((Link to the separate books:
B1: http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=937218&p=24361915#p24361915
B2: http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=937233&p=24362253#p24362253
B3: http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=937242&p=24362451#p24362451))
The Little Fox Girl Trilogy
Once there was a little girl who was born with a fox tail, ears and paws. Her name was Nicole; the doctors thought that it was a terrible disease, but no one really knew. Her parents tried to keep her indoors, but with her blood being that of a fox, she always wanted to be outside.
When she was five the doctors found a “cure” so that she could go to school; but there were things that it couldn’t stop. Although she could be at school and learn like a normal child she would still have fox ears and a fox tail; she would also, at night, turn into a blood red fox with her tail, paws and ears having white tips. Her parents didn’t like what happened, despite the medicine; they just wanted a normal little girl who could go to school like a normal child.
As soon as she got older, around the age of thirteen, her parents let her go around the block at night. They also gave her a cell phone so that if she ever needed to reach them or someone else she could. Nicole would go out every night and her daily, before nightfall routine was easy to remember. First she would take a nap once she had completed her homework and finished eating dinner, so that she wouldn’t fall asleep away from home. Once she woke up from her snooze it was already nightfall and she was in her fox form.
After awhile Nicole notices that she only changes after sunset. Her parents are getting ready for bed, so she goes out of the “doggie” door that her parents had gotten for her, so that she could go outside whenever her heart desired. After she gets outside she would walk to her school, Klinger Middle School, and go to the pond at the rear of the school. When she got there she put a paw in the water and felt that it was slightly warm.
Summer is finally here! Thought Nicole.
She puts her muzzle close enough to the water and if she sneezed or breathed too hard the water would ripple. Then she sees a glimmer of silver.
The last fish in this pond, should I let it live? Nicole asked herself.
She decided against it and tried to catch the fish. While trying to catch it she slipped and fell in, not knowing how to swim yet she almost drowned. Thankfully another fox, a gray one, was near by and heard her struggling. He ran over to help and pulled her out of the water by her scruff. After he saves her red, wet pelt he tells her his name, its Connor, and she did the same in return.
Soon after they become great friends and Nicole learns that they share the same “disease”, doctor and one-use medicine. Following that discovery she also learns that they go to the same school, a few of the same classes, and have lockers near each other.
After that, they learn that they have special abilities, or “powers”. Nicole discovers one of these when she nips Frankie, another boy in her grade that she likes, by accident. She was in the forest near the pond, in her fox form, when she heard something. She stopped and listened, it was coming closer. She walked on slowly. She heard it get close enough to her that if she spun around she could defend herself. Nicole spun around and gave the thing following a warning nip, on the hand. As she stood baring her teeth her vision cleared and she saw that it was Frankie, only he wasn’t normal. He was changing into a fox!
The other was that when they turn fourteen they can turn back and forth into a fox, even during the day. Nicole and Connor were just turning thirteen so they were able to change on their thirteenth birthdays. Frankie however, was fifteen so once he became a fox he could change back and forth already.
Following that day Frankie started hanging out with Connor and Nicole, and they too become great friends. Then on a Saturday night they were at the field near the pond, there was a full moon and they changed into fox pups. That was the only thing that changed about them; they were pups not adult foxes. The things that didn’t change were their age and personalities. That night all they did was play-fight, and chase each other around the field.
Soon after that night they started to hang out regularly. Except for Frankie, he would drift away from Nicole and Connor while they were hanging out together.
“Where did Frankie go?” asked Nicole
“I don’t know, but I think he said that he saw something and wanted to check it out.” Connor replied
He, Frankie would be with them most days and nights but gone others. Nicole and Connor didn’t know where he went but they did know that he was always safe, and that’s what mattered. Even thought Frankie wasn’t there all the time he stilled loved Nicole like a sister. Connor on the other hand liked her more than a friend, or a sister; Frankie could tell that he liked her and she liked him in return, even though they both didn’t realize it.
Frankie knew that their feelings might change one day, whether it is for better or worse he didn’t know. He kept a secret from them, about one of his “powers”. He could see what would happen, the future. He knew what lied ahead of them; the pain, the sadness, the love, the hate, and the companionship. All of it, he saw it all, but he didn’t tell anyone, not even the two people who were closest to him. Even though they talked to him about their worries; he couldn’t, wouldn’t tell them. It would be too much for them to handle. But he moved on with them.
Before long the medical team that was trying to figure out a “cure”, came to one conclusion, there was none. They contacted Nicole and Connor, they didn’t know that Frankie was involved too, and told them the dreadful news. But they weren’t surprised because they found out the day before that they would live forever; ageless, unchanging. They found out when they were crossing the street, Nicole was going first. She looked both ways and saw no cars coming; she started to cross when a car came speeding down the road, it hit her and kept on driving. Connor and Frankie came running to her side to find her unharmed, as if nothing happened.
She got up and stared at them, “What just happened?”
“I don’t know.” stammered Connor
Frankie had a blank look on his face; he knew this would happen, and he knew why. They were “destined” to live forever.
“What do you think this means?” Nicole asked Frankie
Frankie turned his head in her direction then answered, “I think it means that we will live” he paused then let out a breath, “forever.”
Nicole and Connor just gaped at him with blank expressions on their faces, he nodded and they understood. So it didn’t matter if they found a “cure” or not. Before the next car came they got up and dashed across the road and into the field.
Once the shock of living eternally wore off they didn’t really care. They were just happy to be together, forever. One sad part about that was that they would have to leave behind their families. They were all saddened by this but they knew that they would have to leave them.
