FSE

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Jillian was watching the train station. She could see the wheelchair her brother was in, and his escort. This were a pair she was familiar with only by reputation. Like Hopps and Wilde, this pair was as mismatched as it got. A snow leopard, and a silver furred vixen. The vixen she knew was as stealthy as it got, and was an ace sharpshooter with her tranq rifle. The leopard was a powerhouse, and known to take on bigger perps than himself. Jason and Ana, the pair that came after Nick got accepted. She knew they were good, but she felt she was better.

Jillian watched from her position, her white fur ruffled by the light breeze blowing across the station. They knew she was there, and she knew they could see her. However they couldn't touch her yet. Oh she had wounded two police officers, a most grievous charge to be certain. However, they needed her and knew that if they moved too soon she would become smoke and they would never see her again.

As the leopard pushed her brother up on the train slowly, she watched them intently. The vixen was staying behind, which meant this was a set up. If she made a move on her brother, they would catch her in a locked train car. Though, that was a big if. She had gotten what she wanted, more in fact. He was confined to the same hell he had put her through for her whole life. He was to always look up at the world, a cripple and always in need of help. She could watch them leave, and it would be over. Their investigation would stall out eventually.

It would hurt her father to no end to see his favorite child like that. And no doubt he would likely come here looking to chew her a new one. However, the wolfess had left a note in her brother's bag. She knew her father would get that note. It was a warning, and an apology. A warning to stay out of her territory, and an apology for robbing him of the grand heir to the family name he wanted. The last time she spoke to her father, she had gotten the impression he detested her.

He spoke to her with pain in his voice, like he was holding back a lot of pent up anger. His eyes always had that light mistiness as if he were struggling to contain a lot of emotion. And he could never look in her eyes for more than a few seconds. He always spoke to her with his back turned, and everything he said was in short, blunt sentences. Jillian felt her teeth grinding as that blind rage was building in her. She took a slow breath and let it out. She had to finish this. Once the train was on its way, she could be on hers.

She was looking dead at her brother in the window, and he was looking right at her with that look he always put on for their father. That fake apologetic look, the one that always fooled their father, before the bastard turned back to her and made that glaringly obvious gloat. He looked down at her from his towering height back then. But now, he was trapped in a prison of his own body. There was nothing he could do to hurt her anymore. Jillian smiled as she watched him, gloating how after all these years, she had won. He was never going to be the same again.

James was indeed looking at her, but the look on his face was not false. He was truly sorry for what had happened between them. It was only in the distance that built up that he and his father realized how much Jillian had meant to them. James remembered his father's words clearly, when he had asked why the old wolf never really looked at Jillian for more than moments at a time.

"Son... your sister reminds me so much of your mother. Her eyes, her face, the way she holds her ears when she's upset. Everything she says or does is just like the woman I fell in love with so long ago. I couldn't bare to look at your sister because I always saw so much of your mother in her. And I could never be the parent you both deserved. I didn't know the first thing about how to help her deal with anything she needed. She's smarter than both of us combined. I just wish...I just wanted to say how sorry I am. I should have held her more, told her how much I loved her. Showed her the love a father should have for his daughter. Protected her when she needed it."

James let out a low sigh as that memory faded from his mind. He muttered a 'me too' to himself as he felt the jolt of the train. His back stung, but mostly it was numb now. It had been three months, and over four surgeries. He was never going to walk again, but at least the damage was minimal. He could still have a kid of his own one day, and while he would need help to get around or reach things on shelves he could at least still use his upper body properly.

He could not blame her in the least for what she did to him, because of what he did to her. But what pained him most was the thought she may never have a child of her own because of him. He had kicked her in the gut as hard as he could. He remembered that last fight they had. It all started because she finally decided enough was too much and intentionally put wrong answers on his paperwork. He had thought enough to check them, and when he saw all of them were wrong, he lost his temper and stormed right into her room. It never registered to him to see if she was talking to someone on the phone. It never crossed his mind to knock on her door first. And it certainly did not occur to him to do his own homework.

He was screaming down her throat, oblivious to the cries of panic on the other end of the phone. He only noticed that they had hung up when he paused to suck in a breath. He could hear the tone over the line. Whatever mammal she was talking too, maybe a friend or crush, was scared by his snarling roars. He was cursing her out, uncaring of the tears running down her face. He screamed at her for everything he could think of. He had originally intended to just scream at her for messing up his homework. But once he got started he couldn't stop himself. He blamed her for the death of their mother, he blamed her for the fact he had to get a job while he was in high school to afford a car. He told her she deserved nothing that she got from them, and that all she needed to do to make their lives better was to just go ahead and die.

His breath caught in his throat as he realized what he did. Taking a second to catch his breath, he tried to think of a way to apologize before looking her in the eye. And then he saw it, that look in her eye. The look of a wounded animal that was finally backed into a corner with nowhere to go. She might have had weak legs and lower torso back then, but her arms were incredibly strong and she had a grip that could crush full soda cans. She used that power in her upper body to push herself up out of her chair and toward him. A hunting leap, aimed right at his face. His mind was fast enough to process the instincts that were still in all mammals. She was lashing out in a hunting attack, like their ancestors had done against threats ages ago. Her paws came up and she latched onto his shoulders. He fell backward to get away, but only pulled her on top of himself. She had one hell of a grip, and her claws dug in deep.

They rolled about, as he tried to throw her off him. He tried to hold her snapping teeth off his throat, though she bit down on his arm. The only thing that protected him was the leather jacket. Her claws raked over his sides and front, unable to penetrate the jacket, but getting deep enough into it that he could not break her grip. He only found the strength to break her grip when her claws found his cheek. He took the cut from her claws deeply, and it scared him.

His fight or flight instinct kicked in and he threw her off. She was jared when she hit the wall and then the floor. She cried out as the air was knocked from her lungs and her legs crumpled, unable to hold her weight without the heavy duty crutches she had in her room. James used the wall to pull himself up, thankful to have her off and that she was not dead in the process. But his calm exterior had been shattered. His dominance as the stronger sibling had been shaken and he had to prove himself the better. Even as evolved mammals, instinct still governed more of their lives than anyone wanted to admit.

He walked over to her, looking down at the prone woman that was his twin sister. He stood over her, as she gasped for breath and kicked her in the gut twice, as hard as he could with his claws flexed. Though the claws were rounded and blunt. He was known to keep them totally trimmed down to the quick because of sports. He didn't want to pop the ball trying to get a grip for a good pass. The second time his foot contacted her stomach, she managed to grab his foot and latch on. Her claws dug into his jeans and managed to penetrate into his leg. As he tried to shake her loose she bit down on his knee and held tight. In his panic to make her let go, he started swinging down at her exposed arm. He was punching her shoulder to make her let go, well aware that if he left a mark on her face he would never hear the end of it. He was starting to use his All-Star Quarterback strength on her, raining blows with both fists to make her let him go. But she held on and only dug her teeth and claws in deeper. Her lower half flopped about as they tussled, ragdoll like in it's movements. She had no means to control that half of her body without letting him go, so she just tensed up in the pain, latching on tighter.

That was when their father came home. He heard the commotion from outside and hurried in. He screamed at them to stop as he came running into the hall, grabbing her nape and his arm. He pulled them apart, accidentally chipping one of her teeth in the process. He pulled too hard, slamming her face into the wall and then dropping her instantly. James had seen that pained look on their father's face that Jillian couldn't from her angle on the floor.

