Chapter 15
Garth wakes up on his last day on Earth. The butcher told him this when he stopped going along with their plans for him. Garth thinks back on how this all started. He was on his way to school when his father abducted him. However, he couldn't prove it was his father. A DNA test had been performed on him, and the antelope told him he was his father. He was often asked about his sister but played dumb and claimed he had no sister. Eventually, his father stopped asking, but he knew Garth was lying.
He was taken off the streets of Zootopia and plunked down in the middle of nowhere on some farm. He was given a room and TV, and various game consoles. When he became bored with the games, he found online schooling. He excelled at learning new things, and math was among his strongest subjects. He also learned history and was fascinated by the night howler story and how a bunny and fox solved the case. This was his life for about two years until his first-morning wood.
Upon finding it, he played with himself briefly, wondering what the hard-on was for. He was unaware he was being watched, and soon he was instructed to "Show any female a good time" that came into his room. It wasn't long before he found out what they meant. All the females that came into his room were very enthusiastic about him breeding them. He was given very little rest, but he is a bunny and good at multiplying. His antler started to grow out at this point.
His Father came to see him several times a year, asking about his sister. He had accessed the orphanage records but couldn't find her. She had been moved to the female section, and her name was misspelled on the records. Marsha had been hiding in plain sight. Garth kept denying he had a sister. He had always felt this was the right thing to do. His father scared him. He asked him how he was getting along and laughed at him when he talked about his breeding habits. Garth had enough schooling to know that what he did wasn't right, but he loved being the prize stud. This went on for about four years.
Just after his sixteenth birthday, they forgot to lock him in his room, and being curious, he left the room and found the breeding pens. There were females from all different species in cages; some he had relations with. They were cages that barely fit their size, not like his room. The air of despair was palatable in the room. After talking to a few, he discovered they weren't enthusiastic as he thought but were desperate. If they didn't become pregnant by him or the other males, the females would disappear, never to be seen again. Most in the room were pregnant or nursing young.
Garth was horrified as he returned to his room. His mind was in turmoil as he walked down the hall. He missed his turn and ended up walking into what he thought was his room, and it wasn't. When he looked up, he was in a reasonably big room with skulls hanging on the walls. He was horrified and fascinated at the same time.
He walked around the room, looking at all the skulls on the walls. There had to be at least a thousand skulls hanging here. Some species of skulls he recognized, but some were so strange he didn't know what species they were. He came to a section of small rabbit skulls and realized they had little protrusions on the top of their skulls that looked like antler nubs. He put two and two together and realized that these skulls were the skulls of his children. His mind freaked out at the thought. His father's benefactors were eating them. He ran from the room, looking for a way to escape this nightmare.
When he woke up, he had pain in his hind paws. When he looked down, he saw bandages just below his knees. His back paws were gone. It felt like they were still there, but they were gone. He started to freak out, but this wolf walked in with a heavy-bladed axe-like implement on his belt and a string of desiccated rabbit paws around his neck. "Well, well, hasenpfeffer, good to see you awake. Like my necklace"? He reaches out with them and shakes all the rabbit paws at Garth. "They're my lucky rabbit paws. You're lucky we didn't kill you. I wanted to take more off but was overruled. Your thighs would have tasted divine."
Garth spits out at him with venom, "You're a monster." He laughs, "That may be so, but what can you do about it, Hasenpfeffer"? "Why do you keep calling me Hasenpfeffer? My name is Garth"! The wolf leans down close. "To me, you're just Hasenpfeffer, "rabbit stew." It's not if but when it will happen to you. Probably when you outlive your usefulness, and when that day comes, I'll let you watch as I take your head off with my cleaver." "Cleaver? What's a cleaver"? The wolf reaches down as he smiles at Garth. He pulls the axe-like blade from his belt. "This is a cleaver or a meat cleaver, to be exact. The design of this blade was found in an ancient predator cookbook. The recipe for hasenpfeffer was found in that book as well." "This blade makes short work of both sinew and bone. With a quick swing, it separates everything."
"Just wait until my father finds out what you have done." The wolf falls with a howl and laughter. He slowly stops laughing and rolling around on the floor and gets up on his hind paws. "Who do you think allowed us to do that to you? I prepared your legs for his enjoyment. Yes, you find that absurd, but I assure you I did, and he did. I'm sure you have never heard of a prey animal eating meat, but he does like a good rabbit stew.
Who do you think owns all of this farm? He does. Once a year, we have a gathering for a feast. You may be on the menu at the next feast. I sure hope so; you will be tasty. Your father said you tasted like a rabbit but more like an antelope. I can't wait to cook you." Garth was naturally horrified at what the wolf said but could tell it was the truth as the wolf saw it. Garth curls up into a ball and cries. The laughter of the wolf rings in his ears as he exits the room.
Once the stubs of his legs heal enough, he's put back into service. His desperation now matches the females put with him. He does his best for them all. No one wants to be food for a predator. His father never came again to his room to talk. Gath thinks, "The bastard just wanted to play with his food." Over the next year, Garth had resigned himself to his death at the paws of the "Butcher." So, he decided to change the rules fourteen months ago. He told them he wouldn't service any more females. They laughed and tied him down to his bed. The females, in their desperation, mounted him. But soon, Garth lost all interest in sex and couldn't get it up anymore. Ten months ago, they tried something new.