From that day on they lived happily together; living throughout everyday as if it was their first.
Now The End Has Come,
Or Has It?
Or Has It?
The Little Fox Girl: The Fox Children
1
It has been two years since Nicole, Connor, and Frankie have discovered their “powers”. Now they can all drive, but in their opinion it’s a lot more fun to run. They have discovered that they can change when ever they want to now. So far they know of no one else that has this “blessing”, as they call it. They are thankful for that. They prefer it that way.
“Hey! Let’s go to the pond!” exclaimed Connor.
“What for?” asked Nicole
“My stomach is grumbling like CRAZY!” He said
“Are you insane?! You can’t eat the fish in that pond, because there are none!” She said in a serious, yet funny tone of voice.
“Ha-ha-ha! I know, I was just kidding!” he said sarcastically. After his little joke, they did, without a doubt, go to the pond, but just to go swimming. They were at Frankie’s house, so they decided to go through the woods; the easiest rout from Frankie’s house to Klinger Pond was on and around the old train tracks. It took them a half an hour to get to the pond but it was worth it.
They got there and Connor jumped in. He came back up as a dripping wet fox. “Come on in the water is fine!” he said in excitement.
Then Nicole and Frankie jumped in. They came back up as foxes too. Then they all started to laugh. Then Frankie stopped laughing and said, “Stop. I hear something coming. I can smell it too. It smells, like a human!” he said in alarm.
Then they all jumped out of the water and on to the hard, wooden dock.
“Come on let's surround It.” said Nicole in a whispered voice.
They all moved slowly and quietly around, from what they could tell, a boy.
I think he’s only 13. What does he want? Was he watching us that whole time? Nicole thought to herself. Then the boy turned in Nicole’s direction.
She could see that it was Charlie. Nicole could also see Connor behind him to the left and Frankie behind him to the right.
Charlie started to pull something out from his jacket pocket. Connor began to back up; after that he started to run towards him. Connor jumped and bit Charlie in the leg. Nicole started to say “Wait! No!” but it was too late. Charlie had already begun to change.
“Why did you do that Connor?!” Nicole exclaimed.
“I was trying to protect you!” Connor said in an angry response.
Then Charlie pulled out a Snickers bar, a mini one. Then instead of a person there, it was a black fox that lay there. Nicole went into the bushes changed back and went over to the fox form of Charlie. Then with Connor and Frankie watching, she picked him up like a bundle of blankets, and took him over to a grassier spot. Once in the grass Nicole turned back into a fox and lied down next to him.
She then whispered into his ear what to do in order to change back and forth. Connor and Frankie were standing about five feet away and just watched. Then slowly Charlie started to change back.
“What were you thinking Connor? He wasn’t trying to hurt me.” She said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“I’m sorry; I just didn’t want you to get hurt, in any way,” He said in reply. “Look, he’s getting up.”
Nicole spun around and ran over to him. She licked his hand and started to walk away. Before she and the boys left, Charlie changed to a fox, ran up to Nicole and she started to explain what had happened.
Charlie asked a lot of questions. Like, how did this happen, what are we able to do, and a lot of others; but Nicole was able to answer them all. She also told him a few other things too. Similar to, that they will live till the end of time; the full moon turns them to their normal fox forms, but as pups, that he’s like that because one of them, Connor, bit him. She also told him some other general knowledge about them, like birthdays and how old they all are; and other general facts about themselves and about their little “blessing”.
By the time Nicole was finished it started to get dark so she told Charlie to meet them at the gazebo in the park the next day.
2
The next day Nicole went to Frankie's house to get Frankie, and then she went to Connor's house to get him. They, Nicole, Frankie and Connor, all walked down to the park in silence. When they got there they found Charlie sitting in the gazebo.
“Cool. You’re already here.” Frankie said to break the silence.
They were in human form so they all decided to stay that way for a while. Then, walking in a group, they started to head for the heart of the park. To get conversation going Charlie asked a question.
“How long have you guys been like this?”
“Well Connor and I have been like this all our lives.” Said Nicole
“I’ve been like this since August of 2009.” Frankie replied.
Then they got to the heart of the park. They changed into their animal forms and hid about trying to catch a field mouse to play with. They had split up to get more luck.
After being apart for a little more than ten minutes Nicole heard a yelp. She ran over to where it had come from. She saw that Connor and Charlie were fighting. What over she, didn’t know. But all that she knew was that it was pretty serious. Then with a final yelp and Connor saying “Stay away from her. She’s mine!” they stopped.
It took a few minutes for them to find out that Nicole was watching. Then in all the silence and staring, Frankie walked up with a, really big, field mouse in his mouth, biting gently so it would stay alive. He dropped it in astonishment and said, after seeing the blood, “Whoa! What happened!?”
“It was nothing,” said Connor.
“YEAH RIGHT! You just accused me of being in love with Nicole! Even ask her, we’re not in love!” screamed Charlie with rage in his voice.
“No, I do believe you’re wrong. I can see it in your eyes, in both your eyes!” yelled Connor.
After all the yelling, with loud sobs, Nicole ran off into the woods crying, until she couldn’t be seen by Charlie, Connor or Frankie anymore. She didn’t like it when people fought; Connor and Frankie knew that, but not Charlie.
“Nicole wait; now look what you two have done!” Frankie yelled then he ran after her as fast as he could.
“Come on let’s split up and see if we can find her.” said Charlie in a hurt voice.
