(A/N, this poem has been around a lot longer than I have.)
Not quite a white wedding. After all, the parents and grandparents of the bride and groom along with other relatives couldn't exactly be contacted outside the park. While this was a sting to both Jeremy and Leticia, neither wanted to wait, nor did they want to risk trying to be married in the outside world. And at least this way, the only media involved was the news hounds.
Being as silent as silently possible Rob sneaked into the assembled herd and took his place according to rank. There was something almost disorienting about seeing the entire herd lined-up in neat little rows, all sitting calmly facing the front. Well, some where sitting Yoga styles near the front to keep their antlers from block the back row's view, while the rest near the back were standing at attention.
Jackie also moved as silently as a shadow creeps along the ground, the female panther wanting a closer view of her two-legged not-prey friend. She knew the non-prey would panic if they smelled her, and that would ruin everything for her friend, thus she stayed low to the ground. Keith followed, only because he knew it would be more trouble to try and keep his mate pinned down, thankfully they only needed to transverse to the base of the hill to hear the raccoon speak, after all, their ears were not just for show. Keith didn't want to think about what would happen if they had needed to get right up to the bucks' backsides.
The female panther laid down low as she listened to the raccoon-not-prey speak for the mating. No, wait, her friend had already mated. Then why court afterwards? There was a very important word involved, staying on all fours, the female panther shook her brain to recall it, ah yes: love. An emotion non-sentient beasts were not known for comprehending in vast numbers.
The Chris' stayed put along with all the other predators. All of them having wits enough not to add fuel to the fire, and being slightly transfixed by Jackie and Keith's sneaking along for their better view, looking like two dark dots along the grass behind the confusingly organized and geometric herd.
What none of the predators realized was, that while Zack stayed with the main body of predators, Harry, as invisible as the wind, shadowed the panthers in case they did something disruptive, his scent as undetectable as his paw steps. Harry's mind was completely focused on the task his pack leader had given him. He even forsook his normal flirting with Katie or asking about the presence of the new husky. Harry had his duty, and like all the huskies, when push came to shove, duty came first above the person carrying it out. His eyes holding a seriousness that only his pack mates on the field recognized. Harry knew he had never been this serious about a job before his change, and figured it was likely the husky DNA's doing, he wondered though if he'd be able to hold onto this serious part of him when he went back to the monkeys.
Thanks to the body decorations, even among the masses of naked furry bodies, it was easy for even the uninitiated to pick out the wedding party. John and Lateisha had borrowed greatly from the Aztecs and several African tribes for their 'fur paintings.' There were no curved lines on the males, each black line changed directions at right angles. The patterns remotely reminded the nerds in the crowd of the movie Tron, but the lines were much closer to the patterns you'd see on a South American ruin. To the few kids that were there to see them, the patterns look like nothing less than cool mazes just begging to be solved. The shoulders were painted with variations on square spirals, while the arms and legs were given what looked like painted bracelets and arm bands, or instead given patterns that looked to be from a Japanese game of 'follow the path.'
The effect make all the decorated bucks look quite impressive, though of course the most effort had gone into Jeremy's pattern, looking almost like some distant cousin to Coyote The Trickster. Spike meanwhile, true to his conjecture, looked like a pint sized native American warrior, his 'arm bands' and face paint in his little opinion making him look cool, the pattern on his belly (that John had been stuck redoing thanks to Spike's squirming) was absolutely adorable to all who saw it.
The white pattern on Father Tyminski was composed mostly of wavy lines running horizontal. He wished he had taken his old teacher's advice and studied the original language of the Dead Sea Scrolls more, then he could have really done an interesting pattern for himself. As it was though, he felt he was able to work with the lovely working pair in making a rather pleasing pattern to use. While he felt the whole 'one with nature' motif the park fixated on was gratuitous, and the enforced mandatory nudity was likely some pervert's private pleasure, he felt considerably less naked with his wood crucifix and the pattern now on his fur.
