I slumped into one of the recreation room chairs. Two ursine guards monitored a chess match unfolding between a stoat and a weasel. Predictably, when the latter checkmated, the former flipped the board and screamed. I rolled my eyes and reexamined the two year old PreyLife and PredLife magazines spread across the table. The guards caught the stoat's arms and held her until she calmed down. And once they let go, she resumed trying to claw the weasel's eyes out until they carried her off. Even in here, I couldn't escape the stupidity of Predators.
What were Tiffany and Teresa up to? Or Ruth? I frowned. Ruth rightly hated my guts for beating up her boyfriend. Teresa assumed the role of Mayor without even mentioning me. And Tiffany…I sighed. Last I heard, she left Zootopia to spend time with family. Part of me hoped she'd visit, but who was I kidding? I laughed bitterly.
The weasel reset the pieces and turned to the TV set in the corner. "Hey, Smellwether."
I groaned. Lionheart just had to share that pet name with everyone in his ZNN interview, didn't he? "What?"
"Saw the name "Zorrillo". Wasn't he the skunk you conned?"
I glared. "I didn't con him."
"Yeah, and I didn't split that bastard's head with a crowbar, either." The weasel curled into the seat. "Must've been a hell of a job. Every skunk I ever met was fugly and smelled like shit. Bet you had to wear a gas mask while he was busy rutting you."
I sharply inhaled. "He was de-scented, not that it's any of your business."
The weasel lazily waved her paw. "Whatever, his name's on TV. Thought you might wanna see how your boy-toy's doing."
Over my shoulder, a few larger Prey and medium Predators gathered around the set. The sow guard monitoring my fellow inmates turned up the volume. An archived interview with Melina Otterton played. "I really don't know what to think. If it hadn't been for her help, I wouldn't have found Emmett. But she was the reason he vanished in the first place. I couldn't believe it."
A coyote and goat snickered at me. I grunted and tried to focus on the PreyLife issue from two Augusts ago. Twenty-Five New Recipes with Kale. Fur or Fluff? What Your Mate's Daily Habits Tell You About Their Mental Health. I lowered the magazine. Tyler's arms slid around me. His lips brushed my forehead. I sighed and tossed it back onto the pile.
"She wanted to keep it, said it reminded her of the night she shot the first mark on Lowam. She's crazy. Careful with that! It's a classic Star Boars collectible! It's bad enough it smells like feet."
Give five minutes alone with Jesse and that stupid toy blaster they pulled out of my hamper. More snickers from the peanut gallery. Wonder how amused they'd be, if they knew those two drugrams were caught after Jesse ran face-first into a telephone pole? I stifled a giggle.
"I suspected something was off about her. Messy office environment, hair trigger temper, always saying she was sorry like she was up to something. And to plot such a vile scheme against our fellow Zootopians! It's enough to dampen one's spirit."
My good mood instantly soured. Even behind bars, Lionheart continued to annoy me. At least he didn't–
"And don't get me started on her attitude. I called her "Smellwether" once–by accident of course, everyone flubs a name now and then–and she's always held it against me."
Spoke too soon. More snickers and chuckles. The weasel laughed and slapped her leg. It was decided. If I ever got out, I would hunt down Leodore Lionheart and grind his tongue with a hoof file. And maybe shave his stupid head while I was at it.
The weasel gestured at the screen. I halfheartedly looked. A black-suited hyena adjusted his muzzle-perched glasses. "That concludes the notable testimonies concerning Dawn Bellwether, the former Mayor of Zootopia turned criminal. But on today's Noontime Talks, our special guest will provide his own. Please welcome, Tyler Zorrillo."
I perked up. Tyler walked onto the televised stage. His headfur was neatly combed, and his De-Scent tag was secured behind a dark red dress shirt. The weasel's face reddened. She glanced between us. I couldn't help but smirk. Tyler politely waved and sat next to the hyena. "Thank you for having me here, Mr. Iena."
"You're very welcome, Mr. Zorrillo. And joining us by popular demand are Argus Ursin and Jameson Colt. Welcome, gentlemammals."
A bear who looked far too much like Bearig for my liking and a dark brown horse sat in the adjoining seats. The stoat slinked into the audience and clicked her teeth. "That the skunk Smellwether screwed around with? Shit, I wouldn't mind rolling with him for a night."
I choked back a jealous growl. Iena steadied his glasses. "You wanted to speak about the nature of your relationship with Dawn Bellwether."
Tyler straightened up. "Yes, thank you. I've heard the rumors, and they're not true. I didn't know anything about the Night Howlers. She never told me a thing."
"That's awfully convenient," Ursin cut in.