They both changed back to human form and split up to find Nicole. Even thought Charlie didn’t know that Nicole didn’t like it when people fought, he did know that if she was running and crying she might run into something.
~ ♥ ~
Nicole was running with the wind of her running and tears of sadness and surprise in her eyes. Sadness because she didn’t like it when people fought, especially over her, and surprise because that meant that Connor liked her and that Charlie might like her too. She kept running until she got to the edge of a clearing.
3
Nicole had changed back to human form and was on the edge of a clearing. She was behind a bush and was crying, silently. Then she looked out from behind the bush and saw that Charlie had seen her and was running towards her. She tried to bring her head back behind the bush but he had already seen her. So she ran out from behind the bush and toward him. When they were close enough Nicole collapsed into his arms.
“I’m so glad that you’re ok.” he whispered into her ear.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to...” Nicole started to say, Charlie cut her off.
“It’s ok. I’m the one who should be apologizing, I made you cry, and almost run smack into something.” Charlie said in a very calming voice, ending in a short laugh of relief.
“Are you sure? I made you worry, I’m sorry.” she said, about to cry again.
“Stop apologizing. It’s okay for people to worry, just not too much.” He responded.
“Yeah, but I still don’t like to make people worry about me.” She paused, then finished.”I was scared and I don’t know why, but I’m just glad to be with you right now.”
Then Nicole wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. Charlie hugged her in return. Then Nicole opened her eyes and saw Connor. She let go of Charlie and ran over to him and gave him a hug too.
In the background Charlie was just standing there watching. Then Frankie walked up to him and asked this question.
“You do love her, don’t you?” then he walked away, back to the bushes and changed to a fox.
Then he just sat there and watched. Then another fox, a female, walked up to him, nudged him and they walked away together, tails waving in the air. Charlie spun around and started to say “Yes, I do.” But then he saw that Frankie wasn’t standing there. He was gone.
Then Nicole tapped his shoulder; he jumped, just a little.
“What are you looking at?” she asked with curiosity.
“Nothing.”
“Okay then lets go, together, and see if we can get some lunch. Okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” He said in a grateful voice.
“Hey, where’s Frankie?” Asked Connor.
“Not sure he was just here.” Charlie said in reply.
They changed and chased each other, in a playful way, to the pond. Charlie was serious when he said I do, but he kept that to himself; he didn’t feel that it was the right time to tell her, especially with Connor being more defensive than usual. He was fine with this though, he was just glad they were friends.
The End
But This Adventure
Is Not Over For The Fox Children
But This Adventure
Is Not Over For The Fox Children
Epilogue and Information on the Characters
Since Nicole, Connor, Frankie and now Charlie can live forever; their families have passed on. All of their parents passed away, and their siblings moved on. They all had their own families, and careers to start. Nicole and Connor were only children so they were even more distressed and unhappy than Frankie and Charlie ever were when they found out their parents had passed away.
At the end of this book Frankie leaves to be with another fox, as far as we know, Frankie was the oldest of the four. He would be fifteen when the others were only thirteen. Frankie had other powers that he didn’t let anyone know about, but he does give away a hint that almost reveals his secret when Nicole got hit by a car but she lived and wanted to know why. His other ability was that he could see the future, but at random, another was that he could heal someone just by touching them. He doesn’t use his second ability because it only recently appeared. In his human form Frankie would look like a boy with short dark-dark brown hair, with pale tan skin, and sapphire-blue eyes. Then in his fox form he would look like a dirt-brown furred fox with flecks of black, grey, white and light brown, with a white tail tip, distinctive white front paws and muzzle, and abnormally short, thorn-sharp claws, and all-knowing, sapphire-blue eyes.
Connor is capable of feeling very deep feelings. For example, he fights Charlie every second he gets. Why? Because he loves Nicole too much to let her get hurt in any way, because he thinks that his love is the purest of all but it’s not. Connor has all the same “special” abilities as Nicole and Charlie. As for his other abilities he has a heightened sense of touch; which means that when his paws, or hands, touch something he can tell exactly what it is, or if there is something “funny” about it. In his human form Connor would look like a boy with long-ish, neat kept hair, that’s as golden as sunshine, with natural brunette highlights; pale-tan skin and emerald-green eyes. In his fox form he would look like a stone-grey fox with flecks of brown, white, black and dark-grey, with white tipped ears, with normal length claws that are as sharp as his bite, and he has emerald-green eyes.
Charlie appears to be a normal kid, he likes a girl, has a guy to contend against for Nicole’s love, the list could go on. But there are secrets in his future, some he might wish he had never uncovered, others just might save those he holds dearest. When it comes to feelings, he can be a bit dull, but he will soon discover that his love will match someone else’s love perfectly; making them perfect for each other. As far as he knows there is nothing wrong with what’s happening around him, that everything that’s happening is happening for a reason, a reason he can’t change, but he will discover different. In his human form Charlie looks like a boy with short-ish, abnormal-natural white hair with flecks of black, he likes to keep his hair really messy, pale-ish skin, and questioning, silvery-blue eyes. While in his fox form Charlie looks like a fox with fur that is as black as night itself, with silver flecks on his muzzle, two white paws and silver flecks on the tip of his tail, his claws are short, and thorn-sharp, and he has silvery-blue eyes. 
