Scars and the Claws That Leave Them

by HakuroNoKage

William Grimm newly transferred to the ZPD from the Ulfhaven Sheriff's Dept. tries to move forward with his life as his past remains a burden that seems to haunt him at every turn. Rated M for everything under the sun, and Nihil Nove Sub Sole. Much love, and many thanks to Darkwolfslayer21 for a cover image for this story, and for so much more besides. It's Nodachi Time.

8. Nuclear

Brief Author's Note - It seems to be a trope among us zootopia fanfiction writers to add in a trip to bunny burrow, and my next chapter, or two will cover my own little version of such. The title song of this chapter is Nuclear by Mike Oldfield who some may know from a certain Metal Gear Solid V trailer, and it really fits so do give it a listen ^_^. Also if anyone wants to give me some fan art to put as a cover for this story of mine I would be ecstatic though permit me my discretion in using it, or not. \,,/ ^_^ \,,/

Monday [Week Three, Day One]

05:30

Will awoke to his phone alarm playing "Mandragore" by Gojira. Still half asleep he had it turned off before it could really wake him, but work was calling him, and he took a long breath of Layla's scent with his nose buried in her neck fur before he rolled out of their bed. Walking over to their open underwear drawer he grabbed a clean pair of boxers to don before he walked into their closet where is uniforms were hanging each set on a single hanger. He set his chosen uniform on the sofa while his morning priority known as coffee took precedence. Once he had the pot brewing he returned to the living room, and got dressed. After he'd put on his belt, and situated his gear he left Layla her now customary note which read 'For You I'm Bleeding. Until I can have you back in my arms, sweet Akazukin'. The track from Wolfsheim he knew she'd find swiftly on his laptop, and he wondered if he'd ever run out of songs to express his feelings for her.

Will waved to Tony as he crossed the foyer deftly carrying two pie boxes, and once through the doors lit a cigarette before checking the time on his phone which read 06:00 passing the pies between paws as needed to access his pockets. Having gotten back in the habit of showering before he went to bed allowed him to get ready in the mornings faster, and thus get to work even sooner. Once he was in his Shelby he set the pies in the passenger seat before starting the engine, and juggling his cigarette between his muzzle, and a paw plugged in phone in to get his day started with music to fit how he felt. Before he let the shuffle deal him what it would he played the cover of "Mad World" by Gary Jules. Ready to start his day he pulled into traffic to head towards precinct one.

It was six twenty something when he pulled into the motor pool, and parked. After he was out he retrieved the two blueberry pies he'd brought, and was greeted by Joe.

"Morning there Will. Say what you got there?" Joe asked.

"Just some pie. One for me which I won't be sharing, and one for Nick who probably won't share either. I'll bring the some pie for sharing tomorrow." Will answered.

"Will it be in a box too, or walking out of that car in a short skirt?" Joe asked with a laugh.

Will just laughed at Joe's comment, and shook his head as he made his way to the elevator. When he was up on the ground floor his first stop was the break room where he wrote on one box "Property of Officer Grimm. Molest, and Be Eaten!", and on the other "Property of Officer Wilde. Touch, and Grimm Will Eat You Like Pie" before he put them both in the fridge for the time being. For good measure he taped a note to the fridge itself which read "Ignore the warnings inside, and You Will Be Found. My nose is that good." That bit of business taken care of Will made his way for his customary good morning to Benji.

"Just a heads up Benji I put two pies in the fridge. One is Nick's, and the other is Mine; Mine has a specific purpose when the day is done." Will said to his epicurean friend as he embraced him.

"What kind of pie?" Benji did his best to ask innocently.

"Blueberry" Will answered.

"Okay. Blueberry pie off limits. Got it." Benji responded.

"Also I want to challenge you to a donut eating contest. I'll let you set it up, but in return I'm covering the costs so just let me know how much you need. You want a grand, you got it." Will remembered to tell his friend.

"A thousand bucks worth of donuts . . . " the cheetah trailed off starry eyed.

"Stay with me buddy, we only need two, or three dozen each. We can't binge that much, we'll go into sugar comas, and die." Will attempted to reel him in.

"You're right, but wouldn't it be awesome?" Benji returned to his senses.

"Oh, we would attack it like savages, and die happy, but our lives would be thrown away" Will answered happily before he trailed into somberness.

Before Benji could ask him what was bugging him because it wasn't really anything Will hugged him again before heading to the bullpen. When Will passed by the bulletin board he stopped dead in his tracks as it reminded him to put up the photo of Johnny the young Scout he had taken Friday. His task complete he went into the bullpen, and took a seat next to his partner.