The female put with him was named Tabitha. She treated him more like a mate. And soon Garth was in love with her. Tabitha returned his affection, and soon both thought of the other as mates. He was sure they would return her to the pens when she got pregnant. But they didn't. They let her stay with him. Garth was there at the birth of his eight kits. He helped in any way he could. The kits, as they got older, ran around the room. They then learned everything that Kits had to learn. Garth showed the boys how to use the washroom, and Tabitha showed the girls. They had five boys and three girls. By mutual understanding, they gave the kits no names. They never used their names in front of the kits. Why have names when you're just meat for the pots?
They both became anxious as the time came for the kits to be weaned. They knew it was only a matter of time before they all went into the pot. Tabitha was gone a few days before the feast day and was taken while they slept. In a dream-like state, she held him and told him goodbye and to be strong for their kits. When Garth woke up, he cried and held his kits in his arms. The kits were curious about what was happening and why their mom was gone. Garth didn't want to tell them, but they deserved to know. So, he told them the whole truth, and they all clung to each other and him and cried.
The day of the feast arrives, and Garth knows this is the end. He prepared his kits as best as he could. But he cried from when they woke until that dammed wolf walked in. He had an evil grin on his muzzle as he wheeled his cutting board in. One wheel squeaked a bit. Garth put a stoic look on his face and asked if he could be first. "Oh no, Hasenpfeffer, you are the main course. The stew bits go first." He reaches for one of the girls and grabs her. She lets out a scream and bites him on the paw. "Why you little stew bit, I'll show you who bites who." He throws her on the table, still screaming. He raises his cleaver high in the air. Her scream is cut off with a meaty thunk. Garth screams out his pain to the world and passes out.
Thomas, Jessica, Skye, Jack, Mavis, and Brian had a plan for all of them to go in, in stealth suits. They would do that the morning of the feast. The rest of the team members would be dropped around the five-hundred-acre farm to set up and cordon off the area. No one was going to escape. They wanted all the perps and guests. They had all the information and programming of the old meat dishes from the moon base replicators. Moonbase Alpha had no replicators. All their food had been grown. Even the meat had been lab-grown. They only gave Martin a replicator when he got bored. They carried one industrial replicator on board the Pegasus one. They would provide the deviants the meal of their lives before they arrested them all. The morning of the feast, they all snuck into the compound.
Later in the afternoon, Nick and Judy rolled up to the gate. "Nick, are you sure this will work"? Relax, fluff. This will work." "It better; you've got much to make up for when we're done here." "And gladly, will I make it up to you." They rolled up to the gate with the Wolfords in the back seat. The guard at the gate had him stop. He stops and rolls down his window as the guard looks at his clipboard. "Name"? "Steve Pitt, my good sir." The guard looks down at his list on the clipboard. "I don't see your name on the list." "We're a new entry. Check the second page down at the bottom. Warren said we were added." He looks at the bottom of the second page and finds the name Nick was using.
"Excellent, sir, but why did you bring your own meat"? "Oh, she's not meat. She's a pet." He gives Nick an incredulous look. "And who are the people in the back"? "That, sir, is my entourage, or my bodyguards, if you will." He rechecks the clipboard and finds three people listed behind his name. "Right. Have you been here before"? "No, but I'm just dying to try the meal from the greatest chief in the world." The guard chuckles. "He's the only meat chief in the world. He's perfect. All of us guards get to try his failures, and let me tell you, they taste divine. Follow this road straight ahead for five hundred meters and turn right. That's guest parking." "Thank you, we'll be on our way." The guard gives Nick a two-fingered salute as he lifts the barrier.
Thomas and Jessica were scouting out everything while Jack, Skye, Mavis, and Brian tranked all the non-essential personnel that Thomas and Jessica could find. Scott lowered the replicator down to the ground from the Pegasus-two. It was quickly rolled into the kitchen of the main building. Thomas then went to find the cook. The pens were found but were well guarded. As people walked through, they pointed out the ones they wanted as their meal. The predators and a few prey mammals laughed and joked amongst themselves as they did so. The guards then moved the individuals, predator and prey alike, to the holding cells. The cook would come in and take care of them. He liked to hear them scream as he killed them. Most moved with heads bowed, resigned to their fate. But this was a ploy. Most of the meal was set up already. They just wanted to play with their food.
Thomas followed the wolf with the meat cleaver into Garth's room. They were all huddled on the bed, crying at their fate. Garth volunteered to be the first so he didn't have to watch his kits being killed. But the chief grabbed his little girl, laid her on the cutting board, and raised the cleaver high. As it came down, Thomas moved. He grabbed the wolf's paw holding the little girl and yanked it forward. The little girl stopped screaming as this ghostly paw appeared and grabbed her and the paw holding her. The cook cut off his own paw as Garth screamed. The cook stared dumbfounded at the stump of his arm as his blood painted everything. Gab had said not to kill anyone, and Thomas had to stop himself from ending this cook. He fashioned a crude tourniquet from the sting of the apron the cook was wearing and placed it on his stump. As he tightened it down, the cook came out of shock and swiped at Thomas with his other paw, which had dropped the cleaver. Thomas broke his muzzle with the strength of his return punch. The cook went down like a sack of moldy potatoes. Thomas separated the little girl from the paw holding her and returned her to her father. Jessica appeared, and Thomas and Jessica wrapped around Garth and his kits. They then blinked out for the Pegasus. Once there, he sedated them all.
