A/N:

It's been a while on this one updated, but the story is not yet done! I hope you enjoy it.

My thanks go out to the following:

kt_valmiri for soundboarding.
Damlone & BlueberryandHoney for beta reading.
OnceNeverTwiceAlways for editing.

If you're interested in supporting DRW or my other writing, you can buy me a coffee. Check out the link in my profile for more details.

Now, on with the show!

Nick was in a panic. His sister was there. In the house. A rabbit warren full of were-rabbits. He had no clue how she had gotten in, but he knew it was only a matter of moments before she was found out and they were both reduced to a fine red mist.

He brushed her paws off his muzzle and whispered, "Skye, you have to get out of here."

"That's what I'm saying," she hissed back. "Only it's 'we'. Now let's go!"

"I can't!"

"Of course, you can! It's easy!" Her voice dripped saccharine acid. "One paw in front of the other towards and through the door. Then, we can fly away! It's so easy even you could pull it off!"

"I'm staying here."

"Listen you little idiot." Nick found himself pinned to the wall again by the scruff of his neck. "We're leaving and that's—"

"Oh shit..." Nick's muttered profanity shut his sister up, and she turned her head to look at what had upset him. Standing in the doorway was a small, grey, completely naked rabbit with luminous purple eyes.

Nick watched as his lapin friend took in the scene. She looked between the two foxes, blinked, and transformed. He watched horrified as Judy, now in full were-form, launched herself at them with a deafening roar. He didn't think. He acted.

His paw snapped out and pinched the muscle between his sister's shoulder and chest. Her arm snapped back by reflex, releasing him. Nick immediately put himself between his sister and the charging were-bun. "Carrots, stop!"

To his immense relief, she did. Sort of. Her paws failed to find purchase on the polished kitchen floor, and she slid right into him. For the third time in two minutes, he found himself stuck against a wall. In this case squished, specifically.

Very calmly and deliberately Nick pleaded, "Judy, please don't kill my sister."

Beast sniffed at him before turning to the other fox present, who was frozen in shock. The hulking mass of muscle and fur sniffed at her, shrugged, and grabbed Nick into a crushing hug in the middle of the floor.

Nick struggled against the familiar crushing affection to say, "Yes, Beast. I'm glad to see you, too."

Skye fainted.

And that was how they were found moments later by the Hopps clan when they came pouring out of the warren into the kitchens. There was one mildly soggy fox being cuddled in the middle of the floor by Judy in were-form, while another fox lay unconscious on the floor.

"Oh, this night is going so well…" Nick groused.

Judy was mortified. This was possibly the most embarrassing position she'd ever been in. She had grown accustomed to Beast's enthusiasm and had to admit that she enjoyed the affection she got from Beast's fixation on Nick. It was something she'd gone without, and from a younger age than most rabbits, because of her early ascension. As a lycanthrope, a whole slew of dominance issues came as part and parcel, complicating matters. Affection was one of the more…sensitive points in that vein. Nick was somehow completely non-threatening to Beast and, therefore, an excellent source for the affection and attention that Judy craved.

Their arrangement was highly beneficial. It was also embarrassing as all hell—similar to Beast's love of children's television programming and movies. As such, she had gone to some lengths to keep her time with Nick as a snuggle toy discreet. Or at least away from her family. Behind closed doors or out in the woods were about as far as she was willing to be open about her cuddle time with the vampire fox.

Beast was less reserved about their relations with the fox and was vocal about it.

More cuddles!

Not now! We need to survive this first!

Cuddles after?

Assuming Nick is still alive? Sure, why not?

A huge tremor of power shot through her. Beast did not like the idea of Nick being hurt, even if Judy was joking about it, but that was a panic attack to have later. Presently, she was in were-form, completely nude, in the middle of the kitchen with practically her whole family in attendance, and cuddling Beast's "dolly". If Judy were in charge she'd black out from blood loss to her ears. Or she'd at least wish she had.

