A fox sprinted through the woods. It's russet fur glinted in the sunlight. The fox stopped, looked left and right, and continued running. It leaped over a log and dove into a hole. Darkness swallowed the white tip of its tail. The fox blinked slowly, it's eyes adjusting to the light, before continuing on its stomach, crawling as fast as it could. It took a left at a fork, then clawed its way up into the sunlight. It shook dirt off its fur, and looked around. It was in a beautiful sunlit clearing. Bushes near the far side of the clearing began rustling furiously, and a large white tiger leapt out of them, landing on all fours, and began striding towards the fox.

The fox didn't run, like it's kind would, instead it stood its ground, staring straight into the tiger's eyes. It stood until the tiger was mere inches from its face, but didn't even flinch. Instead it spoke.

"You're here, silva." The fox spoke calmly. The white tiger sat down.

"Yea, hi!" she replied, smiling. "Where is Luma?"

"She hasn't arrived yet. I was the first here."

"The tunnels are working well for you then?" Silva cocked her head.

"Yes, there has been a collapse in the tunnel to the lake, but I've been working on digging it out." The fox replied, flicking her ears. Silva opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a voice.

"Aurum! Silva!" It screeched. An owl swooped into the clearing, and landed on a small sapling next to Silva. It was a white great horned owl, instead of the usual brown, it was a snowy white with gray and black streaks through its feathers.

"Luma, You've arrived!" Silva purred, flicking Luma with her tail. The owl pushed it away with a wing.

"Hey Silva." She turned her head to stare at the fox. "Hi Aurum." Aurum nodded in greeting.

"Hello. Shall we start the meeting?" She shifted her paws. Silva nodded, Luma did as well. Aurum turned to Silva. "You want to start?" Silva nodded.

"I, Silva of the Bengal tigers, represent the cat family. I must say, it is doing well, Domestic cats are living in harmony with humans. Many are in adoption shelters, and are being put down, and a good section are strays, but they persevere. The big cats are not doing so well. Bengal tigers such as myself are doing better then the rest of the tigers. Siberian tigers are close to extinction, as are snow leopards. Many other big cats are endangered as well." She growled, nodding towards Luma, signaling it was her turn.

"I, Luma of the Great horned owls, represent the owl family " she hooted. "barn owls are increasingly common. Up north, the northern hawk owls, great grays, snowy owls, boreal owls, and saw-whet owl are living well, though snowy owl numbers are a little low.Great horned owls, barred owls, screech owls, long and short eared owls, and burrowing and elf owls are doing well farther south." she turned on her sapling, and nodded to Aurum. 

"I,  Aurum of the red foxes, stand for the fox and dog family." she barked, "They too are prospering. The domestic dogs have moved in with humans too, but, like cats, many are in shelters or strays. Dingoes, jackals, wolves and raccoon dogs, the lot, are all a bunch of scavenging mutts, except for wolves of course, but amazingly enough they are doing well. Bat-eared foxes, Grey foxes, Arctic foxes, Fennec foxes, and, of course, red foxes, are doing amazing! They are all adapted so well to their environment, I mean, Fennec foxes and their large ears for letting out heat, Grey foxes climbing trees! We by far the bes-"

"Aurum," interrupted Silva with an amused purr.

"sorry, i guess i got a little carried away." She looked embarrassed, but Silva caught her leaning over and whispering to Luma: "They ARE the best though." Luma nodded quickly and shot Silva an amused glance. 

"Have you brought your different species?" Silva asked. Aurum and Luma nodded.

"Owls of the skies!" called Luma, A variety of owls settled on the grass behind her.

"Cats of the trees!" roared Silva, Two domestic cats, and multiple big cats appeared out of the trees and jumped down to sit behind Silva.

"Foxes of the- er- foxes and dogs of the land!" barked Aurum. Four different foxes strode proudly out, followed by a meek looking coyote and a bored German Shepard.

"I have brought a snowy owl, a barn owl, a great gray owl, a burrowing owl, a saw-whet owl, and a long-eared owl." She gestured to the six proudly with a wing. They owls were well groomed and well fed. They all looked strong and brave. 

"I have brought a Maine coon and a Siamese cat to stand for the domestic, and a cheetah, a clouded leopard, a Siberian tiger, and a lion to stand for the big cats." Said Silva. She pointed to each one with her tail as she named them.

"I have brought a bat-eared fox, a grey fox, an arctic fox, and a fennec fox to stand for the foxes," Aurum barked proudly, "and a coyote and a German Shepard for the dogs." She looked at her group, eyes shining proudly. She even smiled at the dogs.

"I  trust they all know the prophecy?" Silva rumbled, ears pricked. Luma looked at the other owls. They all nodded. 

"Mine do." she replied.

"Mine d-" Aurum started without looking back, but she was interrupted by a scared voice. It was the coyote, his ears pressed flat against his head and his tail between his legs. He stepped forward shakily.

