Okay, so I know it's late. But I had some problems with life. I've been reinstated to my position as president of the single's club, and probably will stay there for some time. Life hates me. Whatever, though.

That's besides the point. Here is the newest installment to The Deepest Shades oF Red. I hope you favorite, follow, and possibly leave a review to tell me what you think of this so far. Now put on that inspirational song, mine is going to be Let the Battles Begin! from Final Fantasy VII. Now onto the story, enjoy!

Arden sighed as he set his intertwined paws on his forehead. He was sitting next to Ashlynn in the hospital he had rushed her too when he realized that he couldn't do anything about the bullet wound. He had come to visit her every day. She was still asleep, and had been for some time. The doctors had told him that the shock had thrown her into an almost comatose sleep.

He had also taken these chances to think. He had been fueled by rage and adrenaline in the moment that it was happening. He hadn't meant to kill the panther that had shot the arctic fox. He had already made the connection between him and the E.O.Z. as affiliated. It hadn't been all that hard. It was especially easy to identify him as one of them due to the black and red bandana around his left ankle.

He sighed again and stood up. Before he turned, he laid a paw on Ashlynn's. He hoped for a reaction and knew that it wouldn't happen. Yet he still hoped that she would close her paw around his. He turned, sliding his paw from hers. He walked out of the hospital room and into the hall. Just as he was leaving the room, his senses tingled and he ducked. A book flew over his head and into the wall across from him. He looked back to see Ashlynn with her left arm pointed where the book had gone. A look of shock adorned his face. Nothing but shock. She was smiling now.

"Well, I guess my aim is still as good as it normally is…. My arm hurts, though…." She removed the face mask that covered her muzzle, rubbing the shoulder that she had thrown the book with. Without a moment to spare, Arden rushed over to her and took her head in his paws. He looked into her eyes to make sure that he wasn't dreaming.

"It's reality. I'm not dreaming…." He said quietly. She nodded and smiled a little wider. Unconsciously did their heads moved closer until they were just millimeters apart. Without further question they connected at the lips in an almost fiery passion. When they finally separated, they were both panting. A string of saliva connected their lips.

"If you'll excuse my interrupting." A voice came from the door to the room. He recognized it as Bogo's extreme baritone. Wiping the saliva from his muzzle, he turned to look at him. The cape buffalo simply held out a file for him. Arden furrowed his brows and grabbed it. It read in bold letters R.E.D. with the word 'classified' stamped in red under it. It was a rather hefty file.

He opened it to the first page to read the name. It was one that he recognized but could not recall from his memory. A picture of a stoic looking golden jackal was in the top right portion of the file. Most of the information had been blacked out except for a name. Friedrich Melchavich.

"I've heard of this guy. But why would you give me a classified ZIA file on him?" Arden asked the buffalo as he went through off all of the pages that he cared to. To his surprise he looked like he had a very classified career.

"We want you to find him." Arden looked up at him as if he was stupid. Bogo still had his normal borderline angry look about him. Arden closed the file and gave it back to the large chief of police. The wolf's piercing eyes trained on Bogo and he gave him a small smile.

"Sure, I'll find your mammal. I already have an idea who to ask for any information about him, too." The wolf looked to Ashlynn with a loving smile. "I'll be back tomorrow to visit, promise." She nodded, knowing that he would keep his word. He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.

As he left the hospital entirely, he blushed at what had just transpired. He had kissed her. With the chief right there at the door to witness it, too. Normally, something like this wouldn't have affected him as much. So why was it affecting him now? He sighed and left it to question later. For now, he had some things to discuss with Nick and Judy.

Arden waited patiently as he heard panicked talking and running from the duo's apartment. He didn't like to wait long, but would if necessary. With a hasty tug, Nick opened the door to their apartment.

"Oh. Arden. What brings you here?" He said nervously. On the inside of the apartment, he could see Judy hurriedly getting dressed. He raised an eyebrow at this.

"First, since when did I allow you to call me that, second, I need to talk to both of you." His tone became darker than normal. He wasn't as serious than he normally was when it came to business, but he was still serious. Nick let him in after making sure Judy had gotten dressed. He stepped inside and sat down next to the rather large tv that stood on an extended dresser.