Judy's grumbling was summarily ignored by Beast until the Matriarch and Patriarch of the family showed up. Bonnie looked from her daughter and the red fox to the arctic vixen lying unconscious on the floor, before fixing her eyes on Nick.

Stu beat her to the punch. "Nicolas, as you are the only one who can speak right now, would you mind telling me what in blue blazes is going on here?"

Hearing the force behind their father's voice, Judy and Beast collectively decided to play nice. They placed Nick on the floor and stood back, hoping that things couldn't get worse.

"Mister and Missus Hopps, allow me to introduce my sister, Skye."

"Your sister." Judy felt the ice behind her mother's words. "Did you invite her here without warning us?"

"I did not," Nick calmly replied. He was getting better at handling lycanthropes. "She just showed up."

"Why?" Bonnie inquired cooly.

"I'm curious about that myself," Nick commented as he walked to the nearest sink and filled a rabbit-sized glass of water. "All she told me was that we were leaving. Then Judy walked in, and you saw the results of that."

"Not the results I was expecting, I admit," Bonnie replied, as she considered her daughter. "After her battle roar, I was sure I'd need to get the disinfectant out."

"So was I," Nick concurred.

At this point, Beast apparently wanted Judy involved in the conversation, so she shoved her into the driver's seat.

One disorientingly rushed transformation later, Judy was able to answer. "Beast stopped as soon as Nick asked her to."

Her mother blinked owlishly at her. "Asked her?"

Judy wrung her paws. "I was more like 'Carrots, stop' followed by 'Please don't kill my sister,' after we ran him over on the tile."

"And her next reaction was to cuddle him while she was passed out on the floor?" Bonnie continued.

Judy shrugged, wishing she could melt through the floor. "She believed him."

"Good thing too…. I guess," Stu grumbled. "If your Beast thought she was his girlfriend, or something, it would have been bad."

The snarl that tore out of her throat terrified Judy as much as everyone else.

Nick blinked in astonishment at the display of feral aggression his friend had just exhibited. It was over in a flash and immediately followed by her attempting to fold in on herself while immolating. Lifting his hand reminded him of the small cup he'd filled with water and in an attempt to remove a shred of the awkwardness from the moment. He did the only thing he could think of. He dumped it in Skye's face.

Her sputtering did distract the other occupants of the room, but Nick was acutely aware that Bonnie and few of the other were-buns continuing to watch Judy closely. In the interest of breaking the tension, Nick kneeled to help Skye and he immediately regretted it.

His sister's paws latched onto his shirt front and she dragged him eye to eye with her, snarling, "Brother-dear, what in hell is going on?"

"That is quite enough of that, young lady," Bonnie snapped. "You are in my home and you will obey the rules here. No foul language in front of the kits."

Skye released Nick and sneered, "I don't live here. So I don't care."

Bonnie brought a wooden spoon down on the vixen's snout, hard. Nick cringed in sympathetic pain.

"You may not live at all, vampire." The Hopps matron then turned her gaze towards Nick and the still-embarrassed rabbit beside him. "I'll make tea."

Nick groaned internally. Tea was code for "family meeting". He'd been around the warren long enough to know those were not the most pleasant of experiences. He made his way to the small kitchen table commonly used for Bonnie's teas and sat. Judy followed suit, somehow looking even more miserable than she had previously. Stu settled against the doorjamb, keeping his eyes on the two foxes. The rest of the rabbits fled.

Bonnie continued, "If you slip past us, you won't make it past the lycanthropes at the doors. Take a seat."

The statement addressed to Skye was casual in tone, but effectively chilled the room a few degrees. Nick watched as the vixen complied, much to his relief. He already had a feeling his night was only going to get worse, and precipitously at that.

He sat quietly as Bonnie poured and served himself, the two females at the table, and then herself. Judy took a sip, looking like she hoped it was poison. Skye ignored her cup. Nick figured he may as well enjoy his last meal, such as it was, so he sipped his tea and waited.

