A/N: So how about that Jessica, huh? Trying to one up Judy in the 'Give mom and dad a heart attack' contest. Isn't that going to be a fun chapter?
So this time we're going off the rails a bit. We're gonna explore Tammy and Lylah's growing relationship from their perspective. It's intense and fast and I hope you enjoy it because there will be more of these types of swaps in the future.
We're about to cross 600 follows which is just crazy. I never expected it to be this popular but damn am I happy I came up with this idea for you guys.
Now. For the reviews!
Matri: I know! Judy is safe. Until her parents lay the blame on her...
Rouge Vulpes: He knows everybody ;)
LOLCAT254: *shrug* I blame Bluelighthouse
Yozia: Damn straight I did!
Erinnyes01: There's way too much to respond to all of it but I am thrilled you enjoyed it! One part I will answer is I made a fox mark last several days unless you REALLY try to get rid of it.
GusTheBear: Don't you hate that? Hurts so bad.
Ace Country555: Luckily they're both very small so the van repairs will be minor.
Starfang's Secrets: Was it brilliant? Yes. Yes it was. Plus it gets Jessica off their backs. And hopefully stop her peeping on them ;)
Zanrok: Second fluff bomb incoming!
Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps: I rewrote that scene so many times trying to get it just right. Glad I could do justice to Jessica as well.
MinscLovesBoo: Honestly, my favorite is probably "Too tired. I'll be angry tomorrow."
swimfox: Possibly. Oh wait, it's here!
Stephanie Silverfield: Will there? Possibly. Probably? Maybe. They certainly are through the motions ;)
Disclaimer: Tried to arm wrestle Gaston for an exclusive walkthrough of the Disney vault where I would steal Zootopia. His song stated his eats 5 dozen eggs to be strong so I ate 6 dozen to beat him. You ever eat 6 dozen eggs then walk through a crowded amusement park during a hot day? I didn't make it 200 feet past the entrance.
Chapter 25 - A New Point of View
There are many words to describe pain. Words that try to express what cannot be expressed. That try to explain the unexplainable. Only those who experience it can truly understand the insurmountable foe they are faced with. One such mammal was a waking tigress, struggling to climb off of a threadbare couch.
Cursing under her breath, Lylah finally managed to roll herself off the worn cushions, the faded piece of furniture having been her temporary bedding situation the past week. Stretching her arms up and above her head felt as if the muscles in her shoulder blades were on fire. A severe crick in her neck prevented her from being able to turn her head left, and trying to rotate her torso side to side resulted in several spasms down her lower back. It was not the most comfortable of conditions. In fact it was downright dreadful, but it was free and right now she couldn't afford to turn down free. She did know that it would need to end soon though. The past several nights had been so agonizing that sleep alluded her at every turn. Catching only a few hours each night at most was not the best way to greet the morning, especially when one was pinning a brass shield to their chest.
Gathering the pillows she had used to try and counter the sinking cushions, Lylah deposited them back into the chest next to the bookshelves along the wall. The sheet would need to be washed, the large cat having shed multiple hairs over the course of the night. Tossing it and some of her dirty laundry into a basket, Lylah carried it over to the washing machine, intent on taking care of it herself when her phone's alarm went off. Groaning at the horrendous and unwelcome noise did not have the effect she desired of shutting the infernal device up unfortunately. Instead she had to sluggishly move back to the coffee table in front of the couch and key the alarm dismissal. Blissful silence followed that simple flick of a claw. Shaking her head to try and clear the cobwebs out did very little to help her wake up. After five days of this, she knew it wouldn't help her at all but it never hurt to try. It did force her head to turn rapidly, cracking the vertebrae back in place. It was painful but at least she could now turn her head properly.
Her body demanded coffee. It was the life blood of every officer and was necessary to begin the day though she often found it very bitter and hard to stomach without adding a fair amount of cream. Before she would be able to indulge her own cravings of the addictive toxin known as caffeine however, there was one thing she needed to do above all others after sleeping the night away on an old, musty couch.
Grabbing a towel, her underclothes, and a fresh uniform, Lylah made her way up the stairs and entered the main part of the house. Five in the morning really was too early for most mammals to be up so she had the house mostly to herself for a little while. The tigress carefully moved along the hallway, retracting her hind claws so as not to let them scrape along the hardwood flooring. Lylah shook her head for the millionth time. She knew her mother hated carpet because of fur shedding, but it was so much better for the paws to walk on something soft once in a while. It was no use arguing her point though. She and her mother had discussed it to death and she knew that it would never change her mind.
Treating the hallway like one of her tactical training scenarios, Lylah moved silently from doorway to doorway, her large paws not making a sound. Peering around each entrance, her paw clenched around a non-existent pistol, the officer made sure each room was clear before moving on to the next. Reaching the final doorway at the end of the hall, she gently grasped the knob and turned, trying to maintain the silence she existed in. With a soft scrape that was barely noticeable even to the big cat, the door swung open gently. Placing a paw against the wood, she shoved it open before jumping back against the outer wall. Cautiously moving her head around, Lylah swept the room with the flashlight made from her bundled clothes and towel. Satisfied it was clear, she proceeded inside and shut the door. Dropping the clothes and towel onto a stool next to the wall, Lylah reached into the shower and turned the handles, a cold spray of water releasing from the shower head before gradually warming.
Undressing, Lylah thought back to how absurd her little performance out there must look if someone other than a fellow cop had seen her. But she really didn't care. The exercise she, Nick, and her other graduating classmates had gone through their first month in drove home the necessity for clearing a room from hostile targets. She had spent every morning following this same ritual at home and even for the last several months at the Academy, although there she would utilize the actual training course. She'd be damned if she was going to be the reason that another officer or herself were ever taken down because of her inability to follow procedure.
Pushing her paw inside to test the water resulted in a quick hiss from the feline, the spray still being far too cold for her liking. Adjusting the knobs, Lylah soon got the temperature where she preferred. It may be a myth that big cats are afraid of water or hate it, but she didn't know anyone who enjoyed being in a cold shower. Careful to not get the water outside of the curtain, the tigress stepped in quickly, plunging her body into the now hot waterfall above her. One of the few benefits of living here was being able to fully enjoy a proper sized shower again. During the last week of the Academy the showers for the larger sized mammals such as herself had broken. It had been suspicious since it was only those sizes that were down but nobody could find anything that would point to a saboteur. Lylah had her suspicions that Nick had been involved but she had nothing to go on besides an incredibly smug look on his face while he watched Chad squat on the floor to use a wolf-sized shower. She herself had settled for the extra large mammal ones, something she regretted instantly, the incredibly strong pressure designed for cleaning off rhinos and elephants being more than she could handle.
Rubbing the shoulder she had injured on Tuesday, Lylah let the hot water run over it, trying to ease the pain. It had been a humbling experience that left her with with a bruised ego along with her shoulder. They were chasing down a rhino they had caught trying to boost a car. The mammal wasn't overly fast, in fact the two felines had caught up to him barely twenty steps in. However he was incredibly strong. When her partner Tammy had tried to talk him into surrendering, the brute had lashed out at her. This didn't sit well with the tigress who took it upon herself to tackle the large mammal to the ground. Unfortunately her weight was barely felt by him and he simply grabbed her, pulled her off of him, and threw her into the side of a dumpster. Luckily Tammy got off a few tranqs causing the perp to keel over. Lylah spent the next hour in the ER being examined, her tough girl act to impress the cheetah having backfired miserably.
Lylah wasn't going to pretend that there might be something between the two felines. She was already head over paws for this girl and the intensity of it was both frightening and exhilarating. She had been on very few dates before, her specific attraction being ridiculously rare to find, but none of them seemed to have that certain spark. But Tammy...she made her feel something different. It was like a warmth that spread from her chest throughout her entire body. The mere thought of sitting next to her in the Bullpen being enough to make her giddy. The incident Monday morning in the parking garage hadn't been repeated but they were both very affectionate with each other, always stealing a few light touches or accidental brushes against the other's tail. She wasn't sure if Tammy felt the exact same way, she wasn't inside her head after all, but if her attitude was anything to go by, she definitely was interested in making it something much more.
