AN: Special thanks goes again to Story's Shadow for writing Vulpine's meeting with Vixen and the Secret Warriors. Thank you my good friend.

-Unknown Location-

The lightning flashed it fiercest yet, followed by the loudest roars of thunder the wolf had ever heard. 'Is something going to happen?' the wolf thought to himself as he again looked to the clouds which where now quite visible due to the rapid flashes of lightning, and to his surprise he could see two beings in the clouds, and they where both of the beings he had previously spotted. However they both where holding hands, and the being on the right was holding out it's right hand to him, and the being on the left was holding out it's left hand to him due to them holding their closest hands to each-other together. 'I've tried reaching each one before, what happens if I reach them together?' the wolf thought as the thunder again boomed, be it more intense. 'This could be the end of all I know...' the wolf thought as he reached both hands towards the two outstretched hands, and to his surprise instead of fading away, he found his hands grabbed by a pair of firm hands and pulled into the cloud, and with one final flash of lightning and boom of thunder, everything around him began to fade away, but then quickly went black...

-Secret Warriors' Base: An Hour Later-

Vulpine sat before the Secret Warriors and Vixen. His bright eyes looked into the eyes of each one sitting or standing before him. Of course, Vixen held the most interest to him (not just given the mission but also being the last girl Fox of their race).

The young woman with the katana strapped to her book crossed her arms.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Vulpine...I believed I was the last surviving Fox of my race."

Vixen's smile dropped as did her eyes. Vulpine gave a small smile.

"Luckily I was wrong."

Vixen's smile slightly rose again. Daisy eyed her friend.

"Well, it's good to know that some survived."

Rayshaun remained quiet, listening.

Squirrel Girl scratched the back of her neck.

"Are there more of you?"

Vulpine's smile faded.

"If there are...there are very few...if any left...beside me...and...Vixen, yes?"

Vixen smiled and nodded.

Gwen rubbed her chin, but remained quiet as did Riri. Ironheart simply had her arms crossed. Vulpine turned to look at these two, but Gwen's mask and Riri's helmet revealed nothing to him. He just gave them a small smile before turning back to Squirrel Girl.

"One might think you were one of us, but if you would've greeted me the same way as Vixen had."

Squirrel Girl rubbed her chin.

"Did any of your species had tails?"

Vulpine chuckled at this, looking at his hand.

"Not in this form, though very few could do the change."

Daisy's eyes both opened and narrowed.

"Change?"

Vixen eyes widened in surprise.

"Father told me our people came in different forms, but I didn't think-"

Vulpine chuckled.

"He wasn't wrong. There were Cats, Hawks, Snakes, Foxes, and more."

He grinned at Vixen at the mention of their breed.

"But not many of us could shapeshifter completely into our bestial half."

Vixen tried to keep a calm face, but she couldn't help but cry out in excitement.

"Can we do that?!"

Vulpine laughed.

"I cannot. Perhaps you're one of the lucky few."

Vixen grinned widely.

"I so want to shapeshift!"

Squirrel Girl laughed at this, smiling at her friend. Kamala also couldn't help her curiosity.

"What kind of magic? Other than the shapeshifting."

Vulpine smiled slightly at this.

"Spiritual magic, that's what allowed for some of us to shapeshifter. But other than that, it was the basic elements: fire, water, wood, earth, wind...nature magic."

Kamala's eyes widened as she smiled.

Dante chuckled.

"Fire like this?"

He small, swirling line of fire appeared in his left hand. Vulpine chuckled at this.

"The great pyromancers would have found that amusing."

The fire in Dante's hand vanished as he rubbed the back of his neck. Vixen, Squirrel Girl, and Kamala laughed at this.

Ironheart turned from them to Vulpine.

"How was your people...wiped out...by Imperious?"

Vulpine's smile faded as did Vixen's.

"Our people fought fiercely, many of his soldiers were defeated through our people's resistance. Through our people's various natural talents, Imperious found himself facing a strong retaliation. But he managed to discover a way of neutralizing our strategies and overwhelmed our warriors who had trust in the planning. Some were able to escape for some time, their senses and instincts being more keen than others in different ways."

Rayshaun took a step forward.

"Who did the planning?"

Vulpine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Everyone had a say in them. We Foxes were some of the greatest strategists our people had, though some. But it wasn't enough."

Vixen ran a shaking hand through her hair before looking at him.

