POV: Kadupul
Kadupul could sense Rex and Mendax beside her as they trotted through the forest. The grass got higher as they trotted through. The trees seemed to increase in distance as well. The forest of Verteres was unnerving quiet, but Darwin's Fox got used to that after traveling with two predators.
"Where are we now?" Kadupul asked, smelling flowers and other plants. "A meadow, long with..... Purple lilacs and sunflowers." Kadupul interrupted Rex, smelling many more flowers but mostly those two types. She heard a rustle, soft twitching of a nose, then she smelled a rabbit.
"I think I found lunch." Mendax growled low. Kadupul smelled something else, soft paws of a fox.
"Mendax, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kadupul warned the hungry tiger. She heard paws leave the ground, silence for a few seconds, then Mendax roaring in frustration.
"GET IT OFF!!!!! GET IT OFF!!!!!! GET IT OFF!!!!!!!" Mendax roared, making a lot of noise. She smelled the rabbit, the fox, and more animals that appeared in the area.
"MENDAX GET YOUR TAIL BACK HERE!" She heard Rex yell as she heard the two footsteps retreat away from her. Kadupula followed them both, smelling a horse, a fox, a rabbit, and a frog.
The blind fox ran fast till she bumped into the prince. The ground fell out from under her, pulling it out from under her feet. She felt stuck in a space, feeling only Rex's back and leather. There was no sign of Mendax as the pair hung in the air.
"Rex, what's going on?" Kadupul asked, trying to move her tail but couldn't without causing pain.
"Well, Mendax tripped on a wire, and now we're in a sack," Rex replied with a growl. There was silence.
"Kadupul gets your tail out of my fa-" Mendax started but was cut off by them hitting the ground.
*Why couldn't I pick up his scent?* Kadupul thought as she heard the white tiger's voice.
"Ow! Let us out!" Kadupul said, scratching at something.
"Ow- Kadupul that's my back!" Rex snapped.
"Oop! Sorry, Rex." She said, pullings her paws and claws closer to her.
They started to get dragged, but she couldn't tell whereas the sack prevent her from feeling what was around her. Kadupul smelled around her and tried to find out who had them. Twenty minutes later, she heard a ripping sound. Rex grabbed the scruff of her neck and lifted her out of the bag.
"Rex? Mendax? What's happening?" The Darwin's Fox asked, sniffing around. "Well, we are in a burrow. A big one," Rex said.
Kadupul's nose filled with the scents of different animals. She heard Mendax's stomach growl. She rolled her milky white eyes as she tried to use her senses to map out the burrow around her.
"I am tempted," Mendax muttered under his breath. She smelled three horses that entered the room, followed by a bird. She heard Rex and Mendax gasp.
Mendax never finished the comment, but Kadupul knew what he meant. She prayed that he reframed from hunting anyone here as it appeared that something was off with this situation.
"What? What's happening." Kadupul asked, turning in a circle. There was silence, and more animals entered the room.
"Now, answer me this," The kit heard a voice snarl. Rex pulled her in closer. "Why are a fox and two tigers traveling together?" She heard soft paws, either fox or wolf, more likely, though judging motions, more likely wolf.
"I mean, let us be frank. How are you guys not tearing each other apart right now? Especially the two tigers." The voice asked with a small chuckle. She heard Mendax growl.
Kadupul walked forward and bowed, a form of respect from her kind. "Please, just let us stay for a few days. We won't cause any trouble for you or your community. We are injured from returning from the Island of the Griffins. Please, show us mercy." There was silence. Whispering echoed throughout the tunnels, deciding a decision.
"I suppose you three can stay." A softer voice echoed. Kadupul stood up and trotted back over to Rex.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Rex said, and Kadupul could tell he was going to say something else but stopped.
"Mhm, yes, but of course, let me be frank with you three. If I FIND one of my people missing, I will let the others dig in for a festive banquet." The same voice threateningly boomed. Kadupul nodded.
"Alright. Lark and Meadow, please lead their guests to their room." Another voice ordered. The animals retreated, going back to their daily chores or anything else. Only a rabbit and a bird stayed.
They were led to a big den and left alone. "Mendax, that was the same rabbit that hopped on your snout." Rex chuckled.
"Not a word," Mendax replied in a grumpy tone that you just were to tease further.
"You didn't even-" Rex started, but Kadupul heard a small growl from the white tiger that stopped the Bengal tiger from continuing.
"I was hungry, and I STILL AM," Mendax growled, then sighed.
"Oh! I can help you guys with that." A new voice said cheerfully. Kadupul heard hooves clomping on the ground as she smelled a horse, as well as wafts of fish and fruit. "Call me if you need anything. My name is Berry!" The voice said, and the footsteps retreated.
About an hour later, Berry came back and got the group some food. Kadupul wanted to thank the kind horse, but she left before she could do it politely.
Kadupul took a bite of Salmon, curling up on a ledge. "I think I'll just fall asleep. I'm tired." She yawned as she stretched.
"Alright, we'll wake you up when necessary," Rex replied.
"Yeah, go take your nap. I want to explore." Mendax said, but she heard Rex snapping his teeth.
"Nope, you have no control. We will explore when Kadupul is done with her nap." Rex said in a sterner tone.
The prince has been more aggressive towards Mendax ever since the white tiger revealed that he is a Sphinx.
Kadupul heard Mendax mutter something and plop to the ground with a thud. She grinned and laid her head down and slowly drifted off into a world of dreams of where she was back home, safe with her mother.
Author's Note:
Credit to Rider for writing this chapter.
The group is in Veteres Forest, in the Crystal Meadow zone. Not many predators are permitted in this area as its a haven for prey. However, expectations have been made before. There is a rumor that the leader of the meadow is a Pegasus or a Unicorn that is is rumored to create a shield similar to Angels.
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