Monday [Week One, Day One]
04:30
Her eyes popped open as she awoke with a start. At first all her still sleep fogged mind could register was that she felt hot, and then as the weight of the sleeping wolf's head across her abdomen registered so too did the force that woke her from her dreamless slumber. The sharp pang of nature's call to relieve her bladder. With only enough of her faculties active to accomplish what she needed to do she not so gingerly shoved her bed mate's heavy skull off of her as she rolled off the bed onto her feet, and swiftly padded into her bathroom. Upon sitting on the porcelain seat she closed her eyes savoring the relief of her rapidly emptying bladder. When she was finished she washed her paws, and splashed cool water across her muzzle savoring the sensation. As she returned to her room still only half asleep, and fully intending to return herself to said state of rest she saw that the wolf in her bed had sprawled himself across the mattress in her absence, and the reason she awoke so uncomfortably warm clicked in the back of her mind. 'Who needs a blanket when you can sleep with an arctic wolf' she thought, and her inner voice mused 'well now it's my turn to lay on you, and we'll see how you like it wolfie' as she crawled back onto her bed laying across him with a huff before drifting back to sleep the tickling smell of blood in her nose overridden by tiredness.
05:30
The sudden, and jarring sound of his phone alarm playing "Dawn" by Gojira jolted him awake, and moving more on instinct to silence the offending device than anything else he swiftly found said phone in his pants where they had fallen. Fishing out the infernal thing he aggravatedly swept his thumb pad across the screen silencing the tormenting alarm. Now awake after having moved his body out of the bed he'd been in, and into what he remembered was Jade's living room he couldn't help the thought 'I fucking hate mornings . . . but I have work!'. Shaking his head to clear out the cobwebs of sleep, and rubbing his eyes to clear away the night crusts he regained enough of his bearings, and senses to follow his nose into her kitchen seeking coffee, and a brewing apparatus.
Finding what he sought with relative ease he hoped she wasn't as rudely awoken as he had been, and wouldn't mind his presumptiveness in making them coffee. When he had completed his self appointed task he picked up his pants, and made his way to the bathroom to avail himself of the much needed shower. Passing by her bedroom doorway, and looking in he saw Jade laying on her side hearing her snore softly in continued slumber. Once inside the bathroom he lay his pants across the counter draping them on the front of the sink before he turned his attention to the shower proper, and turned it on waiting for the water to reach a warm enough temperature.
05:35
With a groggy groan she awoke fully this time wondering to herself just what it was this time that'd done the deed of waking her. First she registered the smell of strong coffee wafting into her nose then the sound of her shower running reached her ears along with a lingering vocalization of pain. As she stirred, and rose from her disheveled bed she padded to her bathroom passing through the ajar door with the intent of joining Will in the shower. When she stepped into it, his large frame blocking the spray that radiated warmth, she got a clear view of his eyes shut tight, and his muzzle pointed upwards in a wince as he whimpered again failing to notice her presence. Her eyes widened in surprise as she got a look at why he seemed in pain under the hot water, and she spoke out gaining his attention.
"Oh my god, your shoulder!" she exclaimed "I am so sorry, I can't believe I did that" she continued remorsefully.
Opening his eyes, and seeing the look of shock, and horror across her muzzle Will responded "Oh, this? This is nothing. This is barely a flesh wound. I've had worse; hell the tigress I live with has done worse in more than just the one spot" he laughed it off before continuing with an attempt to change the subject "here why don't we switch positions so I'm not hogging all the water?"
"While I won't say no to a position change first you turn around. I know I had my claws in your back." she replied her tone indicating this was not a request.
As he complied he said to her "I haven't had a chance to admire your handiwork myself, but don't go beating yourself up about it. I may be feeling it all day, but these are sensations I live for"
"Oh, no. Oh, no no no. My god Will I am so so sorry. I . . . I don't know how you're not howling in pain, and still standing. Will these need stitches badly" she said almost in tears.
He turned back towards her, then grabbing her shoulders to direct her into the warmth of the shower spray he said to her soothingly "Listen to me kitten, what part of me being into the fang, and claw as I call it seemed greek? I'll say this again: I live for the sensations of soreness, and pain I'm going to be experiencing today, and for the next few days. These sensations make me feel alive like nothing else does."
"Besides it's just my luck you happen to be handy with needle, and thread. So no hospital visit for me." He joked with a lick across her muzzle. Earning himself a hard slap to his own muzzle.
