I'm back! What do you mean I've been gone longer than I said? And what's that about not feeding my indentured servant/beta reader?

Okay so real talk, I had an awesome trip in Italy, it was great! The problem is that after going so long without writing anything I kind of had a hard time going back in. Thankfully some of your comments actually gave me the motivation to go back in and work through the biggest writer's block I ever had. The good news though is that I got a ton of ideas for this story while I was visiting the ruins in Rome.

Any way, you've waited more than long enough so I won't keep you longer. Enjoy!

Editor's Note: MASTER IS HOME I CAN STOP EATING THESE PACKING PEANUTS…

MASTER'S SPELLING STILL SUCKS AS BAD AS THESE PACKING PEANUTS!

To say that Nick felt bad was an understatement…

The fact was that he was feeling positively awful. Nick was currently laying on his bunk inside the only tent on site not made for large mammals. But the reason he felt so bad, the reason he still laid awake, was situated in another tent merely a few meters from his.

He didn't know why he felt so bad. He had a mission and he had done it just like he had planned. He knew from the beginning what would happen to her if he was to pull through. It's not like if it was his fault if she was dumb enough to want to fight the empire. Why would he have to feel bad for her anyway?

And yet some nights he would lay awake in his bunk, repeating his mantra of never letting them see they get to you only to be interrupted by the screams coming from the prisoners' tent. Those nights he wouldn't be able to sleep. A bit like tonight actually...

"Hey Wilde. Bogo wants to see you."

Nick looked up from his laying position to watch Wolford's head peeking out from his tent's entrance. The wolf had to get on all fours to be leveled with the smallest tent in the camp and even then he barely managed to get his head in without taking up the whole place. Some of the larger mammals in the camp could crush him if they weren't careful… or if they really wanted to.

"Got it, just give me a moment."

"Hurry or I'll drag you there by the tail."

Knowing that the wolf wasn't joking, Nick hurried himself outside.

"I can walk alone you know, you don't need to escort me there." Nick said to the wolf that was waiting for him outside.

"The general asked me to escort you so I'm escorting you."

"Why? So I won't escape with the rations?"

Wolford simply shrugged.

"Not my place to judge. I simply do what I'm told."

Nick was very aware of the reputation he had amongst the other soldiers of the camp. Not only was he a fox but he was also a spy, an admitted liar by all means. Even now he could see in the dirty looks he received from the soldiers they passed by that they all expected him to take a profit and run.

He had to admit that he had been tempted on more than one occasion...

Wolford pushed the red cloth aside, revealing the inside of the legate's tent. He let Nick step in before pulling away and allowing the curtain to fall back and leaving the fox alone with his commander.

Nick straightened his back, puffed out his chest and carefully approached the massive cape Buffalo. If he had learned one thing during his time in the Legion, it was that senator Bogo was not a mammal to mess with.

"You wanted to see me general?"

Bogo was seated at his desk across from him, writing a letter. He didn't pay attention to the fox, instead focusing on the quick and precise movement of the quill. Once he finished with his letter, the cape buffalo put down his feather and looked up at the fox.

General Bogo was a respected senator and excellent tactician. His previous military feats had earned him the honor of commanding the Triburrow theatre. Now that the war was over, his job was to supervise the occupation and see that the land be seamlessly integrated into the Empire.

The general was an imposing mass of battle hardened muscles with a bellowing voice to match. When he ordered something you obeyed if you put any value on keeping your pelt. The flickering lights of the braziers that illuminated the tent only added to the imposing look of the cape Buffalo.

Nick quickly brought his paw to his chest before extending his arm in a formal Military salute.

"Sir?"

"Sit down Wilde."

Nick did as he was told and sat on one of the mounted stool that faced the general's desk. The seats were meant for much larger mammals than him which meant that he had to climb to get on top of it.

The buffalo remained silent for a while, content to just leave Nick to wonder why he was there.

"I must admit I was wrong about you Wilde, you can be of use."

"You didn't think I could do it?"

"Is that really a surprise?"

Nick shook his head.

"You set me up to fail." It wasn't a question but a statement.

