GANG of HOPPERS
My brothers and I in the ZooKzin War
by Dori Hopps

Written by Dan Rush

(c) Zootopia 2016 Walt Disney Cooperation 
(c) Alex Gray from Harmarist Sheath & Knife comics

Chapter 21

Madagascar part 1

January 3rd, 2042
Zootopian Task Force Julian
Closing on Madagascar

Letter from the force commander, Supreme Commander Bugs C. Jones to the enemy commander holding Madagascar

Sir or Madam,

     I will spare you the long winded pleasantry. I am coming upon you with a considerable force. Our submarines are eating your ships for dinner. Your supplies are cut, there is no hope of supply nor escape for you. I am coming and if it’s war you want? Then I’m going to give to you right down your damn throat. Sorry....we don’t serve Hasenfeffer with meat sauce...we serve steel and you bastards are about to receive a typhoon full of it!

      You have two choices....surrender or retreat. If you ask for the former and act with honor? We shall treat you as mammals worthy of respect and all the care we can provide. If it is the later? Then we will assure you all safe conduct from Madagascar to go home. There is no shame in choosing life. If however you chose to stand and fight? We will give you steel and if we have to kill every last one of you sorry bastards? So be it! I hope you chose the best course.

Signed Bugs C. Jones
Supreme Allied Commander 

Letter from the force commander, Supreme Commander Bugs C. Jones to King Julian and his subjects trapped on Madagascar

Royal Sovereign,

We are coming...every arm and instrument of war is being rushed to your service. Your gallant stand and that of your subjects against the ruthlessness of the Kzinti has steeled the heart and strengthened the arm of every Zootopian. The enemy is about to learn what the word “Mistake” means and by Frith of Inlay he has made an terrible mistake in judgment. You will be the anvil, we are the forging hammer and these Kzinti bastards are the piece of brass....

We are coming our friends! Prepare for your liberation!

Signed Bugs C. Jones
Supreme Allied Commander 

January 3rd, 2042 0300 hours
Zootopian Task Force Julian
commanding assault ship Tun Tavern

      You couldn’t help but look up from the open top well deck of the Tun Taven towards the superstructure and see that big grey March hare standing with his two aide de camps, a shorter pinkish pig and a taller, thinner Coyote. “Bugs” or “Howling Mad” ,as some called him, stood chewing on a carrot stick gritted between his teeth while he talked to his subordinates and pointed his white leather gloved paw between a map in his hand and the shore beyond.

       One thing about Bugs...he was absolutely ruthless, insanely fearless and downright crazy....at least that’s what the stories from Maloelop said when he took command to break the Kzinti siege line. He came ashore with the re-enforcements at the head of the first wave completely exposed and under fire and he grabbed this one cowarding rabbit by his tail and spanked the snit out of him with a wooden board in his hand!

       “Git a move on you?! What are you doing, digging a fricken hole to Kookoomunga? Git up and use that rifle!” He was reported to be screaming as he spanked that poor marine bunny like a disobedient child. “GET UP YOU EASTER BASKET BASTARDS! GIVE THEM LEAD!” He led from the front and damn the Kzinti feared him!

        “General! By frith! There’s snipers all over Sir! You’ll be killed!” One rabbit implored Bugs to get down and what did he reply with?....

       “Well gee there Doctor Obvious? How the hell can you kill them if they don’t shoot off like dumb asses so you know where to aim?!” Bugs snapped back. Absolute fricken stupid courage but if the Kzinti got scared of us rabbits? Oh fricken right on!

       Up on the superstructure....the General’s aide, General Perkins “Porky” Pig looked at his watch then at Bugs...

       “Yes Porky....serve those mother fluckers their breakfast.” Bugs snarled and every ship in the line unleashed on Madagascar’s Southern shores!

       Our ship rocked and clanged with the close in explosions from the guns of the big main-line 14 inch gunned cruisers Leo Writt and Grace Snoween...so named for our Lord Mayor and his wife killed in the opening missile assault on Zootopia when the war started. Then the 8 inch gunned destroyers Growler, Savana, Sahara and Tundra let loose with their guns and multi-hit barrage rockets! Their missile contrails arcing over our heads as our “Gator” flopped off the back of the ship’s loading ramp and into the warm blue waters surrounding Madagascar.

