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She wasn't natural, she most certainly wasn't a fox, she was a demon.

The way she taught me to move, to hold to punch, moves that could never be used in a spar fight, they could only be used to kill. She told me to use them all on her, to come at her with everything I had.

The first time I held back she beat me nearly unconscious, I needed a healing mage to be able to stand again.

The second time I didn't, and she took all those hits and kept coming at me, complaining all the time that I wasn't using everything. She only broke both my arms that day.

The third time, as she was goading me, the rage overtook me and in that blood fueled madness, the moves she had taught me flowed like water from my muscles, again and again I beat on her, she should have been dead a hundred times over from the fight.

Instead, at the end, she said, "Thats good, now your getting it."

I passed out on that day, the fifth day.

On the sixth she summoned one of the dragons to carry me back to my clan.

~"Your mind is a little freer than it used to be, that is a good thing young-ling. My mate has deemed you worthy of her training, so hear this. If you need me, or her, if the fight ever gets too much, call young-ling and we will come. But be wary, for if you call us, we will take matters to claw."~ The great beast said into my mind after he had set me down.

I turned to him then, and bowed, it was all I could do, "Thank you.".

~"Ahh, a young-ling with manners, there is hope for the future."~ He laughed as he flew away.

It was then I realised I was surrounded by an Orc patrol. My fathers camp's patrol.

"Grarst! Where have you been, the war is about to begin, come, we start the blood feast!" The leader yelled to me and they started jogging to the smoke plumes in the distance.

When we arrived the feast was all but started, my father standing tall among the warriors, proclaiming this a 'good fight'.

"STOP!" I shouted, and not only did the drumming music cease, but all talk did too. "Before the blood feast, before a war has started, one can claim a right of challenge on the leader of the clan." I drew a deep breath, "I CLAIM CHALLANGE!" I roared at the top of my voice.

"Son, this is mad, we are about to begin-" He began.

I cut him off with laughter, "Father, you have dealt with the Elves for too long, before a battle is the BEST time for a challenge."

"Very well son, as the current leader I may chose the end of the challen-" He began, but again I cut him off.

"Father, what madness have the Elves inflicted you with? There is no choosing, this is a challenge fight, it is always bare hand and always to the death." He looked confused, it was then I realised how much control the Elves were exerting on him with the bracer. I would have to make this a resounding fight, to honour his memory.

"Very well, we will fight!" He pronounced. He began some flowery speech, the crowd were entranced by it, I was almost as well, when the bracer at my arm warmed and I felt a clearness of thought.

"Damn witch never said it wasn't enchanted, oh well, I guess I will have to thank her again if I see her." I grinned and ran at the Orc still orating.

I hit him with my shoulder fair in the gut, driving any wind for talking from him, he stood there doubled over, wheezing.

"Old man." I said, "I am sorry, but you are in no condition to fight me." I struck.

Driving my fist into the side of his head, the intent was to twist it forcably, and just like I had struck Fox so many times my fist connected solidly. Unlike our fights however it kept going, flesh giving way to bone and that sheering away from its companions.

With a loud thump his head hit the ground, moments before his body did.

There was dead silence, then a few soft mutters.

"He ripped his head off with just one punch!" "With an arm like that none would dare to stand against him" "Wherever he has been for the last few days, he has come back a god" Were some of the phrases I caught.

By the end of the night I had adjusted our battle plans accordingly, the family head-men, the rulers of each family, were advised of the Elven plot, and that those we were going to fight were not our enemies but the Elve's.

With that I left my clan, and I ran into the wind, following my nose to the next camp of Orcs, the next clan, I would fight them too, fight their leader, fight any who carried the cursed Elven bands.

-

While Fox was training Orc, we had other matters to deal with.

"An I tell ya, we will be on yr side in the fight, but we must maintain the illusion that we are with the Elves till then." The Dwarven emissary said to us.

"That's all well and good Ambassador, but why wait? Why not come join us now?" I asked.

"Tis a good question that General, an you will likely guess the answer, they have a huge legion of beasts at their beck and call, if we turn to you before the fight is entered they will turn that legion on our homes. And while our cities have stood many such attacks in the past, none were this massive in number." The Dwarf said.

"Very well, you will know the moment to switch, I will have orders to my troops to not fire upon you, but be aware, there are other races planning the same deed as you, be careful who you stand with out there and who you attack." I told him, "Now, you will have to excuse us, we have a war to plan." I said dismissing him.

-

"... and you say a single Orc has taken command of all the clans? But that he bears a band and is still moving the armies forward? THIS IS NOT NEWS!" I yelled at the cowering male in front of me. "I care not if one filthy Orc leads or fifty of the curs do, as long as they are the hammer on the anvil of the Dwarves!" I turned back to the male, whip in hand, "Please, turn around." I said sweetly to the now whimpering male.

The simpering stopped rather abruptly, but his cries that evening were music to my ears.

-

"Lyl." I looked into the eyes of the girl so I had her complete attention, "Promise me you will stay with them." I sighed, "I can't go out and fight unless I know they are safe, your a strong fighter and in a pinch you can call me."

She dropped to one knee, took my paw and said, "Any would have to kill me first Fox and my dying call would be to you and the gods."