"I admit that when you first arrived under my command I had my doubts about you. I gave you three weeks before you ran away with our supplies to make a quick profit."

"That's why you made up a reason to kick me out of the camp…"

"It was the best thing to do…" he didn't try to deny it. "some of the troops were getting restless, they didn't want you in the team and that was bad for the moral."

"And you wouldn't happen to be one of them?"

"I don't have to answer to you fox!" Said Bogo sternly.

Nick swallowed and straightened his back. He knew better than to screw with the general but it was sometimes hard to keep his tongue to himself.

"Sorry sir."

"The point is that you succeed and; listen closely because it pains me to say this and I'll not do it again, I was wrong about you. I still don't know what you're fighting for and I doubt it's for the Empire but that's beside the point. You did your job and that's what matters."

"Thank you sir."

"That wasn't meant as a compliment, just a fact. You simply did your job nothing more. i was just surprise you even did that."

"Well you can only be surprising when nobody believes in you."

"Thankfully for us, one of the carrot farmers did believe you…"

Nick looked down, too ashamed to do otherwise.

"That's not why I brought you here however. Now that you did what you had to, I no longer have a use for you…"

"Sir?"

"I'm sending you back to Zootopia to serve in the reserve. You're not my problem anymore."

"I see…"

"There's nothing more to add. You're dismissed."

Nick jumped down from his seat and headed for the exit but not before doing a salute which the general didn't bother to reciprocate. As Nick walked away he stopped suddenly and turn back to face his superior who was back to writing a letter.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"If I may, how is she doing?"

Bogo's feather suddenly stopped. He slowly looked up at Nick with a cocked eyebrow.

"I mean how is she holding up against the interrogation? As she talked yet?"

"No. But she will… eventually."

Nick shuddered at the thought of what they must have done to her and what they were going to.

"I… I may be able to help with that."

Bogo's frown didn't leave his face. If anything it only grew deeper.

"Out with it Wilde."

"Listen, if you only give me a shot I think I can make her talk."

"And if you can't?"

"Then you'll have been right since the beginning and you'll be rid of me."

Bogo looked at him intensely, mulling things over.

"So what do you say…"

Judy was exhausted. She didn't know how long she'd been here or even what time of day it was. It felt like she had been here for months, or was it years? She honestly couldn't tell anymore.

Right now, Judy was enjoying one of the rare times her torturers left her alone to catch some shut eye. The tent she was being held in was supported by a single pole, to which her arms were attached, going through the middle of the room. The fact that the latches were just high enough for her to be hanging by her arms didn't bother her anymore. The pain had faded days ago. Now she just hung there, head down in a semi conscious state.

The only thing that kept her going was seeing how frustrated her guards got when she still refused to talk. They had been getting more and more creative with their ways to torture her each time the previous method failed to get them answers. The closest they got was when they simply stopped feeding her all together. At first she was so hungry it was painful, but eventually she just accepted her fate. When they had seen that she still wouldn't talk, they started to feed her again less she died of hunger.

Her ears stood on end once she heard the distinct sound of someone entering. She couldn't see who it was since she was facing away. She probably could have turned her head to see but she didn't care enough to spend the effort. She did wonder if she was to expect another round of torture or a cold meal though, maybe both.

"I'm here to talk to the prisoner… alone."

Judy's heart suddenly stopped. She'd recognise that voice anywhere.

"The general gave me permission, just wait outside with the other guards."

There was a moment of silence before she heard someone leave the tent followed by the sound of pawsteps approaching. The red furred paws finally stopped in front of her, just in the line of sight of her lowered head. Of course it didn't take long for her to realise that paws like these could only belong to one mammal, confirming her suspicion, and when she did, she immediately stood up so she was no longer simply hanging and looked up at him.

As she expected the fox standing in front of her was none other than Nicholas Wilde, smart ass fox and number one on her butt kicking list. The only difference with the last time she saw him was that he no longer wore that infuriating grin, replaced instead with a much sadder looking mug.

"Hey…" he said calmly as if this was the most casual greeting there could be.

Judy simply answered by giving him the most murderous glare she could muster, which was enough to send a shiver down his spine. He was glad she was still cuffed to the center pole, not that that was going to last.

