X rolled about on the ground, spitting out curses as he clutched his right thigh between his two large hands. "Stupid Prey!" He shouted out to the universe as he ripped off his trousers and crunched into a semi-upright position to inspect the entry wound. Using a shaky hand to feel the underside of his rapidly numbing leg he found no exit wound and let out another curse. Without a moment's thought he used his right hand to hold his right leg down as he came up into a proper seated position and using his left hand he spread the entry wound into his leg and dug out the nine millimeter bullet while laughing manically at the glorious pain he felt.

Holding the bullet to his face he gave it a quick look over, appreciating the craft of such a simple yet painful creation before throwing it to the side. Licking the fingers of his now bloody left hand he used his right hand to help himself into a squat. Adrenaline having fully taken over the pain he found the discomfort unbearable, but his leg mostly functional as a small trail of blood flowed freely from the now empty wound. X reached over to his now torn trousers and tore off a strip of cloth and hastily wrapped it around the wound.

Then standing tall; naked, wild, savage and furious… X was on the hunt.

Judy had found some of her hidden abilities start to kick in as Nick waved in and out of consciousness. She knew they had to move quickly and that she hadn't killed X but merely slowed him down and made him very angry. Her body wanted to leap strides ahead with the now weightless Nick on her back; she looked back and saw the leopard struggling to keep up. "Damn it all, either speed it up or I'll carry you too!" Judy shouted back to Laurence while looking back in his direction as they ran across an open stretch of garden outside of the main entrance to the farm. "Alright! I'm coming!" Shouted the irritated leopard who's nerve had obviously been touched by that statement from Judy.

Judy had them headed straight for where she saw all the jeeps outside the militia encampment. She assumed that that would be their best bet at escape and then a quick five minute drive to the helicopter of Mr Big's that was waiting for them.

They were rapidly coming into view of the cottages off to the corner of the estate when Judy was forced to stop in her tracks as she caught sight of what was in the middle of them all. Laurence who had caught up to the bunny also took pause and let out a sigh. "Death in war is something I'm used to, but these animals; they were slaughtered." Judy felt her stomach start to knot at the sight of at least fifty animals mangled corpses piled in the center of this encampment; all with looks of horror and fear on their faces. Judy noticed that they all held weapons as well, and with a glance around she saw that all the cottages were strewn with bullet holes. They fought back. And even a large group of armed militia were not enough to stop the mad wrath of X; the monstrous hybrid.

"Let's go." Judy stated low with a voice course from shock. She walked herself, Nick and Laurence over to where all the jeeps were parked.

Carefully placing Nick in the back seat of a black jeep at the front of the line, Judy then felt around the front; Looking for a key. Opening the dashboard she found what she was looking for.

Hopping into the driver's seat and adjusting it for her height, Laurence climbed inside the passenger side. "We still have a deal, Hopps. You need to kill X." Laurence demanded as he sat down, closed the door and turned to face the bunny. What he did not expect was the angry look awaiting him, not to mention her fist that then flew right into his face with all her strength causing him to see stars for a moment and his nose to bleed. He began to fill with rage and was about to lash out at the bunny before he found the barrel to her pistol staring him right in the face.

"Let me be frank," started the bunny while staring Laurence dead in the eyes.

"The reason you're here, Nick's here, I'm here and heck; Even X. Is because you..." The bunny then made an up and down motion pointing with her gun at the leopard. "You started this mess from day one. Now before I beat you into next Tuesday, and let's be honest; we both know I can do it, I want you to sit there, shut your mouth, and let me get us out of here. If you want to stay here and deal with X then that is your choice entirely. Are we clear?" Judy's last words were final and firm, leaving the leopard looking gobsmacked as he slowly nodded up and down in understanding. "Good." Judy continued while turning the key to start the car. "Let's leave this place."

Two eyes glowed in the dark of the night as they honed their sights down on the dimmed headlights of a jeep making its way fast towards the emergency exit of the farm. A low growl came from the glowing eyed creature as it took off in a sprint on all fours. Enraged, and hungry for revenge.

Changing direction slightly so the hybrid predator was not aiming straight for the jeep, but rather just a head of it; the cheetah half of his being kicked into over-drive as he quickly climbed to his maximum speed. The bullet wound only hindered his movement slightly but he was a professional at dealing with pain.

X was closing in on the jeep.

Judy was feeling close to giddy as she saw the wood slated gate that marked the exit come into view and become slightly illuminated by the car's headlights.

