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Iris trotted ahead of Riven, sniffing the cold air for any scent of prey. No matter how many times the dire wolf acted kind or offered to help, she still didn’t trust him. Why would a creature like him want anything to do with a creature like her? She was sure it wasn’t just because he wanted to help her out of pure kindness.
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The dire wolf must have known that she didn’t trust him because he trotted by her side, matching her pace, and barked. “You know you can trust me, right?”
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Iris frowned, her ears flicking back as she backed up a step, trying to hide it. But the truth was, she was terrified of him. “I—” The words caught in her throat as she tried to speak.
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Riven didn’t press her further. Instead, he let out a soft huff, continuing to walk beside her. He wasn’t pushing, but his presence lingered, a constant reminder that there was someone—something—at her side.
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As they continued through the forest, Iris couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she was being watched. Her fur prickled, and her eyes darted to the shadows between the trees, but there was nothing. It was only the cold wind and the ever-present rustle of leaves.
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But then, a rustling sound echoed from the underbrush behind them. Iris froze, her instincts kicking in as her ears twitched forward. It wasn’t the wind.
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“Did you hear that?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
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Riven’s posture immediately shifted, his muscles tensing. “Stay close,” he warned, his voice dropping to a growl. “We might have company.”
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It took Iris a moment to figure out what “company” it was, and then she realized… Her nose lifted into the air, the familiar scent filling her nostrils. She was in—
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Fox Territory.
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Her former territory, until she had been banished. And what was even worse was there wasn’t just one familiar smell, but two.
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Onyx.
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“W… we have to get out of here, now!” Iris whimpered to Riven, who seemed utterly confused. “I’ll explain later, come on!”
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Iris turned her head and yelped in disbelief and total shock, her legs feeling like noodles as she backed away. In front of her was a whole patrol of her former Skulkmates, and Onyx as the leader of the patrol. Border patrol, probably. They were on their territory. These foxes had the right to attack, kill, whatever they had to do to get them off.
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“O… Onyx… what a nice surprise! I didn’t— we didn’t know… I mean, I forgot that we were on fox territory! We were just leaving,” Iris fumbled with her words, swallowing hard as she stared at the group. All of them were growling in a threatening manner. Onyx’s amber eyes were cold and hard, his ears pinned back as his lips curled into a snarl mixed with a grin. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice low and mocking.
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“Well, well, if it isn’t the great Iris, the one who couldn’t even keep her paws clean.” Onyx’s voice was laced with venom. “I see you’ve found yourself a new friend. A dire wolf, no less. How… fitting. You always were good at getting yourself into trouble.”
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Iris’s stomach twisted at the sound of his voice. She could feel the weight of his words pressing down on her, but she tried her best to ignore him. Her eyes studied the group, relieved to see that some of them seemed hesitant as they saw Riven, who growled deeply, his eyes locked on Onyx with slight hatred.
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Onyx stepped forward, his bushy tail flicking in amusement. “I suppose you didn’t expect to find me here, did you? I’m sure you didn’t miss the scent of your old home—though, it’s not exactly welcoming for traitors like you.”
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“I’m not a traitor! It was an accident!” Iris yelped, her bushy tail flicking to the right. “None of you let me explain anyway—”
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A little gray fox stepped up, his fur bristled as he saw Riven but bravely enough, he stood his ground. “There’s no explaining to do. Traitors are always traitors.”
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Riven stepped up, and the little gray fox stumbled backward, running into the patrol. “That doesn’t even make sense—”
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“Shut it, overgrown dog.” Onyx barked in irritation, his tail moving side to side in a steady motion. “You aren’t a part of this.”
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The two creatures glared at each other, their hostility clearly visible. Part of Iris wanted Riven to lunge at Onyx, teach the flea-bag a lesson, but she knew what good would that do…?
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“Both of you stop, please.” Iris frowned, cutting off whatever stupid thing Onyx was about to say. “We’re leaving…”
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Onyx’s grin widened, his teeth sharp and white in the dim light. “Oh, no. You don’t get to leave that easily, we warned you what would happen if you ever stepped in our territory again. Traitor,” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “You think you can just walk away from your past? From the mess you caused?” He took a step forward, his tail lashing behind him. “You’ll regret ever turning your back on your family, Iris. And that’s not a threat—it’s a promise.”
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