The Legend of Robin Hood Part Two
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Or forgetful.
15 Years Ago
It was Judy's eighth birthday and her favorite gift was the small bow and arrow her merchant brother gave her. Her parents shared uneasy glances as Judy ran around the burrow, stating that with this bow she would be the greatest hero in all of Knottingham. Eventually her parents shooed her and her hyperactive siblings out the door, Judy immediately heading to Furwood forest for an adventure, a few of her siblings trying to race after her but stopped when they saw their sister pass through the trees.
Judy had never gotten far into Furwood, her parents warning her it wasn't safe, that there was no telling what dangers lurked inside. But if Judy was going to be a brave hero she needed to face any danger she came across.
She found danger of a different sort.
She had been passing by a blackberry bush when laughter rang through the trees, causing her ears to shoot up. It wasn't an evil, creepy laughter she expected to come out of a dark forest, it was warm, friendly, and she found her feet moving toward it.
She hid behind a tree when she came across a clearing and saw the owner of the nice laughter. It was a fox.
Judy remembered all the scary stories her parents and older siblings told her about foxes, sharp claws and teeth, glaring eyes that could see in the darkness, find you no matter where you hid, and of course thirst for rabbit blood.
But this fox wasn't what she pictured when she heard all that. He was older than her, in his teenage years (maybe sixteen or seventeen?) and like her he held a bow and arrow. Unlike her he had a target painted on a tree, and was aiming his arrow toward it. She watched as the fox took aim and let the arrow fly, it struck right into the heart of the target.
The fox let out another triumphant laugh, turning around to face an invisible audience: "Another perfect score for the ever so talented Nicholas Piberius Wilde, the greatest archer in all of Knottingham-no-in all the world!" He bowed dramatically to the trees, "Thank you, thank you, oh you're too kind, it was nothing."
A small giggle escaped Judy's lips before she could stop it. She hid behind the tree trunk as the fox whirled around toward her.
Judy kept her back pressed up against the bark, holding the bow to her chest, her ears twitching as she tried to hear footsteps or maybe even growls. But when the forest remained quiet Judy's childish impatience won over and she dared to peek around the tree-only to see a pair of green eyes.
The bunny shrieked and jumped back, falling onto her tail.
The fox straightened up and burst into laughter, Judy scowled at him, too busy being angry to be scared of his fangs. "You scared me!"
"That's exactly what I was trying to do," he smirked down at her, his fangs bared and Judy felt her ears droop in fright. "Spying on animals is rude, Fluff."
"I wasn't spying," Judy insisted hotly, jumping to her feet and straightening up as high as she could, even standing on her tiptoes. "I'm on a mission."
The fox's smirk didn't loosen, if anything it grew, "I'm pretty sure no carrots grow in Furwood."
"I'm not looking for carrots," Judy pouted. "I'm on an adventure; I'm looking for something dangerous to fight." Her eyes suddenly bulged and she pointed a finger at the older mammal, "You! You're dangerous!"
He knit his brow and tilted his head, "I guess you could say that WOAH!" Judy jumped at the fox, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground.
"Ha, ha!" Judy stood on top of his chest, placing her paws on her hips, "The brave bunny has defeated the scary fox!"
"I'm the scary one?" he pushed her off him; "You were the one that attacked for no good reason."
"You're dangerous," Judy told him, jumping back onto her feet. "I have to protect the citizens of Knottingham from you."
"I live in Knottingham," he grumbled, standing up and straightening his clothes. "And if I was dangerous then I would've eaten you by now."
His words made Judy take a few steps back, "You-you eat rabbits?"
He groaned and rolled his eyes, "No, ya dumb bunny. It's a metaphor. Look, if you're determined to be a 'hero'? Then you need to do better than tackling animals." His eyes looked at the bow that she had dropped on the ground when she jumped at him, "Can you use that?"
"I just got it," Judy replied, picking it and the single arrow up. "It was a birthday present."
"Well tell you what, Carrots," he said, crouching down to be at eye level with her. "Since it's your birthday I'll be a nice fox and give you one free archery lesson."
She gaped at him in shock, "You will!?"
He smirked at her expression, "Just because I'm offering a lesson doesn't mean you'll be an expert by the end of the day. Don't get your hopes up, Fluffy."
"My name's Judy," she introduced herself, skipping after him as he walked back to the clearing where his bow and target waited.
"I'm still gonna call you whatever I wish," he said, picking up his arrow. "But you can call me Nick."
"What do we do first Nick?" she asked.
"Work on your pose," Nick placed his feet apart and pulled the arrow back, holding it taunt. "Think you can mimic me, Carrots?"
Judy tried to; her arm shaking as she pulled her arrow back, "It's hard keeping the arrow pulled back."
"It's so when you let it fly it will go straight through your enemy's heart," he said darkly. Judy looked at him with slight horror and he smirked, "Or straight through a tree, honestly you make it too easy."
