The Secret Of F.O.X. {Book 1 of the FireTail Family Series}(UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 12

~F.O.X.'s POV~

I curled myself into a tight ball as the rain poured on outside of the den. I sighed and looked around the hallow place. Flame was fast asleep. So was Maple, her tail twitching every once in a while, which meant she was dreaming. I sighed again and raised my head from my forepaws. I heard nothing but rain pouring down and, occasionally, thunder. A sudden clap of thunder made me jump to my brown paws. My heart thumped against my chest as my tail frizzed with fear. Something was wrong, I could feel it.

I quickly padded down the dirt tunnel and turned down into the guest tunnel, which was only occupied by Ranson. I pushed back the wall of leaves to reveal a single nest in the middle of the small den. His sides were rising and falling as he slept peacefully. I didn't want to disturb his rest, but what choice did I have? I gently prodded his fur with my nose and whispered urgently,"Ranson, get up!" He stirred a little bit, then rose his head. What a light sleeper, I thought as he twisted his body so he was facing me. "Is there anything I can do for you?", he asked drowsily. I quickly nodded, my tail swishing impatiently.

"I fear that there is something wrong." 

"What could possibly go wrong? Well, considering that there is a ravaging storm going on outside."

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. "That IS the problem, Ranson!" My fur on my shoulders bristled. "Don't you remember that vision I had? It showed a terrible storm, with wind howling and rain thundering down! And in it, it showed my mother being killed by a falling tree! Maybe this is what's happening right now! We have to go and look for her!"

He got up and shook scraps of moss from his fur. "Ok, but we will need to get the others, just in case." I nodded and we both quickly padded down the tunnel and back into the second one. When we entered, I went over to Flame and Ranson went over to Maple. I poked my forepaw into his fur and his eyes popped open in an instant. "What the-F.O.X.! Whaddya think you're doing? I was in a really good dream, where I was huge and was about to maul this grizzly bear, and-"

I cut him off. "We have no time to hear your dream. We have to go, now!" He quickly got to his paws, while Ranson and Maple came over to us. We all filed into a line as we went down the tunnel, but got in a cluster as we went outside. The rain soaked us, and in a few seconds, we were totally drenched. The wind howled around us and trees whipped their bare branches, looking as if they were trying to fight against the storm. We then raced into the woods around us. Our paws sank into the soft mud, making our progress slower. I was in the lead, with Ranson practically nipping at my heels, and my brother and sister bringing up the rear. I squinted my eyes against the cold rain, but it was impossible to see. Soon, we found ourselves in a large clearing. I halted and frantically looked around. I saw a dark figure moving slowly towards us. I instinctively dropped into a crouch, ready to pounce. When it got closer, I could make out the wet, slender figure. 

It was Morning Star!

 Her head was lowered down as she slowly made her way through the mud. I turned my head back to the others and barked,"It's mother! She's out there! We have to get her back home!" They nodded in unison and we all raced into the clearing. What we didn't know is that there was this area of soft mud that we didn't see, so once we stepped on it, we were sinking into the ground, like quicksand. I tried pulling one of my forepaws out of it, but that just made it worst. I yelped for help, but the others were trying to get out themselves. I don't think Mother heard me, because what happened made everyone stop in place.

A bolt of lightning struck an old tree beside her. Mother didn't move, she was too scared to, all she did was just watch the tree slowly fall upon her. A clap of thunder got everyone's attention, but by then, it was already too late. The tree landed on top of here with a THUD.  Blood almost instantly started to run in the mud. Then, a soft voice ringed in my ears, The star died out. The new is already born. 

The voice must have came in everyone's ears, because I heard them gasp. As on cue, the rain stopped and the clouds rolled away to reveal a full moon, and everything was quiet, except for crickets chirping. I was the first one to move. I quickly ran over to the tree and tried to push it off of Mother. To my surprise, it was quite light. With a small grunt, the tree rolled off of her with ease. And, surrounded by a pool of blood, was Mother.

Dead.

She's dead.

That's what kept repeating in my head. The voice stopped when the others came over and gazed upon Mother. At first, everyone was silent. This time, Maple was the first to react. She tossed her head back and let out a long, grief-stricken wail. Flame did the same and they both put their muzzles in her fur and sobbed. I stared down at them for a few seconds, then turned and took a few paces away from my siblings, my head down, my eyes closed, and my tail slowly waving back and forth. 

Ranson must've had seen me, because he came over and pressed his muddy fur against mine and licked my ear comfortingly. I opened my eyes and looked into his. His eyes were full of sorrow and compassion. I pressed my muzzle against his neck and cried lightly.

We stayed there for what seemed like an eternity.

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A.N. Isn't that sad? Well, I made her die for a reason, and you will find out soon. So, like I always say...

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