A/N: Hey everyone! Welcome to my very first non-crossover original fic...and my first NSFW fic! ;)
Given 's guidelines, I don't think this type of Explicit fic is allowed here, but I'm going to sneak the first chapter here, just so you my followers can be aware of its existence and find it over at Archive of Our Own (AO3) in case you haven't seen my message on Tumblr.
This is the only chapter that will be here, the rest of this fic will be updated ONLY over at AO3, so you can find me with this same username, except that AO3 doesn't recognize the zero in my name. I appear as ZooCrossovers, with a lowercase O.
**Warning: As I mentioned, this is NOT a fic for younger readers! If you're below 18, this fic is not for you. There's lots and lots of Kulkum level NSFW content on here. No joke.
…
Primal Instincts, Savage Instincts
Chapter 1: Mating Season & Societal Expectations
Long, long before modern civilization and technology, but eons after the most feral of mammals walked the face of the earth on all fours...there came evolution.
"Ah, ah, ah, hahhh…"
And with evolution there came...changes.
"Mmm...grrrha!"
Some changes applied to everyone. Such as shifting from a quadrupedal gait, to a bipedal one. As well as the formation of fully functioning societies and the integration of clothes to cover up one's most intimate areas.
"Ha, ha, hmmn!"
But of course, that then left those things that applied to everyone…but saw change only in exceptional cases.
"Rrrrr! Rargh!"
Primal instincts…
"Ah! Haah! Haah!"
Instincts, that for better or worse dictated what was expected of each individual species.
"Ah! Ah! RRRRargh!
Instincts, that dictated the divide between predator and prey.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, AH! AH! HAAAAAAAHHHH!
Instincts...that drew a fine line between primal desire...and love.
.
"Hah...hah…hah…" heavy pants came from a young red fox couple after an exhaustive love making session. Knotted together, as nature intended of their species.
They weren't the only ones who were indulging in such a primal and natural act of nature, however. Everywhere around them, other predatory and carnivorous couples of varying species were also participating in the same act within their own caves and dens. The vast majority of them, about ninety-nine percent of them were paired up with their own species. The other one percent, mated with other predators that were not their own species, but close enough to it (it wasn't the most widely accepted thing, but it would happen on occasion in secrecy).
It was mating season for them and soon enough, the time would come for "The Night of Marking", which was a special day for predators. It marked both the final night of mating season and it was also the night when all predators who were of age would have to choose their life-long mate - to whom they would dedicate all of their mating and love to.
Many who had already chosen a suitable mate for themselves, were excited for the big day to come. The day in which mates would seal their unity and love through their natural instinct of marking one another.
Despite many being excited over the big day, there were others who were less than enthusiastic about it. They were those who were not yet ready to settle, or those who had been assigned a mate by their parents and weren't satisfied, or those who simply didn't care. Usually, there were two ways of coping with this stressful situation. Either they would sulk in their own depression or get in as much mating as possible with as many partners as possible before the big day would come.
Coping was one thing that varied from individual to individual, but then there was the pressure of society bearing down on them. By law, every predator within the ages of eighteen to twenty-one had to claim a mate to bear children with. If they did not by the time they were twenty-one, then they would be assigned a mate by the village elders. It was the way of the pack.
They had to serve some sort of purpose to their society.
The simplest of course, was to pass on their genes to bring in the next generation of carnivores. Then there was holding an occupation while raising kits, pups, cubs, etc.
Occupations that were considered commonplace and available to all carnivores were, fisher mammal, insect farmer/collector, soy and legume farmer, fur donator for clothes, fur stitcher, water collector, weapon maker, etc.
Less commonplace titles that carried their own individual restrictions were, savage fighters (predators who would fight for entertainment in a pit with all the savage gusto of a conscious yet feral predator), medicinal shamammal/ witch doctor, and the most prestigious of them all, Hunters.
The Hunters, much like the savage fighters, had no restrictions when it came to settling down. They were allowed to marry and have children at any age they wished, or they could remain single for the entirety of their lives and mate frivolously with any available female they desired.
As was expected of their name and nature as predators, their job was simple - hunt and catch prey animals. Once caught...a prey mammal's fate would depend on each individual predator tribe.
When it came to predator tribes, there were two types: non-meat eaters and meat eaters.
The non-meat eaters, hunted only for sport. The thrill of the hunt and to keep in touch with those old primal instincts that they had attempted to shed. As expected of their way of life, they refused to eat their prey. Instead, they would first showcase their successful hunt to the members of their village and then set their trophies back loose into the wild.