"It's not fucking funny you batshit crazy wolf. How can you just laugh off the fact that you're back is shredded, and damn right I'll stitch you up. It's the least I can do." She told him sternly with a flare of anger.
"Well before we get to that part why don't we use this shower for it's intended purpose, and get ourselves clean?" He asked her with a smile reaching for the bottle of fur soap, and giving it a wiggle.
After they had each taken the time to lather the other up with Will deftly massaging the soap into Jade's fur, and Jade carefully cleaning the wounds on Will's shoulder, and back they rinsed themselves off, and stood on the accompanying fur dryer pad. Once dry enough Will put on his pants not bothering to don his underwear, or shirt so he could go down to his car, and grab his uniform while Jade put on clean undies, and walked into her kitchen to pour them each a mug of coffee after she had turned off the pot before she then gathered the first aid kit she kept handy, and pulled over a kitchen stool for the wolf to sit on while she worked on him. By the time he was back up at her apartment she was ready for him, and had had a chance to sip at her mug of morning joe.
"I don't know how, or why you decided to make jet fuel, but given that it is now six in the morning, and I have little desire to go to work I am not complaining" she said to him when he entered her field of vision "Now sit your beastly tail here in front of me, and maybe I can get this done before we run out of time to clock in by seven."
Seeing her standing by the stool with surgical needle, and biodegradable thread already in paw he complied with her instruction still holding onto his uniform.
"I am really not a morning mammal, and have every need for that jet fuel as you call it" he responded as he sat before going on "you should've seen the look on the receptionist's face when I walked through the lobby. I came back in, and I swear that puma's eyes were like saucers. Hehehe."
"Poor Katie, she really is such a sweet girl, and now you've probably scarred her for life" Jade said with sympathy for her fellow feline "Though now that I get a better look at these I don't think you'll need as many stitches as I first thought. They're not bleeding, and they're not as deep as they looked in the shower, but you make no mistake they're still not good"
"You're lucky I'm even letting you do this. I've had worse much worse, not gotten treatment, and they healed just fine; rooming with a tigress remember?" he replied before taking in a sharp inhalation of breath as she swabbed his back with alcohol wipes in response.
While she set to work sewing him up his only responses to the prick, and tug of the needle, and thread were his toes curling, and muscles across his body spasming. She forced him to sit still, and suffer without his morning invigorative despite his efforts to reach the mug she had poured him. Every time he would stretch his arm out she would swiftly swat it down, and order him to be still. When she noticed he started to do it not to actually reach his coffee, and just to have her swat at him she stopped his antics when she unintentionally caught his forearm with her claws, or so she said as she apologized profusely.
When she had run out of thread having managed to neatly stitch closed the deeper sections of the gashes across his back he adamantly refused to let her bandage his shoulder reasoning that it would wound his already sore dignity as he really did take pride in his wounds, and why he had gotten them. He did permit her to at least clean, and wrap his forearm though only after he had his coffee in paw. In the time it took her to clean his arm, and grab the requisite bandaging he had already killed his coffee, and his tail had begun to twitch back, and forth impatiently. When she had finished with her task he wasted no time darting out of the kitchen to locate his discarded underwear, and dropping his pants put them on before donning his uniform then gathering his belongings. Checking his phone to see the time his tail swished rapidly in impatient vigor as he waited at her apartment door for Jade to get ready.
"It's now six twenty five. I had wanted to get to the station early, and I'd rather not skip breakfast if I can help it" Will said as Jade met him at the door her keys in paw.
"There's a good little bakery down the street where we can grab something, and it's usually not too busy this early. Also with your car we're barely ten minutes from the precinct" She replied to him as they left her apartment, and she locked the door.
When they had reached the building's lobby Will made a point of smiling toothily, and waving at the puma behind the reception desk which she responded to with a blush of embarrassment attempting to hide her face. Jade seeing his antics simply grabbed his bandaged forearm, and drug him through the entrance doors as he gave a small yelp in response. When they reached the Shelby he simply unlocked it with the key fob telling Jade to get in while he went around to the driver's side, and did the same tossing his clothes in the back seat as he sat before shutting his door, and turning the key in the ignition. After he had merged onto the street she directed him toward the bakery she had mentioned, and with the light morning traffic they had reached their destination within three minutes.