Nicole is the most special and the most gifted of the four; she “discovered” her abilities first, she has the ability to run the fastest, jump the highest, has extremely sensitive senses, and her shadowed future. Her love is pure, with no traces of hatred or greed. But with love comes loss. She might have everlasting friends, but something will get in the way and shadow over Connor’s feelings. She will gain an eternal love as well, but the path that leads to it is rocky; leaving her to face her fears, and make hard decisions. And in Nicole’s human form she looks like a girl with long-ish, for a girl, straight, and natural, flame-red hair that’s black at the roots, with tan skin and amber eyes. In her fox form she looks like a fox with blood-red fur, white tipped tail, ears and paws, with a thin stripe of black running down her back, her claws are long and razor sharp and her eyes are translucent and amber. Dark And Dangerous Things Lie Ahead In Charlie, Connor, And Nicole’s Futures. Will Nicole’s Hidden Abilities Be Able To Stop Them From Happening?
The Little Fox Girl: Their Discoveries
1
It was a warm, breezy New Hampshire day when Nicole headed out to the forest that was in close proximity to where she and the boys were staying. She started up the path to the natural spring, which had formed there centuries ago. Before getting there Nicole heard gekkering, a sound that she had heard before; it sounded like someone was tapping on a rock with a hammer. This sound wasn’t a good one it meant that the boys were fighting, yet again. Tears started to burn behind Nicole’s eyes. Her chest tightened; she changed and ran toward the gekkering.
Why are they fighting now? Thought Nicole
She heard the gekkering getting louder; she was getting close. She slowed down and crept toward the boys making sure not to be seen. Nicole saw the perfect hiding place, put her bag down next to a rock and went over to her hiding spot.
“So, you think you can just like her with out me knowing huh?” said Conner as he circled Charlie.
“Who ever said that I liked her? How do you know if we’re just friends?” Charlie replied.
“HA! I know better than that! I can just tell that you like her.” He paused then finished in a whisper “I can just tell that she likes you and you like her in return.”
From her hiding place Nicole was crying she absolutely hated it when they fought. She didn’t care if they saw her anymore; she dashed away from them, grabbed her bag and ran to the spring. Charlie saw Nicole run away and ran after her. Shortly after him Connor went after them.
2
“I promise I won’t fight next time. Come on please.” Charlie said as Nicole pushed him out of her way.
“Sure, that’s what you said the last time you two fought,” Nicole said in a hurt and angry reply. “Anytime you two see each other you start to fight! I hate it Charlie, I HATE IT!!”
“I’m sorry, I really am. I never wanted to hurt you.” He replied as he tried to keep up with Nicole. She headed up the path to the spring; Nicole looked behind her and saw that Charlie wasn’t there. Instead there was a little black fox.
“You know as well as Connor and Frankie that that doesn’t work on me.” She told the little black fox. It just stared back at her with its big, silvery-blue eyes.
“Oh, I can’t help it! You’re just too cute!” Nicole exclaims.
She picks up Charlie and carried him up to the spring. Nicole sat down on the large, flat rock that was on the edge of the spring and put Charlie in front of her.
Then, she took out what was in her bag, a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire book. While reading Nicole heard a splash, she looked to the rippling surface of the water and saw Charlie. He was just looking at her, with a come-on-in look in his eyes.
“Okay, okay. I’ll come in for a while, but I want to finish my book.” said Nicole with a smile. After taking a running start she jumped in.
After about an hour they got out, got dry and Nicole went back to reading her book. Charlie lay down next to Nicole. The warm sun was shining down on them. Charlie put his head down on her lap, Nicole smiled and kept reading. The sun shined down on them; eventually Charlie fell asleep. Nicole noticed, closed her book and gently moved his head and lay down next to him; her head on his shoulder.
~ ♥ ~
Connor was following close behind Nicole and Charlie, hoping everything would go terribly wrong. He was in his animal form, a grey fox with green eyes, and moving swiftly and quietly though the undergrowth along the path. Connor saw Charlie change and thought,
Like that’s going to work. I’ve used that three times, only once did it work.
As Connor keeps watching he sees that Nicole gives in and picks up Charlie.
Hey, what’s going on? I thought... his thoughts trailed off Nicole and Charlie walk on. Connor shakes himself out of it and keeps going on, with despair and anger weighing down on his heart.
As Nicole and Charlie walked up the path they got to the spring. Once there Connor settled down in the underbrush around the spring and watched. While watching several things were going through his head and his heart. One was fury towards Charlie; second was confusion. He thought that Nicole liked him better than that fuzz ball. Third was sadness, he might lose the only person he felt closest to. Now that might be taken away.
I've got to stop him from moving; I can’t lose that one source of happiness. Connor thought to himself.
Connor watched as Nicole and Charlie fell asleep on the rock in the warm sunlight. Once they had both fallen fast asleep Connor got up and sulked away, back into the forest until he dissolved into blackness.
3
Oh my god; please tell me they didn’t! Nicole thought as she watched from a distance.
It was the boys; they were fighting, again.
Why do they keep fighting like this; I thought that they were over it. Nicole thought to herself.
As she watched they stopped fighting and started yelling at each other. It looked like they wouldn’t stop unless someone intervened. Nicole had made up her mind; she would have to step in. Though all the yelling they didn’t notice Nicole walking up to them and put a shaking hand between them.
Then she said, “Stop it, both of you! This is ridiculous.”
They both stopped and stared at Nicole.
“We did!” they said in complete unison.
“Then why are you fighting?!”
“My blood started to boil when I saw you two together at the spring, lying next to each other on the rock.” Connor said with exasperation in his voice and tears in his eyes.
“Are you serious!? My god you’re so sensitive, stupid and protective!” Nicole screamed at Connor
“So, you never had a problem with it before! Why now?” Connor almost screamed back.
