Special Thanks to the following for their help in Beta Reading:

Kieral

ArianSilver

BethanyClark95

Gingerette

And help in the Cover Image:

The-Marshmallow-Fox

Slaughterhound Studios presents:

N:Era: Call Of The Wild
Chapter 1: Red Block Letters.

Between forest and field a wooden "DO NOT ENTER" sign stood, each letter sloppily painted in crimson. Wind brushed past this notice, ruffling the dandelions and dewed grass of the meadow. Within the field, a hyena and a weasel played cards on a tree stump. Other animals surrounded them to observe the next qualifier of the Towers tournament.

Beads of sweat dripped from the hyena's forehead, as audience members whispered amongst each other. Her dire blood blessed the quadruped with opposable thumbs, which she used to fan her cards. She fixated on her cards then eyed her opponent before focusing back on her cards.

"Take your turn, Lilu. We have, like, three minutes left on the clock," the red weasel said, adjusting in her seat.

A rush of adrenaline flowed as Lilu declared, "For the tournament! Queen of Fangs will engage in combat-"

"And I play my Instant, Reverser. Reverser stops the combat, inflicts damage equal to your fighter's Strength. Game, set, match."

Lilu's mouth dropped as everyone else cheered. "Second match, now!"

Raising an eyebrow, Rosod leaned back and said, “No.”

"Come on. I need the points."

Rosod said, "How do I say this politely? Oh right, I can't. No as in no."

Lilu slumped back, as a red and black coyote-wolf told Lilu, "You can face me instead."

"You won't provide points, Ahmond," Lilu said, resting her cheek on the stump. "You're not a good player."

Ahmond puffed her cheeks.

Rosod hummed. "Well, guess I'm going to be qualifying for the yearly Towers tournament. Suppose you two will be at my side, as my cheerleaders... again?"

Rolling her eyes, Lilu sat upright. "You know this is my last shot. Like for real, my last, last shot. There's nothing left."

"Aw, don't give up, there’s always next year," Ahmond said, patting Lilu's back.

"No, really, I can't. My mom's been clear that this Summer she's going to train me to be a proper queen." The princess thought about some of the wars she had with her mother, usually with her mother guilting her and shaming her for how she was horrible to have as offspring.

"Summer's a couple of months away," Ahmond said. "Maybe you can try in Spring?"

Lilu snorted. "Uh, you do realize the tournament takes place at the same time each year, right? Like, not until next Winter."

Ahmond shrugged. "I moved here last year, so maybe I don't understand all the traditions yet."

Rosod said, "I'd presume you... Never mind." Ahmond began to speak, but Rosod clamped her mouth shut with a paw. "I said never mind."

As an empty chill filled Lilu, she mumbled, "I wish my life were different."

Ahmond asked, "Different how?"

"I wish," Lilu said, as she stared out to the woods. Almost an impenetrable fortress of undergrowth, full of Wilders, and mystery. "I wish I could just run away. Life is getting hard, and I just want a place to run off to where no one will bother me, or ask me to deal with all these insane rules. Everybody cheered when I lost."

"They were cheering for Rosod," Ahmond said.

"Yeah sure."

Ahmond frowned, and asked, "Why are you so upset? Did something happen at home again?"

Lilu thought to earlier when she had talked with her mother. The pink hyena didn’t even stare into her eyes as she had walked into the room.

"Lilu, I heard you weren't training. You really need to start thinking about your future."

"I've been a little more focused on preparing for a tournament, Mom."

"Of course, this is all about this silly card game. Either you need to get help, or I need to start taking those cards away."

Staring through the window, Lilu asked, "Overreaction much?" She hid her deck anyway.

"You play that game several times a day, several hours a day."

"I play maybe thirty minutes," Lilu said.

"Do your work."

"Yeah, because that's what I need: To learn all about etiquette and get the training to be the future queen and all that. Such as learning about the lady-like way to sniff a bum."

"Sorry for giving you opportunities. I guess I'm just the worst mother in the world." She stormed off.

Lilu left a minute later. After all, her mom would throw a fit, and pretend like she was deeply hurt by the conversation. As she walked down the hallway, she heard her ranting about how she was an ungrateful child, and if only she could act like a normal daughter.

Drifting to the present moment, Lilu saw the sign covered in red block letters: DO NOT ENTER.