The old wolf used too much force on her. Their father realized too late how much he had messed up. And James began to see it for himself. She looked up at them both, with nothing but hatred in her eyes. Their father tried to reach to her but the snap of her teeth made him recoil back, missing his fingers by millimeters. That was the beginning of the end. Their father told them both to just go to their rooms. Jillian dragged herself back into her room, refusing any help with a snarl. She slammed the door, and then the sobbing began. They could both hear the sound of her working to open her pill bottles.

It was hours later they both heard the front door slam shut and the jingle of keys as Jillian rolled herself out the door. Her wheelchair was made for the snow of their home. Not motorized, because they could not afford it. But it was durable and had a heated seat to help keep her warm in the cold. James watched her from his window. He wanted to call out and offer her a ride, to make sure she got where she was going safely. She didn't even have on a coat, just a sweater and jeans. Though it dawned on him that this late at night she likely wanted to be alone in the snowy weather. She had only two places to go, the police station or the general store. The store was always open, and served pretty much all the needs of their small town. From chicken burgers to guns, and everything in between. The police station was always open to the public, but at this hour the only one there was the dispatcher. The two officers were out on patrol. The town was a low population density place, but it was spread over a massive area. It covered hundreds of miles.

He watched her take the right, and let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. She was headed to the store. He began to realize that if she had gone to the police, he likely would have spent his life in prison, as would their father. He moved to knock on their father's door, but the old wolf opened it first. He was pulling his coat on, and James figured he intended to follow Jillian to apologize and see if she would talk to him. James moved to grab his coat as well, but their father stopped him. No words were spoken, but James knew he was not going to be allowed to follow along this time. This was not the first time Jillian had gone out on her own. But it had never been this bad before.

James nodded and moved to flop on his bed. He heard the front door open and shut gently again, before rolling over to just stare out the window at the black sky. He didn't know how long he had been laying there when the door opened again. The sound of wheels met his ears and he could tell that Jillian was home. He sat up, trying to muster his courage to face her and apologise. Then he heard a sound that made his heart stop cold. The distinct sound of a heavy-caliber lever action chambering a round. Jillian had bought a rifle, and ammo. He heard her chair coming down the hall slowly. Her room was closer to the door than his and he prayed she would just go to her room.

Hearing her door open and then close, he swallowed hard and closed his eyes. Then the sound of luggage scraping the floor reached him. Muttered, angry words filled his ears as he listened through the wall. She was packing a bag. Did she intend to kill them both before she left? The last two words hit him suddenly. She was leaving. He had finally done it, he had pushed the wolfess too far. He was in such a deep thought he barely heard the front door slam again. He jumped up, throwing open his window and watching her roll herself away. She was headed to the train station. He ran to her room, kicking the door hard enough to tear it off the hinges. All of her personal things were gone. Her clothing, brushes, and that crappy bottle of perfume she thought smelt nice. He ran to her desk and yanked open all the drawers, finding nothing but a few sheets of half finished sketches.

She took her laptop and her art supplies too. He sank to the floor, looking at the empty furniture, and it began to dawn on him how bad he messed up. Then he looked down at his feet. His foot he kicked her with, had blood on the claws. His paws came up to his face and he began to cry. Of all the stupid, hurtful things he had ever done to his sister this was by far the worst and most unforgivable.

James was brought back to reality as a heavy paw pat his shoulder. He looked up, feeling the hot sting of tears in his eyes. Looking back to the window, he watched the scenery rolling by. He had to get himself under control. He was still a cop and they were going to need him to finish this. The Tundra Town boss Mr. Big posed no serious problem. It was the other gangs that were the issue. Sahara Square was the worst, and Jillian had access to almost anything they did.

The plan was simple enough. Ride the train out of town like he was supposed to, then ride a bus back in, and get off right in Sahara Square, set up in the station and keep working. His partner would be the connection in Tundra Town, working in the basement. He was to act as if he had been put in records. That would buy them as much time as possible to keep Jillian from realizing they were still on her case.

As the train passed out of the Zootopia limits, the car of passengers began to shuffle their luggage about. There were six other passengers, all of them Sahara Square officers. As they began the briefing, James spoke first.

"My sister is a spook. She is a damned good one too. She has money, toys, and the instincts of a savage predator. She can, and will kill if we get her cornered. Trust me, I've seen it before. What she did to my back is nothing. If we push her, if we corner her she will devolve into a rabid beast in a heartbeat. I pissed her off really bad once. She tried to bite through my leg and would have likely done it if our father hadn't stopped us. So keep your distance. We need to monitor her, see where she goes and who she meets," He leaned his head back as one of the rhinos laid a map on a folding table.

"Here is the listing of her sightings while you were in recovery. She only meets with a few of the Square gang. And they do not like her. I literally mean it. One of them tried to cop a feel of her thigh. She broke three of his teeth out of his head and cracked his wrist. The other two pointed guns at her. Though from the accounts, they were terrified to actually shoot at her. It seems that she can keep the low end boys in line with just her growl. That said, myself and McHorn also saw her in Central. She was more casual about things there. The Rodentia gang seem to enjoy her presence. She took time to have lunch with a few of their upper level bosses. And we think she might have good connections with the Rainforest family. The felines in particular like her presence. When she is there, she is always with a few of them," the rhino said.

James nodded and took it all in, thinking hard about the best place to catch her. "What about one of the smaller districts, like the plains area of the city? It has a few parks the local gangs like to use," he spoke aloud.

As the group was thinking and planning, Jillian parked her car in front of her building. She was taking time to just breathe, letting the cold air of Tundra Town in through a window. She remembered that night differently.

Jillian had finally worked up the courage to tell her own friend she had a crush on him. He was an arctic fox, though smaller than her in size he had always been strong and dependable. It was as she was preparing to tell him her door burst open. Her friend panicked, yelling over the phone to get their attention. She could still hear him, and then finally the silence. In between her brother's yells, she head the one thing that made her heart sink. He told he was going to call his crush and ask her to the dance.

It killed her hopes instantly. She heard him say to call her back when her brother stopped being a dick. But it was too late in her mind. As the phone fell from her hand, she looked up at her brother. He was insane, raving at her about things she had no control over. And then he said it. He put voice to the thought she had had for years. She saw the shock on his face, as he realized what he said.

Something inside Jillian broke then. If he wanted her to die, then she would. But she was going to force him to do the deed. He was going to have to get his paws dirty this time. She put her paws on the arm rests of her wheelchair. The wheels were locked, so it was not going to roll. In a surge of strength born of pure hatred, she pushed herself up as hard as she could, her body was carried by the force, and right into him. She swung her paws up and grabbed his shoulders, digging her claws in to keep a hold of him.

In his panic he fell backward and carried her with him. Now that she was on top of him she tried to bite his face. The terror in his eyes was delicious, and she found she loved making him feel so helpless. She snapped her teeth repeatedly, trying to force him to scream in fear. Then he put his arm up to keep those teeth away, and she bit down on it as hard as she could. She knew his leather jacket was too thick for her teeth and claws to get through, but it was the fear she was inducing that kept her going.

She could smell the fear coming off him and her mind kept urging her on. He needed this lesson. She bit down on his arm harder, trying to break skin through the jacket but to no avail. There was nothing he could do to get her off. If he threw her, it would kill her. If he punched her, it would crush her face. If he moved his arm from her mouth, her teeth were free to tear into his face. The only thing he could do at this point was to either take it, or punch her in the neck until she was dead.