"Who led our people?"

Vulpine sighed.

"Generations before I was born, our people lived in a form of government where everyone had a say in it. Everyone had their voices heard and had a hand in decisions made...but over time, it became corrupt. Those who didn't have as much power or influence over society started to become oppressed. The people finally revolted, but the war for freedom went on seemingly without end. But they won. With that, the empire had from that time, rulers appointed by the people and their reign would end upon their death, or if the people chose so, they would step down. Many of the different lines were rulers, there was a Fox or two actually. The last emperor was a Falcon, who came from a ruling line that last a quite a few centuries."

Squirrel Girl patted Vixen's back. The others gazed at one another and back to Vulpine. Gwen took a step away from where she was.

"Why did Imperious target your people?"

"We were one of two things to him: a dangerous threat or worthwhile allies. He saw our strength, cunning, our magic...he wanted us to join him...but he saw our wild spirits as a threat to the order he wants within reality if we didn't choose to join his legions."

Vixen's fists clenched.

"Father told me from what he knows, our people refused...so he killed...what I thought...were all but me."

Daisy's eyes narrowed.

"Now our world is responding the same way as yours."

Vulpine nodded.

Rayshaun cracked his knuckles.

"Humanity has beaten the odds before."

Vixen frowned slightly at this. Vulpine raised an eyebrow to this, grinning.

"You're certainly confident."

Rayshaun turned to see Vixen frowning and despite hiding her face, a few tears. His frown of defiance dropped and he rubbed the back of his neck.

Vulpine looked to them.

"Is there anything else you need to know?"

Daisy looked to Vixen. Vixen looked to Vulpine.

"I only know about our people from my Father...my adopted Father."

Vulpine smiled.

"Ask away."

Daisy nodded.

"If you'll excuse us. Squirrel Girl, Ms. Marvel, I can tell you two have some questions for him too."

SG and Kamala grinned at this.

"You bet."

Daisy chuckled.

"Everyone else, we need to report to Captain Marvel."

Daisy, Dante, Rayshaun, Ironheart, and Gwen walked out. They eventually made it into another part of the building. Daisy grunted as she rubbed her wrists.

"Should be far enough away."

Rayshaun sighed.

"Hey, I know my remark was insensitive. When we talk to Cap, I'll let her know."

Daisy shook her head.

"That's not what this is about. I get why you said what you said though."

Rayshaun nodded. Gwen crossed her arms at this. Daisy then looked to her friends.

"I will be contacting her in a moment. But we need to discuss something to get our thoughts figured out about Vulpine."

Rayshaun, Gwen, and Riri nodded. Dante looked at them, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Guys?"

Daisy turned to him.

"What do you feel about him, Inferno?"

"He's a lucky guy...well, in that sense he's still alive...not so much that he watched his entire race be murdered."

"That's just it: he didn't seem as...broken up as one might think."

Dante raised any eyebrow. Gwen nodded at this.

"Yeah, he frowned, sighed, and things one might think of with a tragedy...but I don't know...I was sensing something...off about him, the whole time."

Dante grunted in surprise.

"You think he's hiding something? Lying?"

Daisy nodded.

"He's a Fox."

Riri scoffed.

"Don't know if I should whistle or say you're stereotyping."

Daisy rolled her eyes.

"I meant...foxes are supposed to be smart...tricksters I think...what if he's trying to trick us?"

Dante crossed his arms.

"I don't know...Vixen seemed kind of uncertain at points...but I think she believes him...I mean...he's the only other one of their people she's met...and they're both Foxes. Wouldn't she pick up another Fox's trickery?"

Rayshaun sighed.

"She wasn't raised by her own people. She may have the cunning deep down...but she wasn't taught by her own blood."

Gwen shook her head.

"I have my doubts...but Vixen is finally with someone of her own kind...she thinks she finally has the chance to be with one of her own kind...I hope we're wrong...but my senses don't lie...but we need to be sure...but even if we're right...this will break Vixen's heart."

Dante gulped at this.

"B-Break her heart about what?"

Daisy frowned.

"I think we all have that worst feeling right now...we don't have to say it...not now...but let's contact Captain Marvel...she's going to be hit with a lot."

To Be Continued...

AN: So has our mystery induvial been rescued, or is it something more sinister, and Vulpine has made an impression to some, and had bestowed serious doubts amongst others, please let me know your thoughts.