As for the does, they simply weren't green enough to be mistaken for anthropomorphic dryads, which while an interesting challenge, Lateisha had decided would have been simply too much of a distraction from the main event. Lateisha had managed to preen up white flowers behind the ears of herself and the bride maids, somehow managing to make them look natural with their hair. Good thing too, hair cuts were very rare, and very hard to come by in the park. Their hair was now perhaps more clean than it had been in a month for some of them. Su-Yin had her black hair braided in flowers in one spot. Jenny in two spots. Hannah in three and Lateisha in four.
Leticia had been Lateisha's masterpiece. Lateisha knew her instructors would have been proud of Lateisha for her job here with no real tools or equipment to come by and still making Leticia look like a gift from Heaven. The young woman lowered her head to emulate a veil as she approached the groom.
The crown of flowers Leticia was wearing was ever so perfectly aligned with her head. Her necklace of white lilies hanging just right around her shoulders. The ankle and wrist bracelets of flowers being just tight enough to not trip her up while providing a proper distraction from her bosom (which would have been a lost cause for Hannah). It had been a balancing act for Lateisha to adorn Leticia with enough flowers for everyone's attention to be on her, without making the bride look exactly like a flower shop. As it was though, the bouquet Leticia was carrying was made up to look like a single large flower blooming than a series of small ones, Lateisha felt very proud over that one.
John, now relaxed that the does hadn't thought him a thing of evil, allowed himself to lean back in his indian cross leg position, and behold his work, well, his own work. He had doodled in middle and high school, but what fawn hadn't? But he could safely say, he had totally outdone himself with the bucks, they each looked like living pieces of art. It was almost a shame the paint had to come off eventually, but they would strange if they had to look that way every day of their lives. John kept himself from laughing. Normal looking? They were a bunch of deer people! Then again, here, a human being would look just plain weird. And if they ever had another wedding, it would cause confusion if the bucks kept those patterns forever. John felt good. Against all odds, he had done it. By order of his herd leader, John had sculpted this ceremony for him. But deep down, he knew it wasn't too soon for a disaster yet. He could almost feel Lateisha shaking his antlers for that one 'stop being so damn pessimistic' he heard her in his head say.
Jeremy, in spite of the butterflies he was mashing down in his stomach, stood like an Americas cervine god, Drake standing in his shadow in his duties as best man. While Drake knew he'd likely look back on this vacation with detest, right now, he had simply calmly accepted that Jeremy was his Boss right now, no two ways about it. And while a shark, loyalty to his superior was something Drake could always be said to have human or otherwise.
New instincts having finally found their place among rational thought, Jeremy didn't know if he saw his future's end coming down the imaginary isle, or the beginning. But seeing all the bucks in the park, instinct or not, looking up to him, Jeremy would make an example to them, and his frat brothers among them, about what commitment and living up your actions -meant-. Plus, living without Leticia, didn't feel quite like living anymore.
In spite of all their efforts, they hadn't been able to find a good singer for the wedding, and those with the talent simply needed more time using their new vocal cords. Thus there was no music to signal the beginning of the ceremony. The sun merely reached it's peak, and the procession began.
Leading Leticia by the arm, March came the isle, the fantasy he had before of being in Jeremy's place dismissed and let go. He ignored the uneasiness he felt around the many bucks whose place among he was completely unknown. Marth kept himself appearing calm and collected as he and Leticia continued down the laid out path of leafy branches to the tree stump which the raccoon priest calmly stood on.
Leticia too felt it strange, after her entire life as Lenny, this was how it ended, or rather, how it all began. She wondered how she'd eventually explain to her fawn that their mother had started out as a male.... maybe it was best not to tell them that until after they were thirteen. Still, that was all in the future. This was the here and now, a day, a moment, that would never come again, and she was going to live it. She beamed as she felt the sunshine on her furred body, bare except for the flowers Lateisha had adorned her in. She let herself pretend for a few seconds she was in an alternate garden of Eden where the serpent had never been able to convince Eve to take a bite of the Apple of the Tree of Knowledge. Where humanity had grown, evolved, and bloomed without needing to know of the existence of good and evil. Where all of them were just purely innocent, and had no need to be anything more. Leticia basked in her moment of purity until she realized that Marth was no longer holding her. She was here, with Jeremy, at the spot of her destiny.
