FOXXTROT CHAPTER FIVE

                 The breeze swayed lightly against the leafless branches, yanking and pulling at them with strong gusts of wind. Odd-nose trotted silently through the still falling snow, sunset had came, and he grew weak from much needed rest. His paws quivered and felt heavy with each paw step, regret and longing pulled him down further and further to the gravity of the earth . His ears folded back, keeping the harsh wind away from the insides. He grew closer to his den, longing to lie in his warms patch of clovers and grass; although they were a little dry, it would still easily warm his paws. It was hard to believe that Sagome hated him….even if it was just a little. But he knew she  had a point, why didn’t he stick up for her? ‘you’re always trying to stick up for her’, he thought irritably to himself, ‘always trying to prove that you’re better then Kuro, but the wolf keeps  tugging at your tail and pulling you back, not allowing you to go anywhere. Kuro’s lucky he and Black-heart were close, that’s the only reason why he and Sagome are so close. ‘ he snarled, crawling tightly into his den.  What good was he anyways, he’d only just be a friend to Sagome, no matter what happened.
*       * * * *
                   Red fur flew violently in the harsh wind, whipping back and forth, striking out against the blue-black skies.  Golden eyes light lightly by the pale moon light reflecting the faint shine from above. Sagome pricked her ears silently, twitching them forward and back, listening softly to all the senses around. She rose her muzzle to the air and breathed in softly, keeping sure no fox was on her trail, she smirked and crept further out into the pitch black darkness, keeping sure that none of her was seen  among the dense brush of bushes.  She strode silently, with paws silent, creeping into the thick trees, leafless and bare.  “Just a few more,” she continued to step, paw after paw, until she reached a small creek with a waterfall. She crept out slowly, keeping her ears erect and inhaling the dense scents of water. This was the border of Fox and wolf tribe, the river was what separated  the two tribes.
             She sniffed once more and smiled, she tilted her ears to the side and twitched her tail, then folded one ear back and pricked it back forward.  “Only enemies keep a paw step back from the boundaries,” she smirked “but comrades fear no such things as boundaries.” She pricked her ears and listened intently, her twin tails wagging with the quick whisper of the water. Her eyes grew wide and a glimmer of joy came across her face. The bushes rustled and a large, silver wolf stepped forward. “I was wondering when you’d come, Sagome-chan.” He gave her a gentle glance from his overwhelmingly bright gold eyes. He arched his back and strode forward, his shoulder blades gliding along smoothly with every step. “No one followed you right?” Sagome nodded firmly and rose to her paws, “no one.”  
                     The wolf smirked “good, Sagome-chan.” He trotted around her in a paced step, Sagome wagged her tails, “why would I Ganabe-kun?” she bolted after him in a playful way, bounding over the borders back and forth, without a care if she was breaking the code of the tribes or not.
* * * *
Odd-nose woke instantly, to the howling of what seemed to be a shriek of terror. He rose to his paws and mumbled with grogginess.  Tiredly, he crept out of his den and left the warmth he still longed for. Frantic whimpers and howls ripped apart the silence once more. Kuro was pacing back and forth, obviously stressed about something.  His paws trailed over and over, as if searching for something he had lost, he glanced to Odd-nose with panicked eyes and bolted towards him “What did you do with my Sagome?!” he snarled, his pelt bristling with worry and concern.  Odd-nose stepped back and arched his back, “No, I haven’t seen her, and I haven’t done anything with her, so why don’t you stop blaming me for shit!” His ears pricked forward as the few tribe members –Norii, Sanzo, Black-claw, Ear-tips , and Kanso- all glared at him with stern looks. Norii stepped forward, his nose growing red from anger “Look, you better be telling us the truth or I’ll find a way to shove a stick so far up your—“ ear-tips gave him a quick glance, and Norii relaxed. Kanso stared Blankley at odd-nose, “ I doubt you odd-nose, you follow her everywhere, you must know where she’s at.”