The pleasantries ended there.

Bonnie was less than pleased for several reasons, and she was not about to be patient. "You have entered our home uninvited, threatened someone who is under our care, and upset our clan. Why should we not end you now, vampire?"

"I didn't mean to do any of those things," Sky retorted, testily.

"So, breaking into our home was an accident?"

"No! I meant I was trying to rescue my brother, not cause any of you harm."

Bonnie snorted. "Why should we believe that?"

"Because it's the truth!" Skye scoffed. "I don't know what else I could offer you as proof."

"And that's the problem." Bonnie sipped her tea, liking this new fox less by the moment. "Nick has earned our trust. You haven't. Him naming you as his relative was all that's kept you alive until now. That is as far as his support will get you. So why shouldn't we kill you for your trespasses?"

Skye looked like she wanted to snarl, but forced it down. "Look, if you're going to kill me I can't stop you. But, before I die, can I just ask a question?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. The vixen was rude, flippant, and had an overall terrible attitude. However, she was also upset. Understandably, perhaps, but also a weakness. One that could be exploited. There was an opportunity here. Anger often led to loosened tongues. If Nick's sister could be goaded properly, she might let a few useful tidbits slip out.

Bonnie put on her best condescending tone and cooed, "Other than that one?"

Skye ground her teeth before biting out, "Yes."

"Go ahead."

The vixen whirled on her brother and snarled, "How in all the Hells are you alive?"

Everyone's eyebrows tried to hit their ears. All Bonnie could think was "jackpot!".

"You've been gone for months. We thought you were dead!" Skye ranted before simmering into a low, threatening tone. "We heard Big let you escape the city, but you didn't even take a supply of blood. When I finally tracked you to that hollow log you were hiding in, I was expecting to find your remains! Yet, here you are! Washing dishes in a lycanthrope clan's house! How?!"

Judy interrupted, "Who is 'we', exactly?"

"His family," Skye barked. "Also, shut up. If this is my last living act, I don't want it interrupted." Turning back to her brother, she continued to rant. "With your metabolism, I was sure you'd starved or been killed for attacking someone."

Judy frowned at the interloper. "He's alive because he hasn't been starving."

Skye rolled her eyes obnoxiously. "Obviously not. What I want to know is HOW?"

Judy's narrowed eyes and the set of her jaw thrilled Bonnie in ways she had never hoped to see. This little jackpot was turning into flood of good signs!

It was even more gratifying to see the look on the newcomer's face when her daughter crossed her arms and sneered, "You're welcome."

"Excuse me?"

Judy smiled flatly. "I've been feeding him nightly since I met him."

The look on the white-furred vampire's face was a picture of horrified fury. For a breath, Bonnie was sure Judy was going to be attacked. Instead, she watched as the vixen turned on her brother and visibly trembled from self-restraint as she berated him.

"You know why we don't feed from mortals. Are you really that impossibly stupid?!" Her voice climbed with every syllable until she was all but shrieking. "Do you want to end up a junkie?!"

Now Bonnie was focused. "What do you mean by that?"

The white fox was so angry nothing could have stopped her tirade. "We never feed from mortals! It's too dangerous. The worst case is enthrallment for them and addiction for us."

Now Judy was all ears, "What do you mean 'addiction'?"

"Didn't he tell you? Feeding from a living being is extremely intimate for vampires. He isn't done with his transition fully, so it won't be as bad for him, but I know he feels the lust from it."

"Skye!" Nick's tenor cut through the air.

"Don't you 'Skye' me! That's the one part of you that's the last to change, so you'll have a mortal sex drive for about another century." She gripped the table, levering herself out of her chair. "I'll bet you forgot your manners on the first bite, didn't you? Didn't you?!"

"He didn't, actually," Bonnie commented smugly.

"What?"

"He's been living with us for a couple months and he's always had excellent table manners." After a moment, she added, "Such as they are."

Skye goggled. "Are you serious?"

