Oh, Cloud, it is a pain, but that aint even the half of it....you know, growing up is kind of wierd for me in many ways...especially considering that at 19 years old, I should have had a job long ago...it's embarassing to mention, but it's the truth...

You know, it's become very apparent that I can't take my childhood with me as I grow up, that some things I have to leave behind...I'm hoping with all my heart that I'll not have to leave my imagination behind as I grow - It's one of the few things I've really got that keeps me going these days when I could just give in...

All rambling aside, I promise to finish this story as soon as I get the time...

Don't hurry Ultra, just do the things you need to do first and when you've got more time you can go back to the story.

Thanks, you guys....I just want to make it clear that this is NOT one of those things that are started and never finished...

At any rate, I just got home from my first shift working at Tim Hortons, an my nerves are beginning to make a recovery. What's more, my imaginative spirit which had seemed to have gone AWOL recently is making a return, so pending the Christmas season, I should be able to make some progress now. My first project is to do a bit of retouching on a part or two I thought could use some improvement....and then I'll get back to where we are in the story right now...

Here it is at last, Part 9! Oh, and I've made a few minor changes to the first four parts as well, though probably nothing too noticeable.

----Part 9: With a Single Step----

“So, Chai, how is the Forest? Not as bad as you thought it was, huh?”

Rays of vivid sunlight filtered down through the leafy canopy, casting shadows which danced on the forest floor as two foxes made their way slowly westward, stepping over tree roots and around bushes as they went. Chai had been silent most of the way, leaving Rosemary doing most of the talking. “Yeah….it’s very pretty around here, too, the way the sun seems to dance on the ground all around you and everything; is it like this every day?” The vixen smiled and replied cheerfully, “Oh yes, when the sun is out it’s like this a lot. My sister and I used to play a game as kits where we would try and see who could dodge the lights the longest. And when it rained, we’d dodge the raindrops instead!” At this, Chai brightened up and smiled, “I used to do that too, back at the farm with Dixie, but usually I’d have to play by myself because she’d be busy making sure the other animals were safely inside the barn…” As he talked about the Dixie and the farm, Rose looked curiously at him; here he was talking about the farm again – she was beginning to wonder if he could think of anything else. “So Chai, you were born and raised at first in the forest, but then ended up at the farm – but when you came to live there, didn’t you miss the Forest and your family?”

Chai stared straight ahead as he spoke. “What family? Mom and Dad are dead, and-“ “but what about your brothers and sisters?” Rose cut in, “Ginger is alive, so the others might be too, right?” Chai sighed and continued. “I didn’t know that at the time- come to think of it, if they are alive, how could that be since our parents were killed?” The two foxes stopped walking and sat there for a moment. “You know…That’s a good question..” When she thought about it, Rosemary realised that although she’d known Ginger for a year now, she’d never said a word about her family. After a moment of silence, Chai sighed and looked at Rosemary. “As I was saying, I had no idea – After I explained to Dixie what had happened, I asked her about going out to find my brothers and sisters, and she said that although she was very concerned about them, she had no way of finding our den unless I could lead the way – and of course I had gotten lost and that was how I ended up there in the first place; obviously, so much for that idea.”

Rose stared at him in disbelief as he went on. “She said she was sorry, but there was nothing she could do unless I remembered the way. So really, it was-” “It was your fault they wouldn’t survive, right? Oh, Chai, you’ve got to stop blaming yourself for all that – no wonder your so depressed.” Chai frowned and looked at the ground. “None of what happened to your family is your fault – listen, at least Ginger is alive, you don’t have to be worried about that. You’ve got to stop feeling sorry for yourself, Chai, honestly, things wont get any better until you do.” The other fox sighed, and admitted, “Yeah, your right…oh, I do miss my family, but then I remember it’s my fault their gone, and…it IS depressing…you really don't think it isn’t all my fault, after all I’ve told you?” Rose snuggled up close to him. “It happens from time to time, Chai; that’s the way it is out here, sometimes, loved ones die. It isn’t your fault at all, Chai…Your mother – if she were alive – do you think she would have blamed you? Would your father blame you? And Dixie - Did she ever blame you?” She smiled at him. “I’m betting they wouldn’t so much as think it for a second. And I don’t think for a second that any of this is all your fault, either, Chai. Now cheer up, and let’s be on our way!” Chai nodded and they resumed their walk.

