The Juugleirs

Chapter 1 - One Crazy Day

"Beep, beep, beep..." An annoyingly familiar blare rang out. "Beep, beep, beep..."

"Oh shut up already," Jasmine snapped, glaring at her mothers lyrebird. She reluctantly clambered out of her warm, comfy pile of leaves, digging her claws into the cold branch. The silvery, grey fox slid down the trunk to a lower level of the tree (her room, where she kept all her stuff) shifting to her human-like form as soon as her paws touched the ground. Sorting through her oak wood chest of drawers, she debated what to wear. "Jazzy, Jaz." Jasmine's mother called, "breakfast!"

"Just getting dressed Mum," Jaz answered. When she was dressed, the girl transformed back to fox form and slid down the trunk to her familys dining and kitchen level. Once in the kitchen, she spied her mum working busily and beside her was Alarm (the lyrebird), the snobbish bird was sitting smuggly on Jasmine's hammock! Jaz didn't even try to stop herself from carrying out the plot formulating in her head.

She didn't transform back to being human, instead she leapt silently from furniture piece to furniture piece, careful not to catch the attention of the winged brat or be heard by the two storm coloured fox ears perched on top of her mothers head. Once in perfect alignment of Alarm she closed her eyes and summoned water, building a sphere in front of her face. The feirce fox continued to build her aqua sphere until it was the size of a tennis ball, then with a slight shake of her head, she launched it straight at the smug beast. Goal! It hit the target, the bird squaked and mimiced the sound of a car alarm. Begonia (Jasmines mum) turned round in a flash, glancing at her beloved bird and then soundlessly slipping into her fox form, searching the room for the attacker. Jazzy pounced down, landing right on top of her mum, "Jasmine! How dare you attack Alarm like that, how would you like it if I attacked Pixie?" She lectured furiously.

"Pixie wouldn't have the nerve to steal your hammock." Jaz replied glowering at the dripping, shocked bird landing on the kitchen bench.

"Jasmine, you really need to control your anger!" Her mother tutted in disapointment as she shifted back to being human.

"Fine!" Jazzy replied exasperated transforming just as her mum had done. Begonia studied what Jasmine was wearing, from her navy art cap that carefully hid her silver ears and grey bun, her green tunic, black tights, brown boots and the long grey coat tied around her waist to hide her tail.

"Jaz, you don't need to hide the fact that you're a grey fox." Begonia stated,

"I know Mum," Jaz sighed, "but I think it's best if they don't all know on the first day, I'd rather not be called old again because of my grey hair."

"Okay, but just remember that they're just jealous. Not everyone gets to be the first gray fox Juugleir in centuries, ya know." Begonia replied gently, "grey foxes are rare."

"Thanks Mum," Jazzy responded.

"Hi, I'm Lycaste, I'm a fauve de bourgogne rabbit! See?" Lycaste asked, wiggling her long caramel coloured ears. "What's your name?" Jaz looked around the clearing to the wood and leaf classrooms built up in the trees, then back to the short blonde girl in front of her.

"I'm Jasmine, cool ears!" Jaz responded carefully avoiding saying what animal she was.

'Nice to meet you Jasmine! Want to walk to class together?" Lycaste asked, a little disapointed.

"Sure," Jazzy answered. The two girls walked in silence most of the way, but then Lycaste asked

"So, what animal are you?" Thankfully, a second later, the bell rang, saving Jaz from having to answer. Kids scurried round the yard like marbles on a slope, Jasmine held back, walking more slowly and cradling Pixie in her arms. The little ferret squirmed and squeeled till Jaz let her sit atop the girls shoulder.

"Oh Pixie, I'm nervous, but we're going to be okay... Right?" Jazzy uttered, her voice shaking anxiously.

"Yeah, we'll be okay, as long as no-one finds out which type of fox you are, we'll be fine." The snow coloured ferret assured (though she was a little distracted by the scent of food). Jaz was about to thank her, when Lycaste's voice rang out from the class line. Jaz quickly responded with "coming!" and hurried over.

"Cool ferret, what his name," Lycaste inquired curiously. "Is he a good pet, I've heard ferret's aren't that popular because they always steal things."

"My name is Pixie aka the best behaved, most amazing ferret in the entire... Well... Everything! AND I'm a girl, NOT a boy!!!" Pixie snapped fuming.

"Ha! I didn't know ferrets could be so bossy and arrogant! I thought they were just stupid and ugly." The girl sneered churlishly, flicking her well groomed ears as she spoke.

"Pixie isn't bossy or arrogant, and if you think ferrets are ugly then there is someone here who's stupid, YOURSELF!" Jaz growled defensively, before stomping off to the back of the line with Pixie tucked safely in a small bag made of leaves. Which she wore crossed over one shoulder and hanging slightly in front of her other hip, the interior of the pouch was lined with feathers Jaz had found on the ground and soft grasses which she'd collected only days before.

