Chapter 63

.

.

"I heard you got hurt."

Judy froze. She'd been waiting in the hospital for her pick up. Given that Nick had been trying to sort stuff out, Jack and Skye had volunteered to do the deed, the bunny's short stint of enforced rest and monitoring over. Yet now, after receiving a 'we might be a bit late text', her ears rose as a very unexpecting voice called out.

"I… Just overworked," Judy said, looking up at Kozlov. She paused, looking on at the bear before blinking, reaching for his necklace. "I'm guessing you want this back."

"Thank you," he said, nodding. "Was good thing giving it to you, I find that my place was burgled, yes."

"Oh gosh," Judy said. "If you want, I could…"

"No, no," he waved off. "Is good," he said, slipping it into a pocket. "You sleep well?"

"I…" she said, tilting her head slightly. "No, not really…"

"Then I am sorry," he said, looking down.

"Sorry for..?"

"Bunny cop, you are young," he said, looking down. "I have seen, I have done, terrible things in past. I have failed in ways that have let many mammals die. We have our burdens we all must carry," he said, leaning down, paw stroking the back of her head. "This is mine. I am sorry for giving you taste of it. Go, live life, have fun. Let old mammal like me protect those who are born in better world, yes?"

"Listen," Judy said. "If something is…"

He ignored her, standing up and walking away.

"Kozlov. I…"

"Are a cop," he said, looking back. "This is not work for cop. Do you understand?"

Judy's head tilted. "Is it about Fru-Fru?"

"She is not involved."

"Good, because if she was…"

"You, her friend, would help," he said. "Judy, let me tell you story."

"Okay."

"One day young bear learns of something wrong. He tries to learn about, to understand, to fix. In doing so, he finds a great evil, he tries to stand up, he tries to fight." There was a long pause. "We lost terribly, many mammal suffer. I ran. And then, years later, I find a few others take it down." He clicked his fingers, glancing up and giving a subdued chuckle. "Few others, who I hear were wrapped up far, far longer than us. In truth, was their fight, not ours. All am left with is burdens, burdens that are ours to keep." He looked down at Judy, giant paw out, and stroked her head. "I do not want small bunny to be left like me. With guilt, regret, burdens."

Judy looked down, glancing. "If you need anything…"

"If you are needed, maybe I will call you," he said.

And with that he stood up and left.

Judy was left there, alone, silent.

Minutes passed until another, familiar voice, called out. "Sorry we're late."

She looked over to see Skye, only to blink. "Your leg!"

"Yup," she said, smiling. Bringing it up, the cast gone, she gave her toes a little wiggle. "Still stiff, still on low rest, but the cast is off."

"She wanted to two birds one stone," Jack said, holding up a finger. "One bird was late."

"And I said sorry," Skye reminded him. "Even though it wasn't my fault." She lent down, holding Judy's paw. "Now come on, I know a good place that serves nice comfort food. It works for me when I get stressed, so fingers crossed…"

"Sounds good," Judy agreed, and off they went.

Only for something to be on her mind.

And not just the meeting with the polar bear.

Even Skye, who was normally more than fine with mammals not talking, began to notice it as they sat down. "Judy?" she eventually asked.

The bunny looked back, her ears drooping. "I heard what happened. To Kris."

The vixen couldn't help but let her own ears fall down. "You couldn't have done anything about it," she said.

"Couldn't I?" she asked, looking up, eyes trembling.

"We'd shown he was innocent," Jack said.

"We'd got him out," the vixen carried on. "He was going home but someone, one terrible mammal, wanted to make sure he got hurt. They wanted to prove a point. Judy, none of us could have stopped them."

"And what about the next time? Are you just going to fight it alone?"

"What's the alternative," the swift fox vixen said. "Just live your life always thinking that one of them is around the corner? Listen Judy, I know you're emotional…"

"Emotional?" Judy sniffed, trembling. "Skye, that mammal chose to go out and hurt an innocent fox and there was nothing we could do! She's getting away, without anything being done to her. How would you feel if Bellwether had just 'got off'?"

"I… I don't know," she confessed. "But there isn't an answer. If there was, then that's good, do that. But there isn't, so the best thing to do is let it go."

"And what?" Judy asked. "Don't care?"

"Who said you don't care?" came a new voice, Judy pausing to see a familiar mammal walking over.

"Honey! I…" She glanced around the little area. "Should we be seen, together, because you know…"

"Nah, it's fine," she waved off, sitting down. "'Sides, Doctor Twirly-Tail asked me to look in at you for her."

"Did she?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "I mean, she was busy with that poor fox kit, so she asked if I could."

Judy rolled her eyes and smiled. "Thanks. I suppose."

"You're welcome," she said back, only to pause. "-I guess," she finished off, mouth widening into a very self amused grin. "Anyhow… Might not be the best at this, but she gave me a few pointers."

"Seems like she trusts you," Judy noted.

"Oh yeah! And I mean, that's kinda the thing she said I should be talking about with you."

"What, trust?" Judy asked. "Nick already gave me the whole 'do you trust me' thing?"

"Well, this one's kinda different. In fact, I think it's better!" she said, paws out wide. "I mean, she couldn't be here to help you out, right? And if that were you, you'd be trying something crazy to be in two places at once, right?"

