Just as a story has to have conflict, there also has to be sidekicks. Friends. Family members. Acquaintances. Mentors. Any kind of ally. The purpose of the sidekick is to encourage the main character to keep going or to think differently about the world.
Here are the friends my main character, Starlight, makes in my upcoming book.
Feature Characters: The Foxes
In this fantasy tale, there are Arctic foxes who live on the streets, and each one has a different personality.
Fairy Floss is the big sister figure who guides Starlight in navigating the big world. She also believes that some humans are good, as some have been changed by the Son of the Father of Lights. Like Starlight, she was also raised by dogs, only instead of living in an alley like Starlight’s old pack, she lived at a campground (where a Bible camp would take place).
Moonglow is a no-nonsence fox who’s more skeptical about humans than Fairy Floss. When she was a pup, she lived at a lumberyard, so she knows what an axe is. She can be bossy at times, but a good thing about her is that she steps up to the plate as needed.
Cinnamon Heart is an innocent soul who’s mute, but she has a special way of communicating with others. She wags her tail for “yes” and says “mm-mm” for “no.” Her old home was in a town, just like Starlight, and like Starlight she was also harrassed by her adoptive siblings.
While Fairy Floss is the mini-mom of the foxes, Glimmer is the super-mom of them. She can fly and create golden light with her tail, and she teaches Starlight how to fly, too. With a mama bear drive, she fights off predators, even humanlike ice beings who wield axes.
Feature Character: Ky-rah the Agropelter
If you don’t know what an agropelter is, it’s an apelike creature from American folklore that can fling tree branches and knock humans out (Picture is from Agropelter – North America’s Aggressive Cryptid.). Ky-rah does the same, only it’s geared toward his enemies. At first Starlight is intimidated by this strange creature; then she gets annoyed by his know-it-all persona (as he lectures her on healthy eating and her so-called lack of intellectual knowledge). However, he proves his loyalty by sticking with her for her protection, and when characters get hurt, he tends to their wounds.
Don’t forget to check out Starlight when it releases this December!
K.A. Ramstad 