Meadow was on a mission, sitting in the principles office of the Meadowlands Elementary school, waiting for the mammal she sought. She decided to take it upon herself to research a bit about Dawn's past after their latest session yesterday. After she found out that Lionheart was an absolute prick, and the poor ewe suffered at the hoof of Doug, she chose to peruse this lead that her boyfriend spurred her to follow, the possible path of a lover in school. The door opened to reveal a ewe much like Dawn, just a little closer to a size Meadow associated with the species.
"Sorry for wait miss, had an unruly rhino bullying a young coyote and had to break it up." The ewe sighed as she sat in her chair, brushing her woolly poof from her face, "I'm Miranda Taylor...So how can I help you miss...?"
"Oh Dr. Meadow Skyeson." She extended her paw to the ewe, who gladly took it with her hoof, "Now I'm a therapist with the Zootopia Prison and I wanted to ask you a few question on my patient."
The ewe looked confused as could be, "And who is...Oh wait..." She looked down and sighed at the desk, nearly spitting the name out, "Dawn."
Meadow nodded, explaining the situation to Miranda and telling her everything she had found so far, the ewe relented telling the vixen that they where once great friends in school, up until high school when she moved to Zootopia with her family. It was then that Miranda smiled, telling Meadow about all the laughs the two ewes shared, everything that she said matched up with what Dawn had told her about school. But since High School was a time they didn't hang out with each other, it seemed like a dead end, until Miranda mentioned that Dawn sent her a letter telling Miranda about a guy she liked. After getting a name, Meadow thanked the ewe, and left, Zoogling the name. When it came back to the current Meadowland representative, her resolve nearly broke, but she pressed on.
Meadow knocked on the large estate door, surprised when a female black fox opened the door, "Oh hi um...can I help you?"
The arctic vixen stammered for a second, not sure what to say at first, "Oh um...I'm sorry but is Thomas Henry here?"
The ebony vixen looked the all white fox over quickly, "And...you are?"
"Dr. Meadow Skyeson...therapist at..." She was cut off as a male voice perked behind the black fox.
"Therapist? Come on Kathy...I know you don't like the peach I painted the kitchen in but there is no need for me to seek help." The door opened wider to reveal another shock. A male...canine of some kind was standing behind the vixen. The coloring was similar to a red fox but had clear defined spotted markings, but instead of a lush fluffy coat, it was much shorter, "So what do I owe the pleasure of a therapist, a pretty one at that." He stepped from the doorway and extended his paw. Meadow reached out with her right paw, letting the male kiss the back of it. Whatever this canine was...he knew vulpine customs, right down to the subtle friendly yet borderline flirt right in front of his apparent mate. The other vixen coughed, causing the male to turn to her, "But none as pretty as you my gorgeous wife." He kissed her on the left cheek while holding her left paw. He turned back to Meadow, "I'm Thomas Milo. Now how can I help you doctor?"
"Well...to be honest...I was wondering If we could talk about one of your old friends." Meadow watched the Thomas's ears fall. He sighed and stepped aside, letting Meadow enter the large house. Him and the black vixen led her to a study where they all sat.
"This is about Dawn huh? I wondered when that would bite me on the tail."
"I'm sorry if this is difficult for you sir. I'm not here to cause issues...I just want to make somehting clear in my notes here." Meadow started off telling the two canines everything she had, going into deep detail what the ewe told her, what Miranda confirmed about school, right up to what she found out yesterday.
"Sounds right, her father was a very...aggressive asshole to her. I'm surprised she never ran away from home." Thomas folding his paws together as he sat, listening to every word. His wife looked confused as to why all this pertained to her husband.
"So...were you two classmates?" Kathy asked, this was a subject Thomas seemed to bury, and she wanted information.
Thomas sighed hard, looking down at the carpet, "More than that...we were...we were friends." His voice cracked, looking up at Meadow, "See...as you can probably tell...I'm a hybrid. My fathers is one as well, red fox and silver fox, while my mother...is a painted wolf. We lived in Tundratown in Zootopia early on...it was the only job my dad could get at the time while my mom stayed at home to raise me. When I was fourteen, we moved to the Meadowlands, my dad got a better job here and mom rejoined the work force, but it was rough. They complained it was almost like predators had it harder here. Anyway, as you can imagine, due to my genes, I had this super fluffy winter coat, made me a steel grey color...but when I went from Tundra town to the summer here..."
