Stowaways

by LuniaWolf

Summary:

A Universal Dynamics ship comes to the Island, several months after Roz left, a few of the animals go to investigate only to be inadvertently transported to it's main headquarters.

Chapter 1: An Island Without

Notes:

just a quick note, I am in the process of reading the books, any characters that are in the books/weren't in the first movie will be in here as I go :)

The Island itself had been quiet since Roz left, some would argue in a good way but most would argue it was more of a sad way, the animals on the Island had grown so used to her presence that it was almost depressing that she'd left.

It had been months since she left, just on the edges of Winter gripping the Island in its hold again, the Geese had left for their winter nesting grounds and the cold was fast approaching.

And as for the animals who lived on the Island, well.....

"Is he dead?" Squeaked a tiny voice, "Ooh can we eat him?" meeped another before a third chimed in, "Dont be ridiculous, we can take the tail"

Fink opened one tired eye, three small Possums were directly in his eyesight staring at him in bewilderment, "Pinktail" He grumbled flicking his tail over his head and sending the small animals tumbling backwards off his moss bed.

"Can't you keep them in one place instead of disturbing me" He heard a scoff from the other end but only flicked his ear, "Its hard you know" A much larger possum argued, the smaller ones scrambling up and around her.

Her gaze then rose up to look at him more sternly, "You okay?" Pinktail leapt down from the stones and waddled to stand just underneath his bed, "You don't seem well lately Fink" the fox sighed untucking his head from his tails grasp and having it rest ontop.

"I dont know either" He muttered staring out into the daylight just outside, "I feel fine" He paused, "Its just like there's some weird gnawing feeling since Roz left" Pinktail perked up and clicked her claws.

"that's called loneliness, we all get it" She leapt up to settle beside him, "But i do understand why you feel it more" It was true in a way, the Fox never had any friends on the Island before Roz came along, during those months both she and Brightbill were two who he'd become close with, and now-

One had to leave for the Islands safety and the other left for several months for warmer climates, It made sense for Fink to be like this but- She couldn't help feel like it wasn't right either.

He seemed to stare into space a few moments more before getting up and stretching, "I'm going for a walk" Was all the fox said promptly leaving without giving the Possum a chance to respond or argue.

She frowned and slowly but surely followed him out, her eyes squinting when the cold air blowing in from the nearby ocean hit her face, "Winters coming then huh?" Pinktail chuckled hearing the gruff voice of Thorn nearby.

"Sure is" She puffed sitting up on two legs, "Seems like they get worse every year" The bear grunted while half gnawing at the remnants of meat left on the bone he was chewing, "Saw Fink going off again" He said with a heavy breath. "Not getting any better?"

Pinktail shook her head sadly, "Afraid not, poor guys just missing Roz and Brightbill" She settled down onto four legs again as she watched the fox wander around and pad at the ground on occasion.

Thorn got up when he saw Fink lay down on the floor facing the cliffside, "I'll go talk to him" He said, trudging over with Pinktail watching him.

"Mom?" The possum looked down on Rowan asking for her, "Is he gonna be okay?" She took a deep breath and gave a small but nervous smile, "He'll be fine I'm sure" She glanced back up to the talking bear and fox, "He just needs time, and people to help him through it"

Another smaller possum perked up, "Like us?" It made Pinktail chuckle, "Yes, like us" She saw Thorn come back over with a grunt in his stride, "Did you get through to him?" She asked as he sat down with a thud on the grass.

"Think so" He replied his nose sniffing the air, "Seems like a bad storm coming" Pinktail paused and then sniffed it herself, He was right. the air had a crackle about it, and it was approaching fast.

"Hm, good point" She knelt down and gathered up two of the Possums that were scrambling around, "Kids! everyone into the shelter, we got a big one coming" a chorus of awwws and protests followed but were cut off by a cough from Thorn, "Your mom's right, everyone inside before we all become popsicles"

Fink leapt up to them as the babies all scrambled inside falling over one another, "Think i should go get everyone here?" He suggested, Pinktail noticed there were quite a few animals already inside but there were a lot more missing.

"I think you should, before the storm hits" She said back, He nodded and leapt off into the trees as fast as his paws could take him.

She then turned and followed Thorn inside.

-----------

A few hours after Fink had gone off he'd come back into the shelter, fur covered in snow and shivering from head to toe, "T-Thats e-v-veryone" He shuddered climbing up and sitting right by the fire with the few animals there shuffling aside to make room.

"Roz has rubbed off on you hasn't she?" Paddler chuckled, Fink only gave him a stuttered hum, his tail curling over his head to try and get warmth into his fur.

Thorn stomped over and gently picked him up bringing him slowly down to the floor so he could curl around the shivering fox, "Didn't have to do it all by yourself you know" He whispered, Fink opened one eye. "I'm the only one with a good enough nose to find everyone, not like there was any other choice" He responded, curling into himself more straight after avoiding any chance of another response.

The bear sighed lowered down to rest himself spotting Pinktail waddling over on all fours to rest near his head, "He's still missing her" She admitted while scooping up her babies to her side, "Gotta be something we can do for him" Thorn whispered back while watching Finks sleeping form beside him.

"Brightbill might be able to help after Winters over" She suggested, Thorn settled his head down and grunted at the suggestion, the conversation clearly over considering most of the animals were all starting to go into their hibernations inside of the shelter.

Pinktail gave a gruff chuckle and soon joined the rest.

---------------

Brightbill landed on the solid grass with a small hop and a flap of his wings to slow himself down.

Spring had now arrived again and he'd done another run of bringing the Geese home again, and everytime it's exciting still, He's not sure how but it still is.

Except this time Fink wasn't here to meet him, which was.....really really strange, He'd always been here every single time.

"Hey! there he is!" He perked up hearing the voice of Thorn, he glanced to the more denser forest and sure enough saw the Bear followed by Pinktail and Paddler make their way over.

"Hey you guys!" He fluttered over with a brief flap of his wings to gain distance, "Where's Fink by the way? he's not here like he usually is" He saw Pinktail sit up and shrug, "Haven't seen him today" She said plainly, "Its not like him to miss a migration return" She eyed the bear and beaver beside her, both giving her nods.

"Lets go find him" She then announced turning to walk off, Brightbill took off to at least get a better look around incase he was hiding in any bushes nearby or just anywhere in general.

"Maybe he's at the stone walkway?" Thorn suggested, Brightbill frowned. It was a good suggestion but Fink had avoided that place like it was some disease for a long long while now. It would be strange for him to be there.

"Well wherever he is" Pinktail spoke up again, "I'm sure we'll find him" a more worried look showed on her face, "And we just hope he's not gotten himself into trouble"

Chapter 2: The Ship

Brightbill landed on the stone walkway with a small hop to where the other animals were waiting, and judging by the looks on their faces they hadn't been successful in finding Fink.

"No luck I guess?" He asked while waddling over, Pinktail was the first to respond with a shake of her head, "Nope, can't find him anywhere" She moved to the end of the walkway with an annoyed groan, "One thing I'll give him credit for is that he's good at staying hidden when he wants to"

"What are you all looking for now?" The group glanced up when a flutter of wings that weren't Brightbills sounded, an Owl sat on a nearby branch watching them.

"We're looking for Fink, Swooper" Pinktail called up to him, "You haven't happened to see him have you?" The owl puffed up his feathers in a deep thought, "I haven't since we were in the shelter no" He pointed his wing toward the cliff, "I did see fox tracks heading down to the beach however" Brightbill frowned at the information, the beach? why would Fink be there?

He flew to the edge of the cliffside overlooking it while Swooper talked to the three animals there, although what he saw made him jolt backwards with an alarmed screech.

"Brightbill?" Thorn pounced up to him on all fours, slight worry in his expression, "Everything alright?" He landed down and gulped, hard. "Its-that" He replied, the bear blinked and followed his gaze to let off a shocked gasp of his own.

"Oh" Pinktail muttered walking up beside the others and Paddler with her, "Thats not good is it?"

Down on the beach, was a ship, but one all four of them recognised easily, the exact same one that had arrived at the Island and tried to take Roz away all that time ago. Except this time it was resting on the sand, seemingly powered off.

"Fink better not have gone in there" Thorn growled making for the pathway down, Brightbill followed quickly after breaking from his locked gaze with the impending ship.

As they got closer the sound of scratching could be heard from the far back of the ship, Brightbill fluttered ahead and saw Fink staring at what was seemingly a hatch and was obviously trying to get in.

"Fink?" He chirped making him spin around, "What are you doing?" The fox snorted spinning back to the ship, "Heard it land when I woke up" He narrowed his eyes at it, "Looked around, no sign of that weird robot with the octopus arms"

Brightbill shivered at the mention of Vontra, none of the animals liked the way she treated Roz, not to mention how she was the main cause of half the forest burning down that night.

"She shows up" Thorn growled walking forward, "I'll rip her to shreds" Paddler meanwhile was waltzing around the hatch tapping it with his tail.

"Are we even sure it wasn't just abandoned?" The Beaver suggested but let off a startled yell when the hatch suddenly opened exposing the inside of the ship.

"That answers your question right Paddler?" Thorn chuckled nudging the annoyed Beaver with his paw, "Yeah yeah" He trudged forward again making a stop next to Fink who'd stuck his head inside the hatch, "Theres nobody inside" He leapt up and into the ships interior.

He slowly walked around while the other animals leapt inside right behind him, "Its too quiet" Brightbill whispered edging closer to Thorn, the bear gently tucked him under more for his protection.

They all froze when a very VERY familiar robot rounded the corner, it's tentacles flicking to and fro as it hovered at the end of the hall.

Thorn growled, his teeth baring slightly at the sight of the robot approaching, "In here!" Fink whispered standing infront of an open door making them dart in just as the robot turned.

"Hmmm, what was that" Her voice droned, robotic limbs poking along the floor where they'd all just been standing. She was there for a few moments more before turning and leaving once again.

Fink stuck his head out of the door and sniffed around, all he could smell was fuel, some scents of tar and...eugh was that sewage?

"Coast is clear" He whispered, slowly walking out of the doorway, Pinktail followed after her ears up and alert, "Did not like seeing her again" She huffed sitting up and taking one of her silent babies from her back, cradling him in her arms.

"So the ship isn't abandoned" Paddler noted, smacking his tail hard against the metal like he was testing it, "But why is it even here?" But as soon as he said that the entire ship shuddered and made a large jolt that sent them all flying into the wall at the other end.

"won't be for much longer" Thorn huffed raising his leg when Fink raced past yet scrambled to a halt realising the hatch had been sealed shut, "Oh...oh that's not good" He muttered spinning around to see any other signs of escape.

The others seemed to catch on to what was happening judging by the looks in their eyes changing to fear.

"Its taking us away from the Island?!" Paddler yelled pacing in a circle, "This was a ridiculous idea and I can't even believe i went along with it" Pinktail seemed annoyed at the Beaver but shrugged it off in favor of taking a look around, "I suggest we hide" She said, "Incase that Vontra notices we're actually here from all the...noise" Her eyes narrowed at Paddler who snorted crossing his arms.

Fink shot off toward the door first making it stay open so the other animals could get inside, "We should be okay here" He mumbled turning to them, Brightbill was perched atop Thorns head and watching the fox with wide eyes, He wasn't saying it but he was absolutely terrified.

This was. after all the same type of ship he'd found Roz, looking dead and lifeless on, and he hated thinking about that, yet being on here just made it worse.

Fink appeared to notice, he was already walking over to join him on Thorns back with the Bear now settled down against the wall, "Go on" He nudged the fox with his snout gently, "I dont mind" He gave him a thanking nod and leapt up to join the goose.

"Sorry kid" He muttered making Brightbill perk up in surprise, why was he saying sorry? "What for?" He asked back, "Just..." Fink sighed resting his head down on the bears brown fur, "I was the one who was looking at the ship and went on it" He paused.

"I'm technically the reason we're all stuck on this thing" Brightbill stared and went to reply with a, no its not your fault but the words wouldn't actually leave his beak, like they were stuck.

Instead he opted to just settle into the Fox's side and drape a wing over his back, he saw the acknowledgement go by a single flick of Finks ear at him.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Pinktail up against Thorns side and Paddler was well....sulking at the other end of the room, he wasn't happy at all which was half understandable.

They were on a Universal Dynamics ship going who knows where, and away from their Island home which was entirely unnatural for most of them.

Brightbill just sighed listening to the creaks and groans of the ship as it flew through the air, it wasn't all too different from his Migrations, except he was on a big metal ship this time, but mostly unwillingly.

He shook his head, Not much he can do thinking about it now, He settled down ruffling his feathers to allow his head more cover as he lowered it.

----

Fink opened one eye seeing Brightbill asleep, He gave a quiet groan stretching out his stiff hind legs before lifting himself up and leaping off Thorns back.

He gave the air a sniff and...was that...water he could hear? If it was it sounded really close.

It had to have been a few hours since they'd all settled in the room, the ship didn't sound like it was moving anymore and it was really really quiet, not even the sounds of that Vontra could be heard.

He strutted out of the room and was instantly hit with a glaring light, "Owww!" He stumbled backwards inadvertently waking the rest up.

"Fink?" Brightbill dozily fluttered off Thorn as he was standing up, "You okay?" He asked landing near him as he rubbed his eyes with his paws, "I'm fine" Fink shook his head to get rid of the blindness he just endured, "I think we've arrived at wherever we are"

Pinktail hummed waddling forward and around the corner of the door, Fink huffed following slowly still trying to recover his vision, "I hope we're at least somewhere decent" Paddler muttered rolling his eyes, "Not a desolate wasteland"

"Woah!" one of the Possum babies called out, "Look at all the weird grey rocks!" He mewed, "No, those are white" said another, Fink and Brightbill shared glances and went into a jog to catch up to Pinktail who was outside of the hatch and on green grass below.

"Pinktail what did you..." Fink trailed off when he too saw what she was looking at, his tail dropping down to the floor.

Infront of them, well everywhere were rectangular white looking objects, huge ones, and an even bigger bunch of objects grouped together further down. "Is this where I think it is?" Thorn asked coming up behind them all.

"Yeah..." Fink looked at Brightbill who looked right back at him in understanding, "I think we were just taken to the place we saw on that robots head" He took a deep breath, "Universal Dynamics"

Chapter 3: A Floating City

Notes:

watched the movie for a second time today, did i cry? absolutely you know i did

Fink frowned looking at the large tall buildings in the distance. Everyone else wanted to venture closer but he wasn't sure.

"You were the reason we got into this mess in the first place fox" Paddler scowled, his tail thumping repeatedly on the grass in clearly visible anger.

"I'd thought you'd want to fix your mistake, not go start trying to run from it" Pinktail narrowed her eyes at the Beaver with a scowl starting to form on her face, "Paddler" She growled, Paddler noticed and backed down yet still had a frown on his face.

Brightbill waddled up and watched from a distance, This was definitely the place Roz worked, the big dome he'd passed wasn't far so maybe she was there.

"I think we should at least try" Thorn grunted staring down at the smaller animals, "If she's there she can help us" Fink nodded a few times first in thought then in confirmation.

"Yeah, let's go" He walked down the hill first shortly followed after by Pinktail and Thorn, Brightball opting to fly above them.

Paddler grumbled as he too followed, his tail still thumping at the ground, Brightbill noticed but tried to ignore him, He didn't want anyone to start fighting, especially now since they were so close to finding Roz.

And well- if he had to be honest he was excited to show to her that the others were here with him, even if it was by a complete accident.

The further down they got the more wider fields started to show, and the more robots and strange people started to appear, all either working or talking in coordination.

"Are those other Roz's?" Thorn asked, staring at them with narrowed curious eyes as they passed, Brightbill landed gently onto the bears back flapping his wings slightly, "Yes and no, they are uhhh" His wing tapped on his flipper, "Rozzums! at least that's what I figured out" Fink stared at them silently and then continued on.

The goose noticed and flew off Thorns back to catch up with him, "Fink? are you okay?" He landed beside him as he slowed down a bit, "Its complicated kid" He muttered head lowered closer to the floor. "Is it about what Paddler said?" Brightbill whispered, his gaze only slightly looking back to the very clearly still annoyed Beaver.

"No" was all the fox said before picking up his pace again, Brightbill sighed which was caught on by Pinktail waddling nearby, "Give him time" She cooed sitting up by the goose and patting his side affectionately, "He's been having it rough lately"

The goose shook his head and then his feathers, "I know" He mumbled, "But i don't like seeing him trying to go through it alone" Brightbill took back off after Fink who was already down the bottom of the hill staring over at the large dome.

"Theres a lot more of those people down there" He muttered looking out at them all, "I'll say" Thorn growled, All of them turned at the sound of a gasp.

A person was staring right at them with a shocked expression on their face, "Oh no" Brightbill hissed under his breath, he knew what that meant.

"We gotta go!" He yelled taking off instantly, "What why?" Paddler asked back despite the Gooses mid air pacing, "Because they are about to raise the-" alarms started blaring all around them and each Rozzum turned to face them in sync.

"RUN!" Fink yelled, and yelped when Thorn threw him, Pinktail and Paddler onto his back and making a run for it back up the hill.

He skidded to a halt when Rozzums blocked the path and growled at them, yet none moved from where they were.

"Damn things are blocking any way out" He snarled looking around for another way out only to see Rozzums blocking nearly everyway.

Thorn huffed running back down the hill.fully preparing to slam into them when a group of snakes suddenly appeared trapping several that were blocking the way.

"Go!" one hissed, "We shall hold them!" The bear trudged past as the robots struggled to get free, "Who were those guys?!" Fink yelled shooting a look at Brightbill, "Dont know!" He yelled back, "But they helped!"

As soon as they turned the corner however a sudden blast sent them.all tumbling away, "Threats neutralised" a large RECO boomed followed by a less than impressed person, "Wh-" They sighed shaking their head, "We were told to safely capture them not blast them" They turned and then saw that the animals had all but vanished.

-----------

"Are we safe?" Fink whispered, his voice strained as his hind leg hovered in the air, It had gotten badly cut on a chunk of metal when that stupid blast sent them all flying separating each other.

"Yeah" Brightbill sighed in relief, "For now" He hopped down off the small platform to the more hidden one below to look at him, the only reason the Goose had managed to find him was because he'd been in the air when the blast happened.

"Come on" Fink grunted lifting himself up the platforms, which was hard with only 3 working legs, "We need to keep moving" Brightbill kept quiet, he wanted to try and convince him to stay but he knew it wouldn't work.

"Ah there" Fink pointed over at a large patch of bushes and trees, "We get there we can hide better" Brightbill only nodded taking off into the air as a scout all while Fink hobbled across the large green patch.

He clamped his snout shut when his injured leg was jostled as soon as he dove into the bush, He heard the rustle of Brightbill joining him, his face emitting concern.

"Fink your leg" He chirped, waddling closer to it to get a better look. "Its nothing" Fink grunted despite his dismissal to it, "I've had scratches before"

The goose wasn't convinced however and just took a deep heavy breath, "Alright if you say so" He settled down on the dirt with Fink following albeit some difficulty, preparing to have a long long wait in the bushes.

--------------

"Mom I'm hungry" One of the babies mewled, Pinktail huffed as she trudged along some big long path, surrounded by white things, which she didn't know what they were.

"Theres no food here to eat" She relayed, sniffing around but cringed smelling some horrible disgusting tangy smell instead. Yep, definitely no food around.

"Awwww" the baby rolled down to land on her head, "Where are we anyways?" He was joined by his brothers and sisters all also rolling down her back, "I dont know, not anywhere safe i know for certain" Pinktail grunted leaping onto a metal box perched against the strange white thing.

"Its weird" Another meeped tapping the white object with her tiny paw, "Theres no trees, or grasshoppers to eat" Pinktail chose to ignore them in favor of sniffing the strange metal box she was on.

"Now what's this" She mumbled to herself, her wet nose touching the metal making her jolt backwards at the sudden cold touch.

Pinktail sniffed around it until she felt her nose press against something that made the metal underneath her vanish and for her and the babies to topple inside.

The sudden landing on metal made her hiss in pain flinching harshly, "Mom?" one of the babies aged pressing against her chest whereas the others were scattered about playing dead as they were taught.

"Im fine I'm fine" She grunted slowly lifting herself up and looking around, "Dont know where we fell though" She sat up and sniffed the air, only feeling the cold touch of metal again.

If she had to guess, they were in the box and fell in somehow. Pinktail slowly blinked and settled down without a word, scooping up the horde of her babies with her tail and into her body.

"Are we stuck?" one asked giving her pause, "For now, Petunia, yeah" She said, better to tell them straight then to lie and face repercussions.

She tucked her feet into herself as she settled her head down, all while staring up at where they fell, She wasn't getting out of this without help, and the help might not even come, so all she could do. is wait.

Chapter 4: Rozzum 7134

"Mom?" one of the Possums spoke up making Pinktail try and gently shush them, "Are we gonna die?" She took a deep breath and looked around, any way out of the strange metal prison she'd fallen into.

"No, we'll be fine" She puffed out a grunt and sat up making her babies all bundle infront of her, "Only way we'll get out of here is if someone finds us" She paused, the only way that was to happen is if it was a Rozzum or a.....human.