Only half a minute later, Jazzy's new teacher arrived. Her teacher swooped through the trees and glided down to the yard. She surveyed her students for a moment, then shifted out of her owl form and into her human one. She looked about sixty years of age and had pale, slightly wrinkly skin with scraggly dark grey hair (that had probably once been a beautiful shade of ebony) put into a messy bun. A cord ran around her neck, connected to her gold reading glasses, which sat three quarters of the way down her nose. She continued to observe her pupils for a minute, as if looking for something. Then she stated in a voice you'd hear from miles a way, "If you'd all please follow me." Despite her age, her voice sounded youthful, like that of a forty year old. Jaz hesitated as she noticed her class teacher leading the class to more open but easier, less tiring path up the tree. Grateful to be at the back of the line, Jazzy hung back, deciding to take the longer, more tiring route that would allow her to go unseen up the tree trunk.

After taking the dreadfully long passage up the tree trunk, Jasmine hurriedly transformed back to human form. She waited a few seconds in the small room (that was placed just in front of where the tunnel opened up into the hallway), Pixie scampered back up the girls leg and onto her left shoulder. "It'll be fine Jaz! Just relax!" Pix encouraged, "you can do it!" Jazzy slowly exited through the dark oak door and stumbled down the corridor towards the sound of her teacher's voice.

"Who wants to go first?" Jaz's teacher inquired just as Jasmine entered the room. "Ah, perfect, we have a volunteer. I'm Madame Thyme, my animal form is a Barn Owl and my favourite thing is herbology. Your turn!" Madame studied Jasmine's hat curiously, as if expecting her reluctance to confide in them.

"I'm Jasmine, this is my pet ferret Pixie and..."She trailed off not sure what to say (other than what she didn't want to).

"She hates her mothers lyrebird," Pixie finished with a vivacious effect. The class erupted into laughter, even Madame Thyme looked amused, the only not laughing was Lycaste who was ignoring the scene and pretending to be focused on sorting through her stationery but every now and then she'd pause to glare at the satisfied looking ferret.

"Does anyone have any questions for Jasmine?" Madame Thyme prompted. Hands shot up from almost everyone in the class so Madame Thyme strategically added, "Jasmine, you can answer three." Jaz pointed to a boy with shaggy brown hair that fell into his eyes and two fluffy-looking round bear ears.

"Where'd you get Pixie?" He queried, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"I found her litter just outside the woods when I was picking berries, her mother..." Jasmine paused, looking down at the little ferret cradled in her arms, "wasn't there. They were all tiny but she was the runt, I brought them back to the village in my basket and gave them all except for Pixie to the top anamalia field mouse, he still has a few as pets. He gave away the others." Next she pointed to a girl that looke a year older than Jaz, the girl had auburn hair that fell down almost all the way to her elbows and two reddish brown squirrel ears that rotated slightly at every noise.

"How old is she?" The rather pretty girl questioned, she was observing the ferret intently so Jazzy thought she's probably an animalia.

"She's one and a half years old, I found her when she was four days old," Jaz responded confidently. Then pointed reluctantly to the only person remaining with their hand up, Lycaste.

She had a sneer drawn on her smug face and Jasmine could easily guess what question she was going to ask. "Which animal are you?" She demanded, of course, the surly, bad tempered girl who'd almost been Jazzy's friend would ask that.

Suddenly, another teacher came running down the hallway, she opened the door to the class without knocking, spoke in a hushed voice to Madame Thyme, who spoke to the class, "I have had a small issue come up, I expect you to behave yourselves, Jasmine you can keep answering questions till I come back." and the two teachers quickly ran out of the room.

"Umm... Uh..." Jaz stuttered helplessly.

"She's a fox and you're a brat!" Pixie barked at Lycaste (her high-pitched ferret voice almost sounded funny when she spoke angrily, almost).

"Cool! Which colour?" Another boy blurted out.

"Does it matter?" Pixie challenged feircly.

"Yes, it does, which colour?" Lycaste snickered. Meanwhile Jasmine had no idea what to do, she was standing there obviosly extremely embarassed and stressed while Pixie defended her persistently, glaring at anyone who dared question her friend. Lycaste began edging her way towards Jaz, a rough looking girl (with hyena ears) who didn't look very friendly gestured to two more rough, aggressive looking boys (one with grey wolf ears and the other with cyote ears) and the three of them followed after a not so friendly Lycaste.

"If you won't tell us willingly, we'll make you." The tough girl promised threatingly, the boys behind her nodded.

Pixie took a stance on Jazzy's shoulder, "Leave her alo-"

"Pixie, stop," Jaz scooped up the hissing ferret, "Go away!" She barked assertively at Lycaste and her gang. They just sneered and cornered Jazzy, one of the boys (the wolf), made a grab for her hat, Jasmine dodged but the hyena girl got a hold of the art cap. Before Jaz had time to stop her, Pixie leapt with her claws out in fornt of her and her teeth bared but the sweet little rodent was too late. The bully ripped Jazzy's hat off, revealing her grey ears and hair just before Pix sunk her teeth into the thugs flesh. The mean girl didn't even wince, she just tossed her attacker away, Pixie hit the wall with a thud and then fell to the ground. The class let out a gasp and gaped at Jasmine's fox ears, but three kids ran to help Pixie. Jaz shoved past the four bullies to where Pixie lay surrounded by the bear Juugleir boy with the shaggy hair, the squirel Juugleir girl with the auburn hair and another boy with dark skin and hair. Lycaste and the bullies began to head towards Jaz but the three kids that had ran up to Pix stood up to hold off the bullies so Jasmine could run. Jazzy gingerly picked up her beloved friend and did just that.

