A small, sleeping form was nestled among pink shards of what was once a chrysalis. It was so small and it's fur so pale, it seemed almost sickly. It's eyes remained shut but it's side heaved with each new breath. Starting a new life takes courage and the little fox seemed to need just a few more minutes. The heat had swaddled him in a comfortable blanket. His stomach, however, did not relate to the same feeling of comfort. He was hungry, hunger was his first introduction to this life.

Humphrey slowly opened his eyes. The world was bright and unfocused. His pink eyes were narrowed into slits for his delicate eyes ached and strained to adjust. He rose to his feet and took a few unsteady steps. Something with bright colors was crawling across the pebble covered shore line. Curiosity seemed to fuel the kit because as soon as that bright colored thing crawled in front of him he darted after it and pounced.

His tiny paw slammed down on the bug with a crunch. Humphrey stuck his nose in the squished remains and gave it a sniff. It smelled good enough! He quickly lapped up the tiny morsel and looked around for more. Let the hunt begin!

Oh, happy day!

That flower was so pretty! Oooh, and so was that butterfly! And that gem, too! That Chrysalis was so shiny!

The pup bounded along, wagging his tail and looking around. His too big paws kept tripping him up, leaving him to thump face-first to the ground. He would simply yip, and clamber onto his feet, continuing to run.

His attention was drawn to something pinky and shiny. He woofed excitedly, and plodded over, sniffing at what had once been a chrysalis. Max took some into his mouth, but quickly found it inedible, and so turned around.

And, oh boy! There was a Gembound! A cute one, too, with soft white fur! "Hello!" he barked, tail wagging as he gallumped up to the fox kit. "I am Max. I have just met you, but I love you." and with that, he licked the kit's cheek.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

@Humphrey

Best friends tell you you got boogers on your noseBest friends don't laugh when you wear your grandpa's clothesYou're my best friend!

Humphrey was moving forward, head down, nose in the pebbles. That tasty thing had a smell but it was quite difficult finding another trail! He was trucking along with he heard a sound, a bark. The kit turned around just in time to see another foggy creature bounding over. Despite the other pup being, well, just a pup, Humphrey found himself quite startled by the sudden appearance.

The little fox let out a startled yip and instinctively flipped over on his back. He wriggled his little body around and looked at the other gembound upside down. Oh oh, don't hurt me! I don't taste like those tasty things!' He thought frantically, continuing his strange squealing sound.

When the kit felt a wet tongue on the sound of his face and heard what this other golden gembound said, his wiggling stopped. Suddenly, Humphrey felt himself feeling excited! The happy energy was almost contagious. He rolled himself upright and sat on his tail, looking up at Max. He could just barely make out the other gembounds face through his squinted eyes. They looked very friendly indeed!

"I..." Speaking seemed easy enough! He searched for a name, "I am..." Hmm, humph, hmm.. "I am Humphrey!" The little fox yipped, his voice shrill. He decided to continue, "I-I am looking for colorful crunchy things. They taste good, and I am hungry! Will you help?"

@max

Max yelped excitedly, viewing Humphrey's flailing of submission as an attempt at play, and he thought about doing the same. But, oh! he wanted to lick him first to show him how much he was loved, he did! And then he could wriggle as much as he wanted later. And they could play, yes, they could play! He could not wait!

Having given Humphrey the required lick and, feeling him try to get up, the pup backed up. His tail wagged excitedly, and his tongue lolled out in a goofy grin. "Hello Humphrey! You are now my best friend! Would you like to play?" But then the other, now named Humphrey, asked him for his help.

The pup drooled at the thought of tasty things, and nodded rapidly. "Yes, oh yes! I can help you! I can help you a lot, just you see!" Turning his head, he leaped after a flash of light

only to crash face first into a particularly colorful rock. He clambered back to his feet and, completely forgetting his previous quest, began to bat the rock around.

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Best friends tell you you got boogers on your noseBest friends don't laugh when you wear your grandpa's clothesYou're my best friend!

Humphrey bounced excitedly, this pup was very kind! Now he will have plenty of colorful things to eat! The little fox kit watched as the pup scampered off and then promptly smashed his face into a colorful rock. Humphrey yipped with laughter and bounced after Max. His hunger was muffled by the overwhelming need to play with that colorful rock.

Max, however, was playing with it first. Surely Humphrey could get it from him! The foggy eyed fox leaped towards the stone as it rolled away from Max after the pups paw gave it a good thwack. Luckily, the rock had bounced nice and close to where Humphrey landed. His little paws grasped at the stone. It was very beautiful! Humphrey wanted to keep it!

