Black Fox
By: Morgan Harris
Prologue
The Background Story
A group of seven friends had been at school talking about the unnatural, reoccurring nightmares they all had. They all have has the same one over and over. In the dream Ben's little sister goes missing. After Marcie goes missing the friends find that they are foxes with strange powers. They must fight a darkness that isn't truly there. Sometimes possessing Ben when he is a fox. His friends have no idea he is being viciously controlled. Unable to find Marcie the group gets suspicious that just maybe this mystical fox took her. The main story says she is the black fox, but Ben's children will have to be the ones to determine the answers and the future.
Chapter One
The Letter
Ben threw a piece of folded, yellow from age, paper onto the black, marble table top, sighing heavily. Sweat ran down his back as Kim, his best friend, reached for the small bundle.
" What's this?" she asked as she unfolded the creased corners.
" I seen it in the dream then I woke up and found it on pillow this morning before school," Ben replied, beginning to shiver with fear.
Kim began reading the letter.
" It says 'Ben you will be the one leader, your name shall be Kyoto.' Then it goes into a list of names. It reads, 'Marcie will be Myoto. Laura will be Syoto. Crissy will be Ketse. Randy will be Asoka and Jacob will be Stikan. What does this mean?" she asked, folding it back up.
" I'm not a hundred percent sure but I think it's the names we get as foxes in the dream," Ben replied glancing at each of his friends in turn.
After the dismissal bells shrill ring sounded in the hallways and Ben and Kim exited the building they walked the sidewalks quietly. At the elementary school, Ben gathered his younger sibling, Marcie, to his side. His older Siblings and their friends would already be at home. On the walk to their own houses the children all agreed to go meet up in Ben's tree house. Once everyone was seated comfortably in the tree house Ben announced to his brother and sisters their fox names.
Marcie was the first to pipe up, asking everyone what it meant. Nobody could answer, just sat silently, hands folded neatly in laps, heads bowed in mock confusion.
The next morning Ben woke to a high pitched shriek coming from somewhere far away. Leaping to his feet he froze, staring ahead into a thick, luscious and very scary forest. What am I doing in the woods,Ben thought to then his head began to swim and he closed his eyes trying to cope with the pain as best as possible. As soon as he closed his eyes he regretted it. Pictures of his friends flashed behind his eyelids. Not only his friends but also six foxes as well. With a jolt his eyes snapped open, he was still in the forest but now he was at knee height. Ben slowly lowered his head looking at his creamy white paws. Paws?! When did I get paws? Ben demanded of his own thoughts.
Clear your mind, let go of the past. You are no longer a human; you've been chosen to lead a pack of foxes into victory. Kyoto, go forth with life, nothing has changed. This is your destiny, a thin, girlish voice whispered in Ben's mind.
Marcie is that you? He thought back, quivering with a renewed fear.
Yes brother, but you must call me by my true name.
What do you mean, what is your true name
You must call me Myoto now. It is your time to lead. Your children will decide your future. When the time has come.
The whispering voice seemed to fade away as Kyoto's heart beat faster. All thoughts about being a human, going to school and even being born as a human wisped out of Kyoto's memories. Every single trace of once being Ben was swept away. He didn't understand a thing that was going on. One thing he knew he had to do was find his friends. Almost instantly the thick ferns of undergrowth rustled and parted, revealing other foxes. Kyoto assumed that these must be his friends.
"Where have you been Kyoto? We looked all over for you," a female red fox yipped.
Frightened, Kyoto took a few steps back, stumbling into a tree trunk.
"Who are you? Stay back, I don't want any trouble," he growled, baring tiny white spikes, still unsure if they were his friends.
"Its okay, we won't hurt you. I'm Syoto, and this is Asoka, Harka, Stikan and Ketse," the female spoke smoothly while pointing to each fox in turn.
The red fox known as Asoka stepped forward, sniffing at Kyoto curiously. Once done with his quick and uncomfortable investigation, he took a few paw steps back again. Looking up at Kyoto's face he gave a tiny sigh.
"What?" Kyoto asked.
"Its nothing really. Have you seen a little red fox kit come this way, she goes by Myoto?" Asoka questioned.
Kyoto's eyes opened up wide, filling with recognition.
"Yes, I mean no. I didn't see her but she spoke to me through my thoughts."
"She's our sister and we can't seem to find her," Asoka murmured.
Kyoto blinked. That means Asoka is my brother, he thought quietly. A look of pure confusion clouded his face. Seeing this, Syoto stepped forward a paw step.
"Don't you remember? We were playing tag and you went to find Myoto. That when we heard the scream," she said, speaking quietly, almost to herself.
