Nick Needs a Family

Chapter 15

 Time slowed for Nick. His stomach clenched, and a murderous rage filled him. Thoughts surged through his head in a thunderous jumble, and the world tilted.

Nick caught a familiar scent before the badger stepped forward, swinging something at his head. He dodged and lunged forward with a snarl. The badger raised his arms and stepped back in surprise. Nick felt his jaws on the badger's throat, and the smell of blood filled his nostrils.

A large gray blur leapt at Nick. He released the badger's neck and rolled away, growling. Leaping. Biting. More blood. He turned to look at the white fox, and she ran.

Suddenly his mother towered over Nick and he froze. Ma seemed unreasonably huge. Forbidding. She spoke in a scolding voice. Don't you dare pick on that little vixen.

Nick snarled and raced after the white shape, except when he got closer it was Judy, who laughed and ran ahead of him. He smelled the dampness of the Rainforest District, and the jaguar crashed through the brush behind them. He had to keep her safe.

Nick caught up to Judy, but something was wrong. She picked up a branch and snarled at him, and he responded with a low guttural growl. The scent of her fear was even stronger than the overpowering smell of blood, along with something else. Desire.

Judy looked at him, her eyes half lidded, before she pushed him onto his back and leapt over him. They were in her apartment, and Nick chased her through the living room. She laughed and dodged back and forth. He chased Judy until she was cornered.

But it wasn't Judy. It was a white fox. A vixen. He slowly circled, snarling, and she waved a branch at him. Except then it was Judy again, frozen, her paw hovering over the fox repellent at her hip.

He paused, confused, and the branch crashed down on his skull. Rage filled him. He howled and leapt forward, jaws closing on flesh. But he didn't bite down. Time seemed to freeze as Judy held him close, gasping his name into his ear and shuddering. He growled out her name and Judy tried to pull away, but he didn't let her go. He bit down, and a voice screamed in terror. An electric jolt coursed through him, and he opened his jaws with a yelp. The white shape fled, and he gave chase. It was almost dark, and it was hard to make out the vixen against the snow.

A cold wind pulled at his fur. Suddenly he was falling, rolling end over end, before his head slammed into something hard. Pain, then a silent void.

He looked at his mom in the hospital bed. Still. Lifeless. But her voice whispered, make your way home, Nick. The name felt like a physical blow. His name, Nick realized. Now it felt like he was on fire. Burning.

He woke up, but he couldn't see anything. A memory of a gray fox's eyeless face made him howl in terror. He panicked before he realized he was face down in the snow. He'd never felt this cold before. He rolled onto his back. It was nighttime. Stars burned bright above him in the pitch black sky.

"Judy." The whispered name escaped his cracked and swollen lips, and her smiling face banished the gruesome vision of the blind fox. He stood, teetering, almost falling, before he stumbled forward. Paws reached out and brushed against his body. He smelled pine trees and heard them whispering. He kept going, looking at the ground, snow crunching under his feet. The whispers stopped, replaced by a deep buzzing noise and the smell of smoke. Fire. Stu smiled at him from across the campfire. My daughter really loves you, son.

He was alone in the dark forest. He walked for an eternity. It was hard to move, but he marched on, arms and legs feeling like frozen lead. Make your way home, Nick. This time it was Judy's voice. She was on the bed, black t-shirt hugging her curves as she sprawled out in front of him. The morning light streamed through the window behind her. She smiled at him invitingly. I desire you, Nick Wilde.

The light behind her became searingly bright, hurting his eyes. He fell. Cold icy hardness. A loud rumbling noise, followed by the screech of tires. He looked up, then closed his eyes against the glare. Voices. Nick thought he heard one ask, Is he dead? More noises. Paws grabbed him. He flinched and tried to pull away, but he was too exhausted to do anything except quietly growl.

Nick opened his eyes to look into the brightness again and saw a red blur. A vixen. He smelled the sweet scent of her perfume. The name came unbidden to his lips. "Ma."

All the pain left his body. He was warm. It felt like he was floating. Nick closed his eyes again and smiled when he felt her arms wrap around him in a loving embrace. He began to weep when he heard her say, "I've been waiting for you, Nicky. Welcome home."