Greetings to everyone! I'm exceedingly happy right now, for reasons I shall divulge later, and am pleased to give you this new chapter for Silence and Valiance.
First of all, I'm so glad many of you are awaiting to see how I make Honey... and I am excited to have her as a part of the story.
Second... all of you... do me a huge, ginormous favor...
Please for the love of everything funny and sassy, imagine Honey's voice as Wanda Sykes. When I came up with the idea of a character that raised Nicholas to be who and how he is... i couldnt remove the idea from my mind that his snark and sass could be a product of a female with an over the top amount of sass. Sure she doesnt speak like her exactly but do me that favor and I'm sure you will be entertained at least moderately.
Now then, here you creeple go. Read, enjoy, review, fav, follow, and boost my ego. Weird snack of the day... mmmm... meatloaf flavored donuts... covered in gravy flavored frosting.
"Mother…"
Nicholas's breath and step stuttered as he stared with a slightly parted maw at the badger holding a wooden spoon.
Judith looked on in confusion. Wasn't she holding a knife and cutting up ingredients?
The fox ambled towards Honey with increasing speed and more stable steps….
To be smacked heavily on the head by the wooden spoon. The doe's ears fell and her eyes went wide, wondering what and why.
Nicholas tensed up upon being hit squarely on the head with the flattest part of the spoon, his head bouncing downwards like a snapping branch. Everyone looked on for a second or two before the poor fox let out a long hiss and squatted to hold his head in pain.
"What was that for?" he near yelled, not outright shouting as he knew the badger still had the spoon at the ready.
"You had it coming…" she trailed off, spinning the wooden utensil in her paw. "I think you're coming to find me and I hear from a few sources that you're wandering aimlessly around with no clear goal in mind, getting drunk, and 'befriending' certain unscrupulous females."
The fox tod shot up, still rubbing his head, his ears pinned back and a face full of shock as he held a paw out in defense.
"Woah!" he vented, trying to keep all mammals present from letting their thoughts go the wrong route. He threw Judith a worried look and turned back to his mother. "I did NOT get drunk or 'befriend' females as you put it…"
"You aren't denying the first thing," Honey mentioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes… that part… mostly true," Nicholas stated in short bursts as he rubbing his still throbbing head. "Damn, your swing is still as painful as ever, Mother."
"Language," the badger chided him with a light slap of the spoon to his arm.
"Right, right, sorry," the fox replied hurriedly, flinching away from the threat of a wooden spoon. Judith, now having recovered from the initial shock of everything, cupped her paws over her muzzle as she tried her best to stifle a giggle that threatened to escape her rather loudly.
It was strangely humorous to witness the fox being chastened as an imposing and well-rounded specimen of a mammal by a somewhat smaller and seemingly less threatening badger. 'Seemingly' being the key word. The rabbit snorted and drew the attention of the two mammals, temporarily diffusing their abrasive exchange.
It was too much for her as they both raised an eyebrow and both gave her the same deadpan stare, as if asking 'Really?'. Despite not having been related by blood, the similarity between their mannerisms and the hilarious exchange made the doe grasp at her gut as she let loose a chain of hearty giggles that devolved into full on laughter.
"I… I can't…" she rasped, rolling into the soft loam and kicking her feet as her laughter reached an almost squeaky nature.
Nicholas might have found it adorable if he weren't so split between the head pain and mental pressure of his mother bearing her gaze upon him.
"Who is she?" Honey asked, flicking the end of the spoon towards the ball of fluff and giggles. Nicholas flinched a bit as the utensil came within inches of his nose as it passed by, his eyes locked on it like it was a bee ready to sting.
"Oh… OH! Right…" the fox spluttered, going over to haul the rabbit up and on her feet, dusting off her dress, with her protesting and giggling.
He gestured to the doe, "This… is Judith. My mate." Judith looked up towards her fox and felt her heart swell at his vocal claim…
Then in the same moment felt her heart stop, seeing the squinty look on the badger's muzzle as she looked her over, from ears to toes. Honey stepped closer to the doe and tilted her head.
