Alright, so this is a pretty dark chapter. If you're sensitive to emotional trauma and the like, then I recommend skipping the beginning of this chapter and treading lightly to the end, or just skipping this altogether.
Judy ran faster than she had ever run before. Any other time, this would have been an exhilarating experience for her. The blood coursing through her veins would have reminded her that she was alive and well; the adrenaline, that she was pushing past her limits. However, as she ran through the unnaturally barren streets of Zootopia, a feeling of wrongness welled up inside of her stomach and blossomed throughout her body.
For all she knew, there was nothing behind her, but her mind screamed to run away from the imminent danger. The sound of her feet slapping against the pavement echoed against the eerily pale buildings, adding to the atmosphere that was created with the help of the ominously low whistling of a nonexistent breeze. Half-open doors creaked loudly, setting Judy on edge and causing her to immediately turn the other way.
Every single window was filled with blackness, hiding whatever demons could be lurking behind them. Despite the glaring sunlight that washed over the empty streets, every alleyway ended in total darkness. Judy made sure to avoid those completely, despite knowing the shortcuts that were provided. She didn't feel safe without a particular fox.
The moment that the thought of Nick entered her mind, a loud snarl sounded from behind the bunny. Panic shot through her system, and Judy picked up her speed. She ducked down another street and rolled to avoid running into a haphazardly parked car. In fact, dozens of abandoned, run-down cars littered the street – some with open doors, others with missing parts, and all of them equally creepy. Another growl from behind got Judy running again, chasing away any rational thoughts.
Judy used the cars to her advantage, jumping atop them to remain out of the reach of whatever was behind her. The vehicles creaked and groaned under her weight, revealing their apparently old age. Some of the machines bent or popped when she landed, startling the bunny and almost throwing her off more than a few times. All the while, the snarling and snapping continued to grow in volume and proximity.
Launching herself from a car and landing in an intersection placed Judy in the sights of the ZPD. This building remained in all of its glory – a stark contrast to the city around it. Light from the sun reflected off of the facade, shimmering with the hope and justice that it represented. Judy remained planted to the spot for a moment, unsure if what she saw was really the ZPD. The growling to her left was getting closer, but what caught her attention was a blob of orange in the distance, near the front doors of the police headquarters.
And then his voice reached her. "Carrots!" came the call, echoing across the empty streets. But it was still his voice.
Judy's ears shot up, and she took off like a bolt of lightning. Her Nick was waiting for her, and the sooner she got to him, the sooner she could be safe. He would protect her from all harm, she knew. The frightening noises behind her didn't stay faint for long, soon returning to being right on her heels. As the ZPD got closer, the orange blob began to take shape. Nick stood there in full uniform. One paw held the door open, and the other was stretched out towards her – beckoning her. His emerald eyes remained locked onto hers, but Judy knew that he could see what was behind her. The fright in his eyes drove the bunny on.
Her muscles screamed in protest, her lungs burned with the insufficient amount of oxygen that was provided, and her head raced with hundreds of thoughts at once. The streets beside her blurred out of focus, blending together until it looked and felt like she was running down a hallway with massive walls. The only point in Judy's line of vision that remained clear was her fox earnestly beckoning her to safety. Under her feet, Judy could feel the ground begin to change. No longer was it cold, rough pavement; instead, it smoothed out and became almost slippery to her feet. Before she could comprehend or even process the change, Judy felt a pair of warm, strong arms wrap around her and pull her away.
All at once, the growling stopped. The very air went silent, and all Judy could hear was the beating of her heart in her ears. She began to calm down as the feeling of being utterly safe washed over her. Her fox was here, holding her close and repelling all of the dark things that chased her. As his paws began to gently stroke her back – something that always soothed her – Judy deeply inhaled his scent, letting it take dominance in her mind. All she wanted was to get lost in – wait a minute. Why does he faintly smell of blood?
Judy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Did Nick have some injury that she didn't know about? Was it worse than she thought? Being a bunny meant that she didn't have the strongest nose amongst others in all of mammaldom, so maybe what she was smelling was much stronger to others.
"Carrots, are you alright?" Nick asked, but his voice sounded odd. His "t" sounds were accompanied with a lisp, similar to that of the old mammals Judy would visit at the senior home in Bunnyburrow. Somewhat reluctant to leave the warmth of the fox, Judy gently leaned back so that most of Nick was within her line of sight.
