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Brawn was a special raccoon. While barely even a year old, he killed the prior top raccoon, Tyrant, ending his reign of terror over the forests of North-East America. While not entirely benevolent, he wasn't near as bad as the tyrant before - His tyrannical energy was directed at animals other than Raccoons, and all animals _did_fear him, even the Coyotes, Wolves and Bears. Strong and fearless, Brawn had many challengers: all failed. He was popular with the ladies, too. So much that there probably ain't a raccoon in America that don't have a little bit of Brawn in them.

Brain was another special raccoon; but not the way Brawn was. Brain was a builder and beguiler. Well-travelled, having come all the way here from California, he saw the changing face of America. Unlike Brawn, Brain knew the wider world, got along well with other species as well as his fellow raccoons. Soon enough, he became popular enough that the raccoons whispered of his possible succession of Brawn. Brain never discouraged this talk, even adding that perhaps he'd be a better fit.

Such seditious words travel fast, especially among social creatures like raccoons and hearing this, Brawn flew into one of his rages and stormed over to Brain's tree to take him to task.

"Many have faced me, Brain, and they've all failed. You want to become the next?"

Brain grinned.

"I will face you, but on my terms, Brawn. Every problem you face is solved with teeth and claws. In the modern world I have seen, sheer violence is inelegant and unsuitable for a true leader. That's why my challenge will come in the form of three. If I win, I become top raccoon and you must leave the forest, if I lose, you can kill me where I stand with no complaints."

An intriguing proposition! Thought Brawn, although my victory is assured. If I fail, I'll kill him where he stands anyway!

"I accept your terms. What challenges have you in mind?"

"All in good time, Brawn. The first challenge tests your cunning! Steal a chicken from the Loner who lives in the forest plain."

The Loner lived near the forest for decades. He was welcome by all animals: it never hurt to have a reliable food source nearby, whether you snuck his berries or potatoes, or carried off one of his hens. The only drawback was his loose trigger finger and his very tenacious defence of what was his.

Brawn saw this as simple; he'd never visited before, all he could possibly want lay within the forest, but he'd heard from the others what a good source of food the place was. He'd never seen a Human up close before, but figured they'd be little different to the last creatures he faced.

As Brawn crept forth, Brain remained in the brush. Brawn spotted the loner tending to some herbs. Confidently, he ran to the Loner and sunk his teeth into his leg.

The Loner hooted and hollered, cursed himself, Brawn and God, and after much shaking, pulling, and hitting, Brawn fell from the man's leg. He limped inside his cabin, slamming the door behind him as Brawn lashed at the door, giving his nastiest hisses and growls.

"Dang 'Coons!" his muffled voice came.

The door exploded with a deafening crash, sending Brawn tumbling back. Panicked, Brawn remembered his task and hurried to the chicken coop, quickly snapped the neck of the first hen unfortunate enough to cross his path and ran off back into the forest, harried by the loner's potshots.

Panting and lightly bloodied, Brawn returned to the forest with Brain feasting on a chicken, onlookers stunned.

"I couldn't wait for much longer, Brawn. I was starving."

"How..."

"While you were ravaging that poor man, I snuck in, quietly took my prize and snuck out. We both fulfilled the challenge, though I haven't been showered by splinters."

Brawn was humiliated. He had the mind to kill Brain right there and then, but the other raccoons were around. Acting like Tyrant would only make his people fear him, and strong as he was, he couldn't fight off every other raccoon. With a sigh he turned back towards Brain who finished his dinner with theatrical lip-licking.

"And what's the second challenge?"

"A race. First one to Swiftwater gulch wins."

Brawn puffed his chest out. He's never lost a race in his life, there was no raccoon more swift.

"Gladly."

The race started immediately. Brawn ran ahead as hard as he could, ducking and weaving the thorny brush and solid trees. He hadn't even seen Brain. He thought what an idiot he was, challenging such a fine physical specimen such as he. There's no place for trickery in physical competition. Along the way, he met some of the _other_animals he'd defeated before: the family of wolves who he scared into submission by mauling their youngest pup.

"What's the hurry, Brawn?" Mama Wolf said, rest of the pack circling Brawn, "Don't tell me the raccoons finally had enough of you?"

With a growl directed at the young ones, Brawn said, "Out of the way, pups. I have a race to win."

Brawn's steps were harried by several gnashing mouths. His swipes kept them at bay, but where he hit one, they gnashed at his back, or his feet, or his face.

Luckily, Brawn came to a tree. Powerful and numerous as they were, no wolf was a good tree climber.

"Try and get me up here, pups! Now if you excuse me, I have a race to win!"

Even in the trees, Brawn was fast, but nowhere near as fast as he was on the ground. He noticed the wolves following, all wagging their tails and licking their lips and exchanging excited yelps and whispers. Brawn was safe, though. Or so he thought.

