There is always a light in the dark, one just has to look for it. For there could be no darkness without light just as there could be no light without darkness. If the world were just light, one would never see the splendor that was the sun as it would just not seem to exist in a world of nothing, but light. And reversed, if there world were only dark then mammals would never know the beauty of the moon and stars in the night sky. They would seem alien and frightening if in a world of constant dark there suddenly appeared a light through the inky black. And vice versa if the world were always only light then the sudden appearance of dusk, an exquisite painting done by mother nature each eve, then there would be panic.

He was slowly coming to realize that the world wasn't as simple as to simply be either light or dark. There was gray as well and it would be hypocritical to think this merely applied to moral mammals. Hypocritical and blind. He was seeing the truth in his lapine companion each and every evening and while it was true that he had only been with her for a week now, she had shown him quite thoroughly she wasn't like the rest. She felt far more than simple blood lust and the want for needless violence and bloodshed. She saved him so felt compassion, feared, sorrowed.. All things he never would have known had he succeeded in ending her life in any of the times he had attempted to do just that. All things he would had been disregarding not so long ago in his single minded mission to betray and end her in spite of all she had done for him already.

The final eye opener had been when she had stated that when they went against Rogan he needed to be prepared. She had opened up about the true weaknesses of vampires and the many tricks they loved to employ as well as how to get past them. Super speed was one of them, but even if the sound of their movements didn't give them away then the whistling of wind from their speed would, one just had to listen and follow instinct for it was rarely wrong. Most were arrogant in their heightened ability too and were sloppy, they loved to toy and taunt before going in for the kill. Most usually the taunting types would hide their presence, but there was always something that gave them away in that too. A blank spot, like something was missing or was there that shouldn't be in the landscape, room, or where ever the hunter and intended victim happened to be.

"Also be on the look out for shadows that should not be there. A strong tell is if a shadow is darker than it should be or the room or land itself feels unnaturally still and threatening. Immortals will also try to force you to feel calm, but there's an underlying feeling beneath it that its unnatural. Be conscious of that feeling and do not overlook it," she had told him.

Invisibility wasn't without its weaknesses either, the form would be transparent, but it would seem as if the surroundings suddenly rippled with movement. Only the most ancient of immortals could truly become transparent and give no tell. But it went back to the uneasy feelings and instincts sending out alarm. Instincts which priests like himself were trained and told from the beginning to listen for and listen to always.

"Silver can not kill, but it will weaken certain immortals who come in contact with it. Vampires is one of them. Weaken with silver and then strike the heart, but its not over just yet. You have to scatter the ashes or they will reanimate and raise back up worse than ever," she had coached him and he nodded along. "Wolfsbane is the best way to eradicate a lykan unless you have super strength in which case a strike through the chest and crushing of the heart will do."

Super strength could also become obsolete if one got in a good strike with silver or soil from holy ground. And - she had said - that if all else failed and one was in dire need of defense, a sea salt circle would do the trick. Nothing evil could cross the lines drawn with sea salt as it got its power from the Earth and absorbed the rays of both the moon and the sun in its natural form before being refined into salt.

The tutoring hadn't stopped there either, he had taken quite a beat down two days ago. Training as she put it. Shadow power that he had to be quick to defend against and then go on offensive retaliation. It hadn't been easy as her power only grew as dusk turned into night, but after twelve hours she was eventually giving it her all and he was meeting her strike for strike. Until he had her under him and his katana blade positioned over her heart.

That had been what made his sight finally and thoroughly change about her. She had simply lain there, staring up at him, knowledge in her eyes but making no move to stop him. He could end her there and then and should and this time he knew he hadn't shielded his thoughts in time. But she didn't even blink, she just lay there watching him, waiting for what he would do. Even though her eyes were glowing violet and he knew every instinct of her own was telling her to kill him, she didn't move. Nothing except for her lips.

"As for mind reading...simply pushing other thoughts to the front usually works for that.." she had said quietly.

That's when he realized with a start that she knew and had known. For how long he was unsure, but it was enough for his own eyes to grow wider and had him tossing his blade away as he stood and backed away. She had slowly risen back up, watching him the whole time as she got to her own hind paws.

"You know.." he had said quietly.

She nodded. "I do."

"But why...you could have.."

"Because in spite of the monster I am, I want to be only Judy. When the time comes and you do what you have to do, I'm going as who I was, not as what I became. And when you eventually see, Jenny again and have to lie to her. Hopefully I will have made enough of an impression where "she was a good mammal" will no longer seem to be such a lie."

And that had been what threw him, that was what made him realize that the world wasn't all black and white. In some ways he was her light and in others her darkness and vice versa, she was his light and darkness. He was her's to help her remember why she was fighting while he had also been the reminder of what she had become. And she was his because she was the demon he'd sworn to slay while she was also showing him they weren't all the same. He'd just been blind to it.

Until now.

"It would not be a lie," he told her and this time he was sincere.

