Thank you to everyone who has been following this little nightmare from my imagination. I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far and what is to come. Want to give a shout out to CallMeGameBoy for proofreading and Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps for the suggestions. So suit up and get ready for action! Vive Le Burrows!
A/N:
Nick flew through the doors, ignoring the noise as they loudly crashed against the walls. The few soldiers not too busy to check on what caused all the commotion quickly ducked out of the way from the red and camo blur that raced past. Sliding to a stop across the polished floor, Nick darted into an open door and searched for the highest-ranking officer present. Spotting a young captain talking urgently on a phone, he stepped up to the red fox as he quickly ended the conversation and turned to address his commanding officer. Before he could say anything, Nick drilled the young officer on the unit's status.
"What's our status?"
"Sir, we're currently at 93% readiness, we have 99% accountability and everyone who is present is helping to load the drop planes and organizing gear for the jump. Brigade has
given the order, we lift off in 20 hours."
"What about the equipment? How far along are we on loading everything that wasn't pre-staged?"
"They said they were a little over halfway done when I spoke to the loadmaster an hour ago."
"Good, keep me posted." Nick exited out of the room and made his way to the conference room. Walking in, he spotted his SGM giving instructions to another fox behind a computer. Telling him where to draw lines on the map and place certain symbols. He noticed Skye sitting in the corner reading over a large stack of papers. The most current intel reports no doubt.
"Alright Sergeant Major catch me up."
"Sir, our contacts in Burrowland notified us that they had lost contact with some of their outpost along the Canisian border last night. They sent patrols to check on them a couple of hours after they went dark. They received reports from a couple of the patrols that they were being attacked around here," SGM Jones used a laser pointer to indicate an area a few miles on the rabbit side of the border, "but all patrols have since gone quiet, presumably killed or captured at this point."
"Any idea where they are now or what the enemy strength is?" Nick asked.
"According to what we could tell they were doing a standard rotation at the training grounds with two armored divisions. Intel suggest they are using both divisions in the assault." Skye called from her corner. "We have a rough estimate of how far they can go before they have to stop for fuel, that's are all we have to go off for now."
"Show me." Nick said, turning back to face the projected map. Two red lines were drawn across the map, almost dissecting the pass into three sections. One last red line was drawn at the end of the pass. The line they would have to defend along with three divisions from Burrowland. Nick's eyes became fixated on the first line drawn on the map, the first one the canines would need to stop at. He silently hoped that the rabbits would be smart enough to stick to the plan and not foolishly try to stand on their own. But Nick didn't have much experience with rabbits.
Bouncing down a gravel farm road, Judy sat in the front passenger seat of her military car watching the lush farmland roll by. It was still strange to imagine actually having to fight. Ever since word of the invasion reached the MP lieutenant she had been a bundle of nerves; much like the rest of her comrades. With all their forces being shifted from the borders with the foxes to the pass between the mountains, everyone began to fear an attack on two fronts. Foxes, wolves, and coyotes were all canids after all. Perhaps they had conspired to work together and split the rich farmlands of the burrows between them. They would be in for a rude awakening though.
Judy glanced in the passenger mirror at the cargo trucks behind her vehicle. They carried a new weapon designed specifically to stop tanks. A mobile missile system that was easy to transport and deploy quickly. Their intel had reported that wolves were advancing in tanks and other armored vehicles. Vehicles that would be vulnerable to the guided missile systems. As they rounded the top of a hill Judy noticed a large group of soldiers gathering round a large flatbed truck.
"Driver," a private with black fur and grey markings scattered around her entire body turned to face her commander, "take us over there." She said pointing towards the gathering.
"Yes ma'am." She replied before turning down a path that would lead them to the gathering. It had to be a brigade size group. Judy could have sworn there were at least 1,500 mammals gathered. 99% of them being rabbits or hares. She did spot the occasional sheep and horse in the group. As well as a couple of deer and even one cougar.
They parked a fair distance away from the gathering before dismounting. That's when they noticed the large hare standing on the flatbed truck talking into a microphone.
"Testing. Can everyone hear me?" He asked as he scanned the gathered crowd. Spotting Judy's group as they gathered alongside their vehicles, he pointed to them asked the same, satisfied when they waved back in confirmation. He spoke again in a very somber voice.
"You've all heard the news. Canisia has invaded the Burrows. Enemy tanks have rolled across our borders. We don't yet know the full extent of the damage they have caused but we do know this. Families have been taken prisoner and back across the border to Canisia territory. For those of you who may have family behind enemy lines you have the deepest sympathy of the high command. Rest assured, we will stop at no lengths to get them safely back. Now, so far the enemy has advanced across our territory unchallenged."
His voice then took on stern tone over the next few lines.
"That stops now, that stops here and it stops with you. I have a letter from General Montgomery addressing the situation that he wanted delivered to all of you on the front lines."
The hare buck then pulled out a letter and began reading it.
"Soldiers of the burrows. Our lands have been invaded and defiled by the enemy who attack as thieves in the night. They have tarnished the peace that we so dearly charish and tossed it away without a seconds thought. They think us weak and incapable of defending our homes and our lives. To them we deliver a message. Here we will stand and fight; there will be no further withdrawal. I have ordered that all plans and instructions dealing with further withdrawal are to be burned, and at once. We will stand and fight here."
The buck then raised his fist into the air and yelled out to the crowd.
"VIVE LE BURROWS!" The gathered soldiers quickly joined in the enthusiastic chant.
"VIVE LE BURROWS! VIVE LE BURROWS! VIVE LE BURROWS!"
"WOOT! WOOT!" Every turned to see an energetic grey doe jumping up in the air as she threw up double fist pumps, causing those around her to chuckle at her enthusiasm. After the laughter died down the large hare began to speak again.