"Before people lived in cities, they lived in nature. Life was simpler a few thousand years ago. You woke up, scratched your butt against the nearest log, hunted for food, and slept. Be the easiest place to restart."

"Riiiight. You get on that," Rosod said. She stretched her back, and popped several joints. Some onlookers paid attention, but none took Lilu seriously.

"None of them care," Lilu said and slumped again.

Rosod said, "To be fair, this is the fourth time you've mentioned running away. This week."



The turmoil rose in her as she said, "Then tonight. The three of us stroll down into the woods, and we all run away, if only for a night. No rules, no regulations."



Rosod said, "No way. Right, Ahmond?"

Lilu pleaded with her eyes, disabling Ahmond's ability to say no. "Y-"

Rosod closed Ahmond's mouth again. "She's not joining you either."

Ahmond removed her jaw from Rosod's grasp and shot her a glare. Ahmond said, "Lilu, you can't, you know, you can't go over the sign. Those are the rules."

The rejection hit Lilu, and she almost snapped, but she knew convincing Ahmond required finesse. Lilu walked over to the placard, examined the block letters, and stroked her chin while sitting in a mock wise pose, before tapping her skull thrice. Her face brightened, before she carefully, very carefully - she paused to look both ways - placed the tip, the very tip, of a claw over the limits.

She pulled her arm back. "Oh no. Gee. I almost died, just one more step, and I would have been a goner."

Ahmond bared fangs and Rosod laughed while pointing at the coywolf.

"C'mon. I'm giving you two a choice when night hits. You go home and live the rest of your lives unhappy, or you come with me."

"My life's not unhappy," Ahmond said.

"You're literally going to work at an Ice Cream Shop for the rest of your life.”

Ahmond's ears flattened. "That's not, I'm not... I'm happy with my substandard life!"

Rosod nodded. "Mm-hm. Anyway, I have a major math test tomorrow, and while getting lost in the woods and eaten would give me an excuse not to go to school and retake the test, I think I'd rather take the B." She cracked her knuckles and strolled away.

Lilu clenched her teeth and said, "You wimp, you have no sense of adventure!”

"You won't last a day," she called out, "I bet 10 Drakold."

Ahmond's mouth watered. Her tail wiggled.

Lilu turned, only for Ahmond to put paws on her shoulders. "10 Drakold is a lot of money, Lilu," Ahmond said, in a measured, calm tone. "Think about all the gumballs you can buy with that much money."

"Er, a lot," Lilu said and shrugged, "but there are better ways to use that money."

Ahmond blinked. "If I go with you, will you give me half?"

Staring into Ahmond's admittedly adorable eyes, Lilu thought, if she dies, Mosor's going to beat me like a cake.

"I'm a rich princess. You can have all the cash."

Ahmond cheered, as Lilu gained one acquaintance.



***

Nighttime wasn't late in the Winter, so no one questioned when Ahmond and Lilu stayed behind, assuming they hadn't overheard Lilu threatening to run away.

Lilu peered into the infinite darkness of the woods, wondering if her species had nocturnal behaviors. Well, she'd learn quickly in the wild. No rules, no manners, no etiquette. Just survival.

“When do we leave?” Ahmond asked.

"I was waiting for a sign," Lilu said.

"The sign says don’t go."

Resisting the urge to smack Ahmond, Lilu said, "Never mind, I'm ready." As she came closer to the limits, heat filled her head, and she questioned her decision. She put her first paw over the imaginary line. Then the next paw. Then the last two paws afterward.

Relief washed over her, as breath whooshed from her lungs. She glanced at the straggler. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day."

Ahmond squeaked and leaped to join Lilu.

Some embarrassment filled Lilu. Ahmond was able to jump over the line with seemingly no fear. "What the - no rushing, this is a moment! Go back there, and take several slow steps over, and tuck your tail."

"Why do I need to tuck my tail?"

So you look wimpier than me, Lilu thought.

"Because the forest is so wet the water might dissolve your candy butt," Lilu said.

Ahmond shot back, "Just because you're more scared than I am gives you no right to pick on me."

Those words pierced like an arrow into Lilu. "...Okay. Fine. You get awful snippy in the night." She stepped onto more wet grass, and moss.

"Like I said at the sleepover, I have a routine I follow before bed, and this is not my routine, not at all."

"That's why we're doing this," Lilu said, hopping over several tree roots. "To avoid having to follow routines or schedules."