       Rattleback Company along with Razorwire and Sabertooth companies were heading for the port of Maramanga on Madagascar’s South-West tip where we suspected they had a pretty good sized submarine support station set up. Didn’t want them to sucker punch us by surprise with any “fleet u-eee boats” they had there. My little group was in one boat with half the company while the Gator next to us had the rest. Ori and Powen rode with us while the other three were in the other Gator which gave me a little nerves....

     “Kaaaaaaaaashhoooom! Kaaaaaaaaashhoooom!” I looked up to see two drones and two A-6 “Bun-truders” scream over the top of us and unleash their rockets and bombs on the port beyond the seawall ahead! One good shot nailed the base of a big crawler crane and the thing toppled over into the ocean like a drunk squid!

     “Damn precise!” Lolcer Braveeye snorted as he pointed to the fast climbing jets. “Leave us some damn it!”

     Something was missing...I didn’t see any return splashes, no fire coming from the port, no splats of bullets hitting the water...

     “They’re not shooting.” I said to the others. “They’re going to play us like Maloelop.”

     Lolcer snorted. “Bah! They heard “Bugs” was coming so they ran. If they want to wait to go to paradise, they’ll only die board.”

     I waved to Powen....”Pow Pow?!”

     “Yo Bro?” Powen asked as he came up.

    “You might want to tell the Captain to have a few Marines guard our butts? I’m not seeing any incoming fire from the Kzinti. They sucker played the first division on Maloelop like this...that’s what Toshiro told me.”

     Powen looked around for himself and frowned...”They just have to make every thing interesting don’t they? Good eyes bro.” Powen said. He kissed me on the helmet and ran forward to talk to Captain Oakley.

      Moments later as the seawall got closer and closer I watched Powen grabbing paws and patting helmets of certain Marines, probably our crack sharp shooters, and he pushed Ori towards me....

      “Ori’s with you guys. Keep him out of trouble and please don’t let him go “Rocket nutz”?” Powen said to me as he kissed Ori’s helmet. “Watch Dori’s back bro.”

       Ori snorted at Powen then turned to me....”I’m not the one looking like the total wierdo in this boat. His calmness scares me but he’s damn good at what he does.”

        “Just watch our backs while we work bro.” I said as I thumped Ori’s chest. “Which I hope won’t be a lot of work.”

        Rerio Cutnail poked his head over the open top gunnal of the Gator and scanned the upcoming seaport. “Think we can secure a building as a dispensory Dori?”

       I climbed up the side and looked as I hung onto the gunnal next to Rerio...”Depends. I want something a little easy to guard and with some stoutness....just in case the Kzinti drop artillery on our heads.”

       “THIRTY SECONDS! STAND BY!” The Gator driver screamed from the front and now the two “Ma Deuce” fifty cals on the bull nose of the Gator opened up!

       “Sheesh! Fricken waste you knuckle heads!” I yelped. “They’re not shooting at us!”

        Captain Oakley waved his paw over his head....”LOCK AND LOAD! Remember! Do NOT go over the sides! This beast is armored enough, that’s why she has a rear door! That goes for you larger mammals, no vaulting over the sides you big fat targets! Small mammals clear the way, let the Wolves, Tigers, Bears and other “Preds” out the back so they can have their fun first!”

         The wolves couldn’t wait, they all flopped onto the floor on their “fours” and turned into snarling, feral drooling canids growling and barking for a “piece of pussy”. I gingerly touched one on the nose...

        “Hey? Don’t be so eager for that Purple Heart.” I said smiling as I pulled a small doggie cookie from my pocket and slipped it into the wolve’s mouth. “Easy there “freshy”.....” I said as I patted the Wolf’s snoot....

       “Call me “Freshy” again Doc and I might bite you.” The wolf replied. “But thank you for the cookie.”