It was the way of life of all of the predators of the Cherryton Tribe. That is until the neighboring Tooth & Claw Tribe - meat eaters - decided to strike a deal with the Cherryton Tribe…
.
The red vixen who had been making love, covered herself with a fur blanket as her lover for the hour - a red tod with a white tipped tail and dark red tuft of hair - dressed himself. He lifted his loin-cloth, covering his sheath. He approached the red vixen as she collected some herbs for him.
"Mmm, that was great. Your reputation really precedes you, Scarlett," the tod wrapped his arms around the vixen.
The vixen hummed confidently. She turned to face him, looking at him with a seductive gaze, practically showcasing her voluptuous body to him all over again. "Well, that's my trade when you have nothing else to trade," she said in a sultry whisper, "Or else when I get a handsome customer like you."
The tod kissed her, and she returned it with just as much lascivious kiss only ceased when she pressed the small bag of herbs to his chest. "If my herbs don't help you get it up with your betrothed, then know that you can come back to me anytime to help you with that," she whispered seductively to his mouth.
The tod smirked, "Maybe I should marry you instead of her."
"Hmm," the vixen hummed smugly. "Maybe, but you know that shamammals and witch doctors aren't allowed to marry," She pouted playfully. She led him out of her hut, "But that's alright, I don't need to be married to experience a good tod. Even if I'm not supposed to," she giggled promiscuously.
"I'll be back next week to...let you know how the herbs worked," the tod said with a wink.
"I look forward to it," she said, returning the wink. The tod left with a satisfied wave as another red fox tod approached her. She greeted him and led the eager tod inside her hut with a seductive wave of her tail.
A dwarf fennec fox passed by the hut, he lifted his nose to smell as if searching for something or someone, but all he could smell was the musk of all of the love making going on around him. He snorted, rejecting the musky smells.
Finnick, the miniature fox in question moved away from the hut and closer toward the woods, away from the village. He sniffed at the sky, finally pinpointing the smell he was looking for. "There you are."
The short fox headed into the woods.
Hidden away deep in the woods, a young red fox tod snored, sound asleep. He rolled to his side and began to kick his legs as if he was running. He yipped and whimpered at first, but then bared his teeth and started snarling.
Deep in his mind he dreamt…
In his mind he saw himself running on all fours, his black tipped tail waving elegantly with his graceful motions. A savage snarl and a hungry trail of drool decorated his mouth, meanwhile his emerald green irises glowed against the vicious red sclera of his eyes. He was quite plainly nothing more but a wild animal in the dark sketchy night.
At first he didn't know what he was chasing after, all he knew was that he had his mind set on catching whatever it was that lay in the distance ahead of him. As he got closer and closer to his prize, the further and further behind he began leaving the dark forest.
He soon found himself running in nothing but white surroundings. His prey, slowly coming into view. He couldn't exactly make out what it was, but he could see the silhouettes of two long stalks over a small hill, pointing upward in the distance. It was funny, but if he didn't know better, he could almost swear that they looked like...ears…
"Nick? Nick? Nick!"
"Huh?!" the red fox sat up, being pulled from his sleep by a familiar deep voice. "Finnick?" he said, referring to the small fennec fox.
"The hell you doin'?"
"What do you mean?" Nick asked, rubbing his eyes awake.
"You're sleeping in the middle of the woods, growling and kicking in your sleep, that's what I mean."
"Oh, that." Nick yawned and stretched, "Guess, I was just having a bad dream."
"Bad dream?" asked the small fennec.
"Yeah. Kind of a weird dream actually," Nick said, quietly rubbing his head in thought. It was clear that his dream had deeply disturbed him in some way.
"What the heck are you doing out here anyway?" Finnick asked suddenly, taking Nick away from his thoughts.
"Huh?"
"I thought you'd be back at the village mating like everybody else," said Finnick.
Nick smirked, shaking off his strange dream. "I was thinking the same thing about you," Nick stood, dusting off his loin cloth and fur, "Except I just remembered that children aren't allowed to mate." The taller fox smirked smugly.
"Hey! Crack another joke like that again, and I'll bite your face off!" threatened the shorter fox with a snarl.
Nick chuckled, humored. "Right. So how are things back at the village? Are they done yet? Kind of want to head back without the overpowering smell of musk from mammals in heat destroying my nose."
"Yeah, I get what you mean. Seems like ever'body wants to mate at the exact same time during the first day of mating season."
"So what are you doing out here, Finn?" Nick asked.
"Same as you. I just had to get out of there. Can't stand the smell if I'm not participating."
"Couldn't get a fennec vixen to mate with you?" Nick asked.
"Nah. All the good one are either always taken or they're just too stuck up," Finnick waved it off as if there was something left unsaid that annoyed him to the core.
