Iris was awake, watching the sun send streaks of pinks, purples, and oranges across the sky as it slowly climbed through the lovely colors. She had a wistful look on her face as she thought, I wonder if Basil can even see the sky from where he is...

She stared at her special rock on which she was carefully perched. She always hated doing this, but it was her Monday ritual. She counted the dark spots on her rock as she thought back to what had happened when the Great Division had started...

She then started to tell a story to herself, except this story was different. This story was true.

The words of her history book (the only book she had in the Vine Den) flashed through her head, "Once, the foxes and wolves were in peaceful harmony. The leaders of each species were great friends, and all was well.

"However, there was unrest throughout the wolves. Rumors and mutterings floated around, about a wolf called Sabre, about the uprisings in the northwest of the wolf territory. They said he was building an army and that he would soon lead it to the downfall of the Lupin Council. Yet no one realized that Sabre wasn't only in the northwest.

"He had minions throughout the wolven territory, and one special wolf got their claws into the Lupin Council's heads, turning them into Sabre's puppets, poisoning their minds. He claimed that foxes were unworthy and that they should begin a new age, with a new reign.

"Still, everyone was oblivious to that, especially the foxes. No one questioned it when the wolves invited them to the wolven side of Lupinox for their 50th anniversary of peace. Of course, the foxes went.

"Still, the foxes became confused, suspicious when only a quarter of the Lupin Council showed up. Yet no one noticed the foxes that were being snatched away. No one noticed the dark shadow in the back of a wolf called Sabre.

"Though the foxes were wary, they went on with the ceremony, not wanting to disturb the peace they had worked so hard to keep. They never suspected what was actually happening, not until the Lupin Council turned on them.

"In seconds, half of the Den Council was dead, and others severely injured. Chaos broke out, foxes stampeding away. The wolves snatched at the foxes, cackling as they trapped them.

"The foxes knew that even though wolves didn't have kitsunes, they had a large advantage of strength and size. So, they made a run for it. A few noble foxes stayed behind to let the others get away, and to this day they are still called the Noble Ones."

Iris felt a tear drip down her snout. The Great Division had happened two years ago, and yet she still had nightmares of it every night. She had been there, excited, not suspicious at all. She hadn't noticed how many foxes were missing. She didn't see it when her brother was dragged away. She hadn't realized that a single thing was wrong until the stampede started. She raised her snout, wet with tears, towards the rising sun. Iris closed her eyes and went on with her story...

"The foxes ran, ran, and ran. The wolves surely would've caught up to them, but they stayed behind, occupied with the prisoner foxes left behind. The foxes came to a stop at Lake Together, gaping at a pile of burning bodies. They were wolves, presumably the wolves that disagreed with Sabre and faced the consequences. The foxes continued their journey, choosing to not go through the Almost Uncrossable Mountains, as they had brought boats. They rowed across Lake Together, and they reached the cliff. As soon as they landed, the foxes went to the sides which connected them to the wolf territory and started digging in the earth to prevent the wolves from coming after them.

"Fueled by fear, the foxes managed to dig a sizable gap within a week, and continued back to their Dens. Since then, the foxes have improved the Breaks of the Great Division (also known as the Rapids of No Looking Back). Now, to be safe, foxes are kept in their Dens. Do not try to leave the den you are in (Vine, Fog, Viper, and Shadow), or else you will face the consequences."

Iris blinked, tears making her eyes go blurry, as she traced her claws over her rock. Suddenly, she felt like something was watching her. Iris spun around, but curse her clumsy paws, she fell in a heap on the ground.

Iris looked at the sky dizzily, shocked to see a reenactment of the Great Division being played out by bits of wisp. Did I hit my head too hard? Is there a kitsune here? But... all kitsunes that followed orders are now mindless zombies, so... if this is one, it would be from the rebellion...

Thinking hard, Iris almost didn't notice a miniature Basil fighting a large wolf, his features becoming more and more prominent as the mist grew thicker, until the miny-Basil could be Basil's identical twin, if not for its size. She watched in awe, enamored by the realistic illusions. Who is causing this? she wondered, watching Basil attempt to fight off his muscular captor. Are they just trying to spite me?

She began to notice that the more she thought about it, the more the illusions started to fade away, as she stopped concentrating on the growling shapes grappling in the sky. Oh no. One of Iris's worst dreams had come true... She was a kitsune.

What should I do?! Iris wondered frantically. I don't want to end up like Rose! Still, I don't want to have to keep this a secret. What if wisps start appearing unconsciously, like what happened today? I have to at least tell my parents. I can't know what to do by myself.

Once again, Iris found herself racing through the trees, her mind racing, yet this time not about Basil. She flew past the trees, her strides quickening with each step. She burst into the clearing with the dens, running into her den. She lifted her snout, sniffing anxiously for her parents, but they weren't there. Where are they?!

It's my birthday already?! Oh, no no nonono... This can't be happening! Where did they go?!

