Chapter Four: The Other Son
Setting: Mossflower Forest; Early Afternoon
The Master. None knew why he was called this, but anybody who questioned was not around for an answer. He was, to say the least, extremely intimidating, able to strike fear into the hearts of all those around him. Today, he was searching for the two foxes he had sent out as scouts a few nights before. He had taken their stupid second kit as collateral, to make sure that they would come back, but they seemed to have abandoned him.
Nobody knew The Master's race, just that he covered himself in a large, black cloak. Nobody had ever seen his face, or if anybody had, they weren't around to tell what it looked like. He had some way of making important people look up to him, as if he outranked them. For he was The Master, and none could stand before him.
As he passed under the trees of the forest, looking in each direction for any sign that the two had been through this region, his army fanned out around him, looking around as well. Any clue caught his attention; a snapped twig, grass that was matted down, a whiff upon the air.
Yes, that was it, he could smell them. Something tainted the smell; blood, they must have been fighting. The Master started to run, effectively causing those around him to stop in their tracks. Seeing something that tall running through the trees, the weaving branches seeming to move out of his way, his cloak billowing around him would cause anybeast to stop and stare. But that didn't stop The Master. No, he was on the trail, he could smell them, he knew they were near. The traitors would-
He burst through a large wall of vines and branches and stopped, barely missing tripping over the corpse of Deathclaw. He stood there for a moment, staring over the body, the excess of his cloak flowing in the slight breeze. The Master wouldn't admit it, but he was shocked. All his plans of punishment flowed out from him. After seeing this corpse, The Master couldn't help but walk toward the camp, with the still slightly smoking fire, to see the female lying there, facedown with a spear-hole through her head.
The Master didn't have time to look at corpses! He had things to do, more important places to be! He called his army to him, and within moments, they were surrounding the fire and the female's corpse. The Master started to pace around the fire, speaking his orders to the group, his raspy, deep voice echoing loudly enough for everyone around to hear him.
"It would seem that we were mistaken about these two abandoning us. They were merely ambushed. They won't be around to miss the kit. Drop it off here, near it's parents. What was it's name? Bladefang? Ah, it doesn't matter, for it'll die eventually."
A ferret came forward, carrying the kit by the scruff of his neck, the infant squirming and crying out. She sat the baby fox on the ground next to his mother, saluted The Master, and disappeared into the group again. He glared down at the squirming kit, then looked up to his army again.
"Get moving."
The large mass of beasts all walked to the east, The Master following close behind them. After all were gone, and the kit still lay squirming and crying, two eyes appeared in the shadow of an overhanging tree. They materialized into an aging vixen as she walked into the light. She had heard all that the cloaked figure had said, and was determined to save the baby. She picked it up, gave it a quick lookover, noted the color of red on his tail, and smiled. There wasn't anything wrong with him, and she could use an assistant in a few years, when she would be too old to gather her herbs. Other than that, she would have to teach him her ways of predicting the future.
"Come, Bladefang, let's get you to my home, where it is warmer."