In the shadow of the Father

by TheReddishRaccon

When life starts to put on weight on Nick's young shoulders, an only way left may be his long-gone father and beginning of new, bilateral life. In the meanwhile, ZPD is forming a special anti-terrorist and anti-mob squad comprised only with the finest of the finest in the force. Nick must now face his inexorable doom, with Judy's help they will face a never-seen-before mystery.

6. Welcome to the Abyss!

Hello, it's me Raccoon! A few days ago I read some Shakespear's works of literature and it has inspired me to write this chapter like a connector between Part I and II of my story. For everyone that would cringe from the chapter's amount of descriptions: this place depicted here is one of the most pivotal factors in this story and it couldn't have been left with any unexplained details. Have a nice day and enjoy!

In the shadow of the Father

Chapter six: Welcome to the Abyss!

Unknown place, unknown time

Nick's point of view

Darkness. Impenetrable darkness shrouds my soul and thoughts. I don't know where I might be nor do I associate the setting that is around me. Only darkness. At least all the pain has gone and I can walk now without any effort. Also, my hands are free and when touching my muzzle, I can't feel any signs of wounds or swellings that I should have after the beating. I make a few steps forth but very uneasily, fearing that some gap might be set in front of me, I had had enough pain. Very queer to me is the fact why Salim didn't kill me on the spot when he had an occasion to do so and everything stuns me now. I remember only when my head was set for his gun and I actually felt the barrel of his gun touching my temples. I remember fearing the worst. And then, out of nowhere, I can recall blinding light, like God himself has descended to save me from my torturers. Now I stand in nobody knows where trying to recall what could be the light in the alley but it seems pointless now because I must make out what is the place I'm being held right now. Slowly I make another few steps, though I can't define the direction of my errand due to the overwhelming darkness and oblivion. I try to hold out my paw forth, to check if maybe something is in front of me or in any direction, some wall maybe and grids of my prison. But everything seems without any effect since I can't touch anything nor anything touches me. Speeding my pace might be useful. I'm running now at my full speed, forth. I change direction, left and right but it also seems without any point because nothing is here. Ok, now I'm scared a little. Where the fuck am I? I ask myself, still trying to spot something but unluckily nothing. Only nothing.
"Heeyyy" I shout from the deepest parts of my lungs, with all the strength that is in me. I try to jump, to hit the floor. Just to feel or see something, at least smell.
When all my doings are without effect, I decided to just sit on the floor, still gazing into horrible darkness everywhere and with my arms crossed above my knees, finally, I feel something. It's not the feeling that I have begged for because it doesn't come from the nowt that surrounds me from every direction, it's a feeling that my confirmed heart hasn't felt in many years. It was the urge to cry. I wanted to cry because I, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, didn't know what to do. How much I would give to just be with my mother now and feel the warmth of her mother love. No, I would like to say that I love her because she had been loving me since I was born and as long as I remember, from the past couple years I haven't returned it in any way. So be it, cry. Tears start to flow down on the surface on my face, some of them soaking into my fur. I'm crying like a baby, wiping the tears, somehow trying to insulate from the feeling of plight and helplessness. God, if only the band saw me, they would burst into laughter for certain. I grin a little because the memory of my pack brings delightful feeling to me, about out time we have spent together, in sorrow and glee. No matter what, they have always been with me. I pierce the ongoing silence with my slight sobs. I try to recall some events that I have spent with my mother, to warm up my soul and heart. I have no idea when this ordeal in this dark, hideous place is going to reach its ending, but I don't think I'm gonna last long. If there is nothing to do with myself, I might find myself banging my head to the ground until the death entangles my body and last breath is out of me.
Before I can even stand up or undertake something, the last sentence shows up to my bemused mind. I have wanted to say this a long long time ago to her in person but apparently, my egoism couldn't let me do so. Through my weeping I say, choking myself with pity over my worthless being.
"I love you, mom! I have always been!"
Then, like a bolt from the blue, all the darkness is conquered and I mean literally. Things I couldn't see and touch now emerge in front of my crying eyes as if confession to my mother was the catchword in my last despair.