Then her raking claws found soft flesh and she flexed hard. Digging them in as she ripped her arm across the space between them. Blood splattered on the floor and the scent drove her insane. She had cut his face with her claws. Only two of them found his cheek, but they had found it good enough to cut deep inside to cause a bloody mess. He would need stitches. That was when she saw his pupils dilate and he grabbed her scruff. His adrenal surge was enough to pull her right off and slam her into a wall.

She felt the air leave her lungs in a howling scream of agony. She had hit her back, her weakest point. Her lower back was fragile, and he had slammed her into the wall right there. She lay on the floor, clutching her chest as her lungs seized for air. She was coughing, gasping and whimpering in pain. Her frail legs twitched as she tried to get them under herself. But the muscles were unable to respond properly. Her condition made her lower body weak, and because of that she was at his mercy.

She managed to see him above her, and figured this was where the fight would end. He had always towered over her after he knocked her chair over. It was his victory dance. Then the first kick impacted her gut. She felt something give and her scream was loud enough to echo in the house. She saw him drawing back again, and moved her arms. She managed to catch his leg just as he impacted her gut, softening the blow. As he tried to pull away she dug her claws in as deep as she could, and swung her head up. She bit down on his knee with enough force to feel bone against her teeth.

He stopped for a moment, knowing if he pulled her off this time, he was losing the knee. That would ruin his plans for college and professional football. Then his fist hit her shoulder. She took the hit and only clung tighter. Repeated blows began to rain down on her exposed shoulder, making her whimper in pain as she held on. Her instinct to survive was strong and she could not fight it. She was doing all she could to force him to restrain himself.

Then the sound of their father screaming at them to stop. First the blows stopped and she began to relax, exhausted after the fight as her heart hammered in her chest. It burned, hurting from the exertion of force during the fight. Then she felt a heavy paw grab her scruff and grip hard. In her panic she tried to latch onto that leg again, but it was too late, Her father slung her against the wall, this time she hit her face first and one of her teeth chipped. The pain was a wake up call, snapping her out of the daze as she whirled her head around and glared at them both. There was nothing she could do from her position, but when their father reached to her, she tried to bite his fingers off.

As he stepped back from the pair, he told them to go to their rooms. The tussle had pulled them into the hall, and now she had to pull herself back into her room alone. Inside she managed to grab the door and slam it with enough force to shake the wall. Pulling herself to her dresser, she pulled her bottom drawer open and dug out her medications. She needed her pain pills badly, and managed to get the bottle open enough to spill them on the floor. Getting two off the floor she swallowed them.

Laying there panting, she began to cry. But inside her a rage was boiling up. It was an emotion she had always suppressed. However she had no strength to do so this time. Her sobbing became loud enough that she knew the neighbors could hear her. And then the sobbing quieted. She pulled herself up into her chair, and rolled to her open closet. Digging inside she pulled out a small metal box. She managed to hoard money over the years. Money left over from lunch, change on the street, coins from the sofa, all of it she picked up and kept. She rolled the coins, taking them to the store to exchange for cash as often as she could.

Opening the box she dumped it on the bed and began sorting her cash out. She had just over two grand. It had taken her over ten years to save this much. She had not realized how much she had until just now. It was easily the most money she had ever seen. If she had known she might have bought herself something to live in away form them. But it didn't matter now.

Taking the cash, she sorted it out and then picked up the store catalogue. Flipping through, she looked at the firearms. As she read the pages, she used some tissues to wipe her face, and then pulled out the cheap makeup kit she owned. She began to apply a little lipstick and eyeshadow, as she flipped to the section including rifles. She was going to kill her father and brother. She just needed to be certain she could get away with it.

The clerk would ask her questions and she needed to make sure he looked the other way. Pulling off her sweater, she moved to the dresser and pulled out her only two bras. One was a size too small, but pushed her breasts up and made them more noticable. The other was an older one, but more fit for her size. Selecting the smaller one, she pulled it on and clasped it shut. She then reached for the sweater in her drawer that she planned to use for the date she wanted to go out on with her crush. It was a low cut V-neck, the kind that showed some cleavage.

As she pulled it on, she noticed a particular rifle for sale. A 45-70 lever action. It was being sold as a bundle, with case and three boxes of ammo. She knew what it was, everyone in town knew guns. They hunted whale in the winter, and the whole town got to eat well. It was mostly a predatory town, with only a few prey. As she took the page from the catalogue, she grabbed her purse and stuffed the cash and page inside. Then she grabbed her pocketbook and her door key.

Rolling herself out the front door, she reached down and turned on the seat heater. Reaching back, she grabbed the door and pulled hard enough to slam it. Rolling her way to the store, she took a deep breath. She needed that gun for her plans. She was going to play it off that she was going to help hunt a whale, and that she needed to bring her own gun. The clerk would not believe it but she figured a little convincing might get him to look away.

As she rolled into the store, she took a moment to brush the snow off her body. She had neglected to get a coat when she left. Taking a deep breath, she rolled up to the counter. The store was empty, not even a cop in there for a cup of coffee. Smiling, the wolfess looked up at the reindeer behind the counter. He smiled back at her and asked if she needed something.

"Yes please," she said as she pulled the page from her purse. "I was hoping this was still on sale. I wanted to purchase it since I am going to be joining a whale hunt next month. I need to get my own rifle, since I can't haul lines or swim." She pointed to the one on the page before letting him take it in his hand and look it over. He was a bit surprised she was asking for something this large caliber. A smaller one would do for the whales that were being hunted next month.

"Uh... Jil. You really want that thing? I mean.. Hell, my dad is huge and he doesn't even carry a rifle that big when he's foraging." He looked down at her and leaned on the counter. He was worried she was gonna hurt herself. He could tell she wanted that gun very much though. That was when she looked around and gave him that coy smile.

"How about a deal then? You don't ask questions or tell me I don't need it, and I give you something very special. That sound really good?" She leaned back, tapping a finger over the crotch of her jeans. The cervine looked down and gulped softly. She leaned forward a bit and licked her lips as she let out a soft little woof.

"Come on... Everyone else in town is dead asleep. You look bored to tears. Why not lock the door and have a little fun? I'm willing, you're able, and we both get something we want. Besides, I'm on the pill. I can't get pregnant so you can go bareback all you like." He licked his dry lips and glanced around nervously.

Was it right? Could he have sex with her? It was not a matter of could really. It was a matter of predator and prey mingling like that. The deer looked to the door of the store, and moved to it. Poking his head outside, he looked around a bit before pulling back in and locking the door. He flipped up a sign that said he was busy cleaning in the back. Coming back to her, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Look. Jil... I uh I think you are pretty but I'm not so sure. I mean... gods what am I saying. Look, you are hot, but I don't know if it's right for someone like me to be with you in that way... You know what I mean?" He looked at her to see if she was going to agree with him.

"Brandon... Get your fucking pants off. I want your dick in my cunt in the next six seconds or I'm going to bite your ass." She said with a giggle, but the look in her eye told him she was dead serious. Something else was there as well. He was not going to argue with the 'rabid wolfess' of the local high school. She was old enough, he knew. It was the fact she was a predator and he was prey. Though given their physical differences, he was confident he could defend himself from her well enough.

