Okay, I've got the drawing done. Is there anything you want me to change? Any suggestions for hair/skin/eye/dress color?

Guys, hi. 

I'm working on the story but before I post it I kind of want to say sorry. I really suck at commitment on things. I think it's my worst flaw— Strangely it only happens in CB, not real life. I need to get better with sticking with something after I begin it.

Kalidescope, is there anything specific that you are good at drawing? 

Yeah, sorry. Anyway, I'm working on typing up and revising my story now.

Oh, geez. I thought, Hazel, THAT I TAUGHT YOU NOT TO USE BAD LANGUAGE!!!

By the way, The Artist, I think the boy in the story, Terrence, is African- American. Just if you wanted to draw him. But it doesn't really matter, whatever you draw is okay.

I'll post more of my story tomorrow. 

Here's my story. It might have gone over the word limit a bit--I'm not sure--but I cut out as much as possible to make it shorter, so-

Story for CB Writing/Art Contest

~~~~

Cinzel slowly placed one paw in front of another, padding up the stony path. Her sleek orange fur rippled in the wind, and she closed her eyes. 

“Cinzel!” Her ears twitched around. Her aunt was standing behind her. “Hurry up and fetch the water, you useless fox!” Cinzel snarled, but quickened her pace.

Ever since she could remember, she had lived with her aunt, Elysia. Her aunt worked her hard, while the fox herself hardly did any work. Whenever Cinzel complained, Elysia would reply that she should be grateful, because didn’t she supply Cinzel with food and a roof over her head?

As she trotted along, the water gourd bouncing against her side, a small, rainbow-colored butterfly darted across he path. She batted at it playful, and chased it down the path.

The fox did not notice as the trees grew closer together, and the path sloped downward steeply.

Finally, the butterfly flew upward, and Cinzel jumped up for one last swipe at it. As her front paws left the gourd, her back paws hooked onto a thick root and she fell, tumbling downward.

Cinzel rolled over and over, unable to stop herself. The sharp, jagged rocks pressed into her fur, and she yelped.

After a few minutes, she rolled to a stop. She lay there for a while, spitting out small pebbles and whining. There were scrapes and cuts all over her paws, though her thick fur had protected her from most of it.

She rolled over and scrambled to her feet, but nearly collapsed again as pain shot through her legs. She cursed softly.

“Trouble?” Cinzel whirled around and gasped. I must be hallucinating, she thought. A fat bear stood in front of her, wearing a blue hat with spaces for his ears. She flopped backwards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cinzel opened her eyes. She had a vague feeling that she was tucked into a bed—a soft bed. She sat up. A dim light from her left allowed her to see her surroundings. She seemed to be in a cave of some sort, because the air was musty and it was so dark. She held up her front paws. They were bandaged, wrapped in strips of something.

“Do they feel better?” A large figure loomed up out of the darkness. It was the bear, the same one she had seen before she-before-she couldn’t remember. “Who-who are you?” She stammered. The bear bowed. “Jouno Pierre, at your service.” 

She clutched the blanket tightly.

“Don’t worry; I’m not going to hurt you.” The bear moved closer, curiously.

Cinzel let out a small, muffled shriek.

He drew back, a look of surprise on his simple face. “Didn’t I tell you I won’t hurt you?” He lumbered away. “I’ll be back soon.”

As soon as he was gone, Cinzel hopped out of the bed and smoothed her bright orange fur down. Where am I? She wondered. The light allowed her to see a bit, but not much. 

The sound of the bear’s thick pawpaws echoed around. Where was he? She couldn’t tell if it was coming toward her or not.

Suddenly, small paws grabbed her. A paw was put over her mouth as she struggled and tried to bit whoever had her. Then something fell over her head, and everything went black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Foxy, foxy, foxy!” Cinzel jerked awake. She tried to move her paws, but they were stuck. A rough surface scraped her back.

As she became less sleepy, she discovered that she was tied to a tree by her paws, somewhere in a forest.

“Foxy, foxy, foxy!” The voice chanted. A hooded, cloaked figure jumped in front of her. As it moved, Cinzel caught a glimpse of long, floppy white ears. Could it be…?

“Foxy, foxy, foxy!” 

Cinzel snapped. A stream of curses, insults, and shouts came out of her mouth. Living with Aunt Elysia, she had not learned politeness as a habit. She let out several more curses.

The hooded figure stood still for a moment, then fell to the ground, laughing. As it flopped down, Cinzel saw, large, flat feet before it hastily drew them under its cloak.

“You’re a—rabbit!” She blurted. Her pointy ears stood straight up in indignation. “A rabbit!” 

It got up immediately. “How dare you! I am—“ It pulled a knife out of its cloak— “A hare!” He lunged at her, the knife upraised—

Wham. She squeezed her eyes shut as something big hurtled past her, knocking the hare over. 

She slowly opened her eyes.

Jouno, the bear, was standing by the hare, who was rubbing his forehead.

“Stay there,” the bear placed his foot on the hare’s arm. Then he strode over to Cinzel and untied her paws. “Why in bee’s nests did you leave?” His voice was gruff, but as he turned away, Cinzel saw a slight smile on his face.

She slowly pulled herself away from the tree trunk, licking her wrists where the fur had become matted down.

“—Old Elysia, she said she wanted that fox over there—“

She perked up her ears.

“—says she’s her niece or somethin’—“

“—I’ve gotta make a living, Jouno—“

Jouno pushed the hare aside. He stumbled over to Cinzel.

“Cinzel—that’s your name, right?—you live with Elysia, the fox?” He said breathlessly.

Cinzel didn’t bother to look up at him. “She’s my aunt,” she muttered.

Jouno laughed out loud, then coughed in an embarrassed sort of way. “Elysia’s no aunt of yours. She’s been bossing everyone in this bit of woods around since….” He hesitated. “Look, stay here for a moment, alright?” He crashed into the bushes, not waiting for an answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let go of me, you big stupid bear!” Aunt Elysia pushed her way into the clearing, saw Cinzel, and stopped short. “Cinzel! What in the name of woodlice are you doing here? Where’s the water I sent you for? You should have been back hours ago-mmphh!” 

The bear clapped a big, furry paw over Aunt Elysia’s snout. “I think Cinzel won’t be fetching you any more water anytime soon. You, Elysia, are a disgrace. Why I didn’t step in before, I don’t know.” His voice hardened. “You are no longer welcome in this forest. Leave now!” 

Aunt Elysia snarled and bounded away into the trees as Jouno released his grip. ”We won’t be seeing her again,” Jouno smiled. “Peace go with you, Cinzel. You’ll be fine by yourself?” Cinzel nodded. “I’ll see you again soon, Jouno.” Then she turned and walked off into the darkening forest.