His pretty red pelt rustled in the wind. I watched him smile at closed the window before turning back to Mother. " I'm thirsty ", she chirped waving her paw across the booth table." Why don't you two go fetch me some water ". I nodded sliding out of the booth, Clade at the tip of my tail.

We walked through the long aisle searching for the nearby water dispenser.

" Where would we find the water thingy ", Clade asked peaking around the corners. I looked back at him but continued to walk slowly," Maybe we

could just go to the food cart ".I led the way through two other carts

Before we reached the dining cart.

" That smells so good ". " Maybe we could grab something to eat too ",

I suggested before Clade could decide." Absolutely ", He chirped brushing against my side. " Well come on ". We sat down at a table and waited for the waiter. I watched the world outside the window, the trees passing by and small fields speckled with flowers. " Um, excuse me, sir?" Clade jolted to my left. " Oh sorry, I have your menus," the waiter finished before grasping the menus and placing them on the table. "Thank you,"

Clade reached to the end of the table and split out the two menus. "Okay, I have twenty silver," said Clade."I can pay for my own, and mother's plate."

Clade reached in his satchel and pulled out twenty-seven silver coins and slammed it onto the table.

" Haha! I'll cover dad" I opened the menu and scanned up and down for something father would like. " Ooh, should I get mom a smoothie?"

" You can if you want to but I suggest an actual drink. Yeah, know like sprite or something ". " Oh thank you, she would probably want something that Won't- ", Clade didn't finish.

I peaked over the top of my menu, " What's wrong. " He quickly looked up then fixed his eyes on me. " I was just thinking what Sabith is going to say to me ". Sabith was our older brother. He lived in Vinctina, an overpopulated town in district one, which was where we were heading. He lives in a white and brown wooden ranch-style house with 8 acres surrounding it. " Don't worry about what he's gonna say, Mother said he changed ", I answered hoping he won't deny it. " Sure he did ". I sighed before resting my eyes on fried shrimp. Seven silver, that's a good price! " I'm getting fried shrimp for Dad and a pop ". Clade looked up at me as I was closing the menu and laying it down on the table.

" So you're not getting anything ", he questioned. " Nope, I'm not hungry.

Whatcha gonna get mother "? Clade slowly lowered his menu and looked at me, " I . . . um, am going to get her Fried cornfish and water ". " Oh yeah I

forgot about that ". (Cornfish was a common type of small fish with colorful scales) " Excuse me ", I called out to the waiter that was serving us. " Yes "?

" Were ready to order ". " Okay I'll be with you in a second ", she barked as she rushed along the aisle. " I can't remember the last time I met a wolf ".

* * *

We walked back to our booth with our bags clinging to our jaws. " Oh what's this "? " We got something to eat for you and father ", Clade Chirped hopping in the booth first, his bag slinging against the window. I hopped in next giving father

His food. " It's fried shrimp ". " Thank you Xpoua ", he meowed wrapping his paws around the plastic bag and opening it. I wouldn't admire Father but I admire his work. He worked hard to keep us alive and he was a significant commander to all the soldiers he trained. They would look up at my father watching his beige pelt strike against his opponents, never missing a spot on his fur.

At Least that's how mother described him in the stories that she told me and Clade when we were younger. " So how do you boys think of visiting Sabith ",

Father meowed. " It's great to see him again. How long has it been? Three Months ", I chirped back feeling a rush of excitement. " I wish I could say the same ." Clade sighed. I watched my father's expression turn, " Well he has his reasons ".

" Sure he does ". " Don't catch an attitude, we were having a good time till- ". "That is enough ", Mother hissed raising herself up. " I am tired of your two ongoing bickerings, please stop ". She grounded herself back onto the booth and closed her food, setting it aside for later." Now a different topic please ". Oh, the wolf.

" Our waitress was a wolf ", I spoke out pushing past the argument. " It was", Father growled turning his eyes off Clade then onto me. " Yeah ", I mewed wishing I never would've said anything.

" Honey wolves are banned here ", Mother said cautiously. " It was a husky ", Clade smiled wanting to laugh. " Really Xpoua ". I gave myself a small clap, " Well done me ". " Don't feel too shameful, you've never seen a husky before ", Mother reassured resting her right paw on the table stretched out toward me. " Then how has Clade", Father interrupted " Probably at the faculty ". " Then how does Xpoua not know what a husky is", He hissed losing his temper. " Trust me ". "How can I ", he answered sharply, meeting Clade's eyes. I turned in his direction. Clade scooted closer to me pressing his head against my shoulder. " You're scaring him,

it's not his fault ". " You're right, it's Noris' ". Clade was my half brother. He stood out because of his red umber pelt and black spots, Father never took it well when Mother had another cub.

" Let's not talk about this right now ", She begged. " We already settled this ".

" Can you boys go do something, I'm going to have a talk with your Mother", Father growled not looking in her direction. " No, just get your things together please. We've almost arrived ". " Okay ". I bent over and reached my arms under the booth, dragging out my luggage. It was a blue bag with black rims that my Great

Grandfather had given me. " What are you humming ", Clade asked sliding up to my face. " Nothing ", I chirped back sarcastically. " Oh "! I pulled out a sheet of

Paper, it poked out of the side pocket. I had forgotten about this. I slipped my paws through it opening it up, carefully reading it.

To Xpoua Walker

Your results came back today. You're qualified to go

to camp Olton next summer for your premium training.

We'll be expecting you very shortly, though in the

meantime we also expect you to be prepared.

DON'T let us down.