"Morning, Autumn" Will greeted her.

"Yes the sun is now risen Will" she responded grumpily.

"Didn't get out on the right side of the coffin, eh? To be honest me either." Will replied to her with a sigh.

"Ne, ne Kyuketsuki" Mihoshi called out to him excitedly as she entered the bullpen.

"Hai . . ." Will responded flatly as she came up to him.

"I never knew Sahara Square could be so much fun. Please tell me you'll take me again." she said to him cheerfully.

"Next time I'm taking you to Tundra Town, and you're getting iced" Will said to her jokingly with a smile.

"What, gonna call in a favor with your new buddy Koslov?" Autumn added tiredly looking like she needed a nap.

"I was referring to a snowball fight, partner" Will responded much to Mihoshi's excitement though he noted the looks he got from his partner's comment.

Will's attention was shifted to the bullpen door as he saw it open, and smelled Nick, and Judy enter. He quickly saw Nick enter his field of vision as the tod headed straight for him. Will was pleasantly surprised when Nick embraced him, though he noted the fox had tears in his eyes.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Will asked Nick.

"That photo you took brought back some memories. You're not the only one who'll be looking out for that cub." Nick answered, and Judy just puffed up her chest, and nodded curtly assenting with her partner's assertion.

"You were a Scout? I gave the kid my old Ranger badge so he'd remember the open future ahead of him" Will responded giving Nick a scout salute the fox returned before hugging him again.

"That reminds me Brother. There is something in the fridge in the break room with your name on it. If anyone touches it let me know, and I'll find the bastard so we can eat them. You'll understand when you see it." Will said to the fox rubbing a paw along his back.

At that point the room was called to attention before the Chief entered to hand out assignments. When he got to Will, and Autumn he assigned them patrol of Happytown warning them local gang activity seemed on the rise, and reminding them to get vests from Caldera. When Will passed by the buffalo his superior told him the photo he'd put up had made his day, and wished him a safe patrol. Once they were out of the bullpen Will suggested they take his Shelby since it'd attract different attention, and was more armored than a cruiser. When they'd made it to Jade's office they found her with her tail in the air, and her head under her desk. The sound of Will taking a photo, and his partner hitting him in response alerted Jade to their presence.

"I dropped a needle, but I found it. What can I do for you two?" Jade asked them.

"Chief is having us patrol Happytown. We're here for vests" Autumn answered.

"Well I got you two covered" Jade responded going to fetch said vests.

When they'd been outfitted with standard issue vests they made their way to the motor pool, and Autumn couldn't quite hide her excitement to ride around in the muscle car despite her tiredness.

"Please will you get me coffee, partner?" Autumn asked him

"Need a wake up do you? Hop in." Will replied as he unlocked his car.

Will took his time exiting the motor pool safely, and once he was on the side street leading out to the main road he took stock of his lulled partner then promptly floored it. His partner was not very appreciative of him doing that, or how he floored it to the speed limit through traffic. Only when the snarlbucks coffee he paid for was in her paw was she mollified. When they began their patrol Will kept his pace easy, and smooth while Autumn kept her eyes on their surroundings. Their morning was quiet with nothing to really do, but drive around. As ten o'clock rolled around Will had started chain smoking out his window, and every now, and again at red lights he revved the engine at mammals either to scare pedestrians, or try, and get some dumbass to try to race him.

"You're antsy like you've done some coke. What's up with you?" Autumn asked her partner as he lit his seventh cigarette.

"I spent my Sunday with Mihoshi in Sahara Square at the salt flat. I still have some of the speed left in my blood. I got her up to two hundred even." Will answered.

"Well smoke a joint, or drink some nip tea 'cause you need to try, and relax. We're on patrol, not at the races" Autumn replied as she mellowly sipped her coffee.

"I see your point. Would you care if I smoked a joint?" Will asked.

"You are at work, in law enforcement. What you do off the clock is your business, but right now you're on the clock." Autumn responded.

"You are no fun, kitten. You want me to lighten up, but I can't light up to do it?" Will laughed at her exasperatedly.

"Honestly, I just don't want to get a contact high. That stuff makes me horny, I don't know why." Autumn admitted.

"That reminds me who do I see back at the station about joining LEAP?" Will asked.

"LEAP?" Autumn asked in return confused.

"Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Because prohibition just inspires more, and worse crime." Will answered as if this should've been obvious.

"Oh, now I know what you mean. Yeah you want to join the guys involved with that talk to Jason." Autumn told him.

