He grumbled and cursed under his breath as he walked through the twilight streets of the city. Each curse was met with a "forgive me my transgressions" at the end and had been since leaving mister Manchas' home. Still more expletives left his mouth, each step another curse as his mind whirled to make sense of what he had seen. He had arrived, his lungs burning in his rush to get to the house and put down his comrade's soul that would certainly be damned. He'd prayed to the creator and the great virgin that he wouldn't be too late to catch him before he went hunting for what had become his food. But when he got there, panting, eyes scanning the darkness, preparing for the worse, he had instead been surprised.

The scene was mostly exactly as he had left it when chasing the demon before. Mostly being the keyword. Broken glass still littered the floor, there were still wet pools of scarlet blood on staining the hardwood. Even the door he had crashed his way through stood hanging off it's hinges on one side in the entrance. But the body of his comrade was no where to be found. Though evidence showed that the body had risen, moved maybe twenty paces to the doorway of the kitchen and then was jumped. For in the place of a body was now a pile of ashes that hadn't been there before. Ashes, Nick had stepped in on his mad flight to get to the jaguar before the newly awakened demon could kill or curse others.

It had been just the two of them keeping guard over Renato's home so he knew it wasn't merely a fellow priest from that alone. That and the absence of a brother of the cloth waiting for him to return. So then that left one thing: another vampire. Making that connection had stirred something in his mind, told him that he was forgetting something important. But no matter how hard he'd tried to grasp it, it stayed out of reach of his memory. It had caused confusion as well. A vampire wouldn't just attack one of their own unless one was invading another's territory. But even then the creatures tended to give others a chance to leave before attacking them. From what he'd seen McKinley had just woken and barely moved before he was killed. It meant of course that, Nick wouldn't have to be the one to kill him.. But it also meant that his sacred duty had been taken from his paws by another demon.

A devil had taken away his life and made him raise up as a devil himself.. Only for another devil to snuff it before it really had a chance to begin.

It had been his responsibility to stop him. But he had to chase that other demon that had tore out of there and went running into town. To add insult to injury he still couldn't remember if he had been able to kill the capybara or if it had escaped. He recalled that he had chased it through the rain forest and into town. He'd had it cornered, but after that... Nothing. His mind was a blank in memory from that point until he went racing back the way he'd gone to get to McKinley. It didn't take a genius to know he had succumbed to his mind being tampered with, likely the work of the capybara. It made sense that there would be blank spots in his memory if the creature had done it in the midst of panic. Most vampires would distort a memory and change it into something else. Had she not been so panicked, Nick would have surely believed it had been slain and it could have gotten away.

But it still made no sense.. The creature hadn't been old enough to do that particular trick. The evidence had been in it's clumsy use of shape shifting and that it had ran rather than face him in the Manchas home. If it had been strong enough to manipulate his memory, it would have been strong enough to put up a good fight. It would have been cunning as well and waited for the newly turned McKinley to rise to face him two on one. The fox would have been a dead fox before the sun rose or a demon himself. But that hadn't happened. So then if not the capybara, another vampire? Why manipulate him though? Unless the one fogging his memory was the sire of his target.

But if that were the case, then he would have still been dead before he went as far as a step back the way he'd come. And the vampire wouldn't have altered his mind. Rather it would have let him see it coming before they faced off. Vampires tended to love to get a rise out of their victims whether they be civilians or priests.

A jolt jarred him from his thoughts and green eyes blinked to clear his mind more thoroughly. He realized upon doing so that he had ran into someone, his thoughts so preoccupied he must not have seen her in front of him.

"Terribly sorry miss, I am afraid my mind is elsewhere," he apologized quickly.

"Oh, no harm done. You just startled me," her soft voice replied.

Paying more attention now, he could see the mammal he ran into had been a grey rabbit and he found himself wondering if she was the one who Renato was infatuated with. When she turned however it wasn't violet eyes which he met, but a bright green much like his own. He realized he must have been staring when the pretty young doe tilted her head slightly in inquiry, small pink nose twitching in question. He quickly averted his eyes and gave an apologetic smile as his paw reached up and scratched behind one of his ears. It was a nervous tick he'd had since he was a kit and had thought he'd outgrown. Apparently he hadn't.

