WingedKatt here. Just a fair warning: This is another extra-fluffy, spicy cotton candy chapter. Have your insulin shots and metformin handy.

Over in front of the mailboxes, not long after Nick disappeared around the tree with Judy carried in his arms, Shaylee sat staring out the front windshield while her thoughts traveled down interesting new paths. She liked Nick, he was fun to be around, and if he and Judy were already kissing when Nick carried her behind the tree, then it wouldn't be long before he was officially her brother. Before meeting Nick, Shaylee would have been against the idea of having a fox for a brother-in-law—but now? Seeing Judy with Nick made her think more seriously on having her own foxy boyfriend.

Maybe the reason she hadn't found a buck who could catch and hold her interest was because she was looking in the wrong field. Remembering Judy's musing about Nick's teeth when they kissed, and then seeing them kiss herself had Shaylee honestly considering what it would feel like for herself. What would it feel like to date a fox? To spend time talking with one in a more romantic light than she had with Nick? How would it feel to hold a fox's paw? Snuggle together while watching a movie? And then there was a fox's long, bushy tail. For the first time, Shaylee was wondering what it would feel like to run her fingers through one.

While Shaylee was considering future possibilities, Marty was sitting in the back seat playing a game on his phone while Melanie sat beside him staring out the open window of the jeep. Like Shaylee, she was lost in thought. But unlike her sister, Melanie's thoughts were focused on Judy and Nick instead of herself.

How would they make it work? A rabbit and a fox? Were they discussing the future? Where would they live? Melanie doubted it would work out if there was a fox living in the burrow. Too many of her family members were anti-fox. Nick was staying with Gideon at the moment, but for how long? Although Gideon's place was nice, Melanie doubted Nick could bring Judy home with him. And how soon would they even want to live together? Marty had mentioned the fox's Claiming Ceremony, but was that truly what Nick wanted with Judy? Would they just date for a while and then go their own way? Heaven knows, that happened often enough among rabbits.

Turning back to her sister and cousin, Melanie asked, "What do you guys think Judy and Nick are talking about? Do you really think Nick and Judy will hook up?"

Marty looked up from his phone, even as Shaylee turned around in her seat. With a twitch of his ear, Marty was the one who answered. "Are you kidding? Didn't you see the way they were kissing when Nick carried Judy around the back of the tree? I seriously doubt they're doing much talking."

Melanie shook her head. "How can you be sure they were kissing?" Waving her paw back down the road, she pointed out, "The tree is a distance from the road and we're parked even farther away. For all we could tell, Judy might have had her head buried in Nick's shoulder while crying her eyes out. You know how emotional she can get sometimes."

Marty shook his head. "I'm telling you they were kissing. Didn't you see how Nick's tail was wagging? And he wouldn't need to hide behind the tree if he was just going to talk to her."

Shaylee nodded. "I have to agree with Marty. You saw the look on Nick's face when I told him Judy wanted to kiss him. And trust me, if Nick kissed Judy, she wouldn't want him to stop."

Melanie fell silent on that remark. Although she had heard Shaylee tell Nick that Judy wanted to kiss him, she was having trouble seeing it. She liked Nick, for sure, but she was still trying to adjust her thinking to the idea of a rabbit wanting to be physical with a predatory fox. She would be happy for Judy and Nick if it worked out, but it was still a strange idea to get used to.

Turning to Marty, Shaylee's nose twitched as she asked, "Hey, Marty, do you think any of your fox friends would be interested in dating a rabbit?"

Marty's ears perked forward and his own nose started twitching in excitement. "Are you serious!? You would actually consider dating a fox!?"

With a shrug, her nose still twitching, Shaylee said, "Well, Nick's fun to be with and it's obvious that he's committed to Judy. So . . . I was just wondering if I might be able to find a fox of my own who's equally committed." With another shrug and wave of her paw, she added, "Heaven knows I haven't found anyone among my own species, and I don't want to be like Judy with my 25th birthday creeping up on me before I find the love of my life."

Marty's tail started vibrating behind him as he picked a friend's name from his contact list and sent him a text. "I have the perfect friend," he told Shaylee. "His name is Jarod and he's been bugging me for a while now to hook him up with one of my sisters. He was hoping I had a sister as open about foxes as I was, but I've been ignoring him since none of my sisters would give a fox the time of day."

