It had been two months, and the fox had already explored around the den. She had found squirrels, snails, birds and bugs of all kinds. Some she had eaten, others she played with. Her curiosity was endless, as was her energy. She even sometimes found strange herbs that glowed, though when she tried to show her siblings, they only said they smelled like danger.

The day was bright and sunny, winter had just broken and she was excited to explore. Her siblings were just as excited, but they had an edge of weariness to them. They were not quite ready to leave sight of the den for more than a few moments. But with prodding from their youngest sister, the golden-eyed fox, they explored. They didn’t want to be outdone by the smallest, youngest, and weakest of them all.

The Kits ran and played, jumping over rocks and squeezing under trees. Further and further they got from the den, yet they stopped worrying as they played. Sometimes they chased butterflies, other times they rolled in the spring grasses. They even splashed in a small stream, though they quickly left as the water was still ice cold.

Further and further they got away from their den, led by the kit with golden-eyes. She was the most playful, the most curious, and the most excited to explore. She sniffed at the strange glowing plants, climbed trees and yipped at the wild doe they came across. She stalked then chased mice and stared up at the clouds. The world was her playground, and she feared nothing. For she was special, even if she didn’t know it yet.

Eventually, the Kits began to tire, all except the one with golden eyes. They began to look around, trying to find their way home to eat and nap, yet they did not recognise where. The trees had thinned and flowers surrounded them. When they tried to sniff out their own scent, to follow their trail back home, but all they got was pollen, making them sneeze. Even the fox with golden eyes could not see the way home. She had spent too long looking up at the sky and at the strange glowing flowers to know the way home.

And so, the kits all gathered up under a large tree, digging at the roots to make a small den of their own. Yet their claws were small, and they barely dug a hole at all before they tired. So they piled into it, laying atop each other to keep warm as they chewed on the grass to ease their growling stomachs. They yipped and cried for their Mother and Father, knowing not what else to do. They had always been told to stay quiet, lest a wolf find them, but they were desperate.

All the but one with golden eyes. She was different once again. For she had seen something. In the centre of the field, there was a flower that glowed. Unlike the others, this one wasn’t blue or red or green or brown or yellow. No. This one was gold. Vibrant and shining like none she had ever seen before. It made her heart race and her hunger grow. Yet, this wasn’t the hunger of her stomach, but something else. Something more.

She walked slowly, staying low like her Mother had shown her. Stalking through the grass like she had stalked the mice before chasing them. She heard her siblings calling her back, but she ignored them. She needed this flower, and instinct had taken over her.

Grass parted around her snout and pollen, flowers and thorns all got stuck in her coat, yet she did not care. She did not avoid the thick patches or follow the small trails used by other animals. No, she had to take the most direct path, her instincts wouldn’t let her do anything else. She needed this flower, and her attention would not be taken from it for anything else.

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Soon she had reached the flower. It stood alone, with no grass or flower growing close to it. Half a meter in every direction was barren ground. The flower glowed gold along the petals, with silver glowing softly in the middle. The gold far outshined the silver, yet when she sniffed the air, it smelt both of the summer and the winter in equal measures. Warmth radiated from the gold, while the silver seemed to steal it away. They both stood in equal measure, in perfect harmony with each other.

The flower itself was rather plain-looking. White petals with a yellow centre. A normal-looking field flower. Yet it held something powerful inside it. The golden-eyed fox wanted it, needed it. Slowly she crept forward and ate the flower in a single bite. Energy flooded her body, both searing hot and icy cold mixed inside her. She cried out, and rolled on the ground, tears filling her eyes. Power raged inside her stomach, tearing her apart. Yet her physical body was unharmed.

She knew not how long she lay on the ground, her breathing heavy as the energies tried to rip her apart. It finally ended when something pushed through a barrier, and then it washed quickly through two more before slamming up against another barrier, this one thicker than the others. Though this fourth one barely held, it did still hold. She felt at once both stronger, and oh so much more tired. As if it was her very soul that was tired, while her body was full of energy.

That is when she heard the screech. She quickly jumped to her feet and turned to face the threat. It was a monkey. This one was larger than normal, she had seen them play in the trees around the den, picking fruit and throwing stones at each other. This one was again half the size of a normal money. Its fur was as white as snow, and its eyes as red as blood. And it was angry at the golden-eyed fox.

The kit stood frozen as the monkey advanced, screaming with its fist raised to squash the tiny animal. Yet, right before it landed the blow, a blur of red slammed into the monkey, knocking it back. It was Mother. Father was right behind her, leaping at the monkey and clenching its jaws around the neck of the monkey. Yet, the fur was too thick, and the teeth of the fox too small. Father was grabbed and thrown away, fur being ripped from the neck, yet no damage was done.

Mother tried again, this time aiming for the less protected wrists. She clamped onto the wrist of the monkey, who howled in pain. The rage in its eyes grew and it raised its fist. An energy, golden like the flower, appeared around its fist. With one swing, Mother went limp. Blood leaked from a crack in her skull, and she did not move as the monkey's foot came up and went down.

Father screamed and lept, going for the throat once more. Too enraged to think of anything else other than the killing blow. He grabbed hold, the thick hair once against preventing the killing blow. This time the fist went up again and glowed. The golden-eyed kit knew she had to do something, anything.

The energy that swirled around inside of her answered her call. It flowed through her body and materialised above her head in an orb of gold and silver, swirling around together, never mixing or overpowering the other. Though she could not see or feel it, her tail split into two and the tuft of hair on her forehead turned pure white. The orb flew forward and struck the wrist, the same wrist that Mother had dung her fangs into.

The orb exploded. It was small, but it was enough to knock the monkey off balance and rip the flesh from the wrist, exposing blood and bone. Father rode the monkey down, ripping hair from the throat to get to the flesh underneath. Eventually, he managed the task, ripping the throat out of the monkey and killing it.

The golden eye kit ran to her father, she was afraid for him and needed his comfort. Yet, when he turned to face her, blood dripping from his mouth and anger in his eyes, he snarled a warning at her. Much like when she had first been born, he threatened her. This time, there was no Mother to calm him and stop him. He advanced on her, teeth bared and growling.

The golden-eyed kit ran. She knew not in what direction, or for how long, only that if she was ever seen again by her father, she knew she would die.