       “I’m telling you I don’t know where she’s at. Please stop accusing me, why don’t you try to look for her instead of asking me, I was asleep throughout this whole incident, I’m going back to sleep. “ he snarled. Kuro glanced back to Sanzo and held a stern gaze with him, “You can tell were she’s at right?” Sanzo nodded, “to an extent, yes.”
         “well, let’s find her then.”
     Sanzo shook his head , his beads rustled with each movement, “I can only find her if she wants to be found, right now, I can’t even sense were she’s at.” Kuro frowned “I-I see.” His ears folded down, and a look of disappointment crossed his face. He shook his head and lifted it proudly, “No, I’ll find her on my own, my nose is the strongest in the tribe, remember, I’ll be able to find her, no problem. “ he bolted off, sniffing heavily for her scent, he had to find it, he was afraid that the worse outcome could be possible if he didn’t.
* * * *
Sagome shook her pelt lightly and sat steadily on the rounded rocks by the river.  Ganabe’s silver pelt glistened with the water that drenched his fur, the moonlight making him glow. Sagome felt hot under her pelt and shook vigorously once more . The feeling still lingered. She rose to her paws and whimpered lightly, “Ganabe-kun, you remind me so much of my Kuro….” She Looked up lightly to the moon and smiled, “If you weren’t a wolf, I bet you and him could be friends, like you and I are now.” She wagged her tail and smiled, “Although he might act a little jealous , “she giggled and looked down into the rushing water.
           Ganabe sat down and glanced up to the sky as well, “Yeah well, I’m a bit jealous of him.” Sagome gave him a stern look and shook her head, “Whatever for, you killed my father, you have a good reputation as far as I’m concerned. “Ganabe scoffed with irritation, “No, weirdo, he gets to be with you whenever, and I can’t, that doesn’t make me a very good friend now does it?” Sagome nodded, “well, that stupid odd-nose is jealous to….b-but I’m Kuro’s mate, so you guys have no right to be jealous, “ she glanced at Ganabe, “Only happy.” Ganabe’s ears pricked up , curling his lips back, he snarled. “Who’s there?!” Sagome tensed up and ducked under Ganabe, “oh no,” Kuro stepped out, fear washing over the scent of dull water.  Sagome winced at the look he shot her, anger washed over the scent of fear. “Sagome, what are you doing here?! And with a wolf, at that….yo-you’re not doing what I think---“  Sagome bolted from under Ganabe’s belly, clenching the ground with her soaked paws, “No, no I’d never betray you….Ganabe is my----“ Kuro stopped and his pelt bristled “GANABE?! How dare you step foot into OUR territory, “ Ganabe arched his back , “you are on Wolf territory, not fox tribe anymore.” Sagome stepped in front of Ganabe and snarled, “You may be my friend but you have no right to talk to Kuro that way, got it Ganabe!” She turned her head and looked Kuro in the eyes, “he’s a friend, not an enemy.” Kuro glared at Ganabe, “how could you call him a friend when he killed your father and many of our tribe members?! He’s a murderer Sagome!.” Sagome lowered her tail and whimpered, “Kitsune was a murderer, she’s sealed inside me, does that make me a murderer?” Kuro shook his head vigoursly ,“no, of course not.”  Sagome shot Ganabe a swift look, “head back.”
            Ganabe nodded, turning paw, he trotted away. “Sagome, what did you do?!” Sagome stared Kuro in the eyes, fear crossing her eyes, “doing what’s right.” She sat down a whimpered softly. “You hate me.” Kuro glared at her and sat firmly as well, “No, I’m disappointed.”
“What for?”
        “You betrayed tribe code.”
“…..yeah.” She sighed. Kuro smiled weakly and placed a paw on hers, “I’m only trying to protect you.” She glanced up at him and smiled, “I know, and I thank you for that.” Kuro stepped a bit closer and nuzzled her ear, “ Sagome, if you are to be leader, you need to learn to trust you tribe members, you can at least trust me, if you knew Ganabe, I would have like to meet him to, and things wouldn’t seem as bad. Now trust me more, alright?” Sagome nodded and smiled, “I will, but only you, and no one else.”