Ch. 20: The Pack's Reunion

Nick woke with a start, his fur stick with sweat and his eyes wide as he drew in several ragged breaths.

He hadn't had that nightmare-more of a memory-in years. But then again, he hadn't seen his former pack in years either.

He glanced down at Judy who was sleeping peacefully, curled into a ball with Suzy leaning against her head, their breaths small and serene. The sound of his phone buzzing had Nick turning to the bedside table and checking the screen, he had a text from an unknown number.

But the words told him who was on the other line: Ray & Ed say they miss you.

Nick shuddered, how did Moriarty get his number?

Another text: We should hang out like we used to.

Before Nick could finish reading the words there came another: And get our paws red like we did in the good old days.

Nick turned off the phone and nearly threw it back on the table. He buried his head in his paws, he needed fresh air.

Glancing down at Judy for a moment Nick slipped out of bed and pulled on some comfortable clothes that stuck to him. He walked out to the living room to see his mother on the couch, watching an old black and white comedy.

Amelia looked surprised to see him up, "Something wrong?"

"I just need to go for a walk," Nick said, there was no need to tell her why. "I won't be long."

"By yourself?" she asked, her brow knit in confusion. "Should I come with you?"

Nick shook his head quickly, "No, it's fine; just lock the door behind me please." He was impressed how he hid his fear from his voice; he really was such a perfect liar.

Minutes later he was walking down the dark streets, thoughts turning through his head and his guilt churning through his belly. What he needed was a time machine so he'd have never helped Ray, had never gotten involved with him.

But then you'd have never met Judy, a small voice whispered in his head, reminding him why the mistakes had been worth it. Ironically it was the mistakes that could also have him lose her as well. He didn't know where his feet were taking him until they finally stopped and he realized this was the place he needed to be.

Nick lifted his head to look at the tree house, the wood was rotting with age and it looked unstable, unsafe, but God, did it feel him with bittersweet nostalgia. Everything had gone downhill when the pack had become too big to have this place as theirs.

Footsteps had his ears twitching and Nick whirled around to see Moriarty standing there as if he had followed the fox, thought Nick knew that was false. Moriarty didn't follow mammals, mammals followed Moriarty.

The wolf's acid green eyes looked uncharacteristically tired as he gazed up at the tree house, and for a moment Nick wondered if Mane missed the actual good old days too, when they were just a bunch of kids reading comic books and hiding from the rest of the world.

"What are you doing here?" Nick demanded as the wolf stepped forward to stand by him, Nick's body tensed.

Moriarty glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, "I could ask you the same thing. Weren't you done with this life, Officer Wilde?"

"I am," Nick said resolutely. "I just wanted to visit. Remember how you three were before you all turned insane."

A familiar, high-pitched, laugh filled the night air and Nick looked up at the tree again to see Ed and Ray smirking down at him from the house door. They had been waiting for him.

"You're the one who wanted to hurt those scouts," Ray pointed out, "We were just willing to help our buddy."

"I am not your buddy," Nick growled before turning his eyes to Moriarty. "You just saw a sad kit to take advantage of."

Moriarty ran his paw over his scarf and Nick realized all three of them were now wearing scarves even though they had never had such a habit as pups. "No," Moriarty growled, "I took advantage of a coward."
Nick flinched and ground his teeth together, "I'm not scared of you anymore." And I'm not scared of what you have to say. These three were crazy and they needed to be behind bars… But first they had questions to answer.

"You owe me some honesty," Nick told the maned wolf.

Moriarty's eyes narrowed, glinting in amusement and suspicion, "Do I?"

"I was good to you when I was a kit," he pointed out. "I always did what you said and got you a lot of money. You owe it to me to be honest."

Moriarty snorted, "I know you nothing, Red. But I suppose you are one of the few mammals in the world I was ever honest with. Keep talking."

"Did you kidnap Eleanor Sugar?" he asked immediately.

Moriarty glanced up at Ray and Ed, "We did."

Nick's heart beat faster at the words, he was surprised it had been so easy. "Do you still have her?"

"No," Moriarty's paw once again rested on his scarf. "Our boss has her."

The red fox's brow knit, "Boss? Who is he? Where he have her?"

The maned wolf looked him up and down, "Are you interrogating me, Officer Wilde?"

Nick's eyes narrowed, "I am."

Ed laughed loudly while Ray spoke: "Next thing we know he's going to try and arrest us."

"I plan to," Nick growled, he was aware that wasn't the brightest thing to say given the circumstances but he was desperate to show the three he wasn't scared of them. "Tell them whatever you want about me, I don't care anymore. But I am curious about this!" He reached forward and tore the scarf away from Moriarty's neck, revealing a thick black collar with a bulge on either side. Nick stilled in shock and before he could get a better look Moriarty struck him across his scarred cheek, forcing him to his knees.

"What did you do?" Nick growled through the pain, the collar having sent a spike of fear through his heart. Whoever managed to collar Moriarty Mane was not a mammal to be reckoned with.

The wolf kicked Nick in his side before pining him to the ground, snarling in his ear. "If you say one more word I'll hurt you worse than when I gave you those scars when you just had to save that little brat!"

Nick's eyes widened, he knew it. He had recognized those eyes.

"And it won't be a physical wound that will heal," Moriarty growled. "Tell the ZPD; tell anyone, about us and I will take pleasure in tearing your little bunny to shreds."

Nick's heart stopped at those words and he stared up at Moriarty in open terror, the wolf grinned. "And if I can't get to her the boss will, and I assure you he won't be as nice as me. It isn't a question if she'll forgive your past mistakes, Red. It's the question if you can live without her after she dies a very painful slow death."

The wolf released him and stood up, "You won't be able to handle what's about to come, Red."