~Whisper~

      The wind screamed in my ears as I cut through the air. My fur waving as the breeze combed through my pelt. The wind stinging my eyes as I opened them slightly. I saw a splotch of blue. The waterfall! I thought with a spur of hope, averting my body to align with the water. I braced myself for impact. A loud slap as I broke the water's surface, plunging into the freezing water.

        The water drenched me, it filling my senses as the freezing water rendered my thick coat of fur useless in the frigid water. My paws flailed in the substance, aching as I swam to the surface. I arose to the top with a gasp. Inhaling all the air I could. My lungs burned with exhaustion as I hacked up the water I swallowed, my flanks heaving.

I collapsed on the ground, slipping from consciousness.

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"What?" I groaned, shifting as someone hushed me.

"It's alright, I've got you." The voice cooed me. I grunt, uncomfortable.

"Where am I?" I mumble, my eyes refusing to open. Moss is pressed to my forehead.

"Shhhh, your home Acorn. Your safe, you've just got a bruised leg, tats all." The voice assures me, i grumble. Who? I'm not Acorn, I'm Whisper. Or has Whisper's entire life been a very vivid dream? I slightly shake my head.

"I'm not Acorn." I squeeze out. I can feel the other animal stiffen.

"Your not?" The voice inquires. I shake my head.

"No,"

"But—"

"No, I'm Whisper Fire, fighter of Firepack." I explain with a croaK. Cutting off the other animal.

I open my eyes, brightness overwhelming them before coming into view. It was a dog, a small brown terrier with whispy fur and eyes the color of the sun.

"What are you then........Whisper?" The dog asked me, cocking her head as her drooping ears swayed in sync with her head.

"I'm a fox." I say, staggering up. Sitting down as I notice the canine tense, taking a step back.

"Oh." She whimpers.

"I-I'm sorry." Her ears droop.

"It's fine, if you didn't find me or save me I would be dead my now." I exclaim, taking the dog off guard, lowering my tone as I see her frightened expression.

"You saved my life. Thank you." I dip my head in respect, trailing off as I looked at my jet black paws that were still damp.

"Layka." She answers.

"Layka." I repeat, trying the name on my tongue, I nod, liking the sound of the name.

"Thank you Layka." I give her a happy wave of my tail, getting one of my own in return. We sit in silence.

"Acorn huh?" I cock my head. Layka's ears perk up before dropping down again.

"Yes, my pup. He got lost a few moons ago." She mumbled as she trailed her paw in the dirt, not connecting eye contact with me.

"I'm so sorry." I apologize. It must hurt to lose your pup. I wonder what Dawn is thinking about.....no, I can't think lie that. I shake my head furiously, stopping while my ears pressed onto my head.

"Are you okay?" Layka questions, meeting with my eyes with her own amber pair. I nod.

"Yes, just......memories." I explain,

"Okay." The terrier replies, her lips pressed in a thin line. I look at her nude neck.

"Are you a pet or a stray?" I cock my head. She tenses, snout circled slightly.

"Stray."

My ears perk. An idea blooms in my mind.

"How about we make a deal?" I ask the canine, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"Depends, what is it?" She brushes her tongue over her teeth.

"You help me get to me friends, I'll help you find your pup!" I chirp. Layka's pupils roll to the corner of her eyes. Her tail wagging slightly after some time.

"Yes!" She answers with a happy yelp.

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I lead the two of us up the mountain, the slight scent of puppy under the layered smells. I limp, my leg was healing. I throw my head to the sky and yowl, my voice carrying around the forest and the mountain sides. I strain my ears, hearing a yowl in return.

"Whisper!" Joy's blissful voice booms. I hike up the mountain swiftly, Layka on my tail. I hurl myself at Jay and Joy, pinning the smaller bodies under mine.

"You made it!" Jay gasps, eyes glittering with excitement and relief.

"Yep! Now, we need to find a pup named Acorn, this is his mother." I state to my friends. Their happy eyes alter to worried ones.

"We found a pup, little brown guy with tan highlights." Jay mumbles, looking down. Layka perks up, tail flapping in the air.

"Where?" She demands. Joy and Jay step aside. Revealing a small beaten up frame. It's pelt battered and bloodied. Layka creeps over, inspecting her son's lifeless body.

"No." She whimpers, her sobs echoing in the cave.

"I'm sorry." I apologize softly, she whips her head around, amber eyes fuming and blazing with rage and fire, her tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You said that you would help me find Acorn." She growled through clenched teeth, her angered tone shaking.

"B-but, I didn't know he was dead." I point out taking a step back as I tucked my tail between my legs.

"You dragged me all the way up here to see my pup's lifeless body?" She snarled, her legs bending into a fighting crouch.

"I didn't know!" I retort,

"Pidgeondung!" She curses launching at, I dodge the terrier, the canine rearing up again, springing at me. She snatched my tail, whipping me off balance.

"Whisper!" Jay cries, dashing over to help me.

"Stay there!" I command the gray fox, he stops to my relief. I look back at Layka, still comping on my tail. I punt her with my paw, causing her to near the edge of the cliff.

I realize in terror that she was going to drag me with her. I grunt as my claws hook into the Earth, heaving myself over the brink of the cliff.

"Grab on!" I tell the dog, she snarls grabbing my dangling paw in her jaw fiercely, the gesture leaves me dazed as I lose my grip.

"I've got you!" Jay grunts as he pulls me over. The pressure on my paw is released, I look down, horrified as a lonely, sorrowful howl strikes in the air. The sound ricocheting off the walls as the voice faded away to be ended with a thump.