The brother and sister had snuck away from the queens and the other kits, as they often did, and were poking around in one of the furthest corners of the WindClan camp. They smelled a strange scent and heard something scratching on the other side of the camp’s wall. It didn’t smell dangerous, and the scratching sounded like it was coming from something no bigger than they were.
Their curiosity got the better of them, and they started scratching on their side of the wall, curious to see what was out there. Soon they’d poked a hole through the wall, and on the other side they saw a fox cub. They started sniffing and pawing at one another. Before long, they were rolling around and play fighting, just like old friends. This quickly turned into a running and tumbling game of tag and soon they were far away.
They spent some time running and playing together—this was the first time the kits had been out of the camp. After a while, though, she got separated from her brother and the fox cub. She thought she saw the fox cub’s tail, so she pounced on it, but it wasn’t the cub—it was his mother!
The mother fox was frantic, searching for her cub. The kit could tell because her face had the same look the queens got whenever one of the kits went missing. Then there was the sound of other cats in the area—Clan warriors who were out looking for the fox—so she grabbed the kit by the scruff and carried her off to this den.
“She’s been very kind to me but won’t let me leave,” the kit tells them. “I think she’s waiting until her missing cub comes home. But I have no idea where the cub or my brother is, and I just want to go home!”
The kit begs the players’ cats not to hurt the fox. She bets that if they find and return the cub, the fox will probably take her whole litter and get out of Clan territory as fast as they can.
What Happens Next: If the cats decide to go look for the missing kit and fox cub, continue with 14.
If the cats decide they want to fight the fox first, continue with 8.
Read Aloud: “The scent trail heads up the hill, away from the Lake. As it leads you deeper into the woods, the other trails fade away until only this one remains. But then you realize that this scent trail is older than all the others. You’ve accidentally followed the path the fox first used when she entered the Clan territories.”
Narrator Tips: There are several scenes that can lead to this bad ending, so you will have to improvise the specific details of this scene. All of the possible lead-ins, though, are similar in that after following tracks around in circles for the better part of the day, the cats ended up focusing on the wrong one. They’ve now gone far enough away that it will take the rest of the day to get home, and by the time they do, other warriors will have resolved the situation.
What Happens Next: Not every adventure can end in success, and this one hasn’t. Although they tried hard, the cats failed to solve the problems being caused by the fox in Clan territories. They do not get any Experience rewards for this adventure. The group can, however, play the adventure again, hopefully finding a way to get a better result next time.
Read Aloud: “As you enter the small clearing, you can see the fox perched in her den within a hollow log. She’s looking right at you, as though she has been expecting you.”
Narrator Tips: The fox has the she-cat kit beneath her paws, but luckily the kit is free to call out to you. She says that she is all right, and she is happy to see her brother. Although she struggles to get free and come over to you, the fox maintains her hold.
The fox cub will immediately run to its mother unless the players’ cats stop it, which they can do easily. It will whine and keep trying to go, but there is nothing it can do to overpower the cats.
The fox will not let the kit go until the players’ cats let her cub come back to her. She does not like or trust the cats, and so will not release the kit until it is absolutely clear that they are not trying to trick her. The cats may want to talk to her or try to negotiate a situation where both the cub and kit are released at the same time. However, while the fox is clever, she at best only understands the very basics of what the cats are saying.
This might be a tricky scene for you, as Narrator, to improvise, but try to make the fox’s meaning and intention as plain as possible without actually putting words in her mouth. It is up to the players to figure out how to solve this situation, but if they are having too difficult a time of it, allow their cats to make Ponder Checks (using the Animal Lore Knack, if they wish). If the Skill Check total is higher than 8 (the fox’s Intelligence score), they understand the situation and know what the fox is demanding.
If the cats are not willing to release the cub, nothing will change. The only other option is to start a fight with the fox, though it’s doubtful anyone really wants that to happen.
Once the cub is free and very close to the hollow log, the fox will let the she-cat kit go and move to nuzzle her pup. At that point, the kit will run directly over to her brother.
What Happens Next: If the cub and kit are both back with their families, continue with 19.
If the cats won’t let the cub go, choosing instead to start a fight, continue with 8.
Read Aloud: “The kit dashes across to her brother and they roll about with wild enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the fox nudges her cub into the den with its siblings, then steps out and glares at you angrily.”
Narrator Tips: The fox has gotten just what she wanted, but she’s still not very happy about the situation. The cats know where her den and, more important, her cubs are. Now she will have to take her cubs and go find a new den, preferably far away from the Clan territories. The angry glare is her way of saying “Leave my family alone… or else!”
As with the previous scene, there really isn’t any way to have direct communication between the fox and the players’ cats. Through an improvised scene and a few well-placed Ponder Checks, though, you should be able to get the players to understand what’s going on.
The big question is how the players’ cats will respond to such an aggressive stance. The fox doesn’t want to fight; she just wants the cats to know that she will if it’s necessary. If the cats are feeling aggressive, though, that might be enough to get combat started. If they simply acknowledge the fox’s anger and concern, though, she will gladly let the tension ease.
What Happens Next: If the cats accept the fox’s message without escalating to violence, continue with 21.
If the cats decide to take the tension up to the next level and start a fight, continue with 8.
Read Aloud: “The kit is so relieved that the situation with the raccoon is over that he almost leaps off the branch. It’s then that he realizes just how high up he and the cub are. ‘H-how do we get down from here?’ the kit asks.”
Narrator Tips: This scene is all about getting the tom kit and the fox cub out of the tree. They’re both much better at climbing up than they are at coming down. Plus, after such a prolonged and frightening experience, they’re both more than a little tired.
It is up to the players’ cats to figure out how to get the two out of the tree, and it is your job, as the Narrator, to use the game rules and your imagination to improvise a scene that lets the group find a workable solution. If the idea they have seems impractical or unlikely to work, tell them so—or hint at it strongly. If possible, think of an Ability or Skill Check that goes along with the actions they suggest, and an unpleasant result that will happen if they fail at those Checks.