The Fox and the Wolf (Pros universe created by Jane Carnall)

You may be looking for the Pros created universe of the same name by Fanny Adams.

The Professionals Fanfiction
Title:	Fox and Wolf
Author(s):	Jane Carnall and Nicole C
Date(s):	1990s
Length:
Genre:	slash, Bodie/Cowley
Fandom:	The Professionals
External Links:	List of Jane Carnall's stories
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The Fox and the Wolf universe is a series of slash Professionals stories written around a shared universe created by Jane Carnall and Nicole C. The universe featured a rare pairing in the Professionals universe: Bodie and his employer George Cowley. It deals with homophobia and DADT as Cowley is outed, and fired from CI5. The stories were released on the circuit library, and at one point Jane published a free circuit fanzine A Simple Game that compiled sequels to the main story: "Lest These Dark Days."

The zine sometimes appears on fans' Desert Island lists.

Stories in the Series

FOX AND WOLF Bodie/Cowley [1]

1. Lest These Dark Days - in Proslib (CDs) [2] (1993)

2. This Classical Dilemma - zine novel in the paper circuit (1993)

3. As Games Are Played - zine novel in the paper circuit (1993)

4. Woven Patternings - zine anthology in the paper circuit, containing a prequel to Lest These Dark Days: Bottle for the New Year by Barbara T (1997)

Sequels to Lest These Dark Days

• Duty Roster by Atropos
• Turn Safe to Rest by Jane Carnall
• A Friend of Loftier Mind by Jane Carnall & Atropos
• The Last Lap by Jane Carnall & Atropos
• The Last Straw by Jane Carnall & Atropos

Sequels to This Classical Dilemma

• Chapter O by Jane Carnall, Ann J and Nicole C
• The Tarot Bits by Jane Carnall, Ann J and Nicole C
• Neither Merciful Nor Just by Shoshanna

Sequels to As Games are Played

• Tales from the Airing Cupboard by Atropos
• The Dinner Party by Jane Carnall
• Poetic Justice by Atropos
• A Stranger and Afraid by Jane Carnall & Atropos

Some Context and History

From Carnall in 1993:

It was in 1989 that Ann Johnson and I were watching "Wild Justice" and came up with the idea that grew into "Lest These Dark Days", and, eventually, into this story "As Games Are Played". And this is, more or less, the end of that story; first planned December 1989, finished in December 1992.

As is traditional, however, ‘The Fox and the Wolf" will be a trilogy in four parts; in December 1993 I intend to bring out a final zine set in this universe, of the various bits and pieces connected with the trilogy that were never published — an alternative ending to "Lest These Dark Days", working title "Why Didn't They Have A Helicopter?”, a missing chapter from "This Classical Dilemma", and a couple of stories from "As Games Are Played" which didn't quite fit into the narrative. This zine, Woven Patterning, will also include any other sequels or paraquels set in "The Fox and the Wolf" universe anyone cares to write and send us — 'Atropos' has written two already! — and will be the last zine I ever put out on the circuit. This one had to wait three months for me to be able to afford to publish it.

As Games Are Played begins at the end of "The Ojuka Situation", and takes place at the time of "A Man Called Quinn" and "No Stone". (Broadcast order.)

I'd like to thank Cat Anestopoulo for her wonderful artwork and Nicole Craig for her usual affectionate support and beating me over the head with a cudgel when necessary. Thanks also to Karla Simon, for her generous help with the photocopying, and Eva Reimers, Marina Komahrens, and Frances Tucker for their generous support. Atropos and Wibble, our First Proofreaders, who played Murphy, Liz Walsh, the entire medical profession, the Home Office, Doyle, and Willis, respectively, know what we owe them and will no doubt ensure that we pay. Kari d'Herblay's advice was also valuable; the more so as she is, at the moment, the only person in known space to have read all three parts of the trilogy for the first time in the same week.

Ann Johnson dropped out from the collaboration about a third of the way through; which means, such is our erratic style of writing, that she was involved mainly in the structure of the story and the middle part of it. She wishes it to be made entirely clear that she had nothing whatsoever to do with the tulips and roses sequence.

Reactions and Reviews

See reactions and reviews for Lest These Dark Days.

See reactions and reviews for Neither Merciful Nor Just.

[series]: Sandy took pity on me [after I was devastated by reading Look Through My Eyes], and handed me the Fox and Wolf Trilogy. I read them and liked them very much, but then, I actually like Cowley as a character anyway. Thank you, Jane.

[series]: ...a year from now, you'll agree that The Fox and The Wolf (still hate the name though) trilogy is one of the best Pros stories ever. Trust me.

[series]:

This is a *fantastic* story! Drama, action, romantic, angst.. all the good qualities of fiction. Ok, so the meal scenes could use some sprucing up (food can be erotic unless it's peas.) The authors say it was written because no one would believe it- but I love it! Bodie and Cowley make a wonderful couple.. and everything they do is quite believable. The way they fight, they way they interact, the way the fuck each other through the mattress.. And it was neat seeing Doyle's reaction to all this (as a woefully straight man). [snipped]

I thought some of the best bits were how the episodes were worked in. The story took place over the course of the show's run, almost, and exact scenes were written in, with the 'missing bits' added. It will be fun to rewatch those episodes and say, 'yeah, ok, right I can see it now!'

[series]: I thought, "she's gotta be kidding. Bodie/Cowley? Okay, now we're taking this 'slash anybody' thing too far." Then I read the story. She was *so* good at reading the characters, she was *so* good at maintaining their personalities and fears and identities that when I finished the first story I thought, "Of *course* Bodie/Cowley makes sense! This is great!"

[series]: I thought she didn't do justice to [Cowley]: I found her Cowley joyless, lacking in the humour and kindness that I think are basics of his character. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy these stories at all, just that they weren't in character to my eyes. (He Bodie was 'off' to me too, mainly for a personal/political idiosyncratic reason: I don't like it when a character pretends to a sexual orientation that is false. Bodie here is homosexual but pretends to be bi. I can see why Jane Carnell did that, but it upset me. That in fact, though it was a lesser plot point than the characterization of Cowley, it did much more to lessen my enjoyment of the read. How can I respect, let alone love, a basically dishonest Bodie?)