Authors Notes:

JKnight97: Welcome back to our story! Sorry for the long delay. I was busy with my new job while my co-author just started University. I was in training for the last six months but it paid off. I'm now licensed plus I also finished my online course so I now have a Certificate in Creative Writing from a certified Canadian College.

We ended on a bit of a cliffhanger (well, Nick fell of a cliff so, technically, it was a cliff faller. Sorry, dad pun) and we pick up from that part. Also as a treat for everyone, one of our dear editors, Stubat007 commissioned the art below from Ocerydia for this story (it can only be seen in DA, unfortunately, as I can't upload it here). If you recognize it, it's from the previous chapter when Judy first met Nick at the apothecary.

I'd like to apologize to those who have been following this story. We will try to update this as often as we can but… RL takes precedence, unfortunately. We pledge not to abandon this story, that much I can promise.

Night Wolf0179: Been a while, eh? Yeah… our longest delay ever. That's a good milestone, right? With a cliffhanger, to boot! XD

Sorry about that. College has kept me busy and my co-author had courses of his own that he needed to complete. But we finally got this chapter done. I can't promise that the next chapter will come out more quickly, but it should be easier for me to work on it now. We shall try to get the next one done much more quickly!

Honestly, it is nice to be back into this story. I've been doing so many essays that I've forgotten just how fun writing can actually be. Gotta love English classes…Just last Thursday, I was in the library for a good four hours, doing nothing but writing. At least I should be done with English by the end of this semester! Woo! Oh, I hope I did not jinx myself.

And as always, thanks to our editors for their help, especially to Stubat007. He paid for artwork to be made for our story and I cannot say thank you enough to him or the artist, Ocerydia. It's really well done and there is something special about having official art for something that I've created with a friend. Unfortunately, though, we cannot get it to post into AO3 or Fanfiction. We'll try again at a point in the future - we really want you guys to see it!

Now! Onto the reviews!

InTheLionsDenOnDAL: We're glad you're enjoying the story so far! And I forgot if it was my idea or my co-author's, but we're really eager to show you guys the history the Hopps family has with slaves and predators in general. Be ready for a twist!

Michaela, KoreaMansae, Vercinacox, and Guest: here it is! We hope that you enjoy it as much as you did the previous seven.

Cimar: thank you for the review and we hope this answers many of the questions you raised about Finnick's intervention.

JShute: You must do well at playing the sweepstakes! Good guesses!

KoreaMansae: Cliffhangers! Mwuahahahaha! And again, sorry for the wait. That was cruel. XD

Daniel+Kim+Hansen: That is some truly high praise and it really makes us smile. This, this right here, is a big reason for why we write. We're glad you believe in us and we hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

As a final shoutout, we can't thank enough our dedicated team of editors, Stubat007 and DancingLunarWolves. We appreciate all the feedback and help you've given us with this story.

Well, that's it for now! We'll start working on the next chapter soon, but for now, please enjoy this chapter and tell us what you think!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by ©Disney. Any resemblance to actual persons or mammals, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Sanctuary

"NOOOOOOO! "

"Shut up, bunny!"

"Don't you tell me to-" whirling on the fennec only to be met with snarling teeth and a clawed paw threatening her. Instinctively jerking back, she quickly recovered to reflexively growl back, "You don't scare me, you little-"

"For once, will you just listen!" he hissed quietly, interrupting her angry tirade, all the while rubbing at his bleeding nose as he carefully peered over the tall grass, listening for anything to alert him that they had been heard by the mammals in the jeep. Satisfied, he relaxed his features, hiding his teeth and retracting his claws. Although he appeared sullen, the fall of his ears gave him away. "You aren't doing Nick any good by freaking out like this! You wouldn't have stood a chance against four armed mammals. Plus that damn jeep was going too fast. Nick would've killed me if I let you throw your life away." he whispered, keeping his gaze away from her. Her tears were still freely flowing, chipping away at his own resolve.

"Okay," she wheezed, rubbing at her eyes to dry them. Her heart hammered in her chest, aching as if she herself had been shot. She couldn't imagine the pain or the agony Nick experienced. The image of the young todd, lying face down in the water below, a red string trailing away from him into the current, haunted her. Then there was the laughter. Those PP officers were celebrating , and she had to choke back murderous thoughts, sobbing as every muscle in her body twitched.

None of this was unnoticed by Finnick, and he had to fight hard to keep his own emotions in check, gesturing for her to follow him away from the boisterous group.

As they moved further back into the forest, treading slowly at a sloth's pace to avoid stepping on the dry undergrowth, they heard the zebra, who appeared to the the leader of the pack, cackling in merriment and glee. "Boys," Josh guffawed, "that was the most fun I've ever had in years! Did you see that pelt flinch every time we shot at him? I tell you, they should allow some sort of hunt for preys like us. It really does the soul some good."

Fury filled Judy's entire being. Just before she turned, the fennec tackled her again.