"Let me guess, by stuck up, you mean that they thought you were a kit?" Nick grinned playfully while Finnick tried to charge him.
"What'd I tell you?!" the little fox tried to jump up and scratch him, but a laughing Nick held him at bay with an arm.
"Alright, alright, relax," Nick gently shoved him back as Finnick calmed himself down.
"Puh," Finnick scoffed, "Whatever, let's just head back. I think they're just about done. Besides, I heard the Hunters should be returning soon. I want to see the trophies they're bringing in this time around."
"Oh yeah, the Hunters. Wonder what they caught this time around."
The two started heading back to the village.
.
Elsewhere...miles away from Cherryton and the other predator tribes...were the Prey tribes…
The Deerbrook Tribe was one such tribe.
Out in the blueberry fields, several bunnies and other prey animals picked blueberries by the basketful. Around them, giggling bunny kits and young deer fawns ran happily, splashing and playing in the recently rain soaked fields.
It was a truly peaceful scene.
Amongst the many berry picking prey mammals was Judy, a pretty gray bunny doe with amethyst colored eyes. She wore a two piece loincloth as did most of the females in the village. She also wore a red flower on her left ear.
The young eighteen year old bunny happily picked berries alongside several other bunny does and a couple of bucks. Some water splashed her way.
"Agh! Tom! Don't splash!" Judy scolded her bratty nine year old brother. "We're working."
"But we're playing here. It's not our fault that you have to do boring work."
"Well in that case, no blueberries for you," Judy said, lifting her head with a confident, "Hmmph!" that had her brother singing a different tune.
"No, no, no. I'll be good," he sheepishly backed away and started to play much more calmly with his brothers and sisters. "See?"
"That's better," Judy told her brother before he started moving further away. "And remember not to wander off too far!"
She resumed her berry picking when a striped hare who sat behind her spoke to her. "That Tom is quite the wily one isn't he?"
"Yeah, he's always been a bit of a trouble maker," Judy turned to face him as she picked berries. "So how have things been with you Jack? Have you chosen a suitable hare to be your wife yet?"
"Uh...well no, not yet. Although, I was thinking of perhaps asking Isabelle." Jack looked further down the assembly line of rabbits and hares as he spotted a pretty fully black female hare with tall ears.
Judy smiled, happy for her long time neighbor and childhood friend. "Well she is pretty and sweet. She'd make a fine wife for you."
"Yes, I would hope so," Jack smiled.
"Have you made her a bracelet yet to propose to her?"
"Well, I started making her this," Jack pulled out a half-finished bracelet. "But I have yet to finish it and I'm not sure if it's pretty enough," Jack chuckled with a blush of embarrassment. "Perhaps you could help me with it? It might need a doe's touch."
"Sure, I don't mind helping you."
"Thank you Judy." Judy nodded and Jack put his bracelet back in a pouch that he had attached to his loincloth. "Oh, by the way, have you been proposed to yet Judy?"
"Me?" she asked, a bit shocked at the thought.
"Yes, you," Jack asked with a kind hearted chuckle, "Has anyone proposed to you yet? I'd find it hard to believe for no one to have asked you. You're very kind and beautiful. Why if I weren't so in love with Isabelle and if I had been born a rabbit instead of a hare, I certainly at the very least would have considered you."
Judy smiled, "That's very kind of you to say Jack." Judy grew hesitant for a moment before she spoke again, "I... I have been asked by a few bucks already."
"You have? But you don't have a bracelet."
"That's because, I... turned them all down."
Jack's eyes widened in shock. "Why did you do that?"
"Well, for one, I wasn't interested in most of them. Though, there was one that I truly was interested in."
"Really? Who?" Jack asked curiously.
"Harvey the warrior from the lower burrows," Judy said with a blush.
"Harvey, the mighty warrior? The one who is said to have brought down a fox with his bare paws?"
"Yeah, him," Judy said glumly.
"He's the envy of every male and the object of practically every bunny's affection. What happened between you two that made you reject him?"
Judy moved closer to Jack and whispered, "Can you please keep this quiet? I don't want my parents or siblings to find out."
"Yes, of course, you can trust me."
Judy sighed, "When he asked me, I thought it was a dream come true. Just like you said, he's a brave champion who's conquered predators! He even offered me a bracelet with the fox he brought down's tooth in it, but then...when he had me alone…"
Judy thought back on her experience…
He had asked me to meet him just outside the village, below the big apple tree surrounded by the rhododendron bushes. It was such a romantic spot when I look back on it. Everything went well at first. He offered me the bracelet and I accepted! But then...
