A/N - A new section of the story begins with this chapter. I call this section the "Fresko Arc" and it will last for 17 chapters.

As always the standard disclaimer applies: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. I own only my own characters and this story. Now here's chapter 35:

35 – ANIMAL CITY SECURITY

As predicted, as soon as Tony Ride told the four prisoners that they were going to be shipped back to XL-Jack-3 they started talking like there was no tomorrow. And one very important piece of information came out which Tony Ride took straight to Toothy.

"It seems" said Tony Ride, "that XL-Jack-3 was planning to launch an attack on the Animal City as soon as he got word that Metramegopolis had fallen. There's already a force over there waiting for orders. He keeps them far enough away from the city so the security patrols don't find them, but near enough to invade the city quickly."

"Now that the first part of his plan has failed" said Toothy, "do you think he'll attack the Animal City anyway?"

"I don't know" said Tony Ride, "but you should probably talk to Handy as soon as possible."

"Agreed" said Toothy, and he activated his secure emergency line to the Animal City.

Handy was the leader of the Animal City Government, and the one person that the Mole himself reported to. Like Toothy, he was a beaver. "Handy" wasn't his birth name; when he was still a child he had met with an accident which had cost him the bottoms of both of his front legs, leaving only stumps. A bully from his school had found this hilarious and, just to be cruel, had given him the nickname "Handy." But Handy had the last laugh. Determined not to let his physical disability stop him he had made himself extra competent in all ways that he could. He succeeded far beyond anyone's expectations and eventually became the city leader.

As soon as Handy heard what Toothy had to say he went to the Mole and told him what was up. The Mole sent out several scouts with instructions to scout several times beyond the normal security perimeter and, sure enough, intelligence soon came back that there was indeed a Marauder force encamped out there in the wilderness. Not a huge force but enough that, if successful in a surprise attack, it would be able to vastly disrupt the Animal City's defenses, leaving them vulnerable to the bigger attacks of XL-Jack-3's prime forces when they should arrive.

Now that the Animal City had been warned about the threat, however, it was able to begin taking defensive steps. Once definite intelligence regarding the Marauder forces had been brought in Handy and the Mole went to the High Commander of the Animal City military to begin making plans.

The High Commander was grizzled old bear called Loco. He was not yet past his prime, but he had been around for a long time, was a veteran of many battles, and was known as a fierce and dangerous warrior. Stories were told of his younger fighting days when, during fights, he seemed to enter a frenzy of battle heat which wouldn't end until either he or his opponent was down. It was said that he had once gunned down seven Marauders between two blinks of an eye. It was from such incidents that he had been dubbed "Loco" much earlier in life. He had been born and raised in the Animal City but his daughter, upon becoming an adult, had emigrated to Metramegopolis where she had eventually had a family of her own. Flippy was her son, and Loco had made several trips to the flying city in earlier years to help train his grandson in the arts of combat. One year earlier, during the most recent Marauder war, the Animal City had sent aid to Metramegopolis and Loco and Flippy had fought side by side in more than one battle. It was a bonding experience that neither family member would forget. When he had returned home Loco had wanted to take Flippy with him but at that time his grandson was undergoing treatment for his battle wounds (both physical and mental) and was in no condition to travel.

When Handy and the Mole informed him about the nearby Marauder force Loco declared that the best thing would be an immediate surprise attack.

"If we're lucky" Loco said, "they don't yet know that we know about them, and even if they do we still have the advantage of the terrain, of nearby supplies, of fighting better at close quarters, and of being able to use both the air and the underground more effectively than they can. After all, they are not animals.

"Agreed" said the Mole.

"You're in command Loco" said Handy, "let me know what you need and I'll see that you get it."

"I'll be giving this mission to the Captain of the special forces division" said Loco, "he'll know what to do."

He smiled, so did Handy and the Mole. They were not nice smiles. All three animals knew what the special forces were capable of, and their Captain was already a legend in his own right. Handy gave his consent to this arrangement, the meeting ended, and Loco went off to begin his preparations.

(To Be Continued)