Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or its related characters. All is the property of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Clark Spencer, and Byron Howard. I'm just borrowing them for some non-profit entertainment.

(A/N: Okay, so, for those of you that have been following this series since "Silent Civil War", or maybe just the first chapter of this fic, you might remember my author's note about taking some reader feedback to heart and trying to speed-up the fic. After much deliberation and trying to revise my outline, I realized that its just not practical for my writing style. I'm a 'slow build' author. My fics are slow and when I try to change that it feels choppy and flows unnaturally to me. Also, when you rush things, you forget things. So, I gone back over and revised chapters one and two of this fic. If you are just tuning in as of this update, then this author's note is irrelevant to you and you need not worry. If you have been following this fic since its inception, I respectufully recommend you go back and re-read chapters one and two. Thank you. )

Leave of Advance

Chapter Three: Fox & Bunny Sitting in a Tree

Several Years Ago...

It was a lovely service.

At least, as lovely as a government paid for military funeral could be.

After the service, Dawn held a reception in her house. Mammals she was only loosely acquainted with told her how strong she was being and how his husband would be proud of her keeping it together. Mammals she only knew casually commented on how lovely her home was or how respectful the service had been. She served them all veggie plates and cheese dips. Deviled eggs for the predators that attended -of which there were few- and scones with clotted cream for those that had a sweet tooth.

But really, all Dawn wanted was to corner the four other sheep that had been in her husband's unit, the four Mammals that had been with him when it happened. Doug Ramse, Woolter White, Maggie Muttonson, and Jesse Pinkman. Dawn was going to wring the truth out of them. 'Killed in action' wasn't an explanation, it was deflecting the question.

She suffered through it, waiting for the last of the guests to meander out until it was only just those four left.

Maggie was the first to stand. Putting down her half-empty beer that she'd been nursing all night and still hadn't finished. "I guess we better go too. We've imposed long enough."

Doug also stood. He took one of Daen's hooves in both of his. "Listen, if you need anything, anything at all, just call me. Okay? I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for-"

"Sit back down." Dawn commanded -snarled was really more like it, although her sheep's throat wasn't capable to producing the iconic predator sound. She turned to Maggie whom had started collecting the empty beer bottles and plastic Solo cups strewn around the sitting room. "You sit too!" All four of them seated with their full attention on her, Dawn lowered her voice to a conspiratory whisper. "Now... you're going to tell me exactly what happened to my husband out there."

Present Day...

"And where do you think you're going?"

Nick turned around to see Judy standing behind him, her paws on her hips, glaring at him sternly.

The sun had set and most of Judy's family had gone to sleep. That was usually around the time Nick would leave the drying house out on his nocturnal activities. It took him a couple nights after first arriving in Bunnyburrow to figure out that, just because everyone else was asleep, it didn't mean he had to staying in bed and fain sleep as well. Especially since he didn't know the area or how long they would be staying here, and Carrots didn't seem to eager to tackle the big scary question of 'what if'.

So, the fox started taking these opportunities, while the family was asleep -deep within the family warren, no little bunnies wondering the fields or property- to explore the terrain and plan for any likely contingencies.

"Out." Nick informed her with all the appearance of calm. As if he were just going for an innocent and introspective stroll in the moonlight.

But the fox was really anything but calm. Even since she rescued him from the hospital, Nick noticed that he was never calm about the bunny anymore. The moment his nose would catch her scent, his heart would quicken and his stomach would twist with a feeling that he just didn't know how to interpret. He knew that whatever it was that snapped him out of the Night Howler madness wasn't a complete cure. He was lucid and mostly-sane now. But the other things the drug did to him were still there. His already keen sense of smell was stronger. His body held more endurance. His muscles could lift just a little more than they did before. And his instinct to aggression was much quicker.

