Chapter 10

The White Lion walked through the streets of Sahara Square with his disciples and a large crowd of animals following him. People who saw him stopped to say hello, shake hands, and even start up a friendly conversation with him. Familiar people like the wolf in the red suit, Manchas, Chief Bogo and kinds of different animals that he healed had come to see him too. But even though he received this much attention, Jesus didn't let it go to his head and always stayed humble and true.

…

Meanwhile, Nick, who was also in Sahara Square, sat down on the curb, trying to process through his mind which locations the White Lion could be at. He was starting to get worried that he wouldn't find the White Lion, and his hope was fading fast.

Riding the subway, Nick had searched the areas where the White Lion had usually been, such as the docks, the coffee shop, and even the cold park of Tundra Town where he first started preaching. But no sign of him. Now Nick was in Sahara Square, trying to of the possible places he could be.

Then Nick saw a large crowd gathering an idea came to him: Where there was a large crowd, the White Lion was probably in the middle of it! He jumped and ran into the crowd, pushing and slipping through people that were blocking the way.

"Master!" Nick yelled through the crowd as he approached the White Lion. "Master! I need your help!"

The White Lion heard him calling and turned around to face him. Some of the animals in the crowd recognized Nick and drew back. Nick fell to his knees in front of Jesus.

"Jesus…" said Nick. "My best friend is sick and dying… I ask that you heal her, please."

The White Lion knelt and placed his paw/hand on Nick's shoulder. "Do you believe that I can heal her?" the White Lion asked.

Without hesitation, Nick nodded. "Yes," he replied. "I believe you can heal her."

They both stood up. "Show me where she is." Jesus spoke.

"Right! Follow me!" Nick said in a somewhat hurried voice.

He started moving quickly through the crowd of animals with the White Lion in tow. Everything seemed to be going well until the White Lion stopped in the middle of the street, a shocked look on his face.

Jesus turned around to face the crowd. "Who touched me?" he asked in a somewhat shocked voice.

"What are you talking about?!" Nick asked worriedly, still wanting to hurry back to the Grand Pangolin Arms.

"Somebody touched me." The white lion replied simply.

"Uh, Master…" Peter spoke. "The crowd's pretty large. People are already bumping into you while trying to keep up!"

"I felt somebody touch me; I felt the power go out of me…" Jesus insisted. He turned around to face the crowd and asked, "Who touched me?"

"It was me, Lord…" a trembling voice came from the crowd and an old female armadillo came forth. She had grey and pink skin, blue eyes, and she wore a green dress and grey cardigan underneath her armor shell. She also black small rimmed glasses on her snout, which she nervously took off to clean.

"I have been bleeding inside me for over 12 years…" the armadillo continued nervously, putting the glasses back on her snout. "I have been to almost every doctor in Zootopia and they tried to cure me. But every time it seemed like I was healed, I just started bleeding again. I thought that if I just… reached out and touched your jacket that… I would be made well."

She fell to her knees in apology to the White Lion. The white Lion smiled gently, walked towards her, and helped her up.

"Your faith has made you well, dear lady." He said to her. "Go in peace and be healed of your illness."

"Thank you!" the old armadillo said joyously. She kissed his paw/hand and went on her way.

"Look, this is good and all, but unless you have forgotten, my friend is dying!" Nick said when the armadillo had left.

"I haven't forgot." Jesus replied calmly. "Take me to her."

…

When they were outside the Grand Pangolin Arms, Nick stopped when he saw Finnick come out.

"Finnick! I found the White Lion and he can-" Nick said in a hurry, but stopped when Finnick raised his paw/hand.

"Please… Don't bother the White Lion any longer." Finnick said silently with his head looking at the ground.

"WHAT?!" Nick almost yelled. "Why?!"

Finnick looked up at Nick with a sad expression on his face. "She's…" Finnick started.

"No… NO!" Nick shouted this time. "She can't be! You're saying she is-"

"Dead." Finnick finished for him.

Nick fell to his knees and began sobbing. Finnick stood beside him, trying to comfort him. Nick then felt the White Lion rest his paw/hand on his head.

"Don't be afraid." Jesus said to Nick, who looked up to him. "Believe and she will be made well."

"Didn't you hear?!" Nick asked; he was annoyed, angry, and trying his best to fight back tears. "She's dead! If you had gotten here sooner, she would have been living!"

"Believe, Nick…" the White Lion said again. "And she will be made well…"

Jesus entered the Grand Pangolin Arms with Peter, James, John, Finnick, and Nick following. They went to the apartment where Judy was staying and entered. Stu and Bonnie Hopps were there, crying and holding each other over the fact their daughter had died. Judy laid in bed… she was dead and her body looked sickly looking.

"There! See?!" Nick started again angrily. "She's dead! Now what are you gonna do?!"

"She's not dead." The White Lion said as he knelt beside the bed. "She's only sleeping."

For an instant, Nick felt like he was going to attack Jesus, but Finnick grabbed him by the paw/hand. Nick looked at Finnick, who gave him a 'Don't even think about it' look.

Nick, Finnick, Stu Hopps, and Bonnie Hopps watched the White Lion gently placed his finger on the small forehead of Judy.

"Rise, little one." said the White Lion. "It's time to wake up."

Suddenly, light filled the darkened room. Judy came to life and yawned as if she was waking up from a long sleep. She woke up, stretched, and saw the White Lion kneeling by her bed.

"You came!" she said joyfully, hugging the White Lion around the neck.

"Yes!" the White Lion replied. "Yes! I'm here!"

Judy saw Nick, moved from hugging Jesus, and jumped into Nick's arms. Nick embraced her and then held her out to look at her; Her eyes weren't bloodshot, she wasn't coughing up blood, and she looked as healthy as she had ever been.

It was quite the celebration when she was healed; Judy hugged her parents, Nick hugged Finnick, Stu kissed Bonnie, Finnick hugged Judy, Nick hugged Stu and Bonnie. They went into the street and soon the people out there were caught up in the celebration and dancing broke out and everything amazing and wonderful about it was happening!

But, in the background watching, the White Lion stood. He suddenly felt a pang of hurt in him and decided to leave the scene.

…

In the late afternoon, Jesus sat at on a bench at the docks, wondering why he felt that pang of hurt. He already knew, but was waiting for the explanation.

He got up from the bench and leaned against a railing, watching the sun go down slowly over the horizon.

"Master!" a voice called. Jesus turned around to see Andrew the gorilla running towards him.

"Master, its John!" Andrew said sadly. "Herod has… killed John!"

Jesus closed his eyes bitterly and turned away from Andrew.

"I want to be alone, Andrew." Jesus spoke. Andrew nodded and ran on his way.

Jesus fell to his knees and clung to the railing, sobbing at the death of his cousin. "Father…" he said aloud, reaching up a hand/paw to the heavens.

"Father…" he cried out again. Then he fell to the ground, sobbing all the way.