On Monday, she got the call that they were being shut down.

Heidi the hedgehog was the leader of the most secretive robbery gang that operated in the catacombs of Paris. Heidi was the largest, spikiest, but quietest hedgehog of the colony, allowing her to rob people, banks, and stores at any hour of the day.

Heidi heard a ring coming from her phone that echoed down the secret tunnels of Paris. Picking up the phone, the CEO of Hedgehog Headquarters, Emanuel, warned Heidi that the gang had been located and spotted by the opposing team, the Courageous Capybaras.

The Courageous Capybaras, also known as the C.C., were a group also based in Paris, where their headquarters were unknown. Everybody in the city knew of the group, as they frequently saved lives and stopped thieves. According to Emanuel, the runt of the C.C., Antonio, had seen Heidi slip into the catacombs on a dark night and grew curious. He followed her through the long, looping tunnels, stepping over the mismatched femurs and skulls, covering his mouth that was being infiltrated by a potent odor. Antonio spotted the stash of stolen wallets, cash, furniture, and jewelry, and realized he had discovered the Hedgehogs’ base. Antonio ran to tell the rest of the Capybaras, his paws sparkling blue with the excitement of his discovery.

“Emanuel, this has to be a mistake. Nobody has ever seen us.”

Emanuel further explained that the hedgehogs needed to evacuate the catacombs immediately, and to plan on a potentially violent interaction with the Courageous Capybaras.

Back over in the Capybaras layer, a swampy pond just outside of Paris, the leader of the C.C., Cornflake, presented a plan to put an end to the Hedgehogs.

“The Hedgehogs are smart. I’m sure news has spread that we have their location and they have fled. Tonight we are not going to think like Capybaras entirely, but to think like a hedgehog. Where would they flee to? If I were them, I would find shelter in grasslands”, stated Cornflake.

“Perhaps we could dig tunnels underground leading to them, and as they sleep we take them away,” another Capybara added.

“Maybe disguise ourselves as prey so they approach us?” Antonio replied. After several minutes of planning, the Capybaras decided to go with an unusually simple plan. They were going to approach the hedgehogs casually, without any violence.

The Courageous Capybaras set out one foggy afternoon and traveled over numerous terrains for hours to the grasslands. Over bumpy hills, steep cliff sides, sunshine or rain, they trekked along. The tension was building in the air as they got closer and closer. Peering through the haze, the long blades of grass pierced through the fog, but the hedgehogs were nowhere to be found. All of a sudden a loud booming chatter echoed through the air.

Heidi and the rest of the hedgehogs were running full speed at the Capybaras, ready to attack.

“Stand your ground,” yelled Cornflake.

Just as Heidi leaped into the air, a big, sparkling, blue bubble concealed the Capybaras, and the Hedgehogs were knocked down from the impact of hitting the magical orb. The orb was sparkling and moving in a wave-like motion so strong that no weapon or body could get inside. This powerful bubble was kept a secret from outside sources, and the Capybaras had only used it one other time before.

“I don’t understand! What is this?” Heidi exclaimed.

“My name is Cornflake, the leader of the Courageous Capybaras. We are here today not to kill or destroy, but to offer an alliance”. The hedgehogs looked at each other, confused.

“And just why would we do that?” One of the hedgehogs remarked, still knocked over.

“If you refuse to join sides with us to keep Paris safe and change your ways, you will be saving your own future. We already have your location, we know your tactics, and we can end any future schemes you are planning to pull. If you do not join us, Hedgehog Headquarters will end.”

There was a long and loud silence that filled the atmosphere. Every one of the Hedgehogs was expecting war, not peace, leaving them confused. A continuous silence
“So if we join your side,” Heidi reluctantly mumbled, “Then you never have to steal again,” Cornflake finished.

“I suppose it would be nice not to work for Emanuel. That hog is the evilest of them all, and I never liked working for him. That being said, if we joined sides, he would kill us all!” Heidi said in a worried tone.

Together, the groups discussed another plan to overthrow Emanuel; however, it would be instant and would be extremely risky. The Hedgehogs were going to ditch Emanuel completely and never speak to him again. Emanuel would try to find them, but when he did, the powerful union of the Hedgehogs and Capybaras would be far too strong for Emanuel to overthrow.

That night, the two groups left as partners and cheered all the way back to the Capybaras’ base, a narrow tunnel behind a cafe that led to a magical forest.

The group would shortly become the Capyhogs, creating history everywhere they went.