The soft rain was hitting the windshield, only to be begrudgingly swooped away by the wipers. No music was playing through the radio, detective Ashford really wasn't in the mood. Any tunes felt utterly wrong, considering that rucksack beside him on the passenger seat which housed the bones of an unfortunate child. Actually this word was way too harmless for what happened to this wolf boy. 

The fox recalled that day in the office that seemed normal at first, but turned into a nightmare he couldn't quite digest. Ashford was very young for being a detective, only 21 years old. He did investigate several cases of missing children before, most of them have been found, while others only had a pawful of evidence. His most intense moment was when he discovered a victim of pedophilia in a basement. Although the poor thing was still alive and the culprit was arrested for good, she will not be able to live a normal life anymore.

However, there has never been a case of a child that happened to be eaten.

…

One week ago, he was sitting at his desk, already nervous from the desperate call from very concerned parents. He was currently writing a report that wasn't very decisive at all. They had visited the rhino where the wolf boy was last seen, but even he couldn't give any more information. It was such a strange case. Why was the child last seen before his very house, when the rhino himself didn't even know about anything? Besides that stinking alcohol breath from him, he didn't seem very suspicious before…

In the evening, the phone rang again.
“This is the police department of South Metropolis, detective Ashford speaking…”
His fingers were ready to write everything down with his pen being fiddled around by his nervous fingers. 
“yes, I'm investigating the case of the missing child B. Jonathan Adams…sure I'm grateful for any hint…” Even though he tried to sound polite, he had a stinging feeling in his chest that something wasn't quite right. It was a mere uncertain premonition, especially when the guy on the other end said that his employees found something. The realization crushed into him, his lips trembling in disbelief as the horror sank deep into his bones.
“The…sewage system?!”

“Whoa!” He cried out as he was about to crash into a slower car in his lane. The wheels were screeching, when he hit the brakes, barely preventing an accident. Judging glares pierced through him from the other vehicles, as he readjusted his glasses. The fox's thoughts were so loud that it almost felt like a dream. Taken aback by the shock, he took a deep shivering breath in.
“Huh, a police detective causing a crash because of insomnia and daydreaming. Tell me something new.” He uttered with his still shivering soft voice. It wouldn’t even be the worst the fox has done. He gave Jonathan’s parents a promise. He would do everything to bring him back to life, no matter the cost. The wolf boy’s fate was unspeakable and he was doomed to die way too soon. He didn’t deserve this. And so, the detective committed several cyber crimes to gather a sizable amount of money for a secluded area that, according to his contact, was some kind of military base for top secret technology. To be very honest, those big companies wouldn’t even mind that a little bit of their money was spent to save the life of a child right? Still, he was a detective, a fox of law which he broke without a flinch. Right now, it hit him right in his guts with a subtle pain rising.
“Ughh…damn Benjamin, you shouldn’t have forgotten the side effects of coffee.” He mumbled to himself with a discomfort in his voice. The warm drink may have staved his trauma induced insomnia, but now it churned in his stomach and loosened his lower belly.

There was certainly a reason why the car before him slowed down so much; it didn’t look very good for him to proceed much faster. 
“Out of all times this could have happened, it happens now…of course.” Lost in daydreams, he barely noticed the traffic jam that was brewing on the highway until he was trapped. The fastest speed he could reach now was a maximum of 3 miles per hour. Although the pressure in his bowels rose, his train of endless thoughts didn’t stop. It was all too much to process. He might be an adult by definition and had a solid job as a police detective, but his brain still didn’t feel ready for that disturbing image he saw, when he visited the local sewage system of his city. Some employees were sitting on a bank, face hidden behind their paws, shivering. Benjamin almost threw up at the sight he had to witness: Limbs with bare bones were ripped apart and haphazardly rearranged, presumably by someone’s massive digestive system, the anatomy of a person barely visible through all that gunk. One part housed the soulless skull, agape as if frozen in an eternal scream of suffering. The size of those remains clearly indicated that they were a child before. The clothes and a significant costume that resembled a candy corn confirmed that it was exactly that missing wolf kid.   

With his mind back on the slow road, the preoccupied fox shook his head, when another jolt of pressure stung his bristling chest in response to these nightmarish memories. 
“Don’t…don’t show me that picture again.” He shiveringly demanded his mind before looking over to the big rucksack beside him. 
“At the very least…we’ve found him. And got the culprit.” Later that day, he went to visit the rhino again, this time with a rucksack full of damning evidence.

He remembered exactly how Mr. Brown’s tall and massive form first intimidated him. If he himself was just a bit smaller, he would've been a perfect meal as well. But the rhino seemed harmless, at least to him.

Memories

The giant greeted him at his door, apologized for not tidying up before his visit. Benjamin entered the living room once again, his inner reaction a flinch. Several cans of beer were scattered about, on the floor and the outworn looking couch. The air was stale and there was a hint of old pizza which must’ve been devoured just recently. It caused light-headedness to the fox, before he opened the window after asking politely. He brushed over his light-brown coat as if to remove the scent. The rhino sat down and Benjamin stood to at least somehow reach his eye level.

