Mercy opened her eyes. Wind messed up her beautiful white and blacks fur. The marble fox sat up and licked the tangles in her fur. She glanced at her mother, a gray fox, and her four other siblings, Shark, a gray fox. Viper, a Swift fox. Whiteout, an Artic fox. And Magma, a red fox. She sighed and looked at the gaping mouth of their den. Red and yellow leaves slowly spun down. She nudged her mother, Ashmountain, awake. "Mom~" Whined Mercy. "I wanna play with the rest of the cubs. Ashmountain looked down at Mercy and murmured, " You know there are male foxes." Mercy glared at Her siblings and asked, "Why are they all different species? I wanna go play with my own species and-" Ashmountain cut her off and growled, "And who will watch over you? Random vixens?" Mercy slunk back to the side of the cave and sighed. She really wished she could hang out with the MarbleThrashers. But it isn't worth losing her family, isn't it? Is it?

Mercy curled her bushy tail around her slender paws. She was starving. The family already lost two cubs, Magma and Whiteout. Mercy can't live like this anymore.

She was planning an escape. But the only problem was that she carried the scent of Gray, Swift, Red, and Artic fox on her pelt. She glanced around in search of any coat-hunters, but luckily she didn't see any. In Fall, the nights became colder and crispier. Hopefully that will help take off her scent. She glanced at her remaining siblings and mother, and then slunk out. Her frosty white eyes seemed to pierce the black night. She slunk low to the ground, struggling to blend in with the vivid leaves. Every pawstep she would glance behind her, making sure the crunch of the leaves didn't wake anyone up. A few more stalk-lengths away, and she'll be out of sight of the den. She kept her pace, sure to not make a mistake. She was actually doing this. She was actually sneaking out. In other words, running away.

A piercing wail struck Mercy awake. The sun beat down on her. She had fallen asleep. Her mother's wail sounded again, but closer. Mercy jumped on her paws and lowered her ears. She had to run. Her paw-pads skittered across the stone floor as she sprinted away.

The Marble fox was now running at full speed. She was near RedBlood's territory. Red foxes are the most aggressive and protective species of fox there is. This is a mistake. A big mistake. Now I am dead because of it. And there is no. Going. Back.

Chapter Two

Viper hissed as she heard her mother's cry. Mercy was gone. What now? Has she ran out and be begged to be taken by the SeasonTails? Or has a coat-hunter taken her and kill her for her coat? She glanced around, relieved to see Shark with his ears flattened and tail over them. Their mother's wailing has probably woken up the SwiftRunners by now. Viper has wondered how her species lived. "Mama?" Viper whined. "What happened to Mercy?" Ashmountain only stopped for three heartbeats to look at her cub. Her face was stained with tears, her eyes bloodshot. It suddenly terrified Viper, that it surprised her. She quickly whimpered and scooted back. She sighed as her mother's wailing rang in her ears.

Viper was dreaming. Thick fog swirled around her like a snake. "Hello?" Vipers voice echoed, strangely hollow. "Hello." Echoed a young vixen. Viper narrowed her eyes, struggling to see through the darkness and fog. She could make out a figure of a vixen with white and

black fur. Mercy. Viper hissed under her breath, "You." But she realized Mercy couldn't notice her. Viper looked around, her green-yellow eyes glowing softly in the mist. Mercy's white eyes flashed fear and confusion. She was in RedBlood's territory. She could tell by the scratches on the trees, all crooked and bloody. Am I dead? Wondered Viper as she looked at her ghostly yellow paws. She suddenly started to panic. Am I dead? Her heart beat faster. Thump thump. Thump Thump Thump.

Viper awoke. "MA!" She howled. Ashmountain was gone. Viper got in her paws and ran. She ran like she has never ran before. She felt some strange power in her all of a sudden. She became swifter each paw-step. The RedBlood trees were calling to her. She had to get her sister back.

Chapter Three

Mercy glanced around. The stench of red foxes were getting stronger. She glanced behind her shoulder. She had no choice but to fight them off. She flexed her claws and bared her teeth. Her ears shifted, ready for the sound of growling, hissing, barking, and howls of pain. The sight of a red pelt came in and a sudden growl, others following it. Mercy opened her jaws and let out a hiss.