"Jezz, who's the new girl?"
Jezebel glanced up from examining her right hoof at the questioner. It was Cherry. The teenage Fox wore a bright green sequin dress that contrasted with her sapphire eyes and red fur. Snow was building on the vixen, covering her blacks ears in a fine layer of powder as she shivered unceasingly. The vulpine's tail was wrapped around her ankles in a desperate bid to keep warm.
The ewe shrugged and looked out to the vacant street. "Just some meat Rameo picked up at a shelter or something."
"You think she's gonna last the night?"
The sheep glanced at the Fox before looking hard at the new girl. She was a Tiger, though smaller than others the sheep had seen about. The feline wore a simple dress, just a navy blue piece that came down to her calves, but did nothing for the frigid wind. If Cherry was cold, than this girl was an icicle! The Tiger was shaking so hard that whatever snow was building on her was sliding off. One thing the veteran working girl knew, it's that the first night in Tundra Town was the decider whether they would live or die. Jezz had seen more than one frozen body, and knew a few of their names too, but in this job you had to look out for yourself and no one else. "She's as good as dead doll," Jezebel stated bluntly, "Nothing we can do about that."
"There has to be something!" pressed Cherry.
Jezebel huffed and glared at the teenage Fox. The vixen had been working the streets for three years now, yet she still had a soft spot for helping anyone she could. The ewe knew that if not for Cherry's impressive client list, that she'd been one of those bodies weeks into her first year. "What you want me to do? Build a rutting fire?"
"Do we have anything to give her?"
The sheep scoffed and held out her empty hooves, then paused as something pink caught her eye. Jezebel wore a white and pink hoofhop outfit, complete with a white snowflake sewn onto the left side of the pink skirt. The choice of this outfit dealt with the hope of making her look younger, and maybe driving those creeps who like them underage to her. It was only to add to her bottom line of course. She had left the house feeling the pink cotton scarf around her neck was too much, and really it didn't go with anything but this outfit. She sighed and unwrapped the fabric from around her, "Do me a favor and keep an eye out," the ewe ordered the vixen, "I don't wanna miss any John's tonight!"
Jezebel didn't bother waiting for confirmation from Cherry and walked through the snow to the Tiger. She cleared her throat to get the larger mammal's attention. The sheep tried not to frown when the new girl sluggishly turned to her with a glassy stare. The ewe couldn't help but note the beautiful golden eyes of the Tiger. Something in those sad, lovely orbs pulled at Jezz's heart. "Honey you in some bad shape," she blurted out, "You definitely need to warm up." The feline continued to stare silently. Jezebel frowned, she could see the girl's lips were already purple. The ewe glanced about before she spotted something useful.
In an alley not too far from their corner was a dumpster with something blue and plastic waving lazily in the wind. Jezebel guessed it could, and hopefully was, a tarp. "Come'on doll," started the ewe, reaching without looking for the feline, "let's try-" Her hoof connected with nothing. She blinked and turned dumbly to the new girl.
The Tiger had shrank away from the ewe, her arms covering her chest protectively as the feline instinctively tried to make herself smaller.
A brow rose on Jezebel, "Honey that ain't a good look for this job." She stepped closer to the Tiger who then stepped back. "Doll I'm not playing with you," threatened the ewe, "Stop moving or freeze. Your choice!" At the herbivore's raised voice, the feline cringed. The sheep grimaced, this was not her specialty. Jezebel could do things that males paid double for and females were jealous of, but she knew she had the social skills of an antisocial High School dropout.
Once again the scarf caught her attention, still wrapped around her left hoof. She smiled as a skill of her's may actually become useful. The ewe straightened out the scarf and held up and out in front of her. It was a long piece of fabric, too long for her size but just perfect enough to slip over the feline's larger head. Jezebel judged the size as best as possible, tied a bowline knot in the scarf, and readied her makeshift lasso. "Haven't done this in awhile," muttered the ewe, spinning the scarf over her head, "Let's hope it works!"
The sheep let the loop go, and the Tiger was either too stunned or too out of it to resist the scarf falling over her head and around her neck. "Haha!" cried out Jezebel triumphantly, pulling the scarf so the knot would tighten, "Still go it!"
