Two Crimson Paws
Judy hit the ground hard. Nick had taken the brunt of the ram's blow, but it still knocked the wind out of her. She scrabbled at the ground, and drug herself to her feet. Weak sunlight filtered through the window above, illuminating the kicked up dust in the exhibit. Fake grass and real rocks were scattered around the edges, with only hard-packed dirt under her feet in the center. Beside her, Nick rose while holding his left side. He winced in pain as he stood by Judy. Mayor bellwether haughtily looked over the edge of the exhibit and chuckled.
"Well, you should have just stayed on the carrot farm, huh? It really is too bad. I did like you."
Judy's hearing picked up the sound of something dropping to the floor. She ignored it, too focused on what she knew would happen next.
Nick glanced quickly at Judy. Judy glanced back. Nothing else was needed, they knew the plan.
Looking back at Bellwether, Judy wrinkled her nose in disgust and defiantly shouted back.
"What are you going to do, kill me?"
Bellwether chuckled again, lighter and more carefree this time, almost as if she was genuinely amused.
"Oh no, no, of course not," she said with a smile.
That smile turned menacing, and her voice followed suit.
"He is."
With surprising quickness and accuracy, Bellwether pulled the nighthowler gun from behind her back, and shot Nick. The blue liquid splashed onto his neck and soaked deep into his crimson fur. He clutched at the spot, writhing and hissing in pain on the dirt floor.
Judy leapt forward on her one good leg and cried out to him. She ran her soft paws along his back in a comforting gesture, while leaning down towards him.
"No! Oh Nick…"
Her mind was racing into overdrive as she pretended to be concerned.
It's working. We can do this.
With her back to Bellwether, Judy stealthily pressed the record button on her carrot pen. As if on cue, Bellwether's voice cut across the dusty exhibit hall.
"Yes, police! There's a savage fox in the natural history museum! Officer Hopps is down, please hurry!"
She had a cellphone up against her ear as she lied in such a pitifully sincere manner that it made Judy's stomach churn.
You're quite the actor yourself… just wait until you see what Nick and I pull off.
Nick began dry heaving as the 'poison' began taking over.
"No, Nick, don't do this. Fight it!"
Her words of encouragement fell on seemingly deaf ears as Nick continued to thrash in the dirt. Judy leaned a little farther forward and whispered into his furry ear.
"You're doing great Nick, keep it up."
Bellwether's annoyingly meek voice cut across the exhibit once more.
"Oh but he can't help it, can he? Since preds are just, biologically predisposed to be savages…"
She trailed off as her tone turned from meek to mocking.
Judy glared at her. Suddenly, Nick's hisses of pain turned into deep, powerful growls. Judy shrunk back, genuinely startled. She quickly reassured herself.
I didn't even know he could make a sound like that… he's really playing this up.
Nick's face turned towards her, green eyes wide and bestial. His growls steadily rose from deep to savage.
Judy fell back in surprise as a flicker of genuine fear danced across her own eyes.
I never knew Nick was such a good actor… Drama queen, sure, but this is…
Judy scooted backwards until she hit a rock. Nick got on all fours and slowly circled towards her. His lips drew back into a snarl, showing off dagger-like teeth. Judy got on all fours and scrambled to the grass. Nick leaped forward, fangs bared. Seeing a stuffed fawn in front of her, Judy grabbed it and whipped it behind her. Nick caught it in midair. As the two hit the ground, Nick rounded on the fawn. Desperately, Judy crawled into the grass. Nick savaged the stuffed animal behind her, ripping it to pieces. As Judy struggled to catch her breath from the very real fear that had overtaken her, Bellwether proceed to mock her again with another menacing laugh.
"Gosh! Think of the headlines! Hero cop, killed by savage fox!"
Judy scooted backwards as fast as her injured leg would allow. Finally in the grass, she hid behind a thick clump and peered around the edge. The sight that met her eyes sent another wave of fear through her body. One leg, then another, and finally the head were torn away as Nick's teeth eviscerated the fawn. Once done, Nick spat out the stuffing and turned back to her.
It's still Nick. It's still my clever, lovable fox. He's knows how important this is. He's being as convincing as he can.
Judy breathed heavily as these thoughts raced around her mind. Slowly, she realized she was trying to convince herself that it was still her best friend in front of her.
No! Nick is Nick. Stick to the plan.
Judy looked up at Bellwether, and shouted back at her.
"So that's it? Prey fears predator and you stay in power?"
Judy noticed that the bravado had drained from her own voice. Bellwether noticed too. She shrugged haughtily.
"Yeah, pretty much."
I need her to say just a little more… just a little more and then this will be over.
Judy mustered what little vinegar she had left.
"It won't work!"
