The Fox And The Hound

Chapter 6

It had gone from bad to worse fast.The very next day it had begun. There had been shops attacked in town in total ten had been looted and ransacked. The shops owned by humans will untouched. This meant that the entire Wolf Pack from The Imperials to the Hemming were entirely without money,food or income.

 

 "We have to do something." One of the Wolves said." Yesterday they even broke all the windows of Don's Hardware. Every day they do more damage and we sit!"

" We have to watch our move Marius. That little bar fight we got into yesterday has started all this." His father said with his hand on Marius's shoulder.

The attack had been a distraction and bait. They had been after their food all along. They couldn't hunt either. The packs that had left to seek wild food had been met by The Mori. The fox that protected the woods. They were stuck and had never been hit like this.

Rudina sat with her human family and their Bonded Alpha. They had been watching what the wolf packs had come to decide and then support them. They didn't know how to deal with what happened either.

" Why don't we hit back. Gather everyone and go teach those cowards a lesson?" Rudina's brother Rick spoke.

"Erick you know it's more complicated then that. The whole attack was designed to draw us into battle. Then they close down our source of income, our food. This isn't just a random thing." Sarina, Rudina's mom spoke gently to her son. She was a master at strategy and a peacemaker.

" Meanwhile our wedding is off and my fiancé must morn the loss of her father. I can't just sit here and watch her agony mom." Rick pleaded his situation.

" I'm not asking you to son but we must plan it properly. You forget I lost a childhood friend too." Sarina said and  walked away, the pain still too fresh.

" First things first we need to go see The Imperials. We need their permission to hold council with The Kitsune. I'm going to go check on your mom." With that Rudina's father went to find Sarina.

" Child you cannot just go 'see' The Kitsune. They are a powerful force divided into thirteen ranks. You will have to appease each rank to finally see The Tengoku...The Prime Fox. They are a nation of deeply honrable and loyal people. " The Queen spoke to Rudina and her father. 

" We will choose Alpha to join you and your family. Go first to The Mori. They command the woods and forests. They create bloodstone, something to keep that Lowell of yours controlled. " The King said to them and then to his guards." Release The Lowell to its Bonded Mate."

" Take care child." The Queen spoke a little  more gently this time." I'm rather fond of you for a human. What you are about to do as you know, may only be done by humans. Beings like us are prohibited from The Thirteen Trials. If you fail you will perish but if you succeed, you will save us all."

The very next day as the sun came up over the mountains. Rudina and The Alphas along with her family, followed by The Imperial's choice of escort. They ventured past the Battlefield and into the nearby Woods. Before entering they made a fire at the entrance.

 

 Then more then three hundred figures appeared from inside the woods. The figures all well over six feet tall. They all came towards them at the same time seeming to float on air. Three of the figures approached Rudina and her family and The Alphas.

 

"What do you seek mortals." One figure spoke in a female voice. Rudina moved forward slowly and without looking at the figure then  begin to explain;

 "

I seek to perform The Thirteen Trials and I wish those with me be my escort. I ask please to obtain a Bloodstone for my bonded." Rudina said with conviction and she hoped, enough respect.

" You call us with your flame and ask The Stone bit what do you bring us?" A male voice came from the second being.

" I bring fruit from a tree that's sweet and not available in you forest. The seeds will grow here and feed the animals." Sarina spoke as she made her way to stand beside Rudina. 

" Very well mortal. You have shown respect and forethought. You will earn passage if you pass as well as a name. For now we grant you the stone for the fruit." The female voice said. "You may take the mortals and your Lowell with you only. When the flame is extinguished, your trial will start."

The trial was for them to stay a night in the woods. It didn't seem a hard task but this was survival. They were used to being out in the open but this was a trial. They had to be on their toes at all times.

They hadn't eaten the whole day and dinner had been small the previous night. Rudina had brought her bow and looked forward to something to eat. They were told to survive and eating is high on that priority list. 

She found a spot near a clearing and waited for an animal to pass. Almost three hours later she heard water splash nearby. When she got closer she saw that a Crocodile had caught a buck. 

The buck managed to escape somehow and run off. It was injured so Rudina decided to try and track it down. She called to Canagan who was nearby.

They ran off together on a hunt. The hunger made them both more fierce as they quickly picked up the buck's scent. It felt good to hunt again. It wasn't the kill that was the bestbpart at all. It was the freedom to run for miles chasing an animal. It was running with your pack as one to benefit all. 

Canagan changed quicker then he ever had before. The pain and the lack of sleep had all been worth it. He had learned to change faster in the day and a half he had been given. And now as he changed in running he saw Rudina look impressed and happy. That look made it all worth it. She had always been the one he went to school to see. He couldn't believe she was with him even in this moment.

They came across the buck as it lay in a bush. It was tired and Rudina decided to help the animal and her stomach. She drew the arrow and said a prayer of thanks. Then beside her she heard a snarl!

Canagan looked enraged. His teeth bared and eyes focused on the buck. He had trained to exhaustion and not eaten for nearly two days. Rudina stepped between Canagan and the buck.

" Artair you need to calm down. I know you're hungry so am I so it's really hard right now so jus...wait it's really hard right now that's it!"

She had to find a way to calm him down and fast. They would fail on their very first trial if she didn't. Moving carefully she came towards him.

" Artair please the whole trial depends on you. Calm down and we can find something else I promise." Rudina tried to speak calmly. It didn't seem to work so it was time for another tactic. It may be one that could get her face ripped off! She didn't have much of a choice anymore.

She leaped towards Canagan and placed a kiss on his cheek. She held him tight and kept him calm untill he turned back into a human. She smiled up at him then and kissed him property.

" What was that for?" Canagan said looking into Rudina's eyes.

" To say thank you for not getting us all killed. To say thank you for training so hard and this one." Rudina said before she kissed him again. " That one is for saving my life Art...I should call you by your name."

" Actually I kinda like it." He replied.

Rudina smiled and said." I think I figured it out, this trial. What is hard right now?"

" I don't think I'd be a gentleman if I actually said it." Canagan added.

" No Artair what is the most difficult thing for us right now? It's not called a trial coz it's easy to do." Rudina said a little more seriously.

" Well most difficult would have to be how hungry I am."

" Exactly. And all of us are hungry. I say the best way to pass this is to rather help the buck." Rudina said with an earnest look on her face.

" Save our food you mean?" Canagan asked to make sure he had heard her right.

" I know it sounds crazy Artair."

" It is crazy Rudina. You can't actually expect me to believe that's how we are going to win here."

" No I'm asking you to believe me, Your mate." Rudina said with a look that turned  Canagan's brain to mush. How was he ever going to say no to this girl?