Part Fifteen - Defence

"Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men." Psalm 59:1-2, NIV

"Oaktrunk! I think we've got trouble," called Gina. The lead rabbit stopped and turned around.

"What do you mean, 'trouble'?" he asked nervously.

"There's a pair of foxes - hombil - back there. They haven't seen us, but I'm sure they've caught your scent. Let's get to the place we found yesterday in the river where we crossed to lose Pratt."

"Agreed," replied Oaktrunk, "It shouldn't take too long to get there. Come on, everybody, quickly! "

When the refugees arrived at the river, those who hadn't seen the crossing before looked on in apprehension. The river was quite wide at this point, but its current was also quite slow. Large stones, smoothed by centuries of water flowing over them, studded the river bed from bank to bank. Most of the stones were submerged by a thin, ever-moving blanket of water, while some broke the surface and were nearly dry. Here, it was possible for a rabbit using care to cross without getting more than their paws wet.

Gina looked into the woods again. "Get everyone across, Oaktrunk, then wait for me to come back."

"Gina, where are you going?" asked Oaktrunk, confused.

"I've got to get those... hombil off of your trail. I've got an idea."

"But we need you..."

"I won't be long. You're far safer at the other bank without me for now than you are with me, being trailed by two and maybe more hombil. I want to make sure the coast is clear. Then, we can go straight to your Cloudtree warren."

"All right, but hurry," said Oaktrunk, on the edge of despair.

***

Gina had never seen these two vixens before, and she hoped that they hadn't seen her before, either. She thought carefully about what to do next, then, taking a deep breath, emerged from her cover as though she was just walking through.

"Oh, hello there. I've just escaped from a farm. Do you know of any good rabbit hunting grounds nearby? If you don't, I sure do," baited Gina.

"Rabbits? Well, we manage to catch one every now and then," answered one, giving Gina an odd look.

Her friend was openly hostile. "What's it to you, stranger? Do you wish to pilfer our rabbit supply?"

The first fox gave her companion a "do you mind?" look, then said, "Sorry about that. Sandy's a bit touchy at the best of times. You should see her when she has cubs." Sandy shot over a withering glare, then walked indignantly some distance away and lay down, remaining out of the conversation. The more hospitable vixen continued, "Anyway, my name's Becky. What's yours?"

"Linda."

"Good to meet you, Linda. Did you say that you escaped from a farm?"

Gina gambled that she could make up a story believable to foxes that may well have had a good idea as to man's activity in the area. "Yes, I was locked up in a huge building by man. There are lots of other kinds of animals there, too. The man must like collecting and keeping us. And if you want rabbits, I know how to get plenty. There's rabbits beyond counting there, and it's easy to break in." That should get their attention away from the Grottons, and explain any rabbit scent on me, thought Gina with satisfaction, then began instructions towards a fictitious place: "You just go over to-"

Becky broke in, "Actually, rabbits aren't our target at the moment. We're looking for a fox family."

Gina's heart skipped. "Oh? Are they lost?"

"Geographically, no. Morally, yes," replied Becky, "You see, these particular foxes seem to think of rabbits as friends rather than dinner."

"You can't be serious!" Gina surprised herself by keeping a genuine expression. She was glad to have given Becky a pseudonym. Just to be sure, she asked, "What are their names?"

"I'm afraid it's true. Kate - she's the news-gatherer around here - and some of her friends saw them a few days ago. Now Kate and a dog fox named Pratt have put us on duty to find them. Their names? The mother is Mara, and the cubs were... Sandy, what were the rabbit-hugger cubs' names, again?"

Sandy looked back coldly, then finally replied, "Mark, Carol, and Gina." She put her head back down and continued moping.

"She's testy, but she has a good memory," Becky sighed, then continued, "Anyway, that's the situation. Keep an eye out, won't you?"

"Certainly. Well, I guess I'll be going," said Gina quickly, turning back to the river. She knew everything that she needed to know. If they weren't after the Grottons, then they weren't a threat. It was Pratt that was the threat, especially with an organized search going on, and he couldn't be tricked into going to a dreamt-up rabbit farm. And sooner or later, some of the searchers would recognize her, and that would likely be the end of it. She had to leave the area now. Just get the Grottons to Cloudtree and go as far as the Great Sea if need be, she thought.

"Wait a minute, Linda! Where are those rabbits, again?" Sandy had walked over, and was being noticeably more civil.

Gina cringed. "Uh... Just go over to the rockslide in the river. Cross there, then go straight out for about-"

"No, no, take us there!" Sandy was getting worked up into a voracious frenzy.

"Let her go, Sandy. We've got to find those foxes first," chided Becky.

"Oh, bury Pratt's little mission," fumed Sandy, "It's a waste of time. Besides, we can go to this farm and say we were still searching, if anyone asks."

