Hide and Seek

By FurFur

"...3, 2, 1. Ready or not here I come!" Krystal stepped away from the tree and looked around the park. On one side, across the green grass and picnic tables, the distant skyscrapers of Corneria City pierced the horizon, climbing high up into the atmosphere as they glittered in the afternoon sun. Beautiful as they were, these weren't what Krystal Zonoc-McCloud was looking for. So, with that in mind, she turned towards the cluster of trees and bushes that surrounded a small, burbling stream. Over the years she had learned that the Cornerians possessed quite a knack for creating gardens and parks, something she appreciated.

Moving into the trees she sniffed the air, looking to pick up on a familiar scent. Telepathy was not allowed for hide and seek as it made things far too easy. Fox might have been able to hide his presence from her, thanks to the extensive training in mental defense she had given him, but their children were nowhere near far enough along to be able to do the same.

Krystal's black button nose twitched as she caught the scent of her first target and, fittingly, her firstborn. She proceeded quietly, her footsteps light against the soft ground, stepping over twigs and anything that might snap and make a noise. It wasn't long before she'd spotted him, Marcus McCloud, her little orange blueberry. He was nestled behind a large bush, peeking out through the leaves to watch his surroundings. His ears swiveled in her direction, but before he could react, Krystal pounced and wrapped him in a hug, kissing the white mop of fur between his ears. "Got you," she said, nuzzling him as both their tails wagged.

"Ah! Mom!" Marcus squealed, squirming in her grip as she continued showering him with an embarrassing degree of affection.

After one final squeeze Krystal set him back down on the ground, ruffling his hair as she saw him fighting back a goofy smile. "I can see we're going to have to teach you a bit more about concealment," she admonished.

Huffing in frustration, Marcus replied, "I wasn't hiding from you, I was hiding from Vixy."

"Oh." Krystal shook her head. That made more sense than most people might realize. Vixy tended to be quite the terror. "You let me worry about your little sister," she told him. "Now go on, back to the picnic table with you."

Shoulders drooping a bit, Marcus said, "Okay," then slinked off.

Standing back up, her tail wagging, Krystal put her hands to her hips and her nose to the wind. "Now to find the rest of them," she muttered to herself.

Just as she was about to continue on from Marcus's hiding place she heard a cry of, "HELP!"

She recognized the voice instantly. "Marcus!" Spinning on her heel she set off at a dead run to find her child. Rounding a clump of tall willow trees she caught sight of him and burst out laughing. Her laughter came partly from relief, but also from the utterly ridiculous situation she'd found him in.

Looking desperately at his mother, Marcus said, "Get her off me. Please."

Standing over Marcus, one foot on his chest, and a wooden sword held to his throat, Vixy Zonoc-McCloud looked down at her big brother and said, "Yield brigand."

Marcus's eyes flicked to the wooden sword at his throat. He recognized it as one of the plethora of toy weapons that Vixy owned, as well as one that came into frequent contact with his and his siblings heads. Marcus looked back at his mother, eyes pleading for her to help him out of this particular jam. Krystal stood there, holding her sides as tears of laughter poured from her eyes. "Mom?"

"Better yield," Krystal advised her son, managing to get control of herself.

An explosive sigh came from Marcus's muzzle, and with a roll of his eyes he said, "I yield, oh great Lady of the Sword Ridiculous."

Grinning from ear to her, her little orange and white tail wagging in a blur, Vixy sheathed her sword. "A wise choice brigand. Now, off to the Picnic Prison with you."

The pressure on his chest gone, and the sword now safely away from his neck, Marcus scrambled to his feet and brushed himself off. "You are such a little freak."

"Marcus." Krystal looked sternly at her eldest son. He should no better than to be mean to his little sister. Vixy, thinking her mother was firmly on her side, stuck her tongue out at Marcus. Krystal immediately turned the stern gaze on the tinier kit. Noticing this, Vixy retracted her tongue and looked abashed. Shaking her head, and keeping her face neutral, Krystal said, "Come on Vixy, you can help me find the others."

