This chapter comes on the one year anniversary of first publishing this story. Since then it's been a lot of ups and down along the way but I'm glad to say this one is still going strong. Thank you to everyone who has patiently been waiting for updates to this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to follow along. Thanks. A big thanks to BrutusDeagon, Vince Fangway and Combat Engineer for the editing and support.

A/N:

Judy wiped the sweat from her brow before placing the shovel down behind her dugout. The shallow hole being a quick way to build up cover. Beside her Private Jenkins and the one bunny she never expected to see here, Logan. The two had become close over the months they were separated. Writing letters and sharing experiences had formed a bond between them that wasn't present in their previous friendship. She shocked herself when she ran to wrap him in a bone crushing hug when she saw him jumping out of the back of a truck. When they'd stopped working for a few minutes, Judy told told him about her experience on the front line and cried into his shoulder after naming off those they'd lost in their little convoy during the retreat.

Now she watched as they, were placing the guided missile launcher in their own larger dugout. Seeing the thing out of the crates that she carried on her truck was something extraordinary. The large metal tube that was latched onto the tripod was disposable, a wire plugin was all that was required to be connected to the controls mounted to the side of the tripod. After that, a safety pin was pulled and the weapon was armed and ready for deployment.

Behind her, a portable radio was set up so she could communicate with the rest of the group gathered along their lines. They consisted of a hodgepodge of different groups. Some that had made their way to the front to help, others, the survivors of the first battle that seemed so long ago. Logan and Jenkins had already prepped one missile for launch and were stacking extra tubes to the side for easy reloading. They'd placed the four they were carrying when the radio suddenly came to life with a crackle of static.

"We've got tanks incoming! Tanks coming down the road!" Judy reached for the handset.

"Everyone! This is LT. Hopps, ready your position. Don't fire until they're within range! Over!" She dropped the handset back in its holder and lay down in her hole, looking through binoculars. Waiting for the inevitable.

Nick was sitting in his seat closest to the door of the large cargo plane. His head leaned back, resting on the fuselage behind him. The humming of the engines would've been deafening if he didn't have his earplugs in. He kept his eyes closed and tried to be as much at rest as possible. His mind was blank. Everyone had been briefed and prepared as much as possible. Worrying now would only work him into a frenzy. He had to keep up a display of confidence. Nothing showed confidence more than being at ease.

Until the red light came on.

Ka-Klunk WHOOSHSHSHS!

2nd Lieutenant Judy Hopps watches as the guided anti-tank missile works its way across the open field towards its target. Mesmerized by the hot red glow of the rocket fuel that propels it quickly over the terrain. Only barely noticing the still plowed fields as it grows nearer to its target. A thought crossed her mind. Where did these rockets come from? She had never seen one before in her training. Nor had anyone ever mentioned the military of Burrowland having any. Although it wouldn't surprise her. She'd only been in the military 3 months since being drafted. She snuck a quick glance at the device that had propelled the missile still being operated by Private Jenkins, a dark brown bunny with speckled fur under his chin. The device was small enough for a bunny to use but big enough that it was at the edge of being awkward to handle. Suddenly a flash in her peripheral vision brought her attention back to the missile. It had struck its target, causing the large tank to erupt in an inferno of flames. Followed quickly by 6 more tanks erupting.

"Yes! Take that you dirty howlers!" PVT Jenkins, now leaning back from the launcher to admire his handy work while Logan reloads the missile launcher.

"Don't get too excited!" Judy stated barely able to withhold her enthusiasm. "We've got more to worr-" Cut off by a sudden explosion behind her. Judy pulls herself tighter to the ground trying to escape the ringing in her ears as dirt falls on top of her. She looks up in time to see Jenkins launch his second missile. Hopefully at the enemy that spotted them. What only took 5 seconds seemed like an eternity.

"Hit!" screamed Jenkins! But all Judy could hear was the ringing in her ears.

"Pack it up we need to move!" She shouted. Her voice sounding like she was mumbling to herself. When out of nowhere the ground around Jenkins and Logan erupted with small explosions throwing their now ragged bodies to the ground. Judy sat stunned as she watched what could be considered her best friend float to the ground, body limp and bleeding.

Before her mind could fully comprehend what happened, a thunderous roar boomed from above. She looked up in horror at the same planes that had attacked them on the first line were now circling overhead, picking their targets like birds of prey. She had been so focused on the tanks she didn't notice it coming towards them. She watched in dread as it made a slow turn behind their lines, coming around for another pass at her or one of the other teams hidden on the rolling hills around her.