        The ramp went down, the “preds” stormed out......

        And everything was quiet.

         Myself, Ori, Jester, Rerio Lolcer and Steclind ran out as a group and half climbed the sea wall in front of the gator to peak our heads over the lip of the wall of rocks and concrete at the port...

       “How many “Zints” are supposed to be on this island?” Lolcer asked.

        “G3 said maybe......seven thousand?” I replied. I looked around and most of the three companies were stacked against the seawall with a hand full of scouts out in front who’d found cover out to fifty yards beyond us....

         “Frick!” I snapped. “They’re going to play with us.”

          “Have to admire their discipline.” Jester said as he snarled and made fox yips while waving his tail furiously. 

          Seeing that Captain Oakley wasn’t far off, I told the others to stay put while I ran to him...”Captain?” I said as I patted his back.

         “What’s up Doc?” The Captain replied, then one of the Marines barked off his BAR rifle and got Oakley pissed! “NO SHOOTING! WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!” Oakley snapped! “NO......SHOOTING UNLESS YOU HAVE A FIRM TARGET OK?! EVERY ONE RELAX!”

          “Sir?! You see that building about 200 yards off to our one o’ clock? I want to take it as a dispensary for my crew. When we go? Can I have a squad of Marines? Wolves would be preferable.” I asked.

          The Captain turned his head....”GUNNY HYKE?!”

           I watched old Gunny Hyke come running up. “You called Sir?”

           “Get up a squad of eight wolves and stick with Doc here? He wants to put up a dispensary in that building 200 yards from us at one o’clock.” Oakley commanded.

           “Right away Sir.” Gunny Hyke replied. I noticed the old wolf was hobbling a little and ran after him...

          “Guns?” I asked as I grabbed Chancy’s paw. “Guns? You’re not going to run two-leg there are you? Even four legged might be dangerous for you, I can tell early displacia.”

           “Hey? Can’t allow a little gimp to put a stall in progress.” Gunny growled.

            “I can’t afford to treat a casualty that didn’t need to be a casualty. Give the lead to you most able sarge and give me less work huh?” I asked with honest concern.

             Gunny growled at me like I’d deeply insulted him but then patted my head...”At least you’re not afraid to be honest doc. I like that.”

             Now of course the objective of our three companies was to grab and hold this port and the suspected submarine station but that’s not what this book is about so the details of combat won’t be “long in tooth”. That doesn’t mean my little group was going to be “free and clear” of the snit by any means....trust me.

            I ran back to my group and pointed to that building. “We’re being given a squad of wolves. When we get the word to go over the wall? We’re all going “bareback cowboy” to take that building.”

           Everyone’s head dropped, some giggled, some copped me silly looks....

          “Frick....are all you guys perverts?” I snorted. “I meant....all us small mammals are going to ride those wolves backs so we can cover the ground fast and get in....”

           Jester snickered....”So when’s the tent and breakfast in this movie Dori?”

           “Oh...fluck you!” I snorted back. “You mister wise ass can walk there waving a big “shoot me” flag for all I care now.”

           “Better get ready Dori.” Ori said as he tapped my shoulder. “Looks like we’re gonna roll, the scouts are moving forwards.”

            The wolf squad came up with their Sarge in the lead....”Kroger. What’s the objective Doc?”

            Kroger was a three grey and white Dyer Wolf, a hybrd cross between a Husky and a Timber wolf and no one dared to make a fuss about him, at least not to his face.

           “That building.” I said pointing. “Let’s sweep it and occupy it so we can set up a medical dispensary until we’re sure the port is ours.” I grabbed my radio and called back to the Tun Taven....”Gattac, Gattac, Mercy three over? I say again Mercy Three calling Gattac.”

            “Gattac” was our code call back to main medical, didn’t want the Kzinti to know exactly who we were calling. “Mercy Three, Shinzers answering....go ahead.”

            “We’re going to set up in a building two hundred yards at one o clock from our position at Landing Zone Bravo. Once we’re hard set, we need a “Tophat” (Main doctor) or two and some “Skirts” (nurses) confirm over?” I said into my radio.

