The Chronicles of Hototo, The Blood's Hearth

Chapter 19

The moon lay ever resilient in its throne in the inky sky as Adahy walked beneath the trees. Hototo flew over head, formulating a plan.

Adahy tipped his head up. "When will you tell me your plan?"

Hototo was silent. His head worked away like a difficult puzzle.

His friend sighed and continued walking.

Hototo looked down at him. "Let's find some shelter. Then I'll tell you."

They made their way towards a large oak. Adahy sat down, shaking his damp fur. "Okay, Hototo, this better be good enough to be hiding from me."

Hototo landed on a branch and laughed. "Well, I sure hope it is."

The fox grinned. "Tell me this amazing plan."

Hototo smiled back and tapped his talons. "If I'm correct, the Collective would have already infiltrated the whole system. Inteus is a high ranking owl and very convincing. I believe I saw some council members in the Collective. And unfortunately for us, there are guards on his side, like Nukpana and his friends. So going through the gate is not happening."

"But how will I get through?" Adahy asked. "there's no where else for me to go. Foxes can't climb mountains."

Hototo held up a talon. "I've thought of that. You said your friend Akando took over your kingdom?"

Adahy nodded.

"I remember you telling me it's a highly sought after position. We can use that to our advantage. Someone needs to connect with the Lupis Kingdom and convince some of the ambitious foxes to come to our side."

Adahy nodded. "I agree." When he saw Hototo looking at him, his smile faded. "No, not me!"

Hototo grinned. "Who else? You can tell the foxes Akando tried killing you. That's against their code. I'm sure they wouldn't believe an owl, since I have no proof."

His friend curled his lip and looked at his paws stubbornly. Hototo smiled.

"Second, I will see if Stick has any updated information. There's a small chance Inteus hadn't killed anyone yet. And if he has, I'm sure a lot of the owls wouldn't agree with this. I know Other Lovers aren't popular, but if I know my clan mates, none of them would want to see them killed."

Adahy stood up and shook his fur. "Sure, okay. Let's say all of this works. What will you do? You can't take out Inteus and his followers. Not unless..." His eyes lit up. "I think there's someone you should meet."

Two eyes peered from the foliage. Aiyana stilled her breath as a patrol group flew past. What am I going to do? They'll kill me if they hear me. Her stomach lurched. What am I going to do?

She nearly jumped out of her feathers as something scuffled by. Oh, it's just a chipmunk. 

But something wasn't right with this animal. It froze and turned around instead of running away. A smile erupted on his face.

"Aiyana!"

Adahy stopped at the base of a birch tree. Its bark was peeling off, its solemn black eyes looking at them.

"Who lives here?" Hototo asked. Adahy didn't answer as he climbed up the tree.

"Hey! Crescent, you there?"

The tree didn't answer.

Hototo looked down from his branch at Adahy and narrowed and eye. "You sure someone lives here? It's an awfully old tree-"