Author's Note

This is something new for me. Hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing it.

The Author

Chapter 1: A Noble Cause.

Chapter 1: A Noble Cause.
Spring

The Forest is a lively place, home to many beautiful and mysterious beings. One of the more scarce species of said forest was the Red Fox. Their population has been dipping in recent years for reasons unknown and the local animal caretaker, Fluttershy, was beginning to worry about the adorable yipping scavengers of the Everfree. In her spare time from all the seemingly commonplace craziness around Ponyville she had been stocking up on kibble and other supplies for spring. Mating season was a very important time for animal caretakers like Fluttershy, every one of her animal friends had to be accounted for during the hectic season of various hormones. Many of them would act very ornery or impatient because of all the new pheromones floating in the air but she was as patient and kind as ever.

However this mating season would be special for Fluttershy. She wasn’t going to sit by and watch such a proud and loving species such as the Red Fox die off. Not if she could do anything about it, and she most certainly could do something.

Early on a particularly lovely Sunday morning, she made sure to get up way before the sun even started to rise up from the horizon and quickly ran through all her chores. Once she finished filling all her animal friends food dishes in her cottage, she went to work on gathering all the supplies she would need for this new mating season and piled them all into her cart. She had saved up quite a bit by buying an extra bag every time she went to the market, about 2 pounds of kibble specific to the Red Fox that her four legged friends had all agreed was very tasty indeed. Those bags along with quite a few bouquets of wildflowers she had picked the other day plus some other packed up supplies were all on the cart as well.

As she got the cart ready and secure she saw her pet Angel hop out of the cottage while rubbing his tired eyes. It was way too early for him to be getting up now, and she cringed at herself, hoping she hadn’t woken him up by being too loud., The sun was just now making its way over the horizon, making her kick herself even more for being so loud. She knew he wouldn’t be happy about missing out on some of his beauty sleep. Her more motherly and caring instincts took over and she rushed towards him to apologize and make sure he was taken care of.

“Oh poor Angel bunny, did I wake you? I’m so, so, so sorry!” She said with all the care of a loving mother.

The white ~~demon~~ bunny waves his free paw as he rubbed at the bag under his eyes with the other.

His brow furrowed and his eyes squinted as he looked to her cart full of supplies then back to Fluttershy, seeming to wonder what she was doing and where she was heading.

Fluttershy turned her own gaze toward the wagon then back to Angel with a nervous smile. She knew Angel had an aversion to predators and an even bigger one to foxes for good reason, they were one of his natural enemies. So she hadn’t told him about her plans. Now however she knew she was caught.

“Oh, um, I am going into the woods to set up some things for mating season this year... You know... for…. for the foxes.”

Angel deadpanned at that but sighed silently and shook his head. It was obviously too early for him to try and get her to stay home and groom his tail instead, so he simply shrugged his shoulders before giving her a good luck salute. He smiled slightly as well, as if to wish her a safe trip into the Everfree.

Fluttershy smiles at that before picking up her cute little puffball of a friend, giving him a very tight, but not unwelcome hug.

“Thank you Angel! And don’t worry, I’ll be extra careful!” she said, giving him a gently squeeze.

Angle rolled his eyes, but returned the hug just the same.

“Try to keep everyone calm while I am gone okay?” she added before letting him go.

Angel crossed his arms and gave her the look he usually gives when she asks him a favor. He didn’t have to ‘say’ a word for her to know what he meant. She only smiled once more, good naturedly.

She giggled at him before adding, “And If you do a real good job I’ll make you your favorite salad when I get back!”

Angel gave his usual pout at that, acting as if he didn’t want to do what she asked of him, but they both knew he would. The smile on his face giving away just how bad his lust for carrots was.

Fluttershy giggled behind a hoof and leaned down, giving a small kiss between his big floppy ears. “Don’t worry, I won’t be long, honest!”