Judith had lots of rampant thoughts going through her mind, like if this was acceptable to her. Sure, she raised Nicholas, despite being of a different species, but they were both technically predators. She could very well view this as some affront to nature… though… she apparently heads up some sort of means of helping predators escape their captors… so she might not be so standoffish about such things as this. But then again, she 'was' saving predators from subjugation by prey. And Judith had technically kept Nicholas in such a way by the loosest of implications. The rabbit kept going around and around in her own head with these insecurities as Honey eyed her.
A painful thwack pulled the rabbit from her reverie, to notice another devious smirk on the badger as her head felt a searing, splitting pain. She hit her… she hit her as she had with Nicholas. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she wondered if this is what her fox felt before. It was indeed a bit… infuriating.
She also felt ready to shed tears because she feared this was a form of rejection by Nicholas's mother.
"Mother!" the red fox chided the shorter badger, stilling upon seeing her grin.
"Mates always bear each other's burdens, right? Share in their pain?" the badger asked gently, but with a slightly playful tone. Judith's eyes drifted to Honey, who seemed wholly satisfied by the doe's stupefied reaction and Nicholas's jaw drop.
"What? Don't give me those looks," Honey dismissed them with plenty of sass. "I'm not really in the mood to explain myself, so if you must flap your jaws…" the fox's mother gestured to the food she was still preparing, "use them to help me finish off the food."
The badger went back to her prep work, throwing annoyed looks at Meeko on occasion, whom was giving her endearing looks and making the fox and rabbit confused.
"You think she has a chance to outclass Gideon?" Judith inquired, rubbing her head much like Nicholas had. The fox let out a low chuckle. Honey spared them a narrow-eyed glance. The fox leaned down to her ear, his breath raking over it in a way pleasant to the doe.
"Let's just say I grew up on some wonderful cooking from that mammal right there," the fox tod pointed out with a whisper. Judith let out a curious 'huh', mulling over the thought in her head.
"If I had known that…" she started, "I might have taken your bet earlier. Still up for it?" the bunny gave her fox a half-lidded smile, still facing forward but giving him a sidelong glance.
Nicholas leaned back and eyed her skeptically.
"Now I'm the one who doesn't want to take that bet," he breathed, trying to hold in a chuckle. Judith rolled her eyes playfully.
"Boo… you're no fun," the doe said in an intentionally bad mockery of the fox's tone when he had previously said that.
"You know," Honey started, "I may not hear your conversation, but I can still see you gesturing towards us like kits." Both the mammals being accused tensed up and felt their heads pulse in a slight remembrance of pain when they saw the badger raise her utensil once again, pointing towards the food.
"Yes'm," Nicholas quickly mumbled, shuffling himself over to help cook, as well as eat. Judith followed suit but almost couldn't stifle a giggle once more because of the effect the smaller badger had on the fox.
"I see that old bull gave you your armor?" Honey asked, more or less looking for a conversation starter than actually not knowing the answer to her own question.
"Aye, he did," started the tod. "Which reminds me… this fool has apparently gone missing and we were sent to retrieve him." The fox jerked a thumb towards the raccoon who returned the gesture with a sheepish grin.
"Shirking your duties, Meeko? For shame…" the badger sarcastically chided Meeko.
"I smelled food! And good food!" the raccoon tried to defend himself, mumbling further, "made me eat all my crackers so I came to look…"
"That explains that," Judith sighed. "But I don't suppose you just 'let' him eat everything?" Honey let out a laugh.
"Astute rabbit, aren't you?" she asked with a grin. "No, he mentioned scouting for Bogo and I offered to feed him if he told me all Buffalo Butt has been up to for the past while. Gotta have something to tease him about when we meet again."
Nicholas shivered, making the rabbit doe wonder what could cause that.
"Nicholas?" she inquired gently.
"Sorry, Fluff," he remarked. "Just remembering how good she is at that. And you can tell where I get that from." Judith turned away and nodded slightly to herself in recognition.
Suddenly, she squeaked as a clawed paw gently tugged at her tail.
"Something wrong?" Meeko voiced in concern. The doe turned to give the best false smile she could.
"It's…. it's fine… just stubbed a toe," she forced out. Her eyes burned bright purple as she turned to glare at the fox, who smirked devilishly and grabbed some food.
"Careful of the forest floor, my lady," he chided in a smug tone. "Sticks and stones lie in wait where you least expect them."