In a matter of seconds, I behold myself sitting on the brick, in front of the white-and-green garden shed. I can't believe my eyes what has just happened but as I touch the ground and the handle of the shed's door, everything seems real. The extreme cold that only a couple of seconds before was crushing my body is now gone and above me, a little cloudy sky with its sun being held behind the puffs of steam extends. Now it occurs that the new scenery has yoked the pains of my soul a bit because indeed it's extraordinary. I helped myself with my right hand and regained the stance on two legs. The shed was behind me, painted white and the roof in dark-green colour. I was standing on the pavement within someone's property. The path was beautiful mosaic made only of meticulously hewn paving stone, also snowy-white, the same like the walls of the shed. I put my sight further and I could see big and beautiful, almost mansion but still keeping its size moderate, house. The walls of this house were also white like the pavement and the shed, the roof was still the same dark-green colour painted with pure black gutters. Almost everything seemed pure white about this strange house, the windows' frames, door, columns in front of the door, even the garage gate. I had no idea where I could be or to whom this property might belong but I had only one wish to get out of here as fast as I could.
I took a look around and spotted that the house is located in just decent neighbourhood with another house encircling it. I ran to the wall, which colour was not different from the colour of the house and shed. Only escape from this wicked place was to get over the white, iron gate that enclosed the exit from the lawn. Immediately, without thinking too much, I put my foot on one of the bars of the gate and started climbing to get out of here. But when I was in the half of the way to the top of the gate, which I must say was quite high for just a closing gate, I felt something uneasy with me, something dreary started to fill my head, the same feeling I had in the alley when I got beaten up. In a matter of seconds, the feeling made me lose my all strength and I involuntarily unclenched my grip from the gate and fell down on my back, simultaneously hurting the back of my head. "Ouch..ssss" I said under my nose. Ok, that was very weird, not weirder than this whole place. I tried another time and another and another but all effort ended up with the same effect that I lost all my strength, my sight became blurry and I had to let the gate. What the fuck is going on here! I didn't yell but thought myself. The enchanted gate that won't let me out no matter what I do. I must be dragged, that's why I'm being imprisoned in this place. This might be just a figment of my imagination, but still, it seems so real and I can't stay here because I don't know what lurks within this house. If the gate is not going to let me out, I must try with the wall, although it will be certainly harder. I paced a few meters left where there was no gate nor any bars. The wall was almost as tall as the gate. I took a deep breath and started talking to myself. "Ok, pfffff, focus Nick, you can do this, you will jump over this fuckin' wall and escape this imprisonment! Right, up to it. Three...two...one.." In the same time, I let my breath to come out of my lungs, I put all the strength that lasted in me to the muscles of my legs and took off the ground enough for my hands to take a grasp on the ridge of the wall. Hanging there like a feather on the wind, I managed to chin the wall and put half of my body above its peak. My heart was beating from the happiness that I will get out and call for help when the known to me feeling overwhelmed me again. Reluctantly I let my muscle loosen up and fell on the grass, at least I hadn't crashed my head this time. Once again I stood on my two legs and was panting like a wiped out sportsman. But the thing is that I wasn't exhausted with the climbing or the dreadful feeling slandering my body and minds. I was panting because of fear which now was everywhere in me, even I could feel it in the air. Fear was flowing in my veins because who nobody was here and nobody knew what is going to happen with me, including myself. Am I going to die from the lack of water and food because of some unknown supernatural phenomenon that keeps me here whatever it takes? No! Indeed that would be the most miserable ending I could imagine for myself. Wait, the neighbours. Yes! Yes! The neighbours, there are many houses around I bet that at least in one of them someone is right now. I quickly sped back to the gate and put my hands on the top bars of it, hoping that I won't lose consciousness just for touching the gate.
"Hellooo, hey, heyyy!" I shouted relentlessly "Please! Someone help me! Help!" and I was shouting on and on without anyone who would peak from the window or door of one of the houses and come help me in my torment. Alas, as I was still shouting, nobody came in my peril to help me. It looked like everyone from this district has evaporated somewhere or never has no-one has lived here. And by the way, what is this part of the city? Where I am? I perfectly knew the whole region of Zootopia since I was, I don't know, seven, eight? There wasn't a place for me unknown or person that I didn't know. But this house, this neighbourhood? I tried to pair off the surroundings but nothing particular came to my troubled mind. I think that this area came out of nowhere to the city because there's no way that I haven't seen it yet. I backed off from the gate and made my way to the lawn where I found a quite big stone, big enough to break a window with it. I didn't have any other option, screaming seemed not to bring any deliverance. If it was somehow real, my mom would

