Hello all,

I had hoped to get this chapter up sooner, but it has been a rough few weeks.

However, I managed to get it done and sent off to my lovely Beta Marie Allen, who as always, is amazing! If anyone has any interest in Hey Arnold fanfic, Marie is writing an amazing fic called Jungle Fever and I encourage everyone to go check it out.

Thank you as always to my amazing readers and thank you for all of the support and to everyone who has left a review!

And now, please enjoy!

Chapter 23

Judy slid, her foot squelching in a patch of mud as she leapt over the deep furrows that had been clawed into the earth.

She could hear them coming, heaving pants of exertion, snarling bays of excitement, and the cruel snapping of sharp-toothed jaws.

Lungs burning, muscles screaming, heart threatening to burst from her chest, she knew she wasn't going to make it.

The woods would have offered her some amount of cover, places to hide, and varied objects to use to her advantage, but as it was, she was going to have to try to outmaneuver the savage mammals on a nearly uniform surface.

She needed to think; gain, steal, and cheat to obtain any advantage she could, because she refused to die here.

Judy felt guilt twist in her gut, and even though she knew the emotion did little to help her, she couldn't stop the leaden emotion from sitting in her stomach.

She had done what she had sworn she would never do again: leave Nick behind.

It didn't matter that logically she knew she had no choice, she couldn't have stayed, Nick's terrified order for her to run still echoing in her mind, but she was unable to convince herself that she hadn't just betrayed him.

Unable to resist glancing over her shoulder, she nearly stumbled, the dread and horror that filled her making her knees go painfully weak at the sight of the two mammals who were almost upon her.

Believing they were under the influence of a drug much like if not the same as the Nighthowler serum, she had not realized how very wrong she was in this assumption.

Red eyes caught the moonlight, jaws dripped with saliva, and claws dug into the damp earth as quivering muscles pushed the deadly mammals ever closer.

Although she had been fearful when Mr. Manchas had attacked her and Nick, nothing compared to the absolute terror she now felt at looking into the feral red eyes that bore into her.

On a visceral level, she knew that if the wolverine and hyena reached her, she would not just be killed, but completely torn to pieces. There might not even be enough of her left to identify, and this thought alone gave her the strength to push her already strained and flagging muscles faster.

Throat burning from her heaving breaths, a coppery tang in her mouth, she leapt vertically, claws digging with brutal ease through her thigh.

Letting out a pained cry, she landed on the wolverine's back, slipping off to the side, and avoiding the jaws of the hyena. Rolling beneath the two larger predators, she scrambled forward, her feet slipping on wet grass, pain lancing through her leg as she desperately tried to make it to the treeline.

Teeth snapped at her back, catching her shirt and yanking her back. Twisting, she dropped to the ground and kicked the hyena in the snout with her good leg.

The hyena opened its jaws just enough that she was able to rip the fabric free, the wolverine clamping down hard on her right arm.

Whimpering, she brought her left arm around, punching him in the eye, but the wolverine didn't release her. Jamming her fingers up its nostrils, it unhinged its jaw and she tore her arm from its canines.

Slamming her foot into the side of its head, she grabbed a fist full of fur from the wolverine's muzzle and launched herself over the side of the predator, twisting its head and rolling him over.

Dashing forward, she ran as fast as she could, blood seeping through her jeans as she darted back and forth in a zig-zag pattern, managing to avoid the jaws of the hyena that was snapping right at her heels.

Adrenalin pumping through her veins, she ignored her injuries, hoping they weren't as bad as she suspected they were.

A flash of something to her left caught her attention, moonlight briefly illuminating ochre and crimson before her line of sight was obscured by the bush she dove into.

The raspberry bush did not stop the wolverine or the hyena, but it slowed them down as she tore through the thorny bushes.

Breaking though to the other side of the cluster, she scanned the terrain, wanting to get to higher ground, preferably in a tree, but she had to find one that she could climb.

Which would take time she didn't have.

She needed to be able to leap up, but she was severely hampered by her injured leg and arm.

Even if she managed to get into a tree, she wasn't sure if it would do much good. She would leave the hyena behind, but the wolverine would easily follow her.

Diving into a rose bush, her skin lacerated by the thorns, she burst out the other side, sliding under a fallen log as a high-pitched yelp of pain echoed through the night.

