Reynard's Story – Part 3Ib – Invading the Fox Hole
This is the ninth of nine sections of the Third Part of Reynard's Story – Piece 2 of 3. The King has released Reynard's greatest enemies and tasked them with unthinkable, the murder of The Fox, his entire family and any followers. So great was The King's desire for vengeance, he risks angering the entire Council, The Queen, Reynard and all his allies, and bringing war to the entire underworld. After a valiant effort, the defenders have been overcome and Reynard's enemies are breathing down his neck as they invade his home seeking to find him and his family. As The Fox attempts to protect his family, events unfold putting those precious to him in grave peril. The battle is one for the ages as entering the fox hole uninvited is a deadly prospect. Such is the fury of Reynard that a demon is released seeking mighty retribution. But all those involved learn that their actions demand a heavy price.
I had planned on this final section being just one chapter, but as it became more and more involved I quickly realized it was becoming huge. I went ahead and finished it, ending with a single chapter longer than a large percentage of novels and most entire stories in the fandom. So I decided to split the 80K word chapter into three roughly even parts. I didn't want to do it, but it was better than expecting readers to deal with an 80K behemoth. Anyway, that was the reason for the delay. Because the entire chapter is written, I only need to finish the edits for 3Ic so they should follow within a few days of posting the previous one.
The finale of this section of the adaption borrows loosely from the original legend and the 1930 movie, with regards to the concept of an assault on Reynard and his family and partially the end result. Most elements are specific to Zootopia, the modern time period and the different set of circumstances of this story.
The chapter is Rated M++ because it has a laundry list of nastiness as one would expect. There are endless scenes of an extremely disturbing nature, severe and copious violence, murder, visceral death, gore, consuming of sentient flesh, child abuse, violent and deadly events involving a child, etc. This is the meaty second piece of the finale's trilogy.
Zoodate: (-32 Years) (30 years before the events at the end of Zootopia The Movie)
As Sheba and Rath watched in amazement as the two large groups moved off in two different directions, each was not sure what to make of what they had seen.
Sheba wanted to go after those attacking the estate, but Rath disagreed, "Sheba, they already have a large group inside the gates to deal with those guys. I am more concerned about where the others are going."
The tigress had to agree that he had a point speculating, "You think they are leaving?"
Rath didn't believe so, "No, because they were far too well organized. It appears they have a destination in mind."
"But where?" Sheba wondered.
"Dunno, guess we just need to follow and find out." Rath could only respond.
Sheba contacted Reynard and Coal letting them know the situation. Apparently Reynard was busy, but Coal got the message.
"I suggest you use the jamming equipment now." Sheba suggested.
"Already just enabled it as soon as they began to breach the door." The panther responded.
"We are going to follow the group south. Let us know if you need us to join the perimeter defenders." The tigress told Coal.
"I think Reynard is already dealing with them now." Coal answered cryptically, "See if you can harass or delay the other group. I am afraid we are gonna have our paws full here."
Reynard had been following the progress of the perimeter conflicts closely. He was quite pleased that they had withstood the first push of the enemy rather well. The water, air, gate and wall attacks had all failed miserably. Sheba and Rath had been successful in shutting down all attacks on the outer sections of the wall and had captured two of their four CATapults.
Since they seemed to have things under control at the perimeter, he focused his attention on communicating with his allies in the other districts and talking to representatives of The Council. Apparently the numerous calls of his allies had panicked The Council who were currently in an emergency meeting deciding what they needed to do. They told Reynard he had full authority to defend his home and the surrounding area with whatever degree of force he deemed necessary. The Fox didn't need to be told that, but it was good to hear that he was completely within his rights to slaughtered any of his enemies threatening his property and district. It was important for his long term plans for himself and his allies that they be seen following the rule of The Council.
Reynard and his allies kept pushing The Council for authorization to declare a full-scale war on the opposing forces. They kept requesting approval to invade the enemy districts and to join the conflict unfolding on Vine Island. As The Fox expected, The Council told them all to hold off while they met to determine the best course of action.
All his allies were now on full alert with large presences along all borders between his district and theirs. They had blocked off all traffic to Vine Island as soon as the conflict began. The downtown district's flotilla blockade had gone into effect now sealing the entire waterway south of Harbour Street. All ships docked along the border of Savanna Central had either been confiscated or disabled. Fortunately this did not represent many ships as most all the docks for Savanna Central were located south of Harbour Street. They were letting ships in and out of the blockade after inspections to ensure there were no hostile forces on board. The flotilla team were posing as shipping inspectors looking for illegal cargo.
Reynard was informed by his internal security that the underground sensors had detected movement, and some of the traps they had activated in the subterranean tunnels had been triggered. The Fox had told them to activate everything they had down below and to continue to monitor the enemy movement closely. They later informed him that they had detected a seismic event below ground, but they did not have any further information at the moment on the cause or the exact location.
After such enormous losses, Reynard had hoped the resolve of the enemy would be broken. He joined Coal to discuss the current status of the perimeter assault and defense. Coal had informed him Sheba had been listening to the enemy channels and their efforts were quite effective in terrorizing and demoralizing them. He was hoping their losses would cause them to rebel against their command, and Sheba and Coal planned a joint effort to completely shock and horrify them showing them what had become of their compatriots who had attempted to mess with Reynard's teams. After the flaming elephants and a sky full of blood, gore and pieces of their friends, The Fox was amazed that they still had any resolve left.
But the large explosion at the wall had damaged it leaving a sizable hole. This seemed to re-energized the enemy force and they were striking with wild abandon. They were also acting a lot smarter using defensive tactics minimizing casualties. It caused their progress to slow considerably, but it helped to keep the morale of their forces up as they saw themselves making progress and not being constantly slaughtered.
Coal was reporting they were having problems getting clear shots on those penetrating the hole in the wall. And the firebombs were no longer effective now that the enemy was dousing everything in water from the nearby fire hydrants and the stolen fire engine. They were gradually being driven back towards the estate and the best they could do was attempt to delay the enemy and harass them as much as possible without endangering themselves. But Reynard and Coal now faced the likely possibility they would be breaching the main gate of the estate soon. He then informed all internal forces to prepare for an incoming enemy incursion. He reminded them to be prepared to activate all internal traps and defensive measures shortly.
His internal security informed him of another seismic event below the estate, this time very close. They could not determine the cause or location, just that it was quite close. He then heard reports from the lower levels of noises and a disturbance. As he raced to the subterranean levels with Alexei growling loudly next to him, he feared the worst and ordered a full activation of internal defenses and a complete lockdown. He announced to all that Code Red was now active and to have support forces join him in the basement level. However he got a bad feeling as those in the lower basement were not answering his calls. Sure enough, as he reached the lower level and sprinted down the hallway, he found himself face to face with a group of surprised armed mammals of many different species who were clearly not part of his guard force.
After the underground team had gotten past several traps sustaining several losses, they found a ramp down to a lower level and determined from the map that they were near the estate. They were hoping to find tunnels that either traveled below it, or connected to it as shown in the old plans. But it appeared that any tunnels connecting to the estate had been sealed off by Reynard's contractors. However by tapping and hammering along the walls they found a hollow area where a tunnel should be.
They then brought the additional supplies that had been requested and connected a single box of demolition explosives next to the hollow section of the wall. They placed it on an old rusty table they found so it was in the middle of the wall and ran some wires along the wall and around a corner. The team was worried about a cave-in. But by setting it off down another corridor, the worst case scenario would be cave-in and roof collapse down the other tunnel. They didn't relish the thought of being buried alive. That was never a pleasant way to die. They set off the charge and then examined the results once the dust settled.
The explosion had left a bit of a mess with pieces of concrete and chunks of cement and metal fragments scattered all up and down the corridor. But the most important result was that there was now a large hole where the wall used to be. Using some sledgehammers they were able to knock out the remaining sections of the wall and then headed carefully down this blocked off tunnel throwing weighted bags with attached cords down the tunnel and then pulling them back. After following the tunnel around a bend, they found a wall of dirt. They began to turn around frustrated, when the gopher with the map explained that he thought the estate wall was only a short distance past the dirt.
The team then called for reinforcements explaining what they found. They requested more demolition explosives and more diggers. Then the gopher, rabbit and aardvark began digging like mad clearing dirt as fast as their digging paws could. The badger helped them push the dirt they cleared down the corridor while the ermine and boar ran down the hall to help guide the new members of the team to the correct tunnel.
A short while later they had a giant armadillo, ground hog, fennec fox, hare, pika, opossum, two prairie dogs, and a muskrat all joining the digging effort as all the diggers would alternate digging and removing dirt. After about fifteen minutes of intense work they finally reached some bricks which appeared to be part of the estate according to the map. After a couple more minutes of frantic digging they had cleared all the dirt revealing a concrete wall. Once they had a sizable portion of the wall uncovered, they placed two boxes of explosives on top of each other next to the wall. They ran the wiring a long way down the hall and around a corner praying that the roof did not cave-in.
They set off the explosives which made a much larger sound than before shaking the earth all around them. While a portion of the tunnel roof caved-in, it appeared most of it was still intact. There now appeared to be a one meter hole in the wall. The ground hog and aardvark crawled through the hole and began knocking out the addition bricks with a sledgehammer while the others quickly cleared the rubble. The gopher then explored the room finding a door and confirmed they were indeed inside the estate on one of the lower levels. He yelled out for someone to run back and call their boss and let them know they now had an entry into the main estate building just over two meters high.
Part of their team ran back to guide the many new arrivals back down the tunnel as rapidly as possible as they began filling the room, arming themselves for combat. Word quickly spread that Isengrim was sending them a huge force and for the initial waves to move out establishing themselves and taking control of the entire level. They would have a force coming through the front door soon and would sandwich everyone in the building between the two forces killing everyone. Their force was told to do anything to kill any adult male foxes and save them for confirmation that they were Reynard. Any red fox vixens were to be captured if possible or killed if they resisted. Any red fox kits should be captured and not harmed as they were needed for hostages. If an unarmed older wolf or an older red fox vixen were found, those two were to be captured and not harmed.
The gopher had just explained the orders to his group and they had entered the halls taking out two surprised guards who had come to investigate the disturbance by simply overwhelming them with numbers. They had just exited another room and entered the hall when they came face to face with a fully armored red fox and a massive very angry Amur tiger. After their success with the two guards, the large group was quite confident they could deal with these two no matter how dangerous they appeared. Besides, one of them was a red fox, and their bosses would be happy if they killed a red fox as that was the number one priority on their hit list. The large group readied their weapons readying their resolve and assuming grim determined expressions as they charged at the duo just ahead of them.
As the army of digging mammals charged down the hall, Alexei drew his sword from his scabbard in an instant. Because of the narrow corridors in the estate, he was using the shorter 80cm single-edged curved blade held in both paws. He stood in an en guard stance in front of Reynard.
The instant Reynard saw the group of armed invaders in his home, the icy coldness filled his veins as if his body had been dipped in a bucket of ice water and his mistress was with him providing her servant her complete attention. The Fox had two throwing blades in his paws in an instant releasing both simultaneously striking the gopher and aardvark in the middle of the skull embedded the blades to the hilt instantly halting them in their tracks killing them both. The others were within Alexei's range and he roared striking out lightning fast skewering the capybara through the chest lifting him off the ground and swinging to the right slamming the body of the giant rodent into several others knocking them off their feet.
However the hare, one muskrat, a prairie dog and giant armadillo avoided the collision skirting under the huge tiger and striking at the fox. Reynard drew dual short swords spinning and slashing in an arc catching the hare and prairie dog cutting them in two, spreading blood, brains, internal organs and pieces of their flesh all over the floor. His mistress was screaming in pleasure basking in radiant glory as blood was spilled in her honor. The muskrat spun and struck Reynard in the thigh while the giant armadillo struck The Fox in the back. Reynard spun in response sensing the strikes forcing their blades to simply slide off his armor and he slashed downward with both blades intending to split the muskrat and armadillo in two. The muskrat was clearly now in two pieces, but Reynard's wrist was jarred as his blade met the hard shell of the giant armadillo who had instinctively rolled into a large gray ball and immediately stabbed Reynard in the leg hitting his foot once The Fox's blade slid off the armadillo's protective shell. The Fox grabbed the underside of the giant armadillo heaving him upward with all his strength tossing him backwards where he instantly assumed a ball form in mid air and rolled down the hall.
Alexei was now holding off a growing group of attackers slashing and stabbing occasionally hitting a few of them. A rabbit and another prairie dog were able to get under the tall tiger's defense and quickly met Reynard's blades. The rabbit lost both ears and half his head and the prairie dog found the other blade sprouting through his chest as a reward for getting past the tiger. While Alexei held the group back, Reynard began pulling throwing blades from all over his body and firing them rapid-fire striking mammal after mammal dropping them them in seconds. Azrael screamed in elation as death was everywhere. A kangaroo, beaver, badger, anteater, marmot, weasel and fennec fox all dropped with knives through their skulls or necks. The air was filled with blood, screams and death everywhere.
The attacking forces were beginning to look extremely uncertain and queasy as they saw their numbers and comrades dropping lightning fast. Alexei sensed their mood and roared viciously aggressively striking forward impaling a wolverine spinning and sweeping his blade across the front line cutting deep into a pika, ass, jackal and meerkat killing half and crippling the other two. He then growled and roared loudly charging forward causing the remaining forces to panic dropping their weapons and flee from the enraged tiger. Reynard took three more out, an ermine, gray fox and impala, before they were able to retreat into the room from whence they had come.
Alexei quickly looked back checking on his boss instantly seeing his bloody foot.
Reynard immediately shook his head letting the tiger know to let it go for the moment, "Forget it, help me grab my knives before they regroup."
The two of them quickly began gathering all the knives protruding from the skulls and throats of all the mammals with surprised, shocked and horrified expressions as they met their quick brutal ends. Alexei dispatched three mammals that were moaning, gasping for breath and quivering. They then met several of their guards coming down the stairs as they heading up to the main basement level ordering them to try setting up a barricade to the upper basement and prepare a gauntlet at the entrance. As soon as their backs were turned, Reynard sensed movement and fired a knife at the mammal scurrying quickly down the hall and around the door. It was an opossum that had been playing possum!
Reynard missed him because the blade he had been holding was still slick with blood. He grumbled shaking his head, "Why didn't I see that one?"
Alexei laughed in response, "It was just too obvious I guess. Let's get that foot taken care of quickly. You're gonna need all that blood to remain inside you if we're gonna live through this."
Reynard laughed at that. At grim times like these, you needed a bit of humor to keep your spirits up. He hadn't even felt the pain in his foot until now. The giant armadillo strike had been meant for his leg, but it had slid off the armor and down into a crease in the armor on his foot. After they made it up the stairs, Alexei quickly removed the armor off his boss' foot, cleaned and bandaged the wound while Reynard cleaned each of his blades replacing them in their sheaths all over his body.
"I wasn't used to fighting opponents so much smaller than me. It definitely takes some getting used to." Reynard remarked in frustration.
Alexei chortled in reply, "Tell me about it. Normally no one would ever get past my guard, but there were so many small ones all pressing me at once, I just couldn't stop them all."
"You did fine." Reynard assured his bodyguard, "I am not some wilting flower that can't dispatch a few myself you know. Besides, I can't let you have all the fun."
"Well you took out way more than I did with those nasty knives of yours." Alexei commented.
"Without you holding them off, I would have gotten overrun like our two guards unfortunately." Reynard responded and then listened on his radio to Coal and reports from his bat scouts and Sheba and Rath.
