Alpha Rebel

Chapter 2

Rouge bent next to a bush abloom. She placed the belladonna flower carefully in her satchel, taking care that it wouldn't be crushed. Rouge was a beatiful girl with bright red hair, green eyes, freckled face and graceful fox tail and ears that matched her hair color. "Are you done picking those berries, Kora?" She called to her friend.

Kora poked her head out from the brush. "Huh?" She mumbled, purple juice dribbling down her chin.

"Kora! If you eat all the berries now, we won't have any left for dessert!" Rouge scolded. Kora wiped the juice away with the back of her hand.

"If I don't eat them now, I won't have any left after dessert," Kora answered swiftly and reached for another plump berry. Rouge slapped her hand and Kora dropped the berry, more from fright than from hurt.

A howl echoed through the woods. Wolves. Rouge could sense Kora scouring the area.

"It's fine," she told her, hiding her own worry. "We're safe here."

"We should head back," Kora's voice had a slight quiver. She glanced at Rouge and unhunched her shoulders. "Just in case," she added more casually and etched a smile across her face.

Rouge smiled back, reassuringly. "In a minute. I just need a few leaves from this tree." Without a moment to spare, she leaped up to the nearest branch and began to climb.

"What are you doing?!"

"Getting leaves, I told you!"

Kora reached up to a low branch, bent it down and snapped a leafy twig. "Done."

Rouge shook her head. "Higher leaves are better."

Kora was about to refute that, but she just shook her head and waved a hand dismissively. "Nevermind,  science stuff. I'm not even gonna try to understand."

Rouge landed solidly on her feet with a slight grunt. Kora was leaning against the trunk, her arms folded and a playful smile on her face. "I thought only gray foxes could climb trees."

Rouge breathed heavily and began to walk into the woods. "That's a myth."

"But I read it in a book! And books don't lie...do they?" Kora looked stunned.

"Anyone could climb a tree if they really want to."

Kora glanced at the tree, as if thinking wether she really wanted to climb a tree or not. "Meh," she shrugged after a while. "I'd rather keep my feet on the ground."

When the girls arrived, a large crowd flooded the marketplace, the center of their village.

"What's the big deal?" Kora asked.

"I dunno. You tell me. You're the tall one." Rouge teased. Kora was the tallest one in the whole village, so it was easier for her to figure out what all the commotion was about.

Kora craned her neck to get a better look. She suddenly gasped. "They're back!"

"What?" Rouge asked in disbelief and stood on her toes.

"Yeah, I can see your dad!" Kora pointed and Rouge followed her gaze. They both waved to attract his attention until he waved back.

Rouge scoured the area. "Do you see Kit?"

Kora looked around. "Hm, no, I don't see him anywhere. Kora glanced at Rouge. She was biting her lower lip. She placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "But I'm sure he's around."

Rouge smiled meekly, but didn't take her eyes off the row of soldiers. "What is the chief saying?" She asked when she noticed him step into the middle of the crowd.