Kell slicked his midnight-black fur back and pushed the tent flap open. After all, it is not everyday one meets one's warlord. This warlord was the type where he was encouraging to his army, friendly to his friends, and totally ruthless to his enemies. Sineon, Commander of the Fraj Legion, was a huge fox, with dagger sharp claws and paws the size of frying pans. His muscles rippled as he stood to greet his inferior.

Kell pushed back any doubts he had had and shook the older fox's paw. It was not a hard shake, but he could feel the power coursing through it. He bowed respectfully to his commander.

"Young Kell," the huge, silvery fox had a deep, melodious voice that carried well, especially when he was angry at someone. "Welcome."

"Thank you, sir." He nervously jammed his thumbs in his belt. "It is the greatest honor of my life to meet you." Showing respect sometimes meant the difference to whether you had ears or not.

Sineon smiled. "Please, sit down."

They sat. Kell heard singing and laughing of the Fraj outside. Fraj were comprised of foxes, weasels, ferrets, stoats, and ermine. Rats were not allowed in; they were weak, sniveling creatures. Only a few rats had ever been powerful in the Legion's eyes, and they all had gone crazy. Says something about their race, doesn't it.

The silver fox held several bark scrolls in his paw. They were covered in charcoal scrawl, and he squinted to read it.

"Jezzen, the poor idiot. Can't write worth acorns. Ah well. Let's see…the battle of Salamandastron, day four. Says in the report that you led a group of fellow foxes around the mountain, up the walls, and into the fortress. Arrl was in that group, wasn't he? Yes. He's got a good memory, told me many tales about the other side of the battle." The Legion had been fighting with Salamandastron's hares for a week, and the battle so far was a draw. The Badger Lord, Yulff, wielded a huge longsword and mourning star. He had so far guarded the gates single handedly, and the army of vermin had yet to breach the front entrance. Kell's strike team were the only Fraj to make it inside…and out again.

"Hmmm…took out some hares, grabbed some weapons…that's very good, you know, we always need more arrows. Found your way into the forge, got holed up there, fought your way out, ran around to the lower levels, killed some more hares, ran out the entrance while the badger wasn't looking. Very nice. Oh, you shot him in the arm? Oh, I wish I had been there." The huge fox grinned.

"Thank you sir. He roared at me for a while from the door as I fought more hares. Something about 'dratted whelp of a inkpot' or some such drivel."

His commander chuckled. "Well, you have definitely proven yourself to be more than capable of leading and fighting. You use that sword there?"

Kellson drew his long, slightly curved sword and offered it hilt first to the Fraj leader. It was long, thin, and had a smallish round guard, only an inch in diameter.

His leader growled approvingly and stuck it in the sand in front of him. "Balanced. Kell, I need young creatures like you, ready to take up the helm of responsibility, who can lead with brains and guts, as well as physical prowess. I hereby give you the power of a Captain in my army."

Kell nearly toppled off of his seat. He bowed low, and ventured a question through the joy that coursed through him. "Who do I lead, sir?"

The big fox chuckled. "Well, I've don't normally give younger beasts very many men, or very good men…but then again, the younger beasts are usually ambitious morons that would fight for a crust of bread. However, I have actually watched you in action. You took out five or six of the hare's commanders, that right? That's incredible for one your age."

Kell blushed. "They were only captains, sir."

"Nevertheless…I'll make you a deal. Instead of giving you some harebrained troop of freshly recruited buffoons, you can choose six other beasts, besides yourself, to make into a strike team. A sort of squad, if you will. Choose someone that you know you can trust, can fight, and won't back out of danger. Deal?"

"Deal."

Kell rose, bowed again, and tugged his sword free of the ground. He turned and was about to go, when the big fox stopped him.

"One more thing. Next time you decide to go shoot a badger, invite me."

Kell grinned hugely. "That's a promise, sir."

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT FOUR FOXES SNUCK IN HERE, KILLED FIFTEEN GOOD HARES, SHOT ME, KILLED FIVE OFFICERS, AND RAN AWAY ALIVE?"

Colonel Quincy stammered to his angry badger friend. "Well, sah, they did have the element of surprise with the-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Yulff, ruler of Salamandastron, ripped the gauze away from his shoulder, roaring in anger. "I WANT THOSE FOXES DEAD!"

Quincy laid a placating paw on the trembling badger's arm. "Come now, sah, do you really think the blighters did that by themselves, wot? They must've been trained by the top fox himself!"

Sergeant Dufraine nodded agreement. "If we was tah capture tha fox and his buddies, we could worm informinations out of 'em, sah."

Quincy laid a paw over his eyes. Sarge often mispronounced things, and this wasn't the best time to do it. Yulff, however, looked thoughtful.

"You may be right. He's the only black fox they have, he's very noticeable. Tell your hares to capture on sight. We need information, and revenge for a score of good fighting hares."