Judy looked on, only for her eyes to half lid, her nose giving an errant twitch. "So I've heard." She paused, snapping back to see Jack and Skye quickly stopping what seemed to have been a pair of very enthusiastic nods, before looking back.

"Ah, you know it's true," Honey carried on. "But she trusted me to help you, and it's working great so far, right?"

"I… But that's not really the same, is it?"

"Is it?" Honey asked. "Well, not if you count all the work we all did apart. I remember helping those two out on their tech stuff and investigation all while you were pulled off doing cop stuff."

"I…" Judy began. "But that all failed, didn't it?"

"But it almost didn't," Skye defended.

"And," Jack continued. "If you remember, we still got information from him. That you used when grilling Dawn, did you not?"

"I…" Judy began to say.

"And weren't all those protestors out there helping you too?" Skye cut in. "I'm pretty sure that one used their mad hacker skills and stuff to help us first confirm that the picture was a fake."

"And we then raced out to get Duke," Jack defended. "Together we saved him!"

"And," Honey carried on, "there was those guys who leaked that recording of Wassermaim doing his own me, right?"

Judy raised a nervous paw, index finger outstretched. "Those were actually bad guys who did that."

"See?" Honey carried on. "Even the bad guys help out!"

"That's," Judy said, only to shake her head. "Just forget it."

"But don't forget this, Judy. Almost all mammals are good. They all try in their own way to help out, right? Maybe get it very wrong while doing so, need some help getting on the right track... And maybe, just maybe, you can trust them to help out and cover for where you can't. You can't go out helping to save everyone's day, y'know? Give everyone else a chance once in a while."

"I…"

"Or just admit you have a little itty bitty bit of a giant hero complex."

"I don't!" Judy exclaimed. "I'm just trying to help mammals. I'm worried for them…"

"You're worried that all the others won't be able to take over and care for them, right?"

"No, I…" She breathed in and out. "I'm scared that the evil mammals out there will go and get them."

…

"You know, Doctor Twirly-Tail had something to say about that," Honey said, breathing in and out as she looked down.

"About what, good and evil?"

"Yeah. Do you believe in it?" she asked, looking into the bunny's eyes.

"I… I thought I did," she said, thinking back to her childhood days valorizing the ZPD. "Then I didn't," her time in the pred crisis, the city tearing itself apart. "Then I did again," the image of Bellwether with her gun flashed in her eyes. "And now? I was, then wasn't, and now… I suppose I get to thank that evil guard for making me a believer again."

"And it feels better, don't it?"

"Huh?"

"That there's this evil mammal out there, you wanna get."

"I mean no! I wished she didn't exist," she said.

"But it's easier," Honey carried on. "Knowing there's one mammal like that to hate, right?"

She paused, nose twitching as she glanced away. "I… Okay, maybe. But…"

"It makes it easier, don't it?" Honey carried on. "There be the good guys," she said, waving her paws in one direction. "There be bad guys," she said, waving them in the other. "And the thing is, it makes it super simple. You just have to go out and fight the bad guys, and that makes you a hero. And those fighting the bad guys, if they're doing a lot to bring them down or just stickin' a middle finger up at them or taking away something they enjoy, they're great! You just want to cheer them on, join in, it's fun and easy." She slowed, breathing in and out. "The thing is," she said, her voice much slower, sadder. "Most of the 'bad guys' might be like that, too…"

"So we can talk to them," Judy said. "Understand them, find which parts are good and bad and work it out?"

Honey paused, shrugging. "Not where I was going, but sometimes, yeah. No, the thing is, she told me that a lot when trying to bring me down from hating the sheep. What she said was that she got it, I cared, I felt I was a good mammal trying to make the world a better place. But I wasn't, was I? Because my bad guys were just sheep. There ain't nothing to talk to them 'bout, or find what's good and right, as they're just guys and gals like us. But instead, I wanted them to be the bad guys, so I made them the bad guys, and built an entire world around it. I made up new ways they were bad, and new methods and rules and things to do to deal with that. Because I cared about making things right and all, protecting their victims. Standing up for the good mammals. There's always an innocent that's being protected, or a great cause being fought for, and doing so means you're that hero. And there are so many mammals out there, just like me. Maybe not so crazy, maybe not even 'crazy' at all. But still, you look, and you can find 'em."

She drummed her fingers on the table. "Dr T-T said that the world isn't this black and white place, with big villains and heroes. But we want it to be. That's why you go out trying to be that big hero. Why I did what I did. Why we did everything to protect that kit, as then it was a furs width away from being real. It's why nobody cared about what that banker… what Kurt thought that banker wolf was." Looking up, she shrugged. "Everyone wants this black and white world, and they want it to be as black and white as it can be, because when looking at this grey world we live in…" She looked around, paws up. "It's scary, it's so scary, and easy to get lost."

Judy, breathing in and out, leant forward, lending her a paw. Honey held onto it tight, drying a tear away from her eyes. "So…" the bunny began. "That guard, maybe some fox hurt her, or…"

"Or maybe not," Honey shrugged, giving a laugh. "That's the dumbest thing. She said that sometimes, just sometimes, you really do find someone who is like that. Someone who knows they're the bad guy, who only cares about winning and is happy to tread over however many other mammals lives or rules to make it happen. If you don't see them for what they are, go in with good faith, they can destroy you. Maybe Smellwether was one of those. Maybe that prison guard…"

"Maybe these new mammals," Judy said, softly. "Who knows. After all, not that long ago, I thought that a certain cheetah was one of those, partly because she thought you were too."