Not sure what had happened and not daring to look over her shoulder to find out, she was distracted by the sound of moving water.

Veering to the left, she followed a slick, moss covered rocky path that led to a creek.

Glancing back, she didn't see her pursuers, though she could still hear them; growling, whimpering yips and snarls as well as rustling leaves and snapping branches reverberating around her.

The sudden crack of wood followed by the sound of a tree falling and crashing to the ground caused her to momentarily pause in her headlong flight, listening intently to the silence that filled the surrounding area.

Hearing nothing, she surged forward, slipping on slick stones, and falling into the creek. Swallowing a gasp agony as her injuries throbbed painfully, the shock of cold water drenching her body caused her to quickly drag herself to her feet. Fighting to stay standing, she stumbled through the icy water that flowed over her feet.

Pressing forward, she continued to falter and lose her footing on the rocks as she darted in and out of the water, trying to leave more than a few false trails to confuse the predators that still tailed her.

Busting from the bushes behind her, Judy let out screech of terror. Leaping from the creek, the hyena followed closely behind her.

Quickly zig-zagging right and left, she leapt upon a large rock, using the height and momentum to propel her forward and upwards, catching the branch of a maple tree.

Struggling to pull herself up, the hyena smashed into the trunk of the tree, trying to dislodge her.

Digging her claws into the bark she forced herself to throw her injured leg over the branch, pulling herself up so that she straddled the tree limb, holding on tightly as the hyena continued his assault.

Swallowing roughly, her heart pounding in her chest, she realized that although relatively safe for the moment, she was essentially trapped and she had no idea where the wolverine was, but knew that she had to move before he found her and followed her to her precarious perch.

The hyena nearly dislodged her from the branch, another jolt of agony tearing through her and she heard the snapping of branches as a darkened shape leapt from the underbrush, slamming into the hyena.

Ochre fur revealed by the light of the moon gave her hope, her heart leaping in her chest she stared down at her partner.

"Nick," she breathed out in relief, the hyena easily recovering from the sudden attack causing her heart, that much abused organ, to twist in fear.

"Nick!" she shouted in warning, momentarily forgetting her partner was deaf as the hyena rounded on him.

Crimson orbs, showing nothing but savage bloodlust, were raised at her voice and she forgot to breathe.

"Nick?" she whispered in horror, her heart filling with dread.

Muzzle stained scarlet, canines bared in a feral snarl, Nick launched himself at the tree, slamming his body into the trunk, and Judy, shocked by her partner's appearance as well as his current state, nearly lost her hold on the branch she clung to, her body listing to the side.

The hyena launched himself at Nick, Judy scrambling back onto her perch, watching in terror as the predators both crashed into the earth; bodies twisting, muscles straining, claws and teeth tearing and biting as the two fought with brutal, merciless intensity.

Finnick stared at the large screen hanging in the center of the barn, his fingers going limp with shock almost causing him to drop the stolen phone he was holding.

"What the absolute fuck?" he hissed in dumbfounded disbelief as he watched his best friend free himself (which had caused Finnick to nearly shout with excitement) and then use his newfound freedom to shoot himself with fucking Feral Red serum and jump the doors, running after his girlfriend in a savage, frenzied, bloodthirsty state.

And when Nick caught her…

If he survived the wolverine and the hyena…

…he would probably eat her.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he snarled angrily; his voice drowned out by the vociferous shouts from the assembled crowd.

Crouched low behind an occupied seat in the third row, phone pulled easily from a pocket as the honey badger had shifted to lean in close to his date, Finnick had been about to slip away, heart pounding in trepidation at the sight of Judy standing right in front of the fucking cages that held the jacked up, crazed predators within, not running away as fast as she could until the last fucking moment.

But now…

His heart was slamming so quickly against his ribs he was pretty sure the damn thing was going to either burst free or cease beating completely as icy adrenalin was pumped through his veins, the absolute worst possible scenario for the Black Event playing out before him.

Eyes darting around, indecision warred within him before he ran behind the chairs towards the open part of the barn. Ducking out of sight, a weasel strode down the stairs, the announcer giving the new betting odds as Nick's name was added to the ticket.

