Dawn Breaking

• Jessica Seivl, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2020

Midnight was always livelier than her sister, Dawn. Midnight would stay up longer than her, played more, hunted more, fought more and ran around more. Not that Dawn wasn’t fit, she ran around, but just less.

So, when Dawn went missing, no-fox knew why. Except for Midnight. She had to keep her sister’s secret, or all the other foxes would kill Dawn. Dawn was magic. She could do what foxes called ‘Tani-ku’, the act of transformation. Tani-ku was not accepted in Midnight’s skulk. It was seen as a sign of betrayal.

Dawn would never go off to be with the birds, or cats, or other animals. She would stay here. Midnight decided to get her sister back.

She waited until her namesake time. She snuck out, silently. She went to the edge of the territory, following the familiar scent of Dawn. Dawn was always shy, never talking to the other foxes. Midnight was always talking to her friends.

Midnight walked out of camp, halfway up the hill just off the territory. She wasn’t sure how far Dawn had gone; Midnight’s sister had only been gone for half a day. When Midnight reached the top of the hill, she gasped. A beautiful waterfall poured down the rock ledge near the hill. Midnight thought of how Dawn had said her dream den was a cave behind a waterfall, covered in vines. Maybe it wasn’t make-believe.

Midnight raced down the hill, faster than she had ever had before. She went behind the waterfall, carefully avoiding the water. There, a cave, the entrance covered in flowering vines. She looked inside, and there lay Dawn.

“Dawn!” yelled Midnight. Dawn awoke and leapt into Midnight.

“Midnight! Oh, Midnight! I thought I lost you! But,” Dawn trailed off. “you know I can’t come back because of my Tani-ku. I would, but I can’t. I know you want me to. I’m so sorry.”

Midnight stared at Dawn. “But we can change your fur colour, with berries! And, change your name! You’re just a random lone fox who wants to join the skulk! It’s easy!” Midnight rambled.

“Or you could join me here, safe and easy to survive, rather than out in the skulk, easy to be killed, especially me.” Dawn replied.

“I-I didn’t think of that. I will stay with you Dawn, even if it means leaving the skulk.” Midnight reluctantly agreed.

She had a plan. I’ll leave at midnight, back to my skulk, just to see if they miss me. If they do, well, I’ll just have to go back. Without Dawn knowing. At the time she was named after, Midnight began to leave.

I can’t betray my own sister. She will always be by me. Midnight glanced at Dawn, sleeping in the cave, and sighed.

I have to choose my side.

Midnight looked up at the full moon and walked around the waterfall. She climbed up the hill and looked down at the camp where she had grown up.

And I choose my sister.