A flash of memory ran through Kyoto's head. It was of him chasing Myoto through the ferns. Pain lashed through Kyoto, making him lose his balance. Awkwardly, he stumbled and tripped over an unearthed root. Kyoto fell forward onto the forest floor. Everything blacked out.
Kyoto awoke to prodding paws, poking his sides.
"Kyoto, wake up. What happened to your fur? Its black and red," Syoto squeaked, clearly scared.
"What?" Kyoto asked, confused.
Just then something clouded Kyoto's mind. With a loud snarl, he lunged at the nearest life form, Syoto. She gave a tiny squeal, scrabbling and trying her best to keep Kyoto's slashing teeth at bay. Asoka came into view, yanking at Kyoto's tail, which was black, tipped in blood-red. He let go and took off when Kyoto turned on him, snapping wet fangs at him.
" What's gotten into you, Kyoto?" Harka barked at him.
Kyoto snapped his head toward her.
" I am not Kyoto. I am Gaiaphage. A black fox no one can see. You not know me and I haunt your life's day and night," a demonic voice spoke from within Kyoto, using him as a puppet.
Nobody heard it but there was a slight feminine spark in the tone. Harka lowered her ears, shying away a couple of fox-lengths. With a vicious chuckle, Kyoto moved forward, towards Harka.
" Do not be afraid my darling," he hissed, stepping over a root and toward her again.
Having no choice she backed away up against a tree. Kyoto chuckled evilly again, turning in a circle to see each fox in the small clearing.
" This is not over. I'll be back." He growled.
Kyoto's body began to jerk around violently. A smoky black blob in the shape of a fox with red eyes whisked out of Kyoto. Floating into the night sky, it disappeared. Kyoto crumpled onto the grass, blacking out yet again.
" Wha... What happened?" Kyoto mumbled, struggling into a more comfortable sitting position.
" It was so cool, yet very scary," Ketse yapped, bouncing around Kyoto, then shrinking behind her tail in fear.
Dizzily Kyoto blinked and tried to walk over to a tiny puddle. When he managed to reach it he looked deep into his own eyes.
" Kyoto, you're awake! Are you feeling any better?" Syoto spoke gently as she crept up to Kyoto's right flank.
" Yeah, I guess. I can't remember anything," he panted.
Syoto padded backwards, looking horrified as she stared at Kyoto. Suddenly a lick of pain passed over his right hind quarter. Yelping he turned his head to lick at it. He stopped right before he did, frozen in shock.
On his tight quarter a strange symbol had appeared. Eyes wide he continued to stare in complete and utter shock. Syoto ducked her head and cautiously sniffed at the mark.
" What is it?" she asked quietly.
A yelp of surprise caught Syoto's attention. She turned her tiny snout towards Asoka. He was licking his own hind quarter, giving off little whimpers of pain.
" What's wrong Asoka?" she questioned, fully turning to pad towards him.
Asoka looked at her then flicked his eyes at the symbol that had burned itself onto Asoka. Truly confused Syoto looked at her own leg, nothing. She had not gained the strange symbol. Happily she let out a relaxed sigh.
Syoto turned, padding back to Kyoto. Before she could reach him she collapsed, a burning sensation ripping its way over her back leg.
Soon each and every one of the foxes howled through the painful endurance as a strange symbol burned its way into their skin. Soon after they were lying in a heap of panting fur.
Ketse was the first to move, waddling a few paw steps away.
"This is not good for my kits," she huffed, lying down and licking her swollen belly.
Jumping to her feet, Syoto stalked over, sniffing at Ketse slowly.
"All the walking wouldn't have helped anyone's kits," she breathed.
Syoto herself sat down and began to lick gingerly at her slightly plump tummy.
Stikan was instantly by her side, making sure she was safe. Asoka went and sat at Ketse's side as well, giving her a sniff to check she was okay.
With a tiny sigh of disappointment and exhaustion, Harka curled up by Kyoto who gave her an affectionate lick. When he met these foxes he hadn't known two were expecting kits
"Lets get some greatly needed rest," Asoka said, yawning hugely and lying down with his chin rested on Ketse's flank.
Poor Ketse was already drifting away into a heavy sleep. Her breathing eased into a gentle rhythm that kept her mate's head bobbing ever so slightly.
Stikan and Syoto were nipping playfully at each other's ears. Yapping like pups, they barely noticed Kyoto and Harka walk off with their tails twined together between them.