“The day before yesterday, it was Halloween evening. Your neighbors all told me that they have heard screams of fear and help. And it was in this street, that’s for sure.” Benjamin was certain of his guilt already, but he wanted to finish his work thoroughly.
“I told you before,” The rhino said. “It couldn’t have been me.”
“I didn’t say that. If you are innocent, you have nothing to hide. Don’t worry, I’m here to help.” Those words seemed to have calmed the rhino down and he scratched over his horn presumably digging through his memories.
“I don’t think that I can be of much help. I was drunk, absolutely wasted. Heck, if I saw anything, I can’t even assure you that it was actually real.” Mr. Brown now reached the tip of his horn with half closed eyes.
“I see.” Benjamin said calmly. “What happened to your phone?” He gestured to the half-broken but still somehow working device in the rhino’s hands.
“I smashed it against the wall when the alarm wouldn’t stop. Sometimes, I can’t control my strength for small things, especially with a hangover. Urp!” A bubble of air rose from his stomach and burst out in an uncontrollable burp. The reek was almost unbearable and Benjamin's nose twitched, his tail flickered.
“Ugh sorry. I can still…kinda feel it.”
“Just a couple of more questions, then I will be on my way and you can rest.” The fox reassured. He shortly narrowed his eyes and rolled his neck with pops audibly coming from it. Craning it this whole time up, while speaking to the giant made it ache. 
“It is common for children to ring at several doors at Halloween; yours as well. Can you remember any moment when it happened at your property?”
“I…” The rhino hesitatingly began. “There was a ring…But I can’t…quite remember who that was.”
“I see.” Benjamin merely replied. Then he took off the big rucksack and opened it delicately. “I brought something that might help you piece together what happened for me.” The fox’s hands flinched, when they touched that costume, a sense of nausea grew inside him. Normally, it was meant to evoke happiness, silliness, perhaps even laughter. But not the feelings he had, when he saw it. With the best of his efforts, he hid a shaking breath.
“That’s something big man. I never saw a piece of evidence of that size.”
“It is definitely uncommon, yes.” Benjamin stood up again. “It is a costume. For children.”
“A costume?” The rhino replied with a smirk. “It looks more like an oversized…candy corn…” His breath shallowed.
“It was found beside…the boy…” He swallowed and continued, acting professional. “Do you remember something? Anything can help.” The fox said as calmly as he could. 
“There was…I…I ate…a piece of candy that evening…It…it came out of nowhere. I was…grateful as I was…starving…My brain was so foggy…” The fox nodded, his dark green eyes like raw diamonds piercing him with a glare.
“It…it wasn’t that candy though! I’m sure of it! I—” 
“Did the candy say something? Did it struggle when you ate it?”
“What nonsense! Candy isn’t alive!”
“Children can’t do much against someone with your strength, you know. Perhaps, the alcohol fogged your senses?” 
“I didn’t! I didn’t fucking eat a child! What do you even think of me?!” He furiously got up and his voice bellowed loudly through his tall house, almost numbing Benjamin’s ears which flattened in response. It almost seemed like the rhino was holding back to grab the fox by the tie.
“Get out! Get out, you creep!” Fiercely, his finger pointed towards the entrance.
“Please, calm down Mr. Brown.” 
“Tell me why the hell I am supposed to calm down!”
The rhino demanded with a stern voice. 
“I can’t leave. Not yet.” The fox made a pause making sure that the rhino’s breath went at least a bit slower, then he continued.
“I’m sorry, but I did hide something from you. Those screams of help I’ve talked about earlier,

“They came from your property. One of your neighbors saw your door being shut behind afterwards.”
“This…This isn’t true!” Mr. Brown shouted.
“They told me. Why should they lie?”
“Because they want to divert the deed to me of course, you dumbass! What kind of detective are you? You think I'd hurt a child like this?!”
“The neighborhood is unanimous: Jonathan ringed at every single door, but he was missing those that came after yours. Isn’t that suspicious?” The rhino's legs shook and seemed to lose strength.
“Oh…dear mother of…” Benjamin nodded again. Now it was clear.
“I can see that some memories are coming back. Your food was noisy wasn’t it?” The rhino collapsed to his knees, causing the floor to rumble at his weight, the wood groaning from the impact. A glass bottle lost its balance and shattered loudly.
“It…it can’t be true!” His words were getting quieter.
“I know, you are no killer, Mr. Brown. Your first reaction to the costume told me enough.”
“I did…have a…a…” The rhino had trouble speaking as he tried to fight the truth.
“A couple of…fully intact candies in my…toilet today…In plastic!...It felt…surreal.” Benjamin took a shaky breath while trying his best to keep a firm grip on his professionality.
“An oversized candy corn,” He began, “voluntarily arrives at your home…Doesn’t that sound surreal too?” The fox’s voice rose slightly. His fists clenched. “It spoke to you, ‘trick or treat!’, but all you heard was ‘treat’. Then, it screamed when it came close to your mouth, presumably saying, ‘I’m not candy!’, but all you heard was ‘candy’.” 

His glassy eyes now were the same height as Mr. Brown’s, as this one kneeled, shivering.
“I just…can’t believe it was just alcohol you took…That doesn’t mean that I accuse you of taking drugs, it’s just…I can’t believe it.” His voice got quieter, higher-pitched, losing its faint bass. He fought back tears and took a deep breath. There must’ve been at least some fractures of wicked ignorance from the giant rhino’s side. The screams of a terrified child are loud, too loud to overhear, no matter how much he drank, this wasn’t an excuse. The fox tried his best to steady himself.
“You are no killer…But you killed a child. You can’t get away with this without a punishment. The judge will decide your fate…”

After Benjamin made sure of the arrestion of Mr. Brown, he fled away into the park, seeking solitude. If the few people there paid attention to the fox, they could hear him whimper. Having found a private spot, he put his face into his hands and started to shiver, sobbing almost violently, tears rushing down his eyes.

No matter how lucky he was that the child was last seen at the front yard of Mr. Brown; a child died. Fallen death to a humiliating, horrible fate.

…

The Highway

His car came to a halt once more, temporarily pulling the fox out of his train of thought. That day he cried until his eyes were empty. Thinking of the boy’s fate was enough to completely shift his mood. However, after he found out about that certain device, hope once again rose within him. The boy was practically alive, he just needed to finish the process! Still…would it even work? A machine that somehow revived the dead…it sounded too good to be true. How was it supposed to even work?

His lower belly sent out angry gurgles with cramps starting to build up gradually, snapping him out once again. Nature could never be ignored.
“Ohhh noo…” He whined in his seat, curling his big fluffy tail around his belly and wiggling with his butt. It really was a mistake not to use the bathroom yesterday. The urge always struck when he was busy, never at a convenient moment. He would’ve even accepted to get out of his bed at night of all things. Now there was much more waste to dispose of and it was pressing against his resistance with an uncomfortable, burning sensation. Again at an inappropriate time.
“Ah!” He narrowed his eyes as the pain reached its climax and he rocked his head back, elevating his waist a bit, before his insides bubbled and he let out an audible toot through his jeans. The fox felt the warmth of his inner air around his loins and sighed with short relief, before the pressure came back to him, even sharper than before.

