The red fox stumbled onto the ground, wet dirt splaying everywhere The fox was wearing what was once a shirt and now a foul collection of raggedy pieces of fabric, dirt and holes, barely able to hang from his shoulders like a discarded old towel. There's a huge tear on the left side, which leaves much of him exposed to the elements. His pants aren't what they used to be either. A big tear has split the left leg in two and the right leg is full of smaller tears as well. He wears a dark blue scarf around his neck. It's old and ragged, but relatively clean. The fox looked up fearfully as sneering ram's walked over. They were wearing mail and plate armour, their surcoats having a shield in the background, a badgers head and stars at the bottom, the royal crest. They had their hooves on their cheap swords, cheap they may be but sharp enough to behead the fox. The fox tried to stand up but the Ram's were upon him and started kicking him down, their hard hoofs hitting hard on flesh and bone, cuts and bruises showing up and the yelps of the fox carried through the night. Once curled up and the Ram's satisfied they hooked their arms around the fox's limp ones, dragging him onto the dirty streets. Out of the pained haze, the fox tried to free himself, but the ram's arms were like steel.
"Why are you doing this?" The fox asked, his smooth voice slightly groggy.
"Shut it fox!" One guard said while ramming his hoof into the fox's ribs, making an oof! As air forcibly shot out.
"But I didn't do anything!" He resorted, gasping slightly.
The left Ram sneered at him. "You know what you did fox." He spat.
"You stole from a noble deer at the tavern." The other concluded.
"No you got it all wrong, He dropped his pouch and I was returning it!" He pleaded. The Ram scoffed.
"No really! That's what ha-" A hoof connected with the fox's muzzle, sending blood on the right Ram's white surcoat.
"You got blood on my coat!" He yelled. Then all the fox could render was hard hoofs connecting with his head and muzzle, on the edge of consciousness, stepping further to the edge at each hoof connecting with his head. Once finished, all that was left was painful throbbing and darkness seeking the sides of his vision. The fox stopped struggling and embraced the darkness.
The fox was rudely awoken by a hoof connecting painfully with his already bruised and tender muzzle. He yelped in pain and surprise and looked around frantically, wondering where he was. By the grey stone walls and rooms with iron bar doors, it was evident he was in the Warden's office. He looked both sides to see the same faces of the Ram's sour expressions of their faces. He then looked forward to seeing the overweight bear warden, looking down at him. "And what have you done to be here fox?" The bear's voice called, it was all an echo to the fox's ears as he tried to recompose himself.
"For trying to steal from a noble deer, Lord Haggems sir." The right Ram stated. The bear hummed.
"That can be a hanging sentence for you fox." The bear stated, no emotion in his gruff voice. The fox took his time to realize what the Warden had said, and his eye's widened in fear.
"But first what is your name fox?" The bear asked putting on small glasses and leaning forward, picking up a writing feather, which hovered of a sheet of paper with many names on it. The fox gulped audibly, not fond of telling people of his identity. He felt a hoof tighten on his left arm, the Ram squeezing his arm threateningly.
"Nicholas Wilde." He mumbled.
"What was that scum?" Lefty threatened.
"Nicholas Wilde," Nicholas called louder.
Silence.
The bear looked stunned for a moment before he recomposed himself. And a sinister smile crept on his muzzle.
"Well then... Prince Wilde, I have the perfect punishment for you." The Wardens fangs glowed in the pale moonlight. "How about slavery by, let's think. The Hopps?" The bear boomed at the horrific expression of Nicholas. Who wished he would be hanged now.
The Hopps and Wilde kingdom have been enemies way before the birth of King Stewart IV. The war ended in the 11th century and started in the 9th. The founding of the Hopps' - which increased the Hopps' advantage, was in the 10th. The victory of the Hopps was outstanding, the Wildes admitting defeat after the Prince was captured and sentenced to hanging, Prince Wilde was set free. Later on the Hopp's - Assassinated King and Queen Wilde. And with the Prince, no one knows what happened to him. After the defeat of the Wildes, it opened up more fiefs for the Hopps to grab. With the Wildes gone the Hopp's are one of the biggest kingdoms, below the Royal Badger, Ruler of the land.