But her small body tensed at the sight of a creature appearing between them and the exit. The creature on all fours and panting viciously as it glared down those in the vehicle. "X!" Shouted Judy as she pulled hard to the right to move away from the creature as well as their chance of escape. Judy did not expect X to remain trapped in that room for long, but she expected it would have taken longer than it clearly did. Suddenly the bunny felt a strong tug on the wheel in the opposite direction she had begun turning to.

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Laurence above the now over revving engine as he tried to steer them around and back to the exit with his one good arm. "Go back there and kill him! Run him over for heaven's sake!" The vehicle began to skid on the late-night and early-morning dew at the sudden change of direction and although this vehicle was built for off road, the sudden counter-steering at the speed they were going was making the vehicle unstable.

"Get off me!" Shouted Judy as she tried to correct the vehicle but it was already too late. Laurence's stubbornness had cost them dearly as she suddenly felt the front of the vehicle come forward and the back begin to lift. It wasn't a moment after she heard Laurence shout out a curse before he bailed out of the vehicle. And then the vehicle seized as it began to turn all the way over. The top was now the bottom. And Judy's new instincts had just kicked in.

The bunny's head hurt viciously as the world around her seemed to slow down. The vehicle was mid-air and floating upside down, getting ready to let gravity take control. It was going to be a deadly roll. That much was clear as she hung desperately onto the steering wheel and floating as is. Her first instinct was to look at Nick who was still battling consciousness and was bashing about the back seat. If he is in this car when it touches down; the force will kill him. That being the only thought the bunny needed as she tilted her ears back and focused her concentration as the vehicle, time and space began to correct itself around her. And everything came back to full speed.

Judy pulled herself down and onto the steering wheel as she locked her gaze on Nick, and with all her strength; natural and supernatural; she launched herself at him. Grabbing a hold of the fox as she burst through the back window, grabbing a hold of the under sided axis of the car and flinging themselves into the dark and out of the crashing vehicles trajectory. Nick landed hard with a grunt and Judy half gasped and half cried as she landed.

Sitting up fast; her grey hand felt around in the dark to find what felt like a piece of glass from the car, roughly half the size of one of her ears had wedged into her waist. Feeling the angle it had gone in; Judy knew that it had hit none of her vitals, she would live, but she would lose blood and her whole right side was going numb from the pain. With a scrunched face she watched the car roll and crash about as she considered how that could have been Nick's and her own tomb. The thought of the fox immediately caused her to stand and limp around for a moment to gather her bearings until her eyes lay upon that of the unconscious fox beginning to stir. Her eyes again adapted with her abilities and she could see almost as though it were midday. But every time these powers came into effect; the bunny's head hurt more and more. Judy stood straight to take a breath of air and immediately hunched back over slightly at the pain it caused. The bunny was forced to strip off her utility belt and drop her bullet proof vest so as to give the glass some room to shift. It was in too deep for her to remove it and risk possibly bleeding out. But she wasn't out of the thick of it yet. They were now open targets for a savage animal on the hunt.

Judy limped over to her fox and breathed a heavy sigh of relief to see that he was unharmed, save for a few scratches. She had seen him go through worse over this whole event and knew that her Nick would be just fine.

Judy's senses suddenly kicked into overdrive as she heard rustling, and it was approaching her fast. Her ears stood high as she turned with great strain, her body's adrenaline only starting to kick in now. But it wasn't quick enough, she turned just in time to see X leap onto his feet and punch her in the cheek, she staggered, he came back around swinging and hit her in her other cheek. The monster had no more words; he was in a blood frenzy and loving every moment of it.

The bunny's head reeled with each blow and she had only one thought on her mind. Keep X away from Nick. The Hybrid came around with a third swing and Judy ducked back instinctively. His punch made no connection and his over confidence had left him over stepping. Judy Came up with her own punch and it made contact with the underside of X's jaw.

Her arms raised in a fighter's pose she hopped back to gather some space for a reasonable defense and to move X away from Nick.

The Hybrid laughed manically as he stood tall after rubbing his jaw and then came at her again. Following her lead; away from Nick.

Judy had cut the inside of her mouth on the second punch; the bunny swirled the blood and saliva around her mouth once before spitting it out. The bunny had been dodging the hybrids punches as though it were a dance, and as soon as she went on the offensive it was the same for her, swinging precisely but just missing or being blocked.