“So, let me rephrase my earlier question, Chai. When you were at the farm, didn’t you ever want go back home to the forest?”, the vixen asked Chai thought about this question, but wasn’t sure how to answer. “I don’t know how I could explain it better that I have…A year after I came to the farm, Dixie and I accompanied the humans on a hike into the woods – the humans usually go every few days when the weather is good, but this was my first time going with them.” As they walked, Rose listened intently; she could sense he was about to tell another story. “The first summer when they found me, I was too little to go, and so spent most of my time around the barn. By the time I could go, it was winter and too cold to go on long walks. Anyway, this was the first time I ever left that farm…”

“Dixie, where are we going?” The big hairy Old English Sheepdog walked alongside the lineup of horses with the now one-year-old young dogfox named Chai, who still looked rather small in comparison. ”On a walk, Chai. There is something I want to show you.” As they trotted along, Dixie gave a soft woof and all at once, the horses with their riders stopped and looked at her. “What’s going on, Papa?” asked a young boy on horseback near the back of the line. “Patience, son, Dixie wants us to stop and wait…We’ve been caring for that fox kit for a year now, or rather she has; y’all know I trust her judgement and instinct about the animals….I gather she’s decided it’s time..” “Time for what, papa?..” Chai couldn’t hear anymore as he followed what he considered his closest thing to a mother he had, as they stepped through the brush to a small clearing. “This is it.” She said. “Chai, one year ago, on a hike just like this one, I came along and smelled something different. I signalled the horses to stop, and when I followed the scent, you were lying there unconscious.” Chai stared at the spot as he remembered that day. “Yes, this is where I found you. Chai, listen closely. You’ve been here a year now, and you’ve grown up a lot since then – you are a very handsome fox for a yearling. But,” she continued, ”You are a fox, and you belong in the forest, not on a farm. You are old enough now that you can take care of yourself. You can return to the forest…find other foxes, and maybe even your family; there’s still a chance your siblings are still around somewhere. We are at the west end of the Great Forest, to the north is the old road dividing the Forest from the farmland, to the south is Lake Azurella, and if you go even farther, you would reach the mountains.” As she finished, Dixie stepped back a foot. “Go on, Chai...you can go home now.” The fox stood there, looking around hesitantly, then looked back at the hairball behind him. “What’s wrong, little one? You can finally return to the forest, Chai, you should be happy…..Chai, this farm is very kind to lend a hand to animals in need such as yourself when we found you. You aren’t the first animal we’ve helped…but every one of those animals returned to the forest when they recovered…” Chai turned around and spoke quietly. ”….I….don’t want to go…” Dixie looked at him, sighed, and closed her eyes. “Are you sure about that? If this is what you want, you are welcome to stay with us for as long as you need…but from this point on, no one is making you stay; you may leave as soon as you wish. Now, I can’t keep the others waiting much longer, so you best make up your mind. You belong in the forest Chai, I’m sure you would be happier there….but it’s your choice." Chai looked at the forest as he shed a tear, and then turned to Dixie and sighed. “…I know…but my home, is with you at the farm…” “Very well, then.” the old dog smiled as they rejoined the group and headed home.