Honey laughed. "Yeah. Crazy, right?"

Judy nodded softly. "Crazy… But how do we get through it all?"

"Well," Honey said, "maybe the odd little bit of kindness, one mammal to another, is what it really takes to help make the world a better place. That was her advice. Don't know if it would work..."

Judy nodded on, only for her eyes to widen, a smile growing on her muzzle. "It does," she said, smiling. "It did. I think there's a red panda, a hyena and a weasel who can tell you that."

Honey smiled, as did Judy. They, Jack and Skye sat down and, finally, relaxed. Who knew what was coming up next. More greyness, a split into the black or white, or something else entirely. For now though, they spent their time together, relaxing, taking the time to be kind to one another at the end of this ordeal, knowing that as long as other mammals did as such, things would be okay.

.

.

.

.

He hated this.

Buck teeth biting his lower lip, trying to work out the nerves and anger while avoiding the sliced cut just to the side…

Luke Ruta took a breath in and out, ears raised, one touching the wall. He could hear the warden shouting, his voice coming through. "He was getting out…"

"That's why we had to do it…" The response was gruff, short and angry. Willis. Stupid dumb ram who believe that Bellwether's farts were messages from god. "You weren't punishing him, so that meant Hanska and I stepped in to do your job!"

Luke just guessed the bison in there with him was going to stay quiet. Or maybe not. He'd been tazed and dragged away in a history lesson or something because he chose to make a scene about Howldrian's wall or something.

"Our job? Our job was to let him go, they found he was innocent, they found that a marmot or something had framed him!"

Hanska's voice spoke out. "The savage fox's friends framed that marmot."

"Yeah!" Willis called out, as if it made it fact.

Outside, Luke groaned from the idiocy, before an even bigger idiot spoke out. "What they talking about?"

The hare tiredly gave a look over to the grey wolf hunched over in the chair next to him. Like Luke, his paws were cuffed in front of him. Almost certainly not as tight, not as hard and gripping and biting into his skin.

Lucky mammal, everyone favouring him, just like they favoured any mammal other than this poor hare. Of course, Luke knew he took the unfairness of the world in his stride, he was an actual buck.

The stupid freak wolf though just wimped down, red eyes part crying, as he asked again. "What they talking 'bout Luke?"

"So that fox was part of the group that framed Bellwether?" The warden was carrying on. "He was using the howlers against prey?"

"Yeah, now you get it." Willis spoke, some mock clapping escaping.

"But you said that Howlers didn't exist, they were made up, the 'case' was all a lie?" the voice of Terrance spoke out, half angry half begging.

…

"Go swim in an orca's mouth you furry eel."

"L-Luke…?"

"-Shut up and stop crying, wimp," Luke yelled, the giant wolf flinching back. That just proved the hare's point, didn't it, especially as 'the apex pred' clutched the side of his chest and took a sharp breath in, holding it tight and almost crying. 'Busted ribs' or something else he said that psychopathic kangaroo had done, just an excuse for that low, low mammal.

Whatever was going on in the warden's office was now too quiet for Luke to hear, so he just looked at the grey canine, thinking.

Looking at his tail.

That dump fox hadn't cried or sniffed or anything while Luke was scissoring down his stupid tail. This was his punishment for being a jerk to him, back when he was just trying to be nice. But instead of crying he'd stared the hare down, as if trying to rob him of what he was owed.

Just like everyone else.

Oh, he'd had fun at first, he could have sworn he'd seen his visage start to break a few times, and then when he'd suggested doing something against that whelp…

Luke let a smile grow across his mouth, before it quickly faded. That stupid fox had made it boring, but the wolf? Luke let a smile grow across his face as he imagined tying him down, listening to him cry and plead as he cut down the stupid thing to the skin, the big baby being just that…

He began to move his cuffed paws down, only for the unlocking of the door to sound out, breaking him off.

The hare huffed at the unfairness of it all as the ram and bison were led out like the goat and jaguar before them, and he was waved in. He got up, only to pause. "Come on, freak," he commanded the dumb wolf.

"No," Terrance spoke, the dumb furry eel obviously enjoying this. "Just you Luke."

"What!?" the hare exclaimed. "You can't do this? You…"

"Those were the only ones we've interviewed together," the giant otter cut in, looking down at him. "Something the warden and I already regret. So get your tail in here, now."

Luke grimaced, flinching slightly as his tooth caught his cut lip. The otter had planned that. "-Stupid Mexicat furry eel…"

"Firstly it's Mexigat," the otter said, trying to make him look stupid. "Secondly, my species came from South America. Thirdly, you will not insult me prisoner, you will call me Officer Riotra or sir and treat me with respect!"

Luke couldn't help but smirk. "Go jump in an orca's mouth."

The otter looked at him for a second, his eyes narrowing. "You know, I'm more annoyed by how you're thinking of the wrong type of otter than if you'd have got it right and said crocodile. But it's the thought that counts."

And with that he leant forward, grabbed Luke's cuffs and began dragging him in, Luke yelping as the tight metal pulled him along. "Let go of me! This isn't fair!."