Shaylee nodded. After a moment, Marty said, "Jarod says he's excited to meet you and wants to know when you want to meet?"

Shaylee thought about it a moment, then asked, "Could he meet us tomorrow morning at the grocery store? If we're going to be shopping for a couple of foxes, it might be nice to have one with us so we don't buy the wrong thing."

With a nod, Marty sent Jarod a text back and was happy to say that Jarod would meet with them in morning. Shaylee was happy and suggested they could all go out for burgers and fries or something afterwards. A wide grin was plastered across Marty's face as he let Jarod know the additional plans.

With plans made with Jarod, Marty then texted his friend Elliana Nilwater, a pretty, black mink he had gone to school with. They did quite a few study groups together and generally enjoyed hanging out with the rest of their friends. And since the two of them had graduated from high school earlier this year, they still hung out quite a bit. Marty had thought on several occasions that if Elliana had been a bunny instead of a mink, he would have asked her out.

But after seeing Nick and Judy together, and hearing how Shaylee wanted to get her own foxy boyfriend, Marty figured—why not? He liked Elliana, they had a lot of fun together, so why not date her? Did it really matter that she wasn't a bunny? Obviously, it didn't, not from what he'd seen of Nick and Judy.

He realized now that species shouldn't dictate who he dated. So, with this in mind, he texted Elliana and asked if she wanted to meet up tomorrow about 11:00 for burgers and fries. After letting her know it would be a group outing and getting an okay from her (he wasn't going to ask her out on a date with a text message—he'd do it in person tomorrow), Marty turned his phone off and looked out the back of the jeep towards the big, old oak tree. Wondering how much trouble his cousin and her fox were getting up to, Marty hoped he and the others could help stem the tide when their relationship came out.

Of course, if Shaylee started dating Jarod, that would halve any trouble thrown their way as there would be 2 rabbit/fox couples. And if he started dating Elliana, that would further show that prey and predators had no problem being romantically involved. That's if Elliana agreed to date him. Even though they were great friends, he couldn't say whether or not she had ever considered dating him. At any rate, he'll find out tomorrow, won't he?

Grinning wider while thinking of his two fox friends joining the family and the possibility of him dating Elliana, Marty returned to his game to await Nick finishing up his 'talk' with Judy. Dinner was going to be very interesting tonight as will be lunch tomorrow with his friends.

-/-/-

Nick stood panting with Judy still in his arms. The haze of bliss was slowly fading from his scent and hormone-drugged mind and reality came crashing back down on him from the clear blue sky. After taking a deep breath, a shaky laugh escaped his throat. The fact he'd just claimed Judy as his mate, that he'd just made love to her—against a tree, no less!—hit him like a ton of bricks. She was a rabbit and he was a fox, and here they were knotted together! Could there be anything weirder!?

With another light laugh, Nick turned around and slid down the tree trunk (though he was careful not to catch the bandage on his back). As he plopped down on the ground, his tail wrapped around his devilish little angel. Looking down at Judy—his mate—as she sat snuggled up in his arms while resting her cheek against his chest, Nick ran his gaze over her hot body (her lightly twitching tail being the main focal point) even as his paws slid up and down her soft, furry back. As crazy as it was to have her here, locked hip-to-hip with him, Nick couldn't be happier. Judy was His.

Running his claws back down her back (and feeling her shiver under his light touch), Nick asked lovingly, "So how do you feel?"

With a soft laugh, Judy answered, "I don't know. I'm still coming down off the high." Laying against his chest, she could feel, as well as hear, Nick's pounding heart. Listening to the loud, rhythmic beat of his heart, as well as the deep, steady breaths he took, Judy found the sound soothing. It told her that Nick was happy and healthy.

Nick grinned. Reaching up, he started scratching lightly around her ears. "You know, this was the last thing I expected to happen when I arrived."

Judy's tail twitched several times and Nick reached down to capture it with his free paw. He couldn't believe how soft and fluffy it was!

Before he could get too lost in her tail, though, Judy threaded her fingers through his chest fur, then pushed herself up into a sitting position. Touching her lips briefly with her tongue, she met his green gaze and asked, "Then what was up with that first kiss you stole from me?" A cheeky grin spread across her lips as she added, "You know we wouldn't be stuck here now if you kept your tongue to yourself."