Harvey pressed Judy up against the apple tree and started getting a little too frisky with a very hesitant Judy. "Come on Judy, just relax," he said as his paw went dangerously high up her leg.
"H-Harvey wait, please. I-I'm not read-!"
He suddenly slammed her uncaringly to the ground onto the cool grass, pressing his body weight on top of her. "Come on! You accepted my proposal! That means that you're mine now, so what does it matter now if we mate, Judy?"
"It matters because I'm not ready!" she screamed back.
"Not ready?! What kind of a rabbit are you, Judy? I chose you over every other doe in this village to provide me with children. This is our purpose for mating, so relax and let me make you officially mine," he pressed his nether regions hard and close against Judy's, forcing her to moan and blush. "Don't you like me? Doesn't it feel good? Come on Judy, be a good doe and wife." He kept stroking himself against her, each time more forceful than the last, "Judy, Judy…"
"Harvey…" Judy blushed wanting to give in, but something about the whole ordeal didn't feel right. He was right in that she wanted it. Her primal urges as a rabbit begged her for it, and she did like him. Or at least, she thought she did. But no, her reasoning kept telling her that this was wrong. "N-No! Harvey, stop!" Judy reworked her knees and kicked him square in his buck-hood.
Harvey yelped in pain and held himself, while Judy stood away from him, completely disgusted and horrified. Judy practically tore off the bracelet from her wrist and threw it on the ground. "I'm sorry Harvey," she cried with tears in her eyes, "I can't accept!" She ran off as Harvey tried to lunge at her.
"You stupid-Get out of here! I've got a long string of does who are far more desperate to mate than you! You horrible excuse for a rabbit!"
Those words echoed in Judy's ears even after so many days since the incident.
Jack stared at Judy with wide eyes, "Are you saying he tried to force himself on you? Why that-Where is he?!" Jack said with all the protective nature of a pseudo older brother.
"It's okay Jack. I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather forget about it." Jack placed a comforting paw over Judy's shoulder. She sighed, "You know, what hurt the most though? It wasn't the fact that I liked him, but the things he said. That I'm a disappointment as a doe and a rabbit just because I'm not as eager to mate as other does are."
"Well, I wouldn't say that that's not a little peculiar," said Jack as Judy eyed daggers at him. "Uh...hehe, I mean for a rabbit or hare in general. I know mating is a very difficult thing to deny for our kind when the opportunity is presented. It's something we simply cannot deny. But that being said, that doesn't make Harvey's actions any less despicable. So your actions were greatly justified."
Judy smiled, "Thank you Jack."
Jack nodded, "Besides, living up to our most primitive instincts may also bring about an equal amount of scrutiny."
"What do you mean?"
"Well…" Jack gazed upward to the other row of blueberry bushes across from them.
Judy followed his gaze toward another rabbit. It was a white Netherland dwarf rabbit, named Haru. She was innocently picking berries just like everyone else when a half white and half black Harlequin rabbit named Mizuchi and her gang of rabbits kicked Haru's basket of berries and then shoved her to the ground before she could get a word in. They laughed mockingly, "Who knew dirt would be such a good color for your fur Haru!" Hahaha!"
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" called out the ever so righteous hearted Judy, wanting to interfere, until Jack pulled her by the arm and sat her back down. Judy turned to him furiously, "Jack, why are you stopping me?!"
"Don't you know who that is? That's Haru. Of all the does in our village, she's the most...how should I put this? Most in tune with her rabbit instincts."
"What?" Judy asked, not understanding.
"What I mean is that she's the opposite of what Harvey said about you. Haru is known to mate with every male that crosses her path, including Mizuchi's betrothed. That's why she's attacking her. She violated the laws of claiming a mate. So I'm afraid she's in the wrong."
"Oh," Judy said, turning back only to spectate the scene and yet do nothing about it.
"See Haru, you mate stealer. That's what you get for tracking the good name of rabbits in the mud!" said Mizuchi.
"Yeah, you get pushed into the mud," added one of Mizuchi's friends as they bursted out in laughter.
"You there!" called an authoritative masculine voice.
The Harlequin rabbit and her friends immediately silenced as a tall, handsome, and commanding red deer buck named Louis approached them. "Just what is going on here?" He said, standing beside the dwarf rabbit.
Louis, thought Haru with sparkling eyes as she gazed at the buck who had come to her aid.
The other rabbits trembled in his presence. As they should have, as he was the Deerbrook Tribe's brave young leader. "Don't you does have some berries to pick?" he said with a commanding tone.
"Y-Yes sir, s-sorry sir." The gang of does immediately dispersed back to their posts.