Terrance ignored him, pulling him into the office and throwing him onto the chair in front of the warden, the argali's horns bent down low as he spoke. "Afternoon, Luke."

"Are you just going to let him do that!?" he called back, still feeling the ache in his paws from what that savage had done. "I have rights, I have…"

He was broken off as the warden slammed down something onto his desk. The size of his forearm, made of fading varnished wood, long and thin and with holes cut densely into it. A spanking paddle.

Luke began to quiver, pulling back into his chair, nose twitching mad. They couldn't do that! What'd he done to deserve it?

"Old juvenile corrections heirloom from decades ago," the mountain sheep spoke, giving it a look.

…

"Tell me what happened to Kris?" the otter finally asked.

"I… He got into a fight with Armando and Luka," Luke said, deciding to keep it cool. "What else happened?"

There was a long pause, the warden moving forward, standing over his desk and towering over the hare. Thankfully not holding the paddle. "Luke Ruta. You are a worthless worm."

He kept a blank expression. You didn't talk back.

"That's what all the others think of you, right?"

This time he nodded.

"They're all criminals and know it, but they want to tell themselves that they're better than some mammals here. They want to have fun, bringing their own justice." He looked down at the paddle, holding it up, feeling the weight and giving it a practice swish, the hare squirming a little as he heard it cut through the air. "Then again, after what happened today, I can't say I don't emphasise with them. This thing hasn't been used for decades. Legally, I could be charged with assault for doing so. -If anyone bothers to report me. I might be labelled a pervert too, who knows? A pervert, just like you are, and that's no opinion, it's a fact. Isn't it?"

There was a pause.

"Answer me."

"Yes, sir."

"Good we're on the same page," he said, placing the thing down. "I'm pretty sure that they offered you some protection to do what you did," he said, as Terrance walked forward.

"Isn't that right?" He turned, slowly marching back. "Strange coalition," he pondered. "Prey supremacist who thinks he's an evil howler dealer even though howlers don't exist; a pred who thinks Bellwether and nighthowlers are the excuse for everything he did wrong, a random goat bitter over two lost fights and two of the least popular mammals here. All working together."

Luke looked away, nose twitching. "We weren't…"

"I have a report from Kristofferson's father," he said, "explaining everything that happened."

"He lied…"

"Matthew confirmed it."

Luke turned. "That snivelling pup worshipped him! He'd say anything! Same for that foxes father!" His lip quivered and he sniffed. "You're just ganging up on me!"

"Yet both of their anything's lined up," The warden said. "Taken apart, separately. From a released mammal and one currently being transferred to serve his sentence in a mental hospital. All lining up, when they never had a chance to talk with each other." He leant in. "Strange that. Strange that Armando and Luka's testimony line up too. Very convenient."

Luke shook his head, begging to cry. "They hate me, they attacked us! Did you see what that kangaroo did when he came in with his feet and…"

"-They could have come in with a fire hydrant and a narwhal tusk for all I care," the argali spoke, brushing the hare off.

"This is a fix up! This is…"

"PATHETIC!" the warden yelled, causing the hare to flinch down. Terrance slipped out, now angry too.

"An innocent mammal and a pup. An innocent mammal, getting out, and a ten year old pup! I believed you when you said you regretted what you did, but I was wrong, wasn't I?" He began trembling. "Why? Why did you do it!"

"Because…" Luke began, only to pull back, holding his tongue. No, he could get through this, just stop those stupid tears and hold tight. It would be easy.

"Expecting Sarrahson to come in and help you?" the warden asked.

Luke stayed quiet.

"That cat left, thinking she could end on a win," Terrance hissed. "She wanted to make sure that that poor fox, who she knew was innocent, would remember his stay here. So she got you to help out torturing him, didn't she?"

Luke glared away.

"Didn't she?" the warden pressed.

"I did it for myself!" Luke yelled, finding his feet again. "That stinkin' fox got me beat up! Everyone hates me, and I was being kind to him. Nice. All I wanted was a little something back but no, that pelt beat me up and got me in trouble. Just like everyone else I've been kind to in life. Well this time I gave him what he deserved. This was karma!"

He broke off, panting, expecting some screaming to come back. Instead they just stood there, staring, if quite venomously in the case of Terrance. "So she didn't come to you directly?" the otter asked.

"No."

"Who recruited you?"

"Not telling."

"Oh?" the warden asked. "I'm guessing this is stitches get snitches, isn't it?"

The hare just glared at them. Finally, the otter shrugged. "Come on," he said, "let's leave this. We've already got all that we need anyway."

Luke blinked. "What?"

"A certain big cat," the warden said smugly. "Sarrahson told him that Kris was smuggling nighthowlers and getting off on a technicality. After educating him on the truth of that matter, he turned out to be quite repentant and explained in quite excellent detail how that guard had organised this all together. Getting a few mammals, and suggesting those they could recruit, including you. Maybe it's not enough to get the ZPD's interest in looking into it, the words of prisoners against guards is not held highly in the courts of law after all, though I will certainly be trying to use my influence." He paused, shrugging. "If not there, to look into her more closely. After all, I keep my taxes all in order, but others don't. And some others are already aiming to see if he can find something against her, make her pay in some way. He was very angry, and you're lucky he's not with us here today." There was a pause. "Maybe we won't be able to punish her for what she did, but all this will at least let us punish all you lot down here who worked together on it as much as we can." He looked on, dead serious, before Terrance chipped in.

