Andlat had a plan. His Cinderella backpack sat near the door, ready to go. All he had needed to do was tell Daddy that he was playing school and the wolf overlooked it as Andlat packed the bag with toys. He kept Rose out of it, planning to carry her in his arms. He had given Daddy like a bazillion chances to treat him like a boy and Daddy had said no every time. He was going to show him. Andlat was going to run away.
The fox waited for his chance. Friday was Nanny’s day off, so it was the perfect time. He had tried opening the front door and found that it was easy to do without Daddy finding out. Everything was coming together.
It was shortly after lunch that Andlat decided that the time was right. He peeked around the corner and saw Daddy working away in his office. Andlat giggled mischievously and snuck away as quietly as his thick diapers allowed him to. He grabbed his backpack and scooped up Rose, kissing the little vixen doll on the forehead.
“On to our new life.” He whispered to the plush fox. He waddled over to the door and adjusted his dress before stepping outside. He looked down the sidewalk both ways, not sure which way to go. He remembered that they always went to the right to go the park, so he decided to go that way. He began to walk, hugging Rose tightly in both arms.
Most of the furs who walked past him stopped to stare at the little vixen walking along, but no one stopped Andlat to ask where he was heading. He smiled as a few birds sang in the trees as the sun shone brightly.
A little while later, he still wasn’t to the park. Why was it taking so long? When he was in his stroller it didn’t take this long. Had he gone the wrong way? He hugged Rose tightly and kept walking.
Just when he was about to give up and turn back, he saw the park emerge. He gasped with delight and began to run as quickly as his thick diapers would allow him to. A kindly old tiger smiled as he dashed past her.
“Are you lost, princess?” She asked. Andlat just shook his head and slowed to a walk. Once he was at the park, no one would ask him if he was lost. He could just blend in with all the cubs and no one would be the wiser.
Sure enough, the park was filled with cubs playing. Andlat spotted a little bunny girl playing by herself and waddled over.
“Hi! My name’s Emma!” Andlat said cheerfully, making Rose wave at the bunny.
“Hi. I’m Sarah.” The bunny replied. “You’re a baby.” She declared matter-of-factly.
“Nuh-uh!” Andlat whined. “I’m a big kit!”
“No, you’re not!” Sarah giggled. “Big girls wear panties, or at least pull-ups.” She lifted her dress to show Andlat her pull-ups. “Baby girls wear diapers.” She pointed to Andlat’s diaper, peeking out from under his dress. He frowned. “I’ll still play with you, though. My dolly Buttercup’s a baby too.” Andlat sat down and showed Sarah his doll.
“This is Rose.” He said.
“That’s a pretty dress, Rose.” Sarah said, cradling her doll. Andlat tried to make Rose curtsey, but it was hard.
“She’s too little to curtsey.” He explained, playing with the hem of his own dress as he did so.
“That’s okay.” They returned to playing with their dolls, but the time soon came for Sarah to leave. “Bye-bye, Emma.” She waved as her mother took her off by the paw, glancing over her shoulder for a brief moment, sensing that something was amiss about the little vixen’s presence in the park.
Andlat waved good-bye to Sarah and looked around, but it seemed like most of the cubs were being taken home in strollers or their parent’s arms. He looked up and saw dark clouds gathering in the sky. He whimpered, hugging Rose tightly and kissing the doll’s head. He quickly waddled toward the jungle gym where he could find some protection from the coming rain. He peeked out from under the jungle gym at the darkening sky.
“Please no thunder.” He whined, sucking on his thumb and hugging Rose for comfort. The rain began to fall, drumming its tempo on the plastic above the fox’s head. He whined softly, but at least he was dry. He sat down and kept Rose against his chest, his Cinderella backpack still there on his back.
A short while later, the rain still had not stopped and Andlat was getting scared. He hugged Rose again, but the little doll could only give him so much comfort. His stomach grumbled and the little fox cursed himself for forgetting to pack food.
The rain slowed, but continued to assault the plastic roof over Andlat’s head. He stared out at the rain, wishing he had checked the weather before he decided to run away. He whimpered as he saw a dark shape approaching. He hid his face in Rose and tried to wish the monster away, but when he looked back up, the creature was closer.
“I don’t believe in monsters, I don’t believe in monsters.” Andlat repeated again and again, hiding his face behind his smiling doll. He closed his eyes as tight as he could. “If I can’t see it, it can’t see me.” He whispered, hoping that it was true.
“Hey there, princess.” He yelped and looked up at the friendly voice. The monster turned out to be a buck police officer in a poncho, who was smiling sweetly down at him. “Are you lost?” Andlat’s bottom lip quivered. He wanted to say no, but the police officer just looked so friendly and he was still shaken from the ordeal of the “monster”. He nodded and tried to hold back his tears. The police officer reached in and gently pulled Andlat out. The rain had stopped, so the horse pulled down his hood and grinned at the little fox. “What’s your name, pumpkin?”