"Let him finish," Colt thankfully spoke up. "We're here to listen to Zorrillo's testimony, not another of your conspiracy theories, Argus."
"Thank you, Mr. Colt. I really didn't know about Dawn's plans. As far as I knew, she was stressed working under Leodore Lionheart and then with running the city during a crisis. As I've informed the ZPD, the closest I ever came to that was when I once heard her talking about pellets over the phone. I thought she was talking about stink pellets, given her position. I had no idea Night Howlers even existed until I saw Officer Hopps' ZooTube lecture."
The scene cut to Judy's narration of a simple PawerPoint diagram illustrating the flower as it was broken down into a pellet. "While they are commonly used as a pest repellant in communities such as Bunnyburrow, they also prove hazardous when consumed–or, as the case may be, synthesized into a serum absorbed through direct contact with skin. One of my uncles consumed such a flower when he was younger and subsequently bit my mother."
The peanut gallery giggled and guffawed. I drummed my fingers until the clip ended. Iena wrung his paws. "Indeed, Officer Hopps' lecture has been quite enlightening."
"Mr. Zorrillo," Ursin cut in again. "Are you even going to discuss the folder?"
"In good time, Mr. Ursin," Iena replied patiently.
"No, I think it's important enough to discuss, now. It possessed…interesting contents."
"Argus," Colt warned.
The bear ignored him and turned his attention to Tyler. "How about the fact that the folder was found to contain a crude illustration of Bellwether throttling Leodore Lionheart? Shouldn't that at least have been a warning flag?"
Tyler shook his head. "He treated her with nothing but absolute disdain and disrespect. I saw him do it on the set of the PSA his PR agent roped us into. If I had seen what was in that folder, I would've figured she needed to vent."
The bear leaned in close. "And why did it never occur to you to open the folder and see what was inside?"
Colt raised his hoof. "This is not the time or the place."
"No, no, it's a fair question. Why didn't you, Mr. Zorrillo?"
The hyena glared. "Mr. Ursin, you are not here to put Mr. Zorrillo on trial."
Ursin waved his paw. "Isn't that what this all is? We're trying to get to the root of why this skunk willingly collaborated with that terrorist!"
"I didn't know anything about the Night Howlers," Tyler repeated firmly.
"Oh, no? Then explain to me why you didn't open that envelope? Why was it so important for you to keep it sealed?"
Tyler's eyes drifted to the camera. I began to extend my hoof, before I remembered where I was. I slowly tucked it into my lap. The weasel, thankfully, didn't notice. His eyes stared into mine for a few seconds more. "Because it gave us a chance to spend time together."
"Ah, yes, the interspecies fling our dear ex-Mayor didn't want to erupt into a scandal. You're still peddling that story? No sane mammal would believe it. Her actions speak for themselves."
The hyena's eyes burned. "Mr. Ursin, if you don't stop, you will be asked to leave."
"I'm only asking the very questions I know every Predator in the city wants answers to. Why is Zorrillo pushing that "forbidden love" angle, when he's talking about a deluded psychopath who surely would've just darted him and everyone else in the general vicinity?"
Colt coughed into his hoof. "I don't believe Mr. Zorrillo is lying. The ZPD found no evidence pointing to his involvement in Bellwether's plot beyond being the unfortunate paramour she kept in the dark."
"Are you suggesting she was using him as some kind of smokescreen? That she'd date him as a means of diverting attention from her scheme? That'd make some lick of sense, if they had been public about their relationship. But this cloak and dagger routine absolutely reeks of underpawed behavior on his part."
The horse shook his head. "A scent joke? Really, Argus? How old are you?"
Tyler sank into his seat. My fists curled. That goddamned bear. I wanted to grab one of the metal folding chairs and drive it straight into his chin. A little giggle escaped me. Ty once said he'd do that to Lionheart, if it'd make me happy. Unfortunately, the idiot prattled on, not helped in the slightest by the horse's repeated attempts to shut him up.
Again, Tyler stared pleadingly into the camera. My heart clenched. I ached to brush his arms and kiss the split stripe between his eyes. My fingers reached for the bell pendant that was no longer there. I sighed and set my hoof against my leg. At the corner of my eye, the weasel gave me a strangely sympathetic smile.
"So what you're saying is that the folder, which contained rather questionable documents, was only an excuse for Zorrillo to make a booty call?"
"What I'm saying is that I have no reason to doubt that Mr. Zorillo was romantically involved and had no involvement in her operations," Colt repeated for the third time, his voice becoming sharper with each word. "You simply want to feed another conspiracy theory for the sake of your program."