Taking her shampoo and lathering her fur up heavily, Lylah spent a bit more time on her head and tail than she normally did, avoiding her chest and lower regions as much as possible. Thinking about Tammy had gotten her a little flustered and the last time she had let her feelings and fantasies take over it had been a little too intense. She had nearly been late for work and she needed to leave the bathroom window open to air it out. Luckily she was using the guest bathroom so her mother and new husband Bob had not ventured in.
Having been in there long enough for the water to start turning cold, Lylah finally relented and thoroughly rinsed her fur before getting out. While she loved her new job as a cop, she also was still a mammal and most mammals the she knew would stay in the hot water all day long if they could get away with it. Toweling off was always a chore for her, so getting dry took a short while. Her tail was extremely uncooperative. It would constantly flick itself around whenever she tried to grab it and she would foolishly chase it before latching onto the base of her tail and sliding her paw up to hold it still. Why she never thought to start with that method was a mystery but she had a sneaky suspicion her subconscious just loved playing games with her own tail, something she thought she had outgrown as she got older.
Freshly washed, she picked up a brush and dragged it through her fur. A little disgusted at the amount of shed fur coming away with each stroke, she was at least relieved she didn't need to lick herself clean. Many feline species had long ago abandoned the idea of self-cleaning due to hairballs becoming less and less pleasant in society, instead favoring regular grooming methods such as brushing or shedding vacuums. Lylah had tried one of the vacuums and found it to be a rather pleasant device but extremely expensive. Nowadays, cats only would lick to clean mates or children in a social grooming aspect, or sometimes in foreplay. I'd love to get my tongue on Tamm-Ah ah ah! Stop that!
You know you wan-
No! Bad kitty!
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, or at least to clear away any thoughts that would be a distraction, Lylah quickly dressed in her uniform. A simple blue shirt and trousers wouldn't seem like much but Lylah treated the uniform with great care at all times. She liked how it made her look. She couldn't imagine being in something like Judy would wear, the tight form-fitting suit wouldn't accentuate the right curves on her. But on Tammy, she licked her lips, what I wouldn't give to see Tammy in tha-Ah ah ah! No! Bad kitty! Pinning her badge to her chest, the tigress turned left and right, admiring the way the brass shined. Spending a few seconds longer than was necessary, Lylah attempted to straighten the shield to be absolutely perfect even if it would slip to the side as soon as she started walking. Finally satisfied with her appearance, she left the bathroom and headed back towards the kitchen to make a quick breakfast. As she got closer a strong smell of eggs and toast let her know that her mother was already awake, the time having slipped away from her while in the shower.
"Morning mom." Striding up to the aging tigress standing at the stove, she gave her a peck on the cheek before grabbing herself a glass and heading to the fridge. Mulling over her options, she eventually reached in and poured herself a glass of orange juice, forgetting that her mother always bought the kind with pulp which she despised. Not wanting to waste it, the glass was tipped into her mouth and drained in one quick gulp, a vain attempt to bypass the disgusting taste.
"Morning sweetie." Her mother gave her an anxious look. "Sleep okay? I noticed you've been looking a little pained in the morning."
"Nah. I'm fine, mom. Just too much running yesterday. Need to stretch better." She didn't like lying to her mother but since they hadn't been expecting her to room with them there wasn't another bedroom in the house, her old room having been turned into an office for her mother's real estate business. She was rather successful at it and Lylah didn't want to be a reason it might hurt her performance. "Morning Bob," she called to her mother's husband, a moose sitting at the table, newspaper in hoof.
"Morning little girl." The young tigress flinched at the greeting. It had been something Bob had called her for the past five years and continued to do so even after being asked politely to stop. It wasn't done maliciously but it was still aggravating.
"Bob. I like you. I really do. You make my mom happy and I'm thrilled you guys finally got married a few months ago. But please, please stop calling me a little girl. I'm 22. I was 17 when we first met and I wasn't a little girl then either. It's been five years, Bob. Don't make me plant some evidence so I can arrest you." She gave him a friendly smirk to let him know she was kidding about the last part.
Bob spent a few seconds just staring at her before smiling. "I can do that."
"You will?!" Lylah was ecstatic. It may have taken five years but finally he was going to stop treating her like a kid.
"Of course kiddo." The moose's smile had turned evil in her opinion.
"I've changed my mind, Bob. I don't like you at all." He laughed heartily at that, Lylah eventually joining in.
"Anything for breakfast, hon?" The younger tigress reached past her mother and snagged a piece of toast.
"This will do. I'm gonna grab a coffee near the station and probably a pastry." Checking her phone she blanched. "Crap. I gotta go or I'm gonna miss the bus. Love ya mom." Giving her a quick kiss, she headed out the door. "See ya, Bob."
"Bye hon."
"Bye kiddo."
"Shut it, Bob!" Lylah flipped him off as she walked out the door. Now all she had to do was make the bus.
I gotta get a car. One of the worst things about living with her mother again was not the horrendous couch in the basement or Bob annoying her in the morning. No, the worst thing was how in the middle of nowhere they were. The nearest bus stop was a mile and a half away. Having left later than she would have liked, she was forced to run the whole way. Thank god for those laps, she mused, boarding the bus, promising to never again complain about Major Friedkin's training.
It was another twenty minutes to the precinct which gave Lylah plenty of time to think about the day ahead of her. She knew she was being teamed up with Tammy again, Wolford still on his undercover assignment, but she didn't know what they would be doing. Most likely patrols since she was still in training. Patrolling wasn't a bad assignment but it was boring on occasion. They might catch a shoplifter. They might catch a dozen gang members in a shootout. Or they may see nothing for eight hours before calling it a day. Any adrenaline rush they usually got would be extinguished by the end of the day, boredom having taken over. Luckily for Lylah, her partner was someone she adored and could look at for hours, her wide hips and rounded bottom more than tempting her t- Dammit! Bad kitty!
A little too absorbed in her thoughts, the large mammal found herself drifting, not aware of the passage of time, nor where they had been headed. She had learned over the past few days that the path between her mother's house and the precinct was not exactly a pretty one when going by bus. The city still needed to provide public transportation to everyone who needed it and Lylah happened to be on the one assigned to some of the more shady areas in the district. Most mammals that rode the bus had started feeling safer ever since the tigress had started riding with them, the intimidating animal with a brass shield reassuring even the most timid of prey that they would be well protected.
Unfortunately with her thoughts distracting her, Lylah had let her guard down. Boarding the bus only moments before, a jackal, his fake leather jacket covered in gang signs and a slash across his left eye, had begun eyeing the other passengers, his gaze stopping on multiple handbags held by the ladies. As he made to snatch one, Lylah snapped out of her daydream at the bleat of the frightened older goat. Seeing the disturbance, the officer turned towards the thief. "ZPD! Freeze!"
Though they were required to give any suspect the option to surrender, rarely was it ever heeded, most mammals preferring to try and fight their way out of a situation rather than face going to prison. To Lylah's misfortune, the jackal she faced had determined that he was going to do just that, producing a large knife from behind his back. Lylah patted her side before remembering she was not allowed to take home a tranq gun from the precinct. Suddenly the weapon looked far more dangerous to the unarmed feline. Taking a ready stance cadets had learned at the Academy for dealing with suspects armed with knives or close quarters weapons, she waited for the strike. And she was not disappointed.
A quick lunge from the jackal nearly gutted the tigress, his speed far greater than she had been prepared for. This was no common thief or street thug. He knew how to fight and she had a sinking feeling he was quite handy with a blade too. Only her reflexes had saved her, her body dodging the strike at the last second. A jab from her powerful arm in response had her attacker reeling back, blood now flowing from his nose. Reaching up, the clawed paw dabbed at the injury, revealing the blood to his eyes when it was pulled away. Rather than appearing angry, Lylah was dismayed to see him leer at her. A wounded and rocked opponent smiling at his or her attacker usually meant one of a few things. The first was being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the mind altering experience causing a decrease in pain recognition or logical thought processes. The other was supreme overconfidence in one's skill which, going by the smug look on his muzzle was more than likely his reasoning.