He waved his hand and slightly opened both of his car's windows.
“Aw man, I really have to find a way out of this traffic jam. Otherwise I might not make it.” In this moment, he felt like a little boy in the backseat, constantly asking when they were finally there, because his body urged for a potty stop.
“I shouldn't have drunk this coffee. It was a mistake.” He whined to himself, shifting around on his seat, now pushing his free hand-paw into his crotch. Passing gas had pressed on his bladder which also felt quite full at this point. 
“Ahhh great…now I have to pee too!” He turned to the rucksack beside him and smiled sheepishly.
“Believe it or not, adults sometimes have accidents too. We also can't hold on for too long…especially—” Benjamin seized the opportunity of the stop to put both of his paws between his trembling legs, the pain stinging up to his belly and chest. 
“—when caffeine is involved!” He felt his member harden in response, an attempt to prevent leaking into his pants. It helped quite a bit, but it also hurt. 
“Owwwww!” The fox whimpered like a little puppy. His belly emitted more gurgles, complaining about his inability to let go. Another greasy wind passed his gate, causing Benjamin to press his butt cheeks together, painfully sucking his waste up into his colon.
“This…this traffic jam just won’t…end.” Another surge of pain and cramps rushed up his spine, making him shiver, squeezing his eyes shut. His jeans rustled as he rubbed his legs together. Benjamin would be so embarrassed, if he had an actual passenger. Perhaps there was? Although he didn't believe in ghosts, he could somehow feel a presence right beside him. It could however just be an imagination, created by his hope and determination to bring the child back to life.

There was no difference between a kid and the fox right now. He struggled and shifted around, discomfort and nervosity rising. Now the traffic has stopped for more than about 30 minutes, and it didn’t look like it would ever go further within the next hour. Benjamin’s heart began to thump up to his throat and he could feel sweat on his whole skin. His load moved into his rectum, kissing his backdoor once again, pushing against it, almost making his rose bulge. His fluff member now was straight up like a tree, softly throbbing from the blood pumping through it, while his bladder pressed its contents at his urethra.
“C-Can’t believe that I'm already at my limit…” The fox uttered with a strained voice. 
“I need to relax.” Although it was risky, he knew that calming himself down could be helpful to get through the pain until he can finally go. He turned on the radio and chose the classic music channel. Then he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Playing from the speakers was a soothing piano melody, one that he was very familiar with.
“Clair de Lune…what a beautiful piece you chose for me.” His heart was still pumping loudly and the pain didn't cease. However, the music helped him calm down his mind at the very least and the softly touched keys made his body loosen into the seat, becoming heavier. The numbers on those cars before him created a message, one that he couldn't quite decipher. His view was foggy and unclear, eyelids heavy. The fresh air from the outside gave the insides of his vehicle a pleasant fragrance. Like freshly hoed earth, an embrace of nature, as if the forest itself visited the car. The vehicles blurred together to a single, long piece on every lane. With every blink, their numbers changed. The piano piece reached its climax, when a bird suddenly flew through the window and landed on Benjamin’s knee. It was a beautiful, white pigeon that softly cooed as if to tell something to the fox.
“And who are you then?” He gently asked the animal that spread its warmth on his leg. It felt comfortable, that soft weight on him. Carefully, the fox brushed his fingers through its fluffy feathers. It cooed gratefully in response.
“Where are we driving to?” The wolf kid beside him asked. 
“We’re going to heal you.” Benjamin answered softly. 
“That’s very nice.” The child answered rather nonchalantly. “Will it work?” Seconds of silence passed before the fox replied,
“Honestly, I don't know.”
“Oh.” Then, the snow white pigeon lifted its wings, slowly flapping them until it took off and landed right on the narrow plastic dashboard behind the steering wheel. It continued to stare at Benjamin, not frighteningly, more…comforting.
“Don’t give up hope, Benjamin.” Jonathan softly said. A drop of water hit the fox right on his crotch. Did the ceiling of his car just leak?

“Haaa! Wrong call!” He exclaimed as he woke up, feeling his bladder giving in slightly. Hot liquid soaked a little circle into his shorts as he immediately pressed both of his paws into his crotch, narrowing his eyes in strain. 
The coffee couldn't quite act against his sleep deprivation. It was only about 2 hours and even those weren't very deep or refreshing.

“Ok…” He wheezed. “This is enough. I can't hold it anymore…” Benjamin could already feel tears of shame emerging in his eyes, when he looked out of his window. The highway was surrounded by a forest! Without a second thought, he pulled the key out of the engine and took the valuable rucksack out with him. It pushed down his own weight quite a bit. He could barely walk normally. His gait was rather awkward and he could already feel the thousands of judging eyeballs watching him from the other cars. What a bliss that they didn't know that this guy, who struggled to keep himself upright, was a policeman. 
“Everybody needs to go.” He stated into the clogged lane, as he cringed and his tail tucked through his legs on his walk to the liberating woods.

Sensing relief close by, his colon pushed its thick mass further and bloated his tired rectum. The warm liquid swayed around in his bladder, making every step a work of effort.
“Ack! C'mon, you almost made it!” He mumbled to himself. Another whiff passed his butt, breaking up with solid waste prying his rose open. Eventually, he couldn't walk much farther and he put the rucksack down, before immediately grabbing his waistband and pulling down his jeans and shorts. The sudden cold kiss made his bare, cream colored butt cheeks twitch slightly in response to the exposure, as the wet wind blew over his small manhood and balls. He bent his knees, kept his legs together as if wanting to hide his delicate privates, curled his tail up like a spiral and blew out a sigh of imminent relief. Finally, there weren't any pants anymore to soil, just that soft floor of the forest. 

A finger pushed his member down to prevent hitting his jeans and it fired a crystal clear torrent of urine to the ground, letting his bladder tingle. Almost simultaneously, his sensitive ring parted as the first log was greeted to its freedom.
“Phewwww” He uttered with closed eyes, feeling the immense pressure in his bladder subside. His tailhole almost politely waited for it to finish, before losing strength and started to push the roughly textured mass out. The pungent, earthy smell of his stool soon evaporated into the air, having an endless room to expand.
“Ohhh...” A feeling of pure bliss overcame him, his body trembled with satisfaction of release and a shiver ran down his spine, ending at the turd hanging from his anus. With a deep breath into his tingling belly, it gained speed, caressing his rose with indigestible pieces like a gentle massage, before tumbling down with a quiet thud, curling neatly underneath him. His pee stream became a mere melody of droplets, when his second thick log created a sweet, crackling flame that almost had a calming feeling to it. It became louder with Benjamin bearing down slightly in silence.