“Dixie would remind me from time to time that I could always go back to the forest, but…” He frowned, looking at the ground as they stepped over another root. “…Well, what good would it have done me to try and return to the forest? I got lost is how I came to the farm in the first place, if I went back, I would probably end up getting lost again, this time for good. And I had no family out there, for all I knew. And that was my fault anyway. I would be wandering out there, for no good reason to it all, there’s nothing out there for me, and I couldn’t even hunt, so I’d starve to death. I just wanted to forget the whole thing and stay at the farm where none of it mattered…” Rose blinked at him and frowned. “And now? Do you still feel that way” Chai grew silent. ”I don’t know..” he whispered. “I don’t know at all…The forest is a great place to live, now that I’ve tried it, but…I miss the farm, and Dixie, and….Oh, I don’t know what to do anymore…” He now looked close to tears. “Oh, not again…Chai, it’s okay…Dixie said you could return to the forest whenever you want, and…If you still wanted to go back to the farm, well…I’d be okay with that…it’s all your choice…and you don’t have to make it now, either. You have as long as you want to make up your mind; we won’t get to the other end of the woods until tomorrow, anyway. But until then, I can show you a good time here in the Great Forest.” She winked at him. “What do you say to that?” Chai blinked away his tears as best he could, and managed a weak smile. “Well…Okay, I suppose your right. As long as you’re here, I’m sure it would be fun. Thanks, Rosie, I know I blubber like a little kit sometimes…I’m sorry about that, I really am.” “Aw, it’s nothing. Even grown foxes cry sometimes. As a matter of fact….Just between us, I once overheard Ginger crying in her den, just like you do...” She giggled a bit at this, “But don’t tell her I told you that! ….And speaking of which”, she said, sniffing a tree trunk, “That’s a scent mark!” she said. Chai nodded knowingly, for they both knew what this meant - There was another fox nearby…

---End Part 9---

Well, I finally found some time and got the next part done. My apologies for the wait. I'll pick up the pace a bit from this point on...

---Part 10: A Golden Drop of Sun---

“Are you sure about this? I don’t want to get into any trouble, Rose..” Chai said, his ears pressed back. Dixie had taught him a bit about territories and marking, and that it was a bit like personal space. He knew not everyone wanted trespassers in their area of the woods. Rosie was more cheerful, as usual. “Come on, Chai!” she called, running ahead, “It will be fine. We’ll leave if asked, of course, but I hardly think there will be a problem.” She pointed a paw forwards. “Besides, I haven’t been this far out in a while, I wonder who lives here now?” Chai relaxed and nodded. “Okay, if you say so. Wait up!” He ran to catch up with her, unaware that they were being watched from above. Soon they came to a small meadow “Hey, let’s find something to eat, ok?” Chai didn’t know if it was alright to be hunting on someone else’s ground, but his stomach was beginning to grumble a bit. Rosie flipped her tail back and forth. “Sounds good to me. But I’m not sure where to look..” The two of them sniffed the air for any sign of food around. “I hear something nearby!” Rose whispered “Over there-“ “I got this one” Chai crouched down. “Wait for it….Now!” He did his best pounce, and came down with a thump. “Hey, Whoa, don’t eat me, please!” A voice rang out all of a sudden. Chai saw that he had caught a young racoon. Rosemary looked at it curiously, and then told Chai “Let it go; he’s a bit big for even the two of us. Anyway, what is a youngster like you doing down here instead of safe in the trees?” Chai released his grip and the racoon breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped back. “Whew, thanks, I thought I was a goner. A friend of mine – the one who’s territory we’re standing in – asked me to invite you two to hang out with him for a bit. It’s not all that often we get visitors, see?” The two foxes exchanged glances. “Well, Okay, why not. Right, Rosie?” asked Chai. Rosemary nodded in agreement. “Lead the way, um..” “It’s Patric, but you can call me Pat if you want. Follow me, kay?” The racoon led them to a dense cluster of bushes. Noticing the confused look of the foxes, Pat pointed through a small opening in the foliage, just large enough to crawl through, but hard to spot unless you looked closely. “Through here. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it’s doable.” The racoon then climbed a nearby tree and scampered across a branch before disappearing over the bushes. “After you, Rosie.” Chai offered. Rosemary giggled and squeezed her way through the opening, followed by her partner.

