Okay, I can't be the only terrified one here, I see the noses twitching and itchy paws reaching for something, anything that the assembled crowd of rabbits can probably use to come after us.
"I'm Nick Hopps," I venture up, hoping that'll placate them. "Y- you know, Bonnie's son?"
"Is that where the flock she went after we kicked her out?" one of the other rabbits, a silver one with green eyes, mumbles, almost ashamedly.
"Um, yeah, why?" I ask, tail tightening its grip on my legs once again. "You're not gonna hurt me, am I? I- I mean, are- are you? I- we- um-"
"Listen kid," the tan one says, "we're not gonna hurt you if you give us a story that makes a flocking lick of sense. You're Bonnie's kid? Ha yeah right…"
"Okay, let me explain," I try to say, paws together like she's praying (and heck, all of us are right now, gods), "I'm the son, alright? I know I don't really look it, but-
"That's a really realistic fox suit, but you smell like rabbit...," yet another one of the rabbits says, smoker's voice rough, just like their fur.
Gods, do I have to explain this story again?
"Glad I'm not the only one realizing that," I mutter. "Of course I look like a fox, I am a fox..."
"And you call yourself Bonnie's son, who do you think you're kidding?"
"I don't know why you think I'm kidding, mister..."
"Because there ain't no such thing as a hybrid and you smell like rabbit..."
"Look, I smell like rabbit because I live with one, I literally just said that, for flock's sale, mister... I told you I was Bonnie's son, and I mat be a fox but if there's anything that I'm not, it's a liar...you know, Bonnie?"
"Bonnie?" The older rabbit asks, and I have to bite back a curse. Yes, mister, did you not here me literally just say that or something...
"Because I'm her son," I tell them, and I can hear the wave of laughs roll forwards through the group, mounting higher as it comes. "L- look, I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true, I swear…."
"A fox, Bonnie's son, yeah right."
I guess I am gonna have to explain it again…
"Okay, so Mom was broke, right, and she gave Judy up for adoption… and then she felt really guilty about it and tried to take her back but the orphanage said no takebacks…"
"Around the same time," Judy says, "my parents- the foxes, yes, were broke. They left Nick on the steps of the orphanage and ran… when their consciences got the better of them, they went back to find he'd been adopted but I was there. Guess who adopted me?"
"That makes no sense, I mean-," one of the rabbits tries to say, but Judy cuts him off.
"It's stupid, it's convoluted, whatever, but the Wildes are my parents…"
"And Bonnie Hopps is mine…," I offer up, knowing that they're not going to believe me.
"So then where the hell is she?" yet another rabbit asks, this one older, fur going white. He hobbles over to me, pushing through the other rabbits that try to hold them back, brushing them all back with a sweep of his cane.
I don't know how such an old rabbit can be so fear-inducing, but this one is… very much so….
"Pop-pop, did you take your meds this morning?" yet another rabbit asks, getting a glower from the elder rabbit.
"Of course I did, Avery, what makes you think that I didn't?" 'Pop-pop' mumbles, loud enough so that only Avery and I can hear it.
"Okay, so what's the matter, kid?"
I can hear the whispers all over, the buzz rippling backwards from the front here until everyone's chatting and chittering amongst themselves.
Pop-pop trusts them, they're saying. If he trusts them- he never trusts anyone- then they're safe, they have to be safe…
"My- my mom just got kitnapped, s- si- sir…," I mumble, feeling my knees knock and really hoping that I don't lose it… "If you can h- help me find them that'd be great…"
"Going up against Smellwether, are we?" the elder rabbit asks, almost cackling, the grin on his face shadowed down here and looking almost, kinda, well, maniacal…
"You- um- you know what we're doing?"
"Yeah, no, but I figured as much, seeing as you brought those two along," he says, gesturing with a quick wave of the paw towards the fox and rabbit behind us… "Well, this is awkward," he mutters. How are you, Tyler, Mason?"
"Could be better, grandfather," Tyler mumbles, grumbling under his breath… "You kicked me out, told me to never come back because I was a 'disgrace to rabbitkind' for, and I quote, 'dallying with a fox.' You chased me off and now you're willing to just let another pair right in? You're a flocking bigot… and I hate you for it… you told be I'd be better off dead, Otto… really? Gods damn it I don't know what to do… I can't forgive you and yet I can't let it get to me… what the hell…?"
"I was wrong, Tyler-," the rabbit starts, but his grandson doesn't let him finish.
"Yeah, you were… I made my life after that… I did alright, I have a family right here," he says, hugging Mason's paw with his. "I don't let go, you know that…"
"You're angry, I get that…"
"Damn straight I'm angry!" Tyler shouts, teeth gritted, almost predatory, ears shot straight back… "I had to fight for my life on the streets because of you! You could have let me back in, but no, no, you wouldn't… and now? Now? Now you're just letting them back in, what the gods damned hell?"
"I- I- I've learned to be be- better," the elder rabbit stammers, ears droopy and nose quivering. "I- I've been trying to get ahold of you for years now… but then- but then-"
"But then what, Otto?" Tyler asks, the fury in his eyes still just as bright as it was before. "But what? There's nothing you could say-"
"They told me you were dead, Tyler, that you'd- you'd- you'd-"
"Quit life, I know, I know… some bullcarp story that they tell everyone…. That still doesn't answer my question, you know…"
"I thought you. Were. Dead. Tyler, what more do you want from me, I thought you were gone and then you show up and- I was wrong…. And-"
"D-," Tyler starts to say, but Otto cuts him off. "You don't get to come in here to my house and start throwing scat around… I was wrong, but at least I'm mammal enough to admit that… I was wrong, alright? Neither of us are in the damn flocking right here…. And being godsdamn pissed at each other isn't helping… you need help…"
"Gee, thanks, flock you…"
"Not like that, Tyler," Mason says, scowling at him and giving the back of his head a whack with the back of a paw. "You can shut up now…. Gods…"
"Okay, everyone good?" I grumble out, and before anyone can say anything else, I start. "Okay, hi guys, sorry about that, yeah, I'm Nick Hopps, yes I'm Bonnie's son… and yes Bellwether and her goons took her captive, so any help that we could get to, oh, I don't know, freaking overthrow her, yeah, that's gonna be great and really appreciated…"
"So how can we help?" Mister Hopps- Otto- asks, holstering his pistol and beckoning to the others to put their weapons to their sides as well.
I hope my relief and sigh aren't obvious…
"So what now?" Mason asks.
"Well, that's easy… I helped build the ZTA, young lady."
"And that's helpful how, exactly? Honestly, not sarcastically… I want to know," the fox asks again, curiosity sparking in her eyes…
"Let's just say I have a back door… and we won't get to use it if we don't hurry up and bust her, let's get to work mammals!" he shouts, sending rabbits scrambling everywhere. We're going to do this… we're going to take her down…
I don't know why, but the thought of being able to take revenge makes me really happy… She hurt my mom…
And foxes don't forgive things like that… ever…
Dawn, watch out, we're coming for you.