She jolted, stepping over the bundle protectively as a light shone in, her hackles raised getting ready to attack no matter what it was, There was no way on this place was it touching her kids-

"Pinktail?" an oddly familiar voice droned making her head raise slightly but she still curled in more her eyes narrowing. "Is that you? how did you get here?" The possums head raised her eyes widening at the sudden tone change.

"Roz?"

---------------

When Roz had heard there was an animal sighting inside of the facility, she was the first to go investigate the cause, She didn't know what other Rozzums would do to the wildlife if it was found, so she took on the task instead.

Yet she wasn't expecting at all to see it was Pinktail and her children, trapped in one of the boxes left carelessly in the hall.

"I can't say how glad I am to see it was you who found us" Pinktail sighed in relief as She was lowered down to the floor on the outside grounds, her babies all scrambled off and over to Roz giggling and pawing at her hands.

"I am also glad" Roz beeped back, "Other Rozzums do not seem as receptive to wildlife as I am" The possum mother chuckled, "But how did you get here?" Pinktail took a deep breath.

"I wasn't exactly the only one" She started, moving to sit in Roz's hold again after the robot had opened her hands for her, "Me, Thorn, Paddler, Brightbill and Fink all were caught in the ship when it took off" Roz perked up suddenly, her lights blinking a solid blue.

"Brightbill and Fink are here?" She queried her eyes widened dramatically, Pinktail nodded scurrying up to her shoulder and sniffing the air for any kind of scents but still only getting that horrible tangy smell.

"We got separated when a group of humans saw us, not sure where they all are now" Roz's limited expression changed into one of almost fierce protection going by the brief flicker of red lights on her body.

"Then we must find them before anyone else does" She raised her other arm and a flash of black was seen before a small winged creature hung from below. "Pinktail, this is Mellow, she has been living in the trees here for a long time" The possum chuckled lowering down to look at her, "See you like to hang upside down too" She chuckled.

Roz gave an affirming beep, "Mellow is a Fruit Bat, I have been offering her produce since nobody else does" Mellow gave a small squeak and flapped her wings, "I can help find your friends" She cooed and her ears twisted from side to side giving Pinktail pause for her to understand.

Yet it was one of the babies who asked, "Whats she doing?" Roz glanced over to them, "She is using echolocation, all bats possess this ability to hear from great distances" The Possums all stared in silent wonder at Mellow's work, the small bat giving squeaks every now and then.

She perked up and swung back up to the very top of her shoulder, "There is one not too far from here, he seems angry" Pinktail rolled her eyes, Paddler of course. He'd been annoyed since they got here and took it out on poor old Fink.

She frowned thinking to the fox, a while ago she thought she heard him yelp in pain and it concerned her a bit.

"Mellow" Pinktail whispered getting the bats attention, "Did you happen to see a fox around here?" Mellow hummed but shook her head regretfully, "I didn't sorry" She squeaked flapping her wings, "But i can keep an ear out"

The possum nodded making her way up to Roz's shoulder, "Shall we go find Paddler?" She beeped, Pinktail let off a hum as she leaned against her metal head, "I suppose" Roz gave her a nod and made her way toward a large area filled with bushes, most having a array of fruits hanging from them.

"Fruit!" Mellow screeched shooting from Roz's shoulder and straight onto a pear, Pinktail chuckled watching the bat suckle into it practically draining most of its juice.

"She gets hungry a lot" Roz said picking the possum up gently and holding her in her hands as she walked, passing several more fields of fruit filled bushes, Mellow flying beside them holding an apple in her mouth.

"No no no your doing it all wrong!" Roz stopped in her tracks when her sensors picked up the sounds of yelling nearby, she stepped over the fruit bushes to reach the river.

Paddler was there surrounded by sticks and small branches, right next to him was a Heron, clearly confused at what he was doing.

"I am only doing what a Beaver does" Paddler puffed out his chest lowering down to pick up another stick, "But you are blocking up the river! how are the fish going to get downstream!" The heron screeched flapping it's feathers at him.

"Is there a problem?" Roz beeped stepping over to them, "Roz!" Paddler crawled over to her and hopped up to her other shoulder, "I didn't agree with this water running through so-" Her optics blinked, "You built a dam?" He nodded thumping his tail on her back as she scanned it.

"I see no problem with this dam" the Heron blinked narrowing it's eyes at her, "You act weird for those usual robots" It chirped. Pinktail chuckled shaking her head, "Roz here is different it's...uhhhh hard to explain" Paddler scoffed tilting his head to the side.

"A lot more than hard" The heron stared at them before huffing and flapping it's wings, "Fisher" It wrapped one around it's front in the form of a bow, "I live in the lake nearby" He hummed puffing them all up.

"Heard all the alarms and came over, just to see a Beaver blocking up the river" Paddler groaned sitting up again, "Fine I'll get rid of it" He slid down her arm and waddled slowly over to it.

"Fisher" Roz beeped to the Heron, "You did not happen to see a bear, fox or goose around have you?" Fisher tapped his wing on the tip of his beak, "Saw a fox and a Goose earlier" It straightened out to point to a distant set of bushes bunched up by a building.

"They went over there" Roz straightened up almost instantly, her blue optics settled on where he'd pointed, "Thank you Fisher" She gave him a thanking nod.

Fisher nodded back to her only to shoot up with a screech, "BEAR!" Mellow similarly screeched and shot up into the air just as the large bear came stomping over the hill.

"Roz!" He slammed right into her making Pinktail jump off in the instant second and Paddler glance up, "Hello Thorn" The Rozzum chuckled sitting up with Thorn slowly backing off from her.

"Haven't found Fink or Brightbill yet?" He grunted seemingly noticing their absence, "I'm afraid not" Roz replied standing up to allow Pinktail to climb back up to her position atop her shoulder.

Fisher had long gone, seemingly back to his lake, while Mellow was hiding behind her head, staring cautiously at Thorn.

"Found a friend hm?" Thorn said noticing the bat behind her, "Oh yes" Roz reached back and carefully cupped Mellow into her hands, "This is Mellow" The bear smiled with a chuckle, "Nice to meet you bat" He chuckled again as she only squeaked.

"I think we should probably go start looking for them" Paddler suggested walking over from where he'd just finished removing the dam from the river.

"Yeah" Pinktail muttered, her ears starting to twitch in worry, "These humans you talked about don't seem very nice" Roz's light flashed red for a brief moment right before she stared out at the distance.

"Some are some aren't" Her eyes narrowed as if scanning something out there, "That is not the only thing I'm worried about" The four animals all followed her gaze to the distant mountains.

In that distance there were large dark swirling clouds that were almost crashing into each other, "Oh...that's" Pinktail muttered, eyes looking to Roz as the Rozzum only acknowledged by a blink. "If we're going to find them" She quickly turned and made for the far end of the facility, "We need to hurry"

Chapter 5: The Fox and The Goose

Fink hissed when his hind leg flared up in pain again making Brightbill pause in his tracks.

"Fink i really don't think you can walk with that leg" He chirped, waddling around to the affected leg in concern, the gash was still there and hadn't seemed to start healing whatsoever.

"I'll be fine kid" He huffed pulling himself up off the dirt, both shot to alert when heavy footsteps sounded, and were getting closer which meant one thing, Someone knew they were here.

"Kid you gotta go" Fink hissed out as he sat up against the smooth metal wall, Brightbill spun around and frowned, "No, I'm not leaving you here to these other Rozzums, I don't know what they'll do to you!" He screeched back.

Fink gave a strained chuckle as the Goose came over and settled beside him, just as the leaves above them were pulled apart.

"Animals detected!" Brightbill hissed and covered Fink with one of his wings upon realising it was one of the 'not Roz' Rozzums, He pecked furiously at the hands as they lowered down to grab him.

"Rozzum 6138 please be gentle with them" another more smoother voice sounded, "It seems ones injured" A ping was heard, almost affirming, "Understood!" Brightbill hissed when the hands grabbed him pecking at them as he was brought out

He screeched when he was handed to some human hands and flapped his wings desperately trying to fly away, Brightbill paused when he saw Fink get grabbed next and started to panic more, "No! leave him alone!" He yelled In vain, neither could understand what he was saying anyways.

"Bring the fox to the medical bay to see to that injury" the person holding Brightbill said, "I'll take this one out to be relocated elsewhere" His body completely froze up, relocated?!

He thrashed harder now pecking and flapping at their hands in any way to escape, Brightbill wasn't paying attention to when he was brought inside the large building, all he saw was getting put inside some weird container and left alone.

The goose sat down and settled against the far corner of it, he'd just found Fink again after being separated originally, and now it'd happened again, it even had to be the one place he didn't want to be separated from him either, they knew nothing on this place, whether there was anybody friendly here at all-

Brightbill glanced up at the squeak of someone stopping, he blinked seeing another human there staring at him and writing on some strange rectangular board of wood.

"Interesting" They mumbled, "Your the goose we saw a while ago" Brightbill froze up and scrambled to the very back of the container in fear, "It is okay" They whispered back, "We won't hurt you i promise" He frowned but still kept up his guard.

The person eventually gave up leaving him alone in the room again, Brightbill hated it, he'd lost Roz, then he'd found her again, then he had no idea where she had gone and now he'd lost Fink in this building.

He fluffed up his feathers and rested his head inside them, maybe it was better to just wait for help than contemplate, or maybe waste away entirely, if there was even any help at all.

-------------

"Shura please keep up" A melanistic Foxes ears perked up as she trailed behind her caretaker, It was a nice woman called Mary, she had blonde long hair and a really really fun attitude.

When she wasn't doing work that was.

Shura on the other hand had learnt about her work, all the upkeep of this entire facility helping the humans keep safe in the strange destructed world.

She barked leaping up onto a podium as Mary entered a room tapping at her pad, Shura looked around curiously, she'd not been in here before, weird-

Her ears perked and head tilted upon seeing a strange feathered bird in one of the glass boxes, Why was he in there? She thought birds were meant to be outside.

By the seems of it, Mary was confused as well considering how many times she was looking up and down.

Shura saw her turn away and wander outside aimlessly before hopping down and up to the small seat by the glass box, "Excuse me?" She tapped it with her paw, no reaction.

"Birdie?" She barked, he scrambled up with a slight yell, "I-uh- who-who are you?" He asked with a slight frown, "I'm Shura!" She barked back her tail wagging back and forth rapidly.

"Okay" The bird started slowly looking around as if something would jump out at him, strange one he was.

"But- what is a fox like you doing in here?" He asked her, Shura wagged her tail harder with a giggle, "I live here!" She responded, noticing the way his eyes widened in a disbelief she hadn't really seen before.

"In this place?" He stuttered and scoffed shaking his head, "Okay, look I'm not in the mood" He sighed turning around, "Those people you keep saying your with took the only animal i had left from me, I'd much rather be alone"

Shura tilted her head, "Theres another?" She questioned, He looked up sighing heavily, "There is" He admitted, a sad expression gracing his face, it was strange to her, she'd not seen any animal look so upset before.

"He's called Fink" the goose chirped, "A Fox, and....one of my family" Shura perked up, a fox?! like her?! here?!

"Wait" She shook her head, "Your family?" She looked him up and down, "But your a birdie?" He stared at her like she was insane for a split second, "I'm a Goose, actually" Shura blinked, her paw moving from the glass, "A...goose, oh a Goose!" Her tail started wagging again.

"Wheres your fox friend?" She then asked, but her happiness was promptly stopped when he went back into his more sadder moods, "He....was taken away, he got injured and then we were separated" His head lowered until it was almost touching the glass floor, "I dont know where he is"

"I'll tell you what!" Shura yapped getting his attention, "I'll find him! then I'll say hi and get him out for you!" Her tail started its furious wagging again, "You can try" The goose muttered only making her more determined.

"I will! I promise birdie!" She leapt off outside after Mary who'd gotten down the hall already, Shura knew she had to find that Fox, and break him out for the poor little birdie- no Gooses sake, he looked so sad and lonely in there, it made her upset. she had to do this. for him and that poor injured Fox.

She pressed her nose to the floor and sniffed around, There were the usual smells, humans, whatever strange things they ate, a small tangy smell and a fox-

Her head sprung up, a fox?! that was exactly what she was looking for!

Shura turned around still sniffing and stopped at another hallway leading down to the more deeper parts of the facility, with a bark she raced down still sniffing at everything to try and get an exact location of the fox that goose was talking about.

She turned into a door where the smell was strongest and scrambled to a stop, inside was an array of beds and the occasional beep coming from a machine nearby, Ah. medical bay.

Shura slowly walked inside, She'd been allowed here as she was a facility animal, the workers paid her no mind as to where she was, as long as she wasn't wrecking anything or stealing anything.

She paused spotting a large glass case at the far end of the room, her ears twitched and she slowly crawled closer, it didn't smell of much save for the horrible smell this room always had.

Turning the corner she perked up seeing orange fur bundled up, seemingly asleep inside of it, it WAS a fox! except he was more of a orange red color.

"Hey!" She leapt over and tapped the front, No response, "Uhhh excuse me?" Shura tapped it again and yelped when the fox shot forward snarling and fur bristling.

"Oh" the fox blinked and his fur instantly lowered down on seeing her, "Wait a fox?" He pressed his nose to the glass trying to sniff at her, "What are you doing here? and why are you in this place?" Shura spun up with a bark and tail wagging.

"I live here!" She announced happily practically bouncing on her paws, He stared her up and down, almost suspiciously. "You. live in this weird place?" His eyes rolled making her giggle.

"Yeah! how'd you get here anyways?" She asked walking closer, the other fox only twitched his ear, "I'd rather not explain" He stood up only to whimper when he put pressure on his back leg.

"I'm Fink" He then said managing to sit down, "Live on an island ways out from here" He sighed hanging his head down, "At least I used to" Shura tilted her head at the sad tone, was he taken?

"I um" Shura tapped her foot on the floor, "I found a goose and he told me about you so I came to find you and-" Fink jumped up almost instantly, "The kid?! is he okay?!" She blinked processing what he was saying before it actually locked in, "Oh! yes he's fine! a little upset which made me sad but he's okay!"

Fink sighed in what looked like relief and settled down again, "Thats good at least, could hear him from here" His ear flicked and he narrowed his eyes at her, "What are you doing here anyways?" Shura stood up puffing her chest fur out, "I'm here to get you out! I don't like seeing the Goose friend sad so I'm going to take you to him!"

He stared at her, "How do you expect to do that" He mumbled resting his head on his paws, Shura chuckled leaping up to a pad on the wall, "Like this" Her paw pressed against it and the glass vanished into panels that opened up in the floor.

"What the-" Fink sniffed around stepping out of the cage boundary, "You are weird for a fox" She only giggled leaping down again beside him.

"Were they treating that?" She then asked, sniffing the bandage wrapped around his hind leg, "Yep" Fink replied with a frown, the leg could only hang in the air, putting any kind of pressure on it just hurt.

"Oh!" Shura bounced to the front of him as they slowly walked out of the bay, "I'll take you to Mary! she knows a lot about us Foxes, I'm sure she can help you!" Finks ears flattened a little, "Who's Mary" He asked.

"She's my mom!" She barked back wagging her tail, Fink stared into space for a moment or two processing the words, "Your mom? don't you have a more...foxy mom?" Shura tilted her head confused at him, "Foxy mom?"

He took a deep breath, "Did you...never live in the wilderness?" Shura frowned herself, "Dont know what that is, heard of it!" She barked back, Fink frowned at her, He'd never interacted with any Foxes other than his own mother. and this one was...strange, kind of like Roz in a way.

She bounced forward when a person walked out of the room, Fink came to a stop despite Shura leaping back over and trying to nudge him forward, "Mary won't hurt you!" She barked walking up to his level.

The person called Mary stopped on seeing him, "Shura where did you get him from?" She asked her while kneeling down, Shura barked and sat down looking between the two expectantly.

Fink growled lowly as Mary approached making her take her hands back, "Isn't this the fox that was hurt?" Her eyes spotted the bandage and the airborne hind leg.

"Oh" Mary patted Shura's head, a smile showing on her face. "You were worried weren't you?" Fink meanwhile had crept silently around her and into the room she'd walked out of.

Shura followed after him and leapt up to the box, "What?!" She screeched making him go faster only for her to leap down and start pacing, "He was in there when i left!" She barked now starting to circle around.

Fink leapt up and sniffed the strange box, he was definitely here he could smell him, but- where had he gone?

Mary was watching from the door in a confused expression, "Is this about the goose?" She asked Shura, the fox whining and snorting at her, "Oh, girl" the woman stroked her black fur, "Its okay, they are taking him to a safe place outside" Finks ears flattened, safe place?! Brightbill didn't even know the area!

His coming dread was cut off by the sounds of rumbling and alarms starting to blare, Shura seemed to know what it meant by the way she was hiding under a nearby table.

Mary was muttering something as she sped out of the room, "Theres a really bad storm hitting" The fox mumbled, her ears flattened against her head, "I heard someone say it could knock out power or destroy things" Fink stared at her then the floor, A massive powerful destructive storm, and the kid was outside in it.

He then without warning shot out of the room ignoring the pain in his hind leg as he ran, "Fink wait!" Shura yelled racing after him.

He turned just as he reached the door, "Shura the kids out there in danger!" He yelled, the back of his fur raising slightly, "He gets caught in that he's going to die!" His front paw battered the floor, "I'm going to find him"

She slowly walked up to him staring up and down, "I'm coming with you" She said, ignoring his surprised look, "Can't let my first friend get consumed by a raging storm right?" Fink rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Alright, maybe we'll run into Roz on the way"

Shura pulled a face at him, "Who- Who's Roz?" Fink opened his mouth but a loud crackle of lighting made him stop, "You know what I'll explain later" He then shot out of the door. "Okay! but im holding you to it!" Shura yelled back before racing after him into the growing winds and rain.

Chapter 6: Divide And Protect

Notes:

Have some good newsss! I'm doing a second story after this one! it will be based heavily off the 3rd book which i am loving so far, heck I'm loving this entire neat little series

One thing about the world now is that the weather was unpredictable, and got worse day by day, Roz knew that from back when the deadly snowstorm hit the Island.

Except there was something worse heading this way, a mix between a tropical storm and a snowstorm, which she assumed sounded really bad.

She and the other animals were watching all the humans and Rozzums dart around in panic and urgency, seemingly trying to lock down the facility before the storm hit.

"Do we help?" Mellow chirped from where she was perched atop Roz's shoulder, "I am unsure" Roz replied, "They seem to have the area under protection" Thorn hummed narrowing his eyes, "This place might" He pointed up at a sea of houses right behind, "But they aren't" Pinktail raised herself up, "More humans?" She glanced up at Roz when she stepped forward.

"I think they go to a special shelter when something like this happens" She beeped, "You'd be right!" They all looked over when a melanistic fox bounded over, "Another fox?" Paddler murmured his eyes widening slightly.

The fox giggled waving her paw, "Thats what I've been saying all day" She shook her fur, "I'm Shura! I was with Fink but I kind of lost him in the human stampede" Roz perked up, "You found Fink?"

She nodded, "Sure did! and a Goose! I think Fink said his name was Brightbill?" Shura huffed her ears drooping, "But the workers thought relocating him outside when a storm was imminent was a genius idea" Roz's lights blared a sharp red almost instantly.

"Do you know where they could've taken him?" Thorn asked for her, Shuras eyes widened slightly at the sight of a bear so close but shook it off, "Uhhh there's a forest nearby so maybe there? and Fink was looking for him so maybe we'll find him on the way" A loud crash and a lightning strike impacted near them.

"We should probably move" Mellow suggested. "Theres not a lot of cover here" Thorn suddenly ran off just as they went another direction towards shelter out of the storm.

He grunted stopping near a small human seemingly curled up on the floor and crying it's eyes out, He leaned down gently picking it up with his teeth and made for one of those dome like buildings.

The bear trotted to a stop and placed the human down letting it scramble up and run into the hands of another taller one, They glanced up and stared at him in half thanks and half fear.

Thorn only snorted, turning toward where everyone else had retreated to and took off, He was fast and they couldn't have gone too far.

"Found him!" Mellow landed atop his head just as he saw the blue lights of Roz show in the wall of rain and fog, She was sheltering with the other animals under a dense tree.

"Saw a small one out there" Thorn thrusted his snout down at the buildings, "Got it inside before I came over" He shook his soaked fur sending water droplets over most of the gathered group.

"Good job Thorn" Roz beeped, "I didn't see her when we were leaving" He chuckled settling down into a more comfortable position, "Well, i learned from the best" A smile appeared on his snout, "You've taught me a lot since you came to the Island you know" He paused so he could get more comfy on the pine needle infested grass.

Thorn rested his head on the grass, "Just trying to say thanks...heh never thought I'd be saying that" Shura had her head tilted as she watched, "Whats the Island?" She looked at the two, "Is that where you all came from?"

"It is" Pinktail trudged over, her fur slightly wet from the raindrops coming off the above branches, "Roz ended up on it after a storm, and that's where she met us, and Brightbill" Shura stared wide eyes watching.

Roz however was staring out into the downpour, her sensors had picked up movement but she couldn't pinpoint where.

She then got up, the animals too deep in conversation to realise she'd trudged out into the rain and wind in search of what she'd been picking up.

Her optics narrowed seeing a flash of red fur by a nearby tree stump, "Fink?" She called, a head popped up in the bundle and it made a stumbled run toward her.