The bear grinned. "It's amazing how you're completely dodging the most suspicious document of the lot."
"From the official ZPD report, it was a random assortment of office files, barring the drawing of Bellwether throttling Lionheart. It was as if she had simply chosen scrap papers to make its appearance as a "delivery" more convincing."
Ursin jabbed his claw at Colt. "Ah, but you're avoiding the most condemning piece of evidence, Jameson. I'm talking about the De-Scent Initiative form."
"It's a standard document that explains the procedure and passes along the usual propaganda," Colt responded matter-of-factly. "Again, nothing that wouldn't out of place amidst an office's numerous photocopies."
"It's not the paper. It's what it implies." The bear now jabbed his claw at Tyler. "And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Perhaps we do have a motive after all, besides alleged, lurid interspecies relations. She became Mayor after Lionheart was arrested for his actions at Cliffside. How do we know Zorrillo wasn't willing to throw all other Predators under the bus, simply so he could convince her to repeal it?"
No…I just grabbed random papers around the file room. Oh, God, why didn't I recheck everything before sealing that stupid folder? Tyler stiffened uncomfortably under Ursin's claw. My fingers dug into the chair's hard cushion. How could I have been so stupid? I shuddered. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
"I didn't open it," Tyler protested. "I didn't know what was in it."
"But did you have to? How do we know you hadn't already previously discussed the possibility of curbing "The Descent", as your peers are wont to call it?"
"That is a baseless accusation. The folder was sealed until the ZPD opened it, themselves. Mr. Zorrilo had no idea about its contents until they revealed them. It's only logical."
"You're not denying the possibility he discussed those matters with her."
"Unlike you, Argus, I'm not jumping the gun and assuming the absolute worst about Mr. Zorrillo because of his unfortunate romance. Because the way I see it, Bellwether deceived him as much as she had the rest of the population."
My fists curled again. The nerve of that damn horse! My arms and legs trembled. I forced myself to sit still. The weasel shook her head.
"I have no reason to question Zorrillo's affections for Bellwether as anything but genuine. But as for Bellwether, her psychological profile and recently revealed prejudices couldn't possibly permit her to return them. Therefore, I can't come to any other conclusion than some form of deception."
Ursin thrust his paws. "So you are suggesting she was using him as a smokescreen? Again, that would only have made sense if she had been public about their relationship. Otherwise, what practical use could she have for hooking up with him?"
"Mr. Ursin, Mr. Colt," Iena spoke, his own paws digging into his knees. "This has gone on long enough."
"No, Mr. Iena, let me finish. So, Mr. Colt, what practical use would Bellwether have for entering a relationship with a skunk if it weren't public and thus a means to sway suspicion from herself and her operation?"
Colt frowned. "That, I cannot ascertain. I am simply saying that it was unlikely that Bellwether would have genuinely returned his affections, given her–"
Tyler stomped his feet. The two commentators fell silent. His paws clung to the chair. He took a deep breath. "She didn't lie to me. Not about that."
The bear scoffed. "And what makes Mr. Zorrillo so sure of–?"
"Stop talking like I'm not here," Tyler said firmly. He settled his paws into his lap. Once again, he faced me. "She didn't lie about loving me. It wasn't a trick. It wasn't deception. She loves me."
I smiled, despite the bear pushing his asinine interrogation. "And how can you be so sure of that?"
"You don't know her like I do."
Ursin laughed. "Clearly you didn't know her well enough, if you really were left in the dark as Colt claims."
Tyler choked back a growl. "I didn't know anything about the Night Howlers, or the rams she collaborated with. But I know her better than any of you. I was by her side when stress nearly took her. I held her in my arms when she broke down. I was with her when she woke up early in the morning and tearfully apologized and begged me not to hate her or leave her. You can't fake something like that. She never lied about loving me."
My heart swelled. The coyote and goat aww'd. The weasel gave me a warmer smile. I smiled back. But it faded as soon as that damn bear opened his mouth.
"Very touching, but not the slightest bit convincing. And really, why would you be sticking out your neck for her sake? Surely she woulda backstabbed you, too? Except…" His gotcha grin returned. "Out of all the species darted, skunks were suspiciously absent."
"Skunks are a minority in Zootopia," Colt stated.
"Perhaps, but it's still something to note. And it really doesn't help Mr. Zorrillo's case."
"Both of you have said enough," Iena interrupted. He frowned sadly at Tyler, who leaned back into his seat. The hyena fixed his glasses and addressed the camera. "We're out of time for today. Join us tomorrow when we engage in a spirited discussion with the soon-to-be-first vulpine officer of the ZPD. Thank you and have a wonderful day, Zootopia."
