quietly make his way over to the strange saloli. He darted behind every rock or plant between them, to keep from being seen. When he was only three feet away, Blaze perked his ears up to listen.
“ I know, I know,” the saloli said, “It’s not my fault! That blasted outsider and his runt friend interfered!”
What? Was the saloli talking about him? A quiet muttering came from the bush, indicating that someone was hiding inside it.
“ Yes, sir,” the saloli said, “If the next plan doesn’t succeed, I know what to do.”
More muttering. The saloli was obviously full grown, larger than Blaze, and had pitch black fur. Even from here, Blaze could see that he had unusually long claws, even longer than Slicer’s. Though retracted, they still poked past the tips of his paws. Blaze guessed that this was another saloli not to get angry.
“ Yes,” the saloli said into the bush, “Of course I will. You know where my loyalties lie.”
More muttering, then the black saloli turned and scampered away. There was a rustling inside the bush, then silence. Realizing that it might be suspicious if he was caught out here, Blaze made sure the black saloli was nowhere to be seen, and then raced back to the trainee’s tree.
<><><><><>
Goliath raced through the Icefire territory, determined to make it back to his own territory before anyone spotted him. The fox attack had failed, but there was still one more plot to attempt before he had to resort to desperate measures, and he was confident that this one would succeed.
Razor would make sure of that.
<><><><><>
Slicer had a new gleam in his eye when Blaze showed up for training later that morning. Blaze’s chest swelled with pride at the thought that he was probably the reason for that.
“ Think you can find your way back to Acorn Place today?” Slicer asked.
“ That depends, will there be any foxes to ask directions from?” Blaze asked back, jokingly.
“ Hopefully not,” Slicer answered, laughing.
Spotting the black saloli on the other side of the camp, Blaze motioned at him with his tail, “Hey, Slicer, who’s that?”
Looking where Blaze had indicated, he answered, “That’s Razor. He’s one of the newest saloli to become a full tribe member. Why?”
Blaze decided he had better tell him, “Okay, this is going to sound weird, but earlier this morning, I saw him talking to someone inside a bush.”
“ Razor was inside a bush?” Slicer asked, confused.
“ No, he was standing beside it, but whoever he was talking to was inside it.”
“ Really?” Slicer asked, obviously thinking this was a joke, “What did the bush say?”
“ I don’t know, I couldn’t hear, but Razor told whoever was in there that something wasn’t his fault, that ‘the blasted outsider’ had gotten in the way and that ‘he knew what to do if the second plan failed.’”
“ What are you saying, Blaze?” Slicer asked, growing serious.
“ That’s not all. He also told whoever was in the bush that ‘they know where his loyalties lie.’”
Slicer was silent for a moment, before asking, “Are you suggesting that Razor had something to do with the attack last night?”
“ I don’t know.” Blaze said, “I’m just telling you what I heard.”
Slicer gave his trainee a stern look, “This is a very serious accusation, you know that right?”
“ I’m not accusing anyone. I’m only telling you what I saw.”
“ Perhaps you should tell this to Rust,” Slicer decided, “Follow me.”
Blaze followed his mentor through the camp, to where Rust was standing, “Yes, Slicer?” The chief asked when they arrived.
“ Blaze thinks he may know something about the attack last night that we don’t.” Slicer answered.
Rust immediately grew serious, “Tell me.” So Blaze recounted everything that he had seen between Razor and
“ I know, I know,” the saloli said, “It’s not my fault! That blasted outsider and his runt friend interfered!”
What? Was the saloli talking about him? A quiet muttering came from the bush, indicating that someone was hiding inside it.
“ Yes, sir,” the saloli said, “If the next plan doesn’t succeed, I know what to do.”
More muttering. The saloli was obviously full grown, larger than Blaze, and had pitch black fur. Even from here, Blaze could see that he had unusually long claws, even longer than Slicer’s. Though retracted, they still poked past the tips of his paws. Blaze guessed that this was another saloli not to get angry.
“ Yes,” the saloli said into the bush, “Of course I will. You know where my loyalties lie.”
More muttering, then the black saloli turned and scampered away. There was a rustling inside the bush, then silence. Realizing that it might be suspicious if he was caught out here, Blaze made sure the black saloli was nowhere to be seen, and then raced back to the trainee’s tree.
<><><><><>
Goliath raced through the Icefire territory, determined to make it back to his own territory before anyone spotted him. The fox attack had failed, but there was still one more plot to attempt before he had to resort to desperate measures, and he was confident that this one would succeed.
Razor would make sure of that.
<><><><><>
Slicer had a new gleam in his eye when Blaze showed up for training later that morning. Blaze’s chest swelled with pride at the thought that he was probably the reason for that.
“ Think you can find your way back to Acorn Place today?” Slicer asked.
“ That depends, will there be any foxes to ask directions from?” Blaze asked back, jokingly.
“ Hopefully not,” Slicer answered, laughing.
Spotting the black saloli on the other side of the camp, Blaze motioned at him with his tail, “Hey, Slicer, who’s that?”
Looking where Blaze had indicated, he answered, “That’s Razor. He’s one of the newest saloli to become a full tribe member. Why?”
Blaze decided he had better tell him, “Okay, this is going to sound weird, but earlier this morning, I saw him talking to someone inside a bush.”
“ Razor was inside a bush?” Slicer asked, confused.
“ No, he was standing beside it, but whoever he was talking to was inside it.”
“ Really?” Slicer asked, obviously thinking this was a joke, “What did the bush say?”
“ I don’t know, I couldn’t hear, but Razor told whoever was in there that something wasn’t his fault, that ‘the blasted outsider’ had gotten in the way and that ‘he knew what to do if the second plan failed.’”
“ What are you saying, Blaze?” Slicer asked, growing serious.
“ That’s not all. He also told whoever was in the bush that ‘they know where his loyalties lie.’”
Slicer was silent for a moment, before asking, “Are you suggesting that Razor had something to do with the attack last night?”
“ I don’t know.” Blaze said, “I’m just telling you what I heard.”
Slicer gave his trainee a stern look, “This is a very serious accusation, you know that right?”
“ I’m not accusing anyone. I’m only telling you what I saw.”
“ Perhaps you should tell this to Rust,” Slicer decided, “Follow me.”
Blaze followed his mentor through the camp, to where Rust was standing, “Yes, Slicer?” The chief asked when they arrived.
“ Blaze thinks he may know something about the attack last night that we don’t.” Slicer answered.
Rust immediately grew serious, “Tell me.” So Blaze recounted everything that he had seen between Razor and
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