A/N: …Hi. -waves sheepishly-
I know it's been a loooooong time since "Embrace It" has been updated, but there was a reason…writer's block :( So then I got inspired and wrote "Wilde Current", which actually helped a LOT with my writer's block, and I was able to work on this chapter fairly quickly. It also helps that I save scenes that I don't think work out, which is what a lot of this chapter turned out to be lol hindsight really is a catch 20/20, huh? Thank goodness for "Deleted Scenes"! XD
Moving forward, I have formed an allegiance with ADeadMissionary in the fight against the pirates. He is now my right-hand man and advisor. Currently, he is helping me work on another project, this one probably ranging in the three-chapter range, as it is a crossover. Those of you who follow me on DeviantArt might know what it will be about lol so the next chapter of "Embrace It" will be delayed.
Blame ADeadMissionary and Zanrok; I know I do (jk love you guys lol).
Also, this is a reminder that I do have a DA account, and since updates are not going to be like they used to, if you want to see how I'm doing, hit me up on DA. I update my status almost every day. From story-related stuff, to my everyday business (kinda lol). That way, you guys aren't left in the dark.
Okay, I'm done!
Enjoy ;) the beginning is wonderfully fluffy^^
~Star
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing, I tell ya, NOTHING! …ahem. Carry on.
Judy tried her best to conceal the giggle as she walked down the quiet hallway. She was in the lead, her paw firmly grasping Nick's as she led them to Nick's room. A part from the hospital's personnel, they were the only mammals roaming around this late in the evening, and she didn't want to wake anyone up. She bit her lip as another giggle threated to escape, coming out as a soft snort.
She couldn't help it, she was just so happy.
A soft chuckle came from Nick, and with a paw over her muzzle, she turned to look behind at him. The sight of savage emeralds sent a shiver down her spine, his emotions clear to read in them. Happiness. Love. Wonder. Joy. And so many more, amorous ones that left her blushing as they reached the tod's room.
Releasing his paw, she opened the door and held it open for him. The room was dark, the light from the hallway bathing him in shadow. However, his reflective eyes allowed her to meet his gaze, and she was practically beaming at him. "After you, Mr. Wilde."
Nick's paw came up to rest on the door above her head, holding the door for her as he leaned down a bit. He never took his eyes off of her, his gaze intense with pleased emotions. "I insist; after you, Mrs. Wilde."
The pleasure she felt at hearing those words was reflected in Nick's eyes, and now she really was beaming as she reached up and grabbed his tie. After the ceremonial kiss, she had decided to go the traditional way with her last name; taking her mate's last name as her own. It made her feel wanted, and she knew how much Nick loved that she was his; how it would tell all who heard it who she belonged to.
"If you insist." She said as she led him into the room. He came willingly, and when he closed the doors behind them and covered them in a blanket of darkness, a sort of giddiness welled up within her to near bursting limits. They were alone, and he was hers. All hers.
Judy was titling her chin upward at the same time she tugged firmly on Nick's tie, her chin rubbing over his cheek. Her scent exploded across his fur, the concentrated aroma of her mark causing a pleased growl to emit from her fox. Wanting her husband closer to her, she released his tie in favor of wrapping her arms around his neck as she marked her path from his cheek to the side of his neck.
Nick felt pleasure thrumming gently within at his mate's intimate gesture. Riding on instinct, he stooped down a bit to run his chin between her ears, his scent increasing in potency as his mark seeped into her fur. It filled him with intense satisfaction. So focus on marking her with his scent as he was, he did not notice his left arm wrapping around her back of its own according, nor did he notice his right paw reaching down to grab hold of her rear until he was hoisting her off the ground, her chest flush against his as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The little chirr of pleasure that came from her made him growl low in his throat as he held her closer.
It was dark in the room, but Nick could see everything as clear as day. Focusing in on the bed, he approached while keeping her close, his growl increasing in volume as Judy continued to mark him liberally. Reaching the edge of the bed, he crouched down low before he propelled himself in the air in a fluid motion, his mate secure in his arms, and landed gracefully on the bed. The primal fox then lowered them both on top of the sheets, positioning them so they were on their sides facing each other.
Realizing their current position, Judy stopped marking Nick as she felt her stomach twist into knots of nervousness, but was comforted by the fact that besides his paw on her rear, her fox made no further move on her person. If she were being honest with herself, she wouldn't have minded if he did; she was his, after all. However, the feel of his cast against her back was a reminder of the fact that her mate was still injured, and despite her conflicting desires—she wanted this, but she was nervous! 'Oh, what's a bunny to do?!'—she was okay with him putting his claim on her in this way, but she would not be outdone. So, in an entirely impulsive move, she moved her arms from around his neck and towards his tail. She then firmly groped his rear, eliciting a surprised yip from Nick as she nearly growled, "Mine."
Nick chuckled at that, hugging her closer to him as he started to mark her face and neck. "Yours." He agreed.
