FSE

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Soft, golden light shimmered into the room from within the small glass chambers of the hourglass. She had seen these kinds of contraptions before, but this one was very strange, mainly because the sand glowed and defied gravity as it floated into the top-most chamber. It had been a gift, along with a small set of books bound in red leather that had taught her how to read. Well, there was the other reason she could read, as well...

"Are you listening to me?"

"Not really." The fem fur said with an exasperated sigh

"You know, the sooner you learn the basics, the sooner you can get out."

"Like I want to listen to rules and follow rules from people who locked me in a room for however long?" Aellai huffed as she pointedly fixated her attention on the glowing grains of sand. The other person in the room, a rather shaggy and unkempt fox with fur the color of dirt that had gone through an extended drought and wore heavy, forest green robes. His name was Baurus, and he was actually very nice, besides the fact that he didn't like talking. At all. He preferred his books, and could talk of books for hours on end, which she didn't mind that much. Reading was kind of fun, anyway. Baurus heaved a long sigh, "It's been two and a half months, two weeks of which we waited so your body would have a chance to get used to it's new race, and the various other forms that came with it. The rest of the time you have been here; two months total, could have been halved if you would just show a certain amount of decorum and follow some simple traditions. Such as eating at least a bite of food when it is offered. It's common respect."

"I'm not hungry."

"And to not lie! you've barely eaten enough to keep yourself alive! Look at you!"

"But I'm not." Aellai said, though she was quickly betrayed when her stomach protested quite loudly at it's lack of contents. If her fur wasn't already blood red, it would definitely show the rising heat in her cheeks. And in truth, She knew he was right. "Would you please, just take care of yourself? If you ignore everything I have said this entire time, I would take great joy and pass on the recommendation to get you out of here if I simply knew you wouldn't be starving yourself." Baurus said, and with a great amount of empathy behind the words. She could tell that he truly cared for her well-being, for whatever reasons, he truly did care. Which was comforting, much more comforting than an hourglass of light in the perpetual darkness. The nostalgic feeling welling up in Aellai's emotions was almost too much. "I have been listening."

"Must we go rounds on the lying subject?"

"N-no. I have been listening. About how Kitsune are supposed to be the- the... Oh I hate big words..."

"Epitome."

"Yeah, that one. The epitome of the Society, and how I am supposed to be outside of the five clans, and be what links us all together. That I... " Aellai broke off, staying silent for a few seconds and throwing her hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh, "I don't like using these big words. I'm not smart enough for this."

"'...Transcend common laws of the clans, that Kitsune might be untethered, yet bind us together.' You have been listening. If only to the basics." Baurus sighed before standing and moving to the door. "You are the most willfully stubborn creature I have ever met, you know that? I'm not entirely sure whether this is the reason why I prefer my books or not. Now you just need to eat, but that can be improved upon." Baurus walked over to the wall that wasn't entirely a wall and knocked on it thrice. The sound of grinding stone quickly filled the room, before the wall was once again a wooden door, standing prominently ajar. "I will be sure to pass along this information. And quit putting yourself down, you are smart enough. ." And with that, the door was closed. But it stayed a door this time, which was a change. Hope filled the twelve-year-old Kitsune's heart, but it didn't take long to be replaced by the bitter resentment that had stayed in her soul since that day in the forest, that already seemed so long ago...

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"Hey, wake up." It was her guard, or her personal food-carrier, she wasn't sure. Whoever he was, he roused her at the same precise time each morning, and each time he had something else to feed her, and each day the food only seemed to look better. Today, it was meat, Pork, if she remembered the name of the protein correctly. They had stopped naming things for her after they realized she wouldn't eat. Besides the generous cut of food was a piece of yellow bread that crumbled and was quite tasty, and something that was fluffy and was yellow with bits of white all in it that she didn't quite like the taste of. It didn't matter, she ate it all today, much to the surprise of the other fox, who walked out mumbling something about getting more food. But, Aellai couldn't have eaten another bite, as good as everything but the fluffy-stuff was. In truth, she wasn't quite sure why she didn't eat all the time. It tasted far better then the food she had grown up eating. The morning passed in this way, with Aellai debating various subject in her mind, such as what she intended on doing when she got out, if that ever happened. After two hours of such slothful activity, the opening of the door broke Aellai from her reverie.

It was Baurus, holding a small cloth bag with nothing inside. Beside him stood a small woman with a pad of paper, who shifted uncomfortably when she was looked at. "So, you decided to eat?"

"I guess."

"Well, between our conversation last night and the debates of today, you are to be released into the Society."

"Really?!"

"Under one condition, one you probably won't like."

"What is it? I'll do anything to get out of here."

"Keep that thought in mind. During the debate, the matter of your entrance into the public forum could cause waves. After all, you were a human. The only people who know of your existence are the elders, myself, the guard stationed outside of your room, and one of our other scribes such as myself, Verin." He gestured to the young fox fem at his side, "Because we want things to go as smoothly as possible for you, we need everyone to believe you have always been a fox of the Society. Kitsune children are usually not known in the public forum until they go into the Academy, which you are the perfect age for. We intend on putting you into the normal studies a Kitsune would go through, but there is one catch..."