With soft gurgles it caressed his sensitive bum with its smoother texture and slid out like a slow, tingling snail. He could literally feel how the long, thick snake left his insides. Bubbles of gas interrupted its flow, breaking it up with quiet fizzes, turning it into a rope of separated sausages that all fell down from the fox’s butt with gradually increasing pace. When the last bit left him with a flop, his colon’s pressure was replaced with a blissful feeling of emptiness. The sizable pile below him almost kissed his rose. 
“A-haaaa…” He moaned with pure relief and relaxation with his tongue slipping out of his mouth. 

His exhausted, dripping penis softened and he panted with gratefulness of having made it before it was too late. He closed his eyes to cherish the moment just for a little longer. The cool wind brushed over his fluffy ears and caressed his butt cheeks with a soft rustling sound. The forest was quiet and peaceful, not even the traffic a couple of meters away could be heard as it was stopped by something. His nose twitched and he filled his lungs with that fresh and humid air. He felt some very fine raindrops, dripping on him and soaking into his fur. Some landed on his glasses. Then he threw a sheepish glance at the rucksack he put beside. 
“I’m sorry that you had to see me like this…but I really had to go, heh.” Speaking to the item made of fine fabric was all he could have in this moment. Afterall, there was nobody else to talk to. The fact that it had the bones of that child almost made it a person. It was a person after all.
“Now to…oh no…” A stinging sensation pierced his chest, when he reached for the pockets of his jacket. 
“I left my tissues in the car! Awww noo, this can’t be true…” He whined with pure shame overcoming him. Looking around, he couldn’t find anything to use for cleaning. Not even the leaves were suitable as they were dead and porous.
“I have no choice…” With complaining whimpers, the embarrassed fox pulled up his pants, hiding his unwiped bum. 

He awkwardly stumbled over the still frozen highway, as he felt the remains of his business smearing around his butt cheeks. He opened the car, shortly rummaged in its contents and pulled out a pack of tissue. Thank god there was still something left.

Arriving in the woods, he squatted once again, this time way closer to the road. He shoved one tissue over his ring, trying to make this a short act. A dozen of wipes later, his butt finally stopped leaving stains on the piece.

Quickly rushing back to his car again, the now clean fox tried to not look at any other window, as he could already tell that at least some people may have watched him wipe back there. When he was back on his seat again, he blew out a long sigh of relief. Everything was ok. He released the pressure in his gut and didn’t soil his pants. The forest couldn't be bothered less by a bit more organic waste. Now to the traffic jam that almost looked like it would never end.

…

The SMT

“Ooooch…finally!” He exhaled with a throaty sigh when he eventually could pull out of his lane and out of the highway. His GPS indicated that he wasn’t very far away from his target, only approximately 15 minutes until he arrived. The sun was long gone, if it was ever there as the thick clouds made it look like late evening the whole day long. His head was pulsating with dull aches as the trip really felt like an eternity. The traffic jam alone took hours to even clear up. 
“We almost made it.” He stated turning to the rucksack again. 

With the system indicating that he arrived at his goal, a huge complex enclosed by thick walls that didn't let anything through came into view. There were wolf guards spread all over every tower observing the area. Their tails flickered when they saw Benjamin’s car arriving. A gate, towering over his vehicle, was the only last border to cross before he could continue. He stopped and waited for one of the wolves to come.

“I'm Benjamin Ashford, I'm your…client.” He spoke the word as if it was something alien. 
“Benjamin Ashford, police detective in South Metropolis, 21 years old, species: anthropomorphic red fox.” The wolf said with a stern tone, reading from a tablet in his hand-paws. He eyed Benjamin with a hint of suspicion. “You don’t seem quite red though. More white with orange and brown accents.”
“It’s cream. Red fox is just my species. There are dozens of red foxes out there without typical orange fur.” The guard broke out in sudden laughter.
“I know, I know. I’m just messing with you. Playing the guard here can get quite boring, you know?” His surprisingly cheerful demeanor elicited a humble mirth from the fox as well, which was rather a nervous giggle.  
“Alright!” He eventually said determined. “Everything seems to be in order. Welcome to the SMT foundation. Shortly for Secret Military Technology. It is truly remarkable that you even found out about us.”
“I…had a few contacts.” Benjamin responded reservedly. Those sleepless nights were at least used properly. He did all of this coding to be here.
“Alright Mr. Ashford, as this is a secured area, you can probably understand that you must not bring any of your belongings into the terrain. You will get exclusive clothes from us, while everything else will be locked into a safe only we have access to.” The wolf eyed the big rucksack beside the fox with suspicion in his face.
“Would you please open that over there? Just to make sure you didn't bring anything dangerous.”
“Sure of course. That's why I'm here.” Upon seeing the contents, the wolf widened his eyes before regaining his composed countenance immediately. 
“I see. You're here for the RRM, follow me please.”

The fox left the car in the inner yard and was requested to fully change into new clothes. It was a set of underwear, a white, long sleeved shirt and grey trousers made of thin fibre. Only his very flesh and fur were allowed to enter this secret laboratory. He was then sent through an elevator that must’ve been driving to the base of Earth's mantle. At least it felt like it.

Upon arriving at floor -34, he was greeted by the friendly beaming face of a lioness in a smock. She was at least three heads taller than Benjamin; her fur was bright and had hints of gold.
“Hello Mr. Ashford, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dr. Miranda, the inventor of the reforming reanimation machine.”
“Likewise, Dr. Miranda. I have the remains of B. Jonathan Adams inside this backpack here.” The fox answered, showing her the big rucksack, the only thing he brought which was allowed. 
“Then we have everything we need. Please follow me, Mr. Ashford.”

