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Ivy turned her head back to look for a moment time ticking by at that cart that was trying to transport her to somewhere unknown. Luckily she escaped those filthy flesh bags. Only Tsalice knew where they were going to take her to. In the distance birds calls mixed in with the weeping of the wind diverted her attention back to that weird pine forest.
"Now I have to get out of here and find some food.", she muttered to herself while looking around searching for possible danger or food.
Her gaze fixed onto the unusual trees as they became more and more grand as she neared. Ivy felt the foliage crunch beneath her paws the earthly smell emanating from them calming her mind down a bit.
"Y… on…"
Ivy ears perked up the moment the noise hit her. "There is something in there, I don't know what and I don't really want to know."
Ivy flinched as her stomach started rumbling, reminding her of her immanent hunger. Groaning a bit, she dragged herself forward to enter the forest regardless. The smell of mold, dead leaves and bark all hit her at once the moment she took a breath to search for prey, for a moment her body was bolted in position overwhelmed by the strong scents. It took her a moment, but she quickly recovered, and her paws took her a bit deeper and after a bit she inhaled once again. What's that inviting smell? Prey maybe?
"You… one… ov… he…"
Ivy jumped up from fright and look around herself… Nothing to find. "What the hell is that voice it's the second time I heard it… It sounded like it was calling for someone or something. But now I lost that preys scent."
Her tail started lashing in pure agitation. Her silvery white coat snagged along the tickets and brambles of the thick undergrowth as she clumsily stumbled around looking for prey. "How could cats possibly even find prey in this undergrowth
After a bunch of searching, she finally caught wind of a prey's scent. Ivy focused on a distant bush. It crackled and a brown, furry plumb ball scurried out. A mouse. Ever so slowly she began creeping closer, her fur dragged silently over the ground, tail held low and every thought completely concentrated on catching that mouse, she kept creeping closer until she was close enough to strike. Extending her legs she hurled herself forward, her icy pelt brushing against the ground. Her jaws easily found their mark and snapped shut around its neck, as she heard the satisfying crunching of bone, she knew the prey was secured. "Got it."
Wandering around a bit before, she finally found a little hole. Eyes flickering with curiosity, she peered inside, jaw quickly dropping. It was rather spacious and comfortable. "At least I can stay here for a bit", She mumbled to herself. Ivy started curling her spent body down in a nearby hollow that was located in the back corner, once settled she eagerly began feasting on her prey. As the flavorful saps hit her tongue a wave of exhaustion befalls over her, and the moment Ivy finished her meal the world quickly faded to black.
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"Mom!"
"Yes my dear, what's the matter?" A honey sweet voice responded.
Ivy turned around staring at her mother her one and only. Her silvery white pelt glimmered with stars in the moonlight, her dark ruby eyes reflecting the warmth of a mother and all that radiated off her was a mother's pride. It took Ivy a moment to process the response, but she quickly threw herself at her mother squeaking with joy…
The snow glided down slowly from the heavens not in its usually cheerful chaotic way, more in a painfully slow controlled way. In the distance the cries of returning frost foxes were heard. "Mom is back, mom is back." Ivy's tiny paws try to keep up as she ran over as fast as her tiny legs allowed, right to the returning foxes only to stop dead in her tracks. The foxes… were all covered in crimson blood it clung to them like parasites, but that was far from why she actually stopped. Ivy's eyes were just staring at that sleeping fox that once so beautiful fox was laying there covered in blood eerily still.
"Mom, are you okay?" the words barely managing to leave her mouth as a whisper.
The other gathered foxes turned around and tried to lead her away, but she just waltzed past them to that sleeping fox… her mother. Ivy pushed lightly with her snout at her mother's belly, she nudged her, but her mother remained motionless, and she felt so cold, Ivy nudged her again… Nothing. She did it again but a bit more urgent… Still nothing. Then the realization hit her. She's… Dead.
"Mom! Please, I beg of you don't leave me! I will be a good girl, please come back. Please, I never want to be alone mom, I don't have anyone except you. Please… Why would you leave me?" choking on her tears she sank to the sad ground who embraced her, her knees finally losing to the onslaught of grief. "Please, stay with me."
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Ivy's eyes shot open, her breathing labored. Hitting her head against the wall in her desperate struggle for breath. But soon she finally got it under control. Her thoughts fixated on the dream. "Why mom… Why did you leave me? I promised that I would be a good girl." After Ivy recovered from the shock did she dragged herself outside.
"Young one over here!"
Ivy's ears twitch and pinpoint that annoying voice, she turned around before being greeted by a small rundown temple that she didn't notice before. Its walls were practically falling apart. Vines grew everywhere but what was most intriguing was that white glowing ball on the pedestal. Ivy carefully approached the weird crystal ball that flickering ever more brightly as she neared.
"Touch it with your nose."
There it was again that strange voice. Either way Ivy simply complied recoiling a bit at the cold contact with the stone. Her eyelids became heavy so she blinked to clear them. But the moment she opened them again she wasn't in the forest anymore she was somewhere else.
--Spirit world
"Behind you."
As Ivy shifted her body to look behind her, it took me a moment to process what she saw. A massive fox was facing her numerous tails were swaying gently behind it.
"Hello young one.", It called to her.
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New characters/character info.
Mom: Ivy mom is known in the frost fox tribe for her gentle nature and her honey sweet voice. Sadly, she is dead. But hey maybe she will return (probably not).
???: The fox introduced at the end next chapter more info ;-).
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Editor notes:
Hello I put a reference to a pretty popular book series in this chapter can you find it?