Before he realized it he was grabbing her wheelchair by the back handle. He was pulling her toward the back of the store where his old man kept a cot for them to nap on between shifts. His dad wouldn't be back for a couple days, meaning he had the store to himself the whole time. He usually slept for a couple hours in the early morning, then again before dinner time. No one really cared since he was working alone.

Pulling her into the room he spun the chair to face the cot and took a deep breath. He said nothing as he locked her wheels in place, then bent down and picked her up. Laying her on the cot, he leaned over her and whispered softly in her ear, letting his weight lean on her just enough that she could move her body, but not get away.

"If we do this, we do it my way. Slowly. I'm not going to just plow you so you can forget whatever pissed you off tonight. And if you still want that gun when we're done, then I will sell it to you. But I want to know why you want it...am I clear?" She looked up at him and for the first time in her life, she was not angry or scared or intimidated.

He cupped her cheek and she winced, making him pause to look at her. He could see the bruises forming under her fur now. Her lip curled just a bit and he could see the broken tooth. Leaning up from her he moved to the wall and grabbed the first aid kit. Coming back, he opened it, digging through. He found some off brand tooth gel and a small tube of pain relief ointment. Coming back to her, he sat on the edge of the cot and opened the tooth gel.

"Say ah for me. Your tooth is chipped and it's bleeding. You need to get some medical attention. I'm calling the doctor." he said as he put some gel on his finger tip. The hooved tip of his broad finger was suddenly held still as her paw gripped his wrist in a vice lock.

"No... you aren't. I want that gun, and I want it tonight. I have business to attend too. After that you can call whomever you please." Her voice was like steel, sharp and dangerous. He looked at her and saw the pain her eyes. His other hand came up and softly cupped her cheek. He didn't say anything, just looked at her pleadingly.

After a moment she opened her mouth and let his wrist go. He was as gentle as he could be, dabbing the gel on her broken tooth. She squinted her eyes up, trying not to close her mouth on his finger. After a few seconds the gel kicked in, numbing her teeth and gums enough she could relax. After that he reached back into the first aid box and brought out a pair of large tweezers and a cotton ball.

"Who hurt you?" he asked softly. It was an innocent enough question, but she could tell by his eyes that he was furious someone had hurt her. She was not incapable of defending herself. It was just very hard for a wolfess in her position. She took a deep breath, before looking at him and answering as he applied the ointment to the cotton ball.

"My family. My brother and I had a fight finally. Dad came home, pulled us apart and threw me into a wall face first. Then just told us to go to our rooms. No apology, no asking if I was alright. I sat in my room for an hour or two before coming here." She said. It was honest enough in her mind. At least as far as she remembered the incident it was honest enough. Brandon slowly picked up the ball with the tweezers and brought it to her face.

"Was it just your face or are there... other places you got hurt?" She was looking away as he applied the ointment to her face. It was just a topical numbing agent. As she started to feel it taking effect she reached to the hem of her sweater. Lifting it slowly, she showed him the faint pink stains in her white fur. He looked down and gasped. She was bleeding from her gut.

Helping her pull the sweater off, he lay her back and pulled the first aid box over. Digging through it again, he found a small surgical kit for emergencies. Opening it, he pulled the gloves on and took a breath. He found a small bottle of alcohol and opened it.

"This is going to hurt. Please just bare through it and let me check this over." He poured the alcohol on a thick gauze pack and then pressed it into her fur. She let out a loud yelp, but gripped the cot to keep from trying to squirm away. Her legs writhed a bit, but were too weak to do much more. After a bit, she relaxed as the burn faded. Brandon was parting her fur and looking at the wounds.

"They don't look very deep. Looks like these claws were blunted and only cut into you because of the force. I can stitch them up now if you let me. Before they get infected." She nodded softly and he reached into the surgical kit to get the needle and medical thread. He took his time about it, pausing frequently to let her catch her breath. Brandon glanced at the clock. He had been working on her for over an hour now. No one had rang the bell, so they must have thought he was asleep.

It took him another twenty minutes to finish up, before he took a deep breath and applied more alcohol to the spot. She winced, but didn't yelp this time. He applied some of the numbing ointment, before pulling out a roll of medical tape. Helping her to sit up, he wrapped it around her, before laying her back. Then he reached for the phone. He was planning to call the police, and have both the bastards arrested.

But her paw grabbed his arm, pulling him back. The look in her eyes was still hard, she wanted to settle this herself. Brandon didn't want her to go to prison just for this, even if the two fuckers deserved it.

"Please don't do this Jil.. Let the cops have them. They will go away forever. You can be free. You don't have to sully your precious paws on filth like that." He was pleading with her, trying to get her to see another way. He had to think, to keep her occupied, but the look in her eyes told him everything he did was just going to delay it further.

After a moment he leaned in and kissed her. She was so startled, she released his arm and he sank forward onto her. Leaning over her, he slid both his hands around her shoulders, just holding her as he kissed her. Jillian began to relax, closing her eyes as her paws slid around his back and under his shirt. This coarse coat of reindeer fur was thick as her own, but much tougher. He was hoping to distract her enough he could call the police, but it just felt too right.

Brandon slowly slid a hand down, coming to the button on her jeans. There was nothing stopping him but his own hesitance. He slowly opened that button, and slid a hand inside. His fingers came across the cotton panties inside, feeling the warmth of her mound. He felt so dirty, touching her like this. He was supposed to be her friend, someone she could turn too. And here he was following some urge with a woman that likely couldn't fend him off if she wanted too.

Her hands slid down, gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it up slowly. He leaned up slowly, helping her to take his shirt off. As the top came over his antlers, she got a look at his broad chest. He was toned, and built for the hard labor of moving large bags of grain and seed through the store. He was the top running back for the high school team two years ago. It seemed he kept up with his body after this long.

The wolfess felt him reach to her bra as she cast the shirt aside. Unclasping it he slid it from her and looked down at her bare upper half. She was starting to blush until he whispered how beautiful she was. Jillian had never been called beautiful before. Cute, goofy, awkward, and a thousand other names to tease her and make her upset. But no one had ever called her beautiful. Brandon looked down upon her form, thinking to himself what a pure white she looked, a beautiful woman with nary a flaw.

Her paws slid up his front as he cupped her breasts. Massaging her gently, he closed his eyes and leaned down. Licking his broad tongue over her pert nipples, the cervine just drank in her scent. She was different than any girl he had ever known. She was reserved, quiet, only doing this now because he was there alone with her in her compromised state. He hated himself, and yet she made no objection. If anything she encouraged him to continue.

After a bit he began to kiss down her body, coming to her open pants. Helping her out of them, he let out a soft sigh and gripped the waistband of her cotton unders in his teeth. Pulling them out of the way just enough, he leaned in and pressed his nose against her mound. Her scent was exotic, nothing like the girls he knew. And after a moment he took a lick. Her gasp told him everything he needed to know. She had never done this before. Everyone at school talked about her like she was a slut. And yet she was a pure as new snow. There was nothing, no taint of her purity he could detect. After a moment he licked again, before leaning up and whispering to her.

"Are you sure you want this Jil? I won't say no, but I want you to be sure. You deserve better than I could ever be for your first," he looked into her lidded gaze as he spoke. She slowly nodded as he slid her panties fully off her. Her eyes held no regret or hesitance. She was ready, and had chosen him as her first. Then he popped the buckle on his pants and slid them down. Kicking out of his boxers he leaned over her again. He took a deep breath, and kissed her deeply. He felt her legs part slowly, and he pressed forward. After all that, his shaft was hard as a rock. It throbbed, rubbing against her thigh as he took his time to see if she would change her mind.