Forced to slide left to dodge his blade again, Lylah quickly grabbed his wrist. Her mind flashing back to an unfortunate encounter with a little gray rabbit, she twisted hard, forcing the jackals wrist to the side. Her strength was more than enough to bend him where she willed it and she applied further pressure. His muscles weakening, he struggled to get away from her tight grasp even kicking her in the stomach and thigh to distract her, the action failing against the stronger opponent. He could feel his digits becoming numb, his nerves being stretched in one direction and pinched in another. A couple seconds of abuse later, the blade slipped from his paw, rendering him vulnerable to the larger mammal. The gang member paused at the unfortunate turn in her favor. While she moved like a rookie, he could see the training she had been given had taken hold already. Her actions were quick , precise, and powerful. Rarely had he been intimidated by another mammal, his deeds in the underbelly of society earning him great respect. Truthfully he did not need to rob little old ladies of their hand bags to make a living. His cash flowed from a much more active pool. However, he could not pass up an opportunity to instill a bit of fear in the minds of the more gentle folk in the city. And seeing a ZPD rookie on board to test his skills against made it all the more enticing.
It was a move he was coming to regret quickly. He was a highly competent fighter, normally taking on mammals much larger than him without breaking a sweat. He had even been known to go against some of the wolves in the ZPD and come out victorious. This large cat however was proving to be a bit more than he could chew. She was faster, stronger, and had more weight to throw around than he did. Not to mention a seriously good trainer. The previous confidence he had felt was leaving him in a haste. He was outmatched and unprepared. Taking several more jabs to the muzzle dazed him momentarily until a solid punch to his gut had him doubled over. He had been in scrapes like this before. Taken really destructive beatings. But this time would be different. He knew if he couldn't reverse this he was going to end up in prison again and that was something he could not allow. In desperation, he threw a wild haymaker as he stood, the fist landing in the center of her chest. Hoping to do some damage with the unleashed punch, the jackal was suddenly filled with dread as a small grunt escaped her. A grin full of razor sharp teeth after being hit as hard as he could manage unsettled him even more. He tried once more, this time aimed at her head but found his paw stopped well shy. A much larger one held fast to his arm, her strength feeling like that of a vice grip. Lylah yanked him forward hard and slammed her forehead into the jackals face, the impact knocking the other mammal out cold. With a quiet click a pair of handcuffs secured the suspect facedown on the floor.
A few minutes later, the bus had pulled up next to the precinct. Cheering could still be heard from the other passengers when the doors opened, a tigress stepping down with a cuffed jackal in tow. A little unsure what to do in that situation, Lylah turned back to the bus and gave them a short wave. "Stay safe, everyone!" She watched the bus fade away down the street with with a big smile on her mouth before shaking her head. "'Stay safe, everyone?' What am I, twelve?"
"I thought it was a nice sentiment." The jackal having regained consciousness chose that moment to open his mouth for some unknown reason.
After being partnered with Tammy, Lylah had decided that being near the front row, next to her partner, was the best place to be. She was normally one to always be in a position where she could observe everyone, the back row being the most obvious place to do that. She had always been fascinated with how mammals would interact with one another, especially when it was different species, especially predators and prey. Her unofficial 'hobby' was easy to abandon though when it came to sitting next to the cheetah. She simply could not get over how she felt about her. It had only been a week since they met yet Lylah knew that no matter what happened today, tomorrow, or fifty years from now, she would never feel as strongly for another mammal as she did about her. And if she was honest with herself, it scared the living daylights out of her. But not enough to make her quit.
"Hey Pretty Kitty." A low purr sounding in her ear and the light trail of claws along her shoulder had Lylah shivering. Turning her head, she gazed into the smiling eyes of the cheetah she had been so focused on all morning. There was a sliver of mischief held behind those beautiful eyes which Lylah could not pin down. Tammy was notorious for playing tricks on others but ever since the two of them met, that same look easily occurred whenever she was getting ready to tease the unsuspecting tigress. Determined to beat her at her own game, Lylah flexed her claws.
"Hey yourself." Reaching down, the larger cat dug her sharp claws into the other feline's thigh just below her waist, putting enough pressure for her to feel it but not enough to poke holes in her uniform. Flexing her paw she used each contact with her palm to knead her thigh, Lylah feeling a pleased purr rumble through Tammy. She knew if she kept it up things would start to get heated, the pair having discovered a few spots during their patrols this week, despite the Chief's warning. It seemed as if the tigress had won, but the senior officer was not without her own tricks. Suddenly feeling a sharp scratching at the base of her tail, Lylah felt her muscles go limp. Her eyes rolled back while she let out an extremely loud purr, all sense of hiding what was happening going out the window along with her rational mind.
Head back and body limp, it took everything she had to speak. "If you don't stop that, Tammy, we are going to get fired over what I'm going to do to you." With a chuckle in her ear, the claws along her tail were retracted and a wave of of disappoint flowed over her. She knew it was stupid and irrational to want to risk everything but it had felt so good that she wished she hadn't stopped. "The next time I get you alone..." Lylah growled.
Tammy merely giggled under the intense look the tigress was giving her. "Down, Pretty Kitty. Plenty of time for that later. At least if you behave." The purring emanating from the cheetah had Lylah swooning. She watched as a claw moved slowly closer to her face, in line with her nose. If she 'boops' me all hell is gonna break loose over here. She was saved much to her relief and displeasure by the other unlikely couple in the ZPD entering the bullpen.
"I'm telling you Carrots, I know Fin. He's gotta be feeling it's pretty weird. He's not one to just jump headfirst into a relationship."
"Nope. You're wrong, Slick. I heard from Sarah herself. Jessica and Fin have been muzzletiming every night for hours. She even..." Judy stifles a laugh. "She calls him her 'teddy bear'."
An evil grin crept along the fox's muzzle. "Oh I am soooo gonna use that against him later."
"Nicholas Piberius Wilde! I did not tell you that so you could blackmail my sister's boyfriend!" Dead silence filled the bullpen, the rest of the officers gathered not daring to break it until a lion in the back snorted into his paw.
"Piberius?"
Growling loudly, Nick spun around and glared at the offending mammal. "Stuff it, Delgato!" The lion simply smirked at the much smaller mammal, the red canine obviously being little of a threat to him. Turning back to his mate, the vulpine sighed. "Well, there goes the car respect."
"Poor baby." The gray rabbit rolled her eyes, her voice full of sarcasm. Clambering up on top of her chair, she offered a paw to her partner before hauling him up beside her. "I may not like the idea of them dating, I don't really trust Finnick all that much, but he makes Jessica happy so I'm willing to let them give it a shot without my interference."
Nick started to respond when he felt eyes boring through his back. Whipping around, his own eyes met the cool amber of his friend's who was grinning widely. "What's up, Whiskers? Ain't never seen a discussion involving a mate's sister getting together with an ex-con partner who used to go around dressed as a child in an elephant costume for a hustle?"
If he was looking to put her off balance he failed as her smile grew even bigger. "Not since college." Nick raised his paw and opened his mouth before a puzzled expression flashed across his face.
"I haven't been but I've heard enough about college parties to accept that that's probably true." That got a few laughs from around the room, mostly the mammals who had gone to college and could attest to the wild things that happen at frat parties. All too soon the light-hearted mood was broken by the entrance of the most intimidating mammal in the entire precinct.
"Assignments..."
Tammy wasn't having the easiest of weeks. Lylah was a great partner to have. She was efficient, professional, and extremely competent. Her strong physique complimented her own slim form, the duo working well together combing speed and strength. But thoughts of how they would compliment each other in other aspects of their partnership would continuously pop up. She had difficulty keeping her attention on the road while behind the wheel, her body preferring the sight of her feline companion to her right over the dullness of downtown traffic. She had found herself constantly fixated on her ripped body, the power mixed with the gentle playfulness behind her eyes, not to mention she was breathtakingly beautiful.
It had only been a week since their chance meeting but to Tammy it felt as if chance was never involved. How could it be simple luck that two mammals who each desired a rare combination of certain aspects that the other was looking for in a partner would happen on the same place at the right time? What are the odds of those two seemingly being a perfect fit for each other, both having the same interests and complimenting personalities? Tammy Thompson was never one to believe in fate, deciding that it was your own actions that defined your future, but for the first time in her life she was starting to question it.
