Chapter Two: The Bigger One
Written by LapisLucius42
Edited by Cimar & BeecroftA
July 1st,
The next morning, Nick and Judy arrived at a later time and announced their arrival more openly as agreed on, resulting in the meeting going more smoothly. After departing out for sea, the four settled into their routine. It was Nick's turn at the rod and currently, the fish were not biting. During the wait, Judy decided to have a little payback at Nick from yesterday.
"Hey uh, Nick. I'm not hearing anything from you buddy," The bunny said in a patronizing tone. "Did you catch anything yet? Did you?"
The bunny stood at the wheel with Kris, who was sitting down next to the ladder and had her legs hanging off the edge. Finnick stood in the crow's nest as the tide carried the boat.
"Judy…stop busting my tail," the tod said in annoyance.
The doe rolled her eyes at him, repeating her comment from yesterday after he teased her over the lack of activity. "Yeah sure it's okay for you to drive me crazy, but not the other way, huh?"
"That's right, Carrots!" Nick said proudly. "I get exclusive rights. You'll need to license their use against me. And just you watch, Fluff. We're going to finally come home with a catch!"
But Judy wasn't finished yet, curious to see Nick's breaking point. "You better watch your tail there, Slick. If you're not careful and get pulled overboard by the large fish, it might accidentally confuse your tail as bait and take a bite out of it," The bunny felt she was on a roll. "Maybe that's what we needed all along. To be big, bright, and fluffy bait." She broke out laughing, having realized why Nick had fun doing it to her yesterday.
Kris couldn't help but laugh along with her. "Good one Judy!" The otter looked up at her boyfriend, curious about his reaction. "Finnick!"
The fennec looked down at the girls with a wide smirk. "Bunny's got you there, Wilde." He then joined along with the girls in their laughter.
After calming down, Judy noticed that Nick had remained silent, staring out at sea the entire time. "Nick. Nick. You know that was a joke."
The fox turned the chair slightly so he can look up at her, raising his sunglasses and giving the bunny a smirk. "And a terrible one at that."
Judy groaned and rolled her eyes that Nick still managed to get her even when it seems she has the upperpaw. But the doe was glad that he took no ill with her teasing.
"Now," Judy said. "The little bunny comes out of the burrow. Goes into the hole. Comes out of the hole. And goes back into the burrow again."
Kris carefully followed her instructions as she moved the rope through the series of loops. At the last sentence, the otter pulled the ends together, intending to create a special knot but instead got a single one. She looked at the bunny's successful attempt and groaned at her own failure.
"Not easy is it?" Judy asked. "It's okay. You'll get it."
Kris started untying the knot. "How is tying a sheepshank a part of basic seamammalship?"
"It's used mostly in sailing to shorten the ropes, and it comes in handy when you don't want to cut them or repair the damaged ends."
"Hmm, I might just use the latter." She imagined a few scenarios where the knot could be useful.
"Just don't rely on it too much. Sheepshanks aren't meant to last long and will break under heavy weights." Judy set the rope down and stood up. "I'm going to check with Nick. Do you remember what to do?"
"I think so." Kris worked on tying a sheepshank again with more concentration and looking to Judy's example for reference.
Judy climbed down and stood by Nick. She was about to speak when the two heard the fishing line being pulled. The fox and the bunny became alert and focused on the reel. Finnick and Kris were too occupied to hear the noise, the otter busy with the sheepshank and the fennec at the bow. Another series of clicks from the line confirmed their suspicions. The slow pulling meant that the fish was testing the bait. Nick and Judy quietly looked at each other and nodded.
They got to work as the line continued to click. Judy carefully tiptoed inside the cabin to retrieve the hooks and the nets. Even inside, the bunny was cautious to not make any loud noise from her footsteps. The anticipation was eating at her, but she forced herself to remain composed. Taking deep breaths as she slowly approached their fishing gear. Judy released a sigh of relief when she finally made it and quietly searched for the items.