He met no resistance as he guided his tip to her slit, and guided her paws to his shoulders so she could grip. He knew her claws would dig in, and cut him open. But he didn't care, all that mattered right now was the young woman before him. Taking a moment to get ready, he slid an arm under her lower back, lifting her rump and breaking the kiss.

"This is going to hurt. I'm sorry, but it will," he whispered to her. She nodded softly and he plunged forward. Brandon felt her virginity give way to his advance, sinking into her to the balls. Jillian gasped, her whole body clenching as she went stiff. That was nothing like what she was expecting. The single moment of pain was overwhelmed by an intense wave of gentle pleasure she had never known. And in that moment she felt completed. Her eyes closed as she leaned back. A tear running down her face as she pulled his face to hers. Kissing him gently, she let the world go by and let him lead her. Jillian could never think of anything that came close to this feeling. She was in a state she had never felt before.

He was gentle with her, tender and caring as he showed her that someone did care. That someone desired her, even if it was a lie or only for a moment. She needed this, needed him. There had been nothing between them before but simple greetings and farewells when she came to shop. But now there was something alive and magic in her mind. There was chemistry and connection, and she was forgetting her worries.

The wolfess felt everything in a new way, as if her nerves were on fire, and for the first time in her life she felt her toes curl without any effort on her part. She was panting, but not because she was out of breath. Her body was tensed and relaxed all at the same time. And the feeling of the man holding her so close was making her wish this would never end. Jillian was lost in the bliss of this moment, unaware of how the world outside that room was starting to change. The pain of being beaten faded from her mind, and she felt like she was someone else, somewhere else, with someone she could love.

Brandon was trying to keep himself in check. Everything about this wolfess was exotic. Sure he had slept with the cheerleaders back in school, all the football players had. It was just the thing that they did. But the prey stayed with each other, and the predators did the same. No one went outside their own species, let alone outside their grouping. Every other woman he had known was nothing compared to the wolfess he was with. Her scent was exotic and inticing. Her body flexed and quivered in ways none of those skinny cheerleaders ever could. She was dangerous and wild, a threat he was getting so close too. She was a woman he had never thought he would ever be with. She growled and moaned his name in his ear. Her claws slid over his back, leaving little scratch marks that felt so good. Her teeth nibbled over his ear and neck in a way that made him want to buck her into next year.

And yet as he held her this close and felt the quivering of her body he wanted to protect her and show her a gentleness she deserved. She was a woman in every way, and he wanted to be the man to show her that. This was not just some random fuck like they had thought. This was something more, and both knew it. Brandon looked down into her face, seeing the pleasure roll over her like that made him smile. His lips met hers as he slowly caressed her sides. Pulling her closer he slowed down, wanting this to last as much as possible, and Jillian couldn't agree more.

She lost track of time. It was an hour later when her mind came out of that fog. He was spooned up behind her, holding her close as she lay there. She could feel how warm his body was pressed against hers. She could feel the strength in his arm wrapped around her. His gentle breathing in her ear was so soft and welcome. She could forget her family, just be with Brandon. He was so unlike everyone else in this town. He was kind, loving. She was vicious and would take care of anyone that decided he needed to be shown not to mess with a predator. She could work in the store. She knew Brandon's father. He was an intelligent man, and dealt with everyone fairly.

But the memories of hours before flooded back, crashing down on her with force. And with it all, that rage came like a wrecking ball and broke her quiet peace with the devastation of a bomb. She let out a low sigh and leaned up, turning over to look at him. He looked into her eyes, and nodded softly.

"You wanted to know why I wanted that rifle... I wanted to kill them both. I want them to be dead with no chance. I want them to see that barrel and feel as helpless as I feel. I want them to suffer and wet themselves knowing they can't just run away." Her voice was quiet, like she was trying to whisper. She barely had a moment to think on her own, and now she was looking seriously at murder.

"I... understand. Alright. Fair is fair. I promised you the gun if you told me." He looked at her with so much regret. She had so much suffering in her eyes, and he wanted to wipe it all away. He could stop her, lock her in the room without her chair. He could call the police and have them arrest her family, he could but he wouldn't. Not now, not after what they just did together.

Sitting up slowly, he reached for her clothing first. Helping her to get dressed, he took a moment to adjust her clothing properly. Pulling his own clothing on in a hurry, he picked her up and set her in the chair softly. He felt a lump in his throat, knowing that after tonight he would likely never see her again.

He pushed her chair for her, rolling her back up to the counter and moved to unlock the door. He saw a note sticking in the frame, and opened it. The paper fluttered in and landed at his hooves, nothing more than a scrap of napkin from the coffee shop down the block. They were the only other place open this late, but all they served was coffee and some small finger foods. The note was from her father, asking him to call if Jillian came to the store. He looked at it, then to her and crushed the note in his hand. He looked to the back of the store, and saw the locked gate leading to the back storage. They kept a backhoe for rent. He thought about it, and figured if she was dead set on this, he could help her bury them far from town so that no one would find them.

He moved to the counter, tossing the note in the trash and moving to the gun case. He reached into the back, pulling out the last 45-70 in stock. Laying it on the counter, he filled out the information, before going back and pulling out four boxes of shells and a cleaning kit. Then he went to the side rack and got a large case. Setting it down he opened it, and showed her how the rifle worked. He packed everything up for her, and then asked if it was going on her father's tab.

His jaw hit the floor when she brought out a wad of cash. Counting out the total, she lay it on the counter and told him to keep the little change that was left out of what she handed him. As she reached for the case, he put a hand on her paw. He felt he needed to try one last time.

"Please Jil... I won't stop you. But please don't do this. Think of something else, even if you have to leave town. You could go to Zootopia. They have hundreds of small townships around the whole city. Farms, lakes, there is a lot you can do. You are so smart, and your artwork is amazing. You could go there and make a name for yourself. You are so smart... Please, you can do anything. What about that big mystery at school you solved? You figured out what was happening to make everyone so sick without any help from anyone. You saved a dozen lives all on your own. Please Jillian, don't throw your life away for these fucking bastards. Or... or you can live with me. I have my own house. I can provide you everything you would ever need. I make plenty of money. Just please don't do this..." He was pleading form the heart.

She slowly pulled the case to herself, and let out a sigh. As her paw slide from under his hand, she looked up into his eyes. "You are probably right. I will think on it while I head home. I'll figure it out when I get there. I need my crutches anyway." As she rolled out the door, he watched her go.

Jillian took the long way back home, not wanting to bump into anyone and give herself more time to think. As she arrived, she saw all the lights were still on. She reached to the door, opening it and pulling herself inside. Now in, she opened the case slowly and began loading rounds quietly. She heard the soft sound of someone in the house and quickly threw the lever. The sound stopped and she knew she had been heard.

If she knew her father, he was out walking around town to find her. She was just going to have to wait on him to come home. But her brother was here, alone and in his room more than likely. She could end him and set up for her father before anyone got the hint of what happened. The loud shot would draw the police though. She would have to make her shot count or the bastard would struggle with her for the gun and likely get it away from her before he was dead.

