Hidden In Plain Sight

Creed; With Arms Wide Open

Kate Ryan; Light in the Dark

The City Of Roses;

Nicholas paced the room and shook his head as the foxes around him kept chuckling. "You're going to wear a groove in the floor, John."

"Do you think she's alright? Do you think the baby is alright? How long does this usually take and why haven't…"

"John. Sit down for a minute, will you? Patience is a virtue." The silver fox sighed as he sat next to his father in law and the fox beside him chuckled as he leaned forward. "I'm sure she's fine. Relax. Babies are born every day."

"Not to any mammals like us they aren't, Ross. What if he's like me? What if I don't know what I'm supposed to do? What if…." he shook his head as his father in law nodded.

"Stop worrying about the if, John. Once you meet him all those fears will disappear. True, they aren't born to mammals like you, you're a bit unique in that area and even the date is unheard of. I mean has there ever been a fox born in November? But a birth is a birth. Just like a death is death. You can't do anything to change the outcome of either event so why worry about it?"

Nicholas looked back at him with one side of his lip curled and rolled his eyes as the tod beside him laughed. He looked around seeing her brothers all watching with grins and plopped his head into his paws. "How can you all be so calm!"

The foxes around him snickered and he shook his head. "She's a Wild. The only girl in our family. We aren't anywhere near calm, we're excited." Thorn chirped as Vel and Fayre nodded in agreement. Nicholas looked up with tipped brows as he searched all their faces.

Fayre leaned forward, "You aren't familiar with a lot of our ways because you grew up on the streets. What you don't understand is that she's the oldest vixen. None of us could marry until she did, and had kits. Something none of us thought was possible." Nicholas blinked at all of them as he shook his head.

Ross tipped his head as Vel shrugged, "She helped you get that park up so you'd be accepted by the Den."

Nicholas shook his head in confusion as he looked between them. "They hate me and the park at the Den."

"Doesn't matter. If you hadn't been able to care for her as much as she could you, they wouldn't have accepted you into the Den at all."

Nicholas frowned. "I'm pretty sure Cassie is the only reason I got into the Den. Ughghgh; I'm never going to understand all those rules!"

"Give it time John, you will." Rose's father prodded as Nicholas let his shoulders drop.

"Yeah, maybe in my next lifetime!"

They all looked at each other and laughed as he shook his head blinking. "What?"

"There's just one lifetime, and you're in it."

"Mr. Wild?" Nicholas shot up from the chair as they all chuckled at him again. "You can see your mate and son now."

"My son…?" he beamed as she opened the door nodding. The silver fox looked around and rushed forward after Rose's family had all shooed him that direction.

He stepped through the door trying to hold his heart rate as he puffed his cheeks out. "Cassie?" he asked when he spotted the older vixen waving him towards her. "Where is-"

She shook her head and stuck a finger to her lips as she pulled a curtain back and his ears shot up as a faint wailing started from behind it.

Cassie moved the curtain to the wall and Nicholas stepped forward, swallowing as Rose barely turned her head, smiling at him. "Rose?" The tiny hiccups grew again as she smiled at him.

"You woke him up." She signed tiredly as he stepped closer to the bed.

His chest puffed out as she moved her arm, exposing a little grey furred head in the crook of her arm. "Grey?" he asked.

She giggled softly as she shook her head. "He'll be red. All fox kits are born grey unless they're like you and me."

He sat next to her gently as he shook his head. "Then how do you know he won't stay grey?"

"Look," She leaned up slightly as Nicholas lowered his head. "He has your ears, and your tail." He watched her unwrap him and the tiny kit's tail uncurled, revealing a black tip unlike any ever seen before, hints of dark red lay just between the borders of each color in his fur. Nicholas' face went flat as she leaned forward and placed him in his arms. He ticked his eyes between her paws and the kit in his arm as he bit his lip. "Watch his head."

Nicholas cringed as the tiny kit in his arms wrinkled his nose, until he almost folded into a ball. "Look at you." He dipped his head down looking at his son and almost laughed as his nose flared. "He smells like you."

"I marked him, and you need to so he knows from now on that you're his father. He'll never forget your scent or mine and will be able to tell other foxes apart from anyone in our family for the rest of his life because of it. If you don't mark him within a few hours after being born, he won't imprint on you and won't know you from a stranger."