Upon deeper entrance, the trees wrestled limbs with each other. Shade made the forest nearly pitch black, and each footfall met rocks or mud or grass. Rivers trickled, as they crossed a small creek, and under some trees. They came upon an incline of gnarled oak roots, unsteadily leading to a bush flanked by foliage.

"A bush is in the way," Ahmond said.

“No, really? Are you sure that’s not a small tree? They get real short this time of year.” Lilu pushed against the bush, as the branches raked her coat, leaving white marks. "Come on!" She trampled the leaves with great effort.

As she got over the other side, she expected Ahmond to have joined her. Instead, she was sniffing dirt and rocks.

Since she liked rocks, Lilu threw one at Ahmond to get her attention. The coywolf frowned, before jumping over.

Refocusing, Lilu advanced.

Something red flashed.

Her heartbeat quickened. "Huh?" She shook her head, and sniffed around, getting a musky scent. Pungent. A Wilder.

They barely got thirty minutes into their trip, and something was about to attack them. The hyena's ears shot up, and she scanned the shadows. Keeping herself away from unknown foes, she walked the middle of the lane, while Ahmond stuck to her side.

The trail wrapped around, and they crushed mushrooms underneath their feet, as Ahmond's breath got heavier and felt warm on Lilu's coat. As she was about to scold the coywolf for being so noisy, something brightened in her peripheral vision.

Lilu’s heart fluttered as she gasped and dropped. A flash of orange flew overhead, warming her back. The fireball hit a tree while Lilu attempted to locate the source.

Smoke curled from the base of the tree as the flames reached the canopy, and spread across the ceiling of the forest. Lilu shouted, "Who's out there? Show yourself, for the butt-kicking you're about to receive!"

A blood-red fox darted from a fern and charged.

Lilu froze for a second, before rising on her hind legs. She prepared to stomp the attacker, but she disappeared into flakes of embers.

Lilu bit her lip, while Ahmond gawked at the inferno.

The fox appeared in front of them, catching them by surprise.

The coywolf bit at her shoulder, but the fox dropped into a docile pose and uppercut Ahmond's jaw. The coywolf's teeth clicked, and she stumbled.

The fox approached Ahmond, but Lilu tackled her.

Both bounced off a dirt path, over several rocks. The stones jabbed into Lilu's side, as the fox released several yelps.

Lilu kept a good grip as they landed on soft earth. With a few grunts, she pinned the evildoer's shoulders. "Who are you?"

"You're the one invading my territory.”

She had wild, blue eyes. Lilu took her appearance in, a blood-red coat with dark blue ears and tail-tip, and realized that, despite the disgusting odor, she seemed well-groomed and well-fed. No visible ribs or anything.

"Too bad you're the one under me," Lilu said.

"Not for long."

The earth rumbled, and two stone pillars trapped Lilu's arms. She blinked, while the fox slipped from underneath her grasp.

As the hyena struggled, the fox stood by her backside. "There's only one punishment fit for someone who trespasses like you two!"

As Lilu realized she was prone, she yanked with all her might, almost dislocating her arm in the process.

The fox rubbed her paws together, sparks flying from them. The tunnel blazed in the background.

Then, the fox slapped Lilu's rump.

Lilu's eyes widened before the fox kept the process going. Jets of flames came from the backs of her paws as she unleashed a huge volley of spanks.

Screaming, shrieking, yelping, and yipping, Lilu yanked even harder than she probably physically should, straining her muscles, as she felt her bottom burn.

The fox stopped at a thousand spanks, leaving a burning butt in her wake.

"Now for the finale." The blaze from the tunnel swarmed over to the fox's rear, forming eight new tails. She jumped into the air, reaching full ascension when a bubble engulfed her.

Lilu gawked at the source, a cobalt blue fox. She almost thanked her, before the fox spat two more bubbles and trapped them.

The blue fox shook her head. "Cyras."

"No, we're not Kyra's," Ahmond said.

"That's my name," the blood-red fox said, slanting her eyes.

"You're going to let us out of here right now!" Lilu said, pounding on the walls, "got that? Or else, my mother will-"

Before she finished her sentence, the bubble floated farther into the air.

Lilu scratched at the surface, while everyone below shrunk to ant-size

"That bubble is unpoppable lass," the blue fox said. "You’re going to the sun."

Lilu's eyes bulged from her skull. She screamed. "Come on! You can't be real." The ground became distant. "Fine, please, please release me!"

