AN: I'm really sorry that it's taken almost three months to update this story, but a lot has been going on behind the scenes... Hurricane Ian impacted my home state of Florida, as well as my town. My family and I were very lucky that our town had only the most minimal of the 154 MPH winds when they came roaring ashore. But areas I know have been changed forever. So much destruction ensued from a tragic act of nature, and sadly lives where lost due to Hurricane Ian. May God allow our communities to heal, be rebuilt. And may God bless the families of those who tragically didn't make it, and allow them to heal and to find peace. God Bless us all, and God be with us all.

-Secret Warriors HQ, The Next Day-

Vulpine read from one of Earth's holy bibles, eyes wide. Vulpine walked in, eyebrow raised.

"Something wrong?"

"I was raised to believe in God, as were many peoples here too...I'm just...surprised at some of the text in this book."

"Oh?"

"He raised me to believe God was loving, wise, and all powerful."

"And does this book change your mind?"

"I feel...I feel that it's hard to understand such a being...a metaphysical one responsible for all of creation that loved it all...that humans say in this text that he created humanity solely in his image...and that certain...violent acts were accepted or even endorsed by God...or the humans say he did."

Vulpine nodded and sat beside her.

"Gods are...complicated."

Vixen's ears perked up.

"What of our world? What of the God...or Gods there?"

Vulpine nodded.

"Our world had many gods, connected to various parts of the world. Connections to war and passion, music and art, collectors of wisdom...many gods."

"God of...war and passion?"

Vulpine smiled.

"A goddess of war...she represented honor in battle, to fight for a just cause, but also was the matron of lovers, especially forbidden ones. She saw no distinction between who desired and loved who, only that it was fierce and passionate. Her name was Sensija."

Vixen blushed, but nodded.

"Music and art?"

"Onaju. God of creativity and peace. Lover of Sensija. Gentle, understanding, and passionate for the many arts that one could find themselves dedicating their lives to."

"Collector of wisdom?"

"Che huì. She sought to know all the secrets of reality, traveling across the cosmos and meeting many peoples, a strategist, and freethinker whom praised those who walked their lives independently and also respecting those who sought guidance from others."

Vixen smiled.

"They all sound wonderful."

Vulpine nodded.

"And their was the creator or creators depending on the lore...given certain conflicts in our world regarding religion...some argued and even fought over their beliefs in the creator or creators. The former speak of the first being, Zaozou. A being who crossed the lines of female and male, being both mother and father to the world. The latter was Hasou and Fusou, mother and father who in their passion created the world and all its children, gods and us."

Vixen's eyes widened.

"Wow."

Vulpine smiled.

"I've been reading on some of the other gods of this world...I like some of them...I can see it reflected in some of the peoples here."

Vixen nodded.

"So many gods...father never mentioned them to me."

"They were the gods of our world, only we worshipped them."

"I-If they're real...why didn't they stop the destruction of our world?"

"...I...I don't know...perhaps the same can be said for this God you speak of...and all such battles that happen...why not stop them?"

Vixen rubbed her chin.

"I...don't know."

Vulpine sighed.

"Something wrong?"

"There's so much more to reality than I thought...why wasn't I told of my home's beliefs?"

Vulpine scratched the back of his neck.

"Are you doubting in this God?"

Vixen stood up, walking around the room for several minutes. Vulpine fiddled with his fingers before Vixen sighed.

"I know God is real...I've seen his works...but the Gods of my home...of our people, I won't say they're not real...perhaps they are part of his plan? Perhaps they each are equal in their own way...I cannot say...but I think knowing there are stories of other Gods out there doesn't mean God isn't real...there's just more of creation to understand."

Vulpine rubbed his chin, eyebrows raising up as he nodded his head.

"Maybe."

Vixen sighed.

"There's just so much to learn...about my home world."

"And there's much here for me to learn as well...I think both world are similar and different...giving them both, a sense of charm I suppose."

Vixen smiled, nodding.

Doreen leaned against a wall, hand on her forehead. She sighed.

'Damn it, what kind of position am I in?'

Having seen Vixen and Vulpine's intimate moment and hearing Vixen's plea for secrecy, she was uncertain of what to do. She had promised to keep Vixen's secret under specific circumstances, but she still felt uncertain if she should keep the promise. The team was uncertain of Vulpine and now she's come to find that Vixen and Vulpine together like that.

'God help me.'

She walked around the base, trying to avoid everyone as discreetly as possible.

Talking right now wasn't an option. Right now, she needed to think. She looked at photos in her belongings, see how alone she often was. Vixen had been alone for so long and now she had someone like her by her side. Doreen sighed, she felt for Vixen more than the others. Like their new friend, there is a part of her that obviously made her different. It made them both feel so cast out, whether intentionally or not, from general society.

Even amongst friends, Doreen felt alone sometimes as she was still much different to the others. She'd catch them looking at her tail. Though she knew they didn't mean any harm, nor did she hold it against them, it was something that spoke to how it made her stand out and not in the way one would like. Her difference was made her and Vixen connect. And Doreen had to admit to herself that even Vixen stood out from her, as foxes hunt squirrels and she found herself uncertain of her new friend at times. One doesn't usually see a fox being friends with a squirrel, if ever.

And on top of this, Vixen and Vulpine were the only two known survivors of the devastation of their world. Finding someone like her, the same as her, and been a blessing to her. Regardless of her suspicions of Vulpine, she didn't want to take away what Vixen was feeling right now. Even if they are right and it was right to expose Vixen even with this intimacy between them, it would more than likely break any bond Vixen had with the rest of the group.

Doreen looked to her newest photo, with her friends, including Vixen, and sighed.

'I don't know what to do.'

To Be Continued...

AN: Special Thanks goes to Story's Shadow for writing this chapter. And Special Thanks goes to Rushstar32 for bringing a smile to my face with her comment on foxes in our culture, particularly about a certain two-tailed fox, and a star fighter captain.