This is a work of speculative fiction based on characters, settings, and events from Zig Zag, the Story by J. Bruner. It is not to be considered canon for Zig Zag, the Story in any way. Zig Zag, Brandy, Max, their Mother and Father are copyright Max Blackrabbit. Zig Zag's Grandfather is copyright Max Blackrabbit. The name I used for him here is my own. Marvin and Rhonda Badger, Marcus Fairchild, the Lioness, and the Ferret are copyright J. Bruner. The names for the Lioness and the Ferret are my own. Detective Carson, Anton O'Whitt, and Talia O'Whitt copyright the Author.

This story takes place approximately one year before the start of Zig Zag the Story.

Zig Zag sat at her desk, trying to clear the Wednesday afternoon cobwebs from her head and get started on the stack of paperwork in front of her. She had eaten the light lunch she had packed in the break room, and strolled around the studio chatting with the support crew and cast involved in the current productions. Still, Zig Zag couldn't seem to muster the will to work on the mundane things on her desk.

Her thoughts drifted over her current life. The studio was doing very well, and the two features in current production promised to continue the trend of high quality, successful videos she had set for her business. Zig Zag had been so busy running the studio that she had not taken a role onscreen in months.

"Gives the new talent a chance," she thought to herself.

Moving on from business, Zig Zag mused on her personal life. Brandy and Max, her sister and brother, were doing well. Brandy was establishing a life for herself in the small house in Dayton that Zig Zag had bought for her. Max was getting along well in medical school. Even Zig Zag's usually dismal love life had a bit of spark to it now. She had been seeing a ferret she had met at a local business owner's meeting for a little over two weeks. Dan Pellingham had inherited a chain of video stores. He was about her age, slim and muscular, with a sort of street punk attitude that had caught her attention.

"At least he's different from the usual stuck-up actor," Zig Zag thought to herself, smiling without humor or warmth. He did have a bit of a roving eye, which had caused some tension among the ladies the day he came by the studio.

"Have to break him of that if we continue dating," Zig Zag thought, a smirk on her muzzle.

"Yes," Zig Zag thought, "Life is on the upswing for once."

The telephone beside her rang, breaking her reverie. Zig Zag picked up the pawset and placed it to her ear.

"Hello, this is Zig Zag," She answered. She was greeted by a brief, hushed sniffle, then-

"Uh,...Zig, this is Brandy."

"Brandy! What's wrong?" Zig Zag asked, her voice full of concern.

"I, uh..sniff, I just got a call from the lawyer up in Findlay, He didn't have your number...," Brandy hesitated, and Zig Zag's blood turned to ice.

"Out with it, Brandy, what's happened?" Zig Zag said, dread apparent in her voice.

"Oh, Tonya," Brandy burst into tears as her voice broke. Between sobs, she managed to get out her terrible message. "He said Grandpa had a heart attack last night...he's gone." Brandy now broke down completely, unable to speak.

Zig Zag's mind whirled as her heart fell to her feet and her stomach did a slow roll. She refused to give in to tears right then, reserving them for later, when the chance of someone seeing her was gone.

"Brandy, are you absolutely sure?" Zig Zag asked, without any real hope for error.

"Uh...yes, that's what he said," Brandy finally managed. Then, sounding a little stronger, she said, "He wants you to call him to make arrangements."

Zig Zag sighed. "Of course," she thought, "that would fall to me."

"Alright, Brandy," Zig Zag said, "I'll call him now, then I'll call you right back. Let me have his number." Brandy, still unsteady and on the verge of more tears, read the number off the caller ID.

Zig Zag then said, "You want me to come get you and Max? We can ride up to Findlay together."

"OK, uh, Zig, I'll call Max now and then talk to you in a bit." She still sounded as though she were about to cry.

"It'll be alright, Brandy," Zig Zag said without much conviction, "Bye for now."

Zig Zag hung up without waiting for Brandy's response. She then made the call to her grandfather's lawyer.

A short time later, Zig Zag stuck her head in the door of Marvin Badger's office. The Second-in-command and Major Domo of ZZ Studios looked up from his conversation with his wife, Rhonda.

"Hi Zig! What's up?" he asked.

"Care to join us?" Rhonda asked. Zig Zag seemed to barely see the pair, her eyes distant.

"I'm leaving now. I won't be back until Monday," Zig Zag said flatly. "Take care of things until then." Without saying another word, or waiting for a reply, she turned and departed with a flip of her striped tail. Marvin and Rhonda looked at each other and shrugged. They both knew better than to try to get any answers from Zig Zag when she was in that kind of mood. If something was wrong, she would tell them about it in her own good time.