Behind her in succession Lateisha, Hannah, Su-Yin, and Jenny followed as loyal bride's maids. All of their instincts mixing with human concepts telling them that Leticia had ascended above all of them, it was their purpose now to simply follow where she would lead them.
Lateisha accepted this without question, she was soon going back to the monkeys, of her own choice, and dived totally into her role, she enjoyed her time as a doe, and in spite of never wanting to live her life like this, she would spend every last minute she had left totally and completely as one. She would be human again soon enough, so she allowed the doe to have freedom.
Hannah knew this was Leticia's day and no one else's, and did her best to carry on in the ceremony. But her mind kept drift back to Marth. The former doe, now a buck, who had now made a -true- doe of her. This was her first to make love, she had experienced it as a male, and thus do had comparison, but only knew in those moments of passion, she had felt whole. They said you never forget your first one, and if this was true, no matter what happened now between herself and Marth, she would never forget him. She focused her attention back on Leticia, the angel moving along as her chorus of muses behind her followed.
Su-Yin couldn't hide her smirk. Seeing the internal transformations of Hannah, Marth, Leticia, Jeremy, Spike, Jenny, Jackie, Keith, and all the rest, had truly been more enlightening and interesting than the transmutations in the transformation chamber. She almost felt like she was watching a caterpillar complete it's change into a butterfly. She couldn't help but smirk at how, against all odd, she might escape this park single after all where her fellow muses in one shape or another had not.
Jenny bringing up the rear, happily strolled along with the other bridesmaids. She felt so pretty. True, she might have been running away from herself before when she became a doe, she might have been just an overweight woman in a slim nymph's body. But Rob, and Spike, the fawn she had intended to take on for selfish reason that quickly became self-LESS, had made this Jenny, the Jenny she was now, real, not a fantasy or an illusion. This deer form was truly herself now, and she would raise buck into a proud young noble buck, and prove, nurture could beat nature.
Jeremy was now standing right next to his destiny, and there was no place he could run from it, and no way he could hide, it was there before him in brown fur and white flowers, awaiting the words that would seal them together forever.
"Dearly beloved." Father Tyminski began. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of two people. Yes I say people. Not evolved beasts. Not animals. People. Human beings. For it is not genetics that makes us human. Nor a species name. It is God's ability to love that he has given us that makes us human. And as long as the ability -to- love remains with us, we shall remain human beings. It is being made of marble that makes a sculpture art, for what then would separate it from common stone? It is the hands and tools of the artist that transforms it into art. It is not the number or variety of words that makes printed text a story, for then what would separate it from documents? It is the imagination and inspiration of the story teller that makes it so." And so the raccoon priest spoke, pour out the ultimate evolution of his months of experiences in the park, his prayers, and the seeking of the truth among it all.
While Jeremy had no desire to see Maggie ever again (as he told himself at least), and Leticia feared dearly what her family would think of her decisions in wedding, gender and species: both couldn't help but regret that their biological family couldn't be here to see this.
"Please make yourselves comfortable, our hidden sound and video equipment shall be recording everything for you on this special occasion, and you shall each receive a copy The Management has promised. Your zoom video cameras and other personal equipment should be able observe the ceremony for yourselves as well." Naomi bowed dutifully to the 'special guests.'
After suspending roughly forty percent of their own rules of the park, The Management had arranged for some very unusual guests. Sitting in folding chairs, -chairs-, naked as any other anthro in the park, was a single buck, along with a doe and buck couple. Behind them where a few other equally naked hyper evolved animals sitting in chairs, holding video and cam-corders all sitting on a raised piece of stone out of nose range for the park guests at the wedding even with the best wind.
