ZNHM: A reminder to all patrons that the Natural History Museum remains closed to the public at this time. Please do not approach the premises.
 ZNHM: Instead, feel free to peruse our digital collections via our website. Did you know? No ancient animal, no matter how large or powerful, was capable of withstanding an assault from unified pack tactics.

Clawhauser was outmatched.

There was nothing more he could do. Certainly no way for him to stop Tai Lung by himself. He was outmatched, and had been from the start. So it was time to end things.

He met Tai Lung in Zootopia's central square. Clawhauser was all too aware of the civilians in the area, watching him from a distance. ZPD uniforms had become rare. Their eyes wouldn't leave him.

Tai Lung had claimed Precinct One, and strode down the steps as though he owned it. In a very real way, he did. He looked solid as ever, his fancy coat billowing in the winter wind. Clawhauser couldn't match him. His uniform was stained, a little torn in places, and his hands were only kept warm by his compulsive fidgeting with his tail.

Tai Lung drew close, bearing one of those terrible grins. "Hello again, little man!"

"Hi."

"I got your message. Finally seen reason, eh?"

"Yeah." His voice was quiet. "I'll tell you where the mayor is."

"Well," said Tai Lung, "don't leave me waiting."

City Hall towered over this square, its dignified white curves marred by the damage to its highest floor. It had seen nonstop surveillance through the past twenty-four hours.

Clawhauser did not point to City Hall. Instead, he indicated the ornate but much shorter building in its shadow.

"You're kidding." Tai Lung's lip curled. "The museum?"

"Yeah."

"It always comes back to that bloody museum…"

He saw a dark memory pass through Tai Lung's eyes, but it was quickly shaken off. The goal was in sight.

"She's in there." Clawhauser cringed. "Her… whole family is."

"Marvellous."

Tai Lung produced a small device from an inner pocket, then spoke into it.

"Form a perimeter around the Museum of Natural History. Ensure no-one escapes."

After a moment, Clawhauser heard a mechanical roar as robots took off from the precinct roof, following Tai Lung's instructions. Most of the nearby civilians immediately left, but curiosity got the better of others. The drones weren't violent. Yet.

"Useful thing," noted Tai Lung, returning the device to his pocket. "Saves me from learning to speak robot." He fixed Clawhauser with a look. "Well? Why are you still here?"

"Oh, I…" He sighed. "I just - I could go with you. If that's okay."

Tai Lung paused. Then he burst out laughing, slapping Clawhauser on the shoulder. "Well! Fine with me. I'm going to need someone to handle the paperwork, it may as well be you."

Without another word, he strode for the museum. Clawhauser struggled to keep pace.

"Was she in here the whole time?"

"I th-think so. The chief brought her there right after the attack, and then he had an armoured car drive very quickly away so it looked like she left? But she didn't…"

The leopard grunted. "Not bad. Especially for something so sudden." His grin was unstoppable. "But here we are at last."

His smile wobbled, though, as he pushed the front doors open. He had vague, sickly memories of this lobby, these walls, the exhibit built into the floor. An undignified and embarrassing night. He made himself focus on the present. This would only take a moment. Now he was here, nothing could stop him.

He almost stepped on the tiny fox.

Tai Lung blinked, caught off guard. A fennec fox with a black uniform and blacker shades was looking up at him. Arms folded. Resolute.

"Get out," he rumbled.

"Come again?"

"We're closed," said Finnick. "Leave and lock the door behind you. Thanks."

Tai Lung laughed richly. "And what are you going to do if I don't?" He hunkered down, letting his fangs flash. "I own this city. And more importantly, I have more muscle in one foot than you have in your entire body. What can one tiny little mammal possibly do to me?"

Finnick lowered his sunglasses, slowly, and looked up at him. "Why would I be here by myself?"

"Wh-"

With a feral shriek, something very dense landed on Tai Lung and bit his neck.

He roared, thrashing, but the honey badger had a firm grip on his shoulders, claws cutting into his exposed chest. And when she had dropped from the floor above, she had brought a baseball bat with her. It had left her grip and entered Finnick's and was now cracking repeatedly against Tai Lung's knee.

"Agh!" As he tried dislodging Honey, Tai Lung locked eyes with Clawhauser, hovering by the door. "You! Is this some pathetic trap?!"