Satisfied, the couple came to a silent agreement to not take things any further, both mindful of the tod's still-healing wounds. Instead, they got more comfortable, Judy snuggling closer to Nick as he wrapped his arms and tail around her. Neither bothered with changing out of their clothes, not wanting to move from their spots. They didn't have pajamas there anyways.
In little to no time at all, Judy's breathing slowed and her body relaxed as she succumbed to sleep. It had been a long week for the ZPD's first bunny cop, and it was all catching up to her now that she knew her mate was safe. She drifted off into pleasant dreams, surrounded in the scent of Nick; her fox.
Nick remained awake as she fell asleep, enjoying the way she slowly relaxed in his hold. When he was sure she was asleep, only then did he allow himself to fall asleep, firm in the belief that for the moment, she was safe.
For the first time, they slept together as husband and wife; life mates.
~o.8.o~
Consciousness came to Judy like a sunrise; it peeked from the shadows of sleep, slowly lighting up the corners of her mind with beautiful rays of realization as the memories of the night before and who was currently wrapped possessively around her softly graced her mind with a content laziness. With a soft smile on her face, the doe buried her muzzle deeper into Nick's chest, taking in his scent. Musk, the scent of the earth after a good rain, and the distinct scent all foxes had with an undertone of violets.
The last time she had woken up like this, it had embarrassed and confused her to no end. Now, she wouldn't have it any other way. 'My fox.'
She laid there for a moment, simply taking in his scent as she settled into that state somewhere between awake and sleep. The feel of Nick's chest expanding with his every breath, the sound of his heart beating healthily, soothed the doe like nothing else. Having not opened her eyes yet, she didn't know what time it was, but based on her internal clock, she surmised that it was around seven in the morning.
Feeling herself slowly wake up more, she snuggled further into her fox, not wanting to face the world just yet. She sighed in content when Nick let out a faint purr at her actions. 'Just a little while longer…' The doe sleepily begged, content to stay where she was. She let out a soft giggle as her fox's breathing suddenly deepened before he let out a huge yawn.
"G'mornin'…" Nick mumbled as he curled his body tighter around her, nuzzling his snout into the fur of her neck.
"Good morning." Judy sighed softly, not minding if it was her mate that further woke her up. "I'm actually surprised your up."
"Mmmm." Nick hummed sleepily as he continued to breath in her scent. "You smell good, Carrots."
The grey bunny let out another giggle, her face and ears slightly warmer from the compliment. "You don't smell too bad yourself, Slick." And it was true—she'd never tire of his scent surrounding her. She felt herself blush further as he affectionately licked her shoulder. They stayed like that for a moment, content to never move from their little spot of happiness. Nick's purr increased in volume when one of Judy's legs began to lazily stroke up and down one of his.
Their moment was broken by an abrupt knock on the door. The suddenness of it caused Nick to swiftly raise his head as he took a protective stance over Judy in a single fluid movement, a warning growl leaving his bared teeth as he glared at the door.
"It's just me." Came the familiar, if bland, tone of Jack Savage. "I have a change of clothes for the both of you.
Feeling wholly embarrassed by his reaction, Nick sat on his hunches and rubbed a paw over his face. Beneath him, having not moved, Judy giggled. "You can come in." He called, glaring at his giggling mate.
The door opened, allowing Jack to enter. He paused with a paw on the door, his other holding a black backpack. He raised a brow at the two, taking in their positions. "Am I interrupting?"
"What?!" Judy sprung up into a sitting position, embarrassed. She spluttered. Her paws waving frantically as she tried to dissuade the buck of his assumptions. Behind her, Nick couldn't help but snicker at her state. Flustered, she turned to glare at him. "Tell him, Nick!"
"Why?" The tod rumbled as he leaned his muzzle closer to Judy's, savage eyes gazing intently into wide amethyst. "He is interrupting something."
Caught off guard, the doe could only manage a high pitched, "huh?"
Nose twitching slightly at the intimate, yet obviously teasing fox, Jack averted his gaze as white replaced red for a moment, causing him to frown. Mentally giving himself a shake, the stripped buck rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind him, walking further into the room. "Right. If you're done," he placed the backpack on the floor, "here are the clothes, curtesy of both your parents. Get changed. Your parents will be here soon, Hopps, and we're leaving with them. While they are "visiting" you, the car will pull around to the back, where the two of you will get in, before it pulls back up to the front to pick up your parents. No doubt someone will see us, so there will be some decoys coming into play to mix things up before we reach the city limits. Any questions?"
"Who will be coming with us to Bunny Burrow?" Judy asked, her embarrassment finally under control after she had shoved Nick's face away from her.
"Myself, Officer Purrow, Fangmeyer, and Crest." Jack answered. "They are the only officers that won't be too conspicuous, since they are endemic to the countryside. The rest will stay here to help catch Skippson."
"Jimmy's coming, huh?" Nick smiled, having settled himself behind Judy with his arms around her. He knew Jack wasn't interested, but a part of him need to let the buck know that Judy was his.
Jack nodded. "Get dressed." And with that, he left the couple to themselves, the door closing behind him.