Thomas and Jessica returned and started to remove the pregnant and nursing females from the pens after tranking the guards. Mavis had taken control of the security system, so no alarms were raised as the pens emptied out. The ones that had been selected were also removed from the building. They were loaded into the Pegasus-one, and when it was full, Scott flew over to the command post two miles away. Most cried as they were loaded into buses for the long drive to the closest secure government location. About twenty psychologists were waiting for the released prisoners. It took several trips for all the prisoners and several more for the tranked personnel. Some males servicing females, like Garth, were also rescued. Some were part of this group of deviants and reveled in their sexual prowess. How sick do you have to be to eat your children?
By the time of the feast, Thomas had prepared a massive spread from the replicator. All the mammals in prep had been removed from the pots and ovens. Many of the rescuers growled at this treatment of mammals. Some saw red, but their buddies kept them all in check. Thomas had several beef dishes, pork dishes, rabbit dishes, venison dishes, chicken and turkey dishes, and stews of all sorts. He had prepared BLTs as well. The bell sounded for the meal to be brought out.
Thomas and five other predators wheeled the meal out to the hall. One antelope stood up. "Where's the cook"? "Sorry, sir, he is indisposed at the moment. He said he would be out later." "Who are you"? "I'm Thomas, sir. I'm one of the temporary hires for this event. My mother is a friend of Warrens." Thomas gets into position and unloads the trays into the buffet line. This incredible smell fills the room. Many start to drool as the covers are removed from the dishes. The antelope comes to the buffet and samples one of the beef dishes. "You can tell the cook that he's outdone himself this time. This beef tastes divine." With that, he loads up a plate and returns to his table. Like a sign, the rest of the people line up for the food. Nick secretly passes Judy her dart gun as he gets up from the table. He's the last one in line behind the Wolfords. Nick loads up on the turkey dish with some steamed carrots. He then makes a carrot salad for Judy. When back at the table, Nick places the plate for Judy on the floor. Some seeing this laugh at Nick's treatment of her. Judy had been hopping along on all fours playing her part.
The meal went off without a hitch. Most of the bigger predators were reclining in their chairs, heading for a food coma. Some, like the antelope from earlier, were walking around the room talking to the guests. Nick, Judy, Lilly, and Ralph were having a delightful conversation. No word had reached them yet on when it was time to move, so they conversed while they waited. Judy, playing subservient, sat on the floor and kept her voice so low that only her friends could hear her. The antelope, walking around, approached their table with a few tough guys by his side.
"So, Officers, did you like my little spread"? "I'm sorry, sir. You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Steve Pitt." "Are you going to stick to your cover name? I live in Zootopia, and I recognize the heroes of the night howler incident. Judy, if you could get up and sit at the table proper, please"? As for your two friends, I believe they are the Wolfords. I mean, a tiger and a wolf together? It has to be the Wolfords. So, what brings you out here? Trying to take me down? I'm not like those idiots supplying me with meat for my pots. But you weren't the ones to take them down. That was your son and daughter-in-law." "We were there. We tranked the rest of them as Officer Andy Swinton took down the leader." "That may be, but they got what they deserved for being so sloppy. As for you four, keep your paws where I can see them, and kindly get up and head for the door on my right."
"Not going to happen. Do you think that we came alone? The ZCIA, FIB, and members of the Commonwealth Combine have surrounded this farm and are closing in as we speak." The Antilope laughs. "Oh, you are so funny." He wipes a tear out of his eye. "Oh, good one. No one is coming to help you." "Your wrong, the food you ate was made by a replicator, not your cook. Quite good for fake meat, right"? "You're lying. I've had beef before, and that was the best beef I have ever tasted." "Sorry, it was fake. Thomas made the spread with an industrial-sized replicator he had brought into the kitchen. Your cook hasn't been working all afternoon."
"COOK, Cook, where are you"? At his shout, most people around the room sat up, wondering what was happening. The cook was thrown threw the door from the kitchen. He lands on the floor and screams in pain when his stump hits the ground. He does scream, but because his jaw is wired shut, it becomes more of a stutter. He gets to his hind paws and turns back for the kitchen. Thomas stands at the door blocking his path. Pandemonium breaks out around the room.
As it does, several of the side door open, and task force mammals are standing in the doors with repeater dart guns. William had recently designed these new trank guns. They had fifty-round mags and could fire them all off in under twenty seconds. This was the first test of these guns. When people started to move for the exits, the guns came into play. They were very effective. Almost all the people in the room were tranked. Some fell on their faces and surrendered instead of being tranked. They were cuffed and hauled out to waiting trucks. As the dust settles, Judy decides to tour the pens. Nick accompanies her.