As she reached for her wheels, she heard Brandon in the back of her mind again. He was still pleading with her to not do it. As she looked down at the rifle, she realized how right he was. She rolled to her room and quickly locked the door. Setting the rifle down, she slowly opened the lever, and began to eject the rounds through the tube feeder. Once that was done, she closed it gently and set it back in the case. Then she pulled her suitcase form under her bed.

"Stupid, fucking, annoying bastards. I should have just shot them both. I should have waited for dad to come home, called them into the hall and killed them both with one shot. Oh I could still. No. No I can just leave. I have money, I can go where I want. I have over a grand left, I can get set up in the city and open my own little detective office. The city has agencies to help with that. I can make a name for myself like Brandon said. There is no way I am going to let them ruin my life any further." She was muttering to herself.

After a bit, she moved to her desk and pulled out all her art supplies. Then she grabbed her laptop and tucked it in the suitcase too. Stacking them on top of her clothing, she rolled to her closet and got both her jackets out. Pulling the warmer one on, she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Stuffing the other into the over packed suitcase, she forced it closed and let out a shuddering breath. She had to hurry before her father came home and caught her. Then she would shoot them both. She glanced at the clock, seeing it was now just a little after one in the morning. She knew the midnight train was still at the station. It would leave at two in the morning, and that gave her just enough time to make it if she hurried.

Setting her suitcase in her lap, she pulled the gun case on top of it and then turned toward her door. She paused only long enough to grab the collapsible crutches from their rack by her door, before leaving her room. Rolling out quickly, she locked the bedroom door behind herself. That would keep them confused and buy her an extra few minutes. Locking the front door with her key, she turned her chair and bit down on the key hard, bending it before dropping it on the welcome mat. She rolled away, hurrying toward the train station. She arrived just before two, and began banging on the side of the terminal office. The on duty clerk poked his head out of the window and saw her coming. He signaled the conductor to wait, and then motioned Jillian forward.

"Jil. What you want this time of night?" He asked, before spitting into a cup. He chewed his wad of tobacco loudly, eyeing her with both those cases. He had never known her to have a gun, let alone a rifle of that size. He could smell medication in the air as she came close, and she looked like the side of her face was a bit swollen now. Then the scent of sex hit him and he wondered just what the hell happened. She was not a strong woman in his mind, and he feared she might have been raped. Though judging by the look she wore she gave as good as she got. Maybe she killed the bastard and was trying to make a run for it before the police caught her. Even in self defense, a murder was still a murder.

"I want a ticket, one way to Zootopia. On the train. Right. Now." Jillian locked eyes with him as she spoke. He felt his fur start to stand on end when her eyes flashed at him, dangerous and violent. He felt a shiver run up his spine. Polar bear that he was, that tone was dangerous and he knew it. He didn't want to chance that she had another gun in her chair with her.

"Al...alright. Just hold on a second. Let me get the ticket book." He reached over and hit the signal board before grabbing the ticket book. The signal he sent went right to the police station. It told them possible trouble was happening and to send someone over. Jillian pulled out her cash, and counted out the cost of the ticket, throwing it on the counter she snapped at him to hurry up. He was trying to make notes about the situation and she knew it. She could read him like a book. He was stalling for time. She needed him to hurry it up, so she reached to the latch nearest her paw and flicked it open. The polar bear hurried to get the ticket done faster, knowing that she was likely going to blow a hole in him if he stalled her any longer. Scrawling a quick notation for full passage to Zootopia paid, he punched the ticket and held it out to her.

Once she had her ticket, she rolled up to the only passenger coach on the train. The conductor helped her get on, and into a seat before folding her chair up and putting it on the rack with her luggage. Securing everything he leaned out and waved to the engineer that it was time to go. The office manager grabbed the phone and called the police station, he needed them to hurry, but he didn't want to seem obvious about it. If the train got away before they arrived, Jillian might be fleeing a crime.

The train lurched forward and began chugging away just as the police truck pulled up. She could see her father in the passenger seat and leaned back to keep him from spotting her. By the time they realized she was on the train, she would have gotten away. The polar bear came out to meet them, and she could tell he was yelling about the situation. The police officer turned to watch the train rolling out, but made no move to go after it because Jillian had not committed any crime. She had appeared hostile, but had made no threat. She just demanded a ticket to a place far away. She would be traveling for days, and if needs be, they could always have the police down the line grab her from the train.

As Jillian leaned back in her seat, she felt the wave of relief wash over her, and a heavy wave of guilt right after. She had gotten away without killing her family. But now she left behind the only man that had ever shown her compassion and kindness. He had understood her pain, and tried to offer suggestions while still allowing her to make up her own mind. She pondered about sending for him when she settled, but knowing Brandon he would never leave his family business. He was the oldest child, and it would be years before his siblings could run the shop without both him and his father there to help them. She put a paw on her face, and began crying. She didn't know how long she cried, but she stopped when the conductor came by with a cart and offered her a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

The tap on her window scared Jillian and her paw came up, holding a pistol. She looked right at Carl with the barrel pointed at him. The big guy didn't even flinch. He just smiled at her and held up a big box of doughnuts. She sighed and let the breath she had held in that instant out slowly. Putting her weapon away, she took a moment to calm her nerves before getting out of her vehicle. Looking at the big guy she kicked his shin, which only made him chuckle.

"You asshole. You know better than that. Next time call my name from a distance before tapping on my window. I could have shot you." She growled at him, but he just pet her ears which turned her growl of annoyance into a pleasant churr of delight at being pet.

Heading up to the complex entrance, she looked back over her shoulder. Instinct told her someone was watching, and she spotted the red van down the block. That was a known hustler, Finnick. That bastard fox was probably making more of those shit pawpsicles. Last time she caught him making them on the roof of her apartment building to hide from the cops. She let him finish before pointing the gun at him. She had to admit, as crass as he was he was a damn good talker. He was smooth enough she almost fell for his gimmick. Almost...

As she looked around a bit more, she noticed Carl sniffing the air. His free paw drifted under his coat. He carried an SMG under that oversized coat of his. Her paws moved into her pockets, gripping the tranq pistols tightly. After a moment they saw a car pull out of an alley and head away from them. She glanced at the plate, memorizing it for later. Heading inside, they locked the door and Carl moved to the window. He was watching the alleyways. Nothing was there, except FInnick making his frozen treats. There was nothing there otherwise.

As the pair began to relax, they failed to notice a small rabbit poke her head out the back of Finnick's van. Judy was looking up at the apartment, breathing a low sigh of relief. Nick sipped his coffee as he watched the camera feeds from the traffic cams in the area. He was nervous, given the reputation of this wolfess. She had never engaged in anything serious. No prior convictions, no arrests, not even a hint on her record other than that she was an informant and goffer for the various crime bosses. But she was well known. She was tactical, able to lose any tail she found following her. She had more than once surprised officers that had been following some of her colleagues. She kept them distracted long enough to lose the trail before vanishing. She was skilled with her nose and had more than once pinned officers down for information while hanging personal affairs over their heads.

Nick wanted to get the hell out of there, but they had a job to do. Judy came back into the van and sat in her chair. Finnick had protested the use of his van, until they told him they the ZPD would forever turn a blind eye to his hustling. The fox looked back at them, realizing he was just given free reign to do this for life and never have to worry about being busted. Working with the police was not his idea of a good time, but if they let him do what he needed and didn't bust him, he would let them use his van.