Meanwhile, Nick carefully prepped himself for the upcoming battle. He slowly moved his paw to check that the left hook of the brace was attached to the rod and did the same for the right. The fox then looked down to check if the rod was in the center slot of the chair and properly secured. With everything in place, Nick leaned forward in the chair to get into position with both paws tightly gripping the rod and a look of determination on his face.
As Kris moved the rope through another loop, the otter realized that she finally achieved the sheepshank and pulled the rope together with glee. She rose up her accomplishment and shouted her success, "Hey! I got it!"
At that moment, the line started being pulled rapidly and finally caught Finnick and Kris' attention. The fennec quickly came over from the bow to see the scene before him.
"About time!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, we can celebrate after reeling it in!" Nick cried before going into fishing mode. "Finnick, start the boat and shift in reverse! I'm losing a lot of a line! Kris, I need you to get the scoop from the side and pour water on the reel!" He turned his head and yelled back into the cabin. "Judy, where are you?!"
Kris dropped the rope and hurried down from the wheel. She did as told and grabbed the scoop. The otter drew the water from the ocean and poured it on the reel.
Finnick climbed up to the wheel and started the engine. He steered the vessel in the direction of the line before shifting into reverse.
Judy finally exited the cabin with hooks and rope and joined alongside Nick. As soon as she heard the line pick up speed, the doe hurried to find the gear and assist Nick.
"Nice of you to join us, Fluff," the fox said after picking up her scent.
"Better safe than sorry, Slick."
Nick glanced down to see what Judy brought with her. "We might need more than that."
"Not until we see what we're reeling in."
"Fair point," Nick grunted as he shifted in his seat and tried to pull back. When the speed of the line finally slowed down, Nick took the opportunity to reel in. "Now into neutral, Finnick! And that will do with the water, Kris."
The otter tossed the scoop to the side and watched as Finnick shifted gear and stopped the boat before joining the others. Judy, Kris, and Finnick watched Nick lean forward and back, pulling on the rod as he struggled to reel in the fish. Because of the time of day, the ocean gave off a glare from the sun in their direction , forcing them to put on their sunglasses.
"What do you think it is?" Finnick asked.
"Definitely a game fish from the strength I'm feeling. Any guess, Carrots?" Nick said as he fought on.
"Marlin, Sailfish, Swordfish, Tuna, Wahoo. Take your pick," Judy speculated.
"Look!" Kris shouted as she pointed in the direction of the line.
Far out among the waves, a large figure leapt from the water in all its glory. Because of the glare, they couldn't see the specific features but the size and bill significantly narrowed down the list and told the mammals had themselves a billfish.
Finnick fist pumped excitingly. "Woo wee! We got ourselves a big one!"
"Put on your gloves," Nick ordered. "It's going to take all of us for this one."
Judy quickly retrieved the gloves for herself and the others. They put them on as Nick focused on the billfish.
"What do you reckon it is now?" Kris asked.
"It's too far from here to tell and the glare isn't helping," Nick explained. "If we can see the dorsal fin, we'll know." He relaxed momentarily before leaning back and resumed reeling.
"Be careful, Nick," Judy warned. "These things have been known to fight for hours."
"Hours?!" Finnick said, exasperated at the time.
"Have you seen the size and strength of these things?" Judy stated bluntly.
It only took a moment for the fennec to remember how small they were compared to the average game fish. "Fair enough."
Judy, Kris, and Finnick watched Nick battle with the billfish in a game of strength and endurance, waiting until it was closer and weaker to join in. Nick looked to be succeeding as the billfish appeared closer. All four were eager to identify the species and take its measurements. During the battle, they caught a peculiar sight through the glare of the billfish suddenly thrashing about violently that lasted a few seconds before it disappeared under the surface.
"Hey, did you all see that?" Kris asked, hoping she wasn't hallucinating.
"Yeah, what was that?" Finnick was glad he wasn't the only one who saw the sight.
Suddenly, Nick experienced a surge in strength from the billfish that jolted him out of his seat.
"Nick!" Judy panicked.