"Well, let's get to it." Nick began as he went to slid out of the bed. Landing on his hind legs, he made his way over to the backpack, opening it before riffling through it. "I'll get changed in the bathroom, while you get changed out here." He then paused, testing out the flexibility of his newly hardened cast. Now that it was full dry, he didn't have to be careful with it, and found that that enabled him to dress himself. Satisfied, he gave himself a nod.
"We don't have to." Came the quiet, shy response of his mate. It made Nick pause once more and his ears perk in surprise. Slowly, he turned his head to gaze at Judy.
"What?" He breathed.
Judy wouldn't look at him as she tugged one of her ears over her face, the redness of her cheeks and ears obvious to him. "W-we're married now. I m-mean, we could look, right?"
Feeling his own body heat up with embarrassed eagerness, Nick slowly made his way to the bunny who refused to look at him. Leaning up against the side of the too large bed, he reached a paw out to take one of hers. When she finally looked at him, he gave her a soft smile even as his heart pounded in his own ears. "Okay. We'll just look."
Once Judy was no longer paralyzed by her embarrassment, the two went about changing clothes, stealing glances at each other as they went. It was tense, it was exciting, it was awkward as hell, and it pushed at Nick's control a bit, but it left the two feeling a bit closer than before. When they were finished, they could hardly look at the other as they blushed under their fur, but the secret smiles on their faces were telling.
The tod was dressed in a casual grey long-sleeve shirt, the thicker fur of his coming-in winter coat overflowing around the collar and adding a bit of bulk to his figure. Covering his legs were a pair of black jeans for better insulation than his slacks could provide. Beside him, Judy was dressed in a cadet green long-sleeved flannel shirt with a thinner white long-sleeve under it. Instead of her usual leggings, she wore a pair of grey jeans.
Nick cleared his throat of the growl that wanted to break free, the image of Judy in less than what she had on imprinted into his mind. A small part of him wanted to feel ashamed by the thoughts that accompanied the image—less than pure as they were—but a much larger part reminded him that she had offered, and that she was his.
Judy was having similar thoughts as she tugged nervously as the hem of her flannel shirt, glancing sporadically at her fox. She gave him a nervous smile when their eyes met. "R-ready?"
Plowing through the remainder of his embarrassment, Nick reached out and took one of her paws in his, intertwining their digits as he leaned down to give his bunny a chaste kiss on the mouth. Gleaming savage eyes gazed warmly at her. "Ready."
Beaming up at her fox, Judy opened the door as Nick picked up the backpack that now held their old clothes. They were greeted to the sight of Jack and Edward speaking in low tones to each other, catching Nick slightly off guard. He hadn't scented or heard his father's arrival.
'Must've been too distracted.' The tod thought as he glanced briefly at Judy, his focus returning to the two males before him. "Hey Dad. Jack."
"Nicholas." Edward said as he approached the two, giving them both a hug. He gazed worriedly at his son. "Mr. Savage here tells me your going somewhere?"
Nick nodded. "Since we're actively being targeted, it has been decided that we'll be moved to an undisclosed location until Skippson is caught." His ears drooped a bit. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. It was kinda tossed at me."
"It's fine." The older tod sighed before giving his son a loving smile. "Just be safe."
"We'll have a protective detail with us." Judy assured. "We'll be safe."
Edward nodded. "I'll try not to worry."
A sudden alert sounded, and the three mammals turned to see Jack glancing at his phone. "That's your parents arriving, Hopps." Turning to Edward, he nodded. "It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Wilde." He glanced at the couple. "Let's go."
"Bye, Dad." Nick said, giving his father another quick hug. "I'll see you soon. Love you."
"I love you, too." Edward returned the hug, giving his son a quick scent mark across the forehead, much to the tod's disgruntlement. "It eases my worries." He said, before giving Judy a hug as well.
"We'll be back before you know it!" She chirped.
"Tell them for us?" Nick asked, glancing at Brody's door. Edward nodded in understanding.
"I will."
With one more parting glance, the couple followed Jack to the emergency stairs. "Now, the hospital personnel know to ignore us, and have done a splendid job so far of keeping the fact that you're awake a secret, Wilde, but we still want to err on the side of caution." Jack said as he pushed the door for their size-class open. He held it open for the couple. "This stairwell leads directly to the back, where Fangmeyer and Crest are waiting. Officer Purrow is currently with your parents, Hopps, and is acting as their escort for the time being."
"How many know where we're really going?" Judy asked as the three mammals descended the stairs.
"Me, Frost, Adonis, the officers coming with us, Laufe, Spots, McPaw, Rawrson, Coffer, McHorn, and Clamper." Jack said as they reached the third floor. "Everyone else thinks we're headed straight for Periton."
"Why so little agents?" Nick asked, curious about the imbalance of those in-the-know.
Jack frowned. "The leak was caused by an agent. While I'm almost certain as to who the leak was, a good mammal doesn't rule out other avenues right off the bat. For all we know, it could have been one of the agents here that are the leak."