"Could we put out an arrest warrant on a MMA fighter or something? I'm bored." The deep sigh of her partner had Tammy's lips curling upwards.
"Sorry, Pretty Kitty. You know that's against the rules. Hell, it's against the law. Besides, I've had to take one of those guys down before. It's not as easy as you'd think. Police training doesn't cover the advanced crap they learn." Putting the left blinker on, the cruiser merged into a heavier flow of traffic headed for city center. It had been a relatively dull morning and both felines were a bit on edge. A mammal can only ride around in a car for so long before snapping. What they needed was excitement. They hoped the afternoon would be more forgiving.
After a quick lunch involving a lot of flirting and even getting a bit pawsy under the table, the duo were back on the road, scanning the streets and alleyways for any sign of criminal activity. While most civilians would assume drug deals would happen in alleys, usually because of late night cop shows, the reality was that alleys were too close to the road, too open. Drug deals were more often than not done in abandoned houses or buildings and even in parks during the day, the mass grouping of other mammals being a perfect cover, although those would mainly be orchestrated by the professionals of the drug world, the ones done in business suits and neckties. Luckily for the ZPD, most of these locations had been shut down thanks to their newest officer, Nick Wilde. His questionable past may have seemed like a negative to most of the force but his knowledge of the underbelly of the criminal world had proven useful in shutting down some of the more shady characters in the city in a relatively short time.
It was muggings that were the main concern in alleys. The shadows would blend enough that a stumbling or knocked out victim would simply appear to be homeless, the attacker long gone by the time anyone investigated. It was for this reason that most squad cars would slow down, even slightly, when passing an alley to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary. Robberies and purse snatching were the more common sights to see in the daytime patrols, but even those had been non-existent for the pair of felines.
"I swear if we don't get some action soon I'm gonna have to waste my pent up energy with you in the backseat." The cheetah gave her companion a small smile knowing the tigress didn't really mean it. They had done some teasing of each other, spent some time engaged in caresses and kisses, but whenever Tammy would go to push it further Lylah would suddenly turn away. Tammy knew that the 22 year old was extremely nervous being in a relationship, especially one that seemed to be progressing too fast. She was inexperienced, something that the older feline used to be well acquainted with herself, but she respected the younger's wishes. Tammy felt a special connection with her new friend. She wasn't even confident enough to refer to her as her girlfriend yet, not knowing if that was something the tigress wanted, though she was fairly positive it was. They hadn't even been on a date although she could sense Lylah had been trying to work herself up to ask. Instead of responding with a tease of her own, Tammy reached over and scratched behind the big kitten's ear. "Oh don't stop, you beautiful cat," Lylah purred. Sorely tempted to pull over and administer some further petting the two of them were jolted from their thoughts by the crackle of their radio.
"Dispatch to all units, we have a 10-31. Convenience store robbery at 2309 Viewpoint Ave. Suspects are three wolves. 2 gray, 1 white. Last seen heading north on Viewpoint Ave."
Grinning, Tammy grabbed her radio to respond. "Dispatch, this is Z117. Officers Thompson and Forrest responding. We are three blocks from Viewpoint. Will radio when done."
"10-4, Z117."
The two felines glanced at each other as Tammy triggered the lights and siren. "Looks like we get that excitement after all, partner." Lylah flexed her paws in response, her claws extending dangerously far. Slamming her paw down on the accelerator, Tammy relished the sudden burst of speed of the large cruiser. They passed car after car that had pulled over, their turn coming up dangerously fast. Winking at her partner, the cheetah yanked the wheel and drifted around the corner losing very little speed. Some of the cars in front of them barely managed to make it to the side of the road in time, a rodent car almost getting run over by a hippo. Making a mental note to check security cameras to find that hippo, the feline drove like a crazy mammal. She was a very skilled driver, never even having a fender bender on her record in four years, but she tended to push the speed of her cruiser beyond safe limits, something Chief Bogo had dragged her into his office more times for than she would care to admit.
They soon came to the convenience store Clawhauser had reported being robbed. A frantic leopard was standing out front gesturing wildly down the road, indicating the direction the wolves had gone. As they cruiser blew by, the rearview mirror showed the leopard clasping his paws together and looking much calmer, the sight of the police chasing down the robbers doing much to stabilize his mood. It had only been a few minutes since the dispatch call but the officers knew wolves could move fairly quickly when they wanted to. It took another minute at the speed they were currently traveling at before one of them caught the sight of a white tail scurrying down an alley. "There!" they cried out simultaneously. Brakes squealed with the sudden stomping on the pedal. Lylah had jumped from the vehicle before it had even been put in park, Tammy being close behind after securing the car. The pair rounded the corner halfway down the alley noting the only other direction was a dead end. The tigress had taken the corner a little wide, letting Tammy have the sharper turn, which nearly caused her to run headlong into a dumpster parked on that side. Her reflexes kicked in at the sight of the sudden obstacle and she leapt on top of it, never breaking stride. Landing back alongside her partner, the cheetah looked over and gave her an approving nod. "There's hope for you yet, rookie." A warm feeling spreading through out her body, Lylah shook her head determined to stay focused and in the hunt.
Rounding another corner, the two skidded to a stop, the sight of their targets being trapped by another dead end in front of them. The pleasure of the hunt threatened to make Lylah reckless, the idea of her prey being cornered making her feel powerful. It took several seconds for her to shake that feeling, noting that the wolves did not look scared or intimidated. Quite the contrary as they all assumed ready stances. "I'll take Happy and Dopey, you take Snowball over there." The tigress being the larger and stronger of the two felt more confident about taking a two-on-one than letting her partner do so. Squaring off against their opponents, Lylah taunted the two in front of her. "So which one of you is Happy and which one is Dopey?"
"I ain't Dopey!" The wolf on her left snarled at her, his fangs dripping with saliva. She would be intimidated if it weren't for the fact he was half her size and looked relatively skinny, barely any muscle showing on his thin limbs.
"So that makes you Dopey then." Lylah had learned a few things from watching Nick fight in the Academy. He tended to throw his opponents off balance through casual quips and insults designed to make them mad. It worked wonders as he had only been beaten once their entire program.
"Fuck you! I ain't Dopey neither!"
"Well he says he's not Dopey, so he's saying you must be Dopey."
Pissed off, the second wolf turned and shoved the first throwing him off balance. "The hell you calling me Dopey for?"
"I didn't say shit, asshole!"
Lylah watched in amusement as the two gray wolves started bickering amongst themselves. Lylah got ready to pounce before a winded and exasperated voice called out to the them. "Morons! She's messing with your heads! Get h-OOF!" His words died out in a grunt of pain, Tammy having hit his exposed chest while he was distracted. It was enough to rally the two mammals however, their snarls redirected at the striped officer.
She took a ready stance, for the second time that day running through the lessons she learned from Judy during their sparring matches. One of the first mistakes in a fight was waiting to be struck at. Being the aggressor was always better, strength and energy being able to overwhelm defenses quicker if not exhausted from defending the first attack. When facing two opponents at once, the rules change. Waiting for the first strike was an opportunity to gauge an opponent, one that should be utilized whenever available. It also tended to frustrate an inexperienced opponent into making a mistake. Growing impatient, the wolf on the left charged her, swinging fists and claws at the larger mammal. The fist strikes were easily blocked but an unexpected slash at her chest caught her off guard. Luckily, the wolves claws were dull and poorly cared for. It ripped a small gash in her uniform but did not penetrate to her fur. She responded with two quick jabs from her left paw before swinging with her stronger right until it was stopped halfway to her target.