The new girl stood there dumbfounded, looking at the scarf around her neck. The ewe was under no illusions, if the Tiger wanted too she could easily tear the scarf apart or yank it out of her hooves. Instead, the feline's head slowly cocked to the side and she ran a trembling paw over the stretched material.
"Alright c'mon," ordered Jezebel with a light tug of the 'leash,' "it's time to get some shelter." The sheep pulled the Tiger along, feeling more confident in an action she had performed many times to her clients. The ewe waved over to Cherry still standing on her own. "Hey Cher! C'mon!"
"What about the Johns?" shouted the vixen, her paws desperately rubbing her arms.
"Rutt 'em!"
"That is our job!"
"No!" groaned Jezebel, "As in who cares? The week's still young and we'll make up our quota tomorrow! Now Come On!"
The Fox stood still for a moment, before following the sheep to the alley.
The snow was getting deeper, but that may help insulate the ewe's plan. She continued to lead the barely functioning Tiger through the snow, tugging on the scarf when necessary. When they finally made it to the dumpster, Jezebel forced the feline to sit in the corner of the dumpster and the wall. "Don't move," she ordered. The sheep tugged on the tarp, but it didn't move. She muttered under her breath as she pulled harder. "Stupid piece of...Hey Cherry?"
The shaking Fox finally made it over. Cherry wasn't in as bad a shape as the new girl, but she wasn't looking good either. "Wh-what's up Jezz?"
"Help me with this thing."
The vixen nodded, her body trembling as she reached as high as she could and grasped the tarp.
"On the count of three," started the ewe, "One...Two...Three!" Both mammals pulled down, with Cherry digging her claws in and throwing her full weight behind it. Finally it gave, and the plastic finally came out of the dumpster. The vixen landed on her back with a thud, but Jezebel was still standing. The sheep grinned as she pulled the tarp over the two others and brought her end to the ground. She piled snow on the edges and patted it down, hoping it would seal what little heat they'd create. The ewe worked meticulously, making sure there were as little holes as possible. When she was satisfied with her work, she entered into their makeshift tent from the opening she kept, closing that with snow on their side to work as a proxy door.
There was no light in the "tent," the street lights easily blocked out by the tarp, and Jezebel had to blindly find her way in the compact space. She felt a soft paw grab her wrist, and by the size of it she could tell it was Cherry. "This is gonna sound weird Cher, but if you two are gonna survive tonight then I need you to listen."
"O-ok."
"Get undressed."
"What?"
"And climb into the new girls dress."
"What!?"
"I didn't stutter," Jezebel snapped, "Now do it if you wanna live!" She heard grumbling from the Fox, and then the unzipping of her dress.
"It's freezing!" complained the vulpine.
Jezebel rolled her eyes, "Not for long. Now get up there!" She couldn't see, but she heard the shuffling of more fabric, and she felt the feline go rigid next to her. The sheep grasped for the new girl and found her upper arm. "It's gonna be alright doll," the ewe tried to soothe, "Just gotta get a little uncomfortable tonight, that's all." She waited till she heard a gasp of breath.
"I hate you," muttered Cherry darkly.
Jezebel grinned, "You'll love me tomorrow." She leaned forward to try and find the rest of the feline. The sheep ran her hoof over a large bump. The bump flinched away.
"No touching for free!"
The ewe chuckled and continued to find her bearings. She stepped forward, doing her best to step blindly over the feline's legs till she was standing between them. The ewe gently ran a paw over the shivering Tiger until she found the scarf again. "Hey new girl," she gave the scarf a tug, "I'm gonna need you to close your legs. I need to sit on your lap tonight." There was no response, but eventually the sound of dragging through the snow and then the feline's legs were touching hers.
Jezebel stepped gingerly over the Tiger's thighs and straddled the new girl's lap. The ewe tried to grasp for anything to hold onto, and found the seams on the sides of the dress were thick enough to do that. "You alright Cher?"
"I'm sandwiched between two larger mammals," grumbled the vixen, "how do you think I feel!"