"Judy?" Bonnie waved at her daughter.

"I was feeding him when he was in hiding." Judy shrugged, a bit lost. "He's never fed any differently."

"Nick? How?!"

At that moment Stu decided to interject. "Hang on just a minute there, missy. You haven't finished explaining the whole 'junkie' thing. Would you mind?"

Skye rallied. "Feeding is—"

"I'll field this one," Nick interjected. "If I'm going to be humiliated, I'll do it myself."

"Be quiet, Nick," Skye snapped back, finding her equilibrium. "Feeding and desire are linked for vampires. Whenever we feed from a living source, there's a risk that we could become emotionally dependent, possibly fall in love with the mortal feeding us—or worse, become physically addicted. It's a side-effect of the exchange."

"Exchange?" Judy was looking at the vixen as though she were a particularly stupid kit. "All I've gotten from him are stories about the city. I've gotten nothing else from him."

"Good grief…. Look, it's too complicated to explain, but it's why we use blood packs. It's also why the table manners you mentioned are so important. They're sort of like a meditation that keeps us from getting attached, but it's…hard."

"Hard as in..." Bonnie waved her paw, beckoning the vampire to continue. She was disappointed the vixen had stalled out on her rant about exchanging during feeding, but there was still a chance to get more out of her, if she could keep the momentum going.

"As in I've never heard of a vamp who didn't create an emotional mess for themselves by feeding on a mortal for a week. And you're telling me my little brother has been doing it for months and isn't completely addicted?"

"Is there a way to check?" Stu inquired.

"Oh, you'd know." Skye commented acerbically. "If he isn't following you around constantly, being irritatingly cuddly, and losing himself in feeding, he's fine. He isn't doing any of those things, is he?

"No...?" Judy replied, before muttering, "Not yet anyway."

"Judy!" This time, the todd's outburst was directed as the younger doe at the table, who shrugged.

"Well, it's true."

Skye's expression turned considering. "It may be because he's still changing. I'll have to ask Dad."

Bonnie set her cup down firmly, stating, "That will have to wait. You haven't assured your own survival yet, let alone your freedom."

"Oh...I'm..."

Nick sighed. "I'll vouch for her."

Judy leaned in to him. "You know what that means, right?"

"My life is on the line for her good behavior."

The vixen's stricken expression told Bonnie that she was cornered and she knew it. There would be no poor behavior from her, at least not for a while. "You stay here and behave yourself until we're satisfied. Until then, you mess up and you both die. Clear?"

"Very!" Skye quickly replied. "Uh...there is a problem though. I'll need to eat once a week, at least. Can I arrange for some packs to be sent from the city? I'll get enough for Nick too."

Stu chuckled. "That sounds—"

"No."

All eyes were on her as Stu asked, "Bon?"

"You will have no blood bags. You will have to make do with us." Bonnie smiled triumphantly. "It might help you curb that attitude of yours if you need to charm a meal out of someone. You might even learn some manners."

"That's insane! The risk—!"

"Is your problem," Bonnie retorted. "If you harm any of this clan, your life is forfeit, as well as Nick's for vouching for you. So I think it would do you some good to take a lesson from your little brother and learn some discipline. He's been able to feed off mortals for some time. I suggest you learn from his good example."

Bonnie took great pleasure in the flabbergasted expressions on everyone's faces before clapping her paws. "Alright! It's getting close to dawn. Nick, escort your sister to your room. We'll arrange quarters for her in the evening. Judy?"

"Yes?"

"I want a word with you."

Nick was less than happy with his circumstances as he plodded down the hall to the guest wing of the farm house. The night hadn't gone poorly—not nearly as poorly as it could have, anyway—but all was not well. His sister was fuming and still reeling from the events of the night. Dealing with her was going to be a chore. However, dealing with the honey-brown and grey doe who trotted up to them as they left their teatime with mom would make it seem a pleasure.

