AUTHOR'S PREFACE:

Dear Reader,

Out of respect for your interests, I'd like to take a minute to inform you as to what to expect from this Fan-Fiction. That way, you can decide if this journey is one in which you'd like to invest your time. If you couldn't care less, feel free to skip this text.

"Animal Instinct" is a romantic drama, mostly focusing on the romance in the first half and the drama in the second. The first half is very "slice-of-life", and I feel the slower pace is crucial to organically transitioning the characters into the faster, more plot-focused second half. The story is completed, so you won't be left hanging!

The plot is simple, although certain driving factors are kept mostly hidden from the reader until later. When the drama begins to hit (and hit hard), please trust that I prepared for it! There is a resolution, for which I planted the seeds earlier in the story. It won't turn into a tragedy and/or grimdark. I know it's a lot to ask, but unfortunately a bit of trust is essential for the story to work the way it does in the end.

There used to be a couple brief, somewhat steamy, R-rated scenes in the story. (They weren't pornographic.) However, I have since toned down the version of this story that is posted on this site, and have lowered the "M" rating down to a "T". There is still quite a bit of innuendo, however, and a couple "fade-to-black" moments. If you wish to see the original version, it is now posted to my account on AO3.

As with what would be expected with a Fan-Fiction, expect numerous references to movie material, plenty of animal puns, and a nice helping of glorious WildeHopps. (As a final tidbit: I never found a proper point in the story to reference it, but the story title is borrowed from the song "Animal Instinct" by The Cranberries.)

Enjoy!

-TheWaywardKid

CHAPTER ONE:

"GUILTY AS CHARGED"

Nick's body had begun to give out from underneath him, his two bloody paws holding him up against the ZPD vehicle. The bright light shining on the fox was blaring, unforgiving. His head rang loudly. Warm liquid ran down his bare back as his body began writhing in agony. With a strident screech, his claws dug into the metal as he crumpled to the ground. Somewhere behind him, also on the ground, was Judy...

I'm... he thought, his mind clawing to keep its precarious grasp on reality.

I'm...!

[TWO WEEKS EARLIER]

"...Guilty!"

Nick sat at the bar with his trademark smug smile. It had been a few hours since the court's verdict, but the triumphant moment played on repeat within the tod's head. After months of waiting and weeks of court, Bellwether had finally been tried and convicted. The "Missing Mammals" case, arguably one of the worst and best things ever to happen to him, had officially been laid to rest.

With a surprisingly satisfying conclusion, he relished inwardly.

He tossed one of the Cajun-roasted crickets from the plate in front of him into his mouth, bringing his jaws together with a visceral crunch. Nick's ears slightly tilted back as he half-consciously looked at the plate with disappointment. They don't give you nearly enough of these...

Nick's ears flicked back up; a sudden raucous erupted from a table next to the bar. The squad had all come to celebrate after work, and at this very moment many moans and cheers bellowed throughout the establishment as money was passed between paws. A decidedly jubilant bunny had just bested a particular rhino for the second time in their lives, this time in an altogether different way.

Nick's smile slid into an amused smirk, his cheek coming to rest on his paw.

"Since when have you been such a lush, Carrots?" he called out in a somewhat mocking (yet also slightly proud) tone of voice.

More laughter bubbled from the group at his inquiry (except from the rhino, who was too busy looking like he was about to be sick).

"Pretty much since always!" came the characteristically cheery reply. "I did grow up in Bunnyburrow, after all! I mean, what with all the engagements, and the weddings, and the births, and the birthdays, and then how could you forget about the Kitceañeras - that's when a bunny's had their fifteenth litter, in case some of you didn't know – and of course the harvest festival, ummmm..."

Judy had lost herself in her ramble, frozen with her eyes tilted up in thought and her paws counting each item on her list. With a jolt Nick had to admit was nothing but adorable, the rabbit's train of thought found its tracks again. "Right! Yeahhhh... there was pretty much always a good excuse to have a few! You got used to it. Why do you ask, Mr. Wilde? Did you want to have a go...?"

Wearing a confident, mischievous grin Judy motioned to the position across from her currently occupied by a hunched-over rhinoceros. The pitiful creature tilted his head up at Nick with desperate eyes and subtly, pointedly shook his head. "Ain't my style, Toot-Toot!" chuckled Nick. "You know that."

He took a noisily long sip from his Dr. Heifer, staring straight at her in playful defiance. Judy rolled her eyes in a disgusted sigh. "For goodness' sake, Nick! Take those aviators off already! You're inside! They make you look like a -"

"- stunningly handsome, charming, and distinguished vulpine specimen!" he cut her off, putting his paw to his chest as he sat up straight in a mock-classy manner. "Not to brag."