"Let me go, Fin!" she hissed . "He's a monster! He needs to be-"

"Shut the fuck up, rabbit!" he whispered as he muffled her with his paw . "Trust me, will you!" he whispered into her ear , " We're not doing Nick any good debating some asshole's morals. He needs us... if he's still alive, but we won't be able to find out if you get us caught!" Finnick hissed in quiet desperation, his drooping ears and tails the only sign of his inner turmoil.

Judy shoved Finnick away and brushed herself off. " Fine ," she angrily whispered. " But if they don't leave quickly enough, I'm going down there, with or without you . Also, touch me one more time and you're gonna be singing soprano for the BunnyBurrow choir! " She took a few deep breaths and hid behind a nearby bush, keeping an eye on the group.

"Sir! Shouldn't we go down there and search for the body?" interrupted his second-in-command, a female pygmy hippo who was getting more and more annoyed at the equine's antics.

"You really think a fox, of all things, survived a drop like that, Clem? I shot the fucker," pushing Clementine out of his way as he casually strolled back to the jeep. "No need to waste any more time. I want to have an early breakfast."

"But Corporal Haughton," Clem called out, balling her hooves in anger, "this is against regulations!" She waited for him to respond, or at least acknowledge her objections. "Or just keep walking, you buffoon," she muttered under her breath. She swore it was like talking to a brick wall, the way he completely ignored her.

"Hey, boys! Just wait for me at the jeep. Need to speak to Mother Nature first!" the equine called out as he hurried into the forest.

Josh whistled merrily, pleased that his very first fox hunt had gone so well. He imagined the response if he created a website dedicated to the covert pursuit of hunting pelts. He could testify how much pleasure it had brought him. He imagined how they would marvel at his prowess and happily engage with him. Caught up in his own sick fantasy, he never heard the mutterings of his unhappy crew.

"Can't imagine how he ever managed to stay in the Patrol! How many times have we had to cover for his fuck-ups? We could have bagged that fox with one shot. As it is, we've used up most of our ammo. All he did was take one shot. Did he even hit the escaped prisoner?"

"Beats me," spat Clementine. "All I know is I couldn't even aim properly the way the jeep was bucking around."

"Yeah, I hear yah. And guess who'll have to go back and requisition more? Me, just like last time, and I can't use the same excuse."

"Did he even report the discharge of his weapon at the farm where the hyenas where?"

"Yeah, but he only reported that it went off by accident. I was there when he filed his report. He never reported the loss of a predator's life. And a young pup at that!"

"Sometimes I wonder if whether all this senseless violence against the predators is really necessary?"

"Hmph. Walks away scott free and gets himself some guaranteed slaves. It's like the universe just gives him everything he wants on a golden platter. Nothing comes back to bite him in the rear."

"Shhhh, here he comes!" whispered Clementine, as they waited inside the jeep. Josh didn't notice the stoney silence that met him as he climbed into the passenger side of the jeep.

"Ready, boys? All this excitement has worked me up a fierce appetite. I could go for some hay pancakes and a slug of coffee right now."

As soon as the jeep pulled away, Judy and Finnick made their way out of their hiding place. She led the fennec down a narrow trail that ran alongside the river, leading to the bottom of its waterfall. "They took way too long to leave, Fin. He-"

Judy hesitated to voice her fear; as if not mentioning it would undo the event. Realizing, however, that her hope was born out of a baseless and illogical wish, she ruefully shook her head and pushed on, quickly scampering down the narrow path. "He could be bleeding out," she said as she slid down the hill, kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt behind her. "We're incredibly lucky they didn't come down here."

Covering his muzzle with his shirt as he followed, Finnick kept his thoughts to himself. He feared the worst. Life taught him that optimism was a straight road to disappointment. There had been too many late-night funerals held back at the slave camp.

Reaching the end of the trail, Finnick found himself staring up at the majestic waterfall, awed by its grandeur. The scene was idyllic, something you'd see right out of a storybook. Huge trees overlooked a river that quietly babbled its way downstream. There was an old mill further down the river, now in disrepair, its water wheel still revolving in the gentle current. There was even an old tire swing attached to a sturdy branch that overhung the river on one of the large trees, probably left there by the kits who wanted to enjoy their summer.

Being a slave for most of his life, he had never seen such a sight. But he could not enjoy it, not when his mind kept replaying the image of Nick falling off the edge. He cursed the fates for the cruel hand dealt to them. He was hurting within, mourning the loss of his friend. And the water just kept falling as if nothing had happened. It continued to flow by him, like the sands of time, passing everything and everyone. The moment gone; never to come back. Irretrievable. Irreversible. Final.

His friend was down there, somewhere, and like the rest of the world, the water did not care. Emotionless. Cold. Unsympathetic.

Finding the biggest rock he could throw, he lobbed it through the wall of water, hearing echoes of the rock bouncing against a hard surface. Clenching his paws in anger, he grabbed a pawful of pebbles and chucked them all the flowing curtain again, hearing tiny clinks as they came to a rest. Baring his teeth, he reached down for another pawful until Judy grabbed him, pulling his paw away from the dirt. "What are you doing! Stop wasting time and help me look for Nick!"