Louis meanwhile, turned to the dwarf rabbit on the ground, "Are you alright?"
"Yes," she replied meekly, yet in awe, "Thank you, Louis."
Louis nodded, then turned to Judy and Jack and approached them. "You two. Don't think I haven't noticed you two slacking off and just conversing the entire time." Judy and Jack flinched in fear, "I think you two have collected enough berries. Take them to the collection basket so the larger mammals can take them into the village."
"Yes, sir," Judy said, lowering her gaze in his presence, "And sorry for talking so much."
"As you should be." Judy and Jack were about to leave when Louis stopped them again, "Oh and one more thing, next time you see one of your own getting tortured, I expect you to show some backbone and help."
"Bu-" Judy wanted to explain her lack of action to him, but Louis continued.
"And that goes for all of you!" he spoke loudly so all could hear. "Whenever you see another prey animal being tortured by anyone! Be it by a predator or your own kind, I expect you all to help! That is your duty as an herbivore! For our strength lies in our numbers! And I don't want to hear excuses!"
He looked at Judy at that last sentence, causing her to lower her head in shame.
"Now all of you get to work! We have a long harvest to collect for, so I expect you all to work hard!" he ordered as he continued moving down the line. Haru watched him go, before she started picking up her now muddied blueberries.
Judy and Jack meanwhile, carried their baskets over to a line where other prey mammals waited in line. Those who were at the front of each line were pouring their blueberries into a large basket so elephants could take them back into the village. The last elephant had just left carrying one of the big baskets.
"That was rather humiliating," said Jack.
"Yeah, but I can't say that we didn't deserve it. We should have helped her, regardless of what she did to that harlequin rabbit," Judy said in shame.
"I suppose so," Jack reluctantly agreed, "Still, though I am a hare, it would seem rather...inappropriate for a male like me to be defending her. Others may get the impression that I am one of those many bucks or jacks who have slept with her. Particularly, during this time of year."
"The need to mate can't be that bad, can it? Well, at least not for rabbits, seeing how we're always in heat," Judy argued. "This time of year, shouldn't make me or someone like Harvey behave any differently by instinct alone."
"On the contrary, believe it or not, simply because your species is in constant heat, that doesn't mean that you can't lose yourself to your instincts. Like any animal, we have a strong natural desire for something. For both our species, it's our need to mate and for those of us who don't express it quite as enthusiastically as Haru or Harvey, it can be quite blinding."
"Blinding?" Judy asked.
"Much like you Judy, I don't express my desires, which is uncommon when you consider that old 'Mad as a March hare' adage. And...because of that, there have been times where I purposely avoid Isabelle at all costs. Because if I don't, then I know that I may pounce on her without a second thought and...well, do to her what Harvey tried to do to you."
Judy's mouth gaped in awe. "But, that can't be. I've known you since we were children, Jack. I know you would never claim Isabelle by force like that."
"You would think so, but I can recall a few times when I felt my mind go blank in front of her and thought of nothing else but mating. It's such a strange, compulsive feeling. Though I suppose I can understand it." Jack chuckled, "What male can resist such a temptation around the female he loves?"
"Loves?" Judy echoed quietly. She thought back on Harvey's behavior. An uncontrollable blindness around a female he loves? Could-Could Harvey have just gone blind by instinct because-because he loves me so much? Was I in the wrong to reject him?
"Judy! Jack!" called a male voice, taking Judy away from her thoughts. A white young male alpaca approached them.
"Oh, hey Tem!" Judy greeted him.
"Hi guys. Have you by any chance seen Els?" he asked them. "I kind of...need to ask her something important." He said, nervously rubbing a hoof behind his head.
"Huh?" Judy glanced behind Tem. Her eyes widened, "Tem, is that a bracelet?"
"Oh! Uh...hehe, y-yeah. I was...kind of hoping to propose to her," he said with a blush.
"Aww, Tem…" said Judy, placing a paw to her chest.
"Very nice, old boy," added Jack.
"Thanks guys. I've been wanting to ask her for quite a while now, but it was just never the right time. But now, now I think it's the perfect moment, to tell her my feelings." Tem brought forth the beautifully decorated bracelet and held it in his hooves with pride.
While Judy and the others waited in line, her brother Tom and other younger siblings wandered past the blueberry bushes and into the tall trees of the surrounding forest.
They giggled playfully without a care in the world until Judy's seven year old sister, Rebecca, stopped before running into the woods. "Wait, Tom! We can't play here! Judy said we can't go far!"
"Ah, Judy says a lot of things," replied the troublemaking kit as he ran deeper into the forest. "Come on! Stop being a baby! I know a really fun game we can all play!"