           “Top hats” and “Skirts” once you have the objective, confirmed and over.” Tun Taven replied.

            “OK!” I yelped to my crew. “Grab a wolf and mount up!” I said as I watched Kroger morph into his feral form. Now I never in my life rhode a wolf let alone any Canid and all I knew is it was going to be fast, very bumpy and very.....naked, as in vulnerable. You hoped the wolf could outrun snipers and artillery rounds because you couldn’t protect yourself or the wolf on the run. I never learned to trick shot from a running canine. I heard a slap and saw Lolcer rubbing his face with his wolf Private First Class giving him stink-eyes...”You dig your claws into me one more time Carrot chewer and we’re going to have a little throw down and you’ll be the one eating dust.....grrrrrr.”

           “Sorry!” Lolcer said with a shrug...”I’m not sure I can get a good enough grip on your pack there.”

           “Then get inside.” The wolf replied. “Just mind the pots, pans and my porn stash.”
   
           The others were ready as we watched the three companies bound the sea wall and move out over the port and then “boom!”

          That wasn’t “boom” as in gunfire but “boom” as our wolf squad took off like cannon rounds! Over the sea wall and across the ground in seconds flat! I’m clinging to Kroger’s pack for dear life and looked across to see Ori whooping it up like a loon on top of his wolf! He’s got his legs wrapped with the pack straps, his arms in the air and he’s screaming like it’s a carnival ride!

        “ORI! CUT THE SNIT!” I screamed. Sheesh he was always begging for attention, I wondered if the Kzinti were too busy laughing to blow his fool head off.

         You know why he did it right? He was hoping I’d get pissed off and “switch” his butt the sick monkey. Just before we reached the door to the building, Kroger went from four legs to two legs and swiped me off his back as he started to fly with his legs tucked in!

          I landed into a slide across the pavement just as all 200 pounds of that canid Marine crashed into the wooden door and shattered it into splinters!

         “Well?” I thought as I turned and covered my head from the flying wood splinters. “Could have checked to see if the door was unlocked but oh well...” I watched all the wolf Marines go through the door with snarls and growls hoping they’d maul cat ass....

“Clear!”

“Clear Front!”

“Clear Top!”

“Clear left!”

        The wolves made short work of their sweep and Kroger came up just as I walked in...

       “You have your dispensary.” He said. “No contacts.”

        That only confirmed my fears...”The Kzinti were going to bide their time. The defender always has the advantage of choosing the moment of battle. As everyone started to pile into the two story small building, I started planning for the eventual “burst” to hit us...

         “Ori?” I called to my brother.

         “I know. I acted like a complete idiot huh?” Ori asked me. 

         “Well act like a Marine for once and get on the roof. And please don’t pop those rockets off before you check to make sure it’s worth it? Please?” I begged. “Take two of these wolves with you.”

         I turned around..."Rerio? Stecky?” I called for two of my foxes. “You two go ahead and get up with the companies, tell the other medical groups to send one or two Corps-mammals here to join us?”

        Rerio and Steclind took off as me, Jester and Lolcer began setting up stations for worst case, Medium case and light case casualties. All the while I’m thinking to myself how best to protect the building, what if they do this or that thing? How many escape routes can we have? Fricken saucer sipping dick faces...when are they going to come after us? Then I entertain the least possible hope....maybe King Julian killed them all? That would be a blessing. I know from some stories that Madagascar was a home for some big alligators and perhaps they had made short work of the Kzinti occupation army? One could always hope for the best outcome right?

         The radio kept cracking with good word after good word that the port was being swept and.....no opposition was being....encountered....I pulled my snell gun from my back and checked it over again for like the sixth time, I had OCD with my gun.

          Jester noticed my bunny fidgets and walked up to scratch his paw nails on my head...always a calming thing for us rabbits, I stood there thumping a foot on the floor till I swiped back at Jester...”Quit it already! Thanks jester.” I smiled at him.