"Yes!" Vixy unsheathed her sword once again and gave it a few practice swings. "I shall hone my tracking skills to a fine point."

Marcus, seeing the swinging wooden sword, made a quick and discreet exit, leaving his mother to deal with the rambunctious six year old.

Mother and daughter began moving on, Krystal with her nose to the wind, and Vixy with her eyes and ears to the ground. Vixy seemed to pause every few meters, kneeling on the ground and looking at footprints or other evidence of passage, real or imagined. I never thought about what an impact all those adventure books would have on her, Krystal thought to herself.

A few more minutes of searching, and Vixy stopped in her tracks, holding up a tiny fist to call a halt. Krystal stopped and looked around, not quite sure what her daughter might have discovered. Then her nose caught the scent. It figured that Vixy would notice it first, considering who it belonged to.

Her voice barely more than a whisper, Vixy said, "He's here."

Responding in her own overly dramatic whisper, Krystal asked, "Where?"

Vixy's nose twitched in a fashion so adorable Krystal had to hold back an "awww". Then, without warning, the little chestnut furred vixen leaped into a nearby bush. There was a loud rustling, a yelp of surprise, and then Vixy emerged, pulling Thomas, her twin brother, out by his shirt collar, her sword angled across his neck.

Watching in amusement, Krystal asked, "Did you kill him?"

Thomas, apparently deciding that was his cue, let his tongue loll out of his muzzle, and issued a strangled, "Bleh."

Greatly encouraged by this, her eyes lighting up with glee, Vixy declared, "His head shall adorn my room on a spike! Muwhahaha!"

Stifling a snort, Krystal admonished her youngest daughter, "Vixy, what did we tell you about beheading your twin?"

"I'm not allowed," Vixy said, sighing and looking up at her mother with a pitiable expression. "I wouldn't really behead him though."

Momentarily forgotten about, Thomas looked between Vixy and his mother, then asked, "Can I come back to life now?"

"Yes." Vixy helped him to his feet, and the two shared in a hug.

Tail wagging behind him, Thomas asked, "Wanna go back to the picnic table?"

Pulling back from her twin, Vixy shook her head as she clasped his arms in hers. "No brother. I must go forth and find the last of these wretches."

Eyebrows knitting together in suspicion, Krystal stared hard at Vixy. "Vixy, have you been reading your grandmother's Swords and Sandals series when I'm not looking?"

Her face warming with shame, Vixy folded back her ears and said softly, "Yes."

"Did I not tell you that those books are too adult for you?" Krystal continued, her voice and expression stern.

With an expression on her face that was the epitome of guilty admission, Vixy said, "I'll put them back."

Squatting down to be closer to eye level with the two of them Krystal patted her daughter on the head. "Good. And don't feel too bad dear. I'd rather have to chastise you for reading things that you shouldn't be than anything else. Now go on Thomas, head back and see your big brother, we'll find the others."

"Okay." Thomas nuzzled Vixy, the little vixen nuzzling back, then bounded off towards the picnic table, a ball of childish energy.

Once Thomas was out of sight the search continued. As they walked, investigating their surroundings for any hint of the location of the remainder of their quarry, Vixy asked, "Are we allowed to use our telepathy to find them?"

"No," Krystal reminded her. "It's against the rules. Besides, you're not wearing your focusing gems today."

Shrugging her little shoulders, Vixy said, "But I bet I could still sense them if we were close."

"Perhaps," Krystal allowed. "But best to follow the rules in this case."

"What if the rules are unfair?" Vixy looked at her mother curiously.

Smiling softly, Krystal answered, "Good question. You can break a rule if it's unfair, but it isn't good to make a habit of breaking rules in general."

"Why not?"

"Because," Krystal replied patiently, "Rules are usually there to protect you and others around you. Not always, but usually."

Vixy nodded, absorbing the new information. "Is it up to me if a rule is unfair?"