Naomi trusted no one with this assignment but herself, if humans saw the park wasn't evil, or oppressive, Naomi was sure her continued orderly existence as a husky was guaranteed. True, the special guests had put up a storm about not being able to see the bride and groom until the reception, and having to change species and ditch their expensive clothes at the door, but family was family, and there wasn't time to sue or bring the law down on the park's door step with the time they had given notice of about the wedding of the bride and groom.
There was just enough human culture in Naomi left, that she could appreciate not being there for the most important day of your child's life. The younger deer among the special guests thought the species change was 'cool.' The older deer didn't completely trust the gene splicer to not accidently give them two heads. And where vexed their children had chosen to get hitched without so much as asking the park to convey a message to their loved ones.
All things considered however, Naomi was glade not all humans outside the park acted like Maggie once inside. Naomi's duty on top of others things was to lead the special guests to the reception after the wedding. Sadly, they had no been able to acquire cake.
Making sure her former and soon to be again pack leader didn't screw things up on her one day as one of Naomi's huskies wasn't the only job Naomi had been given by the Management with top priority. Naomi had in her paws an orange envelope containing a few pieces of paper that unknown to the deer, their entire future rode upon.
While Juanita was the one who felt the most empathy for the park guests, the rest of The Management wasn't so blind as to not know good PR when they smelled it.
Naomi had already given instructions to the twins to greet the bride and groom at the reception, and with the chief Bridesmaid and Best Man, lead them to where in the forest Naomi would be waiting for them with a few pens, some scratch paper to help them remember how to write their names, and a marriage contract. Along with a similar contract drafted by The Management's legal team to legally change Leticia's name, including a doctor's examination she had before hand as proof she was biologically female. The Management knew it wouldn't do at all, if their first wedding within the park was declared invalid due to simple the lack of a legal document.
With all the aftermath of the wedding, and the legal tying up of the legal side of the marriage, Naomi hoped that she still had time to return Jessica to Juanita today. While Naomi was sure the newbie wouldn't mind more time to get to know her fellow huskies and help out and such. Naomi knew realistically, that Juanita just vanishing would require a LOT more effort than Naomi could handle on her own. And plus, while Naomi wasn't scared of being top pack leader in the slightest, she did know that Pack Leader Juanita was very much a indispensable part of the park management. Jessica, in the end, was just another husky.
As happy as Jessica was, Naomi knew that Juanita was simply needed by the park too much, there was no human to Naomi's knowledge that could properly replace her Pack Leader in her administrative position. Naomi just hoped she didn't have to drag the newbie back to the transformation chamber by her tail.
Invisible to everyone at the wedding Katie was pleased with Jessica. The girl was proving very well behaved. The husky still had the look of a pup in her eyes, and looked ready to put her nose to everything, but with Katie there to represent authority, Jessica was able to restrain herself. Katie saw the dreamy look on Jessica's face when the procession started, and wondered what the lass was thinking of. Jessica certainly seemed the dreamer type. Katie hoped a disaster didn't catch the newest member of the pack napping, like a cat, resulting in Katie having to look out for the new girl on top of everything.
While they could speak to each other if they were careful without being picked up by the guests. Jessica was making liberal use of it. On the opposite end of the gathering of bucks, the twins watched with a mix of amusement and concern, as the newest part of their pack acted a little too care free.
"Do you think this is gonna set a precedent Katie? I mean, for wedding here in the park, or even beyond that for animals like us in general?"
Katie decided not to debate the 'animals' motif with the new girl, "Well, I seriously doubt that if humans aren't allowed to go around naked in public or in public gatherings, I doubt that anthros are gonna suddenly get that privilege just because they're furry."
"That's too bad." Jessica said swishing her tail one way and another, "I mean, can you just imagine it? If we were allowed to?"
Katie thought about it, and shuddered. It might have been Harry's paradise but it wouldn't be hers. "Yes. I can."
"Great isn't it?" Jessica gushed.