As Nick had turned around and slid down the tree, it became obvious to Judy that Nick was stuck inside her. She didn't understand why, but figured it had something to do with the slight pain and pressure she was feeling at her entrance. The rest of her heated core was quite comfortable having Nick's hard cock still inside her, especially as he continued to periodically twitch and shudder which sent little thrills through her each time.

"Well, no, actually it was you scent marking me that brought us to our present predicament." Flicking her nose, he explained, "You can't scent mark a todd without it leading to this." He motioned down between them where their hips were joined together. Tenting his fingers over his heart, he added, "I was all prepared to step back and give us more time together before jumping into the deep end of the pool, but then you went and shoved me in." With a shrug, Nick added, "Since I was already wet, there was no point in getting out. And since you were the one who got me wet, I just had to pull you in with me."

With a teasing smile, Judy slid her paws up Nick's chest and around his neck. "So, we were swimming, then? I thought we were playing War." With a twitch of her nose, she murmured, "We gotta keep our story straight, don't we?"

With a chuckle, Nick replied, "Yes, yes we do." Scratching his chin, he continued, saying, "I did mention War, didn't I?" At Judy's bright smile and nod, he added, "War is a nice card game, but I was thinking more along the lines of Battleship."

Combing through her tail fur with his claws, he explained, "You know when you grabbed my foxhood, it felt like you just blew up my battle cruiser. But when you took me in your mouth, I swear you blew up my aircraft carrier and punched a hole in my command ship. It was sinking fast, so I had to rally my submarine and destroyer to take you out before I lost all my ships."

Judy laughed at Nick's rendition. "Well, you certainly succeeded. You took out my air support when you started licking me, but when you thrust your tongue inside me, my whole fleet went up in a fiery explosion that scorched me clear through."

Nick licked his chops while remembering how good Judy tasted and how quickly he pushed her to the edge. "My tongue was really that effective?" He knew it was something vixens liked, but he was surprised how well it worked on Judy. Was it because she was a rabbit and thus her smaller size meant his larger tongue had more of an impact on her? Or was it the simple fact she was a rabbit, one of the most easily stimulated species on the planet?

"Mmm," Judy murmured. "It's not something bucks do for does, but my great grandma Cecelia had fallen for a predator . . . a badger." While running her fingers through the fur at the back of his neck, Judy stared at Nick's muzzle while remembering how good his tongue felt and said, "She told me that if I were ever to fall for a predator, too, that his tongue would be one of his best assets." With a bashful smile and soft, but excited voice, she mumbled, "Grandma was right!"

Well, that answered his question on what Judy meant when wanting to know what his long vulpine tongue was good for. Nick grinned widely as he scratched her ear and didn't miss the dark pink it had turned. Thinking how Judy had followed in her grandma's footsteps, his smile faded as he realized an important part of the story she'd left out. If her grandma had fallen in love with a predator—how was she Judy's grandma? With his ears slanting sideways, he asked in a low voice, "What happened to him?"

Judy's eyes and paws dropped to Nick's chest. Playing with his fluffy, white chest fur for several minutes, she then murmured, "The town didn't approve." With her brows furrowing at the story she had been told, Judy's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "They dumped his body and that of his family in the swamp."

Nick's ears disappeared behind his head as his tail slumped to the ground. Hearing his fears confirmed felt like someone just sucker punched him. He was currently enjoying the taste of Judy, so what was going to happen when the town found out he had sullied one of their own with his 'filthy' fox seed?

Judy felt Nick stiffen against her and she quickly glanced up. Seeing the fear in his eyes, Judy raised her paws and waved them back and forth. "Relax, Nick, that happened over 40 years ago and a lot of things have changed for the better since then."

With a gulp, Nick said, "Are you sure? Because I'm a fox and we're treated a lot worse than badgers, even today."

Squaring her shoulders, Judy took Nick's muzzle in her paws again and pulled his face down towards hers so their noses were a mere centimeter apart. "I told you already, Nick, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. And if someone does manage to hurt you, I'll pay them back a 100-fold. Do you hear me?" Nick gave a slight nod and Judy raised her head to press her lips to his. Not satisfied with a chaste kiss, she wrapped her paws around his neck and deepened the kiss.

Nick growled as her tongue wrapped around his incisors and then traveled over the rest of his sharp teeth. The town could burn for all he cared—Judy was His and he wasn't giving her back. Running his paws down her back, Nick pulled her deeper into his embrace.