"I get it, you're mad at me and-"

"YOU THINK!? YOU BETRAYED ME!"

"I was only doing my job!"

"Which involved playing me! I trusted you and you stabbed me in the back without even hesitating…"

Nick looked down, not trying to justify himself since she was right by all means.

"You lied to me…"

"I did."

"You guilt tripped me just so I would help you…"

"I did."

"I trusted you and you used me…"

Nick paused. "I did."

Judy looked him up and down, unsure if the nausea was due to being malnourished or simply of looking at him.

"And now you've come here to what? Add torture me to that list?"

At this Nick quickly raised his head and looked back at her. "Nononono, I would never-" he began to say as he approached her. But as soon as he was in reached she took the opportunity to grab the pole and drop kick him, thereby cutting him off. The punch hit hard enough to send the fox tumbling down, clutching his stomach.

"Alright… okay, I deserved that one…"

"Why are you here Wilde? If that is even your real name."

"It's the one my mama gave me." He said as he got up. "And I'm here to help you."

"What?"

"Do you trust me carrots?"

"Never!" She spat.

"Alright, guess I'll have to work with that." He said before circling around her and exiting her field of vision.

"W-what are you doing?" She nervously asked as she felt him move behind her.

"You're not going to speak are you?" she could sense that he was close to her.

"N-never! I won't betray the resistance."

"Then you leave me no choice…"

Judy braced to feel the blade of a knife against her throat or something of the kind, what she did not expect was the metallic "click" that came.

All of a sudden she felt the tension in her arms and the pressure against her wrist disappear as she realised she was no longer cuffed to the pole. She brought her arms to her chest and rubbed her wrist to make sure this wasn't some sort of weird dream.

"Okay carrots, we don't have much time. Here's what we-"

Nick was cut off by the bunny who pushed him on the ground before wrapping her paws around his neck.

"Carrots! What are you doing- urgh" he managed to get out through her tightening grip. "I-rgh- just want to help you!- argh"

Judy didn't relent just yet. There was after all nothing she wanted to do more right now than whoop that fox's ass. But the way he didn't even try to fight even though she was strangling him made her pause. With a sigh she released her grip and got off him.

Nick's chest immediately rose accompanied with a gasp as the fox tried to take in the oxygen he lacked.

"Well that's one way to thank someone."

"Thank you? You're lucky I don't rip your eyes out!"

"Listen we don't have much time so we can either sit here and bicker until one of the guards comes to check on us or you can follow me and I'll help you get out of here."

"And why would you do that?"

"It doesn't matter." He answered flatly.

"Yes it does! Don't expect me to believe you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart. If I've learned one thing about you it's that you're only out for yourself."

"Listen carrots, just trust me on this one!"

"I thought I made it clear I'd never trust you again."

"Fine, don't trust me but at least do what's logical. You have only two options, either you stay here, or you come with me and I help you escape. Why else would I have uncuffed you?"

Judy thought it over. It was true that she didn't really have an other option but she intended to leave the fox behind as soon as she could.

"Fine, but I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"Sweetheart, let's be honest, you couldn't keep your eyes off my body even if you tried."

"You're really testing my resolve not to kill you…"

Nick chuckled.

"How do you plan to get past the guards?" She asked, finding their situation obviously less funny.

"It's a tent carrots, not a brick prison."

With that, Nick casually strolled to the back of the tent away from its guarded entrance and lifted the tarp.

"Try to be silent." He said before ducking under it.

Judy followed suit after him and found herself behind the tent she had been held in. She could now see that it was almost night. The setting sun still offered some light for them to be able to see while still being dark enough to help their escape.

The tent was backed up against the Palisade which meant that they were able to run along its base all the while dodging the most crowded area of the camp.

"It's not far from here."

Judy followed the fox all the way to a small hole in the wooden wall. It was no bigger than herself and she could clearly see that the dirt under it had been turned. It would probably go unnoticed by any large mammal but it was just big enough for them to go through.

"Ladies first." He said motioning to the breach.

"What is that?"

"A hole."

"I can see that, but why is it there? How do you know about it?"

"It really doesn't matter."

"I want to know!"