be extremely angry with me breaking someone's window, but she would have to understand it was the only way to reach one's help. I cast the stone to the nearest house's window and it broke into shattered pieces of glass. "Heyyy, help me! I'm here! Help!" I shouted once more, still without sense and effect were my deeds. I took another, same stone and cast it in the house to my right. The glass broke as did the last one. I shouted for help and nothing. No one was here to help me. What is this peculiar witchcraft, who is the one who holds me here? Where the fuck I am?! Those questions filled me up wholly, single file. I went back to the grassy lawn where I have found myself at the beginning of this madness and felt that I was gonna cry in a few seconds. I held out my hands to my eye sockets to prevent tears from draining off for the second time. "Oh G-god, If you're there, please help me! S-someone help me!" I was screaming to the pale sky, gagging with my own sobs and saliva going down my throat. For the first time I'm here, I felt thirst and hunger besides fear and helplessness. If I don't make out something in due time, I'm going to die in...I don't know...three, maybe four days without water. Then the idea has struck me like a lightning. The house! Of course! I will go a look for some nourishment and traces in the house if it's open. But even if not, I will break the window and get in. I stood up and took a third white rock in my paw and made my way to the patio. The patio in this mysterious house was built over with a glassy construction, which gave me hope because if the doors are closed, I'll get through the wall-like window. I reached the terrace door and pressed on them with little force, then stronger and stronger but the construction didn't even flinch. I gripped the stone in my paw tightly and with the pointed side if it, I cast still holding on the glassy surface of the window. To my huge astonishment, the glass didn't flinch too, like it was manufactured from lead or it was armour glass. But even if it was armour glass, the stone would leave at least a slight remnant of my hit, but I couldn't spot anything on the glass, even when I brushed my sensitive paw pads on it, I couldn't feel that something has happened. I took another swing and another, the glass doesn't budge. The stone was now a bit hewn from decorticating but the window was still without any signs of crushing with a stone. 'That fuckin' sorcery prevents even the windows from being hurt. What a fucking trick! Pity that the neighbours didn't have such protection'. I thought myself and cast the useless stone into the opposite house window, which has easily shattered. So why couldn't be so with this one?
Well, I didn't have anything to do here, at this part of the house. I walked around it, to the main door, where two icy-white columns stood, being the prop for the upper balcony. Besides, the columns stood two figures, also white and clear, representing two wolves, as if they were the guards to the monstrous house. The door was enormously big too, tightly locked, with smart glass in, through which I couldn't see anything. I uneasily held out my hand and pressed on the golden handle. As I pulled the door towards me, it cracked. It cracked so loudly that the whole house was filled with this sound and it made an echo.
Now, feeling a bit bolder, I swung the door fully open I peeped into the house. After a few seconds, I made my first step over the threshold and the mat.
My paw met with a pure white, polished and marmoreal floor, on which black circles were set on every rim of the white square of marble.
The house, I must admit, is beautiful and very charming for my burdened heart.
To my right, I spot a little but spacious toilet, with a huge black-framed mirror, studded with gems of various shape and colour. I don't know if they're real or artificial, but at least they seem to be real. On the left, I see a big, square-like home office, with a hand-embroidered rug in the centre of the room. Behind the rug and in front of a big window, there stands a big and dark writing desk. Along the wall on the right side of this room, stand very tall bookshelf, rammed with thick books to its peak. I go further, in front of me is a long and brown table with three lily-white candlesticks. Five chairs are set beside the left and right side of the table and one chair stand on the opposite end to where I'm standing now. The table with the chairs is set with silver and gold dinnerware, although all the dishes are empty and seem long forlorn, not a clump of dust has set itself on it. Still marvelling at the table and the strange customs of this house, I behold that two out of five places and empty, without any plate nor cutlery, is set there. Those are the places, one on the right side and the one at the farthest ridge, in front of me. I have no idea what's this all about, it seems that someone is expecting guests here, though only three out of five. The dry feeling in my throat and stomach rumbles remind me of why I'm breaking in this house. On the right side from the table, there is a kitchen. Also big like everything here and white as snow. This sight pleases my eyes. I come rushing there, firstly checking if the tap is working and there is some water to drink. I don't mind clear or foul, just water is what I need. To my luck and joy, water springs from the tap vivaciously into the sink. Without seeking any glass, I set my paws, so they made kind of bowl and fill it with refreshing water. Saturation fills me up, as I drink the seventh mouthful of delicious water. When I have drunk enough for my belly to hold, I looked aside and spotted a silver fridge, being probably the only one device in this house of rich that is not white. Luckily, the fridge was filled from the bottom to the top with nourishing food. I grabbed whatever came to my paw, tomatoes and carrot and started eating them as if I had never eaten before. Somehow this place and its odd power made me extremely hungry and I nearly gagged myself with vegetables. "Dear God, never have I thought that tomato and carrot would be this delicious," I said out loud, now my fear was a bit decreased due to the finding of food and clear water. I ate a couple more carrots and seated myself on one of the elegant looking chairs beside the white, glass table in the dining room which was connected with the spacious kitchen. After the meal, I looked around and saw a rather small for this house, living room. But before I could go there, I made my way to the utility room, to which the entrance lead from the kitchen. In there, many pots and pans were laid, below them, there were a few bars of chocolate and other candies. All the time the house looks to me that it was a dwelling of some influential person or family. No one was there or anywhere, but everything looked like it was always in use. No dust, clear and fresh water, the food also fresh and good, as if bought today. Everything was well-maintained and cleaned. Maybe the owner of this place expected my visit. If so, he or she would be there already, but everything seemed still and abandoned.
I go further, into the over-built patio, to which I tried to get in in the first place, but the glass walls wouldn't let me do so. Now I'm from the inter side and I can open the massive sliding door that blocks the way. Not much furniture is in this patio, except for a white wooden table with white wooden chairs beside it, oh and another sink with a tap. I stroll towards the lawn and now I can spot some new things that I couldn't see before I entered the house. The grassy lawn was also well-preserved, the grass mown and the rims of the park-like big lawn are decorated with many trees of various shapes and fooliage colour. Many of them, as I can see, are those Japanese styled, that I have only seen in Manga and Japanese movies. But the trees and the state of the swar are not the things that especially catch my attention. On my left, probably it's northwestern direction, stands a big, thick and ragged stony column, connected with an arboreous hill but the column is like a detached hill itself. The sight is very odd, never before have I seen that someone has his lawn connected to the hill with a column made of stone, but what more stuns me is what is on the very top of this collumn.
There is some vegetation, but not trees and flowers like here below. There is only grass, unlike like here, it's unmown and looks like it grows there wildly. On the right rim of the summit, stand two houses, which I can see almost whole, but the third one is far deeper on the grass and I can spot only its roof. Colour of their walls and roofs is the same like with the rest of buidling on the lawn, but with one little exception.
On the front of the house placed on the right rim of the column, there is writing painted in black. It has many damp patches flowing down from it like it was painted there with haste and the painter didn't have time to make a proper work. 'Fell' it says. On the opposite side from the house, near the precipice on the left side of the column, the same writing in the same colour is written on another house but this one says 'Aventira'. I have no idea what can be the meaning of those signs and what is the purpose of building a house on the summit of some hill. "Interesting, how they go down and up there" I say out loud but when I start to encircle this eerie construction I see a spiral stair hewn on the wall of the column. The houses don't have any window from the side I can see them and the door is painted in dark green, like the roof. I have no idea what it might be, but maybe I can seek someone or some help up there. I start maing my way to the stairs when something bothers my ears. A 'cling' sound echoes throughout the house and the yard. The sound froze the blood in my veins, I quickly