"Your name is to human." Verin piped up, finishing the diatribe quickly, then blushing and apologizing profusely for being rude.

"You want me to change my name."

"Yes." Baurus said, looking a bit sheepish.

"Into what?"

"That is why I am here." Verin said, stepping forward. "I have compiled a list of names that would fit both the plan, and yourself. For you to choose from." She proffered the pad of paper. On it were a variety of names, as Verin had said. After sitting there and sounding out all the names as best she could, she raised the paper and pointed at one in particular.

"That one."

"Brenna?"

"No, Ilethia." She said, causing Baurus to chuckle. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. I just find it funny that you choose the one that means 'truth'."

"I don't care, if I have to change my name, I want one that sounds good."

"Well then, I guess it's settled. Verin, go make sure the records keep track of an Ilethia, I'll fill her in on the rest of the details and make sure everything else is in accord." Baurus said, though most of it was said to empty air as Verin disappeared like smoke in the wind. "I hate how she does that." Baurus sighed after he realized she had gone so quickly, handing the cloth bag to the newly renamed Ilethia. The two quickly packed up the few possessions of hers, all the while Baurus talked.

"Now, you need to keep up a story if people start asking things about you. If they ask anything that deals with where you come from or anything like that, you were born to two wine-vintners, who are now both deceased because of a tragic accident beause of a business decision to expand to the forest floor. They died while you were young from a human raid, and you really don't know anything about them other then that. After the accident you became a ward of the elders for obvious reasons and have lived a sheltered life since then. Just keep this story in mind, and you'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Hey now, don't get sad or scared. You'll do fine."

"But what if I'm not good enough?" Ilethia said, which earned her a stern glare.

"Now what did I say about that?" Baurus practically growled. "You are smart. You are important. You are strong in ways others only dream of. If anyone can do this, it is you." And with that, all protests subsided. except for one...

"Will I still get to see you?"

"And here I thought you couldn't get rid of me fast enough." Baurus chuckled with a smile as he shouldered the small pack. But no answer was given. Baurus only ushered her out of the room and into lighted wooden hallways. As the duo walked away from the room, the door shut and began it's transformation back into stone, and the grinding noise that had been so omnipresent in the past two months faded away for the last time.

The hallways really were strange, however. The floors were the only finished surface, flat and smooth, and covered with a coating of something hard and clear that made the floors extra shiny. The walls and roof, however, were roughly made, and looked as though they were carved of living wood, as the odd twig or small branch grew out of the walls at random intervals. The doors were no different, though they looked as if they had grown into random murals such as running deer and other assorted nature scenes. After a two lefts, a right, and the odd long winding hallway here and there, and a flight of stairs that they had to take a break on, they came to a door with a scene of a water fall, pouring into a still pool surrounded by trees. "So...Why are we here?" Ilethia said as she peered at the scene

"How long were you in the cell?"

"Two-and-a-half months."

"Exactly." Baurus said as he knocked on the door, and then turned around and pointedly fixed his attention on the wall. It took less then two second for the door to burst open and a pair of young female foxes, just slightly younger then herself and with the purest white fur, rush her into the room and then slam the door behind them. Inside was a woman that shared a very close resemblance to the two girls, though she had a much more stern look on her face. before her stood a tub of steaming hot water and various brushes, bottles, and materials that Ilethia wasn't familiar with. "Well, you don't look like much. Baurus said to expect feisty." the elder fox said as she folded her arms across her chest, "Now we can either do this the easy way, and you can get in the tub and let us do the rest so you can get on with your life, or we can do it the hard way, and you won't like the hard way." It took Ilethia a very short time to throw off the torn clothes that she had worn since being locked in the cell, and then get into the near scalding heat of the water.

The elder woman quickly set to work, ordering the two younger girls as they set about cleaning her, brushing out the mats caused by the original two weeks when she had bled because of the violent seizure-like transformations, then using a variety of the bottles in various combinations, the first one making a white bubble substance that they rubbed into her fur then washed away, then a much slimier substance that they made her get out of the tub to put on then sit for a few minuets before they washed it away. By the end of the fifteen minuet period, Ilethia was cleaned, brushed, and put into a type of clothing she had never seen before, let alone the material. It was made of a cloth that felt really cool and soft against her fur, and was as white as the fur of the three in the room with her. But the clothing itself, they called a dress. It was a single piece, unlike the usual tunic and pantaloons she was accustom too. It clung to her frame from just below the shoulders and tightened via laces at the back, which the elder fur pulled so tight it was hard to breathe, and the rest flared out and hung towards the ground from the waist down, until the cloth stopped just below her knees. In summary, after the elder fur pushed her in front of a large piece of reflective glass, Ilethia found a very cute fox girl, with blood red fur the was long enough to show a little bit of curls in it, red hair to match the fur with far more curls and far longer, in a white dress that made the red fur look like blood on freshly fallen snow. Her two tails began to wag excitedly as she turned towards the elder fur. "Thank you, I really like it." Ilethia said. The woman's expression softened slightly and a small smile escaped as she nodded, but the stern face returned quickly as she ordered the two young foxes to "Get her on her way." and Ilethia was shoved out the door.