She knelt down and let him leap up into her arm, it wasn't like him to be so silent and it concerned her, "Roz!" She shot up, she knew that voice-

A blur of brown feathers smacked into her helmet and slid down to her neck with a silent grunt, "I think i miscalculated my speed" He chuckled shaking his wet feathers, "Its good to see you again Brightbill" She beeped happily, He smiled at her and nestled down by his usual spot.

"I was flying around after those people put me out here, then the weather got bad and I found Fink" He explained, his eyes wandering to the unusually quiet fox in her arm.

As they approached the tree, Shura bounded toward them, "You found them! and oh..." She sniffed the air, "Whats wrong with Fink?" Roz looked down at him, her optics flicking to and fro, "I dont know" She replied, "I dont think he's well" The other fox frowned, "Only way we'll get help is going into the facility" She ran out to the rain just as the others all got up.

"Come on!" She barked running down the hill, "We sure about this?" Thorn looked to Roz who had that determined look in her optics again, "Yes, if Shura trusts the people there then so do i" She then trudged ahead with the other animals following behind against the winds.

Shura bounded into the building first barking and spinning around catching Mary's attention, "What is it?" She asked walking over, she saw Shura look out into the window and spotted a Rozzum walking over with what looked like the same injured Fox but...worse.

She shot up and spun around, "Make room!" She yelled at the group of people waving them all way, "Make room now!" The Rozzum stepped through the doors just as she'd cleared the area.

But what surprised Mary more is that Shura went running up to a bear that came behind it, a possum and Beaver on its back, She quickly shook her head returning to the task as the Rozzum placed the fox down on a mat someone had provided.

He looked way worse than last time, his fur was soaked to the bone and he seemed freezing cold, "Here" a woman kneeled down holding out a blanket, "Use this" Mary puffed nodding in thanks as she took it and tucked it over him.

Her eyes caught the bear and other animals watching her work, they almost looked...concerned?

Even more so was the Rozzum who had a goose on its neck and was staring at the fox, seemingly petting it's fur. This was a really strange Rozzum.

-------

"He will be okay right?" Pinktail asked Shura as she walked over, "Absolutely" She barked as she settled down against Thorn who'd curled up to get ready to sleep, "Mary is the best animal keeper here, he's in good hands" Thorn let out a gruff hum.which was paused when he saw the same girl from before nestle into his side.

"Well" Paddler chuckled, "You've made a friend" The bear chuckled back watching the girl fall asleep against him and Shura wrapping a tail around her, "Suppose I have" He sighed laying his head down and closing his eyes to sleep.

Roz watched from afar, one hand on Brightbill and the other on Fink who'd fallen asleep a long while ago, it worried her how suddenly he'd fallen ill but she had to trust the humans working here, especially this one.

But if Shura trusted her, then by extension so should she.

Her eyes caught the other sheltering people at the other end of the room, most had gathered into sleeping bags and fallen asleep but some were still awake, staring wide eyed at the sleeping Thorn behind her.

She knew why, bears were considered vicious creatures, many lives had been claimed by them when the world wasn't broken the way it was now.

Roz then got up and slowly moved forward, sitting not far from the group, "It is okay" She beeped catching their attention, "He will not hurt you" A man who was watching with narrowed eyes diverted them to her, "And how are you so sure? it could wake up and kill everyone in this room"

"I know this bear" She continued, "He wouldn't kill anything he doesn't see as a threat, and he wouldn't attack any of you, not while we are all inside away from the storm" The people seemed to calm down at her words, some looking at her with strange confused expressions.

"You sound strange for a Rozzum" a woman pointed out, Roz looked down, "I have always been told that" She beeped, the woman though only smiled, "In a good way, some of us are quite bored of the same routine they follow" She looked up in surprise.

The woman shuffled closer, "When the Rozzums were first made, we expected them to all have personalities, to be cheery, unhappy anything to make them feel human" Her eyes darkened and her brows furrowed, "What we got was the opposite, they work like machines, only doing what we ask and talk so...."

Roz blinked, "Bland like?" The woman nodded to her, "Yes, exactly, but you are different, and that well..." The man from before chuckled, "Its a breath of fresh air really, we need more Rozzums like you in my opinion, not all roboty like and more actually sincere"

She sat silent at those words, Roz always thought the humans were just like the Dynamics workers, but clearly she was wrong, a few did care for the Rozzums, wanted them to be normal, to have emotions and feelings.

Roz was so lost in thought she didn't notice Fink had woken up and was curled up in her arm and Brightbill in the other.

The woman from before gently tapped her arm getting her attention, she pointed down to him and Roz's lights lit up a soft pink.

"What does that mean?" a small child asked from where he was beside his parent, "That means she's feeling love" the woman muttered, a smile on her face, "And it's beautiful"

Mary, meanwhile was resting against a console, Shura had ventured over and curled up on her lap, the woman was stroking the Foxes fur while looking over at the sleeping animals.

"Whatever happens Shura" She whispered down, the Foxes ears flicking in acknowledgement, "We can't let higher up find out" Her lips thinned, "They don't take kindly to rebelling Rozzums and animals in the facilites"

Shura lifted her head up just as a watch clattered to the floor, She knew what it was as well.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a low growl, and the fox frowned, that wasn't her stomach, it must have been-

Her ears then dropped, Oh. right, She'd not seen anyone else eat in a while, Shura stood up and nudged Mary's hand, "You hungry?" She asked standing up only for her to whine and thrust her head at the others.

"Oh" Mary knelt down again, "They haven't eaten in a long while have they" Shura shook her head confirming the woman's question making her stand up, "I'll go see what I can find, you stay here girl" She stepped over a few wires and machines and left the room in a half hurry amid the howling winds and rain patters from the outside.

Shura then turned and leapt over to where Roz was powered off, spinning in a circle a few times she then settled down with a squeak, "Hey" a small weak voice whispered making her look up.

Fink was awake, although he still looked weak, but he was awake and looking at her, "Your ummm, human? is that right?" Shura nodded at him allowing him to keep going, "Yeah, she seems nice but..." He pawed the metal of where he was curled up in Roz's arm.

"Its fine if you don't trust her" Shura said, "I dont really blame you, we saw the reports of what happened from here, about animals defending a Rozzum unit on a remote Island" Finks head raised up, "You...did?"

Shura giggled, "Believe it or not, Mary was actually rooting for you guys, she's never liked the people around here, not the Dynamics staff anyways" Fink chuckled back, his eyes seemingly drooping.

"Guess...we just didn't want anyone to take her again..." Shura was quiet as he fell asleep again, his soft snores overtaking the room shortly after.

She rested her own head down after staring at a glowing machine on the wall, one of the Dynamics comms, so they could listen in on human conversations, which means they heard everything from earlier.

Shura glanced back at Roz and the sleeping animals, especially Fink and Brightbill, "And I'll make sure it stays that way, that everyone stays together" Her head turned back to the glowing machine, eyes narrowing and ears flattening as her head lowered to the floor, "Even if it's the last thing a little fox like me can do"

Chapter 7: The Chase

When Roz came back online she still saw Fink and Brightbill curled up asleep in her arms where she'd left them. Fink seemed to have moved slightly but it was more or less the same.

"Roz" She looked down to Shura nudging her, "They are recalling all the Rozzums outside" Roz blinked but glanced down at Brightbill and Fink, "Its okay" The other fox smiled, "We'll look after them here" Roz nodded, silently placing the two down on a blanket before getting up and leaving quickly so they wouldn't wonder why she was late.

Mary was busy typing away at the nearby computer, absentmindedly chewing at a cereal bar in the process as Shura walked over.

The other humans sheltering here had left as soon as the all clear was given, all left with the stern promises they wouldn't say anything about Roz or the animals.

Not like it mattered much, the comms were on, which meant the higher ups heard everything, about Roz, the other animals, which meant they had to get them to leave and fast.

Shura raised her head and gave Mellow a quick but firm nod, the bat nodded back and fluttered into the air and outside.

The fox turned back to Mary who was now leaning back in her chair with a heavy sigh, "Lot of work to do today Shura" She grunted standing up and pausing still seeing the animals there.

"Funny" She chuckled kneeling down, Shura nuzzling under her open hand to let it run over her fur, "Still here" Mary pressed her hands against a still sleeping Fink, "He's getting better now thank goodness" She patted Shuras head.

"We don't want any fox friends getting hurt now do we?" Shura barked back earning a laugh as the woman stood up and stretched, "Well, lots to do, let's get going" the fox barked following her out of the door. As soon as they did Mellow darted back inside and tapped Thorns snout.

"Mmmh....yeah?" He yawned, eyes slowly opening, "Time to go" She whispered fluttering up as he stood up ever so slowly with everyone else coming out of their dazes as well.

"Shura told me that the weird higher ups heard everything, which means we need to go" She flew out of the way as Thorn carefully placed a sleeping Fink on his back, "Then let's go" He grunted stomping out the doors.

Pinktail trailed far behind them scouting out, her ears twitching every second in every direction for anyone coming.

"Head back up the hill" Mellow suggested, "The way you came that's your best bet" Thorn grunted and dipped his head, "Thank you little bat" She giggled giving a shrug, "Its nothing, I uhhh hope you get back somehow, good luck!" with that she flew away back into the trees of the facility.

"Something doesn't smell right" Paddler hummed sniffing the air, "That horrible tangy smell?" Pinktail said with a huff, "Smelt it before don't know what it is" The Beaver gagged prompting him to hurry on, "Whatever it is i don't want to stick around for it"

Howvever Pinktail paused in her walk noticing there was one missing, "Wheres Brightbill?" She looked back at the Facility, he must have gone to find Roz when nobody was looking.

"Kids going to get himself caught down there!" Thorn rushed by chucking the Beaver and Possum onto his back as he went, "Is this a good idea?!" Paddler yelled gripping onto his fur for dear life, "We ain't leaving him here that's for sure!" The bear yelled back, skidding to a stop right by the same doors they'd just left.

Pinktail perked up hearing the noises of a goose, "That way!" She pointed down to a lower section that had Thorn moving within a second of her saying it.

He catapulted down the stairs and came to a stop near to a group of working Rozzums, "Whats that noise?" One of the Possum babies spoke up.

The three of them all froze hearing alarms blaring, which meant bad, which meant they'd been found out.

Even worse was when the nearby Rozzums all blared red lights and turned to them, "Commencing capture" all of them boomed racing toward the animals.

"RUN!" Paddler yelled, Thorn instantly bolted up the ramp, dodging and swiping at a few Rozzums and robots that were trying to get at them.

"What...did I...WOAH!" Fink ducked when a robot went flying above him, "Long story!" The bear yelled, "Explain later!" The fox nodded but could easily guess as to why they were being chased by Rozzums and robots. Which only meant bad.

That is if they couldn't escape in time, one infront went down in a buzzing mess, Shura leaping out with a bark, "Go! I'll try hold them off!" She yelled, instantly turning to another to get set upon.

Fink watched her gnaw at a small robot as it passed, his ears twitching back and forth, At least she was on their side. "Wait" the thought hit him, "Wheres the kid?!" He yelled.

"Dont know!" Thorn said, "He'll catch up though!" Fink nodded a few times settling down, Thorn was right, Brightbill was smart, he'd be able to catch up, He'll be fine. yet Fink couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Really wrong with this place, the strange smell, the weird angry robots tht happened so commonly. Something was definitely not right.

A screech followed by a loud bang made Fink shoot up, "Kid?!" He jumped off making a beeline to where the sound came from and prompting Thorn to stop.

"Fink what are you-" A loud bear roar made him stop and Fink scramble to a halt, he turned back and saw Thorn wrestling with weird devices latched around his snout and legs.

The fox's ears only got lower and lower as he saw Paddler and Pinktail get snatched up the same way, only the devices were smaller, but the robots all but seemed to shake the baby Possums off her making a spike of anger flare up in him.

"You flaming heap of tr-" Fink yelped when a robot pinned him down and smacked a device to his snout as well as his legs, "Finally" a woman tapping a keyboard walked over seemingly inspecting them, "Take them all to the secure pound" She muttered. and stepped back to watch.

Shura scrambled up alongside Mary just as the woman arrived in a huff, "Mary ill put you in charge of cleanup" The woman stepped closer ignoring the way the fox growled.

"Dont let any of this get out" She dumped a cage in her hands and then left without another word, Shura knelt down and her eyes widened seeing the baby possums inside.

The fox's head instantly whipped up just as she saw a red tail get thrown into the van, "No- no no no!" Shura whined pacing in a circle and back again, the van was leaving for the secure pound, she couldn't do anything when it was there-

Mary raised a confused brow at her pacing and whining, Why was she acting so strange? the animals were wild, they'd just get put back out there, as protocol instructs.

Shura whined ears dropping as the van went out of sight, Her only friends here were gone, taken away to never return, She saw the rude woman from earlier get further away and snarled.

But Mary signalled for her to follow which she did, Roz had to know what happened, what had happened to her animal friends, she'd know what to do.

Shura snorted as she walked inside the building, She'd get to Roz, and then they can save the others before Dynamics has them terminated.

------------------

Thunderbolt hummed to himself staring out over the pink sunset colored ocean, No sign of the ship that everyone had left on, maybe it wasn't coming back.

"What are you looking at Thunderbolt?" Chitchat asked watching him from a tree branch, "I feel there is something wrong" He grumbled, shuffling a little.

"But i don't know what" Chitchat hummed going to answer before her eyes spotted something in the distance, "Whats that?" She squeaked, the bird perked up and narrowed his eyes, "Its..." He jolted when it smacked into him and down to the branch he'd been perched on.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" it was a bat, a small one it would seem, "I was flying as fast as I could but-" Thunderbolt raised his wing for silence, "What has happened" He asked, animals starting to gather below as to wonder what was going on, "The humans they caught everyone!" The bat screeched, some of the animals gasped.

"I saw it and came here as fast as I could but-" Thunderbolt flew down with a grunt, "I'm going to find them" He said, Chitchat ran over and bounced beside him, "I'm coming too!" the squirrel meeped.

"So will i" An Otter stepped forward, her head lowered toward them, "Willow" Thunderbolt said to the older Otter Are you sure?" She nodded, "Thorn helped me with my home, I owe him a favor" The bird nodded taking off into the sky.

"Anyone else?" he called to the gathered animals, most were silent, "I'll come!" a small lizard chirped, "Sizzle?" Chitchat made her way to the red and yellow bodied lizard perched on the rock, "You sure?" He nodded his small tail perking up as he leapt onto her head, "Absolutely!"

"Loudwing has offered to assist as well" He nodded to the Goose who in turn nodded back, "Of course, now as for our ride" All the animals turned and watched as a whale emerged from the water right by the beach.

"This is Coral" Loudwing chirped opening a single wing, "She's agreed to ferry us to the area nearby" Thunderbolt took off down there with the others following, animal cheers were heard behind them as they went.

"How long is it going to take?" The bird asked quickly, Coral raised her head out of the water, "Days trip, hop on!" She smacked her tail into the water creating a wave, "We have animals to rescue!"

Thunderbolt chuckled ruffling his feathers, "You heard her" He took a deep breath, "Lets go"

Chapter 8: Caught

Fink whined resting his head on his paws as he stared out the bars of the cage. the only one he could see was Pinktail who was still asleep at the very back of hers, it was weird to see her without her babies and it made him a little nervy to think how they were back at that horrific place instead.

His ears flattened to his head, Typical. they were all caught in these cages, trapped in some place none of them knew, and Roz was- well who knows where.

and despite not being able to see Brightbill he could still smell him, and he was dead silent, hadn't said a word since they were thrown in here.

Fink sadly sighed throwing his tail around his head.

--------------

Mary yawned staring at her cup of coffee, only her first cup and she still had all the cleanup of the incident to do.

Her eyes looked to the side to see Shura still curled in her corner staring at the wall, and those small baby possums in a cage on the top.

Her brow furrowed, she didn't whole heartedly agree with putting baby possums into a cage but she couldn't argue against the higher ups not with what just happened.

Mary groaned placing her cup down and standing up, she grabbed the key and carefully unlocked the cage to let them all scurry out.

A sick feeling hit her suddenly, She remembered seeing another much larger Possum get loaded away after then, the woman only now realised it must have been the mother.

"This has been a disaster" She grumbled throwing her head back, two of the Possums climbed up to her shoulder and stared at her as she flung her head back.

Shura stared up at Mary as she turned to look down at her, she recalled the Fox's frantic whining as the truck drove away to the Dynamics secure pound.

"Were you....friends with them girl?" She whispered, Shura raised her head and whined again, Mary's eyes widened as the pieces started to slowly click together, "Wait....Rozzum 7134, I've noticed she stares at the facilitys animals..." Her head raised up.

"The Island...oh no" She shot up and Shura followed with a bark, "We've done something bad Shura" Mary breathed as she raced through the doors.

She stopped at a device and rapidly typed in several numbers, "Shura" The woman knelt down and patted her head, "Go get Rozzum 7134, she's in the garden area" She took a deep breath, "If what the reports say are true, you need to tell her what's happened, there's no way she'll be happy if i tell her" the fox nodded with a bark.

Mary smiled, carefully putting the Possums onto her back, "Take them with you, get them back to their mother" Shura barked and took off running down the hall leaving her there.

"Right" She huffed and made for the truck park, "Time for me to do something"

-----------------

Shura sniffed around the garden area for Roz's smell, "There is she is!" Petunia Squeaked making the fox shoot up.

Sure enough Roz was nearby tending to some flowers seemingly quite happily, "Roz!" Shura barked running over and getting her attention.

"Oh hello Shura" Roz paused seeing the Possums on her back, "Where is Pinktail? and everyone else?" Her optics scanned the area incase they were hidden, "I thought they were with you" Shura shook her head, it lowering a little.

"They....got caught or well...found by the higher ups, they were taken to a secure pound a far ways off from here" Roz stared and then her lights flashed red a glaring red that made the fox back off slightly.

"How do we get there" She asked, gently picking Shura up on the way past. "I dont know but-" Roz stopped when a truck drove up to them, the door opened and Shura perked up.

"Mary!" She barked leaping down from Roz's hold and over to the woman who'd leaned down, "Those animals that were taken" Mary stood up to stand face to face with the Rozzum.

"You...are close with them aren't you?" Roz stared for a moment, as if not being able to trust her, "Yes...i am" Mary nodded and pressed a keycard into her hand, "Use this truck, it'll take you to the secure pound" She took a deep inhale, "I'd say hurry, Dynamics tends to destroy animals that have been seen in the facility grounds"

Roz nodded hopping into its back and pressed the key card into the inside with her arm, the truck took off leaving Mary there, "Right" She frowned, "Lets go have a little talk with a certain someone"

------------

Roz watched the pound get closer and closer into view, They were all in that place, where humans were ready to destroy them just because they were trying to see her again.

"You okay?" Shura asked clearly noticing her long drawn stare, "I'm fine, I'm just...its a lot" Roz replied, the fox nodded nuzzling her leg, "Its gonna be fine trust me, i know this place" She leapt up to the top of the truck as it slowly went to the back of the building.

"And I'm sick of these guys messing with animals" She leapt down as the vehicle shuddered to a stop, Roz following her in knowing silence.

Against that Roz could feel a depressing like pain coming from her chest, which definitely wasn't hers, which meant it was either Finks or Brightbills, or...both.

Although it only made her trudge ahead faster, they needed her, she had to get in there, fast.

Shura snuck in first through an open door and gestured for her to follow, Roz did so and closed it behind her only to pause.

It seemed to be a back way into the furthest part of the pound, "They should be..." Shura sniffed and shot up, "Here!" She scrambled over to a few seemingly empty cages, Roz following only after the surrounding area pinged as clear.

Her optics blinked as she looked into the cage, at the very back she could see a bundle of brown feathers, "Brightbill?" She beeped, the bundle instantly shot up, "Roz?!" The goose scrambled to the cage bars and pressed his head against hers the best he could.

"How did you get here?" He asked, Shura giggled, "Hi!" She barked, "Oh and Fink is right there" He gestured to the one beside his.

Roz peered inside just as Finks snout poked out, He didn't say anything like he usually did and just stared, "I'll get you out" She whispered, her optics settling on Pinktail, Paddler and Thorn. all three watching from nearby, "All of you" the possum hummed.

"There is one problem" She mumbled but Shura pranced over, "If it's about your babies they are okay" She raised her fluffy tail and each of them came scrambling out and into Pinktails already open embrace.

The possum nodded in thanks that she couldn't say and hustled to the very back of the cage, "Its all well and good" Paddler spoke up, "But how will you get us all out? you won't be able to sneak a bear out" Thorn shrugged, "Its true"

Roz stood up straight, "I'll think of something" She pressed a hand gently against Finks head and nuzzled Brightbill once more, "If they come Shura will deal with them, i need some extra help" She swiftly left with the fox bouncing around, "I'll get them!" She barked spinning around. "They won't know what will hit them!"

--------

a few hours later Shuras ears perked, a radio sound, right near to them, didn't notice that before.

She hopped up and frowned listening into it as it blared signals and voices, the others watching in interest.

Although then her ears drooped stepping backwards, "What is it?" Paddler asked stepping closer to the bars, "They said Rozzum 7134 went missing near here" She whispered staring at the floor, "That doesn't make sense she was just..." the animals went silent.

It meant she wasn't coming back, possibly not at all, "There has to be another way" Shura turned to them, "Dont let them do anything until i come back, and I will i promise" She darted out of the facility before anyone could reply.