What she saw made her gasp and jump away in surprise.
"Carrots, what's wrong?" Nick asked again with his strange lisp. Now Judy understood why. Nick's lips were caked with dried blood that – mixed with his concerned and usually friendly attitude – made him seem deranged. Behind his lips were bloody gums; his teeth were nowhere to be seen. Judy's eyes widened with regret and horror as they continued to survey Nick. His paws were caked with blood as well, the most noticeable amount being at the tips of his fingers where his claws should have been. A glance to his bloody feet revealed that, just like his teeth, all of Nick's claws had been ripped out.
"How does no more claws or teeth sound?"
The fact that Nick seemed completely unaware of his blood-covered state unnerved Judy even more, causing her to back away whenever he gently advanced. "Judy?" Nick whispered, the hurt in his eyes painfully evident.
"Nick, what happened to you?" Judy asked, her own voice eerily echoing against the walls of the empty lobby of the ZPD.
Her partner seemed confused at first, but as soon as his eyes flicked to his clawless paws, he looked like he understood. When he turned back to her, however, his emerald eyes were dark. "You were scared of me, Judy. I didn't want that, so I fixed myself. Now, I won't ever hurt you, and you don't have to be afraid." His voice lacked the warmth that it usually carried. It was, instead, replaced with a monotonous, emotionless drone that chilled Judy to her very core.
Nick took another step forward, his bloody paws outstretched towards the bunny. Judy scrambled back. This wasn't her Nick. "Am I still scary to you, Judy?" Nick inquired as he continued to advance. The light that had been filling the lobby suddenly changed, casting long, dark shadows over everything. Half of Nick's face was completely covered in blackness while the other was heavily unsaturated. His emerald eyes, however, seemed to glow with malice and hunger. No longer were they the eyes of Judy's favorite fox; they were the eyes of a savage predator stalking its prey.
"Do you still hate the thought of me being near you?" the fox continued, his voice nothing but a harsh growl. Judy kept backing away, her fear-filled eyes locked onto the predator. Her nose uncontrollably twitched, and her breathing became sporadic again.
"You probably wish that you had married a strong, handsome rabbit, huh? Maybe even that intriguing Jack Savage? I bet that you're regretting ever having married me in the first place, am I right?" Suddenly, pseudo-Nick launched forward, his bloody mouth inches away from Judy's neck. "Because I'm nothing but a sly, conniving fox that can't be honest to save his life. I'm nothing but a vicious predator growing so very hungry and waiting to be set loose. I'm nothing but a savage that should be locked away in a cage!"
"That's enough, Nicholas!" came an oddly familiar voice from behind the fox. With a reluctant whine, the fake Nick backed off of Judy, though he remained on all fours. As soon as his blood-covered face was removed from her line of sight, Judy could see who had called off the predator. She wasn't calmed down by the sight; instead, her already shot nerves went hyperactive, screaming at her to get away.
Alex Hunt stood before her, wearing the same blue T-shirt and black shorts he had worn the first time they met. That was over a year ago, and Alex – or better known as Hunter – was supposed to be dead.
"Hello there, little bunny," Hunter greeted, his smooth, English accent sending shivers down Judy's spine. "Having a bad day, are we?"
Judy said nothing. Instead, she fearfully stared at the snow leopard standing before her. Despite the harsh lighting, his stark, white fur stood out in a terrifyingly beautiful fashion and was contrasted by pitch black spots. While his coat was envy-inducing at most times, it was now absolutely frightening to the poor bunny that vainly scrambled away from the two predators.
Hunter squatted down, resting his arms on his knees – even now, he was still taller than Judy. His cold, blue eyes shone with cruel satisfaction as he regarded the bunny in front of him. "This is truly an incredible sight to behold, you know," he commented, a small grin creeping over his muzzle. "And to think that I had to die to see it. In a way, that makes this all the more worth it."
Again, Judy remained silent. Her eyes desperately sought out any sign of escape, but there was nothing. The lobby of the ZPD had morphed into an isolated room. She was trapped with a deranged snow leopard and a savage fox.
"I hope you understand how absolute my victory is now, Judy," Hunter stated with a sort of sadistic glee in his voice.
"Your victory?" Judy echoed, quickly getting over the surprise of having suddenly found her voice. "You didn't win! We stopped you from making predators savage again."
