I learned how cruel the world was cruel when I was a pup. When my dreams were beaten out of my brain and left bleeding on the cold ground outside the Junior Ranger Scout building. You'd think what hurt most were the bruises my friends had imprinted on my body, or the pain of how the muzzle that was strapped onto my face dug into my skin, drawing blood that flowed down my cheeks, mixing with my tears.

But they weren't.

What hurt the most were the words. How they said my species name like it was poison. I had believed that I had found a pack, a group that didn't care what I was and could see past my species and allow me to be part of them. Heh… I really was dumber than I looked.

After that day… I don't know. Something… Snapped! I decided to live my life acting like how I was expected to act. Like a Predator. It killed me, at first, living like the thing I had wanted to prove I wasn't. But I had already let myself be hurt once, and there was no way I was going to let it happen again.

I wasn't going to let anyone see that they got to me.

The years went by, and my façade continued. I spent each day humiliating animal after animal, preferably prey animals, conning them out of their money and building myself on the words they spat at me.

"Mongrel!"

"Scum!"

"Dirty Fox!"

"Thieving Predator!"

Every word was met with the same reply: "What did you expect from a fox?"

And so I went on living. Each day bringing in more money, making more enemies, and building up the things that kept me living in this shithole city.

The Pride.

The Money.

The Shame.

Yeah… I was doing great! Living my lie and hiding away my true self. The fox that this world despised without even knowing.

Then she showed up.

She was meant to be nothing more than a naïve bunny. Another animal that got to see the lying fox that this city had shaped. But… I really had underestimated this Meter Maid.

This Meter Maid… This animal had gotten me wrapped around her finger. She was the one creature that had ever tricked me. Humiliated me! This delusional bunny that actually thought she was a real cop! With the clown car that the force had given her, I was surprised she hadn't figured out that she was doomed from the very minute she put on that vest. And she actually expected me to help her!

Oh I helped her all right.

I took every opportunity I had to slow down this 'case' that she was so bent on solving. Hell, I was doing her a favour. Better she realize her place at the bottom of the food chain, sooner than later.

Than… she helped me… Twice in fact.

Despite how I treated her, how I'd held her back, she saved me from becoming a savage jaguar's meal. Why? She could have just left me and repaid my 'kindness', but she helped me, cared about me, trusted me.

That's probably one of the reasons why I helped her.

Well, maybe not. When that big-horned bastard started talking down at her, claiming me being a fox automatically killed me as a witness, it all came back. Because I knew how it felt. To be stepped on, to be made to feel worthless, to be stereotyped for what you were. So I helped her. I spoke to that Ox in a way I would quite possibly think he would kill me for. But I won, I managed to shut his fat mouth up.

Then I told Judy my story.

It wasn't easy. I'd locked away the pain for so long, opening it up again tore at my heart. But she listened, told me I was so much more than an untrustworthy fox, and placed her paw on my arm.

That touch… I don't know why, but her touch burned away the painful memories and replaced them with the feeling that I'd always told myself didn't, shouldn't, exist for a creature like me.

Love.

It was crazy, I was actually beginning to feel something for this bunny. Maybe it was because I'd never been treated this way for so long, but I actually felt myself wanting to be with this rabbit. And the more time we spent together, the more the feeling grew. Judy didn't just seem like another animal, she stuck out to me.

She glowed like a fire.

Then that fire went out.

Those words at the press conference pierced through my soul. This bunny really was just like everyone else, just another animal that saw me as another predator. I never felt rage like that before, it burned and boiled in my stomach and came out my mouth in words of venom. She tricked me, fooled me into thinking someone actually cared about me. How dare she!

I didn't cry until I got back to my apartment. I'd let that rabbit see my fury, but she wasn't gonna see my tears. After I walked through my door I broke down. Screaming, choking, weeping. I smashed my bathroom mirror, disgusted at the thing that bunny had turned me into.

A pathetic, venerable pup.

I didn't smile once in the days that followed. Finnick asked me about my state countless time, each question responded with "I'm fine. Get back to work!". 'Fine' was something I definitely wasn't. I spent each night crying myself to sleep, and every morning waking up to the thought of her beside me. The only thing I'd had left of her was that carrot pen, the very thing that caused me to work with her in the first place.

I should have crushed it. Destroyed the evidence, of me and her, smashed the only physical memory of her. Then I could move on, forget her, go back to living my life as a con-man.

But I couldn't…

I didn't want to move on…

I didn't want to forget…

I only wanted her back…

And so she did.

She came back apologising, begging me to help her solve the case again. I was overjoyed to see her again…but I didn't know. How did I know she wouldn't break my heart again? Then I heard the tears, the pain, in her voice, and I knew she was telling the truth. And then she said those words.

'I really am just a dumb bunny!'

And I played those words over, and over again. I embraced her, noticing and relishing her scent of roses, and we went off, ready to save the city.

At the museum, I became what I'd never wanted to be. A savage predator. It was pretend of course, but I worried that Judy would see me like that and truly think I was like one of those monsters. Good God, I really am dumber than I look.

Because I when I advanced on her, in my savage façade, I didn't see any fear, disgust, or horror. I only saw trust. That's why I love her, because I only have to look into her eyes to know that she sees me for I am, not what I am.

Now I'm a cop, her partner, and every day I can look at her. See her smile, hear her voice, feel her warmth. I owe everything to her, and she'll never know how truly grateful I am for her. All I can do is stay by her side as her partner, her best friend, and quietly thank her for what she's given to me.

Thank you Judy Hopps.

Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for giving me a reason to live again.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Thank you Judy Hopps. Thank you.