She of course knew that and the carefully controlled mask she composed slipped and her sadness showed itself once again. Before she could turn away he saw the glisten of tears in her eyes again, a moon beam catching in the moisture as she turned and the droplets fell with her momentum. In that moment he also saw once again, the scars created from his own claws. And it hit him and hit him hard. Vampire or not, she was still the same Judith Hopps she had been when fully alive.

He didn't love her, but in that moment he felt a kinship to her he hadn't felt for a long time toward any other mammal. She was alone in the world, rejected by all who came across her, just getting by and trying not to be dissuaded from who she was. He was the same. Because he was a fox he was seen as shifty, untrustworthy and like a scourge on the Earth. Even among his own ranks he wasn't accepted, he always felt he had to prove himself to his superiors and had to fight to get his share of the rations that were delivered by the Church of Empyrion. He had been convinced before ever leaving out that he had been sent on a suicide mission. And now all things considered and from what he learned, he wondered if that had been the case once again.

Judy was mistrusted, judged, and sentenced to death for being a being no longer mortal in spite of the fact she was the same as she'd ever been in the end of it all. Among other vampires he was sure she seemed easily disposed of too, but he knew from his own experiences that certainly wasn't the case.

He watched as she turned back to him, not trying to hide the remaining moisture there in her eyes and when she quirked a smile at him, he felt himself truly returning it. He couldn't kill her. Not anymore.

"I think its time we have a true partnership," he told her and watched her smile grow as she closed the distance between them.

"I think you are right. No more secrets?" she said.

"No more secrets," he agreed.

"Mmf...you are thinking too loudly again, Nick I can not sleep like this.."

He chuckled softly to himself.

"I apologize, I will try to keep more quiet."

"Too late, I am awake now.." she sighed.

Nick had woken only three hours ago himself, trusting in their instincts and the barrier to keep them safe from harm as they slept. Plus there was the matter that they were in the ruins of a church so no immortal of any kind would be quick to infiltrate and disturb them there. But getting back to sleep once he woke had been impossible so he had spent the time catching fish for himself, scouting around to ensure the barriers were still strong - more for something to do than actually believing that they were weakened - training a bit, and then finally settling to think to himself. Or what he thought was to himself, but the evidence that it hadn't been as quiet as he thought was clear with Judy yawning and rubbing her eyes. It was actually quite cute!

"Do not call me cute, Nicholas."

She dropped her paw to glare at him and he playfully held up his paws in a gesture of "meaning no harm" to which she sighed and moved to sit beside him. Only to quickly stop, stiffen, and turn in what he thought was some random direction at first until he felt it too. A shift in the air, unnatural, evil. The maliciousness of the feeling was like an oil settling heavily over his body, making him shudder in disgust and had his stomach churning. Then she was running for the church entrance and he had to jump to his feet and chase her before she could get fried by the barrier.

"Judy, stop! The barrier!" he called out.

But she seemed to have a single minded purpose and continued on and whether a compulsion that was purely instinct and desperation came from him and he held out his paw as if to stop her. He was as surprised as she was when what seemed like a wall of silvery-white appeared and bounced her back from the barrier just seconds before she reached it. It seemed to have dazed her a slight bit too as she shook her head as if to clear it and then sent him a wide eyed look. Then he heard the screaming that he was sure she had heard before and she was staring at the barrier, but at least she wasn't moving toward it again.

"Get it open, Nick there is a mammal in trouble! Vampire on the hunt!"

He was already running over before she finished and with a bit of concentration he had the barrier weak enough for her to slip through without harm and ran through himself. Before he had even gotten fully out, Judy was on the offensive, flying over the would-be victim's head to attack another bunny, the vampire. This one was truly a monster as evidenced by the feral growling and hissing, salivating mouth, and reddened eyes.

"Get into the church!" he yelled at the ram who now stood frozen in shock. That seemed to be what needed to be said to jolt him from it though as he quickly turned on his hooves and did what he was told.

Now that he didn't have another mammal to worry about besides Judy, he turned to lend his assistance, his eyes hardly keeping up with the pace of flying limbs as both does exchanged blows, the feral one going for Judy's neck and Judy dodging and striking herself. The other doe seemed to be driven more by instinct and avoided Judy going for her heart and throat herself. In some ways the more instinct driven vampires were more dangerous, they were more animal and monster than anything and in some ways unpredictable. And while Judy could have held her own in a normal fight, she hadn't yet fed and had been woken early.

In the end that was how the doe had to have been able to throw his companion off and round on him. But he was ready, he knew Judy was alright. It had been difficult to follow the fight, but he had all the same. Now he called on all of his training as well as the new bit from Judy. He was ready and more armed than he had been the last few encounters with other beasts and got into position as the doe moved in for the attack. From his peripheral he could see Judy running at the doe, but he didn't move his gaze from his target the tan doe would reach him before Judy could reach her.