One "pft!" from the rabbit, and she went back to basking in her glorious victory, somewhat-tipsy chuckles being had by all in the crowd.

Nick popped another crispy cricket into his mouth and resumed enjoying the scene from his slight distance. Much to everyone's surprise he had never been one for alcohol, and simply tended to order an appetizer and soda to fit in. If he were to be honest – which, of course, would be never! he mentally joked – he didn't trust the stuff. Too easy to have a loose tongue. Too easy to get distracted. Too easy to lose control in a situation. His whole life had been focused on attempting to be the one holding all the cards at all times, and the tantalizing effects of booze, more often than not, seemed to directly conflict with that agenda.

Besides, he'd already offered to drive Carrots home.

As the evening went on he continued to watch and relax from his safe edge of the circle, occasionally butting in to make some display of wit or sarcasm (often at the slight expense of some unfortunate mammal's ego). Nick had to admit, despite still not feeling fully comfortable with being part of a group – especially on the other side of the law! – this was perhaps the most content and safest he'd felt in a very long time.

...Clawhauser's making a killing! he also dutifully noted, reminding himself to be careful should he ever find himself betting with the gregarious cheetah. Judy had finally called it quits (not wanting to get wasted), and the crowd had been rotating in and out ever since. Clawhauser, somehow an expert at judging mammals, was, shall we say, spot on with every bet?

I guess it figures. Getting to know mammals is practically his job, after all. And gossip his hobby.

"There's those emerald eyes!" sprang a feminine voice beside him, interrupting his hitherto sanctified personal bubble of thoughts.

A moment of personal shock barely made its way onto Nick's face as he realized he was no longer wearing his aviators; his ears flicked back, his pupils slightly narrowed, and his mouth was barely open. The moment, in reality, was infinitesimal in length. Nonetheless to the wily fox it was significant, and he found himself incredibly grateful that Judy's drink-slowed state at least appeared to have missed it. He couldn't figure out precisely when he must've subconsciously put his aviators away, just that he apparently had and that he was disappointed in himself for so naturally obliging the previous request of this pesky doe. The power she somehow had begun to have over him was worrisome to his solitary instincts. But in just a blink he recovered, plastered a slyly amorous look to his face, and ran with the situation.

"Would you like a better look, Fluff? I hear they can be..." he turned his head toward her and leaned his face closer and closer to hers, his voice becoming rather sultry. "...mesmerizing."

...

...What Nick had been expecting was a startled recoil, followed by a rather forceful punch to the arm. Instead his partner did indeed appear to be mesmerized – eyes subtly shifting, pupils widening, and nose twitching. He barely noticed her neck muscles tightening in a swallow. Nick attempted to hold the act, appall her when she came to her senses and realized what she was doing, but all of a sudden he found the situation incredibly awkward.

His collar felt hot.

His ears burned.

His mouth filled with warm saliva.

Eyebrows suddenly furrowed with worry, ears splayed flat with embarrassment, the fox skittishly tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Um... Uh, Carrots? You, uh, do... realize that, uh..."

"Mm?"

There was a brief... something in her expression? In this unexpectedly disarmed state, he'd completely missed it! But he knew it was there... or was it? Was he imagining it? His head was running in circles. Had somebody spiked his drink without him knowing? They wouldn't. They couldn't! But it had to be the explanation, right? His head wasn't thinking straight. That had to be it. Alcohol. But he'd finished his drink a while ago. Wouldn't it have kicked in by now? In fact, was anything out of the ordinary happening at all?

He blinked, realizing that he was staring straight into the purple eyes of what was now a bunny with a very seductive look on her face.

"Oh, Nicholas Wilde... It's called a hustle, sweetheart...!"

And with that, the rabbit was back to her recognizable self, howling with laughter. Nick's jaw was agape for only a moment, then quickly slammed shut. His eyes narrowed, and he poked the rabbit with his paw. "That's not funny...!"

"Oh, but it is!" her paw rubbing an eye, trying to stifle the laughter (but failing miserably). "You actually thought you had me!"

"It could happen." he shrugged, somehow smugly.

"Yeah, right!"

Nick struck a pose, rubbing a paw over his head, ears, and down his neck. "Hey! I'll have you know I'm a dangerously sexy beast, with a positively scandalous reputation. It's not my fault you couldn't resist my roguish charms! It's okay. You can admit it. It's normal."