"And if this information gets out again, you have a smaller list of suspects." Judy finished. Jack nodded in agreement.
"Let's hope the mammals told are mammals we can trust." Nick said in a flippant tone that didn't betray the apprehension he felt. After all, Jack may not trust his agents, but there were few officers Nick trusted at the moment.
Judy glanced at Nick briefly, a frown on her muzzle. 'There was something in the way he said that just now…'
Noticing her look, Nick merely winked at her. Her frown only increased, but she let it slide as the trio reached the ground floor, and subsequently, the back entrance.
Another alert sounded from Jack's phone, and the buck looked at it with a pleased expression. "Right on time." He said as he sent a quick message before focusing on the two. "The quicker we get in the vehicle, the less chance we have of getting discovered." At their nod, he opened the door to a black wolf-sized sedan waiting for them, its back door already open for them. In seconds, they were in the van, the door closing behind them.
"Good to see you up and about, Wilde." Fangmeyer called from his spot in the front, his eyes resting on the fox through the review mirror as he guided the car back towards the front. "You, too, Hopps."
"Thanks, Ralph." Judy chirped. "Hi, Sandra." She greeted the mountain lioness, having never really gotten too close to the feline.
"Hey, cutie." Sandra grinned from the passenger seat as she watched the three mammals get situated.
Judy's ears wilted a bit. "Oo, Sandra, can you please not call me cute?"
The feline frowned. "Why? It's true." She had been trying to get on some sort of common ground with the rabbit, having never really gotten to know the ZPD's most determined officer. It was something she was trying to rectify, especially since they'd be spending a lot of time together.
The doe faltered slightly at the genuine confusion in Crest's voice. "Um—"
"Don't worry about it, Fluff." Nick interjected, amused. "She's just trying to be nice." He then turned to the confused lioness. "Calling a rabbit cute is demeaning to them, and they get weird about it. It's like calling a fox a trickster, or a feline like yourself a pussy cat. Adorable, however, is allowed."
"Nick!" Judy hissed in admonition. However, Sandra seemed to get the point as understanding crossed her features.
"I see. Sorry about that, Hopps. I didn't know." Sandra said, a contrite expression on her face.
"It's okay." Judy assured the feline.
The sedan came to a stop in front of the hospital, and the couple were actually surprised by the number of press surrounding it.
"Were they here when you arrived, Jack?" Judy asked as she gazed at the mass of reporters taking photos of the tinted sedan's windows.
The buck glanced at her. "Yup. They all want to be the first to get the scoop of Wilde waking up. We'll actually intentionally leak it to the press that you're awake as soon as your parents get in the car."
Beside her, Nick sighed dramatically. "The cost of being famous. What is a mammal to do?"
"Oh, shut it." Judy giggled as she gave her mate a slight shove, one he returned by sticking out his tongue at her.
Judy's ears then perked as three familiar mammals walked through the sliding doors and into the parking lot. "Here come Jimmy and my parents."
"The two of you should hop back into the trunk so no one sees you." Fangmeyer suggested, and then gave a slight smirk. "No pun intended."
"Come on, hop to it." Nick teased, much to his mate's ire. They vanished to the trunk just as Jimmy opened the doors to allow the new arrivals in, letting the mammals inside hear what the reporters were all clamoring about.
"…views on your daughter's engagement?"
"Do you fear for her safety?"
"Will Officer Wilde ever wake up? Or is he just a vegetable at this point?"
Judy stifled a giggle at her mate's expression at that one, the fox looking genuinely insulted at being compared to a vegetable.
"I'll have you know," the tod began when everyone was in and the doors were closed, "that I am no vegetable!"
"Nick!" Jimmy called, a grin on his muzzle. "What are you doing back there?"
"It was the wolf's idea." Nick said. He then took hold of Judy, much to her surprise, and leaped gracefully into the backseat.
The ocelot shook his head, never unimpressed with how fluid the fox's movements could be.
"Put me down, Nick." Judy complained, embarrassed.
Nick did as request, his smirk teasing even as his ears were burning. His paws may or may not have settled on some choice areas by accident, and it was reminding him that he had seen what was under all that clothing. It made him feel embarrassed, though it was hidden by his red fur, but also needy. Possessive. To avoid making a scene, the tod settled for seating Judy in his lap, his arms firmly around her.
"Nick." She hissed, but ultimately clamed up when he merely licked her head fur affectionately.
Jack tapped away on his phone for a moment before putting it away. "Alright. Just notified Adonis that we are leaving the hospital. We'll get something to eat on the way, and then it'll be a long drive to Bunny Burrow."
"Oh, that reminds me, Nick." Bonnie started as she turned to the tod wrapped protectively around her daughter. She didn't understand it, and a part of her was even a bit afraid of it, but the embarrassed happiness on Judy's face quelled her fears for the most part, and brought a smile to her face. "Did you know that Judy wrote her own play when she was a kit?"
Nick smirked deviously as Judy groaned in embarrassment. "No, Mrs. H, I did not. Please, do tell."