"Okay, so I have to go out for some time. I'm looking for someone. What I need for you two to do is keep a somewhat low profile and double check every mammal that you come across." His tone became deadly and the air in the room became colder. It was as if the heater had stopped working and the cold from outside had started to seep in. Not that Arden cared nor noticed the change in the room temperature. "Under no circumstances let anyone you don't know get too close to you. I wanna tell you something that my father always told me when we were sparring. Trust no one, nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you hear."

Nick and Judy's faces went pale with the amount of intensity their companion was emitting. It seemed as if they weren't used to him being this serious about anything.

'Good. They seem to get my point.' Arden let out a breath which seemed to calm the two down a little. They were still extremely tense though. Nick's tail had stopped swaying and he looked to be shivering.

"Alright. Anyway, I need to get going. I have work to do." Arden got down off the dresser and walked to the door, opening it before stopping. "Oh, and by the way, I won't be happy if something happens to Ashlynn." An eye turned towards the rabbit and fox who were still looking at him. The look meant if something did happen, it could mean death to the both of them. It made both of them shiver in sheer terror. Arden turned back towards the cold outside and closed the door behind him.

Nick and Judy looked at each other with fear in both of their eyes. They had never seen their combat instructor so angry or intense on something before.

"What...was that?" Judy asked shakily. She had seen her mother angry before, but even that was mild compared to the rage that was just displayed before them. Stu Hopps could get really angry if provoked, but Arden was on a whole other level. He had purpose, reason, and drive to be angry. Not even Judy's eldest and most trusted brother, Edward, had never been that angry. And Edward was the most hot-headed buck she had ever seen.

"I don't know. But I think we should heed his advice." Judy nodded in agreement. Another shiver went up her spine as she thought about seeing those eyes again. She let out a shaky breath, having not known that she was holding it. "I-i'm gonna go get a shower now." Nick said as he held his head and walked to the bathroom. His tail was shaking, and so were his arms and almost his legs.

'Why was he so angry? It doesn't make any sense. He never lets his emotions get to him.' Judy shook her head to rid her mind of the thought of his blood red eyes with hate and a blood-lust in them. She never wanted to see them turned in her direction again. The thought made her want to curl into a little ball and cry.

Another knock came to the door of the apartment, causing her to jolt out of her trance. She walked over to it and cracked it open to see a large bear standing there with his arm raised.

"Judy!" A small, distinctive voice said from the bear's hand. Instantly she knew who it was. It was her friend and the mother to her godchild. Fru-Fru Big. Judy had previously rescued her from a cruel fate of being squashed by a giant donut. Looking back on it, it was almost laughable. "Oh, how are you? It's been way too long."

"Yeah, it has, Fru. Nick's in the shower, but please come in." She opened the door all the way to let the bear in. He almost had to duck not to hit the top of the doorway. He sat down on the edge of the bed and set his elbow on his knee to keep from making his arm run out of strength from holding it up.

"So, what have you and Nick been up to? I caught wind that you two are finally in a relationship." The arctic shrew said as she gave her the same look that she did when she was gossiping about something.

"Yeah...I guess that's what you could call it." Judy's mind drifted back to the look in Arden's eyes. "Hey, do you know anything about a wolf named Ardenhu Fangman?" Judy asked.

"Hm…. I recognize the name, but I don't know much about him. What about you, Kevin?" She asked her bear escort.

"He used to be an operative known to every large mafia group in Tundra Town. Nicknamed the Crimson Wolf, he was the most dangerous mammal about thirteen years ago. Not even Mr. Big would pick a fight with him. He killed so many, leaving almost no trace of himself. During that time, he was still working for the ZBI and from the looks of him when we passed by, he hasn't aged a bit. Kinda weird." The polar bear told the two. After that, he closed his muzzle and looked at them. Judy swallowed and felt a bead of sweat roll down her cheek. Her eyes had widened and her heartbeat quickened. She didn't even want to know what he was truly capable of.

Whoowee! Now THAT, is something that I didn't expect to come out my brain. ANYWAY, I hope you enjoyed this. I've already started on chapter 12, and I hope it'll come out well.

Anywho, REVEIWS!

RebelMetalWolf: *bows* Thank you, thank you. I try my best to please you guys.

MrAndersIversen: I thank you as well for the kind words. I hope I will continue to amaze and dazzle you with my skillz lol.

Guest: Sorry, dude. I don't speak spanish so I have no idea what that says. If anyone can translate, PM me please.

Boom! Oh god! That was a grenade! Sorry, just playing some Borderlands. Now then, I hope you all will wait diligently until the next update.

May inspiration light your paths,

Leon