Height wise, X towered above her, almost as tall as Laurence at his full height, but then Judy found her smaller frame to be more of an advantage than a hindrance. While he had to aim low to make contact with her, the bunny had free roam of every angle being an opportunity.

The hybrid in his full savage form and the bunny using every ounce of what power had been bestowed upon her; were deadlocked in a battle where every blow counted.

The fox inhaled deeply as the blow to his nerve from X had fully worn off and he had begun to regain control of his body. Swaying his head from left to right and clicking the stiffness out of it; Nick took a moment to savour the opening and closing of his mouth.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sudden booming bellow of an explosion followed by a flash of light, and then flames everywhere. The crashed vehicle's fuel had now made contact with a small engine blaze and had blown the whole car. The shock-wave had caused Nick to hunker down from the force. And two silhouettes that were seen fighting alongside the flash of crimson, amber and then white; were both knocked to the ground.

Hearing both X and Judy cry out in pain after the explosion was enough to get the exhausted fox moving. Nick stood on shaky legs and started to walk towards the sounds of discomfort, but stopped dead in his tracks, as above the moaning and crackling of the fire he heard grunting moving in his direction. Turning moments too late; Nick was pushed to the ground by a one armed leopard that in the glow of the fire had visibly been battered and bruised from his rushed bailing of the vehicle. Laurence bent down and scrambled in the dark and low glow to find what he was looking for. "Ahah!" He exclaimed as Nick watched him while slowly once more making his way to his feet. The colour drained from the fox's face as he saw the leopard pick up the pistol from Judy's utility belt and start walking in the direction of the two super-creatures. Still on the ground from the aftershock of standing too close to the explosion.

Judy's eyes watered as she rolled onto her side and felt behind her back. The long piece of glass had broken off, and half was still inside her. She felt a fresh burning sensation from within and knew that it had shifted as well, doing even more damage.

The bunny suddenly yelped at the horrifying sight of X, half on fire; appearing on top of her and beginning to strangle her. The Hybrid's double voice low and course as he screamed from the pain as fur on his back was being scorched. "WHY!" He screamed right in her face, so close that his nose was basically touching hers, he squeezed with such force Judy knew that this would kill her in mere moments unless she stopped him. Luck was on the bunny's side as she kicked down and hard at X and her foot landed on where she had shot him earlier in the leg. X grunted and loosened his grip, just enough for the bunny to utilise her newfound strength and pull his hands from their position. She then lifted her feet to his chest and kicked up while rolling back; resulting in a somersault and Judy landing on top of X. The wet grass bellow them put the flames out on X's back but he now faced a frontal assault from the bunny. Her head now hurt to the point where her vision was going red once more, she was losing control of her power, and she was going savage. Her punches flew both wildly and hard, all connecting to the unprepared hybrid until he regained his wits and grabbed her wrists. X then roared in the face of the bunny, a mixture of a cheetah's growl and a fox's howl bellowed into the night's sky. What X didn't expect was the pure red glow of her eyes staring deeply into his and the mighty roar that then came from the tiny bunny. Finding himself underpowered to a stronger and wilder savage, for the first time in years; X felt a flicker of fear.

In the red glow of the looming explosion; Judy looked demonic. Her eyes were completely red glowing orbs, her ears' fur seemed more course and as she roared at the creature beneath her, her teeth seemed even sharper.

Managing to momentarily stop her fists with his own; X used a tactic similar to Judy's last move, except once lifting his legs, he kicked her off to the side. Rolling in the cold and damp grass until he came up into a crouched position; X mentally cursed his body for not coping better with the pain it was currently dealing with, a bullet wound, burns and a full on physical assault. 'You've had worse' his mind snickered to himself.

X watched the wild bunny gone predator lash about on the ground for a while before she came into a low crouch and glared in his direction; growling low and with deadly intent. X smiled to no one in particular as he stated to the world through a busted and swelling lip, "Is it so wrong that I feel pride in half making what might kill me?" X made small circles with his shoulders while keeping his fists raised up defensively, clicking stiff joints and tired bones. All before he too fell into a low crouch; placing his hands on the floor and glaring at the bunny who panted heavily with a look of absolute blood-lust on her face. "Bring it!" X roared, more so than shouted, as he leaped forward at the bunny who just a moment after him followed suite.

"No! Stop!" Nick tried to scream out, but between near dehydration and not having the freedom to talk for a while his voice came out as little more than a whisper as he hobbled wearily after the leopard that was ready to end everything.