“I don’t know, but would you just stop; both of you!”
“Fine!” Again in unison
Both Charlie and Connor changed into their appropriate animal forms and ran as swiftly as they could away from the area. Nicole changed and ran after Connor first. She caught up to him, and then ran in front of him. He stopped and started talking.
“Why are you acting like this, you were never like this when Frankie was around!” Nicole nearly screamed at him.
“I don’t know. The thought of another guy near you just irritates me so much, but I can’t make out why.” Connor said.
“Okay I understand that, but that doesn’t mean you have to hurt him at every chance you get Connor!”
“So you just want me to watch as the only one I’ve ever cared about gets stolen away from me? Is that what you want?!”
So he does care. Thought Nicole
“I never knew you cared. When you stood aside and didn’t show any feelings I thought that I didn’t matter to you.”
“Well, I always have. Ever since we started hanging out together I’ve cared.” Connor said in a mumbled voice as the color started to rise in his face.
A surprised look came over Nicole’s face. There was an ominous silence pressing on them, like when you’re wrapped tightly in a blanket.
After a little while Nicole came to her senses and said, “Oh, no! I hope Charlie hasn’t gotten himself into any kind of trouble.”
She changed and ran in the opposite direction. Once she got to a slopped clearing she heard movement in the undergrowth.
~ ♥ ~
Nicole ran; her legs moving swiftly through the weeds and sticker bushes. Once she got close enough to the clearing, more specifically the undergrowth she heard movement in, she slowed down. Then, carefully and slowly, she approached the shrub. She saw Charlie sitting there, breathing really heavily. Still in her animal form; a blood red fox with translucent amber eyes. She went up to Charlie, sat in front of him and looked up at him with her big, amber eyes.
“Yeah, what do you want?” Charlie asked with irritation.
“Nothing, except to see if you’re okay; I guess you’re not, hearing that attitude in your voice.” Nicole mumbled.
“Well, you’re right. I’m not okay. Why does Connor always have to pick on me? I mean why can’t I like you too? I’m allowed to, aren’t I?”
He paused looking down at Nicole, still in her animal form. During the silence Nicole thought, This could be a problem. What if Connor finds out? He would get really, really mad; he’d probably kill Charlie! I have to keep this to myself...
As her thoughts drifted off a horrifying scene appeared inside Nicole’s mind, it was of the clearing being splattered with blood and then a trail of blood leading away from the clearing and towards the spring.
“Hey, Nicole are you okay?” Nicole heard Charlie ask. His voice echoed in and out of focus through her head. A groan slipped from Nicole’s lips as the scene faded to blackness.
“What? Charlie what happened?” she moaned.
“Your eyes turned completely amber, and then you turned back to your human form and collapsed,” Charlie explained.
Nicole jolted up from where she laid on the ground. She felt the back of her head, yeah there was definitely a bump. What was that? Why did it happen? Those questions buzzed through her mind as she stood shakily up.
“What were you doing when you collapsed?” asked Charlie on the way back to the spring where, hopefully, Connor was waiting.
“I don’t know I was only thinking about... something.” Nicole replied.
Then the picture came back; it was there for several seconds before it disappeared. She woke up with both Connor and Charlie in front of her, but instead of lying on the ground, she was standing up in her animal form.
4
They were all still in their animal forms; and heading back to the spring to clear their heads.
“Well we know it hasn’t happened yet, right?” said Charlie.
“Yeah, so it must be something that’s going to happen.” said Nicole.
The trio walked on, not noticing that they were walking towards the spring. They also didn’t notice that it was a full moon. Nicole looked up, smiled and changed.
“Hey, where did Nicole go?” Connor said while looking around wildly.
Charlie looked around and saw a red fox pup walking towards the spring.
“Hahaha, there she is!” Charlie exclaimed while pointing towards her.
Connor looked to where he was pointing; and changed, following her lead. Then Charlie, following their lead, changed and went to the spring.
When he got there he saw a grey fox pup and a red fox pup jumping into the spring. He knew the red fox pup was Nicole, so he concluded that the grey fox pup must be Connor. The spring seemed different somehow, like the water was different; not actually the spring’s appearance. The water seemed enchanted by something. Charlie looked up at the sky.
The full moon.
Did it have a bigger affect on them than just turning them to fox pups? Did the full moon have a bigger affect on the world; but nobody knew in what way?
“Hey Charlie are you coming in, or what?” asked Nicole.
“Yeah, sorry; I was just thinking.”
“Okay.”
After an hour or two Charlie got out, still in his animal form, shook his fur dry, lied down and watched Nicole and Connor. They were in the spring for a little while longer before they too got out.
“Hey look Connor. Charlie fell asleep. Awwwww he’s so cute when he’s asleep!” exclaimed Nicole.
Connor gave a disgusted look, but he had sadness in his heart. Since Charlie was asleep they decided to stay there. Nicole lied down next to Charlie, and Connor lied down next to her.
The next morning Charlie woke up and saw that Nicole was next to him, still asleep. He decided not to wake her; so when he got up, he got up slowly and carefully. Once up Charlie looked around and saw that the sun was up and shining down on them.
I wonder if I should wake them up. Thought Charlie
He decided yes, and woke Nicole and Connor up. But before Nicole could fully wake up she saw something, in her mind. It was like a dream; it was of her, or so she thought, walking toward Charlie and Connor.
