Chapter Text
Judy held onto Nick tightly—too tightly for sure, but the fox didn’t complain. Only returned her hug, erratic breathing starting to calm, heartbeat slowing against her own.
“Thank you,” he breathed out. “For saving me.”
“Of course,” she mumbled back, giving him one last squeeze before letting go, taking a chance to look over her partner for any visible injuries.
“We did it!” Interrupted Gary, slithering over and wrapping them both in another snake-style hug. “Oh Judy, that was amazing! I’m so glad we’re all alive!”
“Wouldn’t be so quick ta’ say that,” Nibbles muttered, and Judy twisted around to see the beaver peering over the edge of the ruined weather wall. “That one down there looks a li’l like a twisty pretzel.”
What? Who? Then Judy’s blood flushed cold, and she raced over to the edge. The sight almost knocked her back like a punch to the gut.
“Pawbert,” she whimpered.
“Oh, that does look bad,” Nick said, stepping up beside her and laying a paw on her shoulder.
“No!” Gary gasped. They turned to see the snake already making his way down the broken path, and Judy tore after him. Snow pelting against her fur, she heard the snake ahead crying out desperately, and from behind came Nick’s worried call. Shaking herself, she pressed downwards, ignoring the increasing chill in her bones.
Was Pawbert dead?
Had she helped kill him?
When they reached the body, sunk a foot down in the snow, Judy believed it was true.
His legs, his arm. Bent so unnaturally, her stomach roiled, and she looked away. Not even the snow could’ve cushioned such a high fall. No one could’ve survived that, not even a cat.
“Pawbert,” Gary moaned. “No no no, please no. I’m so sorry, I had to protect my friends, I had to…” he drifted off, and Judy glanced over curiously. The blue snake had coiled his head over Pawbert’s green sweater, but his eyes had gone wide, tail twitching intently. Then his head snapped up, yellow-eyed gaze burning into hers.
“His heart is beating! Judy, he’s alive!” He scrambled off the lynx, wrapping his tail around her wrist and tugging her close. “Did you hear me? We have to save him!”
“There’s no way,” Judy whispered, fur standing on end. But her own paw against Pawbert’s neck confirmed an awfully slow pulse, his chest rising and falling minutely. But moving. Alive.
Pawbert was alive.