Upon entering the establishment Jade greeted the proprietor behind the counter while Will stood rooted just past the threshold his nose going crazy as he lifted his muzzle into the air savoring the information his olfactory sense flooded into his brain, and his tail fanned behind him excitedly in evidence of those scents registering in his brain before he practically leapt to the display counter to eye it's contents thankful they were the only customers at present. After Jade had requested three imitation pork bao Will promptly asked for three each of the matcha, and adzuki manjuu they had to offer as well as half a dozen of the imitation pork bao. As he overpaid for their food, drool pooling in his mouth, he told the mammal behind the counter to keep the change, and that they had a new regular customer in him as he swiftly nicked one of their business cards. He beat Jade to the door pushing it open with his back, and holding it open for her while she passed by him shaking her head at his exuberance.
Once they'd gotten back into his car, and Jade casually bit into one of her bao Will took the time after he'd started it to plug his phone into both the dangling aux cable, and speed charging cable before turning on the radio to get his morning started right with music. As "The Wild Healer" by Gojira began to play he promptly shoved one of his own bao into his mouth wholeheartedly before pulling out onto the street, and heading towards the precinct. When "Fairy Dreaming" by Sayuri Shimizu began to play next, and Jade inquired about it Will told her it had been used as the credits song for the first Genocyber OVA, and played right after one of the most emotional scenes in anime he'd ever seen. This prompted a small discussion on anime between the two while they neared the station with Will admitting he watched new series every season despite his considerable backlog though he denied being an outright otaku. When they reached the station "I Don't Wanna Be Me" by Type O Negative was playing while Will stopped out front to let Jade out before he drove around to the motor pool to turn in his paperwork to the officer in charge there.
As he drove around to the back of the station "All Alone" by Nick 13 came on, and he sang along to it happily. Driving down into the underground parking garage he found an open space, and parked. Before he turned off his car "Humble and Kind" by Tim McGraw started playing, and he simply froze listening to it. While the lyrics themselves had always struck a chord in him since he'd first heard the song with the meaning in them embodying the kind of mammal he strove to be they weren't the reason he broke down, and began to cry his head pressed into the steering wheel. The song triggered in him thoughts he was consumed by of the one mammal who inspired him to be his better self even as he embraced the kill hungry, and bloodthirsty aspects of his nature.
"Whisper . . . " Will sobbed at the lyrics 'I love you ain't no pick up line' "Oh, my Layla . . . Why do I have to keep going on without you?"
When the song was done he paused his phone's music player, and turned off his car before grabbing the forms out of the glove box. Taking his prescription aviator shades off the dash, and placing them on his muzzle he exited the vehicle to make his way to the office of the officer in charge a good dozen yards from where he'd parked. Upon reaching said officer a snow leopard in a mechanic's jumpsuit whose name patch he noted read Joe he spoke to the feline gaining his attention.
"Mornin' Joe" Will said "I've got some forms here for you to look over if you don't mind"
"Hey there, you must be the new guy" Joe said stretching out a paw for a shake "Word travels fast around here, no thanks to Clawhauser, I hear you made quite the impression on Brushfire. Those SWAT guys aren't easy to intimidate though I can see how you managed it. You sir are one massive specimen of a wolf"
Will placed the forms on Joe's desk before shaking the offered paw, and replying "Yeah, all I did was say hello, hehehe. I should find a way to let the poor guy know I'm not nearly as scary as I at first seem."
"Well let's see what we've got here" Joe said picking up the forms from his desk "Yep you want clearance to use that Shelby over there as a pursuit/interceptor, and you've already had it armored? Hot damn that must've cost a pretty penny. Says here you've already had the emergency lights mounted behind the grill, and C.B. put in so that checks out. Say, Clawhauser mentioned you were transferring here from Ulfhaven wasn't it? You wouldn't happen to know my cousin Joe? He's the local mechanic 'round those parts"
"Ol' frost paws?" Will replied "Yeah I know that cool cat. He's always good for a real dirty joke."
"He was telling me the other day how a couple weeks back some tourist wolves were passing through, and had some car trouble; said they were some real specieist shits, tried to get him to fix their ride for half what it'd cost till the deputy came by, and straightened 'em out something fierce" Joe said before asking "Say, you wouldn't happen to have been that deputy in question would you?"
"It just so happens that yeah that was me" Will answered "I gave them the impression that I was about ready to string 'em up by their tails, and give 'em a good flaying, and I really was. About the only thing I hate more than specieism is mammal trafficking, and that is no lie"
"Well in that case" Joe responded taking a pen to the forms in front of him "let me just sign these here for you, and you can go take 'em up to the Chief. Now you have yourself a good day Officer, and it's a pleasure to know there's an upstanding mammal such as yourself on the force."