On the other side of the opening, the two foxes were amazed to see a beautiful clearing in the middle of the bushes. The ground was covered in soft green mossy carpet, and there was a tree stump in the corner with a roof of branches and moss, and a perfect-sized opening in the side. Sunlight poured in through a hole in the canopy and lit everything up with a warm soft haze which made the place seem almost surreal. “Wow…amazing..” Chai was awestruck at the sight of such a beautiful scene. Rosemary shook her fur as she looked around in wonder. “Who knew such a pretty little place was hidden among the brush.” “You like it? Welcome to my pad, you two!” Chai jumped a little at the voice, and then noticed a handsome male fox sitting by the stump. The stranger stepped forwards and chuckled. “Sorry, dude, didn’t mean to startle you there. You’ve already met my little buddy Pat up there,” He motioned with his head to where Patric was perched on top of the stump. “He’s the one who told me we had guests about in my territory. My apologies for not introducing myself right away, you two. My name is Teasel, but if you want you can call me T.” Rosemary flipped spoke up enthusiastically. “Thanks for the invite, Teasel, so very nice to meet you. I love your place, it’s so beautiful. My name is Rosemary, and this is my friend… uh, Chai?”

Beside her, Chai was silent in thought, as if remembering something. All at once he brightened up. Across from him, Teasel was clearly having the same reaction. “Teasel!” Chai exclaimed in joy. “Chai! Is that really you, Bro? I figured maybe Gin-girl was joshing me when she came through the other night all excited-like. And just when my day couldn’t get any better, it’s my long lost bro Chai, all alive and well!” Teasel and Chai circled each-other joyfully, while a happy Rosemary sat there watching them. “So you two are brothers? That’s great, Chai!” Chai was as excited as ever. “I’m so glad to see you again, T, how have you and the others been?” Pat spoke up from his perch. “You mean this is your brother Chai, the one everyone thinks was killed? The one Ginger was so excited about last night?” Teasel sat down. “Yep, that’s the dude, Pat. Isn’t it amazing? Hey, could you do me a favour, Pat, and go grab those gophers I cached earlier today on the north end?” “I’m totally on it, T, be back in a jiffy!” With that the racoon scampered off through the brush. “And you two lie down and relax, why don’t you.” The two of them curled up on the soft moss carpet. Teasel stretched out, and smiled at his brother. “Wow, dude, no one would expect to see you alive again after what happened two years ago. Everyone figured you were dead, that the coyote got you.” Chai sighed. “Yeah…Teasel, I guess I owe you and the others a big apology for making you worry like that…it’s a long story, what really happened. I didn’t know you guys survived after that.” Teasel seemed unfazed. “Hey, I don’t know where you’ve been all these years, but that doesn’t matter as much as the fact that your alive…when mother didn’t return, we thought we were goners until Sage showed up. We realized you were missing after he called everyone out.” “Who’s Sage?” Chai asked. Teasel smiled. “Oh yeah, you never met him. Sage is our uncle, Chai. He came and watched after us when he heard what had happened to his brother – our father. If it weren’t for him, we probably wouldn’t have survived. He was very smart, and with him around, we almost didn’t miss father; almost, anyway. You know, Bro, when Ginger or any of us became sad and cried because we missed you, he would tell us that he missed you too, even though he had never known you in the first place-” Just than Pat dragged in a few dead gophers through the entrance. “Thanks, Pat. Go take a rest if you want.” He turned to the others. “Eat up, you two; this is a special treat, on me.” As the pair of foxes began to eat, Teasel continued to speak. “But the thing was, coming from anyone else, it probably would have sounded like he was only saying it to cheer us up, you know?" Teasel smiled at them as he finished, "But when Sage said it…he really meant it; we could all tell that he really did miss you, Chai.” Chai looked up from his meal. "Wow...sounds like a great fox." T nodded in agreement. "Totally; We all miss our father, of course, but Uncle Sage is the next best thing to a father we could have had."