"But…" Rebecca tried to argue, but followed her brother and the other children into the forest.
Tom took a position on top of a rock and talked to the other children. "Alright! I'm the chief of the mountain so I get to pick the game."
Some of the other children groaned in response.
"Why do you get to be Chief of the Mountain?" complained his younger brother, Drew.
"Because, I'm on top of the mountain," said Tom, pointing to the rock beneath his feet. "Now, I think we should all play, predators and prey."
"Predators and prey? That sounds scary," said his younger four year old sister Sophie as she hid behind Rebecca.
"It's not scary, it's fun!" said their neighbor and close friend, a small gray bunny named Thumper - appropriately named after his habit of thumping his foot for nearly every occasion. "Isn't it Bambi? Faline?" he asked his two friends, a male fawn with brown eyes and a female fawn with blue eyes.
"I guess it could be fun," replied Bambi.
"I think it'll be fun if you think it's fun, Bambi," Faline said flirtatiously to Bambi.
"Of course it'll be fun!" announced Tom. "So here's how it'll be...me, Thumper, Drew and Bambi will be the predators and Rebecca, Faline, and Sophie will be prey."
"Hey that's not fair! Only the girls are prey!" complained Rebecca.
"Too bad, my game, my rules," argued her brother. "Alright, now get in your teams!"
As Tom announced the rules, someone around them, breathed heavily...watching them...with hungry eyes.
The children scattered around nearby. The boys hid behind some brush and rocks, while the girls huddled together in a small open area, keeping their eyes and ears open to see from which direction the boys would surprise them. As they waited, a heavy and rather large silhouette dashed past them around the tall trees.
Snap!
Little Sophie's ears perked, scanning the noise, "W-What was that?"
"Ugh, it's probably just Tom trying to scare us," said Rebecca.
They heard a low growl come from behind a large bush.
All three girls' ears dropped in fear. "T-That didn't sound like Tom," said Faline with a tremble.
"Oh come on, it has to be him," reasoned Rebecca as even she began to grow uneasy. The growling continued. Doing her best, to put on a brave face, Rebecca approached the bush, "Okay Tom, that's enough! If we're gonna play, then you can't be scaring us like th-"
A fully grown, dark red fox with a scar over his eyes suddenly lunged at the small kit - fangs and claws first.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The kit's scream echoed all throughout the forest and the blueberry fields. Judy, Jack, Tem, Haru, and everyone else at the fields turned to face the tall trees from where the scream came from.
Just then the children, including Rebecca, burst free from between the trees and ran toward everyone else in the fields.
"Predators! PREDATORS!" cried the children in fear.
Several different predators suddenly burst out from behind the children as they chased after them and any other prey that may have gotten in their way. All of the predators were canines. There were two red foxes, a black wolf, a brown wolf, a coyote, and a maned wolf. All of the predators were armed with nets, small cages, or rope to catch prey with.
As expected of their instincts as prey, they all immediately scattered, abandoning their berry baskets and running every which way possible to escape the predators that were after them. Little Thumper and some of the other rabbits began thumping their feet to the ground, further alerting everyone of the danger.
In all the mayhem, Judy fought through some of the fleeing prey to get to her younger siblings, "Tom! Rebecca! Drew! Sophie!"
It was difficult to move around in all the commotion, some prey were so terrified that they were just bumping into one another in their desperation to flee, some searched for their loved ones, others ran clean away from the area in an attempt to escape, smaller animals tried hiding underneath flipped over baskets or tried digging escape routes underground, while others completely froze in their tracks and had no idea what to do or where to go - as was the case with Isabelle, who stood in place, petrified. She had no idea what to do or where to go.
"Isabelle!" Jack called out as he managed to spot her in the midst of the chaos.
She turned to him, "Jack!"
He ran to her and grabbed her by the paw, leading her back toward the village and away from the danger.
Tem tried to wrestle his way past other villagers.
"Move!" cried another villager, desperate to move past him. The desperate villager crashed into the young alpaca, dropping him to the ground and forcing him to drop the bracelet he had made for his betrothed.
"No!" he cried desperately trying to crawl towards it to retrieve it, but it kept getting kicked away from him. It finally landed on an open spot and Tem smiled. He'd finally be able to get it back-!
Just as he was about to reach for it, two massive black furred feet, planted themselves before him. Tem slowly looked up and saw a large black wolf looming over him. "Well, well, what have we here? An alpaca? You will make a fine trophy for me."
The wolf took his net and tossed it over the alpaca.