He cast his squinted pink eyes back to Max. Maybe Max wanted it too! The fox snatched the stone in his mouth and dropped into a playful stance, his fluffy tail waving like a flag. Although he had never taken such a pose he knew it was right! A good game of chase would surely ensue. If he wants it he better come get it! And with that thought, Humphrey whipped around and bolted down the shoreline moving as fast as his little legs could take him.

@Max

Having completely forgotten about the fox kit, Max grabbed the rock in his jaws and tossed it into the air. It proceeded to fall back down and smack him between the eyes, and he went cross eyed to try and see it. It bounded off and to the ground, and he boofed as he whacked it with a paw.

To his surprise, a little white thing appeared, stealing his rock. However, he knew what the kit wanted when he dropped down onto his forelegs, and he copied the position, tail wagging so fast he wriggled. When the fox kit bolted he was quick to follow on ungainly legs, barking excitedly.

@Humphrey

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Best friends tell you you got boogers on your noseBest friends don't laugh when you wear your grandpa's clothesYou're my best friend!

The little albino fox whipped his head around for a quick second to see if Max had followed. Much to his delight he was! He turned back around and continued running. The pup behind him had longer legs, but little did he know that Humphrey had the cunning all foxes seemed to have.

He took a hard right, rocketing away from the water and towards a few trees. The little foxes goal was not to lose Max, it was to see how long he could stay ahead of him! He glanced back again to make sure the blurry shape of his new best friend was still there. But, when he turned around his vision was filled with the bark of a tree. Humphrey tried to slow his pace and adjust his course.

He successfully maneuvered his way around it, only to run right into a thick bush. A frightened bark exploded from him as he tumbled into its branches. The colorful rock fell from his mouth as he struggled to find his way out. It was quite dark in the thick of the bush, making it even harder for the tiny fox to make sense of what he was seeing. Panic started to rise and he thrashed around harder.

"Max! Max!! I'm stuck! I can't see!" Humphrey cried to his friend, "And I dropped the roooock!"

@Max

Oh he liked chasing! He hoped Humphrey kept running, so he could chase him and chase him and chase him! The fox proved to be much more agile than him, and he attempted to copy the fox's hard right. However, he merely tripped over his over-sized paws, tumbling along the ground. He scrambled back to his feet, before charging back after Humphrey.

The pup boofed a laugh when he saw Humphrey run into a bush. He wagged his tail, and ran forward to help. "I can help!" he barked cheerfully, and bounced forward to help him.

Something brightly colored caught his eye, and he veered. A brightly colored beetle skittered across the ground, and he lunged after it. It vanished between his teeth, squirming on his tongue, but not crushed. "H'mphry! 'oo'! I 'augh' 'ome'in'!" he barked, trotting up to the fox.

Was this what Humphrey had been chasing earlier?

@Humphrey

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Best friends tell you you got boogers on your noseBest friends don't laugh when you wear your grandpa's clothesYou're my best friend!

The little fox kit continued to thrash around the bush. Where's Max? He thought sadly. He had heard his friends bark just a moment ago. His pawsteps were close for a moment and then they faded away. Humphrey remained hunched on the ground in the tangle of twigs.

It seemed like forever until he heard Maxs voice again, but this time it was muffled. The little fox looked up, trying desperately to squint through the small gapes in the foliage. Maybe if he could see the other pup, he could just follow his shape out of the dark bush. All of the sudden, the pups head was in full view and Humphrey quickly scampered out, nearly running in to him.

Humphrey paused and took a deep breath, overjoyed to have escaped the clutches of the evil bush. When he turned around he saw that Max was holding one of the crunchy things he had eaten earlier.

"Oh! Yes!" He bounced in place, already having forgotten the bush. "Can I have some!" Humphrey crawled up to Max and licked his chin hopefully.

@Max

Humphrey wagged his tail violently, bouncing from paw to paw. The beetle waggled against his teeth, and he giggled at the feel of its feet kicking at his tongue.

He wanted to eat it, but Humphrey wanted it too, didn't he? So it was only fair to give it to the fox.

To his great excitement, Humphrey was happy to see his prize, as well. He pranced proudly, puffing up his chest as he dropped the beetle at Humphrey's feet.

"For you!"

@Humphrey

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Best friends tell you you got boogers on your noseBest friends don't laugh when you wear your grandpa's clothesYou're my best friend!