[amanda784]

Sera startled when she awoke to Felicita staring directly at her. "Felicita!" she yelped. Sera let out long sigh. "Whoo, you scared me! Those purple eyes were all in my face! What were you doing?" Sera wanted to get an early start on hunting, but why was Felicita staring at her. Had she been caught in her lies?

[amanda784]

"Just wondering if I take after mom or dad," said Felicita, "I mean obviously if I took after both then we would look a little alike. So I must take after one and you another. You'll have to tell me tonight after the days work is done!"
Felicita did a little skip and a jump and landed on the other side of Sera outside the oak tree.
"Maybe we can find something to take the market! We could use a few Key Stones."

[amanda784]

Key Stones? When was the last time they had some of those? It must have been when back when the hunting was plenty. Back when Sera sold meat to those with enough key stones to keep from hunting for it on their own.
"Don't worry Felicita!" Sera called after her sister, "Soon we will have enough Key Stones to find somewhere better than this old oak tree."

[amanda784]

Felicita  was sure Sera was sick of berries. It seemed no matter how much time Felicita spent picking them there was never enough left over to take to market, but what else could Felicita get? She was definitely no hunter. She was swift for sure, but not so very quiet. In the distance she heard the rumble of the stream that flowed near by. Fish! That was it! She was a fabulous swimmer and although she would rather swim with the fishes she was sure she could catch a few.

Felicita whistled as she skipped to the stream.

[amanda784]

Trees surrounded a small opening with a little bit of brush in the middle. On one end of the clearing, was a bush, which Sera had crouched behind. Sera waited for what seemed like forever when a fox slowly crept out of what seemed like no where. Everything moved in a blur and suddenly the fox was dead and Sera had a smile on her face.

All was good. She turned to head back to the oak tree until she heard the sound of animals crying. Oh no, thought Sera, That fox had been a mother.

[amanda784]

Felicita LOVED swimming. She moved swiftly through the water and easily in between the paths of the many fish that knew the stream as home. She noticed the beauty of every individual fish as she swam. Some a plain shiny silver and others with brilliant bright colors. Could she really kill one of these beautiful fish? Surely she couldn't come home empty handed. What if Sera had another off day?

[amanda784]

Sera wanted to just walk away. I mean she had the dead mother in her mouth. Or did she? She set the fox down and did an awkward check of gender. "It's a boy!" she sighed aloud. The foxes were simply crying for their mother. But what about their dad? Her heart sank again. "Khunas gotta eat." she said as she turned and headed towards the oak tree. The fox kits would live without their dad. I mean Sera grew up fine all on her own. She never even knew her parents. Yeah. This would just make them stronger. At least, that's what she told herself.

[amanda784]

Felicita kicked yet another piece of seaweed from around her ankle. Oh, how she hated sea weed! Wait! thought Felicita, I could use this! Felicta gathered strips of sea weed and got to work. She weaved while the pieces were still a little wet and then set a newly weaved basket out to dry. Now, Felicita could finally gather enough berries without running handfuls to the oak tree and running back to gather more. Felicita felt content with herself and went to gather berries with her newly made basket.

[amanda784]

"Felicita!!!" called sera, yet again. She hated being the first one back to the oak tree. It was always so...quiet. She sat the fox carcass down and began to think. She hated being alone with herself. She was forced to think about all the lies she told her "sister" and the young foxes now left fatherless. They'll be better without him thought Sera. Especially if he was anything like Felicita's dad. Sera still remembered hiding in that berry bush, thorns digging into her sides as she watched Felicita's father carry her by her scruff and throw her into the stream. She couldn't have imagined why he would do such a thing! Why, Felicita was absolutely beautiful. Very much so worth keeping. Sera never regretted jumping in after Felicita and saving her from the cruel stream. However, sometimes she was upset with herself for lying to her, but could Felicita handle the truth? Surely it would wreck her happy little daydream of a world she lived in. Sera couldn't live with herself if that happened.

[amanda784]

Felicita was happy to get back to the oak tree. The basket weaving took so long that she only had time to fill it half-way before dark.
"Look what I made!" said Felicita, "It's to hold my berries. Blueberries. Blackberries. Raspberries."
Felicita paused to think of more and continued, "and Strawberries!!! Oooh maybe I can even gather herbs to doctor people up! That could get us some key stones."

[amanda784]

Sera laughed.
"It's a beautiful basket!" said Sera, "However, I doubt you would charge key stones to help others. I mean, maybe if they had some key stones to spare, but who does?"
Sera smiled, encouraged by Felicita's enthusiasm. "So what berries did you bring home? Anything to go good with freshly caught fox?"
Sera winked as she said fox. She was proud of how the day turned out.

[amanda784]

"A whole fox!" yelped Felicita. "I'm not complaining, but those squirrels aren't always enough for two Khuna's."
Felicita was mostly thankful because Sera always gave her the most of the food and tonight they would both be full.
Felicita had completely forgotten Sera had asked her a question. The excitement from a full fox was too much. "Oh wait!" Felicita exclaimed. "I got berries and you asked what kind. I  got blackberries again. I hope you don't mind. They are my favorite."
More than the bountiful meal, Felicita was thankful that Sera had caught something. She was happy that Sera was happy.

[amanda784]

Sera's mind went back to the crying fox kits.
"You know what?" she asked. "The fox is all yours. Hand me those berries!"
She playfully pawed the basket towards her and snatched up a handful.
"You know," Sera stuffed another of pawfuls in and practically gargled, "Your gonna need all the strength you can get for berry picking... and herbs if you still want to. Maybe you could even make me a basket for fishing!"
Right then and there Sera decided to be more careful for hunting. The cry from those fox kits would haunt her for quite the while.

[amanda784]

Felicita was soon full and ready for bed. Oh, what was it she had wanted to ask Sera? Something about their parents.
"What was dad like?" Immediately after she asked the question she yawned. She laid down and closed her eyes so she could get a picture of what there father was like.
"Oh!" her eyes flashed open, "And am I more like mom or dad?"
Her eyes shut again as she waited for a reply.

[amanda784]

This is the part she hated...and loved. She hated to lie, but she loved the smile it put on Felicita's face.
"Why you're just like mom of course!" started Sera, "Did you hear me when I told you how gentle and kind she was? Oh and beautiful. Mom was a light cream color with just a touch of pink. Her eyes were the exact same shade of yours, just as beautiful and just as purple."
She smiled at the thought of a mother that beautiful. The lies were comforting.