Chapter Four:

Rude Awakening

Gideon stood in the center of the arena. A coliseum filled to the brim with chanting mammals. They weren't chanting his name, no, it was a name he'd heard before, though foreign to him, Mordith. For some reason, it filled him with such a sense of pride and familiarity. He saw himself in the center of it all as if he were having an out-of-body experience. The young chubby fox stood tall among a carpet of shattered bodies. Some so badly beaten that he couldn't even recognize them as mammals anymore. Leather straps tied tight around his hands, much the same as when he taped them up before boxing practice. The thin straps of leather were drenched in blood. His thick orange fur was covered in dirt and blood. A large gash above his right eyebrow has since dried closed but not before painting his face in a grisly crimson mask.

"Over here!"

A voice rumbled from behind him. The fox turned on his heels and saw a large black figure before him. Its body was nothing more than smoke swirling around itself in a familiar mammalian form. Golden eyes stared out from the black cloud, accompanied by a slacked toothy mouth. Mordith had graced him with her presence and now sought to take her gift from his very skin and bone.

A roar escaped the baker fox but the world around him was soundless. He rushed forward throwing everything he had behind a punch. Mordith opened her arms and welcomed him into the shroud of her body, he was swallowed up. He broke through on the other side falling into the dust. His fur, flesh, and muscle stripped so masterfully from his bones. The bones scattered and rolled across the dirt floor of the coliseum. Mordith turned and looked down at the pile of bones and sneered.

"Get up!"

No matter how hard the fox struggled to put himself back together, the bones wouldn't move. Mordith hunkered down closer, a cruel black tongue curled around her featureless lips as she chided him again.

"I said, get up!"

The voice was sharp enough to cut through the darkness of the dream bringing the chubby fox back into the world. When he opened his blue eyes, the last thing he expected to see was a blade shoved in his face. He followed it all the way up to see a figure silhouetted by early morning sun. It glistened off the chainmail shirt like a thousand burning suns. Gideon reached up to push the blade from his face but it was no use. With a masterful swing, the figure was able to avoid his hand all together and aim the blade back at him just as quick.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The figure's voice was familiar, beautiful in tone.

"Is everything alright over there?" Another voice called out, feminine but much deeper than the others.

"Yes, I think this one's going to be trouble."

"Wait, no. I'll cooperate." Gideon tried to convince the figure that he was harmless, even held up his hands to show he wasn't armed.

"Then get up."

The pudgy fox grimaced as he struggled to get to his feet. There was still a stitch in his side but now it was joined by other aches and pains assaulting his body. The sword shifted away from him but the figure still held it at the ready.

Once Gideon was on his feet, he had a better understanding what was going on. Not too far from where he lay down to sleep, he could see a small carriage pulled up next to the fire they'd sat around. It was nothing more than a few whittled log and iron bars, much like a medieval paddy wagon. Standing at the front of the wagon were four scantily clad mustangs. They were chained to the yolks for pulling purposes. Something swirled in their eyes. Something unholy that caused his stomach to churn. It looked as if they weren't in control of themselves. What manner of thing could have done this to them, Gideon wondered.

Inside the carriage, Gideon could see Benjamin sitting at the front, his hands resting in his lap, bound together. Next to him, Aza was laying on her side arms bound behind her back. Her muzzle tied shut by a bit of rope. A small potato sack lay next to her, it shifted and shimmied as if someone was trying to struggle free, no doubt, that someone was Finn. Lastly, Nicholas was being loaded in. A tall, broad looking female Cape Buffalo shoved a very ornamental looking staff into his back. Her blue and gold robes were mostly clean save for the hem draped around her legs. The look on her face told Gideon that she was tired of dealing with the noisy fox's voice.

"I like a wench in charge, let me tell you." Nicholas teased as he stepped into the back of the carriage.

"Silence you, or I'll tie your muzzle shut like your friend there." This female had been the source of the deeper voice.

"She didn't hurt your feelings by calling you a soulless, magic-wielding freak, did she? That was a compliment, I assure you." Nicholas fired back.

The buffalo female sneered and pointed the weaved wood staff at the Bard fox, muttering something Gideon couldn't hear. A rope snaked its way up Nicholas' thin frame, the fox pleaded against what was inevitably going to happen. The rope entwined itself around the fox's long narrow muzzle growing tighter and tighter until it tied itself off. It left the fox moaning and groaning through a muffled voice. The buffalo gave the smaller figure a hard push, so he fell on the floor of the carriage between Aza and Benjamin.

