Above is an earlier strip in this particular tale of Inherit the Earth.

Summary of the story so far:

Rif and Rhene discover a wolf-child while walking along the beach. They carry the barely-conscience wolf back to their home in the Ferret village.

Rif decides to try to identify a strange box that the child was found carrying. He first seeks help from Sakka, leader of the Ferret's Builders Guild, but is unable to get any useful information. A casual remark by Rhene leads to Rif traveling to the Rat Complex -- not that Rhene seems happy about that.

Instead of being allowed to talk to Sist (leader of the Rat Tribe), Rif is told to query another Rat. This turns out to be Scorry, the Rat that beat Rif in the last Puzzle Tournament. After some verbal sparring, Scorry gives Rif a clue on how to open the box.

Inside the box is a human artifact that Rif doesn't recognize, but he does notice that something like a "light-catcher" (telescope) is attached to one piece of the artifact. Instead of traveling back home, Rif instead journeys to Tycho Northpaw's house. The Dog astronomer and cartographer is able to identify the artifact as a sextant. Tycho procedes to give Rif a multi-day lesson in using the navigational aid. Rif also learns that Tycho is losing his sight.

Meanwhile, Rhene is trying to go about her daily routine while tending the now awake cub. Sandy is unable (or unwilling) to provide any helpful answers to Rhene's questions. Rif returns and gets in an argument with Sandy about the box.

The next day Rif takes Sandy back to the beach where the child was found, hoping to locate clues. They find a fragment of a sail that Rif suspects come from a fishing boat. Sandy confirms he "sort of" fell off a boat, but won't devulge any additional details. They do not return to the Ferret village alone -- a shadowy figure follows them.

Back home, Rif discovers that a Hare has delivered a message from Elara, Matron of the (currently lost) Orb of Storms, requesting that Rif and Rhene come to the Sanctuary of the Orb. Sandy joins them om the trip to the Sanctuary. Elara has a short discussion with the wolf-child, and then she asks Rhene to deliver an important message to Prince, leader of the Dog Tribe. A Hare guides Rhene to the castle of the Dogs, but Rhene must enter the castle alone.

Rhene's audience with Prince does not go well. His Majesty becomes irate that Elara is making demands of him, and Rhene's attempt to correct his understanding of the message leads to Prince ordering his guards to lock Rhene in the tower.

Rif and Sandy return to the Ferret village. At the town hall Sandy reacts strangely to the sight of a visiting Otter trader. Later that evening, after Rif falls asleep, Sandy prepares to depart.

While locked in the tower, Rhene is visited by Annabelle, one of Prince's "girls." Apparently Elara's plan to get a packet of information from the Poodle has gone awry. Annabelle has her own plan and helps Rhene escape. Rhene and her hare guide quickly leave the area.

Rif wakes-up to find Sandy missing. He quickly collects some supplies and heads-off in search of the young Wolf.

Rhene returns to the Sanctuary. As promised Elara gives a clue to where Sandy may hail from: a mixed-tribe village found far up on the western coast of the island. Rhene rests before heading for the ferret village.

Sandy tries to find shelter in a cave, but in confronted by an angry, female Bear Morph. Rif is able to intervene by challanging the Bear to a gesture combat battle. Rif is fairly inept in combat, but succeeds in his actual goal of giving Sandy time to escape.

Rhene reaches home only to discover Sandy and Rif missing. A Ram informs her that he saw two Morphs matching Rif and Sandy's descriptions traveling separately towards the northwestern Wild Lands. Also, a Ferret mentions an Otter was looking for Sandy. A worried Rhene quickly packs and starts-off in the direction the Ram indicated.

Rif tries to find out why Sandy ran away, but with little success. Sandy does agree not to run-off again. While showing Sandy how to open the sextant's box, Rif discovers that all the rough activity has revealed a secret compartment containing a piece of paper. The paper has what appears to be a latitude and longitude, and Rif thinks this will help find Sandy's home. With the assitance of Sandy, Rif uses the sextant to determine they should travel north.

Rhehe runs into the Bear that Rif and Sandy previously encountered. The Bear immediately challenges Rhene to fight. Rhene's unorthodox moves cause both her and the Bear to have a good giggle, and they call the battle a draw. Over dinner Rhene tells her tale to Mama Bear, who insists that she accompany Rhene in the search for Rif and Sandy.

Rif and Sandy travel for another day and run into a dead end: a cliff overlooking the Wild Lands. Rif wants to backtrack, but Sandy objects. The two get into a shouting match. In a fit of anger Sandy throws Rif's prized clock over the cliff. Rif successfully grabs the clock, but then notices he is in for a fall. Rif manages to grab a branch of a tree and discovers a trail down to the valley. Although Sandy thinks about fleeing, his fears have he instead climbs down to join Rif.

Some time later Rhene and Mama Bear arrive at the same cliff, but there is no sign of Rif and Sandy. Rhene says they should head west. They don't get very far before Mama Bear discovers an Otter following them — the same otter Rhene learned about in the Ferret village.

The otter, who calls himself Rufi, wants to know what became of the wolf-child. Rhene and Mama Bear refuse to give him any information.

To force the otter to leave, Mama Bear challenges Rufi to gesture combat. She wins easily,;but the otter, in a dishonorable act, attacks Mama Bear with thrown rocks and knocks her unconscious. He grabs Rhene and drags her away.