         “Maybe the ballance of what they have is all inland around King Julian and his subjects?” Jester said. “Maybe the noise about this place having a submarine base was a big bunch of....”

          You guessed it....that was the trip wire “maybe” moment. The moment our companies closed on where the submarine base was....the cats came out to play!

          First came the artillery! Rounds dropped all over the place from four different sound directions! Big naval shells to small mortar rounds impacted across the harbor...

          “GET DOWN FROM THE FRICKEN WINDOWS!” I yelped as I dove for the floor and wrapped my paws over my helmet...a totally useless thing to do which could have gotten my hands and arms shattered by falling debris but you don’t think clearly to trust your metal dome pot when shells are blowing holes in things...

         “KAWOOOSH!” I heard the sound of a rocket motor engaging and watched a smoke trail stream overhead through one of the windows! The rocket connected with a smoke stack and blew the brick column to pieces!

        “Frith damn it Ori!” I snarled as I got up and bounded the steps up to the roof where Ori was slapping another rocket canister to his aiming device....

       “Ori?! What the frick?!” I screamed. “I told you....”

        “They put an “arty” spotter in the damn chimney!” Ori cracked back. “I’m doing what you told me to do bro?!”

        I smiled and threw a thumbs up. “Nice shot! Keep your fool head down!” Then I ran back down to the ground floor where we were already getting casualties being carried or dragged in from the chaos outside....

       One just happened to be “cookie”, that wolf I petted when we were inbound. A shattered ankle from a mortar round and some pepper frag...

       “Here you go.” I said as I slipped another cookie into his maw. “You’ll be fine.”

       “Should have zigged when I zagged.” The wolf said as he cringed at the ankle as I cut his pant leg off....”Ugh....it’s hamburger.”

       “Well?” I replied. “Not so much ground meat. Let me set it, you just relax. Here’s some joy juice for your trouble....” I said as I shot him with a green ampule.

         Then....something tore through the ground floor! It punched through one wall and exited through another without exploding! Thank Frith it missed everybody!

        “FRUCK!” I yelped as I hit the floor! “WHAT THE FLUCK?!”

        Another round punched into the second floor and this time it detonated! We all got showered with plaster, pieces of wood and concrete from the ruptured ceiling! Off I go again, stupid courage, bounding up the stairs to the roof because they were still intact...

        “Ori?! What the fluck?!” I screamed.

         “Fricken submarines with deck guns!” Ori snapped! The building was at the far Western edge of the port sitting on a pier and of course....naked as all fluck to the sea and you guessed it...hard to protect your flank to the sea when two crazy Kzinti yu-boat captains realize they have a sweet target to put holes into!

         Ori was pissed! “Oh fluck you mother fluckers!” He screamed as he tried a blind rocket shot that landed out of range...”Boy was that dumb.”

       “You get a star for effort!” I snapped as another round cut into the second floor and exploded! “Bitch!” I yelped as I fumbled with my radio mic....

       “Comcent! Comcent! Mercy 3, we are being fired upon by two Zinti fleet yu-ees! Location 18.994/48.274. Danger close, need immediate fire mission! I say again....Danger close, need immediate fire mission Location 18.994/48.274....confirm reply over!”

       As if our problems couldn’t get magnified worse? The Kzinti infantry were now doing what I thought they would do....they were popping up out of the woodwork at our rear!

       Ori unslung his M-14 rifle and ran across the roof with his two wolves to start shooting at the swarming tigers trying to “back door” us and our companies....”Oh frick! How the hell did we miss fricken tanks?!” Ori snapped as he pointed down. Sure enough...a crop of six two man “shorties” came rolling up out of no where....

       You can admire the Kzinti engineer for his crafts-mammal-ship. They had prepared sloped dug-outs months ago for their tanks and covered them up so from ground level you didn’t see anything. When the time came? You just rolled back your cover and out you came full of piss and drool.

