Chapter 54: Consequences
Nick watched the aftermath on television as the army advanced into Bunnyburrow. There wasn't even any fighting. The heads of households he assumed lined up ready to surrender. There were over a hundred thousand bunnies waiting for cuffs. It was surreal as troops reported that corpses lined the fields.
"What have we done?" Judy asked. Her entire body shook.
Depravity once kept and somewhat hidden was open for all to see. The inhabitants themselves didn't seem disturbed at what occurred. Bunnyburrow was in chaos and all they could do was watch.
"We should be there," Nick said. "This is horrible."
The heads of households offered little resistance as they received pawcuffs waiting for the train to transport them to Zootopia. The attempt at peace appeared genuine. "We hope that Bunnyburrow can survive. We've done everything we can to make it so," Bonnie said. She received her pawcuffs as she formerly led a family.
Nick left the room desperate to find out where Bonnie would go. His mates followed him, also eager to find out. "Where are they taking the prisoners?" Nick asked his mother.
"How kind of you to join us," Vivian replied. They sat around a room watching the same broadcast Nick and his mates were. "They'll be scattered across all twelve districts and separated."
"Any chance of us meeting with mother?" Jill asked.
"Not for a while, we're all not allowed to leave by the grace of Zootopia's military. Civil unrest and potential counterattacks from Bunnyburrow are a big issue. I believe there will try to trick us."
"How can you possibly love these bunnies?" Finnick asked.
"Is my fox that grumpy?" a doe asked.
"I am not your fox." Finnick pushed the doe away. "I need to regain my sanity." The same doe approached Finnick yet again. He laid down his head down in defeat on her chest. "At least this is comfortable."
"You seem to be having a good time." Nick snickered. He laughed at Finnick's predicament.
Nick watched the grim broadcast until it was time for lunch. Jewel was there but clearly away from them because of her punishment.
His mates went to prepare food for him just like before. "Come with me," Janna said.
"That's it?" Nick cried as there were only a few splotches of blood on his mate. Jill took the honors of feeding him this time. She posed seductively on the table.
"Don't like it? Starve," she said. None of his mates offered more blood.
He went to find his mother because they were cruel. "Mom, my mates are starving me," he complained.
She walked with him back to the table. Jill was no longer there, while Judy and Janna sat on a chair waiting for them.
"What's going on?" Vivian asked.
"He doesn't get to eat because he complained," Judy said. "Maybe, he'll be more appreciative the next time."
"Fair enough. Be careful to not take it too far else there will be consequences." Vivian walked away.
"How is this fair?" he asked.
"It's for your own good," Janna said. "We care about you." She shed a tear. "I really want you to return to the days when you simply groomed us for food."
He reluctantly ignored his stomach as they resumed watching television. "Where is Clover?" Jewel asked.
"Where is she?" Nick echoed. It wasn't that he cared for her, but she was technically his slave. He didn't know where exactly Clover was after Janna led her away.
"You can find her in the basement, in cell number four," Vivian said.
They found Clover chained to a wall with a gag in her mouth, guarded by a polar bear. "What happened here?" Nick asked.
"Bad rabbit, ordered to keep alive. Dangerous," the bear replied.
Nick apprehensively removed the gag from Clover's mouth while expecting an array of curses. "Master, you returned for me," she said.
"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"
"I deserve to be free," Clover said.
Nick reapplied the gag in her mouth. "Let's go." He led everyone away from the bound rabbit. "Just keep her alive," he instructed the polar bear.
"I can't help but think it might happen to me someday," Jewel said. She was with them, but she stayed apart from them per the terms of her punishment.
"Let me be clear if you think that way, we're going to have issues because it means you're not even attempting to change," Janna said. "Do it again, and we'll leave you like that for a day or two."
"I can't even think like that?" Jewel asked.
"The entire problem is how you think. It's even more of a problem if you choose to act. This is for your own good."
They returned to the room where mammals watched television. "One platoon went missing already," Vivian said. "No overt signs of hostility yet though."
A few hours passed before it was time for supper. He was subject to the whims of his mates as per usual, this time they decided to prepare his meal alone again.
