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I jumped the gun. This chapter remains completely unfinished.
Day #33: There's learning a-foot.
On some random days,...and, that's it. I'm only a biological lifeform, after all. *shrugs* So, here's a different chapter to read from.
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Day #42: It's a whole new world.
It was becoming a habit. Caleb would swoop in to find Teela, shyly laying there upon her favorite quilt and only perking up as he drew super close.
Only, Caleb wasn't so interested in seeing how snugly she could get, this day.
Not by a long shot.
Today was the time to pull Teela out to meet the rest of the kits.
"Teela." softly spoke Caleb.
She twitched her tail about with a bit of excitement in seeing him.
"Come with me. I want to show you something."
Teela's twitchy tail stopped and she stared at him with ever growing eyes and this expression like she was about to be punished.
"I promise. I'll be by your side, every step of the way."
She continued to stare as he spoke to her.
Never once did he reach out and pull on her or force her to move. Nor, did his voice ever lose that gentle touch of persuasion.
And, that was a wise thing. As it was her battle and hers, alone.
"I want you with me, Teela."
That foot slowly slid out across the bed. With the caution that she felt warranted this leap of trust, did she ever so slowly slide upon that quilt. A tiny inch worth of motion towards the embracing Caleb. She so slowly wormed herself to the edge. Her eyes never left his. Even as she whimpered softly, her paws gradually pulled herself away from the comfort of the quilt. And, when she came to close to the edge and felt herself begin to fall did she suddenly kick off with her hind paws with a painful sounding yelp and clumsily dashed into his waiting arms, as if the ground was made of acid.
Caleb both embraced her and steadied himself as she almost toppled his hind leg stance at trying to embrace her sudden dashing motion. He had to be her rock of support. For she came into such bodily contact that he could tell her heart was racing. "We'll take this slowly. I promise you with all my life. We'll take this slowly."
'Teela. Trust him. Teela. Trust him. Teela. Trust.' slightly bled through from Teela's thoughts. If only for a fleeting second.
"All right. All right. You're safe. Safe with me." he reassured. "The ground is our friend, too. Our friend."
If the process of getting her off the bed was long, making her stop trying to bear hug Caleb was an outright chore.
A chore he chose to uptake and it paid off...eventually...by getting all four of her paws to touch the soil of To-Yoh's hut home.
"You've done it, Teela. I'm so proud. I knew you could do this." praised Caleb, even if she darn near sunk her teeth into his wrist [REFERENCE] [Do these foxes...or in general...have wrists?] during the first minute.
Shortly after being able to ween his hand from her mouth, Caleb gave Teela her first lesson in walking. Just a bit of motion inside the hut. But, she took that that like a pro...given that Caleb's supportive contact was still there near her shoulders.
Try as he could, Caleb soon grew very weary of hind leg walking. It was something he may have excelled at. But, he was still just a cub and his body wasn't fully developed to handle it, forcing him to release his touch on Teela a little too quickly.
The instant he released, she slunk down to the ground with a very defensively posture and a soft whimper.
Caleb, standing there upon four paws, was right there to add reassurance to her shivers by bending down and brushing himself along her side. "Everything's alright. I won't leave you."
The problem was that she just gave up one security blanket for another. And, she only stopped shivering as long as she could keep something of Caleb's in contact.
In which case, wound up being a smaller portion of his tail...right between her jaws.
Which was rather foolhardy on his brave behalf. Yet, worked remarkably well as she only got up, once he established that.
In no time, they were trotting laps around the tiny hut's interior while she started to suckle the tail tip like some kind of pacifier.
Caleb came to a brief stop and nearly had his tail bent in the process, just to look back and mention, "Girls really are strange."
After a few more laps, he pushed his luck and altered the walking path towards the open door.
It didn't fool her one bit and she quickly utilized her position to make him stop...painfully.
"Yelp!!!" he couldn't help but vocalize. He instantly found a set of emotions that fought with his next action. Luckily, the loving and understanding side won out and he was quick to let her have her way.
Back to the bed for some snuggling and bathing time.
He may have lost the battle. But, she rewarded him in the ways that made him feel all tingly and happy.
The following day's lessons went a bit smoother. She didn't fear the ground so much and she even soloed the walking track.
Then, a bit more snugly licks for the teacher.
In fact, it took over a week to get her out the door. But, once she saw the world on her own four little paws, she fell in love with it.
Then, a strange male approached. "Hi, Caleb!"
