Dark Moon

By BSW Kicho

The first book in the Fate trilogy, Dark Moon is a fictional story about four Packs of Swift Foxes that live in a crater in the middle of the desert called the Sacred Circle. The main characters of the story are Flinx and Azumi from the Kitsune Pack, and Ryou and Inko from the Lishka Pack. Both Ryou and Flinx are the runts of their litter, and the shunned in their Pack, and they would do anything to obtain the respect they deserve. Both go through the training and trials required to become warriors and true foxes of their Pack. And both are part of a much bigger picture, an ominous prophecy that had been told for millennia in the Sacred Circle; having references to the Fire, Flinx, the Light, Azumi, and the Shadow, Ryou. But their similarities end there. Flinx is drawn closer and closer to his calling and discovering his role in the prophecy through the fox s major deity, Tek Alena, and discovers he is more than just a fox in the Kitsune Pack. However, Ryou is drawn into the shadows of evil by the God of deceit and revenge, Tale Kex, and he soon discovers that he is called to not just gain respect in his Pack, but to rule supreme above all four Packs in the Sacred Circle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BSW Kicho
• Release date: Apr 15, 2013

Book preview

Dark Moon

BSW Kicho

Published by Black Butterfly Publishing on Smashwords

Copyright 2011 BSW Kicho

Kitsune Pack

Alpha:

Syra (sigh-ra): a valiant light colored vixen. She is the ultimate one in charge when organizing against raids; she puts together patrol parties, and leads all ceremonies. She is very dignified, but also has a playful side to her.

Beta

Jask: a sarcastic dark grey dog with striking black markings on his face. He would lead the Kitsune Pack if Syra were to be killed. He helps Syra organize strategies, calls out patrol parties and is in charge of the camp when Syra is on a patrol.

Whisperer:

(The Whisperer and his/her apprentice are separated from the rest of the Pack because they must speak to the Spirit Pack in silence)

Tryko: a quick-witted dog, he speaks with the Spirit Pack and heals any sick foxes of the Pack. He also speaks with Syra about prophecies he receives from the Tek’ Alena.

Hunters:

(They do all the hunting for the Pack, but if there’s a raid or another battle going on, they will help the warriors fight)

Lyana: a lean tawny vixen with green eyes. She’s the Alpha of the hunters.

Tyro: a muscular dog, he’s the Beta of the hunters.

Brax: a simple dog, he’s the muscle of the hunters. He’s good at listening to orders.

Ria: a small meek vixen and Lyana’s sister, she’s the brains of the hunters.

Grex: a yearling dog with slightly darker than usual belly. He’s the bottom of the totem pole, or the Omega dog, as he was just promoted to be a warrior.

Fighters:

(They do all they border patrols and usually head the fighting)

Yohan: Jask’s shy little brother; he was surprised, and excited to be named Alpha of the warriors. He’s in charge when Jask and Syra are gone.

Briyx (bri-ix): She is Azumi’s semi-albino older sister. She is meek and sweet and she is the Beta of the warriors.

Trist: he is a dark, mysterious dog with blue eyes, whom all of the vixens are in love with.

Lyox: a determined and somewhat critical young fox, he his actually loyal and tenderhearted.

Mayia (my-ia): though she’s one of the best fighters, being fresh out of the Kit’s lair and having a history of being a Whisperer, she’s the Omega of the fighters. She still helps heal foxes if she is needed.

Kit-Sitters:

(They take care of 4 moon old kits when the mothers are on patrols or hunting. They also help in fighting if the time calls for it)

Shera: a quiet vixen with pale blue eyes. She is a skilled fighter, but chose not to be a fighter because of her love for kits.

Xena: a cranky old vixen around older foxes. She however is an angel when she’s around kits.

Kit’s Lair:

(Vixens in kit or nursing kits. They are kept separate from the rest of the Pack for the sake of the kit’s safety)

Fauna: a sweet wallflower whom everyone likes.

Trainees:

(Foxes who are 8 moons old and in training to become a warrior. They are separated from all of the other foxes because they are undergoing a stage of discipline and cannot be distracted by the on goings of the warriors)

Flinx: a reddish colored dog who was the runt of the litter. His name was Flame before the coming of age ceremony. He is in training to become a fighter.

Azumi: an incredibly beautiful albino vixen with a sharp tongue and amazing fighting skills. She is in training to be a fighter.

Haku: (hah-ku) she is Flinx’s sincere sister. Her name was Feather before her coming of age ceremony. She is in training to become a Whisperer.

Deryx: Flinx’s oldest sibling, he has never made it easy on Flinx. His name was Bramble before his coming of age ceremony. He’s in training to become a fighter.