That was why Nick tried to keep away from Carrot's family as much as he could. Sleeping during the day while they were all out and about. Hopping all over the property and fields. Tempting his sensitive fox nose. It was why he stayed in the drying house until they had all disappeared into the warren. Why he only came out when he was sure there was no risk of happening across one by chance and... and... slipping the leash of his control. Nick didn't know what he might do, and the fact that he didn't know frightened him.

And Carrots made everything worse.

Because she wasn't just some nameless stranger. One bunny out of hundreds. No. She was the bunny he knew. She was his bunny (although he would never call her such out loud). If Nick slipped his control and hurt her... he already though he'd killed her once and it nearly broke him. If he really did -for real this time- it would just destroy him.

But because he was the fox she knew, she wasn't scared. She would barge into the drying house uninvited and without knocking or warning of any kind. March right up behind him and lean over his shoulder. Invading his personal space with her delicious prey scent, and her soft rabbit fur, and her inviting body heat.

There was that twist in his stomach again and Nick didn't know if it was because he wanted to eat her, or... something else.

He turned away from her and struck out, heading for the old oak tree he'd found on one of his previous excursions. It was in the middle of one of their carrot fields. But instead of cutting it down, they had left it where it was and plowed around it. Planted their carrot crop around it. Nick wondered if they knew any of the old myths about oak trees, or if the decision to leave it was just because oak was a strong wood and be more effort than the bunnies were willing to expend to remove it.

To the fox's great horror, the rabbit followed him.

"What are you doing, Carrots?" He asked, not looking back at her. He kept his eyes to the ground, stepping between the rows of carrots, making sure not to step on any of their crop.

"Following you. Obviously." Judy replied. "I wanna know what you do all night."

A tingling sensation went up his spine at the implication that she was going to spend 'all night' with him. That combined with the twisting in his stomach and his racing heart made Nick wonder how he was going to survive -or, more accurately, how she was going to survive. The fox didn't know if he actually was a danger to her or not and that was the terrifying part.

"You can't be around me." He informed her.

"Why not?" Judy pressed. She hopped a bit to keep pace with his longer legs and wider stride. "Is this some dark and broody 'I don't deserve friends because I'm a monster' sort of thing? Because that trope is really annoying."

That actually wasn't to far off from the truth. But only because he honestly didn't understand what was going on with himself and whether or not he actually was a danger to her or not. "No. Its a 'you're a bunny and I'm a fox and foxes eat bunnies' kind of thing."

They were nearly at the tree now and Nick picked up his speed a bit.

"That's absurd!" Carrots scoffed at his concerns. "Nick, this isn't a thousand years ago. You're not some old world predator warlord who's gonna kill and eat me, and wear my skin as a trophy."

"No." He agreed, he wasn't going to wear her skin as a trophy. They were at the tree now and he spun around at her suddenly, a threatening snarl marring his face. Lips pulled back, teeth displayed, growl rumbling out from the depth of his throat. "But I am Savage."

She gasped, eyes going wide with surprise at his sudden turn. But she didn't take a step back or reach for fox repellant (which she wasn't carrying) like she did after the press conference. Instead, after she recovered from the suddenness, all the bunny did was tap him on the nose. As if he were an unruly kit that needed to be reprimanded.

Nick blinked at her. That uncomfortable twist in his stomach relaxing just a little. The tension ebbing slightly.

"You're not Savage, Nick." She told him sternly. "You went through a terrible and traumatizing experience and you don't know how to cope with it. You're confused. You're not Savage."

He thought about arguing the point further. Mentioning that he wasn't the one who was confused. She didn't know what she was doing. She had no plan. They were on the run, fugitives from the law, and she took them to the most obvious place they could go. She brought them back to her parents house. That was literally the first place they always checked. Carrots was a cop, she should have known that. She was the one who didn't know what she was doing. She was the one who was confused.

While he, on the other paw, was getting the lay of the land. Trying to figure out decent hiding places in case someone did come looking. Panning quick escape routs if they were turned in. And staking out the roads to track the patrol schedules of the county sheriff and Bunnyburrow police.

