Blame ubernoner's work, The Sons of Efrafa for giving me this idea.
Nick stared up. It stared back.
No sudden moves, Wilde. Just like that dinosaur movie. Hell, this thing is a dinosaur evolution-wise.
Cuss. Would blinking constitute a sudden movement? He could only keep the staring contest so long-
"Nick, what's wrong?" said Judy. Nick turned to face her. There was the rabbit, confidently astride her bird.
"I-I've never ridden before," said Nick, turning back to 'Byron,' who hadn't broken his stare at the fox.
"It's not so hard, Nick," said Judy, reaching up to stroke her ostrich's neck. "We only need to put up with mounted patrol for a week, then it's back to our regular beat."
Nick gulped, then warily moved over to the stepladder by the colossal bird's side. As he reached the top, he extended a shivering foot over Byron's saddle.
"Relax, Wilde," assured Lupez, the wolf officer holding Byron's reins. "Once you get the hang of it, it never leaves you."
"He's got a point, Nick," said Judy, walking 'Rich' up to Nick and Byron. "I mean, it's been years since I rode an ostrich, and it's already feeling like old times."
"Wait, Carrots," said Nick, retracting his paw. "You've ridden ostriches before?"
"Yeah," said Judy, smiling up at Rich's impassive, beaked face. "My first cousin once removed has a ranch out in Bunnyburrow. I've ridden a few times."
Nick gulped. Was there anything this bunny was afraid of?!
The fox sighed and extended his foot, shakily lowering himself onto the saddle. Byron hadn't reacted at all. Nick's quivering hands grabbed at Byron's reins, a toothy grin cramming its way across the fox's muzzle.
"See, you've got it," said Judy, her ears rising. "Come on, Rich." She snapped Rich's reins and ostrich and rabbit ambled out.
"Okay, hyah!" Nick snapped his own bird's reins.
Byron's head twitched, but the ostrich showed no sign of moving.
"Hyah! Hyah!" Nick frowned as Byron just stood there. "Forward! Let's go! Vamos! Unto the breach!"
Nick sighed. "C'mon, birdie, do me a favoooooooooorrrrrr!" Suddenly, Byron lurched forward and sped out of the stables, past Judy and her bird.
"You sure he'll be alright?" said Lupez, walking up to Judy and Rich.
"He'll get the hang of it," Judy smirked. Given how often Nick had had to explain things about the city to Judy, it felt good to be more knowledgeable than him for once.