"Shame about what it means for your mother."

"Wait," Luke blinked. "What…"

"Ten years for your crime," the warden spoke, "age fourteen to twenty four. Of course, with parole and juvenile status, you might only serve five. Out at nineteen."

"With recommendations," Terrance explained. "Notes that you were working towards improvement. That you were being reformed." The otter trembled. "Just a few days ago, I thought we made a breakthrough. I thought you were getting better." He held up a bunch of notes. "These things here are from your file. Years of freedom Luke," he said, before moving out a shredder with his foot.

A pang of worry flashed through the hare's mind. "Wait…"

"Your mother still thinks you're her little angel," Terrance said. "Thinks you were framed, believes your lies. I didn't believe them, but I thought…" He breathed in and out. "I thought you were still a good mammal. Or at least one who could be good. I came in here expecting to find monsters, that was what everyone warned me when I took this job, but I found good mammals in here. Good mammals who'd made mistakes. Or bad mammals, who wanted to be good, or could be made good. I thought that was you Luke, I thought you were a mammal who'd made a mistake, but at your heart, deep inside of you, there was some good. Some genuine good that needed help in coming out, but was there nonetheless."

Luke took a breath in and out, not sure what to think. Feeling that he didn't feel anything, or maybe that there was something here, something good, that he could have, or maybe he'd broken it too much, or maybe it was never there in the first place. "What, you're going to say you were wrong? I'm like the two before me?"

"Mammals like that sheep and bison or that wolf out there are what they are," he said, quite calmly. There was a long pause. "And then there's you, a manipulative, filthy, worthless monster who belongs here, however much it hurts those poor mammals who actually care for you."

Luke looked on, or rather looked down, eyes closes and mouth chewing. His ear rose and he glared up. "This is just because you love that fox, isn't it!? You think the sun shines out of his tail hole, don't you? What makes him so special?"

"Well I'd say he is a fine young man," the warden said, glaring down. "He didn't do anything, but he suffered. One week to brush off, that could have been all, but someone decided to make sure he remembered it, and you helped out."

"And we do want to help him," Terrance spoke.

"Why, what do you even gain!?"

"Nothing," the warden said. "We're doing this because we're good mammals, something I'd have hoped you understood, but clearly do not."

But this isn't all about him," Terrance spoke, Luke blinking. "If it was then you and that goat would be level, you both tried to pick on him and lost, and wanted a chance to get back. But no, it isn't, and you are a whole other level of evil beyond him."

"W-what?" Luke asked. "Hey, I'm not evil, and I did nothing more than Gavin did to that fox."

"And what about Matt," Terrance hissed, walking forward. Luke blinked, confused, before a new fear broke over him. The giant river otter was looming over him, putting the giant into his name and showing his teeth. This wasn't an oversized water weasel, this was a furious apex predator who, as part of a raft, could happily bully a caiman to death.

Luke was shaking.

The otter closed his eyes, paws on head, before glaring down. "What did he do? To you? Nothing," he hissed. "But your group chose to use him as leverage. As a threat to Kris. So he wouldn't fight, as you knew you'd win, and then… And then when he wouldn't give you your satisfaction you sadistic creep… -You chose to use Matt against him." The rage on Terrance's face made Luke shift himself away, almost going off his chair, only for a webbed paw to slam down and hold him there. "Look at me."

Gulping, fearful, sniffing and crying, Luke did just that.

"You chose to use Kris' own empathy against him. You chose to use his own selflessness and maturity, as a weapon. When you found he wouldn't let all the evil things you'd done to him make him crack, you felt that the best thing to do was to make sure he suffered, for everything that's good about him. By torturing a second mammal, who'd done nothing to you."

"I…" Luke began, before trailing off.

Terrance just gripped his paw harder. "And here I thought you might have a shred of good in you. Well, it's obvious I'm wrong. You don't. You belong here Luke," he said, walking over and feeding the documents through the shredder. "That's your future there," he spoke, as the destroyed remnants fell into the bin. "Years of freedom you threw away. Maybe this time, when you're alone in your cell, your real home… You'll think about how you threw your freedom away."

Luke closed his eyes and shook his head, sniffing in. In one moment he looked mad at them, then despairing at his lot in life, and then just hating himself.

"You can go," the warden spoke. "We'll probably call you back soon to talk about your next trial."

The hare quivered, shaking as he looked up. "W-w-what?"

"We intend to notify the ZPD and encourage them to press charges against you and your wolf friend," the warden spoke. "Given your repeat sentence and additional age, we intend to press for the maximum we can. You could have got out in just two more years with parole if you behaved. A full adult life ahead of you. We hope that the next time the wider world has to deal with you is eighteen years from now… And I hope that you spend every extra day asking yourself, was it worth it?"

"Well was it?" Terrance asked, as the hare broke and began to sob.

Terrance showed no emotion as he led him out, passing him on to another guard, and then returning in, wiping his paws on his trousers.

The wolf that came after, if anything, gained far more sympathy from the pair. They had the feeling that had he got a pawful fewer IQ points then he wouldn't be here. It was as they said, he was what he was.

And then they were alone. Terrance looked at his boss, his boss at him, and though they looked tired, and even upset that it came to this, they both nodded in the knowledge that they were here to make sure certain mammals got justice.