backed to the house and saw that it was only a pot that fell off from its holder above the floor. To be sure that nothing poses a threat to me, I took a knife from the kitchen counter and yelled "Heyyy, is there anybody in there?" but as previous, no one answered me, except my own echo. Then a sudden thought occurs to me that I haven't been in the living room and upstairs yet. I made my way towards these places, starting with a living room but something tells me that I shouldn't go there. In the last moment, I alter my way and go upstairs first, then to the lounge. All in all, it's pointless because I will go there all the same. The staircase in the house is spiral and a long lamp is hanging from the ceiling almost to the floor. Upstairs are five rooms, four normal sizes and the last one is king-size big. Each room has its private bathroom and walk-in closet filled with various garments. I enter the biggest room in which a huge bed with golden duvet and silver pillows stands. The room doesn't differ much from the rest but in there I find myself more uneasy than in the rest of the house like somehow I remembered this whole place and its meaning. Soon the tiresome feeling starts to get to me and my head becomes heavy with dread and my sight blurs. O run out of the room and speed to the other's room bathroom to lush my face with cold water. And it helps a lot. Maybe just getting out of this special room made the feeling go away, I can't say it now except that something is happening here, something that doesn't want me to be there. I rush downstairs, hope that has filled me with entering this house leaves me because it still seems not to be any escape from here. I can also try to climb on that strange looking hill and find out what's there but will it bring any help? I'm getting near the living room, where the dread feeling starts to renew, but despite the shadow that overwhelms me, I must overcome it and find out what awaits me there. I enter, first steps are delusional because another pot falls down from the hanger and after I have immediately turned my head this direction, strips of pure black garment fade behind the corner, into the patio.
"Who is there?!" I shout, pointing the knife in the direction of this frightening appearance. I consider going up there and ensure that it was just a dellusion, it wasn't real because I'm dragged and all. But something doesn't let me do so, something compels my body and my will to enter this room of white and behold something. I make a few more steps forth, very reluctantly. It seems like a decent living room, though all are painted white and all the furniture is white, the same as in the rest of this house. In front of is magnificent marbled mantlepiece and ancient looking hearth below it, secured with a black metal crate. Beside it stood a holder with a set of meticulously manufactured tools designed for this fireplace. But in front of this whole hearth, there stands a glass coffee table and two couches. One in front of the table, second on table's right.
I go, still feeling uneasy, looking back if there is no evilness to hurt me. I don't know what seemed to be so scary about this room, nothing is here. I look at the walls for some paintings. On the right, there is nothing to be seen, but on the left, a big painting hangs, covered with some kind of white sheet. But what catches my attention immediately is the golden plate set upon the frame of this painting. I go nearer until I can see what's written on it. Some mysterious writing in some foreign language that I completely don't understand and it poses:
Hêr mæstling scrifen ptc:
dôð ðrýðswýð of sîn sticolnes,
sîn mægenðrymnes,
eornostlîce duguð yrfeweard ðætte boda hnot swâðêah âgêotan