---End Part 10---

Whew, there goes annother part. Teasel and Patric are a pair, buddies, but more on that in the next part.

Another good writing, Ultra.
Can't wait for the next part

Well, I think I should be honest that I never actually took the time to read all this, or even start it, but I've read the first eight parts now. I just never found the time I guess, and there's so much to read. Starring at the screen so long can be horrifying to my eyes but I did read it now. It took me an hour to read that. I'll finish the rest tomorrow.

As for how it is now, it's very good. Keeps me entertained and wanting to read more (but my eyes hurt now). I did notice quite a bit of Faux Pas reference in the story, but I'm glad you didn't make it too much like the comic by making the second vixen the sister of the main character. I liked that idea.

Keep your imangination working

heh heh, glad you liked it, whenever you actually read it.

Yeah, Ginger could have turned out a lot like Dusk, but I really didn't need that element; first off, she is Chai's sister, second, romance isn't my first priority in this story. Plus, Dusk is just so unique, I didn't want to copy her.

You know, the real fun part is having over half a dozen foxes in the story, and trying to make sure each is unique, and not just another fox. I find it important in my mind that each fox is a bit different, memorable in thier own special way. I hope I'm doing a good job of it, tell me what you think.

BTW, There's a little easter egg hidden in Rosie's friend, Thurston owl - the name is actually a bit of wordplay on Thurston Howel III (think I spelled that right), the millionaire from Gilligan's Island, if anyone has seen that old show. Few other names I tried for the owl really worked for me.

I don't know about your eye's hurting. It's not my formatting, is it? I'm questioning whether I should continue doing that, or not. BOLDing every quote and such does get a bit...tiring at times. Do you think it really makes a difference?

I hope you'll continue this sometime soon; it's a great read. I'm interested to hear more about the other sibilings.

Anyway, my eyes only hurt because I didn't blink very much reading the story The bolding helps make it clear when they're speaking or not, though I recommend spacing the different character's dialague. Sometimes it's a bit difficult to tell who's speaking.

Glad you like it, WhiteFox!

You mentioned there were references to Faux Pas in your first post, I wanted to say, that if they're there, they probably aren't intentional. I'm trying to keep this my own original story, intsead of borrowing on others. That said, another friend who read this said it reminded him alot of 'Fox and the Hound'. But I betcha anything I've got more foxes in my story that 'Faux Pas' and 'Fox and the Hound' put together!

Anyway, Thanks for the comments, and I promise I'll continue the story ASAP. Knowing that someone out there enjoys my writing, is what really makes it all worthwhile to me.

Here we go, part 11 at last. I hope to have part 12 finished real soon.

---Part 11: Homeward Bound---

“…And that’s where I’ve been for the past two years, see?” Chai licked the blood from his dinner off his face as he finished retelling his story. Patric seemed almost unbelieving of Chai’s story. “So you survived two years with humans? How is that possible, man? Are you sure you’re the real Chai?” “Now that’s enough, Patric,” Teasel sternly looked at the racoon. “This is definitely my bro Chai standing here. Maybe those humans were….different somehow -I dunno. All that matters is he is here, now, right?” He nuzzled Chai affectionately. Chai nuzzled his brother back and smiled. “I’m glad I’m here, too, Teasel. It’s so different here in the forest. Different from the farm I grew up on, anyway. But in a way, this all feels sort of familiar, too. It’s all very confusing.” Rosie rubbed up against him. “I don’t know what the farm is like” She said. “I’ve lived here in the forest all my life, like T and Pat. And I really like it here. I never realised there were other ways to live besides this forest life, until I met you. So I guess it’s all very strange to me.” She smiled at him. “Try not to worry about it too much. I mean, as long as you’re here, you can enjoy the forest with me until you get home.” Chai smiled back at her. “Yeah, you're right. Thanks for the meal, Teasel, it was great. But I think it’s time Rosie and I got going."