The truck he had driven had come to a dead end; a freight elevator let him off in an outbuilding. It had been easy enough to find where the event was being held and he had managed to sneak in through the side entrance, the guards patrolling outside too interested in what was going on inside, and too bitter about being left out to pay much attention to a small dark shadow letting himself in.

Pickpocketing the unsuspecting badger had been easy, the crowd too enthralled by the revelation of Nick and Judy's presence. But then everything had gone from bad to worse and he could only stare in horror at Judy being fed to the proverbial wolves and Nick turning himself into one.

Finnick knew he was a killer, but he had never wanted Nick to become one. It was why he had forced the younger fox from Happytown.

By shooting himself with the Feral Red serum, Nick had no idea what he had just done.

Feral Red was not the Nighthowler serum and a fox was chasing after a bunny, and nothing would stop the predator until he tore his prey to bits.

Knowing that there was no time to waste; praying he was going to survive his own admitted stupidity at what he was going to do, Finnick slid from the seating and down the side to the floor.

Breathing deeply, swearing internally at Nick's utter fucking stupidity, he dialled 911 and told the operator that Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps were somewhere in the Meadowlands, and to follow the phone's signal.

Skipping the whole shooting himself with Feral Red, Finnick followed the same path Nick had taken, sprinting into the arena, leaping onto Judy's cage, and over the gate.

He heard the announcer's voice raised in shock at his sudden appearance and apparent madness, but he focused on the noises coming from in front of him, ignoring what was going on behind him.

There were three drug-fuelled mammals all headed for the woods and none of them would have any compunction against attacking and rending him limb from limb.

Being downwind was going to help, not knowing he was out there was also an advantage, but he was still at an extreme disadvantage when it came to…everything else.

He was injured, the Feral Red mammals were practically invincible, and even if he could take down the wolverine and hyena, there was no way in hell he was going to be able to take Nick out.

He refused to kill his best friend.

Which meant Judy was dead.

Resisting an urge to swear profusely, he instead followed the scent of the wolverine.

The odorous mammal was easy enough to track as Finnick ran, knowing he was going to be too late to reach her before the predators did, but holding onto the small scintilla of hope he still harboured within the dark reaches of his heart that Judy was going to be able to evade her pursuers.

Leaving the grassy meadows behind, his form slipped in and around trees and bushes, moving as speedily as he could while attempting to remain unseen and unheard.

Nearly jumping from his fur, the sound of a tree falling and hitting the ground with enough force that the earth trembled beneath his feet.

Feeling the blood drain from his face, he could think of only one thing that could have happened, mainly that Judy had made it to the relative safety of a tree and one or all three predators had assaulted the tree until it lost its earthen moorings and fell, taking Judy with it.

The tree had been close, and if there was even the miniscule possibility that Judy was still alive, Finnick knew he had to try to make it to her.

Avoiding a rosebush, his foot slipped in something warm and wet, his body nearly crashing to the ground before he righted himself.

Swallowing roughly, he stared down at a dark smear of liquid that had the copper tang of blood.

Lifting his gaze, his eyes traced the trail of crimson across the grass.

Shaking with trepidation, terrified at what he was going to find, he slowly followed the gouges carved into the ground, liberally decorated with splatters of violent scarlet.

A breath he didn't realize he was holding was exhaled from his straining lungs at the sight of the wolverine lying beneath a fallen tree.

Approaching the mammal apprehensively, he noted with relief that the wolverine was still alive; unconscious, injured, but alive.

He wasn't sure if it was purposeful or if it was just luck that the tree had struck the wolverine but was thankful that he only had two dangerous, crazed mammals to worry about.

Ears perking up, he heard Judy calling Nick's name, once, twice, three times. Each time, the inflection of her voice was different, but it was the final call of Nick's name that worried him the most.

She had just realized how much danger she was in and all he could do was be grateful for her still being alive because it meant he still had a chance.

Rushing forward, Finnick raced towards the sounds of fierce fighting located a few yards away.

The sound of Judy's scream caused him to run faster, but his tired and injured body could only move so fast. Reaching the small clearing in time to see Nick barely avoid having his neck clutched in the jaws of a mammal that could easily crush bone, he watched in panic as Judy dangled from a broken branch as the two larger predators began to dance around each other below her.

Finnick didn't know if Judy was going to be able to hang on much longer, though the branch she clung to looked as if it was going to snap any moment.