He pushed her away, his lips pulled back in a snarl. "Don't. Touch. Me."

"I'll stop if you quit acting like a three-year old. Now, come on! Nick may be bleeding out."

Rolling his eyes, he took a moment to calm himself. "Don't see any blood anywhere," he observed, scanning the horizon with his eyes. "Don't smell any either."

"We should look further downstream," Judy suggested. "The current might have carried him there."

Nodding, he walked past her, training his eyes on the river, looking for any sign of his companion. We've come so far. He… he can't...

"I'll check the other side," she quickly exclaimed, grabbing onto the rope attached to the tire swing. She easily climbed up to the tree branch and launched herself from it. As she reached the top of her arc, she let go of the rope and neatly tumble-rolled onto the grassy embankment on the opposite side. Fin's eyes bulged as she made it look so effortless. He half-expected her to yodel like a crazed jungle lord.

"Fucking bunnies…"

She half-heartedly smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and began to walk along the edge of the river, looking for any sign of the red fox.

Sweeping the embankment and the vast expanse of ground before herk with her eyes, Judy quickly came to the somber realization no mammal had traipsed through the area in the last hour. None of the blades of grass were bent. The stalks of the pussywillows that grew along the riverbank were still intact and there were no traces of blood anywhere. If anyone had crawled through this area, she would have seen a clear trail leading away from the river. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Turning, Judy checked the bottom of the tributary through the clear, glass-like water. There was the occasional fish swimming about, but no fox to be found. He has to be somewhere! she anxiously told herself. But where? She considered looking further downriver to see if Nick or-shuddering at the thought-his corpse had been carried there, but it was unlikely for the current to have taken him that far.

Her gut was telling her she was missing something. Something that seemed important. Something to do with foxes. It kept nagging at her, playing a twisted game of hide-and-seek with her mind. With each minute that ticked by, Judy became more and more restless while Finnick slowed down.

He felt like he was wearing concrete boots, each step becoming harder and harder to take. At one point, he just stood there, looking past the shimmering waters, staring at something that was never there.

She shifted her focus to the waterfall. What if…? Old memories surfaced. The summers she spent with siblings and friends playing around here. Her attempt to swim directly under the waterfall. Her eldest brother stopping her. Red fur. Violet flowers. A dark hole...

Hit with inspiration and intuition, hope filled her and overflowed, threatening to leak from her already moist eyes. "Fin!" she yelled, running towards a faint memory, not waiting for the small fox to catch up with her. "Follow me!"

He looked for her, his eyes lingering with a blank stare. Judy had run back upstream, leaving Finnick behind. "Bunny?" he called, rubbing to clear his eyes. "Where you going?" She did not answer, rushing past some nearby trees and disappearing from view.

"I swear to God!" he vehemently cursed. Hopping into the water, he hissed at its biting cold as he swam his way to the opposite bank. "I am not in the mood for this bullshit! Slow down!" he yelled out. "It's not even Saturday night and already I'm fuckin' takin' a bath," he muttered. "'Course, it's cold, too."

He found her furiously clawing at a small hole in the hill, moving large amounts of loose dirt to the side. "What the hell are you doing? We're supposed to be finding Nick, and you're what? Burrowing? Think he went and buried himself? "

Not saying anything, Judy kept digging with her forepaws, grass, dirt, and moss flying up behind her. Finnick had to jump aside so as to avoid being hit by the debris she was kicking up. "Watch it, would ya!"

Breathlessly, Judy finally cleared away an opening in the side of the hill that had been hidden by the years. "I knew it!" hopping excitedly up and down. "It's still here! C'mon!" she said, forcibly dragging the small fox into the hole in the hill with her.

They found themselves inside a natural cave, carved out eons ago by the paw of The Supreme Artist. Some natural light leaked in through some holes in the roof, providing enough illumination even for Judy's rabbit eyes. Finnick gaped open-mouthed as he absorbed the natural beauty of the cave, peppered here and there with stalactites and stalagmites. The walls seemed to dance as light shimmered off the minerals embedded in the cavern's walls.

Judy sighed in wonder. "I almost forgot it was here. I still get goosebumps every time."

"It's beautiful, alright," the fennec agreed. Snapping out of his stupor, he whirled on his lapine companion, "But what the fuck does this have to do with Nick?"

"The cave connects to the back of the waterfall. Some of my more daring brothers would swim underneath and into the plunge basin and come up into this cave. I never was allowed to try it but if you can hold your breath long enough, it's possible."

"You really think he somehow got himself in there, after getting shot?"

"We haven't found him anywhere else, have we? It's worth exploring."

Finnick rolled his eyes, trying to keep his hopes low. "Fine, but I'd better lead. My night vision and sense of smell is better than yours and I don't want to spend the rest of the day getting lost in this cave."

"Fin, this was my home away from home. I can find my way around here with my eyes closed."