When they finally broke for air, Judy asked a little breathlessly, "So, um, are you going to explain how and why we're stuck together?"

Nick chuckled, but then explained briefly about his knot and the theory behind it. Judy was surprised but also very intrigued. After blinking her bright, amethyst eyes, she asked, "You mean that every time you twitch, you're actually squirting more seed into me?"

With a flick of an ear, Nick replied, "Uh, yes, that is correct."

Judy blinked again as her nose started twitching. "Why do I find that oddly sexy?"

Nick's jaw went slack and then he started laughing. Running his eyes over her blushing face as he continued laughing, he then said, "Well, you are the rabbit who bragged about how well you bunnies can multiply."

Judy's ears turned beet-red and her gaze dropped to his fluffy chest, even as her ears dropped to hide behind her back. With a small chuckle of her own, she said in embarrassment, "Yeah, I did say that didn't I?"

Running a paw over her hot, flaming ears, Nick replied, "Yes, yes, you did."

Judy nodded, then changed the subject before Nick found a way to embarrass her further. "Um, so, how long exactly are we going to be stuck together?"

With a shrug, Nick explained, "No clue. There's no set time limit for mandatory cuddle time, but I've heard the first time is usually pretty long." With a flick of his tail, he added, "We could be sitting here for half an hour or more."

Judy's jaw dropped and Nick's tail started wagging as he thought now was the perfect time to show her the perks of being knotted to a fox. Darting forward to capture her mouth before she could say anything, Nick slid his paws up to cup her soft mounds. At the same time, he shifted around and brought his knees up so she could lean back against them.

Feeling her shudder under his sensual touch, Nick released her mouth and started licking and nipping her chin. Making his way down her neck, he murmured, "Shall I show you how good mandatory cuddle time is?"

Judy's only response was a groan as she tilted her head back to give him full access to her neck and chest. Winding her fingers through the fur around his ears, Judy encouraged his exploration of her body. His tongue and teeth left a track of fire down her neck while his criminal paws showed her just how good it was to be a bunny. Judy never imagined that being a female could be this exquisite until she felt Nick's fingers, rough pads, and claws caressing her.

And that mouth of his! The double whammy of his teeth and tongue left her a shivering, moaning mess of tingling nerves and hot desire. It wasn't fair!

As Nick licked and nipped his way towards Judy's chest, with his fingers and paws caressing and teasing her soft mounds, he was once again shocked by how sensitive and reactive his devilish little angel was.

Moving one of his paws to slide up and down her hip and side, Nick rooted through her chest fur until his nose brushed against her hard peak. Flicking his tongue across it, Nick then began licking her whole mound. Judy shivered against him, her fingers digging deeper into his fur, and then he opened his maw and lightly clamped his mouth around the whole mound. Hearing her gasp, Nick started suckling, licking, and nipping her hidden treasure which brought a long, drawn-out moan from his little she-devil.

Nick grinned as Judy began panting again, even as her blunt claws grazed his skin. Switching to her other sensitive mound, Nick gave it the same wet treatment the other one got, even as he brought his paw up to continue teasing the first one.

Kneading her fingers through his fur, Judy gasped and shuddered, then moaned as Nick continued his assault on her chest, even as he kept twitching inside her as he shot more of his hot seed into her eager body. It wasn't fair at all! Being with Nick—being with a male—was not supposed to feel this incredible. According to her married sisters, she was supposed to have her fun and then it would end and they could either go another round or continue with their day. But with Nick, she hardly had a chance to catch her breath and he was already stringing her along towards her next climax without even finishing with the first one!

Nick was lost in the feel and taste of Judy and was intrigued and captivated by her responses to his touch. And with the way she kept shuddering and shivering at every lick, nip, and caress, he doubted his knot was going to go down anytime soon seeing as she kept moving and squeezing around him. The feel of her tight, hot body still holding him snuggly while massaging him with every shudder that ran through her kept his knot (and the rest of his length) swollen and hard.

Nick was truly in heaven. Being with Judy was above and beyond anything he could have imagined previously. And he still wasn't sure if it was because she was a rabbit or because of her size, maybe a combination of the two. Whatever it was, being with Judy was a first-shot, uncontrollable addiction. It had to be worse than heroin (he'd never tried it but had seen far too many addicts languishing and dying in the back allies of the city) because after being with her once, Nick was addicted for life. There was no rehab from Judy.