Tyler gave me one more pained look before the scene abruptly cut to an advertisement for Preygressive Insurance. I extended my hoof once again and reset it into my lap.
The weasel clicked her teeth. "Bastards kept cutting him off." She offered another smile. "It was nice what he said about you. Musta taken a lotta balls to say all that on live TV, especially with that big bastard taking all those shots at him."
"Yeah." I closed my eyes. Tyler's hot breath tickled my forehead. I smiled at him. He smiled back at me. The tip of his tail brushed my back. I sighed and reopened my eyes.
The weasel slid off her chair and patted my hoof. "I take back what I said. Guess not all skunks are shit. If only my guy was so willing to hang around." Her eyes locked with the stoat. And soon enough, their antagonism began anew.
After a few minutes of listlessly flipping through PreyLife, I pushed the old magazine aside and glanced back at the TV. ZNN recapped highlights from my trial. I suppose it brought them comfort and pleasure to see me on the stand, trying my damndest not to cry. I dropped from the chair and considered the small book cart. I suppose I could give the battered and spine-snapped paperback of Clawed Atlas another go. It had to beat–
Emmett Otterton slinked across the floor. He stared intently at the squabbling weasel and stoat, ignorant of both him and the sow guard readying to intercept them. He sniffed the air, his eyes burning, and turned to me. I clutched my forehead. "I'm not scared of you."
"The hell are you talking about?" The goat asked from my left.
Otterton regarded her for a moment and returned to me. I blinked. He was still there, scraping his claws along the dark gray tiles. The weasel and stoat were forcefully separated, still kicking and screaming. He pulled his lips back, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth. No, this wasn't right. The real Emmett Otterton recovered in Panacea Court and was back with Melina. And I conquered these stupid hallucinations.
And yet, he was still there, watching as the weasel and stoat crashed into one of the chairs. The stoat caught its legs and swept it against the weasel's ankles. She flipped onto her stomach. The ursine guards seized them. Otterton sighed and gazed mournfully at me. I blinked again. Otterton twitched. I snagged Clawed Atlas from the cart. Otterton's teeth snapped. I flipped through, finding one page bitten from the first half of The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavengoat. Otterton growled.
I threw the paperback. "Leave me alone!"
Clawed Atlas skidded across the floor, startling the goat into tripping. Several of our fellow inmates stared. She gasped, "The hell did I do to you, bitch?!"
One of the ursine guards moved towards me. I nervously picked Clawed Atlas from the tiles and set it back onto the cart. The goat snapped what few, decaying, brown teeth she had left. I gave the guard a quick apology. He left to check on the weasel, who still shot poisonous glares and bitter words at the stoat. I returned to my seat, sifted through PreyLife, and listened for the sound of treading otter paws.
Another guard, a lion who shaved his mane, escorted me to my cell a few minutes later. He uttered the usual declarations of what he'd do if he weren't under orders to ensure my safety. I smiled patiently. Once he was gone, I set my glasses atop the bench and dropped into the bottom bunk. My current cellmate, a whitetail doe with ungodly night terrors, hadn't returned. I sighed and tried to catch up on some sleep before dark.
Something growled inches from my face.
My eyes reopened to the sight of Otterton clawing at the bars. I groaned and rolled onto my right shoulder. His growl got louder. I clasped my hooves over my ears. I beat these stupid hallucinations. And Otterton was back with Melina and their pups, not biting at black iron like the Night Howler serum still ran through him. My eyes watered. No, I wasn't scared of him, anymore. I beat him. He wasn't right behind me, stretching his teeth over the back of my neck–
I grabbed the pillow and flung it at him. It flopped uselessly against the wall. Otterton sealed his lips and stomped around the cell, biting at everything ground-level. I clutched my head. Tears burned my cheeks. He woke from his coma. He wasn't savage, anymore. He was back with Melina. And I was in prison, along with all of my hired help. What more did he want from me?!
Otterton stopped. I wiped my eyes with the back of my arm and refitted my glasses. His savage face softened into the same mournful look he'd given the fight between the weasel and the stoat. I glared. "Why are you still here?"
The otter held his pained grimace. His eyes glistened with tears. My face sank. He took a step back and stared hard at his paws. I extended my hoof. No. I remembered the hallucinatory Melina who waited until my guard was down to attack. I set my hoof back atop my legs. "I'm not falling for your tricks."
With a snarl, Otterton leapt and buried his teeth into my throat. I shut my eyes, yelled his name, and pried at his jaws. The bars drew back. My eyes reopened. Otterton was gone. The lion waved his truncheon. I looked around the cell. From the top bunk, Otterton clacked his teeth. The guard remained oblivious as they all did. I looked up. Otterton peered from the top with his teeth drawn.