I try not to make out the meaning of it because it's pointless. I have never seen such figures and have no idea of their meaning. Why is the painting covered and what's on its canvas? The only way to see it is to uncover it. I grab the rim of the sheet and instantly feel that something is not right, the covering is full of dust upon it, there is so much dust that it's flowing down on the pristine floor, staining its pure and innocent whiteness. I have gone throughout all the rooms in tjis house, in none of them have I found a granule of dust. No one can answer me from where it has emerged here and why only here, why only on some painting?. Maybe it was some place where dust is collecting itself more intensely and the coverage was put deliberately upn the painting to prevent it from being stained with the dus. It seems least logical option but for now, I can't take any other. I slowly tear the sheet to myself, shaking it from the dust and without anything else in mind, I place my eyes on the canvas.
My breathing deepens and my heart pace increases because suddenly my head feels like it has been hit with a dull but firm device, shadows come again in front of my eyes. I'm still glazing at the painting but something forbids me from placing my eyes where I want them to be, instead, I can scan the canvas from the left to the right. In the first shot, there stands a medium height pure white arctic vixen. Beside her stands a taller she-wolf, I would call very tall for a female, at the contrary to the vixen she has her fur a little tan and straw-yellow on the head and neck. Two women are clutched to one another like they're a mother and daughter, also both of them are clad In pure white uniforms and scarfs I go further, right from the she-wolf is nothing but an empty space, as if someone is missing on this picture. Now my heart starts really to ponder as a feral beas and I'm breathing like a sportsman after running a marathon. On the farthest rim of the painting, there stands a red fox-like, I can see it though as my sight lets me, I scan him from his feet and go slowly up. His outfit is completely unlike the women' because he is wearing a black, expensive and well-tailored suit with a black coat on it and red tie. But when I saw his head, his ominous-looking head, fear beyond all measure hits me like a speeding train. I immediatelly start to tremble. Without my resistance and will and I threw up everything I ate a couple of minutes before. "Oh my God...oh God, please get me out of here!" I'm stammering something to God under my nose and slowlny start to draw myself back. I completely forgot about the coffee table standing behind me and tripped over it right onto my back and already hurt head, couldn't unglue my desperate eyes drom the picture. As I'm watching, I feel all the food mixed with my gastric juice and fear and sweat, but before I can do something more about everything, I hear a loud thunder-like noise outside that makes my body freeze on the spot. I jump up as fast as lightning and rush outside through the patio to search for the noise source. Then I saw Him for the first time. Under the dark and circling clouds that were covering the sky above those two houses on the stone column, stood He. Clad in black robe-like garments, his head covered with a hood, also blinding his eyes from view. On the right side of his white muzzle is a remnant of a probably attack from a long time ago. On his right side, on the level of his waist, a long katana is hanging, sheathed in a beautiful encrusted sheath with my golden ornaments and Japanese letters. His loosely hanging hands of pure white fur were soaked to the skin with still dripping blood. I was standing there, my eyes glued only on him as he was standing on the edge of a huge precipice, not saying nor moving as well as I. We were in this immobility for a while but lo! Suddenly the mysterious figure vanished without leaving any trace but a smouldering and still encircling the houses clouds. I couldn't hold myself still and panting as I was before, I rushed as fast as I can to the house, seeking for shelter from this miserable and unknown to me creature, whom I couldn't even see now! When I reached the house's entrance and made a step through the threshold with my back turned to the long table with chairs, the wolf was there, sitting on one of those empty but neatly cleaned chairs, precisely, on the one on the end of the table. He had his paws on the glassy surface of the brown table, drenching it with blood. Frightened as I was, I couldn't behold his face which was constantly hidden under the hood coverage. Without any words, I quickly started making steps, now my back faced the door so I was going backwards. I didn't know what was going to happen with me in the next minutes, not mentioning that I have lost all hope of getting out of here and returning to my mother in one piece. The wolf was sitting there, not moving, behaving like a stone. I turned from him towards the door but before I could reach back the threshold he was there first and I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. Now he was without any hood around his big head and I could scan his whole figure. He was huge, beyond all the wolves I have seen in my life. He was towering above me good six feet and looking directly into the pupils of my eyes. His enormous head was ploughed with multiple scars of many shapes and size, making kind of fissures on his fur of pure whiteness. His garments were without any unnecessary decarations, just simple deep black but heavy coat with a hood and earlier said katana sword hanging by his side. From his eyes, I could sense deep age, though he didn't look like a person with a major part of his life behind him, no, for me he looked for 40 years old at most. Beside the age in his eyes, there could be found firmness and knowledge about everything, yes, the knowledge and resolution were beaming from them. I started to go back again, but still looking at him because I couldn't take my eyes off of him and the nausea feeling with weariness came back to me but this time it seemed that it could be overthrown,