Judy groaned loudly as Nick continued his sweet assault on her—inside and out. Having enough of his sweet torture, Judy pulled Nick's head up and locked muzzles with him, even as she ground her hips against him. Feeling his hard tip brush up against her cervix sent another wave of hot desire and aching need rolling through her. With a low groan, she ground her hips against Nick again which brought a deep growl rumbling in his chest.

Grabbing her hips to keep her from moving, Nick broke the kiss off and stared at Judy with wide eyes. Judy's twitches and shivers had kept him hard as it felt good, but when she ground her hips against him and pushed him that tiny bit deeper into her, Nick felt the flames of desire stoked once more. Which was shocking as he didn't realize Judy could set him off again, not while they were still knotted together!

"Nick! No!" With a needy whimper, Judy stated, "I'm a twitching, whimpering ball of over sensitized nerves and you cannot leave me like this for another half an hour or more."

Nick stared into Judy's bright amethyst gaze and noticed her eyes were once more darkened with want and desire. Although he didn't quite understand what had pushed her to the edge so soon after their release, it was obvious her need was real . . . And if she kept grinding against him, his need would be real, too.

Running his tongue over his teeth, Nick then asked, "I really pushed you to the edge again?"

"Yes!" Judy exclaimed. "Every time you twitch, you're brushing up against my cervix and it feels incredible. That coupled with your criminal mouth and paws have me a whimpering, needy mess." With a gasp, Judy felt Nick twitch again as more of his seed leaked into her heated core. Closing her eyes, she threaded her fingers through his chest hair and gripped it tightly as she started panting again. Nick was killing her!

Nick stared at her incredulously for several heartbeats. "That's your cervix I'm bumping up against!?"

"Yes!" The demands of her body didn't leave Judy much room for talking.

Nick found the fact that he filled Judy completely highly sexy and stoked his smoldering desire back into a roaring fire. Stealing another hot, passionate kiss, Nick pulled her down on him as he thrust up into her. With his knot holding them together, he couldn't pull out of her, but Judy had already shown there was still a little leeway to move deeper inside her. And that little bit of movement had waves of pleasure rolling through him as her tight, hot body squeezed and massaged him in its iron grip.

With his tongue wrapped around hers, Nick grasped her hips firmly as he continued to thrust deeper into her. Judy's groans and moans were music to his ears and she clamped down on him like a vice as her second climax swept through her like a tsunami. Pulling away from their kiss, Judy buried her face in his chest even as she continued to squeeze his knot painfully (the rest of his hard length gloried in her wet, vice-like heat).

As Judy started to relax after her release, Nick growled softly into her ear, "I'm not through with you yet." Judy only had time to blink before Nick scrambled to his feet and pressed her up against the tree again. Taking her against the tree earlier made him realize how much leverage he had when he pressed her body up against something. With a deep, low growl, he nipped the base of one of her ears and held it as his thrusts became frantic while he chased his own release.

Judy's eyes widened for a moment and then slammed shut, even as she held onto Nick for dear life. Even though his thrusts were short—miniscule even—they were fast and hard and kept bumping against her cervix. And with each thrust, she felt the pressure building and knew this next wave would be stronger than the last. Whimpering, Judy met Nick's thrusts with her own, even as she waited with bated breath for her next release to crash through her like a hurricane.

And it did crash through her—right on the heels of Nick's release. With a long, drawn out moan that mixed beautifully with Nick's own growl of relief, it was Judy's turn to give a shaky laugh. Running her fingers through Nick's luxurious fur, she sucked in several lungfuls of air, then said, "I've listened to my married and mated sisters over the years making comparisons on how good their respective bucks were—" Realizing how that sounded, Judy glanced up and explained, "They don't do it often. Usually when one of my sisters hooks up with some popular buck in town."

Shaking her head (she had never seen the appeal), Judy continued saying, "Anyway, of all their talk and comparisons on what it was like being with a buck, I have to say, it's a far cry from what we just experienced." A bright smile spread across her lips as she slid her paws up and around Nick's neck. "Nicholas Wilde, you've ruined me to ever being with a buck."

Nick's eyes burned with humor and possessiveness as he answered, "Good because you're stuck with me." Sliding one paw up her body (the other paw still gripped her hip), he cupped her upper arm while caressing her shoulder with his thumb just under his bite mark. With his voice dropping to a low whisper, he said, "I'm sure you're wondering why I bit you."