Jasmine sprinted down the path her class had taken up the trunk, in fox form, with Pix safely in the pouch around her neck, she kept running, through the undergrowth, away, as far away as possible from the classroom and the four kids that might be pursuing her at that very second. She paid no attention to where she was going, just that she had to hide, had to protect Pixie. Soon, she came to a small clearing with a cluster of tall, thick bushes that she couldn't see through, she staggered into the undergrowth, ignoring the sharp twigs that caught on her furry coat. She came to a small clearing and without looking around, transformed back to being human. Jaz sunk to her knees, tears falling from her face, as she gently lifted Pixie from her pouch.

A noise from near by made Jazzy's head shoot up and her fox ears twitch anxiously amid her messy hair that had escaped it's confinements and hang loosely down to her waist. Behind a thick spruce tree she saw a long tail, "who-o's the-ere?" Jaz ordered, her voice wavering with fear and sadness. A cautious face looked out from around the tree, made a terrified squeak and vanished again, but a second later an anxious looking girl stepped out. The girl had light brown hair that only went just past her chin, pale but slightly sun-tanned skin and two small, round, light brown mouse ears atop her head. She wasn't very tall and had clearly had a bad day since her cheeks were flushed and her face covered in tear stains. Freckles were playfully splattered along her cheeks and the ridge of her nose, her long mouse tail arched up behind her in an orderly manner. The girl let out a small whimper and took a small reluctant step towards Jasmine.

"M-my na-name is H-Hyac-cinth. Who-o are you?" Hyacinth asked quivering with fear.

"I-I'm Ja-Jasmine. D-do you kn-know wh-where I could f-find an an-ima-alia?" Jazzy responded equally scared.

"Why? Is a-an animal hurt? Is it alright? Wh-what happened?" Hyacinth inquired with concern, only a slight waver left in her voice.

"I don't know whether she's alright. It's my f-ferret Pixie. She was thrown against a w-wall. She needs help." Jaz sobbed, on the brink of crying.

"Let me see, I'm an animalia. I might be able to help." The girl affirmed, Jasmine hesitated looking from Pixie to Hyacinth and back, but gave in, holding out Pixie. The animalia gently picked Pix up from out of Jazzy's hands and began to scrutinize the ferrets injuries. "I don't have my kit but I only need a few plants and some water." Hyacinth admitted, "If you could find: two maple leaves - that looks like this; one pine cone - that looks like this; one wild flower - that looks like this; and a small stream where you can collect water with this." The girl with the mouse ears handed Jaz a range of sketches and a small water pale made of watertight leaves weaved together.

"Here's the water." Jasmine commented, moving her hands around in a spherical way over the bucket. Once it was filled to the top, Jazzy passed it over Hyacinth and scamper off to find the plants that they needed. After a few minutes, Jaz came back with the requested two maple leaves, pine cone and wild flower and so the animalia quickly got to work. Jazzy watched in fascination as Hyacinth crumpled one of the maple leaves onto the unconscious ferret and waved the pinecone over Pixie's stomach and ribcage. Then she gingerly tore the petals off the wildflower and placed the largest (approx 0.5mm larger than the rest) on the ferret's head. She worked, using various procedures that Jasmine knew nothing of, for around ten minutes before blowing the flower petal off Pix's head.

A magic of vibrant pinks and purples surrounded the small rodent, lifting her a centimetre off the ground, where one of ribs had clearly been broken a small wisp of blue magic enclosed it, putting it back in it's original position. Half a minute later, the magic faded slightly and set Pixie back down on the ground before completly disappearing. The ferret's eyelids moved once, twice, before flickering open.

"Pixie!" Jasmine exclaimed, happy, relieved tears ran down her face, "Thankyou, so, so much Hyacinth! You're amazing!"

"I'm glad I could help." Hyacinth replied humbly, she still had tear stains on her cheeks but a gentle smile had appeared.

"Jazzy?!? What happened? Are you okay?" Pix wondered, before turning to Hyacinth, "Who are you? You seem nice! Could one of you please explain what happened?"

"The girl who took my hat off, threw you against the wall, you were unconscious. You shouldn't have jumped out and bit her! It was dangerous!" Jaz scolded.

"Well, she was an IDIOT!!! And so was STUPID Lycaste! She deserved it!" Pixie muttered furiosly.

"You're just lucky Hyacinth was here to help! Wait, what were you doing here?" Jasmine queried, turning to the animalia.

Hyacinth sighed, "I'm a mouse Juugleir and some people think that mice Juugleirs are inferior to... Well, other Juugleirs. A boy in my class called me a... A... A midget." Her began to fill a little with tears, "anyway what brought you down here, 'cause I'm guessing Pixie's injury wasn't the only reason."