Hoppers Story - Chapter Four -
#4 of (ZOO) - Hoppers Story
Hopper resorts to more desperate tactics to get the doe to at least drink, making Katy nervous, but Hopper's methods, whilst cruel, get her to respond. Little does Katy know, but the Doe tell's hopper why she won't drink or eat - starving herself to death, and Hopper hides this reponse from Katy, until harsh words make this shy and insecure young Whiptail buck run crying. Katy corners him in the recovery room, and its here, Hopper shows a side of his nature, that is completely unlike his true self. He accuses Katy, and other members of the staff, of a very cruel action - only to find, Hopper was misled - and his accussations are completely wrong. Some days later, Hopper is forgiven for his outburst and all is forgiven, he makes friends with the young Whiptail Doe, and much to Katy's surprise, Hopper seems to prefer the company of ferals - rather than anthropomorphic, or human...making Katy wonder, is Hopper what he appears - or is there some underlying psychological trauma - for his actions?
Hoppers Story Chapter Four © Cederwyn Whitefurr 10th February, 2012 All Rights Reserved
Instantly, the Doe uttered a piercing shriek of pain, and Katy nearly run to the door to restrain Hopper - thinking he was intentionally hurting the doe. Again, he made that soft grunting/clicking noise, and dipped his paw into the bowl - holding it against her lips. This time, the doe uttered a short series of low clicks, before she shyly licked Hopper's wet paw, and he nodded to her, before cupping both paws in the water and holding them to her muzzle. With a weak growl, the doe lapped at the dribbling water, then Hopper smiled and held the bowl between his wet paws, watching as the thirsty doe began gulping down the water.
Next, Hopper held out a paw-full of the kangaroo mix, cupping his paws and holding it to the doe's muzzle. She sneezed, a few errant lucern pierces and wheat chaff scattering, before she looked at hopper, then sniffed suspiciously at this strange food he was offering. With a quiet clicking series of sounds, the doe snorted again and lay her head back down. Hopper dumped the food back into the bowl, then picked up the tray and carefully walked towards the door.
Katy opened it, and Hopper emerged, then put the tray on a chair, before rubbing his paws against his shirt.
"She doesn't like this - " Hopper told Katy.
"You...why on earth did you...how could you bite her like that Hopper?" Katy suddenly snapped at him, then instantly regretted it.
Hopper stared at her, before he burst into tears.
"Hopper...oh my god...Hopper...please - please don't cry - I...I didn't mean to snap at you...you...you frightened the hell out of me...I thought - " Katy moaned, reaching out towards Hopper instinctively, wanting nothing more than to cuddle him and make him stop crying.
Hopper ducked out of her range, then threw open the door and fled, hopping down the hallway with reckless abandon, his eyes streaming tears and with no idea where he was going, he just fled as fast as he could, before he skidded on the smooth floor and crashed heavily against the wall, uttering a piercing scream of fear and pain, before he dragged himself back to his feet and fled down another corridor. Katy ran after him, calling his name, and a few staff poked their heads out of labs and rooms, hearing the shrieking wallaby - followed by the human woman who ran after him.
*
Katy eventually cornered the terrified Hopper the room where he had been brought after he was sedated, curled up in a corner and clutching his muzzle between his paws, sobbing heart-brokenly. Katy eased open the door, then closed it behind her, before sliding down and sitting on the floor, watching Hopper crying piteously.
"Hopper...please...I...I didn't mean too - " Katy began.
"Leave me alone!" Hopper squealed, his voice growing almost feral.
"Hopper - please...come on...I'm sorry - I forgot...and I lost my temper...you...you frightened me half to death when you...you bit that doe. I thought you would..." Katy sniffled, feeling her own tears welling in her eyes.
"Would what? Kill her like you did her Joey?" Hopper shrieked in rising anger. "You know why she is afraid, and won't eat? You fucking bastards...killed her joey!"
Katy blinked, visibly shocked by Hopper's violent tone, but he just slid over onto his side and began crying hysterically, his body shaking with his choking sobs. Katy had been one of the staff on duty, when the injured doe and her joey had been brought in. Sickened, the staff had looked at the consequences of the doe versus a car - the doe with a broken leg, numerous deep cuts and abrasions - and the veterinarian staff had done miracles - saving the grievously wounded doe from deaths clutches...but her joey had suffered mortal injuries, and the kindest thing they knew they could do, was to euthanise the joey, as there was no hope for its recovery....
"Hopper...it...I don't understand...we never..." Katy whimpered, feeling her tears sliding down her cheeks, and she wiped them away with her fingers. "You don't understand - "
"I understand perfectly well - " Hopper shrieked, his high pitched voice echoing painfully off the walls.
"No...you don't - you told me...that...that feral's don't speak like we do - like we are now..." Katy sniffled.
"Stop lying to me!" Hopper wailed, as he curled up tighter, clutching his whip-like tail between his paws and crying piteously.
"I'm not lying Hopper - you want the truth? I'll tell you!" Katy suddenly snapped, her anger and grief over that incident - three months ago, overwhelming her self-control.