The next morning was crisp and cool with frost sprinkling the ground. Syoto had been awake long enough to register that two foxes were missing. She wasn't entirely worried, just scared about the black, smoky fox. It seemed like a dream but Syoto didn't think it was. Way too real, she sighed in her head.
"Are you okay?" a voice asked calmly from behind Syoto.
Startled, she turned to see Stikan coming forward with a mouse and shrew dangling in his jaws.
"I'm fine. Nice catch," she said, smiling and rubbing against Stikan's fur.
"Thank you", he said, laying the catch down and licking her snout tenderly.
Lying down to get more comfy, Syoto and Stikan tucked into the shrew, easily sharing the warm body of food.
Stikan raised his head from the meal when Ketse and Asoka came over. Stikan rolled the limp mouse towards the others. Greatful, Ketse neatly tucked her paws under her chest and began eating in silence. A second later her mate joined.
A rustle in the ferns alerted the four to the approach of Harka. Tagging behind with two mice and a victorious shine in his eyes was Kyoto. They both padded up to the friendly group lying on the forest floor. Sliding their paws beneath them, they began eating their share.
When Stikan was finished eating the rest of his shrew, he plodded into the forest to relieve himself.
"Help me figure out who is who please," Kyoto whispered to Harka.
A little shocked he asked, she gave a tiny nod.
" Syoto, Asoka and Myoto are your brother and sisters. I'm your mate, of course. Stikan is mate to Syoto. Asoka is mate to Ketse," she spoke with a straight face, never glancing away from Kyoto's sparkling, blue eyes. "Oh, yeah. Stikan and me are also brother and sister. I still can't believe you don't remember anything. Well, Syoto and the others found us. Stiikan and I were being pulled away, downstream in the river. They rescued us and we were forever grateful since then," Harka finished with a sigh.
Kyoto sat perfectly still until the end of her story. Then he padded over to the shallow puddle and sat down, looking at his reflection. I can't even think straight. Why am I not remembering a thing!? He yelled at his thoughts.
Harka padded forward and licked him. "I see the frustration in your eyes, Kyoto. You can't hide it from me forever," she breathed into his shoulder fur. "How come you can't remember anything about us?" she asked quietly, pulling her snout from his thick fur.
Giving off a heavy sigh, Kyoto turned to Harka, looking deeply into her caring eyes.
"I'm not even sure," was all he managed to whisper in reply.
Asoka padded forward, pausing a little ways away, trying not to intrude.
"What is it you need, Asoka?" Harka asked politely.
"Um…well," he stuttered.
"Come on, spit it out," Harka prompted.
"It's just that…ah. We have gained strange symbols, Myoto is gone and there is a demonic fox that is very scary," he blurted out in a rush of breath.
"I know," she replied with a small sniffle.
"I know you didn't bring it up directly Asoka, but you did bring up Myoto. We need to find her," Kyoto puffed, coming up to the other two, walking carefully around the muddy puddle, startling them.
Regaining her straight face, Harka nodded, looking around to take in her surroundings.
"Let's get going then," Asoka barked, impatient.
Kyoto gathered his group into a semi- circle. In the dirt he drew an inaccurate compass.
"Okay, Harka and I will go east, Syoto and Stikan can go west and last but not least, and Asoka and Ketse can go south. I only want your groups to go about five miles in each direction. Make sure you lay down a scent every few fox-lengths; I don't need anyone getting lost. Once you have reached the five-mile mark, turn tail and continue in the same direction you came. Keep an eye out for any sign of Myoto; if you find prey free feel to hunt. Now, let's go find my sister and our packmate," Kyoto yapped, ordering everyone away.
Stikan gave a small whimper of fear as he gathered Syoto to his side. Asoka did the same, and then padded right up to Kyoto.
Huffing in Kyoto's face, he insisted, "The females can't. Not with kits on the way."
Kyoto jumped back and Harka leaped to his defense.
"Kyoto forgot, that's all," she puffed into his face.
"Sorry, I truly didn't know. Umm… how about you girls just stay here and chill," Kyoto replied, the slightest bit hesitant.
Ketse, Harka and Syoto murmured their grateful thanks to Kyoto. They all curled up in the very center of a brightly shining sunspot.
"All right. Let's go in our decided directions," Kyoto said, padding in his chosen path.
When Kyoto returned, Asoka and Stikan were still gone. Harka, Ketse and Syoto were sitting in a half circle with their backs facing him. They were talking in a strange language. To Kyoto it sounded like the way a baby would rumble on about absolutely nothing.
Stepping forward cautiously, he sniffed between Ketse and Syoto. Seeing four tiny wriggling balls of fur, he lurched his head back with a surprised sneeze.