"It seems like it is about to get crowded in here above and below. We need to get my family out of here before it is too late. All the enemy forces are committed to entering the estate so they should be safe to leave." Reynard informed his bodyguard.
The Fox then began issued orders telling them it was a Code Black which meant he intended to get his family out to safety and then slaughter every enemy still living within the walls.
Reynard then turned to his bodyguard informing him, "Let's get to the armory, we're gonna need a few special surprises if they are sending everyone in here."
The two then raced down the hall to the armory adding several more specialized armaments to their personal arsenal. Alexei then put on a backpack which Reynard filled with additional goodies they might need to repel the forces.
"Time to say hi to the missus and kids." Reynard then joked with a smile.
Alexei gave him a big grin and nodded.
"That was the fucking fox we were trying to kill you morons!" Mors the Jaguar yelled in frustration as the remainder of the initial forces that had confronted Reynard informed him of their progress and confrontation. Mors was Isengrim's second lieutenant and was now in charge of the lower level forces since their communication was now being jammed.
"You had the motherfucker in your sights and you LET HIM GO!" Mors screamed continuing to berate the survivors.
"I stabbed his foot." Armis the Giant Armadillo declared proudly.
"Whoop Dee Friggin' Doo! We'll get you a medal. Maybe you gave him a nice pedicure." Mors responded sarcastically.
"Next time you see that giant tiger bodyguard of his or The Fox, you call for everybody we have!" The jaguar not so gently instructed the large gathering now filling the lower basement level.
"He's not so easily killed." Ignave the Opossum who just barely escaped with his life declared.
"Of course not! He's the motherfucking boss! You don't get to be boss by being easy to fucking kill! From now on if you don't have a large force with you, what you want to do is make sure he can't leave and hold him there until reinforcements arrive." Mors shrewdly advised them.
"The best way to deal with him and the tiger is to rush them all at once and overwhelm them once we have a large force. If we pin their arms and legs and bury them in bodies, they won't be able to move. Then we can just stab away until they're dead!" The jaguar said with a vicious grin imagining the deliciousness of killing The Fox. He would surely be raised to Isengrim's choice to replace him as boss of the Sahara Square District if he could bring his boss Reynard's head.
Unfortunately the group of mostly digging mammals that were first through the breach were not remotely his best fighters, more the opposite. These were gang members who collected dues, helped with planning and hiring, oversaw the gambling operations, balanced the books, and did the various other administrative jobs it took to run a criminal organization. These were not hardened enforcers who kept order, broke heads and limbs, collected from reluctant debtors, defended the district and the numerous jobs which required a much more firm and brutal paw or hoof. They were the least ideal group to face Reynard and his bodyguard. He was actually surprised any of them had survived the encounter.
But he was now being supplied with many of his better fighters. Unfortunately the element of surprise was now gone and The Fox would surely have lots of deadly things waiting for them. At least they now knew for sure he was still in the estate. They also knew that they could now sandwich him and his forces between Isengrim and those coming in up top, and his group down below. He would be very pleased with capturing any of Reynard's family as well, as he could use them as a distraction to The Fox threatening to kill them or using them as shields. The Fox would then be forced to proceed cautiously and then they could easily overwhelm him.
Yes, capturing the kits and vixens would be quite useful, and he would need to keep an eye and ear out for their location. He was now regretting that they had not had more time to raid an orphanage or one of Reynard's many homes for his Kids. It was his brilliant idea in the planning meeting to carry some of the smaller Kids or orphans and use them as shields during combat. His boss said that while it was a brilliant strategy and would surely be effective against Reynard, it had many problems. The mass kidnapping would likely have been reported to Reynard prior to their attack and the many problems with dealing with crying children during combat would be annoying and very distracting to their own forces. Additionally the fallout afterwards from The Council and Queen would be horrific.
Mor sighed. Sometimes considering all the ramifications of such a plan could really spoil it. He would have loved to have seen Reynard's face and reaction as he tossed some of his precious children he was always whining about helping into the middle of the fray. The Fox would easily be chopped apart as he tried to protect the child instead of worrying about his own safety. It would have been SO perfect.
Well, if he could capture The Fox's own kits, he could finally execute his plan. It would make it so much simpler to finally bring down the annoying Reynard once and for all.
He sent part of his forces out to search the remainder of the lower basement searching for any remaining guards, secret tunnels, or anything useful. The other part would carefully probe the defenses surely left to defend access to the floor above.
After visiting the armory and resupplying themselves with many new armaments and supplies, Reynard and Alexei told Coal to meet them downstairs as soon as he could after setting the defenses on the upper floors. He then had the task of trying to talk his wife out of the safe room before they were overrun.
Speaking into a hidden speaker Reynard addressed his wife, "Honey, we are going to need to get you out of the house now. It is too dangerous to remain inside. They are coming into the upper basement floor now and already have control of the sub-basement. You need to let us escort you to the escape tunnel."
His clearly distressed wife had been watching all that was going on listening on the communications channels, and was well aware of the situation. However she feared having her children, parents, sister-in-law and nephew running around the halls where they could face a large force of the enemy at any time. So Aza responded, "Why can't we remain in here where they can't find us? We can also take the escape tubes if necessary."
Reynard sighed. He really didn't have time to explain everything as they could be here any minute once they regrouped. So The Fox tried to justify his reasons as quickly as he could, "Dear, they have taken over the sub-basement which is where those escape tubes come out. We did not expect them to be coming from underneath us, only above us. If you do take those, you would come out near where they are staging their forces and would very likely all be captured. If you remain here, they are actively looking for any secret rooms using sensing equipment. With a large enough effort, they could eventually gain access to your room using explosives, cutting tools, axes, sledgehammers and other equipment they brought."
After a minute or so while Aza most likely was discussing the situation with the others in the room, she finally came back onto the speaker asking, "Won't they be able to capture us outside the walls? I heard reports they had boats."
The Fox then explained, "They have committed all their forces to the estate building assault. The boats were both disabled or destroyed, and all their forces on the water are most likely all dead. I will be sending protection with you just in case anyway."
"Why won't you come with us?" Aza pleaded.
Reynard had a ready answer for this, "I will not abandon my home and team unless there is no other alternative. I will make them pay dearly for invading my personal sanctuary and coming for my family. Besides, they will be too busy dealing with me to consider going after you all. It will be a perfect cover for your escape. There are other escape vehicles and underwater gear down below which would allow me and others an escape as well if it came down to it."
"I worry your pride will not allow you to flee to safety when you should." Aza expressed with great apprehension. She knew that once her husband was angered, he would not rest until all the guilty paid for their actions in blood and death. But with the enormous amount of mammals he faced, she feared rightly that he would eventually be overpowered and overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.
Reynard tried to alleviate her concerns, "Getting back to you all is my highest priority. I am still hoping The Council can bring this to a close if I still remain here. We must hurry and get you away immediately as far too much time has been wasted yapping! Grab your stuff and let's go NOW! I will have no more discussion about this!" The last sentences were uttered forcefully and fiercely indicating his patience was at an end and he would not put up with any more nonsense.
The time for pleasantries was past. The Fox hated to speak to his wife this way, but every minute they delayed was endangering their escape. He would apologize later. At least he hoped he would be given the chance to apologize which meant he had survived. Given the current circumstances, that was looking more and more in doubt.
Finally the hidden door opened, and a group of bleak and anxious faces met him. He gave them a halfhearted smile in an attempt to put them at ease. The adults carried small suitcases. Marion held Nick in one arm while Aza held Crimson. Clarette held Scarlet and Occi carried Rose. Reynard's two older boys, Titian and Brick, held play swords appearing to be defending their mother and aunt. He smiled for a brief moment thinking how at the age of his oldest two, he was having to murder and steal to survive living on the streets trying to keep him and his little sister alive. It was nice to see the kids could play at such things rather than face the harsh realities that made him and Marion suffer so.
He quickly led them down corridor heading toward the back corner of the basement where a secret passage was located which would take them down to the hidden cave below the house at the water level where emergency escape vehicles were prepared for exactly a situation like this. With Alexei covering their rear guard, Reynard went ahead of the group listening carefully using his specialized hearing, motioning for them to follow once he was satisfied that the coast was clear. The Fox was informed that the enemy forces had forced their way past their blockade and were now wandering around the basement level. His guards had been forced to retreat or they would have been quickly overrun. They had informed their boss that the enemy had triggered several traps and had taken several casualties, but there was an enormous number of them.
Reynard was approaching a split in the corridor leading east and west. The western passage led in the direction they needed to go, but he could hear a large number of feet approaching from the east. He motioned for Alexei to join him and whispered to his family motioning to the west, "Continue down the passage quickly. Coal should be meeting you down there."
The Fox knew that that many footsteps together could not be his guards. He also knew they were heading this direction. Fortunately they were not moving quickly as the traps were mostly likely forcing them to move cautiously.
Marion looked at her brother wondering what he was doing as he grabbed a bag out of Alexei's backpack. She wondered, "Renny, why are you not coming with us?"
He looked at her annoyed, but then softened and was about to speak when Aza dragged her down the corridor explaining softly, "They are coming. Hurry Marion… we have to go!"
Just then a large group of armed mammals turned the corner and all looked quite shocked seeing the huge Amur tiger and a whole group of red foxes and fox kits. Their shock turned to utter elation as if they had all just won the lottery and they began sprinting down the corridor after them. Reynard whipped the contents of the bag all over the corridor which contained over a hundred four sided sharp caltrops which coated the entire corridor. Alexei held a defensive stance while Reynard pulled out a brace of throwing knives from Alexei's backpack and began tossing them rapidly at the charging mob.
Marion shrieked and began running down the western corridor with Nick. The others started following after her, but were delayed when Brick and Titian stood behind their father brandishing their play swords. Aza, Clarette and Occi had gone down the corridor a distance before realizing the two kits were missing.
Reynard hit a puma, boar, horse and caracal square in the head with his throwing blades causing many to trip over their dead or dying comrades. The others hit the caltrops then and began screaming as their feet were punctured by the sharp painful metal objects. The Fox used the momentary confusion to fire off four more kill shots hitting a weasel, anteater, coyote and skunk. By then a lion and buffalo had engaged Alexei attempting to grapple with him. An ocelot and boar managed to leap under and push past the huge tiger who was busy forcing the others back. The ocelot attempted to get past Reynard leaping at the two terrified children behind him. The Fox spun whipping a short sword through the cat's chest and slicing through his entire abdomen as the cat's momentum carried the blade through his entire torso. The small feline crashed in a bloody mess right in front of the frozen kits as he gasped instinctively attempting to gather his intestines and internal organs which were spread in a pile before the two very sick looking children.
The momentary shock of seeing his two sons behind him allowed the boar to strike Reynard in the back with a mace sending him to his knees. The Fox then pretended to fall forward but instead drew his specially built hollow stainless titanium tri-edge twisted dagger he had acquired from the armory rolling and embedding the vicious weapon into the upper thigh of the boar the full 18 cm (7 in) to the hilt, then ripping it out and stabbing the wild swine in the neck and pulling it out instantly spraying dark red blood in all directions covering Reynard and the kits as the stunned boar toppled forward.
By that point Aza had arrived at the scene and grasped both frozen kits by the backs of their shirts and began dragging them down the corridor. Clarette and Occi waited with their charges for Aza to catch up to them. Alexei was being pushed backwards by the mass of mammals pressing against him. Reynard had backed up a couple meters behind the tiger dodging or deflecting several attempts to hit him with ranged weapons while he struck three more in the head with throwing daggers. The falling bodies helped to cause problems as those pushing against Alexei tripped over their fallen comrades.
Reynard shouted to his bodyguard and friend to watch out for the bodies of the boar and ocelot on the floor behind him. He then prepared to toss a couple more knives when he saw a large bear holding a familiar large gray ball. He tried to hit the bear with a knife but it instead bounced off the huge ball the beast threw down the corridor which bounced off the middle of a wall and landed past the fox and rolled quickly down the corridor. It missed Aza and the two kits as the vixen was busy pulling the two boys along and instead slammed into Clarette and Occi knocking them off their feet so that they and the kits in their arms landed on the ground.
Then Reynard's nemesis the giant armadillo unrolled and looked around briefly disoriented. The Fox tried to get a line on him to throw a knife at him, but his wife and family were all around the armadillo and he couldn't risk hitting one of them. Aza thrust the two boys ahead of her down the hall and began viciously snarling and attempting to bite the armadillo. He eyed Crimson in her arms and tried to grab the kit, but Aza intercepted his claw catching his wrist in her mouth biting down hard. The giant armadillo saw a furious Reynard bearing down on him, and punched Aza in the muzzle with his free claw forcing her to release her grip on his other claw. He then quickly grabbed the next smallest kit who happened to be Scarlet who had just managed to stand up. She screamed as the armadillo pulled her to his waist and began to sprint forward diving to the left of the charging Reynard rolling to his left bouncing off the wall and then rolling to Alexei's right. The Fox screamed at the tiger to stop the armadillo, but as Alexei turned to block the rolling gray ball, the lion, buffalo and bear who had thrown the armadillo, along with several others, all pushed forward forcing the tiger to turn to them and try and press them back, otherwise they would have knocked the tiger over and collapsed all over him and Reynard.
Aza screamed as the bear reached down and picked up the gray ball with her baby Scarlet wrapped in his claws. The bear then tossed the gray ball back behind him just as two knives sprouted out of his skull and throat. A frantic Aza came running up with Coal now behind her stopping her from running into the mob as Reynard fired off several quick throws dropping several of those pressing against Alexei.
Aza shrieked in anguish reaching toward where she had last seen her child, "SCARLET!... MY BABY!"
Coal had a tight hold on her and yelled to Reynard, "Red, what do you want me to do?"
The Fox who turned to him then was no longer his boss. As Coal saw the eyes that met his, he now recognized someone he had not seen in a long time. Someone he had hoped to never see again. He looked into the eyes Red Death!
The demon eyes bore into him and the cold callous being spoke to him in a voice full of death and impossible suffering, "Take them all. Go NOW! Protect them!"
Red Death turned to Aza and spoke to her in a voice she had not heard since she first met her husband in The Dungeon many years ago, "Go with Coal NOW! I will get her!"
The red demon then turned back and quickly gathered something large and black out of Alexei's backpack completely ignoring Coal and Aza. Once he spoke giving an order, Red Death did expect any more discussion. The way he spoke to her, Aza realized he was no longer her husband, but was now his mistress's instrument of death and retribution. She could only hope he could keep his promise as Coal roughly forced her and her wretched looking parents, Clarette and Occi, away down the corridor. Clarette had been screaming, "NO NO NO NO NO NO!" ever since Scarlet had been grabbed.
Aza barely heard Coal as he tried to reassure her that Reynard would not rest until he got her daughter back. As she briefly turned back, she saw the red demon firing a strange looking crossbow repeatedly into the crowd of mammals. Aza was in shock. Her body was all numb and she held Crimson and the collars of her two older boys tightly as her father Occi walked quickly next to her holding Rose tightly with one arm and his other arm around his despondent wife who had her paws covering her face weeping uncontrollably. They met a startled and frightened Marion clutching a shaking Nick in her arms. Upon seeing the faces before her and doing the math, Marion realized quickly something terrible had happened. She saw the devastated eyes of her sister-in-law and hugged her briefly trying to comfort her.
