Thank you everyone for the comments and follows, and I hope you are enjoying the story. I had to pass a kidney stone today, and I admit that plotting this story and (obsessively) tracking hits helped me ignore the pain. So remember, by reading fan fiction you are making the world a better place!

I'm worried that real life is going to intrude into my life soon, but I'll do my best to continue what I think should be a 10-12 chapter story. Let me know if you have suggestions, questions or concerns. I'll also post a link to the inspiration for the story, when the proper time comes.

"Thank you all for coming this morning".

Well, it had been a close call for Judy. She squirmed uncomfortably in her uniform, which she had just picked up from the dry cleaners less than an hour ago. The porcupine proprietors had been very kind in cleaning it so quickly. She had forgotten to take her spare uniform in her locker at work after their meeting with Bogo, and she awoke in a state of panic after only a few hours of sleep in her closet apartment. But that was all in the past now, so she stifled a yawn as she stood at attention with Nick, Chief Bogo, and a group of firefighters, flanking Mayor Lionheart at City Hall, all resplendent in their best dress uniforms.

Well, almost all. The red fox was returning to form, having left his left breast pocket unbuttoned. He must be feeling more comfortable about their situation, she supposed. She nudged him and nodded toward the pocket. He winked back and snapped it closed.

"Too often, we, as citizens of Zootopia, take our public servants for granted, but every so often something happens that reminds us that heroes don't just appear in movies, but also walk among us, in our police departments and fire stations…"

The Mayor was in fine form this morning, dressed in a luxurious suit and tie, with his mane fuller and richer than she remembered from a year ago. It was hard to believe that six months ago he had been in prison. She was a bit puzzled about how he could get elected as mayor again to quickly after breaking the law. When she shared this thought with Nick, he had simply said that getting arrested was the best thing that could happen to a politician, since it drove your name recognition through the roof. She still wasn't sure if the fox had been joking—Nick still harbored a pretty dark view of the world that he occasionally let slip through, and she admitted that the life of a cop didn't exactly encourage a rosy view of animal nature.

"Late yesterday afternoon a fire broke out on Dromedary St. and spread within minutes across the entire building. Amazingly, thanks to the rapid response of Fire Company 32, and some creative thinking from the Zootopia Police Department, not a single fatality occurred, even though the building burned to the ground."

Judy looked up at the firephant standing next to her and recognized him as the same one that she had locked the door against yesterday while hijacking the ladder. She blushed slightly and shifted her gaze forward across the press gathering, although as she turned she thought his eye might have been twinkling as he glanced down, expressionless, at her.

"The quick actions of these defenders is even more significant, given that a family of some of our rarest citizens almost lost one of their cubs. But working together, our firefighters and police executed a truly spectacular rescue of this precious cub."

The press corps stirred, and Judy guessed that the now-notorious photo was being displayed on the monitors behind them. She didn't turn to look, but instead observed the final group of animals present on the far side of the mayor.

"I am particularly proud that two graduates of my Mammal Inclusion Initiative, bunny Officer Judy Hopps and red fox Officer Nick Wilde, managed to distinguish themselves in the line of duty-"

She had heard about endangered species, of course, when going to school in Bunny Burrow, but she had never met one, and she tried not to stare too openly. Bunnies, of course, were not in danger of going extinct anytime soon. What would that feel like, to know you were one of the last of your kind?

The group of coyotes—for that is what she assumed they were—looked something like wolves or foxes. Their fur was brownish gray, their tails were bushy and black-tipped. Most of them wore clothing she had never seen anywhere else in Zootopia, even inside the Sahara district. It seemed as if they were wearing large blankets as ponchos. Intricate geometric and abstract designs were woven into the colorful clothes, and fringes lined all edges of the ponchos. Several wore broad-brimmed hats, and the overall impression she had was that the coyotes were used to dressing for warm, dry climates.

Despite the bright clothing, she felt that most of these outfits were rather worn and shabby, perhaps ceremonial items dating back decades. Another impression that struck her was that almost all of the coyotes were elderly. All were thin, many had stooped backs and bedraggled fur, and not a child or teenager was to be seen. She looked for any sign of the toddler they had rescued or his mother, but the youngest coyotes she saw seemed middle aged.

Watching the group as a whole she felt like she were watching a species who had been run down by life for a long time, and who faced the future not with confidence but with grim resignation. Despite the festive bright clothes, the sight dispirited the normally buoyant bunny. She glanced at her partner, noting that he was staring thoughtfully at the coyotes as well.

The crowd gasped, and she and her colleagues glanced backwards at the monitors. She had not known that the photo was a just still from a complete video, and she caught a glimpse of Nick and the toddler swinging underneath the ladder, while her arm made a guest appearance at the edge of the screen, everything partially obscured by smoke.

The monitors faded to black.

"I'm honored to introduce Dancing Shadow, owner of the Evening Breeze casino in the Nocturnal District, and chosen spokesmammal for the Bitter Water tribe of coyotes living in Zootopia."