Terrance was tired as he left. He loved his wife, it was part of why he'd ended up with this job, but he wasn't going to be in the mood for being with her this night. It didn't happen much, but she knew it to be part of the job. For all he'd done for her, she loved him back, and was happy to support him. Even now, she'd promised him something special for when he did feel better, something he was very much looking forward to.

He wished there was a way he could feel better about this day now though, but…

He paused, making a diversion. Everyone was on lockdown, so the cell block was quiet as he came in, making his way up to a door and knocking it. Unlocking it.

The small brown figure whimpered as he sat down next to it, the bruises and bandages covering him given a reason for his pained and tired look… Though he seemed to be dipped in a far deeper despair.

"Armando," he spoke, trying to remember how to say the next bit. "Obrigada."

The capybara blinked, looking up. "Sim?" Terrance glanced at him and smiled.

"You're a good mammal. I'm going to have to make the most of these last few weeks with you."

And out he went, one more visitor on his list today. He couldn't help but glance back though and see the smile on the young prisoner's face.

Terrance smiled as he locked him up at a job well done. He hoped that his colleague could say the same thing, soon.

.

.

.

.

"Come-on come-on!"

A few mammals stepped to the side of their shouting and jumping companion, giving her space before turning back to the game at play.

On the small astroturf square in front of them, practically every mammal was heading the call. It was a dead heat between The Haverholt Heroes and the visiting Tujunga Titans, less than a minute left on the clock for the lacrosse match, the home team having one last ray of hope as a highschool aged serval caught the ball and raced forward, doing her best to get it to the goal line.

"You can do it Karen!" the shouter, an adult serval, called again.

Her daughter certainly thought so, using her agility and speed to weave between the various opposing mammals trying to intercept her. Most were defensive tanks, large mammals like water buffalo and such who could use their size and stature to try and block out paths for attackers.

The far smaller serval though was chosen for a very good reason, she was effectively a mini-cheetah, the slight reduction in speed more than paid back by a massive shot of agility. When faced with the looming defensive giants, she could easily speed around them, dodging their oncoming attacks and plays. They were battleships to her torpedo boat. They could wipe her out (figuratively, this being a no-contact sport) if they catched her, but first they had to catch her.

Something the fast, agile cat made sure they wouldn't do.

"She is brilliant, Sarah," one of the onlooking parents commented.

Sarah Sarrahson just nodded, claws against her teeth as the final threat began moving in. Traditional sport tactics involved placing fast agile mammals at the front to probe in, take advantage, attack and score. For your defence though you had those with weight, size, reach. However, here and there you'd find a fast mammal, pred or prey, placed at the rear in defense.

Why?

Because when a fast attack mammal broke through, sometimes the only way to fight fire was with fire. Many times they didn't have the strength or reach their larger companions had, in order to dislodge the ball. Often, they just aimed at slowing their opponents down so that the real defense could take care of it. Often this entire strategy was just not used.

Here though, the Tujunga Titans had a mammal in that position who could, quite literally, have their cake and eat it. Looking up, Karen Sarrahson couldn't help but gulp as she saw her opponent, a literal giant forest hog soe, charging right at her. She'd played attack and defense for the Titans throughout the match, and either way had carried her team, an unholy middle digit up at the concept of species balance. To rank her out of everyone here for stamina, agility, speed and strength, she'd easily reach the top three in each, but while they only got to pick one, or in the case of Karen two, she got everything.

And now, this high speed tank was bearing down on Karen, the serval knowing full well that trying to go left, right, forward or back would all lead to the same outcome.

Thankfully, she had her species' ace-card still up her sleeve and, as she feighted around to the left, she let it loose.

Knees bent down and then her legs kicked out, the sow going wide eyed as Karen sailed clean over her and landed down onto three paws, the fourth holding her stick out steady as a rock. On she went again, the sow braking hard and turning around, not that she had any hope of catching up. The teenage player had a free run and pulled back her stick, firing the ball straight toward the top right corner of the small goal, to the keeper's top and left.

You couldn't ask for a better shot.

The Tujunga Titan's couldn't help but ask for a better keeper. There were rules in place to stop the classic trope of getting someone who simply blocked the entire goal with their size, meaning that the muntjac deer fully earned her catch, the almost-winning shot caught dead in the air.

And with that the whistle blew, the game was over, a dead heat.

Karen collapsed, breathing in and out, deflating now that the match was over.

From the sidelines, her mother called out. "Don't worry, you still did amazing!" Karen looked on and smiled as she caught the quick thumbs up, before waving off her daughter as she went off into the changing rooms.

And with that, she walked out of the stand and into the lot, in the midst of her gaggle of friends.

"You know that she knows that, don't you," one of them, an elk, said.

"Well, a mother can never say it too much," Sarah said, smiling.

"Well maybe you don't have to say it quite so loudly," a skunk on her other side commented, bringing out a small vanity case and mirror, ready to blacken up any greying furs.

"Well, I need her to know," Sarah said, glowering a little as she looked down. "She needs to know it's okay, she needs to be reinforced, she needs this support."

"She's almost an adult you know," the elk commented. "She's not a kitten like Toby."

She's always my kitten," Sarah huffed. "They'll always be my kittens, just as Jainee is too. And Karen's vulnerable, needs support. She went through a biting phase! We were genuinely scared we'd lose her, if not to that then the eating disorder."