Frozen with momentary indecision, he circled around the small clearing, ignoring the brutally violent struggle that was going on, and concentrating on saving Judy.

Nick would never forgive him if he allowed anything happen to the bunny, and he knew that even if he tried to help Nick, he would most likely become the target of his friend's vicious and deadly attention.

Digging his claws into the trunk of the tree Judy was hanging from, he swore profusely inside his head. He was not a damn cat or squirrel; climbing was not something foxes were good at.

Scrambling a foot up the tree, he stopped, his blood turning to ice as the crack of the branch snapping echoed in the air along with Judy's brief scream as she fell.

Bunny Cop hit the ground, landing on her feet, absorbing the impact in her legs and using it to launch herself away from the two predators.

The hyena, noticing Judy's movement, leapt forward, teeth snapping and nearly clamping down on her tail.

This distraction was enough for Nick to attack the hyena, his teeth digging into the sensitive area of the throat.

Finnick didn't stay to watch, his heart sinking into his gut at leaving Nick, probably to die.

Even with his jaws clamped around the hyena's throat, Finnick didn't believe that Nick would win this particular fight.

The hyena, though bigger and heavily muscled, looked hungry, desperate, and with being exposed to Feral Red for who knew how long, Finnick didn't like Nick's chances.

Not even looking back, he followed closely on Judy's heels, the doe not even realizing she had picked up another tail.

Through thorny bushes and under logs, following complicated winding patterns and doubling back a few times, Finnick wasn't quite able to catch up to the doe.

Body shaking with exertion and exhaustion, he grabbed at his side, silently cursing the fresh blood that had seeped through his shirt.

Skirting round a tree, he placed his back to the trunk and leaned against it, trying to catch his breath.

Closing his eyes, he listened for Judy. He had lost her, but he knew she only had two options, keep running or hide. He wasn't sure which was the better choice, neither probably, but between two bad options, one had to be made.

Ignoring the insects and rustling of leaves, he listened intently, but was unable to hear her over the sound of his own laboured breathing and beating heart.

Stumbling forward, he followed her scent, his fur standing up on end at the sudden feeling of being watched.

A paw gripped his wrist and he tried to wrench himself away, but the movement caused him to double over in pain.

"Finnick?" Judy questioned lowly, grasping at his wrist again as she yanked him backwards and into a small hole in the base of the trunk of a tree.

Pressed up against him in the small space, she suddenly enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, whispering, "You're okay."

Gasping in pain, she quickly let go of him. "Was it Nick?" she asked worriedly.

"Jackal," he replied. "Long story."

He saw her open her mouth and he placed his paw over her mouth. "Later," he warned. "We've got to get out of here," he murmured.

"We need to get back to the barn, it's our only way out," she agreed. "But I'm not leaving Nick."

"There is no Nick right now," Finnick growled.

"Doesn't matter. I'm not-"

"We can't win against him and that hyena," he interrupted. "We get out, go from there. Your friends should be here soon, then we can sort this shit out," he said as he grabbed her paw and slipped from their hiding place.

She hissed in pain and he noticed that the scent of fresh blood that wasn't his own filled the air.

Just his luck.

The doe was injured, and judging by her slow movements, was probably worse off than he was.

"Stay close," he ordered, knowing that her eyesight was not as good as his in the dark.

Slowly creeping forward, his head whipped around, but it was too late. Gleaming red eyes, brilliant white canines, and deadly dark claws pounced from above them, Nick leapt nearly vertical before landing upon Judy, knocking Finnick away.

Slamming against the trunk of the tree they had been hiding in only moments before, Finnick fell to the ground in a heap, pain searing through his body as starbursts flooded his darkening vision.

Catching a glimpse of Judy hanging limply from Nick's mouth, Finnick didn't move a muscle from where he lay on the ground fighting against his body giving into the need to lose consciousness.

Violet eyes filled with terror and pain briefly opened and Finnick realized that Judy was alive.

For now.

Finnick lay on the cold ground, willing his reluctant body to move, but his mind drifted pleasantly in darkness.

The sound of heavy breathing laced with a wheezing growl, dragged him from peaceful oblivion

It was the hyena.

He had followed them and had been injured enough that he had fallen to the ground a few feet from where Finnick was lying.

