"Secrets kept under the wool"
He never would have imagined coming back. The large lion straightened his tie as he walked down the grayscale hallway. His nose recoiled as he noticed the chipped paint and broken tiles. Even the smell was horrendous, mothballs and old drywall. His fingers clipped against his cuff links, snapping it into place when he stopped in front of a large metal and bolted door.
"Open the door please." He said with a stern voice. A lone security pig stood aside the door, his eyes narrow from the years he spent inside the metal house. Not giving him a glance, the well-dressed lion reached into his suit pocket and handed the guard a set of hundred dollar bills. "And remember our deal…"
The pig snorted and took the money, putting it safely inside his breast pocket. Without losing his stony gaze he took out a lone key, the only key that worked against the metal and rusting door. He jammed it in with precision and turned it. A loud click echoed followed by the ear-piercing squeals as the pig forced it open.
Former Mayor Lionheart straighten, preparing himself for what he might face.
"Shut the door and let no one in." He commanded before stepping inside the dimmed room. The familiar slam of the door rang in his ears when he stared into the room.
It was small but the ceilings were high enough to stand fully. The walls were concrete and the room was cold. It didn't even had windows. His feet tensed against the unfeeling floor. In the room there was a lone sink, with a faulty faucet, for it always had water dripping out of it, and beside it was a small dirty toilet built for a small animal. His eyes moved across the room to a single grey bed pushed against the wall and the animal sitting on top of it.
"Well, well, well…" Said a high pitched voice tipped with venom. "If it isn't old Lionfart."
His lips went into a tight line from her sarcastic quip. The small, feeble sheep was sitting against the metal headboard of her bed, her knees up to her chest. She giggled at the sight of him and motioned to her orange jumpsuit.
"If I knew you were coming to visit, I would have put on something more fashionable." She smirked before bringing her hooves back around her knees. "Don't make that face, it doesn't suit you! Where is that loud and obnoxious lion everyone in Zootopia loved?" She exclaimed before letting out a gasp. "Oh I'm sorry, "used" to love."
She laughed again when his eyes narrowed into a glare. She enjoyed poking fun at him, it was something she could do without an repercussion. She was already in prison. What else could he do?
Lionheart cleared his throat cutting her laughter short when he calmly started walking towards her.
"How are you doing, Miss Bellwether?" He asked. His question made her scoff, her lips turning into a grimace.
"I'm fine-" she growled, before coming back to her sweet but deceivable smile. "It's so nice here, I made a lot of friends...you should meet them."
Lionheart put out a paw when he stopped in front of her. "Perhaps later."
"I'll hold you to it." She snarled, noticing how close he was to her. He towered over her, like he always had when he worked under him rather than beside him as equals. She hated how he looked down at her. Like the prey she is. She couldn't believe that he had gotten out of his own prison. From "good-behavior". What a load of horse manure. She knew that he had bribed the warden using his silver tongue and his money. Even now, she knew he had bribed the guard outside.
"I actually came here to talk." He started when he took a seat on her bed. The bed strained as the massive lion took up more than half of her bed.
"You're actually going to break my bed!" She cried out, the bed was the only possession that she was glad to have and in prison, they don't give you new ones if they break.
Lionheart ignored her as he continued. "I'm actually here to rehabilitate you, Miss Bellwether."
"Oh, that's cute." She cooed, dramatically placing her hooves over her heart. "You're actually using my name!" But her demeanor quickly turned sour. "What happened to Smell-wether?"
"Come now, my dear." He smiled, making her roll her eyes. "That's all in the past, can you believe I'm actually here to get you out of this wretched place?"
"Umm no. Not really."
It was his turn to place his paw over his heart. "You wound me, Miss Bellwether."
She glared hatefully at him. "I think I can do worse than that."
That made him back away, placing his paw down on his knees. It was obvious he was not convincing her. She's not stupid. She knew he was there for another reason. Lionheart suddenly gave her a toothy grin when he leaned down towards her. Her back rattled the bed frame when she jerked back. She knew, if he wanted to, could take a swipe at her and harm her.
"Just hear me out." He said with a low voice. She went still as it sounded more like a threat. "I need you Bellwether." He began, making her pupils go wide. His open claw turned into a fist. "I need you to bring me back as Mayor! The animals of Zootopia won't trust me anymore, not after you made the animals go savage and made me capture them! Keeping them against their wills!" His mane went on end from his growing anger, making Bellwether stare him down, almost daring him to try something. He took a breath, chuckling as he combed his massive mane down. "But think of the headlines of the new and improved Lionheart!" He exclaimed, putting his paws in the air. "Lionheart back at it again to become Mayor!"
Bellwether nose recoiled in disgust and crossed her arms. He noticed her expression and gave her a smile. "With Bellwether at his side…"
"You're living in a fantasy, Lion-fart." His smile quickly disappeared. "Why would I ever help you? You're the reason why I wanted prey animals to go against you predators!" She was on her feet, even though she was nowhere near to his height, she refused to be pushed down again. "Predators are like you. Loud. Obnoxious. And Stupid. Thinking you do whatever you want, well forget it!" She grew angrier and angrier. Her hooves curled inward, her body shaking. "I am not going to be your scape-goat! Finally Zootopia sees what you really are! Finally I am the one who is seeing you suffer!"
Lionheart suddenly let out a loud, bellowing laugh. Bellwether gritted her teeth not enjoying being laughed at. Lionheart wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm the one who is suffering? You must be joking! I'm actually free and you're serving a fifteen year sentence without parole!" He slapped his knee, having another laugh attack. Nothing in her life Bellwether wanted more is to punch him in his perfect teeth. He stopped when he saw her fall back down on the mattress, her head turned against the blank wall, holding a scowl. He put his paw out to her.
"But I can help you, Miss Bellwether…" Her ears twitched. "I can have you out in a year, less at best...just as long as I get what I want."
"And what, exactly, is it that you want from me?" She asked, still staring at the wall. Lionheart's eyes slowly moved up and down on her petite frame. He smirked chivalrously.
"Loyalty."
Bellwether let out a dry laugh. "Is that all?..."
Lionheart slowly inched closer to her. "No. Not even close...Dawn."
She turned from hearing him say her name. He had never called her by her first name before. The moment she turned she was grabbed by the chin and forced to press her lips against Lionheart's. Her hooves immediately hit his mane, trying to force herself away from his suffocating kiss. With only one paw he grabbed both of her wrists, locking them together in his fist. Her eyes widened in fear and confusion as he refused to let her go, his lips pressed firmly against hers. She struggled violently finally making Lionheart release her. Her head hit the back of her bed in a loud clunk. She hissed in pain, placing her paw behind her head. Lionheart stood up, calmly heading back to the door while Bellwether feveriously wiped her lips, desperate to clean them. Lionheart put his paws behind his back.
"From now on, Miss Bellwether, I will come everyday to visit you..." Bellwether spat at his words and wiped her lips again. "Because, being my mate through and through will be so much easier." He put up both of his paws in the air. "How's this for the headline: "Lionheart and Bellwether, predator and prey as mates!"
He knocked on the door, signaling the guard to open the door. Bellwether wiped her mouth one last time when the door opened. Lionheart stepped out but not before giving her one last look."Oh and by the way, I expect a kiss every time I visit, or the deal's off and you will rot here for the next fifteen years, toodle Loo!" And with that the door closed, leaving Bellwether alone to scream out his name in frustration. Cursing his name. Lionheart licked his lips and with a click snapped on his loose cuff link.