"Says the fox who has the stones to stick his paws on me," Judith murmured in a murderous tone. Only Nicholas could hear her, with how close he was, and only smirked wider as the two sat down to devour the delicious stew that had been bubbling in a pot over a fire.
"You love it," Nicholas confidently commented, having swallowed a few spoons worth of stew. "But point made. Paws off. No more of these claws and paws giving you a healthy amount of affection."
"Har-har," Judith replied with another roll of her eyes. "It's not like I can't go a short while without your 'affection'."
"When you two are done," Honey interrupted, "we'll need to clean up camp and meet up with Bogo. I'm sure he's worried over you two now… and maybe Meeko here."
"Hey!" the raccoon yelped from across the fire indignantly. The fox and rabbit chuckled light heartedly at the expense of Meeko.
It took a nearly an hour to pack up camp and head back towards the group. The other three wondered how a smaller mammal such as the badger had so much and still stayed so mobile.
"Oh, I have my ways," was all she would divulge, clearly loving keeping the group curious and frustrated trying to figure it out.
Each member of the group bore a small pack on their back as they made their way back in the direction of Bogo and everyone else.
"I'll bet she has drop points in the forest," Nicholas explained in a whisper to the bunny doe walking close to him. "Makes it easier to ditch a campsite when it's discovered by enemies and move on without being dragged down. You leave packs filled with camping needs in various locations so you can make camp wherever and still travel without worrying about taking it with you. Usually only works when you plan on coming back towards the drop point though."
"Oh…" was all Judith could say to that, unsure how to react.
Most of the journey back was made in silence.
Well except the humming of both Nicholas and Honey, to which the rabbit was fairly sure neither was aware they were doing. She smiled knowingly upon realizing how much they took after each other… though more so for the fox taking after the badger. It was quite the oddity to imagine and even odder to witness. It was also endearing because, while strange and unconventional, it was clear that the two cared deeply for each other. Especially so considering Nicholas's initial reaction to seeing his mother. He looked pretty close to giving her a hug that might have lasted days. Maybe she could tease him over that later.
Looking between the two, Judith took them both in. Their gait, the way they carried themselves, and even the occasional curious glance in random directions when something grabbed their direction, all of it was so similar that she could only ever see the two being influenced by the other.
The small giggle that escaped her in the silence drew the gaze of the other three mammals. She simply waved them off and mumbled something about 'realizing something'.
Meeko didn't seem to care much and continued to walk. Both Honey and Nicholas gave her the same raised eyebrow, skeptical stare, nearly drawing another bout of laughter from the poor doe…
Before something a strange stretching sound made her ears perk up. She noticed that her fox's did as well, clearly having more of an idea what it was than she did as he jerked around to look at the source of the sound and crouch low.
"Archer!" he hissed, "Take cover!" Honey and Meeko didn't need to be told twice, bolting into action and finding cover behind a couple of large tree trunks. The rabbit froze up and was promptly tackled by Nicholas.
An arrow loosed with a 'thwing' and a resounding 'thwip' through the air. With a final 'thunk', the arrow pierced into the tree bark that was right behind where the rabbit was standing. It wasn't that large of an arrow. Quite possibly from a moderate sized bow for a mammal the size of a wolf or deer.
Nicholas turned back to look at the offending party who loosed an arrow on his mate. His pupils narrowed to slits to zoom in a bit on the distant figure or figures. He snarled a bit upon seeing a small group of deer bucks.
"Stay here," he commanded of Judith, who numbly nodded.
In a flash of red fur and green and brown armor, the fox tod launched himself away from her. The doe dug herself in behind the fallen tree that her fox had tackled them into the nook behind.
Running on all fours for a few bounds and leaps, the fox easily flanked the slightly shocked buck who fired the arrow, with said buck frantically trying to get another nocked and ready to loose.
Nicholas pulled his sword out in mid leap from all fours, slicing to the side and catching the bow near the top. It didn't break through the bow itself, but the string snapped as the fine edge sliced through the line, whipping downward and snapping the deer buck in the thigh.
He yelped loudly and tumbled back to avoid the fox's blade.
Honey had followed him, though more slowly and lower to the ground. She had gone in a wide circle, pulling out a small metal club with notches on it for stunning opponents when they were hit with it.