"I guess we'll just have to wait to find out what that was all about," Rhonda stated as she and Marvin returned to their conversation.

Brandy sat in the front row of seats of the funeral home, which was full to overflowing with her grandfather's family and friends. She regularly dabbed at her eyes with the tissue in her paw. Zig Zag sat beside her with her arm around Brandy's shoulders. She refused to give in to the pain in her heart, although her tears leaked down her muzzle.

In front of them in the casket, a very dignified old Siberian Tiger lay in death's repose. The placard on the podium to their left stated that this was Anatol Altaisokova. Zig Zag could not take her eyes away from that familiar face. Her only pleasant memories from childhood, time spent in the company of this old tiger, kept playing over in her mind. From time to time others would stop in front of them to offer condolences, mostly to Brandy. Many knew of Zig Zag, most did not approve of her, so their statements to her were brief.

Brandy finally spoke, saying, "Our cousin Anton O'Whitt and his family won't be coming. Talia O'Whitt said her brother's too sick from his cancer treatments to make the trip."

Zig Zag only nodded in response, barely remembering that part of the family from her childhood visits.

"Do you think Mother will come?" Brandy asked in a subdued tone.

"NO!" Zig Zag answered, the anger in her hushed response apparent, "Our father would never let her come alone, and he knows there's a good chance someone would tear him up if he showed his face here among Grandpa's family and friends." The animosity the old tiger felt for their father was well known.

Brandy only nodded. Shortly, she said, "I still think Max could have made an appearance. Grandpa raised us after..." She fell silent as Zig Zag's eyes shifted to her and narrowed slightly.

"We've been through this already," Zig Zag stated gruffly, "He has tests today that he can't afford to miss and--."

Zig Zag stopped short as the minister took his place behind the podium and the funeral service began. She kept her arm around Brandy and squeezed her paw comfortingly throughout the service. The minister prayed and spoke. A few of the old tiger's lifelong friends, some who had come over with him from the old country, had their say. Praise was given for the way Brandy and Max were raised, causing Brandy to smile weakly. Most avoided mention of Zig Zag, which was fine with her. All that filled her thoughts was that her Grandpa was gone.

Soon the service was over. As everyone prepared to file out past the casket, Zig Zag and Brandy were given a chance for a last look at their grandfather. Brandy's tears continued unabated, but Zig Zag fought for control over hers. She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the old tiger's cheek and whispered, "Goodbye Grandpa, I'll miss you."

The two sisters then quickly departed for the limousine reserved to take the family to the cemetery as the rest of the mourners filed out.

At the gravesite, Anatol Altaisokova's casket sat beside his wife's headstone. The minister said a few brief words and offered a short prayer. Zig Zag bowed her head with everyone else, but she didn't know how to pray or what to say, so she silently said, "God, please take care of my Grandpa... he's a good fur." Those present were then given a chance for a last goodbye as they departed.

As those closest to the old tiger began to disperse, Brandy again said in a low voice, "Max should have been here."

Zig Zag missed the pained expression on Brandy's face. She didn't see how sad Brandy was that her brother had missed his chance to say goodbye.

"Look, I said he had tests he had to be there for," Zig Zag said, irritation beginning to show in her voice.

"That's just an excuse and you know it!" Brandy said, her voice now carrying a hint of anger.

Zig Zag's eyes narrowed and her voice rose slightly, garnishing a curious look from the last few departing mourners.

"Brandy, being jealous of Max is beneath you."

"You think I'm jealous? No, Tonya, I want Max to succeed in med school as much as you do. I'm deeply hurt that you would think that! It's just that Grandpa raised Max, too. He should have been here to say goodbye, but they hadn't gotten along very well the past couple of years since Grandma died."

Brandy burst into tears again, then stood and quickly walked to the coffin. She laid a last, loving paw on it, then turned and walked back to the limousine, leaving Zig Zag to say her final goodbye with tears of regret in her eyes.

Zig Zag arrived back home still upset over the events at the cemetery. She and Brandy had spent the ride back to the funeral home in silence. Brandy was too hurt by her sister's accusation, and Zig Zag was too stubborn to apologize right then, so silence seemed the best course to both of them. The ride back to Dayton wasn't any better. Phoning Brandy would do no good, Zig Zag decided. It would probably only lead to more of an argument. She resolved to write Brandy a letter and apologize.

"Why do I always jump to the worst conclusion about people?" Zig Zag thought to herself as she retrieved her bags from the trunk of the car. When no answer came immediately to mind, she took her bags and went into the house. Setting them down in the living room floor, Zig Zag turned on the lights and went to the answering machine to check her messages. Nothing from the studio, two from telemarketers, and a final one that had just come in that morning from Dan Pellingham, the ferret she was currently dating.