As they're walking through the pens, Judy hears something. "Shhhh… everyone, I hear something." They all go quiet as Judy does the radar thing with her ears, and she manages to zero in just before the sound stops. She motions Nick forward and pulls out her dart gun. They both creep forward toward the pen Judy had heard the noise from. The mattress of the pen Judy thought she heard the noise from moves a bit. Nick, with his gun drawn, reaches in and flips the mattress over. Two little kits scream in fright as their cover is gone. Both kits cling to each other and wail.
"Shh… Shh, little ones, no one here will hurt you." Said Judy putting her dart gun away. Judy reaches out for Thomas. (Son, can you hear me?) (I can hear you, what's up"?) (We just found two little kits hiding in a hollowed-out corner of a mattress. Can you bring some rabbit food to the pens? Also, some peanut butter. They appear to be a little thin.") (I'll be there shortly.") Both kits stopped screaming and stared at Judy as she spoke to Thomas. She could swear that they heard her talk to Thomas. Thomas comes in with a bowl of greens and a peanut butter sandwich.
Their noses start twitching as they smell the food. They shrink back from Thomas but quickly move towards the bowl Thomas put down in front of them. They dive into the bowl of greens and start to eat. Thomas then lays down a peanut butter sandwich in front of the bowl. The male twitches his nose as he comes up for air. He reaches over the edge of the bowl and grabs the sandwich. He drags it into the bowl, splits it roughly in half, and gives his sister the bigger half. They both finish the sandwich and go back to the greens. Soon the bowl is empty, and the two kits look like beach balls.
Judy looks at them both and asks, "So, little ones, do you have names"? "They both look up at a smiling Judy. The male stands up and comes forward. "I'm stew, and my sister is bits. That's what that dirty white wolf called us all." "Where's your mom, little ones." "She's gone. We can't feel her anymore. We're all alone." Judy looks at the tiny protrusions on their heads. "No, I don't think you are. You look a lot like a few other mammals we have rescued." "You're not going to eat us"? "Why would we do that? I'm a vegan, and my mate is primarily vegan.
My mate must eat meat to stay healthy, but chicken and the occasional bug burger keep him healthy." "Judy, you know Nick doesn't have to eat meat. He just likes the taste of chicken." "HEY, no giving away my secrets, Thomas." Thomas turns to the kits. "I know I am right, as I'm a vegan and have never eaten meat. Would you like to meet your father"? "WE WANT OUR MOTHER"! Wail the two kits. They cling to each other, crying. "I'm sorry little ones. Your mother is no longer amongst the living." Said Thomas. Judy, without thinking, dives into the cage and sweeps the kids up in an embrace. They turn and cling to Judy and cry on her shoulders. "Shh… little ones. You are safe now. The bad mammals are gone." Judy sits on the cage floor and rocks back and forth as she comforts them. They soon fall asleep in Judy's arms. Judy gets up and comes out of the cage.
"You know, Judy, these are some of Garth's kits, right"? "Yes, I saw the protrusions on their heads. They are advanced for their age." "They are and were listening in on our mind conversation." "Are you sure? Wait, don't answer. I felt that too. What do we do with them"? "Their father is still alive, but they need some early childhood learning as they have no social skills. Know anyone who can fill that bill for them"? Judy taps the side of her head with the other paw and thinks hard. Thomas can see the light bulb go off in her head.
"My Sister Samantha should have finished her early childhood development and education courses. Not sure if she has a job lined up, but we could ask her." "Call her. We can supply her with a place to stay. But warn her she will have ten kits to look after." Knowing my sister, that will be no problem for her." Judy passes the kits to Thomas, who blinks out for the Pegasus one. Judy takes out her phone and calls her burrow. Her mom answers the phone.
"Judy, to what do we owe the pleasure of your call"? "I need to talk to Samantha. We may have a job for her. Does she have a job already"? "No, not that I know of. She finished her final course two weeks ago and had just submitted a few resumes." "Ok, I will call her on the intercom. "SAMANTHA, LINE TWO, LINE TWO, SAMANTHA. She should be picking up shortly. When are you coming home next? We miss you." "It may be soon, Mom, not sure when, however. We have a few more things to do with this case." "Ok, we look forward to your next visit. And bring everyone if you can. We need to see our latest Great Grand kits." "Will do, Mom." Just then, Samantha picks up the extension in another room.
"Hello"? "Hi, Samantha." "JUDY, I haven't heard your voice in like forever. How are you doing, sis"? "I'm doing fine. Listen with the case we are working on; We have a bunch…." "I'LL DO IT." "You don't even know what the job is." "You rescued eight little kits, right? Please tell me I'm not wrong." "We did rescue eight little kits but found two more in pens. Their mother is no longer among the living. How did you know about the eight kits"? Ah…Well… it's a guess. Mom has six of us in most litters. Yours was one of the bigger litter sizes. Before mom was fixed, they would have to start going over the alphabet again for the third time." "Right, I had forgotten that." They both laugh at how prolific their mother was. "When can I see them"? We are leaving here soon. We should arrive about the same time if you catch the next train to Zootopia." "Good, I can't wait to meet Garth's kits." "Sam, how do you know the kit's father is named Garth"? "I…I… fine, I'll tell you when I see you." "You better. I won't let you rest until I get to the bottom of this mystery. Head for Wilde Industries. We will meet you there." "Ok, and thanks." Judy hangs up her phone and turns to Nick. The rest of the personnel had turned over all the mattresses looking for more kits. No more were found.