Approaching another buck that had gone around to try flanking them, the badger swiped her club with quick precision, buckling the deer at the knees and causing him to shout and curse as he fell harder than a drunk rhino. With another hit over the back of the head, the buck was out and slumping lazily in the soft dirt.
Meeko took cover and watched the two mammals making quick work of the group of… he counted… five deer bucks. One was knocked out by Honey and one was being dealt with by Nicholas. The other three were spreading out and trying to encompass the red fox, having not quite noticed the badger as of yet, excepting the loud yells from their comrade having fallen.
The red fox had since delivered a swift and powerful kick to the deer's head that didn't outright knock him out but smacked his head by deflection onto a nearby rock, that which had knocked him out.
Noticing the surrounding bucks making their move to entrap him, Nicholas took a guard stance, holding his blade with one paw and letting the other splay out in readiness to intercept or redirect any blows incoming that weren't edged weapons. Two of the bucks held long spears, nearly as tall as they were, and the last one had a bow slung over his shoulder with a pair of daggers ready in his hooves.
He wondered why all of them didn't have bows but he supposed they weren't hunters or dispatchers of some kind. Maybe vagrants or simple bandits looking for an easy mark. If that was the case, maybe he could scare them off. Choosing for the moment to keep to his code of silence in front of unfamiliar muzzles, the fox growled low and swiped his blade to keep the bucks at bay.
They were only slightly deterred, but deigned to shuffle closer, the two with spears jabbing lightly to put the fox on the defensive. He feigned stumbling back and allowed them to step closer, looking down to see they were stepping over a few errant roots. The buck wielding the dual daggers kept his distance circling around to try and take the fox from behind.
Once both bucks with the spears stepped fully past the awkward knots of roots, the fox unleashed a flurry of swipes and jabs in their direction. Thankfully, they were less experienced fighters and took a couple tentative steps back…
Right into and over the knobby roots. Both mammals fell back with varied yelps as Nicholas leapt towards them, cleaving the bladed tips of their spears just below the joint area of metal and wood. If they tried to pick them up and use them as improvised daggers, they would be hard pressed to keep a stable grip on them without hurting themselves badly in the process.
When he landed, the tod slammed the hilt of his sword down upon the nearest deer's head, making him go limp. The other tried to scramble upwards, crawling at first, then running away as his hooves found purchase on the forest floor. The dual wielding buck was now engaged with a very irate badger, clearly thrown for a loop as the badger effortlessly batted away his strikes with calculated parries and a reactive smirk.
"Mind telling us why you decided to attack us?" Honey asked coolly as she continued to practically toy with the flailing deer. "I promise I will let you go if you stop now and explain."
Surprisingly, the last buck halted his attack and backed up, still on guard and breathing heavily.
"You… you will?" he tentatively asked. He had obvious fear in his eyes as he scanned around to see his brothers in arms unconscious or running away. Nicholas closed the distance quickly and took up a fighting stance next to his mother.
"I sure will. We have no quarrel with you," Honey said with all due sincerity. "I just need to know if this was opportunity or a planned attack. Hmm?" The buck was taken aback, clearly believing that after seeing his comrades being taken out in various fashions… that he might be no exception.
"I… We just saw you and attacked… no real plan," the deer explained with a slight stutter to his tone. "We've been short on coin and were desperate… I'm sorry…. Truly."
"If you were that sorry, you wouldn't have raised a blade… or arrow to us in the first place," the badger stated with a little venom in her tone. The buck dropped his blades and held out his hooves in surrender as she raised her club a bit.
"I'm really really sorry," he pleaded. "Don't hurt me…"
"Oh, stop being such a baby," Honey chided the would-be bandit. "I don't care to hurt you, unless you provoke me again. Besides… someone is gonna need to tend to your friends and I don't think I'm going to waste my small supply of medicinal herbs on them."
"Oh… right," the buck breathed, clearly tentative about whether to trust her or not.
At this point, Judith and Meeko found the mental clarity to know it was safe to approach the exchange with little possibility of reprisal.
"Are they… are they still alive?" the bunny doe asked with clear reservation of the answer in her voice. Nicholas nodded slowly.
"Go on," the badger goaded the buck, "get to it. They need your help. Oh, and best to clear away from here soon. We have a grouping of 'friends' coming this way and they won't be as lenient as I am." The buck's eyes widened as he nodded frighteningly. He then picked up his daggers and knelt down to quickly drag the two previously spear holding deer away, calling a name none of them caught, probably trying to call back the one deer who ran away to come back and help him.
