"That cow is hard to shake off." Snake said, referring to Hare. I had to suppress a growl. "I told her I went out to stretch my legs and get some water, so be quick. Have you made any progress with the Fuego tribe?"

"Not since yesterday." The Shifter hissed. "I gave them some land as a peace offering. This alliance won't be forged overnight; these two tribes have been at war for a decade."

Alliance? With the Fuego tribe? The shifter couldn't do that if he gave them all our land and made the tribe worship them. Why did he want an alliance? Whatever he was planning wasn't good.

"True. And it's the wet season; there is no lack of food or water, so have nothing to offer them. It would be easier in a few months once the sun has stolen all our water for himself and we have no choice but to join forces." Snake said.

"We can't wait." The shifter said cooly.

Snake sputtered. "Why? We have no rush; the first thing we must address is this Wendigo bite!"

I shifted a little closer so I could hear better.

"That bite does not matter to me; your life does not matter to me."

Snake started saying something, sounding very hurt, but the shifter cut him off. "I am only here to receive my reward. Remember? You promised me kingship of the desert all those years ago. I've been oh so patient, and you're only just beginning to repay me. Do you know what my father would say if he knew I hadn't killed you sooner? He would have shunned me; disowned me for not being a true shape shifter. I'm not waiting any longer. I need an alliance with the Fuego tribe before I even sniff out a wendigo."

It was quiet for a bit till Snake shakily spoke again. "Alright. I understand. We'll decide what to do later."

The shifter left from the other side of the rock. I realized Snake was going to come my way and I panicked a bit, searching desperately for a new hiding spot. A little juniper tree was growing about twenty feet away. I crawled up into it as fast as I could, disregarding my sprained foot.

Snake passed me without looking my way. Hopefully he hadn't seen or heard me. I watched as he limped back to camp very slowly.

I had to tell the tribe about this. But I didn't know how. Sego's life was on the line . . . but wouldn't all their lives be on the line if I said nothing?

<----•••---->

The sun burned towards the horizon. Everyone had come back from their patrols and was getting ready to eat.

I watched from the top of the ridge. My heart was thrashing and my stomach felt like it had been pounded by a hailstorm. I felt sick to my core with dread and fear. I battled with myself as I watched the others below me talking happily.

I had spent most of the afternoon on the ridge over looking the camp, thinking about what I should do. I went through the consequences that would come from telling the tribe about The Shifter's plan or not.

I had no idea what The Shifter and Snake planned on doing after creating an alliance with the Fuego tribe. The Shifter had said something about kingship of the desert.

To the untrained eye, the Sonoran desert is just a long stretch of interesting land formations and colors, but it was more like layers of civilizations and kingdoms.

Thousands of animals lived in the desert. The coyotes were just one of the many species that called the sand, slick rock and sagebrush their home. Desert mice lived in tunnels under the earth, lizards scuttled around in the shade of bushes, birds pecked around, searching for bugs to eat and bats hung in their caves, resting up for the cool night where they would flutter around and search for food.

There were many other species and animals, each with their own society and social rules, pertaining to their own natural instincts. We coyotes were just one of the many species that overlapped and intertwined with the kingship of the desert.

For The Shifter to become king of the desert . . . well, he wouldn't decide the fate of just rocks and sand.

I stood up from my spot, prepared to state the truth to the whole tribe. It was very rash, what I was about to do, but if I didn't say anything soon it may have been too late.

I crawled down the ridge, my toes sweaty, as The Shifter began speaking. "Let us eat now; once we are done, I have a proposition that must be addressed."

The tribe circled around the prey pile. The Shifter and Snake ate first. (They took the lion's share, as usual) Negrita and Horizon were next. I payed little attention to the shrinking pile. I was terrified, going over in my head what I would say and how I would say it. Whatever I said could have gotten Sego killed.

Sego, who was sitting next to me, elbowed me out of my stupor. "Astor," she whispered, "it's your turn."

I blinked a few times. All that was left were three desert mice. I couldn't take them; the hunters and Bat would need it for breakfast. And the snakes in my stomach probably wouldn't allow food to stay with them.

"I will pass up my meal." I said.

Sego started at me. "Astor, you're usually starving. You haven't eaten anything since last night. You need your strength." She whispered.

Her yellow eyes burned deep in my heart. Despair and frustration rearranged my organs and was twisting them in excruciating positions.

"Sego," I whispered, very quietly, "I'm sorry. I lov-"

"That's perfectly all right!" The Shifter interrupted. "More for tomorrow!

"Now that we are done, we can get onto my proposition."

"No." I said, standing up as tall as I could. "I have something important to say."