He turned his attention to the target, "Now let's work on your aim; get your eye aligned with the arrow." He let his own loose and once again it hit the middle of the target effortlessly.
"You're really good at that," Judy noted, her voice awed. The fox looked proud of the compliment. Judy focused on her own aim and let the arrow fly; it hit the last ring of the target.
"Oh, cheese and crackers," she moaned, dropping her ears.
"It's your first try isn't it? That's good for a beginner." He walked over and fetched the arrows, "Again."
They spent about an hour improving Judy's aim, which only got a little better despite how sore her arms now were. Nick finally called a break when he noticed how her lips were starting to quiver.
"So sweetheart what else can you do besides jump at animals and being moderately okay at archery?" Nick asked, sitting on the grass and leaning against his paws.
"What else can I do?" Judy asked, placing her bow and arrow on the ground next to his, glad to rest her arms.
"Surely you have some combat or adventuring skills, you do plan on being the hero of Knottingham, right?"
Judy hadn't really thought about it, "I um…I can jump really high?"
"Better than other rabbits?" Nick asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I guess not…uh…" Judy couldn't think of anything else to say. All her special skills were hereditary rabbit skills.
Nick smiled at her, "How would you act if you faced some villain who tried to take a say…doe in distress or maybe buck?"
Judy furrowed her brow in thought, looking around the ground. Spotting a relatively long stick she picked it up and brandished it like a sword. She turned and faced a rock, waving the 'sword' threateningly at it. "Halt, you fiend! Don't take another step! I am Judy Hopps and I am the Hero of Knottingham!"
Nick watched in mild amusement as Judy pretended to duel with the rock, finally smacking it against the sight and 'beating' the villain. Judy jumped back with a triumphant whoop; she looked toward Nick, "I defeated the scoundrel. Now what?"
"Now you have to save your doe in distress," he told her.
Judy nodded and rushed over to the fox, taking his paw and pulling him to his feet and toward a patch of bushes. "Come along, doe in distress!"
"Doe?" he asked with a dry smirk. He allowed Judy to lead him into the bushes, the two sitting down on the grass.
"We're safe," Judy let out a breath, dropping her sword. She smiled up at the fox, "I saved you."
He chuckled, "Yes, you did little Carrots."
She shrugged, "I guess that's it, then."
He grinned at her, "Technically if I'm your doe in distress you're supposed to kiss me."
Judy stuck her tongue out in distaste, "Kissing is sissy stuff."
He laughed harder, his eyes alit with mischief, "Alright, if you don't then I guess I have to." Before Judy could run away he pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek, Judy struggled away exclaiming in protest as her ears flushed crimson.
"You're gross," she scoffed, rubbing the cheek he kissed.
Nick only grinned teasingly at her and winked, "Yet I still got your first kiss."
.
Judy stared down from the tree, looking at the fox that had aged, of course, since the past fifteen years-no longer a teenager. When she had spoken his name he had whirled around and stared up at her in alarm, his mouth slightly gapped.
"How do you know my name?" he demanded.
"It's me," she told him, "Judy!"
He blinked, "…"
"We met when you were seventeen."
"Not ringing any bells," he replied.
"You taught me archery!"
"Oh!" he spoke, recognition dawning. He broke into a sardonic smirk, "Look at you, Carrots. All grown up…well, you didn't really grow. More aged."
She pouted at him, "You're hardly the image of youth-wait what are we talking about? You're Robin Hood!"
"We already established that, Fluffy."
"How could you?" she hissed through his teeth. "You've become nothing but a thief!"
His smile instantly dropped, "Nothing but a thief am I?"
"I was told how you've been stealing from Knottingham citizens. Let me tell you I'm the new deputy sheriff !"
"Oh dear, stealing from the rich mammals of Knottingham how will they ever move on?" Nick mockingly placed his paws on his cheeks. "How will I be able to sleep at night?"
"Don't mock me!" Judy snapped at him.
Nick dropped his paws and rolled his eyes, "Look, Carrots, I need to get going so…bye."
She stared after him with a slack jaw, "You're going to leave me hanging up here?"
"Well…yes," he said simply, looking over his shoulder. He frowned at her expression, "You expect me to cut you down after insulting me?"
Judy opened her mouth but closed it when she realized he had a point. "Never mind," she growled, "I'll get down myself and then I'll catch you."
Judy once again lifted her upper body to grab at the knot around her foot, trying to slip her blunt nails through the tie, struggling against it.
Meanwhile Nick watched the rabbit struggle, unable to help an amused smirk. She really was that crazy little rabbit from all those years ago, only know she became a bloodthirsty tax collector.
Can't have everything, he mused to himself, pulling out a dagger from his belt and headed to the tree where the rope was tied. Without giving a warning, he sliced the rope in half, a half second later he heard Judy yelp as she fell to the ground, landing painfully on her tail.
Nick whirled around and smirked at her as she forced herself up to her feet, rubbing at her now sore rear. "I may be a thief," he spoke, "But I'm also a gentlefox. Ta-ta." He strolled into the trees.