In his hurried state, the buck dropped a knapsack that seemed the wrong fit for a mammal such as himself and Honey dared to open it, curious of its contents.
"Oh… momma like," she stated, chuckling a little as she stuck her head in the sack, making Nicholas slap himself in the muzzle, with the rabbit and raccoon tilting their heads in wonder at what could be so interesting.
Pulling herself out of the sack, she pulled with her a small bow and quiver of arrows to accompany it.
"Looks about your size, son," Honey said, tossing the effects to the fox. "Or the bunny's, should she know how to aim… or even nock one of the arrows for that matter." Judith threw her a tepid glare.
"Mother…" the tod began.
"Don't worry," the badger interrupted, "I was just teasing."
"To be honest," Nicholas began, "I was going to teach her, but for now… I'll hold onto them. They look like a good quality. Wonder where they got it from."
"We can only assume it was a previous victim," Meeko piped up, shrugging.
"We should return it," Judith offered. The other three shot her a deadpan look. "What?"
"It's not like we know who they stole it from… or if those mammals are even… alive?" the raccoon explained slowly, hoping to not upset the rabbit. She took the information in stride and looked at the ground in contemplation.
"Oh," the doe breathed.
"Okay, let's get out of here before more morons show up," Honey voiced, shooing all of them into moving along, turning to rifle through the sack a bit more and pulling a few odds and ends out to load in her bag.
As they continued their walk, the four of them could see the mass of mammals approaching them in the distance.
"You know," Honey began, looking over at her son, "It's strange for you to be so silent during a fight. You used to be very vocal when we sparred."
Judith looked at her fox, wondering if she should let him explain or help interject on his behalf. The fox took in a breath and let it out slowly, making the doe's decision for her as she kept her muzzle closed and listened intently.
"I've made a personal promise to myself to remain silent for all except those I trust," Nicholas explained. "During my service, I got into a situation that made me lose my voice for a bit and found I got into less trouble with prey when I kept it shut. Spent two years not talking and now I'm going by the moniker of Silence." Honey looked sullen and shocked at first while she let the rushed summary of info sink in.
Then she let out a single, loud 'HA!'
"Look what happens when I don't see you for years," she stated, giving the fox a light slug to the arm. "You go on a strange adventure and end up being mated to a rabbit. Would love to hear how that one happened by the way."
"Uh… let's leave that for another time," the fox tod drawled. "I would much prefer to get back to the captain before…"
"There you all are," the aforementioned buffalo voiced in a deadly tone.
"That," Nicholas finished, closing his eyes in a silent wish that ignoring the problem might mean it goes away.
"I didn't ask you look for Meeko, only to take hours and not check in," Bogo vented low and slow. "It's practically the first rule of scouting. Check in."
"They were held up by me," Honey piped up, making the bull still and tense up.
"Honey…" he breathed.
"Careful with the way you say that Buffalo Butt," the badger snarked with a lop-sided grin. "If you have more mammals around like this one," she jerked a thumb towards Meeko, who froze and meekly smiled with a wave, "then they might assume I'm made of it or covered in it." Meeko then scowled at Honey, to which she winked at him, turning the raccoon into a sputtering mess of awkward apologies for non-existent transgressions he hadn't even committed.
"Definitely a front runner against Gideon…" Judith whispered in her fox's ear. It flicked in response as he smirked dubiously and turned to give her a view of him rolling his eyes.
"I'd like to keep that image out of my head for now, thank you… Since she is my mother," Nicholas replied.
Pulling their attention back to the exchange between Bogo and Honey, all mammals present were curious to see how the bull took being called such an… 'odd' name by a mammal like Honey.
A forced grin tugged the corners of his mouth, the effect of which made everyone who was witness shiver slightly, excepting the badger who laughed so hard, so suddenly, she almost started rolling on the ground.
"You never could take a joke very well," she wheezed. After a few seconds of laughing and trying to catch her breath, the badger caught herself and resumed her train of thought. "Anyways, where were you and your group headed?"
"A small town on the edge of the forest about two days north of here," Bogo began.
"Nope, not good," Honey rebuked him.
