This is a story on the sanctity of life. Centered around an OC. Chapter one and two are finished and ready to be posted, if anyone is interested. I started this story a little over a half a year back. I thought last night, "Why not post?" So here it is. I hope you enjoy!

Innocence

Prologue

Blackford's Exotic and rare zoo is known in the past for some of it's exhibits being phoney. From my keepers I heard that the human/dog thing didn't go so well once the people found out it was just a woman and a lot of makeup. After that incident, we had to flee to Mexico. I say 'we' because I am a part of Blackford's zoo; I've been here ever since I can remember. I'm one of the main attractions. I have fox ears, teeth, claws that were retractable, and a big fluffy tail, but otherwise I looked human. Almost eight years ago, back in America, Blackford would put makeup on me and dress me up so I didn't look quite so human. Because, he had said, people were too strict in America about human rights, as far as he was concerned, I had none.

I had realized this, right before we left California the last spring I ever saw in America, as I watched a spirited horse fight off it's abusive keepers and escape. That very night I promised myself that I would no longer be Blackford's obedient slave, that I was a human, and no more would they treat me any lower... that they could never break me. I am sorry to say that it didn't work quiet like I had planned, but ever since then none has dared to approach me without some kind of restraint.

I growled as Blackford approached with a crowd of curious Mexicans behind him.

"I always save the best, for last."

My hands shook even more... I had never been the same after a few turks had decided I was a 'demon' and needed to be killed. It had taken me a full month before I had recovered from that beating, even then; I was never the same.

"People," he said, "I give you She-Fox! Half human/half fox. Many, many year ago, I was fox hunting when my hounds picked up an unusual scent," a dramatic pause, I had heard this story before, he eyes widened and he stared up, "I saw a flash of red and my dogs gave chase." he paced in front of the cage making gestures, "We chased the creature many a mile until I finally traced it back to it's barrow." he sighed as if it was the saddest thing in the world, "It was then that I saw what it truly was. Out of the kindness of my heart," he placed his hand on his chest, his eyes softening, "I couldn't leave this poor orphan alone in the wildernesses, with bears and snakes, and savage wolves! Winter was coming on too. So I brought it home and nursed it back to health, for it was sick too. I've cared for it for many years but, as you can see, it's a savage beast! I would have released it, but it is too dangerous for the world, so I now go around educating you folks on the nature of strange creatures that yet live in our forests..." he continued on and on before leading the people away. The story wasn't true, I knew, but I also didn't know how I came to be here or why I was like this, I always have figured I had been some kind of freak experiment that Blackford had bought. None were allowed to take pictures, Blackford said that I was frightened of them, but I knew that he just wanted to keep the price high for seeing me.

I curled up tucking my trembling hands underneath my body and resting my head on my arm, failing to notice the two men who lagged behind the rest who nodded conspicuously to each other.

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"DIMWIT! JUST THROW THAT ONE IN WITH FOXY OVER THERE!" I jerked awake to Blackford's ever-so-pleasant voice in the morning. Apparently, he was yelling at my keeper, "Dimwit", wasn't his real name, but it was the only name I had ever heard him called. He was slow and sometimes talked, but was always strangely happy.

There was the ear splitting sound of my cage(cell) door opening before the weirdest creature I had ever seen was shoved in, and that's saying a lot for a 14 year old girl with fox like qualities. I growled at the intruding figure.

"Hey! It's not like I want to be in here!" he said, his palms out in a 'easy' manner. "Besides," he added, "I bite too!" I stopped growling, suspicious, keeping my ears pulled back in a warning. He eased down onto the floor, and laughed nervously as he surveyed our surroundings. "I feel like Dumbo in that movie with all these cages and stuff," he said, I cocked my head to the side, I had no clue what he was talking about. "Maybe I should just start pacing to make it seem more realistic?" he asked, and I just stared at him, unblinkingly. It was a plus for being part of the- fe- fe-... cat family. He stood up and about that time the train started going and he was thrown to the floor. "Uh..." he pushed up onto his knees. He frowned at me. "You don't talk that much, do you?" asked the boy, he had to be about the same age as me, though he was bigger, or I was just really small for my age. "Do you even talk?" he waited a few moments, "I'll take that as a no." he sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, thinking. His dra-... lizard like claws clattering against the metal floor as smoke came out of his nostrils in little puffs as he concentrated. It looked so funny, I quirked a smile. He noticed immediately and grinned, showing a row of very sharp teeth. "So, you are alive in there. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only person in here." I tilted my head, relaxing my ears. He wasn't... too bad, maybe. He as kind of funny looking with those huge hands."You've been here for a while, haven't you?" he asked, fixing me with his piercing dra- dragon like eyes, that seemed to take in everything. I hadn't moved since night, besides lifting my head, so he didn't see my hands. He shook his head suddenly, "I'm Deric, but my friends and foes call my Dragon," he grinned, then his face darkened, "Some friends they were... I've only just become a mutant," seeing my puzzled look he explained, "You don't understand?" he gave me a dubious look, "We, you and me, are mutants, genetic hick-ups, I guess. Anyways," he continued on, "These "friends" of mine, decided I'd be more use to them if they sold me to to this circus. They jumped me last night; didn't see it coming." I growled, and he somehow understood I wasn't growling at him, he nodded, "Yeah... so here I am." he looked around again at the darkened cell, light pouring in from the cracks, and the constant click click click as the train rattled down the tracks.

I curled my tail around me and fell asleep.

.

.

.

WHAM!

I jerk awake as light poured into the cage from where they raised the covers. I scrunch my eyes trying to see.

"Hey, she didn't eat him," exclaimed Dimwit, as a few other keepers laughed as they went about their duties. I've never ate anyone. They knew that Dragon understood them, so they were going to have fun at his expense. I growled and bared my teeth at the keeper as he shoved two bowls of food in underneath the bars. Water was always available to us and was changed daily unless the keeper forgot.

I crawled awkwardly over, as Dragon stared at his.

"Uh... I didn't order this..."

"You eat what you're given,"

"Not this-this... this dog food!"

"It's not dog food, it's highly nutritious mush. Now shut up and eat, creature." The wooden cover/door was slammed shut and I winced at the sound. Hurts my sensitive ears... By that time I had licked the bowl clean, since using my hands is difficult with their shakiness and mush was hard to grip. Dragon stared at me for a few seconds before picking up his bowl. "Here goes nothing..." if it hadn't been for my sensitive hearing I would have never picked up his mumbling. He lifted the bowl to his lips and tilted it. He stopped and licked his lips. "Hey... this isn't half bad." Yeah, it was better than normal... it was-was "It kinda tastes like bread pudding in a way. Sweet." Yeah, that's the word, sweet. Dragon lifts up the bowl to eat more, and I watch him, fascinated, as I start to see double. That fascination soon turns into fear as the world tips and I go careening into the floor.

"Foxy!" he scrambles over to the side of me and shakes me. "Help! Someone Help!" My vision darkens with each passing second, and the last thing I see is Dragon falling over onto his side.

Side note: Just so you know, I don't believe in evolution. But who doesn't want to mysteriously wake up one morning with superpowers? Anyways, it makes a good story-line.

Please read and review!