The mood was somber as Coal found the hidden panel punching in a code and issuing a voice command which revealed a hidden door. He then hurriedly rushed the group into the corridor which automatically lit up as they entered. The door behind them closed, and he gently but firmly encouraged them down the circular flight of stairs which descended into the darkness.
After descending several levels, they entered an arched tunnel which was filled with water on the left and a dock along the right side. A couple boats, and several jet skis were attached along the dock. Along the right there were cabinets containing boating supplies and scuba equipment. At the end of the dock, Coal ushered them quickly into a large motorboat with dual engines at the back. The panther told them all to go down below into the cabin so they would not be seen. He then removed the mooring and started the engine.
Aza saw the panther was slightly shaken by events, but was all business. He was fully armored and decked out with dual matched swords in crossed scabbards on his back, a brace of throwing knives across his front, a short sword and dagger at his sides, and a crossbow with scope on his back. He flipped a switch on the boat which opened a hidden passageway out from underneath the north wall and let the momentum of the boat carry them out into the channel between Vine Island and the northern section of the Rainforest District so that the boat made virtually no sound as the hidden passage silently shut behind them. The panther then searched the area with night vision binoculars. Coal seemed to be satisfied that nothing suspicious seemed to be present and turned the engines up and headed quickly to the east up the channel between the north and south sections of the Rainforest District.
As they headed quickly down the channel, Coal radioed Reynard and the estate security station giving them the code word indicating that he had the package and they were safely away. He then contacted Sweet Lou's team and gave them the code word that told them that he had Reynard's family and was heading toward the arranged rendezvous point up the inlet at the northeastern end of the district which took them near Moss Street. The panther then went radio silent keeping a close eye out for any pursuit.
They had been underway for several minutes before they heard a small frightened voice shouting, "Car! Where is Car?"
Marion tried to quiet her distressed son Nick, but the damage was done and Clarette and Aza burst into tears.
As Reynard watched as the giant armadillo rolled past him carrying his sweet lovable little daughter, everything slowed as if he was watching a deadly traffic crash in extreme slow motion. He saw there was no way Alexei could respond to his cries as he was being forced back against a massive tide of pressure. He could see the bear reaching for the large gray ball with slight glimpses of the little girl inside. His throws all landed accurately embedding the blades into the head and neck of the bear, but it was too late as powerful bear had already tossed his package behind him. For an instant, Reynard considered leaping onto the crush of mammals and attempting to run across them following her. But a serene voice gave him pause from such a suicidal action. It spoke calmly and clearly telling him, "NO! THAT IS NOT THE WAY!"
The Fox realized then that it was mistress who had completely become one with him. Normally she joined him as if sitting on his shoulder offering him her advice. But now she was with him completely filling his body, caressing his limbs giving him impossible tranquility and strength. His emotion and vulnerabilities were gone, and he was now a being of complete rationality and focus. He was something not of this world, something from the nightmares and imaginations of the worst horrors of those who sought to harm those he loved. He was Red Death!
Red Death barely registered the frantic voices behind him as he coolly and efficiently whipped knives at those pressing against his huge strong ally. He could sense the great Amur tiger was losing strength and tiring keeping the large horde back taking out several of their number to put them off balance giving the tiger a chance to recover. He spoke words to the beloved vixen and faithful longtime scarred friend and sparring partner behind him which would serve them well as he then focused his attention on the more important task firing shot after shot into the skulls of those that opposed him. He barely sensed the others leaving as he pulled out the black compact carbon fiber titanium alloy tactical semi-auto crossbow. As he locked the magazine in place on the underside of the weapon loading the initial round, he brought it up firing point blank into each eye of the buffalo, followed instantly by shots through temple, neck, eye and mouth of the roaring lion.
Red Death didn't need to use the scope of the weapon at such close range and continue firing in bursts at anything standing in his way. A ram, camel and musk ox all took multiple high powered shots to the skull and exposed neck. The demon calmly switched from target to target firing in bursts barely noticing them drop. Anything pressing against his tiger comrade was now on the ground before him, and he continued to fire wordless and efficiently at the confused targets. Screams of panic, pain and death were ignored as he mercilessly slammed anything he sensed was still a threat with bolt after bolt using razor pointed fixed three-bladed broadheads for maximum penetration, damage and stopping power.
The milling creatures in the back looked confused as if not sure what to do as bolts embedded themselves into the sides of their heads, necks and backs of the fleeing beings. Red Death calmly released and tossed the empty magazine aside pulling another from the backpack of the exhausted tiger who was kneeling on the floor panting, and locked it into place loading the initial round. Seeing no viable target, he flicked the safety on the weapon and slung the loaded weapon over his back placing two throwing knives at the ready in his left paw while pulling the titanium twisted tri-edge dagger and then calmly moving through the bodies before him jamming it into the necks and skulls of every creature still alive or dead.
Alexei finally lifted his exhausted body up considering the fox before him. He had known something was quite different about his boss and friend after his little daughter was taken. His body language, mannerisms and all the other subtle things a longtime friend and associate would notice, were all quite different. The Fox was whisper silent and far more intense, efficient and deadly than he had ever seen him before. His eyes were frightening and impossibly violent and intense. They spoke volumes issuing a clear warning of his murderous intent. The tiger had heard legends of this version of Reynard, but had only assumed they were exaggerated stories. He now realized they were the truth.
The Fox motioned to the tiger to follow quickly as he looked down the corridor carefully monitoring the milling creatures on the far end which seemed to be trying to reorganize. The demon known as Red Death motioned down the other end of the corridor wordlessly and took off at a jog. Alexei sheathed his blade and took off after him. As he ran he spoke to the fox with regret, "Red, I couldn't stop her from getting through. They were about to overrun me!"
Red Death considered him and nodded unnervingly at him. He saw no threat or anger in those eyes towards his failure, only acceptance and agreement. But the cold, wordless nature of demon that had possessed his friend was unsettling.
Then suddenly the red demon stopped, holding up his paw and grabbing the tiger, halting him in his tracks. He pointed ahead indicating he sensed several others around the corner. The Fox carefully maneuvered to the end of the corner avoiding an area Alexei had forgotten was a trapped region. The vulpine pulled out a glass mirror holding it out far enough to look around the corner, and then relaxed and stood up and walking into the hallway with arms held wide at his sides. The tiger then glanced around the corner and saw a barricade of overturned furniture about twenty meters away and the faces of several of the estate guards peeking out showing a great deal of relief greeting their boss enthusiastically.
The four guards all reported that they had delayed the enemy forces as long as possible from forcing their way up from the sub-basement killing several groups with traps set on the stairs and at the entryway. They brought down several others, but too many finally broke through and they had to make a hasty retreat to prevent being overrun. They had regrouped and setup an ambush at the junction as was the plan given this scenario. The red demon nodded and encouraged them, "Excellent. You did exactly as you should have. However we are going to alter the plan once they regroup and hit this ambush. It is time they learn what it feels like to be hunted."
The cold certain way The Fox spoke shocked the guards and Alexei. They would have thought he was kidding if he had not spoken with such intensity and conviction. The guards didn't say anything, but merely nodded their heads. Seeing the eyes and mood of their boss, they knew he wasn't in his right mind, but they would be damned if they would ignore his order.
Alexei, however, responded with incredulous caution, "Red, they outnumber us tremendously. I know they have her, but it won't do her any good if you're dead."
The demon glanced unimpassionately at the tiger speaking in a hollow frightening force, "It will accomplish nothing retreating, as we merely end up being sandwiched between two enemy forces with no escape or retreat possible. I wish to avoid that."
It was Alexei's job to protect his boss first. The Fox's family was a secondary priority, and he felt that the little girl was clouding his boss's sane judgment. So he responsibly questioned the demon, "You don't think they will harm her do you? They could have struck down Aza or the kits, but they didn't. They wouldn't have bothered risking so much to capture her just to hurt her."
The cold calculating eyes bore into the huge tiger alarming him. If he hadn't been used to the sometimes fierce nature of his mate, Sheba, he might have cringed in fear. But he instead simply gulped looking quite disconcerted as Red Death told him, "I do not wish to give them time to harm the child. They seek to use her to manipulate me. I will not play their game. I will do what they will not expect. I will have them run from me in terror!"
The Fox then spoke to his security teams on the upper floors getting an update. The discussion was over and the demon who had taken over his boss seemed fully committed to this suicidal course of action. Alexei knew once his boss was this focused and adamant about an action, it was useless to try and reason with him. The little girl was going to get him killed. But he would loyally follow him to his end taking as many of the enemy with him as possible. If he had not done so, he was sure Sheba would have made his death preferable to what she would do to him. Not that he would ever do otherwise anyway. So Alexei instead helped check over the wounds the guards had sustained making sure they were in the best condition possible for the suicidal death hunt to come. If they even survived this next confrontation that was.
They all then froze as Reynard raised a paw listening carefully with his ear pointing down the hallway. He indicated they get down and prepare for a huge force making their way down the corridor Alexei and Reynard had come down. Reynard pulled out the tactical crossbow, flipped the safety off and began adjusting the sights on the scope. He handed another bag of caltrops to one of the guards to toss down the hall at the right time and Alexei and the other guards stood behind the barricade reading ranged weapons. Reynard then took a pump and began spraying a cannister of liquid down hall thoroughly coating the hallway between the intersection and their position. The huge head of a hippo and rhino charged into view turned and saw the barricade and shouted to a large group of several dozen mammals to their rear. The hippo and rhino carried huge shields which they used to block most of the area behind them. They grinned as they made out Alexei and part of Reynard's head. As they began cautiously approaching Reynard's group, that was when the screaming began.
Isengrim and his forces were finally making progress. They had been able to pull the steel and concrete from around the door to the estate, and were in the process of chopping the hinges off the door with the heavy duty axes from the firetruck after exposing them by taking sledgehammers to the brick and stone around them. Using the wooden panels soaked with water from the fire engine and fire hoses, they avoided most of the ranged fire coming from all sides by the estate's perimeter forces. To their credit, Reynard's defenders threw everything they had at them making the attackers lives miserable. Those on the roof repeatedly tried to light them on fire and had the ground coated in a thick sticky tar substance that would ignite and burn a long time if not constantly soaked with water.
The defensive forces also kept finding openings in their defenses tossing improvised firebombs inside causing many serious injuries and demoralizing those clustered under the protective barriers. They struck repeatedly in hit and run groups not allowing any time for counter strikes. One time his men did attempt to chase one group, but ended running into a group with one of the auto ballistas attached to the vehicle and they ended up losing the whole chase group. The defenders attempted to bait his assault team over and over, but he refused to take the bait and instead kept his group under defensive protection.
Finally, they removed the door and cautiously moved into the foyer of the estate. Apparently the furniture in the room, the statue, water sculpture and the chandelier that would normally be present in the large round room had been removed. The outlines of their positions and the water pipes still remained in place. There was a curving staircase heading up and doors on the north and east walls which most likely led to corridors to the other parts of the estate. Isengrim ordered a couple scouts to investigate the upper floor while he had groups examining the doors to check for traps as well as determining the best possible method of opening them.
The Wolf was tempted to rush in and knock the doors down rampaging all over the floor removing any resistance quickly, forcing Reynard, his family, and all his defenders to be crushed between his group and Mors's underground team. But Isengrim had a healthy respect for the mind of his enemy knowing The Fox most likely planned for such an assault. Unfortunately The Wolf had not been cautious enough as suddenly sprinklers above everyone in the room came down out of the ceiling and large spikes shot upwards from the floor near the main door impaling a whitetail deer and timber wolf that been standing directly above them. Then the sprinklers went off. Isengrim realized his mistake instantly and instinctively yelled for his team to get out immediately. He picked up a red panda and tossed him out the front door over the meter long spikes and took two quick steps and leaped following the panda diving headfirst over the spikes.
He then heard the most horrific screams of anguish and suffering he had ever heard as everyone in the foyer was coated with acid which instantly ate through clothes, fur, skin and flesh. Isengrim yelled for them to douse everyone in the room with one of the fire hoses. But unfortunately by the time they got in there to soak everyone, the fifteen in the room where all dead or still screaming begging for death. Once they cleared the spikes, they also found the three which had gone up the winding staircase were all dead with crossbow bolts puncturing their bodies in multiple places. He had lost eighteen good men in an instant. He was sure the casualties his attacking force had suffered were now well over a hundred. Isengrim hated to think what the final tally would be once everything was over.
Isengrim cursed himself for not anticipating the booby trap and ordered those still alive given mercy and killed immediately. They sprayed the room and floor with water until it was diluted enough not to cause any additional harm. All kept a very close eye on the sprinklers above them keeping shields and plastic covering over their heads ready to bolt instantly if there was any indication that they would become active again.
The Wolf sent a large force up the stairs with shields, and the two doors opened to the hallways. He then began the slow careful process of covering all the ground on the main and upper floor searching for anyone alive, traps, secret passageways and rooms, and any sign of The Fox and his family. He cursed the fact that he now had no proper communications to find out what his underground team or any of his other groups were doing. Apparently all frequencies were being blocked. Either Reynard's team was not using any communicators, or more likely they had models which were using much higher frequency levels. He had been hoping to capture some of their communication equipment, but the defenders had managed to either remove their fallen comrades or remove the communication equipment from the bodies of the few causalities Isengrim's forces had been able to inflict.
The defenders were very disciplined, using hit and run tactics, with predefined defensive fallback positions. They did not blindly stand still to be mowed down or be overwhelmed. If they did not have a superior defensible position, they would retreat and regroup. They were an extremely difficult opponent. Isengrim knew this was going to be a time consuming process to cover this whole building. And he was quite sure The Fox was well aware of this. He could only hope his lower level team was having more success.
As Armis proudly placed his trophy on a table in front of commander Mors, the jaguar got a huge malevolent grin on his face.
"My, what a pretty present you have brought me. Armis, you have done well… very well." Mors exclaimed in rare praise thinking of all the delicious things he could do with this unique gift.
His second in command, Bruun's second lieutenant Ratio the Wolverine, who had been a constant thorn in Mor's side questioning his tactics, spoke up, "Mors, we were ordered to bring any of his family we captured straight to Isengrim and Bruun. They have need of them so we can negotiate our way out of this shit."
The jaguar sneered at the wolverine exclaiming forcefully, "If we don't kill the fucking Fox, then it isn't gonna matter a whole fucking lot. Besides, once he is dead, they can have her!"
This seemed to cow the annoying wolverine. Satisfied, Mors turned his attention to the little kit who was glaring up at him furiously with her arms crossed. He could sense she had something to say which amused him so he looked at her with a smirk and said, "Well…"
The little girl sensed this was an invitation for her to speak and she angrily told him, "Daddy is gonna be SO cross with you."
"Oh, I imagine so." The jaguar told her, "In fact I am counting on it. I bet you're your daddy's precious little girl. You're just perfect for my plans!"
"What are you doing in my house? You need to return me to Mommy and Daddy right now!" Scarlet informed him with a command in her voice that belied her very young age.
Mors snarled at the little girl, "My aren't you are a forceful little brat. I bet you are used to everyone following your every order. Everyone must always be trying to please you. Well you will find you don't have any special status with me or my group. You are simply an object for us to use, nothing more. If you stop being of use to me, I will happily slit your throat and let you bleed out all over your pretty little dress there. I bet that thing cost at least a whole weeks wages of mine! Although on second thought, I am sure we can find other useful things we can do with such a cute little vixen. I know many who would pay handsomely for a go at..."
"Sir! There is no need for that!" Ratio interrupted.