Then Connor started to say, “Hey Nicole,” She just kept walking forward, when she was about a foot from the boys, she kissed them both. Then what Nicole saw next made her cringe with fear; the Nicole that she saw bit Connor first, by the scuff hard enough to make him bleed, pretty badly.
Charlie screamed, while blushing, “Hey, Nicole, w-what are you doing?!”
Nicole turned towards Charlie, teeth bared, eyes completely emotionless. Charlie started to turn, and once she began to move he ran for it. With Nicole tearing at his heels, he ran.
Nicole jolted awake. Charlie and Connor were staring at her; eyes wide with fear and worry.
Why are they looking at me that way?! Did I do something?
“What...” began Nicole. She looks at Connor, more clearly than before; and she sees blood.
“What did I do?” rasped Nicole.
“You started mumbling, 'Connor'” Charlie started to say in disgust.
“I came close to you and,” Connor said next.
“Then you bit him.” Charlie finished with the hint of a smile.
Nicole looked at him, then at Connor and then at the blood. Her eyes enlarged to the size of full moons with worry for her close friend.
This is like what happened dream! What’s happening to me? Nicole thought with anxiety.
5
Later that day they went farther into the forest. They were going “hunting”; which was catching a mouse, chipmunk, vole, or bird, bringing it back to their meeting place and then eating it. Usually after they did that they would still be hungry, and they would change back to their human forms and go back down the mountain side to go and get something else to eat.
This time they completely split up. Nicole was by herself, and the boys were separated. After ten minutes Nicole had caught a vole. She covered it with dirt so that a cat or any other animal wouldn’t pick up its scent and steal it. She smelled out Charlie, he was obviously still looking for prey. Nicole found him and as she watched he caught a mouse. Nicole was impressed by his hunting skills. He was pretty good for a half fox, half human creation of the devil. But credit for the hunting skills was due to the fact that all of his, all of their blood, was that of a fox.
She crept up on him and pounced. Charlie was caught off guard and collapsed under her light weight. They rolled over so that Charlie was pinning Nicole to the ground instead.
“Ahhh! You weren’t supposed to pin me! Get off me!” Nicole finished playfully.
“Not till you say how you feel,” Charlie started to say, “about me.” He finished uneasily.
Nicole blushed, even though Charlie couldn’t see it under her fur. But her pelt did bristle with embarrassment. She changed back to her human form. So did Charlie, he could clearly see her blushing now. He leaned in closer to her; Nicole noticed that his human form eyes were the same beautiful silvery-blue they were as a fox. She wanted to stare into their depths forever; Charlie kept leaning closer, till their noses were almost touching. Nicole just stared at him, her heart beat quickening all the while. The closer he got the farther away Nicole moved. Until she couldn’t press her head into the soft earth anymore; that, and she didn’t want to move any farther away from him than she was now.
Charlie moved and so did Nicole. Her eyes were shut, and so were his. Nicole’s world froze; she was kissing one of the guys she really liked. Then he reluctantly pulled away. Nicole opened her eyes slowly and stared into the pools of silvery-blueness.
“What about now?” he asked nervously.
Nicole looked at him unsure. What am I doing? I can’t like him! I mean I can, but what would Connor do? He’d kill him, that’s what he’d do.
Before Nicole answered she changed back to her animal form, got up and faced him, all in one fluent movement. He just stared at her. With her tail she motioned for him to follow her. He did as she asked and followed, in his black fox form, to a secret place of Nicole’s.
“Where are we going?” asked Charlie tentatively.
“I can’t just tell you anything in an open clearing,” She replied. Where anyone, especially Connor, could be listening to us. She finished in her head.
Nicole’s “secret place” was farther up the mountain, in a heavily vegetated area. Nicole turned around and faced Charlie, innocent nervousness filling her eyes.
“I do like you I really do but,” she started.
“But?” asked Charlie, his eyes searching hers.
Nicole’s eyes filled with tears, she turned and ran off. Even though the blood was pounding in her ears, she could hear Charlie tearing after her. Because of her tears Nicole couldn’t see where she was going, she ended up tripping on a fallen branch. Nicole tumbled head first into the dirt. Charlie gasped and ran faster. Nicole had turned back to her human form; she was crying and clutching her left wrist.
“Are you okay?” asked Charlie as he changed back.
Nicole kept crying she looked up at him with her amber eyes, their depths full of pain. Charlie’s heart swelled with love. She cries so easily, but she knows how to be there for someone, that and she’s too cute and innocent for me to ignore. Charlie thought as he knelt down next to Nicole. He wrapped his arms gently around her and squeezed in a gentle hug. Nicole winced but otherwise didn’t move.
“I really do love you Charlie, but I don’t want you to get hurt; then end up hating me,” came Nicole's hoarse voice, strained from crying.
“How would I get hurt? And I could NEVER end up hating you.” Replied Charlie as he hugged tighter.
Nicole knelt there, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.
~ ♥ ~
Connor was “hunting” by himself. He was sniffing out a mouse, once picking up its scent he placed his paws gently on the leaf covered ground. Connor stalked the mouse, and then in two swift movements he caught and killed the mouse. Picking up his fresh-kill proudly, he started to head back to their meeting place when a flash of red caught his eye.
Is that Nicole? He thought with curiosity. After dropping his fresh-kill and covering it up with foliage, he walked towards where he saw that flash of red.
As Connor followed the scent till he found the red fox, he believed it was Nicole, lying under a holly bush. Her eyes were locked on his pelt, as if she were about to pounce on him. Connor stared at her; wondering why she was lying there, staring at him with hostility in her eyes. He started moving toward Nicole, as he moved her hostile eyes followed him.
