Arthur Rosebrush walked along the main path of the Oasis, a small bag on one shoulder, inwardly smiling at the reactions he drew. Wide-eyed stares, gasps, laughter, smiles, waves, he enjoyed them all. A couple of mammals whistled approvingly, which made him chuckle quietly, while one threw up their arms in disbelief, shook their head, then turned to stalk away, muttering to themselves, which made the smile a grin.
He left the path, crossing the grass towards a rear corner. Rounding a boulder brought a half-circle of bushes into view, along with two small mammals sitting in their shade, a slight, tan-furred rabbit and a stocky red panda. One look at the latter had Arthur ducking behind the rock, ears pinned back, eyes closed, tail frizzed out, paws clenched.
For a minute that felt like an hour he struggled with himself; twice he started to turn tail and leave, but checked himself; finally, with a great effort, he tamped down the emotions, schooled his expression into an easy smile, perked his ears, settled his tail into a light curve out behind him, and stepped round the rock.
The rabbit and the red panda watched him come, the former tensing visibly, the latter's blank expression not changing, but one paw slightly clenching and the tip of their tail twitching faintly.
Arthur paused a few feet away, cocked a hip lightly, and gave them an enquiring look. "Would either of you be Mr Steel...?"
"Who's asking?" The panda's voice was deep, hushed, and laced with something unidentifiable that put Arthur even more on edge.
"Someone with something valuable to sell," the fox responded, "that I was led to believe Mr Steel was in serious need of."
The panda's eyes narrowed minutely, he stared unblinkingly for a long while, then gestured sharply to the grass. "Sit. Show me."
Arthur sat cross-legged facing the others, set his bag in his lap, took a small mammal driver's licence from it, and held it out.
Mr Steel studied it at length, then, his jaw tightening, looked up. "It's good. Not perfect, though."
"Perfect is impossible," Arthur noted. "They make very sure of that. I have confidence my work would fool most eyes, though."
The red panda nodded slowly. "It would. Which gives me a problem."
"Oh?" Arthur prompted.
"Having to source from a freak" – his lips curled on the word, showing sharp teeth – "who thinks pink is a good fur colour."
Arthur shuddered internally; externally, he merely smoothed the back of one ear, and let his voice turn slightly arch. "Well, I'm sure there are plenty of other options available to you."
The panda's lips curled again. "Not right now."
"Then," the rabbit put in, quietly, "I don't think we have a choice."
Arthur allowed a little half-lidded smugness to show. "No," he almost purred. "I really don't think you do. Shall we discuss terms?"
Mr Steel straightened up a little, eyes widening a fraction, paw curling tighter, stare boring into the fox. "No. We're done."
Arthur blinked. Then he drew breath, tucked the licence back into his bag, and inclined his head. "All right. Your l..."
The panda had risen, standing over him with both paws clenched and muzzle tight. "I didn't say you were leaving."
The rabbit grabbed his arm. "You can't, sir. Not here."
Mr Steel shrugged them off, and took a step forward, lifting a paw, his needle claws splayed.
"Unca Artie!" an antelope girl called, bounding towards the trio. "You promised you'd join me in the p-"
Eyes still locked on Arthur, the red panda's fist snapped out, cracking into her flank. The child hit the ground on her stomach, and curled up, wheezing sobs. There was a long moment of absolute stillness, the fox frozen with his heart hammering against his ribs, then Mr Steel slashed at him, he jolted back, hit something solid, and looked up to discover a seething tiger looming over all of them.
Ray jabbed a finger toward Mr Steel, teeth bared. "Get. Out."
The panda stared up at the big cat, lips twisting, then turned to stride away, the rabbit hurrying to follow, approaching mammals giving them both a wide berth. He didn't look back.
Ray knelt to Julie, face black. "What kind of monster...?"
"The kind that may actually have killed me if not for her," Nick noted, quietly, slowly rising. "And you."
Ray scooped the cub into his arms, cradled her against his chest. "She shouldn't even have been here, but things came up, and I was the only one who could look after her. If I hadn't gotten distracted..."
"Don't dwell," Nick advised. "How hurt is she?"
"Bad bruise," Ray answered. "Nothing else, thankfully."
Julie shifted, reached a paw toward Nick. "Cody needs his Dad."
The fox took the paw, squeezing it gently. "And his best friend."
The girl's ears tinged faintly. "I think I like him more than that."
Nick's lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. "I'd wondered."
Ray fixed him with an intent look. "Tell me you can get them."
"I think," Nick responded, "if you, and Julie, and all of you..." His gaze drifted over the half-dozen other mammals now gathered round. "Are willing to help...we finally can."