With that she turned and walked back to her cart of supplies, hooked herself up to the front, and made her way into the forest. The short canter over to the forest entrance gave her a little time to appreciate the warm breeze of the early morning and admire the beautiful sunrise. The small and quiet pegasus could be described as a morning pony but even she rarely gets up this early. The normally scary forest seemed so much more calm and enjoyable this time of day, but she really couldn’t waste any more time. She had to act out her plan fast.

Along her way she saw very few animals up and about, many still asleep while most of the more nocturnal creatures were just now on their way to dreamland as the day started anew.

Fluttershy simply smiled and gave small waves with her wings as she passed some of the creatures that were just starting to wake up. Most of them were actually quite familiar with her and some even waved back, feeling very comfortable with the pegasus walking through their territory.

Her journey was a short one, though she hummed a little tune as she trotted along. After a few years of living near the Everfree she had began to know the outer rim very well so it didn’t surprise her when she reached her destinations ahead of schedule, entering into a small clearing with a small stream. The pleasant walk went by a lot faster than she expected with a lot less trouble but she was happy to have more time to prepare for the “event”.

Her plan was a simple one but it was one she was sure would work if she put her heart into it.

As she unhooked herself from the cart and lifted one of the bags of kibble, she thought about what she need to do first. The main goal was to get all the foxes mating so they could bring about a new stronger generation and save themselves from dying off completely in this area. In order to do that, they needed to have a welcoming environment so they could feel comfortable and think it was safe enough to start a family.

With this in mind, Fluttershy began to open up the box she had brought along with the kibble and flowers. Inside were a few bowls she had let sit in the forest a few days prior so they wouldn’t smell like ponies and scare the skittish foxes off. She quickly went to work, setting the bowls up close to the stream of fresh water, making sure to space them out so none were more than five feet apart. She didn’t want any fights for food after all. As long as there was plenty to go around and it was all spaced out reasonably, there should be no trouble, but she was ready in case there was.

“This should be perfect for them!” Fluttershy cooed as she admired her little set up. “Now they can get nice and full of yummy food so they will stick around and want to mate and start an adorable little family!.”

A blush touched her face as she thought of how adorable all the new little fox kits will look when they start running around the forest with their parents. It was just too cute for her to handle and she had to rub her cheeks as she tried to suppress a happy giggle.

Once she was done cooing and dawing at the adorable fox kits that danced around in her mind, she went and picked up the first bag of kibble and started to pour a generous amount in each bowl. Humming the same merry tune as before, she emptied both bags she brought in no time, all the bowls full to the brim with tasty kibble.

Satisfied, Fluttershy wiped her forehead with a sigh of happiness and places the empty bags back in the cart for easy clean up. She only just began and the clearing was looking very appealing in her eyes. If she was a cute fox, she would want to come to this spot.

“Now...” she said to herself as she looked into her cart again. “Onto making this place look more inviting and pretty.”

She grabbed the bouquets of wildflowers she brought under each wing before placing them around the stream here and there. They still smelled and looked delicious to her equine eyes but she knew better than to eat any. The scent from the flowers was something that the Foxes in this area were drawn too, and she hoped that if she placed enough around, it would draw more of them to this spot.

Fluttershy could really feel the romantic atmosphere starting to build once all the bouquets were emptied out, their contents all over the meadow. The small clearing truly looked beautiful but not orderly like a pony get together, kind of wild like the forest still was. It was all perfect in her eyes and she hoped the foxes liked it as well.

With a smile, she set out to enact the last part of her plan. She crushed a few of the flowers to help spread their scent and emptied out of the crumbs of kibble in the burlap bags, shaking them out at the edges of the forest clearing in hope that the smell of food would always spread around. The wind was blowing today so it would most likely carry the scent and attract all the foxes to her little set up within the next hour. She made sure to fly up above the treeline and get the scent on the wind as well. Once that was done she landed next to the cart put away everything she didn’t need anymore, wiping the sweat from her forehead and sitting down on her rump to rest her hooves for a little.