While they walked, she continued to tell him about the hard construction of the device and how much it did cost for the military to eventually finish. It was a prize that was almost worth a whole city, but it already had its miraculous impact on the number of fallen special forces units which was since then a flat zero. 
“Because they all came back to life!” She cheered. The lioness also told him that it was normally uncommon for civilians to even have access to the RRM, but she was able, by giving a detailed description of the child’s fate, to eventually convince the military in exchange of a high prize. 
“You should know that I've seen a lot of things already. Dismembered limbs, ripped off heads, even exposed guts. However, the fate of this poor wolf child caused me many sleepless nights. I can't even imagine how it must’ve looked, when you found him.” That cheerfulness of her being ceased when she changed the subject. Between them was a brief silence until they stopped at a door.
“Here we are.”

A pristine clean room greeted them, as well as the odor of fresh disinfectant in the air. It was neither small nor big, housing a single clinical bed with a water resistant, green surface. What struck instantaneously into Benjamin’s eyes however was a big, machine-like object behind it. Its white surface was decorated with blue glowing canals that looked like synthetic veins. The overload of digital displays with thousands of information made it seem like it came straight out of a sci fi movie from the 90s. He tried to make sense of all the text, but it was too complex, even for him. In the middle of it was a hint of an openable lid with a big button on its side. The rest of the chamber looked like a chemistry laboratory for those that must’ve not only graduated and got a doctor title, but fully mastered science as a whole. Hope gradually rose higher within the fox’s being, his ears perking up.

“Like what you see?” Dr. Miranda asked, getting a piece of her cheerfulness back. “It’s all my pride. My life’s work. Ok, to be honest it didn’t take that long.” She giggled softly. “Your guess is right, this is the RRM.”
“It looks…” Benjamin hesitatingly began, “...like a film prop for a science fiction movie. I don't mean it in a derogatory way, it just…looks so fascinating.” Dr. Miranda chuckled.
“I see exactly what you mean, Mr. Ashford! That’s what I thought too, when I first designed it. Come, let me show you how this works.”

Shiveringly, Benjamin opened the zipper of the rucksack. Upon seeing the bones inside he was immediately overwhelmed with nausea and the child’s screams of help echoed loudly in his head, even though he never really heard them himself. They muffled as a mouth around them closed shut, sealing them from outside forever.
“Mr. Ashford?” The fox jumped audibly.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes…I mean…no, but…”
“Let me do it then.”
“Oh no, it’s alright. I just need to—” His nose soughed audibly as he took a deep breath in.
“I can see what you’re going through. Handling a case of a missing child that turned out to be eaten is hard to digest.” Eventually, Benjamin managed to fully open the rucksack and take out the bones one by one.
“We need to put them exactly together like they would be, if there was still flesh around them. Otherwise, the reformation would take longer, as the machine tries to put the bones in order.” The device hissed, when she opened the lid with that button on the side. Inside was something that looked like a waterproof mattress, made for all people, adults, giants and children.

Benjamin couldn’t help but shiver. He felt his fingers twitch, as if they still operated a keyboard. All of this code cracking, the intense moments that were close to leak his illegal deeds; done for this very moment. Together with Dr. Miranda he put in the bones one by one, then the lid sealed the machine's contents shut.
“Veeery short explanation: The RRM will now begin to analyse the boy’s DNA, then put it into a massive database to sort all the information and build his body out of the biological blueprint that his bones offer. It pulls all the necessary material from our organic reservoir.” The fox nodded with an interested expression, though he seemed to be curious to hear more.
“And where does all the material come from?” The doctor giggled slightly in response.
“The same way you eat your food. Though, it doesn’t matter what kind of organic material we feed the reservoir, as long as it’s clean and all the vitamins and proteins are enough to create or recreate a person.” She was about to deliver a more detailed explanation, when her flow was interrupted by a loud beep coming from a device around her wrist. 
“Oh, excuse me. I have a couple of things to attend to.”
“I will stay here, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is. See you later, detective!”

…

Almost hypnotized, the fox stared at the machine, not seeing the result, as it didn’t have any windows to look at. Instead, it was a single monotone buzz coming from it, building the fragile body of the poor wolf child back together again. There was this constant pressure in his chest, the fact that a child got eaten alive just wouldn’t leave his head, even though the boy was currently being reformed again. With mumbling curses, he scolded the big rhino for his absurdly reckless act. His fingers tapped a nervous rhythm on the table. Will this even work? Will his cyber criminal efforts pay off? He took a shaking breath. Everything was worth the revival of an innocent child, heck he would even kill if it was necessary. All he wanted to see was the wolf boy alive, even though he wasn’t even his own son. Just seeing a photo of him, immediately combined it with that cruel murder. Hopefully, this monster will suffer for his actions! Something like this must not be left unpunished. Jail would never afford the amount of beating he deserved—!

Suddenly, the door opened behind him. The lioness stepped into the room, furrowing a brow. 
“Mr. Ashford, you’re sitting here for more than three hours. Are you feeling alright?” Benjamin tiredly shook his head.
“About as alright as you can feel, when you are involved in a case of a child's death.”
“Yes, about that,” she began, “later this day, he will be visibly complete. However, his body is going to be very weak and he must not move a single inch. It will just be enough strength to breathe and digest. Speaking of which, as soon as his system works, we will feed him with special nutrition bars. They have all the vitamins and proteins he needs. Tomorrow, we will begin to feed his brain with information we have about the child. For him it will feel like normal memories.” Benjamin nodded silently in confirmation.
“Alright…thank you…for everything…”

…

Although Benjamin was invited to eat with the other scientists and guards in the cafeteria, there was no way he could eat anything right now, his stomach rebelling against everything he offered. It almost felt like an illness, involving a constant sensation of dread and nervousity in his gut. 

It was a couple of hours later, before the doctor once more entered the room with the machine, and a silent fox. 
“Mr. Ashford, if you like to see him now, he’s complete. He must not be touched, lest serious injuries be inflicted to him, only prolonging the procedure.” Benjamin’s eyes shot wide open and he glanced at the device beside the table he was sitting at. 
“Of course I want to see him!” He exclaimed almost too loud to be neither polite nor professional. Shortly after the lioness opened the lid of the device, Benjamin quickly took a look at the now intact body of a sleeping wolf child. Lying on the surface was a beautiful boy, with softly pointed ears and a cute snout. His fur was almost purely white, grey accents decorating it over his entire body. It was indeed working!
“His vital signs are normal, his heart is beating and his stomach is eager for its first meal as well. We will have to turn it into fine soup first, as he obviously can’t chew in this state. If you like, you can help me tomorrow, when its journey through him is over.” Benjamin felt himself turn slightly red at this idea, though he certainly nodded.
“S-Sure. I’m eager to help this pup’s recovery in any way.”
“Very well!” She cheered with an almost too friendly tone. 