Nicholas scrunched one side of his cheek up in apprehension as Rose giggled. "Just be gentle and be careful of his head and neck. Run your scent along the ridge of his cheek and over the top of his head." The silver fox kept his eyes on his mate as he pressed his cheek against the tiny kit and gently rolled his head over the top of his sons. The tiny kit cooed through a yawn as he came back up and Nicholas snapped his eyes to his little face. He was holding in his breath as he looked him over again. "Eight little fingers and eight little toes. Perfect. An everyday Miracle."

"Born out of time." Rose sighed as she smiled.

"What are we naming him?"

Rose giggled as she laid back and sighed. "It's your place to name him my Nicholas. It should have something to do with you because he'll carry the name of Wild."

"Nickel less. I'm not less anything anymore, am I? Neither are you. Rose…you're a Mommy."

She tipped up sitting next to him as she ran her paw over his back, until it rested over his shoulder as her head leaned into his other shoulder, looking at their new son. She sat next to him as she cupped an arm under the one he had supporting their new son until Nicholas looked up at her teary eyed as she sat back up a little after she moved her paws so she could speak. "A little Prince, from my tall dark and handsome fox." Nicholas chuckled as she leaned back into him, and they rested their heads together, watching as the little fox unwound himself and stretched his arms, yawning again before curling back into a ball against his father's chest.

"Nicholas Piberius Wild. A name to carry on. I'll teach you everything I didn't know, give you everything I never had. My son, I'll show you everything…"

Bunny Burrough-many years later;

Vi rolled her eyes as she passed the hall. A younger buck sat snoring in a chair outside the room and her mate stood leaning against the wall and bounced as she walked by. She giggled as her husband peeked into the room. "As soon as Doc Stevens is done you can come see them Papa." She stepped through the door carrying a pitcher of water and ice chips she sat on a little table and giggled as Bonnie laughed. "It gets easier every time doesn't it?"

Bonnie shrugged as Doc Stevens chuckled. "One more litter after this Bonnie and you'll be set."

The purple eyed rabbit sighed as she leaned back smiling. "Yeah, but I have more than most do already so it's alright."

Vi shook her head as she stepped closer and peeked into the little bassinet. She looked up as Bonnie grunted and laughed as Doc Stevens held up another tiny rabbit. "We'll now, he sure has some unusual birth markings doesn't he?"

Bonnie leaned up as he handed her the tiny kit and giggled. "Vincent." She chirped as Vi lifted a brow. Bonnie looked him over grinning before she handed him to her mother. "Looks like someone threw a bunch of red paint on him."

Doc Stevens laughed as Vi laid him with the others. "Those are just strawberries, they'll probably fade, even if they don't, they may not be able to be seen under his fur. At least not after the golden age."

Bonnie sighed. "They grow so fast. It's always a little sad when that soft yellow fur they're born with changes colors."

Vi shook her head. "It's a good signal they're ready to go to school though. You know you are bad about breaking tradition Bonnie? We're supposed to name them by the alphabet."

Bonnie scrunched her face and shook her head. "How would I remember all their names if I did that. "It's easier to name them with the first letter of the alphabet from the month they were born in, or by something that makes them stick out. Ooh!"

Doc Stevens twisted his head as Bonnie cringed. "You have a bit of a stubborn one here Bonnie. You might have to put some effort in this time." He stood pushing around on her abdomen and nodded. "Last one for this litter. Bare down hard."

Bonnie grit her teeth and sat up as Vi tipped a brow. "Keep going, he's a breach." Doc Stevens tilted his head to Vi, she grabbed a towel and several suctions along with some warmed blankets as the buck finally got ahold of a tiny foot. "One more push Bonnie." Bonnie sat up and ground her teeth as she put all her effort into holding her breath. "Got him! Oh – her!"

Bonnie snapped her eyes open as a shrill scream sounded and Vi laughed as her daughter jumped. "Well that doesn't happen very often does it?" The older doe giggled as Doc Stevens wrapped the newborn in a warming blanket looking her over as he nodded. "Yep, another healthy one, this one's just stubborn." He chuckled as he handed her to her mother.

Vi peeked over her daughter's arm grinning. "Duane! Get in here and look at your new kits! You should see all this yellow fur!"

The buck outside the room yawned and stuck his chin back in his palm. "Yeah, they all got yellow fur."

Vi rolled her eyes as Bonnie giggled. "He'll see them soon enough Mom." Bonnie sat up as Doc Stevens stepped beside her looking into the bassinet.