The green-cloaked Mammal ran through the trees, breathing heavily, cloak flapping wildly behind him, he looked back and there was the small white and black cloaked figure catching up, aiming a crossbow and his direction. He quickly swerved right, avoiding the bolt. He heard the click of another bolt reloaded as quick as the white cloaked mammal shot. The mammal unslung his bow from his shoulders and fired blindly behind him, hopefully shooting his pursuer. He looked back to see nothing and breathed a sigh of relief. The mammal bent over, regaining his breath and pulled back the cowl to let air cool his hot Grey fur. The wolf slung his bow again, that was close The wolf thought then frowned To close He shook his head and began to walk back until something hot pierced his back, then retracted. He froze and started patting his back, looking and his paw to see crimson red blood, hot and sticky blood.
His blood.
He fell to his knees.
'I never thought it would end like this, lying in a puddle of my own blood. But so be it, the end of my life, crushed in an instant. Fine then, let it be. I'm down on my knees, soon I will probably be down on my back. I want to stand up, but I can't. My legs, they won't move. My body, it won't move. This is driving me crazy! Move body, move! We need to get out of here, we need to live. Why are you failing me now when I need you most? Move already! We're dying! Don't give up, please. I can't take this much longer. My entire body screams, telling me to lie down and sleep. I must resist. If I sleep I'll surely die, but I can't take this much longer. I'll just.. I'll just lie down for a little while. Save my energy, I'll make it out of this mess soon enough.' The wolf thoughts shooting in at fast speeds. His eyes slowly closing as he felt himself fall backwards. As his head hit the ground, his eyes snapped open.
The dying wolf saw a black and white cloak obscure his view. How? were his last words before his eyes slowly closed, feeling like a good rest will fix this. His eyes opened a slit to see a flash of silver strick into his neck, then out again, blood sputtering out.
=-.-=
"JUDITH HOPPS!" A gruff angry male voice shouted, making the grey Bunny flinch. She smiled apologetically at the old amber Wolf, patting his big paw. He smiled warmly back and turned around, continuing harvesting carrots. Judy walked away, through the fields which hosted carrots, blueberries and more. Many Predator servants and slaves tended to these plants, but also Bunny servants helped, by staying meters away and giving glares at them. She felt sorry for the Predators. And she doesn't understand what her parents have against them. Sure there was the Wilde war or also called the Fox war, but that ended around 30 years ago. Judy continued walking until she walked through the huge iron gates, welcoming her to bustling people and guards strolling around. Judy greeted everyone she passed and walked to huge oak doors, grunting as she tried to open them.
"M'lady." A sun bear slave greeted. Judith smiled warmly.
"McCarren." She greeted back, he smiled back and helped her open the large door. Judy thanked him and strolled down the polished stone floors. The grey rabbit passed thousands of her siblings, which she greeted, and a couple of slaves and servants. Who would smile and say 'M'lady' or 'Mistress Judith'. Making it to a door covered with brass linings Judy opened it without knocking. The room was lit by the midday sun which illuminated a huge desk sitting in the middle, a huge bookshelf on the left side filled with books, scrolls and parchments. On the right was a board with a map of the kingdom pinned to it, next to the map was treaties of other fiefs and papers of defeated Kingdoms and fiefs. At the desk was a mid-age Light brown buck with a splash of white on his muzzle. He was writing on parchments with his Quill. He looked up and his old face instantly took an angry look.
"Judith." He said in a deathly calm voice.
"Father," Judy replied, her shoulders squared.
"May I ask what you were doing today?" He questioned, almost daring her to say something. "Well father, I woke up, got dressed, had breakfast then made my way to the fields outside the walls," Judy replied. Father raised an eyebrow.
"Anything else?" He asked. Judy shook her head, my heart pounding.
"Really, Hmm well Captain Savage says you were reading a book. And gave a pie to a slave and helped another slave with its work!" He explained, standing up at the end, his face flushed through his fur. Judy looked up at her enraged father and shrugged.
"I don't see a problem." She simply stated.
"You don't? Let me give you some Hmm? One. The things you help will lose their discipline and become savage. Two. The things can kill you at any time if they want. And three! Under no circumstances are you to read a book, you are to be learning how to sow, clean and cook, not read. And gods help me above if I find you flirting with one of the things or reading one more book I will personally send you to the dungeon where you can stay for a year thinking about this!" He remarked, looking furious.
"Father please." She waved her dismissivly paw.
"The won't kill me, Predators haven't killed anyone since the great war, and that was somewhat civilized killing, not the 'Teeth and claws' killing, and they are not things they are mammals that deserve to be free," She replied, getting angry herself. Her father spat, his face beet red.
"How dare you, Judith Laverne Hopps! They are savage vile beasts the deserve to be enslaved, they murdered our kind in the savage times, they are nothing but a disease, we, prey mammals, are the cure. We do what is right and this is rights, they deserve nothing more!"