Hunter laughed – a cruel sound that was completely void of mirth. "Making predators go savage?" the leopard repeated. Pseudo-Nick's own chuckling could be heard. "You really think that was my ultimate goal? Don't be stupid, bunny. I, of all mammals, should know that predators are not mindless killing machines. No, my goal was something far more, intimate."
Judy was confused, but she now no longer worried about escape. Hunter's words had her trapped in her curiosity.
"I wanted prey to fear predators again. And not in the sense of 'oh, preds are so dangerous and evil and they'll gobble you up if you so much as look at them wrong!'" Hunter donned a high-pitched, accent-less, mocking voice as he said this. "I wanted a deeper kind of fear. The kind that made prey mammals flinch any time they saw their predator friend's claws; the kind that made them doubt any help they received from predators. I wanted predator and prey to be mentally incapable of getting over their differences enough to 'love' each other. That, Judy, was my ultimate goal.
"And guess what, little bunny? It worked."
Judy could only stare at the snow leopard, her mind barely willing to process all that had been said. However, she knew it was all true. She knew that she feared Nick's claws and teeth; she was aware of how she flinched whenever they brushed against her body. And it terrified her.
Glancing to pseudo-Nick, she felt sorrow stab at her heart. The fox sat on his haunches, and could have looked innocently endearing had it not been for the cold light in his emerald eyes and the fact that he was covered with blood.
A grim realization dawned upon Judy. Many mammals wanted to see predators treated this way: "fixed" for the benefit of mammaldom. Taking away what made them so wonderfully different just so they wouldn't be a threat anymore. The icy guilt welled up inside of Judy's stomach, promptly bringing her to vomit on the tile floor.
Hunter chuckled again. "Is the stress too much for the famed Officer Hopps?" he inquired with a coldly teasing tone. "Has she finally realized the burden of her mistakes?"
Suddenly, Hunter's face dominated Judy's vision. The bunny could make out every strand of fur in painful detail; she could see the furious quivering in his nostrils. His blue eyes were like two raging infernos of pure, unadulterated anger and hate. His hot breath blasted across her face, eliciting inside of Judy a desire to scramble away.
"You are lost, little bunny, so very lost. Your disgusting relationship with this fox will go down in history as one of the biggest failures of all time, and you will both be scarred by it. No respectful rabbit would ever love a bunny who was tainted by a fox, and Nick will forever be ridiculed as a prey-loving pervert. Your reputations tarnished, you'll both devolve into isolation-induced madness," the snow leopard chuckled darkly. "My only regret is that I'm not around to see it happen."
With a roar, Hunter lashed out at Judy. His glittering fangs were the last thing she saw before her world was enveloped by darkness.
The bunny jerked awake. The fur under her eyes was darkened with tears, and her breathing was painfully sporadic. Every muscle gave violent spasms as Judy's mind raced. Hunter's cruel face kept repeating itself in her mind over and over again, refusing to leave.
"Judy?" came a familiar voice, and soon, two warm arms were wrapped around the bunny's body. The moment her face was buried into a chest of cream-colored fur, Judy broke. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks and onto her husband's fur, and she held Nick in a tight embrace as if she would lose him at any second. "Judy, what happened? Are you okay?" Nick repeated, the concern evident in his voice.
Judy could say nothing as she continued to sob into Nick's chest, though the fact that there was no scent of blood on Nick was a consolation to her. Unable to do anything else, Nick began to gently stroke Judy's back. He used the pads of his paws first, and then slowly incorporated his claws into the gesture. Judy gently jerked the moment one such claw scraped across her back, but her initial fear was quickly replaced with comfort and relief. In regards to Nick's state of being, her dream wasn't a reality.
Nick continued to stroke his wife's back as he trailed kisses down her face and whispered into her ears, reassuring her, calming her. Slowly but surely, Judy's sobs began to subside, and her heart rate slowed to something relatively normal. All Judy wanted to do now was stay in Nick's arms with her face buried in his chest, hiding away from realities both true and false. She just wanted her Nick.
The next few minutes passed in silence. Judy's sobs had been reduced to the occasional sniffle, and Nick's paws continued to lovingly stroke his bunny's back. Now that her mind was somewhat clear, Judy realized that she and Nick were not in their bedroom, but in the living room. The clothes they had worn to Mr. Big's funeral were still draped over the sofa, and their takeout remained untouched on the coffee table.
"Are you alright, Judy?" Nick asked once more, leaning his head down to catch a glimpse of her amethyst eyes.
