Sand

I carefully set my paws down, focusing on the lapwing feather that stirred temptingly in front of me.

Dappled had set me to gathering the feathers that drifted lazily around camp, a result of how many birds we ate.

"Sand!" a loud yowl made me jump, sending a wash of air over the feather. I growled irritably as it fluttered away and turned to face one of the apprentices, a she-cat named Blue. Her silvery-blue fur was glimmering in the setting sun and her blue eyes sparkled.

Seriously, this she-cat is blue, through and through. I snarled in my mind.

"That's not how we hunt, Sand. We run after our prey. The Plains gices us room for it." Blue explained, looking down at me.

I sat back, letting her words sink in.

"We don't stalk?" I mewed, dabbing a some feather that had detached and was clinging to my nose.

"Not at all. When we become apprentices, our mentors train us for endurance. A full grown she-cat with proper training can run from sun-up to sun-down."

I looked down dubiously, studying my large front paws. Then I looked at Blue. Her entire body was different, she had slim, tiny paws, soft short fur, tiny ears and she was extremely tall. Her head was a more of an arrow shape. I flicked my ears, suddenly aware of how large they were. Then I looked down at my long, thick pale ginger coat.

I shook my head. "Blue?" another voice joined Blue's and I looked up to see Lightning and her apprentice, Ivy.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to come with Ivy and I to train. I know Rain is gone at Red Canyon and you're off, but I could teach you some new battle moves." Blue tipped her head, glancing at me. "Can Sand come along? I mean, she's practically seven moons old. And the Training Clearing is really close to camp."

Lightning's yellow eyes flickered with indecision, then she dipped her head.

"Alright. Come on."

Blue crouched by me, my jaw hanging open.

"Come on, silly. I'll carry you. Hang on tight!" she called back to me on her back before breaking into a smooth lope.

I curled my claws inward and gritted my teeth.

We followed a trampled path, the grass worn away from paws running back and forth.

"We have paths like this through out our whole territory. And the farthest point of our territory is three sun-ups and sun-downs away from camp."

My eyes widened as I thought about that.

"Really? Our territory stretches three sun cycles away?"

"Yep! When we become full Pride-Members, we have to make a journey all the way around the territory, marking out scent on the border. It's tradition."

We finally reached the Training Clearing and Blue set me down on the trampled down grass.

The Training Clearing was a circle of crushed grass, completely flat.

"We'll start with running. Each of you run three laps around the Clearing."

I clambered to my paws and started trotting after Ivy and Blue. The two of them were loping easily around the clearing, passing me.

"Sand!" Lightning hurried over. "I didn't mean you had to. If you . . . want to, you can but don't tire yourself out."

I nodded and continued on, starting to pant.

It was sun-high, and it was hot. The combination of my long thick fur, the sun and the running soon made me drop into the cool shade from the towering grasses around me.

I sat panting as Blue and Ivy battled, claws sheathed.

After a while, I cooled down and started to get bored.

Lightning was correcting Blue's form and Ivy was grooming her paws, her back turned to me.

I turned around, pushing my way through the tall grass. I popped out onto a path and I grinned. This was the path to the camp! I raised my head and trotted forward, following the curves.

After a few minutes, I dropped into a walk, looking around.

I should have been at the camp by now, I thought.

"What do we have here?" a dry, rasping voice came from my left and another one answered it.

"Looks like a kit, Boss." this voice was higher pitched and I heard the sound of a paw connecting with someone's body and a yelp.

"Hey! He didn't do anything! He was right. I am a kit!" I meowed boldly, turning in a circle.

My gaze flicked from one spot to another, watching the grass ripple. Smoothly, a gray-brown animal with a long, slim muzzle, a bushy tail and triangular ears slid out of of the grass, almond eyes narrowed. Another followed, gazing at me in confusion.

"What's your name, kit?"

I tipped my head. "A question for a question, strange one." I meowed, sitting down.

He grinned, showing long curved teeth.

"Fine then, Unnamed."

"What are you?" I shot at him.

"A Plains fox. What is your name?"

"Sand. And your's?"

"Boss. Are you lost?"

"No. Are there others like you?"

"Lots. Are your Pride-mates looking for you?"

"No idea. I'm done." I sat back and stared at him.

"You look different from the other Plains cats. They're . . . more slim. And taller. And less fur."

"Thanks. I didn't know that." I meowed drily, curling my fluffy tail around my paws.

"You didn't?" the other fox spoke up. It was the higher-pitched voice and I smiled at him.

"I was being sarcastic. Say, what's your name?"

The fox's head dropped. "I don't have one."

I was on my paws immediately, and racing over to the fox.

"Oh, you poor thing." I licked his cheek and sat close to him.

"I'll name you," I decided, curling my tail around one of his paws.

He blinked down at me, his strange yellow eyes wide.

"Really? I've never had a name before." he said in wonderment. I hissed and marched up to Boss. I whacked him with the flat of my paw on his nose and stared into his eyes.

"Shame on you, Boss. Knowing this poor thing didn't have a name and never even thinking of naming him!" he blinked back at me in shock and then he threw his head back, howling with laughter.

"Continue," he said, wiping away the tears of mirth that whispered through his fur.

I shot him a glare that would have made the grass wilt but only made him laugh harder and turned back to the poor fox with no name.

"How about Dusty?" I meowed.

His eyes widened and filled with tears. "Dusty? It's perfect." he leaned down, touching his nose to mine.