"Listen carrots, we've already been over this. Just get in there and let's go!"

Judy huffed but did as she was told and passed through the hole in the wall. She was brushing the dirt off of herself when she heard the high pitched whine behind her.

"Carrots, help I'm stuck!"

Judy turned to see the fox halfway through the hole. Her first instinct was to head towards him but she suddenly stopped has a thought came to her. She looked at him and to the fields behind her that extended far beyond the reach of the camp.

"Carrots please!" Nick pleaded when he realized what was going through her mind.

But Judy ignored him and started to walk away.

"Carrots… Judy please, you know what they will do to me once they find out."

This actually made her stop. Images of the last few days passed through her mind. The torture they made her suffer and would to him if they caught him. When she turned back towards Nick, she saw the fox looking at her with pleading eyes, his ears folded against his skull.

"That fox will be the end of me." She thought to herself before going back towards him.

"Give me your paws." She ordered once she reached him.

Judy grabbed the two outstretched limbs and began to pull as hard as she could.

"Stupid fox." She mumbled as she tried to pull him out.

Suddenly the tension was gone and Judy fell backwards, the fox landing on top of her.

"Hi…" he said dumbly before she pushed him off.

As soon as they were both back up, Nick grabbed her paw and started running towards the forest, dragging her along with him.

"What are you doing, the city is over there?"

"The first thing they're going to do once they find out we're gone is send bigger and faster predators down the road to the city. If we try to run away there, we'll be found. We're going to have to camp in the forest for a night until things calm down."

"Will you at least let me run on my own without dragging me by the paw?"

"Not a chance. I'm having way too much fun!"

She had half a mind to just whack him behind the head but decided that the fall that would ensure would be counterproductive.

In the distance behind them, the deep sound of a horn being blown caused their ears to perk up.

"Come on carrots, their coming!" Nick started to run even faster, dragging her along.

He let go of her paw once they entered the forest, allowing her to run alongside him. They dodged low three branches and roots skillfully until they reached a small river blocking their paths. Judy made a move to change direction but was stopped by Nick's paw grabbing the collar of her already torn dress.

"Where do you think you're going princess?"

"Call princess again and I'll break your arm! We should follow the stream until we can find a dry place to cross."

"Nu-unh, they're going to send the wolves after us. If we continue on dry land they'll just follow our scent trail but if we cross the stream we might just lose them."

She looked at him and then to the water. It was not a particularly large river but it still looked deep enough to soak her all the way to her chest. To a larger mammal the stream might have seemed nothing more than a puddle but for her there was a very real chance of being swept away by the stream if she wasn't careful.

"There's got to be another way."

"Other, no. But there might just be an easier way."

She was about to ask him what he meant when he jumped on top of a flat rock that stood above the water. He spotted a few other rocks that stood out from the river's floor and on which he could walk. Hopping from rock to rock allowed him to cross the stream while keeping his tunic dry. Once he made it to the other side he looked and motioned for her to follow him.

Judy eyed the first jump before taking a deep breath and took the leap. The rocks allowed her to remain mostly dry but being smaller than Nick, it still went to her knees where it barely reached above his midcalf.

Judy took the next jump but failed to realise that the next rock's surface was uneven. She slipped and before she knew it, Judy was completely submerged. She quickly shot back up and gasped for air.

"Carrots, are you alright?"

"I'm fine! Everything is okay, I'm fine!"

She was lucky that she managed to fall without hitting anything. The damage had been restricted to her pride and her dress she decided once she looked down at her worn, torn and now soaked clothes.

"You done having fun in the water yet or should I give you a little more time?"

Judy looked up to see the fox back to his usual smug self. The concerned expression he harbored replaced with his usual smirk once she had assured him she was fine.

"Why don't you get over here and help me out instead of mocking me?" She stated as she headed for the bank, not bothering with the rock path since she was already wet.

"First off, mocking you is one my favorite pastime. Secondly, I'm not stupid, fluff butt. I know when a mammal wants to pull me into a river…"

"It was worth a shot."

Nick opened his mouth to retort with a witty comment but was stopped by the loud howl that pierced the woods. His ears swiveled towards the sound as more howls could be heard.

