Social Outcasts

Maddox

This couldn't be good but I was glad Danielle and Nokie took me out of the who smelled like a good meal contest. I stayed close to Ballow though, somehow I felt like we could help each other, we were most alike after all, in my eyes. Murderers or not, I didn't care what these people were, they were still... people thins, right?

A gust of wind blew over us, and surprisingly, it was the smell of the forest still off into the distance. The smell was over powering and I felt as if it was calling me to it. I could smell everything in it, the animals, the plants... and the water.

"Think if we run, we'll make it before we completely pass out?" I asked Ballow in a low whisper to where only he could hear...

**Thanks for keeping me in!**

Helios:

He was walking besides Zire, "Well hello. Zire." He smiled.
Zire smiled back.

"So where we headed?"

Zire pointed at the trees in the distance.

"Ahh. To the water. Does anyone here have anything to make a camp with?"

I looked at Helios and shook my head. I only had on shorts and a tank top. I'd quickly ditched everything else besides my canteen and the little bits of food I'd brought because of the heat.

"Do you have anyhting we could use?" I asked, searching what he was wearing.

Nokie grinned. "As long as there are trees, I can find us shelter."
Helios frowned. "What? How?"
"I'm not a gorilla but I have lived in trees most of my life. I suppose I can help ya make shelter at ground level, since you don't have these."
Nokie pulled off his soft leather shoes and stretched his hand-like feet towards the others. "Tell ya what, they make climbing a breeze."
Without waiting for an answer Nokie bounded off in front.

I held back a laugh. That was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen, I think. It probably would have been rude to laugh, though, so I composed myself without letting a peep out.

I stayed close to Zire and Helios as we walked towards the trees, but once they were within half a mile Maddox and Ballow began to run towards them, and I broke out in a sprint to keep up. I couldn't wait to get to the water! I seriously needed a bath.

Ballow

I looked at Maddox, then watched Nokie race pass us with amazing speed, "I think he's going to get there first. . . Tell you what? Want a race?"

Maddox smiled for the first time and it lit up her face so much that I couldn't help, but smile back. She was so familiar, but my gut lurched in response. . . Suzy. A tear formed in my eye, but I pretended to yawn over it.

Maddox watched me for a second before proclaiming, "Ready?"

I nodded, running would make me forget. She continued, "Set?"

All, these questions that were meant to be statements, I half expected her to say, "Go?", but she didn't instead she laughed and sped off without saying anything.

It took me by surprise and I watched her run about 10 metres before I could do anything. I mentally kicked myself with a grin andsped off after her.

She had such a skinny body, but, boy could she run. I watched her in awe as I gained on her. We were now about the same speed. I wasn't going as fast as I could. I don't think Maddox was either.

But we ran in companionable breathless silence, just enjoying the run. The wind lashed passed us and sand was thrown into our eyes, we squinted, but continued running.

It was almost amusing, but soon we had caught up to Nokie. To happy to notice him we passed and I just recognised a shocked expression on his face. He was so sure he had cleared us, wasn't he?

I looked at Maddox and her smiling face. She was enjoying this run just as much as I was. The forest grew closer almost as if it were the one running towards us.

Still looking at her I began, "You wanna go full throttle, Mads?"

I don't know why I called her Mads, though at the moment I believed it was a beautiful nickname, maybe I was just to full of endorphins that made me happy to realise that I had called her that.

However, her only response was a chuckle and a sudden bound ahead in speed. I laughed in exhiliration and matched her pace. This speed . . . it was amazing! Beautiful. For the first time in months I forgot about everything and just threw myself into running.

So relaxing and the blood-scent was long gone only Fennec's scent remained, which also calmed me. To my shock and disappointment when I became aware of our surroundings I found we were already far in the forest and nearing a stream/river of water.

I shot a glance at Maddox and her gladness with seeing the water transferred straight to me - at this point of time we were on the same wave length of thoughts. Instinctive, joyful and just plain normal.

We slowed down, but something caught our sense at them same time. I was sure Maddox had lost herself almost as much as me, because our eyes snapped together at the same time. Another person.

Sitting next to the river. Was this place abundant in exiles, or what? I stopped at the exactly the same time Maddox did, our legs digging into the soft dirt and kicking up. She was sleeping. "Was" being the key word, because some of the dirt we kicked up hit her and woke her up.