The machine whirred when it descended a slim transparent tube that first touched the wolf’s mouth then entered it with a slip. Soon a dark orange soup ran through it and into his throat, swallowing in reflex. When the feeding was done, the two of them heard grateful gurgles coming from his belly.
“What he needs now is rest and quiet. We have already begun to fill in his memories.” Benjamin gave a sigh of relief.
“Alright, I’m glad the reformation works. I probably should try to sleep at least a little bit.”
“That’s a good idea! And no worries, we’ve already reformed many people. The fact that it’s a child for the first time doesn’t make any difference to the machine.”
“That’s good to know.” He gave a light chuckle to lighten his own mood at least a little bit, before vanishing behind the door.

…

His room was small but convenient. A bed and a bathroom with a toilet and shower. He flushed and tried to imagine that his worries would also go down the sewers. He undressed, revealing the light-orange star shape on his chest fur before indulging the warm water running down his twink form with a long sigh. The liquid caressed his skin, washing away not only sweat and dirt, but emotional weight as well. For minutes, he just stood there, looking up to the heavy rain on his face. Everything will turn for the better now. He saw the living wolfkid with his very eyes, a proof of the RRM’s viability. His still steaming body wrapped inside the blanket. For the first time in weeks, he felt that this night might bring him good sleep for once.

…

When he entered the door the next day, the wolf child was already lying on another surface, outside of the machine. The lioness greeted the fox happily. 
“Good morning Mr. Ashford! You look better today! Just in time. Do you hear those gurgles?” Confused at first, Benjamin perked his ears for any noise.
“Yes, indeed.”
“Please come over here.” She invited him, carefully shoving a flat solid surface under the wolf’s bare backside, above his fluffy tail.
“Now gently move his legs towards his chest, I’m going to massage him a little bit.” 
“Al-alright.” Benjamin’s heart was thumping to his ears, wasn’t it rude to watch a child using the bathroom? It seemed so absurd and wrong. Perhaps he should look away? But how was he supposed to follow the doctor’s instructions, if he didn’t see anything? No. Those thoughts didn’t have a place in this situation. The boy needed his help and he was there for him. Even if it meant to break through his privacy, hell, he was contributing in reviving him! He was dead only one day ago! 
“Mr. Ashford? Don’t worry about this. Just act as if you were a children’s doctor. It’s all nature.”

Carefully, he did what the doctor told him and lifted the wolf’s legs. It was almost as if he opened the door for something to exit, as a quiet whiff tooted out of him. Being half conscious, the young wolf complained a little at the message, even though it was soft and delicate. 
"Shhh, I know. You are a strong boy. You can do this.” The lioness said with a reassuring tone as she kept kneading the child’s belly. Eventually, his body gave in and the room filled with quiet crackles.
“Yeeees, just like that.” The doctor encouraged him with a soft voice. Benjamin couldn’t take his eyes off this sight. It was such a beautiful thing to see a young body working just normally, after it was completely demolished just recently. With slow space, his log moved out, a smell filling the air that actually should be horrible to sniff. But it was representing the wolf’s ability to pass digested food, which made even the stench wonderful. The lioness grabbed a nearby flat instrument and gave it over to the fox. 
“Here, the next one will be falling on the ground, if you don’t use this.” Suddenly, the wolf moved a bit on his own, pulling his legs closer and pushing with an audible grunt. 
“Aww you’re such a strong boy.” The doctor praised him, gently petting his head. Jonathan strained more, his second log even bigger than the last, slowly sliding out of him. 
“Ah…”He opened his maw and sighed at the sensation of relief. Now his insides moved on their own without any efforts, his belly producing a very long, thin snake, until it stopped, replacing his bowels with emptiness. 
“Hmmm.” The wolf sighed once more, when his front began to leak.
“Oh!” The doctor reacted quickly, aiming the growing stream away, making the liquid land on the smooth tiles. The uninterrupted flow sprinkled loudly, several drops hitting the legs of both Benjamin and the doctor, while the innocent child continued to moan and sigh.
“Well, I forgot about this. Of course he would pee, when he fully relieved himself.”
“It wasn’t that bad. I’m just very glad that Jonathan is able to do that. Our pants can be changed anyway.”
“You’re right, Mr. Ashford.”
“Please…call me Benjamin or Benje.”
“Alright Benjamin, you may call me Ellie then.”
“Thank you for all that you’ve already done for him, Ellie. It really means a lot to his parents and me.”
“Of course!” She closed in to the wolf child, who drifted off again, having done his work for today.
“You’re such a good boy. You’re doing great.” She brushed over the fur of his belly and up to his cheeks. He was already fast asleep, his body too weak to stay awake.
“Benjamin, I have the very positive feeling that our fluffball here is going to recover way faster than we thought.” The fox beamed across his whole face.
“That’s wonderful news! He seems very healthy already indeed. Honestly, I can’t wait until he is back on his feet again.” Ellie glanced first at the sleeping child, then at the machine beside him and back to the detective.
“The insertion of his memories will be complete tomorrow. We’re walking with big steps.”

Ellie proceeded to gently and thoroughly clean the child before wrapping him into white, thin clothes, putting the pillow beneath his head and covering him with a blanket.
“At this speed, he will be able to walk in three days. That’s truly remarkable.” Benjamin helped her clean everything up, until they left the child alone to give him some privacy. One last, friendly smile was sent to him from both of them until they closed the door. 

Jonathan

The young wolf stirred in his sleep. His movements rustled on the soft bed and thin clothes. Quiet moans of discomfort came from his lips as he shifted around, increasingly violent. Jonathan heard a deep, frightening voice.

“You look mighty tasty!” As the sound crawled deep into his being, he was jolted awake with a sudden twitch that shot his eyes open. The surface he lay on was soft, comfortable even. However, the room was unfamiliar, alien. The black darkness displaced only by faint glimmers in blue and green, coming from a construct beside him.