Judy shrugged as she met Nick's emerald eyes which were sparking with emotion. "I figured it had to do with some special fox tradition."

Nick's lips lifted in a grateful smile. Most prey females would assume that a predator biting them meant he was trying to hurt her or was after her blood, so for Judy to assume (correctly) that it had an important significance to him as a fox further soothed his bruised soul. "Yes, it has special significance in our traditions." Softly circling around the wound, Nick explained, "Scent marking is a huge part of fox mating tradition, but this bite mark is even more important.

"Really?" Judy asked curiously. She didn't know a lick about foxes and their traditions, and with her taking Nick as her mate, she was highly interested in learning all she could about Nick and his foxy culture.

Nick nodded. "When foxes choose a mate, we perform the Ritual of Claiming, or more commonly called the Claiming Ceremony." With his tail swaying behind him, Nick continued. "When a couple decides to become mates, the todd shows his intentions by kissing his chosen vixen and then stating his desire to take her as his mate and vows to remain faithful to her for the rest of his life. If the vixen agrees, she will start the Claiming Ceremony by scent marking the todd, to which he will return the favor. That, of course, leads to this." Nick motioned to their joined bodies.

Returning his gaze to the clotting wound, Nick explained, "Upon filling his mate with his seed, the todd knots his vixen and leaves this claiming mark." He brushed lightly across the bite mark. "This is more important than the scent mark because it doesn't fade with time and doesn't need to be renewed like scent marking does." Shifting his gaze to meet Judy's, he added, "It's a physical reminder of my love and devotion to you. Something you always carry with you and which can never be lost or stolen."

Judy's eyes widened as the importance of the mark sunk into her mind and got her heart racing. The bite was Nick's physical reminder of his love and devotion to her!? Her heart just about exploded with love for her handsome todd. And if they weren't currently knotted together, she would jump him all over again.

Of course, realizing he had claimed her without asking or explaining anything should have made her mad. But seeing as she started it after Nick stated his lifetime commitment to her, not to mention that his claiming her was proof that he truly meant what he said—that she was his final destination and he wasn't ever leaving—left her with nothing but love, joy, and contentment. After spending a lifetime of trying to make the world a better place (and failing spectacularly in Zootopia), Judy knew that if she made no one's life better but Nick's, then her life had meaning.

Nick slid his paw back down to her hip and then slid both paws under her thighs. Leaning into her, he dropped his muzzle down to her ear and said, "The scent mark lets everyone who smells you know that you're taken while the claiming mark is a reminder to you that you belong to me." Squeezing her thighs, Nick then pulled back so he could meet her gaze.

As she looked up at him with wide eyes and an erratically thumping heart, Nick captured her lips and then slipped his tongue into her eager mouth. After their tongues danced and wrestled with each other for many heartbeats, Nick pulled back and grinned widely at his blushing bride. Since they had finished the Claiming Ceremony, it wasn't a lie to say Judy was his wife now (though he would still like to see her dressed in white—they'll have to discuss that option later).

For the first time in his life, Nick felt content with his life. Everything was right and perfect in this one moment. Staring into Judy's bright, beautiful, amethyst eyes (and getting lost in them), Nick said confidently, "You're mine now, Sweetheart, so get used to the idea of having me around."

With a bright smile as love shimmered in her eyes, Judy giggled as she booped Nick's nose with her own. "Well, there's no one else I would rather be stuck to." Wriggling her tush to drive home her point, Judy then said, "I love you, Nick." After a lifetime of struggling alone along the road of life, she finally found her partner and mate to continue the journey with and her future never looked brighter.

Nick chuckled as he ran his claws over Judy's soft, wriggling bum. "I love you, too, Judy." Licking her nose (and bringing another giggle from her), he added, "I have to confess, though, I didn't know this was possible."

Judy raised her brow. "What? Being with a bunny?"

Nick chuckled again as he shook his head. Turning around, he slid back down the tree, saying, "No, not that part." Grinning down at her, he explained, "The worry had crossed my mind previously that I might be too big around for you and that my size might injure you." Tilting his head, he asked, "Did I injure you?" He remembered how tight she was when he first entered her, but it hadn't seemed like he'd torn anything. He had gone slow enough to avoid that.

