Running on Fire

Chapter 1 - Cricket

3rd person pov

Cricket was running through the marshy grounds of the forest, hunting with several of her pack members.
Winter was on the verge of arrival, and the pack had to get more food for this cold season. This was Crickets first year of training to become a full-fledged excepted member of the pack.

"Isn't this amazing, Storm?" Cricket asked her misty-eyed, friend.

"Yeah, isn't this ever so 'grand,'" he replied in his usual monotone.

Storm and Cricket had known each other since birth, their friendship was almost sibling-like.

"C'mon! Lighten up a little, we got the easiest patrol!"she said, pouncing on a poor, unsuspecting cardinal.

(A/N: Not an athlete, for those of you dumbasses reading. -_-)

"Eh- whatever," Storm replied mildly.

Cricket bounded at her unamused friend, crashing down into him and rustling with him.

"Cricket?! What the hell? You messed up my fur!" Storm hissed, licking down his light-gray fur.

"Sorry, sour-puss," Cricket replied teasingly.

-----------Time Skip----------

Cricket and Storm had finished hunting patrol, and made their way back to camp.

A pale-orange dappled fox padded up to Storm, and brushed against his side.

"Hey, Storm!" She greeted, wistfully.

This fox was none other than Valley.
Valley was really full of herself, and often took Storm off and neglected Cricket from ever coming along. In a word, Valley was a bitch.

Noone dared to question her, without getting her sharp, narrow-eyed glare.

"Hey, Valley," Cricket said, disappointed gleaming in her blueish-green eyes.

"Oh- Hi, Cricket," Valley greeted, a hint of disgust in her voice.

Cricket padded off to her den, watching Storms annoyed expression leave with the dappled she-fox.

A red fox passed by the den; this was Sparrow, obviously the leader of the pack. He was always keeping a close eye on Cricket, because she could start fights very easily.

Crickets pov

I was so confused at Storms actions. He would always submit to things he needed and/or people wanted him to do.

But people like Valley?

He used to never talk to people like that! But, then again, maybe he's changed. Storm is definetly isn't as perky as he used to be.

For all I know, Valley could be taking him away from me, just so I loose myself.

Storms pov

Being dragged around by this petty bitch isn't how I planned to spend my day. All she does is talk about how bad Cricket supposedly is.

"Cricket is just... Pathetic," Valley stated.

I sighed,"I have stuff I need to attend to," he said, walking away swiftly.

I made my way to Cricket, leaving the confused she-fox in her footsteps. Cricket was laying down, and she looked up at me when I came over.

"I got sick of the that bitch full of hot air," I said to Cricket, sitting next to her. "Can I hang with you?"

"Sure!" She replied, and that was when the alpha called for a meeting.

3rd person pov

"Sure!" Cricket replied, and that was when the alpha called for a meeting.

Cricket and Storm padded over to the red-coated leader, who was sitting on a tree stump, while the pack gathered around.

Cricket sat down, and looked around to see three foxes; two injured, one dead.

She shook the feeling, and looked up at Sparrow.

"Intruders were spotted at the boundaries," he spoke, a hint of remorse in his tone.

"Two combatents injured, one dead."

582 words.