Brightbill after watching her go managed to tuck his wing around the corner into Finks cage slightly, he felt the Fox's snout touch against it and he sighed. Neither needed to say what they were thinking, both already knew.

------

"Roz?" Shura leapt through the down trees and many other fallen logs as she leapt around the area, she couldn't have gone far, maybe she was hiding?

She sniffed around a large rock filled with moss and leaves, Which was just stuck out in the middle of the forest.

Shura leapt up and leaned against it still sniffing, only to yelp and scramble back when it moved and the leaves fell off.

"Hello Shura" Her ears perked up instantly, "Roz!" She spun around to get up tail wagging, "Why were you hiding?" The Rozzums optics whirled as she knelt down, "There were Universal Dynamic drones patrolling for me, i had to hide" Shura stared taken aback, drones?

"Why were they looking for you?" She asked, leaping up her body to perch on her shoulder, something seemed to register in Roz considering the way she stared for a moment, "I- do not know" She replied stepping over the stones and rocks in her way.

"But what do we do about Fink and the others?" The fox barked giving Roz a pause in her tracks, "We need help from the inside" She turned her head to look at Shura with a knowing one.

"Mary..." Shura sighed sitting up, "I'm sure she's up for it if you ask her" Roz nodded and continued on through the trees and many different areas before they emerged at the Dynamics facility.

Shura hopped down first as she approached Mary who was knelt down by some smaller robots, "Um excuse me?" The woman jumped and let out a small yelp.

"Jesus-" Her hand flew to her chest, "Your back" She stood up with a grunt, "I'm guessing you found them and there's a catch" Roz's hand went back a little and Shura nodded slowly.

"Let me guess" Mary gestured to herself, "You need inside help?" Roz walked over to her and knelt to her height, "In order to get them out, yes" Shura barked at the Rozzum a few times, Mary pulling a confused expression.

"She's saying that we need to hurry" the woman nodded and swung Shura up to her shoulder walking on, Roz went to follow but was promptly stopped by her hand.

"I know you want to come Roz" Mary sighed messing with her keycard as if out of nervousness, "But we can't have any staff seeing you, your better off here" Roz's optics darted from side to side like she was getting frantic, "I'll bring them straight back, promise" Mary whispered gently putting her hand on her metal chest.

Her optics steadied, her head lowering in defeat and agreement at the same time, it made Mary give a sad smile and a nod, turning and making toward the truck.

"She really does love them doesn't she?" Mary said to Shura as she jumped in and started the trucks engines, all she got was a bark from her fox partner, "Right, keep forgetting she can understand you and I can't" Shura whined tilting her head.

She only shook her head pulling the vehicle away from the site, "Here's what we'll do girl" Mary said, "I'll keep them distracted, you go in find them and get them all out, as far away as possible" Shura barked spinning around which was her way of saying yes.

She leapt up to watch out the window as the truck drove past the woods, her ears twitched as she saw a few birds flying about and the occasional shape of an animal beyond the trees.

"You've been a lot more interested in the woods since your new friends arrived Shura" Mary chuckled reaching one hand across to pat her on the head, her eyes catching the pounds metal roofing just as they rounded the corner.

The place always seemed eerie to her, like the stench of death was everywhere, and unfortunately it always was, Mary knew of the animals that were destroyed here but she could never do anything about it, her rank was too far down for anyone in that place to listen to her.

As she pulled the truck up to the front she opened the door for Shura to leap out, "Ah Mary" a tall man dressed in a grey jumpsuit at the front dipped his head.

"Shura" He dipped his head with a smile to the fox, she barked rubbing up against his legs to which he chuckled, "Guessing your here about the animals?" He edged a bit closer, "Listen, didn't hear this from me but I did you a favor and scrambled up the systems" He winked, "Will take em a while to fix, get in there while you can" Mary stared and laughed patting him on the back.

"Matthew we seriously owe you one" He shrugged, "Hey, I've always hated this job since I got put here" He huffed leaning against the wall, "Something about destroying animals that are just trying to live with us in the way dont fit right with me" Matthew gestured inside, "Go, quick, those animals your looking for are on floor 3" Mary glanced at Shura and whistled, she leapt up onto her shoulder at her command.

"Okay girl" Mary scratched her chin, "Lets get them out and back to where they belong"

Chapter 9: Running Out of Time

Shura had her ears pinned to her head as she walked by Mary's side through the compound.

They never ventured in here often but on the times she did she always hated it.

This time was necessary however, She had friends in here that needed saving, and fast.

"Go find them" Mary whispered down to her, "I'll keep the guards busy" Shura nodded and slipped off under the unknowing legs of the pound staff, As much of a title as it was none of them were very bright, seems like nobody really expected animals to break out in here.

The fox sniffed around leaping over a few boxes, she couldn't get a single scent track of any of them, the place smelt of a stink room, like expired food kept in a fridge.

Shura narrowed her eyes as she walked along a narrower hallway, were those voices? whatever they were it definitely wasn't the others.

As she got closer a shape slammed into the cage bars making her scream and tumble over onto her back, "Turon you furball!" a voice snapped from nearby, "Thats not a human!" Shura blinked raising her head to the cage she'd just scrambled back from.

There was something in there staring at her, "Ugh I'm sorry about him" She scrambled up onto her feet to look behind her at the voice.

Sitting there was a snow white fox, seemingly old and weary by the looks of it, "He's always like this" Shura tilted her head walking closer, "What are you both doing in here?" The other fox sighed.

"Theres more of us here" They muttered, "We were all captured by the humans and bought here" Shura stared, other Foxes? all captured by humans? strange.

"Look I'm looking for a bear, a possum, a Beaver, a fox and a Goose seen them?" She asked while walking up to the cage, The white fox frowned in thought, "I saw them take a goose that way" Their tail pointed down into another more dark hallway, "This doesn't happen to be the animal friends of that robot does it?" Shura perked up tail wagging.

"Yeah actually!" She stood up paws padding on the floor, "Then i suggest you hurry, we heard that they were planning on ridding all of them today, something about being in close contact with humans" Shuras expression fell and she scowled, of course. the shelter with the other civilians.

She shook her head and quickly made for the hallway, "Thank you! helps coming for you all I promise!" The fox frowned again at the comment but said nothing of it.

----------

Mary stuttered staring down at the small group of animals, They'd just waltzed in here like it was nothing, of course not without knocking out the guards.

"Let me guess" She knelt down and held out a hand for the squirrel, "All of you are friends with the Rozzum" All nodded which proved her correct obviously.

"Alright follow me" She gestured to follow, they all did save for the lizard who crawled up to her shoulder, "Roz sure has a lot of friends on that Island" She muttered, the squirrel chirped a few times which made Mary bite her lip, There had to be some sort of way in the facility to allow her to understand them like Roz did.

The hawk seemed to fly forward landing on a latch of some sort, "Let me look at that" Mary frowned staring an poking at the wiring underneath, "Definitely a looked door, and locked doors hide things" She stepped back her fingers drumming along her arm, "How do we get in?"

As if magic the doors unlocked and the lizard scuttled out of the lock, "Question answered" Mary mused walking ahead, the animal group not far behind.

----------------

Shura walked slowly around the many corners and halls of the facility, a Guard could see her and throw her away like the rest, she had to be careful.

"Fink? Brightbill?" She called, she could do because well- humans can't understand her so they can't hear her yelling.

"You here?" She leapt around the corner where their cages were before, only to see them gone, "Oh no, no no no" Shura ran around the corner just to see a person walk out the door carrying a cage.

"Oh no you DONT!" She charged forward, leaping up and slamming her jaws into them, the person screamed dropping the cage, hands flying to the wounded area.

"Oh shut up" A voice snapped, Shura perked hearing whining and the sounds of restraints being pulled on, She walked around the corner door, her eyes widening.

They were all there alright, but they all were chained up, held to the floor as the same woman from earlier stood over them holding some strange thing in her hand.

"Cut it out furbrain" She kicked Fink in the side making the fox yelp collapsing to the floor, Shura went to attack but stopped.

"I would advise you let them go" To her shock, Roz came out of nowhere, her arm filed with mini blades of some sort, "Before you get hurt" The woman scoffed, "Your off your programming 7134, I swear I will-"

"Tell them what you want" Roz boomed standing up just as Shura leapt onto her shoulder, "I am not going anywhere" The woman hesitated and sputtered leaving quickly.

Roz immediately set to work freeing them, "You all need to hide" She ordered, "But-" Fink was cut off, "I know, but they will come in greater numbers" Roz looked up as sirens wailed in the distance.

Shura jumped down and nudged Fink into the woods, "Wait! what about the kid!" He argued pushing against her, "He's already gone!" She yelled back pulling him by his scruff.

Shura then noticed Roz staring at her questioningly, an ask, a promise.

The fox nodded, she knew what had to be done, "I'll get you back to him later" She patted Fink softly with her tail, "Now we have to run" Fink slumped his ears and tail going down, "Alright...fine.." He reluctantly turned and leapt on into the woods.

Shura took one last glance at Roz by the pound and followed him into the trees.

-------

Paddler grunted leaping onto the top of a downed tree over a river, "Now this is what I like to see" He chuckled tapping his tail against it, hard and sturdy.

"I suppose it would make a good dam" He leapt along to the very end of it, to get pushed backwards by another Beaver, "Hey! I saw it first- oh!" It stopped and stared at him,

"Sorry didn't see you there" The Beaver leapt down, Paddler followed watching them, "Haven't seen you around before, I'm Puddle" She picked up a few sticks into her paws.

"Say you didn't come from the big place down there did you?" Paddler sat up and huffed, "As a matter of fact I did, and I'm looking for some animals i got separated from" Puddle walked up beside him after discarding the sticks into the nearby growing dam.

"You mean that freaky fox?" Paddlers brow furrowed by the way she said freaky fox, "His name is Fink" He said walking past her, she ran to catch up as he trudged up the river, "He was with another or something, maybe his girlfriend?" Paddler rolled his eyes, this was going to be a long walk.>

"Look, I need to know where he went" He stopped turning to her, Puddle threw her arms up and thumped her tail on the dirt, "They went deeper in alright?" She groaned shaking her fur out, "You are some grumpy" Paddler frowned, He never thought of himself as grumpy, although he would admit he used to be.

He knelt down and trudged on leaving Puddle to her strange dam in the river and her tree, his first priority was finding everyone else, not having an argument with another Beaver over something so ridiculous.

"Hey there Beaver" Paddler stopped and looked up, right above him flying above was Fisher, the same Heron that criticised his dam.

"Thought you were with the robot" He landed down beside him, Paddler only huffed picking up a twig, "Was, we got separated and that is why I'm out here" Fisher nodded repeatedly opening one wing to tap on his head, "So you need help finding them? well you came to the right Heron" He flew up to a stump opening both of his wings.

"I know every nook and cranny of this place and-" He screeched flinging a thing on his leg around, "GET IT OFF!" He flung it right at the Beaver who caught it, "Hi!" Petunia squeaked, "Hey watch where your flinging those legs!" Paddler yelled after making sure she wasn't hurt.

He trotted over to Fisher while Petunia scrambled up to his back settling down in his fur, "Hey I've met Possums" The Heron argued, his feathers ruffled up his gaze darting around the woods.

"None of them have been nice to me" Paddler simply huffed, "Well i hope you enjoy seeing more" He glanced up to Petunia, "You don't happen to know where Pinktail is do you?" She nodded leaping down with a grunt.

"This way!" She scampered off into the woods Paddler giving chase after her leaving behind a shell shocked Heron, "I-ugh fine" Fisher took off following them in.

They entered into a small area covered with a half fallen tree, the branches creating a sort of cover from the elements and possible predators.

Pinktail was sheltering under the bottom of it, seemingly sleeping, "Is she asleep?" Fisher whispered landing softly on the grass, eyes widening slightly at how soft it was.

"Yes" Paddler walked up to her also settling in the grass covering most of the small hiding place the Possum had found.

Petunia jumped up over him and to Pinktail leaving Fisher speechless nearby, though he sighed lowering his wing, he flew up and perched on a branch just above them.

"These animals are strange" He mumbled flapping his wings to try and get comfortable on a branch suspended halfway in the air.

Paddler was eyeing the Heron from below, not being entirely sure that branch would bear his weight for much longer, it already looked frail enough.

He sighed resting his head back on the ground staring into the many trees nearby, Fisher mentioned Possums, so there were more other than Pinktail and her babies, and Puddle the other more...proactive Beaver.

"Stop overthinking" Pinktails tail gently smacked him on the head pulling him out of the thoughts, She had one eye open staring at him, "Just go to sleep" She turned around back to face him after that.

Paddler threw his tail over his body as protection and closing his own eyes while Fisher remained was watch just above them.

-------------

"So" Thorn grunted, "Your saying all of you live in different areas of the woods?" He'd met something called a Red Panda, a small little fluffy thing with red and white fur and a black striped tail, She called herself Maple apparently.

"You got it on point bear" She swung her tail to allow her body to move below the branch, "We don't intrude on other species places, it's like some weird pact that's been going on for years and years" Thorn frowned staring at the ground.

"We don't have that on our Island that's for sure" Maple swung herself off and onto his back, "I have heard about your Island, I'm friends with one of the Geese that come from it, i think she said her name was Loudwing?" He stared up and chuckled shaking his head.

"Noisy? acts like an elder?" Maple slowly nodded sitting down transfixed by his words, "She said that they had a small little one leading them back last i saw her" Thorn nodded smiling down, "That would be Brightbill" Maple shot up paws gripping his face her small eyes wide with wonder.

"You mean the small goose that's got the robot for a mother?!" She leapt around in a circle making it seem like she was chasing her own tail, "We've all heard about him! he's like the talk of the woods!" Maple toppled backwards legs kicking around.

Thorn chuckled putting a paw out behind her back gently pushing her up again, "I can tell" His ears flicked and his head raised, a rainstorm was coming, the smell in the air was getting almost wet like.

Maple on the other hand had turned her attention to the trees, seemingly terrified, "Theres a wolf out there" She whispered, Thorn instantly got up his head scanning the area, "Where"

Eyes, two yellow eyes appeared from seemingly the pitch black darkness of the woods followed by a low growling, "Back off bear" It snarled, stepping out with slow careful steps.

"That little red panda is mine" Thorn stepped over Maple protectively his fur raising, "Shes not anyone's" He growled back eyes locked onto the wolf, he'd heard stories of them, never seen one but knew they were clever, cunning animals.

"Predator can't protect prey bear" The wolf mused watching them both as it circled, "Those are the rules of these woods" Thorn snorted at it, "Those are the rules where you live, not mine" He put one paw forward as a warning.

"And i don't play by the rules of a wolf that's ready to attack a friend" The wolf laughed head rolling back, "Oh come on, your a bear, big scary" It pointed at Maple who was cowering behind Thorns back paws.

"You really are putting down your reputation by protecting small things that we consider lunch" Thorn laughed licking his lips, "Oh not according to you, I hunt alright, but i also hunt things that annoy me" His teeth started to bear making the wolf pause in its tracks and the clever demeanor vanish.

"And i think I'm looking at one right now, would you like an example?" The wolf backed up then scrambled away into the woods just as rain started to pour.

"T-That was way too close" Maple whispered clinging onto the bottom of his fur, "Who was that anyways" Thorn asked as he trudged away from the spot incase the wolf came back with help.

"That was Shadow" Maple said as she leapt up to his back, "He's always been a crazy wolf, gets transfixed on a goal and almost goes insane if he can't do it or hunt something, he keeps going on about how he's going to hunt the small- i mean Brightbill down if he finds him" She sighed.

"Everyone knows about you guys, that your here, Shadow wants the pride and joy of getting to hunt a runt of the flock, he kept saying how it would be even better since he's the leader of the Geese" Thorn snarled speeding up slightly.

"Then we find him first" Maple bounced up, her springy personality back, "Yeah! we find him before Shadow does!" Thorn smiled up at her, he could get used to this little strange red fuzzball, she reminded him of Fink in a way, just smaller and more excited than the fox usually was.

"Before we do there's another thing we have to do" He said, Maple tilted her head leaning down, "Whats that?" Thorn leaned down sniffing a patch of grass that was seemingly spread apart, the scent of wood and water hit him. "Look for the rest" The smell traced into the woods deeper deeper in.

Thorn looked up at her, the red panda sporting a confused and interested expression, "We won't have to look far either" Maple sprung up tail swishing from side to side, "Then let's go!" She leapt off his back scampering away into the bushes hiding some of the trees. Thorn chuckled moving to follow, He could get used to this crazy little furball.

He pushed his way into the bushes and out of the other end where Maple was waiting, Thorn gave her a nod that made her climb up onto his back as the two descended into the deeper woods.

Chapter 10: The Wood And Its Animals

Notes:

Surprise! a chapter to start off the new year ^-^ hope we all have a great year this year! and as always enjoy the animal fluff goodness

Shura was silent as she walked alongside Fink, being lost in a wilderness was unusual for her, she was so used to Mary and all the tech that the quiet was unnatural.

Her ears drooped at the thought of Mary, in all ways she wanted to go back, to be with the one who raised her, but she did make a promise to Roz to help Fink find Brightbill and get back to the Dynamics.

She shot up hearing a rustle, and a furry like animal slipping out of the bushes, "Oh great" Shura muttered, she'd heard the wolves from the facility, loud annoying things they were.

"Two Foxes on our territory" It growled, "Names Shadow, I already had to deal with a bear protecting a red panda, now there's Foxes on our turf" He sighed rolling his eyes.

"Now, do you know a goose by chance?" Fink instantly started growling, "Why do you want to know" He growled edging closer, "Oh no reason" Shadow mused, his tail drifting around the dirt, "Just want to pay it a little visit, I know it's close to that robot thing or whatever, after all do you know what kind of popularity killing a runt and a flock leader gets-"

Shura didn't even see or expect Fink to leap at Shadow only saw a red flash and the yelp, obviously Shadow wasn't expecting it either.

She scrambled backwards as the two fought in flashes of fur, Finks unexpected aggression was giving him the edge.

Only then did another wolf dart from the trees and throw Fink off of Shadow, "Fink!" Shura ran over to the fox who'd been thrown into a tree, "You Foxes know the rules" The other wolf was much much bigger than Shadow and looked more older.

"Stay off our territory" His teeth barked making Shura stand over Fink defensively fur raising.

"SAGE!" The wolfs head shot to the distance where a wolf was stood with others, "Moonlight?!" The wolf walked over, Shura still didn't let her guard down, not with so many wolves around.

"Moonlight as glad as I am to see you all returned i am dealing with intruders" Sage whispered, Moonlight glanced at them and sighed, "They aren't intruders, the red one escaped from the never return and fled here, they don't know about the rules of the woods" Sage glanced up and stared at them.

"They were brought here against their will, as did the other animals" Moonlight stepped back and Sage huffed, "I'll be the first one to apologise for the misunderstanding" He walked slowly forward lowering his snout to the floor.

"We had heard about some animals arriving to the never return nearby but we didn't realise you were one of them" Sage stood up straight, "I am Sage, i lead the wolf pack in these woods, Shadow here was clearly mistaken in his actions" His eyes narrowed at Shadow who whined and stepped back slightly.

"Many of the woods animals have been taken to the never return, including Moonlight and all these wolves" Sage glanced over the wolves all gathered, "But i have never known any to escape" Shouting was heard nearby making him shoot up.

"Wait!" Shura bounded over ears angling towards the sound, "Mary!" She barked, the woman appeared from the trees followed by a Hawk, a Goose, An Otter and a Squirrel.

"Thunderbolt?" Fink grunted trying to get up but whimpered when his front paw touched the ground, "Here" Moonlight and another wolf pressed against his sides helping him stand.

"Its good to see you are still alive Fink" Thunderbolt fluttered down infront of him, "Barely" The fox huffed, "You didn't happen to see the others while flying around did you?" The hawk shook his head.

"Not yet, I believe they may have ventured deeper into the woods, apparently that's where Brightbill went" Finks ears flickered, He went deeper?!

"The deepest part of the woods is a place where rarely we venture" Sage walked over hearing the conversation, everyone went quiet to listen to him.

"If your friend has gone down there he must be looking for something" Shura and Fink shared looks, "Whats exactly down there that even you guys don't go?" She asked.

Sage went silent, "Animals worse than us wolves, they were running from the floods that claimed their homes, took refuge deep deep in the woods, they don't exactly like to be disturbed" Fink frowned, "Then we need to go get him" Sage glanced over, "I understand your concern but you can't walk" Fink groaned ears pinning to his head.

"Then it's a good thing we made it" All the animals turned on a voice, just as a Possum, a Beaver and a Bear walked through the growth.

Fink perked up and wiggled his way out of the two wolves to limp over to them, "How did you all find us?" Shura asked while the other fox settled between them nuzzling into Thorns leg.

"You were making so much noise that it was pretty easy to find you" Pinktail commented picking up one of her babies that was trying to scamper over to a wolf, "And as nice as this whole gathering is, we should get to finding Brightbill" Thorn turned to leave but not before lifting Fink onto his back so the fox could join them.

"We'll remain here" Thunderbolt landed on Mary's shoulder, "If anything happens or if he shows I'll come get you" Thorn nodded following Pinktail and Paddler back into the woods.

It took a few minutes and a few turn arounds to get to the area where the woods was deeper, more darker and protected than the rest.

