Fox woke up sprawled on the floor the next morning. He didn't remember falling asleep, so he assumed he had passed out from sheer exaustion. He left his room to explore the temple. Soon he came upon a room he assumed was Tricky's. He entered it and laying on the table was the offical Star Fox team badge he had given to Tricky. He traced the outline with his finger. A moment later he heard something small scurry past the door. He put down the badge and entered the hall to investigate. As he looked down the hall he saw a small pink tail disappear around a corner. He chased the creature and soon pinned it to the ground. It was a small Earthwalker, about Tricky's size.

" Who are you?" Fox asked.

"Ugg! Princess Tootsintella! And If you don't get off of me I'm gonna SCREAM!" The Earthwalker replied.

"Who?" Fox asked as he got off the dinosaur.

The Earthwalker stood up, flicked her tail and said "Princess Tootsintella of the Eastern Earthwalker Tribe! And who exactly are you?"

"Fox McCloud, Starfox team." Fox said and bowed.

"Oh my gawd!!! You're Fox!! Tricky told me all about your adventures, I was so jealous!"

Fox beamed with pride and said, " You know Tricky, Princess...uhh....whats your name again?"

"It's Tootsintella, but you can call me Tootsie, everyone else does. And yes, Tricky and I have been friend, like, forever...and we're cousins...and we're bethrothed, and thats gross cause boys are icky!"

Tootsie said making a face of discust.

She remindes me of Tricky, Fox thought.

"Our Tribe arrived last night and...are you hungry?" She asked as she spotted a pair of sleeping Grubtub Fungi.

"No thank you, I have to be getting to the main hall, Nice meeting you Tootsie" Fox said.

"Yep!" Tootsie said as she chased after the now awake mushrooms. Fox though, All they ever think about is food... He chuckled as he made his way to the throne room.

"Ah! I hope you slept well Fox." The now more composed Queen Earthwalker questioned.

"Yes, Thank you." Fox replied.

" I see you have met our niece, Tootsie, I hope she wasn't too much of a bother."

"No, she was fine, reminded me of Tricky." as he said this, the huge weight was placed back on his shoulders.

The look in their eyes...their whole world was depending upon him.

" You know Fox, Why don't you take Tootsie with you? She has Tricky's side-kick skills!"

Fox made a face, " No, she's safer off here. I'd rather go alone."

Tootsie, who had been spying, burst in. " I wanna go on an adventure too! Tricky got to, why shouldn't I! Uncle, make him take me!" She looked at the King Earthwalker with puppy dog eyes.

"I'm sorry Tootsie, but I agree with Fox, it's much too dangerous, and I just can't send you out into a war without your parents permission! It was foolish of your Aunt to even put the idea into your head." The king glared at his wife.

" No Fair! Just cause I'm not a boy I don't get to do anything! And why can't you go ask my dad?!" Tootsie whined.

The Queen Earthwalker cooed " I'm sorry dear....they both left last night so you wouldn't be frightened. That was the whol point of your trip, to keep you safe within these walls."

Tootsie was in shock, " Wha....Where did they go?"

The king answered, " Your father lead a group of soldiers to Dragon Rock, your mother returned to your home to govern the tribe in your father's absense.

Tootsie burst into tears. She ran out of the Throne room.

"Poor kid." Fox thought.

He remembered whenever his father would be called into active duty. He would be terrified something would happen to him. Then there was that one day it did... He remembered it like it was yesterday. He and his aunt had been eating dinner. He answered the door and saw a battered Peppy, and General Pepper. He went and got his aunt. She could tell by the looks on their faces the news wasn't good.

"Vixanna....there's been an accident, James...he...."

Fox blocked out the memory. It was too painful to relive, especially now... with Krystal gone. He talked to the King a while then decided.

" I'm going to look around Cloudrunner Fortress"

So he left the palace and went to the fortress in his arwing. By the time he landed it was dark, so he decided to sleep out the remainer of the night in the cock pit.