"Father…" The grey rabbit growled.
"TO YOUR ROOM JUDITH!" He practically screamed. He had never screamed like that before, her ears dropped as she walked out.
"And don't come out until dinner!" He shouted. Judy slightly nodded and closed the heavy oak door behind her, walking across the hard wooden floors. Brothers and sisters cast sideways glares at the doe, some confused some ashamed and disgusted, the ones that heard the argument no doubt. When Judy made it to her quarters before she could open the door it opened itself, The solemn doe would have been shocked but she knew what was happening. "Go away, Jack." the tired Bunny mumbled.
"What?" I voice chuckled with an accent Suddenly a rabbit appeared out of thin air, holding the door with his white and black striped paw. The rabbit was wearing the normal - equipment, a leather plaited Tunic, plated arm guards, a black and white mottled cloak, crossbow slung on his back and a sword, swinging from his right hip. The rabbit pulled down his cowl to reveal a white face with black striped zipped along his cheeks, His face was accomplished with a cocky grin, a bad grin at best.
"Don't like the company, Judy?" He asked, Judt just rolled her eyes and scowled slightly.
"Go away, Savage." She grunted, walking past him into the living quarters.
"What no 'Thanks you oh handsome one'?" The hybrid asked she scowled some more and slammed the door on him, making an Ow come from the other side The young doe flopped down on the bed and looked out the window, where late afternoon sun streamed in. The window was long in length but short in width. Judy mildly observed travellers coming to and fro the giant walls, the village outside the kingdom walls and of course the fields that had slaves tending to. And least not forget the - Around the perimeter of the fields and walls, of course, some invisible while some could be seen in their black and white cloaks, crossbows unslung and loaded. Judy took a heavy sigh and looked up at the ceiling. She was about to close her eyes until she saw jolted movement from the corner of her eye. Looking back at the window a carriage could be seen tensely bumping across the gravel road. A carriage with bars and the crest of the warden of Kingdom Badgerfield.
"Another slave no doubt," Judy muttered sadly, poor soul. About to have a life of labour and pain. When the carriage stopped the slave master, a Rino in green dressing, came forward and started talking with the driver, who then smashed the side with his paw, making the door open. A Ram Guard came out first, whip in hand and seemed to scream inside. Cracking his whip, which could be heard from up here making Judy flinch and ears flick. Judy wasn't expecting what came out that carriage. Judy was more or less expecting a Cat, Racoon, Dog or Wolf, any Predator except what stumbled out that carriage. A red fox, wearing rags and a dark blue scarf wrapped warmly around his cream neck. But his eyes. Emerald green pools that would have sparkled with mirth. He suddenly started up at her in a familiar look of hopelessness.
Flashback
I remember when I was four years old. Father had taken me to the hanging of an enemy. Father's loyal servant, a sheep, had elevated me up to see better. The crowds of bunnies and prey shouted angrily at something red walking upstairs to a rope. "Mr Woolson, who's that?" I had asked the sheep, He didn't look up and continued staring forward. "That's Prince Wilde, the son of the enemy." He explained. I had looked at the fox and saw young fearful emerald green eyes, looking pleadingly over the crowd. "Why's he here?" I had asked, this time Mr Woolson looked up. "Well what I hear from your father is that he wants the Wildes to surrender, and thought this was the best way, but rumours are going around that he's being hung for doing... Bad things." Then looked back at the angry crowd. I saw his Emerald eyes focus on mine, his young pleading eyes begging at me as the rope went around his red and cream neck, the rope tightening, making the Tod's eyes widen, tears brimming his green eyes and the crowds shouting got louder. The Rabbit next to the fox Gripped a lever, about to pull it down. "Sir! The Wildes emit defeat!" Someone shouted, making father hold out his hand, making the rabbit near the Prince let go of the lever sadly and the crowd booing.
Judy was shaken from her unexpected flashback by a knocking on the door. Getting up Judy opened the heavy door to see her mother standing there. She was wearing an elegant green dress that flowed from her shoulder to her feet, dark grey patterns scribbled up her side. She smiled warmly and stepped inside without saying anything. Confused Judy closed the door and followed her like a shadow. Once she stopped she turned around and sighed her smile faltering.
"Judy." She simply said. Her ears drooped slightly.
"You know how we're talking about you having a personal sl-" The grey bunny suddenly groaned and rolled her eyes. Not this subject. Her mother just glared at the young doe. "Mother, for the 10th time, I do not need a Personal slave to do my things. I can clean my room fine, make food well and get things myself." Judy stated, rather annoyed already.