Judy gave a slow nod, still reluctant to leave the warmth of her husband. "Just a bad dream," she mumbled into his cream-colored fur. However, "bad" was an understatement.
"Well, I guess part of that is my fault," Nick thoughtfully commented as he gently placed his snout between her ears. "I got us Chinese food, and then we fell asleep out here on the couch. Probably not the best combo before bed, huh?"
Despite herself, Judy couldn't help but chuckle. "The other part was me being rather affectionate last night," she added, thankful for the distraction from the vivid nightmare still burning in her mind.
It was Nick's turn to chuckle, and Judy felt the vibrations in his chest. "Hey, I'm not complaining at all about that bit, Judy. But are you sure that you're alright?" The concern was evident in his voice and eyes. Judy couldn't help but be reminded of when Nick was having nightmares, back when they were first dealing with Hunter. Now, however, the roles were swapped.
And Judy understood why Nick might not have given the entire truth.
How would Nick take it? Would he be hurt by how Judy had seen him in her dream? Would Hunter's words actually get to him as they had done to her? Judy dared not risk it, not while she needed him. "I'm just a little shaken is all. Really, Nick, I'll get over it," she lied before burying her face into his chest once more.
She could feel Nick's skeptic gaze on her, but the fox did not press on. "Alright. If you want to talk about it, though, I'm right here."
Judy smiled into Nick's fur. In a careful manner, Nick began to shift his weight so that he was sitting comfortably on the couch, facing the TV. The movements of his body gently startled Judy at first before she laughed and held on tight, moving along with her fox. Once Nick was comfortable again, he reached for the blanket they had used the night before and draped it over their bodies.
"Mm, so warm," Judy mumbled as she began nuzzling Nick's chest, much to her husband's amusement.
"Sometimes, I swear that you only love me for my body," Nick commented, eliciting a weak chuckle from the bunny.
"Sometimes, it's completely true," Judy joked, but her smile quickly faded as images of bloody, claw-less Nick flashed through her mind.
You may "love him" for his body, but until he gets rid of those knives he calls his claws and teeth, you won't ever be safe around him, her mind taunted in pseudo-Nick's voice. Judy shuddered and gave her husband a timid squeeze.
"How about some TV then, Carrots?" Nick suggested, having noticed Judy's sudden hug. It was evident that he could see that something was eating at her, but Judy was glad that he didn't pry too much. With some reluctance, Judy turned herself around to face the television, but she refused to leave Nick's lap. This was not a problem for the fox, for he quickly enveloped her with his body, almost becoming a second blanket for the small bunny. With his snout gently resting between her ears, Nick began to flick through the channels. Similar to last night, they ended up going through quite a few news stations. It was with some annoyance that Nick flicked through the different channels, but there was one report that made him pause.
"We have received word from the Tundratown Penitentiary that last night, Bellwether was assaulted and nearly murdered during a visit. The only witness was the guard that had been standing outside the room, but he was gravely injured while trying to protect the Ex-Mayor's life; sources say that he has been discharged for medical leave, and may not return due to the severity of his injuries. Information on what hospital he is staying in has been deemed confidential and will not be shared with the public. We'll now go to our reporter who is currently with Bellwether."
The television screen now revealed a skinny antelope standing at a table. At the other end was the ewe that had, at one point, wanted to create a fear of predators that would tear Zootopia apart: Bellwether.
"Tell us: do you know who attacked you?" the reporter asked.
"I-I'm not sure. He kept his face hidden before and after h-he attacked me," Bellwether replied, her hazel eyes nervously glancing between the reporter and the camera. "I do know, though, what species he was. Y-you see, the mammal who attacked me was a predator – a f-fox."
Nick and Judy widened their eyes in shock. Sure, some predators had hated the ewe's guts when she was first arrested, but that was over three years ago! Bellwether was well on her way to getting off for good behavior.
"Really? A fox!?" the reporter echoed, sounding rather flabbergasted.
Bellwether nodded, her expression still somewhat shaken up. "I-I'm afraid that's the truth," she stated before straightening herself up and trying to look as serious as possible. "But please don't take this like I'm hateful towards foxes now. I-I've learned my lesson: an individual isn't particularly guilty of its species' c-crimes. The last thing I want is to return to a Zootopia that is s-split in half." Despite the nervousness in Bellwether's voice, Nick and Judy couldn't help but feel that something was off with the ewe.