I screamed.
I'm not gonna fire you, Zorrillo. I won't give those bigots the satisfaction. Even if a few of their businesses have boycotted Nutra-Lyfe unless we give you the boot. But I won't. We Predators have to stick together. And I know damn well you're not a traitor. I'm not gonna cast you, or Volk, to the street because that damn sheep took advantage of you. She's the monster, not you. I wish they'd understand that.
¡No es traidor! ¡Es ridículo! I know Tyler Zorrillo. He would never agree to something like that. He was with me when we checked on Renato. No es culpable. ¡La oveja maldita es culpable! She lied to him! Why are you listening to idiotas como Ursin y otros que no saben nada?! ¿Por qué echan la culpa al zorrillo? ¡Echen la culpa a la oveja mentirosa! She's the one who lied. She's the one who ordered Renato and the others to get darted. Tyler no hace nada. He'd never hurt Renato or me. She's the one who lied to him. She's the one who hurt him. So, why is it his fault?
Yeah, I've heard that conspiracy theory, and it's a load of crap. Not one skunk actually believes Tyler Zorrillo tried to sell every other Predator out to repeal The Descent. They're just pushing it because they think they have to be offended for us. No proponent of that theory is a skunk. But mammals like Ursin automatically assume we're gonna turn because, what, a De-Scent Initiative paper just happened to be in that folder? It also had a flyer for one of Gazelle's concerts and a Misty's takeout menu. Doesn't mean a damn thing.
"Hey, Ty. We're almost there."
My eyes reopened. Preston's office, Viola's counter, and Nicky's studio gave way to the overcast sky outside the Coyota's windshield. The wipers rhythmically swept the raindrops tapping the glass. And the few remnants of the…graffiti Alex found this morning bled away. The Miranda Furgraves Correctional Facility neared. I brushed down my dark red polo and smoothed out my headfur. The cold pit in my stomach grew.
Isabelle pressed her hoof on my shoulder. "It'll be okay."
I sighed. "You guys didn't need to come."
Alex growled. "Don't start with that shit, again. I'm not gonna ditch you, so knock it off." His claws dug into the steering wheel.
Isabelle squeezed his arm. "Please calm down."
The wolf relaxed his grip. "I'm sorry, Ty. I just don't wanna hear it. I'm here for you. Izzy's here for you. We're not going anywhere."
I patted his knee. "Thanks."
Isabelle shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong. How could you have known what they were planning?"
"Like they give a damn," Alex grunted. "They make him wear that stupid tag, and now they're calling him a traitor because they made him into a target. Give me five goddamned minutes with those assholes, just five."
"Kicking their asses wouldn't solve anything," I noted.
"What about if I beat the crap out of just Ursin? He only wanted to drum up ratings."
I shrugged. "Wasn't any different from everything else I've heard."
"Maybe not, but it still sucked." Alex's muzzle clenched. "I'm sorry, Ty."
"For what?"
He sighed. "I was the one who said you should ask out Bellwether. If I had known what she was gonna pull, I wouldn't have…"
I brushed his arm. "You didn't know what was gonna happen. It's not your fault."
"Maybe, but…" He sharply inhaled. "Don't hate me for saying this, but I'm glad you didn't end up like Hopps and Wilde almost did, because of her."
"Me, too."
The Coyota reached the gates. Alex rolled down his window. A donkey security guard leaned from his booth and looked me over. His face softened. I told him my name. He inspected his tablet and nodded. The gates swung open. Alex rolled up his window and drove on.
Isabelle brushed the back of my head. "It'll be okay. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."
I managed a smile for her. "She will. Thanks again, guys."
Alex parked in the designated lot, one space away from a dark green car. They walked with me to the main office. Several staff members glared or offered sympathetic smiles. I presented my ID and arrowhead to the ibex guard by the metal detector. He waved me through. A civet led Alex and Isabelle to a waiting area. They smiled at me. I smiled at them. My smile faded as soon as I followed another guard, a lion who shaved his mane, to the Visitors Center.
"Lemme guess," the guard speculated. "You're here to convince us that you weren't really in cahoots with her?"
I sighed. "They've cleared me to visit Dawn. For the sake of her mental and emotional wellbeing, they encouraged me to see her as soon as possible. And since I don't want her to suffer another breakdown, I came as soon as I could."
"And why would you care if she did?"
"Because I love her. And she kept me in the dark like everyone else."
The guard stopped in front of me. "I don't buy that for a second. The ZPD might not have turned up any evidence, but there's no way you couldn't have known. If you were that close to her, you would've heard something."