Others were also being picked up left and right. One small black and white rabbit kit hid under a turned over blueberry basket and hid under it. The little kit could hear and partially see all of the commotion through the creases in the basket. He was so terrified, but he hoped that he would be safe underneath the basket.
He was wrong.
A moment later, natural light invaded as a red fox with a black and white tail picked him up by the ears and threw him into a small wooden cage. "Got one!" he cheered victoriously.
Haru, like all the others, tried to run back to the village. She ran among a small group of rabbits, when a brown wolf blocked their path. "Going somewhere bunnies?" he mocked. The small group tried to backtrack, as did Haru when she was accidentally pushed down to the ground by the frightened group. The wolf chuckled, finding her now all alone. "I guess strength in numbers doesn't apply to you, eh?"
The wolf lunged at her with the net when…
Ram!
Louis scooped the wolf with his mighty antlers and sent him flying backwards. "Agh!" yelped the wolf in pain.
"Louis!" called Haru to him. The small group of rabbits that were just a few short feet away from Haru stopped to look back at him in awe.
Louis glared at them, "What are you doing, you cowards! Where is your strength in numbers! Help her and get out of here!"
"Ah, right!" they called out and helped Haru up. They ran together toward the village. As Haru ran, she looked back at Louis in awe, Louis...
"Come on," Louis challenged the wolf. "It's easy to go after the weak! But I won't go down so easily!"
The wolf sat up, holding his back in pain, "You damn stag. You really think you're tough enough to face me?!" The wolf tossed the net aside and charged at Louis, who charged in return.
As those two fought, Judy still cried desperately for her siblings in the midst of the chaos. "Rebecca! Tom!"
"Judy!" cried her siblings and their friends as they ran towards her. She ran to them and huddled them together in front of her, while taking Sophie in her arms.
"Hurry!" Judy cried, trying to lead them back to the village when all of a sudden the dark red fox from before blocked their path.
"Going somewhere?" he teased maliciously. He sniffed the air and his gaze fell right on Rebecca. Judy followed the fox's gaze to her sister, who she only now noticed, had a scratch at her shoulder. "Ah, so there you are my little trophy." Rebecca hid behind Judy with a whimper. "Come on, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to whisk you away back to my village and then you'll be able to come home and...well, I guess I can't guarantee that you'll come back home," he laughed.
Judy angrily hid the children behind her. "You're not taking my sister anywhere!"
"Oh so you're volunteering Mama Rabbit? Even better! You'll definitely bring me better points than a kit."
Judy and the children took a step back as she searched around for something to use against the fox. There was nothing really useful, just a bunch of baskets full of blueberries. Better than nothing, I suppose….Judy thought.
"Tom, I want you to take everyone back to the village. Do you hear me?"
"But what about you?" asked the frightened kit of his older sister.
"Just do what I say. Go!"
Without any room for argument, Tom led the other kits and fawns away. "Sending the kits away, so that I can have you. Sorry to tell you bunny, but first rule of foxes, we're sneaky untrustworthy devils!"
The fox charged after the kits instead of Judy. "No! Leave them alone!" Judy yelled, grabbing a basket full of berries and tossing it hard over to the fox who was now mid air, lunging toward the children. It was a direct hit! The basket worked enough as a distraction to knock him clean out of the air.
"What the-?" The fox touched the blueberry smears staining his face as the small kits and fawns took advantage of the situation and ran away.
"Bambi!"
"Mother!" he heard young Bambi yell as he and the rest of the children met up with his and Faline's mothers.
The angry fox turned back to Judy, "You! You let my trophies get away! Just for that, I'll be sure that you're today's sacrifice when I drag you back to my village!" Judy gasped in fear and ran away as the fox made chase after her.
Judy ran hectically through the blueberry fields as the fox did not let up on her. He was fast. Too fast. She had to resort to running on all fours just to dodge him. That unfortunately did not deter the fox. He too began running on all fours and quickly gained speed. Judy looked back and saw him and his bared fangs approaching. In a panic, Judy desperately made a sharp turn, but the mud from the water soaked fields caused her to trip, just as the fox slammed a hard paw over her chest and pinned her to the muddy ground.
"Ah!" Judy yelped in pain as the fox hovered over her. Her nose wiggled wildly in fear as she squirmed and wriggled under his weight. "No! Please! Don't eat me!" she pleaded.
"Oh don't worry, I'm not going to eat you." The fox placed a paw over Judy's left cheek and ever so gently, sunk his claws in. Judy whimpered in pain as tears left her eyes. Her left cheek stinging as the fox slowly dragged his claws across her cheek. "I just want to torture you, really, really slowly…"
"Ah!" Judy groaned quietly, frozen in fear and searing pain, as the fox laughed sadistically over her.