"Come on carrots, we need to go. NOW!"

He didn't leave her the time to react before he grabbed her paw again and started running.

"Will you stop doing that!?"

The night was getting darker and Judy was starting to have trouble keeping up with Nick. The fox had the ability to see in the dark which made it easier for him to dodge roots and low hanging branches.

She, however, was not as lucky and ended up tripping on a root. She scraped her knee as she fell and hissed at the burning sensation.

"Carrots are you alright?" He said as he kneeled besides her.

"I'm fine."

"Let me take a lo-"

"I said I'm fine!" She swatted his paws away from her leg. "Just help me get up will you?"

Nick grabbed her outstretched paw and helped her up. He then wrapped an arm around her and helped her run further down the forest. Her busted leg meant that they were slower than before but they never the less managed to distance themselves from their pursuers. After a certain time they began to run slower and eventually simply started to walk once they were confident that they had indeed lost the wolves. They stopped when came across a small clearing in the woods, the light from the moon illuminating the treeless spot.

"This should do it." Nick said, looking around.

"Should do what?"

"We'll camp here for the night, then head back to the city tomorrow…"

"And in the meanwhile?"

"We make ourselves at home." Nick said as he sat down, his back resting against a fallen log.

Judy looked around the camp and when she saw nothing better to do, decided to join him on the makeshift bench. She still wasn't fully comfortable with him around but it's not like she could do anything about it. He did help her after all the only thing was she couldn't figure out why. So after sitting next to him for a moment and not being able to come up with an answer she simply decided to ask.

"Why did you help me?"

"What?"

"Why did you help me escape? You went through so much trouble to trick me in the first place I simply don't see why you would then just decide to free me."

Nick open his mouth but then closed it before any sound could come out.

"It doesn't really matter does it?" He said looking away.

"Of course it does! None of this makes sense and I want to know why you're helping me."

"I… It's just that… I mean…"

He was stammering and looking anywhere besides her so Judy decided to gently put her paw on his shoulder. It seemed to work since he stopped gibbering and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"I… let's just say that I had a change of heart. I knew what they were doing to you back there and I couldn't let it go on."

She wanted to push more, wanted to know where that came from, the reason he even cared about what happened to her in the first place but she had a feeling he wouldn't share more. That feeling was confirmed when he turned around to reach for something and taking that opportunity to jerk away from her touch.

"Before I forget, I had something for you." Nick said while handling her a piece of bread. "Here, I took this from the rations before we left. Ration bread is not the best out there but I thought you could use the snack since… you know… They haven't exactly treated you to lots of food back there."

She didn't even stop to thank him before she ripped the loaf from his grasp and started devouring it like a starved animal, which- thinking about it- wasn't too far from the truth. He didn't seem to mind her hast tough as he only chuckled and shook his head. It took her some time to realise that he just kept watching her eat with a sort of rapt fascination.

"Aren't you eating something too?" She asked, her words muffled by the bread still inside her mouth.

"I uh… It's the only loaf I have." He said timidly.

"What?" Judy swallowed and then pushed the remainder of the loaf back to him. "Why haven't you told me sooner? Take it"

"Nah, thanks carrots but I don't need it."

"Nick, I'm not going to eat all your food."

"No no, it's alright. I insist. You need the food more than I do and besides, I'm not even hungry."

Judy cocked an eyebrow.

"No, it's true really! I want you to have it."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Totally, one hundred percent!"

"I… Alright I guess." She said before hesitantly taking another bite.

When his smile only grew she got the confidence to take another one and then another. Before long she had forgotten he was watching her at all. Once she had finished they simply laid there and looked up at the star filled sky in silence.

"Nick…" She said, not looking at him. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome fluff butt."

Nick looked back at her and saw that she was beginning to tremble. Her paws we're on her shoulders trying to rub heat into her.

"You might want to take your clothes off…" He said calmly.

Judy suddenly froze as while she processed what he had just said.

"Beg you pardon?" She looked at him, eyes narrowed.

"Your clothes, they're soaked. You're going to freeze to death if you keep them on."

"So? We'll just start a fire."

"Can't do that. It would give us away."

