The Midnight Fox

AVON POV

I feel the soft ground pound under my paws as I race through a beautifully lush meadow. I yip happily and bound upwards, snapping my jaws at a butterfly and just barely missing. I land in a crouch and swing my jet black tail around to my side as I breathe heavily, trying to slow my racing heart. I lift my nose to the sky and scent the subtly sweet smell of poppies and a stronger undertone of pinetrees. I look around and quickly spot a flash of red as it bounds through the treeline into the pine forest beyond the meadow. I feel a tug to run to whoever that was but as I step, I find myself falling. The bright sunshine fades away quickly as my stomach jumps into my throat. Fear scratches at my chest and I feel my fox quickly retreating as I shift back into my human form. I land on something hard and feel the wind knocked out of me.

“Avon.” A sweet but strong woman’s voice calls to me. I look around, feeling a strange sense of calmness by the voice. The smell of poppies and pine hits my nose again and I look around quickly. “You should never have come here” she hisses at me angrily. “You’re fox will destroy us all!” I pant heavily and back away quickly, tripping and falling into a small puddle. I turn and look down into it to see my own reflection but with glowing purple eyes. I gasp.

“NO!” I sit up with a start in my bed, drenched in sweat. Soft sunlight sneaks its way through my curtains and I squint as it hits my eyes. I let my blanket fall off my toned chest as I wipe the sweat away from my forehead. I quickly pick up my phone and look in my reflection but instead of the glowing purple, I see my regular gray eyes. I sigh in relief just as my phone lights up with a reminder. My heart sinks as I read it and remember what today is. I put my phone face down and run my hands through my hair before looking at the black suit I laid out the night before on a chair in the corner. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes and threaten to spill out and I try to calm down.

“River? Are you there?” I whisper softly into my mindlink. I feel a stirring in my chest as my fox wakes up.

“I’m here Avon. I feel your pain, and I will help you carry the burden of it today. You will not be alone, I promise.” A gentle comfort settles in me as I hear the deep voice of my fox. I silently thank him before getting up to prepare. Today, we bury my father.

My feelings numb themselves as a defense mechanism so watching my father’s body, wrapped in various leaves and berries, be lowered into the ground has little affect on me. I feel River whimper inside me as he watches our father go, and I feel a tug to retreat in and let him take control, but my mother’s warm hand grasping mine pulls me out of my thoughts. I look down at her and see tears staining her cheeks. I quickly wrap my arm around her and pull her into my chest, feeling her shoulders bounce as she begins to sob. A single tear rolls down my cheek, but no emotion belongs to it.

After the ceremony, we all gather in our house to celebrate my father’s life. Various pictures and knick knacks he acquired are strewn about the house. Every one who enters brings a dish of food to share and the ones who knew him best tell stories. I begin to get lost in the waves of thoughts that I almost don’t feel the hand of my best friend touch my shoulder.

“Hey Avon, how are you holding up?” I look down to see her, Faeina, Fae. Her gentle blue eyes full of sympathy and her usually flowing white hair was now up in a bun. She wears a short black dress with long sleeves.

“I wish everyone would stop asking me that” I scoff gently, showing her I’m only kidding. She smiles softly.

“Why don’t we get out of here for a while. It’s a little stuffy.” I nod gratefully at her suggestion as we go to the backyard.

She guides me to the broken down old swingset my mother never got rid of and sits in one swing, patting the other with a smile. I join her as we rock back and forth.

“Where’s Sasha?” I ask trying to break the silence.

“She’s at home, she didn’t feel like it was right to come, not knowing everyone that well and all.” I shake my head.

“That girl is so anxious. She’s your mate, and I’m your best friend, I know she’s from a different skulk, but she’s always welcome here.” I smile warmly at her. Fae shakes her head.

“That’s what I’ve been telling her!” We both laugh happily and I feel a lightness in my chest that I haven’t felt since my father died. I suddenly feel a pang of guilt for laughing at his funeral. I let my smile fall and I stare at the ground. Fae notices and reaches out to me. I look at her hand before taking it, our fingers intertwining.

“I really miss him Fae…” I sigh sadly.

“I know. But you’re not alone. I’m here and Sasha is here, and your mom and River, even Dewey sends her regards!” I smile gently at the mention of her fox. Our foxes have always gotten along well but Dewey is not a huge fan of me and River isn’t a huge fan of Fae, it makes our friendship really interesting.

The warmth of my friend begins to fill me with a sense of comfort. Ever since finding her mate, Fae has been so much more loving and caring. It’s not like she wasn’t before, but Sasha has softened her up. They really are perfect for each other. It makes me wish I had a mate, but I still havent found her.

“Avon! Fae! We’re about to begin stories!” I hear my mother call from the house. Fae squeezes my hand comfortingly before standing up. I follow her in silence, somewhat dreading hearing about my father’s life. I never understood why we did this. He’s dead, gone, never coming back! A streak of anger courses through my veins as the bitter words I spit in my head fill my senses.

“Avon, calm down,” River breaks my thoughts and I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself as Fae and I take a seat on the couch next to my mother. One after another my father’s friends and family come forward with stories from his childhood all the way up to right before he died. Each one comes with its own emotions, some are funny, some are sad, some are serious, some are romantic, but all of them weave together the life my father led. Some I didn’t even know about. After my mother speaks about the first time they met and their wedding, she looks to me with a gentle smile.