"What?" the bull slowly asked.
"That place is already crawling with guards and soldiers ready to apprehend everyone here. Too much risk. I have a better idea and I only recently came across this option, which is why I was out here, trying to find you and catch you before heading there." The mammal crossed her paws across her chest and paused for effect.
"Where?" Bogo inquired simply.
"Not much for elongated speech right now, are you?" Honey complained as she made a pouty face to mock the buffalo.
"Just please tell me," he replied in kind. "We have plenty of tired and soon to be very hungry mammals that need supplies to continue."
The badger sighed, "Fine… there's a small city right here within the forest. Mostly occupied by predators and tight lipped traders that bring in supplies. We can easily find sanctuary there, without the need to endanger everyone. It's a friendly place that seems to love all mammals."
Most of the mammals present were very surprised to hear about such a city within the forest that had no rumors or whispers heard before. No one even knew the forest held any cities whatsoever. It was believed to be a savage infested region, of which is one of many reasons that armies and the common folk don't venture too far within its borders.
"It's only a day's journey from here and is quite the pleasant place if I do say so," Honey continued upon seeing no one might interrupt her.
"What's it called?" Nicholas and Judith asked at the same time, amusing his mother with the inkling of an answer to some riddle neither of them were told.
"Upendi."
Now... I know what you're thinking...
Ok fine... I dont. You dont have to call me out on it. Can't I at least pretend?
Anywho, yes... I am involving something fun from my favorite Disney sequel to my favorite Disney animation film, The Lion King.
It's gonna be fun to do what I have planned.
Oh and before I forget, the reasons for being happy right now is that my girlfriend got me some wonderful presents for my birthday, of which is this coming Thursday. No, I'm not telling you to get birthday wishes or whatever. Just warning you all that I might be a bit delayed in updating, but I enjoy writing everything i have going on... so i'll do my best to keep my schedule going on time.
REVIEWS:
GUNSLINGER99: Honey is definitely sweet... and possibly spicy. also, i saw what you were talking about and I think it was a wonderful way to play that out. And thank you. lol. I actually dont have much ego but i like to pretend to annoy certain individuals out there who roll their eyes at my saying so. hehe.
GusTheBear: Thank you. Can't have Nicholas being the only fighter in the pairing for long can I? XD
judithwildehopps: Yes i am back. got delayed with a con but i'm keeping a good schedule going so i dont leave you hanging for long. I love the event of scent marking too. especially in various fanfics i've read. And thank you for all your compliments.
peacebringer89: Thank you thank you. I made sure to release this chapter in much the same manner, though it's not usually my intention. lol.
And I thought about a bow but i love blades better. and yes Bows do make sense in my world. XD Crossbows might make an appearance too but i'm more partial to the original arrow flingers.
Leon Banz:
take a deep breath. lol. and thank you for saying so. always good to see your reviews.
TheUnaccomplishedWriter: Thank you for saying so. and glad you noticed. I wouldnt want Judy to be instantly good. it'll be a growing process. and it gives Nicholas and Judith a fantastic excuse to spend time together as well as leave a window open on all the wonderful fluff moments that could follow such events.
JesseRI: I sure am a Kingdom Hearts fan. Obsessive. so far Finnick is my biggest reference engine for that but i'm keeping a creative eye out for spaces to insert something clever in without ruining the story or making it too odd.
Venomheart the Dreamer: Hehe. I've been waiting to write that scene. and i meant that to be misleading. i'z evilz. lol.
Fox in the hen house: remember... he's never not hungry. and i'm glad you love Honey already. hope you love her more if you imagine her voice as Wanda Sykes. goodness that woman is funny. Also, love your new fanfic, Ghostly love.
ShadowRaven27: Thank you very much for saying so. I'm glad I can keep you on your toes. XD
akanomie1: I'm glad you like it. and in answer to the lemon thing... i'm on the fence about it, but unlike what i did with separating Dusted... I always figured that if i did go that direction, i would turn the rating of this story to M and include it. it might not happen for a few chapters yet though.
DONE!
Alrighty then, ladies and germaphobes, I'm off to make friends with the sandman so i can get up early for work tomorrow.
Rest in peace... the living kind of peace... and have a wonderful week. I know I will.
Until next time, It's been a hustle, Sweethearts.