"I apologize again ma'am. You mostly resemble a description that was given to me by a client. A mister Renato Machas? A jaguar."

His eyes turned back to her, looking to see if she showed a flicker of recognition. Perhaps she'd seen him in town or seen a rabbit follow him out of the city one evening. Or as he had briefly suspected, but debunked, the rabbit could have been the vampire herself. But if that were so why would she keep him from falling or not have just taken him over completely when she had the chance? He shook away his thoughts just in time to see the rabbit that had been smiling at him before so kindly was now frowning. He realized belatedly what his inquiry must have sounded like.

"Oh no, madame. I do not suspect you a vampire. He spoke of a grey rabbit that saved him from walking over a ledge when his mind was preoccupied. He wished to express his thanks to her. And I apologize once again, I should have been more clear."

The smile returned to the rabbit's face at that followed by a soft laugh that reminded the priest of a tinkling of a bell. He recalled mister Manchas saying that the rabbit had as he put it "the voice of an angel" and he had to wonder now if all small mammals had this almost soothing quality to their voices.

"No, no," she said when her mirth subsided. "I should have known better than to think that is what you were implying. Members of the church do not accuse without evidence."

He smiled and responded with a polite nod. But he had to wonder, would she know this mysterious rabbit herself? Rabbits tended to stay to groups of themselves, preferring their own over predators or other prey. She could even be a relative, a cousin or a sister-in-law even. The latter would be a disappointment to mister Manchas for sure. But best to nip the infatuation in the bud if it were to prevent it from growing and lusting after a married mammal.

"Perhaps you know her? The reason I thought you were this mysterious rabbit is your fur color. She is also grey and white. I believe he said her eyes were violet?"

Before his eyes, her expression shifted once again. It went from a polite smile of her own to consideration and then to shock. From that look he knew she knew the rabbit he had inquired on. The expression however was what baffled him. Why would she be so surprised in his mentioning of her? He got his answer soon enough.

"Judy? She's alive?! My parents, siblings and I all thought she was dead!"

"Dead? Why is that?"

"She went missing years ago when I was still a kit. But I know no other rabbits that have violet eyes. We thought she had been kidnapped, possibly violated, and murdered. But to hear she is alive and well from the sound of things. The poor dear she may have amnesia or just escaped her captor. She would not have left us for so long otherwise! Just wait until I tell my parents! They are going to be so happy I-"

"Ma'am please wait." He had to quickly interject. She said that she knew no other bunnies with the same eye color but that didn't mean there were none in the world who held the same features as she. It could sadly be a mere coincidence and while he hoped that wasn't the case, making him want to find this rabbit all the more to inquire on her family and background, it was possible it wasn't the same rabbit. His thoughts must have shown on his features for her expression quickly became saddened.

"I apologize sir. I thought for sure when you told me her eye color that our Judy was still alive and well. But you were right to stop me. It would have been heartbreaking to tell my parents she was still alive only to break their hearts all over again. If it is her, you will tell me won't you? We have all missed her terribly. I live here over on Oak street in the little white house. My name is Jennifer Hopps, though my friends call me Jenny."

Nick felt his ears lower, feeling sympathy hit him square in the heart. He had lost both parents in a night and while she told of only one sibling who could be dead he got the feeling there were others. He had been an only child so couldn't relate completely to the pain of her loss if this rabbit wasn't Judy Hopps. But at least he had a possible clue now, a possible name and possible amnesia. Amnesia which again could have been caused by a vampire attack. Something which she could have recognized in Renato when she saved him as he had thought before.

"I promise to find her and tell you if she turns out to be your sister ma'am. I sincerely hope she is."