Sudden remembrance crashed into Finnick.

Nick…

Judy…

Forcing his body upright, he staggered forward, knowing the injured hyena was not going to stay down for long, already struggling to rise.

Various images, each more horrific than the last, assaulted Finnick's mind as he dodged tree roots and ducked under branches and through bushes.

Skidding to a halt, a twig snapping under his foot, he froze. Nick, slowly lifted his head, his bloodstained muzzle gleaming crimson in the moonlight, revealing a half-buried figure with grey fur.

Finnick felt his heart seize in his chest, and his knees nearly gave way as he stared at his best friend in horror.

Swallowing down the bile that burned his throat, his vision blurred, and his knees nearly gave way beneath him.

"Bunny Cop," he whispered miserably, unable to tear his gaze away from the horrific sight as the red fox pounced at him.

Bone crushing jaws clamped down on Nick's shoulder, catching him in mid-air.

The two predators crashed to the ground, sliding through the detritus of the forest floor.

Finnick stumbled over to where Judy was buried, his paws shaking as he scraped the dirt from her body.

Revealing part of her face, he dully noted that she looked as if she was sleeping; violet eyes closed in peaceful repose.

Clumps of dirt and debris struck him, causing Finnick to glance towards the two fighting figures, the hyena's jaws still holding Nick's shoulder tightly as the smaller mammal thrashed in the unforgiving grip.

Turning around, Finnick dove for the hyena.

Whatever Nick had done, it wasn't his fault, and although Finnick didn't believe his friend would thank him for trying to save him, he was going to attempt it anyway.

Sliding beneath the two locked figures, he scored his claws across the hyena's belly, causing the hyena to loosen his grip on Nick's shoulder enough for Nick to yank himself free.

Finnick scaled the Hyena's leg, pulling himself onto the infuriated mammal's back. Digging his claws into the thick, coarse fur, he held on as the hyena twisted in a circle, trying to buck him off.

Warily watching out for snapping teeth and trying to keep his balance, he eyed Nick, who was taking a moment to recover.

Finnick dug his claws further into the Hyena's back as the furious mammal quickly changed direction. Finnick was suddenly thrown as Nick slammed into the hyena, flinging Finnick to the ground.

The hyena stumbled; a snarl of rage echoed through the night as the hyena lunged at Nick.

Nick slashed the hyena in the side of the face with his claws, leaving bloody scratches across his muzzle.

Finnick slowly got to his feet, not wanting to attract the attention of the two brawling mammals, Nick darting left and right, avoiding the hyena before leaping up and grabbing the hyena by the throat.

A high-pitched yelp was cut off as Nick squeezed his jaw tightly down on the hyena's neck.

Finnick slid forward, snapping at the hyena's back feet, digging his own teeth into the hyena's thigh. Letting go, Finnick lunged for another tendon, one after another, trying to keep the hyena unbalanced and in pain.

The hyena thrashed and bucked, trying to latch onto Nick and kicking and clawing at Finnick.

Avoiding all efforts to dislodge him, Nick continued to hold on until the hyena finally listed to the side.

Ceasing his attack, Finnick knew that Nick still gripped the hyena's neck in his jaws.

Acknowledging that what he was about to do was incredibly stupid but wanting to save his friend any further pain and anguish, he dashed over to Nick and kicked him hard in the head.

Nick let go, his head snapping around, bloodied canines bared, but Finnick had already scurried out of Nick's line of sight.

The hyena was still alive, Nick was still out of his mind and Judy…

Unrelenting, heart-wrenching grief choked him; his throat tight, unable to even make a sound.

Nick scented the air and Finnick held his position, standing in front of Judy's body, protecting her.

Finnick's fur stood on end as he tried to make himself look bigger than he was. Not that this was going to do him any good, but he refused to allow Nick any closer.

Nick could never undo what he had done, but Finnick could at least make sure that the red fox was not guilty of tearing Judy to pieces or worse, devouring her.

Finnick bared his teeth as Nick lowered his head, body sinking to the ground in preparation to pounce.

His vision blurring with tears, Finnick continued to stare Nick down.

The crack of a gunshot shattered the tense standoff and Finnick watched in horror as Nick suddenly slumped to the ground in an unmoving heap.

I am evil...I know