"Won't be much different, you can't see much of anything already if it gets just a bit dark."

"Just shut up and follow me, you're acting like a kit."

Finnick just grunted and followed her as she went down a narrow passageway. He decided it was better to humour her for now. He had no other ideas and it kept his mind focused on following the bunny and not on what had occurred at the top of the waterfall. It was easier to deal with that way.

They passed through several passageways, some so narrow that large mammals would have difficulty passing through them. Judy stopped near an opening which led to a very dark part of the cave but you could hear the powerful sound of rushing water. She started fumbling around the side of the cave. "It's gotta be here," she fussed, stretching an arm into an alcove, "I saw Jonathan leave it here the last time we were-" she mused. "Ah! Got it!" Yanking her arm out, Finnick saw her holding an old gas lantern and a box of matches in her paw. "I just hope the matches aren't too damp from the moisture in the cave."

She knelt on the stone floor and carefully adjusted the wick, making sure it was wet with the alcohol still in its base. Grateful for small blessings, she used a dry match to light the lantern, flooding the cave with soft, warm light. She studied the walls, noticing how little they had changed.

"It's exactly as I remember it."

"Just how often did you sneak away in here? And just why did they let little 'ol you play with that thing?"

"Nearly everyday… for years. We needed something to see so we could explore the cave. And, they trusted us. Well, most of the time, anyway. Anyway, as you can see, we didn't burn the place down." Leaning down, she caught sight of a flat stone she hadn't thought about for years and grabbed it. "C'mon, let's find our fox."

"Our?" Finnick questioned. "And what's with that?" nodding at the stone in her paw.

"Just… a memory." Pocketing the artifact, she gripped the lantern more tightly and moved forwards.

"Hmph. Bunnies."

Lifting the lantern above her head, she was shocked to find their way blocked by a large rock. "Butter scones!" she muttered angrily.

"Butter scones!" Judy muttered, scowling at a small boulder blocking the exit of the tunnel. "When did this get here!"

"Don't worry, I've got this," Finnick sneered, cracking his knuckles.

"No," Judy said, already grabbing at it. "I... got it..." Judy huffed, gaining leverage on it, shoving the obstruction down the slope. "Now, we can… go…" she trailed off, watching as the rock rolled its way to a stop near a trail of shimmering blood. She stood there, frozen as her eyes refused to move from the blood.

"What is it?" Finnick said, shoving his way beside her. He nearly lost his balance once he noticed what she was looking at. His eyes followed the trail of blood to a huddled mass farther into the cave. His nose confirmed his worst fears. "Nick! Gods… I..."

Before the fennec could move, a grey blur shot past him and was by the side of the injured todd who was laying face down on the cave floor. "Shit, faster than a speeding bullet…" he muttered. As he approached the pair, he noticed her carefully examining his friend by the faint light of the lamp.

"Fin, help me turn him over. I need to find and stop the source of the bleeding. I can't see any bullet hole, but still…"

As he reached down to grab the fox, his paws shook and he nearly fell over. Taking a deep breath, Finnick eventually got a good grip and, as gently as he could, helped her turn Nick onto his back. Their actions caused the unconscious fox to groan in pain.

"Bean stew! It looks like he has a dislocated shoulder. You're going to have to help me put it back in. Judging by his eyes," as she opened his eyelids to peer into them, "it looks like he has a mild concussion as well. The bleeding is coming from several lacerations on his paws, arms and legs. He must have cut them while trying to get into the cave. He's also shivering from the cold. Help me get his clothes off! I need to use them to stop the bleeding and make a makeshift sling. It will have to do until I come back with medical supplies. You'll need to make a fire while I'm gone," she rattled off instructions to the stunned fennec who could only stare in surprise at the transformed bunny before him.

"Fin!" she yelled, snapping her fingers in front of his face, "Focus! He needs our help, stat! Move!" she commanded. He nodded to her, forcing his limbs to overcome their stasis and began obeying her machine-gunned orders. He noticed his vision blur over a little and discreetly rubbed the moisture away.

As they began stripping Nick of his clothes, Finnick chuckled a couple times, though she could tell there was little heart in it. "What's so funny?" she snapped, throwing dagger looks at him.

"If he was awake, he'd tell you to buy him dinner first."

Blushing, Judy ignored the now-laughing fennec, and returned her attention to her patient, "It's a medical emergency," she muttered. "I'm sure he'll understand."

"Wanna bet? Even though he'll be in pain, he's still gonna be snarky about it. He can't help it," Finnick said, shrugging as he carefully stripped off Nick's shirt, careful not to jar his injured shoulder. "It's how he copes with life's unfairness."

"Like you?"

"Nah, I'd more likely bite faces off."

Rolling her eyes, she ignored his evasion. "Anyway, Fin, I'm going to need you to hold him down while I pop his arm back into his shoulder socket. He might regain consciousness and go into shock but we can't let him thrash about. Are you ready? One, two,..."