"Your winter coat fell out." Meadow nodded understanding, her coat nearly tripled in thickness during the winter and fell from her body in large clumps and tufts.
"Yep...but it was worse than normal...also went through puberty, so my colors started to come in at the same time so my normal coat was shedding as well...I looked like I was dying or had a disease. The kids mocked me mercilessly, especially the canines since not a lot of hybrids were around so I was the new freak to them." He paused as a small smile crossed his muzzle, "Expect for this little ewe...Dawn never picked on me, never insulted me. She was a runt so she understood the bullying."
"Wonder why she never brought this up to me?"
"We were soon friends. She helped me with history, which I sucked at...while I helped her with Gym class. She wanted to bulk up a bit so I would run and jog with her, spot her on the bench etc. Before long, we got closer, finding excuses to see each other even if there was no reason to. I was her escape from her father...and she was my escape from...well, whatever issue I had. "
Meadow's brain started to click, "Did...did you and her...fall in love?"
Thomas nodded, looking ashamed, "It was high school. I started to see this little ewe as more than a friend. She was bright, cheerful, eager...It just happened. It was in secret of course, her father would've lost it, but we started to date in the shadows. Lie about going to movies with friends but really be with each other, fake study sessions, going deep into the woods to enjoy a picnic...and more." Thomas's cheek fur bristle as he ears tinted pink.
So you and her...mated?" Kathy asked, nearly stunned. She knew he wasn't a virgin when they met, but she never thought he made love to a prey. She was conflicted; on one paw, he seemed to really care about her at the time, enough to fall in love...but then again, he had mated with THE Dawn Bellwether.
Thomas nodded, reaching for and holding her black paw, "Yea...I'm sorry Hun. It was a long time ago. I have no feelings for her now. But back then...I was head over tails in love, our first time was..perfect. I was nervous from the size issue...she was scared of what her father was going to think...but the moon was high, the river still and calm." He looked to his wife, "Don't worry Hun, Our first...was the best most passionate of my life, and I would never change anything about it or you. It was high school, and well, hormones."
Kathy smiled warmly as she kissed her husband. She knew he would never go back to her, no mater what, and besides...it wasn't like she dint have a fling or two growing up, "Its ok dear, I know you...and I know who you love"
Meadow let them have their moment, "So...what went wrong?"
A shadow crossed the male's face, startling both vixens, "We had this plan. By the time Prom circled around, we were dating in secret for almost a year, but tired of it...we thought we were ready for it to be public. So...we had this idea, I would ask her to prom...in front of her father and meadowland council, who was to visit the school that week. During my little speech, I would hint at all of our secret activities...really get his wool twisted up...but somehow he not only found out...but he knew everything. A day before, Donovan and his eldest son found me, beat the crap out of me, and pinned me to a tree..where he threatened me and my family." His voice broke as the tears started to form, "He said he knew all about out little disgusting tryst and told me to either break her heart..or he'd break my family. He said one pen stroke...and my family would be put in prison for decades. Apparently he could do that, I never questioned it since I was just a teen, what did I know, and it was my family. I agreed, but demanded I do it his way."
Meadow leaned forward, "And that was?"
Thomas sobbed, "She walked up to me like she always did, but this time instead of a hug...I shoved her into a locker, slashed her sweater to ribbons...and told her 'she was a good cum dumpster and rag for my pent up hormones', and 'funny how no ram would touch her so she had to beg a pred for sex'. It tore me up to see her face but..I had no choice, I was scared. I kicked her bag across the hallway then turned and walked away, crying the whole time."
It clicked...there it was, "Why didn't you try to tell her?"