The second gray wolf had used the distraction from his partner to move in to her unprotected flank, grabbing hold of the striking limb before it could land. Bringing out her own claws, Lylah slashed at the new opponent, her paw raking three long gashes down his arm. Howling in pain, he quickly dropped her arm and fell back, clutching his wounded limb. Unfazed by the punches, the first wolf rushed in for a second attack. She was caught off guard at the sudden assault. This time the impact was at her waist, the mammal trying to use his weight to throw her off balance and possibly get her on the ground. His mass was not enough however, his efforts only managing to delay her counter attack. Lylah spun at the sound of someone approaching her back. The second wolf had reappeared only mildly shaken from his wound, blood still dripping down his arm and off his paw. He had lost confidence though and was hesitating. Lylah used that to her advantage and waited to strike. Before she could she was hit again from behind. Trying to take on two wolves at once was proving to be far more challenging than she had originally figured but she was never one to admit defeat. Feeling the impact of several hard punches to her back and shoulder, the tigress attempted to tune them out, keeping her focus on the injured wolf in front of her. Sensing his foe in pain and distracted, the second wolf leapt at the tigress. He saw his mistake too late as a large paw was raised in front of him and slammed into his muzzle. He went down hard, not looking ready to rise anytime soon.
Anger filled her remaining opponent. Seeing a member of his pack going down like that was very upsetting. It was an insult that could not be ignored. Leaping up onto her back, the wolf sank his teeth deep into her shoulder. The roar of the tigress was music to his ears and he thrashed his head around trying to get his teeth in deeper. She could feel the blood running down her fur, the redness matching the vision of rage she fell into. Launching herself to the side, she used all of the power in her muscular legs to slam her shoulder against the brick wall of the alley, the wolf being pinned between her form and the hardened surface. Lylah barely heard the yelp from the injured wolf who slid off of her body and onto his knees. Consumed with hatred for the pitiful canine in front of her, the larger mammal slammed her knee into the side of his head causing him to slump over.
The other gray wolf came to and saw his partner getting pummeled in two quick shots. He decided his best course of action would be to flee as quickly as possible. Turning, he made it three steps away from the fight before sharp claws dug into the scruff of his neck. Crying out in pain, he felt himself being lifted into the air, a second set of claws latching itself into just above his tail. Frightened beyond belief, the wolf struggled in vain, the claws dug in far too deep to escape. He was trapped, unable to even turn his head to see where he was now being carried to, but a flash of dark green and a black plastic top out of the corner of his eye told him he was about to feel a lot of pain.
Lylah held the wolf above her head, the anger still coursing through her veins. She threw the wolf almost as if he were a child's doll, the effort not even noticeable. Her aim was true, the canine slamming into the side of the dumpster in front of her. A whine escaped him before his head fell to the ground. Throwing her head back, she roared in victory. It was a primitive act but it felt so right to the young tigress. Another thud from behind her had her whipping around to see Tammy dropping the white wolf to the pavement, her opponent also unconscious. She smiled grimly at Lylah. "Looks like you handled yourself quite...nicely?" Tammy hesitated with her words, the sight before her causing a mix of confusion and fear. The large feline was stalking ever closer towards her, her expression a mixture of a stoic face and a burning look in her eyes. She wasn't sure what was happening but the power she could feel emanating from the tigress was both frightening and arousing.
Just as the tigress reached her, Tammy decided she needed to shock her out of it and made a risky move to slap her. Though she was the faster mammal, she had hesitated on the action causing it to be slightly slower than she had hoped. Lylah, her movements unheeded by any hesitation, easily caught the cheetah's paw. Tammy started panicking, one of her arms now trapped by the much more powerful feline. She met the gaze of the tigress hoping to see some shred of the mammal she knew, but all that was reflected a look of power and...hunger? Before Tammy could begin to think what that could mean, Lylah had picked her up and slammer her into the wall. The act surprised the cheetah but not anymore than her lips being attacked by the tigress's own. The movement was fast, her form almost blurred as their lips pressed together.
Feeling herself melt into the roughness of the embrace against the wall, Tammy tried to return the gesture, finding her strength to be unable to match that of her partner. Though the action only lasted a few seconds before they pulled apart, it felt to her as if it had been hours they had been there. She wanted more than anything to continue but instead, Lylah positioned her fangs at her throat. A thrill of fear ran through her, unsure if she was about to be attacked or loved. The feeling of fangs touching her throat confused her even further until they closed down into tiny nibbles. The love bites felt like heaven to the trapped feline. She could feel the teeth nipping beneath her fur into her flesh. Tammy began to mew softly until the fangs stopped only to be replaced by a gloriously long tongue that ran from her collarbone up along her neck to her cheek. It caused her to shiver and shiver again as the action was repeated.
This is...this is tiger courtship!
Another long lick had her slumping in the tigress's strong arms.
Oh Pretty Kitty. Yes. Oh my god, yes. This feels so wonderful. Oh girl, as soon as you're out of this we are gonna have a talk.
Both felines started purring heavily, their cheeks nuzzling against each other, time slipping away as they cared for nothing except each other.
It only took Lylah a few minutes to come down from whatever she had been experiencing. Neither of them could explain it, never having encountered something like that before. She decided she would ask Fangmeyer next time she saw her, hopefully the other tigress would know exactly what had happened. Lylah was still very innocent when to came to relationships. They had quickly cuffed the suspects and put them back in the cruiser, the three of them still unconscious. The two felines had decided they wouldn't report what had happened figuring most of the force, and especially Bogo, would not understand.
Keying the radio, Tammy reported in. "Dispatch this is Z117. 10-24, bringing in three suspects."
"10-4 Z117. We'll have a cell waiting for them."
Clawhauser was well known for being a Gazelle fan, a major gossip, and quite aloof, but when it came to doing his job he took it very seriously. Most of the time.
"Thompson and Forrest took a long time to get their suspects. Any takers on what they were doing?"
"McHorn here. I've got 20 on a bit of backseat cruiser action."
"I'll put 50 down on that one McHorn."
"Alright McHorn and Delgato have bets down on some cruiser action. Any other takers?"
"Put me down for 50 on pinning her against the cruiser."
"Alright, Francine takes the public route. Any others?"
Lylah snatched up the radio. "We can still hear you all!" Dead silence was all that was heard for several seconds until a very familiar voice broke through.
"I've got a hundred on Whiskers picking up Furball and slamming her into the wall and nibbling her neck then licking her face and beginning a tiger courtship."
Another round of silence fell.
"That's uh, pretty specific Nick."
Lylah snatched up the radio again, rather peeved at this point. "What the hell?! Were you spying on us, Foxy?!"
"Nope, we're over in Sahara Square, but that right there means I win the pool!"
Groans were heard over the radio, the rest of the officers a bit ticked at having to hand over their money to the ex-hustler who they almost want to accuse of cheating somehow. His guess had been oddly specific, not to mention extremely improbable to be accurate to that detail but they had no proof so they remained silent. Lylah sat back in her seat, her face heating up. Her partner reached over scratched behind her ears, immediately getting the reaction she was hoping for as the tigress fell deeper into her seat. "Don't worry, Pretty Kitty. We'll kill him later."
She flashed Tammy a grateful smile which came across a little off since the cheetah still had her claws on her ear. Feeling completely content and relaxed, Lylah let slip something she had been trying to say all day but wasn't prepared to yet. "Do you want to go on a date?" The realization of what she said came almost immediately, sitting bolt upright and clapping a paw to her mouth.
Tammy looked a little shocked but pleased at the same time. "A date?" Lylah nodded hesitantly. "I would love to. Where are we going? Should I dress up?"
"It's a uh, a surprise. But it would be nice if we could dress up a bit."
"Oooh, mysterious. I like it." Turning back to the wheel, she had a big grin on her face. Something she had been waiting for all week had finally happened. She would have asked Lylah out out sooner but she didn't want to push the young cat, preferring to simply wait until she was ready. Although after their little 'episode' in the alley she would have asked herself if she hadn't made a move by the end of shift. Lylah may not know exactly what she wants on the surface, but there was no mistaking her actions earlier. Just thinking back to those nibbles on her neck had Tammy shivering even in the heated cruiser, feeling a heat traveling between her thighs. I swear this kitty is going to be the death of me one way or another.
Lylah meanwhile was running through a thousand scenarios in her head. In every instance though, one thing remained constant. She had no idea where to take Tammy. She hadn't planned it through, just blurting out what she had been trying to do all day. But now the deed was done and she would have to wing it and hope for the best. "Great. I'll pick you up at 7:00." Both of them were wearing smiles by the time they arrived at the precinct, although the one across the tigress's face was a bit strained.