Finnick jumped back a bit, his eyes growing wide. "Ahhh, shiiit , really? We're doing this? Right now?"

"Fin," Judy sighed in exasperation, "I graduated with a medical degree from Bunnyburrow Medical University and spent a year interning in the trauma and emergency room before I went into Agricultural Bioengineering." Pulling him towards her, she growled, "So yes , we are doing this now. And doesn't he matter to you? Wouldn't you do anything to help him?" She looked at him as he stood unmoving. "You know he'd do the same for you. In fact... he did. Why do you think he never went towards your camp while those… bastards were chasing him?"

Nodding his head, the fennec shamefacedly agreed.

"Okay, on three...one, two, three !" she instructed, pushing hard on the protruding bone while Finnick held down Nick's body. He heard the sound of it popping in as well as his friend's painful groan as he unconsciously reacted to her treatment. She used her teeth to quickly rip his wet clothes into strips so she could bind the injured arm to his side, preventing it from moving.

"Now," she said, wiping her brow, "you still need to build him a fire while I go back to the store and pick up more medical supplies and hopefully a change of clothes for him. Look," her tone softening, "if we don't do this, he might go into shock and die. I don't want that and I know you don't, too. He isn't gone yet. So, please?" turning her big, soft, lavender eyes on him.

"No, no, no, no, no! Don't turn them cute death ray eyes on me! I swear, you bunnies…okay, okay! Fine," he sighed in defeat. "If I make his girlfriend cry, he'll never forgive me."

"Wha-what do you mean?" Judy said as she tried to push down her pink-tinged erect ears. "Oh, just get on with it and help me!"

Just before she left, she stripped out of her blouse in front of a very shocked fennec while she involuntarily blushed all the way to the roots of her fur. She covered as much of Nick's upper body as she could while she demanded Finnick remove his as well to use as a pillow so that his head would be propped up.

Too shocked to say anything, the smaller fox complied and once she was satisfied, she bolted for the cave entrance. Unmindful of her appearance, she ran as quickly as she could to the pharmacy, not caring if anyone caught sight of her half-naked torso. Thankfully, it was still early in the morning and no mammals were on the streets. As she raced back, she mentally catalogued items one would need to keep an adult fox alive before shock or hypothermia set in.

Rounding the corner, she spotted the entrance and promptly bounded up the steps. Pulling out her key, she jammed it into the door. " Judith Laverne Hopps!" Ears snapping upright, she whirled around as the keys fell from her grip, and came face to face with the disapproving look she knew so well on her father's face. "What are you doing running around in your britches?"

"D-d-dad!" she nervously stammered as Stuart Hopps stomped towards her. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Oh," an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Tell me then, what the sight of one's adult and still single daughter, who's been missing for the whole night without nary a call or message, that I now find come racing back to the store only in her undies, should look like?"

"For carrot's sake, Dad! I've still got my pants on!"

"That doesn't explain where your blouse went to," he demanded, arms crossed. "Or why you've been missing for the whole night. 'Fess up, young lady. Who's the buck?"

Judy fidgeted helplessly. She was anxious to get back to Nick to tend to his wounds yet at the same time, she couldn't just brush off her father with a lie. He had taught her better than that and he at least deserved the truth given that she was going to be tapping into the family's resources in order to save the injured vulpine.

Shivering slightly in the cold morning air, she summoned up her courage.

"There's no buck, Dad. I'm trying to save a fox–"

"A what!" exclaimed Stu. "A predator's the one who you've been out on a date with the whole evening? And a fox to boot?"

"What? No! I'm not dating a predator, dad!"

"Well, you could have fooled me. His scent is all over you. Now, quit stalling young lady and tell me what's going on? There were reports that the PP was here, shooting up the area. Was it him? Were they after that fox? And why the hell are you naked!"

Pawing her face, she bent down to retrieve the fallen keys and unlocked door whilst motioning her father to come in. "He came in last night because his friend was dying. At least that's what he thought was happening," as she covered herself in a white lab coat. "Turned out to be a false alarm. He never laid a finger on me and was the perfect gentlemammal, even walking with me to make sure that I got back safe and sound. The PP surprised us but he managed to divert their attention away from me and drew them away to the falls. He was shot and he needs my help. Dad, please, I need to get back to him right away. He could die without medical attention!"

"Judes! If the PP catch you helping that fox, you'll be tried for treason! Have you lost your mind?"

"Oh, so I should let an innocent mammal die? What else can I do but risk my life? Anyone else would turn him in and leaving him there would be a death sentence! I'm not going to do that, and if I get caught, so be it! At least I'll die with a clear conscience. And it's not like he's done anything wrong! They chased him to the ground as if he were a hardened criminal. If anyone should be put in jail, it's those monsters from the PP! They were torturing him, Dad! Shooting at his heels as they chased after him when all he was doing was trying to gain the one thing we take for granted around here: freedom."

Walking up to his defiant daughter, he placed a paw on her shoulder as he looked into her deep, lavender ones. "You know," he said quietly, "you remind me so much of your mom when she was younger. She had that same fire in her eyes back then. Still does."