Tabitha Hopps was a gossip and a tease. Nick hadn't mentioned her to Judy earlier because the annoying female flirted with anything that had a pulse. He was nothing special in that regard. That said, she was also very pushy when it came to juicy details and loved to be the first one to get them.

"So she's your big sis, huh?"

"That she is, Tabby," Nick replied neutrally.

Tabitha giggled. "She looks so young."

"I can hear you," Skye groused behind them. "Also, I'm only thirty-five."

"In centuries?"

"Years! I was born to my parents three years before Nick was born."

The doe cocked her head in confusion. "How?"

"Well, you see..." Nick groaned into his paws as his sister's voice went sickly sweet. "When a mommy and daddy vampire love each other very much..."

The rabbit balked. "Gah! No! Eww!"

Skye scoffed and chortled, "I was born the same way anyone is. What did you expect? Demonic rituals?"

"Maybe?"

"Wow, Nick," Skye deadpanned. "Way to educate your hosts."

"Oddly, vampire reproduction never came up in dinner conversation." He commented dryly as he opened the door to his room. "Thanks for making this one super awkward, by the way."

Nick ushered his sister into the room with the statement "You've got the bed," and turned to Tabitha. "Well it's been fun, Tabs. But goodnight!"

"I like how that sounds from you. Next time can I hear it and stay?" the doe cheeked.

"Har, har. Very funny."

"It's only funny if I'm not serious."

"You're never serious."

"Let's test that theory." Nick found himself yanked down until he was nose-to-nose with the rabbit. His eyes bugged as he smelled the intense scent change. She was serious. "Another night, when you don't have a roomie."

And she was gone.

His sister's incredulous voice pulled him out of his shock. "Did that seriously just happen?"

Nick groaned. "Ugh…. Yes…."

"It happens often?"

"Increasingly, around here," he bemoaned as he pulled spare blankets and a pillow from the small closet.

Skye shook her head and sat on the bed. "I'm sorry. I just don't see it."

"I'd hope not. I'm your brother."

"I didn't mean like that!" Skye sputtered.

"Good." Nick shuddered. "I've had enough awkward for one century tonight. I'd like to leave it at that."

"I'm just saying, you don't have the dark glamour dad has, so I don't get why they're interested."

Nick shrugged and started assembling a pallet on the floor. "Something about sibling rivalry or rank or something were-bun-ish."

"Who ever would have thought…" his sister snickered. "Little Nicky's a Casanova."

Nick miserably laid down on his makeshift bed. "Goodnight."

Her snicker became a giggle. "Am I getting in your way tonight? Did you have a rendezvous planned?"

"Skye?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up and go to sleep."

Before either of them could say anything else, Judy's head popped into the room. "I'm about to have a chat with Beast."

Nick was startled by the intrusion as well as the lack of a knock before it'd happened. Judy was usually very particular about that. "Okay…?"

"If you decide to eavesdrop, I'll rip you to shreds."

Nick blinked uncertainly. "Understood."

"That goes for both of you."

The door slammed on the heels of the rabbit's statement, leaving the two foxes in a stunned silence. Nick saw his sister open her mouth, so he held up his paw to stop her and shook his head. He buried himself under his blanket and prayed sleep would take him quickly.

Judy wanted to crawl into a hole and pull it in after her. The word her mother wanted with her had turned out to be four words.

The moment they'd be sure that they were alone, her mother had turned to her and growled, "Talk. To. Your. Beast."

"Mom?"

"This will not do, Judith. Your behavior is all over the place. You need to talk to your Beast and get the two of you on the same page, right now."

"We are on the same page. Beast and I have the best rapport in the family. You've said as much! It's why we're so strong!"

Her mother hadn't missed a beat. "Why did you snarl at the mention of Nick having a girlfriend?"

Judy had gasped like a fish before managing, "I…don't know."

"Why did you spare him?"

"Beast hasn't told me."

"Uh-huh…. Why does your scent change when he bites you?"

"That one is unfair."