"That guy works here!" said Clawhauser, referring to the fox mercilessly beating Tai Lung's legs. "He's just doing his job!"

"Then I'll do mine!"

He finally got a firm grip on Honey and threw her straight into a stone pillar. She was scrabbling around to charge at him again before she fully hit the ground. Tai Lung roared, reasserting his control. His hand flashed out and grabbed the bat before it struck him again. He pulled, easily taking Finnick with it, and closed a huge hand around him.

"You're going to regret-"

Honey moved in with a fast, brutal tackle, and wrapped around his knee, still raw. With a shameless and frankly terrifying enthusiasm, she bit him. Hard.

Tai Lung cried out, both hands flexing involuntarily. Finnick landed heavily on the polished floor, out of breath. He didn't have time to retreat before Tai Lung's free foot came for him. The kick was made a lot weaker from the pain, but it was still enough to punt Finnick's puny body some distance. Clawhauser watched him go.

Both fists balled, Tai Lung took a deep breath through his nose, then turned his attention to the badger savaging his leg. He hesitated - there was an obvious way this could backfire very badly - but then he jabbed two fingers into her back.

At first nothing happened, Honey still growling and gnawing on him, and with a note of panic he tried thrice more. Suddenly, it kicked in, and she seized up. Without her teeth in his flesh, mercifully.

Tai Lung reclaimed his leg, leaving the paralysed badger where she lay. He tested his weight on it, but he could still stand. It was nothing. He had barely been delayed.

That didn't stop him turning to Clawhauser. His eyes cold, golden venom.

"Little man."

He walked over slowly, and absolutely did not limp.

"This feels like a sad attempt at a trap, little man."

Clawhauser shook his head. A lot.

"You wouldn't do that, would you? Because you know that if you tried anything clever, I would turn you inside-out."

Clawhauser nodded. A lot.

Tai Lung stood there for a moment, towering over him. And just when it felt like he was going to drop the issue, his paw closed around Clawhauser's neck.

"I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt," he said, even as his eyes burned. "I'm going to let you keep tagging along." He raised one fist, great and terrible, into the air. Ready. "But either way, because I am just a touch upset by this, and its potential implications, I am going to take a moment to-"

A net, shot from across the room, wrapped loosely around his face.

Clawhauser saw his expression through the net. More unimpressed than angry. Calmly, he removed it with his free hand.

"Hey!"

Standing above them, in the middle of the museum's mezzanine, stood Wolford. He loaded a fresh net into the thin blue cannon in his hands.

"Remember me now?"

Tai Lung glared. "No!"

He released Clawhauser, without ceremony, and stalked forward. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. Unsheathed his claws.

"You think a pathetic thing like that is going to stop me?"

"I think I can slow you down."

"Well," said Tai Lung, "you can't."

As sudden as his shout, he moved, breaking into a sprint and leaping up. Wolford stood at the furthest point between the two staircases leading upwards, and if he thought that would buy him time, he was wrong. With his claws and muscles and sheer anger, Tai Lung was able to leap up straight at him.

But Wolford was also standing between two pillars. And as he threw himself back, dodging Tai Lung's sweeping claws, two wolves pounced from behind them.

They moved in synchrony. And they had been watching Tai Lung since he entered. Knew exactly what to target. The dark one went low, right for his injured knee, while the white one leapt up to where Honey had bitten his neck. And with perfect timing, they both stabbed a taser into Tai Lung's wounds.

He felt that.

He roared, and before the charge even stopped he was fighting to get them off. But they pulled away by themselves - just in time for Wolford to fire another net into the leopard's face.

The impact was much more forceful at point-blank range, and Tai Lung stumbled back. He hit the railing and kept going. And seconds later, he hit the cold marble floor below.

After a moment, three lupine heads poked over the railing - first Gary, then Larry, then Max. They watched Tai Lung lie there. And then Gary grinned.

"We did it!"

Instantly, Tai Lung's eyes snapped open, burning with rage.

"Awh."

"You jinxed it, man," said Wolford.

Larry shook his head. "It was never going to be that easy. Good start, but we need more."

Wolford calmly loaded a fresh net. "Either of you care to do the honours?"

Larry gave his partner a smile. He returned it.

Then he threw his head back and howled.

It echoed beautifully against the museum's proud marble. Larry joined, and then, so did Wolford. Clawhauser had never heard him howl before. He was a quiet animal, even during high-spirited moments at the precinct.