"No way! Pride Brother is the mammal on the level? The Wolf Mother smiles upon me this day" Will said with a laugh.

"I didn't take you for the religious type" Autumn said.

"I'm not in the slightest. What use have angels for religion?" Will responded.

"I wouldn't know." Autumn answered.

They continued to drive around, and finally to Will's relief there was somebody to ticket albeit for a busted tail light. That though seemed to start the flood, and before they knew it they'd busted three different drug dealers. The first one was a meth dealing cheetah who looked like he used his own supply, and while Autumn called in a cruiser to pick up the perp Will stashed the dealer's drugs in his center console to later put in evidence. The second one was a panda with a quarter ounce of opium which Will likewise stashed while his partner called in the pick up. The third was an obvious pot head Will let go after confiscating the weed which was medical grade, and out of his partners eyesight slipped the still scared college age wolf a fifty.

"We're starting to make quite the haul, too bad they just send this stuff to the incinerator." Will said to his partner.

"You've got quite the nose for this stuff, though why'd you let that wolf go? I thought you said you smelled weed on him." Autumn asked.

"I did 'cause he was high as a kite. No sense busting a user when it's the pushers we're supposed to target." Will answered.

"Fair enough" was Autumn's reply.

The rest of their patrol until lunch was uneventful, and thank's to Autumn they found a decent place for lunch. While his partner went into the little hole in the wall for some fried chicken to go Will got into the bag of weed he'd confiscated, and rolled himself a joint he promptly lit. When Autumn returned to the Shelby the pungent smell assaulted her.

"You smoked one anyway" she said to him.

"I wasn't that hungry, and now I am" Will responded with a grin.

"I can't believe you. So now you're just gonna drive stoned?" his partner admonished him.

"By the time lunch is over I'm gonna be halfway through my high, and I've driven safely obeying traffic laws good, and twacked. We'll be fine" Will reassured her.

"I don't find that very reassuring Officer. If we were to get into a shootout how could I trust you to shoot accurately?" Autumn said flatly.

"Special forces trained sniper. I can hit a target at my pistols max range on a moonless night coming down off of speed. I have more live fire combat experience than all of our precinct's SWAT put together. Ex-ZIA remember?" Will countered.

"Touche. So you a breast mammal, or a leg mammal?" Autumn asked offering him his bag of chicken.

"I'm a vagina mammal" Will answered laughing as he accepted his food.

They ate their food in companionable silence, and thanks to Will calling it in started their patrol back up early. Will kept his window rolled down so he could sniff out any more dealers, or anything else that might waft his way. Despite his efforts there wasn't much for them to do since word had been going around about the muscle car with cops busting people. It was around two in the afternoon when the shit however decided to hit the fan. They were driving down the main street through the ghetto, and a gang banging leopard decided to open fire on some rivals across the street. When Will pulled up he assessed the situation like the ex-soldier he was, and readied his tranq pistol to take out the leopard while his partner called dibs on the mammals returning fire against the leopard. While Autumn hid behind the bulletproof passenger door to pop out, and take her shots Will did the same on his side of his car.

When the leopard saw the car he'd heard carried cops with it's doors open he changed his target getting two rounds into the door shielding Will before he saw easier targets. Will likewise saw the kids cowering across the street from him on the same side as the leopard, and like a bolt flew to shield them just as the cat opened fire. Will felt rounds hit the back his vest, but not the telltale pain they'd penetrated it. That the fucking mammal dared open fire on children sent him into a rage, and when he heard the silence of the leopard reloading he stood, and turned to face the punk. Will let loose a bellowing growl that could only be described as a roar that caught all that heard it off guard wondering where the lion came from before Will howled a sound that struck such fear in them that the gang bangers were struck petrified. Seeing his opening Will swiftly holstered his tranq pistol to charge the offending cat. As he got nearer the leopard only managed to loose two more rounds this time into the front of Will's vest before he was disarmed by the massive in comparison wolf who broke his wrist in the process. Will then grabbed the dumb fuck by his collar, and roared again into his face causing the cat to piss himself.

"You dared open fire on children!" Will viciously growled into the cat's face before he threw him halfway across the street then drew his tranq pistol, and shot him.

His target down he turned on the other gang members, and snarled at them "Who's Next?" causing them to wisely surrender, and lay prone on the street. While Autumn proceeded to arrest the mammals who surrendered Will turned his attention first to cuffing the leopard he really wanted to kill before checking on the kids a teenage deer, and her little brother. After making certain they were uninjured he ordered them to go home, and stay there, and they didn't need telling twice. As he turned back towards his partner he noticed a male antelope stuck like a statue with his phone in his hooves recording the situation. Will walked up to him, and he could see how afraid of him the guy was even though he couldn't run. When he reached the antelope Will placed a paw on his shoulder, and told him he was safe. The touch of the paw on his shoulder seemed to snap the poor guy out of it, and he promptly left the scene.