Judy looked at the screens before letting out a sigh and reaching for her lunch sack. Pulling out a lettuce and cucumber sandwich, she began to nibble quietly. Finnick came back in, muttering about feeling exposed out there. Nick held a cup of coffee to him, and pat a chair. Finnick took the drink and jumped up in his seat. Looking at the screen, he muttered about the bitch they were hunting.

"Hey buddy, chill out," Nick said. "Our shift ends in twenty, then it's off to the diner for grub and a drink. Fair enough?" the fox said before turning to look at his former partner. Finnick shot him a look that said if he knew what was good for him to shut up. Nick chuckled and turned back to the screen. He saw the bear looked down at the van one more time before pulling the curtains closed.

"I gotta tell ya carrots, Carl will kill us if he catches us near his wolfess. I've known the guy long enough. He's even tempered and a professional in his work. But the moment someone crosses her, if she doesn't get to them first he will grind them to pulp in his paws. Then he will sit on them. And Mr. Big isn't going to like us chasing around after one of his boys like this." Judy only nodded at Nick's words, changing her view to a different camera. The curtains were all pulled closed, and the lights were mostly out. They could only make out the faint glow of the TV through the heavy curtains.

"He might be interested to know that the Sahara Square family are running deals in his territory without his permission, using intel Jillian got. That would piss both him and her off. He might just turn a blind eye to our work. Besides, Carl isn't our target. She is, and she has insider knowledge about many of the others gangs. Both the large families and the small time street gangs. She could know things we don't. And her knowledge could stop another incident like the Night Howler case." After that she fell quiet again, switching her view to the back of the complex. It was a very uptown place, and she knew rent was well more than even Bogo could afford on his salary.

The radio broke their silence, and made all three of them jump. It was Clawhauser telling them their replacements were in position. Finnick jumped into his driver seat and started the van. Kicking it into gear he headed toward the exchange into Sahara Square where he lived. Coming to the interchange, he watched Nick in his mirror. The fox was talking smooth to the bunny, and she was totally oblivious.

As he was pulling into the diner, Judy pointed out that James and the rest of the Sahara Square team were there. Finnick began to swear, until Nick told him that he wasn't going to have to pay for his food. That got the guy to pipe down enough that his protests were just mutters. Coming inside, Judy and Nick went to sit with the other officers as Finnick got himself a table nearby. He still wanted to listen in.

James looked at Judy and nodded, then to Nick as well. The pair laid out all they had seen and noted Jillian's behavior while she was sitting in her car. James leaned back in his wheelchair and thought about it.

"She was reliving a memory. I do the same thing. Just losing ourselves in it for a few moments helps us recall details or just destress. She may have been thinking about anything really. Though it sounds like she knew you were there. Don't get that close next time alright? If she catches on, she can and will vanish." He tapped the table a few times to get his point across.

Judy noticed his face scar and reached a paw to her own cheek. They were in almost the same spot. James saw her look and sighed, knowing what was about to happen. Nick was paying more attention to the menu though, for which the wolf was grateful for.

"Did she do that to your face?" Judy asked. She was more curious than anything. James nodded with a soft sigh. Taking a sip of his water he closed his eyes. Looking back at Judy he took a moment to decide how to tell her.

"It was the last time we lived together under the same roof. We had a fight. A fight I started. That fight ruined what little family ties we had. She left that night, never to return to our little town. Whatever good was left in my sister, I killed that night. I'm just trying to save whatever is left of her now. Look I know who she works for and I know just what it means. She will have to serve a prison term for attacking two officers. I'm not trying to get her out of it. I'm just trying to get her out of this city before it eats her alive. She had dreams. She wanted to be an artist, and she was a damned good one. I destroyed that, so anything you think about her, you have to know that I am far worse. I made her into that. Until I did what I did to her, she was a loving, sweet girl that tried her best and did everything she could. And I murdered that girl in cold blood. That person out there is all that survived that night."

Judy put a soft paw on James' and looked up at him. Her ears were lowered and her eyes big as could be. She was relaxed as she spoke softly to him, trying to calm him down. She knew he still cared about his sister. And in her mind Jillian still cared about him too. If she didn't, why let him live?

"She isn't too far gone. Every mammal can be redeemed. We will save her, I promise. Maybe it can be argued that she was forced to do it. Like she felt she had too or else something worse would happen to her. Maybe you just need to talk to her. If she didn't care at all, why wouldn't she just kill you? She obviously had the power too. Predators don't go savage, this isn't the stone age, and your sister is not a monster. We can save her if we work together."

"Excuse me. Have you officers seen my son James? He's the wolf in this picture here. I haven't heard from him in almost a month and I got worried. He's a police officer like you." Judy turned to look at the old wolf speaking. Nick pushed his shades down slowly, and glanced at Finnick. The smaller fox was sliding a hand under his shirt, reaching for a switchblade. There was no telling how this might go, and having a guy like Finnick to back you up was always helpful.

"Dad..." James said as he pushed his chair forward. The older wolf gasped softly, putting a paw on his face and looking at his son. The bruises may have faded, but the scars were still there. Kneeling softly the wolf reached out and cupped James's cheek. He was crying as he leaned in and hugged his son. Judy gave them a moment before speaking.

"Mr. Howl. I am..so so sorry. We should have taken better precautions. We should have had protection in place..." Her words were cut short by his wave of paw. He looked at her as he wiped his eyes. He was an old wolf, grizzled. He had worked hard his whole life and now in his retirement it was showing. He was worn out, and just wanted his children around him for however long he had left.

"There is nothing you could have done my dear. I have known my children for their whole lives. My son is as thick headed as it gets, but at least his heart is in the right place. My daughter is so much like her mother, and impossible to reason with once she sets her mind to something. She thinks.... At least in her mind that she was wronged in an unforgivable way. She has no intention of letting it go either. I know what kind of people she spends her time with now. There is no mistaking where the gifts and money come from," he said with shame in his voice.

Standing up, he took off his light jacket and moved to a chair by the high bar. He ordered a cup of coffee, which was surprising to the waitress, but she went to start a pot. Judy and Nick moved to join him, as Judy thought that maybe a different perspective might help. As she hopped up into a seat, Nick slid into the chair on the other side of the old wolf.

"SO...would you care to tell us what that thing is. The one you said, where she thinks it's unforgivable?" Judy asked softly. Nick rolled his eyes behind his shades, she still had no tact on how to approach a sensitive subject. But the wolf nodded as he was served his coffee. Taking a sip straight from the cup with no sugar or cream, he sighed.

"I had finished my shift at the smokehouse early. It was a fishing village we lived in, far north in the arctic. Tundra town is like a nice summer, pleasant enough we can move about without a jacket for a short time. Anyway, I had just finished early, and went to the town hall. I was preparing to retire and take my children somewhere warmer. I was getting my papers in order. James owned the truck, that was our only vehicle. He bought it himself, because we couldn't afford to buy him one with Jillian's medical expenses. Their mother was long gone, so it was just me and them." He paused to sip his coffee.

Judy was taking notes, glancing at James. He had rarely spoken about that night, and even then only told them so much. She had always figured it was a painful memory, but the way their father spoke it was likely something much worse.

"After I finished signing the papers to register for a travel pass for myself, I started walking home. Gods above I should have let one of the boys drive me home. But I was a proud wolf then, and did everything I could on my own. There was no mammal that would give me a handout if I had a word to say about it.