His heart jumped and it almost caused him to gasp when the light suddenly was switched on. His eyes immediately narrowed at the sudden change as he sat up quickly. Its color was cold, a pure white that complemented the smell of clinical cleanness. Not quite a place he would prefer to wake up to. It all reminded him of visiting the doctor. Everything was super clean and he could already imagine the syringe being thrusted in his skin. Perhaps he was ill?

“H-hello?” His little voice echoed through the room. Normally, there would be the nurse close by. However, his call was answered by screaming silence. Only the faint buzz of the fluorescent lamps above penetrated his sensitive ears. After another unanswered call he eventually got up from his bed. His feet-paws were dangling over the floor, until he dropped with a quiet grunt. His clothes glued to him like a mere thin dress with nothing beneath it. A nightgown.

Jonathan opened the door carefully, pushing its heavy weight to the side with a sigh. Behind it was just an empty, pristine hallway, lit by the same fluorescent lights, yawning at him. An exit sign glowed in red approximately 50 meters away. A deep feeling of loneliness and being lost overcame him and his ears flattened. It felt like he was the only person in the world. His breath shallowed and was about to turn into sobs, when he suddenly was startled by the door he came from, closing loudly, causing his tail to twitch.

“C a n d y…”

His ears perked up and he looked behind instantaneously, when he heard that awful voice again. It sounded like a big, evil monster. The wolf quickly started to run towards that exit sign, but there was a flood of water, breaking through the double door and violently pushing him back. Panicking, he thrusted his legs and tried to push forward but to no avail. It was thick like an ocean of spit.

“Ahhh what a delightful  t r e a t!”

“Wait! I'm not-” Before Jonathan could say anything, he was pushed into a narrow passage of metal, a vent system, pulsing like it was an organic esophagus. It was like a giant gullet, swallowing him. Jonathan screamed shrillingly and his voice echoed loudly through the construct until it vomited him upside down into another room.

With tears in his eyes, he pushed himself up again, looking around. The room was smaller than that hallway, but still enough to fit at least 30 of his size in.

“Such a  n o i s y  candy corn. Is that normal?”

Before the voice could say anything more, the ground beneath Jonathan shifted and he fell losing his balance with a brief cry. A deep, hungry, wet rumbling rolled through the room.

“Eh…doesn't matter.”

The once pristine clean walls slowly turned into something organic, a red tissue of flesh, pulsating like a living being and a heartbeat rumbled in the little wolf’s ears. The horror crept up his throat like an undead until the realization struck: He was inside a stomach!

“Please let me out!” He begged. Yet, the unforgiving walls around him compulsed and thrashed him from one side to the other, soaking him with a nasty liquid that made his skin burn like boiling water, fizzing on his skin. An inevitable curse began. The poor child screamed and bellowed, but his pleas weren’t heard by anyone. The giant monster chose him to be its meal and there was no way out. Another deep rumbling of hunger rolled through the big belly, preparing to work on the fresh flesh. However…
“M-my phone!” He exclaimed, his eyes darting to the device on the ground, immediately running towards it, picking it up. Yet, when it was in his hands…it dissolved.

Jonathan whimpered, pleaded, hoped- but all of his hope was dissolved in the acrid acids within this room of flesh that would never let him out alive again. His whole body screamed from that horrid juice surrounding and soaking him. It was as if a rotten, evil witch threw him into her big cauldron to cook alive.

“Jonathan.”

Another voice, warm and less frightening, called his second name. Who was this?

“Wake up little bud.”

It seemed like the man's soft voice itself melted the organic tissue around him. The stomach walls became slower until eventually they stopped moving, merging back to the ordinary hospital room it once was.

The wolf child opened his eyes, looking directly into someone else's. It was a fox, his ears to the side, flattening his head's surface that was decorated by a medium short, casual hairstyle that looked like it was untouched by any gel. His dark green eyes, like raw diamonds, were covered by rounded rectangular glasses.

“Hey little buddy.” He said warmly, his soft voice that was higher-pitched than other men, hiding a pleasant bass. The fox gave off a pleasant note of lavender, giving Jonathan a sense of comfort.

“Benjamin?” An even softer voice called the fox, the one of a woman.
“I just noticed a rise in his heartbeat. Did something happen?” A tall lioness entered the room. Now it was two adults looking at the wolf.
“Just a dream.” Benjamin answered with a reassuring tone. 
“This probably is a byproduct of feeding him so much information in one go, am I right?”
“That’s true, but even then, his heartbeat shouldn't rise up that high.”
“Is that…serious?” He asked carefully. The lioness took a deep breath in.
“Well, I'll have to check if there's any psychological reason for his nightmare.”

Psychological reason? What did they mean by that? Who were these people anyway? Where were his parents?
“Where's…where's my mommy? Am I hurt? Am I in a hospital?” The fox giggled warmly in response.
“Kind of. You are in a secret laboratory. Only very few people are allowed to be here. You've been chosen!”
“But…why am I here? Where's my mommy?” He asked again. The friendly smile darkened for a moment, before Benjamin gave in to a sigh.
“You…had an accident. It was very dangerous, but…you survived. You will see your mommy soon enough again, I promise.” The lioness's warmth came closer as she gently brushed over the boy’s head.
“You still need some rest, my dear.”
“What…what kind of accident?” As soon as Jonathan spoke these words, his heart sank deep into his belly, his body starting to tingle. 
“Hey buddy, is everything alright?” However, the wolf couldn't answer. His heart rampaged in his chest, his limbs stiffened, his eyes opened wide. Without his control, he started to pee.
“Oh dear.” The lioness said. “He is very frightened by something.”
“It’s alright buddy, I got you.” Benjamin gently pulled the wolfkid into a hug, the fragrance of lavender becoming stronger. The soft pets at his back and head slightly melted the violent shivers. 
“You are safe. It's all ok.”

Although he just had an accident, these adults didn't even seem to care. They emitted a warmth only family members could have.
“Don’t be scared.” Jonathan’s rioting heart slowed down. The fox turned to the lioness.
“Ellie, I'm very sure that this particular word triggers him. As if he tied it to what happened. How can he even remember? How is that possible?”
Ellie slowly shook hear head, visibly worried as well.
“I…can't explain that phenomenon either. His brain wasn't fed with such a memory. It is…unnatural to say the least.”
“What are we going to do now?”
“We need to examine Jonathan’s mental state and measure his brain waves.”