Bellwether's fluffy little brows furrowed.
"Fear always works… And so does careful planning."
Her voice and demeanor had changed. Judy felt it.
"I have to say Judy, you really are a clever bunny. But I've been planning this for years. You didn't think I would double and triple check everything?"
A deep pit formed in Judy's stomach as she realized something went wrong. Her eyes flickered between Bellwether and Nick.
"Day by day, month by month, I planned everything out. No stones left unturned, no loose ends."
Bellwether's voice started out like a teacher lecturing a student, and then suddenly turned incredulous.
"Did you really think I'd be done in by blueberries?"
A shudder drove itself down Judy's spine.
No.
Nick, still wide-eyed and snarling, looked around for Judy. Being unable to see her through the thick grass, he snapped towards the next closest living thing. Bellwether. With a dash and a leap, he clawed at the wall mere feet underneath where she was standing.
Bellwether's mocking voice returned in full-force.
"Ah, that's adorable. He actually thinks he can get me."
Nick furiously jumped and scratched at the wall, to no avail. Judy laid still in the grass, paralyzed by the reality of the situation.
No.
Bellwether gradually walked along the edge to where Judy hid. Ever so slowly, Nick followed beneath her.
"I do have to give you credit though, it was a good plan. Have Nick pretend to get hit, and then record me while I blab all my secrets once it seems like I won. Real original, if I had had a hat I'd take it off for you."
Sarcasm dripped off her every word.
"I bet you didn't think I knew about the recording carrot though, huh? I had one of my rams following you since day one. Speaking of, my rams always carry extra capsules."
She sighed dramatically while holding up three more capsules in her hoof.
"I wasn't lying when I said I liked you, I honestly thought you would become a useful ally. But don't worry, your death will still be plenty helpful to me."
Bellwether finished with a smirk as she got closer. At the sound of Nick's snarls and scratches drawing near, she snapped out of her trance. Still on the ground, Judy backed up through the grass as quick as she could without giving away her position. Bellwether sped up her pace, drawing Nick closer far faster than she could back away with her bad leg. After another unsuccessful jump, Nick landed back on the ground. His nose twitched as he breathed in. His head snapped away from Bellwether, and directly towards Judy. Having spotted her in the grass, his body flattened to the ground as he stalked her.
"Nick…"
A whimper escaped her quivering lips before she could stop it, and Nick leapt forward. With a rock behind her and the wall to her right, Judy did the only thing she could. She flipped over and with one powerful push, jumped to the bare ground in the center of the exhibit. She landed hard just as Nick's claws gouged the earth where she had just sat. With the large rock beside him, Nick prepared for another pounce on the defenseless Judy. She propped herself up, and looked at him. For the first time since the bridge, tears formed in her violet eyes and rolled down her dust covered face. A quiver seemed to run through Nick as he suddenly stopped moving.
"Nick?"
A tremor of hope ran through Judy's voice as she slowly stood. Nick thrashed his head from side to side, as if trying to shake something off. Tears still rolling down her face, Judy limped forward.
"You're strong Nick. You really can fight this. Please… I need my friend back."
Her quiet but sincere voice drifted through the exhibit hall. Nick's thrashing grew stronger, and then stopped. Seconds passed like hours as Nick stood still, barely even breathing.
"Ni-"
Nick darted forward before Judy could finish. His jaws opened, flashing his pearly white fangs.
Judy didn't move as Nick's jaws stopped an inch from her throat. Their eyes met, and Judy gasped. Swirling in the primordial pool was bloodlust, fury… and pain. Nick, jaws still poised over her throat, let out a whimper.
It hurts. He's fighting as hard as he can, and it hurts.
Underneath his eyes, Judy noticed something in his thick, dust covered fur.
Water.
The fur directly under his eyes was completely waterlogged.
He had been crying the whole time.
He's still in there. My Nick is still there.
Judy smiled sadly, locking her violet eyes onto his green.
"Remember what you told me? Never let them see that they got to you."
Judy leaned forward around his jaws, and hugged him. His body spasmed violently as the war raged inside him, but he was finally winning. No matter how hard he shook, Judy clung to him like a flea. Eventually, the shaking settled down to a light quiver. Painstakingly slow, Nick raised his arms from the ground, and wrapped them around Judy's small body.
"H-hey… C-C-Carrots…"
His voice escaped in ragged gasps, but it was there. He was here.
Judy was about to respond when Bellwether's bored voice cut her off.
"Well isn't that interesting. Apparently if the subject is faced with killing someone they love, they can actually pull through and resist the nighthowler."
She turned to one of her nearby rams.
"Write that down, that could be useful data for the future."
Bellwether loaded the three other capsules she was carrying into the gun, and cocked it.
