We limped to the West, crossing the Fuego border. The cool morning mocked us with the promise of a terrible day.

My heart itched with frustration towards Rabbit. Why hadn't she joined us? We could have fought off the Fuego if there was one more coyote, even if she wasn't a great fighter. Now we were stuck.

I felt so shameful. We were defeated, the coyotes I had traveled across the desert to find were wounded, and we would be paraded through the Fuego camp as enemies. I was scared of what they would do to us . . . of what they would do to me. But if I had learned anything from the last two days, I knew that I shouldn't give up hope. Not yet.

The Fuego's territory felt dryer than the Piedra's. Even though it was relatively close to ours, they didn't have a river running through it. They would need to search for water elsewhere, and the prey would be scarce. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was beginning to understand why they raided us so much.

"Hurry up! We've got things to do, and I don't want you to die before we get there." The dark gray coyote barked.

The other four laughed at his remark.

"But we're not worried about it once we get there!" One cackled.

I suppressed a growl. I wanted to rip their ears off and feed them to a wendigo.

In the distance, a great pack of coyotes was gathered under the shade of a tall rock formation. Groups of ten coyotes were leaving or coming back from the desert, dragging large pronghorns, big horned sheep or mouthfuls of rabbits. Where were they getting so much prey from?

In the shade, coyotes were either eating the large animals, fighting in pairs, or corralled in the corner, guarded heavily. This was definitely more than the Fuego and the Piedra. There must have been at least a dozen tribes worth of coyotes. I had never seen so many animals gathered together. It wasn't natural; the desert couldn't sustain that much life in one place.

"Keep moving!" The brown coyote barked at me, nipping my heels. I had slowed down as I watched the coyotes. I growled in reply, quickening my pace.

As we got closer, I noticed there were coyotes inside the air pockets. Their dark faces glared out over the desert, watching to make sure no one would escape. I doubted most of the coyotes were capable of escaping; despite all the food they were bringing in, the ones huddled together looked thin and lifeless.

"Watch your step, stay out of the elite's way! Don't speak to anyone! If the Shifter addresses you, respond promptly! Say your prayers now, they'll be the last ones you ever say." The dark gray coyote barked at us. Two of the other Fuegos cackled with glee, but the other two were quiet. They weren't as excited to see us tortured.

The camp was loud. It smelled like rotting meat, dirty bodies and sweat. As we walked under the shadow of the great tower, the sun hissed away, leaving us cold and alone. Yellow eyes glanced at us beneath tired brows, harsh ribs pointed at us under ragged fur, and sharp growls graced our ears. Fly-bitten sores adorned the faces and bodies of the hungry coyotes, but their rage-filled expressions bit harder at my soul than any flea.

What made the scene of angry disease worse were the healthy coyotes. A handful of the muscular, sleek-furred coyotes (who I assumed were the "elites") watched over and barked commands to the weaker ones, watching as they fought, ate, slept and coughed.

I had only been gone for a few days. How had it gotten this bad so quickly?

I felt a bump on my leg. A young pup, no older than a few months, quivered below me. Her startled eyes begged for help, but I couldn't do anything for her. A ragged female snatched her scruff and carried her to the large huddle of sleeping coyotes that were so still they could have been dead.

We approached the giant wall. The Shifter, still in Hawk's form, poked his head out from a cave a few feet above us.

"Good job boys. You'll be rewarded kindly." The Shifter purred to the Fuego guards.

"Always a pleasure." The dark gray one cooed, bowing down to the Shifter. "We've brought you Astor from the Piedra tribe. He's found some friends, but they were weak and reckless when they came across us."

The Guerro wouldn't look up, but I could see Verde sneer.

The Shifter jumped down from the cave, landing with a gentle thud. "I'm familiar with the Guerro." He addressed the dark gray coyote, glancing at Verde with repulsion. "They won't cause us any trouble, but their breed is strong and fast. Let them rest. If they aren't dead by sunrise tomorrow, recruit them into the legion."

The dark gray coyote bowed again, nodding. "Yes sir."

"Take them away. But take the Koloratan female to the breeding quarters."

Sarah's eyes grew wide, and she shook her head. "No no no no oh no . . ." She muttered as Prick grabbed her scruff.

"Hey! Leave her ALONE!" I barked viciously, lunging towards Sarah, but the Shifter slammed my head into the ground.

My vision swam with red and white stars as the Shifter dipped his muzzle close to my ear. "I have the female you really want. Obey my orders, or she gets hurt."

I suppressed a growl. Oh, how I wanted to rip out his throat.

"Let's discuss your options in my quarters."