Sensing that caution was needed, Krystal answered slowly, "Usually." The look of pure evil that spread across Vixy's features confirmed Krystal's worst fears. "Oh no," she added, "You cannot just use that as an excuse now."

"Awwww." Vixy proceeded to turn from evil mastermind to pouty kit. Krystal just chuckled and scratched the little vixen behind the ears.

After that they walked in comfortable silence, that is until it was broken by a rustling in the leaves of the tree above them, followed by the sound of giggles. Pausing, Krystal made a show of looking everywhere but up, and then said aloud, "Hmmm, where did that come from?" More giggling emerged from the tree as a response.

Disgusted, Vixy shook her head. "Ugh. You guys aren't even trying." Then she clambered up the tree in record time. A moment later two vixens, one blue with vivid green hair, and another blue with blonde hair, came tumbling out of the branches to land with a thump on the ground.

"Emerald! Anna!" Krystal ran over to the two of them, kneeling down and helping them up. "Are you alright?"

Vixy hopped down from the tree, landing in a crouch. "I told you," she said, looking at her sisters, "Giggling gives away your position."

Rubbing her hind end, which had served as her landing gear, Emerald rolled her eyes at her little sister. "I'm fine."

"Did you have to push us out of the trees?" Anna asked, looking at Vixy.

Putting her nose in the air and crossing her arms, Vixy replied, "If I were an enemy warrior, I'd have done far worse."

Deciding to interfere before things got out of hand, Krystal said, "Alright girls, that's enough. Vixy, don't push people out of trees, it's dangerous."

"Sorry mom." Vixy's shoulders drooped.

"Don't say sorry to me," Krystal replied.

Her expression pained, Vixy turned to her sisters. "Fine. Sorry Anna. Sorry Emerald."

"It's whatever." Emerald stood up and brushed her long, emerald colored hair from her eyes.

Getting back on her feet Anna shrugged. "Actually...it was kinda fun. Sorta."

A smile crossed Krystal's muzzle as she looked at the three girls. "My, Foxy and I have raised such rugged children. Alright, let's get back to the picnic table."

"What about dad?" Vixy cocked her head. "Don't we need to find him?"

The smile on Krystal's muzzle turned devilish. "Oh, I have a plan. Come on."

Arriving back at the picnic table Krystal surveyed her gathered offspring. Marcus, age nine, sat on the bench, swinging his legs above the ground. Anna, age eight, and Emerald, age seven, were sitting in the grass, brushing each others tails as they talked. And finally, her youngest, the six year old twins Vixy and Thomas, were busy running around playing Vixy's favorite game, "chase the bandit", which was really just Vixy chasing around whoever decided to play with her with one of her many toy swords.

After giving them a few minutes to relax, she clapped her hands for their attention. All five of the tiny foxes looked at her, all of them no doubt sensing that she had a task for them. "Listen up. Now that you're all here, I have a mission for you. One of great, world shaking importance." All five of her mini-McClouds stared intently at her. "I need you all to go out and find your father, then bring him to me."

Little Vixy's eyes lit up at the prospect of a hunt. "With his head on a spike?"

"Alive please." Krystal chuckled, then looked serious. "No decapitations."

Vixy looked momentarily disappointed, then asked, "What about...disintegrations?"

Doing her best to deepen her voice as much as possible, Krystal replied, "No disintegrations. Now, once you bring him back," Krystal took her purse from where it sat on the table. Reaching in she pulled out a bundle of lollipops, "I have a treat for you."

All five kits stared at the lollipops silently for a moment, then turned and ran screaming into the trees. "YAAH!"

Once all the little munchkins had disappeared into the tree line Krystal sat down at the picnic table. "Ahhhh." She closed her eyes for a moment as she rubbed her neck, grateful for a brief respite from her kits. Much as she loved them, they could be quite a handful. Opening her eyes again she took her book from her purse and flipped it open to where her bookmark was. "Now, where was I? Oh yes. Mmm."