"Alright, then," said the reporter before turning to face the camera. "Well, you heard it here first, folks: Bellwether was the victim of a hate crime. A rather ironic, yet sad turn of events for the ewe who would be returning to society soon enough. Back to you –"
Nick quickly turned off the TV, not willing to hear any more of the news. Judy could feel the chagrin emanating from her husband and pitied him; he had wanted to help her calm down with some pleasant television, but instead, they were given grim news. She grabbed his paw and kissed it to comfort him, and upon seeing again that his claws were still intact, she smiled.
"You know the city's gonna be in an uproar after something like that, right?" Nick stated, catching Judy's attention. "Sure, Bellwether said that she wouldn't hold a grudge, but I can bet you that there are plenty of mammals who are gonna want blood now."
Judy pursed her lips and nodded in agreement. The whole situation was made worse by the fact that the attacker was a fox. The species that was already looked down upon would have stronger ridicule now, even if Nick was such a celebrity. As an icy knot formed in the pit of her stomach, Judy snuggled closer into Nick's body. Her desire to stay inside for the rest of the day was stronger than ever.
Unfortunately, she knew that this couldn't be the case. "We should probably go visit Bellwether, right?" she asked in a halfhearted manner.
"Even though we should, we are on 'vacation,' Carrots," Nick replied. Judy was comforted as she felt his voice in his chest. "We don't have to go unless you want to."
"As tempting as staying home with my favorite fox is, I know I wouldn't feel right if we didn't go," Judy stated with an almost sad tone in her voice.
"I agree. Should we go in uniform, or casual?"
Judy thought on this for a moment. "Well, no one else really knows of our impromptu vacation, so showing up in casual clothes would be hard to explain. I say we go in uniform to avoid any complications."
"Right, but if we go in uniform, Bogo could find out, and then we'd have to explain to him what we were doing," Nick reasoned.
Judy's ears folded back against her head. "That's true, but still, that would be easier to explain than if we went in casual clothes."
Nick thought on that for a second, and then nodded in agreement. "You're right. Alright then, Carrots, let's get moving. I don't want to be in Tundratown longer than we have to."
Despite being dressed in thick, warm coats and pants, the frigid air of the blizzard-covered district still managed to bite at Nick and Judy's fur. Using the cruiser they were lent seeing as their car had been totaled, the two cops made their way down the winding, seemingly random road towards the Tundratown Penitentiary.
As Nick drove along, Judy was tempted more than a few times to snuggle up next to him for warmth. However, her dream continued to flash through her mind, keeping her from acting on these desires. Instead, she just curled in on herself, trying to soak in as much of her own body warmth as possible. Thankfully, Nick had turned the cruiser's heater up to full blast, but even that was nearly overpowered with the ice-cold weather outside. The Penitentiary was perfectly placed to keep many unwanted visitors out and dangerous prisoners in.
It seemed like an eternity, but the cruiser finally made it to the front gates of the prison. They were greeted by an arctic wolf in incredibly thick clothing, and after revealing their badges, they were quickly allowed inside. Judy nearly cried for joy when she found that visitor parking was indoors and heated. Now that the two cops were in comfortable weather, they discard their winter clothes before making their way into the penitentiary.
"Hello, there!" Judy greeted with as much cheer as she could muster as soon as she and Nick made it to the front office. The receptionist, a bored-looking caribou, slowly looked up from his computer screen. "My name is Officer Hopps, and this is my partner, Officer Wilde. We've come here to talk with Ex-Mayor Bellwether."
"I'm sorry, but she's not taking visitors at this moment," the caribou droned before returning his gaze to his screen. "You'll have to come back at another time."
Judy hesitated for a second before continuing. "But, this is important, sir. My partner and I need to interrogate her for the case that we're working on," she lied.
The caribou scoffed. "Right, sure. Case or no case, you can't go in. Especially him!" he declared as he pointed at Nick, who quirked an eyebrow in response.
Great, Judy thought, here comes the prejudice again.
"I'm sorry, but ever since the predator attack on Bellwether, we've enacted a few rules and regulations around here. Only prey mammals are allowed to visit other prey mammals, and preds with preds. It's the new rules."
"But please, sir, if you would just –" Judy began, but she was interrupted by the caribou.
"I'm sorry, Officer. But we can't allow –" This time, the caribou was interrupted, but by another, gruff voice.