That's what tonight's excursion was.

The oak tree was a bit of a ways away from the road, but it was tall and if one climbed it, they had a perfect, unobstructed view of the highway.

"You keep telling yourself I'm not Savage, Carrots." He told her. Turning his back, Nick got a good hold with his claws and began climbing up the trunk.

And to his great horror, the bunny tried to follow him.

Climbing up the bark with her blunt bunny claws. Inevitably, her claws slipped on the trunk and she fell.

Or rather, she would have fallen if Nick hadn't lanced out quickly to grab her wrist. She smiled up at him and the fox groaned in defeat as he pulled her up to the bough he was sitting on. If she was determined to follow him, then there was no getting rid of her. This was a fact he's already learned the hard way. Once Judy L. Hopps set her mind to something, she didn't relent until she got what she wanted. A smart fox would know when he didn't have a choice and just accept it.

"Thanks." She settled next to him on the branch, facing the road. "See? A Savage would have just let me fall."

Nick rolled his eyes. No. A Savage would have eaten her. But he chose to be the bigger Mammal and not comment or press the issue. At least, up in the tree, there was enough of a summer breeze to dilute her scent. So that she didn't fill his every sense with the sensation of bunny. Of a small body wrapped in soft fur. Of prey.

A car passed on the road below them. A pick-up truck. Old. One of its tail lights was out. It wasn't a county sheriff vehicle or one of the BBPD. Nick ignored it, but he did take his notebook and a pen out, so that he'd be ready when one of the cares he was waiting for drove by.

Judy huffed and rested her elbows on her knees, propping her chin in her paws. "So is this what you've been doing all night? Spying on the road."

"I've been doing what you should have been doing." The fox informed her. "Making sure we're prepared. Or have you forgotten that this charming little vacation to your parent's farm is because we're all wanted fugitives?"

"I haven't forgotten!"

Now she was defensive. Her back straightening, scooching away from him on the narrow branch so that she could glare at him more easily. That was good. She was to comfortable around him. He was a danger to her. She should be on her guard, not trying to cuddle like they were- like they were- Nick didn't even know what they were.

"Chief Bogo put me in charge of protecting you. You, Mr. Manchas, and Mr. Otterton. You're all material witnesses."

"We're also wanted fugitives, implicated in the hospital fire that nearly killed us and did kill a lot of other Mammals." Nick reminded her. "You have to be prepared, you have to have a plan. But you don't. You've never been on the wrong side of the law before, Fluff. You don't know what you're doing. So I'm picking up your slack."

Another car passed by. Heading in the opposite direction from the first. With his keen eye sight and night vision, enhanced by Night Howler, Nick could see that it had the star of a county sheriff printed on its side. He made a note of the time it drove by and the direction it was heading, and noted that it was the same as the previous night. Good. Consistency was good. He wished he'd started this sooner. Before news of their escape was broadcast on every TV in the tri-burrows area. He would have liked to know if this was their normal patrol activity or if anything had changed since their escape. But he could still make a workable plan with the information he had.

Nick was slick that way.

"What are you writing?" The bunny asked.

"Notes." The fox replied, as if this should have been obvious.

Judy once again groaned in irritation. "What kind of notes are you making? Since this information is apparently so important to our fugitive status. Clue me in to what you're doing."

He found himself suppressing a growl of frustration. "I'm tracking police and sheriff patrols." He informed her. "Increased patrols could mean they suspect us hiding out in the area. Decreased patrols could mean that we're in the clear or else they're trying to lull us into a false sense of security and set a trap."

"You're such an optimistic and cheerful Mammal." She cast him a sarcastic smile.

"You asked." He turned his attention back to the road.

She shrugged and did the same.

Nothing passed by for some time. Judy stretched and yawned. Nick sketched oak leaves and acorns in the margins of the page he was on. Judy yawned again.