"Everyone report to-" he was suddenly cut off by a dark blur that flew low to the ground over their heads. No one heard it coming but they certainly heard it pass. The loud crack in the air had everyone, regardless of species, covering their ears and ducking their heads as the sonic boom of a MIG-21 washed through them.
"Station!" The hare shouted. "Get to you stations now!" He then jumped down and disappeared into the crowd. Mammals began scattering and running in nearly every direction as they tried to make their way to their own positions. It was then that Judy saw them. Four green jets were screaming towards the ground. Noses pointed at the fleeing mammals. Fire and smoke poured out from under their wings as rockets raced towards the clumped and fleeing soldiers, desperately trying to find cover from the attacking planes.
Her group had stayed close to their trucks, partially hiding under them for cover, with the cargo needed to stop the tanks they would be no use against planes. They could only watch in horror as the rockets crashed into the ground, throwing dirt and blood into the air.
"What do we do?!" Judy turned to see a buck, one of the truck drivers looking to her for answers. She turned back to the groups of mammals being decimated as the planes attacked. Flying in circles before diving down to attack again. She desperately wanted to help, to fight back against those who assaulted her comrades in arms mercilessly.
"You!" She looked towards the voice that called out. She was surprised to see the hare that had been speaking earlier. "Are those the anti tank missiles?!" He asked as he kept running towards them.
"Y-Yes!" She shouted back as he came to a stop nearby.
"Get them the hell out of here! We can't afford to loose them! Hurry!" And then he turned and ran back into the hell the planes were causing.
Judy froze, how could she leave? She had run towards the danger her whole life. Seeking to help those who needed help. To make the world a better place. Isn't that why she was here now? Isn't that what she was meant to do? Looking over the carnage of the field, she felt sick at the sight before her. Senseless murder was the only way she could describe it. She would suffer nightmares the rest of her life about this day.
Reluctantly, she turned to face those under her charge and with a defeated voice she issued her command.
"Move the trucks. Save the cargo." Without words they quickly mounted their vehicles and began leaving the massacre. Unfortunately, they did not go unnoticed.
Amongst the chaos one of the attacking planes had spotted their convoy trying to leave. It dove down from behind like a predator stalking its prey. It quickly lined its guns with the last vehicle and let death pour from its snout. Pulling up so its bullets would rip through the entirety of the convoy. Fate would have it that only the last four vehicles would take damage as the death machine quickly spent the last of it ammunition.
Hearing the roar of the cannons and explosions behind them, Judy leaned out her window and looked back. The last four vehicles were quickly becoming little more than funeral pyres for the drivers and escorts that had been trapped in them. She sat heavily in her seat and stared out the front window in shock. She only came out of it when she heard sobbing beside her. The young private was doing her best to keep her eyes clear of tears to keep them on the road. Judy reached over and placed a paw on her shoulders. The black and grey doe looked back to her with a trembling jaw and tear stained fur. She could hold her own tears back no longer.
The scene was much the same up and down the entire line. Aircraft would strafe and bomb positions until the tanks rolled up and quickly overwhelmed the beaten soldiers of the Burrows. A few positions managed to fight back for a short period of time but would be overrun nonetheless. It would later be learned that the canines had intentionally targeted mammals and not their vehicles. Trying to remove the one advantage the Burrows truly had in their numbers. That day would go down in history as "The Massacre of the First Line".
At a large farm house several miles behind friendly lines, a group of four bunnies sat in a large bedroom that had been repurposed as an office. The bed and dressers had been removed and a large for a rabbit desk was in placed in the center of the room. Behind it sat a rabbit with three stars on his lapel. In front of him in three overly plush chairs sat rabbits with ranks lower than the first.
"Gentlemammals, we are no doubt at a singular point in history." He watched as the other three nodded in agreement. "The foxes plan to wait back at the gap in the mountains was foolish. Why give up so much territory when you can stop the enemy in their tracks before they can even gain momentum. Not to mention the good families who farm this rich soil."
"Here, here!" Said one of the other rabbits.
"We'll spread our three divisions along this line where they have to refuel before continuing on." The general pointed at a line drawn on a paper map spread across the desk. "With these new anti tank missiles, we'll be able to push them back across the border and secure our defenses there. Even if the missiles aren't enough, our numbers alone shall be enough to stiffen their determination. For everyone knows that a predator is only aggressive as long as he thinks he holds the upper paw. No doubt the stirring letter we sent out to be read to every mammal on the line will inspire the troops to push the enemy back."
He paused for a moment and looked at those sitting in front of him. Their nods of agreement boosted his confidence that he made the right decision in moving their army further forward to meet the wolves. The conversation quickly turned to what will happen once the war was over. All of high command agreed that it would end within a month and the burrows would no doubt come out victorious and show the foxes that they didn't need them to defend themselves.
As the conversations continued, a low rumbling sound could be heard. Every rabbit in the room soon had their ear tuned and twitching.
"I-is that artillery?" One of the lower ranking rabbits asked.
The rumbling continued for about twenty minutes before it stopped. Paws traveling up the stairs and approaching the door could be heard. A young doe swung the door open before quickly handing a note to the general. She was panting from the exertion and slightly shaking.
Taking the letter the general read it slowly, then read it again before dropping it to the floor.
"What is it sir?" One of them asked.
"The-the line. It's broken." One of the other officers picked it up and started reading.
"Dear carrots! Every unit is in retreat! The wolves used aeroplanes to decimate our formations!"
"What do we do sir?" Another chimed in. "Do we retreat?"
"It's over." The general barely whispered above a breath. The other officers present looked back and forth between each other, uncertain of what to do next with the army of their nation in ruins and their fate now out of their paws.