"Everything okay Fink?" Thorn asked looking up to the fox, he was quiet and his tail was tucked over his face, "Yeah...I'm just thinking.." He mumbled, "About how close to dying we were back there?" Pinktail piped up, except nobody said more, it was true. Had Roz not shown when she did none of them would be here right now.

"Part of me hopes we get to go home soon" Fink muttered lifting his head up to rest on his tail, "I mean, it's nice seeing Roz and all but- too much has happened" Thorn grunted, "Tell you what, we'll find Brightbill then we'll find a way back to the Island" He looked down at Paddler and Pinktail, neither would admit it, but he could tell they looked tired.

And it was probably why Thunderbolt had shown up, the animals on the Island had grown concerned of their absence.

Thorn raised his head and sniffed around, There were a lot of smells in the deeper area, but none belonging to Brightbill, "Can't smell him yet" His head lowered to watch the other two, "He must've gone deeper" Fink drew in a shaky breath, he was worried, understandably of course he was the closest to Brightbill out of them all.

"Wait" Paddler broke into a small run stopping at a broken tree, "Something big came through here" Pinktail walked up beside him running her paw along the broken bark, "He's right, it went down there" She pointed down, a deep slope leading into what could be the deepest part of the woods they were in now.

Fink was looking around as they ventured in, something was watching them, he could feel it, "Wait" He sat up seeing a shadow slip through infront of them, "Theres something there" Thorn immediately started to growl paws digging into the ground, "Get close" He muttered prompting Paddler and Pinktail to get under him.

Finks instincts were proven right when a cream colored fluffy like thing slipped out of the trees, it's yellow eyes narrowed down on them.

"What is that?" Fink muttered narrowing his eyes, He couldn't make sense of what this weird animal was, The long tail sure, the amount of fur, that was another. But the general shape of it was something he didn't know.

Not to mention two more slipped out forming a moving circle, Fink and Thorn recognised it as a box, something predators use to make sure their prey doesn't escape.

Nonetheless Thorn remained there, eyes narrowed at each of them as they slowly circled, "Come on now Bear" One mused seemingly laid back and probably the cunning one, "You don't have to keep all the food to yourself" Thorn gruffly chuckled.

"This isn't my food, and it's not yours either" The animal twitched it's ears and glared at him it's tounge flicking from its mouth to lick it's lips.

"Oh come on, i love fox" It snarled it's teeth at Fink who whined and scrambled back, "I already said, they aren't yours" Thorn growled lowly, a warning growl.

The three animals then all seem to stop, noticing a thing in the trees that sent them scrambling away, "Uhhh Thorn" Fink tapped his back, he turned around and saw another shape in the trees, sitting on a branch yet only watching them.

"Oh not another one" Paddler whispered shuffling back some more, "Relax" The figure stood up and leapt down to ground level, "I'm not here to hunt anyone, not at the moment anyways" The animals was completely black and had strange feline movements to it.

"Found them" It called into the trees, the bushes rustled and none other than Roz stepped out, Brightbill on her shoulder, "Roz!" the four yelled rushing over to bundle into her.

Fink even pulled himself up to her other shoulder to nuzzle his head to her cheek, "You've been here the whole time?" Paddler asked sitting back, "In the extremely unpleasant woods" Roz nodded her blue lights flashing against the nearby trees.

"I have, I escaped here after the guards gave chase, they didn't follow me in thankfully" She turned to the large feline, "This is Prowl, he is a Panther who lives here" Prowl nodded his gaze drifting over them, "Nice to meet you, Roz already told me about you all, asked me to look out for you since she knew you'd be coming this way" He leapt up to a branch and lazed upon it, his tail dropping down to hang in the air.

"This place really isn't as bad as the wolves implied" Fink muttered resting his head down on Roz's neck, "Wolves?" She asked her lights turning yellow, "Yeah there are wolves here, scary things you don't want to know"

Roz nodded and sat down, the animals settling in on either side of her, "There is something I'm worried about" Her optics flickered up a hologram projecting out of them, "Whats that?" Fink asked tilting his head.

"The facility you all escaped from, there is more underneath" Roz started, "I found out that they have been holding animals from these woods there for years, but they all escaped same as you did earlier today" Brightbill frowned looking at her.

"So, they come into these woods and take animals from their homes" Roz lowered her head slightly, "Yes, I'm afraid that's what happens, everyone inside here is only safe because they haven't got strong enough robotics to enter here yet" She paused, "But when they do..."

"Its game over for all of us" Prowl leapt down with a grunt, "I've done my own watch on these people for a while, I've seen them gather up animals into big things and haul them away" He stared up at the hologram.

"I just don't know why" Roz dug into her database, she'd collected a fair bit of info on Dynamics while she'd been there. there had to be something-

"Ah! here" Another hologram phased out of her optics again, "They plan to rip down the entire woods and replace it with more houses for more people to live in" Thorn growled slightly, "And what happens to all the animals that live here?" Her optics dimmed her head lowering, "They are transported away to more secure facilities" Pinktail sat up leaning on her leg, "They aren't even moved to somewhere else? just disposed of?" She groaned crossing her arms.

"We can stop them right?" Brightbill asked, but Roz shook her head, "I'm afraid not, they can simply deactivate me, and they'll easily capture the rest of you, I don't want to put any of you in more danger" Fink sat up.

"We can take them! We fought them once and won!" He was met with cheers and agreements from the others, "I know, but there's so few now compared to before, if we want to do so we'll need help" That was when Fink chuckled standing up with his injured paw in the air, "I may know some animals that'll be up for helping" Paddler wandered up to her leg puffing out his chest, "So do i" He added on.

Roz got up holding Pinktail in her hands, "Prowl?" She turned to the Panther still up in the tree, "Of course I'm in" He leapt down, "There is a chance I could convince the animals who live here to help, but I'll need time" She nodded turning to Thorn, "Lead us out, I need to talk to the wolves you all mentioned" The bear nodded moving into the trees to clear the way.

While she moved and Prowl leapt into the distance Brightbill turned to Fink who was busy washing his fur, "Do you really think we can fight robots? they are way more powerful than the ones we fought on the Island" Fink looked up and limped over to him settling against him.

"I think we can, maybe if we up our numbers" He saw the nervousness in the Gooses eyes, "Hey, kid" He wrapped his tail around him, "Whatever happens, I'll keep you safe" Brightbill looked at him, the nervousness still there, "Okay..." He muttered.

Roz's hands came up and took both in each, "And I'll protect both of you, I won't let them take either of you again" She pressed her head against both of them, lights on her body humming a pink color.

But it also shone with a mix of red, a sign of her protectiveness over the fox and the goose she called her family, and Roz wouldn't let Universal Dynamics take them again, not while she was still functioning.

Chapter 11: Where You Belong

Summary:

The Animals take Roz back through the woods to the wolves.

But she's already forming a plan to get them home and out of danger.

Roz stared around at the woods as she walked, it was much more dense than the Islands forests and a lot more quiet too.

It was nice, but she missed the Island, the bird calls and the sounds of the animals around nearly every corner.

But...she couldn't go home without making sure they all got home, Brightbill, Fink and the others. They needed to go more than she did, they were in danger here unless they got away in time.

So, she started forming a plan in her head.

One she wasn't sure if they'd be happy with or not because-well- it involved going without her, if she went Universal Dynamics would just follow, and then the entire Island would be in danger.

"Brightbill, Fink" Both looked over at their names being called, "Can we talk for a moment?" She stepped over to a spot where the other three weren't, although they understood and walked off so they weren't intruding.

Roz sat down against a tree allowing the two to slip down her body to perch on her legs, It reminded her of the time when Brightbill was just a gosling and when things weren't as dire as they were now.

"When we are done with the wolves" She started, her voice cutting out, "I am getting you all on an airship home" Brightbills face dropped into despair and he waddled closer, "You aren't coming with us? but- that's the whole reason we were out here!" Roz's optics dimmed and her head lowered.

"I know, but something like this is too big for us to take on, and if i were to come Universal Dynamics would track me down and find the Island" She felt Fink bury himself under her arm accompanied by a small whine.

"You'd all be in danger then, i must stay here to make sure you all are safe" Her eyes ran over Finks injured paw and hind leg, "But..." Fink whined ears dropping, his snout burying into her arm, "What if we never see you again?" Roz moved her arms and picked him up to place him atop her shoulder.

"Even if you don't, you always have me in here" She rested her hand on her chest, Finks head moved down slowly and rested upon it, his tail brushing against her neck almost wrapped around it.

Brightbill nestled right up against her neck, in his usual spot curled up around it just touching the Foxes tail, The three all sat in silence for a while embraced in each other's hold.

"Roz..." Fink spoke up after a while, "What if they destroy you? you won't....we won't..." He whined head lowering and resting against hers, grief clearly present in his eyes now.

Roz rested her hand on his head slowly moving it down his body, "They will not destroy me, i promise, if i can escape i will" She felt her body thump with emotion, grief, a hidden one that was tearing her apart at having to leave them again, so soon after reuniting.

They felt the same, she knew that just by the way they were still unmoving against her, not wanting her to get taken away from them again to Universal Dynamics who'll surely not treat her kindly after the stunt she pulled.

But...there was also the fact that Fink brought up, if she was destroyed, He and Brightbill would forever be longing for her again, wondering if she'd ever come home or if she was already gone.

The least she could do was stay with them, all the way until she got them a way to go home, Only then would they go their separate ways.

Her lights shone that bit brighter shade of pink as her head touched the nose and beak of Fink and Brightbill, both now up on her shoulders heads nestled against her neck. Roz loved this little family they'd made, and she'd do everything to protect it.

Her sensors picked up additional weight that made her optics open slightly, Thorn was pressed against her side curled up and Pinktail and Paddler were curled up on her legs.

She wondered why until a spot of rain hit her head, under the tree they were covered but she could see the downpour just faintly in the darkness.

Amongst that a ping from her systems, there were Universal Dynamics workers nearby, looking for her no doubt but...maybe she could reason with them to not tear down the woods.

Roz gently picked up Brightbill and Fink, placing them against the tree and then doing the same for Pinktail and Paddler, she couldn't take them with her, if they did they'd be taken away again and she couldn't let that happen.

So she turned and trudged through the wet ground of the woods, the dirt lowering under her weight as she walked and walked through the trees and bushes until she reached a small camp.

There were few guards but there seemed to be one of the higher ups she assumed considering the way they were dressed.

Roz stepped out of the shadows and made her way over, optics scanning the area for any Recos, "Um, excuse me?" The person spun around and the guards weapons shot up making Roz raise her hands in alarm.

"a Roz-? oh wait!" The person came forward, "Put your guns down for goodness sake! you shoot a Rozzum you get us all in trouble" the guards stared but complied, the nozzles going back down to face the floor.

"I'm sorry, come in Roz" She blinked in surprise and followed him in, "You know my name?" She asked, he chuckled his arms swinging behind his head.

"Of course, you've been a massive hit in my department you know" He patted a seat for her to sit down on, "I'm Neil, I'm well one of the higher ups" He put two fingers up and down for emphasis.

"My opinion? I think that's a stupid name, too intimidating" He sat down infront of her, brushing a hand through his short curly golden hair.

"First of all no, I'm not out here to capture you, as a matter of fact I never agreed with any of that" He looked up at Roz as she shuffled slightly, he then reached across and took some papers into his hands.

"I'm trying to work out a way to stop this big old stupid knock down the woods idea" Roz perked up in surprise, "You are trying to stop this? but...aren't you-" Neil chuckled shaking his head, "One of them? yeah sure, but not all of us agreed with this so called plan"

"Look Roz" He leaned forward, "Theres not a lot you can do to stop this and..." He sighed heavily, "Neither can I, its already gone through to prepping the crews, what i suggest is trying to convince those animals to leave and get far away" Roz's lights flashed blue, "I-I will try"

Neil smiled, but it faded when the saw something behind her followed by panicked shouting, Roz turned and saw Brightbill pecking at the guards and Thorn stalking out of the trees, well they'd definitely noticed she'd gone for sure.

"Holy sh-" He scrambled up when a fox shot through snapping and snarling at him, "Fink!" Roz yelled, "Its alright Roz I can deal with him" He snarled fur bristling.

"Fink it is okay he's not going to hurt me" Roz said, the fox glanced at her eyes narrowed slightly, "Are you sure?" She nodded and he sighed fur resting back down.

She saw Thorn waiting on the outside narrowed eyes at the guards who had their weapons raised, "For God's sake put the guns down!" Neil snapped, the guards hesitated but didn't obey, "They are with the Rozzum, they won't attack you if you don't try something stupid" He snapped again.

They lowered their guns and let Thorn trudge through, Pinktail and Paddler atop his back as he stopped right beside Roz, "Ah" Neil knelt down as Pinktail waddled over, "These your animal friends we heard about? the ones that were sheltering from the storm?" Roz nodded once giving him that confirmation.

His lips thinned, "Big boss put out an order for these guys to be detained on sight" He frowned, "But that's not what I do" Roz lowered her optics, "I hope to return them back to the Island where they came from, they will be safe there"

Neil nodded reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black and blue keycard, "Take this, you can use my ship, I'm stationed here for the next few days anyways they won't suspect a thing" Roz stared at the card as he placed it in her hand.

He smiled glancing down at the animals and getting up heading into the tent leaving them outside for a moment before he returned carrying a few bags.

"Its not much but" He pulled out two large chunks of meat and threw them to Fink and Thorn, "It'll do" Roz had already pulled down an apple from a bush close by to them and handed it to Pinktail.

Paddler was gnawing at a close by tree but Brightbill had simply settled up by her neck sleeping again, "I find it hard to believe that your helping us" Roz beeped watching the animals all eat. "Most haven't been very welcoming"

Neil scoffed opening another bag for himself, "Unfortunately that's Universal Dynamics for you, full of boring people, most never gave a crap about the animals that live around the different areas we got" He pulled out a small chip of some sort stuffing it into his mouth.

"Me? I've always loved them, since i was a kid I'd read about wildlife and animals, was hoping to work somewhere closely related to it but then the floods hit and well" He gestured to the small camp around them. "This is what I got instead"

Roz lowered her head, optics dipping out to watch the treeline as if waiting for something, Neil tilted his head pushing himself up out of his seat, "See something?" He asked standing beside her to watch as well.

He saw her open her other arm out wide, moments later a hawk came swooping down from the trees and landed on it, not long after he saw an Otter, another Goose and a Squirrel emerge from the bushes hiding some trees from view.

"Wow" Neil puffed crouching down as the animals all gathered around him, "Never seen so many of these guys in one place" His hand stretched out and the Otter placed it's paw onto his palm.

"They are friends" Roz beeped scooping up the Goose just as a fox trotted in next, but Neil knew it, "Hey there Shura" He rubbed the fur atop her head making her bark and trot around his legs, "Mary send you?" She barked again lowering her head for a moment to allow a little lizard to hop off and scramble to the others.

"You know Shura?" Roz questioned picking the fox up carefully into her hands, "Oh yeah" Neil slumped back into his chair arms leaning on the sides, "Everyone higher up wise does, she's a little treasure, at least for me and the ones who like animals" Shura barked wagging her tail looking between them both.

"So Roz" He leaned forward catching her attention, "You wanna get all these guys home?" She nodded leaning closer as well, "Yes, that is my intention, but first" She stood up raising her hands to her neck picking Brightbill from it.

She lowered him down so he was ontop of Thorns back then turning to Neil, "I need to go warn these woods animals to leave" He nodded patting her on the back but noticing her optics flick to the animals and to the dark distant woods.

"I'll watch them until you come back" He said crossing his arms, "Anyone comes by they won't even question it, I'm a higher up they can't do anything against me" He winked at the Rozzum.

She paused as if not knowing how to take the response properly, a side effect of not being with humans he assumed, "Of course-" She shook her head, "I will be back soon, please don't let them follow me, they will definitely try" Neil gave her a small salute and watched her trudge off into the darkness of the trees once more, her lights shining until they too vanished.

Neil then sat down, his eyes staring at the now sleeping animals, most cuddled up against each other, he felt Shura nestle right by his leg prompting him to reach down to pet her fur, "baffles me that Sophia wants these guys destroyed" He muttered, the fox looked up at him with a whine.

"I know Shurs i know" He turned his gaze to her and gave a smile, "We aren't gonna let that happen now are we?" the fox barked ears pointing up straight, a hard agree he didn't even have to speak animal to know that either.

He felt a tug at his trousers, moments after the Otter crawled up padding at them until it reached the middle where it plopped down and curled up tail over his head.

"Oh" Neil stuttered, "Oh- well I didn't see this coming" Shura was staring at him with an obvious smile on her snout, "Look she likes me Shurs" He hummed running his hand through the Otters fur, was definitely a much older one going off the grey fur he could see in places.

A beep sounded from the console inside making him sigh heavily, "For goodness sake" He wrapped his hands under the Otter picking her up carefully, "Sorry girl, stupid work needs me" He ran his hand through her fur one more time before going into the tent where the console was.

Neil pressed a button opening the call through onto the display, "What is it Sophia" He half snapped, "Its the middle of the night"

"I was contacting you to say that those animals are in the woods near you, if you see them, capture them do i make myself clear?" The woman's voice came through firm and quick to the point, it only made him sigh however, "Yeah sure" He muttered.

"Right, then that is all" The call clicked off and he pushed himself back, Shura whined walking up to him, "I'm not giving them up don't worry about that" Neil said to her, grabbing a kit of defense gear from the cupboard.

"Sophia would have to send recos if she wanted any of them from here" He grunted ripping out a small chip from the insides of the kit, "But I have an idea" Neil stood up walked to the console starting to type into the keyboard.

"Get me Dr Molovo" He said into the voice command, "Tell her I have an idea for her, a pretty damn good one"

Chapter 12: It's Just Life

Fink stretched in a small spot of sun he'd found in the middle of the camp, He still wasn't sure about this Neil guy, he seemed nice the way he was talking with Roz but the fox had his doubts.

"Mmm i have my doubts" Finks ears twitched hearing Thorn start to speak, "I think we all do" Pinktail added on, she was settled beside Loudwing her babies curled up by her tail and against her body trying to drive away the cold of the shade.

Fink stared at the sun soaked floor for a moment then got up, "Pinktail" He called to the Possum, she looked over as he gestured to the spot, "All yours" Her expression rose a slight bit, getting up and nudging the babies to the patch of sun on the floor.

He sat down again curling his tail around his body against the cold, no wonder everyone was bundled against each other, it was FREEZING.

"How long are we gonna be here for" He stuttered ears pinning to the sides of his head, "Any longer and my ears are gonna fall off!" Paddler glanced up, "Will you stop complaining for one minute! be glad we actually have somewhere to stay that doesn't involve us running away"

Finks ears twitched, "We don't even know if we can fully trust this guy, Roz might but I'm still not sure about him" Paddler groaned sitting up now, "All you do is complain Fink, even on the Island! all you did was steal from us" Thorn raised his head.

"That was in the past Paddler, and Fink has a point, we're not sure if this person can be trusted yet" the Beaver huffed tail thumping on the ground.

"I'm not sure if i even trust one of us yet" He grumbled settling back down, Thorn sighed eyes going to Fink as the fox stood up, "I'm going for a walk" He slipped through the gap in the door blocking the camp from the outside then he was gone.

Shura whined flicking her ears, "Should I go after him?" She asked, Pinktail shook her head, "He just needs some alone time, trust me" the fox sighed resting her head back on the floor staring out at the woods.

---------

Roz ducked and weaved through some rocks as she followed her tracking back to the camp, She'd been successful in getting the animals to leave elsewhere, thankfully anyways.

She got closer as she picked up the animals heat signatures, but she slowly came to a pause when she realised there was one missing, Finks.

"Roz!" Brightbill flew up to her as she ducked into the camp, "Where is Fink? was he not just here?" She asked, Pinktail seemed to narrow her eyes at Paddler the Beaver shuffling slightly, "He went on a walk" Loudwing piped up.

Roz was taken aback, a walk? right as Universal Dynamics was planning a round up? Her optics scanned the trees, no sign of life. he must be further in.

"I'm going to find him" She said stepping back out before anyone could argue, Brightbill staying on her shoulder, "You don't mind me coming do you?" He asked as she scanned every bush she walked past.

"Of course not" Roz reached up taking him carefully into her hands, "We'll find Fink and take him back to camp" She watched the horizon, she could hear the hum of the crews just faintly.

"Then I'll get you all on the airship to go back home, it's too dangerous now for you to stay" Brightbill nodded letting her place him back on her neck before continuing on, "I dont know what happened but all I saw was Fink leaving" He chirped.

His wings flapped, "He was upset about something but i don't know what, I was asleep for most of it" Roz hummed to herself searching through a large patch of bushes.

"Wherever he is we'll find him" Roz switched on her headlights as the woods they were in darkened and rain started to patter down slowly.

"There he is!" Brightbill screeched, Roz spun around and sure enough saw Fink laying on a rock poked up from the ground leaning against a tree, He glanced up and tilted his head, "Oh, hey you two" He mumbled resting his head back down against the stone.

"What happened back at camp?" She asked, resting a hand on his back running it through his fur, Fink was quiet only raising his head after a minute or so. "Just-Just an argument with Paddler" He mumbled, "About your old life?" She softly beeped.