"What's gotten into you, Kyoto? Have you never seen a fox kit?" Ketse giggled.
"Well they just frightened me," he responded, stepping forth to lick gingerly at a scrap of black fur with what looked to be a white paw.
"Come on Setka, get back by your mother now," Harka spoke softly before dipping her head and gently picking up the kit by her neck ruff.
Ketse happily announced that she had to very adorable little girls. Setka, looked just like her mother, except for the tiny dash of black on her snout. Misa, on the other paw, had Asoka's looks; mainly a red fox pattern but with her mothers fennec fox collars on her tail, chest and belly.
After Ketse told Kyoto about her kits, it was Syoto's turn, which had two boys. Sitka, who was all black with a red fox tint, looked just like his father, Stikan. Dante, the one who Kyoto had licked, was also like his father, but with one white sock as Kyoto had observed skillfully.
Both boys were curled up together by their mothers' belly. Dante would occasionally kick out his tiny white paw in his sleep; by accident he kept kicking poor Sitka in the head.
Kyoto's ears twitched, detecting movement from behind. Just then Asoka padded out of the ferns with four mice in his slavering jaws.
"Great catch!" Kyoto exclaimed, stalking up to Asoka to help with his prey.
Each carrying two mice by the tails, they brought them over to the she-foxes. Ketse began eating immediately, while Syoto turned the offer down.
"As your brother, I command you to eat," Kyoto barked, shoving the limp mouse toward her with his paw.
Syoto simply turned away from the food, announcing, "I will not eat until I know my mate and father of my kits is safe."
Releasing a heavy sigh, Kyoto stalked off into the direction in which he had sent Stikan.
Chapter Two
Mystery
It was already moon high and still there was no sign of Stikan or Kyoto. More than once the she-foxes had yelped at Asoka to check the silent shadows beneath the trees.
"For the fifth time, there is nothing over here," Asoka grunted, turning his back to the tendrils of tall grass and vine.
His eyes widened and he gave out a terrified yelp as something tugged on his tail. Fear of death strengthened Asoka as he yanked his tail back and ran over to the girls. Standing protectively in front of them, he stared at the forest, eyes darting in every direction at a=every angle possible.
An evil snickering voice slithered out of the darkness, "come out, come out where ever you are. Asoka, I just wanna play."
The brambles swayed as the demonic fox padded circles around the clearing.
Asoka spun rounds, trying desperately to keep his eyes focused on moving vegetation. All at once everything fell silent and the grass quit quivering. Asoka immediately bounded away from the edge.
There was a shriek and, before thinking, Asoka threw himself into the tangled vines.
"Asoka, no!" Ketse yowled, springing from her resting place. She padded up to his side, murmuring 'no' over and over again.
"Ketse go to our kits and keep them safe. I must find Stikan," Asoka puffed. "Keep her and my children safe," he ordered to Harka.
In return, she gave a tiny, curt nod. Asoka licked Ketse's cheek, and then sprang back into the forest.
Harka was worried, which made the others nervous and jumpy as well. Why are they not back? She asked herself.
Harka jolted awake, she instantly felt sorry for falling asleep. It was dawn and the grass was covered in drippy dew. Spinning her head, she realized that Asoka still hadn't returned with the others yet. I'm not going to hear the end of this from Ketse or Syoto, she sighed in her head.
"Where is Asoka?" Ketse yapped into Harka's ear.
Harka jumped, startled, and turned to face Ketse. Tail fluffed, fur on end, and eyes wide, she was clearly scared.
"He told me he was going hunting," Harka lied quickly.
Ketse seemed to understand a bit, she simply turned to her whining kits.
The taller grass at the edge of the clearing rustled. It began to shake and quiver some more as Asoka came forward, a limping Stikan was leaning on his shoulder.
"Stikan! You poor thing. What was going on out there?" Ketse badgered Asoka.
"I'm fine," Stikan growled through teeth clenched tightly in pain.
Asoka led Stikan over to a nice patch of cushy crab grass. As gentle as he could, he laid his wounded friend down.
Hearing the commotion, Syoto came thundering over to Stikan. When she saw the state he was in, she turned and began sniffing for the right medicinal herbs.
By nightfall Stikan's wounds were healed, or at least they had a thin layer of moist poultice.
"Do any of you know where Kyoto might have gone?" Harka barked. Ever since they found the other two boys, she had been pacing and whining, demanding to know the where-about of Kyoto.
"Calm down. Kyoto will be back before sun-high tomorrow. I'm sure of it," Asoka yowled at her for the third time.
Chapter Three
Death, Betrayal, Love
Coming soon