His friend's quick reactions and the Velcro brace he wore prevented the brace from breaking and the fox being pulled into the water. Judy and Kris held Nick down while Finnick grabbed onto the rod to prevent it from breaking and losing the catch. All of them grunted as Nick reeled in and the others pulled back. In the midst of the struggle, the fish suddenly stopped fighting and the four jerked backwards, with the girls and Finnick falling on the deck.
Finnick groaned as he lay on his back. "What happened? Did it tire out?"
"No, they never tire out this quickly," Nick said.
"Maybe the line broke?" Kris asked, sitting back up.
Judy got back on her feet. "I hope not! Reel it in."
Nick rapidly reeled in the line, hoping to avoid the worst-case scenario. The other three recovered from the fall and waited for the fish to come closer. Judy, Kris, and Finnick finally saw the fish under the surface and not resisting, believing it to have been tired out.
Judy leaned over and placed her paws in the water. "Kris. Finnick. Help me grab the bill."
Once the fish was next to the boat, the three grabbed its bill and pulled it aboard with all their strength. They immediately noticed how light the fish was compared to the information read and seen from other fishermammals. Kris' sudden scream and the foxes' surprised yips rang out and the otter and fennec released the fish.
Judy had been focused on pulling that the sudden increased weight and noise caused her to drop the fish. The bunny looked down and gasped in horror as the four discovered why the fish ceased struggling and was suddenly light. It had been bitten in half below its pectoral fins.
Nick finally broke the silence. "Well…that's unexpected."
Judy knelt down by the dead fish to identify the species and inspect the wounds.
"What do we have, Carrots?"
The bunny sighed after she finished. "Blue Marlin and it looked to be about thirteen feet long and two hundred pounds."
The others groaned at the fish's value they just lost. A few moments later, Judy placed one paw on the carcass and reached inside the wound with the other, ignoring the smell coming from it.
"What are you doing, Bunny?" Finnick asked.
The doe grunted as she pulled something from the severed marlin and revealed it to the others. In her paws was a tooth larger than her paw.
Kris pouted and stomped her foot on the deck. "That's just great! A shark decided to make a meal out of your catch."
"At least you can know what species did this with the tooth," Finnick said.
Judy turned to Nick with the tooth raised. "I say we just found our big one."
"I think you mean bigger one," Nick clarified.
"What are you two going to do with the marlin?" Kris asked, curious of their plans.
"Please, don't tell me you're going to bring it back?" Finnick said.
"You never know," Nick said. "We might be able to salvage it somehow."
The fennec groaned and proceeded to the wheel. "Keep the deck clean. I just had it waxed and polished before the voyage."
"We're heading back in then?" Kris asked.
"Yes," Nick said. "Because that fight took a lot out of me and we don't know if that shark will come back for seconds if we caught another one."
"No argument there." The otter said.
"Get some rest Nick," Judy said. "Kris and I will hoist up the fish."
"Thanks Judy." Nick unhooked himself and entered the cabin, leaving Judy and Kris to themselves.
"Think you can handle moving the fish?" Judy asked while pocketing the tooth.
"After seeing a dead carcass like this, I'm not grossed out anymore. I also want to see if I can use the sheepshank with this."
The girls shared a laugh and worked to hoist the marlin up on the mast. Finnick started the boat and steered it back to Zootopia while Nick collapsed on the bed and fell asleep from exhaustion.
Outback Island,
Summer is the most attractive, the most profitable and important season to Outback Island's economy and livelihood. Islanders worked extremely hard to ensure the island was a paradise for the tourists. Many mammals flooded the beaches to cool off and relax. In the water, swimmers waded around and boats roamed, some with skiers and parasailers. On the sands, beachgoers took part in the many activities or sat down to enjoy the view or get a tan.
A twenty-five-year-old deer named Charles Venisant had gone for a swim before meeting with his family for dinner at their hotel, who were currently on vacation to the island. The deer enjoyed the water as he cooled down from the heat bearing on him. After completing a few exercises and laps, Charles finally decided it was time to return to shore and began swimming back. He was just over fifty feet from shore when it happened.
The deer suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left leg and shrieked in pain. He then felt himself being thrashed around and started crying for help. The deer saw the water around him turn red before being dragged across the top of it. This display was seen by the many beachgoers. The terrified swimmers swam for their life back to shore. Lifeguards rushed into the water to rescue Charles, but the deer was being carried away faster than they could swim.