Soon, the wolf child was brought to another section of the laboratory. The psychologist asked Benjamin and Ellie to leave and give them a moment between patient and therapist.

…

Jonathan was given a piece of paper with a couple of splashes in grey and black. At first it looked like someone younger than him drew it. Where were the colors? The picture made him sad and frightened at the same time. It was like looking up at the sky, not seeing pretty white, fluffy clouds, but angry or sad ones that would soon soak the world beneath with cold rain.
“There is no right or wrong, sweetie. Just tell me what you see.”

At first, the splashes didn't seem to make any sense at all. However, the longer he looked at them, the more his eyes glued to the gloomy colors. Like evil magic, they transformed into something: The head of a creature, opening its maw wide. Its throat looked like an abyss into an inescapable blackness.
“A…” He hesitatingly began. “A monster…”

“I see.” The doctor merely said, her voice soft and warm. The next picture turned into a fleshy cave with all two entrances being too small to fit in. Being trapped inside there…it would lead to an unspeakable fate.
“It’s a stomach.” He replied, again causing a dark shadow to run over the woman's face.

The last one however, turned his own stomach upside down. Deep nausea thrusted into his being and he started to shiver. 
“Why are you showing me this?” He started to cry. A dead skull, agape with terror and agony was before him. Its silent scream rumbled shrillingly in his body. The skin was ripped off its surface, leaving back only the grey, lifeless bones that remained.
“It’s…it's dead! It's a skull!” Jonathan screamed, hammering into the table to somehow cope with those feelings that overwhelmed him. The table, even though it was just a child hitting it, showed a decent crack.
“Jonathan!” The therapist exclaimed with shock until she regained her composure again. “It’s alright sweetheart. Nobody can hurt you here.” After she said those words with the calmest tone she was able to, she wrote down a couple of notes on a piece of paper.

Outside, Benjamin and Ellie had their own conversation. 
“I really don't know how to explain this.” Ellie began. “The boy remembers his death with every detail and those memories caused a trauma.” Benjamin nodded understandingly.
“It’s like his very soul returned back to his body. There's no other explanation for this.” Ellie furthermore explained to the fox that Jonathan was that powerful because the machine not only rebuilt him, but used special proteins made for repairing adult muscles, strengthening his own tissue much more than needed. She added that he might be too dangerous for himself and others to be free.

“But…he is a child! He was ripped away from his previous life so brutally and now he is not allowed to get it back?” Benjamin’s fists clenched slightly. Controlling his emotions was one of the most important things as a detective.
“I'm sorry Benjamin. His strength combined with that trauma is a difficult mix. He might end up hurting somebody in an act of fear and panic. We can't let him back to his school.”
“How…” The fox hesitatingly began. “How about his parents?” He asked very carefully.
“Civilians are normally not allowed in the SMT Foundation. However, there is a chance that the two of us might be able to convince the head of this organization.”
“Let's try it.”

…

Their conversation was painfully long. The head of the organisation made clear that he couldn't just bend rules on his own, as they still came from the military itself. 
“After all that Jonathan had to go through, he deserves to see his parents. It is his very right.” Benjamin tried to argue with emotional pressure, while Ellie dug through all of her knowledge about the human psyche and that parents are crucial for the child’s mental wellbeing. Eventually they won. Jonathan’s story probably would be enough to convince the military of the necessity to let his parents pass.

Reunion 

It took only a few hours for the parents to arrive right after Benjamin called them. They were speechless and exceedingly grateful at the same time.

“Mom? Dad?” Jonathan wasn't told about his parents's arrival, his eyes were wide open and glassy with a bright smile. The two wolves couldn't trust their eyes, when they saw their son alive and well before them. They embraced with a tight hug that they never wanted to release from. Jonathan’s heartbeat quickened as he felt the warmth of his parents. This was no dream, it was real. All of his fears, all of those horrid things he was forced through, all dissolved in a flood of tears.
“I can't believe that you're here, my boy!” The father said, crying. 
“My sweet baby, it's really you!” The mother cheered with tears in her eyes. 

“Thank you, Mr. Ashford. You are way more than a detective. You're an angel!” She said shiveringly. 
“I promised that I would do anything I could.” The fox replied softly. “However, it wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Miranda.” He gestured towards the lioness beside him.

“I don't know how you did it, but we owe you both our endless gratitude.” The father said between sobs. “You’re simply incredible!”

They already knew what was going to happen. Benjamin told them everything while keeping the RRM secret as Ellie told him.
“You've only seen a fracture of the SMT. I fought for your entry into its real depths.” The lioness announced with a hint of pride in her voice. “Follow me.”

…

What was before them made Benjamin widen his eyes in awe and fascination. That big, gigantic open space seemed like they've just travelled 50 years into the future. It had an artificial, bright sky; Several buildings in pure white were towering like an underground city and were decorated with all sorts of plants. Vegetation was everywhere, as if this town coexisted better with nature than any other city on the surface. 

Ellie told them that the smartest minds and most brilliant people worked there and that they could study and research in peace without any influence from outside. Here, the boy and his parents would spend their years until he's an adult.

“Jonathan needs to learn to control himself and we have to treat his deep trauma. You can probably imagine how hard that is going to be, since he remembers exactly how he died.” Ellie spoke, causing a little distress in each of the parent's faces. 
“However, since we are here, you will have access to the best psychologists you can imagine. It's going to be tough and Jonathan needs a lot of care. But it will work eventually. That's a promise.”

…

Benjamin spent the whole day at the underground city of the SMT. Jonathan seemed to have been liberated at least a little bit from his inner tension, since he finally met his parents again. He promised that he will regularly pipe up to or even visit them occasionally in their new home. He filed a contract that he, in the name of the military, will keep everything about the SMT a secret to the public.

It was an experience that would probably stay in his mind forever. The bones, the new body, the yet unsolved case of his memories and trauma. And eventually the heartwarming moment of reuniting with his parents. A strange, unusual, brutal case with a relieving end. It was going to be a lot of work waiting ahead for them, but they had each other. That was all that mattered.