Cleasa (cle-sa): she is Flinx’s other big sister, who has nothing but dogs and kits on her mind. Her name was Swift before her coming of age ceremony. She is in training to be a kit-sitter.

Liam (li-am): a muscular dog who bullies Flinx. He is in training to be a hunter.

Yorik: a slender dog who bullies Flinx. He’s in training to be a hunter.

Foxes in other Packs:

Ryou (ri-u): the runt of his litter, he is a black dog with red eyes. His name was Shade before his coming of age ceremony. Lishka Pack.

Inko: she is a clever, though slightly shy, tawny vixen. She has liked Ryou since they were both small kits. Lishka Pack.

Ito (e-to): the Alpha of the Lishka Pack, he is a massive grey dog with broad shoulders. Lishka Pack.

Kinku: The beta of the Lishka Pack, he is a kind, yet fierce grey dog. Lishka Pack.

Silph: Ryou’s older sister, she is a brave, light colored vixen with bright amber eyes. Her name was Silver before her coming of age ceremony, and she became the Whisperer’s trainee. Lishka Pack.

Teryx: Ryou’s older brother, he was the tank of the litter, and always teased Ryou. His name was Thistle before his coming of age ceremony. Lishka Pack.

Vonik (von-eek): Ryou’s older brother, he is reserved and often viewed as cowardly because of his failure to voice his opinions. His name was Thorn before his coming of age ceremony. Lishka Pack.

Zyeke (zi-eek): The ambitious Alpha of the Yowu Pack.

Taj: The wise and valiant Alpha of the Alepou Pack.

An excerpt of Vulpine Lore

In the Beginning…

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth~ Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, there was darkness. The earth was suspended in a realm of shadows. This water dominated planet was at the time ruled by the coyote god Tale’ Kex. Tale’ Kex reined over darkness, deceit, and evil. To him, the earth was a good place. It is said that it reminded him of his own black heart, cold and lifeless.

A time of change was soon coming. Tale’ Kex’s sleeping sister, Tek’ Alena would soon awake from her millennia of slumber. As she looked down upon the earth, so black and lonely, she was filled with a great sadness seeing what her brother had created. She put it in her mind to make it better.

First she created a land upon the clouds high above earth, and stroked life upon it. She called this place Martel, the territory of Tek’ Alena and her Spirit Pack. On Martel, the silver ‘fyota’ trees grew tall, and the land was carpeted in the heavenly blue ‘velspar’ flowers. This place was perfect and good, and Tek’ Alena was proud to call Martel her creation and home.

She padded to earth through inky darkness and lapped up some of the water that covered the planet. This two masses of land appeared out of heaving waves, and Tek’ Alena called these two masses earth. It was from this earth that she would later use to create life.

Tek’ Alena plucked two hairs from her tail and flung them into the air, which then created two bright orbs of light. The brighter of the two orbs, was named Solis, the sun and it ruled over the entire day. The smaller orb, but no less beautiful, was named Lunar. Lunar ruled over the night sky, along with her children, the stars. And so was Tek’ Alena’s creation of day and night.

The land was brilliantly illuminated by Solis and Lunar, but was still bare and empty. Tek’ Alena gently stroked the land with her tail, and a multitude of greenery sprung forth. All types of flowers, trees, and all sorts of fruit-bearing plants were created. Tek’ Alena knew this was good.

Who would enjoy this beauty that she had created? Tek’ Alena made lean fish to dart amongst the waves, and the flitting birds to dwell amongst the trees and clouds. She blessed these creatures, and commanded them to multiply and fill the oceans and the skies.

What of the lush green land, still uninhabited by life? Tek’ Alena took some of the dust of the earth, and carefully formed that dust into the first four- legged creature. She formed two of each uniquely created creature, commanding them to go forth to the places in which they wished to dwell, and there multiply. Tek’ Alena smiled, for she knew this was very good.

She was aware that the beasts of the land and air would soon acknowledge their selected deities and gods. But who would forever glorify her, and never forget her creations and great deeds?

She took a strand of hair from her tail, and shaped it into a breathing replica of herself. She gave it a sharp snout, a soft, tawny pelt, and a luxuriously bushy tail. She gave it increased senses, intelligence and cunning. She gave it the unquestioned knowledge of all that was, and who she was. This was the first Vulpine, Fashia, birthmother of the four Great Packs. Tek’ Alena laughed, for this was good indeed.

Tale’ Kex did not agree, and he was furious at what Tek’ Alena had done to his realm. Tale’ Kex was so enraged that he created Zhekel, a giant condor who feasted upon the dead, and created terrible lightning storms with every flap of his mighty wings. Tale’ Kex told him to fly up to Martel, and destroy Tek’ Alena.