He was hungry from lack of food since they denied him lunch. What awaited him on the table shocked him. He could barely scent any traces of blood while Judy's back had a nice strawberry glaze. Vivian was here at least because they moved his feeding location to a more public spot.
"If you complain at all," Janna said. "You get nothing."
He had a horrible time trying to eat. He couldn't pinpoint the sacred drops of blood that made the food palatable to his tastes. He groomed parts of her while spitting the food out since it lacked any drops of blood. He managed to swallow some food, at least but it did little fill his stomach.
"How long is this going to last?" Nick said.
"Until you're cured and don't need blood anymore," Judy said. "I know it's difficult, but we're here to support you. I'm proud of you for not hurting any of us."
"What if I starve to death?" Nick asked. He couldn't help, but be afraid.
His mates gave him various reassurances that there was no way they'd let that happen.
"There's no way I would let that happen either," his mother reassured him.
He spent the remainder of the day watching television while feeling powerless the act. They couldn't personally go to Bunnyburrow even though it was their actions that caused occupation by Zootopian forces.
At last, it was time for sleep. Nick enjoyed the warmth of his three mates as they covered his naked body. Jewel remained away from them due to her punishment. He wished the days would pass so he could embrace her once again.
Two days passed since the reveal. Nick and his mates were still under house arrest. No one would let them leave. They watched the world burn around them.
Jewel climbed up on the bed. "Nick, I've been good for the past four days. Can I cuddle with you?"
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Nick said. His mates were out of the room giving them time to be alone.
Jewel eagerly embraced Nick. "I've learned my lesson."
Nick recalled how she slept alone away from him while he enjoyed the comfort of her siblings. She behaved well enough during her probation despite shedding a few tears since they prohibited her from being intimate with him. He enjoyed her presence as she nuzzled him.
"I've missed you," he said.
Janna walked into the room with a scowl. "Nick, we need to talk, now."
"She's been good for the past four days." Nick glared at Janna.
"Really, I have," Jewel said.
"Come with me." Janna clenched her teeth.
"If you have something to say, you can say it here," Nick said.
She sighed. "Fine, this is how it's going to work: You won't have any contact with us for a week. You didn't even counsel with us before rewarding Jewel. She had one day left."
"Are you kidding me? She's been good for the past four days," Nick said.
"We promised there would be consequences for breaking the deal, and both of you did. Nick, you're supposed to help us in reforming her."
"But I thought she acted well enough to earn it. She also asked."
Jill and Judy entered the room interrupting their conversation. "Nick, why?" Judy said.
He repeated his reasons to them, while Jewel hugged him all the tighter.
"We let Jewel into the room acting as if we didn't know, to see what you would do," Jill said.
"You all knew?" Jewel asked. Her ears dropped.
"No contact with any of us for a week," Janna said.
"How am I going to survive?" He began panting while making a desperate plea. "You know my condition." They only recently weaned him off blood completely. He resumed grooming them as a method of feeding only today.
Everyone turned to Janna waiting for an answer. "I'm sorry, Nick," she said. "I didn't mean for you to think that way. Your life won't be in danger. We as in the three of us will avoid you for the week. We expect Jewel to do the same. We will still help you eat, but only that and nothing more."
"Isn't a week a bit harsh?" Judy said. "You never told us the specifics."
The siblings haggled among themselves down to three days without any input from Jewel. "It's your choice to interact with Jewel or not, but I personally don't like that. She is your weakness, Nick, and she's rather manipulative at that. You need to set firm rules instead of caving to her whims. Jewel, please stop being close to Nick for your own sake. Don't you want to prove?" Janna said.
Jewel reluctantly backed away. "I'm sorry," she said.
He was sad watching her distance herself from him. He stared at those red eyes yet again. "Are you all willing to do this?" Nick said. "This is rather extreme."
"You keep showing bias regarding her, Nick," Janna said. "It doesn't help her overcome her desires nor you in being fair to all of us. Don't try to spend time with us for the next three days. If you try to spend time with Jewel, you won't see us again."
"Are we going that far?" Judy asked. She seemed to have reservations about Janna's plans.
