Chapter 5: Shattered Hearts

Twenty minutes had pasted in the night club, And while Fox was still enjoying himself, dancing with Katt and Falco, who was juggling his actions, trying to look cool, while keeping his sweetheart happy. Fox grew ever more nervous by the second for his Fara. He was always nervous when it was something to do with Fara, especially in situations where she disappears. His heart rate quickened, and it wasn't just because of his dancing. He was convinced there was a enigma behind her sky blue eyes. Something that, just like Falco thoughts of Katt, was slowly taking his heart away from him.

Another 5 minutes had gone by, now Fox was really getting nervous and anxious. His mind tormented him with bad thoughts of what might have happened to Fara. The strain was becoming evident on his face, something that Falco picked up on.

"Fox, are you ok man?" Falco questioned.

The three stopped dancing.

"No.. I'm worried. Where's Fara."

Both Katt and Falco both shrugged.

"I don't know Fox, sorry." Katt said solemnly.

"Katt, she said she'd gone to the bathroom, can you go and check for me please?" Fox begged her.

"Sure hon." Katt smiled before going to check.

Both Fox and Falco thought they'd best go to find the others, maybe they might know her whereabouts. They went to the bar, in order to find Bill. They found him all right, with two vixens under each arm.

"Hey Bill, can we disturb you from your work a minute" Falco joked.

"Sure guys" said Bill, a big smile on his face.

"Have you seen Fara at all?" Fox spluttered out.

"Sorry guys, I cant say I have. How long has she been gone?

"Nearly half and hour, she said she was going to the bathroom, she never came back." said Fox, his voice almost failing him.

Katt raced over to where they were situated.

"Fox, she's not in the bathrooms, sorry" Katt apologised.

"Don't worry Fox, she's a big girl, she can look after herself. Maybe she's gone out side for some air or something." Bill reassured his old friend.

At the sound of that, Fox raced out of the door and onto the street.

The others quickly followed him.

"I shall return later ladies" Bill announced, while giving them a flirtatious smile, before following the others.

Fox ran outside, his fur stood up as it left the warm, heated air of the night-club and into the cold, breezy air of outside. As he looked, he saw Slippy standing right next to him.

"Heya Fox." The amphibian said in his squeaky little voice. Fox automatically grabbed him by the arms and looked into his face.

"Have you seen Her!" Fox demanded an answer from the frog.

"Whoa! Calm down Fox, who are you looking for?" Slippy asked.

"Fara!" Fox shouted in frustration

"I'm sorry Fox, I haven't seen her anywhere." Slippy answered nervously, he was obviously very frightened at Fox's attitude.

The others came out of the club to see a apologetic Slippy and a panic stricken Fox. Katt spoke up with some brightness in her voice.

"Fox, do you want me to ring Peppy and find out whether she has gone home or not?" Katt suggested.

"Yes. Yes please!" Fox answered, pacing up and down outside the night-club. He wondered to himself where she would have gone, and why? Was he not paying enough attention to her, and this was his punishment?

"No!" Fox talked to himself. He knew there was no way Fara would do such a thing. She knew he was madly in love with her. He would crave her touch and tender kiss. She was his queen, everything that he could do, he would do for her. He couldn't live without her, and this had shown itself to himself and everyone else who knew him. He heart ached to know where she was.

As Fox paced up and down the pavement, the other still talking amongst themselves where she might have gone, Fox saw something shine and glisten in the middle of the pavement, he quickly walked over to it and fell to his knees, as he gently picked up the golden pendant. It had two wings on it, with a cut blue crystal in it. He recognised it instantly. He heard his own heart break. He clenched his fist held it to his face, before letting out heart-wrenching sob. The other rushed over to Fox, in his sorrow.

"Fox, what's wrong?" Falco went over to his friend.

Fox simply said nothing, and opened his paw up to show Fara's pendant.

"Oh no.!" Bill whispered to himself.

"Fara, where are you!" Fox cried, his tears falling down his furry cheeks.

Bill, Falco and Slippy comforted their leader and friend, Katt came rushing over, giving Fox a reassuring hug.

"Fox, I've talked to Peppy, she's not there, but he told us to get back quickly. He tried to tell me what but my battery died on me." Katt looked into Fox's eyes, they looked lacklustre and lifeless. She felt that anymore bad news would kill him.

"Gad Damm Battery!" She joked, trying to force a smile from the vulpine, she was rewarded with a small one, it wasn't a lot but it was something.

"Ok, let's get back there now!" Falco stated, not wanting to wait around anymore. He ran over and waved down a taxi, and Falco gave the driver directions to the ship park, where their Arwings were waiting to transport them back to the GreatFox.

As the Arwings and the Cats-Paw arrived at the docking bay, they were greeted by an anxious and desperate Peppy. He saw Fox climb out of his Arwing, completely dejected. The look of Fox made Peppy want to cry too. He'd never seen him like this since when he was a pup, when Peppy had the unpleasant job of informing Fox of his father's fate, all those years ago.

"Peppy!" Falco shouted. "What's happened?" he asked impatiently. Falco's cocky, 'I don't give a @#%$' attitude had disapeared. This was a serious Falco who wanted to do anything to save his friend from misery and heartbreak.

"I cant discribe what's happened. We got a transmission. You better come see for yourself." Peppy answered back, in a non-too certain manner.

The other followed the veteran hare to the bridge. Fox was at the back of this line, completely depressed and mentally and emotionally shattered.

They all reached the Bridge and stood around the hologram imager, impatiently waiting for Peppy to play back the tape.

"Ok.. here it is. I really don't know what to do!" Peppy stated as he played the tape.

The hologram came up, a picture of Fara was shown, chained to the ceiling, her body hanging lifeless.

Fox was stupefied by what he saw and pure terror grew in his eyes. "FARA!!!!!" He cried.

Falco held his shoulders "Whoa, calm down." Falco spoke softly, so not to scare him.

A laugh was heard from the hologram. The camera swerved round to show a dark wolf, with an eye patch over his left eye.

"STARWOLF!" The entire team shouted, almost in unison.

"Hello Fox McCloud. I think I might have something of worth to you. Now you know what it's like to lose something of worth to you. Come meet me in Titania. Don't pack a lot, you wont be needing a lot of baggage when I'm done with you." Wolf stated in his cold, clear voice.

The hologram flicked off to nothing. Peppy stopped the tape.

"Oh my God!" Uttered Katt.

"We've gotta stop them guys!" Bill protested.

They all looked at Fox. he said nothing. He just stood there, transfixed at the hologram screen. Falco could sense the anger began to bubble in Fox's body. His eyes fixed, before turning his head sharply at the others.

"Lets Go!"