After some misadventures with a rope, Rif and Sandy reach the base of the mountains and the Wild Lands.

Rufi decides to steal the raft of a passing Ram merchant. While waiting for the right moment, the otter tries to glean information from Rhene without much success. The merchant wanders away, and Rufi tries to take the raft. He almost succeeds, but a now awake Mama Bear grabs the otter and tosses him into the river.

Mama bear asks the Ram for a lift down-river, and he agrees.

Rif and Sandy continue north. Sandy asks again why the Foxes live in the Ferret village. Rif gives him an answer and also details how the clock came into his possession.

To pass time on the voyage down-river, Rhene tells her companions of the time she spent as a "guest" of the Boars in Inherit the Earth: Quest for the Orb. (Unbeknownst to her, Rhene played an significant part in Rif’s mostly successful completion of his quest in the game.)

When the trio arrives at the river mouth, they are shocked by smoke rising from the village.

Rif and Sandy have a discussion about running out of food. They are interrupted by approaching sounds. Sandy hides while Rif investigates.

What Rif discovers is a group of Sheep, apparently refugees from the burned village Rhene and Mama Bear encountered earlier. Their village was attacked by the crew of a ship with black sails and led by a white Fox. The crew has strange weapons that a Lamb calls zap sticks, which Rif believes are of human origin. Rif suggests the Sheep can find safety at the nearby Wildcat village, as the chieftess is a friend.

Rif becomes very angry at Sandy, as it is obvious he has some relationship with the "pirates" from the ship. Sandy says he was only an errand boy.

Rhene and Mama Bear find signs of a fox being at the burned Sheep village, and they decide to head north based on the information Rhene received from Elara earlier.

Sandy tells Rif the story of how he came aboard the ship, his activities on board and what led him to being washed-up on the beach. Although Sandy continues to try to hide some details, it is obvious to Rif that the story is incomplete; but it is enough to satisfy him for now. Also, Sandy seems genuinely worried about what the pirates might do to his mother.

Rif and Sandy finally reach the latitude found on the scrap of paper and decide to turn west towards the coast. Sandy tells Rif about his fascination with the night sky and the wandering stars; i.e., the planets.

Rhene and Mama Bear arrive at a town on the coast. They locate the dwelling of the only wolf family in the town. Kyrrah, the she-wolf, has been worried about her son, who went missing recently after spending too much time around the docks. To Rhene’s surprise, Kyrrah says that her son’s name is not Sandy!

Their conversation is interrupted by a shout that the black ship has returned, and there are injuries needing Kyrrah’s healing skills. Rhene goes with Kyrrah to the ship (as an "assistant") while Mama Bear remains behind to rest.

After an arduous journey through the Wild Lands, Rif and Sandy arrive at the Sandy’s home village. Sandy’s plan is to sneak on board the black ship and return the sextant, thereby reducing the chance that the crew will seek revenge on Sandy and his mother. Rif decides to go along with the plan.

Rif discovers that the ship is named The Black Raccoon and muses over the possibility that his old foe Chota the Raccoon is involved somehow.

On board the ship Rhene is confronted by the ship’s first mate, a white Fox named Elrik. He makes unwanted advances towards Rhene, who hopes to get off the ship before the dinner Elrik has planned for her.

Elrik and the ship’s captain, Jarkum the Otter, discuss the botched attempt to get emergency supplies from the Sheep village. The captain punishes the Boar that inadvertently started the fire that consumed the village. Jarkum bemoans the fact that sextant has not been recovered and that there plans have gone awry since Chota "abandoned" them.

Mama Bear is feeling better and steps outside Kyrrah’s home. She spies Rufi heading toward the ship, but is unable to stop him from reaching the ship and going on-board.

Rif and Sandy are able to gain access to the captain’s quarters without being detected. There they find plans for the ship and a box of power cells for the zap sticks. At the time Rufi recognizes Rhene on-board and starts a commotion. In haste Sandy throws the box of power cells into the bay, much to Rif's chagrin.

Rif opens the cabin door to see what is happening, but Elrik sees him. Rif is captured, but Sandy escapes undetected.

Jarkim tries to ask Rif and Rhene questions, but the couple spends that time bringing each other up-to-date instead. When the sextant is found in the cabin, Jarkim tells the crew to search for Sandy, Kyrrah pleads with the Captain not to hurt her son, but Jarkim orders her taken below-decks.

When the crew fails to find Sandy, Jarkim orders the crew to get their zap sticks and search the village. That plan is dashed when it is discovered the power cells are gone.

An infuriated Jarkim pulls out a real sword and threatens to dispatch Rif. In the middle of giving orders, he is shocked unconscience by a zap-stick-wielding Sandy! When Rif asks Sandy where he got a power cell for the zap stick, Sandy tosses down Rif's clock with the power cell removed.

A battle for control of the sword (now on the ship's deck) begins. First, Elrik is able to beat Rif to the sword, but he is disarmed when Mama Bear (who has snuck on-board) tosses the White Fox overboard into the bay. Rufi then grabs the sword and declares himself captain, but Rhene knocks him cold with an oar. When Rhene grabs the sword and asks who wants to be captain next, no one is interested.