Jezebel shrugged with a grin, "At least we don't gotta pay extra for this move!" She ran a hoof over the Tiger's upper arm. "Sorry about lassoing you new girl, but I figured this was the best thing to do." The ewe thought for a moment, before adding, "Oh and keep the scarf! I don't need it and it'll keep you warm." The sheep then grasped the seams of the dress again, expecting little sleep.
What she hadn't expected was a pair of large arms to wrap around her gently and pull her in closer. "Thank you," a weak voice whispered.
The ewe smiled, patting the arm of the Tiger, "Don't sweat it doll. You'll just owe me next time." There was no response from the feline, and Jezebel could feel Cherry's slow, rhythmic breathing. The sheep yawned before resting her head on what she believed to be the vixen's shoulder. It wasn't her ideal way to fall asleep, but even Jezebel had to admit that it sure was comfortable.
Jezebel hated calling in favors. It meant that she had a little less in the world, and the instincts she honed on the street told her that was bad. The thing was, this may not even count as a favor either. Technically she was asking Ex to do his job, so really he should owe her! The ewe doubted that's what would actually happen, but a girl could dream.
She approached Precinct One alone. Not only was this the first time she was visiting the most prestigious building of the Z.P.D. in the hopes of calling in a not-favor favor, but she decided to do it without Saffron. Sure she could have asked the Tiger, but the sheep wasn't so convinced the feline would take this conversation very well. After Mint's "nightmare," something Jezz was convinced was actually a Night Terror (thanks to the interweb), Saff was always checking on the twins. This behavior the herbivore saw coming, but that night kicked the Tiger even further into mother mode. It's not that Jezz didn't care about Mint and Peppa, just her kitty seemed perfect for motherhood...at least in comparison to the other girls.
She wore a simple black skirt and baby blue button down blouse. She had her phone and wallet in a plain, black spaghetti string the ewe went for standing out, catching every mammals gaze and reveling in their jealousy. This mission, however, needed the herbivore to blend in with the crowd. She didn't want any of the other officers at Precinct One recognizing her. The sheep pushed the swinging doors to the building open and stepped through.
Her first visit, the one where time was of the essence and Ex almost died, she wasn't able to appreciate the majesty of the building. The second visit, where she spent a few hours with Ralph cooped up in an interrogation room, she at least had some time to gawk at the monumental columns and high ceiling. Now she barely paid attention to any of the details except for the direction of the front desk. A tubby Cheetah, Claw something, bounced and hummed to a tune only he heard as he tapped on a keyboard. The ewe tapped a hoof on the top of the desk, "Hey!"
The big cat's head whipped in her direction, a brief moment of confusion that was almost instantly replaced with a broad smile. "Well hello again!" greeted the feline, "Are you here to see Officer Wolford or Fangmeyer?"
Jezebel flinched, apparently she didn't do enough to stay incognito. "Er, no. I wanna talk to Officer Weaselton."
"Oh sure! Lemme give him a quick call-"
"Actually!" interjected the sheep with a raised digit, "You mind if I go surprise him?" She grinned mischievously, "Me and him are old friends, ya know?"
The officer laughed, his paws going to his large stomach, "Oh ok! His office is down the hall and fourth on the right."
"Thanks doll," Jezebel said with a wink, "I think he'll get a kick outta this!" She walked past the desk and into the mentioned hallway. Officers passed her left and right, some giving her a suspicious eye but none stopping her. The ewe walked like she owned the place, until she reached the fourth door on the right. It was closed. The sheep smiled devilishly as she slowly turned the knob, trying to do so as quietly as possible. Once she couldn't turn any further, Jezebel threw the door open and struck a pose against the doorframe.
"Oh Ex, you're the only one who can help me!" exclaimed Jezebel, throwing an arm over her eyes as she gives the best anguished look she can muster, "Without you, we'll never get the falcon back!" There are two desks facing each other in the room, but thankfully only the mustela is present for her performance.
"Hey Jezz," replied a not startled Weasel, "how's it going?"
The ewe huffed, dropping the act and her arm to her side, "That's all I get outta you doll?"
