AN: Special Thanks goes to Story's Shadow for writing this chapter while I'm dealing with some personal issues. I should hopefully be able to write again soon, but I really appreciate my good friend writing this chapter while I'm recovering. Hope Ya'll enjoy.

Vixen read through a book on Earth foxes, chuckling at the sight of kits playing. But her eyes filled with tears at the sight of foxes in traps humans had set for them.

"It seems our kin don't hold quite as high a reverence here as we did on our world."

Vixen turned, seeing Vulpine in the door way.

"How did you-"

"I could hear you crying. And based off that text, I imagine humans here have rather an unfortunate perception of our brothers and sisters."

Vixen showed him the image. Vulpine sighed.

"It seems I was correct."

"What was our place in our world?"

Vulpine chuckled.

"We're all individuals so we all did our own things."

"But what were our line most famous for?"

Vulpine grinned.

"The Foxes have always been famous diplomats and tacticians. Cunning more than most, we were excellent strategists in battle and very at home in politics."

"Really?"

"One of our line was able to ensure a victory against a larger army by using the terrain against them. Spread his army out to give the illusion of greater numbers. He'd also called for reinforcements, their marching added to that tactic. And another was able to trick a rival into revealing their plan to usurp a house's hierarchy. We've been advisors, generals, rulers...one could hardly match the cunning and swift mind of a Fox."

Vixen smiled at this.

"Guess that explains why I always outsmarted my father's guards and allies in our games and training."

Vulpine laughed.

"The Continuum's are famous for their faith and strength of arms. But the mind is often sharper than the sword."

Vixen laughed.

"I think that's why he rarely let me train with his people there. I always was able to find some weakness in their strategies during their war games."

"They played war games?"

"I called it that. They saw it as rigorous strategic training, but it felt like a game to me."

Vulpine chuckled at this.

"I would've loved to have seen that."

"What games did our people play?"

"Foxes did a games that challenged the mind: planning, adapting, etc. All the lines did 'war games' and Foxes were amongst the best players. There was more, but we always proffered a mental challenge and to prove to each other and ourselves that were worthy of the wiles known for our breed."

Vixen grinned at this.

"So much I missed...all because of one monster."

Vulpine's smile faded.

Vixen's eyes narrowed, baring her teeth.

"I don't know if it's true to our line, but he'll feel a Fox's fury."

-Manhattan, A Few Hours Later-

Cassie, Meta, and Jacob walked through the alleys, watching the people walk by.

Cassie rubbed her chin.

"These people are dressed way too differently than us. We'll draw attention."

"Not if we keep to these alleys."

Meta scratched his stubble.

"This city is large, so many sounds and smells...kind of overwhelming...none of the cities back home were this big...not even the grandest."

"Can you not track him, sensei?"

Jacob looked to Meta, rubbing his arm.

"He's here...I have his scent, it's just caught with so many here."

"Sensei, perhaps you can use your gift? You track best that way."

"Yes...but I'm not seeing many beasts here...I may draw too much attention."

"Jacob and I can scout in another direction. As you say: stick to the shadows. But we'll need to find some new clothes."

Jacob nodded.

Meta sighed.

"Very well, first we need to find clothes...and something to eat. We cannot go on our search with less than full energy."

The two others nodded.

-Another alley, Several Minutes Later-

Three men laid knocked out beside garbage cans.

Cassie, Jacob, and Meta put on their coats and pants.

"Strange attire. I would like to learn more about this race's culture given other circumstances."

Meta nodded to Jacob.

"I agree, sadly that's not why we're here."

He turned to the two.

"Given these people have no true bestial traits it seems...you two will need to stick to the shadows...I will walk among them as I search."

"But wouldn't your gift allow you to track best in your full form?"

"Yes, but I sense that would be unwise. I will track Vulpine otherwise."

Meta sighed, his bestial traits shifting till he looked fully human.

Jacob's eyes widened a little.

"Amazing how your line can do that."

"All lines were once able to...sadly with some changes in culture, some lost their memory on how to do so...that was what I was hoping to help change with our people...but we cannot speak on that now. We must go. Meet back here just before night falls."

Cassie and Jacob nodded.

"Good luck, sensei."

"Same to the both of you."

Meta sighed as he walked out of the alley and onto the streets.

The blaring sounds, bright lights, and array of smells assaulted his senses. His head spun as he did his best to stay on his feet.

As some people passed him, they narrowed their eyes or raised an eyebrow as Meta nearly groggily made his way through the streets. He grunted as he tried to track the scent of Vulpine; he had it...but his current state made his senses less keen.