"Well I'm not getting naked in front of you!" Her voice was now more high pitched, clearly becoming annoyed at what he was suggesting.

"I'm not asking you to get- It's not what I meant."

"Yeah right. And I should just trust you on that?"

Nick sighed and rolled his eyes before dragging his paw over his face.

"I'm not trying to- I'm sorry it's just…"

"Just what?"

"It's just that you might freeze to death if you keep your soaked clothes on."

"I'm going to take my chances thank you."

Nick was about to reply but then shut his mouth. Instead he grabbed the hem of his shirt and started to pull it over his head.

"What are you doing?"

Nick ignored her and started to do the same with his pants.

"OH MY GODS WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP THAT!" She shouted while covering her eyes.

"Calm down carrots I'm going to keep my underwears on."

"Why. Are you. Getting. Naked?" Judy was now facing away from him, a deep blush tinting her face red even through her fur.

"First off carrots; in underwears is not naked. Second off…"

Judy felt the weight of his clothes rest on top of her head as he threw them to her.

"You're going to wear those."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not going to wear your clothes!"

"Listen cottontail, I'm not going to let you die of hypothermia out of your pride so either you get out of that soaked dress and put on those clothes or I take off the underwears too."

"Okay, okay fine! Just… look away." She said still refusing to look in his direction.

Judy waited for an answer but never got one.

"Are you looking away?"

"Yep."

"You really are right? You're not lying to me right now are you?"

"Carrots, if you doubt me just look for yourself; I'm not watching."

With a deep breath, Judy hesitantly turned around to face the fox. Her eyes first rested on the back of his head, confirming that he was in fact not looking her way. But then curiosity got the better of her and they started to wander down his expose back, taking in the lean form of the mammal in front of her. A deep blush came to her face when she realised that this was the first time she had ever seen a mammal in so much fur apart from when she helped her mother bathe her younger siblings. Her eyes continued their journey to the last part of his body still covered by clothing. She fixed on the long bushy tail that came out from the underwears to slowly wave from side to side.

"Are you finished yet?"

The question snapped Judy back to the present and made her forget about the mesmerizing appendage.

"Uhm? Oh, uh not yet!" She answered all too quickly.

Judy quickly began the work to unfasten her soaked dress and change into the new clothing Nick had given her. The clothes were made for a fox and so they hung loosely around her form. She had to keep holding the pants or they would fall off but despite that she had to admit that it did feel a whole lot better than keeping her soaked dress on. Not that she would tell Nick that, the fox was already smug enough without her telling him he was right.

"Okay you can turn back now."

Nick couldn't help the snort that came out when he saw her in his oversized clothes.

"Don't laugh!" She said, attempting as much as she could to sound threatening.

"Oh I'm not laughing, I'm not laughing. I think it suits you."

Judy put he weight on one leg and tilted her head.

"Yeah, you look cute…"

"Don't call me cute."

"Aw, but I was just trying to be nice."

"Yeah, right." Judy scoffed. "I'm going to bed, good night Nick."

Judy found a patch of dead leaves on the ground that looked dry and comfy enough. She laid down on her makeshift bed and closed her eyes. Just when she was starting to fall asleep, a weigh settled against her back. She immediately shot her eyes open and tensed up as Nick's arm came from behind to circle her and push her tighter against him. The shock made her unable to move or even yell at him like she should be doing by all means. In the end it wasn't necessary as Nick seemed to be able to read her mind.

"Calm down fluff. I'm not making a move on you, I'm just trying to share body heat so we don't freeze during the night…"

Judy was too taken aback to do anything but stay still.

"Seems to be working too seeing how your cheeks are practically on fire…"

This actually earned him a response in the form of her elbowing him in the chest.

"Alright, no teasing I get it… Goodnight Carrots."

And just like that Nick seemed to be able to fall asleep, leaving her wide awake in the arms of an almost naked fox she barely knew.

"What the hell am I doing?..."

I want to say that updates should be coming more regularly now but I also think that I should have learned by now to not make promises about when the next update will come. Sooo… the next chapter should be out at a date that is hopefully not in a month or more. I also want to thank everyone that waited so patiently for this update. I'm sorry about that.