I shook my head. "The closest I ever got was that she mentioned pellets over the phone."
"What did you think she was talking about?"
I chuckled sadly. "Well, I am a skunk. She could've been talking about stink pellets for all I knew. She was part of the local government."
"That's a convenient excuse."
"You wouldn't happen to be one of Argus Ursin's fans, would you?"
The lion glared. "Look, if it were up to me, you'd be locked up with plenty of Predators who'd gladly tear you apart. But, unfortunately, it's not up to me. But I'll be watching you, skunk. So don't pull any funny business. And know that I'll be right there if you say anything even remotely suspicious."
"Go ahead and watch. I'm gonna say hello and, if she's up for it, ask her why she did what did."
"That's reassuring."
"I have nothing to hide, sir."
"I hope so, for your sake."
We stepped into the Visitors Center. I selected a booth halfway down. The lion stood a few feet away. On the other side of the glass, a pig led Dawn into the adjacent booth. Brown bags hung under her eyes, and her skin and wool paled miserably. But a smile immediately overtook the ewe's tired face as soon as she saw me. I smiled back and reached for the black phone. She nodded to the sow, who assumed her position nearby. At the corner of my eye, the lion was joined by a honey badger bearing a likewise uniform and distrustful frown. I took a deep breath.
Dawn cradled the speaker to her muzzle. "Hello, Tyler. I miss you."
The lion whispered something angry to the badger. I struggled to maintain my smile. "I miss you, too, Dawn."
She giggled. Even when worn down, it sounded beautiful. "I'm glad you're here. It's been difficult adjusting to my new apartment." Her giggle soured. The sow behind her raised an eyebrow. "I'm really glad you came."
The honey badger whispered something back to the lion. I made out the words "Prey chaser" and "traitor". More of the same. "I had to make sure you were okay."
"I'm okay. Well, not completely okay, but I'll survive. I made it through my first few days. I'll make it through…oh, the remaining…" Her muzzle tightened for a few seconds, before she pushed a cheerful smile. "I'll be just fine. I survived Leodore Lionheart. I'll survive this. And at least he's not here. That's always a plus."
The lion and honey badger exchanged more quiet insults. I drummed my fingers and waited for the right cue. "It's helpful to look on the bright side."
"So, how are things with you?"
I glanced at the guards. "Well, it feels like half the city thinks I'm a traitor, and the other half thinks you strung me along. And this morning, someone marked Alex's windshield with…" I shook my head. "We cleaned it up. And the hood, too. And The Palm is threatening to pull their contract with Nutra-Lyfe unless Preston kicks me to the curb."
Dawn's ears sagged. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted anything like that to happen. You know that, right?"
I nodded. "I know you didn't."
She peered around me towards the guards. Her fingers tensed around the phone. "He didn't harass you, did he? That damn lion has it in for me."
I shrugged. "Hasn't said anything I haven't already heard."
"That's unfair. I saw you on Noontime Talks. Why the hell did they let Ursin on? That brute barely gave you a chance to defend yourself! Not that Colt was any better. And the way you looked at me…" She blushed. "Well, I know you were looking at the camera, but it felt so much like you knew I was watching. I wanted so badly to run into that studio, whack that stupid bear upside the head, and carry you away."
I smiled sadly. A similar thought occurred to me as I watched her trial. Collect armfuls of stink pellets, liberally spark them around the courtroom, sweep Dawn from the stand, and run while the green smoke and burnt mint scent covered our escape. But that fantasy died quickly. I couldn't let her get away with what she did, especially after what happened to Renato and the riot outside The Palm. Yet, despite all that, the urge to wrap my arms and tail around the ewe and shield her from the world grew.
"Tyler?"
"Sorry, Dawn. Just thinking."
"I understand. I still hate the way they treated you. But what you said after that, about how I never lied about loving you…" Her cheeks reddened again. "That made me so happy."
"I meant it. I couldn't let them disrespect you like that."
"Thank you. I love you so much." Her muzzle trembled. "I never wanted anything bad to happen to you."
"I know, but…" I took another deep breath. Here was my cue. "I have to ask. Why did you do it?"
Dawn reached for the collar of her prison shirt and sighed. "Sorry, I keep forgetting I don't wear it anymore." Her olive eyes looked into mine. "I did it, because…because Predators are assholes."
I waited for her to continue, ignoring the dread pooling around my stomach.