Softening her stance, she acknowledged her father's compliment. "Thanks, Dad. But I need to go."

"Hold it right there, young lady. You're not going anywhere...not unless I'm with you."

"But, Dad–"

"No buts, Judy. You're taking me to him."

"So that you can turn him over to the authorities? I'm smarter than that, Dad. No, I'm not going to do that to him."

"Woah, woah," Stu said, holding his paws out in front of him. "Who said anything about turning him over? If he's been shot, he's going to need to be operated on properly and a good bed to rest on. Foxes have fragile constitutions and he could still die out there even after you operate. No." he said with finality, grasping his suspenders, "we have a spare bed in one of the barns. You'll take care of him there." He shook his head fondly. "I'll never understand how you get yourself into these crazy situations."

"Hey, it's not like before," she mumbled as she restocked the medical bag she had retrieved from back in the bushes. "It was the boys' fault back then. I was just trying to help out poor Gid."

"Yeah, and you got injured in the process," he sighed. "You sure he hasn't had any Midnicampum ?"

"Gee, Dad," rolling her eyes, "You'd think that someone who has a degree in Agricultural Biology would know when someone's high on NightHowler? Especially with my background?"

"Just saying. You can never be too careful."

"Wait a minute. How do you know foxes have weak conditions? As far as I know," eyeing him suspiciously, "I'm the only one in the family with an extensive medical background. Are you holding out on me, Pops?"

"You hung out with that fox… Gideon, was it? You were always with him. Either he was unique and got sick more often than the rest of 'em or, I figured, they're all like that."

"Gid? He was healthy as an ox. Never got sick. That is until the incident. Then he never was the same after that."

"See? That's what I mean. They don't hold up well when stressed." She noticed he was fidgeting with his overalls as he said this.

"Ok, Pops. It doesn't take a genius to see you're not telling me everything. Spill it. If it can save Nick, I need to know!"

"You stalling us here isn't doing him any favors either, young lady!" he harrumphed. "We didn't teach you to act like this. I'm under no obligation to help, so either we go now or you're getting no help from me."

Silently fuming at her father's intransigence, she nodded her head. "I need to get more medical supplies in case I need to operate. He was bleeding pretty badly when I left him. Also, he was soaked to the bone from his fall into the water. He'll need more clothes. There's the box of old stuff in the other room. Can you please put it into the truck while I get my medical bag ready?"

Stu's truck swung into the path leading to the cave. Judy was anxiously wringing her paws, fear eating away at her. What if we're too late? What if he's too weak and I can't save him? I-I don't know what I'd do.

"Judy! Snap out of it, young lady! We're here."

"Dad, what if he's dead already?"

"Look, don't be putting the cart before the horse. No offense to Mr. Ed, of course, but you know what I mean. Besides, I just finished detailing the dashboard and your claws are going to scuff the wood."

"S-Sorry," Judy said, snapping her paws away. Shaking her head, she opened the door and dashed out as soon as the truck stopped moving.

"Hold on, Judes! Is he in the cave?"

"How did you know about the cave? We kits never told you about it before."

Chuckling, Stu leaned back onto the truck, fondling his suspenders. "You weren't the only one bitten by the explorer bug. When we were young, my brothers and I also discovered the cave under the waterfall. Had a few makeout sessions with your mom-"

"Nanannanana! Dad, please! TMI! We're in a rush here!" she blushed, grasping her ears to quickly cover them.

"Anyway, we're going to need this," reaching back into the truck bed and bringing out a stretcher. "We're going to have to use this to carry him out. If he's as bad as you say, we can't carry him on our shoulders."

Slapping her head, she was grateful for her father's help. She realized her agitated state was not going to help Nick unless she got her emotions under control. "Great thinking, Dad! C'mon!"

Finnick paced back and forth inside the cave, periodically glancing over at his incapacitated friend to make sure he chest was still rising and falling. "That bunny better hurry her furry ass back here."

The walls of the cave gently shook as a vehicle drove ahead. "The fuck?" his whole body stiffened. "She found a vehicle?" Glancing at his unconscious prone friend, he quickly made his way to the opening that led into the cave. As he neared it, his ears caught the sound of two distinct voices. He paused so as not to make any sounds that might give away his position. He panicked when he realized the voices were making their way to the cave. Catching two different scents, one he immediately recognized as Judy's, he grew angrier.

"I knew she was going to betray us! But why?" he growled. "What's her game? Money?" Looking about desperately, he spied a rock slightly smaller than his head that he quickly picked up and moved to an outcropping just above the entrance. "No one's gonna to take us alive!" He took one last look at Nick before climbing up and sighed audibly. "We never should've trusted that bunny in the first place. Now we're dead. Why'd you have to be so optimistic? Always been a trusting fool."

Finnick situated himself so that he could take out whoever walked through the opening with his deadly granite missile. He heard Nick's bunny calling out to him. "Fin! I'm back and I brought help." Only the sound of the waterfall met her ears. "Fin! Are you there? Can you hear me?"