“Whew, that was a lot of work, but it will all be worth it to see these adorable foxes get close and find love,” she said with a content smile, her heart fluttering as her cheeks heated up again.

The tired yellow pegasus reached into her cart one last time and pulled out a nice cushion she brought in case she got herself a little worn out. She set it on a nice soft patch of grass and sits herself down on it, sighing with comfort as she kept watch for all the fluffy foxes that would come.

The moments stretched on as she sat there listening to the forest come to life, the light pouring into the clearing slowly as the sun fully made it over the horizon and shone down on the waking land.

Fluttershy was truly happy in that moment, surrounded by life and awaiting something great in such a beautiful place. Still it wasn’t complete in some ways. Like she was missing something in the silence, something or maybe someone… But before she could think more on that she heard a rustling to her left shaking her from her thoughts. She caught a brief glimpse of orange and black before it rushed into the shadows of the morning light. After a long silence she saw what looked like an adorable little snout poking out of the shadows of the underbrush. The little black nose sniffed about as it twitched, yet stayed in place. The inquisitive little fox that the curious nose belonged to must have been nearby and smelled the food, but he was no fool. He made sure it wasn’t a trap set by hunters like a smart tod. After a few tentative sniffs he leans his head forward, then looks around, his amber eyes sweeping across the clearing. He could see all the food from there, and it made his little stomach growl so loud that even Fluttershy could hear it. She suppressed a giggle and remained perfectly still as the cute fox slowly stepped forward.

The small (but still adult) male fox stepped into the clearing and looked over at Fluttershy warily. He watched her for a moment, sniffing in her directions before determining she wasn't a serious threat though he was obviously still scared of her.

This worried Fluttershy slightly, thinking maybe she should move farther away, but despite this, she simply smiled and waved her hoof slowly.

The gesture seems to work as the fox stepped fully into the clearing looking toward the food bowls with hungry eyes, but before he could get closer, his ear twitched causing him to look back toward the underbrush.

When Fluttershy looked in the same direction, she saw a few more inquisitive little foxes poking their head out. She counted at least four or five cute little snouts poking out, all of them wanting to know where the good food smell was coming from. Seeing the other fox already out gave them confidence, and one by one, they all started to step out as well, some of them looking between Fluttershy and the food before padding over to the bowls of food..

It truly was an adorable sight to behold and there were so many more to come. Within the next few minutes, most of them had started nomming into the bowls, the tension slowly dissipating as they all dug in. And of course the smell of foxes and food brought even more of the majestic creatures to the cleaning, and soon enough the whole place was alive with activity.

Fluttershy welcomed each fox that looked her way with a small wave and a smile. Soon each bowl either had one or two foxes nibbling away at the kibble. All of them munched away happily, wagging their tails as they filled their bellies with delicious food.

The sight was almost too much for Fluttershy to handle and she squealed softly in joy before sighing in contentment. Her plan was working perfectly and she laid her head on a propped up hoof so she could watch. She knew the food would be gone soon and the atmosphere would shift once the males started smell the raging pheromones coming from the females in heat.
After a few moments the kibble was gone completely, the congregation of foxes licked their jowls and started to nuzzle one another, all looking very happy and content. Joyus and playful yips and purrs filled the clearing as they fox's started to become more frisky with one another, some of them wrestle for dominance with one another but it was all in good fun.

A more naughty smirk crossed over Fluttershy’s lips as she knew exactly what was to come next. She couldn’t help the feeling of butterflies fluttering around her tummy at the idea of what was to come, making her feel all giddy and a little heated herself. She carefully watched over them as they were already starting to pair off into groups of one male and one female. It was so adorable how they would nuzzle and lick each other affectionately. It made her wish she had a special somepony of her own.