Meanwhile, Charles finally got a glimpse of his attacker, seeing the haunting fin barely breaking the surface. In a desperate attempt to free himself, the deer pounded his hooves against his attacker, but the creature would not let him go. Charles glanced forward and his eyes widened in horror at the incoming motorboat. He caught the terrified expressions of the two wolves aboard and resumed his beating before it was too late.
On the motorboat, one wolf hopped into the driver's seat while the other watched Charles' dangerous approach.
"Hurry, Larry!" One of the wolves yelled. "Start the boat!"
"I'm trying, Gary!" He said while fiddling with the keys.
After a few seconds of panicked attempts, Larry successfully inserted the keys into the engine and was about to hit the gas when he heard a loud thud against their boat. Larry faced in the direction of the sound and also saw the horrified look on Gary's face. The two wolves saw Charles frantically trying to climb aboard and gasping for air. Abandoning their escape attempt, the wolves immediately grabbed the deer and went to pull him aboard.
As Charles' legs were lifted out of the water, the smell of blood overwhelmed the canines, already getting an idea of how serious the wounds were. "Sh…shark." The deer muttered before going limp from loss of energy and blood. While pulling Charles aboard, a set of jaws sprung out of the water for the deer. It was all Gary and Larry saw before they yelped in a panic and fell over backwards. To the deer's fortune, the wolves' reaction pulled him out of reach just in time.
The mammals aboard felt another hit that rocked the boat for a few seconds before ceasing. The wolves frantically searched their surroundings and saw only calm waters. After recovering from the attack, the wolves gasped at the gruesome injury done to the deer. Wasting no more time, Larry turned on the engine and sped to shore while Gary tried to stop the bleeding. Once ashore, the wolves and other beachgoers quickly moved Charles for medical assistance.
The sun was setting when Finnick's Folly returned to Outback Island. Its captain moved the boat into its spot in the docks as the others secured the vessel to the cleats. Finnick and Kris stepped off with Nick and Judy's fishing gear, having agreed to do so while said fox and bunny carried their half-eaten catch. Judy held the fish by the bill while Nick held its fins and was exposed to the wounds, much to his disgust from the sight and smell.
"Thanks again for helping us," Judy said.
"As long as you're carrying the dead fish," Finnick said.
"You're hilarious, Finnick," Nick disdainfully said, trying not to gag from the fish's insides.
"Well I for one enjoyed today's trip a thousand times more than yesterday's," Kris said.
"It would be better if Carrots and I actually had a full catch," Nick complained. He turned his head to the side and finally gagged from overexposure. "Come on, Fluff! Why do I have to carry this side! And don't give me that prey card! I've seen you tend to fish guts before!"
"Do you know how heavy that side is?" Judy rebutted. "And count your blessings, Nick. We should consider ourselves lucky that we caught something."
"So, do you two plan on going shark hunting now?" Finnick asked.
"You're kidding right?" Nick exasperatingly said. "Can you imagine the size required to do this kind of damage?! We're going to need a bigger boat if we were to hunt that monster!"
"Now that would definitely be an adventure," Kris said.
As the four reached the end of the docks, they encountered two of Nick and Judy's fellow fishermammals and friends, a timberwolf named Wolfard and a tigress named Fangmeyer. The two predators had surprised looks on their faces from seeing Nick and Judy carrying the half-eaten fish.
"Whoa! What happened there?" Wolfard asked.
"Some shark decided to make a meal of our catch," Nick answered. "I hope it enjoyed it."
"Yikes!" Fangmeyer said, feeling sympathy for their friends. "Sorry that happened and it looks like you had a big one too."
"At least it didn't take a bite out of you," Wolfard said.
Judy's ears became rigid, her curiosity peaked. "Wait, what do you mean?"
"Didn't you hear?" Fangmeyer answered. "There was a shark attack earlier today. Poor mammal didn't make it." Sadness filled her voice from hearing the news.