It was then I saw her eyes, another Neotac, another cousin. I smiled warmly at her, but stepped protectively infront of Maddox. If she was going to attack Maddox would have a good chance to run and warn the others.

The new girl was staring at me warily, "Who are you?"

Maddox took a breath and I swished my tail near her face and she grabbed it, it wa slightly uncomfortable, "Ballow. I'm a Neoken. I am an exile. Are you?"

I kept my sentences simple, hoping that maybe she would not attack, "Yes, I'm an exile."

She had copied me and kept her sentence simple as well. Damn. I turned to Maddox and pulled my tail from her grasp. I smiled at her, "She won't attack."

But I wasn't sure so I asked, "Wi;; you let us use the river?"

She scoffed, "Let you? It's not mine, but by all means!"

I smiled at her and we walked to the river. I bent down to drink, but mishcevious Maddox decided to push me in. I fell in and gulped a mouthful of water. Ahh, so cool. When I resurfaced I saw Maddox looking worried.

I smiled at her, my paranoia of the new girl all, but gone. As quick as a flash I grabbed her skiiny hand and dragged her in. She giggled. It was the first time I heard her giggle. Suzy . . . it sounded so much like her . . . all girls laughs must sound like hers, I figured.

I pushed Suzy to the back of my mind and in my ponderings I didn't even notice Maddox had resurfaced and was placing her hands flat on the water. I watched intrigued - what was she doing?

Suddenly she psuehd the water towards me a cheeky smile on her face and it hit my head full on. I floated there for a second, partially shocked, but then I reacted anbd started splashing her, "If it is a war you want - a ware you shall get!"

We then startinf warring with the water.

Nokie came screeching from over head, landing on Ballow's back and shoving him headfirst back into the water. Leaping clear, Nokie bowed to Maddox with a grin and scampered up the nearest tree, peering down and watching the spluttering Ballow pick himself up. "What?" He looked annoyed, glaring up the tree. "What was that for?"
Nokie shrugged. "Cuz I felt like it. You were having a waterfight, weren't you? The others are almost here." He pointed towards the others, who hadn't joined in the race. He smiled at the new girl. "'ellow there, darling, I'm Nokie. Wassyername?"
She looked at him warily without answering, merely stepping out of range of the splashes.
"Aww, come now. Don't be shy." Nokie leaped to the back next to her, landing on all fours with bent knees and elbows and barely making a sound.
"I won't bite. No' if you don' want me to, that is." He winked at her with a wicked grin.

I'd thought I was fast, but there was no way I could keep up with Ballow or Maddox. It was frustrating being so undeniably average. Maybe I would have to start spitting agian. Nevertheless, I kept running as fast as I could. I'd never really been one to like running, but I could not wait to get out of the dessert.

Pretty soon I heard feet falling to the ground behind me, and a few panting breaths. I turned around to see Zire and Helios gaining on me. With a smirk I tried to put a little more juice into the run. My throat was sore and dehydrated from breathing in so much sand.

Even trying as hard as I could I couldn't beat the other two. I frowned.

"You're kind of a slow poke, aren't you?" Zire said with a smirk.

"Shut up!" I answered pushing myself harder.

Maddox

It was strange, having Ballow. Him being so much like myself, so much like a cousin, so much like a blood brother. I'd known him not even a day and I trusted him like I would trust one of my own race, which were no more so I knew that saying this would mean so much. The trees felt so familiar to me, as if it were these very woods my old village was located in, the only village that Fennecs still had inhabited over the last ten years. We'd been a race to stick close to each other, and a race that was suppose to have been respected, not murdered like it had been. Lisa, Wes, Tibby, Rain, Lex... Mom, Dad... I miss you guys, I thought to myself.

Looking up to the canopy of trees I smiled as I saw Nokie jumping from limb to limb, he was seriously a monkey man. My attention stiffened as I saw Zire and Helios come into the clearing, Danielle then came in behind them. I knew I'd have to keep and eye on Zire and Helios, especially after what I'd heard them say. But, atleast I had Ballow.

I then noticed Nokie, talking to the new girl. She smelled young, almost as young as me but I didn't take any notice into it.

"Mads?" went Ballow's from voice behind me, I smiled at the new nickname because it reminded me so much of my younger sibling's nicknames. "You okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, this forest reminds me so much of where my village used to be..." I told him, "it really sucks to be the last of your race because you know if I die, that's it... No more Fennecs and no one is going to remember us, it'll be as if we completely vanished..." I didn't know why I was saying this, but it was true.