"Guys, you need to see this." Says Wolford looking a little green as he beckons them out the door. They go down a short hall to the "Trophy Room." As they enter the room, they gasp at all the skulls on the walls. There has to be a couple thousand at least on the walls. "This isn't the worst of it." Says Wolford leading them to a different door. Nick and Judy both lose their lunch at the contents of the next room. Shelf upon shelf and pallet upon pallet of tanned furs and hides. All were nicely labeled as to the species the furs were from.
Nick stands up, "How many furs are there in here"? "Well, from the estimate of fifty to a skid, we conclude that there are over fifteen hundred in here." "God, what were they going to do with them? It's not like there's a market for fur and hides." "Actually, sir, there is." Says a bobcat as he walks over with a rank insignia from the combine on his sleeve. "On the Rusky north continent, there is no law about the sale or use of furs to keep warm. They are in perpetual ice and snow up there. I'll never know why someone lives where it is always cold." That's just barbaric." "It is what it is. We can't impose our rules and beliefs on another country. From what your computer specialist told us, this was going to be the third shipment out to them." "So, you're saying we will never know how many people were killed by this group." "I'm afraid so. But we can bring closure to the families missing these loved ones." "Yes, that is a small comfort." Judy and Nick turn from the room, walk out the door, through the trophy room, and into the late evening sunshine.
Scott had set the Pegasus one down in the courtyard and stood outside watching all the activity around him. Nick walks over and hugs him. Judy hugs them both. "What's got you so worked up, brother"? Asks Scott. Nick doesn't respond in words but in pictures. Scott goes a little green and hugs Nick harder. "God, I didn't think that acts of Barbarism still existed in this day and age. I had hoped that this was all in the past." Said Scott with tears in his eyes. "It still exists in this day and age, but not normally on our continent." "Nick, can we go? I want to get as far away from here as I can." As they walk up to them, the Wolfords hear Judy's last statement.
"Go, you two. We will drive the car back to town. It will take us a few days, but we need the time to figure out all of this. The combine can mop up this mess." "Are you sure"? "Yes, we're sure we need time to ourselves." "Ok, not a scratch on the car, or Bogo will have my hide." Ralph laughs. "Yes, he will." Says Ralph with a maniacal laugh as he rubs his paws together. With an evil grin, he hooks his arm in Lily's, and they both head for the car. Nick raises a finger but drops it with a shrug. They then enter the Pegasus One, and Scott flies all of them home.
Garth comes to lying on his back in a meadow. He turns his head from side to side, taking in his surroundings. He then gets to his hind paws. He thinks to himself at this point that he's dead. How else would he have hind paws again? He walks for a bit until he hears voices. He walks a bit more and realizes that he has come upon a wedding scene. He stays way back, watching the proceedings. He thinks that the bride looks a lot like his sister, whom he had been told was one of the victims of the pots. He cries at the beautiful wedding in front of him. The buck looks a lot like him but has tiger-style stripes on his face and arms. Garth falls to his knees and cries at the beautiful scene in front of him. Thinking he would never have one like it.
He raises his ears and listens to the large dog officiating at this wedding. "Do you, Alex Antlerson take Marsha to be your lawfully wedded mate? To have and hold. In sickness and health, In good times and in bad, until the end of your days together"? Alex looks at Marsha and smiles, "I Do." "And do you, Marsha, take Alex as your lawfully wedded mate, to have and hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, until the end of your days together"? Marsha blushes at Alex's smile and says, "I DO." "Then Alex and Marsha, by the power invested in me, by me, I now pronounce you mates. To seal the deal, you may now kiss." Alex and Marsha kiss very passionately before they turn to face their guests. "Ladies and gentle mammals, I present to you Alex and Marsha Antlerson. What I have brought together let no mammal tear apart."
Marsha and Alex step down from the dais to clapping and cheers from all the guests. They both reach the end of the chairs when Marsha notices her brother. "GARTH" she screams as she runs towards him. She throws the bouquet over her shoulder as she did so. A chocolate bunny was the one to catch it. Marsha falls to her knees and brings him into a fierce hug. Garth hugs her back, realizing he must be dead as well. "Be well, brother. I'm glad you could make it." Garth clutches her harder. "Oh, Marsha, I'm so sorry. I couldn't protect you." "Protect me? What are you talking about"? "They found you and put you in the pots. I was shown your skull." "Well, I can tell you, I never went through the pots. I'm alive and well, as are you." "I would like to believe that, so when do I meet my maker"? "Right now, Garth." Said Sirius.
Garth raises his head and looks upon the dog who had officiated her wedding to Alex. Sirius had sat down and now gave a kindly smile to Garth. Garth starts to cry again. "Why did you allow that to happen"? "I can't interfere in life. If I did, I would have to step into every bad situation. The object of life is to learn and grow." "Can you take me to my mate and kits"? "I can take you to one or the other, but not both." "What does that mean"? "Your kits are still alive, as are you." "But I heard my daughter die." "No, you heard her scream as the wolf with the cleaver chopped off his own paw. All of your kits are still alive. Do you wish to die like your mate or live with your kits"? "I can choose"? "Life, Garth, is all about choices. Good or bad ones." Garth thinks to himself for a minute, "I'm sorry, Tabitha, I won't be joining you. I need to go and look after our kits." He feels a spiritual hug and is at peace. The meadow fades from his awareness.
