Zorra rolled in a pile of grit to disguise her scent and to help her to blend into the grey stone walls. It clung to her long fur nicely, and Zorra was satisfied. She lowered her nose to the ground and breathed in scents.

Mangler, Furless, dogs, stray cats, rats... The scents of the Greylands covered Ash's scent. Zorra growled and lashed her tail. There has to be a way to track him! She thought.

She scanned her surroundings for a tuft of grey fur, but gave up. Even if there was one, Zorra wouldn't be able to see it. She stuck her nose to the ground one more time. There! Ash scent.

Zorra opened her mouth to taste the air, and padded along the dark road. It was night. Zorra liked going out at night, because there were less Furless and Manglers around.

Zorra picked up the pace a bit, growing more and more excited. Suddenly, Ash's scent made a turn and crossed the Deathway. Zorra sighed. She tried to ignore the Deathway as much as she could.

Ears pressed flat against her head, Zorra bolted across the black stone. A loud rumbling sound roared to one side, and Zorra cringed. A mangler was gaining on her!

She growled in relief when she tumbled onto the other side, safe. The mangler rumbled past, and Zorra called out to it in satisfaction. "Too slow!" She sneered. Tired, she curled up in a patch of dirt where the ground broke. Zorra drifted into a dream.

Zorra was creeping up on a rat. The rat was busy nibbling on some Furless trash. Zorra got so close to the rat that she could kill it right then. Stupid rat! Zorra thought. She lunged forward and grabbed the rat by it's spine.

With a squeak, the rat went limp in her grip. Zorra sat down over the rat, and leaned down to take a bite.

Zorra woke up to the sound of two Furless who were mewing loudly to each other. Her dream fresh in her mind, Zorra leapt to her paws and ran away, hissing. She leapt onto a metal mound where Furless trash was kept, and bristled as the Furless walked by.

She leapt off and backed into an alley. It was around noon, and the Furless were awake. Her fur bushed up in fear, she raced hurriedly through the alley. A long, low growl sounded from around the corner, and a huge black dog leapt out.

Zorra hissed loudly before turning and fleeing. "Wait!" A voice from behind her yowled. Zorra stopped. Ash! She whipped around. Instead of a dog, Ash was standing there. Zorra narrowed her eyes. "Did you chase the dog off?" She grumbled.

Ash ignored her. "Sorry if I scared you." He apologized. He looked around. Is your den around here?" Zorra shook her head. "No. I... Just wanted to..." She searched her mind for an excuse.

"There was a rabbit." She lied, mouthwatering at the thought of the rare prey. "I chased it for a long time, but it got away." Zorra pretended to look disappointed. Ash blinked, unconvinced.

"Sure." He replied flatly. He flicked his tail. "And I chased that dog away." The sarcasm in his voice made Zorra bristle. "I bet that I could scent a rabbit a mile away, if that's why-" she was caught off by Ash suddenly laying his tail across her muzzle.

With a muffled hiss, Zorra clamped her teeth around Ash's tail. Ash yanked his tail away, and scarlet blood dropped onto the ground. Zorra turned and dashed away, but Ash leapt on her, pinning her to the ground.

'No.' He mouthed the word. Zorra bristled, but the horror in Ash's eyes told her that something was happening. It was best to stay quiet. After a few more moments, Ash got off of Zorra and nudged her over to a Furless-bin.

Zorra crawled behind it obediently. Ash crawled behind it as well. A shiver ran down Zorra's spine. What's making Ash so scared? She thought. Whatever it is, I probably don't want to mess with it.

Zorra strained her ears, trying to pick up a clue of what was wrong. She stifled a bark of satisfaction when she heard voices. She could only make out some of the words. "Scent anything... Capture... Master... Attack... Kill..." Zorra was shaking in fear.

These creatures... Are violent... Zorra almost whimpered liked a cub. She was, after all, only a bit older than a cub. "Smell anything?" Zorra bristled. The voices were clear and close.

Zorra held her breath, afraid that breathing would give her away. Stuff with fear, Zorra thought that she might burst if she held her breath any longer. Luckily, the sound of paws twos grew fainter and fainter, until there was no sound at all.

With a gasp, Zorra stumbled out from behind the trash can. She whipped around, staring wide eyed at Ash. "Sorry for biting your tail." She gasped when she saw his once grey tail tip. It was now coated in blood.

Zorra licked it gently. Ash flinched away, but Zorra kept washing. "It stings!" Ash argued. Zorra lashed her tail. "Stop whining, for the sake of Foxlore!" She snapped. Ash sighed.
"You should travel with me."

Ash's reluctant mew surprised Zorra. The tawny fox started growling persistently, but she broke off when she realized that this probably had to do with the foxes. "Why, who..." She hesitated. "Who were those foxes?"

Ha ha! Cliff hanger! Sort of...