"Clawhauser called," started Ex, focused on his computer monitor, "gave me a heads up some crazy ewe was coming to see me." The mustela shot a wry grin to the female, "Course once he said crazy, I knew exactly who it was."
Jezebel huffed and rolled her eyes, "Doll there are definitely crazier ewes than me out there!"
"None that I know."
"Fair enough," chuckled the female. She pushed off the doorframe and walked as nonchalantly as possible over to the officer. The ewe didn't want Ex to think she only came to get something.
"So what do you need?" the mustela bluntly asked.
Jezz cringed, obviously not as good as an actor as she assumed. The sheep smiled innocently and batted her eyelashes at the Weasel. "Why Ex, what makes you think I need anything?"
Ex wasn't looking at the female, still typing away at his computer with a concentrated frown. "For one, you came all the way to Precinct One and didn't just call" began the officer, "second, you are trying terribly hard to hide whatever you want. Finally..." Ex finally turned to the ewe, a brow raised and his frown still in place, "I've never seen you out of Tundra Town without Saffron."
"You haven't seen me much at all," retorted Jezebel, a tinge of bitterness in her voice, "Or many of the other girls for that matter. You even stopped your little get togethers with Cherry we weren't supposed to know about."
Ex glanced down before focusing back on the ewe. His expression remained unchanged, but a speck of guilt shone in his gaze. "I, uh...sorry about that. Things have...gotten busier for me."
"That's a lie," Jezz countered, "but I'll let it slide if you help me out with something." She finished her statement with an exaggerated wink.
The Weasel chuckled, "Alright you got me." He slid off his chair onto the floor, smoothing out his shirt after landing. The mustela's paws stopped, and his gaze snapped back to the sheep, "I can't do anything illegal."
The ewe grimaced, "I ain't gonna lie ex... You, uh, may need to ask some unsavoury questions to some unsavoury mammals. But it's for something good I promise!" Jezebel hastily added the final part, realizing how vague she sounded. The ewe glanced at the open door nervously, "Doll, could we get some privacy?"
The Weasel paused, then nodded. He quickly made his way to the door, glancing out in the hallway before closing it. "It's frowned upon to left alone with a witness without either another officer or a camera," Ex stated, turning back to the sheep, "but something tells me you don't want either."
Jezz sighed in relief, "Ya really are something Ex."
"You can call me Reggie."
The ewe smiled apologetically and rubbed the back of her head, "Yeah sorry about that Ex-er Reggie. Old habits die hard."
"It's fine," replied the mustela in a 'it's not fine' tone. He motioned to his desk, "Why don't you sit in my seat and I'll take Wolford's."
Jezebel walked over and pulled herself into the chair. She considered it odd that a small mammal like Reggie would have a chair built for a larger mammal, but tried not to focus on it too much. She glanced apprehensively at Wolford's desk. "He gonna be joining us?"
Reggie shook his head, "No, he's out for the day." The officer grabbed the rolling chair at the other desk and brought it to the side of his desk. After a brief pause of the Weasel pulling himself into the chair, the mustela sighed and focused back on the sheep. "So what's wrong?"
Jezebel grinned sheepishly, "Does something gotta-"
"Cut to the chase," interrupted Reggie, giving the sheep an expectant look.
The ewe's grin turned into a frown, "It's a little complicated…"
The officer shrugged, "I got time."
"Well...do you remember the twins?" Reggie nodded. "Ok, good...anyway Mint told us about this John who was real messed up."
"Did he get violent with her?"
Jezz shook her head, "No, worse if you can believe it." The officer looked at her expectantly, but the sheep hesitated. She sighed, "Look, it won't sound so bad at first, but trust me this is some messed up male." The Weasel remained silent. The female shifted in her seat uncomfortably before the words burst out of her unexpectedly. "The sicko messed with her head!" the ewe exclaimed, throwing her hooves up in the air, "Would make her call'em daddy and would act all parent like till it was time to rutt!" Jezebel's hard glare fell to the floor, her hooves balled into tight fists.
