Eyeseffendee

8

"What's your flock called? Or is it called a pack? Or a herd? I can't remember what you called it before." Saguaro blabbered.

"It's a tribe," I mumbled. "the Piedra tribe."

"Tribe? Isn't that what you call a group of humans?"

"What? Uh, I don't know."

"Well, I guess human tribes don't live here anymore. When my flock first came to Earth, there were lots of tribes! They had lovely dark skin, wore bright colors, and made beautiful crafts. In the evening, they would dance and sing to the tune of beating drums. But they don't live here anymore, not after the pink humans pushed them out."

I didn't understand a word she said.

"Anyway, tell me about your tribe! Do you have a leader? Who's your favorite coyote?" Sarah inquired.

I sighed. "Well, we used to have a leader, but he was killed by the shifter . . ."

"Oh . . . yeah." Saguaro breathed forlornly. "That's why we're looking for the Guerro."

"Yes. And that's why we need to hurry. We're getting close to my-the Piedra tribe's territory, so let's be careful going around it. They'll be able to smell my scent."

"Alright. You need to answer my questions though," Saguaro said.

"No. I don't." I grumbled.

"Please? I'm just trying to start a conversation. It's so boring walking all this way!" Saguaro whined.

"Quiet," I hissed, "they'll hear you. It's not that bad, just look out at the mountains, listen to yourself breathe and feel the sand beneath your paws."

She grumbled, "You're not very fun to travel with, Astor."

I didn't respond.

I did my best to stay away from the camp without crossing the Piedra-Fuego border. Saguaro complained about the smell. I did too. I hoped that the scent of the Fuego tribe's border would mask the smell of Saguaro and I. The Piedra tribe didn't go near the border anyways. Hopefully the Fuego tribe wouldn't smell our paw prints and accuse my adoptive tribe for trespassing.

We were drawing close to the southern border when we heard loud barks and yips from the direction of camp. They sounded like my tribe mates.

"What's that?" Saguaro whispered, her ears erect and nose pointed towards the North.

I shook my head rapidly, trying to get the sharp barks out of my head. "It's my tribe. I can't go back. I can't."

A growl from Negrita echoed across the sandy desert. Unfamiliar cackles answered his warning.

"Astor, they're your tribe! Something is wrong, I can feel it. Don't you care?"

I did care. I cared very much.

"We need to keep moving, there's nothing we can do for them."

Even though it was terribly painful, I moved forward.

Hare screeched.

"Astor, we have to do something," Saguaro whined. "I'll go back; see if I can help!"

She bounded northwards, kicking up pebbles in her wake.

"Sarah, no! Come back!" I growled, following her. Great spirits, she could run.

Saguaro got to the camp surprisingly quietly. I sneaked up close to her, crouching down low. The pungent stench of the Fuego tribe flooded my nose.

"Sarah, we can't be here! They'll smell-"

"Hawk, they have been our enemies for generations! You can't forget all the evil they have done to us, all the sins they never can atone for!" Hare screamed, interrupting me.

"Chief Star has long since passed away. I too agree he made, um, mistakes, but haven't we all?" A voice that sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall, said calmly. "We can move past our faults."

I peeked my head over the edge of the hollow, keeping my ears low. A dozen coyotes from the Fuego tribe surrounded the Piedra tribe. My dear Sego was crouching by her mother, her hackles raised and eyes wild.

"My father's death was no mistake," Horizon growled menacingly. "And we will never create any type of friendships with you."

"Please, everyone," the shifter, using my beloved leader's voice, hummed, "I don't trust these tyrants anymore than you do. But you must all soon realize that once the rainy season passes, there will be no prey left in our small territory and our stream will run dry. We need more land in order to survive."

"Our stream may run dry, but our pride never will." Hare growled. She looked seasons older than the last time I had seen her.

A greasy coyote slithered close to the one who seemed to be the Fuego's chief. I was only able to catch his words because they were right below us. "Cliff, we were promised an alliance from Hawk. How can we trust he will fulfill his word?" The coyote hissed.

"They shall comply. Trust me." Cliff replied. "I respect your tribe's prestige, Hare. We can't ask for your trust, but we can ask for an alliance, if only temporarily. We would have separate camps and tribes, but shared territories and relations. Every surrounding tribe knows the Piedra tribe has been suffering due to its . . . limited land and numbers."

I could feel the glares of the Piedra tribe's seven members, even though they were directed to the Fuego's chief.

"I don't have much say, being only a visitor," Snake piped up, "but Cliff's thinking is logical. With the increase of land and numbers, your tribe would be protected from outside threats."

"They are outside threats, Owl." Bat nipped at Snake.

"How cruel of you to think of us as such, señorita." A lean coyote purred to Bat. Negrita jumped up and nipped at his face, barking.

"Make your tribe relax, Hawk. We aren't here for any trouble." Cliff said with a hint of warning in his voice.

"An alliance with you would only bring trouble!" Sego screamed. Her eyes overflowed with anger and hate.

For a split second, those golden eyes drifted from Cliff and locked with mine.

She despised me almost as much as the Fuego tribe.

The slight movement was quick and subtle, but The Shifter picked up on it. He called Snake close to him and whispered something I couldn't pick up.

"We need to go. Now." I breathed, sneaking away.

"But-"

"Now!"

I expected something to happen: the shifter to come running after us, an explosion of yips and growls, anything. But I didn't hear anything from the hollow until we reached the edge of camp. Victorious cackles rang from the throats of monsters.