After he had likewise bid Joe a good day Will made his way over to the nearby elevator, and took it up to the third floor. Outside the Chief's office he checked his phone for the time, and seeing that it was a quarter to seven was thankful he'd made it in early though not as early as he'd have liked. Giving the door a couple knocks he entered after hearing the affirmation to do so, and greeted the cape buffalo where he sat before himself taking a seat in front of the Chief's desk.
"Morning to you Chief" Will said "This officer is reporting in ready to rock, and roll. Also I have these forms for you freshly signed from Joe down in the motor pool"
"I appreciate that you saw fit to report in to me first thing Officer Grimm" the Chief said with a grunt "I wanted to go over with you all this ordinance you seem to think you'll need in addition to your standard issue semi-auto tranq pistol, and taser. Also I see you're wounded there, nothing too serious I trust, though that is a finely done dressing. First things first however, this is your's; can't have you acting in the good name of the ZPD without it now can we?" The Chief went on, sliding Will's new badge to him across the desk which he gladly accepted, and promptly placed over his left breast.
"Much obliged Chief. It feels good to have this familiar weight back where it should be." Will responded happily before continuing "This here is just a scratch" he said as he gestured with his bandaged left forearm, and smirked "tease a cat right, and you'll taste their claws though this dressing here is courtesy of Officer Caldera. She really is a nice girl; I wouldn't mind taking her out for a coffee, or something sometime."
"While department regulations do not expressly forbid officers developing interpersonal relationships" the Chief said sternly before clearing his throat "I do personally frown upon said relationships if, and when they interfere with the proper operation of this precinct. You would do well to remember to keep work, and your private life separate. Do I make myself clear Officer? Now back to the matter at paw, do you really feel that on any given day you'll need to be so heavily armed"
"Well no sir I don't think I'll ever really need more than one of my M1911's as a back up, and my rifles for if the situation warrants their use, or I'm backing up SWAT" Will replied honestly "Though I'd rather have clearance to use them, and not need them than to need them, and not have clearance to do so. Better safe than sorry so it's said"
"Very well Officer I'll sign off on these forms after morning muster which we should get ourselves to" the Chief said rising from his desk, and indicating Will should do the same "Just make sure you go over the department regulations on what constitutes proper leave to use lethal force. I am rather proud of the fact only my SWAT officers have had to ever use actual firearms on active duty since I became Chief nearly twenty years ago. Also since Joe cleared you, and I trust his judgement feel free to use your vehicle on duty today. Just so we're clear on this however, I'm only giving you this permission to get under the fur of that dastardly fox, and under no circumstances are you to let him drive it. Understood?"
"Understood, Sir, loud, and clear" Will said as they left the Chief's office, and made their way down stairs to the bullpen "The driver's seat is positioned to fit me like a glove, and like hell am I letting any other mammal besides my sister drive my car."
When the two mammals had made it to the first floor the Chief told Will to go ahead, and get seated in the bullpen while he stopped by the break room for some coffee. When Will made into the room he walked past the officers seated in the front row noticing the in his opinion sexy bunny that was Officer Hopps seated next to the handsome fox that was Officer Wilde who looked sharp with a pair of aviators resting on his muzzle, and gave a friendly grin to the pair before taking an empty seat next to Officer Wolford.
"Morning brother" Will said to Officer Wolford after he'd seated himself "you know I really owe you a drink for saving me yesterday"
"Morning Officer Grimm" Wolford replied before asking quizzically "How did I save you yesterday, and why do you smell like a walking wound?"
"Well you distracted me from myself with Officer Caldera" Will replied "and let's just say I smell like blood, and antiseptic because of more than just this" he went on with a gesture of his left forearm, and a laugh.
At this point the Sergeant at Arms called "Atten-Hut!" to which all the officers stood as the Chief entered the bullpen, and called for order before handing out the day's assignments. As was the Chief's custom he addressed his newest officers last.
"Hopps you're with Clawhauser today. You'll be tackling the backlog that needs to be filed into archives, and he will need your capable paws" the Chief ordered to which he was responded to with a crisp, and firm "Yes, sir!"
"Wilde" the Chief went on "you're with Grimm today patrolling downtown. Dismissed!"
As the Chief left Nick turned to Will, and seeing the friendly look on his muzzle said "You don't seem so grim to me, wolfie."