"If you want.”

The bubbles popped. The three fell, with Lilu's impact sounding like a bomb dropped. While her butt still hurt from the slaps, Lilu didn’t feel searing agony. Instead, she felt something soft underneath her rear, and she saw Ahmond. "Thanks," Lilu said and stood, allowing the coywolf to re-inflate her lungs.

Cyras asked, "Are we going to kill them now?"

Lilu and Ahmond flinched.

The alpha chuckled at her friend, and said, "We're not killing any civics, lest they families be on us like sharks on chum. However, you still all owe me an explanation... Civics?"

"Civics?" Lilu asked. "Is that supposed to be some sort of derogatory term for those of us arriving from civilization, like Wysdom?" Lilu shook her head, her mane flying all over. "That's just rude."

"I can make a new bubble."

"I'm good."

With a flick of her brush, Ryvoh said, "Cyras, bring our prisoners with us."

Cyras saluted. "Aye aye, Captain Ryvoh!"

As the prisoner transportation went underway, Ahmond whispered to Lilu, "Ryvoh does the sea talk, but Cyras won't."

"Yeah, so?"

"No one in the wild speaks like that, or they shouldn't because that dialect comes from civilization and towns. Notice how she moves."

Cyras kept low, while Ryvoh took measured steps forward. "Erm... Like a fox?"

"Cyras slinks around, however Ryvoh takes longer, more prideful strides. Cyras' walking pattern is more of someone who's used to hiding, meanwhile Ryvoh's pattern is more someone who's used to showing their presence off."

"And I’m limping, and can barely breathe because Cyras almost broke a rib.”

“Basically,” Ahmond said, "Ryvoh's totally from Wysdom, and Cyras has never even been there before. You can even smell the conditioner of Oceania, which uses..." Ahmond listed ingredients that could be found in the wild, but Lilu lost the plot halfway through.

"Uh, so Ryvoh's from Wysdom?"

"And Cyras is not," Ahmond concluded.

The trees gave way to a field with a hole in the ground. "This is my den," Ryvoh said. "You can all remain here, for the night, and then you all have to return home."

Lilu frowned. She intended to stay away from Wysdom, however, better keep the peace while she had to.

Ryvoh walked off.

"Where are you going?" Lilu asked, hiding her glee.

"I walk at night," Ryvoh said. "Cyras, keep guard."

The younger fox sat at the entrance hole and bristled her fur. A field of tulips laid to her left.

As Ryvoh left over the horizon, Lilu said, “Look, I don't want to go back to my mother, so just let us go."

"Why would I?"

"Do you know how hard civilized living is?" Lilu asked. "We have schools, and clubs, and all this social stuff. We are all bound by certain laws and rules. We don't have the freedom to be ourselves, or do what we want because society would call you a pariah."

Cyras leaned forward. “So you can all play together, without fear of territorial disputes?”

Since she missed the point, Lilu continued with, "I have to learn how to bake bread-"

"Bread?"

Lilu said, "Basically, bread is ground-up wheat. You grind the wheat up and make something you can eat. And sometimes you put stuff on this, sweet stuff, to make cakes, or put sweet stuff inside to make pies."

Cyras licked her teeth, as she stared in the direction they came. "I'm sorry for your 'suffering', but I'd rather not get bubbled by Ryvoh."

Lilu growled but tucked her tail.

Ahmond grinned nervously. "At least we're still alive."

Lilu stared at Ahmond, making the coywolf retreat. As Ahmond huddled in a corner, she said, "Just saying."

The plan failed.

***

Ryvoh took the three away in the morning, despite her need for sleep.

Cyras sat in the empty den, still filled with the perfumed scents of Ahmond and Lilu. They were different. Big framed, well-fed, sickly sweet-smelling, and more like Ryvoh instead of wilders.

Something about the familiarity of the scents bothered Cyras, as she wondered about how much Ryvoh knew about civilization - for the blue fox only told her to stay away at all costs.

Ryvoh kept secrets from her, not even mentioning the basics of bread. And when someone is limited in worldview, they don't know what questions to ask. She never knew to ask about bread or other types of food.

Now she knew. She wanted to taste bread and go to a club. Sniffing the scents of the two, she pursued their trails. Sure, Ryvoh could track her scent and might encounter her, but Cyras would say she was just following Ryvoh.

Plus, this was only for a day.