Enjoy your summer future soldier

- Rasper

" If you want, you could ask Sabith to coach you ", Father meowed pulling his things together. " Wasn't he supposed to train too ", I questioned closing the paper then slipping it back into my bag. " Yep, he was excused ". " How come ". He smiled,

" That's a secret you'll find out soon ".

" Come on boys! Hurry up "! The train whistle shook through my ears. I could barely make it through the large crowd, " Mother slow down "! I watched her turn back and let me and Clade catch up. " Where's- ". " He went ahead to go find your brother ", she chirped heavy " . " Alright "! We pushed our way through the crowd until we reached the front of the station. The rumble of trains clashed between our paws. " He's coming "! I pulled my luggage closer to my body as more souls invaded the station, bringing along their bags.

WOW. This place is big. Through all the different creatures, I saw how decorated the platform was. The station had golden wood beams holding up the porch. " Beautiful isn't it ", Mother whispered in my ear. " That's enough, we need to go ". I kept close to Clade's shoulder, brushing past the animals of Vinctina, feeling invisible. When we reached the front of the station I felt relieved, the rush had settled down as if everyone was on board their train. I could barely contain my excitement about a new adventure. All three of us brothers could have a good time. " Xpoua look ", I followed Clade's gaze, Father and Sabith had rented a wagon. It's wood stained red and it's doors were glazed, Shiny.

" Just hop in the back, I got this Clade and Xpoua ", Sabith mewed smiling as he slipped on the earth. We jumped in the front before our wagoner acknowledged us, " Greetings my fellow spotted ". I grinned while I listened to Clade start his conversation with the large tabby tom. He was bigger than the wagon but smaller than a liger, around that height. "We're ready to go ", Sabith called out loading our last bag on the wagon in the back. The big tabby pulled forward, his gear clinking.

The ride was smooth. The sunset blazed through the patches of Elm trees shifting their leaves from green to gold. " It's just over this fence ". I turn my body facing the tabby tom's way. I catch a large structure surrounded by trees and a

large field surrounding the area. " Welcome to my Fireside ", Sabith announced standing on his paws and he leaped out of the wagon when it was still rolling.

I kept my eyes on Sabith as I saw him trot beside the Big tabby. " Goodness, look how massive it is just for the two and their ki- KINDNESS "! " Okay ", I meowed before things got awkward. That was weird. Maybe Mother is having a hard time. The tabby held to a stop, he stopped at the gate in front of a wooden gate. It connected to darker wood fences that wrapped around and disappeared in the trees. The grass was kept short and the pathway were made of small rocks and stones.

Father opened the wagon door and worked unloading our luggage. I let Mother and Clade hop out before I dragged my bag along with me. The dirt whirled around me when I fell down. " Thank you, Sir, that must've been a lot of work ", mewed to the big tabby, brushing the dirt off my bag. " Nope, not when you born to do it ", he answered smiling. Right. Born to do it. I sigh before getting back on my paws, holding my bag as high as I can. The tabby pulls off flicking his tail

Goodbye, leaving us behind.

" Come in guys ", a beautiful she-cheetah mewed standing through the small doorway. Her pelt the color of buttermilk, her spots running down her back, and her violet eyes keen. " Hi Joni ", Clade chirped. " Hey Clade ". I nudged Clade to go ahead of me while Mother, Father, and Sabith were having a secretive conversation. I wonder what their talking about. Clade and I followed Joni. Stepping inside, I noticed the home was tidy and clean. The light brown wood between my paws shined against the big silver chandelier. The candles shined brightly throughout the room. There wasn't much in the first room other than a few white chairs and a big oak bookshelf. " Sorry we're still working on the house ", Joni apologized. " What no, this is better looking than ours ".

" Well tomorrow I'm picking up more furniture ", she mewed, smiling and continuing to walk down the hall. The walls I could barely make out due to it being too dark. Joni opened a door on the right and led us in. " Xpoua! Our own room ", Clade leaped upon the bed dropping his bag in a corner. I set mine next to Clade's and turned back to Joni, " This is amazing ", I told her, grinning. " Thank you. I designed it myself. The room had birch wood walls and lighter oak floors. The bed was standard grey and white with a big blue blanket that was spotted with darker blue spots. There was a closet in the back of the room and beside the bed was a small bedside table. " Did you make this ", Clade asked, nosing a painting above the bed. " I did ", she answered proudly. " Well, I guess I'll let you two settle in now ". " Thank you so much ", I mewed dapping at Clade with my paw.

" Bored "! I watch Clade roll. We had settled in for the night, and now we were waiting for father to arrive with our meal. He promised to bring back a whole chicken if he could. Even though Mother thinks it's wrong to kill animals with such lives to live, I couldn't help but think about the time she told me and Clade about the fits she had as a kit. I brought the stories back into my head. I even laughed a couple of times before Clade started to look at me as if I were crazy, " What "? " Why are you laughing ", He asked as he settled by my side. " Oh nothing. Just those Gullible stories mum used to tell us ". " I do remember that ". I stared at him. The sun cleaned his pelt like an apple, I never had seen him so red before.

Looking back at the road, I gave out a big huff. " Oh brother ", I mewed longing for Father. So hungry. With a nudge to my shoulder, Clade slowly stood on his paws staring up at me. " What do you want to do "? " Should we just rest until he comes? It seems time will pass away much faster ". He grinned. I was about to agree before I heard a burst of familiar laughter still somewhere down the road. " Father's Back"!

I brushed myself past Clade and bounded for the dirt road, finally they were home after an eon of starving. It wasn't that long but I still like t