"Just let them in, Barry! They won't do any harm!" the heavily accented voice bellowed, startling all three mammals. To the right, from behind the door that led to the interrogation rooms, stood a massive polar bear. His lips were twisted in a scowl, yet there were visible wrinkles in the fur around his eyes that told of years of smiling. His coal-black eyes, though hard and cold now, immediately warmed up as they turned towards the two officers. This polar bear was well-built for his species, but when having to deal with any prisoners that didn't like to cooperate, it wasn't a surprise.
It wasn't hard for Nick and Judy to deduce that this was the warden of the penitentiary, and they soon walked over as he beckoned them. Stepping aside, he allowed the two officers to pass through the door before closing it behind him. "Hello there, officers. I'm Warden Alexander Bratva. It is pleasure to have you here again after so long."
"Wait a minute," Nick spoke up, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Bratva? As in the polar bears that worked for Mr. Big?"
The warden gave a hearty laugh. "There's no need to be suspicious, my friend. You see, Mr. Big and his friends come from line in our family that broke off to life of crime. There are still those – like me – in Bratva family who only want to contribute to society. Trust me, it hasn't been easy."
"I see," Nick muttered, though he didn't look one hundred percent convinced.
"Anyway, you wish to see Bellwether, yes? She has had many interviews with many radio stations, but I'm sure she would appreciate something different," Alexander stated merrily as he led them through the bleak, yet intimidating corridors of the penitentiary.
It didn't take long for the polar bear to stop in front of a door, above which hung a sign labeled "Interrogation Room B." Turning back to the two cops, the warden opened the door and ushered them inside. "Bellwether is here. When you are finished, just tell Dennis here," he said, gesturing towards the grim-looking wolf in uniform. Judy couldn't place her finger on it, but she felt very uneasy in the presence of the guard.
The moment Nick and Judy entered the room, Alexander closed the door behind them, leaving the two cops in a silence that was soon broken. "Nick! Judy! I'm so glad you came to visit me!" Bellwether exclaimed almost desperately. "They've been asking me questions non-stop! I've had to relive the nightmare that was last night over and over again. I'm sure you know how that feels, you guys."
Nothing changed on a physical level for Nick and Judy, but a chord was struck. Judy fought the urge to lower her ears as flashbacks of her recent nightmare rushed through her mind, and Nick decidedly stepped a bit closer to her. However, they did have a job to do, so they gave the ewe a nod and then took their seats across the table. The chairs had to be adjusted so that the two cops could sit comfortably at the table, just like Bellwether's. Once Nick and Judy were seated, an uncomfortable silence fell over the room.
The silence remained for a few moments before Bellwether decided to break it. "So, you're gonna ask me questions too, huh?" she asked, looking rather put out by the fact. "And here I was hoping that I'd finally get a break."
Judy steeled herself and held her tongue. There was a minuscule amount of pity for the ewe since they both had similar experiences, but the events of three years ago still left a bad taste in the bunny's mouth. Without the knowledge of whether or not Bellwether was being sincere, Judy was going to tread cautiously. Judging Nick's expression, he was going to do the same.
"If it makes you feel any better, our questions can help us track down your attacker and bring him or her to justice," Judy stated as she pulled out her carrot pen and notebook.
Bellwether seemed to relax a bit. "That's definitely a bonus," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I-I'll try my best."
Nick and Judy shared a glance and a nod – a sign that they were on the same page. "Alright then, let's get started. Was there anyone else with your attacker yesterday?" Judy asked, her pen and notebook at the ready.
"I don't think so," Bellwether replied after a brief moment to think. "But then again, anything before the attack has become really blurry. All I vividly remember was how the fox lunged at me. If it wasn't for the guard, I-I would have been..." her voice trailed off, and her gaze went downcast.
"Okay then. Did you see the color of your attacker's fur, or his eyes?" Nick asked, hoping to keep Bellwether's mind from going down a dark path. From personal experience, he knew that it wasn't smart to dwell on a traumatic experience for too long.
"Well, he wore quite a lot of clothes that covered his fur, but I did see his tail," Bellwether muttered, her gaze flicking back to the two cops. "It was all gray."
"Gray fur, huh?" Nick echoed, crossing his arms. He didn't know a lot of gray or even platinum foxes that lived in Zootopia, but the ones he did know weren't likely suspects to him.