"Predators are aggressive. Predators are disrespectful. Predators push Prey like me around. They can't be bothered to watch where they're going, and they lack the decency to apologize when they knock me into the sidewalk. They laughed when Leodore tripped me up, or sent me scurrying into a closed door. They belittled my efforts and saw me as only a pathetic little lamb who, at best, was to be tolerated. And the ones like Bearig never cared for my input or consent, and just volunteered me into all sorts of assignments because I was small and they could. Predators are…well, just what I said. Predators are assholes."
Dawn sucked in a few pained breaths. I frowned. "So, you did all that because Predators mistreated you?"
"Yes."
I closed my eyes for a few seconds. "Okay, so you arranged for all those Predators to get darted–including Stephanie, the leopardess at Gazelle's protest outside The Palm–because you wanted to hurt them for hurting you?"
"Tyler–"
I held up my free paw. The ewe nodded. I continued as calmly as I could. "And it never occurred to you that I might also get hurt as a result of your plan? Alex was badly injured in that riot. A hippo broke his arm, and then a boar cracked his ribs. And I was flung around and would've been beaten to death or splattered into the dirt if this one homeless fox and Judy Hopps hadn't intervened."
Tears shone in her eyes. "I never wanted you to get hurt. That's the last thing I'd ever want. You're the most important mammal in my life. What happened at The Palm, that was Doug's fault. That goddamned, egotistical lunatic. I told him to abort any mission if you were sighted in the general vicinity. He disobeyed me." She gritted her teeth. Her free hoof curled. "He's lucky he's just missing an eye. I'd make sure he'd never walk again."
I brushed my fingertips over the arrowhead's point. "You never wanted me to get hurt?"
"Of course not! I love you! How could you even ask me something like that?"
"Dawn, I'm a Predator."
"No, you're not."
The phone almost slipped from my fingers. "What?"
The tears trickled down her cheeks. "You're not a Predator, Tyler."
"How…how am I not a Predator? I'm a skunk. We might not be the first thing you think of when you hear the word, but skunks are Predators. We have the canine teeth, we have the claws, we're officially registered as a Predatory species. I'm–"
Dawn slammed her hoof onto the counter. "No, you're not! Predators are monstrous, abusive, insolent, cruel, belligerent, and deplorable. Not you. You've been nothing but kind and gentle and loyal. You're not a Predator. You can't be. A Predator wouldn't, couldn't love and care for me the way you do."
The cold pit tore the base of my stomach. The lion and honey badger's faces blanched. I cradled my temple, keeping my eyes locked with hers. Dawn pushed up her glasses and wiped tears with the back of her free hoof. "You really think that?" I finally asked.
"Yes, I do. You're nothing like them. And you shouldn't be. You're a good mammal. You're not one of them."
You're one of the good ones.
"I'm not one of them?" I weakly repeated.
Dawn's muzzle tried to curve into a smile. Behind her, the sow's mouth gaped. "That's right. And I'm so glad you're not. I don't regret meeting you. If anything good came out of this whole mess, it was that night we met at Misty's. Maybe I should be thankful Leodore and Kent ditched me." Her laugh came out as a wounded cough.
She tensed at something I couldn't see. The sow glanced at me, mouth still hanging. Dawn shuddered and resumed speaking. "I really miss you. I have the worst cellmate. She cries at night and begs me not to leave her. I don't get enough beauty sleep. Guess that means I'm not the most beautiful mammal in all of Zootopia, anymore."
My eyes began to burn. "No, you still are. Gazelle has nothing on you."
Dawn managed another smile. "Thank you."
The lion and honey badger neared. "All right, looks like visiting hours are over with. It was good to see you. I'm glad we could talk."
Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Tyler. I never wanted to hurt you. You know that, right? I never wanted you to get hurt. I just wanted to make a better future for Prey. I never wanted you to get hurt!"
"I know you didn't, Dawn."
"Wait!" She pressed her hoof against the glass. "Please don't hate me! I'm sorry! I really never wanted you to get hurt." More tears, paired with a frightened bleat. "You'll come back, right? Please don't leave me. I'm really sorry. I never wanted you to get hurt. Please tell me you'll come back. Please…"
Alex, Viola, Renato, and many other Predators screamed into the darkness before my eyes. As they faded, I saw myself on those nights I held the sobbing and pleading Dawn Bellwether in my arms. I promised I'd never leave or hate her. But she drugged Renato and several other Predators and left them to fall into comas. Her scheme almost got Alex and I and countless others killed, despite that she never wanted me to get hurt. She did all that…yet, I still felt her hot tears against my chest. I shuddered.
And then my mind painted a different picture. Dawn peeled from my arms and stood over the display pit at the Natural History Museum, wielding a gun like the ram's at the Kodiak Print Shop. Below, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde staged their little trick to lure her into a confession. No one died, but she tried to poison the fox so he'd violently murder Judy. And the rabbit was someone she tried to befriend. So, if she arranged a casual acquaintance to be slaughtered by a drugged Predator, what would she do to someone who broke her heart?