"I think I'll stick with keeping me for my special someone, thanks."
"But wouldn't it be wonderful? Everyone going around feeling so free?"
"Maybe.... but seriously, I have a couple blouses I'm too partial to to just give up."
Jessica sobered a bit, "Oh, okay, I guess I can understand that. But you've still gotta admit this wedding is so beautiful! Did they do this all by themselves?"
"Almost, every single thing, the flowers were a donation from us huskies. Along with the rings." Katie didn't want to bring Harry and herself directly into the discussion.
"Wow! That's so great of you! I'm sure the deers really love you guys for all that."
Katie thought of her meeting with the chief bride's maid earlier that day, oh boy. "Mostly I think."
"You guys did a good deed, feel good about it." Jessica pointed out.
Katie slowly shook her head, then smiled saying, "Okay, sure, fine, I will."
"See? Doesn't that feel better?"
Katie honestly wondered if Jessica was younger than she looked, after all, if guests could be de-aged, then reverted back to their true age, what was to stop someone from being age progressed? Jessica acted happy go lucky enough. But Katie decided it might be a bit rude to just ask. Maybe she'd ask once they were in private... oy... she wondered if she was going to get saddled with this hyperactive super ball as a bunkmate as another part of her punishment from Pack Leader Naomi.
"So Jess', you like it here so far?" Katie asked hesitantly.
"Like it? I LOVE it here! The sights, the smells, the sheer experience, isn't it wonderful?"
"For you at least. I still think there are more wonderful things in the world."
"Like what?"
Katie shrugged, "Going to see Les Miserable live. The grand canyon. Trust me kiddo, one look, and it'll take your breath away."
"If you say so." Jessica said, not being able to compare. Jessica, a testament to her maturity, resisted the urge to abandon her post (blaspheme) and kiss one of the dogs on Predator Hill without him being able to see her.
"Heh. I know so. At any rate kiddo, keep your mind on the job, we'll have plenty of time to chit chat latter."
Jessica nodded loyally, "Yeah, sure, you're right."
Spike was excited. He got to take part in something really important! He remembered he had done something important with a bunch of grown ups before, but he shuddered when he tried to remember more. It had been with a bunch of big boys who looked like him, and then something painful happened, that caused Spike to wrench away from the memory even more so.
He wished he could go to mommy, or even Uncle Rob, but he had been told to stay here until it was his turn to 'present' the rings to Mr. Jeremy and Miss Leticia by Mr. John. And the tiny feelings in the back of his head made Spike stay relatively close to where he was supposed to be in spite of his squirming.
Spike's memories felt foggy, unreal, up until he first saw mommy, and that was all that really mattered. He knew there things outside the park called 'hu-mans' and that everyone here supposedly used to be these 'hu-mans' and he remembered all his super heroes and some of his cartoon characters being 'hu-mans.' And George Washington had been a 'hu-man' right? But his life here in the park with his mother was the only thing that felt crystal clear to him. Spike sat down. Spike loved his mother as much as any little boy could, and his only real problem was that there weren't many kids his age he had to play with. At least mommy had been able to convince the doggy to not make him a grown-up. Spike felt something awful would happen if that happened.
That was when he looked down at the big leaf he was holding that had the rings on it, and found two walnuts instead. Spike gasped. The fawn frantically looked around, and saw a big rat with a long speeding away with the two shinnies. The bucks at the back effectively ignoring Spike and tuning him out, didn't notice when the fawn frantically called out to the pack rat to stop. The four legged thief had no intention of stopping, let alone for some weird deer fawn that was standing on two legs.
Spike chased after the thief as fast he could on his little legs, only now wishing that his legs were longer. Mr. John had trusted him with those rings! Mommy would be so upset if Spike didn't get them back! He just had to! So the little fawn cased after the pack rat.