Dragging the three wolves up the precinct steps, the two cats entered into the lobby with their bagged suspects in tow. Suspect processing thankfully didn't take long for the officers. Some paperwork and a few minutes for each mugshot went by rather quickly. Their job finished for the day, Tammy headed for the lockers, eager for a shower especially after the fight in the filthy alley. She also smelled a lot like dog which she was not happy about. Lylah watched her walk away, enjoying the sway of her hips and the flick of her tail. It was a distracting image but one she thoroughly enjoyed.
"Hey Whiskers!" Lylah spun around to see a very pleased smirk on a red fox's muzzle. "I made bank thanks to you."
"Foxy! Oh thank god. I need to talk to you." The tigress rushed and grabbed his paw. "Sorry Flopsy, I need to borrow your fox." She yanked him away leaving a very amused rabbit in their wake. The rather large size difference between the two officers had Nick practically flying through the air behind her.
"Alright Whiskers. Jeez. What's the deal? What's the scheme? I already made a couple hundred off you earlier, I wouldn't mind making a bit more." Rubbing his paws together, Nick looked positively delighted at the idea of scamming a few more of his coworkers. As the very word 'scamming' crossed his mind, he flinched. Quickly looking behind him, he flinched even harder at the sight of his bunny glaring harshly at him. Her sensitive ears had caught everything and it did not look as if he would be getting out of this one easy. Resigned to his fate he turned back to his friend, hoping to help her before he was ritually sacrificed at home later. "Sorry Whiskers. What do you need?
"I umm... I asked Tammy out on a date."
Nick beamed, a genuine smile on his muzzle, one that he rarely ever shows to anyone. "That's great Whiskers! You and Furball are great together."
"Yeah yeah yeah. Look Foxy, I screwed up. I shouldn't have asked her." Nick's pleased expression turned to one of surprise.
"I thought you... you don't want to go out with her?"
"No! I mean yes! I do! I just...I shouldn't have asked her yet. I didn't plan this at all. I just told her to be ready for me to pick her up at seven but I don't even have a restaurant picked or anything. I'm freaking out. This is our first date and I wanted it to be perfect and I'm going to ruin everything!" Her ears splayed back, a look of sadness coming into her eyes. "Foxy. What am I gonna do?"
He hesitated before glancing back at the eavesdropping bunny. He mouthed something Lylah couldn't see but Judy gave him a smile and nodded her head. Nick turned back to the tigress, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Alright, here's what you do..."
Giving a little spin in front of the mirror, Lylah criticized herself for the tenth time that evening. She was so nervous about the encroaching date that picking an outfit had meant tearing apart her entire wardrobe trying to find something perfect. She was really falling for Tammy and felt she deserved perfect. Nothing she put together was quite right though. She didn't like how she looked in dresses. She never had but ever since she got out of training she felt her figure was even more overly developed with all the weight training at the Academy so she normally settled for blouses. In this case though nothing seemed to fit. Sleeves were be too long, her skirt was be too short. She was ready to rip out her fur the way her current state of mind was deteriorating. She was never one for dressing fancy so her clothes were limited. She hadn't been on a date since her sophomore year in college and that relationship didn't last any longer than a peck on the cheek after dinner. Glancing at her latest ensemble, Lylah decided she would have to bite the bullet and ask for help.
"Hey mom?" Walking up the basement steps, she entered the first floor of the house, her head turning back and forth trying to figure out where her mother was. "Mom, you home?"
"I'm in the living room, hon."
Steeling her nerves and swallowing her pride, Lylah headed down the sparsely decorated hallway. There were relatively few pictures but the ones that were there all featured their family. One with her mother and father on the beach with a tiny striped cub playing with a shovel and pail caught her eye. She wasn't old enough to remember that day but she had the stories from her parents about how much fun they had, their bright smiles in the photo proof of that. She had many fond memories of her father and they helped keep the sadness at bay whenever the thought of how they lost him would surface. It did no good to dwell on past tragedies. It was something that couldn't be changed, but the memories of happier days were something to be embraced and cherished.
Wiping away the small amount of tears forming in her eyes, Lylah turned into the living room. This space was much more lavishly adorned. Bob had been a bit of a traveler in his youth, backpacking across most of the world, seeing many of the sights most could only dream of. On the walls hung many of the art and ceremonial items he had acquired. There were also several statues ranging from polished wood to gold that stood on the tables and bookshelves. Her mother tended to settle for decorations of the living variety. Multiple flowers and potted plants were scattered throughout the room, although in a expertly designed and tasteful manner. The furniture was the only thing that seemed out of place compared to the well cared for plants and seemingly priceless collections. The couch and lone easy chair were the same as Lylah remembered from her childhood, the fabric stained and riddled with threadbare fabric. She could never understand why they didn't get new furniture. Her mother would simply answer they were comfortable and Lylah had to concede that they were indeed still comfortable to sit in, but it still seemed odd to her. She figured that maybe it had something to do with her father as he had always sat in that chair whenever he came home from work and that was enough to pacify her.
"Mom, I need some help." Snapping the book she had been invested in closed, her mother immediately fixated her gaze on her daughter.
"What is it, hon?"
"I, ummm, I have...sort of a...date tonight."
Her mother took a few seconds to process that but her eyes immediately lit up. "That's so wonderful, dear! Is it with the cheetah from the precinct you keep talking about?" Lylah nodded, her eyes a little downcast. "That's great, sweetheart. I'm so glad you found somebody." She frowned at the sight of her daughter's saddening expression. "But you don't look very happy. What's wrong?"
"I...I can't find anything nice to wear."
"Oh but honey, what you have on right now looks great."
"It's okay. But it's missing something. I just...I want this to be perfect." Her mother put her claw to her chin, looking daughter up and down for a few minutes before suddenly snapping her fingers, a large smile on her lips.
"Wait right here. I have the perfect thing."
7:00 pm
Tammy was pacing back and forth in her apartment, every few seconds glancing up at the clock. The time never seemed to change but to her it felt like hours had gone by with each flicker of her gaze to the infernal contraption. She was sure it was taunting her on purpose, making her think she was losing her mind. She had been on several dates before so this territory was not new to her, but it felt different. Because it was her. She wasn't sure when it had happened. It could have been the first night they talked. It could have been as late as their little tryst in the alley that afternoon, but Tammy just knew that she was going to be the one. It had been less than a full week since they had even met, and they hadn't even had a real date yet, but she already knew the most important thing. Tammy was in love with her tigress.
Not for the first time that night she stepped in front of the mirror, trying to gauge if her attire was appropriate. Smoothing the fabric along her stomach, the slim feline stared at herself. I hope I'm what she's looking for. An evil smile crept across her lips before running a paw over her body. Although the way she loves to grab my hips and pinch my ass I'm guessing so. A shrill buzz knocked her from her thoughts, the sudden sound causing her to jump slightly. Her heart beating wildly, the cheetah scolded herself for being scared of a simple doorknob. I'd never hear the end of that if the other officers had seen it. Walking over to the door, she triggered the intercom. "Yes?"
"Uhh, it's me. I mean it's Lylah. Are you ready? I'm ready. Well obviously, I mean I'm standing right here. Duh Lylah. I mean...Ugh. I'm...at the door." Her voice trailed off in embarrassment, all hopes of seeming smooth and in control vanishing in an instant.
Tammy giggled and keyed the button. "I'm on my way down." Grabbing her purse and her keys, she nervously took a deep breath before walking down.
Lylah only had to wait a few minutes before the door behind her opened. She had been practicing what to say and she had finally gotten it down pat but as she turned to meet her date, all rational thought went out the window. Standing in front of her was a vision of utter beauty. The first thing she noticed was the color of lilacs draped across her slim form, the fabric hugging every curve of her body as if it was painted onto her fur. The dress continued downward, ending midway down her thigh, allowing for quite a lot of fur covering her very long legs to be seen. Her hips were put on full display with the tightness of the fabric. A single shoulder strap running from one side to the other is all that kept her jutting chest from being seen, her spots traveling down until just above the top of her dress. An uncharacteristically shy smile graced her lips.
"You're...you're beautiful." Her cheeks blushing, Tammy tried to avert her gaze before being drawn back by her date's own beauty.