“What are you planning to do now?” asked Teasel. “You are most definitely welcome to stay here and rest for a bit, anytime you like.” Rosemary looked at Chai; it was his decision. Chai looked hesitant as he spoke. “Well, I should get back to the farm. Dixie and the others are probably wondering what happened to me. T, you said Uncle Sage lives out west, right? We can stop and say hi to him along the way. We’d best get going pretty soon. How far is it?” Teasel nodded. “Sage lives a short distance west – if you started now, you could probably reach him tomorrow morning, if you walked all night. I think if you are feeling confused about things, Uncle Sage is a good fox to ask for help. He’s really smart, and I’m sure he could help you sort things out a bit. As for the farm, you know everyone thinks you’re crazy for wanting to head back to those humans, but if that really is where you want to go, I won’t stop you. But watch yourself, okay? Lately there is…I’m not sure…bad vibes, coming from that direction.” Pat chimed in, sounding as concerned as Teasel. “Yeah. Word is, something is strange is going on there, and I have a bad feeling about it.” T nodded in agreement, and continued. “We lost you once, Chai, and I, for one, don’t want to lose you again.” Chai frowned. “The farm is in that direction, so what if something has happened there too? I’ve got to get back there soon as I can, they might be worried sick about me.” “Don’t worry, Chai!” Rosie was more optimistic. “Even if Teasel is right, I’m sure we’ll be fine so long as we stick together and watch each other’s backs. How bad could it be?” Teasel smiled. “Just be careful, okay? Good luck with finding your home, bro. By the by, Ginger is also out that way somewhere, so say hi to her for me if you see her.” “Sure thing,” said Chai, smiling brightly, “and thank you again for the meal and everything. See you later, Teasel!”

“You’re in a great mood this evening, Chai.” Rosemary asked an hour later, as the two of them walked towards the sun in the distance. “Yeah,” sad Chai, smiling. “it was great to see my brother again after all these years. And Sage sounds really nice. I’d really like to meet him. And it’s great being with you, too, Rosie. I don’t know what I’d be doing without your encouragement right now.” Rose smiled. “Aw, it’s nothing. It’s been far from boring around here since I met you, Chai. I hope we can stay together for a while longer.” “Mmm-hm” Chai nodded, still smiling. He was a bit worried about what Teasel had told them about being careful, but he felt hopeful that it was just nothing…

---End Part 12---

The next few parts are going to make things much more interesting. Stay tuned!

This is could become a good book, either childrens or chapter book. I had to go back and read through some of the previous chapters to get my setting on track again. I think I'll just let a few chapters be posted before I leave comments though

Whew - It's time to take a short break from Chai and Rosemary, because not all the action is happening in the woods!

By the way, just a note, the time is evening of Day 2, roughly 24 hours or so since Chai arrived in the forest.

---Part 12: Barnyard Blues---

After eating dinner with Teasel, our two foxes continued their journey west, hoping to find Chai’s uncle Sage along the way home. Despite having been warned of troubling rumours about the final stretch of woods they had to progress through, Chai and Rosemary pressed on confidently towards their goal. Meanwhile, farther west, at a small farm near the edge of the woods, the atmosphere was considerably tenser…

It had been an exhausting last two days at the Andrews’ farm, and in the old barn, a relentless pad-pad-pad could be heard on the ground as Dixie, the farmers Old English Sheepdog, paced restlessly back-and-forth. “Oh, for crying out loud, Dixie, all your pacing in circles is driving me nuts. Y’all need to relax a little. You know there’s nothing we can do but wait, right?” Dixie sighed in exhaustion and sat down. “I know, Sandra but I just can’t help it. First Chai disappears, and now this…You know Farmer Andrews entrusted me with his care. Yet now he’s gone and vanished, and I can’t do a thing to help. I feel like I…like I failed, you know?” Sandra, A middle aged chestnut mare in the corner stall, shook her head and sighed. “Tsk, tsk…Dixie, you and I both know that losing Chai yesterday was none of your fault. There was nothing you could have done, nor is anyone blaming you for anything. Right now all the humans are doing their best to figure out what happened to him. You know you have other things to take care of in the meantime - Speaking of which, I believe I hear the farmer coming. Maybe this will take your mind off of Chai for a while.”