"Yelp! Yelp! Yelp! Yelp!" Teela was instantly in a love/hate relationship with the outdoors.
"Teela!" Caleb whined and ran back in after her.
Teela was lightning quick to duck head first under the quilt and conceal the better portion of her forward half away from the world.
"Teela." repeated Caleb. "What's wrong?"
She didn't make a reply. Only shivered, uncontrollably.
"Oh..." realized Caleb. "You're not used to other Foxes around, are you?"
Although sympathetic, Caleb would find it hard to coax Teela out of her partial state of fear, that afternoon. And, she really didn't cuddle up to him, either. She just kept clutching the quilt until To-Yoh came home after a long session in the fields to prepare for church services.
Upon entering, she found Caleb subtly crashed upon the bed with Teela and awakened him harshly with a primitive broom that was kept in the corner.
"Get out!" To-Yoh cried, threatening to swat the male with the long handled tool.
Caleb's eyes were opened with a startle and his ears went down. Yet, he had to feel the broom's bristly edge coming down upon his side before he dashed, head held low and tail between his legs, towards the door with To-Yoh's mother constantly crying "Get out! You filthy mongrel! And, never come back!"
Things weren't helped in the least when To-Yoh, trying to reason out Teela's constant state of fear being, was rash to conclude that Caleb was the primary source.
For the following few days, To-Yoh kept excusing herself to the nuns from her daily chores, so as to look after Teela's state of being. Which really tested Caleb's hearing, so as not to receive another swatting by the rather protective mother.
After several days, this series of excuses was not sitting so well with the priestess's, whom chose a representative to check in and get to the bottom of things towards the coming evening.
The nun approached and rapped upon the edge of the door frame.
"Yes?" called out To-Yoh.
"Ms. Rose. May I enter your homestead?" asked the nun in a respectful tone.
"You may." replied the mother.
"I hear that your Teela has been...presenting an issue. May I...inquire further?"
"One of the mongrel boys was harassing my Teela. Upon arriving, I literally found him molesting her as she tried to hide. I'd hate to think what would have happened, had I not arrived when I had. She was shivering to no ends and wouldn't even respond to me for the evening. I fear that her being in here, all day, unguarded..."
The nun interrupted her. "You should have come to us a little sooner with this issue, Ms. Rose. We can sit with her for daily company and keep her away from any boy issues. It would be no problem to speak of. I presume that she has calmed down since the incident?"
"Oh, yes." agreed To-Yoh. "It took me the better part of the night to become more responsive. Still, she has not talked to me about anything that had happened."
"Then, starting tomorrow, let us be her guardians for you. As your services in the field are vital to everyone's well being, Ms. Rose." reassured the nun. "Now, might there be any other issues for resolve on this fine evening?"
Little else but pleasantries had need of saying before the nun went on her way back towards the church.
As promised, the nun gave a visit in the morning.
Only, To-Yoh had a few issues getting Teela to behave to the notion of leaving the hut. She absolutely gave no help unless To-Yoh wrapped her up in that quilt and carried her to the church.
"Has she been this seclusive in her attitude for all this time, Ms. Rose?" inquired the nun as they walked.
"Very, I'm afraid." replied To-Yoh. "She's been too afraid to venture out. And, I fear that what little hope there ever was, may have been destroyed by that intruder."
"Perhaps..." and the nun was slightly sluggish in completing that sentence. "...one of my sisters can find a way to coax some spirit out of your daughter. We'll do our best to see to all of her needs."
The act of leaving her at the church did little for Teela. And, it even took some reassuring to get To-Yoh to leave her side.
Despite any kindly spoken words or other such persuasions, very little progress was made in getting Teela to even slip her head out from under that quilt where she laid. And, with one gaze about at the larger structure and all the strange nuns, she was quick to conceal herself away from it all.
The day would drive forth through the afternoon as she remained most comfortable under the cover of that quilt.
Right up until it was time for the rest of the kits to be led in for evening lessons.
Since the church had few rooms and a limited amount of space, it wasn't exactly all that possible to keep the hidden Teela away from the group by little more then a few dozen footfalls as they all gathered.
The head priestess started up with a few opening prayers before diving into the verbalized lessons.
That didn't stir Teela one bit.
What did was when a Q&A session began and Caleb had to give an answer.
Nobody took immediate notice as the shy, little vixen's head crept just enough out of her fabric shell to gaze upon the male a midst the crowd.