"What about the kit I'm going to have?" Jill asked.
"Do you care for Jewel? Do we want to help her change?" Janna asked. "This is the best way I can think of. Nick needs to learn to deny her. She needs to learn that rules are firm. Nothing should happen."
He watched his mates leave the room leaving him all alone. He spent time watching television as he saw the world collapse around him. They were safe but news regarding Bunnyburrow was a never-ending cycle of bloodshed.
Bunnyburrow surrendered officially, but soldiers that went to verify didn't all come out alive. Bunnyburrow itself avenged the deaths of innocent soldiers by killing everyone in a family down to the last mammal. They didn't even spare a single kit. Every time they reported a soldier missing, a family ceased to exist the very next day. Three soldiers went missing today, three families will go missing tomorrow.
Janna entered the room wearing an ugly outfit, a shirt with multi-colored squares that didn't mesh with her white fur at all. "It's time for lunch," she said in an emotionless voice. "Come."
He followed her to see Judy covered in food waiting for him. "Get on with it," Judy said icily.
"Do you have to act like this?" Nick asked.
"Well, are you hungry?" Judy said impatiently. He groomed her as he had before, but it felt different. She acted annoyed instead of enjoying the process like she usually did. It wasn't romantic but a methodical way to feed him. "Finally." She walked away without another word.
After a tense meal, he went to find his mother. He saw her in a room chatting with fifteen does yet again.
"We need to talk," his mother said. His mother led him to an empty room. "Sit." He sat down on a chair opposite to his mother. "The Zootopian legal system is far from ideal." She laughed. "Zack was telling the truth. I confirmed it with Chief Bogo, and Blair's personal story also corroborates the same issues."
"Am I supposed to hate Jewel? This revelation doesn't make me feel as it should," Nick said. He felt confusion despite knowing that Jewel killed his father.
"I knew for a while. If I wanted to get rid of Jewel, I would have gotten rid of her myself," Vivian said. "I just thought you should know to prevent any harmful surprises. It is your choice."
"He walked out on us in pursuit of his dreams."
"I know," she said. "There is no right or wrong, it's simply your choice. Love is rather irrational."
"But Jewel's a psychopath."
"And your mates are going to change her."
His voice faltered. "What am I supposed to do?"
Vivian hugged him. She stroked his head. "What your heart tells you to. I can tell your mates about this too."
"Can I tell them instead?"
"I'll give you a week, but nothing more. If you wish to get rid of your mates, all you need to do is ask."
"I don't even know if I want to get rid of Jewel."
His mother walked away, giving him much to think about. He paced around the hallways to clear his mind, but when it was time for his next meal, he still hadn't worked out his feelings. He felt he should feel more outrage, sadness, or something towards the revelation.
Another meal during his punishment wasn't to his satisfaction at all. He ate but Janna acted cold and distant during the normally intimate moments for them both. It was nourishment and nothing more. He kept his mother's revelation about his father to himself.
His mates genuinely avoided him throughout the day, but he also didn't try to find where they went even though he wanted their presence. He spent the day watching the news as usual while desperately wishing he could play a part again.
The news had no end to atrocities they reported. Bunnyburrow's families died by the wrath of their own kind since some chose to spill a drop of Zootopian blood.
It was the first time in forever that he had to sleep on a bed alone, despite how hard he tried, he wasted two hours without catching a wink. He knew they prohibited him from contacting them at all, but he felt it was worth the risk. He prowled across the lightless hallway all the way to where his mates were sleeping. Jewel slept slightly apart from her littermates.
"Wake up," he said. He tried to rouse them with his voice alone. They continued sleeping peacefully despite his efforts. He shook them gently with shaky paws with his heart dreading the outcome.
"Nick?" Janna rubbed the sleep from her blue eyes.
"I can't sleep. Can I please sleep all of you?" he begged. He wanted the comfort of their fur.
"Sure," Judy said.
"You're still in trouble," Jill said.
The rabbits made room for the fox to fit in between them. Jewel cried softly in the distance just loud enough for them to hear.
A/N: Bunnyburrow's just as vicious as ever. At least, they're holding their own fully accountable.