But she wouldn't…but she had…I…I couldn't. I couldn't leave her. My claws dug into my pads. I couldn't leave her. I couldn't…
"Tyler, I'm sorry. Please don't leave me…I'm sorry…"
With a low sigh, I pushed my best smile and pressed my paw onto the glass before her hoof. The ewe's teary face brightened. "Of course I'll come back," I spoke gently. "You're my mate. I can't imagine my life without you."
"Thank you, thank you so much. I love you, Tyler. I love you so much. You've made me so happy."
My tears flowed freely. "I love you, too, Dawn. I'll come back as often as I can."
Dawn brushed her eyes with the back of her arm. "Maybe if things work out, they might initiate a conjugal visit program for us. I miss being in your arms." She winked.
"I'd love that. I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you."
"Love you, too." Dawn kissed where my muzzle lined with the glass and hung up. She took a few steps and shivered. The sow guard pitied me with her eyes.
I hung up my end and turned to the guards. The honey badger excused himself, trying in vain to shake off the stunned look on his face. That left the lion, who now regarded me with an uncharacteristically sad expression. I motioned for him to take the lead. He quickly nodded and walked ahead. Once I caught up with him, he whispered, "I hope you know what you're doing."
"I do, too," I whispered back.
The lion gave me another sad glance as he passed me around the metal detectors. Alex and Isabelle walked out of the waiting area to greet me. An ocelot in a janitorial uniform glared. I kept walking. He followed close behind. I picked up the pace. He swung his fist into my back. I struck the polished floor.
"Hey, what the hell?!" Alex called.
"You little, backstabbing stinkass," the ocelot snapped. "We shoulda thrown you in with your bovid bitch."
"Adrian, knock it off," the lion spoke.
"Come on, Zack. He was in on it! They shoulda thrown him in with her. Then they could rot together."
"Adrian, I'm warning you. Strike him again, and I'm going to have you reprimanded. Mr. Zorrillo has enough to deal with right now."
The ocelot reluctantly slid away. Deciding it was best not to avenge me with a prison guard hovering nearby, Alex lifted me to my feet. I rubbed the small of my back and gave Zack a little wave. He nodded in turn and resumed his patrol. The ocelot wisely stayed away. Alex patted my shoulder. "Come on, let's go home."
The wolf and impala led me out of the Correctional Facility. The shower became a downpour. And ahead of us, a firework-shaped crack decorated the Coyota's passenger side window. Several dents scaled the tailgate to the busted canopy locks. The dark green car was gone. Alex marched to the pickup and unlocked the driver's side door. Isabelle held her arm over my head as we walked towards him. The wolf cursed and slammed his fist against the steering wheel. She cautiously opened the door.
A silver chain hanged a plush skunk from the rearview mirror. A vaguely arrowhead-carved chunk of metal tore into its throat. An ugly white mark trailed along the dashboard. The canopy window, cab light, and vanity mirror were shattered. An X-shaped cut sliced the driver's seat wide open. A scrap of paper was taped to the windshield. STINKASS TRAITOR, followed by an artist's impression of a dead skunk. The plush one smiled obliviously at us, white chunks of stuffing bleeding around the lodged piece of metal.
Alex stomped around the lot, angrily demanding who the hell did it. Isabelle followed him, leaving me atop the passenger seat. The plush skunk swayed. I clutched my head and moaned. Alex screamed about the dark green car that had been parked nearby. Isabelle caught up with him. Alex ranted at her about the death threat, jabbing his paws in the air. The impala tearfully embraced the wolf. He clasped his arms around her.
I jumped from the pickup and ran out of the parking lot. Tarmac stones jabbed into the pads of my feet. The rain stung my eyes. I bowed my head and continued running. Alex and Isabelle called my name. I tripped and splashed into a large puddle. Cold water struck the back of my head. I coughed violently. Memories flooded. Viola pleaded with Renato to talk to her. Stacy screamed into the receiver. Preston howled from his office. Nicky lied unconscious on the grass with a blood seeping through his shirt. Isabelle cradled Alex's broken arm. Dawn cried into my chest, begging me to never leave or hate her…
I rolled onto my back. Water sloshed over my chest. My muzzle trembled. A few moments later, Alex's paw and Isabelle's hoof lifted me into a sitting position. I looked at them. The wolf bowed his head. The impala pulled us into her arms. I shut my eyes and wept. They brushed my back and cried with me. The rain continued to fall.