But this wasn't the precinct. That building was useless, at least for now. This was the museum. A symbol of all that had come before. And as the howl grew and grew, floating around Clawhauser, around a wild-eyed Tai Lung, it became clear this veritable public institution was absolutely packed with wolves.

They crept from behind pillars, from out of side rooms. Long snouts appeared from the railings on the higher floors. It was an extremely impressive showing for such a last-minute assembly. But wolves are intensely social creatures. They value their bonds. And their home.

Tai Lung took them in. Their makeshift or borrowed weapons, their utter lack of a uniform. "Is this the best you can do?"

Gary's smile didn't dent. "Lotta veterans of Leo Lionheart's operation, here."

"And Wolf O'Donnell's mercenary packs, plural," added Larry. "And a few friends, a few cousins… and then everyone else's friends and cousins…"

The leopard scoffed. "Untrained civilians. Hardly a threat."

"Wouldn't write 'em off, pal."

A deep voice, slightly breathless. Tai Lung looked down to see Finnick striding back up. Bat still in hand.

"We're a museum. We're used to relying on, heh, community support. 'Sides…"

Tai Lung took a second look. More mammals had begun to join the throng. Black and red uniforms, like Finnick's. The museum's security, which was a much more effective force compared to - because of - Tai Lung's first visit. Intimidating mammals of various descriptions. And there, in the back - blue uniforms, too. Pretty unimpressive specimens, frankly. Nervous, or lanky, or chubby. Like the cheetah. He realized that's exactly who they were. The other officers deemed unfit and useless. Here amid the crowd.

Finnick rested his bat in his paw. "We give back as good as we take."

There was silence for a few moments. A loose coalition of mammals, ready to protect their city.

Then Tai Lung laughed. Unimpressed.

"This is pathetic! You're just delaying the inevitable. Do you realize how many drones are in this city? No amount of community spirit can overcome that. I could have them burst through the windows right now."

"Oh," said Clawhauser. His voice carried in the heavy air. "So, why don't you?"

He glared. "Because," he spat, "this is nothing to me. I can handle this by myself."

His paws planted on the floor. His huge shoulders rolled under his coat. And as every eye in the room bore into him, he roared.

"And I will!"

And he did.

If nothing else, Tai Lung was true to his word. He never called in the drones. He weathered this crowd himself. Stood before them like a defiant boulder before the ocean. And they had broken against him like a wave.

He was fast, brutal, experienced. Wolford went down relatively early, singled out as a target. Gary abandoned the fight to drag a paralysed Larry to safety - who, in turn, had thrown himself into the attack to protect his boyfriend. It was unclear where Finnick had ended up, his tiny body somewhere amid the wreckage.

But they hadn't made it easy. Wolford had been a high priority for how efficiently he could co-ordinate wolves and guards and officers to work together. Gary and Larry had kept darting in to hit Tai Lung where it hurt. And so had Finnick, who, in a memorable moment, had been flung by some willing accomplice to crack his bat straight into Tai Lung's nose.

The lobby was quiet now. But Tai Lung walked with a limp.

No perimeter alarm from the drones. The mayor hadn't fled. Maybe she had never been here at all. But this hiding spot made sense. He didn't doubt that much. The cheetah was too cowardly to lie.

The cheetah.

As Tai Lung dragged himself up the stairs, he was aware Clawhauser was still drifting after him. He shot a scowl over his shoulder. "Wretch."

"Uh. Hi?"

"Did you really think that would work?"

"I dunno," said Clawhauser, and it was so blunt and pathetic Tai Lung believed him. He just scoffed.

He made it to the next floor. The exhibition areas were open, but there were quite a few offices and side rooms. Every door closed. "Well? Where is she? And don't," he spat, "tell me you don't know."

Clawhauser's mouth closed tightly.

After a second, he growled. "Fine. As I've made clear," he said, pausing as a defeated moan drifted up from below, "the situation is well within my control. No-one can escape the building." His tone darkened even further. "And no-one will."

His huge paw took hold of the nearest doorknob.

"I don't doubt there's more feeble resistance hoping to spring at me from shadows. So I am going to check every room for the mayor. And I am going to be thorough."

"Knock yourself out," said Clawhauser meekly.

Tai Lung grunted, then went through the door.