Tek’ Alena’s power was far too great. She ripped open the earth with her great claws, creating the Abyss, and flung Zhekel into the void. Livid at her brother’s intentions, Tek ’Alena stalked down from Martel, teeth bared, and banished Tale’ Kex to forever live in the Abyss as punishment for his transgression. The Abyss became the realm that Tale’ Kex grudgingly called his. There he grew a dark and brooding promise, a promise of revenge.

Forward

The clearing was empty. Not even a whisper of wind played through the slender blue flowers, or the hoary leaves of the gnarled trees. There was only silence in the still clearing. The black night sky with its millions of stars seemed within reach as the little flaming lights flashed and twinkled.

Suddenly the silhouette of a fox emerged from the trees. The vixen lifted her nose to the air before stalking all the way out from the forest. Her body was like a silent shadow drifting over the field as she padded to the center of the clearing. She looked to the sky and let out a single bark. The leaves rustled and flowers bent, as if by a sonic boom, before standing upright again.

At first her reply was nothing but silence. But then, dozens upon dozens of cunningly glowing eyes appeared from gloom of the silver forest, all fixed upon the proud figure in the center of the clearing. The vixen lifted her tail confidently and nodded to the multitude of gazes. Scores of foxes streamed from the silver-leaved trees. They assembled around the vixen, their eyes bright against their silhouetted bodies.

Summon the Alphas and the Whisperers, the vixen demanded.

All the foxes lifted their heads to the sky and let out a long, melodious howl. The trees’ leaves trembled and the slender blue flowers bended and swayed as if dancing to their elegy. The howl floated around the clearing, lingering in the air like a thick fog before melting into the night sky.

Out of the forest stepped eight foxes, two from each end of the forest. Every eye turned to two of the foxes in particular, a white-chest vixen and a dark grey dog. The white-chest vixen locked her dark brown gaze on that of the vixen in the center of the clearing. The two vixens held each other’s gazes unwaveringly, radiating calm and power. Finally, the white-chest vixen nodded tersely.

Why are they merely silhouettes? a young fox whispered from the opposite side of the clearing. His face was still soft and round with youth; his eyes bright and inquisitive.

These foxes are members of the Spirit Pack, the young fox’s mentor whispered. You see, the dead can see living foxes, and communicate with them as if they themselves were still alive, as though they were still breathing creatures. But the living can only see the dead as silhouettes, shadows of their former selves.

The eight foxes mingled within the Spirit Pack, sniffing noses and recognizing departed Pack members with whines and yips of happiness. The white-chest vixen sniffed noses with a large dog, wagging her tail.

When you died, I thought I’d never see you again. That was before I became an Alpha she said happily, tears threatening spill over. She closed her eyes, remembering the far distant suns when she was a simple warrior, when she did not have all the endless responsibilities and trials of being an Alpha.

I knew my death would not be the end of our friendship, the silhouette said. "Tek’ Alena intended for you to take my place for a very long time, it was known even before I became Alpha. You see, Triox was never meant to be made Alpha, or even Beta. Indeed he challenged you, but fate was always against him."

I have been Alpha for nearly sixteen seasons. It has been a long time since I fought Triox, Syra said with a dry laugh. After his defeat, I banished him and he joined the Yowu Pack. I expect that he will eventually become Beta, Syra breathed with a sigh. He always had ways of getting what he wanted.

The silhouette nodded, acknowledging Syra’s words before turning to the vixen in the center of the clearing. A single, sharp bark caused utter silence, as the vixen began to speak, Tek’ Alena has arrived.

No sooner had the vixen spoke, a powerful wind swept through the valley. Syra fluffed her pelt against the unexpected cold, and she hardly breathed, worried that if she did, she would ruin the moment. As quickly as the wind had moved, it vanished with a soft sigh.

Syra looked around at the surrounding silver forest. She narrowed her eyes in concentration, searching for something to depict Tek’ Alena; a waver in the air, a flicker of light, something.

The clearing was enveloped in a thick mist. Syra strained to see through the dense haze and swirling vapors, but she could hardly make out her own paws beneath her. The damp air clung to her fur in silver droplets.

With a clap of thunder, the mist disappeared. The fur along Syra’s back rose in alarm at the loud and sudden noise. At the head of the clearing, stood a sleek, muscular vixen; her blue eyes shone out against her shadowed body and the air around her quivered with insuppressible power.

Tek’ Alena, Syra whispered, as she bowed her head deeply.

The whole group of foxes bowed their heads in utter respect. Tek’ Alena lifted her head and uttered a demanding bark. All eyes were on her as she spoke. Her voice was like a gentle summer rain falling in a field of tall grass.

Fashia, Tek’ Alena called out to the vixen in the center of the clearing. You are familiar with the prophecies, as you were there when I wove them.

All eyes turned to Fashia. She was the first fox that Tek’ Alena ever