"I'm sure the solution to that is pretty simple though. Just up the dosage."
Her voice turned sadistic, and she fired.
Like it was in slow motion, Judy watched the projectile fly towards Nick's exposed neck.
No. Not again. Not when I just got him back.
Judy pulled Nick to the side, and was just quick enough to make the capsule miss him.
But not fast enough for it to miss her.
The vile blue liquid exploded onto her lower arm, and the pain was instant. Her vision narrowed as her eyes dilated. Searing heat lanced its way up her arm. She fell to the ground screaming. Tendrils of red invaded her vision, and she felt her consciousness get pushed aside as a primal urge flooded her senses. Strength and power flowed through her limbs, and she couldn't even feel her injured leg. Bellwether started talking, but it was muffled, as if coming from underwater.
"Wow Judy, looks like I'm going to have to take back that clever bunny thing I said. I know you're a gutsy little bunny, but that was pretty dumb."
She chuckled condescendingly, and fired another capsule into Nick. Judy could only watch helplessly as he collapsed to the dirt and writhed all over again. All previous progress was lost as the effects of the two capsules stacked. The poison flowed down to his skin, and was absorbed into the bloodstream. His veins bulged as the hisses turned to even deeper snarls. Judy tore her gaze away from Nick and glared at Bellwether. Pure hatred burned out of Judy's eyes, but Bellwether just smirked.
"For good measure."
She fired the last round directly into Judy's forehead. The pain and searing sensation doubled as she felt even her own consciousness getting blotted out by the rage.
"Looks like it's time to go. Wouldn't want to be here when the ZPD shows up. Besides, we should probably give these lovebirds some time alone."
Bellwether chuckled to herself as she and the rams walked away. All three of them followed, but she pointed at one of them.
"You stay and hide. When the ZPD gets here, make sure you're the first one into the crime scene. Wouldn't want them to get that pen, now would we?"
The ram, still in his ZPD uniform, nodded and walked behind one of the pillars. Bellwether turned one last time back to the exhibit.
"Good luck Judy! You're going to need it…"
Judy's claws scraped against the dirt as the sound of Bellwether's hooves faded away. In between racks of pain, she looked up from the ground at Nick. The last bit of sentience had just faded from his feral eyes as Judy felt herself slipping away.
Nick…
With that last thought, they were both gone. Two snarling, vicious shells circled the exhibit center. With a cry, they leapt and crashed into each other. Fox and rabbit danced around each other in a frenzied tango of blood and fur. With every slash of Nick's claws, or every bite from Judy's teeth, a new splash of crimson painted the exhibit like a Pollock. The sun had nearly set, casting a perfect blend of shadows and orange rays on the morbid art. Dust swirled in a storm around them, catching the light and giving an ethereal nature to their final duel. Despite being smaller and wounded, Judy did her race proud. She darted and bit like a flash, her muscle memory guided by police training. She was a flurry of grey rage and silent despair. Nick was not to outdone, however. He weaved and jumped like an acrobat, brilliant white fangs flashing in the sun. Claws glinting in the dying light, he lashed out like a twisting snake. His eyes still crying, despite no one being inside. But like every dance, it eventually came to an end. After a particularly furious exchange of blows, the bleeding and bruised friends darted back, and then crashed into each other one final time. Judy got under his neck, and her teeth sliced into Nick's throat. His claws raked her stomach, shredding the thin pink flannel and the soft belly underneath. The two collapsed a tail length apart from one another.
Pools flowed out from their wounds across the dry, packed ground. They slowly flowed towards each other, as if their very blood wanted to be together. As the poison flowed out of their veins, their minds slowly returned. Judy was the first to blink awake.
Cold. Everything was cold.
She saw the blood leaving her body, and despite just having woken up, she was already drifting off into the deep blackness. Nick's eyes fluttered open, and she forced herself to hold on.
"N-Nick…"
Her voice barely louder than a whisper, she mentally begged it to reach him.
His ear twitched, and his dazzling green eyes settled on her. She shuddered with relief, and mustered the last of her energy.
"I-I'm s-so sorry…"
He slowly blinked, desperately trying to stay awake.
Judy reached out a crimson paw to him. He slowly reached out his blood-soaked paw to her. They scraped across the hard ground, leaving a red streak in the dirt.
With the sun setting on their last day together, Judy took one final breath and put everything she had into three words.
"I love you."
Bubbles gurgled from Nick's slashed throat as he tried to reply. He gave up, and simply looked at her. A fluttering sly smile danced across his lips, which said everything he needed.
Love you too, Carrots.
The thudding of multiple paws and hooves could be heard as the ZPD rushed into the building. They reached the edge of the exhibit just in time to see two crimson paws touch, and then be still.