Evilly grinning, he patiently waited, gripping death in his paws above his head.

"Are you sure he's still here?" Stu asked, as he followed his daughter along the narrow pathway.

"Oh, Finnick wouldn't just leave Nick here. But… he was always wary of me."

"You know," Stu mentioned, "you have to be careful around a cornered predator. If they feel threatened, no matter how good your intentions are, they're going to lash out."

"The same can be said for any mammal, dad. You're being a speciesist. However," as a thought popped into her head, "no... he wouldn't, would he?"

"Wouldn't what?"

"Hm…" she hummed, ignoring her father. "Fin, I know you're still here," she yelled out once more. "It's just my father here and me. We brought a truck to take Nick to our home." Only her voice echoed back to her. "Oh c'mon, Fin, after all of this you think I'd double-cross you? I've had plenty opportunity to do so!" Stepping across the threshold, she adamantly accused the missing fennec, upset about his mistrust of her.

She managed only a step before she was roughly yanked back by her father, making her land hard on her rump. "Oww, Dad! What did you do that for? I was–"

She was interrupted by the sound of a large rock crashing onto the spot she had been standing on a moment ago just before her father had pulled her back. She paled underneath her fur, trembling, just as she heard the small fennec yell out in frustration.

"Fuck! Damn you, bunny! You stay away from us! I missed you but I sure as hell will tear your throat out with my claws if you take one more step in here!"

"You do that and I'll make sure you both will regret escaping the slave camp!" thundered Stu's voice. "I don't have to turn you over to the PP! I've got enough sons that are just as big as foxes who'd be happy to have their way with anyone who even thinks of scratching their sister. So, either you come out where I can see you or else I turn around and get them to drag you both out of there. And I guarantee you, it won't be pleasant for either of you."

"Dad, stuff it! Fin, think of Nick! Please! I know you've been through a lot and you're only trying to protect him. But the longer he's not being treated, the worse he could get. Let us in, please! For his sake," she pleaded.

For a while, the only answer she got was silence. Then, a string of curses could be heard from above where they stood. "Damn you, bunny! Fine! I'm coming down. But if you try any funny stuff, I'm gonna bite your face off!"

They heard the sounds of paws scrabbling as Finnick came sliding down from above. "Here I am, rabbit."

"Step away from the entrance, son," commanded Stu, his voice reverberating in the cave, "and keep those paws where I can see them."

Finnick looked the buck up and down. "Sure, but this is for Nick, not you. I ain't afraid of youse." Turning on his heel, he made his way over to Nick. "Coming, or do you need an engraved invitation?"

"I swear," muttered Stu, "one of these days. Boom! Pow! Right smack in the kisser!"

Wringing her paws nervously, Judy looked to her father. "Fin has a soft side, just… get to know him. And Nick's not nearly as rough around the edges."

"I like 'em both already , hon." Stu rolled his eyes, trying his best to calm down. He went ahead of Judy and moved towards the two foxes and noticed that Finnick was also bare from the waist up and that a fire was burning. With raised eyebrows, he groaned, "Why can't any day be normal with you around? Just don't tell your sisters that you spent the night with two shirtless foxes. You'll never hear the end of their gossip."

Judy ignored her father as she took out her medical bag and began to administer to Nick's wounds. While she did, she addressed the fennec who was hovering nearby.

"Listen here, Fin. I appreciate you've been through a lot and you don't trust rabbits. I get it. But for once, can you at least trust me enough to take care of your friend here. Why would I go through all this trouble just so I could double-cross you?"

"Coz them blasted Robinsons want healthy foxes that they can torture!" he uttered angrily. "Ain't no fun for them if we die right away."

"If you happen to notice, son," interjected Stu, "we're not them 'blasted Robinsons'. And I don't care to be associated with filth like them," spitting to his side. "Never met a good Robinson in my life save the younguns before they get… corrupted."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't, that's the beauty of trust. You gotta go out on a limb and place it all on blind faith."

"I've met weasels more trustworthy than most of your kind. You try living as a slave for most of your life. Ain't pretty."

"That's why I'm willing to give you some slack, son, you and your friend here, and because Judy is willing to put up with you. If it were anyone else, I'd have your hide nailed to the side of my barn."

"Huh. You talk big for a rabbit."

"And you've got a mind as small as your body."

"Can't help it when all I've seen my life is rabbits killing us foxes. My entire world is small because of your kind, so why don't you shut your trap, you entitled bastard!"

"Okay, enough you two!" Judy sharply interjected. "Fin, you apologize to my dad right now or else I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap. And you know I'll enjoy doing it!" she grimly warned. "And Dad, stop baiting him, okay? Can you bring the stretcher here, please? I think I've got him stable enough to move. Fin, I brought a shirt for you and a blanket to cover Nick. Help me out here. "

She noticed the most Finnick did was grumble a few choice words, but he did at least shut up and give her space. They managed to carefully load Nick onto the stretcher and she made her father lead them out of the cave while getting Fin to carry the other end of the stretcher.