~o.8.o~
"Thank you again, both of you, for doing this all last minute." Adonis said to the four mammals before him.
"It is not a problem, Chief Bogo." Terri Climber said with a smile. Dressed in a long-sleeved blue blouse and white skirt, the middle-aged koala bear glanced at her husband, who smiled at her. "It is the least we could do for Officer Wilde. Fortunately, it's the weekend."
"Yes, and the kits are excited about being on TV." Jessica Wilde said with a tired smile.
A snort came from the shortest of the four. "You damn lucky I was off today, coppa." Finnick glared at the cape buffalo. "My boss is not an understanding mammal. Gots a stick up his ass the size of one of your arms."
"Fin!" Jessica chastised, uncertain how to feel about the small fox accompanying her. Edward had first volunteered, but that would have left her Brody alone. It was then that the fennec had arrived, intent on visiting Nick, only to find that the tod wasn't there, but on his way somewhere to go into hiding. After cursing the red tod to the deepest pits of hell, he had then volunteered himself to go with her so Edward could watch Brody. While she was grateful, she didn't know the small tod as well as her mate.
"Yeah, yeah." Finnick groused. "No cursing in front of the kits. Won't happen again." He then crossed his arms and glared at the ground, grumbling about "stupid reds" and "owes me big time".
Bogo did his best to hide his amusement, and welcomed the distraction that came in the form of one of the staff. Currently, the five mammals were at the ZNN news station, preparing for the live interviews of the four offspring that had not shown fear of Wilde in either his civil or savage state. While ZNN had a good reputation of going by the script, Adonis was there to make sure it stayed that way, especially since kits were involved.
"Okay." The male skunk smiled up at the adults. "The chief here has already prescreened the questions and approved them, but as per our contract, these are the questions we plan on asking your offspring…" They spent a few minutes going over the questions, the parents having no qualms over them, appreciating how easy they would be for their offspring to understand and answer, and how they would show Nick in a good light. They were all hopeful that this would help change the public's opinion of the tod.
"Alright, everyone! Caitlyn's Corner is about to begin soon!" Another crew member called out. "Places!"
Caitlyn Knuts, a red squirrel dressed in a grey dress suit, took her seat across the way from her four interviewees. She had spent the past ten minutes getting to know the four offspring and getting them comfortable with her, and had been pleasantly surprised by how well-mannered they were, especially the fox kits. She wasn't one to give into stereotypes, being a squirrel and a mammal subject to them herself, but even she had a less than positive opinion of foxes. It was just the status quo.
'I guess this is what this whole thing has been about.' She thought to herself as she smiled at the camera. 'Destroying stereotypes.'
"Welcome to Caitlyn's Corner! I'm Caitlyn, and today we'll be talking a bit about the hottest topic to date; Officer Nicholas Wilde. There are many speculations involving this specific officer; including his "primal" condition mentioned by acclaimed physician and biologist, Dr. Viktor Vandyke, as well as the controversy surrounding his current engagement to fellow officer, Judy Hopps. However, today is all about how his condition makes us feel. While I haven't personally met Officer Wilde, many have claimed that he makes them either uncomfortable, or downright fearful. What many of us don't know, is that he makes a few of our citizens feel safe. That's right, you heard me; safe. Specifically, offspring." Turning away from the camera, the red squirrel focused on the four offspring, her tone softening. "With me today are a few of such offspring that have come in contact with Officer Wilde while he has had his condition, whether it be in his "savage" or "civil" states, as many are calling them. Their names are Derrick Climber, and Emory, Vivian, and Deverin Wilde. Derrick, since you're the oldest, we'll start with you, if that's alright?"
The dingo teen, dressed in a pair of jeans and a green long-sleeved V-neck, nodded hesitantly.
Caitlyn smiled reassuringly at the shy predator. "We'll start off with how old you are and your relationship with Officer Wilde."
"Well, I'm fifteen, and…" Derrick took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "And I know Officer Wilde because he helped me after I woke up from being hit with the serum."
Off to the side, Daniel Climber wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her close to him as they watched their son.
"It must have been so scary." Caitlyn said with sympathy.
"It was." Derrick admitted softly. "I didn't remember a thing, but it didn't matter, because I could smell…what I did to my mom on my claws." His voice wobbled a bit as he averted his gaze.
Internally, the squirrel became worried. "We can stop, if you want."
The dingo shook his head. "No, it's okay. Continue."
Caitlyn looked towards his parents, who nodded, before nodding herself and moving forward with the questions. "Alright, then. Going back to what you said; how did Officer Wilde help you after that ordeal?"
Derrick didn't look at the reporter as he spoke, choosing instead to look at his claws. "He…he assured me that it wasn't my fault. That he understood what it was like to be hit by the serum. That my mom would…still love me" The dingo wiped at his eyes with a sniffle. "It helped a lot to have someone that understood. Like, really understood."
The studio was quiet as the interview progressed, none of them getting such first-hand experiences from the victims of the serum; many of them refusing to talk about it.