On Predator Hill with her big brother Rex, Lexy saw her playmate run off into the wood chasing a rat that was holding something gold. Lexy thought hard. Those pieces of gold, those were rings. Lexy thought harder. You couldn't get married without rings! Her head feeling slightly dizzy, Lexy thought as hard as she could. Spike had run into the forest after the rat who had stolen the rings, the rings must be meant for the wedding. If there were no rings, then nobody could get married, and that would make a lot of people sad.
She looked at where Spike had vanished to, and looked at the nice Mr. Raccoon on the tree stump. Could Spike get the rings back in time? Could he do it on his own? Lexy didn't know. Then, feeling as if her head was going to split in two, an idea occurred Lexy. If she could buy her playmate just a little time, any time at all. Then that would be a good thing right?
Getting up, and trying to get down the Hill, Lexy felt a paw on her shoulder holding her back, she saw the stern face of her big brother.
"Let me go Rex'." She said in an authoritative tone that felt familiar but she couldn't quite remember from where. Whatever the case, her big brother then let her go, and Lexy quickly skipped down to implement her operation 'Buy Time.'
Both Katie and Jessica were stunned out of their conversation when they saw the pack rat dash into the wood line with it's ill gotten gains and Spike with hope beyond hope chasing after it.
After everything that had happened, after everything that had come -close- to happening! Katie was NOT about to have the entire wedding destroyed, have her entire pack suffer at Naomi's claws, because of some stupid second rate thieving mundane animal piece of cat food!!
The pack acted, and reacted as one. However. Katie didn't want to leave the wedding unattended, and saw she had the back up she needed.
Katie 'nixed' on Harry or the twins following her, and before she could say a word on the subject, Jessica had grab her hand, not letting Katie tell the newbie to stay put, and raced after the fawn and his quarry.
Deer were not predators. Wild dogs were predators. Great cats were predators. Humans were predators. Deer were not predators. Deer knew how to defend themselves, don't ever make that mistake, or you'll end up trampled or impaled. But they were not built to chase -after- something or someone. Fawns were built even less for it.
Spike nearly tripped, he slipped on a rock, he cut herself just above his hoof. But he desperately continued his pursuit. He had no choice. Everything would be ruined if he didn't get the rings back, and it would be all his fault!
Back at the wedding ceremony neither Lateisha nor John tried to stop her, knowing it would only disrupt things more. Neither one knew where the heck she had gotten the white flowers from. Nor did they know where she picked the wild flowers she was ever so daintily tossing this way and that along the isle that ran the course down the middle of the herd. It was a lynx. A cat. A predator. A small one. One the rational parts of their brains knew could never be a real threat to them. But the rest of their minds were put on edge by her sheer presence.
Lateisha begrudgingly admitted, the kitten had been dolled up rather nicely, the flowers placed in her hair and along her fur well enough to make her look a part of the ceremony as any other. If this was one of Katie's surprises Lateisha would wring the husky's neck.
If Lexy's mind had been thinking totally like an adult's, she'd have realized how reckless her actions were, she might have even thought it was better to simply stay out of things rather than risk getting involved. Lexy's child mind however, didn't know the bitter yet sobering taste of failure.
So as it was, she danced like a ghost, spreading the nice looking wild flowers this way and that, moving like someone had taken ballet for year. Some of the bucks, even years later, would swear on all they held sacred she was actually some forest spirit that had been roused up by their gathering, and walked among them. The way she moved, the way she looked at them, the way she carried herself, the way she looked, all added to this belief.
If mass belief was power, Lexy would have turned into a creature of the super natural then and there.
The final nail in the coffin was the poem she sang as she drifted her way up the isle.
“Married in white, you will have chosen all right. Married in grey, you will go far away. Married in black, you will wish yourself back. Married in red, you’ll wish yourself dead. Married in blue, you will always be true. Married in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl. Married in green, ashamed to be seen, Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow. Married in brown, you’ll live out of town. Married in pink, your spirits will sink.”
As the lynx made fantastically close to the bride and groom, Leticia felt something brush against her palm (there was little feeling in those armored fingers), her eyes glanced down and saw a tiny blue wild flower in hooves.