The middle-aged coyote Judy had noted stepped forward. Unlike the others, he was wearing a suit and tie more typical of Zootopia business attire. He was also unlike the others in that he seemed to be relatively healthy and vigorous, with a tall posture, shiny coat, and bright eyes. The speaker struck her as not so much a representative so much as a cultural translator for the others, who seemed clearly uncomfortable in these surroundings.

"Thank you, Mayor Lionheart. On behalf of my species, we thank both you and the brave animals that have rescued one of our youngest. We are an ancient and proud people, with a presence on this land that stretches beyond even the founding of the great watering hole of Zootopia. Our numbers have never been high, and at times in the past the city government has even tried to persuade us to abandon our language, culture, our very identity as coyotes. It is to the credit of Mayor Lionheart and his recent predecessors that the city now tries to preserve all troubled species, especially by extending special housing and social services to help maintain the well-being of our people."

Dancing Shadow soberly surveyed the bright lights and cameras assembled before him.

"But despite this support, our numbers continue to dwindle. As of the last census, less than two hundred coyotes are known to exist in the city, most in the Nocturnal District. And only ten cubs have been born over the past five years." He nodded toward Judy's line. "The bravery shown by Fire Company 32 and the downtown ZPD have helped secure the continued survival of our species." He merged his paws together. "The mother and her young son who were saved wish that they could be here to thank their rescuers personally, but as you might appreciate, they have had an overwhelming experience over the past day and have retired to a safe and quiet location. Both are well and look forward to locating a new home. But on behalf of myself, our Elders—" he waved his paw to the group standing behind him,

"—and our species, we thank you once again. We would be honored if the officers accepted our gift"—he held up a small piece of pottery-"that our people traditionally offer to new friends of the tribe."

Polite applause rippled through the crowd, and the mayor resumed his accustomed place at the podium.

"Thank you, Dancing Shadow. We'll take questions in a moment, after myself and representatives of our coyote community congratulate our officers personally and provide their gifts."

Sparkles of flashes erupted from the press crowd as Lionheart began to move down the line, followed by Dancing Shadow and his entourage.

Judy wasn't how the mayor would react to the presence of his former arresting officer, but when he moved to her place in line he was nothing but smiles.

"Ah, Judy Hopps, a pleasure to meet you again under more pleasant circumstances," he purred without a trace of irony. "You've now done two great services to my—I mean our—city in less than a year. I'm sorry if we keep insisting on putting you in the limelight—Chief Bogo has volunteered to take questions for the department, if that is your preference."

Remembering what had happened last time she spoke on a microphone at a press conference, Judy promptly replied, "Thank you sir, and I'm delighted to have Chief Bogo speak for all of us."

A small painted piece of pottery dropped into her paws, and she turned to Dancing Shadow and his nearby companion, an elderly coyote, with a question on her mind.

"Thank you for the gift, sir. If you don't mind my asking a question- I noticed that the child we rescued—what's his name?"

"Singing Water," the casino owner said, cautiously.

"Well, Singing Water seemed a bit—how do I put it—thin. Is the family getting enough to eat?-"

She felt as if the temperature in the room had fallen several degrees. The smiles were still present, but the eyes seemed to harden. The elder coyote raised his muzzle slightly, as if trying to look over her. Apparently, she had offended the two, but she didn't know why—

She felt the gentle pressure of a paw rest on her shoulder, and a familiar voice behind her said, "Yah-tah-bay, grandfather. May the wind always carry your scent behind you."

The elder blinked, surprised, and rotated his head to look at the speaker, as did Dancing Shadow.

"You know something of the ways of The People, fox?" murmured the elder.

"One can only know the ways of The People by being a Person," Nick said quietly. "But my mother taught me the importance of respecting our elders."

The elder nodded slightly. Nick clamped his other paw down on top of Judy's other shoulder, reassuringly.

"Officer Hopps has saved this child's life, and now feels like a mother toward him. Like all mothers, she always thinks her children should eat more." As he said this, she felt a small squeeze that seemed to suggest reassurance, but also a warning to keep quiet. Judy bit her lip and held her tounge.

"Yes, yes, that is a sign of a good mother," agreed the Elder, while Dancing Shadow appraised Nick, rubbing his muzzle.

Lionheart, who had been greeting the firephants, approached the group, arms outstretched, basking in the flashes of press cameras that intensified as the group migrated toward the podium.

"We are now ready to take a few questions from the press—" the mayor began.

Judy and Nick were on the flank of the group, and she took a moment to murmur out of the side of her mouth—"What happened back there, partner?"

Still eying the crowd, the fox murmured back in the same fashion. "Starvation is a very touchy issue with The People-I mean, coyotes. You raised some ghosts with that question. It's OK, no way for you to know-"

"But how do you know so much—"

"Officers Wilde, Hopps? Would you please come stand next to me?" The mayor was peering at them from the podium. Both officers dutifully trooped up to the stand, as Bogo approached from the other side.

Hands rose into the air and the flashing became even more frantic. Judy had an unpleasant flashback to her last experience at a press conference, but she steadied herself and forced herself to look calm.