Mythological Creature Feature + Nature Is BADASS 🦊 🍁
Foxes in myth and in nature, fall vibe fiction prompts, and more!
Hello my fellow adventurers!
I hope August has treated you well and the slow slide into fall makes for some cozy vibes. While I know it’s super toasty in some parts of the US, it’s been raining and hovering around 50 degrees here in Alaska and I even saw a few yellow leaves (gasp!). With the coveted PSL already available at your local Starbucks, it’s safe to say autumn is officially on the horizon. Cozy vibes, activate! Maybe it’s their orange coloring or maybe it’s their fluffy tails, but the most fall-type creature I can think of is a fox, so I’m leaning into it—both in the Mythological Creature Feature AND in our Nature Is Badass series. Read onward, fellow adventurers, and don’t forget to bring a cup of mulled ale along the way!
Mythological Creature Feature
They’re crafty and sneaky. They’re curious and cute. But they also feature in some fascinating mythological creature folklore. Who are they? You guessed it: foxes! From a shapeshifter in European, East Asian, Native American, and Celtic lore to a wise, tricky/playful/bad omen spirit in Japanese, Chinese and Korean mythology to even being messengers to the goddess in Mesopotamian myth, foxes appear in so many cultures on our planet. My favorite and the Mythological Creature Feature of today is the Kitsune.
Kitsune is a type of Japanese yōkai (a supernatural creature with godlike powers). They are mysterious, mischievous shapeshifters that have superior intelligence and can live for a long, long time. And there’s more than one type of kitsune! Thirteen to be precise, each one related to the thirteen elements of Japanese mythology: earth, river, ocean, fire, forest, celestial, wind, mountain, thunder, spirit, darkness, sound, and time). Each fox is connected to a particular element, which determines its temperament and abilities. For example, a wind kitzune would be very fast and can fly in short bursts. HOW COOL IS THAT? Very cool.
I’ve always loved the kitsune. If you knew me in middle school or high school you’d probably remember the INTENSE JAPANESE/MANGA/KITSUNE PHASE I went through during that time. I loved Renamon, adored Vulpix, and researched all things kitsune in those years. But that nerdy passion (obsession?) stuck with me into adulthood because when I went to Japan in 2014 I made sure The Thousand Gates was on the list of places to visit. Kitsunes are awesome, and I hope you enjoy them, too!
Nature Is Badass: Fox Edition
In today’s Nature Is Badass edition, I’m celebrating the cross fox. The cross fox is a color variant of the red fox that has a long, dark stripe that runs down its back that intersects with another stripe across its shoulders (forming a cross-like shape). It also usually looks like it’s wearing a little mask, since the black fur covers parts of its face, neck, and chest. They make up for around 25% of all red fox variations in North America, so they’re not that rare, but I’ve certainly never seen one. I love how unique the markings are and it’s all natural!! Check this little one out!
I can totally see using this type of fox as inspiration in writing. Does your character need an animal companion? Does your world need some more critters? Do you need a source of magic or a trickery spirit? Enter, the cross fox.
For my part, I’ve already used foxes as inspiration for my fantasy world of The Broken Chronicles. I have a vulpine-like creature with wings and three tails called a vulnix! Zora is the one featured most since she’s Misti’s companion animal, but there are a ton of them in my world. They’re messengers in my world, able to travel across long distances and have the unique ability to find anyone, anywhere. They’re also fast, playful and mischievous, and just plain adorable. [If you want to meet Zora, read Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties!]
How would you feature foxes in your writing? Let me know!
Fiction Prompts
For today’s writing prompts, I’m falling into fall and using foxes as inpiration once more. Sit with these for ten minutes, then write a poem, flash fiction piece, short story, or even just a scene.
cross fox, blue skies, crisp clean air, a golden orb
kitsune, orange magic, a bag of diamonds, joy
fall leaves, rainy weather, fear, a foxy character
the sensation of falling, chunky blanket, rom-com moment, a fox drawing
If any of these spark your imagination, I’d love to see the result.
I hope you spend some time this weekend embracing your creative side, and Happy Labor Day, too!
Until next time,
Kellie