"You know you like it and you hate to admit it. But that isn't the point. Beast isn't telling you everything, and you aren't asking because you aren't willing to admit the truth. That ends tonight."

Through the whole exchange, the Hopps matriarch hadn't moved. Her expression had been flat and her tone had been deadly even. There was absolutely no give. Judy had known she was trapped.

"I can't force her to tell me anything. It doesn't work that way."

"You have the best rapport in the family because you know what to and as well as how to ask. You need this sorted out. Because your control is being tested, and if you don't get a handle on the situation you could go into a frenzy." Judy had leaned back as he mother's eyes bore through her like a diamond drill. "I am not having the strongest Lycanthrope in the clan losing control because she isn't willing to admit what she's feeling."

"But—"

"Now!"

With that, Judy had fled the room to do exactly as she'd been told for fear of what else her mother might do if she didn't. One brief visit to the fox's room later and Judy was out the door, making fast tracks for the woods.

The emotional load of the night was catching up with her. She was upset, scared, resigned, and dreading what she was about to do. The Beasts that gave lycanthropes their extraordinary power were effectively feral beings. They didn't value things the same way as their hosts and their perspectives on the world were much simpler in some ways. Their instincts were strong and their power undeniable. However, they had a severe lack of tact sometimes. Judy was used to the rather blunt way her Beast was prone to put things when they talked. It was almost childlike in character and, as the saying went "kits have no filter". This was going to be a very uncomfortably honest conversation.

Not thinking, Judy simply ran through the woods. She let her feet guide her and was completely unsurprised when she found herself in the hollow where she'd originally found Nick. She sat on the log where she'd sat for their first conversation and settled in. Squaring herself, she closed her eyes and turned her attention to her inner world, where Beast was waiting for her.

We need to talk.

About time.

Sarcasm isn't appreciated.

Beast cocked her head in confusion.

No. We talk about time.

Time? What does that have to do with anything?

The look beast gave her was almost pitying, but gave way quickly to a vision. Judy was frightened. This had never happened before.

Be calm. Look.

A brief montage flew by her eyes. Each image was a painful memory for her. Judy watched her friends leave her behind because she was suddenly different after her ascension. Bucks she had been interested in snubbed her and siblings avoided her. Lots of long nights out in the woods, patrolling. Too many of them were alone. Many of them involved tears at first.

Why am I seeing this?

You were alone. Now, you are not.

You think Nick is company for me?

He is friend. Like you.

How is he like me? We're nothing alike at all!

He smells like only himself. No others. Just him. Like you.

Is that why you didn't let us kill him? He smelled…lonely?

He smelled like us.

So you think we're friends because we're both desperate?

In response to her question, another montage began. It started with patrols alongside the fox. Long conversations became lively ones and then happy ones. Traded stories in the woods became chats on the porch or over meals. Then, images of more comfortable times drifted past. Movies watched together, small outings to town or working on the farm, more patrols, and, finally, a long list of the times they'd been close, almost intimate. Judy saw herself getting comfortable around the fox. He made her laugh. She enjoyed spending time with him. She liked his company and she missed it when it wasn't there.

You see, now.

He's a good friend.

Judy felt Beast's frustration for a moment before another memory bubbled to the fore. It was a night where she'd fed him instead of Beast—the same night she'd brought him home the first time. She expected to see her reaction to his first bite. That was the one she'd had the big reaction to, but Beast had other plans.

It was the fourth or fifth sip Nick had needed that night which came to mind. With the memory came the sensations of that moment. The familiar sting of his fangs, the pain as he bit, but that wasn't what startled her. What startled Judy was the enormous feeling of anticipation accompanying the bite followed by the euphoria of his lips touching her fur. Almost as if she'd been…

Kissed.

You see, now. Good.

Judy's eyes snapped open and she found herself wishing Nick had listened in. Now, she had to talk to him about this and she knew Beast wouldn't let her avoid it.

"Biscuits..."