Dixie dashed over anxiously as the barn door creaked open, following the farmer as he stepped in, carrying with him a small plastic animal carrier. As he set the crate down in an empty stall beside Sandra, he gave his dog a scratch between the ears. “Here you go old girl. I’ve got an important job for you. This is the lady fox you found stuck in that leg hold trap a few hours ago. It’s a lucky thing you came across her when you did, or her leg wouldn’t have made it. It seems like a miracle, but her leg is still more or less in one piece; thing is, if she were to put too much weight on it right now, that bone would likely snap. You’ll notice the splint to keep the leg in place. She’s going to need some rest for the next three or four days, while her leg finishes healing. So for that time, the Wildlife Protection Committee has given us the okay to care for her. I knew they would; you know they were most pleased at our job taking care of that fox kit.” As he spoke, the farmer tidied up the barn, taking care to make sure that the stall the crate rested in was inconspicuous, so as to not stand out from the other stalls. Dixie sniffed the crate, which had the WPC emblem inscribed on it, then looked back up at him. “She’ll wake up any time now. The vets hat to sedate her in order to do anything with her without getting scratched and/or bitten; the poor girl was scared half to death. But I know you can calm her down better than we could.” He stroked Dixie’s fur. “Now listen, I have to go for a while. She’ll freak out if she sees a human when she awakes, and anyway, I need to go help Chip and the others with the search. Of course the WPC was very worried when they heard the news of Chai’s disappearance, and they are doing everything they can to help solve this mystery. Apparently, they think, um, you-know-who just might have something to with it – yeah, seems he’s back in town again. That’s why I want to keep this new little lady’s presence here on the low down, understand?” The farmer frowned a bit as he finished the sentence. At the mention of ‘you-know-who’, Dixie whined and looked at him with worry in her eyes. “Yeah, I know, it worries me, too, but nothing is for certain yet. Don’t worry, we’ll find Chai. We’ve got one of the best teams in the county working on it. Anyway, I’ll be back to check on you in an hour, and I’ll let you know how it goes. You’ve got food and water for you and the vixen, and you know my daughter Amy will be around in case you need anything else. Make me proud, Dixie, old girl!”

With that, he quietly stepped out of the barn, leaving the door a crack open. Dixie took a deep breath, and turned her attention to the plastic crate on the ground. It was just like that day two years ago, when that young fox kit had arrived. Only this time she was looking at a full-grown vixen with her foreleg bandaged in a splint. “This is going to be tough, Sandra. She’s from the wild. Most likely has never trusted humans, and all she’s just been through doesn’t help. She might not even want to trust me at all...” Sandra nodded. “Just do your best, hon. That’s all you can do. Remember, you did it with Chai, I'm sure you can do it again. And I'll be here to help you this time around. Now better pull yourself together quickly, Sounds like she’s waking up…”

---End Part 12---

Ooh, I can't wait to get part 13 done...

BTW, Dixie will probably elaborate a bit further on the farm's connections with the WPC, but I thought I'd note: The Wildlife Protection Committee, WPC, (lame name, I know) that Farmer Andrews mentions is, well I guess pretty self explanitory. the WPC's juristiction ranges across the entire county; they oversee all human activity in and around the forest, an important protected nature reserve in this area. They are an important body that works very closely with the farms in the area, and of course act as district rangers. They also function as the 'Humane Society'-type organization for this reigion.

Anyway, who is the new vixen at the farm? And who exactly is 'you-know-who'? Stay tuned!

Two new characters.... interesting. Doesn't sound like a good thing that he-who-must-not-be-named will be entering the story though. Keep it up.