The jaguar wanted to smack the wolverine, but he resisted as that would cause a lot of problems. He had wanted to see if he could get the little kit to cry. But she seemed to be a lot tougher than she looked as she just continued to glare at him fuming. Either she didn't understand what he was inferring or… or she was her father's daughter after all.
"You will be sorry you took me." The little kit stated simply scowling at Mors.
"Why? Because your father will punish me? You think he will simply just come and rescue you don't you? You probably worship him believing he can do no wrong. You doubtlessly think he can do anything. It is what you have been taught and told by your cunt mother and all the ass-kissers that surround you. Sorry to burst your bubble kid, but your father is not all that special. He will bleed and die just like anyone else. I look forward to holding his severed head in my paw!" The jaguar told the tiny kit giving her most likely her first wake up call.
However the little girl surprised him informing him with confidence, "He will be the one holding your head you meanie! Mommy will want to kill you too. You better hope Daddy gets you before Mommy does."
Mors had to admit, he had never heard threats from such a cute little source before. He was tempted to show her the realities of her new world slapping her around, fondling her a good bit and treating her even worse than that for once in her life, but he knew Ratio would blow a gasket and Isengrim would be quite pissed if anything happened to the child. She was so lucky that they needed her for peace and negotiation or whatever other crap they were talking about. So he satisfied himself with making sure that she knew that she would be cause of her precious father's death.
She glared at him quite bitterly and ordered, "Take me back to Daddy NOW!"
He jeered at her giving her a mock bow telling her quite sarcastically, "Yes my little princess. Anything you say."
He then gave her a pleasant smile telling her, "But actually that is exactly what I intend to do. And you are going to help me kill your father."
When he said that, her furious expression broke for the first time and she looked uncertain and troubled, "What do you mean?" The little girl asked exposing clear worry in her voice.
"I want you to satisfy yourself knowing that you will be the cause of your dear daddy's death. Because when I present you, his precious little princess, in front of him, he will only think about rescuing you and will ignore his own safety. That is when we will have him. You will get to watch him die horribly right before your very eyes. You will get to tell your cunt mother and shit brothers and sisters how he died. And it will be all YOUR FAULT!" The jaguar informed the child grinning maliciously and then cackling with glee as the little girl burst into tears weeping inconsolably crying out, "Daddy! I want my daddy!" through her sobs.
Ratio shook his head clearly disapproving of the jaguar's actions, but Mors loved to break any of those unfortunate enough to find themselves at his mercy. He just had to figure out how to destroy them first to make them compliant. Now she would be too worried about how she was going to be the cause of her father's death to be a bother to him.
He then had the kits arms and legs bound tightly. He considered having her gagged, but then realized he would need her to yell as much as possible to thoroughly distract her father. In fact if she refused to cooperate with that request, Isengrim's wrath or not, he would beat her thoroughly until she screamed her annoying head off. He was glad now he didn't have any irritating cubs of his own to worry about.
Mors happily let Ratio carry the girl knowing the wolverine would certainly not let anything happen prematurely to the precious kit considering how important the wolverine thought she was. He then placed his paw under the weeping kit's chin forcing her to look up at his wicked grin as he informed her, "Now let's go find Daddy!"
As soon as the hippo and rhino began moving toward Reynard's barricade, the bighorn sheep guard beside him tossed the bag of caltrops down the hall. However they seemed to have no effect on the hippo and rhino, but those behind them all began screaming as a large spinning metal cylinder appeared from the ceiling of the intersection with blades extending. Reynard yelled to get down and Alexei and the guards ducked their heads down behind the furniture barricade as the cylinder began firing darts in all directions as it moved up and down. Chaos erupted as those all caught crushed together at the intersection attempted to flee from the spinning death trap. The rhino and hippo turned to see what the commotion was reflexively raising their shields to prevent themselves from being struck with the darts.
Reynard instantly stood using the huge bodies of the hippo and rhino as cover from the darts and fired the tactical crossbow into the neck, back and legs of the huge mammals. WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! As the hippo and rhino began to turn back to face him with their shields raised, he lit a flare and tossed it down the hall and ducked below the barricade. The liquid which had time to begin to dissipate into the air ignited knocking the hippo and rhino and others behind them down with the force of the blast. Flames still licked the ground as The Fox was immediately up firing into the head and neck of the now prone hippo and rhino. As several other mammals attempted to rise and flee the burning ground now that the spinning cylinder had stopped firing, he moved forward from the barricade hammering their skulls with bolt after bolt. He waited briefly to move forward as the sprinklers in the area activated putting out the fire. He then began moving forward again sliding his armored feet forward through the caltrops firing into anything that looked like it might be still living.
Alexei and the guards had been caught off guard by the trap and the actions of the possessed fox. But once he was moving forward and the WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! of the crossbow could be heard, they quickly followed with Alexei drawing his large 140cm blade in one paw while holding a large throwing dagger in the other. The guards all followed with crossbows carefully attempting to clear a path on the floor so as not to step on one of the painful caltrops.
Red Death then placed the safety on the crossbow sliding it back to the guards informing them to pick it up and then drew a razor sharp short sword and tri-edged dagger leaping forward onto hippo struggling to stand landing on his chest driving both blades deep into his neck drawing them and then plunging them in a second time. Then The Fox dodged the strike of the rhino attempting to crush him kicking away from the hippos head so he lay flat on his back on the hippo's lower belly. As the rhino missed striking The Fox but instead smashed the shield into the face and upper chest of the gurgling hippo now fighting for his last breaths, the demon fox spun off the hippo landing between the legs of the rhino who was attempting to raise his upper body off the hippo. Red Death jammed both blades into the exposed upper thigh and crotch of the prone rhino seeking any soft opening.
The rhino had a thick hide which had protected him against much of the damage from the darts, fire and numerous bolts, but the accumulated wounds had weakened the large mammal. However the demon fox had decided to explore all the soft bits of the rhino stabbing him over and over. The rhino screamed pulling himself off the hippo letting go of the shield and attempted to crush the small red monster causing him agony with his mighty arms. But just as the rhino was able to raise his torso up, he found a large blade stabbed through his chest as Alexei punched the blade through the rhino with his incredible thrusting power.
The Fox, his bodyguard and four guards then quickly performed the grisly task of ensuring every unfortunate soul spread all over corridors had truly met their end stabbing each brutally in the neck and head. Many were still gasping, gurgling, screaming or crawling away. Red Death was cold and merciless slitting throats as easily as breathing. The guards appeared queasy, but followed his example quickly working through several dozen bodies. The guards then returned to the tactical crossbow to their boss who quickly reloaded it. Alexei then had a brilliant idea and picked up one of the large shields the rhino had been carrying holding it in his left arm freeing his right to draw his smaller blade. Two of the other guards together held the other large shield.
Reynard then slung the auto crossbow over his back draping a long sleeve of throwing blades over his chest and proceeded down the corridor from whence the enemy had come. He turned giving Alexei a bone-chilling malicious grin as he nodded his head down the corridor holding knifes in both his paws. The clearly insane fox had now decided it was time to take the fight to the enemy as he began silently creeping down the corridor with a fierce focused look on his face. A bobcat and gray fox got quite surprised looks as they sprouted knives through their skulls. By the time an elk, ermine, coyote and bison could turn, they too were victims to the flying blades as the red demon fired them one after the other.
The others in the corridor behind these dropping bodies were quite surprised as The Fox pulled out the tactical weapon flipping the safety off and began marching forward with murderous brutality firing WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! dropping the clearly shaken enemy forces who were trying to regroup. Alexei moved to the left of his boss and slightly ahead intercepting several who had tried to charge the mad fox throwing them back with his shield and impaling them quickly as they lay on the floor. Red Death ignored them stepping on their bodies continuing his relentless pace and Alexei and the guards had to quickly run to catch him. The rear two guards ensured that the bodies that littered their path were truly dead and could not attack them from the rear stabbing them in the neck.
Reynard's mistress had been screaming in elation from the moment the slaughter at the barricade had begun. She praised her servant and reveled in his non-stop rampage of massacre and mayhem. Red Death was pleased she was enjoying the show, but anticipated much more blood would be spilled in her name. She spoke encouragement in the mind of her instrument of destruction and he nodded as he fired down the corridor now using the scope to drop targets attempting to flee his wrath.
However as he reached an intersection, he stopped, pointing to the left and right as Alexei and the guards arrived next to him. Suddenly there were yells as groups poured out of rooms down each corridor charging towards the group now surrounded on two sides. Alexei instantly threw his shield up on the left intercepting several knives and bolts while the two guards threw a shield up on the other side doing the same. Reynard crouched around the tiger's shield firing rapidly into the heads of the charging mammals, while the guards behind him did the same on the other side.
WHAM! Then the force of the enemy groups slammed into both his own groups as Reynard slid the now empty crossbow behind him drawing his short sword and tri-edged dagger stabbing through the openings under and around Alexei's shield as the huge tiger held the press of mammals back. Screams of pain and agony could be heard as Reynard's blade pierced the legs, torsos and exposed flesh of those attempting to stab around the shield. The ground below their feet was now covered in thick blood and bodies. The guards on the other side had been pressed back into the middle of the intersection as several of the enemy had gotten around them and were engaging them from behind. Several then turned their attention trying to strike Alexei's back, but they found their way blocked as Reynard twisted rolling and coming up behind them taking a boar through the neck while stabbing a lion under the rib cage with the vicious dagger. The strike got the attention of the lion who had struck Alexei in the back. The large cat struck down at the small fox, but the red demon had spun to the left jamming his short sword through the hip of feline and then slid under his legs coming up behind him and jammed the dagger repeatedly in his side. Red Death then kicked off the roaring beast rolling backwards and came up firing multiple knives into the skulls of a camel, jackal and impala that were attacking the guards.
The lion was gasping holding his side attempting to stop the bleeding from the brutal wounds. Red Death ignored the cat instead spinning forward and sliding under a surprised wildebeest stabbing his femoral artery in his right leg with the sword and burying the dagger in his crotch, then turning to a large musk ox who was hammering the guards slicing the backs of both his legs and jumped onto his back as his legs gave out climbing the large beast's back burying the dagger deep into his neck three times then climbing on his shoulders and pushing off performing a forward flip landing behind a surprised group of mammals who had been pressing the guards back into Alexei.
Red Death wasted no time striking those now before him brutally in the kidneys, rib cage, thighs, neck and any vital spot he could find. As they all turned to faced this vicious demon, they found themselves now sandwiched between four guards stabbing them on one side, and the nightmare creature covered in red ripping them apart now thrusting the sword through one of their number's sternum while stabbing another in the gut. Several struck the demon fox, but the creature spun causing the blades to slide off while he struck them from under, behind and to the side.
The demon fox then spun backwards and then sprinted forwards leaping through an opening to the left rolling and yelling for Alexei to back to the left. As the tiger quickly stepped back and around the corner the group of mammals he had been holding back fell forward into the intersection many falling over one another. The fox wasted no time taking two steps forward stepping over several prone bodies leaping into the air spinning and coming up behind them stabbing furiously. Screams of pain and frustration, death and agony filled the air as the group turned to face this blur of red severing the paw of one holding a blade, removing the head of weasel, embedding a dagger into the eye of sheep, slicing the torso of wolf and attacking any other target of opportunity. Reynard's guards struck those who were prone struggling to untangle themselves from all those who had collapsed.
Alexei was now free to throw those in front of him forward bashing them with his shield. He then tossed it to the side and impaled three of the stunned mammals pressed together with his sword and then spun bringing it down slicing through the neck, half the torso and lower body of three more with one sweep. The remaining moments of the fight consisting of brutal stabbing, slicing, pounding, crushing and impaling.
Red Death swept across all those showing signs of life jamming his dagger under the chin and neck of a zebra, decapitated a serval, disemboweled a yak and plunged a short sword through the eyes of a puma. Blood, gore, intestines and brains covered his paws as he furiously sought the death of anything living. Every speck of the intersection was covered with blood, bodies, pieces of bodies and vomit. Reynard's mistress celebrated each death inhaling the thick metallic smells of blood and bile dancing as the last cries, the final gurgling breaths, the screams of agony and horror, were like the ultimate perfect symphony to her ears.
The demon fox then calmly searched for anything to wipe the thick blood and flesh off his blades removing a towel from Alexei's backpack. He sheathed the blades and calmly retrieved the crossbow cleaning the mechanisms and loading another magazine. He then calmly retrieved any of his throwing blades he could find.
The huge Amur tiger crouched panting on the ground and then began helping to clean and bandage the many wounds sustained by the guards. He fitted one arm of a guard in a sling, bandaged the paws of two others, and helped with the dozens of various cuts deep and shallow all over their bodies. He then realized he had sustained several wounds that he just now began to feel. Several blades had cut through his legs, arms and shoulders. The demon fox calmly helped him clean and bandaged the wounds. The guards all took some heavy duty drugs to manage the pain, but the tiger refused them himself. The tiger did not wish to take any chance that their effects would make him sluggish.
Alexei then realized he had no idea if his boss was injured as he was completely covered in blood from head to toe. He tried to wipe off the blood covering his boss and search for any injuries, but it was difficult to determine where they might be located. He asked the demon if he felt anything, but his only response was a blank stare. So Alexei had to just try and bind any area he suspected might have been injured on The Fox as he appeared to feel no pain at the moment.
Suddenly the head of the demon turned down the corridor in which they had been originally heading and he instantly had the tactical crossbow out focusing down the corridor with the scope. The fox had his ear focused listening intensely. The tiger then heard what The Fox was detecting. It was a small voice. A faint voice of a small child crying. He heard the voice screaming, "NO! I will not kill my daddy!" It was Scarlet! Alexei's blood ran cold as he frantically tried to stop his boss who was rising and heading down the corridor alone with a look of pure hatred and death on his mind ready to face the entire enemy force alone.
A frantic deer came sprinting into the room screaming, "He's coming! He's coming!"
Mors smacked the deer in the head knocking him off the feet.
"Calm the fuck down! Who's coming?" The jaguar demanded.
The deer held his jaw shaking his head and nervously informed the commander, "The Fox. The Red Demon!"
"Surely he is not mad enough to take us all on by himself?" A shocked Ratio responded in skepticism.
Mors grinned beaming at the miserable looking little kit in the wolverine's arms still sniffling, "I do believe he is! I told you this little shit here would see him dead."
"But… but we had at least seventy or more men down there." The disbelieving wolverine stuttered.
Ratio then turned to the deer staring at him with a disquieted look, "What happened to everyone down there? Where is everyone?"
The deer looked up at Ratio in terror shaking, "Dead I think, or least they probably all are by now."
Ratio turned to Mors in disbelief, "The Fox did all that by himself?"
The deer then spoke up, "No… not by himself. But… he is… he is something else… he is a demon… possessed or something..."
Mors laughed with glee, "He is not possessed. He is just blinded by this little cunt." The jaguar pointed at Scarlet who looked down sorrowfully.
The jaguar then shouted, "Gather everyone together. It is time we take our bait here and catch us a fox!"
Once everyone was together, he had a weasel and marmot scouting ahead while a large brown bear and polar bear carried large shields. Armis the Giant Armadillo and a force of several other large powerful fighters followed behind with some also carrying shields. Mors and Ratio carried the bait while the large remaining force surrounding them all continued onward preparing to slaughter the suicidal fox. Mors then began instructing the kit to begin screaming. When she glared at the jaguar furiously shaking her head, he smacked her across the muzzle yelling at her, "Scream for your daddy you little shit! Scream or he will just find a bloody pile of fur and broken bones instead of his precious daughter."