The pain felt never ending...until…
THWACK!
"Agh!" screamed the fox in pain when a large elephant trunk knocked him off of Judy.
Judy looked up and saw a large female elephant come to her aid. "Francine?"
"Get out of here Judy! We elephants will take care of this!" Just as Francine said, Judy saw that the large basket collecting elephants arrived, alongside five of the village's mighty Warriors!
The Warriors consisted of mammals of all sizes. There were rabbits, hares, rhinos, zebras, deers, sheep, etc.
At this moment however, the Warriors that were present were all hares. They shot arrows and threw spears in the direction of the predators as the elephants tried to scare them off with their massive sizes.
Judy watched as Francine threatened to step on the fox that had scarred her face. The fox kept acting like he wanted to find a way around the large elephant but Francine wouldn't let up. She kept stomping her feet and swinging her trunk with an aggressive trumpeting sound. It was when she almost stepped on him that the fox finally decided to retreat, but not before giving Judy a dirty look . "I'll be after you next time! Now that I've marked you as my prey with that mark!" he grinned wickedly before running away in the opposite direction and yelling to his fellow predators, "Retreat! Retreat!"
The other fox and black wolf immediately obeyed, taking their spoils with them. The maned wolf had just barely finished collecting a lamb and took off when a spear grazed his arm. The coyote carried a net with two small three year old kits in it when an arrow struck his calf, forcing him to drop the net. The small kits immediately ran out of the net as an elephant charged toward the coyote. "Axel! Help!" called the coyote to the maned wolf who ran past him. The maned wolf stopped and helped his limping friend flee just as an arrow nearly struck him, instead penetrating a tree. In his shock the maned wolf released the net with the lamb in it, allowing the lamb the opportunity to flee. The two angry predators limped away, unable to recover their prey.
Elsewhere, a scarred Louis was just about to gore the brown wolf on the ground as the wolf kept wrestling against his antlers to keep him at bay. The stronger and older wolf managed to shove Louis' antlers away from him and ram them hard against the ground.
Much to Louis' dismay, a hard crack was heard that vibrated right to the base of his skull. He hissed in pain and grabbed his antlers, terrified at the thought that they may have broken clean off from his head. The brown wolf loomed over him, causing the normally brave Louis to actually crawl backwards in fear.
The now helpless deer's eyes widened, terrified of what may result between him and the much stronger predator.
Fortune was on Louis' side however, as a bull elephant smacked the wolf away. It took the wolf a second to recover, but the minute he looked up and saw the elephant, he immediately cowered in fear at his massive size. The wolf took a few steps back, then glared at Louis, "Can't fight your own battles? You weak herbivore!"
Louis' eyes widened in shock, or rather embarrassment at the wolf's words. The wolf then ran away back into the woods just behind his fellow predators.
And just like that, the predators were gone. They disappeared as fast as they had appeared.
There was silence for a moment as the few remaining prey mammals out in the field came out of hiding - wondering who had been taken and who had been left behind.
Both Louis and Judy alike were able to hear crying and the conversations of worried mammals all around them.
"Mama!" cried a frightened young fawn as he ran to his mother's arms.
"Are you alright?" asked one of the warriors to a female hare and her leverets.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.
"Checkers?" called a worried black and white patterned mother rabbit, "Checkers!"
Louis sat in place, looking traumatized and holding his antlers, which had begun to bleed at the base.
The bull elephant which had saved him extended a trunk to him to help him up, but Louis refused. He huffed in anger and stood on his own, still holding his antlers to keep the elephant from noticing the blood on his head.
"Louis?" asked the old elephant when he saw his tribe's brave leader just walk past him without a word.
Louis paused for a moment, not bothering to face the elephant. "Round up everyone and take them back to the village. Do a headcount."
"Yes, sir. But where are you going?" asked the elephant.
"You were given an order, now follow it! Don't worry about me."
"Uh...yes, sir," conceded the elephant, not bothering to question him further.
Judy sat on her knees in the mud, facing downward, still in shock over what happened. A drop of blood fell on her knee, which caused her to gasp in shock. She very slowly brought a trembling paw over her cheek and viewed it with wide horrified eyes. Her paw was covered in blood.
Her elephant friend named Francine approached her, noticing that the bunny was trembling. "Hey Judy, are you okay?"
But Judy said nothing, all she could do was cry quietly and helplessly.
…
A/N: Remember, this will be the only chapter available here for this fic. Any future updates will be done only over at AO3. You can also find the link to it over at my Tumblr or just look for me and the title. Also, don't forget to look for updates at my Tumblr!