"Enjoying the show?" Gideon was made aware of how long he'd been watching things unfold.

When he turned to look at the wielder of the sword, it surprised him to see Judy, or more likely a Judy clone. Her purple eyes glared up at him as she lifted the tip of the blade to his face once again. The baker fox held his hands up as a symbol that he didn't want any trouble.

"So let's hear it? Every one of your friends had something to say, I get the feeling you're no different." The Judy clone mused.

"Nothing, ma'am." Gideon cleared his throat.

"Seems like a trick to me." She said using her sword to direct him towards the back of the carriage.

The Judy clone was joined by the large Buffalo female, who wore the same grim look on her face. "And this one?"

"Maybe harmless, Buja, but for good measure bound his hands." She stepped away, sheathing her sword.

"Yes, Captain Hopps." The buffalo, Buja, responded turning her steely gaze to the baker fox.

"Judy?" Gideon whispered hoping that he'd gotten the name right.

At the mention of her name the bunny puffed her chest out, her hand finding her hilt again. Gideon studied her for a brief moment. Her long ears lay back against her head. The chainmail shirt she wore, complimented her gray fur, while the green over shirt contrasted it nicely. The ensemble looked almost too heavy for her to wear but that only eluded to how strong she really was. A smug look came to her face, obviously, Gideon knowing her name was enough to buy him a few seconds to find out more about these two.

"So, you've heard of me?"

"Yes."

Buja grabbed his arms and pulled them back behind his back so she could bind them. As promised, Gideon didn't fight her instead, he kept his eyes locked with the bunny's. She walked up to him, his eyes finding the claw marks on her cheek. A nasty sucker punch that had left a tarnish on her otherwise beautiful face.

The smile fell, taken over by a stone cold voice. "Good, then you know what I'm capable of. If you so much as make a move out of the ordinary, then I will kill you where you stand. You're a fox, I don't like foxes, so there will be no tears shed at your demise. Load him up."

Gideon felt her words rumble through him making his tail twitch nervously. Buja, the buffalo, grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the carriage. He could see Benjamin turning to look at the bunny that was bringing up the rear. There was a sour look on his tired face.

"As a Cleric, I hold certain rights, as you know. I demand to know what charges have been brought against me and my companions."

Gideon felt a sharp shove against the middle of his back causing him to trip on the ramp leading into the carriage. He fell to his knees first before falling with his head on Nicholas' legs. The Bard fox made a sharp grunt and tried to squirm out from under the weight. Gideon tried to help by shimmying the other way. Nicholas glared at the baker fox, who winced and mouthed the word 'sorry'.

Judy tucked her hands behind her back looking at them one at a time as she spoke."True, you do hold that right. You're under arrest for suspicion of stealing from the Crown, an offense punishable by death, if you're found guilty."

"We've stolen nothing," Benjamin grunted, throwing himself against the bars.

"Be that as it may, you should be more careful of the company you keep." Judy gestured to the Bard and the shifting sack.

Nicholas smiled underneath the rope, there was a nervousness in his eyes as he looked around at the rest of the group. Aza grunted and fought to free herself from her bonds. She kicked as hard as she could, her foot connected with Nicholas' rear end. The fox let out a muffled moan and rolled on his stomach to try to escape.

The whole carriage rocked when Judy climbed into the seat, settling in. The same thing happened when Buja sat down, only more so. The buffalo whispered a few strange words and the mustangs chained to the front of the cart started pulling. The rough terrain made it hard to move, even harder to maneuver. They made no sound against the struggle, they just simply pulled harder without a complaint. Magic, Gideon finally got the answer to his question as to what had happened to them.

Judy looked back over her shoulder at them. "King Lionheart will be most pleased to speak with you."

Benjamin grunted and shook his head. "Sister, this is a fine pickle we've landed ourselves in."

Aza glared up at the chubby cheetah and jutted her chin at the Bard as if to demand the Cleric interrogate Nicholas about what he'd done. Benjamin gave a sharp nod and reached out with his bound hands to tear away the rope. Gideon was surprised to find the magic rope give was so easily but he wasn't eager for the flood of words that came from the bard's muzzle.

"Thank you so much. Ugh! I hate having my mouth tied shut-"

"Happens a lot I'd imagine," Benjamin smirked. "Now, explain what the Captain is talking about."

The Bard fox hesitated for a second and smirked. "Well, it's a long story, but it goes a little something like this..."