He smacked her again harder and poked her with the tip of a dagger drawing blood.
She screamed at him repeatedly, "NO! I WILL NOT KILL MY DADDY!"
Mors grinned malevolently at her and then cackled, "But my dear little shit, you already have!"
The weasel shouted to the group, "He's coming!"
Mors then announced to everyone, "Ready yourselves, it is time to finally end all this!"
Alexei had dropped his shield and sprinted down the corridor after The Fox grabbing him and turning him to face the bodyguard staring into those intense dead unworldly eyes. They were scarier than Sheba's even when she was at her most furious, but he didn't care. He would be damned if he let whatever this creature was charge to his certain death.
"You can't just charge into them! They will have a huge force of their best fighters ready to slaughter you! You are doing exactly what they want!" The huge tiger screamed at his deranged boss possessed by something which had caused him to lose all reason.
The expression on The Fox changed for a moment as if he had a brief glimpse of sanity and he nodded and then casually walked behind the tiger opening the backpack on the tiger's back as the four guards came limping along carrying the two large shields. The demon fox then ordered them to grab several bodies and toss them along the sides of the corridor. Alexei and the guards looked at him curiously and did as he asked. The Fox then placed two small half meter high barrels on top of and behind two of the mammals on each side of the corridor covering them with some bloody clothes. He then had them back up twenty meters at the intersection where they had previously fought and then had everyone begin to pile all the bodies up along the corridor making a large grisly wall of dead mammals.
Alexei looked at the demon fox curiously, but was satisfied that at least they now had a somewhat defensible position. It would at least prevent the enemy force from just charging and overwhelming them. They could also flee down one of the side corridors and barricade themselves into a room forcing the enemy to come at them one or two at a time. The tiger still wondered what was in the barrels until The Fox calmly pulled out a remote detonator and flipped the safety switch off. The barrels were far smaller than the normal boxes of demolition explosives the tiger was familiar with. He didn't believe they would do that much damage, but they would at least be a good distraction.
Alexei and the guards placed the shields up behind the body wall extending its height so they could all stand in a protected position, while Red Death watched through the crossbow scope in a small opening in the wall as the army approached their position. The tiger imagined he was looking where his daughter and the others were positioned. He could only hope the possessed fox knew what he was doing.
As Mors and his group headed up the corridor they could see the pile of bodies at the far end of the hall and the outlines of some shields. With binoculars they could see the slight movement behind the wall with several crossbows aimed at them.
"There are only a few of them." The weasel reported excitedly.
"I advise caution." Ratio immediately declared, "That group has killed all those piled before us and many many more."
Mors had to agree with the wolverine for once. But they had a top grade fighting force which could easily overrun such a small force especially since they were using shields which would make their enemies' ranged weapons ineffective.
The jaguar had just ordered his force to press forward and overwhelm The Fox and his small band of followers when suddenly there was a commotion from down the stairs behind them. A frantic cheetah covered in blood sprinted up the stairs yelling, "Behind us, we are being hit from behind!"
Mors immediately ordered two larger mammals, a huge grizzly bear and large buffalo to hold shields up and stop anything from coming up the stairs. They then set a group of ranged fighters and melee fighters behind those at the stairs to defend against whatever incoming force there was. The jaguar imagined it was either some of Reynard's allies, gang members or perimeter forces that had now decided to join The Fox from below. Regardless, he needed to quickly kill The Fox now and then set up a strong defensive force to hold these new attackers off. They could use the annoying little kit as a hostage to see themselves safely through the enemy force.
He then ordered the rest of his force of tough fighters to move on The Fox and overwhelm him swiftly. They all complied moving in a large group down the corridor casually blocking the rounds of crossbow bolts fired into their midst using their large shields. Once they were around ten meters from the wall of bodies, they began charging forward ready to slaughter the pitiful force cowering behind their fortification. That was when there was a large explosion and torment, misery and death filled the air.
As the force marched down the hall, the guards and Reynard attempted to get around their shielding firing ranged weapons, but could only hit the occasional foot and leg as the huge shields of the approaching force blocked nearly the entire hallway. They were nearly to them when the demon fox shouted "Down!" and they all instantly ducked.
BOOOOOOOM!
The walls and ceiling shook as The Fox set off the explosives he had planted. They all quickly stood ready to hopefully hit something caused by the distraction except that the screaming and other sounds of immense suffering and excruciating torment were unexpected. It was then Alexei saw large nails covering the area stuck in the ceiling, walls and floor. But more crucially many of these nails were embedded in the mammals about to attack them who were now splayed out all over the floor or crouching. Others were leaning against the walls holding themselves up screaming or attempting to pull the nails from their bodies or both.
WUMP! WUMP! WUMP!
Alexei saw Reynard had not even paused for a fraction of a second to glance at the grisly scene, but was instead firing as fast as he could into the skulls and necks of the exposed targets. After a brief pause, the stunned guards realized this was their chance and started firing their weapons as well as quickly as they could load them. Alexei grinned happily throwing some large throwing daggers at whatever target looked the most alive.
The large brown bear and polar bear managed to cover themselves with their shields and raised them up while still sitting. Many others behind them now tried to raise their own shields or crouch behind the two bears. As the force tried to ignore their injuries, Red Death continued to fire switching from exposed target to exposed target even aiming past them using the scope.
WUMP! WUMP! WUMP!
Bodies continued to fall as the two huge bears managed to rise to their feet. Then all of a sudden the large polar bear gave the large shield to a giant panda to hold while he caught something that had been rolled to him. He lifted a familiar gray ball and heaved it over top of the shields with all his might. Reynard dove to the left behind Alexei's shield yelling a warning, but the two guards could not react in time as the ball slammed into the top of the barricade leveling the two guards as it continued past rolling down the corridor behind them.
Then the polar bear yelled a battle cry and the mass of bodies lurched forward toward the body barricade. Reynard turned and began firing at the giant armadillo, but it turned its back stopping the bolts with its natural shielding. The demon fox then turned and fired at any openings he could locate in the incoming mass of bodies. But this gave the armadillo time to sprint forward diving and rolling into a ball slamming into the two upright guards just as the mass of bodies slammed into them from the other side.
Red Death then threw the crossbow into Alexei's backpack and then grabbed three globes from the backpack and tossed them in the air over the mass of bodies pressing against the barricade attempting to climb over it. Two of his guards who had been knocked down earlier had managed to stand and hold a shield up just in time to prevent the press of bodies from toppling over them, while the two others wrestled with the giant armadillo.
The demon fox calmly lit two flares tossing them over the press of the large group onto the floor resulting in a whoosh as the liquid caught fire underneath the press of bodies. He then took a larger globe out throwing it into the air fifteen meters away followed immediately by a throwing knife shattering the contents just under the ceiling all over all the mammals currently forcing themselves forward. Instantly he tossed another around five meters out and firing another knife and immediately lit two flares tossing them into the back and another in the front igniting those unfortunate enough to be covered in the flammable liquid.
As the screams of agony and torment filled the air, Red Death calmly reached into the backpack throwing a new loaded brace of throwing daggers across his chest and opening up the protective case and placing his new deadly invention for close quarters combat into his paws. It was a modified version of the diamond claws with a deadly set of two 12 cm blades extending from between the digits of his paws ending in a hollow handle but attached to both ends of each tube were 8.5 cm tri-edged twisted dagger blades. The entire assembly was made out of a lightweight titanium alloy specially designed for The Fox. The vicious weapons had never been used in practice against a live opponent because of the extreme danger and had only been tested on a roomful of moving dummies simulating real opponents of every size which were soon a shredded mess after a few test rounds.
Now they were in the paws of Red Death, and he intended to test them quite thoroughly on all the mammals arrayed before him. The first target in his sights was his nemesis the gray armadillo who was busy engaging two of the guards. As Armis glancing over his shoulder at the red demon wearing paws of death with murder in his eye, he frantically disengaged from the two guards sprinting down the side corridor. He tucked his head in the nick of time to avoid a dagger which whizzed a centimeter above where his head used to be instantly diving and rolling in a protective armored ball kicking off a side wall so he rolled around the corner and away from the creature of nightmares.
Red Death did not have time to worry about the bothersome tatou as he focused his attention to the immediate threat striking the elk coming over the body barricade under the chin ripping his neck apart while he twisted his paw jamming a mongoose in the head with the dagger edge of that paw as he ripped it from the elks neck pulling out part of his throat and the accompanying flesh, muscle and sinew. He then drove his right paw directly into the temple of a surprised leopard climbing over his companions to get to those behind the barricade.
The demon kicked off the body barricade freeing the blades taking part of the leopard's skull and brains with him splashing it over the ground as the fox spun backwards and then sprinted towards the four guards engaged with a group of mammals which had managed to make it over the body wall. Red Death slid in under the group stabbing upwards twice into the crotch and thigh of a shocked wildebeest and yak. He then rolled under the mass of legs and bodies grappling, shoving and attempting to stab each, driving the blades into the lower bodies of anyone not his ally.
Those engaged with the guards howled in surprise and agony as they found themselves victims of the possessed fox as they now sported gaping brutal wounds. Several of those engaged tried to find the source of their extreme pain and misery, but he was too low and fast. Those who had dropped to their knees on the floor were unfortunate enough to actually locate the monster who drove his lightning fast paws of death into their necks and skulls.
Red Death then spun on the floor to his left taking out the legs of a large white arctic wolf who then found four blades embedded in his chest cavity. As he instinctively grabbed his chest a tri-edge dagger found its way under his chin and was then ripped out. The guards quickly subdued and dispatched the critically injured group of mammals they had been engaged with, and were able to drive back and stop more mammals from coming over the barricade.
So Red Death then turned his attention to the Amur tiger who was pressing against a large group of mammals holding them back with his shield while jamming his 80cm blade repeatedly into the group with his right.
Alexei had been somehow holding the group back killing or dispatching others, but his energy was quickly waning. However above the fray Alexei heard a roar, a glorious beautiful powerful roar he recognized. Sheba! He would recognize his mate's roar anywhere. In response adrenaline poured through his veins and he roared back as loudly as he could answering his love's call.
The mammals engaging the huge tiger recoiled in shock and unease at the renewed vigor and ferocity of the fierce beast. Then all of sudden making use of the momentary distraction, a red demon leaped into the air above them and the instrument of death descended on them. Red Death landed on the shoulders of the polar bear jamming both armed paws into the bear's neck. The helpless bear was locked with Alexei and could feel his life draining from him as the demon shredded his neck repeatedly. As the huge bear began to collapse, Red Death climbed up onto the bear's shoulders executing a backflip. As he flew downward he drove both his blades into the chest of a startled bison. After then jamming the dagger edge under the bison's chin and jabbing the other paw into the bison's neck, the demon fox slid off onto the floor jabbing, stabbing, elbowing, slamming and cutting his way through everything pressing against the body barricade.
It was a flurry of blood, flesh, fur, cartilage, bone and various other bits of anything unfortunate enough to come within his range. Those pressing against his guards and bodyguard were too burned, exhausted, punctured, distracted or tall to notice the small fox behind them, under them and all around them, wherever he was never expected. A couple tried to locate the cause of their extreme pain only to discover Alexei or a guard's blade through their skull, neck or torso. It was not pretty, honorable or merciful. It was just what was needed to be done to stop those wishing the death of The Fox and his allies.
Soon nothing was left standing by the demon creature now covered head to toe in blood and bits of fur and flesh and a kneeling Alexei. The four exhausted guards collapsed on the ground behind the barricade. From the distance noises of combat and a familiar vicious roar could be heard. The roar was answered by Alexei who appeared to be re-energized by the sounds.
Red Death then climbed up onto the sea of bodies that littered the floor of the corridor staring down the hall. Before him he saw a small collection of armored fighters standing nervously around a wolverine and jaguar. The fighters were glancing behind them occasionally looking at something in the distance, but seemed to be primarily focused on the lone figure covered in blood and gore causally approaching them. Then the armored jaguar got a wicked grin on his face as he lifted a small red fox kit wearing a pretty white dress covered with sunflowers. The favorite flower of the demon's little daughter, Scarlet!
The moment Reynard saw his little daughter he froze. It had been like he had been in a trance up to this point. The experience was as if he had been outside his body watching as he shot, stabbed, sliced, jabbed, cut, bombed, kicked and slaughtered his way forward destroying any who stood in his path. All the pain from his injuries had been like a forgotten memory, but upon seeing the small child, Reynard began to feel the accumulated pain, fatigue and abuse he had suffered over the time he had been absent from his normal consciousness. He had to steady himself leaning against the side of the hall to keep himself upright. He breathed heavily in a vain attempt to draw on his energy reserves for this final conflict.
The jaguar got a wide wicked grin seeing the weakened fox before him. Mors began to look more confident as held the small kit before him announcing, "Behold, the great Red Death. He certainly looks red, but I believe the only death left will be his own. He appears to have run out of gas. See kid, I told you that you would get to see your daddy die. See how he can barely even stand."
In response the three hyenas in the group of fighters all laughed maniacally while the others roared and snarled anticipating the destruction of the objective of this whole assault as well as their own personal glory for having accomplished the task.
The little kit looked at the bloody armored form she had not even recognized as her father, but beneath the blood and bits of flesh she saw eyes she knew quite well exclaiming, "Daddy!"
But then she realized her father appeared weak and vulnerable. The words and taunts of the jaguar seemed to begin to ring true. Her presence would serve to distract her father, and he would be killed. All the excitement and hope from seeing that her father had come for her disappeared as she became fearful and felt dread crying out, "Run Daddy! Leave! The bad mammals plan to kill you. I don't want you to die!" The little girl then burst into tears.
Mors snickered as this was exactly what he wanted. The crying kit would serve to throw the exhausted fox off his game. It was time to execute The Fox and be the one to gain the glory and rewards from this whole mess. He would use the kit as a shield and use her pain and suffering to unbalance and divert the attention of The Fox while his men finally brought his life to an end.
A large shadow then appeared behind the fox revealing a huge Amur tiger holding a large shield and large curved blade and then stood beside him. Behind them two of the guards managed to stand and yell encouragement. But their yells were cut short as they suddenly screamed out in alarm as a large thunk was heard as Armis had sprinted down the hall rolling into them knocking them off their feet and crushing them against the barricade. Mors cackled in glee grinning wide and nudged the huge armored grizzly bear standing beside him and pointed at Alexei commanding, "Potens, spank the little kitty for me. He needs to be taught some manners. The rest of you, time to claim your glory. Kill the fucking fox while I have some fun with this cunt kit of his!"
With that Mors licked Scarlet all over her face as she cringed in disgust and then slapped her repeatedly until she began screaming. The bear charged Alexei who attempted cut him down, but Potens twisted to avoid the blade slamming his huge mass into Alexei's shield and then pounded a huge mace down upon the tiger which was partially blocked by the tiger's shield, but the massive power of the blow brought the bodyguard to his knees. At the same time the six other expert fighters surrounding the wolverine and jaguar and all fired crossbows or knives at Reynard simultaneously.
As he faced a volley of shots, Reynard only had time and energy to instinctively crouch, putting his head down and shift his position so his shoulder and side faced the attack rather than his entire body forming the smallest target possible. He knew that if he did not find the energy, strength and focus to do what must be done, he, his baby girl, his friend and guards were all doomed. In that moment, he had doubt and fear. But suddenly there was with him an energy filling his body recharging his life force. A familiar loving embrace that was ice cold yet warm and comforting at the same time. A welcome voice that had been with him since he had endured the horrific abuse and suffering as a small child spoke to him encouraging him, "Fear not, I am with you my child. I will give you that which you seek. You have much more work to do in my name. Go forth once more and spill blood in my name."