“What’s the matter?” he asked while walking closer to her.
She just kept watching, her eyes unmoving. When Connor got close enough he changed from fox to human and sat in front of her.
“Will ya talk to me?” he asked.
Nicole came out from under the holly bush, changed and sat facing him before answering,
“Are you sure I’m the one you want to talk to?”
“Yes I’m sure...” he paused, “What are you talking about?”
She looked into his eyes, questioning and cleverness showing in hers.
“Are you talking about...?” Connor started.
Nicole nodded, her eyes never leaving his. As Nicole nodded she shifted her position; from sitting to kneeling, with her hands on Connor’s knees.
“I know you like me. I like you too, but Charlie’s going to be a problem.” Her voice came slow and soothing.
Connor stared into her amber eyes, lost in their beauty.
“But you hate it when we fight.” He said as he began to move closer to her.
“How do you know that?” she replied as she in turn moved closer.
Connor didn’t answer he just stared into her eyes. Why do her eyes look completely emotionless? Nicole leaned forward that last inch. Their lips met, but only briefly, for Connor pulled away blushing.
“Awwwww, come on, what’s wrong?” she paused looking straight into his eyes, “Don’t you like me?” her eyes grew large, as if she were going to cry.
“Of course I do! It’s just that...”
“What?” she got even closer to him than before.
“Well...” he hesitated, looking for the right words, “it’s just that you’re not acting like the cute and innocent Nicole I know and love. I’m worried about you.” Connor’s eyes were filled with an almost pained love. Nicole’s eyes narrowed and went from emotionless and mocking to complete and utter rage. Petrified horror shot through Connor, he couldn’t move; Nicole grinned menacingly.
“There’s nothing wrong with me!!” she screamed with shut eyes.
“I-I never said that!”
“Sounded like it to me!” retorted Nicole.
Without a hint of warning the thing in front of Connor changed from a raging girl into a red fox, only it wasn’t stopping there. For a split second it was a fox, then it changed into a larger fox, almost the size of a horse; its pelt was flame, with nine lashing tails. Its eyes were piercing. Connor tried to back away, but the thing, the demon, caught his leg. Thinking fast Connor changed; being a different size than before he was able to slip out of its grasp and run, as fast as he could, away from it.
Once far enough away that he couldn’t hear it anymore Connor looked back to see if he could finally rest. Nothing was behind him, so he sat down to rest but he kept his eyes and ears pricked for a movement or sound.
What was that?! Connor thought. That couldn’t have been Nicole. She would never do something like that! And that creature, that demon, what was it?
Connor sat there thinking, his heartbeat began to slow down steadily and his fur began to lie flat again. As a possible answer drifted to him he looked up to the sky. The sun was setting. Connor sat and thought, and thought, but that answer still wouldn’t come. I guess I’ll have to sleep on it, but not here. Connor got up and walked, shakily towards the spring.
The moon was already high in the starlit sky by the time Connor made it to the spring. He walked over to the largest rock and lied down. Since the night was warm there was no need for him to curl up; so, instead, he curled up half way. In a way that he could still see the sky.
Maybe tomorrow the answer will come to me.
6
Connor awoke the next morning to find that he had been moved from where he had fallen asleep. Instead of being next to the spring, he was under a sweet smelling, lilac bush. As Connor lifted his head it brushed a lilac, and he saw Nicole sitting by herself next to the spring. Her back was up against the rock, and her hands were cupped, like she was holding something. He crawled out from under the lilac bush and after he stretched each of his limbs in turn, he walked over to Nicole and put his fore paws on her crossed leg.
Are you still you? Was the main question buzzing through his mind.
“Why would you ask that?” Nicole whispered questioningly.
Connor’s eyes grew huge, and he lowered his head so that his only his huge fox eyes showed above her leg.
“I didn’t ask anything.” Connor whispered in return.
Nicole looked at Connor, her hands lowered and he could see what was in them. It was a brown, field mouse, it was moving from one side of her hands to the other but now it was lying down, as if it understood the confusion and bizarreness of the moment.
“I just heard you say ‘Are you still you?’”
But I was only preparing the question. Connor thought.
“Are you sure you didn’t just now say something too?!” Nicole exclaimed.
“Pretty sure I didn’t.” Connor replied in calm statement.
The mouse’s ears twitched, Connor moved his head so that he could rest his chin on his paws.
“You know what this means, right?”
Nicole nodded.
“It means that...” Connor felt weird to say it out loud. You can hear people's thoughts.
Nicole’s eyes widened, either from amazement and surprise or from shock and startled amazement.
“But is that possible? I mean, I’ve already gotten all my abilities... haven’t I?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you have maybe you haven’t.” replied Connor.
Then there was a movement in the vegetation just beyond the spring. As Nicole looked back at her little mouse Charlie came out from behind a shrub. He was carrying a small bunch of dandelion flowers. The field mouse’s nose twitched, it got up and went to the side of Nicole's hands that was closest to Charlie. The black fox walked over and laid the flowers down on Nicole's lap before backing away and changing back to his human form.
“Why did you need the dandelions again?” asked Charlie.
“For Lilacfur.”
“Lilacfur?” Connor asked.
“That’s her mouse you twit.” Charlie snapped.
Nicole let out an agitated sigh, directed at Charlie.
“I’m sorry.” Charlie muttered, but only loud enough for Nicole to hear him.