"But, we're supposed to search this area now," replied Becky, "If we just run off, it's going to be trouble."

"We can just say that we were chasing Mara and her confounded cubs to the farm," replied Sandy, stressing again, "if anyone sees us and asks." Seeing Becky's indecision, she added, "Besides, I haven't had a decent meal for two days! All this searching is making me hungry! And don't tell me you aren't in the same way!"

Gina was still trying to sneak away when she heard Becky call over to her, "On second thought, Linda, Sandy as a point. Maybe just show us where the farm is, and we can resume our search later."

Now Gina's mind was racing for a way out of her situation. What have I done? Now I have to show them where- And what if they know who I am, and are just trying to trap me? She shook off her paranoia and concentrated. I'll take them to the farm by Grotto. Surely the men are still there. If they get scared off, I can get away.

The three foxes made their way along the river bank, with Gina in the lead, until they reached the rockslide. Gina then started away from the river towards the farm.

"Wait a minute," protested Sandy, "You said to cross the river."

Gina cringed again. "Oh, sorry. I forgot how many times I had crossed the river when I was trying to lose the men. It's just this way. You can hear the men around."

As they arrived on the scene, Becky quickly crouched down in the grass. "Are you crazy, Linda? There are men everywhere!"

"Well, what did you expect? It's a farm. Now, do you see those buildings over there? The rabbits are just in there. Are you as hungry as I am?" With that, Gina dashed out of the grass and toward the buildings, scampering within plain sight of the men, and the cold gaze of one that she recognized as her family's killer.

***

"Argh! There's another fox! I thought I got them all in the barn! Hey, guys, when you're done with the rabbits, would you mind helping me get rid of these blasted foxes?"

"Sure, Mr. Castles, but first things first. We're almost done the equipment checks; we should be starting any minute now," replied James, while checking one of the valves.

Not satisfied with that, George started towards the house, hoping that Winston had left the rifle there after picking it up off of the barn floor.

***

"Pipit! Fawn! You can't go back!"

"No, Oaktrunk," said Pipit firmly, "We've made up our minds. We know that everyone here can take care of our kittens well. We have to be with our mates now - we should never have let them talk us into leaving." Fawn nodded her agreement.

"You're staying here!" snapped Oaktrunk, "Gina will be back soon, and then we can be safely at Cloudtree soon enough." He started towards them, but they backed away.

"You can't make us stay. I'm sorry, but we have to go now." They turned in an instant and began bounding across the river, despite the slippery stones. As Fawn was further ahead, Oaktrunk leapt at Pipit in an effort to pin her down, but missed and landed in the cold water. Sputtering, he scrambled onto the nearest rock and watched in resignation as the pair vanished back into the woods, towards their doomed warren.

"Arum, why didn't you help me?" demanded Oaktrunk.

"Let them go," replied Arum quietly, "Let them be together with their mates. Perhaps Grotto can find a way to survive."

***

"Pratt! Over there!"

Pratt snapped his concentration away from the barn towards where Kate was staring. Now, he, too saw a fox running across the open towards the barn. As the fox drew nearer, it began to register with him. "That's... That's... That's Gina! I won't forget that face! She's come back! I told you she would!" With that, Pratt sprang from hiding and tore snarling across the grass towards his unsuspecting target.

***

Just as Gina had hoped, her "friends" were not following her. This is working. Now, I just have to sneak the long way around and get back to the Grottons. She looked back at the men, then turned to see the one who had shot her family walking back towards one of the buildings. If he's going for a gun, that'll scare the other vixens off for sure, and I'll be home free.

Just then, Gina heard the swift rustling of grass. Just as she turned to the source of the noise, she was hit in the midsection and bowled once over completely by something that had great speed - and razor teeth that tore into her back. Then, she recognized the voice of Pratt, choked with rage.

"This is it, Gina! Thought I wouldn't find you, right? Well, now you'll be with the rest of your pathetic family!"

Gina turned her head to see Pratt's glaring eyes and he leapt for her throat with his jaws wide. She quickly snapped her head back and out of the way, and as Pratt's teeth dug into dirt and grass, she grabbed Pratt's right ear with her teeth and managed to rip half of it away. Pratt yelped in pain and rage as blood trickled down into his eye. Gina struck again quickly, grabbing Pratt's muzzle in her mouth from the top, so that her attacker was not able to bite back at her. She hung on as Pratt thrashed back and forth, causing even more grievous wounds to his nose. Finally, he resorted to tearing at Gina's body with his claws, but at least Gina was able to tear back with her own. She had the advantage for the moment, and both knew it.

