Murder was in the young buck's eyes. His blank stare looking up to the sky was everything but peaceful. Police lights flashed around the ally and reflected off the metal surface of the fire escape. Hushed whispers echoed while onlookers tried to piece together what had transpired just minutes prior. A squad car rolled onto the sidewalk over the curb and parked just a few feet away from the ominous yellow police tape. The doors opened and the orange fox stepped out, followed by a gray rabbit. The fox was somewhat fit, with a long bushy tail that swayed as he walked under the tape, holding it up for the rabbit, onto the crime scene.
"Sweet cheese and crackers..", the bunny said under her breath as she looked back at the fox, who was pulling off his sunglasses.
The fox was two year police force veteran, Nick Wilde, ZPD. And his partner, Judy Hopps, looked horrified. The victim's throat had been ripped out, leaving a large pool of blood accumulating around the body. A few steps away was the body of a bobcat, with three bullet holes in his chest.
"What happened here?", Nick asked, turning to the officer on scene. The tiger perked up and stuttered, "the b.. Bobcat there was attacking the deer so I drew my weapon and shouted at him to get off. But when I did, the bobcat just looked at me.", a cold shiver overcame the tiger as he visibly shuddered. "His.. His eyes… They pierced my soul. Then the bobcat slowly rose from the corpse and started to walk towards me". Judy had been writing down his statement, and had been peeking over her notebook at the bloodied cat. Her heart sunk into her chest as she imagined the scene. "...That's when I fired my weapon", the tiger concluded, still visibly shaken. "Thanks for that. I think we've got it from here.", Nick said putting his paw on the tigers shoulder. The tiger gave a halfhearted smile and turned back toward the police vehicles. Nick turned to his partner, who had her eyes glued to the neck wound on the deer. "What do you think?, Nick said to judy, as she turned and faced him. Her violet eyes glimmered in the flashing emergency lights. "I think I quit", she said meeting his gaze. He chuckled lightly, "I'll make sure to buy that weird carrot beer you like so much." She let out a smile and took a breath. He had been with her from the beginning, from savage jaguars, to undercover street races, and never once failed to make her smile. "Honestly it reminds me of the nighthowler case. Maybe he got infected eating a bugaburger, they did just open that new plant on that old farm off FM 3136. Their might have been an old flower or two". Nick scratched his chin, "that's kind of a stretch there, carrots". She sighed. "Well, what do you think?". Nick looked over at the bodies, "something just feels… off. Like why was the deer in a dark ally in the first place? And wh-" He was cut off by a grunt escaping from the mouth of the deer. Judy flinched at the blood curdling sound as she turned around. "Oh god he's alive!" A parametric gasped as he rushed over to the deer. The medic, an older antelope reached into his bag to retrieve fresh gauze wraps. The deer flinched slightly and the medic put pressure on the wound. "You told me you checked his pulse, Dave!", he shouted to the other medic who was walking up. The deer squirmed a little, choking for breaths. The medic, Dave, had walked to where Nick and Judy were standing. "I.." He started, "I did.. Th.. there was nothing.. No breathing.. A.. and he lost nearly all of his blood.. I.. I.." He stuttered out. 'Oh god how did I mess this up? I'm going to get fired! My kids.. What if he dies? What if I could have saved him?' A worried look overcame his face as he ran back to the ambulance to retrieve a stretcher. Nick and Judy both just stood there, stunned at the chaos. The crowd that had gathered around sparked back up with picture flashes and talk. Judy instinctively grabbed Nick's arm for comfort as Dave rushed pass with the medical equipment. They loaded the deer on the stretcher and started to wheel him toward the ambulance. "Judy.." Nick said quietly. "I don't think that dude was alive." Judy looked up at the startled fox, trying to think of a witty comeback. She opened her mouth, but the look on Nick's face kept her from saying something silly and clever. She just have his arm a soft squeeze and smiled. He loved her smile. It never ceased to make him feel warm inside. The ambulance took off into the sunset, towards the hospital, leaving only dust and confused onlookers.
Forty minutes later and forensics had finished up by taking pictures and picking samples. The bobcat had been covered and been placed into the coroner van. "There's not much for us to do here now." Nick said with a sigh. He was exhausted and tired from the long, eventful day. Some chatter over the radio quietly sparked up about a robbery on the other part of town. Judy looked at nick and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Our shift is just about up, and you promised me beer." she shot him a smile. He smirked. A cold one sounded really nice. Some chatter on the radio about a drunk driver quietly hummed with the sound of the wind. "I'll be by around 9? Nick asked. Judy nodded and smiled. Her smile could make nick do just about anything. Some radio chatter about a hospital clicked over the mumbling of the onlookers who hadn't left yet. "Alright, carrots. Let's go back to the station and punch out." The duo walked to the cruiser and settled in, taking one last look at the blood covered alleyway. "Judy mumbled under her breath, "what a day".