The elk paused, nodding, only for the skunk to chip in. "-That was all caused by the nighthowler crisis, wasn't it? Something a bit larger than having your winning shot caught fair and square by the other team."

"Well Karen's been under a lot of stress lately," Sarah cut in, staring down at the now wilting skunk.

"Uh, Sarah," the elk said, her friend taking a breath in and out.

"Sorry. Just, she's been having trouble recently given how now, after everything, after finally getting over all the bullying for her being a pred… Now her literal name is a 'valid reason' for mammals to abuse her. She mostly avoids it, but here and there she comes back sniffing about some piece of filth who decided to try and taunt and bully her and…" She breathed in and out, growling a little. "I just wish I was there to warn them about just what I do for a living, you know…"

"Uh-hu," the elk said. "That'd make them think twice."

"Yes it would," Sarah said, cracking her knuckles. "I deal with filth day in, day out, and if you hurt my daughter you're one of them to me." One final crack, her claws extending, she breathed out.

Only for the skunk by her side to speak up again. "Say, did you ever bump into that fox? You know, the one in the news."

The serval's eyes narrowed. "Yup."

"Poor kit," the elk carried on. "Stitched up like that…"

"-He wasn't this angel that the media's painting him as," Sarah said, catching both of their ears. "Honestly it was chilling seeing him. He had this air about him, that all the scary ones do. You could just feel that he didn't really care or feel for anyone, he was just watching, judging, calculating and acting, all in his best interests and you just pieces for him to play. It was honestly really chilling seeing him manipulate the other prisoners, and some of the guards. Real Hannibull Lechwer vibes, you know…"

The other two shared concerned glances at their friend. "Yikes," was all the elk had to say.

"Seriously?" the skunk asked, almost a whisper.

"Uh-hu," Sarah went on, ears lowering. "He didn't act like any boy his age, you could just feel how he was trying to work out how to manipulate others around him. Winning over other guards, winning over other inmates. There was this one ten year old he came in with, you could just see him grooming him…" The cat gave a shiver, furs up on end. "He was a wicked mammal, the kind that belongs in a place like that."

"Aye," a voice came from slightly over. "But he's out now, what can you do?"

They turned to see a much older deer, earthy red coat interspersed with silver fur, walking up to them in a sharp suit.

"Officer Fulton," the serval spoke, her tone neutral.

"One of your fellow officers?" the elk asked, laying a certain eye on the older serval.

He gave a gratuitous smile. "Ex-workmammal. I'm certain she told you about her recently tendered resignation. It seems we won't be working together any longer."

Her two friends glanced at her, the serval looking up at the deer. "It was a private choice I made due to internal politics. Now," she said, glancing to her left and right. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a word with my ex-colleague in private. Just tell Karen I'll be along in a moment if you see her."

And, with that, she led the deer on, around the small recreation ground and behind an outbuilding. Deeming it sufficiently private she turned, paws crossed, eyes glaring. "I'm not an idiot, Ben. I know exactly what you're doing, and why."

He closed his eyes and nodded his head. "Entertain me, Sarrahson."

"Where's the wire?" she spoke.

He silently stared at her.

"I know it's on there somewhere," she hissed. "You want to make me confess to assaulting the stupid fox, record it, and throw me in jail. Steal me away from my daughter, you never think of her, do you? Never think of all the pain nighthowlers caused her, just like that collaborating fox. But of course, I never laid a paw on him, did I? As I said, different places, I have alibis, let your wire record that."

"Please Officer, I have no wire," he said, unturning his pockets, opening his suit jacket, even pulling his shirt up tight revealing no imprints or shapes.

"You have one somewhere," she barbed. "You're sneaky and conniving, just like him. You can't admit that he has you and the others right around his finger. I mean, how do you know this whole 'framed' thing wasn't some false flag of his. Or others, like him, giving their brother in trouble an out at an innocent's expense?"

The deer's expression remained stone, nostrils flaring briefly. "I think it's quite ironic, Sarah."

"What is?"

He took a breath in and out. "You manipulated a pair of mammals to manipulate another pair of mammals, to jump him. You managed to unite a predator who blames everything wrong with his life choices on Dawn Bellwether and her schemes, and prey supremacists who say that her arrest was a fix, and would gladly join in the darting if they had a chance. You," he said, stressing it. "Knocked and manipulated them, pressured them and talked to them, enough to do all your dirty work for you."

Sarah shrugged. "So you say. Maybe my tail just accidentally knocked the first domino in the chain he set up."

"I mean, if true, it would be a remarkably sneaky and conniving little thing you pulled there," he said, noticing her ear flicker. "Given the breaking of our trust, quite the untrustworthy action too."

She frowned.

"And in doing so, they used an innocent mammal as a hostage. And after having enough fun mutilating and traumatising your target, moved onto him."

She blinked, before shaking her head. "Again, so you say. And even so, there are no innocent mammals in that place. They all deserve something. And I'm sure, had this been true, I'd have given said other mammal every chance to side with the side of right, yet it seems he always chose not to." She shrugged. "Guess he got what he deserved too. At worst, just some necessary collateral damage. No biggy."