While Autumn called it in requesting an ambulance for the tranqed cat, and a van for the gang members she'd arrested Will grabbed some evidence bags, and some latex gloves. First he collected the bullets from his car door that wasn't even dented though the paint was scratched before he collected the cat's pistol a 9mm. That done he confiscated the weapons Autumn had removed from the mammals she arrested. While they stayed to keep the scene secure, and bystanders at bay Will started chaining cigarettes again still agitated waiting for the damn van, and bus. When they finally arrived it was all Will could do not to roar at them in turn, and he managed to sit in his Shelby finally starting to calm down letting Autumn handle the rest. When she was done, and sitting in the passenger seat Will swung his legs into his car, and got them headed to the station so they could fill out their report, and he could get the evidence to Alice.

While he drove he told Autumn to take his phone, plug it in to the aux cord, and get the shuffle started from the track "The Frontline" by Circles. Though he was calming down he had no patience for traffic, and turned on his emergency lights, and siren to get them out of his way; protocol be damned. When the song changed to "Cathedral" by Mechanical Poet he turned of the lights, and siren visibly relaxing. When they got back to the station Will parked out front, and grabbed up the day's evidence before following his partner inside.

Upon entering the precinct Will was greeted first by Fangmeyer who embraced him.

"How did you roar like that? I didn't know a wolf could make that sound." Jason asked him.

"And what in the Wolf Mother's name was that howl?" John asked.

"I take it that antelope uploaded that video. To answer your question Pride Brother spend enough time around other mammals, and if you have the knack for it you can imitate them. John any alpha worth his fur can howl like that though the knowledge is mostly lost in this day, and age: it's called the howl to induce fear." Will answered them before adding "Ne, Tsuki-chan want to nyan nyan with me?"

"I only know what that is from my sister showing me, and no I will not." Autumn answered.

"Oh, come on we just went through quite the stressful situation. Have some levity, nyan with me." Will encouraged.

"Oh, alright fine." his partner relented.

Perfectly in time with Will leading they did the song, and dance from the "Ni Hao Nyan Commercial" from Macross Frontier to the shock of their colleagues. When Mihoshi saw their performance she insisted Will repeat it with her which he did, and this time Benji was able to record it on his phone. When they were done, and he saw Benji recording him he actually let out a very convincing meow which totally floored his partner, and reduced Fangmeyer to a laughing mad mammal rolling on the floor. The Chief had come down from his office when he heard their return, and had another officer take the evidence from Will while he congratulated him.

"You really take the protection of children seriously don't you? Regardless of mammalian specie." the buffalo said.

"There is nothing more serious. They are our hope for a better future, and we owe it to them to see that they can make the future better" Will responded earning himself a hearty paw shake from his superior.

"Was it me, or did you just meow? and Fangmeyer get off the floor before I put you on parking duty." the Chief said.

"But he fucking meowed. He meowed like a girl" Fangmeyer responded from his position on the ground before laughing again.

"Ben was recording me. I couldn't resist." Will replied.

"Well let no one doubt our ability to protect the mammals of this city with you on our side. I expect your report before you leave, but if you need to take your time go ahead" the Chief told him before saluting him which Will returned with pride.

As the Chief left back towards his office Jason managed to finally pick himself off the floor, but he still couldn't get over Will's antics.

"To roar like I can you are truly a Brother to my Pride, and I'd say all Prides for that matter. I still can't get over your meow, how many cats have you been with to sound like that?" Jason asked him.

"You honor me with your words, and the weight of them. I will endeavor to remain worthy of them, and I couldn't tell you how many cats I've been with. I lost count years ago." Will answered.

"You should see this Will. The video of you protecting those kids is going nuts. It's already got twenty thousand views." Ben said to him.

When Will walked over to his cheetah friend he got to watch the video for himself, and he didn't fail to notice how even the recording of his howl affected the mammals around him. Seeing the leopard fire at him when he charged from a more removed perspective he noticed something he shared with his fellow officers.

"That punk was high on dope. No wonder he managed to get two shots off when he should've been like a statue" Will remarked finally looking down at his now spent vest he swiftly removed.

"You've got to teach us how you howled like that" John said to him, and the wolves behind him all nodded in agreement.