       The Kzinti light tanks were not really worrisome? They had a bothersome 30 millimeter cannon that was hand loaded and didn’t have much amo and a light machine gun in the turret and that turret was so underpowered that you could stick a block of wood or anything stout into the gap between the turret and the tank body and the thing couldn’t turn. But the tank itself was a thick hulled bastard that hauled ass and could punch through our building with no sweat, being a bullet shield for a squad of hungry tigers behind it!

        But at the moment those two “Yu-ee boats” were our bigger concern! The mammals on the first floor cleared out just as another round punch into their room and exploded! Here we all were knee deep in “cat snit” with two submarines shooting at us, tanks charging at us and where the hell was the fricken support?!

        Forgive me for losing my temper....I key’d my radio mic and all military discipline and comportment went bat snit out of commission...

       “CENTCOM?! WHAT THE FLUCK?! WHERE’S OUR SUPPORT YOU STUPID MOTHER FLUCKERS?!” I thought for sure I was going to get totally busted down and my mouth broke off in my tail hole for that verbal explosion....

         Then I turned my head and what did I see? A fast moving boat coming into view from a blind spot in the harbor channel and it unleashed hell on the two Zint “yu-ees” raking their decks with machine gun fire and pumping off two torpedoes from a pair of launch tubes on it’s starboard side!

       “KABLOOM!” The Zint submarines backs were snapped in half like twigs and their torpedo stores detonated, launching boat parts and Kzinti BBQ bits all over the dock!

        Ori screamed out....”YEAH! THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!” He yelled as he turned his attention to the tanks rolling up our front door with a rocket....”GOOD MORNING! AVON CALLING YOU ASS HOLES!” Ori screamed as he cut loose an anti-tank rocket and blew the turret right off the closest “goony bird” clanker!

        It devolved down to rifles, grenades and bayonets now and the crossfire that savior speed boat could offer us. After a short fight, we were successful in stamping out their assault as finally gunfire support from the Destroyer Savanna dropped a curtain of shell hell upon the Kizinti in our neighborhood. I ordered my group to take the next building inland about sixty yards from our now crumbling first residence and while they ran to get re-situated and re-purposed...I ran to the edge of the dock to greet the boat that had saved our tails...

       I fell to my knees and paws in gratitude....”Thank you! Thank you so much!”

      “Think nothing of it my fine furry hopper friend.” A voice boisterous and confident replied. “Boy, are we glad to see your bright sweet faces aren’t we boys?!”

      I looked up to see who was at the helm of this “raft of terror” and came eye to eye with.......with.......a penguin?

      “How yah doing?! Skipper Guin is my name, skinning cats is my game....pleasure to meet your acquaintance! My crew!.....

“Kowalski! My “EX OH” and Tactical officer!

“Rico, my insane gunners mate!”

“Private!” (Private is scratching his nuts) You have to excuse Private? He has severe jock itch.”

I shook my head...”How long have you guys been....how could you?”

“Too many questions there Bunny, my head hurts.” Skipper said as he extended a stubby wing and I helped him onto the pier. “Being honest? We’ve been going toe to toe and mammal en mammal with these pussy bastards since it started. I think we’ve been lucky to have survived so far because no one and I mean no one could dare think a bunch of penguins could “mammal up” a motor torpedo boat and expend the hot lead of justice. Advantage? Penguins.”

Skipper smiled and I swear not only did he have teeth...they “glinged” sunshine off my face.

“You certainly have the flare for the dramatic that’s for sure.” I said as artillery shells started to rain down again around the piers!

“So? You’re a medic and I guess you got a field hospital going? No worries “hopper of mercy” we will draw the enemies fire and keep your fluffy tushes from getting squshes.....or squashes......whatever! Pleasure to meet you and welcome to Madagascar now if you’ll excuse me? Me and my crew have got to go play with the kitties.”

Skipper jumped back onto his torpedo boat...”Go boys! Let’s give them our expression of Penguin hell!” He snapped with a waving flipper and off they went to cause chaos. I didn’t know if I should laugh or smirk at their foolish courage but they sure drew the Kzinti’s anger and most of their activity from our dispensary.

I walked in to find “cookie” worse off than before. His ankle broken and now a wound in the shoulder that came out his neck! But they had him stable and no vitals were punctured...

