Malika (muh-lee-kuh) felt a strange tongue licking the end of her hand. That was weird. Malika didn't have a dog. Only a rat that she absolutely hated. And what was weirder is that it was around 3:20 in the morning. /I'm dreaming/ Malika told herself, although she shivered to think that it could be a timber wolf trying to get a taste of human flesh. There were lots of wolves around her family's cabin. Some taller than Malika's little brother, nine-year-old Jordan. /Don't think, don't think don't think...this is NOT a dream/ Slowly, Malika's eyes peeled open. In the blue-grey light of the nightlight was a canine about as big as a golden retriever, but the shape of a coyote. It's fur gleamed red. Fox. "Ssshhhh." she whispered./Oh my gosh. What do I do?/ Since the fox seemed friendly enough, Malika coaxed it to the fridge, and by the light of the bulb, she saw blood smeared across the fox's lips and cheeks. "AAAAAAGGHH!! MOM DAD HELP!" she screamed. The fox-Valerie as she had decided to call it s she assumed most animals were female-tensed then leaped into an open cupboard and hid her face. "Malika! Sweetheart what's wrong?!" Malika's mom cried. "I-I the f-fox...It's in the c-cupboard!" her dad looked at the fox's hiding place and frowned. "Honey it's your mom's dishrag. Go back to sleep." Malika walked to her bed, not knowing wether to be scared, excited, or SERIOUSLY FREAKING OUT!