"And how did he make you feel?" Caitlyn pressed gently, getting to the root of the matter. "As stated earlier, many mammals claim that he makes them feel either very uncomfortable, or fearful of the tod."
"I felt safe." Derrick said without hesitation as he looked up to the squirrel, his eyes honest. "I felt like everything was going to be okay. It was odd, because I only feel that way around my parents, and I had just met Officer Wilde, but at the time…I was grateful he was there."
"Thank you, Derrick." The squirrel said as she got up from her seat and made her way over to the dingo. She patted his foot, blocking her microphone. "You were very brave."
Embarrassed, Derrick nodded at the squirrel.
Smiling, Caitlyn made her way back to her chair, focusing now on the three kits that had been silent and well-behaved as the dingo spoke. They had been given the rundown on what would happen, and had waited patiently for their turn. Taking her seat, she smiled at the camera. "Now, we will interview some mammals much closer to Officer Wilde." She turned to the kits. "Hello, sweeties. Why don't you tell everyone your names and your ages for me?"
"I'm Deverin, the oldest!" The dark red kit pipped up.
"I'm Vivian, and this is Emory, the baby!" The little vixen giggled as she hugged the lighter red tod.
"I'm not the baby!" Emory protested. "We're all seven!"
"But you were the last born, correct?" Caitlyn asked with a smile, amused by their antics, as were the rest of the mammals in the studio. Emory folded his arms and grumbled, choosing not to answer. Deciding not to tease the little tod any further, she moved on with the questioning. "What is your relationship with Officer Wilde?"
"He's our uncle." Deverin said proudly, making Jessica smile as she watched them from the sidelines.
Knowing that recent events would make this very sensitive for the kits, they had all agreed to go straight to the meat of the questions in regards to their uncle. "How does he make you feel?"
"He made me feel sad." Vivian said softly, catching everyone off-guard.
"S-sad?" Caitlyn asked, shocked.
Vivian nodded as her brothers watched her. She lifted a paw to her chest. "When I first met him, he made my heart hurt because he was so sad. I remember."
"You were sad, because he was?" The squirrel asked, slightly confused. The little vixen nodded her head. "Did you two feel the same?" Caitlyn asked the two little tods, her eyes still wide. To the side, Jessica had a paw over her mouth.
The boys shook their heads. "No, we didn't meet Uncle Nick when Viv did." Deverin said. "Daddy told us to stay in the car, but she didn't listen. When we met him, he was happy."
"That's right!" Vivian chirped, her ears perked up as she smiled. "He was happy the next time I saw him." Her happy expression suddenly became sad, as did the other kits, and they started to sniffle.
"What? What's wrong?" Caitlyn asked, slightly panicked. 'I wasn't supposed to make them cry!'
"T-that's when Papa got hurt." Vivan said as she rubbed at her eyes.
"But Uncle Nick pro…protected him." Emory said slowly as he sounded out the word.
"And Aunt Judy kept us safe." Deverin added with a sniffle. "It was so scary."
Caitlyn glanced at her producer, who nodded with a grim expression, and took a deep breath. "W-were you scared of your uncle?"
All three kits frowned, Emory giving a slight hiccup.
"Why do people keep asking that?" Emory asked. "Uncle Nick isn't scary."
"He kept us safe." Deverin insisted. "He hugged us and kept the mean mammals away."
"C-can we go see Papa now?" Vivian asked with a sniffle.
Caitlyn felt tears prick at her eyes and blinked rapidly. "Of course, sweeties. Your mom will take you to him." Forcing a smile, she turned to the camera. "From the mouth of babes, you heard firsthand how offspring see Officer Wilde. Not as a threat, or a mammal to fear, but as a safe haven—someone who'll protect them. At one o'clock today, there will be another segment covering exactly why that may be, and…"
~o.8.o~
Wolfgang did his best not to growl at the Councilmammal that had just spoken, unable—or not wanting—to comprehend what the stupid moose bull had just said. Instead, the black wolf slowly brought a paw to his snout, closed his eyes, and spoke in a soft, yet firm tone.
"Get out."
"What?" Councilmammal Craig Stagson blinked in surprise, not at all expecting that reaction to his, what he deemed, brilliant idea.
Demetri could not stop the snarl from entering his voice when he spoke again. "Before I have you arrested for attempting to violate a mammal's rights and treating them as a savage, get. Out."
"B-but he is a savage!" Stagson argued.
Demetri opened his eyes and glared at the Councilmammal. "Has he killed anyone?"
The moose bull stuttered. "W-well, no, bu—"
"When he was shot twice by the Nighthowler serum, surrounded by actual savage mammals, protecting his brother, offspring, and his mate—who is a prey mammal, if you don't already know—even in that state, did. He. Kill. Anyone?" Demetri asked in a deadly tone as he himself stood up, his gaze hard on Stagson.
The moose bull looked away, humiliated. "N-no."
