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About Ninetales
This section is more creative than most shrines. Where as bits of the information is official, the rest is all my own doing, based on the life of a real red fox. I hope you enjoy it ^.^

English name || Ninetales

Japanese name || Kyuukon

Weight || 44.0 lbs

Height || 3' 07"

Scientific name || Vulpes codanove

Element || Fire

Type || Fox

Number || #38

Appearence || The Ninetales is usually pure white to pale cream in colour, with paler tips to its tails. It has nine of these tails, each very thick and nearly as long as the creature's torso. There is a mane of fur on the head and neck, and the eyes are a deep orangey red -- making the fox look quite albinoistic. During the Winter, their coat fur becomes extremely thick, and in the Summer months, it moults, often making the animal look like it has the mange.

Evolution || The Ninetales fox evolves from Vulpix. In the wild, it has the ability to evolve naturally, especially after being around other fire-type Pokemon for a long time. However, in captivity, they sometimes loose this ability, or it just takes longer to come about. However, the Vulpix will evolve spontaneously when exposed to a Fire Stone, though it has little say in the matter.

Habitat || The Ninetales is much less common than its pre-evolved state, but lives around the same areas. It originally lived in countryside areas -- in woods and fields around farms. However, recently, it has seen becoming more and more common in urban regions, and is now seen more often in towns and outer areas of cities than it is seen in its original habitat, the countryside.

Food || The Ninetales is a very adaptable predator. It hunts for itself, eating Rattata, Nidoran, Pikachu, small bird Pokemon, and sometimes fish. It will eat nearly any small mammal, and when it has rained recently, will dig up worms and beetles, and other invertabrates. Other prey taken are poultry from farms, and sick lambs -- both from sheep and Mareep. However, these raids are not as common as some farmers like to make out. However, when they do happen, the Ninetales will often kill a whole flock of chickens or other fowl, and only take a few. During Autumn, they are especially fond of taking windfalls and other fruits.They will also readily eat any carrion, particularly from the sides of roads. In urban areas, Ninetales will scavenge food from bins, eating nearly anything, including grease paper.

Reproduction || Ninetales mate during the months of December and February. Females are only fertile for three days each year, so it is vital the dog-Ninetales is around those three days.
The vixen is pregnant for about 7 and a half weeks. Her and the male Ninetales stay together, and will find an earth for the litter. The state of the earth is not important. It can be anything from a badger's sett, to a dug out Nidoran burrow, a dump, to the roof of a garage. The only thing that is important is that it is safe and away from predators that will readily kill the cubs when they are born.
The litter usually is around four or five cubs, though it can sometimes reach to ten. When born, the Vulpix have only one tail. This will split gradually into six as it grows, and then nine when it evolves. They are dark brown in colour with blue eyes. However, when first born, the eyes are shut, and they are blind, deaf and helpless. The vixen feeds them milk, and the male hunts for both himself and his mate.
By the time of weaning, there will usually only be one or two cubs left alive. Around this time, they become extremely boistrous and curious, checking every nook and cranny around their earth. The adults will bring them maimed, living prey for them too play with, and they also make toys from feathers and bones from old carcasses, and anything else that happens to be lying around. At first, the adults will wean them with regurgitated meat. Then, they will feed them small prey, like mice and Rattata. The cubs will begin killing the maimed prey the Ninetales bring them, and eating them after them. After that, the parent's teach them to hunt for themselves, and though th task is long and hard as the Vulpix are often too noisy at first, they eventually get the hang of it.
When the Vulpix are fully grown, they will usually disperse around August/September time. Males nearly always leave, and evolve when they have left -- if they survive. Females will sometimes stay with the parents. It is quite common for a group of foxes -- usually related -- to live in one earth. However, there will only be one breeding pair, and other, older female cubs help along with the father to bring up the Vulpix. If the vixen cubs do disperse, they tend to move less further away than their brothers, so as to prevent inbreeding maybe.

Voice || The Ninetales' voice is like that of most other Pokemon -- it repeats its name. The sound it makes is soft and quite feminine, often dragged out. However, during the breeding season, the vixens, and very often the dogs, will send out a long eerie shriek. There is also a triple bark (often followed by a scream), and many other recorded sounds.

Senses || The Ninetales has, like most other canids, poor sight, and can see a limited amount of colours. However, the hearing and sense of smell is exceptional. These two senses are more important to the Ninetales as it hunts as much of its prey lives underground.

Habits || Ninetales is often credited as being intelligent, and hard to track. It is also a speedy, nimble Pokemon, which has the ability, despite its relatively large size, to walk along fences and climb houses -- something most of its enemies can not do.

Predators and hunting || Most of the Ninetales predators are larger, carnivorous Pokemon.This is mainly Arcanine, Persian, Charizard and sometimes other species. Predators like Scyther and Houndoom usually avoid Ninetales due to its fiery breath -- and the fact fire hurts them alot. Houndoom will occasionally attack them in groups though.
However, as usual, the Ninetales' main predators are humans, despite the myths about it being able to lay a curse.
The number one reason is the fact many Vulpix are caught by Pokemon trainers. Less wild Vulpix means less wild Ninetales, and it is growing increasingly worrying about the rapid rising of wild Vulpix being caught.
Another is cars. Cars often hit Ninetales and Vulpix alike, and it is a common sight to see one or the others' mangled body at the side of the road.
Farmers are not overly keen on Ninetales either due to the fact they will on occasion take livestock. Farmers will often shoot any Ninetales or Vulpix seen on their land.
And then there is hunting. People on Rapidash back will use Arcanine to track Ninetales' scent, and find it. when found, they will give chase. The Ninetales will often escape, but the Arcanine are faster and have a better stamina than the Ninetales, and can run it down until its heart bursts. If the Arcanine catch the Ninetales, it is torn to pieces. If it isn't, it escapes, thought the stess dealt to the animal must be tremendous. This 'sport' is seen as cruel by many, and it is being fought to get it banned.
Its fur is also popular -- especially during the winter months when it is thick and more valuble. Farms of Ninetales are created, where extremely valuble creatures are bred, then killed. Others are hunted, but not with Arcanine as they would wreck the fur.

History || There are many myths surrounding Ninetales. One is that each of its tails was once a saint. Another is that -- being a vindictive Pokemon and known for thinking up ways of revenge -- it will put a curse on those who grab hold of its tails. This may have been derived from the fact riders chasing a Ninetales will often topple from their steed - sometimes actually being killed. However, this is more likely because the Ninetales will often lead the hunt onto marshy ground than some curse it put on the riders. However, it has put many people off chasing the animal, and only the sceptic will still hunt it.