CHAPTER 32-The Domain of the Foxes

Deep in the very edges of the forest, far away from the watchful eyes of the Clans, there was a fox den. Although, it wasn't exactly a den. It was more like a series of tunnels underground, a network of chambers and passageways deep underneath the trees, hidden from the spying eyes of the woods and the Lake. It kept out the sun and the bees and let in the dust and cobwebs, and there was nothing interesting in the tunnels except for the smell of mold and worms. A large group of foxes lived there.

Ever since the fight that they had with ThunderClan, they had grown more careful and wary. They were rarely seen in daylight and had built themselves another home farther away from the Lake. There was also something deeper down under the burrows, something that wasn't exactly a fox. It smelled of ancient rock and earth, and once in a while, a ray of light from a crack in the ceiling would shine down and gleam on bone-white claws and small, unfriendly black eyes.

Ember was a fox kit. Her wide ears were tipped in black, and her eyes were like liquid drops of amber. Her red tail was fluffed like a squirrel, and her paws were lined in black fur. She was curious, and playful, and she loved everything in the world except for the one place she was in right now.

How she hated the tunnels. She hated the darkness and the stifling smell of moldy earth; she despised the other foxes that she had to live with, and also the ancient creature that lived deeper down the burrows. Ember longed to feel the sun on her fur, the feel of the grass underneath her paws, and she wished for the warmth that the underground den couldn't give her.

Whenever she wanted to go outside, the older foxes wouldn't let her.

"It's too dangerous," Scarlet once growled. "We can't risk those mangy cats seeing us."

Ember never understood what her sister said. What were so bad about cats? She didn't get it. As far as she knew, they never did anything to harm her. She had only seen a few glimpses of them, of slick patches of orange or white or tabby fur slinking among the trees.

Ember flattened her ears and flexed her claws against the ground. The other foxes never told her anything. Whenever she asked what was going on, they would refuse to tell.

"You're only a kit," Nettle, the older fox, once said. "The information's too important for you to know. You'll only get in the way if we told you."

Ember sighed and curled up on the damp floor. They always told her that it was for her own good, that what they were planning was going to help all of the generations of foxes. The leader, Fang, once barked, "It's for the good of our family. We'll finally be able to live in peace."

What family? Ember wondered. Her own sister often ignored her. Her father was dead. All I can see here is darkness, she thought, staring at the gaping caverns in the silent tunnels.

"Ember," someone said, softly. Ember quickly sat up and saw her mother padding through the opening into the room. She had a dead rabbit clamped in her jaws, and the fox kit's mouth watered.

A single, thin ray of sunlight filtered through a crack on a wall, and she caught a glimpse of her mother in fine detail: the alert, pointed ears, the sleek, ginger coat, the soft brush of a tail, and the intelligent golden eyes that probed every corner.

My mother is beautiful, Ember thought, as she crouched down to devour the prey.

Lark, her mother, crouched down and twined her tail around her daughter's.

She closed her eyes and murmured, "One day, when all of this is over, you'll be able to stay outside for as long as you want. And then I'll be able to properly teach you how to hunt."

Ember breathed in the welcoming scent.

She snuggled up against her mother's fur and said, "Tell me a story."

Lark licked her in the ear and curled up tighter around the small body.

"Alright, now," she said. "Let me think of one." She opened her eyes and murmured, "Do you know our ancestor, the great fox Sunfire?"

Ember's ear twitched. She had heard the name somewhere, and she understood that he was important, but no one had actually bothered to tell her who he was.

She replied, "Not really."

The older fox continued, "Great fox Sunfire was a savior of our ancestors. Long ago, when the Lake was just a tiny puddle and the mountains were only hills, all of the foxes of the land were hungry and weak. He came across them and united them into one, picking up all of the broken pieces and putting them back together again. He made the foxes brave, and strong, and able to believe that they could conquer. He rescued them and showed them how to hunt, fight, and be loyal. Pretty soon, the group of foxes were as brave and fierce as a pack of bloodhounds, and the entire land was in their control. They lived in harmony under Sunfire's rule. But, then...one day..."

Lark's eyes hardened into chips of flint. Ember leaned closer, intent on hearing the story.

The mother's voice dropped to a whisper. "But one day...they came. They came and stole all of the prey and stripped the land of the promise of peace. They drove the foxes away from their rightful land and shattered all of the pieces once again. The foxes had nowhere to live, and nothing to eat, and no shelter to sleep in. Great Sunfire couldn't bear to see his companions this way, and he vowed to once again regain their rightful home. But there were too many of the enemies. They chased and wounded the great fox and beat him mercilessly. He tried with all his might to save the others, but then he fell and wouldn't get up again. The foxes had no choice but to flee. The enemies overtook the forest and the Lake. They did it. It was them."

Ember's eyes were wide. She breathed, "Who? Who was it?"

Lark snarled, "The cats. They were the ones who stole our ancestors' home and killed Sunfire. Those mangy, flea-bitten, scrawny rats who dared to intrude into our rightful home and chased us away all those ages ago."

Ember was surprised. The cats were the enemies? They slaughtered the brave fox Sunfire who saved her ancestors from destruction? Something small and sharp wormed its way into her heart.

How could the cats be so cruel? At once, she understood why Fang and the others hated them so much.

Lark sighed. "That's why Fang vowed to avenge Sunfire and take back our land. Are you willing to help us?"

Without hesitating, Ember quickly yipped, "Of course!" It didn't seem fair to just let the cats steal their home from them.

The mother continued, "Do you remember that black cat that you saw all those moons ago?"

Ember tipped her head to one side. She remembered the fight that the foxes had with the Clans, and the kidnapping of the white tom. She had tried to plead with Fang against it, but to no avail, so in the end, she was forced to accept it. She closed her eyes. Did she remember...Yes! That black female cat that everyone was making a fuss over. But why did Fang want her?

Lark leaned closely to the kit. "That cat is named Ashley. She is the rottenest of them all, and her heart is as dark and twisted as the night. If we don't stop her soon, she will rise and become resilient, and the foxes will be no more. She is as evil as an adder, stronger than a bear, and more craftier than any weasel," she growled.

"Ember." The kit stiffened at the sound of her name. "Ember, promise me that when you are old enough, you will do anything Fang tells you. It is for the good of every fox, and Fang will make sure that we will be able to rise and conquer."

Ember thought hard. Ashley sounded like a horrible person, capable of murdering everyone she knew. She couldn't let her get away with it, could she?

The kit nodded. "I promise."

Lark smiled gently. "Good girl. Now go and find Scarlet for me. I have to talk to her."

She watched as the energetic kit bounded out of the room.

Something moved in the shadows, and she whipped her head around to see a large, battle-scarred fox stand to face her. His eyes glowed in the darkness.

Fang growled softly, "Don't worry, Lark. I will get our home back, even if it's the last thing I ever do. Sunfire's death won't be in vain."

Lark dipped her head in respect. "Thank you. I can tell that Ember will grow up into a wonderful and loyal fox."

Fang nodded. "When the time is right, we will carry out our plan."

His eyes narrowed.

"We have to get Ashley. If we don't, everything we have ever hoped for will be lost."