"Tell that to Brushfire why don't you" Will replied with a laugh "and you don't seem so wild to me, foxy"
"Uh huh whatever you say officer cat fetish" Nick responded with a smirk as he walked shoulder to shoulder with Judy to the door who simply shook her head at the bantering of the canids.
"I do not have a cat fetish" Will responded defensively as he followed the pair, continuing "I've been with plenty other canids if you must know, especially this one nympho coyote who really wants me to breed her."
"Uh huh, and that's why you were flirting with Benji yesterday" Nick said "not to mention you shagged Caldera. Wolford, and I both saw how she was on you like a bag of nip last night, and don't think you don't have her scent on you underneath the smell of blood, and alcohol. Let me guess, you were her scratching post last night?"
"I'll have you know I'm proud of my being a walking scratching post, and I don't care who knows it. Though I will have to heal up a bit first before I pull that duty again" Will replied smugly.
It was at this point when they were halfway towards Clawhauser that Judy wheeled on the pair, and scolded them blushing across her muzzle, and all the way up her ears.
"Will you both just shut you're muzzles?" she huffed exasperatedly "We are in a public place. I didn't need to know you were such a perv Officer Grimm, and neither do any of your fellow officers. And Nick will you stop egging him on!?"
"You know you're totally kawaii when you're like this usagi-chan" Will teased her.
"What did you just say?" Judy asked confusedly while Nick only growled at him.
"Kawaii, and usagi? They're Japanese. You can zoogle them Officer Hopps" Will replied with a smirk before raising his paws defensively as Nick continued to growl at him even after Judy smacked his shoulder "Easy cousin, I get it okay? Only you can tease your bunny. I'll leave her be."
"I am not his bunny" Judy said as she started walking forward again adding under her breath " . . . yet" which may have escaped Nick's ears, but did not escape Will's. After this they made it the rest of the way to Clawhauser in silence though upon reaching the cheetah conversation resumed.
"Judy, Chief said you'd be my partner for the day, oh we're going to have so much fun" Ben said excitedly before exclaiming "Will. Nick. Well don't the both of you look killer with your matching shades."
"Yes, Ben we're going to have an awesome day" Judy replied with her usual determined optimism
"Benji buddy" Will simply said happily as he walked around the desk to embrace Clawhauser "come here I need my daily dose of friendly neighborhood cheetah"
Now close enough to properly smell him Ben exclaimed worriedly "Will. You smell like blood. You're wounded, are you okay?"
"Oh, he's fine Benji. Don't worry about him; he was just Caldera's scratching post last night" Nick chimed in.
"I'm perfectly fine buddy. In fact I feel great. It's only a flesh wound; nothing that won't be healed in a couple days" Will replied ignoring Nick's snarky comment.
"I take it your date with her last night went well. You must be quite the charmer" Ben said before Judy brought them back to reality.
"Okay Ben we should really get to work, and so should you two" she said.
"Right you are carrots" Nick replied before walking towards the entrance doors.
"Hey Nick, where're you going?" Will asked still standing next to Ben.
"I'm going to our cruiser. I'm driving." Nick answered halfway to the doors.
"But you're heading in the wrong direction, cousin. Come on, follow me" Will said gesturing with a paw for Nick to follow.
"What do you mean I was heading the wrong way? Our cruiser is parked in side lot A" Nick said as he caught up to Will.
"I need to stop by Caldera's office so she can issue me my tranq pistol, and taser. Also the car we'll be using is parked in the motor pool" Will replied.
Nick simply followed with an eyebrow raised as the pair of them reached Caldera's office, and after she'd issued Will his non-lethals along with one full mag loaded it plus two spares for the tranq pistol, and three spare cartridges for the taser they made their way to the motor pool. Entering the underground garage Will gave a wave over to Joe as he pulled out his keys, and used the fob to unlock his Shelby. As the pair entered the vehicle with Will sliding in easily to the driver's seat while Nick hopped into the passenger seat, and made himself comfortable before buckling his seatbelt Will likewise donned his safety restraint before reaching into the pink box of tasties he had left on the center console for his second bao also offering one to Nick which the fox gratefully took.
While the offering of food seemed to mollify the fox Will took out his phone, and plugged it into the aux cable. After he turned the key in the ignition, and the Shelby roared to life Will turned on the radio, and the C.B. setting it so that any police chatter would interrupt whatever music would be playing. As he scrolled through the tracks on his phone he selected "The Sounder" by Gorillaz, leaving his phone on shuffle, before shifting into drive and taking them out onto the street. When they'd reached the street Will rolled down their windows before lighting a cigarette, and turning up the radio to counteract the wind noise.