"Hey Bully!" Mama Wolf said.

Brawn stopped in his tracks. Bully the Grizzly lumbered over from the stream

"You all seem excited. What seems to be the issue, Mama Wolf?"

"Brawn says he's having a race," She motioned upward with her head, "And we never repaid him for what he did to Junior."

Bully looked up.

"I see. Well, fear not my gentle wolves, tonight we'll be dining on raccoon!"

He sunk his claws into the tree. Fear filled Brawn, especially as he had nowhere to go. The nearest branch was unreachable by jumping. Every terrifying paw Brawn advanced up, Brawn prepared to fight to his death.

"Brain, what brings you up here?"

Even in mortal peril, Brawn's eyes instantly snapped to the smaller raccoon jog up the way.

"Afternoon, Mama Wolf and pack, Bully. I'm having a race with Brawn, for who becomes Top Raccoon."

"That so?" Mama wolf chortled, glancing up at Brawn, "Then go on your merry way. Best of luck to you."

"The other raccoons are headed this way, too. Please leave them be, they need to see the results of all challenges."

With a small bow, Brain jogged up the way. Over time, the raccoons passed, all gawking at a bloodied, terrified Brawn hiding up a tree. Several made jibes at him, which they all found hilarious, especially the wolves. Soon enough, the raccoons thinned out and the wolves and Bully left, laughing all the way.

The run to Swiftwater gulch was torturous. In pain and humiliated, Brawn swore he'd tear out Brain's throat as soon as he saw him. Which was soon, as he came to a Swiftwater Gulch filled with raccoons, and a bathing Brain.

"It seems I've bested you, Brawn."

Every raccoon saw Brawn's scowl: It was murderous. Every raccoon there feared Brain would be killed right there and then, and Brawn wouldn't care of the consequences from them all.

"You cheated!"

"It's not my fault you made enemies of all the animals in the forest, Brawn. The Wolves and Bully are lovely once you get to know them."

"You've humiliated me!"

"Come now, Brawn. This final challenge is specially made to have a decisive winner."

"I don't care for your stupid challenges, runt! I should have killed you when I even heard your seditious words!"

"Oh but this one's the most dangerous, Brawn. It's a fight. A test of strength. A rare beast is around these parts, and the one of us who can survive him shall be the Top Raccoon."

Brawn's rage dissipated. A fight? He'd never lost a fair fight in his life. Those wolves all ganged up on him, after all. A one-on-one fight with a new beast...He couldn't resist it. He thought he'd bested all beasts in the forest, but here's worldly Brain saying there's one he has not?

"Fine."

Brain lead him away as the other raccoons followed.

"Describe this beast for me," Brawn said as he walked behind, "I've fought every beast in this forest. If I've already beaten it, I'll kill you right now. Even as I am now, You know you couldn't resist."

"A large one, he is. Swift and Loud, too, with eyes of light. He can only be found in special ground, and it's only a matter of time before you'll see one. In my many travels, I've never heard of a single beast defeating one."

Brawn proudly thought he'd be the first. Cementing his legend as the strongest raccoon -- Nay, creature to ever live. This beast sounded fearsome, but he's beaten bears. It couldn't possibly be worse than a bear.

They'd walked for some time, in an area Brawn didn't usually venture. The hoard of raccoons moving attracted the attention of Muskrats, foxes, otters, weasels, coyotes, cougars, owls, hawks and eagles. Even the family of wolves and Bully the Grizzly eventually joined the hoard of animals.

Eventually they came to unfamiliar ground: A small clearing in the forest with rough black soil cutting through.

"This is his domain," Brain said, "We must face this way and soon, the beast will come."

The two stood next to one another. Day turned to night, the tension thickening. Brawn thought to ask Brain if this was just another trick to humiliate him, but he seemed so sure of it all. So there they stood. Until...

"I see it," Brain said.

Brawn did too. Two large eyes of light, a hulking form. His surprise was quickly replaced with pure fury. How _dare_this...thing trespass on his domain without his knowledge and permission? Brawn let out his hardest growl, hoping the beast heard it.

But forward it came, giving back a growl of its own. Brawn was incensed, The last animals to growl back were humus by now. He broke into his hardest run, snarling all the way.

Duke Ellington's new track Caravan blared from the radio as Jove Kilkenny bore down this country road. He wouldn't usually drive so fast, but he was late for a date again. He'd have to apologise to Jenny, but work had been so hectic and he was lucky to even be in work, what with the depression.

Jove's concentration was broken. A bump in the road! Jove swerved, terrified that he'd total his car. He quickly regained control. of the car. These country roads were so poorly maintained, he thought, thankful that he was a decent enoug driver. If he crashed this, his dad would kill him.