He looked them all over again before he wrapped them up and reached for the little doe Bonnie was holding. "Always more girls than boys, but it looks like they're all just as healthy as they can be." Doc Stevens grinned as the little doe he was holding screamed. "This one's got some lungs on her." He handed her back to Bonnie as her voice settled into a groggy grunt. "You have a name for her picked out?"

Bonnie looked her over smiling. "Judy." Vi looked at her and blinked as Bonnie shook her head. "I don't think I'll have a problem remembering her name. Look at her ears."

Doc Stevens looked over her shoulder and nodded. "Hu, I didn't even notice that. Might just be bruised from the delivery. I'm sure her ears will be like everyone else's though." Bonnie let Vi take her and watched as she bundled them all together. "Get some rest Bonnie, I'll be by in the next few days to check on you again. In all the years I've been doing this I've never seen a doe have such good luck with their kits."

Vi showed him out and shook her head at the buck sitting in the hall, still snoring in a chair. Her mate lifted a brow and she laughed before he rushed into the room looking them over. "They get cuter every time!" She laughed as her mate stood over the bassinet.

From the window a shadow watched, her eyes fell before they turned and looked back to the stars. "One more stop…."

Dancing shadows 1992

She dove into the shadows, emerging onto a scene that had her fleeing the light from flames and dancing through the night until she settled in a dark corner. Grace had been slipping in and out of the shadows so much that any light was becoming difficult to tolerate. She stole into the darkest shadow she could find, watching the foxes until the older vixen was peeking out the door. A small set of green eyes landed on her and she cocked her head as the little fox blinked at her. "Hello young one."

Nicky flipped his ears up and leaned into the shadow as she backed away. "Pwetty!"

Grace blinked and leaned over, watching him looking into her eyes. The little tod tipped closer, giggling quietly as the void of her eyes sparkled with stars. "I am Grace."

"Gwace!"

Cassie watched Nicholas drift off as she looked out the cracks in the door, sitting up as she heard her grandson talking quietly. The vixen tipped her head and stood up blinking when she noticed he wasn't with his parents. She walked around the little plane, catching Nicky pointing a tiny claw at the back of the car. "Nicky?" he looked back at her grinning as he giggled.

"Gwace!"

Cassie curled her brow, picking him up as he kept pointing, and narrowed her eyes on the darker part of the train car before considering waking Nicholas. She shook her head and walked further into the space, looking around and sighing as Nicky giggled again. "There's no one here. Come on, let's get to sleep for a little while." She curled her brow as the little kit stuck his head over her shoulder and waved.

"Bye - Bye Gwace!"

The older vixen brushed it off as she sat down and curled up next to her daughter as Nicky yawned and scooted closer to his mother.

In the shadows a dark figure curled a brow as she fought not to shift in the light coming through the cracks. "This is where I must leave you all. Keep him safe Nicholas and I will hope to meet you all again."

Nicholas woke with a start and looked around as he shivered. He shook his head as he pulled the tarp tighter around him, his son and the two vixens as he tried to go back to sleep, ignoring the darkest shadow that fled from the freight car...

Grace looked up at the night sky shaking her head. "I can see no further, the path here was hard to find and follow. I need your help to go back, Freya…." She spoke out loud as she fled into the shadows again.

The dark figure halted as a bright light stepped in her path and she looked up seeing a lion in front of her. He dipped his head in a deep growl that showed his teeth as she fought to keep her shapeless form in his light. "You have been running all over the place, racing here and there Grace. I will not tolerate you interfering in what I have set into motion."

The dark form shifted and Odin narrowed his eyes as a vixen stood in front of him, thick billowing robes rested around her as stars twinkled in the fabric made of nothing. Planets swirled in her deep blue eyes as he looked her over shaking his head. "What have you done to yourself? One so clever would not leave parts of herself where others could find them. You are incomplete. Maybe you need something from me?"

The vixen hissed as she grew in size until the lion was looking up at her scowling. "Do not patronize me Odin or act as if you are above me! None are above me! I cannot change the insanity of what you have set into motion, that does not mean I will not give others the chance."

"Very full of yourself aren't you, for a fox. The most unworthy of forms you could have chosen. You cannot live without me. It would be in your interest to tell me of the whereabouts of my armor so you can continue on your path." He growled as he let his whiskers curl into a scrunched muzzle. "Where is My Armor!"