"Wait," Judy shot back, trying to go after him, "Get back here!"
"You weren't as bossy when you were a kid," Nick commented, climbing up a tree and disappearing into the thick leaves above. "But what can I expect from a grumpy spinster bunny."
"Spinster?" Judy echoed in anger, standing at the base of the tree. "What makes you think I'm a spinster?"
"Oh, was I wrong?" his voice called through the forest. "My apologies, you better get back to your husband and pop out some more babies. You take care now, Carrots."
Then he was gone.
.
Nick traveled to the heart of Furwood via branches. His climbing skills would make some felines jealous.
Finally he jumped off a low branch, landing on his feet right into the Merry Mammal camp. None of said mammals were surprised when Nick suddenly dropped out of the sky, but Finnick who stood by a log fire sent him an unimpressed look.
"That was quick," he noted as Nick walked over and sat next to his second in command.
"Pickings were slow," he replied, looking around the camp. "I see Yax isn't wearing his tunic again."
The almost calm and carefree yak was talking to Honey, the thick boned honey badger not seeming to notice that her conversation companion was in the nude.
"I don't know what else to do besides forcefully clothing him," Finnick said, poking the logs of the fire and making embers spark up. "I don't think I'm ready for that."
The Merry Mammal camp was in a clearing surrounded by thick walls of bramble bushes. A series of tents set around the glade, some occupied by its owner.
Out of one tent slipped Duke Weaselton, arguably one of the best thieves Nick had ever met. The weasel let out a yawn, blinking around drowsily he never was one to tuck in early, before heading off to talk to Flash Slothmore who was sharpening a sword with his bare claws. Flash was their weapons specialist.
"Oh, Nick. You're back."
The cheerful voice belonged to rookie friar Clawhauser, the tubby cheetah helped the Merry Mammals give money to the poor. The sheriff didn't suspect him to help a band of thieves.
The fox smiled welcomingly at the cheetah sat across from the two, "Hey, Ben."
"You seem a little off," Clawhauser frowned in concern. "You didn't have another close call did you?"
Finnick gave Nick a look similar to that of a scolding parent's. The red fox smirked easily, "I'm perfectly peachy." He laid down on the soft grass, resting the back of his head on his interlocked fingers. His emerald eyes staring past the trees and to the deep blue sky, despite himself Judy passed through his mind, a pout wrinkling her face. Nick's smile grew, "Just waiting for something exciting to happen."
.
Winter Storme had somehow become a ward to the Lionheart family, being raised with King Leodore and his sister Lucy, who owned her own land miles away. When the original king and queen passed away Leodore took the throne, and Winter more or less became his ward, living in the castle along with him. But despite their years growing up together she was disgusted by the lion's vanity and how he pinched every coin out of his citizens' pockets.
She sat in the small throne she was given in the throne room, Lionheart relaxing on a larger throne, his legs crossed as he examined his reflection from a hand-held mirror. On the arm of his throne stood his advisor Bellwether who was muttering something into Sheriff Doug's ear, the sight of the sheep always made Winter's fur bristle.
"Want me to fetch anything to eat, my lady?" her lady in waiting, a shrew named Fru Fru asked, running a small brush through the artic vixen's tail.
"No thank you," she told her, leaning her chin on her wrist.
Lionheart let out a blissful sigh, still gazing at the mirror. "Winter," he spoke up, the vixen glancing up at him with ice-blue eyes.
The lion flashed a cheeky grin, "Whose the top cat?"
Winter wanted to roll her eyes but Bellwether beat her to it, so instead she smiled mockingly, "Oh, you are, Your Highness." She waved to the empty throne room, "And what an audience you have."
The lion missed her sarcasm, eyes already back on his mirror and running his claws through his mane. A moment later the doors of the throne room cracked open and in slipped a rabbit.
Winter watched with mild interest as the bunny scurried over to the throne, bowing before Lionheart, "Your Highness."
The lion glanced down at her with a bored expression, "Who are you supposed to be?"
"This is our new Deputy Sheriff, Sire," Bellwether spoke up, jumping to the floor and hurrying over to the rabbit. "Judy Hopps."
"We need a deputy sheriff?" Lionheart asked with a crinkle of his snout.
"We need all the help we can get to catch that villainous Robin Hood," the sheep reminded the lion. Winter noticed that when the thief's name was mentioned the bunny's ears drooped to her shoulders. Bellwether smiled at the rabbit, "And no doubt she's going to do a fantastic job."
Judy straightened her shoulders and saluted, "Yes, ma'am. I already have a lead."
A smile split across the ewe's face, "Wonderful. Oh, silly me, you haven't met Sheriff Doug. Please, say hi."
While the two shared awkward greetings Winter's lips turned down into a frown, meanwhile Fru Fru was absentmindedly braiding the vixen's tail (a favorite past time of the shrew). The artic fox could practically smell the storm in the air.