"Yeah...that.." Fink whispered not moving or reacting when she picked him up into her arms, "He's only stressed Fink, everyone is, its just he's a little....upset and doesn't know how to take it out properly" Fink didn't say anything remaining in her arms.

"I dont know..." He huffed, "I just don't feel like myself now, not here when we're not at home" Roz stood up then, the noises were getting louder, "And you will, you all will" She nodded to Brightbill who immediately took off into the air letting loose a loud goose call, a signal.

He swooped back down to her shoulder and she stood up starting to break into a run back toward the camp, the crews were coming. The animals needed to leave now, or they wouldn't be leaving at all.

As she got closer she could see Neil's airship waiting with the hatch open and him stood by it, "Ready to go" He said leaping inside to get the engines started.

Roz knelt down as the animals came over, all embracing her in their own ways once again, a goodbye that nobody wanted.

"You will come home right?" Willow asked as they parted from each other's holds, Roz nodded. "I will, my promise still stands, even now" They all looked to the trees when the low hums could be heard coming more clearly.

She stood up and watched as the animals all climbed onto the ship, the hatch closing and the engines turning to roars as it raised up into the sky.

Neil frowned as he saw the crews ploughing through the trees, Willow scrambling up to his shoulder to watch. "Hold on, this'll be a pretty fast ride" He called back, his fingers tapped at the console turning the ship around in the air and bursting out toward the ocean.

It soared past more cities and forests and woods, mountain ranges the lot before it broke over the ocean, "I'll scramble the ships location so the bosses don't find out where your Island is" Neil turned around, the animals were all watching him.

He slowly frowned, why did it seem like two were missing? Willow picked it up and glanced over as well, "Where are Fink and Brightbill?" She squeaked.

Almost immediately everyone started looking around for the two, "They aren't here!" Shura yelled from the back of the ship scrambling up, "Then where are they!" Thorn yelled back, but everyone soon came to the realisation.

"Dammit" Neil muttered standing up, He didn't understand the animal noises he'd just heard but he knew it meant that they were down two.

"We can't go back for them though" Loudwing waddled to the front, "Roz wanted us to go back to the Island, and that is what we'll do" Everyone shared nervous glances but one by one agreed.

Neil meanwhile tapped at the console, he'd only have one shot when he got back for the other two and he sure as hell wasn't going to waste it.

---------------

Roz stood in the woods listening to the distant crashes of falling trees and the yelling of the workers, all that mattered is that everyone is safe, Universal Dynamics wouldn't get ahold of them anymore.

"Roz!" Her sensors whipped around, her body practically feeling like it was going to fall when she saw both Brightbill and Fink making a break for her through the bushes.

"I thought you two were on the ship!" Roz beeped lowering down to let them climb up, "We uhhh may have not gotten on" Fink chimed climbing along her shoulders, "Your both in danger now" Roz sighed looking around, "I know you want to stay with me but I keep saying it's too dangerous" Brightbill fluffed up his feathers coming to a stop on her shoulderplate.

"We didn't want to leave you with those things" He chirped, Roz lifted herself up to a tree branch covered by leaves to hide herself incase anyone came by.

She knew she wanted to argue against Brightbills words but he loved her, so did Fink. It made sense that neither wanted to leave her alone with Universal Dynamics, it made her systems flicker with joy at the thought.

Maybe there was a chance she could escape with them both in tow, they could get far away enough so that they wouldn't be chased.

She heard a loud crash, looking below and seeing a RECO below scanning the area it had just burst through, "They are close" She whispered activating her sensors to a wider range. The voices were now much much louder and the loud rattling of the machines were even more.

More RECOs came through all scanning the same place, they knew she'd been here and they'd definitely find her eventually.

Fink tapped her head jumping across to a branch, "Pass me that transmitter" He said, "I have an idea" Roz hesitated for a moment but grabbed the device as it slid out of the small hatch on her head passing it to the fox.

He carefully leapt down the tree leaving the two to watch him go, "Wonder what he's doing" Brightbill muttered, "I wonder the same" Roz added on.

The RECOs scanned the area again and again, until one perked up at a signal, "Transmitter detected" It boomed prompting the others to alert similarly all flashing red, "Pursuing transmitter" the robots all barreled through the growth and hedges, tearing everything apart after the signal.

By their speed they reached the supposd location, for it to be right by a high up waterfall, But the signal was still strong, yet they were right ontop.

A fox leapt up onto the cliffside edge, transmitter in its jaws, Each RECO activated their weapons but the fox didn't move, "Have a nice trip fellas!" It barked, unknowing to them on what he was saying, it was only a yap.

They were so distracted by him that none noticed the Beaver gnawing the wood they were on, "What he said!" Its tail smacked the weak wood as the robots came to the realisation only to tumble down onto the deadly spiked rocks right below the waterfalls end.

"Haha! that's what you get you overgrown heaps of metal!" Fink yelled, transmitter gripped tightly in his tail, "Thanks for the help Puddle" He said to the Beaver, she gave a salute and waddled off toward the river, "Anytime fox! good luck!" She jumped in vanishing into the water and while Fink ran off back toward where Roz was.

"Hey Fink!" He skidded to a halt hearing his name, Fisher then landed beside him, "Pass me that, I'll lead them away" He stared for a moment but nonetheless dropped it infront of the Heron for him to take.

"You sure?" He asked the bird who merely chuckled picking the device into his beak, "Of course" He mumbled opening his wings and taking off into the air, "Go get her out of here" He then sped away into the trees the distant sounds of robots activating and following heard.

Fink scrambled on, back down the hill leading to the tree where Roz was, "Roz? you here?" He sniffed around for Brightbill, wait...faint? why was it faint?

"Roz? Brightbill?" He called, turning and turning for any sign of them, any footprints, noises anything-

Only for goose honks to hit his ears. "Kid?!" Fink spun around making an immediate break for the source over fallen trees and full sized branches almost running into a RECO if he hadn't stopped in time.

Even with that he was snagged by another that had seen him and held by the scruff as he snapped and snarled at it, "You better let me go or you'll be sorry!" Fink snarled teeth bared at it.

"F-Fink s-stop" His ears went down his eyes spotting Roz hunched against a large metal thing shaped weirdly, her lights were glaring red and her body looked like it had been battered.

He could also see Brightbill held up in a cage in the hands of a RECO, the young goose pecking furiously but invain at the bars.

Fink only now noticed someone dressed head to toe in weird stuff tapping at a weird square in their hand, "I must say Rozzum 7134" They muttered, "Your memories from previously really did give us help" They hummed almost melody like, "They even have been able to make us heard by those animals you hang around with all the time" Fink stared, so that was why they could understand all the humans and robots. They'd taken things from Roz's memories and used it.

The thought however made Fink growl lowly seeing the person kneel down to Roz's battered form, "Now, we'll have you shipped back and entirely repurposed, and as for those two" the person looked at the fox and goose.

"Well we'll have them contained away underground, one was already the cause of contamination a while ago" Fink froze, sharing a look with Brightbill, contained away underground.

"Y-You c-cant-" Roz buzzed erratically as she tried to speak, "I'm sorry dear but that's how it works" The person hummed tapping her chest and getting up, "Prepare them for containment" They called to the RECOs, "And I'll-"

A laser blast from seemingly the sky rained down directly into the middle destroying the RECOs holding the two and shattering the cage holding Brightbill allowing him to flutter out.

"NEIL WHAT THE HELL!" the person screamed up at the ship as they scrambled for a nearby truck, "Jesus I'm sorry Armen! stupid things been acting up alright!" Fink snickered to himself, a bluff obviously but this Armen was too stupid to realise it.

"Fink!" Brightbill yelled flying over to Roz who was still half broken against the tree, he ran over after him while the blasts rained down close by.

"Roz we need to get you out of here" Fink said as he jumped up to her arm, "N-No-" She stuttered taking them both by surprise, "No?" Brightbill walked forward, "What do you mean no?"

"I-I cannot m-move in t-this s-state" She buzzed her optics clearly fading in and out, "I-I-must go w-with t-them-" The goose hopped up to her neck nuzzling his head underneath hers, "But mom-" He started, "I-I know- you d-dont want t-to leave m-me, b-but- you-will-be sa-safe on the i-island"

Fink whined tucking himself under her other side, and even despite her failing systems the lights on her body still shone pink, amidst the nearby chaos and the destruction the little family of a Rozzum, A Goose and A Fox still sat, tucked away against a tree.

It felt like hours before Roz moved, her hands shakily raising up taking both in each hearing the ship touch down close by.

She could feel her 'heart' twist and turn at the sadness etched on both of their faces, the family of theirs wrenched apart once more by those who have never understood.

"G-Go..." She stuttered, her optics dimming even more against her failing power core, She didn't expect them both to press their heads against the front of hers.

"Roz..." Fink trailed off, ears pinned to his head as he edged forward curling against her head one last time, "I love you..." He whispered with a whine, Roz reached up stroking his fur and bringing Brightbill close, "I...love-you-both of y-you" She stared at them both for a time, maybe even the last time.

She then gently nudged them away from her and toward the waiting ship, both were reluctant but eventually made for the open hatch.

Roz saw them get on and the hatch close, the ship swiftly taking off as fast as it had arrived before she closed her optics, waiting for whatever happened next.

-------

Fink was curled up in the ship, Brightbill against him, both were silent, mourning the loss of Roz, maybe even forever, she was so badly damaged neither was sure if she'd survive at all.

He felt something else making him look up to see Thorn had brought them both against his body, and even Pinktail who was pressed against Brightbill.

Fink even saw Paddler walk over, but both only gave each other knowing looks, the fox gave him a small weak smile that had the Beaver take up a spot with Thorn against Fink as well.

However nobody said anything, only held both the fox and the young goose close, being silent support against the grief of losing someone they loved.

Chapter 13: The Return

Shura sat on the seat right beside Neil watching the ocean pass by them below, she'd never seen it before at least not on a scale like this.

"Like the sea Shurs?" He chuckled seeing her staring down, His gaze then went back to the sleeping group of animals, damn Armen and his stupid ideas-

Neil tapped the ship onto auto pilot then spun his chair to the nearby console, There had to be some record of her in the systems, Armen was an info freak and recorded practically everything he did on there so something had to come up.

Shura leapt down from the seat and over to where Neil was typing away, She'd never liked Armen, he was too loud for her liking, that and she was convinced he'd never liked animals from the get go.

She shuffled herself around eyes wandering over to the animals, Fink and Brightbill were still asleep but Thorn, Pinktail and Paddler were awake quietly talking to each other going off the way they were huddled close together near the end of the ship.

Shura leapt down then, trotting over to the little circular robot hovering at the ship controls, it's small little triangular antenna flicking about while it worked, "Pisco?" She barked, it turned around on command optic whirling and widening, It was a small robot that had gathered the knowledge of Roz's animal language at little while ago, but Shura had no idea Neil was keeping it here with him.

Then again maybe that was a good thing.

"What do you think about Roz?" She asked it, PISCO stared at her limbs twitching and clicking, "Rozzum unit 7134" it beeped, "Unknown unknown unknown" Shura groaned patting it's head resetting it to turn back to the controls.

"Having trouble with him?" Neil kneeled down beside her, "He's a new one, I'm hoping to have him one day understand animals like Roz does, except it'll take a lot of coding" He stood up seeing a distant Island out of the corner of his eye.

"There it is" He whistled, Shura walked up beside him eyes widening, It looked HUGE even from here, and really really isolated, no wonder nobody from Universal Dynamics was able to find it without a signal lock.

"There it is" Thorn said coming up behind the two, "Didn't think we'd see it again" Shura hummed but didn't look back, her gaze too focused on the Island ahead, "We..." Brightbill yawned waddling over wings out to his sides, "Almost there?" The bear nodded lifting him carefully up to his back so he could get a better look.

"Oh I can't wait to feel grass again!" Chitchat squeaked scrambling up the railing, "And all of the flowers and trees and nuts, oh all the delicious nuts" Shura stared at the Squirrel as she went on and on and on-

"Does she..." The fox mumbled raising a paw, "She gets excited" Loudwing chirped also being similarly perched on the railing, Shura wondered why they weren't here earlier but the ship was pretty large, they were most likely elsewhere when they'd picked up Fink and Brightbill.

Shura stared back out of the window at the approaching Island, she wondered what it was like to live on it away from all the noises and machines that she was so used to.

The ship hovered over the Islands edge now, Neil looking out the window, "Is that a runway?" He stuttered, Shura looked where he was, yep he was right. there was a huge stone built runway there.

"Well it's at least somewhere we can land" He carefully guided the ship over and down onto the stone, blowing away the leaves that had gathered and hitting some of the surrounding trees with a small gale.

The hatch clicked open as they touched the ground Neil standing up, "Alright we're here" He tapped a few things onto the console scrambling the location from possible prying eyes.

He leapt out of the exit after the animals did, whistling as he looked around, "Real nice place i gotta say" He spotted Shura sniffing around almost in a complete circle.

"GRASS!" Chitchat jumped off the runway onto the grass below rolling around until she ended up hitting a rock, "So this is where you live?" Shura padded over sniffing at the ground, "Its amazing!" Pinktail waddled over sitting up beside her, "You sure you don't want to stay?" The possum asked, "This is the type of place where you belong"

That was when Shura sighed ears dropping, "I'd like to, I really do but Mary needs me to be with her, all the time she says unless I'm with Neil or one of the others" Fink sat down on her other side face folded into a frown, "I mean, nobody's stopping you from staying"

Neil whistled catching their attention, "Come on Shurs let's go!" Shura sighed standing up, "Guess this is bye then" Fink stood up as well nudging her head, "Hey, you can come visit if you really wanted" Shura looked up doubt in her eyes.

"I-I guess" She dragged her paw on the ground, then nudging her head back against Finks, "Thanks for everything" She nuzzled Pinktail, Thorn, Paddler and Brightbill before leaping off to the ship with Neil.

It then started to float upwards, engines getting louder as they kicked into full gear setting it away from the Island into the distance.

"Do you think we'll see her again?" Brightbill asked landing beside Fink staring at the ship until it left sight over the horizon, "Maybe" the fox mused hopping down from the runway, "Right now i just need a nap, and some food, Pinktail?" The possum rolled her eyes pushing herself forward onto four paws.

"Not in a million years Fink" She said hopping down as well while he chuckled trotting backwards, "I was joking!" He leapt onto a rock and onto Thorns back as the bear passed by.

"Means your pretty much back to your old self" Paddler murmured walking by them holding a branch in his tail, "Lucky us" Thunderbolt dove down from above the trees perching atop a rock as they approached the clearing where the nest was.

Animals dotted around started to notice them as they got closer, most pouring out from the inside of the nest chattering and murmuring.

They all started to crowd around the closer they got, Brightbill shrinking in on himself almost into the ground itself, "Thats enough!" Swooper flew down from the treetops stopping on the grass flapping his wings at the surrounding animals, "Leave them all alone they've just come back! they need rest!" Most realised backing up quickly but a few were still curious for answers.

Fink leapt onto the stones as soon as they went in, body stretching out against the heated rock, still warm from the ongoing fire beside it. "Ah" He sighed, "Thats much better" His leg went up scratching behind his ear as he stretched his front legs out wide.

"It seems like some of you were a bit battered" Swooper chirped landing down on the branch above, His eyes scanning over the faint outlines of injuries on Finks legs and a few claw marks on Thorn and Pinktail.

"Long story" Fink grumbled resting his head down on the stone, "Lets just say there were a lot of things you wouldn't understand" He puffed out a breath he didn't realise he was holding, "A lot"

Crownpoint trotted in next, the deers hooves clicking on the ground, "It didn't happen to be the strange robots that we attacked that while ago was it?"

Paddler scoffed jumping up to the stones, "Unfortunately it was, and a lot more than that" He looked to Fink, the fox sighing and hoisting himself up to a sitting position.

"To put it lightly" He started, seeing more animals walking in to listen. "There was another woods so to speak of animals, ones that aren't exactly around here" the nest was full of animals now. There were deer, skunks, birds, weasels, even the Geese were dotted around, word must have spread fast that they were back.

"From what we got, they all ended up there because of the floods, but that Universal Dynamics Roz mentioned kept sweeping them up" Swooper fluttered down beside him, "Sweeping them up? capturing them?" Fink nodded to the owl, "Exactly, not sure what happened but Roz got them all to leave because well...whole place was getting torn down"

The entire nest then burst into chatter, "Did he say torn down?" "What if it happens to us?" "What if they come here?"

Fink groaned wrapping his paws around his head, "Oh great here we go" He grumbled, "Saw this coming a mile away" Swooper huffed shaking his head, "Bunch of worry warts the lot of them" He opened his wings flying up to the branches before letting off a loud screech that was loud enough to render everyone into silence.

"Those things aren't coming here" Thorn piped up, stomping to the near middle of the room, "And they can't without help from their weird machines" He looked around at the gathered animals, and stern look in his eyes, "They won't be coming anywhere near here, not on my watch"

The words seemed to calm everyone down and a few left the nest, but a majority stayed and got settled down.

Fink meanwhile yawned leaping up and over to his mossy bed, tail swinging over his head as he got settled, though he felt something feathered press against his tail a few times making him lift it up.

Brightbill was there trying to get settled as well, Fink smiled curling his tail over the front of the Goose and pulling him slowly closer, "Do you think we'll see Roz again?" He whispered as he settled down, feet disappearing below him.

Fink stared at the fire infront of them, a whine coming from his throat, "I dont know kid..." Brightbill was silent as he was, both Goose and Fox staring at the fire now.

Soon enough they both fell asleep curled up against each other, as had the rest of the animals that were dotted around, some on the branches, some on the floor and the rest on the stone surrounding the edge.

-------

Brightbill fluttered up to a rock to look over the field of Geese, all mingling and talking to each other, It had been a few weeks since he, Fink, Thorn, Pinktail and Paddler had come back to the Island and winter was approaching again.

He'd considered maybe trying to see if Roz was around, still alive by going into the facility but he didn't want to risk it, not when the place was more than likely on high alert for animal activity.

"Hey Brightbill!" He turned hearing Fink call for him, the fox was prancing up to him, the original injury marks on his legs all but gone now and his usual springy self back once more. Of course a few animals around weren't happy that the fox was back to his usual ways but that was the minority and mostly the Squirrels save for Chitchat.

"Hey Fink" He slid down the rock waddling over to him as he sat, "Heading out soon?" He asked staring around at all the Geese, seemed like there was a lot more than last time-

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for Loudwing" Brightbill chirped, he knew she was around here somewhere, she took her time prepping her Geese for the migrations.

"You gonna try looking for her?" Fink asked giving the young goose pause, "I'm not sure really" He turned around wings flapping up in a shrug, "That place will probably be on high alert for us, I don't want to risk it really" Fink nodded in understanding, a smile showing up on him.

"Thats fine kid" He nudged him gently with his tail, "Just don't do anything crazy" Brightbill snorted smacking him back but with his wing, "Says the fox who lives on crazy" He retorted, laughing at the way Fink pressed his paw to his chest.

"Well i am offended" He burst into laughter falling onto his back, spinning around in the grass for a moment, "Anyways" He shook his fur out turning back to Brightbill, "You find anything you tell me when you get back yeah?"

Brightbill smiled nudging him a little but playfully as Loudwing waddled up behind him, "When do I not!" He chirped giving her a quick nod, the indication to start the migration.

As she flew up the Geese started to follow slowly but surely into the sky, "See you in Spring Fink!" Brightbill then called following her up into the sky away toward the cliffs of the Island, "Dont do anything crazy!" Fink called back, watching them until they became specks in the horizon before he trotted back toward the nest.

Because winter was fast approaching, the animals of the Island were starting to gather in greater numbers inside, looking to get away from the cold.

He had to leap over a sleeping deer on the way in and step over a few of the rabbits, seems like this place got more and more crowded every year.

"Brightbill go off alright?" Thorn asked seeing Fink walk toward him, Pinktail and Paddler, the latter gnawing at a log he'd brought with him.

"Yep, same as always" Fink leapt up to his mossy bed curling up a few times sitting down after a few spins even stretching out his front legs.

"Dont know if it's just me" The fox murmured, "But is there more animals filling the place up every year?" the question had the three glance up, "We still gonna have enough room?"

Paddler seemed to stare around as if he was observing the numbers, "You do have a point, I guess we could make a new nest, but without Roz to stack all of the logs up" Fink frowned head dropping down to rest atop his feet, "Wouldn't get far"

He snorted watching a few birds flutter in landing on the already slightly crowded branches, "I'm sure we'll be fine" Thunderbolt spoke up, he was on the branch right above Finks bed.

"I've monitored the numbers, we have space" Fink hummed, the hawk was relatively smart, and was well right most of the time, heck he was the one who'd caused the ship carrying Roz to crash all that time ago.

Paddler shrugged going back to gnawing at the wood he held, while Fink just curled up. might as well get some sleep while he could, with what happened over the last year, this was going to be a long long Winter.

Chapter 14: Uprising

Thorn trudged across the river with a freshly caught fish in his jaws, it was the fifth fish he'd caught this morning, a few he'd got for the Otters who'd had a hard time getting food as of late.

He found it unusual, the ocean usually had more than enough fish for them. Thorn took the moment to sniff the air.

He frowned dropping the fish, it was that horrific tangy smell again. He trudged toward the end of the river that lead down to a small pond leading to the ocean.