Jeremy and Leticia wondered who had recruited the lynx as the flower girl of the ceremony. It was powerful, if slightly unnerving. Still, they wished they had told them about it.
John was just staring, wondering where the girl had vanished to after brushing past Leticia. As it was, Father Tyminski continued his finnish up where he left off. John hoped that Spike remembered everything he was supposed to do.
Spike barely had the pack rat in his sight, he had a stitch in his side, and he was starting to wonder where he was. He had never been this far away from any grown-ups before, and it felt, scary, -wrong-. But he had to keep going, he had to.
Finally, he saw the pack rat, dive under a root, and over another one slowing it down ever so slight, and Spike make a flying leap, his tiny armored fingers reaching out around the furry ball of fur. He could see them, those gold rings in it's mouth and bumped his head.
Spike hit his head on the top root, then the bottom one, slipped, lost his footing, and fell down, he lost sight of the rat among the infinite thicket. And the rings with them. Spike's head hurt, his muzzle hurt. The front of his knees kurt. Everything was ruined, everyone was going to yell at him.
Spike cried. Spike curled up, and cried some more. He realized he was all alone. Then he cried harder. Would Mommy not want him anymore? Would he have to be a bad grown-up again? Spike was scared.
Spike barely noticed the two strong breezes that blew past him or the two shadows that passed over him.
Thinking it was finally home free of the bizarre looking animals the pack rat caught it's second wind, and boosted onward to freedom. That was when the back up made it's move.
The male and female panther were not blind. They saw the dirty thief. They saw Spike for all he was worth after the rings. The female panther knew the little pieces of shinny metal meant everything to this ritual. That it would be a disaster if they didn't get back in time. Moving fast enough to be blurs to mundane eyes, the hunting pair had taken off like a shot, on the most important hunt of their lives.
Now like the predators they had come before them for centuries, the male and female panthers now sandwiched together in front of the rodent, who squealed and reversed course.
That was when it came face to face with a silver and white furry creature of death. But the pack rat was a survivor, and wouldn't die that easily. Considering itself to be a clever animal, it faked out the much larger two legged freak of nature, and dove right between her legs and under her tails. Thoroughly trained for tackling much larger prey, the freak husky twisted around and onto her back.
The pack rat looked back at it's domination of the natural over the freaks of nature who had infested this forest. And ran straight into the other husky waiting jaws.
The husky tore the little non-sentient beastie apart, limb from limb on the tiny bloated prey, staining her claws and fangs red, until every part of the thief had stopped moving. She calmly then picked up the two golden earrings that would serves as the wedding rings to the bride and groom of first wedding of their kind.
"Jessica?" Katie picked herself up, flanked by the two panthers on all fours. She looked at Jessica, was that really Jessica? The sweet natured thing she had me this morning? Was it that Jessica that just tore that dirty little rat to pieces?
"Ratatouille he wasn't." Jessica breathed, holding the rings carefully in her paw.
"Nice. Kill." The female panther grunted out.
"Don't care." Jessica returned. The newbie stood up facing her superior pack mate.
"Jessica." Katie said haltingly, "I, that was, thank you."
"Welcome." Jessica replied.
The two panthers stayed on all fours, merely waiting to see where the two-legged huskies would go next.
Katie's tired but satisfied look suddenly vanished as her eyes widened and she made dashed back to where an innocent fawn who had tired his hardest was crying his heart out. The panthers gently licked at his roughed up fur.
Katie knelt down, shook the ball of fur, and slowly lifted his face to her,
"D-Doggy? I-I'M SORRY! I DIDN"T MEAN TO LOSE THE RINGS! PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME AWAY FROM MOMMY PLEASE!"
Not knowing what else to do Katie hugged, "No no no no. It's okay! Everything's okay. We have the rings. You're okay. They're okay. Everything's okay. No one is gonna take you away from your mother. Nobody. Promise."
"Pro-mise?" Spike replied cautiously.
