Run for your Wife
"Alright slick, let's settle this!" Judy walked back into the entrance parlor wearing a distressingly well-fitted jogging outfit. She knew it and gave him a come-hither tail wiggle.
"Hey, no fair! I'm in my regular shorts and shirt." Nick realized a hustle was in progress—with distraction the play. He'd show her, and focus on the overall goal. "How come I haven't seen that before?" She looked goood in the mostly white outfit.
"Jessica's my size, and you can ditch your shirt if you think it'll help. Now let's go, it's getting late." Judy shooed away several small curious faces—who all dispersed far more readily than usual—and led the way out back. She finally stopped over a kilometer away, with the Hopps home hidden behind the little hill with the oak tree on top. "You win if you make it back to the house before I catch you! I'll spot you a ten-second head start you foxy flatfoot!" Her smile became broad and confident. "GO! Ten, nine, eight…"
He hadn't expected that advantage and squandered a couple of seconds before he took off running—pursued initially by worries about her insouciant strategy. His earlier comment had escalated into a discussion requiring resolution. He'd maintained that a fox's sustained top speed and stamina would overcome the quicker acceleration and cornering ability allowed by his bunny's smaller size and weight.
He headed for the hill knowing his best plan was a straight tailchase. Closing on it, he had to choose between up-and-over, which would slow him; or around, which was longer. A gray and white blur closing from behind and to the right forced his decision—he veered towards the hills left side.
She'd always said she was fast for a rabbit—and was proving it! He lost sight of her for a few seconds, then reacquired her nearly even with him on his left! That forced it, he turned to pound straight up the slope of the hill since he couldn't let Judy pinch him against its base. He didn't go over the top, but off to its right where he could get to level ground faster and force her to take the long way around. Which a glance back showed she had.
Back on level ground with the house in sight, it was now a straight but converging footrace where speed alone mattered. Nick smoothly transitioned to all fours and ran flat out. A hundred meters to go and he heard her as she curved in from his left. She'd abandoned her shorter straight path to the house and gone for an immediate intercept! He veered further right to maintain distance and knew that he had this. Her breath said she'd run out of gas and this was her last desperate try at him.
Yes! The gasps faded as she slowly dropped behind. He risked a brief glance back and saw her open-mouthed with ears bouncing in trail. Fifty meters. Nick curved back toward the house and gratefully slackened his own pace before he suddenly heard more footfalls very close on the right—his back took the impact and tight limbs gripped his torso. He staggered to a halt under her modest weight. His mate's scent was earthy and strong.
She dropped off and let him stand up—to pant with paws on his knees. He turned to her. "Carrots, I honestly didn't think you had it…" Another gray rabbit in a white outfit was walking up behind them—as a second approached from further away. He'd been herded right into her paws.
"Hey! No fair!"
"I caught you before you got to the house, so you're all mine tonight! That was the agreement. Enjoy my…getting you fox? These are my sisters Becca and Rosalyn." She pointed the grinning doppelgangers out.
"I hope we didn't wear him out too much for you Jude," said Rosalyn.