Noah was waiting in a very small room for his dinner. Patsy arrived with three large pieces of pizza and a glass of orange juice.
"You hungry?" she asked.
"Not really," said Noah. "I'm too scared."
"You should try to eat, sweetie," said Patsy. "You need your strength for tonight."
She placed the plate on the bed and Noah slowly ate the pizza.
"He scares me," said Noah with his mouthful.
"He scares everyone," said Patsy kindly. "But the least you can do is behave so you'll be okay. These marks are the last thing I want you to have," she added, pointing at the bare gashes o her face.
Noah gasped in fright.
"I wanna go home. Will I see Skips soon? He promised he'd help me."
"You will," said Patsy. "But I should be the one to try. Skips got you in enough trouble already."
Noah took another bite of pizza and sipped his orange juice.
"What were they like?" asked Patsy.
"Who?"
"That rabbit and fox."
"They were kind to me," said Noah. "Nick was the best. He makes me laugh and he always looked after me. They said they are gonna find out who my parents are. My daddy at least. I only know that Mommy died when I was born."
"Well," said Patsy. "You can count on the ZPD for anything. I'm sure you'll be back with them and find your daddy soon."
"But I wish Mommy was alive. I wanted to know what she was like."
"I bet she was beautiful," suggested Patsy. "Like all foxes are and she loved you very much."
Noah put his plate down and looked down at the floor.
"But how about this? Until they find your family I'll be your mommy?"
Noah looked up at her. "Really? I actually do love you like one."
She picked him and kissed his nose.
"Just promise me one thing," said Noah. "No matter what you do, nothing will happen to you."
"I promise sweetie," she smiled. "I never let anything happen to me."
Noah's happiness suddenly changed when he thought about Stripes.
"How did you meet Mr. Stripes?"
Patsy's expression changed as well. She place the cub on her lap and said "Maybe you are better off learning why he is the way he is."
Noah listened, his ears straightened.
"I was an orphan just like you. No one gave me a chance expect a married couple, both tigers. They cherished me, fed me, clothed me and spoiled me. But the best part of it all was I had an older brother. Yes, he was Brent. We had the best relationship any leopard could ask for. Until one day we were playing. Some hooligans, preys, were causing mischief. One crime in particular, they beat a poor old lion cub to death and the police decided that Brent killed him, since he was a tiger and the others were preys. I tried to tell them I witnessed it but they wouldn't believe a predator. He spent twenty years in jail, at which time our mother died of grief and our father got shot in a pub accident. As soon as Brent was released, his heart hardened and he only had me to look out for him as he does now. I know one day he will come through."
Noah's heart melted at this story.
"But just between you and me you promise?" said Patsy.
Noah solute in the manner of a scout making Patsy chuckle at the gesture.
"You'd better get some shut-eye," she said. "Brent will wake you at three."
She tucked Noah in kissed his forehead.
"Goodnight, Mommy," whispered Noah.
"Goodnight, Poochie," said Patsy. She walked out and turned back at the fox cub, his eyes closed and putting his own tail around him. Somehow she had to help him. That last place she would see him is back at the ZDP for a crime he didn't commit.
The door swung open as the tiger walked over to Noah.
"Up!" he demanded.
Noah slowly got up yawning and Brent yanked him forward.
"When I say 'Up' I mean 'Up'. You get my meaning, little dude?"
"Yes," said Noah weakly, too scared to look at his face.
"Look at me and say it!"
Noah repeated his sentence looking into the nightmare itself.
"Where's Mo-Patsy?"
"In bed," said Brent. "We're off."
"Can't I say bye to her first?"
"No," said Brent threateningly. "You are too used to her. You are mine tonight and no one else. Don't forget - " He drew out his pistol, "you'll be asking for an early funeral if you cross me. Now let's go."
He picked him up and took him downstairs.
"One more thing," said Stripes as they reached the bottom. He went to his drawer and brought out an old muzzle.
"Jail had me wear these for discipline. You could do with one for tonight."
Noah wanted to plead but he remembered about the gun. One more he was muzzled and set to steal.
Stripes took hims downstairs where three other animals were waiting for them; a black panther, a grizzly bear and an alligator.
"Kid," Stipes said to Noah, they will be joining us on our little outing; David Coal, Bruce Gruffling and Jake Scales.
They looked at him menacingly, making the cub shake.
"We off now?" said David.
"Let's go," replied the tiger.
To Noah's dread, they set off into the night to commit the huge burglary.