Using my strength I lifted her back up into my arms, "Thank you." I said, then released her and left the building.

Our soldiers were arrayed along the front we had chosen, the field beyond was littered with claymores, an ordinance we had an abundance of and, up till now, little opportunity to use.

"Fox!" General Jennings called to me, "Here, take this." She offered a styer to me.

I pushed it back into her grip, "Save the rounds for someone who needs them.", I grinned, patting the pair of bayonets strapped to my sides.

She just smiled, "If we do-" she began, but I cut her off.

"No, no talk of that, if it starts to go poorly I will just have to kill them all won't I?" I said, pressing my forehead against hers, "I have fought beside you a few times now Hellen, don't be a hero ok? Leave the fighting to us grunts."

She just chuckled, "Tell that to Don."

We parted and I glanced at the big guy, he had already called the wolf form, he stood towering over everyone, having a chat with a short old man. I grinned and made my way over there.

"... only if their gods get involved, apart from that my Thane I can't act." Thorista was saying.

"But why mu-" The man I will always know as 'Sergeant' began, and by the look on the Gods face it wasn't the first time he started such, so I cut in.

"Rules is rules Sarge, cut the old guy some slack." I said, grinning, cutting into the conversation.

"Ahh my fiery souled little berserker, how fares the wind today?" The God asked me.

I raised my head, sniffing the air, "Smells like there might be some thunder later." I replied, grinning.

"Wait," the big wolf started, "I thought you said you couldn't take a direc-"

The God cut him off, "This weather has been brewing for this days event for over a month, no one entity shall have a direct hand in its path this day, of course..." He smiled at his disciple.

I just started laughing. Pausing a moment to pat the Deity on the shoulder, "He is a wolf of the moment, its his wife who does the planning, maybe you should have him train under her?" I said, conspiratorially.

"Why you little!" The wolf in question said mockingly and made a swing for us both. Of course we easily dodged out of the paws way.

"Where's Bri and Ryst at? I wanted to wish them luck." I asked him.

"Are you kidding Fox? I have not seen those two in person for the better part of a month, if they spend any more time away from camp we will re-assign their sleeping quarters." He confirmed my suspicion, they were likely out hunting Elves.

Good luck to them I say.

Wandering around, I saw a lot of faces I knew and loved, and others I knew just peripherally, I memorised each and every one, they would be the fuel I would need later.

Just then I noticed a curious thing, a small five tailed Kitsune bending into the engine bay of a bushmaster, after a few seconds and some sparking of magic the truck rumbled into life. I wandered up to see what it was all about.

"And remember, you have to push the button for the catalyser before you try and start it next time!" The little fox-girl was telling off one of the soldiers.

I had my mouth open ready to say something when Burks raised a finger to his lips.

"Ok Nerina, I will do that next time." The soldier replied and climbed back into the truck.

"Fox! Meet Nerina, she is my new assistant and currently the reason why our trucks are still operating." He said, introducing us.

The little Kitsunes face lit up, "I, uh, that is I..." She began, stammering. Then all of a sudden the stammering stopped and she started, "I made adjustments so the engines could take a non liquid fuel and then added a catalyser to convert water into..." She went on and on, the Private behind her pulled a face, I was having trouble alternately not cracking up laughing at the soldier and not getting confused as hell by the young girls earnest description of how she made something that turns water into fuel with magic.

"... for some reason can't remember he needs to do that first." She seemed to have stopped for air, I took the advantage this gave.

"And its all reliable? That's amazing work Nerina, it will be a huge help having the trucks and APCs working for this fight. Thanks!" I said. And I swear, she radiated pride and happiness, I smiled widely, "I gotta keep moving though, need to get down the front for the fighting."

"Good luck Fox!" She called, I waved back to her.

~"You know you just made that girls day, she has looked up to you since the day you liberated them. Despite her age she had already been promised to one of the males for mating."~ Jennings' voice said into my mind.

~"She deserved every word of it for what she has accomplished."~ I replied earnestly.

The Generals mind faded from mine, she had more important things to do obviously.

Walking around the grunts at the front line, I felt their mood rise immediately and it wasn't just my presence that caused it. Two huge shadows passed over our line, cheering following their path.

~"Little lover, we have both come, this will be a fine day for a hunt."~ Drathnial's voice said warmly into my mind.

Brathnian's joined him, ~"Yes, and apparently I have some catching up to do."~

~"Hrmm, a third... we may need to start the count again Drath, just to be fair."~ I stated.

~"Are you admitting defeat for the first round?"~ He asked.

~"Of course not."~ I put in quickly, ~"It was a draw, my love."~ My mind practically purred to him and his responded without a hint of reservation.

~"Fair enough then. We three wi-"~ He started to say.

~"Oh no, this will be a quartet, the music will rise and you will bring me with it."~ Crystal's mind cut in.

Both dragons minds 'murrr'ed in happiness at having all four of us together, ~"I think things can be made to accommodate."~ Brathnian said gently into the gestalt, ~"Especially for a mate"~

I realised then, Crystal was beside me, eyes glowing softly. Somehow I knew mine were too.

I reached for her hand and looked up into the horizon, dust clouds already announcing the arrival of the enemy forces.