"Yes, yes that's right, I promise, nothing bad is gonna happen to you, I promise! Now come on. You have an important job to do remember? Bearer of the rings? Remember?"
"O-okay."
Katie saw the little boy's body paint was ever so slightly smudged, but after wiping away his tears, it all still looked pretty good on him. She quickly applied first aid to his cuts and bruises, but did her best not to upset the body paint.
Katie looked up at Jessica and held out her paw. Jessica looked hesitant.
Katie smiled more softly than he thought she was able to. "The guests... all the guests... we're here for them.. they mean more... much more... than any event in the park itself."
Jessica understood, nodded, and handed Katie the rings, who handed them back to Spike.
Katie heaved the fawn up onto her shoulders, "Okay Frodo, on the wings of the Great Eagles you sore, let's go!"
"Wheee!" Spike declared as Katie ran 'faster than the four winds' back to the 'Church' of TF Park USA. Jessica behind her and the panthers besides her. Wait until Naomi heard this one, how the green newbie had ended up being the one who had effectively saved things!
The scenes of a laughing 'flying' fawn only added to the stories of forest spirits that Monty Mongoose would always rebuke.
The panthers flanked Spike as they zoomed back into the 'church grounds' the huskies as silent as ever and the panthers as stealthy as ever. The predators stared in shock and surprise at the entrance unnoticed by the bucks as a whole.
Strangely, Father Tyminski (who was facing the opposite way of most of the people there) ended his final words ended almost abruptly as soon as Spike returned to the grounds and was deposited by Katie.
The twins, Harry, along with Zack, had never look so relieved in their entire time as two legged sentient dogs.
Looking around and wondering where the doggies had gone (again adding to the myths waiting to be born), Spike spotted his giant leaf with the two walnuts. He quickly knocked off the two walnuts, and placed the rings, cleaned off of any blood and placed on the giant leaf.
Spike, standing proud and strangely happy, stepped down between the herd of bucks who gave him some funny looks he didn't understand but, but saw the kind looks of the grown-up he recognized, and of course his mommy who looked a little surprised, but said nothing. Finally standing in front of Mr. Jeremy and Miss Leticia, Spike 'pre-sented' the rings to them.
Leticia finally raised her eyes to the groom. She didn't know if she saw the surrender of a doomed man, or the resolution of a man about to engage on the biggest adventure of his life, either way, it was no little boy in front of her. "Leticia. I promise. Through the good times and the bad. For better or worse. Come what may. I'll always be there for you. Through our fawns." Yes plural. "Through old age. Through arguments. Through shouting. Through adversity. Through whatever persecution might follow us. I'll will always be there for you when you need me or call for me."
Jeremy looked into Leticia's eyes. He didn't know who Larry had been. But if Maria who Jeremy had a feeling he had also never really met, had felt the same way looking into Larry's eyes the same way Jeremy felt right now looking into Leticia's... Jeremy believed he finally understood why Marth wanted to fight to the end. She was his universe, beautiful, terrible, and could never do without. Inside, she encompassed everything. She had given up everything for him. He could do nothing less.
"Jeremy. I promise to always be your wife. To share our fawns." Again, plural. "To always be there with you in nights, and in the day. And to always be true to you and you alone. To not look to the past, and to stand by your side as we look to the future together. Through whatever might await us, through whatever may come to haunt us. We will weather it together."
Spike presented one of the rings to Leticia, who took it, them repeated the process with Jeremy. The couple placed the rings upon each other's fingers, never hesitating. The pieces of gold wrapped around the armored fingers perfectly, and stayed there, not slipping off.
"Jeremy Enders, do you take Leticia "Doe", to be your lawfully wedding life, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"And do you, Leticia "Doe" take Jeremy Enders, to be your lawfully wedding husband, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"You may kiss the bride."
They embraced, feelings their bodies against each other. And their muzzle touched. And it was like an invisible shock wave went through the park.
Finally as one, unified herd, the does and bucks both cheered.