“Sheesh, what you won’t do for another one.” I said as I slipped another doggie cookie into the wolf’s maw...

“Bagged two of em before they shot me.” Cookie said. “Didn’t think I was just going to lay there and take a nap through all the snit did you? Your fault Doc, you didn’t give me enough juice.”

   I petted “Cookie” and looked around. So far casualties were light and “ambulatory” meaning they were walking combat wounded with mostly flesh burns, fur burns, “shrap” cuts and non-disabling GSD (Gun Shot Wound). Powen dropped in to pat me on the back....

   “You were right on with that thinking.” He said. “Suckers tried to “back door” us and we caught em good. Owen and Nori were in the snit trying to take that submarine station...the Zint’s blew it up trying to sucker us into charging it. Owen got thrown and beaten up by the blast concussion, nothing serious I hope but it “clanged his clock” a little. Nori’s bringing him here and he’s pissy as all get out. Don’t take any snit from him ok?”

     “I’ll smack him with a “two by four”.” I replied. And right on time here they come, Owen growling and Nori holding him by a steel grip by his scruff...

     “Cheese and bits what a fricken baby.” Nori huffed.

      “There’s nothing wrong with me!” Owen snapped. “Frith damn it to frick Nori! Stop mammal handling my ass or so help me...”

       “Shut up, sit down and let me look at you?” I said as I looked at Owen’s eyes.

       “Dori...I just got knocked around a little for Frith’s sake, I’m fricken fine! I don’t need to be babied...” Owen snorted.

       “And if you die in a few hours because you ignored getting checked for a concussion, you’ll needlessly hurt the rest of us and Mom and Dad so shut up.” I snorted back. “Stubborn tail hole.”

       I stepped back....”Now....try to ballance on one foot?”

       “Oh come on...” Owen snorted.

       “Owen?” I growled. “Please don’t make me kick your ass?”

        Owen huffed and tried and Nori had to catch him as he quickly toppled over!

        “Yeah right you’re ok my rabbit’s foot...sit him down right here Nori? Don’t lay him down....sit him down.”

          Nori helped Owen to sit on the floor where I evaluated him further....”Now Owen? Be honest ok? How many fingers am I holding up?”

         “I’m seeing double.” Owen replied. 

         “Yeah....you’re concussed good. No more field snit for you today.” I said as I motioned for Jester. “Jess? He’s got a pretty good concussion, might have some cranial bleeding going on, he needs to get back to the Tun Taven like expedite...”

          Owen started to shiver....”Dori? Dori? How bad is it? You’re scaring the fluck out of me...”

         “It’s bad enough that we can’t take care of you here, you’re going back to the “Taven” so they can give you more than I can...”

         Owen grabbed at my shirt...”Dori? Am I gonna die?! Be honest!”

          The others were scared as snit. Of course there was a chance this was a serious concussion, perhaps there was bleeding in the brain but I couldn’t tell where I was at....”Everyone calm down!” I snapped at my brothers. “Don’t make Owen worse than he is...shhhhh.....shhhh....sheesh Owen? You’re supposed to be the “This ain’t snit” one in the brood and you’re crying like a pussy ass. You’re going to the Tun Taven, they can better take care of you there, your time in the field for now is done so enjoy the vacation. We’ll all be fine, now.....you have to promise me you’ll be calm, you won’t worry, you won’t stress out and if you’re real good? I’ll get a stuff teddy sent to your rack you big pussy ass baby.”

         Owen couldn’t help but be upset, this was a bit of a blow to his ego but there’s no doubt as to our closeness...each brother not wanting to let go as we carried Owen to a waiting Gator to get him off to the Tun Taven. And it had to be the same Gator that embarked General Bugs and his staff onto the beach. The General stopped to ask what had happened to Owen...

      “Yer a tuff Sargent, this should be nothing but a little annoyance. If I hear you gave my doctors and nurses any stupid snit you? I’ll grace you with one of my plank spankings and I promise you Sarge? You won’t like it. Get well top bunny...we need you back out here.”