His tail lowered and his shoulders slouched when the grey bunny whispered a "thank you, please excuse me" before turning and he guessed started on her way home. It was clear that while she also hoped her sister was alive, her belief in that possibility had died quite a bit when he stopped her. He really did hope this mysterious bunny turned out to be her missing sister. It would not only put the hearts and minds of the Hopps family at ease and heal a hurt that looked to be at least two decades old and it would connect Judy herself to who she was again if she truly did have amnesia. According to miss Jenny Hopps, Judy wouldn't just not come back if she could. But there was also the possibility like doe had said that she may have only just escaped her captor or captors. He would keeping more of a watchful eye for her now that much was for certain.

For now he had to focus on finding his original target though. Hopefully before Father Bogo showed up in the city himself. Without McKinley to report back to him this evening, he would certainly come and inquire on his own within the next evening. Still he wished he could escort miss Hopps back home. With three vampire attacks just this evening, he didn't feel right letting her walk alone. But being a brother of the cloth, escorting her himself would tarnish his name and the name of the church. He and his brothers were supposed to be celibate. It wouldn't look like he was keeping that vow should he be spotted with her.

He sent a prayer with her, asking the great virgin and the creator to keep her safe and also asked them to guide him before ending his prayer and continuing on his way. Renato had been the only one he had visited thus far that had been reported to be attacked and kept alive. But the hour was now growing late and he doubted any other clients would be awake at this time. There was nothing else he could do save for return to his room at the local inn and turn in for the night himself. He further doubted the rabbit that could be Judy Hopps was out and about now. If she had indeed been attacked and survived she no doubt knew to stay in shelter until daybreak.

With his thoughts on her once again he found himself wondering how she had gotten free of the vampire's influence. Had she ran to the seek the assistance of another church or perhaps gotten lucky and been freed when the vampire was slain? If it was indeed Judy, the amnesia would have lifted when the vampire was killed. So either this rabbit wasn't her or she had sought help meaning her attacker could still be out there. Could it be the same one that attacked Renato? If it was then she may have made the connection herself and fled town by now. A new thought came to him then. What if the vampire was tracking her? Perhaps it fancied her like mister Manchas did and if she was as kind and easy on the eyes as the jaguar thought it was a strong theory. Or was it something in her blood that attracted it?

A vampire could smell these things, the ungodly beasts being more superior in their senses than any mammal. If she was indeed being tracked it was all the more reason to find her, in doing so it would make his assignment that much easier. He would be sure to send word to the local guard on the morrow and ask them to spread word of a rabbit with grey and white fur and violet eyes. Possibly the missing Judy Hopps. That last bit would ensure they did as asked. For tonight it was time to sleep and eat something to energize himself for the following day.

Upon returning to his room, he ate a simple meal of cheese and bread with a side of berries and nuts with water to drink. The hearth was cold and unused, unneeded in this part of Zootopia though a window was left cracked open to allow in the air which cooled just slightly at night and gave the room a more comfortable feel. Were it not for the slight ease of temperature he had no doubt the room would feel like a furnace.

It would still be too hot to sleep without removing his robes though as he had come to find the previous nights. So he shed them all including his weapons and their holders until he stood in only his fur and slipped into bed. He needed no lantern to see being blessed with night vision so there was no flame to extinguish as he spoke his usual nightly prayer and slipped off into sleep.

That night his sleep wasn't as blissfully dreamless as it usually was. What waited for him behind his closed lids this time were horrors that made him frown in his sleep and his paws clench in his sheets until he poked holes in them with his claws. He saw again the evening he lost his parents until the scene shifted and he found himself looking into horrified violet eyes. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could tell from the movements of her mouth she was screaming for help. She reached toward him with a small shaking paw, eyes and mouth begging him to kill the devil that was after her. He would have asked why she didn't just run had it not been for seeing her leg laying behind her unnaturally. Broken. She screamed, begged and he tried, tried to move but found he couldn't. He wanted to go to her, help her up, shield her behind him, and draw his weapon to kill what tormented her. But he couldn't move, just like that night over twenty years ago.

