The Wise Whoot

     Blaze listened to his father's words. Blaze was a Doglefox, and ever since he could remember, he lived with six sisters and his parents. The siblings were all different colors, so they were named after their certain color. Blaze was the oldest, and he felt relieved that tomorrow he would journey away from home, away from his annoying sisters. Though, even if he didn't like to admit it, he loved them.

     “Daddy.” Blaze's sister, Snowdrop, a White Doglefox, spoke. “Is the Wise Whoot real?”

     Their father, a Black Doglefox, replied, “No one is sure, young one. We can only believe what we want to believe.”

     Sunshine, a Yellow Doglefox, asked, “Do you believe the Wise Whoot is real, Dad?”

     A voice came from behind them. “Okay, little ones, bed time!”

     Blaze turned and saw his mother, a Faerie Doglefox, in the doorway to the room. “Aw!” the girls whined.

     “No, your mother is right,” their father announced. “It's late.”

     The six little Petpets stormed out of the room, Blaze came behind them, their parents following.

     Tomorrow, Blaze thought. Tomorrow I am going off on my first adventure on my own! It was time he would leave the nest and spread his wings. He would be glad to be on his own; he would be glad to be free.

***

     “Blaze?”

     Blaze woke to the sound of his sisters. He grumbled while half asleep, “What is it?”

     Rosa, the Pink Doglefox, nudged him. “Blaze, you're leaving in the morning, aren't you?”

     Blaze got up from his bed and looked at her. “Yes, why?”

     Forrest, the Green Doglefox, went to him as well. “We don't want you to leave.” The rest of them nodded.

     “Well...” Blaze looked at his sisters. They were his life, his family, but he couldn't stick with them forever. “There comes a time when we all have to leave home, and it's my time to go. I'm ready.”

     “You are?” the Purple Doglefox, Plum, asked.

     Blaze nodded. “Yes, I am.”

     Rivulet, the Blue Doglefox, became concerned. “Will we leave Mum and Daddy one day?”

     Blaze nodded again. “Yes, one day. But you still have a long time before you all are ready to leave home. Since I'm older, and I know how to look out for myself, I will have leave to start my journey.”

     “Journey for what?” Sunshine asked.

     “Journey for, hmm.” Blaze stopped. Truthfully, he had no idea what this 'journey' was about. He guessed it had something to do with him growing up, that it had to happen. “Journey for my future, I suppose,” he answered. “Now, can I get back to sleep? Please?”

     The girls nodded and turned back to their beds. Blaze sighed. He would miss these small conversations with his sisters, he would.

***

     “Blaze! Time to wake up!”

     Blaze woke to the sound of his sisters shoving him out of bed. He groaned. Mornings were always like this, but tomorrow morning it wouldn't be. Today, this day, he would leave his present life and go out into the world unknown.

     Along with his sisters, he ran outside like they always did. They would play and roll in the grass and have the time of their lives. But not this morning. They wouldn't have fun this morning. The girls didn't want to be happy; Blaze would leave them.

     Their parents followed them outside. “Well,” their father said, “Blaze, are you ready?”

     Blaze nodded excitedly. “Yes, Dad. I know I'm ready.”

     The Black Doglefox nodded. “Very well. Stand before me.”

     Blaze did, but he could feel the sorrow in his father's voice. He could see a silent tear run down his mother's cheek, and his sisters' faces were sad. They circled around him as his father began the ritual.

     “You, young Blaze, Doglefox of Uni Meadows, will today venture out into the world beyond. This journey will test you, in any way possible. Are you willing to accept any test come before you? Are you willing to take on every challenge the world gives you?”

     Blaze nodded. “Yes, I am.”

     “Then, young Blaze, Doglefox of Uni Meadows, go forth! And let the Faeries watch over you!”

     There was a sudden cheer from his sisters, even if they still felt sad. Blaze looked at his father and mother and went to them. They said goodbye to him one last time, then his sisters did.

     As he walked down the road, he stopped and looked back. In the distance he could see his family and home. He would miss them all, but he couldn't look back, not now. He turned and continued on. Tonight, he was sure, his father would tell more stories to his sisters. And who knows? Maybe one day his father would tell a story about him, Blaze the Doglefox.

     Yes, Blaze thought. That would be nice.

     After three days on his own, Blaze came upon the Endless Plains. He met very few fellow Petpets, but tons of Neopets. Yet, they ignored him as he ignored them. Blaze thought he would never, ever be a pet to any Neopet. What fun would that be?

     It was almost dark, now, and Blaze began to look for a nice place to camp. He wore a backpack that held food, water, a sleeping bag, and some Neopoints. He finally stopped in an area with trees overhead. He took his backpack off and grabbed his sleeping bag. He spread it on the ground, and afterwards he took out a slice of jelly his mother had packed for him. He was starving. He had to find a town, soon, though. He was already running out of food; he guessed he had enough to last him for a couple of more days. That would be fine for the time being.

     Darkness shadowed over him, and he prepared for sleep. He kept his backpack close to him, in case anyone tried to take it away from him in the night. He was always aware of his surroundings, however, even in deep sleep.

     He fell asleep quickly, and he had dreams of his family again. Yes, he did miss them! He had never had this feeling of loneliness before.

     He woke in the middle of the night, startled. He had sensed movement nearby. He quickly got to his paws and began to explore his surroundings.