Judy, Nick, and Scott unload Garth and his kits onto a gurney at Wilde Industries. They wheel them in just as Thomas and Jessica pop into existence. They both take a short breather leaning against the wall. "Wouldn't conventional transport have been easier on you both"? "It would have, Dad, but we would still be traveling back here. We had a few things to tie up before we could leave. Otherwise, we would have come back with you. So how is our patient? Still asleep"? "He is. What did you hit him with"? "We hit him with a new type of sleeping formula. It is less harmful to the body and brain and has no side effects or addictive qualities. We will be releasing it soon onto the market. It requires an antidote to counterman the effects. Patients would wake up sooner from the anesthetic with no side effects."
"You just continue to do good things, don't you"? "What can we say? We need to get Garth into a Nutrien tank and his kits to a bed. We will administer the antidote to them when the helper gets here." "I was told by my sister Samantha she would be on the five-thirty express to Zootopia, so she should be at the gate in about an hour." Thomas reaches up behind his left ear. A few moments later, he removes his paw. "I have informed the gate of her arrival. They will escort her here. We will have to get her clearance for the complex." They take the kits to a bed in the recovery room and Garth to a repair and grow tank. They place him in it and start the process to regrow his legs and hind paws.
Samantha takes a cab to the front gate of Wilde Industries and rushes in. "Please, need I to medical go." The guard smiles up at her. "A little flustered, are you"? Samantha breaths deep a few times and gets herself under control. "Yes, I've been waiting a lifetime to meet my new charges." "In that case, please follow my colleague to medical. But first, you need to be logged in." The Guard points to a kiosk in the corner. "You need to place your paws on the scanner, look into the camera and state your name." Samantha does as requested and is given a temporary pass. An otter in a guard's uniform escorts her to medical. Jessica is waiting to meet her.
Samantha takes one look at Jessica and brings her into a Hopps hug. "Hi Susan, long time no see." Jessica, taken aback, lets her go. Samantha smiles up at her. "Don't try to deny it, Susan. Gab told me the truth." "Why would he do that"? "That's the rest of the story you need to hear. Can I see Garth"? "Not at the moment. We just started him on the repair protocols. How about I take you to his kits"? "YES, I need to see them." "Why do you need to see them"? "Sorry, but that's part of the story you all need to hear." Jessica leads her down the hall to the waiting lounge. There, everyone is waiting for her.
"All right, sis, spill it all. What do you know"? Say Judy with her arms crossed. "I'm not sure if you all will believe me. It's quite the story." "We will suspend our disbelief at the moment, but please start, sis." "Right, to get the elephant out of the room. Hi, Daniel." She throws her paw up, "Don't try to deny it. Gab told me a few days ago." "Why would he do that"? "Not sure, but you are not the only ones to go back in time. I'm a time traveler as well."
"The first memory I have is being born, not to our parents, Judy, but to Phil and Donna Leapson. I was born Tabitha Leapson. My young life was normal as a kit. I wasn't the best in School, so it took me a bit to learn new things. I was tested and found to have a learning disability. I was dyslectic. But once that was figured out, I was taught to work with it. It's a good thing I went to school in Deerbrook County. I didn't meet myself very often, mostly at school track competitions. I excelled at sports. As Sam, I wanted to tell myself about my future, but every time it came up, I couldn't find the words to tell myself. I think I had a mental block placed on my memories. I remembered, but I couldn't tell anyone until four days ago when Gab and a great Dane talked to me in a strange meadow. I was informed I could tell only a few individuals. You are all on that list.
So, to continue, as Tabitha, I had a few bad experiences as a teenager and ran away from home. No, I will not tell you what happened. Just to say, I began to hate all males and myself. I found myself living on the streets of Zootopia. I was there for about a year before I saw a flyer on a telephone pole for a job as a receptionist. I cleaned myself up at a gas station and went for the interview. I wasn't the only one at the interview. There were four of us hares selected for the final interview. When we went into the room, we were tranked. I woke up in a cage and was told I was a plaything or food. Well, I survived as a plaything for about six months but got sick of that and, resigned to my fate, told them that I wouldn't do that anymore. The "Cook" came in with his axe-like implement and cutting board. He started to sharpen the blade of that meat cleaver. But as he got ready, an antelope came in and told them they had a different job for me.
Yes, I knew what was going on around there and had resigned myself to my fate. A white bunny in the next cage over had told me what was to happen in those rooms. Only the kits were taken from the mothers in the pens. Unless they miscarried, then they disappeared. Several of the mothers had kits with small protrusions on their heads, and I wondered why this was so. Were they deformed for a reason? When I was placed with Garth in the breeding room, I figured out the deformity.
It wasn't a deformity but the way their father looked. He was so handsome to me. Garth was so broken that he didn't want to come near me or have sex with me. Well, after a few days of Garth and I talking, we kind of fell in love with each other. The sex was glorious with the one I loved. And soon I was with kit. Two and half months later, our kits were born, all eight of them. We both cried, knowing what was to be our fate. But we raised them the best we could. We never used our names or gave the kits names. Why have a name when you are just food for some sick bastard? I knew the time was coming up for the feast and was certain this was the end for all of us.