As they tooled around keeping an eye open for any suspicious activity, or unsafe driving, and an ear open for any relevant chatter Will finished his cigarette, and put the butt in the ashtray before rolling the windows back up, and turning the radio down. After he had offered the remaining three bao to Nick, which the fox swiftly accepted, on the condition that the pink box's remaining contents were not for sharing conversation between the two started up again as the song shifted to "Haunted" by Disturbed.
"When I first saw this artwork of a car last night I wondered how well she'd drive" Nick said "Though I'm stuck riding shotgun I'm not disappointed at how smooth she handles."
"Well thanks cousin" Will replied "I'll admit I've spared no expense on her. She's my pride, and joy. I'm just waiting for some dumb punk to try, and race us. Especially with this song playing they'd be in for quite a surprise"
"We've been driving around for a couple hours now, and there's been nothing" Nick responded "We may just have to bait someone into it if gets too boring"
When the song shifted into "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell both canids couldn't help but bob their heads enjoying the track. Nick had barely commented on how Will's taste in music seemed all over the place when over the C.B. came a report of a purse snatcher fleeing two streets over. Nick was thrown back into the seat by inertia as Will floored the engine as he turned on the siren, and took off to drive down the perp. Reaching the proper street they saw the offending mammal dart down an alleyway, and Nick directed Will around to where the alley exited so they could cut him off. Will screeched to a stop across the alley's exit just in time for the perp, a weasel, to smack into the passenger door with a thud before Nick was out, and on him swiftly cuffing him. While Nick read the weasel his rights Will paused his music to call over the C.B. for a cruiser to pick up the perp Nick identified as a one Duke Weaselton. While they waited for the cruiser with an E.T.A. of five minutes Will asked over the radio for dispatch to contact the victim, and tell them to stay put, that officers would be by shortly to return the stolen purse, and to have dispatch relay the victim's location to him. By the time dispatch had gotten back to Will to confirm that the victim was waiting where they were, and where exactly that was the cruiser had pulled up behind him.
After Nick had patted down the weasel a second time to make sure nothing had made it from the stolen purse into a pocket, or hiding spot only finding a small bag of cannabis Nick gave the evidence to the officer in the cruiser then put the offending weasel in the back seat before shutting the door, and returning to the Shelby. Once the cruiser had left back towards the precinct Will drove them around to where dispatch had said the victim, a one Mrs. Otterton, was waiting in front of a flower shop. After parking at the curb both officers got out, and made their way to said female otter with Nick the smaller of the two handing her back her purse. She thanked both officers for their service profusely even going so far as to hug Officer Wilde which he accepted awkwardly, assuring her that it was all in a day's work for the mammals of the ZPD.
Once back in the car Will unpaused the music, and began to drive them around the downtown area as "Rain" by Mechanical Poet started playing. While not as bored as before after that little bit of excitement neither mammal bothered making much conversation. Will because he was pumped for more action, and Nick because he didn't want to jinx them again. As the eleventh hour of the day wore on, and a much desired lunch break neared they did have occasion to bust a teenage wolf for speeding, and reckless driving after he had revved the engine of his convertible at the officers before taking off as soon as the light they were stopped at turned green. This time Will did the duty of ticketing the wolf while Nick waited in the car headbanging to "Symphony of Destruction" by Megadeth which he blared through the speakers to the annoyance of some of the surrounding mammals while a few likewise started headbanging in recognition of the track.
When noon hit the duo took their lunch at a nearby gas station where Will refueled the Shelby while Nick went in, and bought them a couple imitation beef footlong hotdogs, and Will a fresh pack of smokes which the wolf had given him the money for. After the refueling was done, the pair had eaten, and Will went in to pay for the gas as well as pick up a couple 'Monsuta' brand energy drinks they drove off continuing their patrol to the sound of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division.