“Emma.”
“That’s a very pretty name, sweetie. And who’s this?” He pointed at the doll in Andlat’s arms.
“My dolly, Rose.” Andlat replied, remembering that one should never lie to a police officer. “Did Daddy call you?”
“Nope. I just happened to be passing by and I saw you. What were you doing out in the rain, Emma?”
“I ran away from home.” Andlat said, ashamed.
“Why?” The police officer asked gently.
“Daddy was being dumb!” He said with all the conviction of a cub. The police officer chuckled.
“Oh, really? Should I arrest him then?” Andlat yelped and shook his head.
“No! I love daddy!”
“Oh? You do?” The officer smiled as the fox nodded rapidly. “Well, you know what? I bet he loves you too, Emma.”
“He does.” Andlat admitted.
“What do you say we go back home, hmm?”
“But what if daddy spanks me?”
“He won’t, sweetie. He’ll be happy to have his baby girl back.” The police officer patted Andlat’s puffy butt, his diaper peeking out from under his dress.
“I dunno.” Andlat said. “Daddy spanks me whenever I break the rules.”
“Well, if he spanks you, I’ll spank him.” The buck said seriously. Andlat giggled.
“That’d be silly.”
“It would, wouldn’t it?” He took Andlat’s paw. “How about we go to my car and you can help me find your house?” Andlat nodded, feeling better about the whole thing as he admired the buck’s sexy body.
He waddled along as quickly as he could, but he soon found himself in the officer’s arms, being carried. He squirmed a bit, but the officer smiled down at him.
“We’re almost there, princess.” Sure enough, his car came into view just at that moment, but the police officer was struck by a strange dilemma. This little kit was clearly too young to ride in the front seat, but he did not want to scare her by putting her in the back. He smiled as the perfect solution came to mind. He checked the sky and made sure that it was clearing up. He opened the front door and set Andlat down on the seat. “You should make sure that Rose isn’t frightened, Emma.” He watched the little fox do so as he got on the radio. “This is Officer Garfield requesting a 255 at Westside Park.”
“255 has been approved. Unit is in motion.” A voice replied immediately.
“What was that?” Andlat asked curiously, but the officer did not answer as he deposited his poncho in the trunk. Soon a second patrol car arrived, albeit with the sirens off, and a tough looking bulldog emerged.
“Garfield, I’ve never heard anyone use code 255 before.” She said, strolling over.
“It’s for this little one here.” The buck said, stepping aside. Andlat waved shyly at the second police officer. She smiled.
“Hello there, princess. What’s your name?”
“Emma.” Andlat replied shyly.
“How old are you, honey?”
“Five.” Andlat replied, saying the first age that popped into his head. Both officers nodded, but Andlat watched as the buck leaned over to the bulldog.
“My guess is she’s not even two yet.”
“Well, we should get her home.” The bulldog said, going to her trunk. Much to Andlat’s dismay, what should she pull out of there but a car seat. It was the matter of only a moment or two for the officers to get it into Officer Garfield’s car and then only a few seconds to get Andlat buckled into it. He wiggled a bit to test how tightly strapped in he was, only to be disappointed at the exemplary job of the police officers. He feared that Jack would be angry when he got home. He had never run away before, after all.
After he told Officer Garfield his address, he was silently worried the entire drive to his house. How would Jack react? They pulled onto his block and approached his house, Andlat’s dread growing more and more.
“Here we are!” The cheerful buck declared as they pulled up alongside Jack’s green car. He got out of the car before walking around it to unbuckle Andlat.
“Stupid cub proof locks.” Andlat muttered as he studied the windows of the house, wondering if he would see the wolf peering out from one of them. He allowed the buck to lift him up out of the car seat and carry him up to the door. Rather than ring the doorbell, the officer pounded on the door in that universal fashion perfected by seemingly all officers of the law. The door swung open immediately as though Jack was determined to yank it off its hinges. The expression of worried relief on his face put all of Andlat’s worries to rest immediately.
“Oh, thank goodness.” He said, sweeping Andlat from the arms of the officer and into his own. He showered the little fox with hugs, kisses and excited licks as Officer Garfield looked on with a warm smile. “Where were you?”
“At the park.” Andlat replied bashfully, unable to look the wolf in the eyes.
“How’d you get all the way there?” The wolf shook his head. “You know what, never mind. It doesn’t matter.” He checked the fox’s diaper. “Someone needs her diaper changed.” He smiled at the police officer. “Thank you very much officer.” Officer Garfield nodded and turned to leave.
“Have a good afternoon.” Andlat waved good-bye before settling into Jack’s arms as the wolf removed his Cinderella backpack.
“Let’s get you changed and then down for a nap, princess.” He nuzzled the fox’s face and carried him off to the nursery as Andlat stifled a yawn. Despite the excitement of his adventure, he could not deny that it was good to be home.
