~Jay~

My eyes widen at the sight that lay before me. There was an auburn fox on the ground with a bear trap clamped around her leg, and Dawn is with her!

"D-Dawn?" My astonished voice yelped out. Dawn's leafy eyes shot a glare cold as icicles before softening.

"Jay!" She cried in happiness,

"Joy!"

I watch with bliss as the She snaps her head towards Whisper.

"Whisper!" Dawn yipped, darting towards her kit's side, embracing Whisper.

"She, why didn't you come back?" Whisper's voice was full of hurt. Dawn's outbreak of joy cut short. Her lips pressed in a thin line, eyes dreaded of sorrow.

"Pack life wasn't suitable enough for me." She huffed, pain-stricken. Whisper's eyes pricked with tears.

"You should of told me! You left us grieving, mourning for a death you didn't go through! Jay would look up at the stars every night to apologize! He felt guilty for your death! It's not wonder I didn't grieve as much as Jay did." Whisper bawled, tears already running down his furry cheeks, his voice cracking. I look back at Dawn. The gray fox looking at her paws, shame present in her eyes.

She brought her head up, trying to catch Whisper's gaze as he tore it away from his She, tears littering the ground.

"I'm sorry Whisper." Dawn confessed as Whisper's sobs became angrier, louder. I look at Joy, who nods. We make our way towards the wounded fox, who is almost passed out from blood exhaustion. Joy grabs a stick, wedging it between the jagged edges of the trap as I slowly did the same with my own stick.

The bald pelt trap snapped open, releasing the foxes leg. I look at her, her back was dusty and her tears brimmed the edges of her eyes. I hoist her up as she holds her wounded paw from making contact with the floor.

"Go." I hear Whisper firmly say to his mother, I look towards the She and her son, Whisper is quivering with anger. Dawn's tail between her legs.

"Go!" Whisper shouts at his She, breaking down in a bundle of sobs. Dawn looked at her son, her eyes doused with sadness. I watch as she darts into the bushes, her paws thundering on the ground fading away.

The only sound that remain were the now soft sobs of Whisper, his tears blocking his lime green eyes. Pity washed over me at the sight of my best friend upset.

"I'm so sorry." I say, placing my paw on his shoulder. Whisper tenses up, whipping around, slashing his paw to unbalance me, my back hits the ground with a thump, I gag, losing my breath. I look agape at my friend, his muzzle peeled to a snarl. His usually friendly eyes dilated. Tears fill my vision as I lay helplessly under Whisper's grasp.

Thinking quickly, I launch my hind legs into a donkey kick, hitting Whisper's soft, white underbelly. Whisper grunts, recovering from the blow. My instincts take over without permission, racing towards the same shrubs Dawn ran through. I leap through, the leaves and branches scrapping and ripping at my fur.

I howl in sorrow, the paws carrying me away from Joy and who I thought was my friend, Whisper. I feel pain spread on my pelt, my paws aching from running. I gallop, following a river. The wind brushes through my fur and my body feels heavy but strong as I continue to run.

After running I look at the sky. It's sundown, great guardian foxes! I've ran since suntop! I pant heavily, my paws slowing down to match my pace as I trot. The soft trickling of water earns me the perking of my ears. The stream I've been following is still here. I stick out my tongue, it bathing in the clear water. My gulp at the water, lapping it up as fast as I ran.

I wipe my chin, the water collecting on my paw as I brushed it over my mouth. I decided to take shelter and camp for the rest of the day, since my the time I would of found someplace to stay, it would of most likely have been Moonup.

I wander around the plains, only a few trees layering it since, well, it's the plains. I find a decently vegetated area compared to how monotone the rest of the land looked.

"Hello?" I greet down a burrow. No answer. I repeat. Still no answer. I shrug, padding at the dirt at the bottom of the hole.

—————————————————————————————————

I feel myself jolt from my sleep, my nerves shot as I ran out of the den. An animal close on my tail. I turn around to see my attacker, they couldn't keep up with me. I feel myself bump into something furry. I look up to be met with intimidating eyes. I gulp, looking around. I silently gasp as I realized I was surrounded by a pack of foxes.

     They snarled at me, their fur varying in many patterning and shades. I close my eyes, shrink back, ready for pain. I doesn't come. I open my eyes, looking around. The once hostile eyes of the foxes were now replaced with softer eyes and....joy? 

    "Kit." A voice says, I look over to be met with a ginger fox's gaze. Tears brimmed his eyes. 

"Oh my guardian foxes." I gasp looking around. All around me are familiar faces, it's Leafpack. "I can't believe it, I've found you!" I cry, my own tears of delight rolling down my cheeks. The pack of foxes race towards me, holding me in a warm imbrace. I bury my snout into the scent. Letting the scent of Leafpack overwhelm my nose. 

"Welcome home." The rough, yet soothing voice of Shrub invites me. I look up to met Shrub's sky blue eyes, his black and tan fur still how I remember it. I give a whine of happiness, 

"Where have you been?" Marsh asked, his dirty gray tail wagging curiously behind him. I grin at them, explaining the story of the storm and how I joined Firepack and became the deputy. They watched with woeful eyes. I even explained how I got here, the run in with Dawn and losing her once more. Their eyes flickered with sorrow.

"We lost a fox not to long ago. A moon perhaps," Marsh confessed wistful. My ears lower in sadness for my former pack's loss. "She was amazing, her name was Autumn."

     "Did she happen to be an auburn fox with with paws and muzzle?" I cock my head. Hope danced in the Leafpack fox's eyes.

"Yes."