But Reynard was hesitant asking, "But mistress, I am but a simple fox beaten and abused. How can I find the fortitude and might required to do what must be done."
Azrael gave her servant a patient loving look embracing him petting his head as she spoke, "I will be with you guiding your paws, filling your veins with my essence. Go NOW and make them PAY! Make them regret ever crossing your path and seeking to harm you and your precious little baby!"
The words rang true filling his mind with focus and certainty of what must be done as the fox became her servant once more, and in that instant he became once more the demon known as Red Death.
He ignored the pain of the blades impacting his shoulder and side firing two blades into a stunned bongo striking his eye and the exposed portion of his neck. As the group attempted to slam him to the ground, he crouched low and suddenly threw himself to the left. As they collapsed to the floor in a heap pinning what they thought was The Fox to the floor, he sprung off the side of the wall cartwheeling and leaping high into the air pulling his diamond bladed claws wide and driving them with full force into the shoulder and neck of a large hyena. The wolverine fired a dagger at the bloody demon who instinctively sensed the movement and tumbled off the body of the hyena rolling and came up firing a blade at the head of the wolverine. Ratio managed to intercept the blade as it thudded into a shield, but the hyena was not so fortunate as the wolverine's blade meant for The Fox pierced his skull.
But the distraction allowed the others to sense they had missed their target and began to rapidly untangle themselves. Red Death executed a backflip placing the remaining fighters between himself and the wolverine preventing Ratio from getting another shot at Alexei or The Fox without hitting his own men. The four remaining fighters then lunged at the small red form attempting to stab or bash him. But the demon was ready diving forward under their blades rolling and coming up jamming the diamond blades into the bellies of a leopard and another hyena. Before the surprised fighters could react, he dove between their legs striking a lion and large bengal tiger in the legs with the claws and tri-edged dagger points.
The small vicious demon then rolled, stabbed, jabbed and shredded every exposed area he could locate as the experienced fighters screamed in pain and fury attempting to strike and stop the frenzied demon creature. But Red Death only saw soft vulnerable targets striking hamstrings, thighs, crotches, hindquarters and bellies. Blood, fur and flesh filled the air leaving only screams of agony and frustration as he pressed off the wall rolling and firing daggers striking the exposed neck of the lion and the side of leopard. The tiger roared and pounced on The Fox. He was successful in landing on the vulpine, but the armor protected The Fox from being crushed while the protective chest piece of the tiger was not able to stop the claws of The Fox from embedding themselves below its protective barrier and into his belly and hips.
Red Death repeatedly jabbed the dagger ends and blades into the belly and crotch of the wailing tiger who attempted to move to avoid the brutal violent blows which offered just enough room for The Fox to roll out from under the tiger and continue to roll to avoid the stabs from the two others. The demon instead hunched his back jamming the blades into the exposed feet and calves of the other three ripping flesh and severing toes. As the hyena, lion and leopard screamed in anguish hopping and grasping their brutalized appendages, Red Death leapt forward diving into the neck of a shocked tiger driving his blades deep into his neck. As the cat opened his mouth to roar, the fox twisted the blades ripping out his throat leaving him to merely gurgle and gasp for breath as he died horribly.
The other three shredded mammals sensed their own mortality as blood poured from their numerous harsh brutal wounds and they weakened. They all banded close together forming an impenetrable wall to face the approaching Red Death who was covered in dripping blood and flesh. They were nearly upon him when they turned suddenly as the huge grizzly bear and Amur tiger crashed into them. Alexei had seen his friend in trouble and had maneuvered the bear he had been grappling with so the two of them had slammed into other three.
Red Death didn't waste the distraction as he dove to the left leaping off the body of the choking bengal tiger kicking off the wall leaving bloody paw-prints and striking the leopard in the neck with both extended blades. The fox locked his legs around the waist of the leopard jamming the blades into his neck several more times and dropped as the hyena struck him in the back. The blade slid off the bloody armor, and the fox rolled forward and furiously jammed both blades into each of the hyena's exposed lower legs repeatedly as if he intended to saw them off. As the hyena helplessly toppled forward, Red Death rolled and jammed both blades into the calf of the lion who was attempting to avoid the red ball of pain. The lion attempted to escape the vicious little monster, but tripped over the body of the dead leopard. But Red Death ignored the lion, instead climbing over the body of the prone hyena smashing his blades into the exposed nose and maw of the snarling creature.
While all six of the enemy fighters, bear, wolverine and jaguar were armored, the little red demon had carefully struck at the open vulnerable spots finding all the soft exposed areas and making each pay in pain and blood. With a violent uppercut thrust, Red Death found a crease in the armor around the hyena's neck penetrating it shoving his blades into the soft palate and skull of the now coughing and gagging fighter. Blood oozed down the paws of the red demon as he shoved off the hyena and climbed atop the body of the leopard leaping onto the back of the lion attempting to crawl away. As the fox wedged the claw blades into the exposed sides of the roaring screaming feline, he shuddered as he felt a blade strike his chest and a bolt strike his head.
Red Death looked up to see the wolverine and jaguar firing knives and a crossbow at him. Fortunately his armor had stopped the weapons, but they had his full attention as he rolled off the gasping lion and came up firing blades at the wolverine. But Ratio had anticipated the throw at his head and pulled the shield up to stop the blade. What he had not anticipated was the trajectory of the second throw aimed at his exposed kneecap.
The wolverine screamed as he sensed the blade puncture his knee and instinctively moved the shield down to cover the now punctured and bleeding wound. However Red Death anticipated the move sending his next blade into the area just above Ratio's chest plate striking home deep into the lower neck of the shocked lieutenant.
Ratio dropped the shield and grasped the blade pulling it out only to find two more puncturing deep into each eye hole of his helmet. As he toppled forward, death gurgling from his lips, Mors crouched behind the body of the wolverine pressing a knife point to the neck of Scarlet screaming, "Back away FOX or your little shit brat DIES!"
Red Death hesitated seeing his baby daughter in peril. Any mistake could mean her instant death. She was small and fragile and a millimeter off or a muscle spasm and she could be dead. The little girl meant everything to him and his beloved wife. He could not bear the thought of her dying because of his mistake. But his inaction could also mean her death. He was conflicted and frozen uncertain of the proper action.
A gentle voice then spoke to him, "You know what must be done my child. I will guide your paw. Strike hard and fast. Be merciless and wrathful! He seeks to take that which is dearest to your heart! Show him the consequences of FUCKING WITH YOU SO!"
Red Death nodded for his mistress was right. She was always right. She spoke the words he needed to hear as he turned to the battle behind him as Alexei and Portens were both unarmed now, their weapons lying useless on the floor as they grappled with each other slamming each other into the walls. The fox ignored the cries of the jaguar screaming, "BACK AWAY AND LEAVE NOW!" as he fired two blades into the exposed section of the huge bears neck. The strikes would not kill the bear, but served their purpose as the huge beast disengaged from the Amur tiger to see what hit him. In that moment the demon fox tossed his short sword to his bodyguard. The tiger caught the hilt of the blade one pawed and in one motion shoved the titanium alloy blade with all his strength through the bear's neck guard and through the back of his head.
Simultaneously Red Death moved in one fluid motion turning and pulling his next to last blade firing at full strength into the wrist of Mors penetrating the tiny crease in the armor. The jaguar instinctively dropped his grip on the knife point at the little girl's throat as the fox sent his final blade with certainly down the gullet of the shocked jaguar whose mouth stood agape at the sudden and unexpected actions of the mad demon before him. For Mors had expected The Fox to cower in fear and uncertainty never taking such a risk with the life of his precious offspring. But as he toppled forward gagging on the blade deep in his throat, he now realized his mistake. One which had cost him his life.
As Reynard rushed forward to try and catch the jaguar who was tumbling forward with the small kit still in his arms, he was knocked aside and slammed into a wall as a large gray ball shot forward rolling past him landing in front of the jaguar intercepting his fall. As his now all too familiar nemesis Armis the Giant Armadillo grabbed at the screaming kit, Reynard realized he had no ranged blades and sprinted forward diving onto the back of the creature slamming him to the side just as he grabbed ahold of the kit. Scarlet squirmed desperately trying to get out of the claws of the armored gray creature who clutched her dress and toppled forward to gather her into his armored ball.
But suddenly the clawed diamond blades shot forward ripping the dress apart freeing the kit from the grasping claws and embedding themselves into the arms and chest of the armadillo. However the creature wore protective gear on his front as well and the blades slipped harmlessly off his front. Scarlet had tumbled into a heap after having her dress shredded and looked up to see that the giant armadillo was trying to grab her again, but her father stood in his way striking him repeatedly looking for any crease in the protective armor. It was a desperate struggle with the demon fox standing in front of his daughter refusing to let Armis touch her, stabbing at him repeatedly in a flurry. Then screams from behind them distracted the armadillo as he heard roars of victory and saw his rear defenders being overrun. Seeing the vicious monster now roaring and snarling at the top of the stairs and the blood and gore covered fox with demon eyes attempting to eviscerate him, Armis gave up on the kit and decided his best course of action was escape as he suddenly fled from the charging enraged tigress.
Armis rolled into a ball escaping the madness behind him only to find himself slamming into a solid brick wall. He thought to himself there wasn't supposed to be a brick wall here! He then felt himself lifted high into air slammed into the ceiling and then pile driven into the floor with the full force of the equally enraged bodyguard and mate of the berserk demonic tigress who he had been fleeing from in the first place. Then suddenly he now found himself lifted into the air by the same demonic tigress and slammed even harder into the ground. He was surrounded by ear shattering roars as his shell and back began to crack as each tiger slammed him repeatedly into the ground with a thud and crunch now making some sick squishy sounds.
Reynard watched the two mated tigers gleefully cracking the large gray shell nuzzling and licking each other in between the massive body slams of the curled gray shelled creature. He then cut her bindings and cradled his little daughter in his lap removing his blood soaked helmet and licking her gently staring into her teary eyes with unfathomable love. She tried to speak, but found she couldn't, and instead just hugged her father around his bloody chest as tight as her little body could and shook sobbing, her tears mixing with the blood dripping down his chest.
As Sheba inspected the pools of blood covering every bit of the floor and walls not littered with a sea of bodies covered in numerous stab wounds, burns, puncture marks, dismemberment, disembowelment and endless varieties of murder and suffering, she remarked, "Well… it seems you two have been quite busy."
She then examined the piled bodies making up the body barricade smiling admiringly and then came to stand over her boss who seemed satisfied to just sit with his back leaning against the wall as he gently pet the small sniffling child in his paws whispering to her and licking her. Sheba looked questioningly at this strange sight and then to Alexei who explained what had happened and why the small little kit was here in the middle of this horrific scene of death and violence.
The tigress got extra furious once she understood what had happened and pounced on the giant armadillo she and Alexei had cracked like a lobster biting his head and growling as she ripped at his thick neck muscles until she was able to remove the head completely and pounced on it over and over again until it was flattened and the brains were splattered out all over the bloody floor.
"MEWTHER FUCKER!" She screamed over and over until she was satisfied the pain in the ass giant armadillo had been punished thoroughly.
Alexei rubbed her shoulder finally announcing, "I believe he is dead Shea!"
The tigress growled and then grinned at her mate proudly showing him the bits of the armadillo in her teeth as she explained, "I was just making sure."
The two of them then went and inspected the team of medics who were attending to what remained of the four guards collapsed against the barricade. One guard had been run through and had died instantly earlier. The other three were quite battered and cut up, but their injuries seemed to be survivable, however they would not be fighting or even up and walking around anytime soon.
Rath then arrived explaining he had been busy making sure the rest of the lower level was cleared of any enemy forces and then joined Sheba and Alexei to report on what had happened while they sent groups of scouts ahead to make sure no living enemy forces remained on the basement level.
Little Scarlet finally realized there were others around her besides her father and lit up seeing those assembled, but then shyly tried to cover herself realizing her dress had been ripped off her and she was just wearing her underwear and a small piece of her destroyed dress hanging off her shoulder. Sheba grinned and picked her up ripping a hole in small towel in her backpack and draping it over the little girl. It was decorated in the crest of the Docks District showing the map of the area. The tigress laughed at the little kit telling her she looked quite stylish. Scarlet hugged Sheba's muzzle laughing, "Auntie Sheba! I'm so glad you are here!"
The little kit seemed to ignore the blood coating nearly every part of the tigress' body as the huge feline cradled the wee girl in her arms and let her climb up next to her head as she sat and listened while Reynard and Alexei updated them on the situation at the estate. But considering that her father was even more covered in blood, fur and bits of flesh than the tigress, this was certainly understandable. The small child may be very young, but she was a child of Reynard and seemingly unphased by such scenes of violence and death.
The Fox then got a message out to his allies in the Rainforest District to let his wife and Coal know that they had found and recovered Scarlet relatively unharmed. For safety reasons his family was kept in radio silence in case any enemy forces sought to locate them. But he knew Sweet Lou's team would get word to the frantic worried mother as soon as possible. They also informed him that The Council had decided on an action and were now on their way to the estate.
Once Reynard was satisfied the basement and sub-basement were secure, he sent scouts to contact the guards on the upper floors and see if they could get some updates on the status of the invasion above them. He also ordered the remaining forces to make sure all those bodies littering the floors everywhere were truly dead. He had already been fooled by an opossum playing possum earlier and would be damned if any others tried to pull that on his watch. Any enemy forces within his walls were to be killed on sight. There would be no prisoners or mercy to those that sought to harm him or his family.
Sheba then mentioned, "I believe we killed an opossum earlier trying to pull that same move."
Reynard nodded his approval, "Good, hated to think he was still scurrying around somewhere. How did you two end up meeting us here?"
Sheba and Rath then told Reynard how they had seen the large force splitting off with part going to the main gate and the other half heading toward the southeast. Because the perimeter defenders seemed to busy engaging those heading toward the front of the estate, they had decided to follow the other half of the forces to determine what they were up to. They quickly realized the enemy were heading toward the tunnels and called ahead warning their forces who were currently engaging the guards left at the tunnel entrance to retreat before they were overrun by the huge force now heading their way.
Once most of the enemy force had poured down the tunnel, they charged the remaining group overrunning them and tossing some firebombs down the tunnel entrance to prevent the others from reinforcing the remaining force before they were slaughtered. Sheba gleefully described the stunned faces of those left outside the tunnel as she leapt over their vehicle barricade and pounced on them shredding as many as she could get her claws on. She described their deaths as glorious as she disemboweled a few and strangled one with the intestines of another. The tigress seem to relish the idea of causing one to choke to death as she shoved the stomach, dick and balls of a buffalo down the throat of a deer. Apparently a nice meaty diet did not agree with the herbivore.
Reynard laughed, "You must have left quite the impression on them in your blood soaked armor. That must have been quite a sight."
Sheba grinned nodding, "They did seem quite surprised to see me. I just wish they wouldn't always keep shitting and pissing themselves whenever they saw me. I am not sure which smelled worse, their insides or their pants."
Sheba and Rath then explained that they pursued the group down the tunnel using improvised shields and intense strikes to continue to lull them into complacency and then drive into them overrunning the enemy position and killing them before they could retreat. It was a slow steady pursuit until they came to the hole in the estate. There the bottleneck served as a strong defensive position for the enemy, and any attempts to push through resulted in injuries and deaths of their team so they were delayed getting through.