"I'll take you back to your camp."

"No!" I meowed quickly, scrambling away. "Please. I feel so different there, Dusty."

I heard Boss get to his paws and pad over, dropping his head next to mine.

"You could come with us, Sand."

I looked at Boss, wondering what he meant.

"To our camp." his voice was just as raspy but I recognized hope when I heard it. "So that you could name all of us."

My jaw dropped then I recovered and stifled a laugh with a cough.

"Well, alright. My mother won't be back for another three days. You'll have to take me back then."

Boss straightened and grinned again.

"Do you wanna run, or ride on Dusty's back?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Do you have to ask?" I meowed, shooting him a glare that made him laugh again.

I scrambled up Dusty's said and was settled in when he took of into a leggy lope, out distancing Boss who barked at him to slow down.

With a reluctant sigh, Dusty slowed.

"When I take you back, we'll go alone, so that I can show you how fast I am."

I laughed. "Okay, Dusty."

Boss caught up and growled at Dusty, who lowered his head and flattened his ears.

"Hey. Be nice." I leaned over and smacked him.

Boss sniffed the air and turned to Dusty.

"Ragg's here."

Dusty's eyes widened and he shrank back, shivering.

"It's fine," I comforted, sliding down and looking at the frightened fox. He smiled down at me, still shivering slightly.

We pushed through the grass and popped out into a clearing, much like camp, only there were holes at the side of the clearing, leading into the ground.

Five foxes or so were gathered in the middle of the clearing, cowering before a huge black animal that looked faintly like a fox, but broader and thicker through the stomach.

The infuriated animal's gaze alighted on Boss and he snarled a command.

"Boss! Come here."

The fox gritted his teeth and padded forward.

At this point, Dusty slid me off his back and shoved me into the edge of the clearing, behind the curtain of grass.

I parted it with one paw, watching.

"Yes, Ragg?" Boss said, sitting down. The huge animal leaned forward, letting out an enraged howl and fastened it teeth in the fox's shoulder. I let out a screech of terror and fury, racing forward.

"Attack, you idiots!" I yowled, launching myself at the sleek black creature. I clawed at his shoulder and he spit out Boss, snarling at the tiny creature that dared defile his perfect pelt.

Dusty followed first, after making sure that Boss was still breathing. With an outraged howl, he fastened his teeth in Ragg's front leg.

"Go! Fight!" I faintly heard Boss's voice rasping to the other foxes.

Suddenly, a massive ball of maddened and furious Plains foxes descended onto the huge black animal.

Ragg howled, tearing foxes off left and right.

He twisted and my claws slid out of his flesh and I flew off, hitting the ground rolling.

I cough and tried to get my breath back. When my vision cleared, I sat up, majorly bruised.

I admired the Plains foxes determination as they flung themselves over and over at Ragg.

Finally, the huge animal let out a roar and tore out of camp, his paws thundering on the Plain dirt.

I gasped, we won! As I got to my paws, I noticed Dusty trotting back to camp, a satisfied smile on his face.

I padded over to him, curious.

"What did you do to him?" I meowed.

"Bit his tail," was his reply, before bounding over to Boss.

Suddenly worried, I followed and looked down at the pale looking fox.

"Boss?" I meowed, faintly.

"I'm still alive, Kitten. It'll have to be something much stronger than that to kill me." but his rasp was weak and he closed his eyes before he finished talking.

I turned to Dusty. "I spent some time in the medicine den. I was a sickly kit and I learned a few of the herbs."

I frowned as I tried to remember what to use on him.

"Sage. Can you find some? And . . . and . . . oh! Right. And some holly grape. Hurry! He's loosing blood." I said to Dusty as I clamped a paw on the jagged wound.

"Can I do anything?" I didn't bother to see who it was and nodded.

"Find me some flat leaves. And some mud. Make it sticky enough to seal but watery enough to be able to mold."

I meowed.

"I know the perfect spot," and the fox darted away.

"Come on, Boss. Stay with me."

The gray brown fox's breathing was growing ragged and faint.

"No, no! Boss, Dusty's coming back. Just hold on!"

I had only known the fox since that morning, but he had become a beloved friend in my mind.

"Boss! Stay with me." I begged, leaning over him as his breathing slipped.

He opened his eyes, looking straight at me.

"Kitten," he murmured, I leaned forward, tears gathering in my eyes. "lead your Pride to freedom. This separation is wrong. Love shall thrive."

"Boss! No! No, no, no . . ." I moaned, burying my face in his fur. He smelled like Plains wind and the golden grasses.

Dusty burst through the entrance, racing towards me.

When he saw my tear-streaked face and he dropped the herbs.

"Boss?" he whispered. I moaned again, dropped my head onto my paws.

"No . . ." tears spilled over and he sat by me, crying quietly.

The sun sank quietly, leaving a hollow silence behind.

The stars gleamed above us as two of the Plains foxes bore Boss's body out to a cleared spot with many graves.

After the fox was buried, I lay at the foot of the grave, my head on my paws.

Eventually, everyone but Dusty padded away, grief thick in the air.

But even then, Dusty left as well, and I was left alone, staring at the mound of dark soil.

"I'm sorry, Boss. I tried. It evidently wasn't enough, was it? You died. I'll avenge you, Boss. And I'll lead my Pride to freedom. I promise. And I never break my promises."

There you are, the second chapter of Prides of Pain. Heartbreaking end, huh? I really like Boss. He is named after a friend.