They drove around for the next couple hours with nothing eventful happening just rocking out to various tunes until in the fifteenth hour of the day Will pulled over to the curb, and stopped when he noticed a lioness looking up into a nearby tree appearing to be speaking with a worried expression on her face. When he got out of his car leaving the engine running he swiftly noticed the reason for the lioness's distress. As Nick also got out, likewise noticing what Will had, tried to calm the lioness down assuring her that officers of the ZPD were here to help. While Nick had some success in his endeavor Will had climbed the tree up to the highest branch that would support his weight about ten feet in the air while he tried to coax the lioness' son into his outstretched arms. At first scared with how fast the much larger than him wolf approached the height he was stuck at Will got the cub to focus on the reassuring sound of his voice, and as he was almost able to fully grab the boy convince him to lower himself the rest of the way into the wolf's waiting reach. When the cub finally managed to release the grip of his forepaws from the branch, and his weight came into Will's arms Will was lurched off balance, and fell to the ground landing square on his back hard, the boy wrapped safely in his arms.
While Will lay there stunned in pain the cub managed to squirm out of his arms, and over to his mother who eagerly scooped him up crying into him for worrying her as the boy cried into her releasing his fear, and joy at being safely back in her arms. When she began to scold him for his antics, and putting himself in such danger Will still prone, and in pain used the full weight of his ability to command in his voice to tell her not to do so for her son had just been doing what it was in his nature to do. This brought the lioness up short, and she heeded his words simply holding her son tighter, and nuzzling her face into him harder. After Will had managed to get back on his feet, and slowly make his way over to the lioness, and her cub they both reached out an arm to embrace him in their gratitude which he returned warmly despite his pain. The lioness introduced herself to the officers as Mrs. Fangmeyer wife of their fellow officer Jason Fangmeyer, and her son as little William; at this Will responded that this was his name too giving the young boy a ruffle of the fur on his head, the wolf's eyes glassy with the emotion welling in them.
It was in this moment that the touching moment was rudely broken by some specieist bystander loudly saying "Now if only that fox could've shown the bravery that wolf did."
At this Will whirled in the offending mammal's direction speaking with righteous anger, and indignation "I have fought, and bled beside foxes with nobleness, courage, and loyalty to rival any amount attributed to any wolf worth their fur! There are foxes I am proud to call pack mates, and this one right here I am proud to call Brother!" The weight of emotion in the wolf's words had cowed the mammals around them predator, and prey alike, and Nick could not help the tears that welled in his eyes as Will's words seemed to touch a deep seated part of his being.
After they had bid Mrs. Fangmeyer, and little Willie a fond goodbye, and wished them a safe journey home the pair of canids returned to the Shelby so they could make their way back to the precinct. What neither mammal managed to notice was that the whole ordeal from Mrs. Fangmeyer frantic at her son in the tree to the officer's arrival, and little Will's rescue to Will's outburst in defence of vulpines had been caught by a bystander on their phone; said bystander wasted no time uploading the video to Zootube with the title 'Hero Cop Rescues Cub, Unloads on Specieist' where in no time at all by internet standards it went viral as they say.
On the way back to the station Will fought back the tears in his eyes so that he could drive properly while he told Nick some of his story.
"I'm sure you find it strange a wolf like me would be so quick to defend any fox like I did, but there are foxes who each hold a special place in my heart. There's Sophie the arctic fox I rescued when I was barely fourteen. Her family's car broke down not a dozen yards from the long driveway to my family's home in a freak blizzard. I found her curled up alone in the car slowly freezing, and did what I had to stripping us to our bare fur, and wrapped my body around hers so that she'd stay warm. When the storm had passed, and it was light again I carried her in my arms towards my home. As she was telling me how her parents had left to try and find help, knowing they weren't far from us, we found their bodies frozen in the snow paw in paw. We later adopted her into our family, and she is my dear little sister. Then there's Whisper, my dear sweet Whisper, the mammal who has my heart."
When Will reached this point he could not resist the wave of emotions crashing within him, so he pulled over into a free space at the curb, not caring that it was a fire zone he turned on his hazard lights before continuing.
"Whisper, and I served together in the same unit. She was more than just my spotter, more than just my partner. She isn't just the mammal who inspired in me the desire to be better than my worst tendencies, she's the very reason I had to be a better mammal even as I fell into my most primal, and killer instincts. I nearly lost her right in front of me, and if it weren't for my blood flowing in her veins she would not be alive today, but a year ago I had to leave her to keep her safe. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in this life so far." When he finished speaking the dam in him crumbled, and he wept openly in such a display Nick had never seen. There was nothing the fox could say, or think to do that might comfort the clearly distraught wolf. To even think to utter some form of his usual 'Never let them see that they get to you' seemed too cruel for even Nick to bear.