“And then we had Avon. He was such a light in our life. Peter swore to protect him with everything he had. He even said he would forsake the entire skulk to save him if necessary,” she laughs gently before motioning for me to come up. It was my turn. My palms grow sweaty as I stand and walk to the front of the crowd. As I look out at the foxes crowding our large home, it dawns on me that the entire skulk is here. I suppose the death of our chief would do that. “Avon will be a fine Chief, as soon as he finishes his training with me that is.” The skulk laughs with my mother’s words before she kisses my cheek and sits down on the couch again. Fae holds her hand and gives me an encouraging smile.

“My father was a great man and an even greater fox, but most of all, he was the best dad.” I feel tears threaten to spill from my eyes as I continue. “When I first shifted, he took me on a run-“ with my words the entire skulk freezes. My mother’s eyes blaze with worry and anger as I speak. Ever since I first shifted, my parents warned me to never tell another person of my fox. I soon figured out it was because of River’s color, I have never seen another black fox. Only Fae and my parents know of River’s existence, the rest of the skulk was told that I didn’t have a fox, and now I was announcing to them all that I did. “He taught me the beauty of the forest and of the world. He showed me how to be free. I will never be able to repay him now for all he’s done, but I will always be grateful. I loved him dearly and I know his strength will follow me as the next chief.” With the end of my words, the skulk all collectively breathes in confusion before Fae begins clapping and the rest join in, except my mother who only stares at me with fire behind her eyes. I meet her gaze for a moment before looking away.

At the end of the night, I stand at the door with my mother, thanking our guests and accepting hugs and handshakes. Fae is the last to leave, giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek before taking off. As soon as she is out the door, I turn to hurry to my room but the slamming of the front door stops me.

“Avon Andrew Fallous…” I cringe at her quiet anger and look inward for River’s help, but he is hiding. I slowly turn to face her. “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR FOX!!!” She shouts in her booming chief voice. I flinch away. “STAY.” She commands and I feel my body freeze up. She sighs and takes a breath, calming herself and her fox down. “Explain yourself. Now.” Her voice, although quieter, is still icy and terrifying.

“You never told me why I had to hide my fox, I’m 22 now and I am so sick of it! What’s so wrong about having a black fox?!” I spit out venomously. Her eyes widen.

“Avon, there is NOTHING wrong with having a black fox!” I roll my eyes, now even more frustrated.

“Then why all the hiding?! Why the secrecy?! Just because we’re rare doesn’t mean it should be hidden!” She sighs and walks over to me before taking my hands.

“Avon, your fox isn’t just rare.” I search her eyes, desperate for more answers. “Black foxes don’t exist. Only few have ever been recorded in time, and only chiefs are allowed to know of their existence. They are called Midnight Foxes.” I raise an eyebrow at her curiously. “Come with me.”

I follow her as she leads me down to our basement, full of boxes and our laundry room. She steps off to the side near a dusty old bookshelf full of dad’s old records. She looks apologetically at me before pressing a few of the records in a specific order, causing the bookshelf to slide to the right and reveal another room, full of books and scrolls with a table in the center. I step into the room and the smell of dust makes me choke. My mother walks to the table and slides open a panel on it. Inside the hole is a beautiful book, it definitely doesn’t fit in with the rest of the books in this room. On it looks like a picture of River. My mother pulls it out of its hiding place and holds it close to her chest.

“Mom…what is that?” I ask worriedly. She sighs.

“This…is the Midnight Tome. A book passed down from generation to generation of chiefs. Each time a midnight fox was born, it was a grave sign. It mean’t something evil was coming, something that would threaten our entire species. According to the tome, you will be the 7th Midnight Fox to exist, ever. Each number comes with its own prophecy, yours was…well…let’s just say The Queen was not thrilled to find out her throne would be taken over.” I reach out for the book and she pulls back.

“Whats wrong?” I mumble gently.

“When you touch this book, powers will awaken inside you. Powers not known to normal foxes. Your life will change forever and the prophecy will begin.” I stare at the black and purple bound book with flecks of silver along the spine and feel a tug inside me. Something strong, something powerful and urgent yelling at me to hold this book in my hand.

“I-I still don’t understand all the secrecy…” I mumble, not taking my eyes off it.

“You will understand everything when you read this. But Avon, you don’t have to yet. As long as you activate your powers by your 25th birthday, you will be safe. We had planned to tell you when you were 24 so you didn’t have to deal with this heavy burden.” We. Father…

“What did dad want?” I ask softly. My mother’s grip tightens.

“He wanted you to be as powerful and strong as he knew you could be. He wanted you to know when you first got your wolf so you wouldn’t live in secret, but you just got it so young and the queen would have…just…he wanted you to know.” I blink a few times, trying to process everything she just told me and that’s when I feel it again. That tug, the pull towards power. I feel something snap in me and I hold out my hands for the book as I think only one thought: I could have saved him with this power. With that, my mother hesitates but hands over the book. As the soft leather touches my skin, I feel something take over me. River howls inside my head so loud I begin to feel dizzy. A bright while light begins to cover my vision before everything goes dark.