Iris was pacing in the food room when her kindly, benign neighbor, Petunia, poked her head in the tunnel. She was a tiny, talkative, bubbly fennec fox with white-tan fur who loved to smile. "Sorry for barging in! I saw you shooting by! What's wrong? That's the fastest sprint I've ever seen a fox run in thirty years! That's a new record, especially for you! So, where's the fire, sugarplum?" asked Petunia, beaming at her.

"Oh, hello, Miss Petunia. It's nothing, I... was worried that I would be... late," Iris replied lamely. Thankfully, Petunia didn't seem to catch her fibs. "I... didn't want my parents to miss me."

"Oh, not to worry, sugarplum! I saw them going for a walk. I happened to be going on a walk myself, actually. It's rather nice outside, don't you think? Your folks did seem to be in a rush, though. Didn't appreciate the weather at all. Muttering something about checking on you, in fact. If you don't want them to worry about you, you should head on after them. They headed down that way," Petunia chatted, pointing her snout towards Iris's reading nook. "It's been nice chatting with you, but I must go. Lots to do, lots to do!" her loquacious neighbor smiled, bouncing back out of the dark passage.

Iris sighed in relief. Now that she thought about it, she might've vaguely remembered zooming past her parents a few minutes before. She sat down, crossing her paws. They'll probably be back soon...

Sure enough, her parents burst into the room a minute later. "We were worried!" her mom cried, the fear in her eyes fading into relief.

"Sorry," she said, nuzzling them. Then she suddenly pulled back from the embrace, fear in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked her father, registering the fear in her eyes. His dark, intelligent eyes that matched hers perfectly scanned her face.

"I...I have something to tell you," she muttered, tapping her claws nervously on the dark, cold floor. Stumbling on her words, Iris got out, "I... I think... that.. I... I might be a kitsune."

Both of her parents eyed each other, conflicted emotions flashing across their snouts as they seemed to communicate with each other with their eyes. Iris was just beginning to wonder if it was a bad idea to tell them, when they both suddenly tackled her, pushing her into the far back corner.

"Sssh!" her mother hissed, looking over her shoulder, her paws holding down Iris. Eyes wide with fear, Iris nodded. "Okay." her mother whispered, flicking her tail to motion her dad to stand by the entrance outside. "You know that rebel group? The Lupin Destroyers?" Her voice became even quieter. Iris wordlessly nodded again.

"Well..." her mother continued in the same hushed tone, "Your sister joined them, remember? That was because she was a kitsune, too. That's part of the reason that she left. The Den Council will turn you into a mindless zombie, a husk of the Iris you are now, and we can't let that happen. Go join your sister. You can't stay here."

Iris stayed still, her mind wheeling from the load of information. WHAT?! "I know," her mother whispered, clearly mistaking her silence for not wanting to leave. "I hoped that you wouldn't be one, that you wouldn't have to do this. That if you kept on obeying the rules, you would be okay. Unfortunately, it's not meant to be. You'll have to vanish like your sister. Tonight."

Iris softly chuckled humorlessly. "It's not like I have any friends to say goodbye to." Not anymore, her brain whispered. That's why you have to leave. It's the safest way, even if you have to go to dangerous terrain. A sudden thought struck her. "What about you? Won't two disappearances from the same family be suspicious?"

Her mother smiled sadly, "Don't worry, we'll play the Basil card." Her eyes welled with tears. "You... you have to go. It doesn't matter what happens to us anyways." She gently let Iris up.

Her brave, selfless parents, protecting her as long as they could. "Okay," she whispered. "I... I'll meet up with Cobra Lily." Iris slowly got to her feet, shaking.

"Good girl," her mother murmured. "Hopefully we can see you again when kitsunes are no longer controlled. But first... could I see your magic?"

Iris sucked in a breath. She'd never done it on purpose before. "I... I'll try." She closed her eyes as her dad blocked the tunnel, watching it cautiously. She imagined mist and shadows wrapping around her, turning her into the first fox she thought of....

She opened her eyes and looked down as her parents gasped. She was the same black with red patches as her brother, Basil. If she looked like Basil, then she knew she would've kept the dark eyes that the two of them shared. I miss him...

"Turn it off!" her mother whispered frantically. Iris quickly imagined the mist curling away from her, and it obeyed. She looked at the way her parents stared at her and felt a pang in her heart. Sometimes it felt like her parents mainly cared for her older siblings. She shook her head. That was nonsense; her sanity was in danger! She had more important things to focus on.

"When I discovered it, it happened more like this," Iris whispered, the mist forming into shapes at her command. She created her family, sitting together, happy, almost as if they were all together and nothing had happened. The miniature family smiled at her. She smiled back, before pulling the mist back apart, feeling it curl away. She then promptly collapsed into a sitting position, feeling faint.

"Well..." her mother said, clearly shaken, as she helped Iris up, "You can use your powers to aid you on your journey."

Iris looked at her parents once more. This might be the last time I ever see them again. She had to make it count. Iris tackled them to the floor, nuzzling them. "I'll miss you," she said. "I'm going to grab the map and get ready..." she murmured, glancing towards the opening.

"I love you," she told them, before stepping out of the room, going back towards the clearing. She squared her shoulders. It was time to be Brave Iris, whether she wanted to or not.