probably by this wolf figure. I tripped over my own paws and crashed with the cold floor for the last time because I didn't expect to be anymore when I'm dead after his treatment. I tried to manage a word from my throat, though it would probably be useless now, no one was for me, in my peril I couldn't expect anyone to come and help me. The wolf made a few steps in my direction, treading very slowly but heavily, his katana still hanging and crashing with his side and now I could also spot a big golden chain-necklace hanging from his neck and resting on the surface of his outfit underneath that heavy coat. He was maybe 7 feet from me when I finally burst out. "P-p-please don't hurt me!" I said pleadingly, tears gushing from my eyes and sobs making me stammer words. "P-please spare my life. I-f-ff it's your house, then I didn't know it. F-forgive me that I broke in here, I don't have bad purposes against you." I was covering my face with my paw, still sobbing. Suddenly the wolf held out his right paw, making its way towards my face and at first, I thought that he will whip my eyes from their eye sockets or cut my tongue off with his sword. But lo! All he did was stop his paw centimetres from mine, trying to help me get up and for the first time showed me that he can talk, saying.

The Wolf:
"Arise! Arise and heed me no more master fox!
Because I be not thy woe now!
Clasp thy paw into mine and arise from the depth of time!"

Very frightened and reluctant, I got a grip of his huge mitt that covered my whole paw. What was even more bewildering was that the blood that previously has been dripping from those paws is now gone. With this odd help, I made it to the two feet position but it didn't make me feel more comfortable with him. If he was real and didn't have any bad purposes, then I had many questions to ask him. Also very strange to me was his language, still being English but something was different like I've heard this kind of English only in school a couple of times when we were learning about ancient writers and their fertileness. "Where am I?!" I asked still breathing heavily but my heart loosened up a bit when he didn't slaughter me with his katana.

The Wolf:
"Now now! Thou shalt wait till the time is due for thy answers.
thee ought to consume something prop'r and nutritious before we starth
'cos long way awaits thee, Master Fox!"

He led me to the fridge, where only vegetables were set, at least it was this way when I was eating there. I wasn't really hungry to eat now, especially after vomiting but I couldn't dare to withstand his overpowering will. When he opened the fridge door, another shocking moment filled me, because there weren't any vegetables now. The whole fridge was nastily stuck with blood-dripping meat. The urge to vomit came up to me once more and I placed my paw to my mouth, trying to stop the gag to break out. "From where does this meat come from?" He smiled at me with his enormously long and sharp fangs and teeth, that smile only made my mind worse.

The Wolf:
"This lovely meat cometh from various types of beings.
Say, master fox, Hast thee ever tried bunny meat?
Thee shouldst hast it. 'Tis the most wondrous I know"

When he said it, the fear that has been building up from the beginning, now reached its peak and I couldn't manage it no more. I threw up on the white floor beside the fridge, staining it with vegetables as I thought it would be, but my vomit put on the shade of blood. I gasped at it and ran away from the wolf back to the door but before I could be away from him, I tripped and fell on my chest, crushing my jaw the same time and biting my tongue with my clasping teeth. His voice roared from behind so loudly that I had to immediatelly put my paws over my ears unless I would suffer hearing damage.