"I don't, and I can't really teach something I only know through instinct. The old ways are dead, and I'm just a relic. Let it remain that way." Will answered.

"What did we miss?" Nick asked as he entered the precinct with Judy.

"We heard over the radio there was a shooting. What happened? Is anyone hurt?" Judy added as they closed the distance with their fellow officers.

"Just watch the videos. Benji show 'em" Will said with a grin.

When they watched the video the antelope had uploaded with the title "Super Cop in Action" Judy put her paw to her muzzle seeing Will shield the children, and Nick just looked at him in amazement. They were stunned to hear him roar, and when his howl visibly struck fear in Judy's heart Nick automatically wrapped his arm around her comfortingly which none failed to notice, or that she visibly relaxed into him. Seeing the leopard piss himself when Will roared again right in his face Nick couldn't help, but laugh before seeing Will throw, and then tranq the offending mammal stopped him. When the video was done, and Benji pulled up the recording he took of Will, and Mihoshi Nick laughed like a hyena, and even Judy couldn't help but giggle putting a paw to her muzzle. Then they saw the look Will gave Benji before he meowed, and Judy looked dumbstruck while Nick rolled on the floor much as Jason had.

"Holy . . . Holy shit. How the fuck can a wolf your size make that sound" Nick slowly managed to say as his laughter died down.

"Cat fetish remember?" Will responded with a laugh which earned him some odd looks from his coworkers.

"I can't believe you'd admit that" Autumn said to him.

"Okay I don't really have a cat fetish, but I do have better luck with cats than I do other non-canids" Will clarified.

"How?" his partner asked.

"Only the Great Mother of Cats could answer that" Will responded grinning at her.

"Well let's get our reports done, shall we partner?" Autumn suggested.

Agreeing to her suggestion he followed her to her desk, and borrowed the adjacent one which was free so he could fill out his day's worth of paperwork. He was halfway through his report on the shooting when like a sudden light in the dark he remembered his pie. He finished what he was working on using only the shortest words necessary. Having finished before his partner who admitted jealousy he managed to type so fast he bragged computer geeks were always good with their fingers causing his partner to flip him off. Will just laughed as he walked away to find Nick, and Judy who were at their shared desk.

"Hey there you two, ya busy?" Will asked them.

"Yes, but please distract me" Nick answered.

"Come on Nick we've got to get this done" Judy told him as she typed away.

"But can't you see our friendly neighborhood beast right there wanting to give us a little break?" Nick pleaded with her.

"I do need you both for what I'm about to do, and yes it'll be in the break room. You can get back to your reports in like ten minutes, probably less I promise" Will said to them.

"Fine" Judy relented.

"Yes! So what are you going to do?" Nick asked.

"Let's get to the break room first." Will answered with a grin.

When they got there Will saw the fridge still bore the note he'd taped there this morning, and hoped against hope his warnings had been heeded. He opened the fridge slowly like a treasure chest he expected to be empty. He found both pie boxes still there, but the proof would be found in opening them. He checked Nick's pie first, and it was untouched which gave him hope that his was as well. Pulling out his blueberry pie he set it on a free table, and lifted the lid to find his pie just as he left it causing him to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Judy if you'd be so kind as to grab me a plastic knife, and fork I'd much appreciate it" Will said to her as he pulled the pie out of it's box, and set it in front of himself.

"Nick take out your phone, and start recording" Will asked the tod who complied.

When Judy handed him the utensils he requested he took a deep breath before he addressed Nick's phone.

"I am Officer William Grimm, and this here blueberry pie is from Gideon Gray's bakery down in Bunny Burrow. It comes highly recommended by Officer Nick Wilde, and is made using fruit from Officer Judy Hopps' family farm. What you are about to witness may shock, or disgust you so be warned." Will said before he very carefully cut into the pie first across it's diameter then again at an angle from his first cut making the first slice.

He took one easy bite of that slice with the fork, and savored it long, and good for the camera. Then he threw pretense to the wind, and fell on the pie like a primitive. The knife, and fork fell to the wayside as he dove muzzle first into his task leaving the vulpine, and lapine shocked. Judy who had been in her fair share of local eating contests thought to herself as she had when she first saw him eat that Will really did put the 'wolf' in the phrase 'wolf down your food'. Nick was just left thinking that even he preferred to enjoy said blueberry pie one piece at a time over a week. When Will was done, and had licked the pie plate clean he looked back into the phone.

"Damn that was some good pie. I'm glad I bought so many from that very talented fox." Will said to the camera.

"Did you even taste it?" Nick asked incredulously.