"Hi Babe," his voice came over the machine.

Zig Zag didn't care to be called that. "Another habit I'll have to break him of," she thought.

"Sorry ta wait `til the last minute," the message continued, "but I'm gonna have ta cancel our date for tonight. Somethin's come up at one o' the stores, so I can't make it. Gimme a call later this weekend, though. Mebbe we'll get together. Later, Babe."

"Great, just great," Zig Zag said sourly. She had been looking forward to going out and putting the sad events of the past few days behind her. She took her bags into the bedroom and put her things in their proper places. Finally, Zig Zag had a long stretch and decided to get cleaned up and go out to dinner by herself.

After a nice, if lonely, meal at her favorite Italian restaurant, Zig Zag was in a slightly better humor.

"Maybe things aren't so bad," she thought as she walked towards the door. She would miss her grandfather terribly, but maybe the rest of her life would still be on the upswing.

As she walked out the door, Zig Zag noticed a taxi pull to a stop in front of the awning that covered the restaurant's entrance. To her surprise, Dan Pellingham got out of the cab and turned to help someone else out.

"Must be a business contact," Zig Zag thought to herself. "Well, at least I'll get to say hello." She was just about to call out to him when she saw Dan take the paw of the slim, well-built lioness in the taxi and help her out. Zig Zag froze in place, her suspicious nature kicking in. Suspicion turned to burning anger as she watched Dan pull the lioness close in an amorous embrace. The lioness turned her head to avoid the kiss he tried to plant on her, but she did not try to pull away.

Zig Zag heard someone scream Dan's name, and realized momentarily that it was her. Dan's head snapped around, and seeing Zig Zag starting to move in his direction, he shoved the lioness back in the cab and shouted to the driver, "GO!"

The taxi quickly pulled away from the curb, garnishing angry horn blares from the other cars on the street. Its occupant, the lioness Felina Carniva, turned to watch what was transpiring behind her. The oddly-striped skunkette that had screamed at her date had charged out onto the sidewalk and was now yelling in the ferret's face. Dan was beginning to yell back when Felina lost sight of them in the traffic.

"Well, THAT was tawdry!" she thought to herself. "Just as well, I suppose. Dan was kind of a jerk, and not as successful as he made himself out to be."

"Where to, lady?" the cocker spaniel driving the taxi asked over his shoulder.

Felina thought a moment, and then pulled a business card with an address on the back of it out of her purse. This cheetah she had met at a party a few nights ago had said he was a real up-and-comer in the computer business, and that she should stop by anytime.

"This address," she said, showing the cabbie the address on the card, "The home of one Marcus Fairchild." Felina thought that things were definitely looking up.

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, the crowd of furs on the street had stopped to watch the unfolding drama. Zig Zag had charged up to Dan and stopped right in front of him.

"HOW COULD YOU?" she screamed in his face, "How dare you break a date with me just so you can go out with some other...WOMAN!" Zig Zag's ears were pinned flat against her head, her lips pulled back in a snarl. Dan decided the best defense was a good offense.

"What makes YOU so high-n-mighty?" he yelled back, "I'll go out with whoever I want, whether it's a classy dame like HER, or an ol' porn slut like YOU!" With that, he shoved Zig Zag back out of his face.

Zig Zag, already seething, began to literally see red at being called a slut and being pushed. She delivered a sharp slap across the ferret's muzzle.

"Don't ever call me a slut!" she yelled, "And don't EVER push me!"

Dan was slightly taken aback by the force of the slap, but then he took on a feral grin, saying, "Oh, ya want ta play, do ya?"

He stepped in and slapped Zig Zag hard, first with his right, then with his left paw, causing her to stumble back a few steps. For a few seconds, Zig Zag was a little girl again, reeling from her father's onslaught. Then the raging demon such memories brought forth in her surged to the surface, and all the pent-up emotion of the past few days overwhelmed her. She was suddenly seized by a berserker rage.

Dan Pellingham's last coherent thought for the next few hours was, "CLAWS?!!"

Zig Zag lay across her bed, crying softly to herself with her head in her paws.

"Why did it always seem to end this way?" she asked herself. The scene in front of the restaurant had been an absolute mess! She still had dried blood and bits of fur...his fur, under her claws. The scent of it in her nostrils almost sickened her. The detective who had arrived on the scene had been a fan, and had released Zig Zag to go home with the admonition, "Go straight home. Don't shower, clean up, or do anything until I call you."