"Now get out." The wolf commanded. This time, the Councilmammal did so without another protest. Wolfgang surveyed the rest of the room as an uneasy silence settled over it. "Anyone else want to suggest another abhorrent idea of "taming" Nicholas Wilde?" When no one said anything, or dared to look at him, the wolf nodded. "This meeting is over."
Turning his back on the room as the rest of the council filtered out, amber eyes seemed to age a decade as they gazed out to the unique city that was Zootopia.
"Mayor Wolfgang?" Came a soft inquiry from a feminine voice, and Demetri's ear flicked in its direction, his gaze never wavering from the view before him.
"Yes, Councilmammal Briggs?" The wolf said in a polite tone.
Councilmammal Katiana Briggs, a pretty red deer doe, joined the mayor as he watched the city in the early morning. Glancing at the profile of the wolf, she returned her gaze to the city as she spoke. "I just wanted to let you know that not every prey Council Member shares the views of Stagson."
Demetri let out a long, tired breath, before he turned his gaze to the deer beside him. His eyes were filled with worry, stress, and a bit of fear. "I am aware, thank you. But the fact that even one of the mammals in power has made such a suggestion, worries me greatly; all it takes is one." He averted his gaze back to the city. "To even think to use Bellewether's atrocious collar idea on him could spell trouble for the whole city—not just Wilde."
That's a wrap! Yeah, I went there lol
We are getting close guys! I can't tell you how many chapters that are left, because much like Bogo's plans regarding Nick and Judy, my plans never go the way I plan them to. Just know that we are close, and I'm so excited!
I also want to give another shout out! Yay! This time, it's going to be for DrekkDeina's "Dusted (A Zootopia Story)". Oh, my goodness, guys. This story. I have fallen in love with it; it's so awesome! DrekkDeina has a way of putting Easter Eggs in his story, much like Disney does, and are really fun to find lol as well as weaving a fantastic tale. I love it. You'll love it. Check it out, 'kay? ;)
Also, I forget if I've done this, but check out ADeadMissionary's other stories: "Savage", and then its sequel, "Evolved"(on hiatus). These are both pretty dark, but freaking awesome in my opinion. I don't know if there is romance in any of these stories, but I like to think there is and that it's just hidden by all the action and suspense, but that's the sappy romantic in me speaking. Regardless, these are great reads. I HIGHLY suggest them. Like hardcore.
One more thing: Something happened on April 24th that hit close to home; Russia's ban and labeling of Jehovah's Witnesses as an "extremist" group, meaning that we're on the same level as ISIS and the Nazis. And I say "we", because I am also one of Jehovah's Witnesses. That means some 177.000 people could go to jail for talking about the Bible. It's like being under Soviet Russia all over again :( I just wanted to share this with you all, even though I know it will turn some of you away, because it's unjust what is happening and it was part of why "Embrace It" took a while. And also because you guys mean a lot to me, and I wanted to let you know what I'm going through, because this means a lot to me.
And that's it for now! Leave a review if you're able to, I love reading them! And thanks for reading!
Until next time!
Ja ne!
~Star
~o.8.o~
Answers to Your Questions and Review
D3ath0ps: Thanks! I'm glad you liked Silvano's characterization^^ My Momma passed on her love of the mafia to me, and I'm glad I was able to make him the caring, yet ruthless mammal that he is.
BCRE8TVE: First off, what does your Pen name stand for? Just curious lol Second, thank you so much! In the past, my stories have gotten way out of hand before, and I've deviated spatacularily from the plot line. However, I'm pleased that I've managed to stick to the plot line of this story so far, and I don't plan on deviating from it anytime soon. I'm glad my efforts weren't wasted^^ I'm also glad you feel bad for Erica, as that was my aim! :)
N.J.W.H (Guest): Yay! Punctuation! Lol XD you are great! I like Jimmy, too. He's such a sweetheart. I'm glad I decided not to kill him off lol…or have I? -maniacal laughter ensues-
WildeHoppsfan30 (Guest): You don't remember Bogo revealing that Nick had been attacked during his time at the Academy? Or Jimmy reminiscing about how he had been there for Nick for three of the beatings, and how he'd reported them to Chief Bogo? O.O
Story. Writer. 2015: Ah, my bad^^' lol yes, I am happy for Ralph and Sofia, too! And even though I don't know any cops personally, I know it must be hard ot have any type of relationship because of their duties to the community. I feel like only another cop would understand, and even then it can be tough. Oh, there most definitely will be a big event lol what it will be, we'll just have to wait and see ;)
wolfbandit (Guest): -laughs hysterically before grinning mischievously- …just wait and see. On another note, I think I've been hanging out with the pirates too much… (If you don't get it, read Derailment by Zanrok ;) totally worth your time lol)
Guest (Guest): Yes, that video is going to be released. I think it's in this chapter; idk. Haven't started writing yet while I'm asnswering these lol if it is, then you know what has happened. If not, you'll see^^
Unlucky Alis: I'm not sure how I do it, but I'm glad you like Marlena^^ I strong bull's gotta have a strong cow backing him up! I'm also glad you liked Silvano in this chapter! My Mom passed her love for the mafia to me, and I'm glad I was able to portray him as the caring, ruthless mammal his is. I like Nicky's protectiveness, too :3
alexicia the light of destiny: Don't you remember that Nick got attacked during the Academy? I could have sworn it was mentioned at least two times in this story so far.