Finally they were able to toss a bunch of bottles of liquid into the hole and light the whole area on fire and then come charging through shortly after using thick blankets to prevent themselves from being burned driving the enemy out of the room and putting out the flames. Once they had control of the room, they used some tools to create a hole in the wall to the right of the exit door into the hallway and moved into an adjacent room allowing them to surprise those left to defend the door. They had covered the sound of their work by making a lot of noise beating on the door next to the enemies' position.
Rath apologized to Reynard, "Sorry about the hole we made in your wall, Boss. We were looking for a way to surprise those waiting for us minimizing any casualties."
Reynard grinned at the lion, "Not to worry. I am not concerned about anything but driving out and killing every single one of these bastards. Anything that keeps our people alive is fine by me. The estate is just a building and can be repaired or replaced."
The Fox then gingerly stood and nuzzled his little daughter in her belly with his nose resulting in a delighted giggle as he continued, "I wouldn't trade this one here and the lives of my loyal followers for a thousand such estates. Besides, I believe my traps all over the house have made much more of a mess than anything you all did."
Sheba then explained, "We then all moved into the adjacent room leaving one to make noise at the door as a distraction so they assumed we were still readying for an attack there." The tigress then gave Reynard a big toothy smile as she continued, "But we didn't strike them where they expected. We all poured out of the room down the hall unimpeded and rushed their surprised force."
The tigress then seemed lost in thought as she described her falling upon the hapless guards knocking most of them off their feet and shredding them like flesh confetti. She ripped off the arm of a musk ox and beat several others unconscious with it. Biting a head off a bighorn sheep and smashing the face of a caracal and porcupine into bits using the head of the ram.
"Those horns make ideal handles, and their skulls are quite hard I find." The tigress explained with a mischievous smirk.
"My Shea is an unconventional fighter, that's for sure." Alexei remarked looking admiringly at the tigress.
Sheba nodded at her mate with a smile continuing, "Well once all those at the door were in pieces, we then quickly checked the rest of the floor, dispatching several others who had decided to foolishly loot your storage rooms. I will only say that you will need some heavy-duty cleaning crews to get those nasty blood and flesh stains out."
Reynard chuckled at that thought.
Rath also added, "We had a lot of help from Francis, the son of Bernard the older bear who is a friend of the little bunny agent of yours I believe. He helped us sniff out several others who were attempting to hide among the furniture and boxes. The bear has quite the expert sniffer. With some training he might make a great addition to our gang. But even without training, an enthusiastic bear can be quite a helpful asset."
Alexei seconded that opinion, "I'd rather have them on our side than against us. I've had quite enough of dealing with bears for some time."
"Getting lazy?" Sheba accused her mate with some displeasure.
"Calm yourself Shea, Lex has been having to wrestle with mobs of enemy both huge and small all night. He has saved me more times than I can count. I would have been overrun so many times without his heroic efforts." Reynard explained to the tigress.
The medical staff who had been working on Reynard and Alexei announced they had been field bandaged as best they could be considering they were both completely covered in blood, matted bits of fur, flesh and armor. It was understood that they would need extensive medical examinations if they managed to survive the remainder of the conflict.
Sheba seemed to be satisfied that her mate had not lost his love for battle and death. And then continued her story explaining how they ran into a large defensive force once they tried to ascend to the basement floor. They had gotten several of their fighters nearly killed trying to force their way past the defenses as the enemy had set a strong defense at the stairs to the basement level.
Rath explained, "Sheba nearly got herself killed charging them. If not for her full set of armor, she would most likely be dead."
The tigress looked quite frustrated remembering her many attempts, "Well I did manage to grab hold of a couple with my claws and pull them down the stairs. They made a nice snack!"
Reynard laughed at that, "I never know when you're kidding Shea."
Sheba looked at The Fox with a completely serious stoic expression, "I don't kid about food!"
"We heard your roars several times. That must have been during your attacks. They helped to re-energize me." Alexei added attempting to change the subject.
"I heard yours as well Lexy! I so wanted to join you in battle!" Sheba exclaimed.
Rath chastised the tigress and then explained, "Yes, and you nearly got yourself killed because of it! Well Sheba's couple of successful attacks where she managed to drag a couple back to us gave me an idea. So we rigged up a bunch of hooks to some ropes and netting and then we setup an assault, but we instead focused on snagging as many of the defenders as possible with the hooks and dragged them all down the stairs and dispatched them."
Sheba gave them all a big toothy grin adding, "Once they saw us rip apart most of their buddies, they were not so keen to stand and face our next attack. We just simply quickly overran them as they tried to run like little cowards as we charged. They did not get very far."
"Well you couldn't have picked a better time to come join us." Reynard admitted, "How about we go take the rest of the house back and show the invaders some hospitality. It appears my team upstairs has been keeping them quite busy."
Sheba then looked at Scarlet and wondered, "What do we do about the cute little thing here?"
Scarlet decided to share her opinion quite loudly and emphatically, "I want to stay with Daddy!"
Reynard thought about his choices and finally decided on a course of action picking the little girl up holding her in his arms gently rubbing her nose with his, "Um, Baby, a battle is not exactly the best place for you. But I'll be damned if I will lose you again, and I don't have anyone I trust or can spare at the moment to get you to your mother but me. If I setup something to keep you reasonably safe next to me, you think you can keep quiet and just watch?"
The little kit looked up at her father and nodded vigorously with a big grin on her face. He gave her a kiss and gentle head rubbing and had them attach a backpack high on Reynard's back covered in an improvised lightweight armor shell. He cleaned the little girl getting her a snack and some juice and took her to a bathroom while the rest of his forces prepared themselves to take the rest of the house back.
Once Scarlet was ready, Reynard strapped her onto his back making sure she was secure and fully protected. The Fox then stretched his sore muscles and tested his balance out with the additional bit of weight doing some somersaults, backflips and cartwheels resulting in quite a few exclamations of "Weeeeeeee!" from his wee daughter.
The little girl then asked to speak to Sheba and whispered to her while Reynard was issuing orders preparing for his plan to retake the estate. The tigress got a strange look on her face listening to the little kit's request and nodded at her nuzzling her with her nose. She then walked over to Mors the Jaguar and casually removed his neck armor and took a couple whacks at his neck with a sword removing the dead jaguar's head from his neck.
Reynard looked at Sheba curiously as she shook off any excess blood from the head and borrowed a portable blowtorch roasting the cut area until it was properly charred to prevent it from dripping. She then created a makeshift hammock with some nylon and casually placed the head so it hung in Reynard's paw.
The Fox cocked his head to the side giving the tigress a curious look.
She simply shrugged her shoulders nodding her head at the tiny grinning kit on his back explaining, "Your daughter said she made a promise to the jaguar and wanted you to have his head as a trophy."
Reynard simply nodded glancing over his shoulder at his grinning daughter. But he had plenty else to worry about so he simply shrugged and attached the head firmly to his backpack and began checking his weapons.
As he loaded the tactical crossbow with a new magazine and tested it to make sure it was working properly, Sheba admired the weapon remarking, "A truly nasty marvel, Boss. You must have made quite a lot of those fuckers quite unhappy."
"We'll meet a good number of those unhappy souls as we head upstairs. Let's stop by the armory on the way and replenish our supply of welcoming gifts. This is my last magazine and I am in a giving spirit and wish to share my hospitality with our guests!" Reynard announced with a laugh and much improved attitude as he hoped to provide a very special welcome for his enemies. One that would leave them quite rested. In fact so rested they would never want to get up again.
Isengrim and his forces had been having a bad visit to The Fox's home. Between the many traps, ambushes and frustrating dead ends, his team was having very little success finding their way downstairs to meet Mors and the other half of his force. He hoped they were having a lot more success than he was. He cursed The Fox for jamming his communications as he desperately wanted to know their status.
The other problem was that anytime he sent out small groups to scout the areas around the house, he had no way to communicate with them and inevitably many of these scouting groups would meet an ambush with no way to call for help and ultimately find themselves dead. By the time their men attempted to chase down the defenders, they seemed to have vanished into the very walls. Isengrim knew there were quite a large number of secret and hidden passageways and had even uncovered several.
The traps around the house seemed to be endless. Once he had a whole team standing on a stairway ready to assault what they thought was the basement, but instead the whole stairway turned into a giant slide with those above falling down plummeting into those below forcing everyone into a pile at the bottom. Unfortunately the landing area turned into a large spike pit. Those at the top of the pit then found a whole wall of spikes slamming into them from the ceiling leaving everyone quite dead.
Also frustrating was that those that actually survived the impact with any spikes found themselves weakened and sick just as the few who had survived the spikes and razor wire surrounding the estate due to some coating on the traps. Isengrim realized The Fox was one truly sick bastard turning the defense of his home into a place of torment and torture at every corner. What was even more frustrating was that it seemed the defenders were just toying with them as they found tiny cameras all over. The sick fuckers were just watching them the whole time finding endless ways to inflict insidious methods of death and frustration on his entire assault force. It was like the whole estate was a giant spiderweb with the intention of ensuring their death.
They did have one success as they managed to capture one guard and kill another. They were so excited to have finally gained access to the enemies communications only to discover that it was completely disabled and useless. Isengrim suspected that they could be remotely disabled by those watching them at all times. Additionally the captured guard was rendered completely unconscious by some kind of drug and could not be revived to be questioned. Then later they found the unconscious guard had been removed somehow when they weren't looking. It was like they are just toying with us!
The plans of the estate seemed to be useless as corridors that were supposed to be there were missing replaced with walls and rooms that were not supposed to exist. The Fox seems to have redesigned the whole building! The ways down to the basement ended in either traps or dead-ends.
Even more frustrating were the mercenaries Tybalt had hired as they seemed to be frustrated that anything portable that was valuable had been removed in advance. As if I don't have enough problems to deal with. Like I am responsible for Reynard not leaving enough treasure lying around. This was one of the problems with hiring mercenaries with questionable motives versus loyal followers.
And now he had another report of deaths caused by hall traps. It seemed that wherever his men wandered they were sliced, stabbed, knifed, poked, roasted, poisoned, acidified, burned, clubbed, ripped apart, punctured, squashed, separated from their body parts and organs, and generally expunged using numerous diverse creative methods. Apparently this latest group happened to be descending a staircase and found several sickle blades suddenly appear from the ceiling swinging down in front of them slicing them in half. At the rate he was going, even if he found the hidden passage to the basement, he would have no one left to confront the damn Fox!
Suddenly a frantic weasel came tearing down the hall looking like he had seen The Devil himself. After nearly a minute of questioning as the weasel attempted to calm himself and catch his breath in between incoherent babbling, he finally exclaimed, "The Fox! He's coming!"
"What do you mean he's coming? He's on this level?" Isengrim demanded of the weasel named Territi.
Territi responded with wide frightened eyes, "We have to get out of here before we are all slaughtered! He will kill us all!"
The Wolf slapped him across his face nearly breaking the weasel's jaw, "Get ahold of yourself! Where was he heading!"
"Bbbbb...ballroom!" Territi exclaimed pointing down the hall.
Isengrim quickly organized a large force to confront The Fucking Fox finally. He sent the remainder of Tybalt's mercenaries at their front piquing the interest of the group with hints that Reynard must know where all his treasure was located, and that he and his personal retinue would be wearing many valuable objects. The Wolf figured this would solve at least one of his problems chuckling to himself under his breath as the mercenaries excitedly led his forces down the hall.
A few minutes later he was met by another frantic mammal, as a cheetah came sprinting to him breathing heavily. At least this one doesn't look like he has seen death itself!
Nuntius the Cheetah panted bent over holding his paws on his knees and announced, "The Council, The Council is coming!"
"Where? They are here now? What about The King?" Isengrim growled questioning the cheetah. I finally have The Fucking Fox in my grasp and NOW they appear to interfere!
"They… they have The King with them. But they are quite livid! They were seen outside the walls and were demanding a halt to everything! They demanded all the defenders and our people outside to end all hostilities immediately or all face annihilation! They ordered all our forces out of The Fox's estate immediately!" Nuntius reported to Isengrim, Bruun, Tybalt and the rest of the command.
Isengrim sighed shaking his head. I just needed a bit more time! I will have my revenge on fucking Reynard one way or the other! But perhaps hanging around to face a furious Council who already wanted me dead before this even started is not the best course of action.
The Wolf turned to Bruun and Tybalt, "Very well, I will personally inform our forces on the upper floor. You two oversee things here and prepare for an orderly withdrawal."
Before The Bear or wildcat could even respond, he bolted from the room heading directly for a backdoor the kitchen staff used that one of his team's had managed to unlock earlier. Let the stupid bear and cat face The Council's wrath. He decided making himself scarce would be a more prudent course of action. The Wolf then slunk down along the inside of the northern wall careful not to get in range of the spike trap pit around the inside of the wall, and made his way down to the beach. He noticed the defense forces down near the water were distracted by representatives from The Council who had been driven on one of those mobile war machines of the estate defenders down to the beach level.
Isengrim slipped around the maze of razor wire, but was spotted by a sea lion who shouted a warning pointing at him. He dove into the water as several bolts landed around him, but he heard shouts from others yelling, "Stop! The Council has ordered an end to all hostilities! Stop Firing!"
Isengrim decided he would take advantage of this opportunity and dove into the water swimming madly toward the water wall. He was quickly intercepted by a seal with a spear gun who seemed quite determined to puncture him with the evil looking weapon. But the seal seemed to be angrily arguing with someone on his communications gear while pointing at him. He then grinned at the seal waving at him and wasted no time climbing over the water wall he noticed was badly bent and damaged from his water team's ramming efforts. He then swam towards the nearest shore to the southeast, but as he got close, his keen eyes could make out spotters all along the wall. It seemed Reynard had mobilized Sweet Lou's entire gang along the border with the Docks District.
Isengrim decided his only chance of escape was to swim south towards the Savanna Central border and try to avoid any boats or spotters along the border. Sometimes one had to swallow their pride and slink away with their tail between their legs to live another day. As The Wolf paddled away from the estate cowering from any sign of life in the water, he thought to himself: I will have my revenge on you Fox. I swear it on my life!
As Reynard and his forces, led by a bloodthirsty tigress seeking to massacre anything in her path, moved swiftly through first floor directed by his security forces in the secure operations booth, he sent a small part of his force up the stairs to slaughter the few remaining enemy on the upper floor while his main force dealt with those foolish enough to invade his home. He planned on having this force kill those on the upper floor and meet his main group for a flanking maneuver against the command and control hitting them on all sides at once.
Sheba was charging and killing terrified invaders they encountered so quickly, many of the others were grumbling about not getting any action themselves. Of course none of them were brave or stupid enough to let the berserk tigress hear their displeasure as she disemboweled a hapless panther wearing his intestines as a necklace showing everyone her huge bloody fangs as she grinned like a lunatic.
Only Alexei seemed to appreciate the unrestrained joy of the tigress as she quickly tore those unfortunate enough to come within reach of her vicious claws into pieces spreading them all over the walls. Reynard thought to himself that the cleaning bill for this whole mess was gonna be horrendous. He thought that was quite funny as he sent three knives flying taking out a couple targets Sheba had failed to notice. They were nearly running down the halls now overrunning enemy positions before the invaders had any time to prepare.
