Judy pulled Vivienne a little tighter to her, the fox shaking a bit as she genuinely sobbed. The bunny stroked vulpine ears back slowly and blushed. She had suspected Vivienne would have an emotional response to this, but she didn't expect it to be so pronounced. She didn't want Nick to come outside looking for her only to find his mom falling apart in front of the lake.
"I hope it's okay..." she whispered, a flicker of worry shooting through her that maybe Vivienne was actually upset and didn't want Judy to do that.
"Oh sweetie, no, it's wonderful! I... I didn't expect... I had hoped, but..." She made Judy wince again as the fox squeezed the tender bunny. Judy squirmed some as the older vixen kept her held close against her green hoody, warm and safe. The bunny was about to make herself a part of a lot of fox cuddling, so she accepted that she should get used to this at least.
After a bit more of this, the doe whispered gently, "I don't want Nick to wake up and see this and ruin the surprise. I just... I wanted to ask you personally." Viv looked up into her eyes, ears up and alert, nodding. Judy said, still nearly whispering, "I need to know how to say it. Where and when. I want to do this absolutely right." Judy was released and she leaned back a bit, the fox still sitting on the swinging bench in front of her.
"It's not so complicated as all that." Vivienne stated, wiping her cheeks with her bare arm. "I mean... It can be something between just the two of you, at any time. You two are the only ones really involved in this promise."
Judy smiled up at her fox-mom and perked her ears up. "It's important to me that I do this in front of others who care for Nick. I am sure you understand that. And I need to make sure my intentions are clear. It's not just the promise... the vow I mean. I don't know how a fox wedding actually works." There was an adorable squeak from Vivienne at that.
"Oh sweetie..." She leaned forward again. The doe's ears got stroked by the Viv as she looked at Judy with wet eyes. "The words are... a little different for that, yes. I will send you the right ones. When you are ready to use them, I would love to be there, Judy. I will come at a moment's notice, understand?" she asked.
"Yes, Mom." Judy answered. Another squeak from Vivienne.
"Your mom and dad will be there too, yes?" she asked.
Judy nodded. "I want my family there, of course. You, them, Jack and Skye."
"Jack and Skye are family now?" Viv asked.
"Good as. They..." Judy widened her eyes a fraction of a second. Of course, Vivienne didn't know. Judy inhaled a quick breath and let Viv have it. "... Jack vowed up to Skye with Nick and I as witnesses."
Vivienne looked stunned. "Wow. Oh wow. Really? Jack did that?" she asked.
"Yep," Judy chimed brightly.
Vivienne sighed a little sadly. "And just like that, foxes were wiped out. Bunnies learned the secrets of fox-loving and the end was unavoidable." The vixen grinned broadly as if worried that Judy might not have understood she was kidding about that. Judy tried to remain stoic for effect, to mourn the passing of the age of foxes, but ended up giggling anyway.
She glanced back up to Vivienne and asked calmly, "Is there anything I should know about before this? Things I should understand about Nick that will help me be a good... mate?" She felt good saying it, but just a little bit nervous.
"First of all, it's alright to call him your mate." Judy perked her ears at that, flitting her little teardrop tail. Her trepidation had been visible, perhaps. Vivienne smiled at her and explained. "After he vows up to you, Judy, he's exactly anything you want him to be the moment you want it. That's how that actually works. Besides, I think you are handling that stuff well enough, honestly. Particularly now that you two aren't afraid of the physical side of that," she chuckled. Judy went more scarlet in her ears than the vixen who said that.