Hopper flinched at her anger, curling up even tighter, as he squeezed his eyes closed and clutched his tail tighter and tighter.
"Listen to me, you foolish, ignorant little Buck!" Katy snarled, releasing her anger and grief in a torrent of misery, directed at Hopper. "Yes! She had a joey, when she was brought in! We worked for hours just to stabilise her - after the car hit her. Here's the damn truth...she nearly died from her injuries - we did perform miracles - above and beyond what was expected of us...we don't get paid for veterinary work on feral animals Hopper! Do you hear me? We're purely voluntary - our time - skill and own money - go into keeping this sanctuary going...so we can heal injured feral animals...and hopefully, just maybe - release them back into the wild! That is our sole purpose for operating - and yes, she had a joey in her pouch, when she was brought in - the joey was horribly wounded...she would not have survived - and the kindest thing we could do...was to make her pass away - as peacefully and painlessly as we could...we did NOT kill that doe's joey - it was dying Hopper...and we did what we had to do, to stop it from suffering...."
Having released her anger and grief, Katy suddenly shivered, then seemed to come to her senses, and she ran to where Hopper lay in the foetal position, before she unthinkingly snatched him up, cradling his back against her belly and chest, before she leaned over him and began rocking the hysterical Whiptail. Hopper at first struggled and cried out in fear and pain at her tight grip, but Katy never relaxed, holding him tight and pulling his short arms in against his chest, as she cried with him, sitting on the floor and rocking the sobbing Hopper....
*
Two hours later, Hopper cried himself out, and he sniffled, before he flattened his ears and his weak, quavering voice reached Katy's ears.
"You hate me..." Hopper sniffled, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks.
"Hopper...no...I...we...we don't hate you...I don't know - I can never know - what that...that doe told you - if she told you anything...please - believe me Hopper...we did our best to save her Joey...but there was nothing we could do. Can we...can you - try to make her understand - we didn't mean to take her joey from her...gods - why does this have to be so hard..." Katy wept, her tears dripping off her cheeks, to patter against Hoppers shoulders.
Hopper sniffled, his sense of smell nearly overcome by the scent of Katy's grief - her pores reeked with powerful pheromones that made Hopper nearly ill. This in turn fuelled the fear and confusion in him. He hated her cuddling and rocking him - but another part of him, heard her heart thudding against her ribs, and her warmth as she cuddled him tight - and he had vague flashes of distant memory - his Aunt cradling the crying Hopper against her warm furred belly...and just holding him there - as he grieved for his mother - lost all those years ago....
Both Wallaby and human suddenly clutched at each other, and both gave in to their grief, fear and emotions - Katy cuddling Hopper tight, and Hopper resting his paws on Katys' forearms, as they both cried helplessly, giving themselves up to their emotions - at least - for a while - neither of them knowing, this was exactly what they both needed, to cement their bonds of friendship and in Hoppers' case - trust....
*
Katy dropped Hopper home late that evening, and he unlocked the door to his Aunt's small, run-down apartment and let himself inside. All was quiet in the small apartment, and Hopper crept like a mouse, knowing his Aunt had difficulty sleeping, and he didn't want to wake her. He crept to his bedroom, where he lay the lanyard on the bedside table, before collapsing onto his bed, asleep in minutes....
*
Hopper kept attending school, and when he could spare the time, he would help out at the sanctuary, working primarily with the female Whiptail. She come to trust him, and Hopper her - the two of them would often be outside in the sunshine, hopping around the enclosure, Hopper keeping a watchful eye on the young doe as she cropped the grass - occasionally, they would playfully wrestle with each other - Hopper letting the Doe win nine times out of ten, as he felt a growing warmth and love for this feral doe. As intrinsically sociable species, the doe didn't seem to mind Hopper's company, and he loved hers - as there was a genuine chemistry between them. Hopper loved ferals, as they were not cruel and vindictive like his fellow students. Their trust, when and if they gave it - was unconditional, there were no strings attached - they either loved you completely, or they avoided you, there was no middle-ground.
Katy watched from a few dozen feet away, as the doe grappled with hopper, then began grooming his ears and neck, as he giggled and squirmed in her grasp. Katy laughed delicately, noticing how the shy, insecure and frightened Hopper slowly come out of his self-imposed shell around this doe. As the doe groomed Hopper, he squealed and giggled, almost like the sweet, innocent and loving person he really was - instead of the shy, frightened and timid creature Katy had first met. Finally, the doe stopped her grooming and Hopper returned the favour, instinctual nuzzling and nibbling her in return, making Katy's eyes grow wide in surprise. She had never known an anthropomorphic creature so attuned to its more feral nature, as what she seen in Hopper - he showed no signs of his conditioning that the anthropomorphic people imposed upon themselves, to more successfully integrate into human society - and she made a note of it, before leaving the two youngsters to play and socialise, as she slipped back into the nearby laboratory to start writing a detailed report for her peers on this unexpected outcome...
To Be Continued....