up and out of it. Mom, then put an ice cube in it to cool it down. I blew on it, then lapped it up with my tongue.
“So, what happened to my father? Why isn’t he here?” mom just looked at the ground, sighed gently, and then looked back at me.
“You see, one night, while we were about to lay you to sleep, some  hunters barged in assuming we stole a human child. They had a gun and pointed it at us. Your father growled and went after them shouting at me to take you somewhere safe, so I wrapped you in the blanket I made for you and put you in a basket and ran off. A rain storm was starting. I got as far as I can go. And one of the hunter’s were running after me now. I just kept running and running till I came across your grandfather, who offered to help. So, he took you away. I knew he’d bring you somewhere safe I just didn’t know where. I ran back here as fast as I could, but I was too late. I found your father outside, he was wounded badly. I nursed him the best I can but he died within an hour.” *sniffles*  I soon realized my mom was crying.
“ I couldn’t save him, but at least you ended up ok. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t be there for you these last 15 years, you were only about to be two. Could you ever forgive me, Sinopa?” She quietly spoke out with hot tears rolling down her cheeks and a stuffy nose slightly dribbling. I feel something strange come over me, my whole body tingled, my ears rang, my eyes tightened, my fingers and toes stretched, and my head was pounding. I looked down I had my human self back in tack and I was freezing. My mom was still crying, I scooted toward her and held her while she was propped up on her knees. Her skin felt familiar and soft.
“I do forgive you mom. I understand that you had to do what you needed to do.” and I kissed her forehead.
“Really?”
“ Really.”  She  then gently grabbed onto me and sat on the floor holding me tight in her arms.
“I love you my little Fox Kitten.”
“I love you too.” We stayed hugging like that for a while and finished crying turning from sorrow to joy.
It's now one month later, and it is hot! Mom has been teaching me how to control my shifting. Apparently, I shifted my first time because it was a time of need. It was the spirits telling me to follow my instincts and find my mother.
Every day we work together she even brought me hunting for food, and shopping for some new clothes. I’m living with her now. And we’re so happy. Also, this fall I’ll be enrolled in a new school for my senior year.
Finally, I’m loved, wanted, and home. *journal closes*

                                                               The End.