"Would you like a napkin? You kinda have blueberry all over your muzzle. How did it get on top of your head?" Judy asked likewise incredulous.

"Oh I tasted it, and it was good. Your family Hopps grow some excellent produce, and that fox is worth his fur for making the art that was that pie. Judy I do not believe in napkins. If my tongue can't reach what's left on my muzzle I will simply wash it." Will answered them licking his muzzle clean, and revealing just how long his tongue was the only part it couldn't reach was the top of his head though he tried to while Nick stopped recording.

"I can't believe I just witnessed that" Judy said blushing to her ears.

"Does it give you ideas as to what Nick can do?" Will asked waggling his eyebrows as if he could read her mind.

"My tongue isn't that long" Nick said with a cough thankful his fur hid most of his blush.

Judy just blushed harder, and couldn't speak which was answer enough. Will perceptive as he was decided to change the subject for his friends.

"You guys should totally be there when Ben, and I have our donut eating contest" He said to them.

"I can just picture that. You both can eat a donut in a single bite so that could be quite the show." Nick replied.

"That reminds me, send me the video so I can upload it" Will asked Nick.

"Already on it buddy." Nick answered.

"Sweetness. Say earth to Judy, you okay over there?" Will asked her.

"I think she's broken, maybe she needs mouse to mouse, or some foorie coorie" Will commented to Nick when all Judy managed was a small squeak.

"You did not just go there, buddy" Nick answered.

"Mouse to mouse? What is foorie coorie?" Judy managed to ask coming out of her thoughts.

"I'm not explaining that, you do it." Nick said to Will.

"You'd have to watch the anime 'FLCL' to understand what foorie coorie is Judy, but mouse to mouse is mouth to mouth. I figured Nick kissing you would snap you out of it" Will said plainly with a smile.

Judy just blushed harder before walking away. Both canids were quite aware of her scent as she left the break room, and when Nick looked at him as if to say 'I expected her to hit you' Will just said "I promise I will refrain from trying to push you two together any harder than that; I just couldn't resist that one, okay."

"I'm just surprised she didn't hit you." Nick said to him.

"Is that her go to response for situations like that?" Will asked.

"Kind of" Nick answered.

"Hmm . . . You know what that smell meant right?" Will asked him.

"No, though I've been smelling it more frequently since saturday" Nick replied.

"Well I'm sure you'll find out. You know there's a bet going on about you two." Will said to him.

"What kind of bet?" Nick asked narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"That you two are secretly together, or that if you aren't which one of you will make the first move. My money is on her by the way." Will answered.

"Why do you want to see us together so badly? We're just partners, and friends who work well together." Nick said to him.

"You just answered your own question. There's chemistry between you plain for anyone to see. You already admitted to me you love her, and she definitely likes you even if you don't realize it. I'm left wondering what's the impasse" Will told him.

"I don't exactly have the best track record with women. I don't want to screw things up." Nick responded.

"At this point doing nothing, and not taking that chance will be how you screw up, but I'm on your side. Don't rush things if you feel it's better to take it slow. The Wolf Mother knows how often I made that mistake, going from zero to a hundred real quick" Will replied.

Meanwhile in the girls lavatory Judy was busy splashing water on her face trying to cool down, but every time she thought about how long a canids tongue was, and Nick kissing her she blushed all over again, and repeated the process.

"If you're trying to drown yourself you're doing it wrong" Autumn's voice broke into Judy's thoughts.

"I'm not, just trying to cool down" Judy responded.

"You want to talk about it?" Autumn asked.

"Will was licking his muzzle, and I kinda got stuck thinking how Nick has a similar tongue. Then seeing me lost in thought Will suggested Nick kiss me to get me to snap out of it" Judy explained.

"And did Nick kiss you?" Autumn asked encouragingly.

"No. I kinda just left after Will explained that he thought Nick kissing me would bring me out of my thoughts since the way he said it at first made no sense. I mean mouse to mouse?" Judy responded.

"Ah, I know that reference thanks to my sister. So things got a little too hot under the collar for you?" Autumn replied.

"Yeah. I mean I know I like him, but I've never really felt this way before. I may have made out with a buck, or two back home, but none of them were ever really worth my time, and I had my goal of becoming an officer driving me." Judy said to her.

"There's nothing wrong with being inexperienced with this sort of thing I mean hell those of us that are experienced weren't always that way. Just take it slow, but be honest with yourself, and with Nick" Autumn advised her.

"So it's okay if I act like nothing happened?" Judy asked.

"Well nothing did happen, other than things being suggested, but you can't act like that forever. It'd be a disservice to your feelings, and Nick's" Autumn answered.