She shot her heated gaze up to the quiet officer. "Minnie told me they celebrated her fourteenth 'birthday,'" the ewe air quoted the final word with all the sarcasm she could muster, "She told me about how he took her shopping and how he showered her with affection, only to break the act in the end…" The sheep sighed heavily, shoulders slumping and feeling tired, "...There's wasn't a cake, but don't ask me where he put the candles…" Jezebel trailed off as the memory of her conversation with the young ewe came forward.
"Sorry for asking," the Weasel started, breaking the silence, "but...I'm a little confused on what makes him sick." Jezebel was about to retort, when Reggie cut her off with raised paws. "I'm not defending him! It's just…" the mustela shrugged, "Is affection that bad?"
The ewe rolled her eyes, "You know how long I've been doing this doll? Fifteen years. Fifteen years of rutting other mammals to make a quick dollar, only for someone else to come and take most of it away." Jezebel looked at the desk, lost in thought as she twirled a woolen curl on her head. "Fifteen years teaches you a lotta tricks honey...and it teaches you what you can and cannot take." She looked at the officer directly. His black beady eyes reflecting no emotion. "Punches and kicks hurt...but they heal better than any broken heart." The sheep stopped twirling the curl and her hoof down the side of her snout. "Minnie told me that she believed him in the beginning when he used to tell her he'd come back for her...like she could take how he treated her if he would give a roof over her and Pep's head...but every time he wouldn't, a little piece of hope would disappear." Jezebel tried to smile, tried to show how little this affected her, but her chin quivered and her voice broke, "You understand?"
Reggie's features morphed from stoic to a guilty expression. "Sorry Jezz," he began, inching his chair closer to the herbivore, "I didn't mean to upset you."
"You're fine doll," muttered the sheep, "Just got my own thoughts with this, ya know?" She wiped a growing tear away with the back of her hoof.
"You can talk to me."
"It's just some skeletons in my closet, that's all." She smiled apologetically at the officer, "Do you know what my biggest regret is?" Reggie shook his head. The ewe sighed staccato, "I...uh...I hooked Saffron up with her first client." Jezebel laughed mirthlessly, "The Tiger I'm lesbian for, and I helped sell her to a red, four door sedan." Silence settled between the two again as the sheep smiled sadly. "I don't know how many times I've done that for girls," Jezz finally whispered, "...Did I do this to Mint? Ginger? I don't know...I just. Don't. Know."
The officer sighed and ran a paw over his head, "I can't help you with that."
Jezebel continued to smile and shrugged, "I ain't expecting you too...but I want to find this...'Daddy.'"
Reggie nodded, "Makes sense. Even if you ignore solicitation, there's still sexual assault and statutory rape...probably a few more when I get the full story. I'm going to need a description."
The sheep sighed, "Well...that's a problem."
The Weasel's brow rose, "No description?"
Jezebel shook her head, "He's a middle aged Ram with a white face and grey tufts of wool."
Reggie chuckled mirthlessly, "So half of the Meadowlands."
"Exactly, and I'm not even sure if he lives in Precinct Six."
The Weasel hummed in thought with pursed lips. He scratched his claws up and down his throat, "Is that why you came to me? Precinct One's pull...or is there another reason?"
Jezebel sighed with a tired smile, "If I'm gonna be honest, I don't think Beatrice can find this guy. Not that she isn't good! But...I talked to all the working girls I could, and none of them heard of this guy. Maybe I missed the one sheep he's honed in on, but I doubt that." She shook her head slowly, "It was a few months before you arrived that he visited Mint last. Don't ask me when cause that poor girl bury the exact date deep down. He just…" The ewe hesitated. She had more than enough experience to be able to judge what Joh's wanted, but this 'Daddy' fella sent off every warning she built. How to explain that was another matter.
"You think he disappeared," added the mustela, apparently catching on to the reason for her apprehension, "and that any investigation could drive this guy further underground." Jezebel nodded and Reggie smiled softly with an amused look. "I guess you're hoping the Weasel officer has some dirty connections?"
The ewe cringed, "Is that speciest? I feel like it is. I mean you acted like a criminal, so well I just assumed you knew some mammals!"
