Ch. 4: The Curse
"I'm glad you've calmed down."
Judy's optimistic voice grated against the Knicks nerves. The rabbit was still thrown over her shoulder, no looking like a boneless sack of red fur. "I'm glad you've calmed down," Nick echoed in a mockingly dopey tone, a poor impersonation of Judy's voice.
Clawhauser, who was walking behind them, offered Nick a sweet smile. "Surely it's not that bad being out here. It's better than that spooky tower, surely."
"That tower never tried to man-handle me," he shot back.
Judy silently rolled her eyes. She knew it was best to get this incredibly anti-social rabbit to society. He was a jerk but he didn't deserve to be alone.
But her shoulder did deserve a break, "Nick, if I put you down do you promise not to run away?"
"I'm gonna answer that with my own question," he retorted. "Where would I go?"
Taking that as a promise that he wouldn't run off Judy let him go, Nick taking a few steps back as soon as he touched the ground. With arms crossed he glared at Judy as she rolled her sore shoulder.
"What do you eat?" he demanded.
Judy blinked at the odd question, "What rabbits usually eat. My favorite is carrots but I like lettuce too."
His dark brow furrowed, "But you're so strong."
Judy smiled at him, her heart thudding just a little bit faster. She wasn't used to getting the attention of attractive males (even if he acted like a mule), and it really wouldn't helped if Bellwether had warned her.
She tried to shrug casually, "I do a lot of exercises. I am a knight, you know."
Her good mood evaporated when he snorted, "Sure you are."
Judy sighed softly, she was used to that response, "For your information there's more to me than you think." She smirked, "You could say I have tons of layers."
"So you're an onion," he shot back, his smirk much meaner than her own.
Judy frowned but Nick wasn't done, "That explains why you stink."
Clawhauser let out an offended gasp, "She does not! I mean, yeah she made me cry, but that doesn't make her an onion!"
The two rabbits gave him weird looks, Judy in the edge of concern, Nick on the edge of a scowl. "When did I make you cry?" Judy asked with worry.
Clawhauser let out an emotional breath, "I won't lie to you, I cried a bit on the bridge."
Nick rolled his eyes when Judy started to insist that Clawhauser had been so brave. His green eyes fell on the darkening sky...he dug his blunt nails into his arms. It was almost time, how was he going to hide it? Judy and Clawhauser would see him and...and run. Nick's ears shot up and he pulled his lips back into a Cheshire Cat grin. He'd be free of these two soon enough.
Nick clapped his paws together, catching the attention of the other two. "So," he smiled, "Where are we staying for the night?"
Judy, thrown by his sudden cheerful mood, spoke, "Oh...um, if we can just find a place to start a fire..."
Nick's teeth were bared into a grin, "Best starting looking then."
.
The three found a stone clearing next to a cliff that gave a lovely view of the forest below and the clear sky. It even came with a small cave.
"You can sleep there," Judy offered Nick as they collected logs and grass for a fire.
Nick glanced at her, "Find me that dainty, hm?"
His words made Judy flustered and her words stumbled over her tongue, "I-I didn't mean-that is...you are royalty."
"And you're female," he pointed out.
He wad unfazed by Judy's scowl. "So?" she bit out.
"Yeah," he replied. "So?"
The two were interrupted by Clawhauser suddenly exclaiming in triumph. "I did it!" Sure enough a small flame had spurted to life on the pile of logs and grass.
Judy smiled at him like a proud mother, "That's great, Clawhauser!"
"It is great..." Nick replied, eyes on the now dark sky. "Surrounded by the crackling fire, a perfect mood to tell a story."
Judy and Clawhauser exchanged a look. "A story?" the cheetah echoed uncertaintly.
"Oh, yes," Nick smiled, sauntering past them to stand by the cliff side, his back to the darkening sky. "The story of a magical fairy."
Clawhauser already looked interesting but Judy's expression said she thought he was playing them.
"Once there was a fairy," Nick began. "Who constantly tricked animals into thinking she was good and only brought blessings. But in reality she brought curses. One day she visited a king and queen and their son-they were foxes. The fairy told them how the world found foxes dangerous and deceitful, something the family already knew. But she offered their son a chance, a chance at a better life, a chance for love," he nearly gagged at the last word. "Wanna know what she did?"
"Uh-huh," Clawhauser nodded, enthralled. Judy's expression was unreadable.
"She took away what made him a fox," Nick explained. "She changed him." He felt the moonlight on his fur. "So every day he wore a fake skin." He felt his bones start to shift. "But every night his true self gets to come out...and eat!"
The two's eyes bulged as Nick's limbs stretched, his teeth and claws sharpened, his ears shrunk and his tail grew. Fully formed into a fox and bathed in moonlight he released a violent snarl.
Clawhauser made a choking sound and fainted.
"WHOA!" Judy screamed.
And to Nick's shock she jumped toward him, standing right before him, no trace of fear in her eyes.
"I thought you were just being a jerk but..." her eyes looked him over and it made Nick's skin turn hot. "You're cursed."
He swallowed. Why wasn't she scared? "Yeah, but-"
"No wonder you lived all alone!" Judy's paws shot out and took his, making Nick jolt. He couldn't remember the last time his paw was held, and her fur was so soft.
"Is there a way we can break the curse?" Judy asked, her violet eyes shining with sincerity and care. And it made him sick.
Who wad she to care, she didn't know him! Who was she to take him out of an isolation where the only one to judge him was himself. And if she did care-why did it take her so long to come for him?
Nick ripped his paws out of her grip, his teeth bared. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO RUN AWAY!" He stomped away from her, crawling into the cave and curling into a ball. Mortification and shame grounded his teeth together, but there was a small part- a very small part- that was relieved she hadn't been afraid...