"Thank you. It was good to talk that out with someone." Judy said.

"Anytime girl friend, I've got your back, and I'm not the only one rooting for you, and Nick though I don't have any money on it." Autumn replied.

"What do you mean money on it?" Judy asked.

"Oh, you know how the station betting pools go. The wager with you two is that you're already together, and hiding it, or not together in which case the wager is on who will make the first move." Autumn answered.

"I think I need to have a talk with Ben" Judy said.

"Don't do that. Well if you do go easy on him, he's just the bookie. The one's who're in on the bet are only doing it because in their own way they support you two as a couple. I mean you guys would put the interspecies in interspecies couples which would catch you some flak for sure, it always does, but you won't catch that flak from any of your fellow officers" Autumn assured her.

"Okay. I'll go easy on him" Judy replied with a smile before heading out, and towards the front desk.

When she reached the fluffy cheetah she got his attention, and he swiveled in his chair to face her.

"Judy. What's up?" Ben asked her.

"I know about the bet Benjamin, and I just want to know one thing. Since he seems so intent on saying things . . . Who did Will bet on to make the first move?" Judy said firmly expecting an answer.

"Uh . . . I really shouldn't talk about it, but he put his money on you, and he bet more than anyone else" Ben answered her nervously.

"Did he tell you why?" Judy asked now curious.

"He did . . . He figured Nick wouldn't even be able to admit his feelings to you until you pounced, as he put it. He said Nick, like him was more of the torch bearing type." Ben answered feeling as if he said too much.

"Thank you for being honest with me Ben" Judy said to him before she turned to leave.

As she was walking back towards her desk she saw Will shaking paws with Fangmeyer looking happy about something before he left in the direction of Caldera's office. She almost thought to follow him, and confront him, but she had work to finish, and Nick was probably back at their desk goofing off.

Will made his way towards Jade with a purpose, and reached his destination swiftly. When he got there he couldn't help thinking to himself how pretty she was.

"Hey there kitten I have a proposal for you" Will said to her announcing his presence.

"Well what can I do for you wolfie?" she asked.

''What would it take to replace all our bullet proof vests with dragon-skin? If I'm going to keep putting myself in the position of bullet sponge the vest I have in my Shelby is going to get used, and spent by this time next week" Will answered.

"I could talk to the Chief about it though it probably won't be in the budget, and then there'd come in to play factoring them in to next year's budget." Jade said to him, and she was surprised when he laughed.

"I don't care about that. Money isn't an issue, and if it becomes one I have solutions. Hell while we're at it you want all our uniforms made from kevlar, let's make that happen too" Will responded.

"You're kidding, right?" Jade asked unwilling to get excited by his offer though she was starting to.

"The one rule I had for the ZIA to keep using my skills such as they did was simple: I keep what I kill. When you're business is taking out big time drug cartels, gun runners, and mammal traffickers their spoils add up" Will answered her.

"You're really serious? But how could you bankroll it all? I mean the numbers for the uniforms alone for all the officers in precinct one were over a million dollars last I checked, and those dragon-skin vests . . . even one's bunny sized are a thousand bucks, let alone the elephant sized ones, and we'd need multiple for every officer" Jade said the voice of reason.

"Believe it, or not I actually know the mammal who makes dragon-skin. You tell him William Grimm wants to outfit his new unit after you tell him you're with ZPD, and he'll cut you a deal especially when you put in an order that massive" Will said to her with a grin.

"Okay, then I have some phone calls to make. You really sure you can foot the bill?" Jade said.

"I have an offshore account I'm willing to cut in half which would put two million in your paws within the week. We need more, I go hunting, and the criminals will pay for it; ZIA habits die hard you know" Will replied with a laugh.

With that Jade couldn't restrain her elation, and leapt into his arms kissing him for making her day. She would've gone farther he'd made her so happy, but he stopped her, and made his way to the Chief knowing it wouldn't do well to surprise him with their little plan once the shipments already were rolling in. As he made his way to the Chief's office he checked the time on his phone, and saw he should've clocked out half an hour ago. 'Oh, well' he thought to himself at least he was covering his ass since he knew Layla was likely to be cross with him for not hesitating to take bullets regardless of the vest he wore. When he got to the buffalo's office he knocked, and entered when given permission to do so.

"I figured you'd have left for the day after you sent in your report officer" the Chief said to him.

"I had a pie to devour, and some things to go over with Fangmeyer, and Caldera. The later is why I'm here to see you, sir" Will replied respectfully.

"And what did you discuss with Caldera that requires my attention?" the buffalo asked.

