Well, like many other people I just watched Zootopia at the movie theatre, and found out Disney did a pretty fantastic job. I loved everything about it, I had great expectations and the movie managed to surpass them. So obviously I loved the relationship between Judy and Nick, with their clashing personalities, their caring for each other throughout the movie, and Nick's sad past... And then I thought, why not create a world in which they were actually normal animals on all four living in the wild, with their personalities remaining intact, yet with a obvious different storyline? Has anyone done this before? I have no clue. Anyways, I did it for the heck of it, but feedback is obviously greatly appreciated and encouraged :).
The sun was setting and the cloudless sky was fading orange. Finally little Nick could get out of the den since the bright light wasn't there to hurt his sensitive eyes anymore. His tummy rumbled and he decided to go sniff out some crickets or grasshoppers that he could nibble on. His Mother was always saying he should eat some meat, but in that single aspect Nick wasn't like the rest of his kind.
At four weeks old, when his brothers and sister started eating the small birds and rabbits their parents brought them, Nick refused any meat that was offered to him, preferring instead to satisfy his hunger on berries and insects. Now almost one year old, his lifestyle still hadn't changed. Despite being so young, he had a firm belief that their prey deserved a chance at living, and that they weren't so different from him. It wasn't that he didn't find meat unappetizing, it was quite the contrary. His bloodlust and survival instinct strongly hinted that he should consume meat, but his sensitive side reminded him that prey animals had families too, and felt pain just like him. Of course he wouldn't admit he was a big softy to just anyone, not unless he wanted to get mocked for life. Instead he opted to say to others that he just didn't like the taste of meat. His family often teased him for that, which he almost always ignored. The only person he could ever trust his ideals and opinions was his best friend Finnick, a small and feisty fennec fox.
Finding an half eaten apple that one of his older brothers probably abandoned, Nick bit into it as he heard his siblings playing far off in the distance. His ears perked at the shrieks coming from there. From the barks and snarls he heard, the kit realized they were more excited than usual. And they were only that excited when they found some prey. His hopes of not getting called by them were shattered when Tokala, his oldest brother, called him from the distance enthusiastically.
Nicholas sighed abandoning his meal, and slowly made his way in their direction, hoping it was a worm they had found. When he got there he saw little Mimi, the youngest of the litter, her fur covered in dirt, jumping around playfully. Tokala had his eyes fixed on the ground, a smirk planted on his face. From the soil stood out a red wagging tail, its body hidden underground.
"What's Todd doing?" - Nick asked, fearing the answer. Todd was the middle brother along with himself, hyperactive and always ready for a new challenge.
"We found a rabbit den!" - Mimi responded, her excitement visible. - "We almost have them!"
A sudden and horrible shriek ripped the air, followed by a short silence, and his brother Todd emerged with a bleeding rabbit in his fangs, limp and dead.
Nick ignored his hunger impulse.
"Good job Todd, Father and Mother will be proud." - Tokala praised. - "There's still one left though, I can smell it. It's the baby it left behind."
The bigger fox wasted no time by putting his head inside the rabbit den and starting to dig furiously, hoping to reach the last one. It seemed he was too large and the bunny was too far inside, probably hiding and scared to death.
Mimi jumped at the opportunity.
"Can I go get it? I promise I'll catch it, Big Brother!"
"Maybe we should just leave it, we already have enough for dinner." - Nick suggested.
Tokala reflected for a moment, and answered. "Maybe next time dear sister, I think this one is destined for Nick."
Nick's heart skipped a beat. He didn't want to kill a rabbit, specially not a baby rabbit. What he was feeling must've showed on his expression because his brother insisted.
"Come on Nick, you never caught a prey before, now's your time to show what a great hunter you are."
"Please don't make me do it. You know I hate it." - he whispered.
"How do you know you hate it if you've never done it? We're all getting tired of your rebellious phase, it's time you started acting like a real fox. Now get in there before I have to push you." - he snarled.
Against his will and as slowly as he could manage just to piss off his brother, Nick made his way through the dirt tunnel, clawing his way in and sniffing the air around him. The walls enclosed around him tighter and tighter until he was only hearing his siblings' voices as muffled sounds. He continued a bit further, building his resolve, deciding that a quick death would do the trick, and maybe then they wouldn't bother him with hunting for another 2 weeks.
He stopped in his tracks when his wet nose suddenly touched something. Something furry that smelled of fear.
The smallest bunny he had ever seen cowered before him, back against the wall, nose trembling non stop. Scared and wide violet eyes met his green ones, and waited. Nick's resolve was promptly shattered.
"Hey there, Carrots. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." - he instinctively said.
The bunny gave no answer and kept breathing very fast, its soft grey fur moving rapidly against his nose. It was so small and defenseless, now an orphan thanks to his family, and Nick quickly felt himself doing something that would change his life entirely.
Taking the unmoving bunny in his jaw, carefully as not to hurt it, he backed out of the tunnel. When he got out, his siblings were all around him, congratulating him for his first hunt, before realizing that the prey was still breathing.
"Seems like you didn't give it its final bite yet. Want some help with that?" - Todd immediately offered.
Nick put the baby rabbit down, half expecting it to flee right away, which it didn't to his relief. He proceeded to cover the trembling bunny under him, protecting it from the hungry and confused gazes of his family.
"What do you think you're doing, Nicholas?" - Tokala threatened.
Nick bared his fangs for the first time and snarled furious and shamelessly to all of them.
"Anyone who touches her will get a bleeding throat." - he heard himself say. Who the hell told him the bunny was a she?
Acting all on impulse and making use of the shock he had installed on his siblings, he grabbed the small grey ball of fur by the scruff, and ran towards his secret place, where no one would bother them for a while.
And that was how Nick met Judy for the first time.