The Shifter got a malicious sneer on his face. "Astor, it can't be that important. I have news that determines the future of the tribe." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"As do I!" I barked.

"You do not have the speaking right; the chief does." Snake said.

"He has the right to say what he has to say, especially when it pertains to the tribe." Horizon said.

The shifter's cold, yellow eyes cut through my core, daring me to speak. Those were not Hawk's eyes. Those were the eyes of a lier.

I swallowed my trepidation down my throat; it felt like I had swallowed a dusty rock.

"I don't know how he's hid it from you all, but the monster who now leads us is not Hawk. He's a shifter; he killed the real Hawk two days ago." Gasps and mutters of disbelief flittered around like mosquitos in the night.

"He's crazy! Hawk is standing right before you! How could he be dead?" Snake said.

"He's always had quite the imagination, being all alone so often." I heard Hare whisper.

"What would he know? He's gone half the time running around the desert!" Delta said.

"He's just joking; don't believe it. Astor just thinks it's funny to mess with us." Horizon said.

"Has something happened, Astor? Are you feeling a bit light-headed?" Sego asked.

"No, no! I swear by the rain! He's a shape shifter. I saw him kill Hawk. Owl was with them. But his real name isn't Owl; it's Snake. Snake's his-" I started.

"Astor, this is all a lie." The Shifter boomed, interrupting me.

"You all have to believe me. You're all in danger." I said more quietly.

"After all this time, I was beginning to think I could trust you. But I can't, Astor." The Shifter said.

He paused, then after a very long heartbeat he spoke again. "It's very obvious what you're doing. You think you can trick us! You think you can trick my tribe!"

Mutters of confusion skipped in the air.

"You've had your eyes on my daughter, Sego, for a very long time. You're practically courting her. If you had a season or so longer, she'd be expecting your pups."

Sego turned away, embarrassment burning on her cheeks.

"That's highly inappropriate," I said.

"But you both know it's true." The Shifter hissed.

I didn't look at Sego.

"And you know the first born of the chief or their mate becomes the leader once the previous chief is gone. It's obvious; you've pretended to love her. You've played with her feelings so you can one day become the chief."

I heard Sego gasped sharply. I looked at her; she turned her head quickly in the other direction.

The shifter clicked his tongue. "My poor child has fallen for your trap. If only she had seen your deception sooner."

"Sego, he's lying." I went closer to her. "Everything he's said is a lie."

I was about to lick her ears, but her bright teeth snapped in my face. Her beautiful eyes were filled with hurt. "Get away from me!" She barked.

I scrambled away, panting with surprise. She didn't believe me. I thought she trusted me.

I looked at the rest of the Piedra tribe. They all had a similar expression. Even Hare.

"I'm telling the truth! The Shifter is lying!" I hissed. "Sego, she . . . I . . . I love her! I don't want to be the chief!"

"He's deceived us all! He's never been one of us!" Bat said.

"We can't have a snake like Astor become our chief." Negrita said.

"Please stop this, Astor." Hare whimpered. "You're delirious."

I crawled back further, my tail between my legs. My head was spinning, my heart pounding. They didn't trust me! They trusted The Shifter more than me!

"I can't let you stay in our tribe, Astor." The Shifter said morosely. "For the sake of us all, and especially my daughter, you are exiled from the Piedra tribe."

It was quiet. My heart stopped and I forgot how to breathe.

"You are no longer allowed to speak another word to my tribe or our descendants, set a foot in our region, or regard yourself as a member till you perish. You have till morning to be out of the territory before we hunt down and kill you." The Shifter said. His eyes drenched me with terror. He was nothing like Hawk.

I spat at his feet. In a flash Horizon and Negrita struck at me, barking and shoving me into the sand. "Beast! Scoundrel!" They roared, spitting in my face. My shoulders and back ached fiercely from being slammed against the rock so hard. These were my tribe mates.

"Give the traitor a scar he will not forget!" I heard faintly in the background.

There was a stabbing pain in my face. I began to bite and cut at whatever I could, hoping to forge an escape. I did not want to hurt Horizon or Negrita, not at all, but I couldn't let them maul me!

Quickly there was a loud whimper from Horizon and I was no longer pinned.

"Run! Run Astor!" I heard someone bark.

I didn't wait for them to tell me again. I scrambled up and over the sandy ridge. Instinctively I looked back; Hare was fighting viciously with Negrita, Horizon, and now The Shifter. I was about to turn around and help when she barked back. "I SAID RUN ASTOR! FAR AWAY!"

I spun around quickly and ran as fast as I could. I was sobbing sorely, my heart tearing itself into pieces.

I ran without a destination. I ran to get away from The Shifter. I ran because I valued my life more than Hares's, or Sego's, or any of the tribe's.