All Up in the Fur

Chapter 11

11

Judy shook her head in disbelief as she walked slowly backwards out of the room. She couldn't bare to look in those boxes, but as far as she was concerned the evidence was all there. Her back brushed against Wolford's leg and he placed a paw on her head with a sympathetic sigh.

"Come on, Hopps. Let's find those poor mammals."

She tried to stifle the images that were careening through her mind and nodded stiffly, turning to follow the wolf out of the terrible room.

Wolford glanced left then right and turned to the right, keeping his gun trained on the next door along.

A sharp chunk echoed behind them and Judy's ears pricked, as did the wolf's. They both looked back slowly and her breath caught in her throat when she saw a spotted wildcat with a shotgun aimed right at her head. Two coyotes stood on either side of him, each aiming a sniper rifle.

"That's as far as yous are goin'," said the cat.

Once again, a familiar accent. Identical to the wildcat they'd recently handed over to the ZPD. As she scrutinised the cat's face she noticed he was another margay, almost identical to Marcello save for a jagged scar over his left eye.

"Now, yous gonna tell me what yous done to my brother?" He narrowed his eyes, causing that scar to crease. "Or am I gonna have to shoot yous down an' make a mess o' the nice, clean floor?"

"I wouldn't do anything too hasty." Wolford turned his dart gun onto the cat. "There's a whole SWAT team surrounding the area."

"I don't care 'bout no SWAT team!" the margay shrieked. "You lower yous guns or the rabbit gets turned into swiss cheese!"

Wolford raised his left paw and lowered the gun to the floor. She did the same, keeping one wary eye on the margay. There were a few shouts of retaliation from the ground below which drew the cat's eye for a moment and he sneered, spitting onto the floor as he turned a blind eye to the chaos to advance towards them.

"Now-" He was cut off as a dart struck one of the coyote in the neck.

The canine's tongue lolled out as he tried to remove it, but he crumpled to the floor as the margay watched, his face twisted with rage. He turned to the stairs and his tail puffed up to twice its size.

"Can't you two handle one small, wounded fox?!"

He aimed his own shot gun and fired, causing someone below to yelp.

"Finnick!" Judy rushed to the rail, but froze when both the lone coyote and margay trained their guns back onto her.

"I know your pal's wearin' a vest. Besides, I want yous all alive," he said. "Now... where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?"

The coyote looked down at his fallen partner then cleared his throat. "Boss, I don't think we're in any position to-"

"Shut your dumb face, dog!" the margay snapped. "Or shall I add coyote wool to the market? Huh?!"

"Seems pretty desperate," muttered Wolford.

"What was that?" The margay's face creased as a frown warped his features.

It was clear he hadn't heard him. His words were still being processed in Judy's mind as the wolf pushed her backwards and blocked her with his huge frame. He nudged her further behind him, urging her to go.

So she went.

Her large feet kicked the floor as she threw herself down the corridor towards the next door.