Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters.

"What are you doing out here, little girl?" the wolf asked in a voice as friendly as he could muster.

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'In celebration of this new era, the council has passed a new charter in accordance to the TAME Collar Act and the Peaceful Mammal Pact. Here we are live with our noble mayor, Averne Swinton – "…This new era will spell great fortune and peace for all mammalkind! Rejoice Zootopia: the city where anyone can be anythi…"'

'In travelling in and out of Zootopia, all mammals must present your Zootopian Identity Cards throughout all checkpoints. Failure to do so will result in an offshore detainment. For preds: should any one of you fail to comply, all citizen collars will be switched on immediately. Precautions can and will take up to 3 months…'

'Recently, the ZPD has uncovered a large group of non-collared preds. They have been charged with treason, other details still unclear. But fear not: the newly improved ZPD under the prey coalition has been making headway, taking down many insurgent factions. Under Swinton's tutelage, the lieutenant is showing great promise compared to the previous administration, who were largely comprised of pred sympathisers…'

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Restlessly flipping through the channels was a fennec more concerned with his Bug-Burga meal than the tv. Although with the machine's infernal blaring of peace propaganda and prey ideals, it was hard to relax and enjoy his one and only private time for this week.

Due to the increased number of security outside, mammals knew very well the risks of braving out of the safety of their homes. Predators like him especially therefore had the tv as their only respite from the terrifying details of reality. It was however unfortunate his break time was at the crack ass of dawn, where the shitty news became the focal point of entertainment. He wondered if Honey intentionally arranged it like this so that there's less likely of a chance he could tune in for some loud music.

Just as he resigned to his fate, an irritated growl interrupted his musings.

"Finn." A firecracker todd padded in. "Shut the damn thing off, will you?"

In the past, Finnick would perhaps admonish the youngling or even perhaps ignore him for the heck of it, promising to bite his face off. These days, glimpsing the lackluster scruff of the todd's belly, Finnick could hardly call him young. Even less to try any provocation.

Sure, they were still considered the closest of all friends, even among the prey's kumbaya shit. But their relationship had somewhat been dappled after the PMP came into fruition. The fennec was one of the rare few who saw what happened in that time of great change; was the only one who could possibly understand what his friend had lost and, in the process, the great burden he suddenly bore.

And so, Finnick kindly shut off the tv, grumbling under his breath as his friend sank into the other couch. "What's it this time?" Finnick dared to ask after a moment of quiet.

The red todd acknowledged the question with a twitch of an ear. He must have just woken up, seeing as his fur was matted and ungroomed. His cool façade, ensured by a pair of dark glasses, faced blankly ahead.

Finnick knew his question was intrusive at best. But in order to get to the bottom his friend's suffering and stop him from possibly getting himself killed, Finnick must force the coward out of his stubborn shell. Yet, save for the scrit scrit of claws on fraying cushion, it seemed today silence was once again his only conversationalist. The fennec sighed and leant back, noticing the cold meal in his paws. It was days like this he thought it best to leave the drowning man to drown, lest he get stuck between a rock and a hard place.

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Nick was stuck in a nightmare. He could tell because of the softness trailing across his cheek. It was both a familiar and strange feeling, and he absently raised a paw to feel the one in the process of marking him.

"Nick," a voice called to him. The voice penetrated the murkiness of his state, and every blurry motion came into startling clarity.

His paws were clenching down on a grey body as the love of his life wrapped her legs around his thighs. He could hear himself groaning in pleasure as she gave one last push and they came together. Their arms intertwined as they snuggled next to each other, basking in the warmth of their contentment and the glow of their unity.

"Nick," she called softly to him as he cupped her face closer. "Nick."

He was ready to mark her back, to accept her as his mate. She was the only beacon in his slowly darkening world.

But when he glanced down, all he could see was red.

"Nick," she gurgled helplessly. His claws were embedded through her fragile and beautiful neck and all he could do was swallow his rising bile.

God, there was too much blood for it to be a reality as her mewls became incessant. Even as the light seemed to fade from her eyes, even as her fur turned damp and cold.

"NICK!"

His eyes snapped to focus, flicking towards the source of the deeper, clearly male, voice. Nick clasped a paw over his eyes. "Nothing new, Finn." He shook away his friend's worrisome gaze absently. "It was nothing new."

Nick knew he most often than not had nightmares. But these dreams...fantasies or whatever, they were ultimately going to be his reality. One way or another, regardless of the constant ache in his chest, there will be blood shed by the end of his crusade.

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A/N: Just gonna say ahead that this will very well go unfinished for quite some time until I get my other stories done. I had to smuggle this out of my brain because it was blocking off my thinking cap, and I have a massive exam in five days grrr..

Reviews and criticisms accepted. Thanks for reading ;)