Just as they were about to exit into the bright sunlight, Judy called out to her father. "Dad, can you hold up for a minute? I need to adjust Nick's bandages." As soon as the stretcher was safely on the ground, she whirled on the smaller fox, grabbing him by his shirt and hissed menacingly at him. Surprised, the fennec could only stare at her in shock.

"Listen here, you little scruffball. I've had enough of your attitude. So you're going to promise on your word of honour that you're going to be on your best behavior from now on or else you're going to have to answer to my older brothers who aren't as tolerant as I am. And I want a proper apology to my father before we get into the truck, savvy?"

Unable to say anything, the fennec managed to swallow a lump the size of his heart as he fearfully nodded his head.

"Great," she said sweetly, patting his cheek. "I know that you and I are going to get along just fine." Judy then moved to the front where her father was standing.

"I'll say this much," he muttered as he watched her walk away, "You're unlike every bunny lass I've ever seen, and I've seen a thousand too many. You sure youse a bunny?" Looking at his friend on the stretcher, he began to smirk. "You're gonna love her. And I'm going to be laughing all the way to the bank when she's angry with you."

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Judy asked as she halted in her tracks, her sensitive ears easily picking up his mutterings.

"Oh nothing, cottontail," he chuckled, climbing back into his spot. "I can already hear the bells." There he sat, mimicking the dings and dongs of bells as Judy's ears twitched higher and higher up with each time he did it, her blush threatening to make her into a permanent ginger-coloured lapine.

The barn stood high in front of the sun, casting a shadow over the truck as they parked next to it. It wasn't all too impressive, Finnick thought, at least compared to the ones he had seen during his time with the Robinsons. The paint, once a fiery red, was now flaking off as it baked in the early morning rays. He noticed, however, that despite its outward ramshackle appearance, it was a sturdy construct. Everything had its purpose and there was nothing frivolous about it. It spoke of its owner's character. Plain, simple, somewhat shabby-looking but built on solid foundation.

"This is where you'll both be shacking up while your friend gets better," Stu said as he stood beside the smaller fox, looking up at the building with an apparent fondness. "The barn is the furthest from the house and it's not near any of the fields we're currently using. Stay inside and if anyone comes by, hide in the loft where the hay is stored. Judy will come by with food. There's a pump out by the back if you need water to drink or wash."

Finnick's shoulders slumped down and he said loudly, shaking his head. "Better than that cave, I suppose."

"Listen here, son," Stu said, as he laid a paw on the younger vulpine's shoulder, "I know we got off on the wrong hind paw back there, but you're welcome to stay as long as you need to. Once your friend over there gets better," nodding his head towards where Judy was hovering over the still unconscious fox, "we can then talk about how to get you both over the border."

"I still don't get why you rabbits, of all things, are doing this for your natural enemy." Finnick moved back to Nick and looked curiously at Judy as they grabbed the stretcher. "I don't understand you, but… thanks. Just keep dummy over there alive and we'll be out of your fur in no time."

"You're talking to the wrong rabbit, son," the elder lapine smirked, watching them lift the stretcher from the ground. One of Nick's arms fell off and dangled for a moment, but Judy gently laid it back onto Nick's stomach. Stu couldn't help but smile. "If my Judy has anything to say about it, she'll be spending all her free time looking after him. Wouldn't be surprised if she stood guard over him to make sure that the Angel of Death kept moving on."

Before they passed through the barn's entrance, Finnick muttered, "Everything about this is against Mother Nature… and I have a front row seat to the show. This will not end well. Why can't my life be simple?"

Sighing as he watched them disappear into the barn, Stu waited, observing the gentle swaying of the grass as a breeze ruffled his fur. As he watched his daughter return with her medical bag in paw, he remarked, "That boy's a cynic if I ever saw one. Reminds me a lot of your brother, Arthur."

"And he's one rabbit who definitely does not need to know we have them hiding out here, dad." She raised an eyebrow. "Wait, isn't this the barn that's condemned? Are they even safe here? Should we even be this close to it? There's got to be a better place."

Stu chuckled as he threw an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. "I'll share a little secret with you," he whispered. "It isn't. Don't go spreading that around, neither."

Smiling at her confused look, her father continued, though he seemed more hesitant to say what was on his mind. "Seeing as how you feel about this young fella, I suppose I can also share another secret with you. You see, your mother and I have been secretly helping other predators reach the border from here." He chuckled once more as Judy's shocked expression seemed to be permanently etched onto her face. "What? C'mon, I've been fairly open to their presence on my property, haven't I?"

"It's just that I never dreamed that you were slave-runners, dad. I'm not sure I can actually believe you. You… you don't seem drunk, though..."

"Well, let me tell you a little story, then. It happened just after they started issuing those damn collars..."

This story will also be posted in our respective individual accounts in AO3, and DA. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave us comments! We live for those. XD