Judy, Nick, Kris, and Finnick all looked at each other with worried and anxious expressions.
"We'll check it out," Judy said. "Thanks for the information."
The four waved Wolford and Fangmeyer goodbye and quickened their pace to Nick and Judy's jeep. Once at the vehicle, the four dumped the fish and the gear into the back seats and immediately took out their phones to search for the news of the shark attack. They all had a single thought as they tapped their devices through the articles.
"Here it is!" Nick said as he raised his phone for the others to see.
The others stopped their search and huddled around Nick as he played the news report and increased the volume for them to hear. The video began with the image of Peter Moosebridge.
"At 6:45 PM, 25-year-old Charles Venisant was reportedly attacked by a shark just off the beaches of Outback Island." An image of the victim appeared in the top left corner of the screen. "Beachgoers watched in horror as Charles was thrashed around and dragged through the water. Charles was dragged into a nearby motorboat where the owners managed to successfully rescue him before the shark reappeared for another attack. ZNN has obtained footage from eyewitnesses on the beach. Viewer discretion is heavily advised."
The news switched to a recording from the beach. The video began with screaming and cries for help being heard from the mammals around the recorder. The four saw the deer flailing his arms and splashing in the water. Two lifeguards were seen entering the water and swimming to Charles. The screams intensified as the spectators watch the deer be dragged further away from shore and peaked when they saw Charles slam into the aforementioned motorboat.
That action finally brought out a reaction from the four as they had been speechless since the start of the video. The girls gasped in horror while the boys cringed. Their hearts raced as they watched the deer surface and frantically tried to climb on. They felt relieved when the wolves pulled him aboard before being frightened again with when the shark appeared again. The footage ended with the wolves heading to shore as everyone else rushed to meet them.
"And now Fabienne will bring you to the wolves who were involved with the rescue."
The screen changed to an image of the snow leopard with Gary and Larry.
"Thank you, Peter. I'm here with timberwolves Gary and Larry, who rescued Charles from the shark and had an up-close encounter with it." Fabienne moved the microphone in front of the two wolves.
"It was coming straight at us and the guy screamed for his life!" Gary panicked, still traumatized from the incident.
Larry then spoke up. "I tried to move out of the way so he wouldn't hit us, but the shark was too fast and before I knew it," He slammed his paws together to simulate the sound they heard. "The thing slams the deer into the side of our boat!"
"I didn't think he could have survived that with how fast he was coming and how hard he hit," Gary said. "That was until he started climbing into our boat."
"Gary and I knew we had to get him out of the water fast and rightly so because the thing jumped out at us just seconds later!"
"So many teeth…and the eyes! I saw them turn white!" Gary said, shaking slightly as the memories replayed in his head.
"We got out tails out of there as soon as it calmed down. Besides getting the deer medical attention, we weren't going to stick around to see if that thing went away."
After their statement, Fabienne moved the microphone back to herself. "There you have it, viewers. Back to you, Peter."
The scene changed back to the studio.
"Thank you, Fabienne. Despite the best efforts from off-duty doctors on the scene, Charles died of his injuries on the beach before he could be taken to the hospital. According to them, he suffered massive tissue and blood loss on his left leg and had only minutes to live from the moment he was pulled aboard the motorboat. City Hall is currently speaking with island representatives on possible actions concerning the shark and the beaches. This has been ZNN with your daily news."
The video ended and Judy, Nick, Kris, and Finnick were left speechless, still processing the events that took place not too long ago. The news of Charles' death had hit them much harder than anticipated.
"Welp," Kris finally spoke. "Suddenly the excitement from today just went away." She had hoped that the deer survived and the news drained her joy away.
"I mean…" Finnick began but he had trouble coming up with the proper words to say about the situation. "That was just…I don't know what else to say."
"Nick," Judy said worryingly, her ears behind her head and nose twitching. "You don't think that's the same shark. Could it?"
"Nah, highly unlikely. I mean what are the chances?" But underneath, Nick had the same dreadful feeling the others felt.
AN: While we know sharks normally don't attack humans, does the same thing apply in a world where humans don't exist? I say no personally.