Chapter 7

   MoonFox stood on the highest ledge, where her chief slept. She now stood next to her chief, waiting for her to start the meeting. Down below, the foxes gathered, speaking about MoonFox's acceptance. She could see some stares, the stare of hatred. That's the glare StormCloud was giving her.

   Her chief then howled across the clearing, and everyone stopped to listen. SnowWinter signaled for MoonFox to speak.

   With her fur bristling, she took a deep breath, "StarSkulk has decided to accept me. They gave me the name Moon for the shape on my forehead, resembling a crescent moon. They gave me the name fox, for something that is yet to come. I am now known as MoonFox. To learn who I will be, I will need a mentor. FrostFur will lead me to that."

   She looked around, to see if she could tell who he was. She saw a fox, standing beside a den looking at her with welcoming eyes.

Then SnowWinter spoke, "as you all know, Peace Day is tomorrow, and on that Peace Day is the first day of spring. Now I must choose who will go. As always, the Proxy, Healer, Healer Trainee, all the Seniors, And I always go. Then I will have SharpFang, ThickCoat, WhiteCanary, PebbleStone, HawkFox, and BreezePup. I believe all of you will represent your ranks well. Meeting dismissed."

As the other foxes left to there duties, MoonFox watched an older pup jumping up and down happily. That must be BreezePup. MoonFox walked down the rock, to where WishFox was waiting for her.

WishFox spoke sadly, "SharpFang said he'll train SkyFox, while GleamingFur watches over both of us, as we show you around and who is everyone."

"Does FrostFur know?" MoonFox asked.

WishFox flicked his tail to where SharpFang was speaking with another fox. "That's FrostFur."

MoonFox nodded and she followed him towards another fox sitting down. "Hello MoonFox, I am SkyFox's teacher, GleamingFur." The vixen said in a gentle voice.

"SharpFang wanted to do SkyFox's first fighting session, so that is why he is not here. FrostFur is also busy, and can't teach you for today. WishFox will join us, to help you get the feeling of training with another fox. As for today, we will give you a tour of the camp." GleamingFur barked.

MoonFox nodded her head politely.

GleamingFur flicked her tail towards the highest cliff, "That is the chief's den, as you already know. The one nearby it, is where the Proxy sleeps." GleamingFur then walked over to the cliff, and climbed up a ledge, with MoonFox and WishFox following. "The cliff below the Chiefs and Proxy's den has three dens," GleamingFur said as she passed. "This is the Fighters den... The Protectors Den... And the Hunters den."

They then went back down to the lowest level. They walked over to a hollowed out tree, beside the tunnel. "This is where the Healer's den is. The Healer Trainee can sleep here or in the Trainees den." GleamingFur said. "Many plants also grow beside it. In this giant leave shade, is where the Seniors sleep."

   Two seniors lay in the bedding, the reynard spoke, "Hello MoonFox. I am MuffledFur. I was once a proud Fighter of this skulk..."

   GleamingFur nodded, "Yes I remember. You were a fine fighter when I was just a pup."

MuffledFur gave a warm smile, "Now I have many battle stories to tell. How about you sit and listen."

   The other senior then spoke in a raspy voice, "Quiet down, now will you?" The older vixen then got up angry, and left."

   MuffledFur chuckled, "That is BugEye. Now sit down so you can listen."

   MoonFox sat down beside WishFox, curious for the story.

   MuffledFur took a deep breathe, "I was a strong senior fighter. SnowFlake had just became the Chief And was looking for a proxy. This time, the Chief could not choose from young SnowShimmer, or me. At the time, SnowShimmer and I both were super ambitious. SnowFlake had decided we must fight for the place of Proxy. I easily beat SnowShimmer, leaving her very weak, and I just had a few scars. SnowFlake stopped the fight. And I will always remember her wise words till this day, 'SnowShimmer will become my Proxy, for this loss, will make her work harder then anyone before.' That is why winning, doesn't always make you the greatest chief."

Now they were all wagging there tails, even GleamingFur. MuffledFur laughed at there movements, "I see you all are good listeners. Usually a good listener has a kind heart. As for you MoonFox, you will start to learn lots about our history."

MoonFox nodded her head, thanking him.

GleamingFur stretched out her paws, "Now let's continue our tour."

They waved there tails goodbye to MuffledFur and walked over to the opposite side. There was a smaller den, with leaves covering most of the entrance. She watched as three pups played outside, almost the size of her.

One shouted, "I am the great Winter, and only one of you can become the next chief!"

   A slimmer reynard barked, "I am FrostBite, you better watch out for my fangs!" Then he pounced on the other. The other stronger pup easily threw him off.

   The adult fox watched in amusement, as she wrapped her tail around another pup.

"This is the nursery." GleamingFur said. "The leaves help the den stay warm. Pup-Mother's can stay here until there pups have ranked up from a trainee. But some choose to ask the WaterFall to leave while they are trainees."

   The pup-mother pushed the pup beside her with her tail, and walked over to them. She nodded her head in greeting, "Hello GleamingFur, WishFox, And MoonFox. MoonFox, I am LightSong, the youngest Pup-Mother at the moment. Those are my children, the slim reynard is SlyPup, the vixen with shiny fur is MilkPup, and the stronger built one is BreezePup. I am so proud of him for getting picked."

GleamingFur nodded, "They are beautiful pups. I hope that I can have my pups of my own one day."

LightSong wagged her tail, "Thank you." She then switched her gaze towards MoonFox. "Another Pup-Mother is PebbleStone who is currently nursing her pups. She has one reynard named SparrowPup, and a vixen named PoisonPup. It will be another star until she quits nursing them. As for mine, they still have two more stars left to become trainees."

   LightSong looked back at her pups smiling as they played. "ShinyPelt is SkyFox's and WishFox's Mother. She is helping PebbleStone with her pups. As for the other Pup-Mother, ShiverSky, she is out doing hunting duties instead, since it is only two moons until her pups leave the trainees den."

MoonFox then asked her, "ShiverSky is HawkFox's and GentleFox's mother?"

LightSong nodded her head. She saw as her pups started playing more fiercely. "Well I have to go now." LightSong barked, "I don't want to waste to much of your time." She waved her tail goodbye, and walked back over to her pups.

GleamingFur then continued, "You already know the tunnel, and found the trainees den, and the prisoners rock?"

MoonFox nodded.

GleamingFur flicked her tail to a pile of prey. "This is they Prey Pile. We keep our food here to eat. If no one eats it, we store it underground beside it."

They watched as three foxes entered the camp with prey. "That is the sun rise hunting party. They were not here for your naming ceremony, but the news will spread quickly. The two leading, the one with big ears is RabbitEar, and the other is MountainPeek. The one behind them is WhiteCanary."

   The three foxes dropped there prey in the food pile. "I bet you two are hungry as I am." GleamingFur barked.

   The two trainees nodded happily. They then picked out food to eat. WishFox and MoonFox shared a plump mouse together, while GleamingFur ate a squirrel.

   MoonFox saw as FrostFur walked over to them. He went to sit beside GleamingFur. "What have you guys been doing?"

   GleamingFur licked his ear, "I've just been showing MoonFox around camp, and letting her meet others. Then I had WishFox join us."

   FrostFur looked towards MoonFox, "I know I wasn't able to train you today, but tomorrow, GleamingFur and I can show you guys and SkyFox around our territory."

   MoonFox jumped up happily, "Yay!" She shouted out excitedly.