The silhouettes of the two primal animals fighting atop one another danced over the leopard and fox that slowly approached. Nick's body screamed in fatigue as he picked up the pace and half tackled, half fell on top of Laurence; taking them both to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shouted the leopard as he turned onto his back to find the fox trying desperately to strip him from the gun he held. Pulling his hand free with the gun still at hand; Laurence backhanded the fox as he continued, "Let me fix my mistake, let me kill X." Nick did the only thing he had the energy to do whilst lying on Laurence's right side; the fox groaned in disgust at his own tactic and then bit hard into the waist of the leopard. Laurence who had now been trying to get a steady aim while lying on the floor immediately found his arm retreating to cover his waist.

Spitting out a tuft of hair that he had gotten into his mouth, Nick responded, "And what if you hit Judy?

Without even trying to attack, Laurence simply looked at Nick, his eyes spilling honesty in the glow of the distant fire. "Then I'd be doing you a favour, look at her!" Nick reluctantly broke eye contact with Laurence to gaze at the two immensely strong animals battling hard, dodging and connecting impossible hits on each other. "She is not there anymore, between the pure DNA enhancer her body consumed whole and the mental instability X has caused her… Judy Hopps the officer is gone. All that remains in that battle is two monsters we have both created."

Nick closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "You're right." His voice came out course and quiet as Laurence nodded and turned to readjust his aim. "They are monsters we created." Nick's Brow furrowed as he readjusted his body into a leaping position. "But I'm going to do something you never did for X. I'm going to bring my Judy back from the edge."

Laurence turned his head at that to look back at Nick only to find the fox gone, looking forward again; he found Nick standing before him with a leg reeled back that came down hard crashing into the stump where his left arm used to be. Laurence immediately dropped the gun and howled in pain as his last hand came in to shield his weak spot from any more incoming assaults.

"I'm sorry for that, truly." Nick stated sincerely as he bent and picked up the gun while the leopard continued howling in pain. "But you're a real jerk and that's something you need to work on." The fox finished as he turned and began the final few steps into the danger zone of the colossal battle that was unfolding before his very eyes.

Both X and Judy were exhausted. Fatigued beyond all else. Just finishing trading another set of blows, both stepped back rhythmically before collapsing into a crouch and each with and hand on the floor while they gasped for air in the smoky atmosphere. It was at the point where they were both simply waiting for the other to make a mistake and end this fight. And that could happen at any moment, be it their next round of traded blows, or half an hour from now. Both knew it and tried their best to hide it.

Standing and beginning to run at each other once more; two gunshots rang through the air while a burst of dirt and grass was kicked up on the ground between the two warring animals as they were forced to stop in their tracks and stumble back. Nick held the smoking gun in two shaky hands as he toggled his sights on X, who had now taken to sitting on his rear and holding his bleeding leg while keeping strict eye contact with Judy, wheezing more than panting. Nick then shifted his gaze and sights on to that of his bunny and saw her on her knees, leaning forward and holding her back where there was also blood flowing freely from, her eyes were glowing red and her mouth was curled into a snarl as she growled low between heavy breathes. She glared at the fox who had interrupted more than the hybrid she had been fighting with.

"Judy…" Nick's voice crackled like the fire through the night.

"Don't bother." X remarked from his seated position as he strained to keep both of his swelling black eyes open. "Judy's not in there anymore." He finished before grunting low and spitting out a mixture of spit and blood caused by a cut in his cheek.

Ignoring X and walking cautiously towards the bunny with the gun raised at her head, Nick continued. "I know you're still in there." As her crept closer he heard more and more of a low growl coming from the bunny. "You are better than this Judy. You've fought off and endured worse, don't let this poison in you seize control. You can control it, and I've seen you do it." Nick then lifted both of his hands as a sign of openness and threw the gun off to his left. He kept his arms both in an open gesture. He was now only a couple of steps away from her and he could hear the growls clearly now, and she was starting to shake. She would attack at a moment's notice if he made the wrong move.

"Come now…" He added as little more than a whisper. "Who's my dumb little bunny?" The fox carefully and slowly wrapped his arms around Judy. He could feel her breathing hard and heavy, but the growling subsided. He tensed at the feeling of her now clawed hands coming up to his back; they were course, rough and strong. But the claws faded and he could feel her hands and grip softening.