Zig Zag was expecting a knock on the door from a uniformed officer just anytime. She was sure they would come and haul her off to jail. The telephone on the bedside table suddenly rang, startling Zig Zag out of her funk. Rising onto her elbows, she noted the caller ID. Columbus PD

"Here it comes," Zig Zag thought, "They're gonna say, `come and turn yourself in." Wanting to get on with it, she lifted the pawset after the third ring and answered.

"Hello, Zig Zag here."

"Zig Zag, this is Detective Carson, Columbus Police. Thank you for giving me your private number. It saves a lot of time in reaching you."

Zig Zag didn't feel like it, but she tried to be civil. This was the otter that had let her come home, after all.

"You're welcome, Detective. What's the verdict?" Zig Zag awaited the words she was sure were coming.

"All the witness' statements agree that Dan Pellingham made the first physically aggressive move. The DA says self defense. It took your lawyer all of 5 minutes to convince him to drop the whole thing, so no charges are being filed in either direction. That should save you the bad publicity of a drawn-out trial, but this'll still be in the blotter records, so don't be surprised if the tabloids pick at you for a bit."

Zig Zag let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding.

"Thank you, Detective -ah- Carson, that's the first good news I've had in days. Don't worry about the tabloids. I've had great practice at ignoring them."

"I'm glad when I can deliver good news," the detective said, a smile apparent in his voice. He then took on a more serious tone.

"There is one provision. Dan Pellingham woke up about an hour ago. The first thing he did was call his lawyer. There's a restraining order against you. The deputy'll probably deliver it to the studio Monday since no one seems to have your home address. You are not to come within 500 feet of Mr. Pellingham, or any of his stores, or his home. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Detective, no problem," Zig Zag said, although inwardly she bristled at being made to look like the villain. "I don't want to be anywhere near that creep again, anyway."

"Good," Detective Carson stated, "You know, off the record, he is a creep. I'm quite sure he deserved every one of the 35 stitches it took to close up his wounds. He'll always remember not to mess with you, every time he looks in the mirror and sees that notch you took out of his ear."

Zig Zag shuddered at the memory of what she had done, but managed to answer, "Thank you, Detective. Is there anything else?"

"No, Ma'am. Glad I could help. As I said earlier, I'm a fan of your work...," Detective Carson's voice trailed off as he ran out of things to say.

"Thank you," Zig Zag said, a measure of warmth returning to her voice, "Give me an address and I'll send you some autographed stills from the studio."

"Ah, thank you anyway, Ma'am, but my wife would freak out if I got anything like that. Your thanks are all the reward I need," the detective said as tactfully as he could.

"Alright then, thank you very much for all your help. Goodbye, Detective."

"You're very welcome. Goodbye, Ma'am."

Zig Zag put the pawset in its cradle and rolled over onto her back, being careful not to kink her tail. So, she wouldn't be going to jail after all, but the memory of the rage and force of her attack on Dan, and its results, caused her to shudder again. The one time before she had used her claws to that degree, it had landed her in jail for a few days. She knew there would be nightmares to contend with when she finally went to sleep. Soon she would rise and shower the physical evidence of the event away, but the mental and emotional scars would take much more time and effort to overcome.

Zig Zag made a vow to herself never to get out of control like that again. She also vowed never to give her heart away again, ever. She would have an occasional fling, if someone that suited her came along, but she wouldn't let them get too close, or hold on to them for too long. She would double the armor she had built around her heart.

Zig Zag suddenly saw her grandfather's face in her mind's eye, and was reminded of the loss of the one fur in the world she felt actually loved her. Tears welled into her eyes as she thought, "Oh Grandpa, Will I ever have a shot at anything like a normal life?"

A normal life? Zig Zag wasn't even sure what that meant. She knew it was out there. She'd seen couples in her neighborhood who looked happy. There was one couple she'd seen only once, but they stood out in her mind. She'd driven past them in the dark after a late night and had seen the male with unusual markings opening the car door for his lady coyote. With grace bordering on reverence, he'd helped her out before kissing her and guiding her to their door. Did normal people really act this way? Was that sort of respect common to them?

Could she ever hope to find someone like that?

No. To hope for the impossible would only make it hurt worse, so she slowly blocked the memory and raised her guard.

In the back of her mind, and in the empty halls of her heart, the cackling laughter of the demon of Zig Zag's past echoed hollowly.

THE END

NOTE:
The text from: "A normal life?" to "raised her guard." was written by Cirrel. He expresses in thought and word a concept I considered for this story, but couldn't find a way to include. I am honored that he wrote it for me and am very glad to include it here.