She laughed as he glared at her. "Do not threaten me with something as idle as death! I will always be, my path is a loop that never ends and I can travel through it as I travel through myself! Not even thought can outrun me. You were warned many times, I warned you! Even your own son went against his rules betraying his oath to tell you Loki's death would lead to darkness! You must have had the sense not to kill him because of it, but it makes no difference. If you thought I would tell you where to find the armor you are a bigger fool than even Freya believes. You have no sway over me, regardless of what you hold now! None can live without her and the power you have will be your undoing one way or another. You are nothing more than a thief!"

The lion growled and swiped at her. She grabbed his arm and flung him to the side as if he were nothing more than a swatted fly. The vixen lowered her head as the lion crouched and narrowed his eyes. "Thief! That fox was a thief! They should have called him the God of Thieves! I have asked repeatedly! I will not ask again! I will have the armor, mark my words vixen, even if killing you is what it takes to obtain it!"

"You cannot kill what has never lived and every creature owes me a death! You cannot kill what can be in more than one place at one time, what no one can touch or catch, what can be everywhere in all the worlds, what lives within each of you! Even as a God I whisper in your ears Odin! I will collect the one you have stolen from me and take back all the power you should never have had! I will have back the souls you reap and the one you stole from me and take yours in the process! I will leave you in the darkness, Damned to all Eternity if I fail!"

The lion roared as she slipped into a shadow returning to a time before the present and was gone as he turned screaming. "GRACE! I KNOW YOUR TRUE NAME! I WILL CALL UPON YOU AND YOU WILL BRING ME BACK MY ARMOR! GRACE!"

He froze as a billowing black silhouette appeared in front of him and slowly curled around him as his eyes clenched shut and arms pinned to his sides, the cold chill of her darkness sent his fur on end as his whole body shivered. "Call upon me, Great One. Say my name, God. Say my true name but once, and I shall come to you in all my glory." The lion's whiskers twitched as a pair of deep black eyes opened in front of him and he shuttered as they shifted to a blue so dark the stars within them were barely visible. "I know where you were lost, how you were lost and how you came to be. SAY MY NAME!" The shapeless form hovered as it took shape again and he fell to his knees swallowing as she looked down at him and lowered her brow. Her mouth split in a ferocious snarl and she snapped her black teeth, lifting her head as he flinched away from her and shied his eyes. "Every child Odin, every child no matter how they come into existence is what?" He curled his lips as she dropped her blackened brow. "EVERY CHILD IS WHAT!?"

"Yours to sow, yours to reap." he answered through tight lips and looked up before he jolted his arms over his head as her jaws lunged. He heaved several times and was left gritting his teeth as the darkness around him stilled and stayed silent until his own infuriated roar split his maw and echoed in his own ears…..

Grace flew into the darkness until she came upon a small basket that was tossed to the side of the road and the unheard voice that cried within. The shadow that had been crawling through history and the world picked it up and let her head hang as she removed the only living infant still wrapped in plastic, meant to suffocate her as it had all the others. She looked around at the hilltops, dark mountains that were capped with snowy peaks and cradled the infant to her chest as she lost the battle to breathe again. "I will give you the life you were never meant to have, if you will give me the soul I never had. We shall be one, hope that we make the right choices on this journey, for even I will not be able to see through the veil between life and death while I am in the light." The vixen waited as the tiny ember floated up and caught it in her paw as she slipped into the shadows again, reappearing many miles away at the quaint little cabin situated among the rocky mountain terrain. She laid the body of the child on a doorstep and held the lost soul out as she closed her eyes. "Freya.."

Freya's ears set as the shadows danced around her, a glance out the window and a single distant star blinked as she stood from her seat. She looked out watching her mate and children all discussing something before she slipped into another room and drowned all the light as she closed the curtains. "Grace? Did you call for me?" she whispered as the room became still…. "Are you here?"

Notes; The word Burrough (Burrow) is spelled like this intentionally. A plague hit Bunny Burrow. In short it caused the rabbits to feel cold and had other lasting effect on those who lived, most of them didn't survive as was mentioned in a previous chapter. The sick had to burn the dead and living there became rough. Bur because they were cold and rough because they lived and died in the roughest conditions imaginable. The way it was spelled was changed to Bunny Burrough because that's what the rabbits there started referring to the town as it during the plague. Father Time/ Growing old with Grace/ Old age/ Time has another name in Norse Mythology.