Reggie rocked his head back and forth, "It would be if you weren't right this time." He nodded, his smile turning into a smirk, "I'm also guessing this investigation has to be off the books?"
"It'd be nice..."
The Weasel nodded once more, "Ok...but, uh what you're giving me isn't much to go on. I could get lucky, and I'll do everything I can...but I can't guarantee that I'll find this guy either."
"Will you try?" Jezebel asked seriously, no teasing or joking in her features or her tone.
"Of course," responded Reggie honestly, "Like I said I'll do everything I can, and I mean it too."
The ewe smiled weakly, "That's all I want doll. Someone who'll try hard and do the best they can." Jezebel sighed and slid out of her chair. "Well it was nice catching up and all, but I gotta get home." She gave a quick wave to the Weasel, "See you around Ex." He simply waved back. The sheep walked to the door, but paused when her hoof grasped the doorknob. "I mean that," she started seriously, "I wanna see you around." She glanced over her shoulder with a sly smirk, "Maybe visit Helping Paws and give a paw helping."
Reggie chuckled quietly, "I'll think about it."
Jezebel sighed dramatically and shrugged her shoulders, "If that's the best I'll get from you, then ok."
"Hey Jezz?"
The sheep turned once more, door swinging open as she did.
A nervous expression shone on the officer's muzzle. He pointed a hesitant claw at the ewe, "Just, uh...stay safe."
Jezebel grinned and flicked her head side to side, "I always am." She spun and walked back out into the hallway, walking confident as always.
"So what's your name new girl?" asked Jezebel flippantly. She wasn't interested in the answer, but it was still too early to leave their shelter and Cherry was still fast asleep. The ewe had slept for a few hours and found the Tiger stirring as well.
"It's, um, Jasmine." whispered the new girl meekly.
The ewe snorted and rolled her eyes "No what's your street name?"
"Sorry?"
"Like what name did Rameo give you? I'm Jezebel, though of course that's not my real name. So what's yours?"
"Oh, um...Saffron I think."
The ewe nodded, "Pretty name for a cute cat." She couldn't see the feline's reaction, but the shifting of the Tiger underneath her told the pro she got the response she wanted. Jezebel grinned up at where she thought Saffron's head was, "You can't take a little flirting?"
"Um, well, it's a little uncomfortable for me."
The sheep snorted again and bleated out a laugh, "Well you're gonna have to get used to it. That's all this job is sometimes." She paused, smile plastered in place as she considered a thought that arose. Jezebel wasn't in the habit of helping other working girls, but this Tiger seemed so far out of her depth that she'd starve to death before getting her first client. The ewe shrugged, why not give a hoof?
"Ok Saff, I've decided. I'm gonna teach you everything I know!"
"Um...thanks?" the Tiger responded hesitantly.
Jezebel huffed, "You don't understand honey. You're about to get primo advice that'll make sure All your clients come back! Soon enough you'll get regulars and will be taken care of!"
"...Ok," whispered Saffron, "I-I guess I want that."
"Honey you do," pressed the ewe and nodding emphatically, "and my first lesson is rest up. The day's just begun and we gotta another long night. So sleep!" The sheep waited for some form of protest, but there were none as the feline let out a heavy sigh. Jezebel couldn't see still, but she felt the Tiger relax around her.
She laid her head back against the larger mammal and closed her eyes. The slow thump of Saffron's heart offering an unexpected comfort. The ewe could feel the slow rise of the Tiger's chest, and the must faster rises from the vixen. Jezebel felt comfortable for the first time in a long while. She wasn't sure why, but she felt safe. As the sheep felt sleep tugging her to join the other mammals example, she wondered if the security came from the feline's large arms. They still held the herbivore gently, almost lovingly. One last idea popped into the ewe's head, drowsy and fighting unsuccessfully against her exhaustion.
"Maybe I'll her teach more than flirting…"
Hello Readers
This chapter got out of hand quite quickly on me! I realized that I didn't give much info on Jezebel, yet pretty much everyone else got a chapter. So here's a little backstory, and some set-up for a future story as well. Let me know what you think!
-CG