But nonetheless, he made his way. He came upon the outside of a store, where the scent trail led.

"He's close...the trail comes through here multiple ways...curious."

-Central Park, A Few Hours Later-

Cassie and Jacob made their way through the city, dodging around the people. Both tracked Vulpine's scent from another part of the city, as all three had detected it going in multiple directions.

Both hid within bushes. Jacob scratched his chin.

"He's made his way through here at least once...a fight...but...I...can it be?"

"Another Fox?"

Both of their eyes were wide.

"How?"

"I don't recognize her."

"Neither do I. Do you think-"

"I don't know...maybe she survived and didn't know about Vulpine's betrayal...I can't say...but this is something..."

Cassie nodded.

The two made their way through the park, moving in the shadows.

Cassie and Jacob held their hats on tightly, covering their bestial traits as best as they could.

Suddenly a loud hiss caught their attention.

The two turned a corner, seeing a man laughing as he held a broken beer bottle as he cornered a stray cat.

Cassie's eyes narrowed, fangs bared.

"Monster."

She moved towards him, but Jacob held her shoulder.

"Wait, there's more nearby."

"If they're allowing this, they can enjoy their sleep like he will."

Jacob sighed as Cassie walked forward.

"Hey! Coward!"

The man's laughing stopped as he turned, frowning at Cassie.

"What'd you just call me bitch?"

"You heard me. Threatening an animal like that? What else is there to call such a man?"

More men rounded the corner. The cat hissed before running towards Cassie, rubbing its body against her. Cassie lowered down to stroke the cat, but her hat fell off revealing her ears.

The men's eyes widened.

"You're a mutant!"

"Or inhuman!"

"Whatever, freak!"

The men raced at her.

Cassie hissed, baring her fangs.

Jacob ran forward, punching one man. Cassie snarled as she ducked under the punch of another, punching his hip.

The man screamed.

Cassie and Jacob grunted as they blocked and pushed aside the blows of the men. Cassie growled as she grabbed the first's man's broken bottle and smashed it against his face, with him letting out a scream.

Someone ran up, witnessing the scene. They pulled out their phone and hurried off, calling.

Cassie growled as she jabbed one man's shoulder, sending him falling back onto a bush. She quickly elbowed into another's gut, sending him skidding back with his hands over his stomach.

"Seems bigotry isn't unknown here."

Jacob partially laughed as he dodged the punch of another.

"Seems like. What's a mutant? Or...inhuman?"

Cassie grunted as she ducked under the haymaker from another man before kicking him in his elbow, sending him flailing onto the ground.

"I don't know, but apparently some here seek their deaths!"

Jacob nodded as he grabbed a man's wrist and tripped him by his ankles into another man.

Cassie's ears twitched, the sound of several footfalls coming towards them.

"More of your friends? Guess you haven't learned your lesson?"

"What?"

"Stop!"

Those fighting turned towards the source of the shout.

A few police officers stood before them, hands on their guns.

"Run!"

The men took off, a few of the cops chasing after them. Cassie and Jacob give each other a confused look.

"You two!"

They turn back to the couple of cops left.

"What happened? What...No...you're..."

"Mutants? Inhumans?"

"Doesn't matter, take 'em in!"

Cassie and Jacob's eyes widen.

The cops rush them. Cassie jumps over to her hat and throws it on before both her and Jacob rush off.

"Stop!"

One of the cops levels their gun.

Jacob quickly grabs a broken off part of a nearby bush and throws it at them. The cop grunts as the branch hits him, knocking him to the ground. The others turn from him to Cassie and Jacob, but they're gone. They rush in the direction they saw them run, but they lose track of them after a few minutes.

"Damn it!"

"Damn freaks."

"We're gonna have to report this."

"We got them!"

The cops from before drag back the men who ran. The others groan and walk off.

Cassie and Jacob watch from within a tree with several branches and share a worried look.

-Later, Night Fall-

The three meet up in the alley.

Meta sighs, seeing the worried looks on his pupils' faces.

"What happened?"

"I guess we were chased by their law men after a man tried to attack a cat that we fought off."

Meta sighed.

"You did the right thing...but now our presence is known here...though from what I've seen...there are people here different to the usual. I've seen paintings of one with a rodent's tail."

"They called us mutant and inhuman and...freaks."

Meta growled under his breath.

"It seems these people are hostile to those that are different to them. We have to be careful...if they attacked you for being who you are...we've come to a dangerous place. Still, we will avenge our people...no matter what world he's on...Vulpine will not escape what he's done."

To Be Continued...

AN: So our trio has arrived on Earth, thoughts?