Keratin hooves ground against the floor, antler rack dipping down slightly. "It's ironic, you've become the very model of the kind of fox you hate so much…"

"-Don't compare me to that filth," she hissed, jumping up, finger out. She paused, as if realising her outburst was a mistake, only for the deer to stoke her further.

"So if you felt he got what he deserved, what do you deserve? Tell me, officer!"

"Don't act like he got what he deserved," she hissed. "Out after one week…"

"They found the mammal who actually did it!"

"That's irrelevant!" she said, stomping her foot on the ground. She huffed, breathing in and out. "Oh that stupid dumb innocent act he gave, I was the only one who could see through it. I didn't fall for his manipulations, as he won over the warden and Terrance and even your high and mighty self! I was the only one who could see his kind for what he was." She cut herself off, pulling back slightly.

"And what was that?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, stepped out, and began walking off, silently.

Fulton glared at her, almost going full drill sergeant, before remembering that that wouldn't work here. He had to play fox, didn't he? Speaking of such. "Remember Rubin?"

She paused. "Who?"

"Rubin. One of our previous foxes, five years ago. Two-bit scammer, until he fled in a car and crashed, injuring mammals. We checked his councillor notes, lots of complaints against you."

"Every CO has complaints against them."

"But every fox we've had has some kind of complaint against you," he said. "I checked. Nothing like that against anyone else. All the same, all on you."

"That proves nothing, and if it did, it would do nothing."

"By itself, no, but the more we talk the more we find. Maybe not today, but a week, a month, a year. We have enough to encourage a case against…"

"Against ME!?" she spat. "We're colleagues you treacherous hind! No wonder you fell for that pelt's lies, you want to be just like him, don't you? So tell me, what are you selling me out for, huh? What's in it for you?"

"What was in it for you? Perverted revenge, or...?"

"-Revenge?" she mocked, shaking her head. "You're acting like I got hurt by a big bad fox and hate them all because of it? Oh you uptight idiot. There are good mammals in this world, and bad mammals in this world, and those who are bad deserve everything they get and need to be kept in their place. If I'm the only doing that, then so be it. But fingers crossed there are enough mammals like me, in enough of the right places, to give them what they deserve. So go on and hand in your wire for all I care. I still know I'm in the right. And so, if you'll excuse me, I've got a daughter to pick up and protect."

And so she walked off, Fulton speaking out. "I assure you, I have no wire. I just want you to know, you are the one who broke our trust. And we are as angry as you are. And we'll pursue you. Even if you don't get to trial, or convicted, you'll have that hanging over you. It goes both ways, you know, enough of us in the right places. Hanging over you. Hanging over your daughter too."

And with that Sarah stopped, claws in the ground, a feral growl coming out of her mouth as she pivoted to look at him. The sound sent nearby birds flying up into the air, before an odd peace settled in once more. Sarah looked at him, glaring, before turning and marching off.

Back towards the crowd, taking in breaths and calming herself. She was not going to let him win. "H-hello?" someone asked.

She looked down, pausing as a small river otter came up to her.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really," Sarrahson spoke, not having the time or patience.

"Can't blame you," she said, "I only heard parts of it, but him threatening you like that."

Well maybe she could relax. "Yeah."

"Why? Why even do that?"

"Because he sides with a juvenile vulpine criminal over me," she spoke.

The tiny otter blinked. "Yeah, thought I heard something like that… Don't know why he does that, I've never had anything good come from foxes, they're just sneaky scum, aren't they?"

"Gods yes," the cat moaned.

"Can't go into Zootopia without getting shaken down by one, just wish I was big enough to do something about them."

"Well," Sarah said, smiling. "I'm big enough, and I've done plenty to make sure they get what they deserve."

"That must feel good, mustn't it. Muzzle them up and hit them with fox rep."

"Yeah, though I found that shaving their tails like they did in the old days works even better, even if you couldn't do it in mammal."

"What do you mean, not in mammal?"

"Well," she said, grin widening even further. "I was able to suggest doing it to some good mammals, and after getting the ball rolling it just did its job. Just seeing them learn their place gives you some faith in the world." She paused as she looked up at the crowd up ahead, within hearing distance. Especially as a younger serval was running up, arms wide open.

"Sorry Karen," Sarah said, her daughter jumping right into her. "Just had to talk to some mammals."

"Yeah, I can see that," the teenager said cheerfully.

Sarah nodded, before looking down at the small otter. "We should meet up some time. -Sarah, Sarah Sarrahson."

"Annabelle," she said, smiling as she brought out a phone and pressed a button on it. "Annabelle Riotra."

Sarrahson's ears flipped down slightly, though she wasn't sure why. Where had she heard that name before?

"And don't worry," she said, a tone change in her voice. "There are enough mammals like me, in enough of the right places, to keep the bad guys down in the place they belong."

Sarah felt her ears go down as the otter began waddling off. Annabelle Riotra… Riotra… Riotra! She blinked, looking down as the smiling otter on her way towards Fulton turned back. "It goes both ways, you know," she said.

The deer nodded, and Sarah gulped.

"Who are they mom?" Karen asked. "I was thinking, there's horse hockey here tomorrow. -Hockey played between horses, and I'd like to watch. If they're your friends, they could come."

"Oh don't worry, they're no-one," her mother said, voice quick, hard, bitterly dismissive but not without a slight wobble. "No-one. Come on, let's go home."