Fox in disguise

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Vulpinara Realm

The carriage moved smoothly through the misty, enchanted forest, the sound of its wheels muffled by the thick carpet of moss underfoot. Inside, a woman and her daughter sat side by side, their bond undeniable, yet their surroundings whispered of a destiny far beyond the simple forest they traversed. The young girl, barely eighteen, had honey-toned skin that shimmered under the soft glow of the carriage's lanterns. Her violet eyes, framed by long lashes, reflected an innocent curiosity. Her hair, streaked with blue and white, mirrored the patterns of her fur, marking her as both a creature of the Vulpinara realm and something more—something otherworldly.

"Mother," she called, her voice light but tinged with a softness that only youth could carry. Her eyes were fixed on the passing trees, their silhouettes blending into the growing mist beyond.

"What is it, my dear?" the woman, Queen Alora, responded. Her voice was warm, filled with love as her eyes met her daughter's, but there was a glint of concern in them that Pittaria, the daughter, could not ignore.

"Mom, I—" Just as Pittaria was about to speak, the carriage jolted violently, throwing both women against the plush backrest. A sudden stop, too abrupt to be anything but a warning.

Alora's eyes narrowed instinctively, her sharp senses immediately alert. She placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "It's okay, dear," she reassured, though her voice betrayed a hint of concern as she turned to the cooge at the reins. "What is it?" Her voice was commanding now, the softness replaced by an authoritative tone that Pittaria had grown accustomed to.

"Your Majesty," the cooge stammered, his nervous gaze flickering between his reins and the shifting shadows. "The carriage… it stopped suddenly." The air had thickened, a fog creeping in from every direction, wrapping them in an eerie shroud.

Alora's violet eyes darkened to a dangerous shade of red as she stepped out of the carriage, her presence now radiating a fierce resolve. She could feel the sinister energy in the air, the creeping shadows closing in.

"Mom, what's happening?" Pittaria asked, her voice laced with fear as she watched her mother transform. The girl clutched the armrest of the carriage, trying to keep herself steady.

"Close your eyes and sleep, my darling," her mother whispered, a soft spell slipping from her lips. Instantly, Pittaria felt the heaviness settle over her, her eyelids growing heavy as her body began to shift. In moments, she transformed into her fox form—her golden fur gleaming in the dim light of the forest.

"Cooge Cruz, take Pittaria away!" Alora commanded, her voice echoing through the growing darkness. The rumpy creature, a small but loyal dwarf with obsidian eyes, nodded swiftly, his elfin ears twitching. He moved swiftly, vanishing into the fog with Pittaria cradled in his arms.

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The tension in the air crackled like static, the silence before the storm unbearable. Alora stood alone, her white hair flowing in the wind, her eyes glowing a fierce crimson. A monstrous figure—its body a twisted mass of shadow and sinew—had formed from the creatures surrounding her. Its eyes were hollow, devoid of any humanity, and its form towered above her.

"Ha! At last, I have you where I want, Alora," a voice sneered, a deep malevolent laugh echoing in the clearing. The figure was scarred, its face twisted in a grotesque display, yet there was something captivating about the man. Dangerous, alluring—his eyes gleamed with a hunger that was impossible to ignore. "Why not just give me what I want, and we can avoid all this trouble?"

"Never!" Alora spat, her voice full of venom, her power surging through her as she faced him. She was unyielding, fierce, and ready for the confrontation that had long been inevitable.

"Ah, you think you can resist?" the man mocked. "The others fell easily, but you... You will break, just like them." With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a massive fireball and hurled it directly at Alora's chest.

In an instant, Alora vanished, the fireball slamming into nothing but air.

What a weakling, the man thought smugly. I expected more of a challenge.

"Cooge!" Alora's voice was low but urgent. The loyal creature appeared before her, still holding Pittaria in her fox form.

Alora removed the silver anklet she wore—an heirloom that had been passed down through the royal family for generations. She placed it delicately around Pittaria's neck, her hand lingering for a moment before she spoke.

"Take her to the human realm," she whispered, her blood staining her lips as she coughed. Her body was weakening, but her resolve never wavered. "She is safe with you. Protect her."

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" Cooge asked, his voice filled with concern, his eyes flickering to the blood that stained her robes.

Alora nodded faintly, offering him a smile that barely reached her eyes. "Just get her to safety," she whispered. With one final glance at her daughter, she vanished into the fog, her body becoming one with the shifting shadows.

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In the human realm, at Maralis Restaurant, the atmosphere was thick with tension. A teenage boy with ash-blonde hair and aqua-blue eyes stared at his uncle, Easton, who seemed completely unfazed by the conversation around him.

"Uncle Easton, don't you think it's high time you got married?" Tom, his youthful enthusiasm undeniable, suggested. "After all, you'll be the one to inherit Grandpa's properties."

"Tom, I—" Easton began, but his father, Old Man Sin, interrupted, his voice booming like thunder through the room.

"And who says he will inherit anything?" Old Man Sin sneered. "I wouldn't give him a single thing, not even if he begged! Not marrying the girl I chose for him? He should be grateful to even be here!" His eyes narrowed at Easton, who remained calm, his gaze fixed on his food as the tension thickened under the table.

"If not for the loyalty of your late mother, I would doubt if you truly are my biological son," Old Man Sin spat, his fury casting a dark cloud over the dinner.

Easton clenched his fists, suppressing the urge to respond, knowing that any words he spoke would only escalate the conflict.

"It's okay, dear. Please, sit down. We wouldn't want to trigger that precious heart of yours again, would we?" his stepmother, Anna, purred, placing a hand on his father's shoulder. She cast Easton a flirtatious wink when the old man wasn't looking, a move that only deepened Easton's distaste for her.

"Maybe one day, our son will realize how hard you've tried for him and how much we want what's best," Anna said, emphasizing our and we.

Easton couldn't take it anymore. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Excuse me," he muttered, his voice cold and distant as he walked away, needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

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In the restroom, Easton stood in front of the mirror, washing his face. His ash-blonde hair framed his features, and his green eyes, the color of deep forests, stared back at him. He was attractive—no one could deny that—but the weight of the life he was expected to lead, the constant pressure of his family's expectations, was suffocating. Despite the attention from women, he longed for something more real, something deeper.

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