They'd returned a long long while ago now, a few good years to be exact, Spring had gone to Summer and Summer to Autumn, Autumn to Winter and back again, nobody even came to the Island, not once.

The Geese as usual came and went on their migrations, But no one had seen Roz, it was like whatever happened to her made her vanish entirely.

The bear snorted ignoring the memories for now and trudged onwards.

Thorn grunted making his way down to the beach nose sniffing until it hit something metal- wait metal?

Looking up he saw an array of debris across the beach, large pieces, almost everywhere.

Thorn raised his head looking around for any idea as to why, for his eyes to lock onto a bundle of fur on the sand, He walked towards it, maybe it was a sleeping Otter? they did often end up on the beach when they were asleep.

Although a bigger head raised up and he sniffed the air, and stopped. he knew that smell-

"Shura?" He called, the fur shot to look at him, "T-Thorn?" She stumbled up as he ran over to her, she was soaked practically to the bone, which wasn't helpful in the cold winds of winter.

"What are you doing here?" He asked lifting her shivering body up to his back, "I-I r-ran from d-dynamics-" She stuttered, "Ran?" Thorn frowned, "Why?" Though he felt her bury into his fur more, questions later, he needed to get her to the hut.

He trudged up the hill and through the trees leading to the hut, there was some snow already surrounding the area but not much would be there until the snowstorm rolled in.

Animals perked up as he went inside, most muttering and staring at the wet damp fox on his back, Willow nudged some of the Otters out of the way as he gently slid Shura off his back to the stone surrounding the fire.

"Thorn?" Fink leapt over landing on the stones sniffing her, "How did she get here?" Thorn shrugged, "Dunno, found her on the beach, soaked to the bone practically" Pinktail clambered up pressing her paws against the wet fur.

"All i got from her is that she ran from Dynamics" Fink blinked, "Ran? I mean i don't blame her but-"

"They shut down the Dynamics facility" Shura mumbled the animals all quieting and looking at her, "They've been rounding up some of the animals that came back to the woods for days now, I was really the only one able to escape here because of Mary, she..." Shura whined pressing her legs against herself,

"It wasn't Mary...never was..." Fink blinked and could sense Thorn, Pinktail and Paddler do the same, "What do you mean?" He asked, the other fox stared at him, her usual blue bright eyes now seemingly completely dull.

"It was just someone from upper management in Universal Dynamics...pretending to be my caretaker all these years" Shura stared at the fire, "I was just some experiment for them, nothing else" Fink nuzzled against her head and settled pressed against her.

Mary had seemed so nice the times he was watching her, Now only to find out it was someone playing pretend.

"Next time I see them I'm giving them a piece of my mind" Paddler scoffed sitting up, Shura gave a small chuckle but laid her head down to watch the fire.

"After that they tried to ship me to the same place they are taking all the animals, I managed to get away though onto another ship which well" She shrugged, "It crashed because Dynamics tried to intercept it to get at me"

Her gaze lowered, "I dont really have a home anymore"

"Now that's not true" She looked up at Fink when he spoke, "Everyone here has had to run from somewhere" All of the animals were now watching, most in silence. "Truth be told we've all had to run from the floods one way or another" He sat up curling his tail down to the floor.

"This Island is home to us" Thorn spoke up, "It can be yours as well" One by one the animals gathered started to voice their agreements until the hut was filled with an entire chorus of voices.

Shura smiled her ears pointing backwards, "If you say so" Her head rested down on her paws eyes staring at the fire.

A few of the Otters cuddled up against her including Willow having trotted back again, "You just said you saw debris?" Fink whispered to Thorn, The bear nodded grimly head looking out of the door.

"Sure did, must have been the boat" He gruffed shaking his head as if ridding or trying to rid a smell, "Smelt that horrible smell again too" Pinktail cringed her nose scrunching up, "Great, it's back again as well"

Fink ignored them instead trotting and leaping up to sit beside Shura who was still silent and staring at the fire, "You think I'll belong here?" She mumbled after a little while, "I know you do" Fink replied, ears twitching as he spoke.

"Roz did, and I'm absolutely sure you can as well" Shura hummed eyes glancing at him, then outside where the wind was picking up and the sky getting darker.

"Storms rolling in" Thorn got up trudging over to the more inside of the room, he slumped down curling up to the immediate response of a few of the animals, cuddling up against him for extra warmth.

Fink yawned stretching his legs out, "Hibernation time I guess" Shura raised her head staring at him questioningly, "Hibernation?" She asked tilting her head to the side, "Oh right, forgot you didn't know about this" He gestured to the animals around.

"Weather gets too cold for all of us, so we hibernate, most animals do in the winter, sleep until spring comes around" He saw her frown, "But- I've never done it before, how do you sleep until spring?"

Thorn raised his head from his spot, "Got room over here" He patted a spot by his stomach, Shura jumped down, hesitantly pressing against him and laying down, eyes wandering the floor like it would move from under her.

Fink yawned himself jumping up to his moss bed, curling around to get himself comfortable, He usually slept until he woke up, not all the animals here slept until Spring.

Thorn and Pinktail most of the time did, heck they both slept like logs the first winter back.

The fox sighed resting his head on his tail, He'd have to teach Shura how the Island worked after he woke up, which shouldn't be too hard since they were both Foxes...he hoped so anyways.

-------.

After a while the snow had settled on the Island outside, the layers as thick as every other year since it's strongest.

Only a few animals were still out and about, mostly the thick furred ones who could handle the cold without trouble, yet by end of day they all retreated back to the nest as the cold of the night drew in.

Fink jumped through the snow, he was freezing cold out here and did NOT have the thick enough fur but he did promise Shura he'd show her the Island during the winter months.

Speaking of the fox she'd already gotten herself buried in the deep snow a few times already, Fink was just glad Crownpoint tagged along, the deer was tall enough to lift both of them out of the snow if he had to.

"I gotta ask" Shura scrambled up to a ledge that was thankfully not buried in snow and sticking out of the ground, "What was it like when Roz was here?" Fink grunted jumping up to Crownpoints antlers while the deer had his head lowered for him to get out of the snow.

"At first it was really weird" The fox said, Crownpoint chuckled looking up at him, "Ask me, me and my herd saw her when she started blaring all those lights" He shook his head almost inadvertently sending Fink off his antlers.

I'm sure i still see them now" Shura fluffed up her fur slightly as she settled down more atop the ledge, "Huh, and she built that?" Her tail pointed over to the nest, "And the runway" Fink added on sitting up leaning against the antlers so he wouldn't fall off again.

Shura nodded stretching her body out, moving aside to let Fink drop beside her, Crownpoint was needed inside the nest with his herd again, so the deer quickly departed.

"Fink if you don't mind me asking" She piped up after a moment of watching the snow fall from the sky, "What happened to Roz? you know when you were in the woods" the red fox's face fell almost instantly making guilt flare up in her.

"Its hard to explain really" He mumbled eyes locked on the ground, on the rock he was digging his claws into, "I left to go get the recos off her back, then when I came back she was gone from the tree"

"After that I got caught by one of their robots until that guy showed up with the ship, then..." Fink went silent, "She...well..." Shuras expression dropped, she settled down on the rock in silence, "She was dying?" She whispered.

He nodded eyes closing, "Yeah..." Fink stood up turned and leapt back down toward the nest without another word leaving only her on the ledge.

Shura stood up and followed after him, only to get buried under a heap of snow, "Uhh" She barked, "Little help?" A snout came through the snow grabbing her scruff to pull her out.

Although she was placed atop Crownpoints back instead of on the ground, "Think I'll just carry you back inside" He chuckled at her slump down onto his fur, "Yeah that makes it easier" The deer trotted inside lowering down to let her hop off back to solid ground.

Shura leapt up to the stones and against her spot by Thorns side, she did see Fink asleep again on his moss bed but decided against disturbing him, he was upset enough being reminded of Roz, she didn't want to make things worse than she already had.

One of her eyes opening feeling something soft pressing against her, looking down she saw a small baby racoon snuggled in her fur, Shura stared for a moment, she hadn't been snuggled into before, at least not like this.

Nonetheless she rested her head down swinging her tail up covering the little racoon like a blanket, her legs curling up under her. Maybe her life with Mary was a bit of a wreck, or could be interpreted as a disaster in a way.

Then again, she could get used to this new life she found, Something she'd have to thank Brightbill for when he returned from the migration Fink mentioned, He was the one who she had found, If she hadn't then...well she wouldn't have been here right now.

Shuras eyes opened feeling a few more weights on her head and back, two of Pinktails babies on her head and a baby lynx and owl were now settled on her back, was she seriously that comfortable?

"You are" one of the babies squeaked with a small giggle like he'd read her mind, or just knew what she was thinking just by looking at them.

They went quiet after, seemingly having gone to sleep, which in turn prompted Shura to close her eyes again, thinking about life and whatever could wait, she just wanted sleep after all the chaos, and genuinely. She'd sleep for years if she wanted.

Amongst the bundle she held on her fur and the few other animals around her she slept, all while the winter weather scattered about outside, covering the island in heavy snow once more.

Chapter 15: Mysterious Happenings

Fink watched Shura bounce around with a few of the rabbits in the snow covered field, She was practically almost back to her usual bouncy self which was good.

That and the cold and weather had let up long enough for some of the animals to venture out into the snow, the ones who weren't in hibernation of course.

That meant Thorn and Pinktail wouldn't be waking up until at least Spring which really just left him, Shura and Paddler. But it wasn't that bad.

Fink couldn't really bring himself to hibernate after the last time he tried in the deadly cold temperatures so he wandered around at most times.

Then again he was rather nervous about Brightbill going back out towards that place after what had happened but those people would need to fly to get to him, and he had the geese flock so he'd be fine. right?

But of course he was smacked in the head by something REALLY really cold which also sent him tumbling backwards onto the snow, "Sorry!" Chitchat scrambled onto the rock he was just on her tail covered in snow, "I was aiming for Acorn!" a red squirrel hopped up beside her, "Because you have terrible aim!" he argued back, then both were lightly pushed to the side by Shuras tail.

"You okay Fink?" She asked, the fox huffed wiping the snow off his head then off the rest of his now cold body, "I'm fine, just didn't expect to get hit with a ball of snow" a smirk graced his face, his own tail curling into the snow.

"Would be a shame if..." His tail moved so fast none of the three saw it coming, only Chitchat and Shura diving out of the way leaving poor Acorn to get catapulted by snow.

The fox burst out laughing falling back into the snow rolling around, while Shura bounced over, "Is this what the snows like all the time here?" She barked as he swung himself back to a sitting position.

"Pretty much" Fink replied bundling the snow into his tail again only this time dumping it on her head, "Hey!" She grabbed a chunk as well, the way he did flinging it at his head making him stumble slightly.

"Fair play" Fink mused crouching low to the snow, "But bet you didn't expect- THIS!" He barreled into her, the two Foxes sent tumbling through the snow down a hill in the process.

Chitchat bounded along behind them as they rolled, eventually coming to a stop at the very bottom, both Foxes fur covered in snow from head to toe.

Crownpoint trotted down as well, the deer having heard all the racket from the nest, "Having fun then?" He said stopping right by them both.

"Oh yeah!" Shura scrambled up shaking out her fur sending some inadvertently onto the squirrel right beside her which she brushed off with her tail, "I've never seen this snow stuff before, it's so crunchy!" Shura stuffed her nose inside the snow only to yelp scrambling backwards after a few mere moments.

Fink chuckled, "and cold" The other rolled her eyes walking back over, "Very funny" Chitchat scrambled up to perch atop her head, "Ooh! we could make Snow Rozs!" She squeaked.

"Snow...Roz's?" Shura looked at Fink questioningly, "Its a thing the Otters started" He said trudging through the snow back toward the nest, "We do some on the occasion" Fink waved his tail around, "I dont as much but its fun to watch!"

Shura seemed to brighten and bounded ahead, "You told her that she needs survival instincts yet?" Crownpoint whispered to him, Fink frowned ears pinning backwards mouth thinning, "Its not something I've gotten to yet, i mean I think she knows what they are but she's not showing it" The deers own ears flicked two and fro.

"You'll have to soon, before Spring at least" He added on, Fink only puffed as a response, the deer just took it as an okay.

But, Fink admitted that Crownpoint was right. Shura had to be taught about the more...disturbing facts of the Island, and that was the kill or be killed part which he'd admit didn't happen as often as it used to but the meat eaters had to survive somehow.

He just wasn't looking forward to explaining it to a fox who'd lived her whole life in captivity, not looking forward to it at all.

--------

Pinktail opened her eyes slowly, her vision was blurry at first but it slowly adjusted, It wasn't spring already was it?

A quick glance out the door answered the question, it was blizzarding, definitely a no.

She huffed lifting herself up, No idea why she woke up so early, she wanted to wake up in the spring when it was warmer and not as cold-

Then it hit her, Fink wasn't here. it was blizzarding outside and he wasn't in the nest.

She leapt down making for Broadfoot, the Moose was asleep nearby snoring away like nobody could hear it, "Broadfoot" She whispered tapping his snout.

He woke up eyes blinking open slowly, "Hm? yeah?" he mumbled pushing himself up to his feet, "Finks not here and it's blizzarding outside" Broadfoot hummed hoof tapping on the floor, "Well that's not good" He lowered his antlers down allowing her to climb on. "Lets go find him"

He trotted outside, being slightly pushed by the wind but not enough to knock him over, "Where could he be Pinktail?" Broadfoot called to her over the howling gales, "If I had to guess the big stone runway" She yelled back eyes straining to see in the darkness of the night and the blizzard.

"Its the only place I can assume he would be" Broadfoot nodded trudging along the snow toward the trees separating the area between the nest and the runway.

It took a while but the Moose made it eventually, "Whats that?" He called spotting something in the distance crouched in the snow, "Is that him?" Pinktail narrowed her eyes, it looked far too big to be a fox.

"No that's not him" Her eyes caught it crouched over something in the snow, "But that is, step on it!" She yelled gripping onto his antlers as he sped up the pace into a trot.

The thing crouched over Fink shot up as they approached, Pinktail could see it was some strange grey and white color with...spots? what even was this thing?

Whatever it was made a run for the trees just as Broadfoot skidded to a halt right beside Fink, the fox just getting up from the ground, "Who was that?" Pinktail asked helping the fox up with her tail.

"Dont k-know" He shuddered holding onto Broadfoots back tightly while the Moose made his way back toward the nest, "But they were definitely t-trying to h-help"

Pinktail diverted her eyes back out to where she saw it run to, whatever it was seemed to not mean any harm, or at least maybe for now.

Broadfoot had just made it back to the nest as she stopped thinking, Fink being the first to leap off and up by the fire still shivering.

Willow waddled over to him cuddling up to his side haven been woken up by the whole disturbance, Pinktail followed shortly after but cuddling into his other side letting Broadfoot retake his place to go back to sleep.

"Any ideas?" Pinktail heard Fink say Ah, made sense to ask Willow, she'd been around a while she must have heard stories from the Geese or Gulls.

"Hm, I think so but I'd have to ask Loudwing when she comes back" Willow rested her head back down on her paws, energy clearly spent. none of them were suposed to be up this late into winter.

With that Pinktail closed her eyes, feeling Finks breaths slow indicating he was similarly sleeping right as it overtook her too.

------

So in truth, maybe telling everyone that there was a possibly dangerous animal on the Island was a mistake.

Because now the nest was full of panicking animals, and well of course it was because nobody knew whether it was friendly or not.

Pinktail sighed trudging over to Thorns sleeping body, how the bear was able to sleep during all of this was beyond her but she gave him credit for doing so.

Her eyes spotted Shura by the door clearly getting increasingly more and more annoyed by the second, Pinktail reached out scooping one of her babies into her arms, none of them had ran off like they were prone to doing, instead just sat around her watching the chaos unfolding.

The Possum saw Shura walk forward leaping up onto the rocks, "CRAM IT!" She yelled, everyone quieted instantly, "Thank you" the fox sighed shaking her head stalking over to Fink who's eyes were wide.

"I'm just saying I don't think it actually is a threat, at least it didn't look like one from standing ontop of me" He stood up trotting over to stand on the rocks near the fire.

"Only reason everyone should start panicking is if it actually walks in here other than that I don't see the reason to" murmurs started to rise up over the silent animals, most agreeing and moving to settle back down again save for some who still were nervous.

"Is this what a regular winter is like here?" Shura asked hopping up to Pinktails side wrapping her tail around the Possum and a few of the babies, "Not usually" She replied picking up one smoothing the fur down as she usually did.

"But a lot of strange comings have happened this time around" Pinktail chuckled letting the baby scramble off to climb up Shuras fur.

The fox however seemed distant, her gaze staring out at the falling snow just outside the door, "Shura?" Pinktail rested a paw on her side, "Everything okay?" Shura didn't look over or respond.

Pinktails nose scrunched up while she settled back down, mysterious animal was roaming the Island, some of the animals were acting weird and a fox who'd never lived life in the wilderness, what she wouldn't do for Roz to be here right now to help.

What none of the animals noticed however was the deactivated Rozzum head kept at the other end of the room, its eyes were flickering and the transmitter was online...

Chapter 16: Confrontation

Spring had come, a ways into it actually, the animals had come out of hibernation and the Island was alive with activity again.

The Geese had returned as well, but slightly late.

"Loudwing?" Fink called trotting into the nesting grounds. Thorn, Pinktail, Paddler and Shura were behind him also looking around for her.

"Over here Fink!" The Goose pushed her way through the crowd feathers a tad ruffled, "Wheres the kid? didn't he come back?" The fox asked, She flapped her wings as it to exaggerate a shrug, "I only heard from a group that he had to go deal with something, he said he'd catch up soon"

Fink groaned shaking his head, "Oh come on Brightbill" He grumbled, "Kid having daring thoughts again?" Thorn chuckled nudging the fox on the back almost sending him tumbling to the floor.

"Its normal for his age he'll be fine" Pinktail reassured wading forward, "Besides he knows his way back" Shura meanwhile was staring at all of the Geese with wide eyes, "I've never seen so many before!" She barked her tail wagging from side to side, a habit she'd not really been able to shake from her time in captivity.

"I didn't realise she'd arrived here" Loudwing said watching the fox with interest, "Yeah..." Fink sighed, "Turns out that Mary was just someone making it up, Shura had to escape here to get away from them, messed her up pretty bad" Loudwing snorted flapping her wings, "Ugh the nerve!" She screeched.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before talking again, "We did see a lot of debris on the beach before we landed, was that it?" She chirped. Fink frowned flicking his ears, "Been meaning to check that out" He bolted for the trees startling the others.

"Fink wait up would ya!" Thorn yelled running after the fox, everyone else following him leaving the Geese in the fields.

By the time they caught up Fink was sniffing around the beach at the large metal chunks that still remained there, "Not much left here" He grunted pushing some out of the way with his paws, "Just bits and pieces"

"Whats this weird looking thing?" One of the Possums squeaked pointing at a large rectangular device flickering on the sand, Shura trotted over first nose sniffing at it, "Oh! i know! it was a device Universal Dynamics would use to broadcast things, like messages or something" She chuckled nudging it with ner nose.

"Surprised it's still working" Loudwing then flew down from above the treeline landing on the Foxes head, "We just saw a ship heading this way" Fink stood up immediately his eyes wide, "airship?" He asked her, she nodded and he snorted, "Hey we can take them" Thorn growled his eyes fixing on the distant blob in the sky approaching ever so surely.

"They might have improved the recos" Shura said her eyes also staring at it, "Should we get back to the nest?" Fink shook his head walking forward, "No, we stay and see what they want, it might be that guy for all we know"

The group watched the ship get closer until it lowered down all the way until it landed gently onto the sand, it was a lot bigger than the usual and had more engines.

"Over here!" Paddler whispered having found a large rock to hide behind, they quickly ran over just as the back of the ship opened a few figures walking out of it.

"Who are they?" Loudwing whispered still perched on Shuras head, the fox narrowed her eyes a growl coming up from her throat, "The higher ups, I don't even know how they found this place, Neil scrambled the location"

Fink frowned thinking, couldn't have been any of the animals from over there, the humans couldn't understand them, it wasn't the ship then what could it-

The realisation hit him quickly making his ears dropping, "Roz's memories" He whispered, "W-When she activated that transmitter thing, they'd have this place on some stupid thing of theirs" Shuras eyes widened similarly, "Shoot" She whispered eyes darting in several directions, "I know what your talking about we need to go now" She said that just as panels in the ship opened, much much larger robots stepping out.

Each was bigger than the last, and looked similar to the RECOS but more upgraded and bulkier, they flanked around the people scanning the area as they observered.

"Oh there you are!" Vontra scrambled over the rock making Fink snarl, GREAT this freak was back again, "Now haven't you all been causing some tr-" Thorn leapt forward grabbing her in his jaws crunching down and chucking her across the beach.

"Guess they don't like the robot" Armen sighed as Vontra picked herself up retreating to float by his side, "Of course you idiot" A smaller woman, one with blue hair wrapped up in a ponytail snapped, "Who goes up to an animal with a robot! much less four upgraded ones!"

"Armen, Tara enough" A taller man snapped, he was wearing a collection of blue and green on his clothing and had white hair atop his head.

He flicked a hand and the RECOS surged forward, each surrounding the group as the people walked over, "Why are they coming over here like they want to talk?" Pinktail scowled, fur raising up as she bundled her babies behind her, "Not like they can understand us" Loudwing fluttered down covering them with one of her wings.