"T-thank you. You're quite the ravishing feline yourself, Pretty Kitty." The cheetah could barely believe the transformation her partner had gone through. Where before she had seen the tough as nails tigress, ready to face down a pack of wolves and win, she now saw a soft and demure lady. A simple white blouse graced her torso, the length stopping several inches above her waist, giving the smaller feline a good view of the fur that was normally covered by her uniform. Her arms were bare, somehow showing both the power of her strength and also the gentleness of her touch. Below, Lylah was dressed in a dark blue ankle length skirt decorated with flowers and strands of gold. Tammy felt blessed to be the date of such a lovely creature.
Lylah held out her arm which was gratefully accepted, the cheetah giggling as she took it. The tigress found herself thinking she could listen to that sound all day. "Where are we going, Kitty?"
"Hmm? Oh, someplace I haven't been before but I hear it's supposed to be one of the best restaurants in the city." Lylah hoped that was true and not just Nick playing it up. She also hoped he wasn't messing with her when he said everything would be taken care of, but she trusted her friend. He had never given her reason to doubt him and so she wouldn't start now. Besides, he knew how important this was to her and Nick was never one to shy away from helping his friends.
"Wow. Is this yours?" They had stopped in front of a large black Escalade. It was a pricey vehicle and Lylah felt it would probably impress her partner if she said it was, but she didn't want to start their first date off with a lie.
"It's actually my step-dad's. He loaned it to me for the evening. I don't actually, you know, have a car. With the Academy taking the last half year of my life and not being able to work, my bank account doesn't leave much in the way of lavish spending." Or anything else for that matter. Without being able to squat in her mother's basement, she would pretty much be homeless. Her first paycheck from the job would be enough to get by until she could save enough for the first month's rent but until then she was fairly stuck with little options.
"Oh don't I know it." Tammy didn't seem put off at all by the idea of her borrowing the car which made the tigress relax a little. One fear down. "I've wanted to get a car for a while but everything is just so expensive. I love the job but it certainly doesn't pay that much compared to the insane cost of living." They made idle chit chat about stuff they had seen that week and whether or not they could get the Chief to blow a fuse on Monday until they arrived at the restaurant. "'Ocean Garden.' Huh. I've heard of it but I haven't been."
"I've heard good things so I thought it might be nice. Plus it's not ridiculously classy cause I can tell you, I don't do well with formal stuff." Lylsh found dressing up for fancy shindigs to be very uncomfortable. She had been to a few at the art expos Bob was involved in, but to her it was a ridiculous waste of time and energy. While she felt out of place in a regular summer dress, the idea of dressing up in full length gowns made her shudder.
Luckily Tammy seemed to have the same feeling about the whole idea. "I know what you mean. This is the most dressed up I've been in a very long time."
"Well I think you look stunning," Lylah smiled at the cheetah, enjoying the way she averted her eyes shyly. "Now, let's head in and get something to eat. I'm famished after earlier."
"I could eat a zebra! Oh, sorry sir. Just an expression. And not a very tasteful one." The frightened zebra leaving the restaurant had been startled by the shout coming from the predator. At her apology, his expression had turned to one of distaste and anger.
Lylah chuckled a bit. She was more amused than anything finding the outburst rather comical, especially in the timing. "Where did that come from?"
"I uh...I may have watched a movie the other night that would be considered taboo with it's expressions and allusions to certain...savage acts." A deep blush was spreading across her body, her cheeks becoming rather red.
The tigress was a bit confused. She didn't think she knew of such a movie and she was quite the cinema aficionado. "Huh. What movie is that?"
"It's called 'The Lion King.' Heard of it?"
Lylah wracked her brain for a minute before pinning it down. It was outside of her normal genres which is why it didn't occur to her originally. "I was a kid when that came out. Isn't that the one where everyone is naked and they talk about eating other mammals?" Tammy nodded, a bit embarrassed both by the admission of watching the movie and also what she had said in the parking lot. Snickering behind a paw, Lylah led them inside, making a mental note to keep that knowledge to herself for special situations and relentless teasing.
"Do you have a reservation?" The antelope behind the desk looked at the two with a snobby expression, as if they were beneath her. It may not be a five-star restaurant, but that was apparently lost on the employees, or at least the hostess in particular.
"Actually we'd like to speak to Milos." Scrutinizing the pair, the hostess walked off. Tammy was a bit confused. If they had a reservation why did they need to speak to someone to go to their table? Within a few moments, the hostess returned, followed by a middle-aged badger.
"Is there something I can do for you ladies?" His voice was kind and curious. Rarely was he asked for by name which intrigued him enough to come greet the customers.
Lylah cleared her throat and leaned in, trying to keep her voice low enough to hide it from Tammy who looked even more confused. "Yeah, umm, Nick Wilde said we could use his table? Said he'd call ahead?"
The piercing eyes of the mammal made Lylah suddenly feel very small. There were few mammals who could make her feel unsettled but this badger was one of them despite his small stature and seemingly jovial personality. When he smiled warmly at the pair it did much to make the tigress relax. "You must be the officers. 'Whiskers' and 'Furball'."
The two felines looked at each other before turning back to the now laughing owner. "He didn't!"
Milos tried to respond as best as he could around his laughter, but managed to calm himself enough to get a few words out. "He most certainly did. Your table is this way." He led them to the back of the restaurant, through a few winding hallways and finally to a stairwell. Lylah was no longer sure that Nick had been telling her the truth but she was in this far so she might as well continue. Reaching the top, the large cat gripped the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open. The sight greeting the two mammals took both of their breaths away. They couldn't believe the beauty of it all.
"This was your planned date?" Lylah struggled to wipe the shock from her face and appear calm and collected as her partner turned around, a look of wonder in her eyes. She knew she wasn't going to pull it off so she adopted one of Nick's signature smirks and hoped for the best.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it. It's wonderful." Tammy stepped up to the tigress and wrapped her arms around her neck, marveling at the tight muscles she could feel beneath her paws. Hauling her down, the two felines shared a chaste kiss, one that left both of them hungry for more but they held back, not wanting to ruin the moment. They walked arm in arm past the rows of roses and wildflowers, both stopping more than once to partake of the pleasant aromas. The sight of the fish swimming underneath them was particularly enchanting but served to make them both more hungry than anything. Lylah moved to the table and pulled out a chair for her date, rewarded with a giggle from the smaller mammal. Taking her own seat, they were soon presented with menus. It didn't take them long to decide, both of them ordering the grilled salmon with a bottle of Pinot Noir. The following silence gave them both time to talk, to learn more about one another that they didn't get chances to during patrol. It soon turned to discussions about family.
Tammy swirled her claw in the glass of wine in front of her, a habit she had adopted over the years to distract herself from her nerves. "Do you have any siblings, Pretty Kitty?"
Taking a sip from her own glass, Lylah shook her head, swallowing before responding. "Nope. Only cub. Wanted some when I was growing up though." She had often imagined having brothers and sisters to play with but it wasn't meant to be. She was quite adept at making friends so it wasn't loneliness that drove her desire, merely wanting a bigger family.
Tammy grimaced. "I could have done without some of mine. I was the only girl with three older brothers. They used to pick on me something fierce."
"Cause you were a girl?" Lylah was familiar with stories of sibling rivalry but while her cheetah looked like a femme feline, she knew there was a much different mammal underneath.
"Hell no. It was because I beat them at everything they did. Rock climbing, biking, racing, sports. You name it, I was the best at it. And they hated me for it." That sounded more like the cat she was in love with. "So what's your story, Pretty Kitty? Any interesting stories from your childhood? Parents still together?"
This made Lylah pause. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go into such heavy stuff on the first date but she felt comfortable opening up to her, something that surprised her with as little time as they had really spent together. "My father. He umm, he died. About eight years ago."
"Oh." Tammy reached and put her paw over Lylah's. "I'm so sorry, Kitty."