      Bugs tweeked Owen’s nose and walked inland with his staff as we watched Owen’s Gator sail out towards the Taven...

      Ori looked at me with worry in his eyes...”Could he die? Be honest?”

      “He could.” I replied. “His speech is a little slurry and he got beat up pretty good getting thrown around by that explosion. You don’t laugh off a serious concussion but it’s out out of our paws now. Just keep your minds on what you doing, Owen’s in good paws with the docs on the Taven.”

      “Well? You all heard the doctor’s orders?” Powen said as he slung his rifle behind him. “We got to finish sweeping the port up. You know? I have a hunch that these were just a “Snell battalion” of lightweights and “rejects”. They knew they couldn’t hold this port if they tried. Now the rest of the operations going to be a real piss show.”

       Powen then looked at me. “That is for some of us. Some of us get to travel in comfort.”

       I snickered back. “Better not sleep tonight. I’m an expert in rubber gloves and lube.”

       We took the port in a day with few casualties, a momentary relief obviously as I went back to our dispensary and worked with the others on our few incoming cases. By late afternoon we finally had two experienced doctors and several nurses from the Taven with an operating room set up by night fall. Of course I ended up having to be “wolf patrol” slapping my group in the heads for their divided attention...

      “Slap!” “Jester? Give it up....she’s a lesbian.” I broke Jester’s hopes of scoring a battlefield victory with this one cute English red nurse...

      “She?” He said with his ears drooped. She was quite stunning for a female fox but I knew Ellie and her lover from school. Jester just couldn‘t accept it “No....she can’t be...” He said as if he got punched in his guts.

      “You just don’t trust me do you?” I said to the poor crushed fox as I pulled him by the pant leg...”We’re not here for romance Don Juan. Keep your mind where it should be ok?”

       “Maybe I could change her mind?” Jester sighed.

       “If you want to get eaten by a pissed off panther? I’m not gonna save you.” I replied as I set Jester in front of a wounded lion with a bandage around his neck....”Just especially for you Jester? Guess what you get to do with this poor guy?”

      Jester gave me the stink eye....”You’re kidding me?”

      “Gotta get the “shrap” out of his neck somehow.” I said. “Can’t pull it “out” of the neck because of the shape. This will take your thoughts away from getting panther mauled.”

       “Only to get eaten by a lion.” Jester frowned as I coaxed him while tying a rope around his waist.

        “You need to get experience in all kinds of medical procedures right? You never played Preds and Prey?” I asked.

        “I don’t intentionally dive into a lion’s throat.” Jester cringed.

        “Look at him Jest?” I said as I pointed. “He’s suffering. Look at those eyes? That face? He’s begging you to help him, I doubt he’ll chomp you down on purpose and he’s sedated so don’t worry. Real quick dive, extract the “shrap” from the inside and come out. Simple procedure.”

         Jester growled at me. “Then you do it Dori?”

         “I’m in charge...you’re the subordinate....you’re the one making foolish advances and taking the risk of getting your fool head bit off....consider this? A disciplinary measure on my account?” I said snickering.

         “Goddess Vulpix I sometimes hate rabbits.” Jester complained as he started to climb up the poor lion’s chest. 

         “I’m here for moral support Jest.” I said with a giggle.

         “I got your moral hanging.” Jester snapped back as he stuck his head into the lion’s maw.

         For your information? The procedure went fine....save Jester being covered in cat saliva and fur balls.

End of chapter 21 

-----

So my little medical squad consisted of myself, Jester, Rerio Cutnail who was a silver sable fox from Savanna, Lolcer Braveeye an Aydenknight rabbit from the Donlevy highlands and Steclind Fesityfurs an English Fox from Rainforest district. And as you might expect with most Ayden bunnies? Lolcer was “luke warm” to the idea of being closer than a claw tip to any fox. Little jabs and “snipes” from him upon the others was par for the course but the foxes tolerated Lolcer’s behavior the best they could. He especially liked to jab them when they paid attention to their tails...as all foxes will by force of habit and custom.