It wasn't until they made it to the ballroom they encountered any kind of resistance. There they met a very large organized force of sixty to seventy enemy. He wasn't sure who was more excited, Sheba or the attackers, but both groups seemed to be quite excited to engage one another. Reynard and Rath quickly organized their smaller forces into defensive positions using shields and furniture as cover. However Sheba's senses seemed to have left her as her bloodlust took control of her and she blindly charged into the enemy.
Then suddenly a huge roar shattered his ears as Alexei roared at the top of his lungs breaking the charge of the tigress as she glanced back at her mate to see she was charging into the entire force alone. She skidded to an abrupt stop and decided to make a hasty retreat, but the front lines of the force had caught her and were all attempted to grasp her and pull her down into their midst.
Reynard quickly pulled out his auto tactical crossbow and began firing madly into anyone reaching for his lieutenant and friend. WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! WUMP! The Fox fired frantically hitting anything close to the tigress striking any exposed target he could find. He calmly used the scope to locate any creases in those with armor and executed kill shots on any without protection.
Rath ordered concentrated ranged fire on Sheba's position and those around her began to quickly drop. However a huge armored elephant had grabbed her around her middle with his trunk and was slamming her to the ground. Reynard yelled a command to his bodyguard who instantly obeyed dropping his shield taking several quick steps and leaping over an overturned table and sprinting at Sheba's position drawing his 140 cm sword.
Reynard yelled to focus fire on everything around elephant. He tried to hit the elephant in the eye or any exposed area, but the elephant was well armored with lidded armor on the eyes and even his trunk appeared to be protected. So he could only satisfy himself with killing or injuring everything around the huge pachyderm and hope Alexei could do something to help the helpless tigress caught in the elephant's grasp.
However Alexei was finding it difficult to find such an exposed spot on the huge beast as well. At least the elephant was more interested in him than smashing his mate as he had attempted to slice the trunk of the huge beast off. The armor had prevented Alexei's strike from being successful, but the force of the blow appeared to cause some nasty damage getting the attention of the monstrous beast who was trumpeting and attempting to rise up and crush Alexei with his huge weight. The tiger had to dive out of the way somersaulting to the side to avoid being instantly crippled.
Alexei then dove under the elephant to avoid being struck with Sheba's body who the elephant was swinging around like a tigress shaped club. The Amur tiger then struck up into the leg of the elephant with full force finding a crease in the armor as the blade slid across the leg and then throwing his full weight and power into the blow feeling the blade hit bone and flesh.
Instantly he yanked the blade out and rolled away to prevent the elephant's weight from snapping the blade as its leg collapsed. However Alexei was not quick enough as the elephant instinctively swung his trunk along with Sheba striking him from the rear sending him tumbling forward into a group of enemy forces. A wolf brought a blade down on the helpless tiger who lay sprawled on the ground with his weapon out of his paw, but then found he had a group of three bolts in his head suddenly stopping him cold.
A kangaroo flew above the wolf with dual swords landing on the tiger, but found his chest and arms were punctured repeated with a tight cluster of Reynard's bolts. The tiger was able to roll and grab toward his sword as a zebra, puma and yak all came for him. Alexei was able to block the strike of puma and duck the blow of the yak. The zebra found four bolts had penetrated the exposed sections of his body and tumbled over dead. The yak then slammed his large body against the tiger while the puma struck him repeatedly with his blade. The blade strikes slid off the armor, but the yak slammed a blade through the armor thrusting it forward penetrating Alexei's hip. The puma found three bolts made it past his neck armor and then another embedded itself in his eye. But bolts bounced off the yak as he tried to press his blade farther into the tiger, but the tiger dropped his blade and grasped the yak's blade with both his paws elbowing him in the head and yanking the blade out of his own body throwing the surprised yak backwards and puncturing him through the armor in his chest with his own blade before the yak could recover.
The wounded bodyguard then grabbed his sword and crawled toward the elephant who was smashing Sheba into shields and furniture surrounding Reynard's forces. Unfortunately there was not much anyone could do as other than his injured leg, the huge pachyderm seemed invulnerable. So Reynard kept firing into any other vulnerable target he could find around the room. He thanked his foresight in grabbing a spare magazine out of Alexei's backpack before the tiger engaged the elephant, but that magazine had been depleted. Finally Reynard dropped a bobcat, wildebeest, barbary sheep, porcupine, impala and coyote before exhausting his remaining ammunition and then switching to his multiple braces of knives.
"Daddy Look Out!" He heard from behind him as he instinctively dove to the right just in time to avoid a tiger and lion who had leapt from out of nowhere at him. He had nearly forgotten his daughter as he had been focused on firing at long range targets through the crossbow's scope.
Reynard ducked a flying table and did a backflip firing multiple knives at the tiger and lion who had now recovered and leaped forward chasing after him. He managed to hit one in the leg and another in shoulder, but they kept coming at him attempting to maul him. The Fox rolled to his left as his daughter screamed in terror as they closed on him. Suddenly both felines found themselves knocked off course landing to the side of Reynard as Rath had slammed into them.
Reynard cartwheeled into the air burying his tri-edged dagger into the skull of the tiger puncturing his helmet, while Rath slammed the lion in the skull with the steel reinforced tip of his large staff and whacking him in the neck as the lion attempted to rise up. Reynard shoved the blade of his short sword into the eye socket of the lion's armored helmet and pushed it through his skull. Rath nodded at his boss and then turned bringing up his staff close lining a charging ibex who then suddenly found Reynard sitting on his chest and two blades shredding his throat.
Alexei managed to make it to the elephant who was attempting to crush those of Reynard's forces behind the improvised barricades. Francis, the son of Bernard, had managed to grab Sheba and hold onto her preventing the huge elephant from lifting her and smashing her into everything again. Several other large mammals including Rath had grabbed onto Sheba as well and they were having a tug of war with the armored pachyderm roaring at each other angrily.
Alexei examined the elephant looking for any exposed portions of the armor covering the huge beast, but it was well designed with overlapping plates. The huge elephant must be a hired specialized mercenary to have afforded such a huge set of armor as there would have not been any use for such gear for a normal gang member. The huge tiger bodyguard only saw one flaw and it wasn't exactly a dignified battle strategy, but to save his Sheba, he would do anything. So after gathering his remaining energy and forcing himself to ignore his severe injury, Alexei rose up and thrust his full 140cm blade into the small opening under the elephant's tail which allowed the pachyderm to defecate without taking off his armor.
As soon as the huge tiger plunged the blade nearly a meter and a half into the huge elephant's tailhole, the elephant trumpeted in anger and attempted to rip Sheba from the grasp of Francis, Rath and the others to use to pound the tiger. But they all held fast to her refusing to let her be wrest from their hold. Alexei pulled the blade partially out and began plunging it in and out of elephant's ass ignoring the torrents of blood pouring down his paws. Alexei plunged the blade over and over penetrating the elephant in every direction conceivable. The huge pachyderm finally released his grip on the tigress and turned his body trying to grasp the tiger with his trunk. But Alexei shifted his grip on the blade rotating it around inside of beast ducking as the elephant attempted to grasp the feline with his trunk. Because the tiger kept himself behind and under the elephant grinding his ass and insides with the blade, the best the elephant could do was slam his trunk against Alexei over and over.
The elephant attempted to back the tiger into a wall, but Alexei ducked under him still holding onto the blade ripping his insides wrecking his rectum. Finally the elephant could take it no longer and attempted to sit on Alexei. As soon as the tiger realized this was the elephant's intention, he released his grip from the blade rolling out from under the beast and pulled his 80cm second blade thrusting the blade directly into the elephant's now exposed chest with all his strength. While the armor was perfect for stopping most types of strikes, against such a focused powerful thrust, the point of the blade was able to slip through the armor and penetrate the rib cage of huge beast.
The elephant screamed in pain as Alexei pulled the blade out and plunged it in again attempting to strike the pachyderm's heart while the huge feet of the elephant thrashed out at the attacker. Then suddenly Alexei was surrounded on all sides. He thought at first he was doomed until he noticed that these were the largest members of Reynard's forces who were all holding onto the flailing legs of the elephant preventing him from rising. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the rest of Reynard's forces had charged out from behind their improvised barricades and were cutting down all the remaining enemy forces. But the tiger was too focused on jamming his blade repeatedly into the chest of the elephant until he felt a soft paw on his shoulder and heard Reynard speak into his ear, "It's over Lex. You can stop."
Alexei then fell to his knees and then finally laid on his side as Reynard screamed for some medics to attend to his loyal bodyguard's severe wounds. They removed the armor on his waist and legs placing pressure on the deep severe wound to his hip. Alexei requested a field dressing so he could continue with Reynard, but his medics shook their heads. Then informed The Fox that such a thing would most certainly be impossible. The tiger would not be walking anytime soon and they had no idea how he had even remained upright to attack the elephant.
Then the tiger realized why he had somehow found that strength and asked Reynard and the medics weakly, "Shea?"
From the gaunt ashen looking faces of the medics and the expression on his boss, he felt a deep sinking feeling in his gut. He had been too late!
Reynard gently held his friend's head in his paws and whispered to him, "Behave and let these guys do their job. You'll be no good to anyone if you move again until they tell you it's okay. I will go see to Shea now."
As Reynard headed over to those working on his tigress, he realized the battle had been a great success, yet was extremely costly. Alexei was injured badly and out of commission for the foreseeable future. His lieutenant Sheba may not even recover from her brutal beating. Rath had been injured in his legs and arms, and a good third of his force appeared to have sustained similar severe injuries. Fortunately he only had two deaths if Sheba was able to be saved. As he made it to her side, he saw they had removed her armor and were examining her.
The tigress was unconscious and breathing shallowly. She had an extremely pained expression on her muzzle. The medics gave her some pain killers, but could only tell Reynard she had sustained massive damage over her whole body being slammed repeatedly by the massive elephant. If not for her armor she would have been crushed completely. But without x-rays, ultrasounds, a complete body CAT scan and other diagnostics, they were uncertain how much damage she had sustained. Reynard thought to himself: Sheba would have appreciated the CAT scan joke.
He then heard a little voice over his shoulder and turned to see two very worried looking eyes as his little daughter asked, "Is Sheba gonna be okay?"
The best The Fox could do was answer his daughter honestly, "I don't know Baby. But we will do everything we can for her. She had a very rough time of it."
Once the injuries of those that could be patched up with field dressings were complete, he organized the medics and those too injured to continue to help carry those that could not walk like Alexei and Sheba using improvised stretchers to the medical facility he had built on the first floor when his wife had been sick during her pregnancy with Crimson. He had a full operating room with most of the equipment that would be needed to examine and treat those injured. His men in the security room informed him that the way to the medical area was clear. His forces also reported they had cleared the upper floor and no one was left alive that shouldn't be there.
Reynard informed his other forces he would meet them to strike the large group gathered near the entrance to the estate. However his perimeter and security forces seemed to believe The Council had arrived and were among those in the main area where Isengrim, Bruun and Tybalt had been spotted. Reynard informed them that it could be a trick, and decided he would strike the force regardless and see for himself if The Council had finally decided to act.
So he took Rath and about twenty followers down the hallway approaching the main foyer. He had reloaded his tactical crossbow and carried the final two additional magazines he had gathered from Alexei's backpack before leaving him and was preparing to slaughter every last unwelcome visitor to his home. He would send every last one of them to visit his mistress. She was quite pleased with the glorious frenzied bloody battle performed in her honor, but was in a bit of a somber mood as her beloved Sheba had missed the battle and her fate was now uncertain. But she tried to assure her servant that even if the great tigress had met her end, at least she went out in glorious bloody battle the way she would have wanted it.
However his mistress's attempts to assure him that Sheba would be happy with her end fell on deaf ears. He knew Sheba would only want to go out with her claws and teeth full of the flesh and entrails of her enemies, not being smashed to death by a huge elephant. But there was little he could do about that now as he focused on the upcoming battle to retake his estate and finally destroy his enemies. His anger had been growing and he felt a great desire to splash the blood and body parts of Isengrim, Bruun and Tybalt all over the floor and walls of estate. He planned on mounting their heads there as a reminder to those who entered what the cost of such a misguided action would be. He even had a thought of placing a sign up above the entrance the next time stating "Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here!"
His men had removed some tables and had other improvised shields as they approached the gathering near the entrance. His other forces reported they were ready to attack the enemy force from behind, and Reynard ordered his group forward ready to finally end this conflict once and for all. As he examined the enemy position using his scope, he saw they seemed to be confused and had no defensive position. They seemed to be milling around aimlessly. He could see Bruun and Tybalt, but there was no sign of The Wolf.
This appeared to be the perfect opportunity to strike them while they were in confusion for some reason. Their force was only somewhat larger than his own and if he struck quickly and brutally he could kill half of them quickly and overrun the remainder before they had time to escape. He even planned on focusing his fire around the front door preventing anything living from making it out the door alive.
He was just about to issue the command to advance and begin the assault when he saw figures enter the room. Several of these he recognized. He then realized several others who were talking with Bruun and Tybalt were also figures he recognized from court. He then realized The Council had arrived. What sorry timing! I could have slaughtered the remainder of these fools!
Well there was no helping their timing. He had planned on using The Council for his own purposes. If he attacked and slaughtered his enemies and part of The Council, it would ruin all his long-term plans. He was a strategist first, and would have to delay his revenge until later. He truly hated to allow any of those attacking his estate to go free, but he needed The Council's support for his future plans. He even now saw The King standing with them. How he would love to remove that majestic regal looking head and mount it on the wall in his study! But one could not go around killing the King of the Underworld even if he had ordered such an attack on him and his family. Besides he had other plans for his majesty.
So Reynard firmly ordered all his forces to halt any attacks telling them not to make any move except to defend themselves if necessary unless otherwise ordered. He then had his forces slowly advance carrying shields and tables and stop once they were clearly visible by the enemy forces and members of The Council. Reynard immediately recognized Fineskin the Leopard, current head of The Council, who to his credit appeared to quite furious with Bruun, Tybalt and their associates yelling and berating them as he gesticulated wildly. As soon as others got his attention and pointed towards Reynard's advancing forces, his eyes got wide and he marched down the hall fearlessly or foolishly depending on your perspective.
Reynard stood high so that the leopard could clearly see him among the group and Fineskin quickened his pace yelling to The Fox, "Reynard the Fox, Red, I request a parlay! All hostilities must end immediately as per the command of The Council! We have ended all combat at your home and are currently seeing to all the wounded. Please join me for peace talks."
Reynard nodded to Fineskin and quietly gave a command to his followers to be ready to advance and slaughter everyone if he called for it or if anything happened to him. He then motioned to Rath who would act as his second in the negotiations due to Coal's absence, and the two calmly headed to the dining hall escorted by the royal guard and council members. His dining hall had been converted into a makeshift negotiation area. In it a dejected looking Bruun and Tybalt stood looking quite worried while The King made an attempt to appear regal while he panted nervously fidgeting with his paws.
Once Fineskin had everyone's attention he motioned everyone over and stated quite sternly, "Now let us gather to clear up this unfortunate mess."
Rath looked ready to say something in response to this statement, but he quieted as Reynard motioned for him to keep calm. Reynard thought to himself: It's a good thing it is Rath here and not Sheba. She would have already tried to rip the throats out of everyone.
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Final Author Notes for the Chapter:
Thus ends the second of three pieces of the Part 3 finale. We will find out the aftermath of the conflict and the events leading to the shattering of Marion in the next section.
Fineskin the Leopard is taken from the original legend with a similar yet slightly different role.
Hope you enjoyed it.