Instantly, Clawhauser heard a high-pitched battle cry, soon followed by the sound of breaking furniture.

He took out his phone. Still no coverage. Whatever about his job, he had been meaning for some time to call his mother. Family, he mused - as there came what sounded very much like someone getting flung against the other side of the wall - was vital. Hopefully he'd get a chance to check in soon.

The sounds of battle wound down, slowly, and at last Tai Lung emerged.

There was an entire scythe in his shoulder.

"It was the two barmaids."

"Oh," said Clawhauser.

"Uppity young women. And apparently into antiques. The bookish one had a sword."

"Right." He watched him with innocent eyes. "But what did the other have?"

Tai Lung maintained silent eye contact as he slowly removed the entire scythe from his shoulder.

His coat looked even worse.

There were a lot of rooms in this museum. And Tai Lung checked them all.

Every office. Every backroom. Every closet. He threw open each door with a growl, showing no fear, no weakness. Some were empty. Many weren't.

But none had the mayor. And as he methodically cleared every floor, room by room, he began to suspect she would be waiting at the point furthest from the lobby. The roof.

Again, escape wasn't an issue. Andross' drones owned the sky. But that's all they did. Attack perceived threats. If she was on the roof, a dozen of the higher ones would be staring right at her, just hovering blankly in place. Too stupid to even tell him.

He shook his head, discarding those thoughts. He didn't need them. And he wouldn't rush. Every corner of this building would be searched. Every defiant citizen would be punished. Examples to be made in front of the city.

His suspicions were well-founded. As time wore on - as he ignored more and more lucky bruises forming under his fur - there was only one door left to check. Roof Access.

It led to a small corridor, tucked between staircases. After so many ostentatious quirks and flairs, reflecting decades of loving architectural attention, here was somewhere utilitarian. Cool, grey concrete.

Tai Lung stopped. He glared. Tired.

Three other cats stood in his way.

In the front was Fangmeyer, torso uncovered except for a regulation ZPD vest, exposing two powerful arms. Just behind, forming a loose triangle, were former mayor Leodore Lionheart and the museum curator T'Challa Okonkwo.

They all met him with smiles.

"Move," he spat.

"Nah," said Fangmeyer.

"You are not welcome in my building," said Okonkwo.

"And you're sure as hell not welcome in my city, either," said Lionheart.

Fangmeyer smirked. "So if you want the mayor-"

"-I'll just go around." Tai Lung neatly turned on his heel, shoulders tense.

Okonkwo produced a remote and flicked a button and huge steel doors blocked the exit.

For a moment, Tai Lung just stood there. He turned very slowly. "Is this really what you want?"

"We're pretty sure of ourselves," said Lionheart. "Why? Didn't peg you for a coward, big man."

Tai Lung's eyes flashed, a growl low in his throat.

"Let's give this another shot." Fangmeyer settled into an active stance, arms out, hips low. "This time I'll try to remember my martial arts classes."

"ZPD still offers that, huh? It was my administration that introduced it, y'know." Lionheart squared his shoulders, fists up. "More of a boxing man myself. What's your preference, T'Challa?"

Okonkwo pocketed the remote. He drew himself up, lithe and regal. And he unsheathed his claws. "Whatever works."

"Amen to that!"

Tai Lung sighed. "You're all so disgustingly stubborn. I tried to be civil about this. I really did."

Slowly - reluctantly - he shrugged off his battered coat. It crumpled to the floor.

Tai Lung squared his broad shoulders. He took in his three opponents.

And with a roar, he lunged.

Tai Lung threw the final door open.

Calmly, from across the roof, the mayor met his gaze. Toriel was dignified. Her dress was neat and her reading glasses were sharp.

Tai Lung, with his matted fur and mangled whiskers and manic eyes, did not quite match her.

"Listen," he spat. "I have had quite the morning."

"Mmh," said Toriel, with the doubly-effective tone of an unsympathetic teacher and an unsympathetic mother.

"I'm out of patience. All I need - all I need! - is for you to sign a bloody piece of paper, and this will all be over."

He began to stride towards her, his attention undivided.

"So now," he growled, "you are going to-"

Slightly outpacing him, Asgore stepped out from behind him and hit him very, very hard in the back of the head with a shovel.