Judy shook her head, and then paused. Wriggling her tush again, she amended, "Well, I am a bit sore where your knot is. Especially after, we, um . . ." Judy's ears flamed red again as she considered what she and Nick had just done. She still couldn't believe Nick had pushed her over the edge three times without hardly trying! He hadn't even pulled out of her!

Nick's ears flicked back. "Um, I . . . I don't have to knot you every time."

Judy nodded, then said, "I do like mandatory cuddle time, though." Weaving her fingers through the fur at the back of his head, she added, "But maybe wait for me to heal up a bit before you knot me again."

Nick nodded. "Yeah." With an anxious flick of his tail, he repeated, "Yeah, I can do that."

Judy tightened her grip on the back of his head and pulled his face down for a soft kiss. And then another one. And then a little deeper one. The fourth kiss was long and slow as they both enjoyed the taste and feel of the one they loved. Pulling back to meet Nick's deep, forest-green eyes, Judy smiled brightly, then asked, "So what was it that you thought was impossible?"

While running his fingers and claws up and down her back, Nick answered, "With us being knotted, I didn't think it was possible to go off again." Running his claws through the fur of her thighs and grazing her skin (which caused a shiver to run down his angel's back), Nick grinned. "For once, I'm happy to say I was wrong."

Judy giggled. Pulling her arms down, she began playing with the fur of his belly. She tried not to think about what was hiding under his bandages, and if they weren't out in the middle of nowhere, she would demand to see his wound right now. Well, as soon as they could separate, anyways. Resting her cheek against his chest and listening to his strong, steady heartbeat again, she snuggled into his embrace and sighed contentedly. Drawing circles and figure 8's in his thick fur, she asked, "So how long do you think we'll be stuck now?"

Nick shrugged as he continued gently running his claws up and down her back. "With the way you clamped down on my knot—twice—and with how I completely emptied myself into you, I don't imagine it'll be much longer."

Judy nodded, but then a notification ding sounded from Nick's phone. Reaching over, he dug through his pants until he found his phone and pulled it out of the back pocket. Glancing down at his sweet angel, he reminded her, "Don't forget to grab your phone off the ground before we leave. I'd hate to call you later only for the tree to hear the call."

Judy giggled. "Yeah, that would be bad."

With a laugh, Nick checked his text message. As he began typing a response, he explained, "It's from your sister Shaylee, reminding me of the time and wanting to know when we'd be done."

"Oh," Judy murmured as her pink ears turned several shades darker. What would Shaylee say if she knew her sister was currently knotted to a fox? That she had just scent marked a fox and taken him as her mate?

As Nick dropped his phone back on his pants and started caressing her back again, Judy asked, "How did you meet Shaylee? And why is she willing to chauffeur you around?"

With a smile, Nick briefly explained how he met Shaylee, her support of his and Judy's relationship, along with how he met Melanie, Marty, Brandi, Aaron, and Ben. All of whom supported them in a relationship and was happy to welcome him into the family. This surprised Judy, but she was extremely glad and relieved to learn several of her siblings and her cousin supported her relationship with Nick. The fact they wouldn't be facing her huge family alone was an immense weight off her shoulders.

Of course, hearing how Mandy and several of her other siblings were trying to chase Nick out of town and keep the two of them apart—all because they didn't believe a rabbit and a fox should be together—had Judy royally pissed. And if she wasn't currently knotted to Nick, she probably would've hopped up and taken off for the burrow just so she could beat some sense into them.

Nick chuckled to see his avenging angel return. As Judy looked up to ask what he found so funny (she was truly incensed at the thought that several of her brothers had tried to cause Nick an accident earlier today), he slipped a paw behind her head and pulled her in for another hot, hungry kiss. Pulling back to take a breath, he said, "I love you, Judy, my beautiful avenging angel." Then he dipped his head back down for several more heated kisses.

Judy melted into his kisses and was more than happy to forget about everyone and everything for the time being. She had her mate and he was kissing her and she was truly happy for the first time in so very long. Nick was right—as long as they had each other nothing else mattered.

WingedKatt again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next time, we'll take a break from Nick and Judy and see what message Nick sent Shaylee and how the bunnies take it. We'll also see how Ryan and Daisy's date is going.

Ch. 28: Fears and Insecurities, will post in 2 weeks.

I hope you have a great weekend. Be safe. If you have any thoughts or comments, let me know.