But he wanted to seem arrogant, confident in his own skill without his weapons until the doe was right up on him. Time had seemed to slow with his blood pumping through his veins fast, adrenaline spiked and at the last possible second, a flick of his paw had a throwing knife in his palm and driven into the doe's chest. It missed the heart by merely an inch, but that was what he intended. He wanted this thing to know it was about to die, this thing that could have deviated from the path of darkness, but just didn't and had become a monster.

"God and the virgin Ewe have mercy on you," he told it, watching the blood red, glowing eyes widen before he jerked the knife up and felt the pressure as it sliced through the shriveled, blackened heart within.

A shower of ashes accompanied that move and when he looked up from the pile, he saw Judy standing there with a smile. A smile that slowly fell as she closed the last remaining distance between herself and the ashes and started kicking it away. That was when he remembered another of her lessons, that the ashes must be scattered or the corpse would reanimate worse than ever. He joined her in the task until they were sure that the beast wouldn't raise back up and she sighed as she turned back to him and they both made their way back into the church.

The ram was there waiting, a ram he had almost forgotten about until that very moment. He seemed a nervous wreck, quivering and looking as if he'd faint at the slightest provocation.

He and Judy shared a look before she nodded at the ram, as if telling him to handle it as she went to gather greens growing wild that were fit for a mammal of his species to eat. Nick watched her for a moment before going to the mammal, putting his paws up in a gesture of peace as he turned toward him in fright.

"Peace now friend.. I mean you no harm.." he told him gently. "What is your name?"

"D-Doug...Doug Ramses.." the shaken ram replied.

"Well Doug, fear not. The beast is now vanquished. You are safe now.."

Nick hadn't expected the mammal to thank him as shaken as he appeared to be. It was rare he got thanks anyway as it was simply his sacred duty to take out the undead while he had been a priest of the Order or Archan. But that didn't prepare him for what came from Doug's mouth. The ram was suddenly livid, accusation in his narrowed gaze.

"And why should I trust a fox, how do I know you did not sic that thing on me?!"

What he was hearing made, Nick frown, but he didn't speak a word in his own defense. It was only a matter of time until unrealistic accusations were tossed at him. Even after all this time he was still seen as lesser because he was a fox. He may not look like much of a priest with his shirt missing and his pants, coat, and boots all damp, but the insignia of the Order should have been enough to at least make the ram rethink such accusation. Still, Nick said nothing.. But then, he didn't have to.

"If you are wary of a fox assisting you then how would you feel about another vampire saving you?"

Judy had come back from gathering the greens for the ram and of course had heard the whole thing and by the look of things she was furious. The glow of her eyes said it all even if the curled lip showing longer fangs didn't. That seemed to be enough for Doug to go hoof over head and faint, falling unceremoniously to the floor.

"Judy.." Nick sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Hey, I did not force him to faint.." she defended with a shrug, Nick just barely got the tail end of when he opened his eyes. "Either way we can not have him going off and telling others of our partnership. If the wrong mammals found out.."

"I know, it would spell disaster," Nick agreed.

Another sigh and a nod from Judy and she bent to put the greens down beside the ram before taking his head between her paws and he felt the power spike immediately. Though he took note it wasn't the oily, gut churning feeling of the other doe. It just felt like an tingle or a charge skittering over his skin. He still watched though as she used her thrall to force the ram to open his eyes then took control of his mind.

"You got lost on your way to your destination, a vampire went after you, but you escaped into the church. You left at dawn when the feral beast was terminated by the sun. You have not seen myself or Nick, you will not remember the truth of what happened here tonight. You will continue on your way at the break of dawn and never be any wiser of what really transpired. Ever. Now eat, and sleep and never travel at night again."

With the manipulation complete, the ram had no choice but to obey her command, a dazed look in his eyes as he ate the offered greens and then promptly fell into a deep slumber after he safely swallowed the last bit. Judy shook her head again as she left the sleeping ram where he lay and turned back to Nick who stared at Doug a moment longer before returning her gaze, taking note of how tired she suddenly seemed.

"You need to feed," he said.

"Yes.." she agreed. "But this time you will eat first. We do not want a repeat of last time."

"Indeed not.."

"Yes..so.. Eat first.. Or maybe get the barrier fully up again..or.." Another sigh from her. "I do not know."

He gave her a smile and put a paw to her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before moving to strengthen the barrier again. It didn't take long before he was making his way over to cook his fish, his smile growing when Judy plopped down beside him and tiredly rested her head on his arm. He let her stay like that, no longer disgusted by her proximity, but comforted by it.

AC: I really hope this chapter makes up for the ungodly (no pun intended) amount of time it took to get it out. I finally have a laptop again and though I'm struggling offline, I finally got the muse back to do this chapter. I sincerely apologize for how long this took. I hope you all enjoy and thank you everyone for being so patient. I won't make a promise of when the next one will come out, but I can promise it won't take nearly as long.

Next time: More of Memory Lane. Be looking for it. ;) Luffles from AC

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot and any OCs who that have and/or may come in. I make no money from this work and I'm in no way employed by Disney, or the brilliant minds that made the awesomeness that is Zootopia. Would be awesome if I was though. :3