Thomas Linquist: Yes, Erica should give up. It would be the best course of action for her; both the smartest and the safest. However, she also has schizophrenia… I don't know if she'll be in the best state of mind to make such decisions. Especially when she's not taken her meds -shakes my head- the poor dear. I'm tossing the idea around of them having a ceremony lol we'll see. And yes, that is usually how the Italian mafia works, from my udnersanding, but I'm making Mr. Big a bit more caring when it comes to those who are under his employment, as well as those who he considers family.
Mistress DragonFlame: Thanks lol I came up with it when I was drawing the cover image to "Primal Instincts". It just made sense for their to be a button to go around the tail of pants and dresses. I imagine it would have been a pain otherwise to get the tails through the holes lol
RadiantLife2: Yes, the tapestry, as you poetically put it, is almost complete. I'm actually really excited about it, as it will allow me to work on the sequel and side stories -cough- oops, did I say that? ;)
Zanrok: Shh, don't give it away! I'm saving that for when they get to Bunny Burrow! ;)
Metatron85: Awww! Thank you so much! I'm glad you love Nick's family! They were an unplanned addition to the story, but I'm glad I added them! Personally, Vivian is my favorite because she's an adorable silver fox! There are hardly any stories with those in there.
ebolson: And the Defense could argue that that is a discrimination against those with mental disabilities, Judy's ties with the mafia would be revealed to the public, and then they could question the validity of Judy's actions this entire time, which could then lead up to them questioning Bellewether's trial. It just a huge snowball effect that EVERYONE wants to avoid. The legal system is built up in a way that everyone is "innocent until proven guilty". It is just not worth the risk.
toseethemfly (Guest): Wow! Thank you for such a long review! Your kind words are very much appreciated^^ in regards to what you said about mental disorders; I know. I'm very much aware that for the most part, popular mental disorders are painted in a bad light, especially in cop shows. I know that those are the exceptions, and not the majority. I myself have slight OCD, and have seen in a few shows where the killer kills because of OCD. Does that make me a potential killer? No, it doesn't. And yes, it's cliché, but I've also said this before: Twily and Erica's situation is fantastical. It is largely based on Schizophrenia and Dissociative Identity Disorder, but their interactions with each other are highly UNrealistic, and are for story purposes only. I know having a mental disorder doesn't make a person bad—some of the greatest people in the world have at least one—it just makes us different. I'm sorry if my use of those two disorders have offended anyone, but it fits the story, and I'm not changing it.
SrCheese: No lol you are not a bad person for laughing at how Nick hurt himself. It was kinda funny lol they are always getting interrupted, huh? :p Yes, the chief cares a lot. He'd have to in order to be good at what he does. Also, thank you for your PM for "Wilde Current"^^ the feedback was very much appreciated. You are definitely a huge teddy bear lol
Croissant Guest (Guest): Is everyone forgetting the fact that Nick got jumped repeatedly during his time in the Academy by many of the cadets?
Enderdragon4303: I used to try to update weekly, but the creative juices have slowed a bit, and a thing called "real life" keeps getting in the way in the way in the form of sickness and other stuff, so now I just update when I can. I'm glad you like it, though!^^
Fireflame159: What OOC things? I mean, emotions WERE running pretty high in the previous chapter, so they are bound to act a little out of the norm.
Be-wildery: Yes, his name is Michael, and as should be explained in this chapter, he is a cop of precinct six from the same graduating class as Nick.
StoryCrusader: -rubs my hands together and chuckle evily at the computer screen-
Wayne 54321: Nope! This story will not die. It may take a while to update, but I am determined to see this story to its end!
Beetdabrat: Soooo…I had my brother read your review, as I have only HEARD of Undertale and haven't actually played like he has, so I was surprised when he started laughing. He then explained it to me, and I giggled. It seems there are a lot of game references in my story that I am ignorant of and they are all unintentional lol "After reading your review, Starfang is filled with determination!" XD
Jknight97: Just keep reading… ;)
jtramiel318: I want to say "Just keep reading", but I'll answer you flat out lol no, I will not. However, that does not mean all her siblings will like Nick. Now, I will say it. Just keep reading :)
DoctorXDerby (Guest): Thank you! Of course I will! Life's getting a bit hectic, but this story WILL be finished!
Kellen (Guest): Yes, this story is still going lol Sometimes, idk if that is a good or bad thing T-T lol
Koare-san: Thanks^^
Stubat: Thank you so much for your kind words^^ I'm flattered that you tried to marathon my story lol and impressed! I've done it many times before lol and it is NOT easy. Kudos to you! And it is fortunate that you are only being allowed into my world in short spurts; my mind is a crazy place, you don't want to be in it for too long! XD lol but seriously, thank you :) and I hope you continue to enjoy my work! :D