I followed him up the cliff to his cave. It was dark and dusty; it extended farther back into the rock than I had expected, twisting into oddly angled tunnels. Two guards were posted near the mouth. They gasped when they saw me, but the Shifter didn't stop to say hello or boast about his prize.

Large bones lay strewn all about the floor, and a half-eaten prong horn had been shoved into the corner. The Shifter crawled up into a tunnel towards the back. I hesitated, wondering whether or not I wanted to go into a cramped space with that rat-bag.

"Coming or not? remember that Sego's life is in your paws." The Shifter asked, looking down on me from above.

I didn't reply. I followed as best I could, my tired legs shaking from climbing.

The dark tunnel opened into a tall, round room with a light shining down into it. Weird drawings and symbols had been scratched into the walls and floor, and more bones had been piled together. Across the room sat the most gorgeous coyote. She was tired and bruised, but nonetheless still alive.

"SEGO!" I yipped.

She looked up at the sound of my voice. "Astor?"

My tired tail wagged and my heart raced. My hopes soared and I smiled for the first time in days. It was really her! Sego was really here!

I made an accidental step towards her, and the Shifter grabbed me by the muzzle and threw me into the ground again. He huffed with fury, and I thought he was about to yell, but he calmed himself.

"What. Did I. Say?" He huffed in my face.

He never said I couldn't go to her, I thought but didn't dare say.

"Sego, stay in your corner." He barked to her, and she sank back into the dark. Her dandelion yellow eyes met mine from across the room.

"She'll be incentive for you to cooperate. Get up." The Shifter hissed.

I sat up obediently, trying not to fall over from dizziness.

"I've looked forward to the moment I could punish you for infringing my plans. The Piedra were right under my paws, completely unaware of their leader's demise. But your little confession got under their skin. Luckily I had been working with the Fuego for a while, building an army in their camp with the help of Snake and the Fuego's chief, Cliff. Stupid coyotes, willing to trust a Shifter. I've promised them the desert. A great prize, is it not?" He said.

"The desert isn't meant to be controlled by one tribe. We aren't humans." I huffed.

The Shifter came closer to me. I could see his ugly face through those yellow eyes. "No, we're not. But I'm more like the humans than you realize."

He stepped back. "I've been extremely annoyed and impressed by work, Astor. Despite your awkward, anxiety-ridden words, you inspired your tribe, even after I exiled you. You crossed the desert to find warriors who should have only existed in folklore. And you somehow convinced them to come back and fight for you.

"Such initiative should be rewarded. I'd like to offer you a position in my army as a general."

What are you playing at? I thought, looking up at him.

He smirked. "I can tell you're confused. Why give my enemy any kind of mercy? I know you have potential, Astor. You're smart and brave. The Fuego are dull as rocks, and cowards when things aren't easy for them. You've proved to me you can do hard things.

"But this position will come at a price. To prove your loyalty, you will need to kill all of your tribe."

I looked over at Sego. No way jose.

"And if I refuse?" I asked.

"You'll be executed as a traitor: death by a thousand bites, and your head on a stick. It'll look lovely in my cave, don't you think, Sego?" He asked.

She growled in reply.

"Don't you want to keep me as a prisoner? Don't you want to get information out of me or force me to hunt for you?" I asked.

"Not really. I want you dead. A rebellion dies when those who stand up for what's right are excecuted, and I can't have any mutiny in my kingdom."

The Shifter chuckled, smiling. "What will be your decision, Astor?"

I growled and spit on his feet. "You're an idiot to think you can win. And you're a fool to think I'll hurt my tribe."

He frowned. "What a shame. I really thought you could be something great. I see myself in you, looking for love and acceptance, a reason to make others proud. But it's all for naught." He sneered.

"Your execution will be at sundown. Until then, you'll stay here. Sego, come with me."

He made his way towards the entrance. Sego got up, but she wouldn't move. "Wait." She barked. "Let me stay with him."

The Shifter growled. "You are my prize female. you will come with me."

"No. Let me stay. I'll do whatever you want afterwards, but let me stay." She said firmly.

The Shifter growled, his face steaming. He marched over to Sego, then bit her face. She yipped with pain.

"That is my mark!" He roared. "You are mine!"

Sego sneered, wiping the blood away from her eyes. "No. I belong to no one. Not Astor, not you. Let me stay with him, or I will tear off my face. I will never be beautiful again."

The Shifter growled. "Fine. But after he is executed, your voice is mine."

He left the cave, his shoulders rolling sharply and his back hair bristling.

We listened as his paw steps faded away, leaving nothing besides the sound of falling light and our breaths.