Three days before the feast, I was taken while we all slept together. The cook tied me to his cutting board and proceed to tell me I was going to become a "candied hare." With that, he chopped my head off. He propped my head up, and I watched as he cut the fur off my shaking body, and then he gutted me. He talked to me the whole time my head was dying. Telling me what he was going to do with my whole family. He kept talking about a stew he was going to make with my family. He called it "Hasenpfeffer." I died with his laughter ringing in my ears. Somehow, I found my way back to Garth and hugged him, and told him to be strong for our kits.
After that, I found myself in a meadow with a snow leopard named Gab. He held me tight and cried with me. He then directed me to the veil, and I walked through. The judge sent me back to life. I thought he was going to take my memories. He told me he would. But I was born to our mom Judy, with my memories intact. I think Gab helped me with my memories. They no longer hurt or ruled me. It was like a book that I had read somewhere. I figured out Garth and I would be about the same age when and if we ever met again.
This was why I was always different in the family. I had to learn how to be a kit all over again. I was smarter than the rest of my litter, as I had already had schooling from before. It was much easier not having a disability this time around. That's why I was the way I was. I told myself I would save myself for Garth. Mom was a little concerned when I hit puberty and showed no interest in bucks. She sat me down and was going to explain the facts of life to me. Was she ever surprised when I explained them to her. I even gave her a few pointers with Dad." Judy and the rest of the family break out in laughter.
"I finished high school four years ahead of everyone else and went immediately into college and got my degree in early childhood development. I then took two years of psychology in one. Then I got my teaching certificate. I knew my kits would need me to be the one to teach them if they survived. And you have told me they did. Is Garth ok? Can I see him and the kits"? "You can see him, Samantha, but you can't touch him. The contamination of the fluid around him could hinder his chances of his legs regrowing properly." "You can regrow limbs"? "Yes, we can. It will take about a month, barring any unusual circumstances. He should be able to walk again when we are done." Samantha throws herself into Thomas's embrace and just sobs and cries.
At the end of her story Marsha and Alex burst into the room. "Thomas, where is he? I need to see him." "Marsha, for the moment, he is a nutrien tank. We are in the process of regrowing his hind paws. Like I told Samantha here, you can see him but not touch him." "And what about his kits? When can I take them home"? "You can't take them home, but you can see them." "Why can't I take them home? They're my nieces and nephews." "You can't take them home as their mother gets them first." "Their mother? She's still alive"? "She is, and I'm sure the kits will want her." Samantha looks up at Marsha.
"You're just like Garth describe you. Though he was told you were dead, having gone through the pots. And you have such beautiful antlers. Garth wasn't allowed to grow his out. They cut them off of him from time to time and made jewelry out of them." "Where was he found, Thomas"? "This is going to come out in a few days, but it's not a pretty picture, Marsha. He was found at a farm about a thousand miles away. It was a meat farm. Because of you telling us about him, we arrived in time to save over Forty mammals from the ovens and pots, including your brother." "No"! "I'm afraid yes, Marsha." Marsha turns to Alex crying. Jessica says, "We need to bring the kits some food before we wake them all up. As I'm sure they will all be hungry."
All the mammals in the room wipe tears from their eyes as they get up. Nick and Judy hug and follow everyone out of the room. They all go to see Garth in the tank first. Samantha says, "he looks so peaceful, and his legs and paws will grow back"? "They will. They may be tender for a bit, but he should make a full recovery." Both Marsha and Samantha lay a paw on the tank. Jessica had slipped away to replicate some greens, peanut butter sandwiches, and drinks for the kits. When they enter the kit's room, Jessica had set down the tray beside the bed and was administering the antidote for the sleeping agent to all the kits.
They all began to wake up, and the sleeping pile dissolved. They stretched and yawned and then noticed Samantha. "MOM" eight of them scream. And run to her. Samantha, at the edge of the bed, opens up her arms to receive the kits. Two sit there and twitch their noses at the smell of food. "I'm sorry, little ones I'm not your mother," Sam says to the eight kits. The biggest of the kits steps back and stands tall. "Yes, you are. The soul never lies." "The soul"? "Yes, your soul. The colors of your soul and the shape of it are the same as our mother's soul. Your body coloring is different, but your soul is the same." "How can you see that"? "Not sure. We see all the colors around us of people's souls. Do you not claim us as your own"? "I do. Though there is no precedent for this sort of thing in law." "The law doesn't matter to us. You are our mother." With that declaration, he goes back into the hug pile. The other two kits move over to take a peanut butter sandwich apiece and begin to eat. Samantha looks up at the other two kits eating sandwiches.