Eventually Will managed to regain his composure, and fishing out an adzuki manjuu for himself offered Nick his choice of either the matcha, or the red bean; Nick chose the red bean. When Will had finished driving them to the precinct he parked out front before the two canids got out, and entered the building with the purpose of filling out the day's incident reports. When they made it to the front desk they were greeted by Ben, and Judy whose muzzles quickly filled with concern upon noticing how worn both mammals looked despite their shades obfuscating what their eyes would no doubt show. Before Ben, or Judy could begin any inquiries however Will was bodily tackled into a fierce embrace by Officer Fangmeyer who explained aloud that he'd gotten off the phone with his wife who had explained everything that'd happened. This caused Will to begin crying all over again, explaining to the lion who wouldn't release him that if he gave his life saving that of a cub he would pass into the arms of the Wolf Mother a happy wolf.
After both mammals had cried into each others shoulders for a good solid few minutes they managed to separate with Will sniffling as he recomposed himself, taking off his shades to wipe his eyes before placing them back on his muzzle to again hide his eyes. Eventually Will managed to make it over to a free desk, and begin filling out the reports he needed to make. It did not take long before Clawhauser had found the video on zootube of Will's exploit, and share it with every officer he could. As the video made the rounds of the precinct officers came from across the building to give the wolf their commendations, each kind word, and pat on the back causing Will to shed more tears at the outpouring of emotions; even Fangmeyer came back to again wrap an arm around him, and thank him again while the Chief called down from the third floor "Good work today Grimm. I'm glad we have a fine officer such as yourself now in our proud ranks" which brought the wolf to the floor as a fresh wave of tears poured out of him. At seeing Will upon the floor Nick came to his aid raising his voice defensively "Alright guys that's enough! Give the poor wolf a chance to keep some face, and get his work done." The fox's outburst caught everyone off guard, especially Judy, and caused the wolves who heard it to wonder to themselves 'who threatened his pack brother'.
Once he'd finally managed to pick himself up, finish his paperwork, and file it Will clocked out. When he'd gotten back into his Shelby, and started it he plugged in his phone and firing up the stereo chose the Tiger Army playlist on his phone for his drive home. First up was "Outlaw Heart" as he pulled away from the precinct, and hit the road towards TundraTown. While every note of the song seemed to register in his ears as he smoked a cigarette, many of the notes in subsequent songs didn't as his focus stayed on the road ahead of him, and traffic around him. Hitting the express way his speed shot up to seventy miles per hour though he felt none of it. Vaguely he heard "In the Orchard" as that song was on there twice; one being the original, and the other from Nick 13's country album. As he reached the tunnel leading into TundraTown he heard "Train to Eternity" from their latest album, and as he left the tunnel "Carry My Body Down" from Nick 13's country album began. It was still playing when he made it to the home he shared with Summer Luna a white tigress who was sister to one of his now colleagues, and as a teacher was herself colleagues with Will's cousin Holly a very pretty gray wolf.
Emotionally drained, and seeking only sleep, like a creature on autopilot he unlocked the front door crossed the threshold then closed the door behind him. After he had made it to his room he only managed to take off his shirt, and lay all his gear, and pocket contents on his dresser before crawling onto his bed where he curled up with the life size fox plushie he owned wrapping his arms around it before he fell into sleep like a corpse. Despite how worried she'd been when he hadn't come home last night Summer didn't bother trying to talk with him, or otherwise disturb him. Having herself seen the video of what he'd done she knew he needed his space, and rest. All she did after she heard him fall into his mattress was get up, and make sure their front door was locked before herself returning to her room to finish grading her day's worth of schoolwork.
"Okay, now I've seen it. He's still the noble, and selfless mammal I fell in love with. What was your point in showing it to me?" the Vixen asks the Ocelot in front of her.
"He's still alive" the Ocelot responds "Now you know where he is, and what he's doing. If the ZIA still saw him as a threat, and wanted him dead they'd have had him killed already. They had more than ample opportunity to have him sniped with no one the wiser, except us, when he was in Ulfhaven. I've talked with Sky about this, and she confirmed as much; so long as he continues down the path he seems to be going he won't be viewed as a threat, and so long as we don't make waves neither will we. The secrets, and horrors of CLAWS stay buried within us."
"I don't know how you can still have a shred of trust for that traitorous cunt" the Vixen replies venomously "And you still haven't answered my question Revolver. What is your point?"
"My point should be obvious to you Whisper; you're just being stubborn" Revolver tells her "Go to him. Go to your Beast."