"Um, I'm Asher, and, uh, um, I don't..." He whimpered, voice quavering in fear.

"That's quite alright Asher," Silva smiled at him. The coyote relaxed a bit. "Want to explain, Aurum?" 

"Of course!" Aurum smiled at the shivering coyote. "The prophecy states that the three (that's me, Silva, and Luma,) Will choose six of their species to rescue all of the animal kingdom,  Animalia."

"More or less." purred Silva, "except it's five different species. We pick one from each category." Asher nodded and slipped back to where he had been standing, a couple feet away from the rest. "I have picked my participators." She pointed to the Siamese cat with her tail. "With your agility and leaping, Luna, will you go on this quest with four others?" The small cat nodded.

"I will." She said proudly. She lay her tail across the disappointed Maine coon's shoulders.  

"Congratulations.." the Maine coon whispered with a shaky smile. 

"Next I choose Kumbach. With your speed and eyesight, will you go on this quest with four others?" Silva recited. The cheetah nodded proudly.

"I will." He smiled sadly at the three other big cats. "sorry guys."

"congratulations!" chirped the clouded leopard immediately. The tiger strode up to Kumbach and licked him on the shoulder.

"good luck." he rumbled. The lion nodded at the cheetah,  but looked sullen and disbelieving that he didn't win.

"I have made my choice." hooted Luma. "Terra, with your digging and spying abilities, will you go on this quest with four others?" The burrowing owl nodded, surprised and delighted.

"yes, yes I will!" She chirped happily. She was congratulated by her fellow owls. "May your flight path always be clear." She said more solemnly.

"and yours!" replied the others in chorus.

"I have made my pick," announced Aurum. "Greno, with your tunneling and climbing, will you go on this quest with four others?"

"I will!" barked the grey fox happily. 

"Good luck man!" yipped the bat-eared fox. The others congratulated him too.

"And now, the dogs." The German Shepard straightened up higher, showing off his muscles and smiling. Asher bowed his head. "Asher, with your cunning and bravery, will you go on this quest with four others?" Aurum said, voice strong and proud. The German Shepard leaped to his paws.

"WHAT?!?!" He barked.

"what?" Asher said, jumping, "uh, yes, yes I will!" He smiled. The German Shepard scowled.

"The council has decided," said Silva in her noble voice, "These five will go on a journey to end poaching once and for all. Do any object?" She looked the lion in the eye, daring him to protest. He scowled and looked away. Luma's gaze swept her owls. Nobody looked angry.

"I OBJECT!!!!" roared the German Shepard. The foxes jumped at his loud voice. "How did this weakling get picked over ME?! ME!"

"Banjo, calm down. What is your reasoning?" Luma hooted, looking distressed.

"He is weak and afraid of his own shadow. I am strong and brave! I should be your choice, not this mutt!" Asher winced.

"Banjo!" scolded Aurum, "This meeting is a time of peace!"

"I agree with Aurum," growled Silva, "but according to the rules of the council, we must vote." 

"ME I VOTE ME!" barked Banjo immediately. 

"Banjo! Me Luma and Silva vote!" Snapped Aurum, beckoning the other two with her tail. They huddled around, whispering. All animals leaned forward, ears pricked. The three whispered for awhile, before returning to their places. Silva cleared her throat.

"We have decided. Asher will go on as planned."

"HOW COULD YOU NOT VOTE FOR M-" The Arctic fox lept at him, pinning him down despite her small size.

"Didn't you hear the council, or are you deaf?" she snarled, "Leave Asher alone!" 

"Borealis, this meeting is a time of peace," warned Aurum through gritted teeth, though she looked like she wanted to join the white fox. Borealis let Banjo up reluctantly. She nodded and padded back to the foxes.

"Well then." said Silva, "You five chosen animals shall go forth, and rid the world of poachers once and for all. If there are no other objections..?" she looked around. "Okay. By the power of the skies, we grant you access through all of our realms. Go now, and good luck." Siamese cat, cheetah, burrowing owl, grey fox, and coyote stood together for a moment, before trotting (and flying,) into the trees.

"you are dismissed. " Silva purred, turning to her cats. "Good luck for the long journey home. "

"And you!" they purred back, before running off.

"Goodbye!" Called Luma after her departing owls.

"Farewell!" Barked Aurum to the vanishing tails of her animals. They said their goodbyes to each other, before dispersing for the journey back to their lands. Silva would catch up to the Clouded leopard, and Luma would join the great grey owl, and Aurum, she lived there, in the woods. As she padded to the entrance of the tunnel, she was sure she heard a dog-like growl from the bushes.

"You will regret this." Aurum whipped around and scanned the ring of trees through narrowed eyes. Unsettled, she jumped down the tunnel and disappeared.