Judy raised an eyebrow with a smirk that reeked of confidence, as though she were about to win a chess match. "I dunno' Nick... It kinda' sounds like you wanted to seduce me..."

His entire body went stiff. His pupils were like pin-pricks, jaw clenched, ears at full attention, paws waiving. "Buh, uh! Wait. No! Carrots! That's not what I-"

And out came the carrot pen, that most blessed and damned of trinkets: "It could happen."

The poor fox's words turned to pure gibberish as they tripped over themselves. Judy's eyes squinted, gleaming with an almost evil satisfaction. She rewound the tape and played it again, making sure his words hit home.

"It could happen."

Oh, if Judy could've counted the stutters and conflicting facial contortions of her partner, it probably would've been a world record! This time her laughter was incomprehensible. The bunny had to hold onto the bar counter to keep from falling off her stool, only managing to point at his face before starting all over again. Nick began to question if she was going to pass out from her inability to breath, his face and ears burning so hot from embarrassment he thought the whole bar might feel him radiating. Finally, mercifully, Judy began to catch her breath. Nick's ears were turned back, his eyes half open in the best "I'm not amused" face he could muster.

"Are we done yet, Fluff?" he said arms crossed, monotone.

"Oh! Ho... Hah!" She was still struggling to catch her breath. "You... you really should see your face sometime when you're flustered! It is simply one of the cuuuutest things I have ever seen!"

"I thought you hated that word." Again, monotone.

"Only when it's used on me." She pointed a paw in his general direction, having to look away and choke down an impending laugh. "You on the other paw... fair game."

Judy looked back at Nick's face, giggled, and lightly punched him in the arm. "Wow, what a grumpy face, Slick! Geez! That must really take some effort! You foxes... So emotional!"

"...Aaaaaaand, kiss!"

Judy and Nick both froze, senses slammed back into full alert. Clawhauser sheepishly looked up from his recording smartphone, suddenly feeling very exposed. He hadn't exactly meant to say that out loud...

The pair's heads slowly turned to face the now-fidgeting cheetah, the tod's in particular looking deadly calm. Not missing a beat, Nick smoothly put his aviators back on and tapped Judy on the back.

"Sic 'em, girl."

Laying lazily against the bar, Nick kept his gaze perfectly straight as the two ran back and forth across his vision screaming comically. But, by the increasingly painful sounds coming from the cheetah, it was clear who was soon to emerge victorious. Ending in one last anguished attempt to escape, Clawhauser inevitably collapsed, heaving, back in front of Nick. Judy held out her paw, foot thumping rapidly. Clawhauser meekly looked up with his last breath of courage. "You... can't... take... it... from... me...!"

It was then that the fox gave a satisfied chuckle, breaking his stoic silence in the struggle. "I hate to break it to ya' Spots, but uh..."
He pulled the item in contention out of his pocket and gave it a taunting wiggle.

"...I already have the phone! So without further ado... M'lady?"

With a flare of drama, Nick pawed the phone over to Judy. "Would you care to do the honors?"

"Why thank you kind sir..." the rabbit said with a pleased nod, "...Certainly! What a gentlemammal!"

With a fateful tap of the paw on the "Delete" button, all of Clawhauser's current hopes and dreams were mercilessly butchered in one traumatic moment. Crushed, the sad cheetah took his phone back and dragged himself elsewhere in the bar, muttering about the cuteness that once was and would never be again...

The contented fox and bunny breathed a sigh of relief as they enjoyed the winding down of activity. Time passed, allowing the excitement to fade from the celebratory squad. Nick put his aviators away and gave a glance at his partner, who had just expelled an adorable, squeaky yawn. "Gettin' about time to head home, Fluff?"

"Yeah... I'm beat! If that's alright with you?" Judy gave an inquisitive glance back at Nick, who nodded. "I'm just going to head to the little doe's room first, then we can skedaddle."

"Want me to tag along?" cooed Nick as she walked away. Receiving a deliciously repulsed huff, he continued: "Oh! But we could gossip, and do our claws, and talk about all the males we've been eyeing!"

Nick, my boy! I do believe that is the first time she's flipped you off! he congratulated himself. Score one for the fox!

But as was usually the case, his sarcastic exterior was just a front. The moment the door to the restroom closed, the formerly confident predator exploded into a frantic blur of orange fur. Practically ripping his smartphone from his pocket, Nick hastily began downloading the video he'd secretly sent himself during the earlier commotion.

I know I saw something! panicked the tod. But what was it...?