After a while I walked through the forest with the exhausted Danielle.

"I'm from the Arian plains" I replied to her past question "Its really far from this place though"

I looked at her and almost fell down laughing when i saw her overjoyed face.

"So your a human?" I asked curiously.

Sh nodded and i asked yet another question "Do you hate me then? like others?"

she shook her head and said "I'm not others, I'm me."

I smiled, "Good answer, come on lets run the rest of the distance" I said increasing my speed.

Danielle didn't need to be told twice, when i started running she had already sped past me, it was a challenge but i knew i could pass her.

We finally reached the rive, tied. And there stood a newcomer, near the far edge, a Neotac. I came to a skidded halt still looking at her. I knew everyone including Ballow was looking at me but i ignored their stares and looked straight at the newcomer. I walked towards her, and she stood up from where she was sitting. It was an old custom.

I slightly bowed my head and she copied me, then we sat down.

"What brings you here?" I asked.

"Accused of murder" She answered shortly.

"You've been in the city for long?" I asked

She shook her head "then you know about our homelands?" I asked

She looked at me sadly and puzzled. "Do you not know?"

"Know what" I asked fearing bad news.

"Our homeland was...... destroyed" She said looking down in sadness.

It was a shock, a very big shock, it was almost impossible to conquer our race unless....

"Who did it?" I asked angrily and sadly.

She pointed to Danielle, "Humans" She said and started crying.

I washed away the tears from my eyes too.

"Ballow come here for a sec" I said calling him, he needed o know and so did his race.

I the rest of the run was fabulous. I was so glad he finally caved and began talking to me. I almost beat him there.

But once we got to the river and I saw a new girl my heart sank. I mean I'd never thought myself the jelous type, but they were the same species. I mean they probably understood each other much better than I could.

And the way she said humans and glared at me... the expression "If looks could kill" sprang into my head. I swallowed hard.

And then they began to cry. My eyes grew wide. The girl blamed humans for destroying their home land. What if she really hated me and killed me. Who here would stop her? Maybe someone would... but if she planned it just right... made it look like an accident...

I would have to sleep with one eye open from now on, I guess.

Stressed out, I walked slowly over to the river as Zire called Ballow over. I didn't want to be close enough to hear their conversation. It made me feel guilty, even though it really couldn't be my fault, personally.

I walked away from everyone to where the river bent so that no one could see me, and I took off my shirt and shorts, leaving my underwear on just in case someone came after me. I waded slowly into the river, letting my chaped skin absorb as much water as it could. I grabbed some sand from the bottom and rubbed it on my skin to srub off the sand. I ducked underwater and when I came back up there he was looking at me curously from the tree.

"'Allo, love," Nokie said from a branch and jumping off into the water beside me making water splash everywhere. I couldn't get mad. It felt so nice to finally have water.

Ballow


I heard Zire say something and I turned from my splashing, "What?"

Maddox continued to splash me, but stopped after I stared at her posionously, "What did you say, Zire?"

He cast a shared glance at the new girl and then looked at me, "Ballow, we need to talk."

I noticed it then, the new girl was crying . . . why was she crying. Nokie jumped down from the branches and started splashing Maddox, taking my place and Danielle joined in.

I hopped out of the river and walked towards them still drenched. I then sat in the grass next to them, "What's going on?"

Zire swallowed and looked to the new girl, she nodded, "Neotac's and Neoken's homes have been wiped out."

I froze, what? Was I hearing correctly? No, I coulnd't have been, I smiled, "You got me there, Zire. God, you scared the hell outta me for a second."

Then it hit me with the way the new girl was crying and the solemn look on Zire's face, "No, you're both joking aren't you?"

Zire closed his eyes and shook his head, the new girl wouldn't even meet my gaze. Tears flooded out of my eyes, "Why? Did they say why? Was it an accident? Or . . ."

I trailed off and the new girl glanced at me a sad expression in her eyes, "It was the humans . . . some Neotacs and Nekoens attacked them and ate them and they said the treaty was null and void. I remember some of the names of our races that they blamed."

Maybe I knew them . . . She began to rattle some off, "King, Ziljun, Jikar and," she hesitated for a second then continued, "Ballow."