The Wolf:
"I said heed me nay more, fox!
I bethought thee wouldst like meat, meat is valorous f'r us!
If't be true thee like not meat any more, cometh forth to me and heed me nay more!"

He yelled throughout the development that all the windows and wall trembled from it. This time I stood up wihout his help and logically went over this whole situation I was stuck in. I couldn't get away from him anywhere and apparently, he had many magical abilities and had a weapon so there was no point in resisting him and likely getting hurt. The only remaining solution was to calm down and talk with him and hear what he has to say to me.
"Okay, I will calm down and talk with you. First, tell me where the hell I am and what's going on here, I couldn't get out of this place through the gate!" I said, trying to remain calm but firm, I think it worked because the wolf sat on the chair he's been sitting previously.

The Wolf:
"This are not strange tidings to me!
I've been watching thee since thee occurred in hither.
Thou couldn't get away from hither,
because no one can without mine own leave,
or at the hour when the time is due!
Thou can leave at the hour I bid thee,
or right time comes.

"So bid me...tffuu. Let me get out of here and go back to my family and we forget about this all!" I yelled at him but the recalled that any emotions are unnecessary now. If what he's talking about is true, then I have no choice but to rely on his whim. "And please, if you could stop using this strange language because I may have problems with understanding you."

The Wolf:
"Thou shall understand me soon,
but now, allowth me to show thee something!"

He wouldn't stop talking in riddles but at least I will learn something that may prove useful now, thus I will eventually learn about this place something more.
Suddenly mist started to flow around all the place, seemingly coming from the wolf. He told me to follw him to the table and sit on the chair. I was about to place myself on the chair nearest to him, where the cutlery and plates were set but were stopped with a shrieking cry.

The Wolf:
"No! Thou shalt sit whither thy lodging is!
Sit thither, on thy lodging!"

With a notion of his hand, he showed me my place, like it was something outrageous for me to sit on the random chair. My place, 'lodging' as he would call it, was the chair without any tableware. My curiosity won me over now and I had to ask him about it. "And why couldn't I sit where I was about to? I thought that you would like me as near as possible." He cringed at that and said something very strange that I couldn't understand.

The Wolf:
"Nay! Thou must sit whither thee shalt from the beginning!
Thou can't occupy another family member's lodging!
Now! Thee hast not plates nor tableware,
'tis so because thou art not a member of the family, yet."

I knew that he had something to show me but his riddles were impassable for me, finally, I spoke up again. "You said that you had something to show me?"

The Wolf:
"Aye forsooth!
Behold righ into my own plate,
what can thee see?"

I wasn't so frightened anymore, knowing that this place is full of sorcery I couldn't disobey. At first, I couldn't see anything in his magical plate but soon the view came to me. "It's my mother's apartment! Why are you showing me this?" I asked very anxiously and nervous because I didn't want her to be involved in this nightmare.

The Wolf:
"I know what art thee bethinking,
that thy mother hast had enough of bitter cold shower from life,
that the lady shalt remain in a peaceful life,
with that lady son by that lady side.
I sayeth nay!
Whither hast thee been all this time, Nick?
Thy mother hast been pulling out all the stops for thee,
So that thee shalt hast better life than the lady hast,
And everything thee dids't wast casting mud in that lady spent face!
I hast taken father from thee, thus hath left thee thy mother,
for this moment to cometh!"

When the wolf said that, something clicked in me. "You are the reason why father left us!? Maybe you're even the maker of his abuse?!" I lost every restraint that I had with him and with my fists clenched tightly, I was ready to leap on him and beat the shit out of him. But before I could do something unreasonable, his will made me remain in my sitting position and unclench my paws and listen to him.

The Wolf:
"Silence now! Behold further"

I focued my eyes on that plate and anoter view occurred, this time far more disturbing than the last one. I saw the apartment once more, alas this time mother was nowhere to be found. I looked further, as the wolf said me to do and saw her that nearly made my heart stop. Something more frightening than the paintning. "What have you done?!" I leapt with my fists on the wolf, prepared to break his jaw and knock out his teeth but again, the power of his mind was much beyond the point of disobeying and like it or not, I kept sitting on the chair, breathing rapidly and tears were gushing from my eyes like an endless waterfall.