"That was when I first heard the yelling and snarling. I sped up and soon realized it was coming from my own house. I rushed inside, forgetting that I was still wearing all that heavy gear from the smokehouse. We wore special suits made of tanned whale hide to keep us from getting covered in the spices and salt floating in the air. The suits weigh so much you have to throw your weight around to get moving properly. In my hurry to get them apart, I just ran in. James stopped when I grabbed his wrist, screaming at them to just stop. But Jillian was not letting his leg go. She was latched on like tick, and I saw blood on his jeans. I... I lost my temper and grabbed her scruff. She tried to keep hold and I just pulled on her as hard as I could. I lost my grip when she let go, and she flipped out of my paw." He stopped and put a paw to his face. He was taking long, slow breaths to keep himself calm.

"It's ok sir. Just take your time and speak when you are ready," Nick said softly. Judy was surprised, her partner was usually the obnoxious one. But Nick had his shades off, and the look in his eye was something like familiarity. He knew the pain this mammal was in, or at least had seen it before.

"Thank you son...Yes. I.. I threw her against the wall. She flipped out of my paw and I tried to grab her again, but I missed. She hit the wall on the left side of her face and dropped to the floor. I held my breath as she pushed herself up on her arms to glare at us both. The betrayal in her eyes... the hatred. She loathed us both, but those eyes were so cold. I had never seen her so angry. I tried to reach down and offer her a hand to help her up and to her room. But she bit at me. She missed me by just a smidgen. Blood was running from her mouth, and I could tell she had busted a tooth or maybe a couple.

"I was so upset that I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just told them to go to their rooms. And I went right to mine without so much as a word. I got out of that heavy suit and washed up. I was getting dressed and thinking of what to make them for dinner when I heard the front door slam. I knew it was Jillian. She was prone to wandering the town on her own when she was upset. It was her comfort. We bought her an older wheelchair. James and I welded reinforcement to it, bigger wheels with special hand grips. We added a seat heater to keep her warm in the cold. We couldn't afford a new one with am motor, so we just rigged up one the best we could from scavenged parts." He chuckled remembering that. Judy smiled and pat his arm.

He smiled down at her and nodded, "Thank you. Yes, where was I? Oh...yes. I heard the front door slam and I knew it was Jillian. So I grabbed my coat. I figured I could catch her and follow her to where she was going. Usually she went nowhere, just wandered around until she was calm again. But tonight there was snow falling. By the time I got outside, her tracks were mostly covered. I had a hard time following her, and the wind was blowing her scent all over the place. I lost track of her. So I did the only thing any parent could. I went to the police station.

"One of the officers there had heard from our neighbor that a scuffle was happening and was preparing to come to the house when I showed up. I told him everything and he said that she might press charges. And if she did, he would have to arrest both myself and my son. I understood why. And I would have never faulted her if she did. I deserved it after all. I just hoped she would forgive her brother for whatever happened to start the fight." Tears were rolling down his face, and he only noticed when he took a sip of his coffee.

"It's ok. You don't have to say anymore. This is hurting you," Judy said softly. But the sound of James' wheelchair met their ears as he rolled up and stopped behind their father. He was staring softly at the wolf on the stool. Pain all over his face. He was hurting as much as his father.

"Tell them dad. Tell them what I did to her. Tell them how I ruined her life. Tell them what I forced her to think that night... Because I don't have the courage to admit it myself." James said softly. Their father turned slowly and looked down at his son. He was not angry or ashamed, merely saddened. He swallowed softly and then nodded.

"Jillian went to the only place she could buy anything she wanted. I don't know where she got the money or how she got it. But she bought a rifle. A large rifle, according to Brandon. He was very vocal about it in fact. Neither of us could go in the shop when he was there ever again. And he never looked at us in public. He was quite upset. I think he loved her. He told the police everything when he came to the house. He had come with the store truck, half expecting to have to fight his way through the police to get to her. He was carrying his shotgun. I honestly expected him to shoot us both with the police right there. He screamed at us about how we hurt her, how she was broken by it and all she wanted was to be free of us.

"After that he just left. The police officer I had been riding with got a call about Jillian at the train station. She bought the rifle, then a train ticket. She decided not to kill us, but she still left town without a word to anyone. The next few days the town was shaken by the news. We may cover hundreds of miles across the ice and snow, but we were small in number and news travels fast. Everyone knew, and everyone was shocked. We all kept thinking about what we could have done differently. But life goes on, and she was not spoken about much after that. Just the empty bedroom that we left the light on. It was a silent reminder to ourselves and the town of how we failed."

Judy stepped back from the wolf. She did not know how to think about it. Her own parents had loved her, and while she was one in hundreds she knew they would never hurt her intentionally. Nick seemed to have a better understanding, as he reached up and put a paw on the old wolf's shoulder softly.

"Sir... Having been in her shoes I can tell you. She still needs you. She needs the only parent she has ever known. I had no siblings, no one to get in and out of trouble with. It was just my mother and I. And one day I did something horrible and left her crying alone in the house. It has taken me more than five years to go back and apologize to her. It took five years, and in a heartbeat I knew that I was still a kit to her. I would always need her and I knew it. Jillian knows it too. She will always need her father, and you have to help her see that. Maybe she doesn't care at the moment. But the moment she hears you are here she will come running to see you. I promise you that." Nick was honest, and sincere in his words. The police were quiet, having known Wilde for over a year now, and never having seen anything like this from him. He was a regular joker, always teasing and poking fun in a good natured way. It was never meant to be hostile. He was a smooth talker, and knew the underbelly of the city well enough.

Seeing the fox like this, that facade having fallen away made them all pause to think about how deep he really was. Jillian had to face trial for her actions against the ZPD, but now there was context behind the hatred and violence. There was a reason for the way she was. Though what bothered them all was how was she up and walking around like nothing happened in her past, but her family constantly spoke about her being on crutches or in a wheelchair when she was younger. What had changed?

"Mr Howl?" Judy said finally. He looked at her with sad eyes. He didn't know what to do or say. He was lost without his kids. His son was in a wheelchair now, because his daughter put him there. He was wondering just what she would to him when she saw him. While he could never condone what his daughter did, he understood and still loved her. He loved her so much, but he had never put it in words. He had never told her he was proud of her art skills, how proud he was of her helping the school find out what made the kids sick. He never told her he loved her, or showed her the affection she deserved. He let his pain get in the way. He missed his wife so much that anything that reminded him of her was just a painful thing to look at.

He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He was quiet as Judy put a paw on his knee. He was shaking, trying not to break down. He had been so strong for so long he did not know how to relax and show his feelings.

"Is there a way to save her? To help her see this is wrong and maybe turn herself in?" He asked softly. James looked at the other officers, knowing they knew that was what he was trying to do. But none of them had an idea. Judy had no idea either. It was then the silver vixen stood up.

"Then I guess we have our work cut out for us. Orders are to bring her in. She has assaulted two police officers. Our paws are tied on the matter. All I can promise you is that we will take all the care we can to get her in safely, and give you a chance to visit her before she's taken away forever." Ana was not trying to be cruel, but honestly. She looked at her partner, sighing as she saw him in deep thought. He had that look on his face, something was no right. She would ask him about it later. For now, she had to figure out how to catch the wolfess unaware. Everytime Ana had been watching her, Jillian had turned and looked right at her. Ana knew she was busted and left the area. Jillian was good at the game, and the police knew it. She was their only link to several of the families, and they could not waste the chance to catch her.

To Be Continued