“Lilacfur is a brown field mouse that I found nestled in your fur, Connor. She’s really nice, hah... and since I thought she was talking, I started talking to her. She didn’t have a name so I gave her one. When I picked her up her fur still smelled like lilacs, so that’s what I named her.”
The mouse, Lilacfur, moved her head so that she could see Connor better.
“She said, well not exactly said, that she felt a weird presence, like something was in agonizing pain; but not physically, mentally. She followed that feeling till she reached you, Connor. She could smell your fear-scent, so she curled up in your fur to try and make you feel better.”
Nicole raised her hands and said in a slightly childish voice, “I think that was really sweet of you, Lilacfur.”
Lilacfur’s eyes gleamed with happiness, Why thank you.
“You’re welcome. Then Charlie and I came to look for you,”
“No matter how much I said we should just leave you to rot on your own.”
Connor let out a fierce growl; Charlie changed and growled back, unsheathing his claws. Nicole kept talking as if they weren’t even there.
“I almost immediately picked up your stale fear-scent, and followed it. I found you lying by the spring; it kinda looked like you were in pain. Then I started thinking about what might make you feel better. Lilac came to me, because the smell of lilac always calms me down. So I picked you up and moved you under that lilac bush. That’s when I found Lilacfur, and she told me what I just told you guys.” Nicole finished.
“Well then...” muttered Connor
“But why did you need the dandelions?” asked Charlie again, more gently.
Nicole smiled warmly, “I wanted you away from Connor when he woke up.”
Charlie’s mouth gaped slightly, and Connor’s eyes glowed with mischief.
~ ♥ ~
Nicole lied on the leafy undergrowth, her paws tucked under her chest and her tail wrapped most of the way around her. Charlie lied near her with a half eaten vole between his paws, his tail waving every now and then. Connor was lying with his side against one of the rocks, and Lilacfur was on top of the rock; watching everything with her small, observant green eyes.
“What do you think it was?” asked Nicole as she watched a butterfly fly by.
“I don’t know.” replied Connor with a sigh.
He had just finished telling Nicole and Charlie; more Nicole than Charlie because he got up and walked off, coming back with fresh-kill in his jaws.
“You’re a real pain, you know that kid?” Connor retorted when Charlie came back.
“Yup.” Charlie replied with a grin.
Nicole’s eyes grew large, like she was going to cry, and she looked at Charlie.
“Meh...” wined Charlie, in an, I’ll-do-what-you-want kind of way.
Connor growled, Charlie growled more fiercely in return.
“You just gotta bring her into this don’t you!?” spat Connor.
“Technically... I didn’t bring her into this.” Charlie returned cooly.
“What!! It is too your fault!! You’re the one dumb enough to come too close to a fox and its skulk...”
Charlie cut him off, “A what? And you’re the one who bit me in the first place!”
“It’s a pack of foxes and...” he trailed off, “Where’s Nicole?”
“Great! There she goes again; this is your fault entirely!” Charlie yowled.
“Yeah right; this is you and your attitudes fault!” Connor yowled as he ran in the opposite direction of which he was facing.
“Humph, yeah right.” Charlie responded to himself, as he followed Nicole’s scent.
God I wish they would stop. This is ridiculous. Thought Nicole as she pulled her tail out of a bramble bush that she had veiled herself behind; then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. All of a sudden she felt teeth in her neck, and she started to slip into unconsciousness.
The next time Nicole opened her eyes, it was autumn and leaves were falling like rain. Nicole watched the gold, red and orange sight from where she lay on the ground. A few leaves lay on her fur, and as she watched she saw another fox. When she looked closer she noticed that it was a dirt-brown fox with different color flecks. It came slowly closer, then its ears twitched and it walked right over to Nicole. She inhaled its scent.
It’s Frankie!!
He gave her several licks on the head before he lied down next to her.
“It’s good to see you again, Nicole.” Frankie muttered close to her ear.
“It’s good to see you! It’s been years!” Nicole exclaimed.
“I know; I meant to come and see you, but I couldn’t find you...”
Nicole started to speak but Frankie kept talking.
“I’ve something very important to tell you Nicole,” he paused and looked around as if they weren’t alone, “Something’s coming Nicole, unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Your flame is special, it can conquer all.
The measure of love in this that
Faces you is nil.
But beware; hate is the frigid water that
Can put out the admirable fire
Of love.”
As he finished speaking he turned and looked deep into her eyes. His eyes were still the same all-knowing sapphire-blue color.
Nicole’s eyes grew worried, “What do you mean?”
Then there was a crash in the bushes; Frankie shot up, the crashing got closer. He muttered, “I’m sorry,” Before jumping into the bushes and shrubs behind Nicole. She tried to get up but her movements were slowed by something that she couldn’t see, the crashing got closer. Nicole was about to yowl in fright when another fox jumped into the minute clearing.
Instead of yowling Nicole found herself taking a sudden intake of breath. It looks just like me! The fox crept closer, I don’t get why Frankie ran, and she seems nice. Just as Nicole finished the thought the other she-fox jumped on her and started clawing Nicole’s flank. Nicole yowled, and blood dripped on the gold leaves.
Nicole awoke yowling in pain, she had been moved from where she remembered going unconscious. She was under a lilac bush, as Nicole looked around she saw that the earth around her was turned up and that there was blood on the ground and on the leaves of bushes, and there was fur caught in the brambles; as Nicole opened her mouth to let the scents flow over her scent glands. She almost immediately picked up blood, from two different candidates. One of these scents is from that fox that was in my dream! She inhaled again. The others from Frankie!!
