Chapter One

Tsula craned his stiff neck upwards to observe the burrow he had briefly stopped digging. It was more clumsily made than that of the rabbits he had lived with some days ago. *It's pretty decent, considering I wasn't raised by foxes.* He puffed out his broad chest proudly, then let it sink back when he saw that his brown paws were heavily stained with soil. Tsula looked longingly at the entrance, which was propped up crudely with sticks. *No. I'll wash myself off when my sleeping chamber is finished.*

He turned back towards the wall and started clawing at it again. Tsula heard a faint fluttering noise behind him, but he ignored it. It was then followed by what sounded like throat clearing, and then… "Greetings! I am Ouga, and…" Tsula was startled, and he spun around suddenly to face Ouga, accidentally knocking over a stick that was supporting his burrow in the process.

Both he and Ouga looked up, alarmed, as the earth around them started to creak and shake. Without thinking, Tsula ran towards Ouga, unceremoniously grabbed him by a wing, and managed to get out of the burrow. It collapsed immediately after, nearly trapping the tip of his tail. He looked down to observe Ouga, still awkwardly hanging out of his mouth. Ouga was a raven, extremely scrawny and small, but with a few beautiful, shiny violet and blue patches on his body. The rest of his feathers were dull, black, and dirty, matching his physique.

*Well, he doesn't look like more than a mouthful, but he'll probably give me enough energy to start a new burrow.* Tsula bit down on the wing in his mouth, but stopped when Ouga let out a loud squawk that rang into his ear and made him wince and loosen his hold on him. Ouga looked more sheepish than scared. "What were you doing in my burrow?" Tsula asked, muffled by Ouga's feathers. Ouga attempted, semi successfully, to regain his dignified composure. "I apologize for the collapse of your burrow, Tsula. However, I came here to tell you of a wonderful opportunity. Are you aware of the plague that has stricken the lands recently?"

*Of course… it's killed so many. Luckily, it hasn't reached the rabbits, but some in this forest have starved because of it.* Tsula was mildly annoyed with this raven, but he decided to answer kindly. "Yes, I am. Has it affected you, too?" Ouga looked downwards. "No, I have been fortunate. It hasn't traveled to my forest, which has allowed me enough time to take up the study of herbs, in the hopes of finding an antidote. I have been successful, but unfortunately, many of the herbs required are spread far and wide. I will need assistance in collecting them, and the power entrusted to you has been granted for this purpose."

*How does he know my name and power? Only the rabbits have witnessed the many times when I should have been gravely injured or killed, but barely escaped. And Kanesga said I was like this to protect me in my unique upbringing, not because of a quest. Maybe Gata told someone…* "How do you know all this?" Ouga gently tried to pull his wing out of Tsula's mouth, and he finally relented and released his hold on him. Ouga shook it and found it unharmed before continuing to speak.

"I am of an order descended from the immortal ravens of legend. We have kept record of matters such as this since the dawn of time, and if you would step back a few feet, I will prove this." Tsula, who was now curious, obliged and walked a few feet away, then sat down where his burrow had been. Ouga looked as though he was concentrating immensely, and then he spread his small wingspan as far as he could reach it. Suddenly, ashes and sparks of fire were slowly spinning in a large sphere, bigger than the raven himself, above their heads. They lasted several seconds before sputtering out, becoming brighter in their last second. *Huh. He's not lying.*

"Ok, that's pretty good proof. What are the herbs required for the antidote? Maybe my forest has some." Tsula strolled back to Ouga and sat in front of him, towering over the raven and completely covering him in his shadow even though he was short for a fox. "The list is long, and I have already made sure none of the herbs are in this forest. There are two others like you, so if you could attend a meeting with them, I would reveal the herbs there. Besides, the antidote's ingredients are sensitive information, and should not be discussed loosely."

*There are two others like me? Who are they? What are their powers? Are they better than mine? It would be so nice to meet them! I guess I should attend this meeting. This plague is pretty serious. At the very least, I can meet the others.* "I will go to this meeting. The plague needs to be stopped, and I would be honored to help. Who are the others attending?" Satisfaction flashed in Ouga's dull orange eyes.

"I am immensely glad that you are interested. We couldn't stop the plague without you, and you will become beloved and well known to all animals. There is Awi, a deer who can see the traumatic events that an object or creature has gone through by touching them. She helped me finish the antidote; she also studies herbs. Awi is very nice, you will like her. There is also Yanasa, a buffalo who can't feel pain. He… is very passionate about stopping the plague, and will be very helpful. They are already at the meeting place. If you follow me, I will lead you there."

*He doesn't expect me to go now, does he? I mean, I don't have a place to sleep, but still, I could go back to the rabbits for a night, but they didn't exactly seem devastated when I left. I guess I should go. I really want to meet Awi and Yanasa, I'm just hungry…* "I am ready to go. Can I just hunt first?" Ouga nodded understandingly. "Of course. I will as well." Ouga stayed where he was, seemingly looking for any signs of predators that he could follow moving through the woods.

Tsula walked into the nearest strand of trees and immediately found a beaver that had recently been killed by wolves. They had evidently been interrupted soon after settling down to eat, because only some of the stomach was missing. *This is the best thing about my power. I haven't had to actually hunt once in my life.* Tsula dragged the beaver out into the clearing, where Ouga was still looking for a predator. Ouga looked over at him, seemed shocked for a moment, and then remembered Tsula's power. He glanced back towards the trees.

Tsula approached him. "Want some?"

*This'll probably be the first half decent meal he's had in his life, from the looks of him.* Ouga looked at him, momentarily surprised. "Thank you. This will make the journey to the meeting place much easier." He ripped open the skin for him, and Ouga took a large chunk of meat. Tsula ate the back meat that the wolves hadn't had time to get to until he was full, and then he settled down, waiting patiently for Ouga to be done eating.