"What about height, or build?" Judy asked as Nick mulled over his thoughts.
"Um, he could have been Nick's height and shape, but he was moving so fast that I couldn't get a good look," was the reply.
"Of course," Judy mumbled before writing down the information. "Would you be able to recognize your attacker by voice?"
"H-He didn't really talk a lot, even when he was attacking me, so I doubt it," Bellwether answered with an apologetic tone."
"Okay, how about distinguishing features?" Nick interjected. "Was there anything odd about his appearance that caught your eye?"
"I don't think so," Bellwether stated. "Like I said, he kept a lot of his fur and body hidden under a lot of clothes, like a hoodie and baggy jeans, so if there was anything, I wouldn't have been able to see it."
Now there was something. Judy quickly wrote down the description of the clothes that Bellwether had mentioned and tried to dig a bit deeper. "Do you remember the color that his clothes were?"
Bellwether placed a hoof under her chin in thought, her hazel eyes glancing about the room as if the answer was written on the walls. "Um, I think he wore a gray hoodie with black pants."
Judy immediately wrote down the new info. While the information was useful, the color choices were extremely vague and common; their search wouldn't be narrowed down enough to easily pinpoint their suspect.
"Okay, how about this," Judy began, turning back towards the ewe. "Do you know of any specific mammals that would want you hurt? Such as old political enemies, other mammals that wanted your job as Assistant Mayor, or anyone that didn't want you around before the Night Howler Incident?"
Bellwether gave a nervous shrug. "Being holed up in here hasn't been all that great on my memory. If there was anyone like that, I wouldn't remember them, and I'm sure they would have gotten over their grudges after I was arrested. H-Honestly, I think that someone was mad because of what I did three years ago, and they just didn't get over it. I'm sorry if that sounds rude or arrogant, but it's gotta have some truth, you know? Who else would want to attack a ewe like me?"
Nick and Judy exchanged glances. If that was true, then this entire debacle was a pure hate crime, something that wouldn't sit well with a very unstable society of hundreds of different species. With the added threat of Victor Wilde, Zootopia was treading on thin ice.
"Um, are we done, then?" Bellwether asked, glancing between the two cops.
Judy sighed. "Yes, that's all. Thank you for your time." With that, she and Nick stood up and made their way to the exit.
"You're welcome," Bellwether replied with a weak smile and small wave. "It was really nice for you to come visit me. You were much nicer to talk with than the reporters."
The two cops gave the ewe a small nod before exiting the room and closing the door behind them.
Alexander Bratva entered his office, a warm, cheery room that seemed to mirror his personality. However, just like himself, the place held many dark secrets. One of them being the fact that he could make a direct call to Mr. Big's manor with just the press of a button.
"Hello?" came a gruff voice over the intercom.
The warden was still reeling from the fact that his original boss – his close friend – was dead and replaced by this fox that seemed to come out of nowhere, but if the shrew trusted him, then he was sure he could do so as well. "It's the warden," Alexander stated.
"Ah, excellent!" Victor Wilde exclaimed. "I guess you have good news for me?"
"Officers Wilde and Hopps just arrived for their visit with Bellwether," the warden reported.
A low chuckle sounded on the other side of the line. "Perfect! Just like I knew they would. Thank you so much, Alex." With that, the line went dead.
Warden Bratva was somewhat confused as the sudden end of the conversation, but he chose not to dwell on it for too long. Despite having such criminal ties, the bear still had a legitimate job to do. Without a moment's hesitation, Alexander exited his office and pretended like nothing had happened.
The trip back home was just as quiet as it had been on the way to the penitentiary. While Nick seemed to be focusing on the road, Judy could see all the wheels turning behind his eyes. If anything, he seemed as bothered by their talk with Bellwether as she was. It was obvious that the ewe was shaken up by the experience, but Judy couldn't help but feel like they didn't have the full picture.
Judy considered talking with Nick about what he thought of their interview, but ultimately decided against it. Nick looked tense enough as it was, and she dared not push him too far. With how shot his nerves seemed to be lately, she wouldn't know if she was walking on thin ice until it was too late.
When they reached the apartment complex, they were somewhat surprised to see that Stacy wasn't at the desk. They had seen her there for so long that it was easy to forget that even the cheerful cougar took breaks every now and then. In fact, her newspaper was laid neatly on the table – the sign that she would be back any minute.