She shrugged, the hurt from the past no longer breaking through. "It's alright. I'm not really over it. I don't suppose I ever will be, but I've made my peace with it." Their food arrived cutting off the flow of their conversation. Once the servers had left and they had enjoyed a bit of their meal and wine, Lylah picked it back up. "He was a good mammal. Loved me and my mother very much. Had a never ending supply of patience with me which was a chore I can tell you. I was a bit of a handful." Tammy smiled softly at the thought of her tigress being rebellious as a cub. "I loved him very much." Her eyes began to tear up which she quickly brushed away. Grasping her paw tighter, Tammy intertwined them giving Lylah the support she needed.
"How did he die?" Tammy immediately cringed at her comment, her own curiosity coming through at a most inappropriate time, although Lylah didn't seem to even be fazed by it.
"Oh. Car crash. Wasn't anybody's fault although it didn't feel like that at the time. There was a malfunction in the traffic lights. My dad was simply the one with the bad luck to be driving through." Taking another sip of wine, her date followed suit. "It took my mom a while to get past it, but eventually she did which was good. Met Bob, my new step-dad about three years later. He's been good to her. Towards me, too."
"What kind of tiger is he?"
Lylah shook her head. "He's a moose."
"A moose?" Tammy chuckled, "well that's certainly different. Good for her. Guess your family doesn't do the whole 'normal relationship' thing, huh?"
"Guess not," she responded with a soft smile. She looked down at her empty plate and nearly empty glass of wine. "Where did all the food go?" Tammy also seemed surprised looking at her own dishes.
"I guess we ate it all while we were talking. I don't even remember tasting it." She looked at the tigress through her lashes. "Must have been overshadowed by the company." Lylah blushed hard at the compliment. She wasn't used to handling these situations and she prayed she wasn't bungling too bad.
For a while they sat in silence, both of them gazing out over the city lights. They had each grown up in the city in one district or another since they were cubs so the view wasn't all that spectacular to them, having seen it so many times in their lives that it was no longer awe-inspiring. The company however changed things greatly. The moon had climbed high into the night sky by that point, bathing the garden table in the silvery light it cast down upon them. The felines were not immune to the beauty of such a moment, each glancing at the other, marveling at the shining silverish fur that coated them. Their eyes met and a spark flowed between them. It filled them both with an unspoken desire to come together. Standing, Lylah moved around the table and leaned over the smaller mammal. She brought her lips down and found her date's waiting and eager. It started out soft but quickly increased in passion, their paws finding themselves wrapped around each other. Parting, Lylah breathed heavily trying to fight against the overwhelming urges she was experiencing. Looking into Tammy's eyes revealed those same urges, the lustful hunger burning pulled back, somewhat afraid of the intensity of her feelings.
"I-I'll take care of the check and then we'll uhh, h-head out." She found herself stammering under the intense gaze of the spotted mammal. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, more just an overwhelming one. Heading downstairs, Lylah split off and headed towards the front desk to pay the bill when she was stopped by Milos.
"It's already been taken care of Miss Forrest."
"Oh, uh...really? Who-...Damn you, Foxy." Milos simply smiled.
"Yes, Nicky is good like that. Always takes care of his friends." His face grew more serious as he leaned towards her. "You are his friend, yes?"
She was taken aback at the question, not sure where the turn was taking her. "I'd like to think so. We went through the Academy together. I consider myself lucky to be counted among his friends."
"Well then you should probably know that Nicky must care for you a great deal and must really treasure you as a friend. That table is his. He built it for his mother and now he and his mate use it. For him to allow someone else to use it says a great deal about your relationship." He straightened back up and gave her a warm smile. "Goodnight Miss Forrest." With that, he turned and walked away, his business with her concluded.
Lylah turned and went back to her date, their arms once more looped together. It left her with quite a lot to think about in regards to her friendship with Nick.
"Shall I take you back to your apartment?" The time had gotten away from them over dinner. It was now quite late in the evening though neither felt overly tired.
Shyly looking up through her lashes, Tammy spoke in a lowered, seductive tone. "Unless you'd like to take me back to yours."
Lylah coughed hard, a bit flustered at the insinuation, one that she would not mind thoroughly exploring. She was also very embarrassed, now feeling like she needed to come clean about her living arrangements. "I don't actually have a place. I...live in my mother's basement." If Tammy seemed surprised or put off she didn't show it, her face passive. "Not having an income after six months and having to give up your lease on where you were staying doesn't give you many options once you're done. I'm hoping to save up enough soon to get a place of my own." Her face had gone red in embarrassment and she avoided looking at the cheetah, not wanting to see any sort of disappointment on her face.
"Why don't you come stay with me?" The casual tone of the question along with the question itself threw Lylah off guard.
"Stay? With you? Like...move in together?" She could feel her heart beating extremely fast, her emotions going haywire. Half of her was screaming at her to say yes while the other was trying to convince her it was too fast. "Isn't that sort of sudden? I mean we've only been on one date and that's not even technically over yet."
Tammy giggled again making Lylah swoon at the beautiful noise. "No Pretty Kitty. I have a two bedroom apartment and I need a roommate to keep up the costs. You'd have to pay half. We'd treat it like a regular apartment with the added bonus of getting to spend more time together."
Even though it was a spontaneous offer, Lylah could feel she was very sincere about it. She wasn't trying to put pressure on her, merely help her escape what was quickly becoming a nuisance to deal with. Still, she wasn't sure if it was the best move. "I don't know, love. It seems a bit fast for me. I don't think I'm comfortable with it just yet." Shrugging, Tammy brushed it aside leading Lylah to be more sure it was a legitimate offer for them to be roommates simply for the benefits of having one that they each knew and also giving them a bit more time to explore their relationship.
"It's yours if you want it, Pretty Kitty."
After dropping Tammy off, the two sharing a long kiss on the doorstep, Lylah headed home, her mood significantly better than it was when she headed out earlier that evening. Being later than she normally would come home, Lylah quietly let herself into the house through the kitchen door. Her mother had always been one to go to bed early so the house was quiet and she didn't want to wake her. Grabbing a drink of water from the fridge, Lylah headed downstairs. What greeted her filled her with dismay. Staring at the concrete floors, always cold in the mornings regardless of how hot it was outside. The dirty ceiling fan, the dust flying from it even if it never stopped moving to collect any. The faded and torn couch she slept on looked even more uncomfortable than when she had gotten up. Everything suddenly seemed ten times worse after turning down Tammy's offer.
After stripping down and placing her mother's skirt in the washing machine, Lylah lay down on the couch, the pain coming right back to her from the metal bars cutting into her sides. This sucks. Stretching out, she pushed her feet against the couch's arm to try and loosen her muscles before sleeping when the arm suddenly fell off. Lylah simply stared at it, her stressed out mind unable to comprehend what had just happened. Finally it clicked as her gaze went back and forth between the couch and the broken arm. "Oh that's it."
A loud knocking had Tammy rolling out of bed. Checking the clock she saw it was one in the morning, a time when she really didn't need to be awake. The knocking continued causing her to get irritated. "I'm coming already." She yanked open the door. "What do you wa-...Kitty?"
Lylah stood in the doorway, two suitcases in paw. "I want it." She stumbled in, her muscles aching and her body tired. Tammy quickly stood back, still trying to let her sleep befuddled mind figure out what was happening. She watched the tigress poke her head into the first room on the left, and, seeing an empty room and bed, collapsed gratefully onto it, falling asleep almost instantly.
Tammy smiled softly as she followed her into the room. Pulling a blanket from the closet, she placed it over her and leaned down to give a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, my Pretty Kitty."
A few fun stories to check out:
'The Cursed Crusade' - Dagonn. This has so much friggin potential especially if your a sword and sorcery fan.
The things we do for love - la-perla's mermaid. Now this one is dark. Like really dark. But it's so intriguing to read.
The Conspiracy - Zanrok. This one is just too damn funny. A Valentine's day special gone totally awry.
Foxhollow - 1tT4k3sTw0. Screw you and your complicated name to type! But the story is very fun. A rabbit as a gift for a king.
Guardian Blue: Season 1 - sarsis. I swear if this isn't one long torturous WildeHopps burn it is the most convincing one ever.
Earning The Badge - BunnyRock. Chapters are long as can possibly be and filled with detail, intrigue and tons of humor. If you have time to invest in this story, please do so. But be warned. You won't be able to stop if you start.