     “Is someone there?” he called. No one answered. He continued to be cautious. Anything could ambush him. There was silence for a long time. Finally, Blaze heard a voice call to him.

     “Hmm, it seems you've stumbled upon my home... finally.” The voice came from above Blaze, and he looked up. He had to adjust to the dark before he could see anything. Then, Blaze saw the one who had spoken.

     It was a Whoot, up in the tree. It jumped off the branch it was previously perching on, and landed in front of Blaze. Blaze stood silent, watching him.

     “It's not nice to stare, Blaze,” the Whoot pointed out.

     Blaze stopped. “Who are you? And how do you know my name?”

     “I am here to test you,” the Whoot said. Blaze could see the Whoot's eyes were kind and gentle. “You could say I'm the one to change your life, your destiny.”

     “How do you mean?” Blaze asked.

     The Whoot replied, “I have seen your future, and it does not look good.”

     “What are you? Some fortune-teller or something?” Blaze heard his voice raise than it usually did. Who was this stranger?

     “What I'm trying to say is that I need help, and you can help me,” the Whoot told him.

     Blaze looked at him. “Me? Why me?”

     The Whoot replied simply, “Because I have chosen you.”

     Blaze was confused. “I don't even know you, or your name.”

     “You've heard of me in stories, Blaze.” The Whoot blinked. “As for my name... I cannot tell you... yet.”

     It didn't take Blaze long for something to come to his mind. “The Wise Whoot?” Blaze blurted out. He was awe-stricken that his father had told them a story of the Wise Whoot the night before he left, the last story his father had spoken.

     The Whoot nodded. “Will you take my offer?”

     “Offer?” Blaze asked.

     “Will you help me? And, before you decide,” the Whoot warned, “I have seen your future if you refuse... it is not a happy future.”

     Blaze was taken aback. “What if I do help you? What will I get in return?”

     The Whoot looked straight at him. “I will give you a gift, a gift that will help both of us.”

     Blaze grew cautious. “What kind of gift?”

     “Oh, it is a surprise, Blaze. But a surprise you will like, I promise.” The Whoot's eyes glimmered a bit. He was calm and patient with the Doglefox.

     Blaze listened to his words. The Wise Whoot was never known as one who would trick someone, he was known as someone who helped others. If Blaze accepted, would the Whoot trick him? And what would the Wise Whoot want so badly that he needed him? And if Blaze didn't accept, what would his future hold?

     The Whoot was silent as Blaze sighed.

     “I will accept your offer on one condition,” Blaze told him.

     The Whoot cocked his head. “And what would that be?”

     “What do you want me for?” Blaze demanded.

     This time, the Whoot sighed. “I need an apprentice.”

     “What?” Blaze asked, confused and in shock.

     “I need an apprentice to help me, and I need to teach someone all that I know,” the Whoot told him.

     “Really?” Blaze couldn't believe this! The Wise Whoot wanted him as his apprentice! He couldn't help but smile and then nod. “But why me?” he asked again.

     “Because,” the Whoot hooted, “some miracles happen to those less fortunate.” He waved his talons toward Blaze, and Blaze an odd sensation flow through him. He remembered feeling numb before he fell to the ground.

     Blaze woke to the morning sun. “Was it all a dream?” he wondered aloud. He felt odd, though. He was still beneath the trees, in his sleeping bag. Then a voice came to him.

     “Blaze, I want you to look at something.”

     Blaze turned and saw the Wise Whoot standing next to a small pond not far from Blaze's current position. It wasn't a dream, Blaze thought. “Look at what?” he asked.

     “Yourself,” the Whoot replied, he watched Blaze with a light in his eyes. Blaze was confused, but went to the side of the pond.

     Blaze gasped, and almost thought that he was still dreaming. What he saw in his reflection, was no longer a Doglefox! Standing before the pond, in Blaze's reflection, wasn't even a Petpet, but a Lupe! A red Lupe!

     “Do you like your gift?” the Wise Whoot asked him.

     “Yes... and no,” Blaze replied. He turned to the Whoot. Suddenly, he realized what his father had said about the Whoot, how the Petpet could talk in any language, and all would understand. This was true.

     “Don't worry,” the Whoot winked. “I can transform you back into a Doglefox any time.” Blaze gave a sigh of relief. As much as he liked this form, his Doglefox form would always be who he was. “And,” the Whoot continued, “you will be able to transform back and forth yourself, once you begin your training.”

     “I can't believe this,” Blaze muttered to himself. “The Wise Whoot will train me!” He turned back to his new master. “How should I address you? I don't know your name.”

     The Whoot gave a bit of a chuckle. “Do you really want to know?”

     Blaze nodded.

     “Zihark, it's Zihark.”

     A time passed, and rumors of the Wise Whoot having an apprentice flew from coast to coast. Though, once again, it was unsure if there was even a Wise Whoot at all. Blaze was a mystery to his friends and family now. Though, every now and then he went back home and listened to his father's stories.

     “No one is sure where or how it got its powers, but what Neopians call the Wise Whoot is a very gifted Petpet. Recent rumors say that the Whoot has taken on an apprentice, a Lupe. It is unsure if the Lupe wanted this, or maybe it was a wish made by the Wise Whoot himself? We can only wonder if they're real or not. We can only believe what we want to believe.”

     Blaze was happy. He had gotten his wish: his father was telling a story about Blaze the Lupe.

The End