Judy sat alone in her apartment, pacing a little bit as she noticed the clock read 9:27. 'Nick always came over early' the voice in her head shouted as thoughts of nick being hurt rushed over her. Thump. Her ears shot up trying to figure out where the sound came from. Clash. Louder this time. Running footsteps could be heard echoing in the stairwell. "Oh god, judy!" I familiar voice called out from the stairs. Nick was running up towards her room. "Judy"! He cried out again. Her heart pounded faster as nick could be heard getting closer and closer to her door. "JUDY!" Nick yelled as he kicked open the door to the bunnies apartment room. "N..Nick! What?" Judy stammered out to the panting fox. "Th..They.." He paused and looked to her. "They had BLUE. BARRY. VODKA." He ecstatically smiled as he pulled the blue bottle from the bag she just noticed on the floor. Judy sighed and facepawed herself and shook her head. "Can you believe it! When I walked into the store and got your weird orange stuff, which, by the way I got the last case of, go me. They had this giant stand of the stuff and-" Judy buried her head into nick's chest. "Why do you always do this?" she asked not expecting a response. Nick laughed and gave her a big hug, picking her up off the ground and swinging her around. Judy was worried. She loved nick. She didn't know what she would do without him, without her partner, her best friend. Nick set her down and walked into the kitchen, grabbing two glasses. "Nick, one day something's gonna happen and yo-" "Yes, yes you won't know and blah blah blah" He quipped back before she could finish. "What do you wanna watch?" he asked pouring the vodka into the glasses. She thought to herself for a moment. When she watches romance movies with him, it always sparks buried feelings for nick. And that always made her sad, because she knew they could never be a couple romanticly. She saw what other interspecies couples go through. Parents judging, random civilians starring, the name calling.. she could probably handle it, but she couldn't put Nick through that. Not for her sake. She had convinced herself she doesn't like him in that way. She just had to ignore his charm, and his fluffy butt, and his.. His predator scent, his musk.. His.. 'stop it, Judy! She snapped out of her thoughts and said "How about that hangover movie?". "Ha!" He laughed, "What a coincidence!" he bellowed walking back towards her with the multiple bottles of alcohol.
Nick was happy to forget about what he saw today. In the thirty minutes of the movie, he has already drank a quarter of the bottle, and two carrot beers. His vision was blurry, but stable. He was tipsy, pushing the line of drunkenness. He'd just call a cab like he usually does when he stays late at night. He went to look at his watch but somehow between sitting down and now, he had subconsciously laid his arm around judy, who was nuzzled into his side. Nick smiled. He loved judy, she was smart, kind, and.. A rabbit. Nick couldn't bare the thought of people calling her names on the street if they dated. She just needed to find a nice rabbit to fall in love with. He took another drink from his glass with his free hand. He buried those feelings along with the rest. He was just happy being her friend. Why would he go and ruin that? She nuzzled closer into his side. His heart pounded harder. 'Oh god i love her so much' His head yelled.
'Oh man he noticed' Judy exclaimed to herself. She just couldn't resist. Nick's scent was so dangerous, and strong. It smelled like how summer rain felt. Amazing. She thought she could sneak a sniff by shifting. She didn't move or dare look up. 'What if he thinks i'm some kind of creep?' She didn't like that thought. She didn't want to lose him. She hated the thought of someday a nice vixen taking him away. She wanted him to be happy. "I can make you happy". She thought to herself. "I know you can, Judy, and you do." said slightly drunk Nick. Judy realised she had said that last part out loud. Her ears turned bright pink from embarrassment. She was drunk and was searching for the words to say but was interrupted, "do I make you happy?" Nick said with a drunken slur. 'Oh god this was it.' In her drunken fueled lust she was going to tell him. She felt the words coming up. 'Oh no.' She sat up and took a deep breath. "Nick, for a long time i've searched for answers to questions that i- and you're asleep." she said looking at a passed out Nick on her couch. She rolled her eyes and let out a small chuckle."Dumb fox" she whispered. She stood up and fetched a blanket for her favorite fox. She draped it over him carefully to not disturb him. She pet him on the ears and kissed the top of his head. "Goodnight" she whispered.