"I tried...I still have the letter in my desk...but how can you say sorry to that? 'Hey sorry I broke your heart and insulted you'. I wonder how different things had been if I would've mammaled up and told her the truth." Kathy gripped his paw, telling him it would be ok. Meadow finished writing in her notes, wiping her own tears.
"Thank you so much for your time, Ill make sure Dawn understands."
Thomas stood and walked over to a desk, opening a drawer and removing a false bottom, pulling a folded paper out. He returned and handed it to Meadow, "Make sure she gets this...and tell her that from the bottom of my heart...I'm so sorry, for being too weak."
Later...
Meadow clicked the recording off, letting the office fill with silence. Dawn sat there, clutching the letter to her chest as the tears fell, not trying to stop them. She blindsided the ewe with this, but it was important, she needed to hear it. The room was still, until Dawn calmly set the letter down and jumped down from the chair.
"Dawn..?"
Dawn didn't say anything, she just stood their spacing off, holding the bottle of water in her hoof, the plastic slowly crinkling from growing rage...until she snapped, flinging it across the room against the wall, soaking the stone. Her voice cracked and full of every emotion she could muster, "That FUCKING ASSHOLE! He never could let me just be happy...never let me have anything that brought peace he had to ruin everything..AUGHHHHHH." She screamed as loudly as her little body let her, falling to her knees sobbing and convulsing as the tears fell freely. A male lynx guard rushed in as Meadow rushed over and pulled the mess of a ewe into a tight hug, surprised at what was happening. He had listened in on the session, hoping for some dirt to sell a tabloid or something...But after seeing the sobbing ewe and comforting vixen...He couldn't bring himself to say much. He instead left the office, and walked to another section of the prison.
After several minutes, the sobbing stopped, but Dawn still managed to croak out her words, "Why...Why wasn't I good enough? Why couldn't mammals just let me be? Why? I just wanted a little happiness, but no...every time I got it...It was taken away."
"Dawn, listen to me. You didn't deserve this, any of this. No one does. I'm here for you ok? After all this...the only way to go is up."
"How? I'm going to be in jail for a long time, and if I do get out...no one will trust or even want to associate with me." Dawn glanced over and saw the letter on the table, remembering the emotions she felt reading the apology and, even though it was years overdue, made her feel at peace. She turned back to the arctic vixen, currently giving the poor ewe a soft and understanding smile. Meadow leaned back
and grabbed her notebook, never breaking eye contact.
"Dawn, I think we found the root cause."
Dawn chuckled ruefully as she wiped her tears, "What do you mean? All I did was agree with what Thomas said."
Meadow smiled, "That's right, but it told me that you got your heart broken...no shattered by a mammal, a predator that you not only put your whole faith and trust in, but also shared a very intimate moment with and, if I may be bold, fell in love with."
Dawn nodded, looking away as she blushed, before her eyes went wide in realization, "That bastard...I should've known something was up...that was the only time he EVER comforted me. He hugged me tight and told me everything would work out. By the gods I'm an idiot." Dawn shook her head in anger, woolly poof bouncing around on top, before locking eyes with the letter once again, barely making out but remembering the whole hearted apology from her old friend. She made a discussion then and there, "Can...Can you do something for me Meadow?"
The pulled away, the vixen looking straight into her eyes, "Name it."
"Can you convince them to let me have a pen and a notepad? And maybe a list of the victims...I want...I want to write some letters."
Meadow looked over to the chair and understood, "Of course...and next session...I collect them and get them to where they need to." She smiled at Dawn, who wiped her tears away. They cleaned themselves up and got back into the chairs, where they re-went over everything Thomas said, Dawn expanding from her point of view. When they broke for the week, Dawn felt lighter...yet heavier at the same time...She was going to have a talk with Gregory soon. As she lay on her bunk that night, she was mentally going through what to say in the letters when she became aware of something. She was being looked at, but in the pitch dark room, all her prey eyes could make out was a slightly darker outline right in front of her. Her fear rose as the unseen mammal leaned forward towards her, the scent of a feline predator hit her nostrils. She steeled herself, if this predator wanted to do her in, she was going to let them, after all she had suffered in her life and the terrible near fatal mistake she made, she felt she deserved it. Dawn felt like ending it anyway; her own father didn't love her, her family abandoned once she was arrested, and she knew NO ONE in this town was going to ever forgive her, even after a century or more. Besides, she couldn't count the number of blades and nooses she found under her pillow and mattress that she didn't put there, must have been either the guards or more than likely the form staring at her in the inky black, waiting to witness the ewe's final act.