Shura saw Neil at the very back, he wasn't comfortable with this, she could tell just by the way he was standing. "These are the animals correct Vontra?" the man hummed, the robot gave a giggle as she flew up to him, "They sure are! and they are all yours"

"And that's your fox correct Mary?" Shura whined seeing the woman nod but didn't speak, "Wonderful now, Shura come with me" Fink growled stepping infront of the fox fur raised.

"She doesn't want to go Gerald" Neil said from where he was stood, "I can see that Neil but she's an important asset to our work" Gerald clicked his fingers and one of the RECOS stepped forward grabbing Fink and flinging him across the sand.

Gerald yelled suddenly when two Otters started snapping at his legs, more were scrambling up out of the water going after the other people there.

Tara quickly took the distraction to run over to the fox she saw get flung across the beach, he seemed alright save for being a tad disoriented. It didn't stop him from growling on seeing her.

"Woah woah" Tara raised her hands as she slowed her approach, not a fan of people then. well it's not like she could blame him.

"Its alright little guy I'm not going to hurt you" His eyes narrowed further but he still stretching out to sniff at her hands.

"Tara" Neil skidded down beside her, the fox perking up on seeing him like it recognised the man, and wait- did he have an Otter on his shoulder?

"We gotta get these animals out of here before Gerald snags them" Tara scoffed standing up, "How are we supposed to do that?!" She whispered, "We're outnumbered here in majority, everyone else is just out here for research of them"

"They sure as hell are" Tara watched a younger man clad in tech and sporting a robotic arm, "Troy?!" She yelled, "Arent you suppose to be on the ship?!" Troy was one of the youngest out of them all, and Gerald didn't exactly trust him to be out here.

"Yeah yeah i know but-" A loud roar made the three of them look over to see Mary and Armen commanding the RECOs into a box position keeping the bear, possum, Beaver and goose inside.

Tara lurched forward grabbing the fox up when he ran forward,She saw Gerald stood nearby observing, those two were hiding something about those animals that they hadn't told him.

"Troy-" She started jumping slightly when he handed her a tablet, "Show him that" He said, "That'll tell him everything" Tara nodded standing up making a run over to the man.

She practically shoved it into his hands when she got over, "Look at this" His brows raised but he didn't question her, only started to watch what was on the screen, whatever Troy had put on there.

Tara cringed seeing the RECOS start to haul away the contained animals toward the ship, there had to be some way to distract the robots.

That question was answered when she saw the fox jump up snapping and snarling at one causing its hold to drop prioritising the removal of the fox instead.

Shura leapt up onto another copying the other fox's lead in snapping at its head. "GET DOWN SHURA!" Mary yelled stomping forward but the fox ignored her yells and kept going.

Tara then saw the first fox get grabbed and thrown down right beside the Beaver making her breath almost stop entirely when she saw one of the RECOS snap a band around its snout.

"You-" She stopped abruptly when Gerald put a hand infront of her tablet in the other, "Stand them down immediately" He said, his head turning to Mary and Armen. Both staring at him with wide eyes.

"But-" Armen argued only for the older man to narrow his eyes, "Now. I will not repeat myself" The two were reluctant but pressed the buttons allowing the robots to lower down, stepping away from the group of animals.

Tara had to surpress a laugh of surprise when she saw Gerald kneel down to the red fox and remove the band from its snout, "There you go little one" It stared at him for a brief moment then scrambled off to the side of the bear who'd not gone far but close enough to watch.

"Sir we-" Mary was cut off by Gerald's glare, "You two have a lot of explaining to do" He threw his hand out to the forest above them, "I have read about this Island, and seen unit 7134s memories" His eyes narrowed further.

"It is a victim of the world's fallout as we were, these animals are just trying to survive like us" Gerald turned slowly walking towards the airship the two following him heads down.

Tara nearly fell forward with the force of Neil's hand smacking her back, "Sweet idea you two" He knelt down to pet Shuras head, "Guess you can stay here girl" He smiled as she barked, reaching to lick his cheek.

"And hopefully this never happens again" Neil's eyes locked on Vontra, the robot still staring right at the animals, Ah right. the hatred she had toward the animals from the first time. Definitely something he'd have to keep an eye on.

Tara felt a bit sad leaving these animals behind, yeah she hadn't even known them for longer than ten minutes but from unit 7134s memories they seemed to be almost...deflated somehow.

She herself gave Shura a departing pat, following Neil onto the airship just as the panel closed the engines roaring to life.

The animals all gathered on the beach watched it take off, getting further and further into the sky until it vanished entirely from view.

"Well" Paddler turned, strutting up the path leading to the forest, "Im off to my dam! I need a nap after all of this" Thorn gave a gruff hum following the Beaver in silence, more of a tired one than anything else.

"I should head back to the flock" Loudwing opened her wings, taking off into the sky over the trees toward the nesting grounds.

Pinktail was next to leave, the possum only giving Fink a tired nod before gathering up her babies and trudging away.

"Well" Fink nudged Shuras side, "Guess you get to stay with us" She giggled tail wagging, "Yep! and it's gonna be GREAT!" She barked happily chest puffing out.

His tail tapped her head, "Come on, we've got to find you a place you can stay" Fink pranced up the hill, the other fox scrambling up beside him, "Oh i hope there's some good places" Shura barked practically bouncing alongside him.

He rolled his eyes with a small shake of the head, "I'm sure there's somewhere for you" Truth be told he needed his rest, but Shura needed somewhere to stay first.

She picked up on it however and stopped him in his tracks with her tail, "You need sleep" She said sternly as he groaned, "No i don't" He grumbled getting nudged by her head against his side, "Sleep first then house searching, I can stay in the nest for now"

Fink groaned, God she's been with Roz too much already, "Alright fine" Shura gave a happy bark jumping along, Yep definitely been with Roz too much.

They traveled through a few bushes and fields until they reached the Nest, Outside of the cold months it wasn't populated by any of the animals other than Fink and Brightbill, and on occasion either Thorn or Pinktail.

Shura bounced in first scrambling up to the platform right by the door Fink following her slowly with a yawn leaving his snout as he did, his body practically running out of energy the moment it touched the stone.

Shura noticed emitting a giggle from her, though that was short lived when something green shone in the corner of her eyes.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood, stalking over to the Rozzum head on the floor, the flashing green thing was the transmitter? so that's how they were able to map the Islands location.

Shura snorted grabbing ahold of it in her jaws then making a bolt outside over the many rocks leading to the ocean just close by, as she got closer she started spinning around throwing the transmitter right as she felt the water seep under her paws.

The device entered the water with a plop, the light fizzling out on impact, water filling it through the cracks as it sunk down to the sea floor.

Shura stomped her paw on the ground, tail flicking wildly and a smirk on her snout, "Good riddance" She then began her trot back to the Nest, a very evidential perk to her stride.

Fink was only half awake as she entered clearly he'd seen her leave in a massive hurry, "What was that about" He mumbled head too heavy enough to actually raise up much less the rest of his body, Was this what feeling exhausted felt like?

"Stupid transmitter thing from that head" Shura barked kicking the head in question along the floor mainly out of anger, "Threw it into the ocean" She settled down, properly this time just for her eyes to lock onto a chunk of wood on the wall.

He saw her staring and couldn't help but chuckle, "Roz made that before she left" Fink mumbled, watching Shura stare at it seemingly in wonder, "Is that...all of the animals that live here?" She asked, jumping up to lean her paw on the wall to get a better look.

"It is" He responded, his voice getting more drawn out which she picked up on, "Sorry" Shura pushed herself off the wall down to four paws again, "I get distracted"

Fink gave her a single hum, tucking his tail over his head, a usual indication of him on the road to getting sleep. He lifted it slightly in time to see Shura do the same.

The sight of the other fox learning things already made him perk a little out of pride, She was a quick learner he'd give her that. But she still had to learn about the more darker parts of living here, which was the killing and hunting for food.

But that could wait until later, he just wanted to sleep after today's craziness, that was only if the suns rays hitting his fur didn't remind him that it wasn't even noon yet.

Fink lifted his paws free of his tail pressing his ears down into his head, he hated sleeping in here with barely anyone. He just wanted Brightbill and Roz back home again.

But his eyes locked onto Shuras sleeping form by the wall, finding the strength to get up and walk slowly over to her then settling down again up against her tail.

Fink closed his eyes then, letting his body rest, for a few hours at least, no doubt he'd be asked to do something for another animal or read one of his stories to one of the younger animals.

Was he proud of being popular for his stories of Roz? Yes yes he was.

Chapter 17: Home

So far Paddler had to claim today as a more weirder day, if it wasn't for the fact that most of the animals were acting weird and seemed oddly excited.

He had no idea why, he hadn't really seen Fink or the other animals in some time he'd been more focused on his project with the tree that he'd formerly been trying to bring down.

The way it landed over the river meant it couldn't really be moved and had given the water only a small way to pass through underneath.

It had been there for a while which gave Paddler an idea, hence why he'd been slowly tunneling down.

"How's the project going Paddler?" Ah Willow, the only one who'd actually expressed interest in what he was doing. He turned up to face her where she was perched above staring down at him.

"I wish it was going faster" He admitted, moving aside allowing her to jump down beside him sniffing around, "What are you doing anyways?" Paddler sat up to talk.

"Chitchat keeps saying about how Shura doesn't have anywhere to stay other than the nest, and i thought of this place" Willow perked up the idea registering in her instantly, "Your carving this tree out for her?" Her paws pressed against the bark, "Thats actually not a bad idea" Paddler nodded turning back to gnaw at the wood again.

"Say, have you heard from Pinktail? I haven't seen her around" It was true, the Possum had seemed strangely absent of late, barely any of the animals had seen her.

the Otter pressed her paws together, "I haven't, frankly I'm a little worried" Paddler stopped gnawing and sighed sitting up, "I'll go ask Thunderbolt" He leapt up to the top of the trunk, Willow following him along, "I'm already here" the hawk flew down to them landing with a small thud on the tree.

"And to answer your question, it haven't seen her, although" He opened his wing, pointing it to the downstream section of the forest, "She could be down there, apparently Broadfoot saw one of her babies head that way" Paddler hummed staring down, that was a part of the forest not many animals went so if Pinktail went down there...

"Well what are we waiting for?" Willow leapt off the tree to the other side of the river, "Pinktail isn't going to find herself" the Beaver shared a look with the hawk beside him, the latter chuckling taking off to follow above them both as they made their way down.The trees seemed to get thicker as they approached, almost looming over them, "Was this area always so creepy?" Willow whispered to Paddler, he was too busy observing the trees however, if he tried to gnaw through these in particular he'd be here for weeks.

Thunderbolt landed down suddenly opening his wings to get them to stop, "There" Right infront of them was a small path leading into a clearing where a much much bigger tree stood, the trunk was way bigger than any Paddler had seen and the leaves were bundled ontop of it.

Not to mention the array of flowers in the grass around the tree itself, "Woah" Willow muttered crawling forward, "How long has this been here?" Thunderbolt hummed watching from a rock he'd perched upon, "A long time by the looks of it" He took off further down seeing a familiar Possum walking just around the trees base into view.

"Pinktail!" Willow raced down catching her attention, Although a large shape slammed down making the otter scramble to a stop and an alarmed squeak.

Right above her stood the very thing that Pinktail and Broadfoot had seen in the storm, matched the description and all- the big storm monster..

"Who are you three" It growled teeth baring eyes locking onto Paddler and Thunderbolt as the two arrived in a hurry.

"Koa" Pinktail trotted up to him brows raised, "They are friends, I thought i already told you that?" The animal stared at her for a brief moment then recognition flashed in his eyes.

"Ah, yes you did" He sighed sitting down hackles flattening all hostility basically gone, "Nice to meet you too" Paddler grumbled a little but walked forward nonetheless.

"Yes this is where I've been lately" Pinktail started sitting by the animals side, "This is Koa, he tells me he's something called a Snow Leopard" Willow blinked tilting her head, "A snow leopard? what's that?"

Koa chuckled puffing his fur out, "A species of large cat, I am not exactly supposed to be in this area" The Possum nodded, "He lives in colder areas than here"

"How did you end up here is what I'm interested in" Thunderbolt spoke up after his silence eyeing the Snow Leopard with curiosity in his eyes, "The last winter Pinktail here saw me?" Koa mused, "I got here from the ice that formed in the ocean, I intended to leave but I had the timing wrong"

Pinktail shrugged picking up one of the babies as she passed, "This was the best place on the Island to take him, it's quiet and not too hot in the warmer months" Paddler nodded slowly, she had a very good point. If this Koa came from a colder area then he had to be somewhere as cold as possible. And this place was cold enough already.

Koa had meanwhile started looking up at the sky, "Whats that noise" He grumbled, everyone went quiet then to listen, for a moment all there was was birds and the distant wind against the tree.

Then humming, a humming that two recognised right as a large object flew over the treeline, "What is that?!" Koa snarled fur raising up immediately as it passed.

"Another ship?! really?!" Paddler yelled immediately making a dash for the trees. Pinktail, Thunderbolt and Willow followed him and Koa as well after a moment of hesitation.

They emerged to find that most of the animals had seemed to run and hide at the airships sudden arrival, even the birds had gone entirely quiet, "What should we do?" Willow asked padding up beside Paddler.

"We wait" Thunderbolt said landing on the grass, "Its nowhere near us so we have nothing to worry about" Paddler huffed, yeah. nothing to worry about at the moment anyways.

----------

Roz didnt think she'd see the Island again, let alone set foot on it, When Dr Molovo had told her it had been years since she was deactivated she had a mix of shock and surprise flare up inside of her systems.

It was a little hard hitting when Brightbill didn't recognise her at first, but he quickly figured out it was her.

After the reunion her next task was to return home again, One Dr Molovo was more than happy to do, After her experiences with humans from the higher form of Universal Dynamics the older woman was a nice change of pace, and it seemed Brightbill quite liked her as well.

Now she was back on the Island, the one she called home as did all the animals who lived there.

"You built this?" Molovo marvelled, her hand brushing against the stone runway, Roz nodded turning to face her, "I did, to help Brightbill fly" She took the goose into her hands, "I've always seen the Geese migrate from where I work" Molovo walked forward running a hand down his head.

"Then i heard about the contamination incident in one of the greenhouses" Roz went silent, she'd only seen through the eyes of a RECO what had happened, "I still feel sad for that poor Goose who was killed by that RECO, it's why some of the higher up members aren't fully in agreement with others"

She soon noticed Roz was looking out at the forest, in search of something maybe?

"Fink?" She called confusing Molovo slightly, who was Fink? Brightbill hopped back up to her shoulder similarly staring out.

Roz had hoped the fox would be out there, maybe he'd noticed the ship and was close by? or maybe he ran away.

Molovo placed a hand on the Rozzums arm, "How about we take a walk? I'd love to see this nest you've built" Roz perked up nodding and started to lead the way into the forest.

She expected to see some animals, maybe some of the Squirrels or rabbits but none showed, Roz couldn't even hear any of the birds tweeting from the trees.

"Why's it so quiet?" He whispered sharing her concern, "Where is everyone?" He flew down to waddle infront of the woman and Rozzum, "Fink? Pinktail?" He turned in a full circle, "Thorn? Paddler? Anyone?" The Goose sighed head shaking as he turned back to Roz.

"I dont get it, i thought they'd be here" Roz shared his concern now as she lifted him back into her hands, they entered into the clearing where the nest was still standing strong after all this time.

"Its marvelous!" Molovo clapped her hands together staring at with wide eyes and an even wider smile, "Roz this is amazing" She pressed her hand against the wood and even taking a peek inside.

Roz followed expecting to see maybe just one animal inside, but it was just as empty as the forest was, the fire was freshly burnt out which meant someone was in here not long ago.

Molovo had seen the plaque she'd hung on the wall and was staring at it, "Are these your animal friends you talked to me about?" Roz nodded walking over to her to look as well.

"Theres so many" The woman whispered running her hand over the wood, "So many that were misplaced..." She took a deep breath, "I'm glad they found refuge here" When she turned she just saw Roz walk outside again.

She slowly followed watching Roz stare out at the water in the distance and the land close by, "I'm sure they will show" Molovo reassured her, placing a hand on her arm once more, "I hope your right" Roz responded optics gazing out over the horizon.

A rustle close by caught their attention, but Roz was more quick in turning her head, Fink was slipping through the leaves, his ears upright and his eyes alert.

It was clear he didn't recognise her just by the way he was walking, Roz knelt down as he approached holding out her hand slowly to him.

Finks head stretched out as he sniffed at it, only to growl when she raised her hand up, Roz slowly took it away a slump visible in her movement.

Brightbill perked up suddenly whispering to Roz, "Di i have to?" She whispered back to which he only shrugged hopping off her shoulder to get as far away as possible, "Its your best bet" Roz groaned settling down until her legs were spread out behind her and her arms below touching the grass.

Molovo was about to ask what she was doing until the moment green gas erupted from the Rozzums panels sending it out into the air.

Fink on the other hand was staring wide eyed, "Roz?" He trotted forward now all sense of anger and fear basically gone.

Her lights lit up a soft pink in response, "ROZ!" The fox practically smacked into her sending her tumbling backwards a little with the force of him scrambling over her shoulders.

He found his place on her left hand side head nuzzled up against hers which was rotated down to rest against his in turn.

The two sat in silence until Brightbill hopped up to her other side nuzzling his head against hers as well.

Fink generally couldn't believe he was with Roz right now, she was here- on the Island- at home again and...She was alive.

"You-" Fink shook his head sitting up a little, "You were- i thought you-" Roz nodded her lights dimming back to their usual blue, "I did...but not for long" Her head pressed against the Fox's then against Brightbills.

"I am just happy to have you both with me again" Molovo watched at a distance tears in her eyes, She didn't quite know what the animals were saying but hearing Roz's words told her all she needed to know, that she helped reunite a little family.

The woman's head raised up seeing animals starting to emerge from all around, birds flew onto the tree branches, deer emerged from behind the trees, Racoons and Rabbits emerged from all the bushes. Molovo even saw a Bear trudge out.

They were all staring at her some with cautious eyes others with concern almost fear even. But Molovo saw them slowly start to gather around Roz.

The Rozzum stood up after embracing a few turning to Molovo, "Thank you" She said softly, her lights still shining pink with the fox and goose on her shoulders, "For everything"

Molovo smiled resting a hand on hers, "I must thank you Roz, you've taught me much" She smiled seeing an Otter walk up to her feet kneeling down to run her other hand down it's head.

"With all of the storms getting worse, they'll need someone to protect them" The woman stood up a smile in her eyes as she stared at Roz and the animals gathered by her, "And i know your the Rozzum set for the task"

Roz stepped forward enveloping the woman into a hug, "Thank you" She whispered, "For reuniting me with them" Molovo smiled hugging the Rozzum back, "It was my pleasure" She said back then stepping back toward the ship which was now lowering down behind her.

"Keep them safe Roz" She said one final time before stepping onto the ships ramp that had lowered down for her.

Roz and the gathered animals watched it slowly hover up and depart into the distance, as it left sight the clearing burst into cheers and excited shouting.

"Your really back!" Chitchat swung onto Roz's head from a nearby branch, Thorn coming up beside her and nuzzling her with his body, "Good to have you back in one piece" Roz petted his head, her other hand patting Finks when the fox nuzzled into her neck.

"I'm glad to be back home" Roz knelt down as more and more animals started to gather nuzzling and leaning up against her body.

"Oh yeah" Fink started, "Theres one thing you'll want to know" Roz perked up seeing a bundle of black fur crash through the bushes and leaping onto her chest, "Roz!"

"Shura?" She exclaimed cupping the fox into her hands, "What are you doing here on the Island?" a brief but if information came into her mind, she had heard about a Universal Dynamics facility being shut down but didn't think much of it.

"Long story short i was chased out" Shura leapt down to the grass staring up at her, "Tried escaping then the boat I was on crashed here" Roz tilted her head to the side a little.

"Dont even get us started on the jerks that showed up" Fink grumbled getting her attention fully, "What do you mean?" She questioned looking to him, "Who showed up?"

"Universal Dynamics higher ups" Pinktail continued her babies all bundled on her back, "Came to the Island and tried to take us away if it wasn't for their boss coming to his senses then they would've" Roz sat trying to take in the information.

It was her one fear she didn't want to happen, Universal Dynamics agents coming to the Island and threatening the animals, it very nearly left her departure completely null.

But if what Pinktail said was true then maybe there was hope for some.

Roz then stood up noticing the sun start to lower on the horizon, "Go and get some rest" She said to the gathered animals, "We can catch up more tomorrow" They all did as she said, some giving some goodbye nuzzles as they passed and headed for their homes.

She then started to walk up the cliffside, the only ones by her side aside from Fink and Brightbill were Pinktail, Thorn and Paddler.

They gathered around her as she sat at the very edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean and the lowering sunset.

Brightbills eyes glanced up at her from where he was nestled against her neck, "I'm glad your home mom" He whispered closing his eyes.

Roz's lights shone pink as her arms stretched out gathering the three animals closer to her, "As am i" She chimed.

So the little family watched as the sun slowly lowered down creating a pink color to the sky that made Roz's lights shine brighter at the sight, Yes she was home. And she didn't intend on leaving it or her family for a long long time.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of The Wild Robot Series