Tai Lung tripped, more from surprise than from pain. But more pain was coming. Firmly, almost impassively, the stout goat kept striking. Kept hitting him, over and over, in the exact same spot. Until, with a final grunt, he brought the shovel down so hard it broke.

Then Asriel ran up with a fresh shovel, which he handed to his father.

"Thank you." Asgore hit the prone leopard once more, almost experimentally. No reaction. "Now, remember. Violence is only acceptable in extreme circumstances."

"Okay, dad!"

The family regrouped, Toriel offering a hug to her husband and son. And from the door - slightly delayed by the stairs - came Benjamin Clawhauser.

"Oh! Oh okay good. It worked." He huffed a breath as he walked up. "You think he's hit his limit?"

In response, Tai Lung mustered a growl. But it was shaky, almost drunken. "Y-you're…"

He dragged his eyes upward, glaring at Clawhauser.

"You're beneath me! All… of you! Beneath me!"

"Oh," said Clawhauser innocently. "Then how come you're the one on the floor?"

Tai Lung's glare faded with the rest of him as he slipped out of consciousness.

Clawhauser gave it a second, just to ensure his deadly adversary really was down. Then he beamed, dancing a little in place. "Hah! Hahahah! Oh my gosh I did an action movie line! That was so cool! Did you see that? That felt really really cool!"

Toriel gave him a smile. "Well played, Officer. My congratulations… and, of course, my deepest thanks."

He shone with pride.

"That goes for everyone who helped out here today," she added. "You did exemplary work, assembling such a large and diverse group of mammals."

"I'm told I'm good at that stuff…" He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "It was mostly just a matter of finding out what people wanted. Some of them asked for money, some of them wanted your pardon on minor crimes…"

He shot another look to Tai Lung. Unmoving. Beaten.

"But honestly, everyone was just eager to embarrass that guy."

On cue, two more figures emerged from the stairwell. Bruised and limping, but triumphant. Fangmeyer's huge frame leaned on Wolford for support, which he was all too happy to offer.

Clawhauser's grin somehow grew. "Hi guys!"

"Hiya, Benji." Fangmeyer offered a nod to the mayor and her family. "Madame. You're okay?"

"We all are, yes."

"Perfect." Pulling away from Wolford, Fangmeyer sank into a sitting position. "Glad to hear it…"

After a final glance to his partner, Wolford dumped what had been on his other shoulder - Tai Lung's coat. He sniffed along it until he found what he was looking for, claiming it from a pocket. The remote.

He looked over it intently, trying to find the buttons. "It's, uh…" said Clawhauser. "You talk into it?"

"Oh yeah? Thanks."

Wolford stalked over to the edge of the roof. Drones hovered in a loose formation, guarding the lower sections of the roof a mammal could safely drop from. He focused on the nearest one. "Hey, you."

It registered his voice through the remote, turning its inorganic eyes on him.

"Tear out your own power source."

The half-second where nothing happened was long enough for Wolford to regret the tone he had taken with the unfeeling robot. But then it calmly stabbed its own claws into its chest. It clattered idiotically to earth.

"Amazing." He turned to the others, a bright grin on his muzzle. "Gimme a minute to boost the signal, and we should be done in no time."

Toriel returned his smile. "I am glad to hear it. Do you intend to be similarly… blunt… with all of them?"

"I figure it makes sense, Ma'am. Though maybe not right away. To our understanding, our friends in the fire department have been quietly trying to clear the wreckage trapping all our colleagues." He shifted his weight. "A couple hundred extra claws should make that a lot easier, right?"

From the floor, Fangmeyer let out a quiet laugh. "Always thinking ahead… That's my boyfriend."

"Thanks, babe."

"Oh, calling me 'babe'. So confident." Those green eyes gleamed. "I love it."

Clawhauser let out a breath. He found himself smiling again. He had almost forgotten the feeling. But as difficult as the past twenty-four hours had been, he had survived them. The danger was passing. And he could smile again.

The city was intact. The people were safe. The fight was winding down. And standing here, with Max and Sasha, with the mayor and her family, and with a museum full of bruised but high-spirited mammals under his paws, Benjamin Clawhauser felt-

"Um," said Asriel. "What's that?"

They looked up. Past the dome of drones far above. And, just as they had twenty-four hours earlier, they all stared.

Clawhauser found his voice first. But it still came out small.

"We, um… maybe should go inside."

There was something in the sky. Small. But getting much bigger.