"So, the famous Dawn Bellwether." The feminine voice whispered out from the shadow, "The terror of predators, and near destroyer of Zootopia."
Dawn sighed hard turning her body to try to get a better look at the form, but only making out an angled muzzle and tall ears, "Yep that's me...monster sheep here. Ya better run." Her voice laced with a dry dark humor. The form let out a deep quiet chuckle, before her spite-filled, harsh voice filled Dawn's ears.
"You know...I waited SO long to meet you. To do all these terrible things to you; run my claws trough your little neck, slowly choke the life out of you, stab you with the shank that one of the guards 'misplaced' under your pillow," Each rambling idea made Dawn shrink and shimmy further away from the predator, only to have her slowly crawl onto the cot. Dawn fell her back hit the cold stone, trapping her. Her only option was to yell out, but would anyone come...would anyone care...would anyone miss her? She felt the unseen mammals muzzle just inches from her own. She took one last breath and held it, to savor her last moments, when the voice took a softer tone, the acid edge gone, "Only to hear that you were a mere pawn, and a life of hardship made you this way."
Dawn let her breath out as a harsh exhale, "Then why scare me to death?"
"I wanted to see how you'd react. And from the scent...you thought I was going to do ya in huh?"
"Why wouldn't I think that? I targeted you preds...and could've went so much further." Dawn breathed out, still in fear of what might still happen.
"True...but you have no reason to feel that way. You were just a player in the game..your buddy Doug was the one calling the shots. To be honest I feel bad for you, most of us that make mistakes to get us here...we did so after still having loving families and just wanted to cut loose. You had a shitty life, and made a mistake."
"A mistake that could've ended in blood. I'm just as guilty as Doug is...and deserve what ever punishment I get."
The form shifted to climb off Dawn's bed, the pale moon light finally filtered into the cell, revealing a female Lynx about her age, looking sorrowful, "Even suicide? I've heard you mutter to yourself about it for a week now."
Dawn looked away ashamed, "Maybe...you have no idea what I've been through, and even if you did...could you blame me? So many predators almost lost their lives, and so many more were planned to die. My father was an abusive asshole, the only mammal I truly loved was blackmailed into shattering my heart, my dreams were taken from me, and I'm sure the jury will want me to get the death penalty...why disappoint them?"
"Why not prove them all wrong? Dawn...Nobody died from your schemes. They might've or could've...but they didn't. It stopped before they could, so no blood is on your hoof. I do Dawn...I hear my victims scream every night, pleading and begging...I feel the hot blood still on my fur...their eyes glossing over as I tried to stop the bleeding. And mine was self defense, but I still am here paying for it. You were just an accomplice Dawn. If I could...Id love to be where you are."
"Maybe...but I still...nothing ever went right in my life...why try now?"
From her voice alone, a smile could be seen, "To prove them all wrong. To show that you are sorry for what you did...that your strong enough to overcome...to look at you father's face when you do pass and tell him he was wrong. Dawn, your at your lowest now, the only way to go is up."
Dawn narrowed her eyes. True she believed everything that was said, but she was also very confused, "Why help me? I don't even know you"
She jumped when a large paw touched her muzzle. To her surprise, it was soft and gentle, "Because...I owe a life in this world. If I can save ONE mammal from ending it...then I've paid it back."
Dawn reached up and touched the paw, "Thank you...you would make a good therapist."
The Lynx chuckled, withdrawing her paw as she stood, before climbing up to her own bunk, "Don't mention it, just remember...the new you starts tomorrow, regardless of how your trail turns out."
Dawn took her words to heart, falling asleep as she hugged herself, hoping that her last session will go good.
Only one chapter to go, then this will be done. After I will put out a questionaire for the next side tail.