One of the last things that Gina wanted to do was kill another fox, especially her own grandfather. However, she knew that Pratt would not give up, and she had no doubt that he wanted her dead. She knew it wasn't likely that she would be able to kill him by holding onto his nose; that grim task would probably require a deadly bite to the throat. But, if she did let go of his nose to go for his throat, then her advantage would be lost in an instant. As Gina was pondering what to do next, she heard a sharp and familiar sound: a gunshot.

***

The exterminators pointed and laughed at the snarling and tussling foxes. "I suppose they're fighting over who gets the rabbits, do you think?" observed Bill.

"When we're done, there's not going to be any rabbits to be had," James replied, "And here comes Mr. Castles again. Let's see how good a shot he is."

***

"Why is Pratt attacking Linda like that?" said Sandy, confused. She and Becky lay peering out from some bushes a safe distance from the men and their trucks.

"He must have found the rabbit barn that she was talking about, and now he wants the rabbits to himself, I bet," replied Becky.

"Well, that's just downright selfish and rude," snarled Sandy, "I say we help Linda!"

Before they could join in the fight, however, they saw a man emerge from a building carrying a familiar long stick. They immediately shrank back down in fear. They fled as the shooting began.

***

As soon as Pratt left her company, Kate was only curious to see if Gina would now finally be finished. She watched the fight from a distance, and as she saw Pratt beginning to come out on the losing end, she pondered joining in to help Pratt. However, one of the men came back into view and began firing a gun at the combatants. Kate didn't stay around to watch the results.

***

George was able to hit the foxes in the barn, with a range of a few feet, but now he was trying to hit two targets that were at least a hundred feet away. The first shot thudded into the ground in front of the battling and bleeding foxes. The two foxes froze, and one leapt into some nearby bushes and out of sight. Refusing to give up, George fired another shot blindly into the foliage to where he thought the fox had gone, but could hear that he had missed his target. Then, he turned his attention to the other fox.

To his surprise, it was bolting straight towards the exterminators. He lowered the rifle and watched the fox dart between the surprised men and disappear.

***

The shot pierced the air and Gina immediately released her grip on Pratt. She briefly considered that Pratt might take advantage, but he immediately bounded into some bushes and was gone. Gina saw the man raise the gun again and shoot towards where Pratt had fled. Thinking quickly, Gina darted towards the two men by the trucks, who had no guns that she could see. She gambled that a man wouldn't shoot towards other men. The gamble paid off. She heard no more shots, and ran between the two men and back towards Grotto. Thankfully, there was no sign of either Sandy or Becky; both had presumably already scampered away.

***

"All right, everything looks fine, so let's put those hoses in the rabbit holes and get this over with," puffed James.

The two men dragged the hoses from the backs of their lorries and inserted them into the holes. After ensuring that the operation was air-tight, they went back to their vehicles and each reached for the nozzle to begin the flow of pressurized gas. "Ready if you are, then," said Bill.

James didn't reply, but merely pointed to the roiling western sky. The storm had strengthened and advanced exceedingly rapidly as they had been busy preparing the gas; it was now evident that there was no longer time for their operation before they were hit. They had been so busy that they had become ignorant of the blinding lightning strikes and the now continuous roar of thunder. Now, they barely had enough time to jump into their trucks to avoid getting soaked.

George had already seen the advancing wall of white from the west, and without bothering to ask the busy exterminators or his chauffeur if they preferred shelter, had quickly retreated to the safety of the house. He also didn't bother to check on the whereabouts of Winston, who was busy in the sizable greenhouse, gathering some of his tools and other last-minute items to put into his truck before leaving George's farm for good. Winston wasn't going to leave anything for George that he didn't have to.

***

WEATHER BULLETIN

ISSUED BY THE MET.OFFICE AT 1500 UTC

SEVERE THUNDER STORM WARNING IN FORCE

ISSUED FOR COUNTIES HAMPSHIRE, WILTSHIRE, BERKSHIRE, SURREY, WEST SUSSEX, EAST SUSSEX, AND GREATER LONDON OF ENGLAND

SEVERE THUNDER STORMS HAVE INTENSIFIED AND ARE NOW SWEEPING INTO SOUTH EASTERN ENGLAND. ACCOMPANYING THESE STORMS ARE HEAVY BURSTS OF RAIN, HAIL, DANGEROUS GALES, AND INTENSE LIGHTNING. CITIZENS IN THESE AREAS ARE ASKED TO REMAIN INDOORS FOR THEIR SAFETY UNTIL THE DANGER PASSES.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING DUE NORTH AND ARE EXPECTED TO RETAIN THEIR STRENGTH AS THEY MOVE TO NORTH OF LONDON.

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED WARNINGS AS THEY ARE ENDED OR PUT INTO FORCE.

END TRANSMISSION

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