The two hippos entered the workplace, Mr. Mudway stumbling about in his white suit and chuckling. His new wife on the other hand was embarrassed to have ever married him. Only now she was learning the hard way.

"Keep still, you fool!" snapped Mrs. Mudway.

"How can in this moment of happiness? HIC!" said Mr. Mudway with a loud hiccup letting laughter out from various naked, muzzled orphans.

"BACK TO WORK!" screamed Mrs. Mudway. "ALL OF YOU BEFORE THE WHIP GETS TO YOUR BACKS!"

They scuttled away.

Mr. and Mrs. Mudway headed to their quarters as Mr. Mudway lay down on the coffee table breaking it.

"Must you bring a wife misery?" she snapped.

"Some of that marvellous punch - HIC! - would have changed your mood - HIC!"

Mrs. Mudway growled with impatience and threw her bouquet to the ground.

"Off to see how old Buckworth is doing," she said. "She's been coming down with a fever all week."

"Raining Buckworths!" sing Mr. Mudway looking out the window. "Raining Buckworth's come on down! HIC!"

Mrs. Mudway flaked thinking why he was so different when they weren't married.

She walked into the ward where she saw the old beaver shivering.

"You feeling better, Nurse Buckworth?"

The beaver shook her head weakly.

"My timing is coming," she gasped. "Please listen to me. It's important that you listen to what I am about to say."

"Out with it then," said Mrs. Mudway. "Death is merciless and never spares a minute."

"Five years ago in this very ward in this very bed, we took in a young vixen, a very beautiful one too. She arrived in labour, gave birth to a child and died almost instantly. I withheld a possession which is a locket of herself and another handsome young fox. The other was a letter - telling this fox, Nicholas Wilde that he takes care of the boy and raise him for her as they tragically separated from each other."

"And who might this child be?" asked Mrs. Mudway.

"Your husband named him," said Nurse Buckworth hoarsely. "Noah Sly."

"Noah Sly," muttered Mrs. Mudway under her breath.

"The locket is here and the letter, inside," said the beaver handing it to the hippo. After that, her eyes closed forever.

"She was old," said Mrs. Mudway. "Only a matter of time, I always tell myself."

She opened the locket and borough out the letter.

"We don't want this as part of my collection."

"What collection might that be?"

She gasped to see the speaker being a fox in a black suit and sunglasses.

"Who might you be?" she said, half angry and half startled.

"You may address me as Mr. Shards," said the fox shutting the door behind him.

"Who let you in?"

"The other hippo," said Shards. "My conclusion being your husband? Anyway, I understand you bred a fox cub here who goes by the name of Noah Sly."

"You are right," said the hippo shaking, "but what is your interest in the boy."

"I request his birth certificate and any evidence belonging to his mother."

"She possessed nothing," said Mrs. Mudway lying quickly placing her scrunched hand into her side pocket.

"Not even a golden locket?"

The hippo shook her head.

"However," she covered up, "she left this note."

Shards snatched it from her and read it.

"Nick Wilde," he whispered.

"Sir?" said Mrs. Mudway timidly.

"I must be off," he said but he glared at her and brought out a pen pointing it at her. "should you find a locket to do with this woman, you will inform me won't you?"

"Yes," gulped Mrs. Mudway.

She screamed as filmed erupted from his pen.

"See that you do," he growled, as he clicked his pen, closing the fire away.

He walked out while throwing a card onto the floor.

"My number if you wish to make inquires."

Mrs. Mudway followed him leaving the door guarded by the security Ox's.

"Where were you both when he arrived?"

"Cigar break," they said.

The hippo watched with her husband who had also come out as Shards clambered into a black car and set off.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" shuddered Mrs. Mudway to her husband.

"HIC!"

"Oh get out of the way!" she snapped, fanning the breath of her husband who hiccuped in her face. She never knew of foxes to be this intimidating. Had she done the right thing to lie?