Nor did anyone take immediate notice as said quilt shook about, mildly.
Only when this blaze of gray fur shot out so quickly from beneath that quilt that it was almost supported by just the air, itself.
Caleb was still in mid-sentence as her muzzle took a firm grip around his arm and she started pulling at him with all her strength.
"Order! Order!" cried out the head priestess without hesitation. "What is this all about!?!"
Caleb, half wishing not to have his arm torn off, started walking on hind legs as Teela insisted he go with her back to that side of the room.
Her side.
"Excuse me! Excuse me, little miss!" further demanded the head priestess. "We do not tolerate such actions of horse play, biting and dragging! Let go of him at once!"
Hearing the sudden raising of the head priestess's voice, the nun whom had brought Teela in here with To-Yoh came dashing and a bit of a whispering session began between the two of them.
Meanwhile, Teela was preoccupied with taking Caleb back to the quilt and they were almost there before the nun and the head priestess had turned about to see what was actually going on, here.
"Would you look at that?" commented the nun.
"To-Yoh's girl? Hasn't moved once during this whole day, you say?" subtly repeated the head priestess.
"Said it was all over a particular boy. Have you ever heard of such behavior, like this?" mentioned the nun.
"Most unusual. Warrants some investigations, which I leave in your trustworthy hands."
The nun gave a small curtsy motion to the head priestess and proceeded to walk over to Teela's location.
The vixen was rather assertive to her will about keeping both security blankets at her beck-and-call while being situated inside this strange place.
"Teela." softly spoke the attentive nun. "It isn't nice to go biting into another body like that. Wouldn't you prefer it if he wasn't damaged by your actions, instead?"
The vixen remained rather unresponsive to her words.
However, with little more then a touch, Caleb achieved more to the recovery of his hand then the nun could vocally achieve.
The nun couldn't help but propose a question. "Excuse me. Child. Do you know her?"
"We have become..." began to say Caleb as Teela slightly whined as his sudden diverted attention. "...friends, ma'am."
"And, by chance, did you become friends inside her home?" continued the nun.
"It was all by accident." explained Caleb. "Me and the kits were having some fun with a game of tag. I found a hiding spot and...it just sort of happened."
"Sufficed to say, you've broken through a barrier I was unable to. Are you aware that this girl's mother is under the impression that you were being naughty to this girl?"
Caleb looked somewhat startled by that and immediately attended to Teela's continuous whining, which immediately ceased.
"I think a situation of mistaken conclusions has occurred with Ms. Rose." was a far reaching conclusion for the nun. "Caleb. You are excused from tonight's lessons in order to keep Teela company. Do not leave when the other children do. I shall back you when Ms. Rose returns for her daughter, this evening."
Teela never really did let go of Caleb or her quilt for the duration, until To-Yoh entered the place to see the very threat resting right there with Teela. Her fur began to stand on edge at the sight.
However, the nun was right on top of the case to defuse the potential reaction. "Ms. Rose. I think we need a few words..."
Caleb kept close to Teela, even knowing that the two females were approaching. And, he wasn't quite sure as to how to react to it.
"Caleb, is it?" This was To-Yoh doing the soft talking. "Is this true that my daughter is choosing you?"
Caleb didn't immediately respond to that. But, he didn't have to.
She could see Teela's very firm; very silent actions.
To-Yoh continued. "Did you...do...anything with her?"
"No, ma'am." softly answered Caleb. "She seems to trust in me and I believe I can give trust to her in return."
To-Yoh looked at the nun for a moment, as if for guidance.
This was when the head priestess approached from the shadows with a pair of pelts in her hands.
The nun took immediate notice and bowed with acknowledgment.
The priestess spoke up. "What I do believe we have here are the star crossed lovers. Now, given that I most certainly wasn't expecting the meeting point to be so early in their lives. But, take a look at their birth charts."
The nun only casually glanced upon the matching symbols upon the two pelts before exclaiming, "The mysterious Light has shown us the way."
To-Yoh stared a little more. "These...icons. They say this was meant to happen?"
"Very much so." replied the head priestess. "These charts are a road map to each of our lives. Very important clues to our destinies. That is why there is so much hope, resting on your daughter's shoulders. Her fate is complicated and enriching."
"I knew she was something special. But, complicated?"
From that night, forth, Caleb was a welcomed member of the clan Rose's family...adopted member, so to speak.
It still took To-Yoh a few nights to get used to permitting the male to sleep right against Teela's side, though.
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