CountryCore Series: Fixer Upper (WLW)

Finally...Again

After such a late, tumultuous night, Jan wasn't surprised that she'd awoken late the following morning, yet what she hadn't anticipated was a lack of giddy foxes traipsing all over her bed. There was a severe lack of the critters and she sat up with a yawn as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, surmising she must have either just missed them, or seen wrong. As soon as she opened her eyes, however, she registered there was no Blaze, Poppy or any of their kits hopping around to play with her as usual. Through a furrowed brow as she slung her legs off of the side of her bed, Jan heard high pitched cackling coming from the living room and she grabbed her nearby robe, chilled by the fresh morning air that always cooled her poorly insulated trailer home.

As soon as she peeked her top half through her bedroom door in search of the source of the playful noise, she had her answer and felt a smile flood her face. Guided by some unforeseen force, Jan walked from her room across the small hallway and into the living room, sensing a glow along her cheeks like no other. True, last night was something she never desired experiencing again, but the morning fresh with new possibilities was quickly drowning it out with one single scene.

There on the couch lay Kenny on her back with her arm hanging off of the cushions and Blaze sitting next to her. She was blissfully unaware of his presence, deep within her slumbers as her eyes roamed the landscapes of her dreams and rolled around beneath her lids. Blaze stared at the door intently as if he was protecting her as Poppy remained a few feet away, calmly laying down in her typical semi-circle as she watched the kits play. That was the source of the fox laughter, the kits as they tumbled around and nipped at once another. One of them was the runt of the litter, but that didn't slow him down as he barreled into his sister kit and they both tossed around.

Cracking a sideways grin at how peaceful a scene she'd walked into first thing in the morning, Jan walked over and placed her hand atop Blaze's head. He did at least acknowledge her petting him and even leaned into her side, yet once his head was turned back toward the front door, he grew alert once more. Jan listened for any sign of something stirring from beyond its length, but there was no sound at all and she found herself absolutely astonished.

Typically, fox were a wary bunch and hardly became protective over anything other than their kits, yet here was Blaze fiercely guarding Kenny. They really had formed a bond and Jan got down onto the floor as she pet his pelt with such fondness she felt something awakening within herself. She turned her gaze toward Kenny and found her still sleeping, beginning to ponder just when she'd moved from her camper to the main house. More than that, she considered why...

Yes, they had been attacked and even lost two of the goats, though nothing had happened to herself thankfully. Kenny was the one hurt and Jan ran the backs of her knuckles along her cheek before tracing her fingers toward the gauze band around her head. With a heavy heart, Jan leaned along the front of the couch and trailed her eyes over Kenny's docile features. She was really quite lovely, even without being able to see those captivating eyes. Kenny bore a very defined cupid's bow and philtrum and a small divot on her chin much like her rather humble mother. Although, her defined jawline and Greek nose came from her mother for sure, while her eyes were a mix of both parents.

She was rather breathtaking, especially in her uninhibited state as she rolled over onto her side and her hand touched the floor. Kenny swung her hand there, letting her fingers rub along the floor for several silent moments before Blaze got down beneath it. She instinctively curled her fingers into his fur, then laid completely still once more as her breath fell back into a steady rhythm. Still, Blaze remained at her side as he stared diligently at the front door as if daring anyone who deemed it their right to enter into facing him first.

Pride flooded Jan's form as she contemplated the bond evidently solidified between him and Kenny for him to be on alert like this and ran her fingers through the fur along his back. It was so uncharacteristic for him to be so protective, though Jan deduced Kenna being here as a big tell in his reasoning. She'd left the comfort of her own abode to watch over them despite her injury and Jan couldn't fight the sensation it stirred within herself. She knew what this was and gulped as she ran her gaze over her slumbering face.