Chapter 15 – Nightmares
Judy was trapped in a dark room. Her paws were bound in front of her and she could not find the exit. She stumbled around until she tripped over something laying on the floor. She felt down to figure out what she had fallen over. She felt fur. An outline of an unknown animal. She felt along the still figure until her paws became wet. She raised her hands to her face in surprise, jerking them close enough to make out dark red, staining and matting her fur. Suddenly, the room got brighter and she stared about her in horror. Dark figures in the distance began a chorus, accusing Judy of failing to protect them. Failing to protect the thousands of dead and defiled bodies of the fallen female mammals lying around her. Judy gazed upon the horrible sight and fell to her knees. She had never felt so helpless, never so trapped, useless. She cried out in horror and shame at her complete inability to help even one of the poor lost souls cruelly littered before her.
Nick sprang upright in his bed. "Judy!" the first thought in his muddled mind. He tried to shake off the images of dark male figures hovering around a cringing vixen. He looked around, dragging his mind back to his surroundings and remembered
why he wasn't in his own bed. He heard another sound of distress from the adjoining room, whispered "Judy," and ran out of the room. He skidded into the doorframe as he threw open the door to Judy's room.
The crash of the door as it flung into the wall jolted Judy awake. She scurried back against the headboard of the bed, taking a defensive stance as she tried to make out who the white figure in the doorway was.
"Judy! Judy! Where are you?" cried out the voice of the panicked fox. He could not make out Judy, with her inky black coat blending into the unlit room.
Nick's terrified voice broke Judy's spell.
"I'm here, Nick. I'm okay." Judy said softly.
Nick came over to the bed, his eye's finally adjusting to night vision.
"I heard you cry out. What happened?" Nick said sat on the bed and reached out a paw to her. His expression of deep concern and his heaving chest made Judy slide towards him and take his paw.
"Just a nightmare… I'm fine, really." But her fur was damp with sweat, and Nick took in her twitching nose.
"What was is it?" He moved closer, but slowly to not startle her. Nick felt that Judy may be one sudden move from her internal flight response. He need not have worried, Judy had conquered that response long ago and smoothly slide into to his embrace.
"It was terrible, Nick. I… I was so… helpless. I couldn't help a single one," she murmured. She pressed her cheek against his chest and allowed her friend to stroke her ears. "I was so helpless…"
Nick pulled back to look her in the eyes.
"Judy, I know it will be hard for you to play this character for this mission. The character you will play won't fight back. She won't even spit, scream, or show any amount of defiance. You will have to pretend to be helpless. But it will only be pretend."
The intensity of his gaze seemed to make the darkroom brighter. Judy knew that this was Nick at his most honest, his most true self.
"You are never helpless. Even in the darkest corner, against the worst odds, you will not be helpless. You are the bravest and strongest mammal I've ever known. You will fight, and you will win!"
He pulled her closer, their noses almost touching. "And if you are ever somewhere with the odds against you, I will be there to even them. I swear it!" he finished with a slight growl.
Far from triggering fear, Nick's growl sealed his oath. Judy never doubted her partners reliability, but this promise made the knot in her stomach unclench.
"Thank you," Judy said softly, breaking Nick's boring gaze. "I know you will always be there when I need you."
She reached up slowly and stroked the fur between Nick's eyes, the action instantly causing Nick to relax. The tightness of his arms around her slackened and he shook his head slightly, as if coming fully awake.
"You should probably get back to sleep," Nick said as he drew away from her slightly.
Judy took Nick's paws in hers, "Stay?" she asked softly. "I'll sleep better if you are close by."
They both became suddenly aware that Nick was shirtless and Judy in a tank top and underwear.
"Well I did promise you I would cuddle with you whenever you wanted," Nick said with a small laugh to break the tension. "But I want to make sure I'm comfortable too this time!"
He settled himself on his side in the bed as Judy pulled the covers over them. Judy cuddled up to Nick's chest fur. While Nick was quite handsome in his Arctic coat, she preferred his normal red coat. But, with her eyes closed, he was the same Nick with soft fur and his distinct smell. She tried not to concentrate on the fact that she had never been this close to him with so little clothes on.
As Nick curled himself around Judy, he couldn't help noticing how she fit perfectly against his chest. He tucked his chin on top of her head and put his arms around. Focusing on comforting his partner, he almost was able to ignore the feel of her various exposed lengths of fur next to his.