As they made their way to the elevator, they could hear Stacy's tell-tale whistling coming from the staff break room behind the front desk. Judy couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face as she was once again reminded of Clawhauser's energetic attitude. Her light mood continued to manifest inside of her as the elevator ascended towards their floor, and she wanted to share it with Nick. Judy leaned into Nick's side, and his arm almost immediately wrapped around her shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze.
The grin on Nick's face sent warm tingles down Judy's spine, and for a moment, she completely forgot about her fear. He was her Nick, and she would make sure nothing changed that.
The elevator doors opened, and the couple stepped out into the hallway, side-by-side. Judy was glad that Nick had no intentions of having her leave his embrace at the moment, for he kept his arm wrapped around her shoulder as they made their way to their apartment.
When they arrived, though, their light mood diminished somewhat – the front door of their apartment was ajar. "Did you lock the door when we left, Nick?" Judy asked.
"Yeah, I did," came the reply. Nick then stepped forward, his arm now keeping Judy in place behind him. "Stay here," he ordered. His nose twitched as he searched for any foreign scents, and his ears were fully erect, listening for any sounds of danger.
Judy watched as Nick slowly but surely entered the apartment, using every single lesson he learned on the force; the instructors at the Academy would have been proud. When his tail disappeared behind the door, Judy suddenly felt alone. The hallway felt much longer and more dangerous, and the bunny half-expected Hunter to materialize out of thin air. It didn't help that Judy couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that she was being watched.
Finally, after many agonizingly long moments, Nick opened the door. "Alright, it's all clear. But there's something you should see."
Somewhat confused and definitely a little nervous, Judy cautiously followed her husband inside the apartment. She was surprised to find that everything looked the same as it did when they had left. Whoever had visited, if at all, hadn't touched a single object in the house. On the coffee table, however, was proof that someone was here.
A neatly folded driver's uniform from Mr. Big's Tundratown Limo Service sat upon the small table, almost as if on display. It was complete with the cap and a note that stood off to the side. A quick glance to Nick told Judy that she was to read said note.
She gingerly lifted the piece of paper off of the table as if it were a fragile, living thing that could break or attack at any moment. Opening the flap with her thumb, Judy read the note aloud, "'So close, yet so far. Keep trying. - V' Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked.
"If you think that the note was from my dad, and he somehow placed this uniform here, then yes," Nick replied grimly. "This also means that Mr. Big's death was not an accident and we're probably in for a crazy ride."
Judy felt sick to her stomach and sat down on the couch. "If that's the case, then I want off."
"You and me both, Carrots," Nick said as he took the seat next to Judy. "You and me both."
First off, I will admit that the Tundratown Penitentiary is inspired by the same place in the story Change Starts With You by winerp. This is a very, very good Zootopia fanfic that you should check out! Also, it felt great to bring Hunter back. Like, hoooly crap, he was fun to write!
Secondly, I have a few updates to give to you guys! First item on the docket: there will not be an update for Family Ties next week. Seeing as next Thursday is Thanksgiving, my beta readers and I could use a break.
This next part isn't one-hundred-percent decided on yet, but it is possible that Family Ties won't be updated until the second Friday in December. I've got a ton of stuff to do this month, and this fanfiction has been keeping me from doing it. I'm not fully decided yet because there is always the chance that I can figure out a better schedule, but that is rather unlikely.
Also, I do have a Tumblr account! It's under the same username as here – Blenderguy15 – and it doesn't have a lot of stuff on it yet. I do, however, plan on posting more animations, art, and other cool things there once I actually start being productive. Plus, it will serve as a sort of notification hub for my fanfictions and YouTube updates.
Speaking of YouTube, I've made another video about my ten favorite Zootopia fanfictions! It's not a Top Ten, but a list of suggestions. I recommend checking it out, because then you can find some pretty fantastic fanfictions to keep you satiated until I get back. I also have videos of me reading your reviews there, so those could be fun to check out as well. My channel is Blenderguy15, and it has the same icon/avatar as the one I have here.
Finally, don't forget to check out my others stories – A Fluffy Fic A Day Keeps The Boredom Away especially. It's a one-shot collection filled with a ton of fluff and happiness that will hopefully make you smile. I'm also taking requests (through PM only – guests, or readers without an account, are allowed to use the guest reviews) for it, so there's that motivation to go read it.
Anyway, thanks for getting through this monster of an Author's Note, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter. Happy early Thanksgiving!