A look down told him his feet had been literally frozen to the snow covered ground telling him it was either winter or he was in Tundratown. But that one moment of distraction was all it took. He could suddenly hear her terrified scream and snapped his head back up. A shadow with no shape covered her and he could see blood run over her neck and shoulder even as she struggled to get away. She kicked behind her, clawed at the ground with her tiny claws and even shouted verses at the creature even as she sent constant pleading looks at him. He hadn't even noticed she was armed until she pulled a silver dagger from the bodice of her dress and struck it through the monster's temple as hard as she could.

It surprised and hurt the creature enough to let her go and put it's shadow paw against it's wound. But still Nick remained frozen and knew that his whole body was being covered in ice, not just his feet. Judy, who he was now sure he was seeing quickly jumped to her feet as well as she could in her weakened, anemic state and ran for it. She ran towards him and he felt his heart ache to know he couldn't save her. He tried to struggle, to break free of his bonds, even tried prayer but nothing broke his icy prison. He was shocked when she ran right at his chest instead of behind him, but even more so when she ran right through him as if he was a phantom. Or if she was. He now wondered if he was witnessing her running for her life.

He hoped, he prayed that she got away far enough to make to shelter. But as if fate were mocking him, the creature pulled the dagger from it's temple and with hell fire eyes gave chase once again. His struggles picked up, trying harder to break free, putting his all into it. But for nothing. From behind him came the ear splitting scream once again.

Nick jerked awake, the scream still echoing in his mind as his heart raced in his chest, the nightmare so intense, so realistic his fur was standing up. He panted in a slowly ending panic as his eyes adjusted, taking in the unremarkable wood walls of his room. He sat up, paws shaking as he sat up in his bed, holding his head as his eyes closed again. But they snapped right back open when he found those images waiting behind them. That had been Judy Hopps, there was no doubt in his mind that, that was the horrified doe in his nightmare. But she had been captured from her home, the rain forest district he was guessing as that was where he had met Jenny. It she had been in a snow covered area that meant it was either in Savannah Central where the weather was normal or in Tundratown.

He was possibly seeing in that nightmare a vision of what was to come rather than what had been. God gave his servants such visions at times to keep bad things from happening or so he had been taught. This was the first time he had ever had one himself. But he would most definitely be taking the warning to heart. For now he had to calm down and figured that standing and getting a glass of water would do the trick. At least a small bit anyway. So he threw his sheet off himself and made his way back to the table where he filled his glass with water. He drank slowly to further calm his racing heart, his eyes naturally going up to look around the room.

The glass was quickly shattered in his paw when a familiar rage took an iron grip on him and his paw squeezed the glass too tightly for the delicate drinkware to handle. It hadn't been the nightmare that had raised his fur on end in warning. He was looking right at a demon, growling at it like a feral beast as it's eyes locked onto his bleeding paw.

"Stop looking."

It was simple enough and Nick had no doubt it was talking about his drive to find Judy Hopps. It made his growls escalate as he reached for a throwing knife left on the table. From beneath the hooded cloak, those eyes watched his movement, but didn't respond any more than that.

"I have never listened to a devil and I will not start now!" he snarled.

The demon sighed as if it were dealing with a disobedient child and stood in one fluid motion from where it had been sitting on a wood chest beside the door. Paws came up to the hood, Nick narrowing his eyes further at it. Then the hood was removed completely, erect grey ears standing straight up and tipped back popped up immediately. Grey and white fur showed next, then violet eyes.

"If you were looking to save me, you are too late, priest."

The shock rocked him all the way to his core, making his snarls cease and his fingers numb until he dropped the knife completely. He didn't need an introduction, he knew who it was. Or who she used to be rather.

"Judy Hopps."

TBC...

AC: And here's the next chapter~ Judy has now made an appearance. I wonder how their first meeting will go~ ;) Look for the next chapter to find out~

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and make no profit from this work. Its just for me and other fans to enjoy. The only thing I own is the many OC's that have and will make an appearance.