"If you're tired, go back to the warren, Carrots." The fox insisted.

"I wanna stay and learn." The bunny informed him. "Since you think I'm so deficient. Ya know, I've never been a fugitive before."

"Well, technically, neither have I." Nick informed her. "But I'm very smart-"

"And so modest."

"-and it doesn't take much to figure out the things you should know or things you should do while on the run. We should not have come to your parents place. We should not stay in one place to long. We need to always be aware of whats around us and the police presence in the area."

Judy avoided looking at him, focusing her attention on the road again. She had done the exact opposite of every one of those. "Another car's coming."

Nick looked. This time it was the shield of the Bunnyburrow Police Department on the side. That was new, the BBPD hadn't come this far out from the town since he started his little state outs. The fox made a note of the time and which direction it was heading. Also, that its appearance was new and should be watched for again.

"Do you plan to do this all night?" Judy asked again.

"You're welcome to leave." The fox reminded her.

Judy was about to hmph stubbornly, but then she got a different idea. "Ya know, I think I will go."

She swung one leg over the branch, then the other to turn around. She lowered herself down to a small bough which bent under her weight. Gripping the branch with her blunt bunny claws to control her decent, Judy lowered herself back down to the ground. She landed on the ground with a thmp.

Nick doing all of this was great and all. But only doing it at night and not during a time when the others were awake when he could impart the information he learned to them was almost as impractical as her not having a plan at all. Judy didn't like his nocturnal behaviors. So she was going to change them... and he was not going to enjoy it.

"I'll see you in the morning."

Koslov stared at his employer, not quite understanding the offer he just made. They sat in the shrew crime lord's office. Koslov sitting at the desk, Mr. Big sitting in his chair on the desk. The polar bear understood that the shrew resented this new quarantine for professional reasons. The majority of Mammals he kept in his employ were predators. Moving them into quarantine zones and imposing curfews on them, limiting their travel and where they could go -it made it very difficult for his men to do their jobs.

But what the shrew just suggested was not a business decision. It was a personal one.

"This business with the quarantine, it will only end badly." Mr. Big informed his underboss. "Don't move to the quarantine zone. Don't let your family move there. I want you to collect your son and bring him here. This house was originally designed for larger Mammals. We will hide you here."

The polar bear paused, considering. He knew, just as well as Mr. Big did, all the ways a Mammal could be hidden in the house. The trap doors in the floors (not all of them dropped down into freezing waters and ice), the false walls, secret crawl spaces... If you were going to hide from the authorities, the Big estate was the place to do it.

"At the very least, until I can get you out of the city." Mr. Big continued. He paused. Then asked, "Koslov, how old are you?"

Chaim Big knew that he and the polar bear were of an age. But he didn't know quite how far apart they were. Not that it was ultimately all that important, just a curiosity.

"I am almost fifty, sir." Koslov supplied.

"Please, its just Chaim when its us." Mr. Big waved dismissively at the unnecessary level of respect. "You remember Grandmama..." The polar bear crossed himself. "Did you know she wasn't always Catholic? Like most shrews of her generation, she was Shrewish and she lived in Mouselund. This would have been circa 1940-something when the Ratzi party was on the rise. Do you know where I'm going with this?"

"I can guess." The polar bear nodded soberly.

"Good." Big echoed the nod with one of his own. "Then no further discussion is necessary. You and your son will not go into quarantine. You will stay here, and when I can arrange exit papers for you both, you will get out of the city."

That morning, when Judy brought the predators their breakfast, she marches right up to Nick as he was packing away his notebook. Waited for him to carefully place the image of Robin Goodfellow on top of everything and fit the loose floorboard back over the space.

As soon as he reached for his cot to set it up, Judy kicked the folded frame away. "Sorry, Slick Nick. But you're gonna stay up today. We're gonna get you back on a normal Mammal's schedule." She shoved his plate of eggs into his paws. "Eat up. You'll need your energy."