Chapter Seven

Comradeship

Fox joined us on our aimless journey.

I had finally convinced Wren that it was time to go, and we left Fox behind. It wasn't until we settled down the next night that he caught up with us, carrying a couple of mice which he dropped in front of me. "May I join you?"

"Yes," Wren meowed before I could reply.

Fox nodded at her, but turned his green eyes back to me. He had asked me, he was waiting for my response. He knew that if I didn't want him around, there was no way he'd be joining us.

I liked Fox, and I did owe him for saving Wren's life. "Of course." I meowed finally.

(***)

I felt slightly like we were replacing Bear with Fox, but over a few days of thinking about it, I realized that it wasn't true. Bear had been like our father, for short period of time, whereas Fox was joining us as a friend... maybe more, in Wren's case.

I saw the way they looked at each other. I heard the way they spoke to each other. Fox was wary of me, at first, either not talking to Wren when I was around or talking very little. He was good to be wary, Wren was my sister after all, and I'd fight to the death to protect her.

But as a moon passed, and I grew to like and trust Fox more, I found the way they tried to hide their affection for each other from me very amusing. Sometimes they would be talking quietly while they thought I was asleep, and I found it very difficult not to startle them with a sarcastic comment. Though once, when a conversation was going where I didn't want it to go, I open my eyes and stared at Wren until she noticed. They rarely ever spoke about such things around me again.

(***)

As we walked, I trailed behind Fox and Wren as I usually did.

"Shatter!"

I was shaken out of my thoughts by Wren's cry, glancing up, I saw that she and Fox had paused and were staring back at me.

"Shatter, you slow hedgehog. Come on."

I didn't even know what a hedgehog was! Neither did Wren. It was an expression she had picked up from Fox. "I am coming."

"Yes, but it will be halfway through the next moon before you catch up with us."

I flicked my tail in annoyance. Suddenly, I rushed at Wren, pinning her down before she had a chance to try to get away. "I win, Wren."

She purred, "Get off me, you fat furball."

I allowed her to get to her feet. "All right, I'm here. What do you want?"

"Flare says he's been here before, and there's a good place we can rest a couple of days nearby."

"There's lot's a prey," Fox added. "And we might get to see a hedgehog."

"A hedgehog?" Wren meowed. "Shatter, what do you say, can we go there?"

I sighed, then glanced at Fox. "Lead the way, Flare." I meowed; sarcastically using the nickname Wren had given him. He stared at me for a moment, and then walked off.

Before following him, Wren glanced at me. "Why are you such a grumpy furball?" she didn't wait for my reply.

(***)

"Shatter?"

I yawned and opened my eyes. It was dark. I could see Wren, curled up safely in her nest. Then I saw Fox. His head was up, and he was staring at me. "What?"

"Why don't you like me?"

I sighed. "I do like you."

Fox glanced quickly at Wren, then back at me. "But you don't like me with Wren?"

"She's my sister, Fox, I believe I have the right to be a little protective."

"So you're not mad at me for liking her?"

"No," I meowed. "No, I'm not. I'm worried. I'll get over it." I lay my head back down and closed my eyes. I heard Fox purr.

"I can deal with that," he meowed, sounding pleased.

(***)

The next morning, when I woke up, Fox and Wren were gone, but their was a squirrel lying in front of me that I could tell had come from him. I ate it quickly, all the while wondering where they had gone. I was almost done with a heard an excited meow followed by Wren calling me.

I followed her voice until I found the two of them crouched side by side staring at what looked like a giant moving burr.

"What is that?" I meowed.

"A hedgehog," Wren purred. "Look at it, Shatter. Can you imagine if we had spikes like that? No dog would ever bother us."

"No dog will ever bother you with me and Shatter around," Fox pointed out. "I know you didn't see it last time, Wren, but we make a good team." He glanced over her back at me.

I nodded. "We do make a good team," I agreed.