Chapter Three - "A Proposition"

Three days had passed. Three days of sleeping in and peace. Ferif awoke to her father nudging her awake with his snout.

"Ferif. The Elders want to meet with you. Time to wake up." Ferif rolled over, standing to her paws. Soot was in the den entryway standing. "Soot is here too, to help." Ferif's father said. Ferif's father had a certain tone, it seemed dark and sad. Soot seemed nervous. Ferif nuzzled against her father, before heading out of the den.

"Good morning, Soot." Ferif said, yawning.

"Good morning. The Elders called for us earlier today..I don't know what this is about..." Soot looked at his paws, as him and Ferif started off for the big den near the remains of the burnt barn. Soot and Ferif headed in, the three Elders sat on big moss beds. Scorn was in the middle, accompanied by two others on each side of him. He had a sour look on his face.

"Ferif." Scorn said, he seemed disgusted just to say her name. "We've been waiting for a very long time." He said, climbing off the moss bed.

"We apologize, Scorn." Soot said, bowing his head. Ferif stood still.

"What's this about, Scorn?" Ferif asked as Soot stood back up.

"Well, we have a proposal for you. The hyenas are..not happy." Scorn went and stood in front of Ferif.

"And what does this have to do with me?" Ferif asked, turning her head up to look at him.

"Bjorn thinks you killed queen Oren."

"What?? That was my father!" Ferif snarled out.

"Bjorn's sister said she saw otherwise." Scorn turned to go back to the moss bed. "And they want you to make amends. Bjorn is the queen now, so she is eagerly waiting for you."

"But she is just a child, Scorn!" Soot called out. Ferif glared at him.

"Can I bring someone along?" She asked, staring back at Scorn.

"I don't see why not." Scorn plopped back onto the moss bed. Ferif looked back at Soot.

"...Oh no! No no no!" Soot said, backing up.

"Come on Soot you're fast and smart!" Ferif turned entirely to look at him. "Please?"

"What about your mother!"

"Father can take care of her!"

"But- ...Be glad I'm your friend, Ferif!" Soot came back beside her, snarling at her.

"Thank you Soot!" she put her tail around his back.

"That settles it then." one of the scarred foxes said. She stood, she was blind and had a lot of grey on her body. Her name was Lo'ain. She was Ferif's grandmother. Ferif bowed slightly to her grandmother as she walked over.

"Lo'ain shall announce it." Scorn added, nodding to her. Lo'ain nodded, giving Ferif a little loving lick on the head, before going to the middle of the plain and barking.

"While she does that, Hoagi will get you ready." Scorn nodded to the dark red and white fox in the corner, who got up. She had s husky voice.

"Follow me, children." She said, exiting the den. Soot and Ferif followed. Lo'ain was telling everyone that Ferif and Soot would be leaving. Ferif made eye contact with her father. He looked scared.

"Go on," Hoagi said, gesturing into another den with her head. It was full of pregnant, sick, and injured foxes. One was on the brink of dying, but was being nurtured back to health by Soot's grandfather. Soot and Ferif sat down on a moss bed.

"I'm just going to sniff and examine to make sure you guys are in good health, okay?" Hoagi said, going over to poke her snout on Soot. "You're healthy, Soot...any internal pain?" Soot shook his head. Hoagi went to sniff and poke at Ferif. "Ferif you have a few scratches on your paws but nothing serious." Hoagi moved. Ferif and Soot stood from there moss beds.

"Where do we go, Hoagi?" Soot asked.

"Scorn will be waiting for you at the exit." Hoagi went off to help nurture more injured foxes. Ferif and Soot exited and were on their way. Ferif's father stood in front of them

"How dare you take that offer, Ferif!"

"It wasn't an offer, sir, it was an order..." Soot tried taking up for Ferif, but her father just snarled st him, making him hide behind Ferif.

"You are forbidden to leave the plain, Ferif!"

"I'm the princess!" She yelled.

"And I'm the king!" He growled louder. "And you listen to me!"

"And you listen to me." Lo'ain snarled from behind him. "And I listen to Scorn. And Scorn trusts her enough to send her to the hyenas' plains to make amends. Let her go." Lo'ain looked st Ferif's father. He hesitantly moved, letting Soot and Ferif continue on. Scorn was waiting beside the exit.

"Your father, he is worried yes?" He asked, still with a hint of disgust. Ferif nodded. "He'll get over it. Are you ready?" Scorn looked to Soot and back to Ferif. Ferif nodded.

"I guess." Soot said, as him and Ferif squeezed through the exit.