"Hello, you two. I'm Samantha." The male stops eating for a bit. "Hello Samantha, I'm Stew, and my sister is Bits." Samantha turns to Judy. "Where did you find them, Judy"? "We found them in the pens in a hollowed-out corner of a mattress." "Not what I meant, sis. I meant, where in the pens did you find them? What aisle and cage number"? "They were found in aisle forty-two, cage number seven." "No way! These two are Snowey's kits." "Who is Snowey"? "Her name was Cathreen Snowey, or at least that's what she called herself. She was an arctic hare. I was in the cage next to her when they brought her back in after seeing Garth. She talked about how she was going to save her kits. We devised a plan about hiding them under her mattress." "Yes, we found them under the mattress in a hollowed-out section." "I was taken into Garth shortly thereafter, so I never knew what happened to Snowey."
Stew speaks up. "Mom told us that it took her most of the first month of her pregnancy to hollow out the corner of her mattress. After we were born, mom fed us, then rotated two of us into the mattress after feeding us. We all learned quickly to be quiet under the mattress. As we got older, some of the other females in cages would pass us food. We were always rotated in and out of the mattress. The bad guys always thought that mom only gave birth to four kits. The morning our mom and siblings were taken, it was our turn in the mattress. They all screamed as they were taken, but Mom asked us to behave and be strong. We knew her message was to us hiding in the mattress. Then it got quiet. We stayed hidden even when all noise from the room ceased. Later we heard a lot of people coming back and got scared again. We started to cry, and that was when we were found. We lost everything that day. Our mother and our brothers and sisters." Says Stew as he turns to cling to his sister as they both start to cry.
The brave one of Garth's kits disengages from his mom and standing tall, and walks across the bed, facing the two crying ones. "I know we're not your brothers and sisters, but we could be if you let us." It takes no time at all, and they both stand up and embrace him. They then walk across the bed to Samantha. Samantha then embraces them all. Marsha stands there with her arms crossed, crying, while Alex, with tears in his eyes, throws his right arm around her shoulders.
Through her tears, "Hello, little ones, my name is Marsha, and my mate is Alex." The smallest little girl stands up, "Hi, Marsha. Why does your soul look like our dads? Are you related to our dad"? "I am Little One. Garth is my brother." "Who is Garth"? "Garth is your dad's name." "What is a name"? "A name is what everyone else calls you by." Turning to Samantha, "Do we have names, Mommy"? "You will have. Your father and I never gave you any. Why give you names if we were all going to end up in the cook pots"? "But you did end up in the pots." "I did, but once your father wakes up, the two of us will give you names." The little girl then turns back to Marsha. "Am I going to get horns as beautiful as yours"? "You will." Says Marsha, still crying. "May I touch them"? "You may." Marsha leans down, but she feels many paws touching her antlers. She straightens up with a smile.
The little girl turns back to Samantha, "Mom, we all have to go." "Right, girls first, then the boys." All the girls jump off the bed, and Samantha leads them over to the facilities. When done, the boys all take their turns with Alex supervising. They then all climb on the bed and proceed to devour the food. Jessica smiles and goes to get more food. Soon the food is all gone, and the beach balls are all headed for a food coma. Samantha rubs their backs as they all fall asleep chirring. She gets to her hind paws. "Well, this has really been a roller coaster kind of day. Can I get something to eat, please? I didn't have time before I left the burrow. Plus, I was too excited to eat." "You can, Sam. Just follow us to the cafeteria. I think we all need something after today." Said Judy as she turns to leave the room.
"Oh darn, I'm going to have to get them all clothes. They have never worn clothes before." Thomas laughs, "They won't be the only ones. Marc likes to run around nude as well. His mother gets on his case, as well, but he still disrobes every chance he gets." Judy and Nick laugh, thinking of finding him naked many times in the house. He was quite the gymnast as well. "We have clothes at the daycare. I'm sure we can find them something appropriate."
"Good, not sure where I could find clothes at this time of the night." "There is a clothier down the block from here if you go early in the morning. There won't be many people on the street at that time." "I'm going to walk the kits down the street? I don't think that's a good idea. They have never been in open spaces before. They could get scared and run away." "They could, but I think they may surprise you." "I don't like surprises. If you come with us, I'll think of taking them to the store." "All right, Jessica and I will walk you all down the street to the clothier. It will be quite the experience for them." "Yes, I'm sure it will. No bars holding them back." "If you like, Alex and I can walk with you as well." Says Marsha. "Yes, of course, you are family, after all."
They all arrive at the cafeteria, and everyone gets their favorite meals. Lively conversation ensues around them as Sam and Judy catch up on their lives. After the meal, Samantha yawns and gets up. "Well, everyone, it's been nice, but I want to go sleep with my kits. Thomas, I will see you in the morning." "Right, you are Samantha. See you in the morning." Samantha goes down the hall and enters the room with her sleeping kits. She crawls onto the bed and proceeds to curl around the kits. The pile of kits redistributes itself to accommodate her. It's been an unbelievable day for her, and she falls asleep with a smile.
She dreams about attending Marsha's and Alex's wedding. There was a big dog officiating the wedding. The same one she had talked to a few days ago. She listened to him, and soon his words make her realize who he is. She shrank down in the chair she was sitting in, trying not to catch his attention. Marsha and Alex walked down the aisle with the dog following them. As he comes abreast of her, he turns and smiles down at her. She turns at the shout of "GARTH." As she turns, she's just in time to catch the bouquet. She puts her nose into the flowers and takes a big sniff. The scene fades out in front of her. And she chirrs in her sleep.