"N….Nick?" He heard the bunny stutter as he pulled away gently from their embrace to see the battered little bunny looking confused and disorientated. "W…what happened-

"We'll talk about it later, but now, we leave." Was all Nick said as he grasped the bunny's hands and began walking. Judy collapsed from exhaustion, she was still fully conscious but her body was drained. She could not walk. "I've got you." Nick whispered to her as he carefully lifted the small mammal to cradle her in his arms. She whimpered at the discomfort in her back and he took careful strain to make sure he hurt her as little as possible. Nick started to walk to the exit they had been headed for.

"And just where… Do you think you two are going?" X blurted out with another mouthful of blood as it dripped out of his mouth and dangled down before striking his chest. He stood on shaky legs and limped towards the two mammals trying to leave.

"X, you've lost." Nick turned and replied to his half-brother. "We know you're here and so do others, this entire operation is closed. "We've defeated you and your forces, and all of these animals are going to be rehabilitated. I'm leaving you with your life, which is the most I can offer. But Judy and I leave this place forever, we leave you forever. I'm done with you X; I can't feel sorry any more for what I did. I tried to save you again and again, but you're just not in there to save anymore. I wish you all the best brother, but this is our final farewell." Nick finished that last word with sympathy in his voice as he turned to walk away, holding his life's purpose in his arms.

"You're done… with me…" X murmured to himself. Barely able to see through his swollen eyes, he glared at the blurry figure of the fox walking away and his fists clenched with newfound rage.

"You may be done." X whispered to no one in particular. "But I'm just getting started." With newfound energy X began to pace towards the fox, claws at the ready, he increased his pace to a jog up until he was right on top of the Fox's back. "Don't you get it!" X shouted, causing Nick to turn and step back defensively. "You'll never be done with me, NEVER!"

Nick cowered and turned to cover Judy as X raised his arms to deal a vicious blow, before a voice rang through the smoke hazed night. "Move!" it shouted and Nick leaped with his last reserves of energy to the side as three gunshots rang through the air.

X's body recoiled with each shot before he turned with three new holes in his torso; blood pouring out of them and staining his fur. He glared at Laurence who stepped through the smoke while holding the gun; still aimed at him. And X started to walk towards the leopard, refusing to stop there; Laurence continued pulling the trigger. Another three rounds were discharged and X's body began to falter, his legs gave and he collapsed to the floor and began to crawl. Lifting a heavy head to stare at the leopard he let out one final cough of blood before managing to form the phrase "Like a savage." Standing before the monster Laurence pulled the trigger one final time, the bullet going right through his skull.

Nick stared at Laurence in disbelief, still clutching onto Judy's frail body. The jaguar gave him one final solute with his one arm still holding the gun before disappearing into the smoke of the fire and the haze of the night. Laurence Clawton was gone, and X the monster was dead.

Nick felt a moment of regret as he let his gaze fall upon the grimacing bunny in his arms. Much like Judy he had hoped for there to be yet another chance to save X, but his last act had proven not. Shaking his head clear and holding Judy close to his own battered and beaten body. Nick walked forward in the night. All that mattered to the fox lay in pain in his arms, and he needed to get her help fast. Eventually making it back to where all the vehicles were parked by the militia; Nick gently placed Judy lying down in the passenger seat. He smiled at the small and shaky being that curled where it lay. He did not know where Judy was supposed to meet those who would extract them, but what he did know is that he had a full tank of fuel and a reason to keep on going. And a direction they had been pointed in.

Sitting in the driver's seat; Nick turned the key, put the car into gear and started to drive. "Morning would break in an hour or so." Nick mused to no one in particular. "But I know for certain that it will break, a new dawn, a new day, and a new adventure with you." He finished while smiling and glancing at Judy. 'This fact I can trust to be true.' The fox thought to himself as X's farm disappeared out of view from the rear view mirror.

Placing his hand on Judy's ankle and giving it a little squeeze where she lay for reassurance, his mind let one final thought run free before focusing on finding their safety. 'No one, especially you and I Carrots… Can spell the word TRUST, without US.'

Thank you all for coming on this crazy journey with me, it's been one wild ride through a dramatic spectrum of emotions and feelings and seeing just how far we could push Judy and Nick.

But it's not over yet, further questions need answers and loose ends need tying off. I will very soon follow up with an epilogue for this tale and possibly address the idea of a sequel, until then... Thank you all once more for the nonstop support I have received while writing this and stay tuned for a new tale with our favorite crime fighting duo that will be out before you know it.

Peace and love

Un4gottenSOUL