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Iris raised her bright pink nose into the chilly air of the snowy forest, the scent of frost biting at her senses. Underneath her soft fur, she shivered slightly. It was winter, and with each passing minute, the forest seemed to grow colder. Marble, the leader of the skulk, a pretty gray vixen with unusual pale gray eyes, had sent small groups of foxes to hunt. Iris and Onyx, a large black-furred tod with a bushy black tail tipped with white, were paired together. But, for some odd reason, Onyx had insisted on splitting up.
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“We’ll never catch anything if we stay together,” he said, his voice low and confident. “It’s better if we split up and meet back at the front of the den.”
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Iris wasn’t so sure, but she didn’t argue. The decision felt wrong, though—Onyx had been acting strangely lately, and his motives were unclear to her. But she wasn’t about to question him now.
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Iris continued through the crunching snow when, suddenly, a rustle came from the undergrowth beside her. Her ears perked up with curiosity as she stepped forward, her nose twitching. Just as she was about to poke her head into the brush, a loud, piercing roar echoed through the forest, sending a wave of panic through her.
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Crows, startled by the noise, burst from their nests, screaming as they swirled into the air. Iris’s heart skipped a beat. Her wide eyes filled with terror, and she whipped around, barely dodging the snap of claws from a huge, predator that was rapidly closing in. She saw a flash of familiar black fur dash toward the den.
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“Onyx!” she called, but the black fox was already gone.
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Iris’s legs sprang into action, fueled by the adrenaline surging through her. She was grateful she’d gotten extra sleep earlier, even though it had caused some tension with the others. Her body felt full of energy, and her legs burned as she sprinted. But her thoughts were a mess—think, think, think, Iris!
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Her mind screamed, DEN, GO TO THE DEN!
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Her breath came in ragged gasps as she raced toward safety. How foolish of her to go there. The den was supposed to be a safe place, but now it was filled with danger.
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When she finally reached the entrance, she was gasping for air, but the bear wasn’t far behind. It was only a few fox-tail lengths away, and panic gripped her chest. She scrambled inside, her white fur spiking with fear. Her heart pounded as the den filled with tense energy. Foxes were already in fighting positions, their large fangs bared and claws digging into the earth. The bigger, stronger foxes stood at the front, while the smaller ones—those like Iris—were positioned behind them. The pups, thankfully, were tucked safely away in an underground shelter, guarded by several vixens.
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But as Iris caught her breath, she noticed that some of the foxes were glaring at her, their eyes cold and accusing. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they blamed her for the danger.
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Ignoring the harsh stares, she took her place among the others, her fur still bristling. Her ears were pressed flat against her head, and her eyes remained locked on the entrance of the den.
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There were several heavy paw steps before the creature emerged. At first, Iris’s breath caught in her throat. But as she took in the sight of the predator, her fear began to lessen. It wasn’t the bear she had feared—it was a young sun bear cub, with a golden mask and striped chest, looking far more confused than threatening. The cub stood up on its hind paws, sniffing the air, before dropping back to all fours and trotting away, its bright amber eyes glinting with curiosity. It wasn’t here to harm them—it was just a curious cub.
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Relief washed over Iris, but her mind quickly returned to the greater danger: the mother. If she found out her cub had wandered into fox territory, there would be no telling what she might do.
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Before Iris could say anything, Marble, the leader of the skulk, appeared in front of her. The gray she-cat raised her head high, her pale gray eyes narrowing with anger. The intensity in her gaze made Iris’s blood run cold.
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“Iris,” Marble’s voice was ice-cold, and her words hit like a sharp slap. “You are no longer a part of this skulk. I, Marble, Leader of this Skulk, banish you. You are exiled and are no longer allowed to walk on the territory of our group.”
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Iris’s breath caught in her throat as the full weight of Marble’s words sank in.
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“You put the whole skulk in danger, leading a dangerous creature to our den. Are you out of your mind?” Marble’s eyes bore into her, unforgiving.
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Iris opened her mouth, but no words came out. She wanted to explain, to beg for another chance, but Marble’s gaze left no room for that.
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“Leave. Now.”