The Wolf:
"'Tis not me who is't done this misery,
nor Him.
Thee! Thee hast done it all!

"What the fuck are you talking about! Get my out of here, quickly! I don't understand your devil riddles, get me out!" Desperately I was hyperventilating and slowly losing my consciousness but he wouldn't let. At last, he forsook the visions in the plate and after standing up and towering above me, he abruptly grabbed me by my hand. His fur was very soft in touch and very well maintained, though it was burning and cooling my skin at the same time. He led me through the threshold of the living room, right to the ominous painting at which I didn't dare to look upon. He stood at the right side of the painting, facing me.

The Wolf:
"Behold upon it!
Face up to thy doom!"

I didn't have enough courage to do his bidding but of course, he made me move my head from the floor and look at the canvas and fear and weariness overcame me. When I was looking at the picture on the wall, suddenly he unsheathed his sword and was holding it in his right hand. "You said that I shouldn't

fear you!" I shouted, not knowing what he had in mind, if he was about to kill me, he would better do it now and quickly. I stood frozen but nothing like a stroke of a blade came up to my skin. Instead of it, he took a strong swing and with a tip of the katana, he stuck it right in the painting, where the red fox's head was, piercing it and wall behind the painting. The sword was left hanging there when he grabbed my whole body and with an unseen force, he cast me through the closed window on the grassy lawn. I landed with a hard thud, hearing a painful crack sound in my body, probably coming out from one of my ribs. In front of me, the wolf stood, now with only the decorated sheath hanging on his side. Unlike other times, he wouldn't help me get up but made a few steps back and like an angel, hoisted himself in the thin air and stood there not touching the ground.
I looked at him with bewilderement, weariness taking the last remnants of consciousness from me but I tried hard to overthrow it.
"Why did you do it, you promis-"

The Wolf:
"The Highest is killed,
we mustn't beest in the house any more!
Now! Hark to me master fox!
And hark carefully, 'cos 'twill not be said to thee anymore!
The Highest is killed!
And The Family shalt be splinter'd,
Unless the new Father acclaims his legacy,
at which hour 'tis given to him only one time,
or he acclaims it at the world's ending,
Ere the sun goeth down!
Purely and simply by his own will!
He shalt say The One's name!
No living man shalt bid him!

But behold: beware the betrayer whose meaning is strife!
'Cos I hast not cometh to thee without purpose!
Now be gone and thee shalt not remebmer this!"

He ended rehearsing his apalling speech, which I couldn't understand in any way possible. He then started to fly higher and higher, as if he was about to leave me. This strange feeling that has been occuring here from the first steps now was bidding my eyes to close, but I mustered the rests of power that was in me and cried to him.
"Heyy! Don't go! At least answer to my two questions!"
The wolf stopped on his path and made his way back to me where I was still on the ground.

The Wolf:
"Ask me what thee wilt!"

The creature seemed as if he was in an urgent rush now so I went on with my first question. It was simple but the most essential. "Who are you?" He grinned at me, showing all his blade-sharp teeth and with a harsh voice he replied.

The Wolf:
"In many generations and lores, one called mine own not the same,
For me is Karakuri from Cheshire, The Riddler, The Stingh, Fell of the Mountaintops, Berethen, The Beholder beyond beholders, The Maker, The Founder, and at last The Forger!
Many mighty titles I wield,
Alas! For this realm, I shalt be The Nameless,
For the Highest is not with us anymore,
But the family is not yet dissolv'd!"

I wanted to ask him about the family he was talking about all the time and this 'Highest' and 'He' but unfortunately I had only one last question left and he wouldn't answer to more.

The Wolf:
"Ask thy last question and be gone!"

I gulped my saliva down and braced myself for the last answer from him but tried to play it slyly, hoping he would take the bait. "O-ok, what is this place and why should I not remember this?"

The wolf:
"Thee ask too much,
I shalt answer to the first inquiry."

He has flown back to the summit of the stone column, landing in the middle between the two houses on the top and in front of the third one. He took a huge indrawn breath and cried throughout the whole neighbourhood.

The Wolf:
"Thou art in the realm of mine!
Whither I await my own children!
Thou art in the abyss of thy doom!
Farewell! Master fox! We shalt see no more!"

With last word of farewell he sprung up to the sky and as he left this realm, I closed my eyes and saw or heard no more. My doom has already come on me.

Many thanks for reading this chapter! In the next chapter, I will finally start part II of this story and will bring Judy and other Zootopia features as we know them from the movie. If you like my story, please leave a review and follow. Thank you and bye!