Just as the plane began to turn back towards her something happened. She wasn't sure what but the plane which was about to deal death to her and her platoon was now a smoldering wreck of fire, tumbling in the air towards the ground behind them. Just as she heard the boom from the explosion of the plane another sleeker jet flew through the smoky remains causing the smoke to whirl into spirals around its wings. As the plane began to pass to Judy's left the pilot rolled the plane to the right and looked right at her.

As if in slow motion Judy studied the shining silver craft as it passed. The top of the wings adorned with the image of a blue fox with wings. And in the cockpit a pilot with a long narrow white muzzle with a single white streak on his head and white eyebrows. The rest of his face a tannish color. "A fox!?" She thought to herself. Before she could fully comprehend what happened the aircraft suddenly rolled back over and shot upward into the sky as quickly as it had appeared. It was then that Judy noticed all the small puffs of smoke in the sky between the clouds. Black smoke coming from small balls of fire slowly descending in the sky.

Judy was brought back to reality when a loud screeching noise raced what seemed like right over her head. It was another low flying aircraft laden with bombs along its wings and belly. It then released several and began to turn. Judy watched as the bombs fell on their intended target. The tanks that she and her platoon were targeting. She looked back and there, on the wings of this much bulkier and green instead of silver plane was the same blue fox with wings. Even though the second pilot was much further away, she could still make out the facet of yet another fox, a red fox. She watched as two more green planes came and dropped more bombs. Eventually causing the massive tanks, which had slowly been moving towards them, to begin retreating from the onslaught of bombs and anti-tank missiles.

During the entire spectacle, Judy had sat in awe at what she was seeing. Her mind numb from the sudden loss of two soldiers, to being saved by several foxes in planes. She was dumbfounded! Unable to decide if she needed to run or celebrate her new heroes. When suddenly her radio began to crackle. She pulled the handset to her ear to listen.

"-hind us! We're being Surrounded!" Dropping the hand mic Judy spun around behind her just in time to see several parachutes floating almost harmlessly to the ground. All but one that is.

As she followed the line she realized that the closer to her the line got the lower they were to the ground. "They must have jumped first!" She thought to herself. Then noticing one almost completely on top of her but something was wrong. This one's parachute had failed to open! He was plummeting through the air and looked like he was going to land directly on top of her! She could see his desperate attempts to untangle his lines and force the chute to open. His large red tail swishing in unison with his legs! Just before he landed in the trees next to where she was, his chute opened almost as if on command. He was close enough that Judy could hear the wind being knocked out of him by the sudden force of his deceleration. Just as he was landing in the trees Judy came to her senses. This was a possible threat and she needed to know for sure.

"You're not going to get me fox!" she said in a whispered growl. Sparing a quick glance at the mangled bodies as she passed them. Promising herself to make sure they were both buried properly. Quickly looking away before her emotions overwhelmed her.

Her training kicking in, she picked up her rifle and ran to the bushes near the trees where he had fallen. Crawling silently in the bushes until she found him still hanging from his parachute, which was now tangled in the tree branches above him, nearly 6 feet off the ground. He released his bag which had been hanging below him from a strap and then his rifle which fell on top of the bag. Judy couldn't help but notice his rifle looked so much more modern than her own.

Her own being a semi-automatic rifle with a wooden stock that was either reloaded with individual rounds or by using a stripper clip. His was very odd indeed. Being almost as short as hers but made from something that looks like plastic and had a pistol grip which was in front of a curved detachable magazine. She then started to notice his uniform also looked more modern with multiple pockets on both legs and his Kevlar vest had loops across it with several pouches attached. His helmet which was thicker than hers but looked like it fit more comfortably on his head. And his entire uniform was in a digital camouflage color scheme that matched quite well with his surroundings. Judy looked down at her own outdated uniform that was meant to serve as both a casual dress uniform as well as-

"Well hey there carrots!"

Judy's eyes shot up at the fox who was now looking down at her. She didn't realize that while she was admiring his equipment that she had slowly stood from her concealment where he could see her. Her eyes now wide with shock and fear.

"I don't suppose you'd want to give me a paw, would you?" he spoke with his eyelids half closed and a lazy smile across his muzzle.

Judy stared into his emerald green eyes for only a second before replacing her own shocked expression with a menacing grin as she pulled her rifle up, aiming at the fox.

"Not today fox!"

A/N:

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