Krystal sat there for a minute, then decided she might as well give Fox a little warning about what she'd just unleashed upon him. Her focusing gems began to glow softly, and the irises of her eyes danced with blue light as she tapped into the link she shared with her husband. The bond they shared allowed them to communicate across vast distances, though the further away the more concentration was required. That being said, it took very little energy for her to open her mind to Fox and say, "They're coming for you Fox."

She felt Fox tap into the link, and smiled when he said, "Oh. Oh no."

"Coming for you with the promise of lollipops when they bring you back," Krystal added, smiling in pure sadistic delight.

"Monster," Fox replied, then cut off the link.

Krystal could just see him huddling behind a rock somewhere, or up in a tree, listening for the five screaming kits looking for an easy candy score. Turning back to her book, Krystal smiled and waited.

About twenty minutes later Krystal heard footsteps crunching in the grass as they approached her. Looking in their direction she smiled as she saw Fox marching towards her, all five of the kits following behind. Marcus held onto Fox's tail, while Anna held onto Marcus's, and so on down the line. "Awww. Did they team up?" she asked.

"Yes." Fox patted their heads as they formed up around him. "And then they got a little lost," he added with a chuckle.

"I told you it was this way," Vixy said, looking across her father at Marcus.

Pointing in the opposite direction to where they'd just come from Marcus said, "You said that way."

"Did not." Vixy struck a defiant pose, likely readying herself for an honor duel over the matter.

"Did too." Marcus struck a defensive posture, readying himself for what he no doubt saw as the inevitable attack from his sister.

Looking down at the two of them Fox saw Vixy's fingers brushing the hilt of her sword. "Ah ah ah! No violence." Fox took his daughter's hand and pulled it away from the wooden weapon.

Vixy pouted but backed off.

Anna, ever the diplomat of the group, elected to change the subject. "Do we get our lollipops now?"

Pulling out the massive bundle of lollipops Krystal began handing them out. Fox, seeing that each of the kits was getting three, looked at Krystal and asked, "Are you sure? Two is usually enough for them."

Meeting his gaze Krystal said, "Trust me."

Sitting down next to his wife, Fox put an arm around her as they watched the kits eagerly devour their sugary treats. Within minutes their tails were wagging blurs, and their eyes were wide open. Vixy drew her sword and charged at Thomas, and with that chaos ensued as the mini-McClouds spread out across the park, running, jumping, and screaming. Krystal leaned back against Fox and enjoyed the show.

The sun was setting by the time the mini-McClouds sugar rush began to truly wear off. Krystal had started dozing in the late afternoon warmth, but she stirred when she felt Fox nibbling on her ear. "Mm?"

"We better get going," he told her.

Opening her eyes she looked around for the kits. All of them but Marcus were asleep, curled up next to each other in the cool grass.

Speaking softly, Fox said, "They crashed about ten minutes ago."

"Good," Krystal replied, keeping her voice equally soft. "It'll be a quiet ride home then."

"That'll be a nice change," Fox observed. "I'll get the twins."

Both of the adult vulpines stood up, Fox gathering Vixy and Thomas into his arms, while Krystal took Anna and Emerald. Marcus, who was just beginning to drop off, gave them a confused look. "Whaa?"

Smiling down at the little orange blueberry Fox turned around and stuck out his tail. "Hey Marcus. Hold onto my tail, and we'll get you home."

Muzzle splitting in a massive yawn, Marcus grabbed hold of his father's tail and, eyes drooping, said, "Kay."

Turning that smile on his wife, Fox said, "Let's head home."

Smiling back Krystal blew him a kiss and replied, "Sounds like a plan."

A/N: I promised y'all another one shot, and lo! It hath arrivethed. I wanted to make this one pretty much the opposite of the last one. So, no sexies, but lots of fluffies.

It's also super exciting for me, because I get to show off the entire McCloud brood for the first time. I hope all of you enjoyed, and the next update for Power of the Ancients should be coming out soon, so be on the lookout!