"I know Judy, I'm not doubting your skills but you need one like all your brothers and sisters." She responded in a matter-of-fact tone.
"It just doesn't feel right," The younger female muttered, sadly her Mother heard it.
"What's not right? Preds being slaves? I think it's fine, you know how they were hunting us prey down and killing us!" She explained.
"Mother that was the savage time, millions and billions of years ago, from my knowledge there hasn't been a savage Pred or one that has eaten a prey. They are mammals just like us so why treat them as slaves?!" Judy shouting the last sentence. The elder doe put on a forced smile.
"Judith, please just, uh.. Ok, how about you try having a personal slave, if you don't like it, then we'll stop and if you do like it then you can keep it. How about that?" She explained, her voice forced. Judy sighed, noticing how she called slaves 'it'. Judy nodded in defeat. She knew If she declined her mother would come back again and again.
"Good!" The mother shouted as she strode to the door.
"Meet me in the slave quarters at nine!" She called behind her shoulder. Judy looked up at the water clock on her drawer. The hand pointing to roughly 8:50
"Mother that's in 10 minutes!" She called back.
"Exactly!" the mother called back. Groaning, Judy walked to her bed.
"Out," Judy harshly barked.
She heard the mumble of a certain rabbit.
"Damn Jack," She mumbled. Judy sat on the bed for a while before padding over to her drawer. The grey doe got changed into a different Attire. Instead of the fancy dressed the doe was forced to wear, Instead, she put on a violet-hued tunic and grey slacks. Once finished she grumpily strolled down the halls. Although her attitude got brighter with every Predator she saw and greeted. She had noticed long ago that there were no Foxes as slaves. One fact is that father didn't trust them, but the main reason is that if there are any Foxes given to Father he'd send them to the Torture chambers, where they would be tortured, so much so they often died, which is likely the place that new fox will go. Instantly the grey bunnies mood came crashing down.
Poor soul. Walking down stone curved stair she found herself in a dungeon, the walls, ceiling and the floor being cracked cobblestone, making it rather drafty. She spotted Mother chatting to the Rino slave master. She saw the informal doe and instantly rolled her eyes at the clothing. "Must you?" She asked, sounding very annoyed.
"It's comfortable." Was Judy's simple response. Her mother hummed in annoyance before gesturing to the fat Rino.
"Judy This is Diaglo, the slave master." Her mother greeted. Judy padded up and shook his hand. Shocking both. Judy just shrugged.
Diaglo cleared his throat.
"Yes well um. Princess Judith a pleasure. You have a good impression on my slaves." As if on cue hundreds of voices called out.
"Hello, Judy!" In a cheerful tone. Judy leant a bit and saw most of the slaves behind iron bars, behind them I could just make the outlines of a bunch of Hammocks. Judy smiled and greeted them back.
"Quiet down!" Diaglo shouted, making it instantly quite.
"Yes well Diaglo, My daughter is here for a personal slave." She got right to the point.
"Was this her decision?" Diaglo asked pointing to Judy, somewhat already knowing the answer. "Nope!" Judy chirped back, bouncing up and giving a fake smile, earning a glare from the doe's mother.
"Any suggestions?" The Queen asked in a fake cheery voice. The fat Rino thought for a moment, hoof slowly stroking his chin, then his eyes beamed.
"I just got a slave not long ago-" Please no "- Yeah he should be finishing his Grand tour of the palace." He said Grand tour in a mock noble accent. Just then a Deer buck wearing a red suit came down the stairs talking to someone behind him.
"Oh hullo, Queen Hopp's, Princess Hopps." He bowed gracefully. He then addressed Diaglo. "My Lord, here is your new 'Friend'." The Deer buck moved aside in came the Fox from the gates. I could see him better than before. The Fox made eye contact with the grey bunny, his eyes had a look of mild recognition. Judy could feel her blood get warmer as she couldn't help but stare into his emerald pools. My mother made a sound of slight disgust, causing the Fox to look at her, intently his ear went back and fear consumed his eyes.
"And there he is!" Diaglo exclaimed, his voice cheery. The Fox looked confused, probably not expecting this welcome.
"Todays your lucky day Fox!" Diaglo chirped.
"Instead of being tortured for fun or to find Prince Wilde, and then die! You will be the personal slave of this here Rabbit, Princess Hopps!" The Fox visibly gulped. And mother had a look of disbelief. She sucked in a breath and…