Chapter 1 - Introduction
Amongst the curious arrangement of oak trees that were littered alongside a road that hadn't been paved in what was assumed to be a decade or two, lied a small, white house. The balcony that was obscured from an onlooker's first glance surely gave the home it's charm, what with it's carefully chosen decor, which contained warm, summer colors that were certainly a sight for sore eyes, and neatly painted exterior.
It was July, and the frequent, yet calm wisps of warm wind rustled the leaves, causing them to dance and sing about their confinement.
A girl, nearing her mid-twenties, sitting upon a long, hanging bench that occasionally swayed with the wind, sighed contently to herself as she felt yet another smooth gust of fresh air tingle against her tan skin, her caramel-colored irises blanketed by heavy lids. Gloria breathed deeply, as though she were clearing a clouded mind, before allowing her eyes to flutter open alongside her final exhale. They drifted across the familiar canvas of green oak leaves, then to the novel she had been reading previously that day, before coming to a stop at her lap. A kind smile forced it's way onto her lips, as though she couldn't contain her utmost love for the creature that resided there.
While in our own times, it would be looked upon as madness, future years proved that humans and animals could indeed live alongside each other, though, not in the way most would expect.
While most do not remember the incident clearly enough to describe it in accurate terms, it was certainly a turning point in the evolution of mankind. A brilliant, yet indescribably illegal facility had been collecting a generous amount of data from all sorts of creatures, comparing their dna, and stringing together the ultimate hormone that would be released into the open air upon completion. Only non-human creatures that roamed primarily on land were to be affected by it, said old records.
It had resulted in animals evolving to walk on their hind legs, eat, speak, think, and breathe, just as a human would. The sight had baffled many. At first, an initial panic had quickly settled, and they were feared amongst many men and woman. Though, as time went on, the humans became accustomed to these creatures. It had affected many animals amongst the animal kingdom, so there was quite a diversity of different personalities and 'people' to meet.
When Gloria had been a young girl, she had met an equally young, grinning fox boy with unique, shiny red fur, and a funny voice. At first, she was hesitant to even speak to the lad, let alone make eye contact, though, as the minutes passed, the girl grew too terribly interested in him for her own good. Upon exchanging names and basic traits, she began asking him an obscene amount of questions, each of which he was happy to answer.
Neither of the two had thought they'd grow up to be the greatest of friends.
Gloria's eye's trailed across the fox's soft muzzle, to the long, pointed ears that twitched occasionally with the continuous rustle of the leaves above. The soft rise and fall of his back indicated that he had indeed indulged himself in a nap, whilst resting his maw against the girl's thigh.
She chuckled, albeit rather quietly, as she raised a hand to the soft lumps of spiked fur located along the side of the fox's head, running her nimble fingers through it, gently rubbing and scratching along the fur. Gloria continued this until the fox's head tilted with her ministrations, a low, almost inaudible purr-like sound echoing from his throat. Her fingers moved up to the tufts of fur surrounding his sensitive ears, rubbing gently.
"..Foxy?" She said, tilting her head with a kind smile, "...Wake up, you silly fox."
After a moment more of gentle patting and petting, Foxy was coaxed from his slumber, a new pair of charming, half-lidded golden eyes staring up at Gloria's own.
"It's a gorgeous day out today, huh?" The girl surmised, lifting her gaze from the fox's own to stare at the scenery outside the balconies own premises. "Too bad you spent a good portion of it napping."
"Mhm.." Came the tired reply.
"You hungry? I can whip something up real quick for a late lunch, if you'd like."
"Mhmmm.." Foxy hummed.
"Alright. I'll be back, then." Gloria said, sliding her leg away from the fox's head, and lifting herself from the bench. It creaked at the sudden loss of weight, though remained stable enough for Foxy to adjust himself, his hind leg falling from it's original position and dragging along the ground below. Not that he minded.
The fox's lip then curled slightly, mimicking a smile.
[ A.N.: this is my first legit story pls forgive any major errors found along the way. ]