As the door slammed shut once more, Baurus turned around, and his face quickly brightened into a smile as he took her by the arm and started back down the hallway. "Freida and her daughters always do a good job. I just hope she didn't get too mad at you. Obviously not since you look as nice as you do. I figured you'd be a pretty little thing after you got cleaned up and put into a nice dress." Baurus chatted idly as they walked down the strange hallways. It wasn't long before they made a left and entered the main hallways.

It was a rather abrupt change, while the walls and floors remained the same, the hallways became wider and the roof soared beyond sight, they became filled with people, foxes of all sizes, shapes, and colors. All of them wore brightly colored clothing with the symbols of the five fox clans printed boldly on the shoulders. All of them smiled and either bowed or made a gesture of greetings to Baurus and Ilethia as they passed, all showed respect as they meandered on their way or talked idly with acquaintances. "Where are we now?"

"The Hall Of Forums, this is the central hub of the city." Baurus said, his voice almost becoming lost in the drone of the hundreds of voices, "This is where nearly everything begins. Where merchants speak of deals, transactions, and make business arrangements, where philosophy is spoken and deals made. You'll get used to this place, trust me." But Ilethia wasn't so sure she wanted to get used to here. Yes, the hall was beautiful, with it's huge, carved murals, and glowing lanterns with flame that floated and burned nothing, but the overall loudness and dizzying array of colors was giving her a headache.

"Are we close yet?"

"Almost, We just need to go through the doors up there and it won't be much further after that." Baurus yelled. They were just past the center of the Hall, and the reverberations of all the talking rebounded from the rounded walls and distant ceiling, then headed right back to the center. The doors Baurus spoke of were not too far away, and stood wide open to admit newcomers and release it's prisoners at the same time, and after a few minuets of clearing the way, Ilethia and Baurus escaped the crammed hall and outside of the doors.

After the cloistered, stuffy heat of the Hall, and the stint of time in the cell, being outside was a refreshing blast of cool air, as well as one of astonishment. Ilethia gasped as they walked out of the doors and onto a large catwalk that branched out in five different directions. They were also VERY high up. The Hall, and all of the rooms and hallways they had passed through, were carved out of the insides of a tree so tall and so wide, she couldn't see the forest floor and couldn't see where the tree started to curve. The catwalks leading off into five different directions were just as high, and the trees almost of the same size, but not quite. The breeze was a constant cool blast that was blowing just hard enough to ruffle Ilethia's hair and catch the hem of her dress in the wind. Sunlight, real, lovely, beautiful sunlight filtered through the leaves and left various patches of light and dark all over the catwalk. Overall, the sight was... beautiful "Oh...Wow..." Ilethia said as they walked down the center most catwalk.

"It is beautiful, isn't it? Best view of all the Societies."

"You mean there are more?"

"Of course! And they aren't just foxes. The wolves control the plains that are our north border, and are our closest allies and rivals. The bird men hold the cliffs and seas to the west. We have tried to have talks with the humans who live in the forest and control the other border and negotiate peace, but they are far too... xenophobic. They think the Societies are just bands of monsters or demons that need to be burnt out. Your village is completely surrounded by the forest and has no contact with the outside, which is where we have tried to start diplomatic relations with them to start, but we get the same results."

"So, we- humans...Are bad?"

"Not necessarily, just afraid. "

"But people don't like them, do they?" Ilethia said, eliciting a sigh from Baurus.

"No, they don't. Which is why we are being careful with you."

"But isn't there a way to get them to understand?"

"We've tried. All they see are demons and evil spirits. Maybe in time." He said with a sigh once more. The rest of the walk was in silence, though the view continued to be beautiful. It wasn't long before the trees began to grow in clusters of three and four and the civilization made itself apparent. The catwalk expanded into promenades that would span the clusters and meet up with others, making a completely level flooring that crossed each open gap and made those who stood far enough away from the edge feel as though they were on the ground itself. the buildings were unlike any Ilethia had ever seen, with buildings going three and four stories high. Glass windows were everywhere, instead of just the few nice houses, and the roofing was of tile instead of the thatched roofing that was used everywhere in her home village. And besides the architecture, the sheer magnitude of people in one place astonished her. "Hey." Baurus said as he jostled the arm that he had a hold of, breaking Ilethia's reverie. "This is just one of the five clans, the other four are housed in areas just like this one. This is Clan Sune, those that claim the greatest dominion over magic among all the clans, though the other clans send their magically gifted sons and daughters here to learn magic at their Academy. That is where you will be training."

"Where is that?"

"That tree, right there." Baurus pointed, "Your training will start in two weeks time. When the rest of the clans are certain they will send no one else. you won't be the first early arriver, so take advantage of your time. Meet people, make friends, learn a little before the education really starts. It will help you in the long run."

"I hope so..."