The sounds of playful purring grew louder and filled Fluttershy’s ears with their sound. It was all so cute that it made her cheeks blush further and her smile brighten. She knew that there were going to be a lot of new families starting tonight and she was happy to be a part of it. Though as she moved to stand up make her way home, she stopped and noticed one particular sad looking fox standing near the stream all alone. The sight of a lonely animal in such a happy and loving place made her stomach twist into a knot and her blood freeze over, She couldn’t just let the poor thing suffer alone in such a joyful place, it just wasn’t in her nature and she had to make an attempt to help the poor creature. He could have been one of the more socially awkward or less dominant ones in the group, making it hard for him to find a mate.

With quiet and calm movements, she stood and put her cushion she was sitting on back into her cart before slowly trotting over to the lone fox. All the other foxes seemed to be comfortable with her now, plus most of them were too busy cooing and nuzzling with one another to pay her any mind. She was able to walk up to the lone fox without spooking him, though he was currently facing away from her, staring into his own reflection in the stream. She was close enough now that she could see his bright golden eyes as they stare off, seeming far away and lost in a world full of sadness that tugged at her heartstrings. That look of loneliness broke her and she knew at that moment that she couldn’t just leave this male to suffer and go one without helping him find a mate.

Being careful and slow, she sat down next to him, trying to think of how she could go about helping this poor creature. The silence was long as she pondered, the male fox still seemingly unaware of her presence, but she thought she saw his ear twitch as she sat down so he must know she's there. After a few more seconds of awkward silence she leaned over and whispered as soft as she could to not startle him.

“H-hey...”

. The lone fox squeaks in surprise and fell over onto his side. Fluttershy tried not to laugh as he shook his head and looked up at at her incredulously.

She let a few giggles escaped her lips behind a hoof before she collected herself to talk again.. “I’m sorry Mr. Fox, I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you knew I was there... Are you okay?”

The lone fox blinked at her a couple of times, but nodded, seeming to understand what she was saying.

She smiled warmly at him, but upon closer inspection, she instantly recognized the fox as the first to have shown up in the clearing.

“Why are you over here all alone? Didn’t you want to find a mate for the season?” She asked curiously as he got to his feet and shook off some of the leaves and twigs that got caught in his fur from his fall..

The fox gave a gentle and adorable sigh before sitting down in front of her. His ears pinned back against his skull as he looked down and away from her, his sad demeanor speaking volumes. He nodded his head finally, giving her his answer.

Fluttershy looked back over all the other foxes who found mates before looking back to the lone fox. “You mean... all the other vixens are already taken? None of them found interest in you?”

He nodded again.

At first Fluttershy couldn’t believe it what he was telling her. There had to be at least one other vixen left to be his mate. She turned toward the clearing behind them and looked around a second time but saw no other females or even males that were still looking for a mate. All the other foxes had found their partners and were already starting to leave in pairs to start families of their own. There was not a, soul left but her and him. As she turned back to the fox he looked even more downtrodden and depressed as he too looked over the clearing, desperately trying to find anyone he could pair up with, but there was no one.

Tears started to well in the fox's eyes and it was like somepony had stuck a knife into Fluttershy’s chest. She might have been able to help all the other foxes of the forest find love, but she had failed her new friend. That stung more than anything she could have managed, she frowned deeply.

“I’m so sorry, little one... I wish I could do something to help you, but it seems there are no more foxes around…” She said sadly as she reach a gentle hoof out towards him.

The fox knew what she was doing and walked closer to her, letting his head rest on her chest as she wrapped her hoof around him, pulling him into a hug.

“There has to be some way we can find you a mate this season...”

The fox stayed there, enjoying her warm embrace as he cuddled into her, wiping away some of his tears in her fur. He was really enjoying to closeness with her and he let out a happy for soft yip of thanks which made her smile.

“Don’t mention it... I’m always here for a fri...” Fluttershy stopped herself mid sentence as an idea came to her.

The fox in her hooves, being curious as to why she suddenly stopped talking, leaned back and looked up at her with curious but confused eyes. He yipped and flinched back when he was meet with her happy and beaming face as she started down at him with an excited smile.

“Mr. Fox!” she said a little to excitedly. “What if... what if I could be your mate!?”

End of Chapter 1