My mouth froze . . . no. No, this couldn't be happening . . . My breathing began to go erratic and I inhaled crazily trying to steady my mind. No . . . I was part of the cause of our homes descruction?

No . . . I didn't do anything. I rattled my brain for memories and trying to connect the names. The names Nekoens and Neotacs gave to humans weren't always true names and someitmes we lived my alias. Shit. King - that was dad's name . . . Ziljun - My mum. Jikar . . . NO! DAMNIT! That was my brothers name. . .

Tears began to fall, I was happy and sad at the same time. They had decided on revenge because I hadn't done what I was accused of doing! But the only reason I left in exile was because I didn't want the humans to break our treaty.

And then they broke it. Was it safe to say this to Zire and the new girl? Or would they blame me? This was so bad, so very bad. A tingle ran down my spine, a tingle of fear. Then the tears just flowed like the river I had played in moments ago. Those moments seemed so far away now.

NO! MUM! DAD! JIKAR!! They shouldn't have and now my people's home . . . it's gone!! They weight of two races hung upon my shoulders and I sagged to the ground unable to take it. A frustration took me and I began slamming my arms into the dirt. A hole began to form and inside it was a small seedling which hadn't seen light yet.

I stared at it through the film of my tears. But before I could stop myself my arms went down again and the seedling was no more, no.

I lifted my ahnds to my face and stared at them - dirty, dirty, dirty. Dity with people's blood. So much blood. I felt my ears and tail twitch. Someone was approaching me and I stared at them.

My eyes must've been scary because Maddox backed off. No, please don't be scared of me . . . I just can't handle someone being scared of me now. I ran my dirty hands through my hair as I looked at her.

I was a sorry sight, I must've been, but what she did surprised. She had no idea why I was crying but she gave me a hug. A warm hug and her scent overwhelmed me. I closed my eyes and then hugged her back.

I opened them and what I saw wasn't Maddox, it was Suzy. Suzy and her warm smile. She was so adorable. I blinked and she turned into Maddox. Fennec's scent floated all around me and I stopepd crying.

Maddox was clueless as to why I was crying, yet she still offered me comfort. I smiled at her and she smiled back.

Everyone was staring at us and I said, my voice cracking because it was dry, "Thanks, Mads."

Nokie nudged Danielle, who looked a little stressed out, and pointed to Maddox and Ballow. "Good grief, those two are worse then the some of the shows I saw in town! And they were overdramatic, I can tell you."
Danielle looked down, hiding a smile. "Have some manners. They've lost their home."
"Really? Well, they can have mine, if they like. I don' want it."
"What? What about friends, and family?"
Nokie shrugged, his face falling for a second. "They cast me out. It was them who pushed for my exile. I'm a shame t' my family and my people. So... I can' let myself love them anymore."
Danielle patted Nokie's head awkwardly. "That's sad."
Nokie shrugged and flicked his tail, giving Danielle a cheery grin. "Don' worry bout me, love. I can look after myself."

"I don't love my family anymore either," I confided. I didn't expect that I would tell anyone about it, but if I was going to tell anyone, I suppose it would be Nokie.

"See? They shounnit be that sad anyway. Family ain't anythin' to care about."

"I feel guilty, though. I mean humans did that. What if they blame me?" I whispered so they didn't hear me.

"Well, you din't do it, love. Don't worry so much," he asnwered with a friendly smile. I half smiled back, not feeling in the happy mood at all. I glanced at Zire hoping he didn't think less of me. Although, Nokie was right. That isn't realy fair. I mean, I don't blame him for all his species eating humans... But then again, life isn't fair, I thought watching the tears stream down their faces.

Nokie turned and looked straight up at the human girl. His tone was surprisingly serious. "Danielle, if he blames you, then he ain't worth the effort."
Danielle attempted to look nonchalant. "Who? There's more then one."
"Oh come off it, love. I saw how you were looking at Zire. Just remember you've only just met us all. Don't let yourself trust anyone so easy. We've all been exiled for a reason. Even if one or two of us are innocent, they were suspected f' a reason, ya know?"
Danielle frowned. "You're asking me to trust your judgment and not trust anyone? That's kinda contradictory."
Nokie smiled slighty, a more genuine form of his usual grin, and answered. "Danielle, I'll take trivial possessions a' the blinkovanneye, but never anythin' that will cause real harm. I've never killed anyone, and if I can avoid it, I won't ever. Believe me or no', tha' is the truth."