"You see sir, it seems every time I have occasion to use a vest I make like a bullet sponge, and our standard issue just isn't made for that kind of abuse. So I made the offer to Caldera to bankroll outfitting our whole precinct with dragon-skin vests" Will answered.

"I find it hard to believe you have that kind of money" the Chief responded his usually stern face showing his disbelief.

"How do you think the ZIA funds it's black ops? You don't want to know, but let's just say reappropriation from less than legal sources is a common occurrence. I already can have two million in Caldera's paws by the end of the week from my own account, and if more is needed well then I'll get to reappropriating, and put a major dent in organized crime at the same time" Will explained grinning like he'd been dealt a good hand.

"You're not asking my permission Officer, and you don't expect me to condone those actions do you?" the buffalo replied as if there was a bad taste in his mouth.

"Look I know the kind of headaches this can cause when brought to light so here's what we do. We tell anyone above us that we've received a handsome donation from an anonymous mammal who wanted to do us a solid. When it comes time to talk to city hall about adjusting the budget to account for maintaining, and replacing our new gear they should be willing to accommodate us, and if they aren't I'll convince them, but I think the value of our fellow officers lives being better protected, and that protection offering them more leverage against criminal elements will do our work for us." Will explained as if it were nothing.

"If I can't convince city hall, what makes you think you can?" the Chief asked.

"You have your methods, I have mine. I'd show them the difference between Judy's standard issue vest, and one made from dragon-skin using my desert eagle, or the difference between your standard issue vest sir, and one made from dragon-skin using my Anti-materiel Rifle. If that's not enough to convince the mammals of city hall . . . I'll force them to wear dragon-skin vests, and use them for target practice. Now that will get the point across." Will answered.

"Remind me to never have you join me in front of city council, but that is a good idea show them the difference between what we've got, and what you're getting for us. Now get out of my office, and go home officer. You did good today." the Chief ordered him, and Will left saluting his boss.

Will was feeling good when he reached his Shelby, and once it was started he got "Seek and Destroy" by Metallica blaring as he drove out of the motor pool. He let his shuffle play through the Metallica tracks he had as he drove home hoping Layla wouldn't be mad at him. He was at a red light when the solo began, and with his windows rolled down he headbanged to it like a mammal possessed until the guy behind him honked since the light had turned. He was halfway home when "Until it Sleeps" came on, and it brought back memories of his first real date with Layla since he'd sung it to her in front of the whole bar. His thoughts drifted to how far they'd come since then, and all they'd been through; there was no counting how many times they'd had their lives on the line, or how many lives they'd taken, and what had it all been for? He thought to himself that it didn't matter because all that really did were the days they got to spend together from here on out.

He could picture her muzzle in his mind's eye as he drove, and in the depths of him he knew he loved her enough to want her by his side until death did part them even if he could never marry her. When his thoughts turned in this direction they were followed like they always were by his thankfulness he had her as close to him as he did, and wondering if the Wolf Mother would not come down on him like a mountain if he did marry her. Would the one with his soul forgive him for giving in to his heart he wondered as if his very existence depended upon the answer he came to, but he could come to no answer. When he'd gotten out of his Shelby after he parked in front of their building he could not stop the outpouring of the emotions in him as tears fell from his eyes like rain. He was still crying when he reached the elevator, and made it to their apartment door wracked as he was by the emotions it seemed the Wolf Mother herself was wringing from him.

Layla was in the kitchen when she heard the notification she'd set on her laptop to indicate Will was home thanks to muzzle recognition algorithms first when the camera she'd put in the foyer registered him, and again when he reached the door; the interval between the two telling her he had taken the elevator, and not gotten stuck talking with their landlord. He was through the door before she could show off how she'd busied herself today modifying it to operate via a custom app on her phone. She was about to chide him for charging that punk leopard today because he could've been shot in the head when thanks to her empathic ability the emotions coursing through him hit her like a wall.

"Wolfie baby what's wrong? What happened?" Will heard her ask him as she flew into him.

All he could do was fall to his knees, and cry into her only causing her to worry more since he rarely ever broke down like this. The last time she'd seen him like this had been years ago when he opened up to her about how she won his heart, but he still belonged to the Mother.

"You've got to talk to me Will, please." she said to him almost sobbing as tears came into her eyes both from the emotions radiating out of him, and her own worry for him. His only response was to wrap his arms around her, and bury his muzzle deeper into her. When he started to calm down as she stood against him stroking his head the emotions in him shifted, and she could feel the force of the love in him like a blazing fire.

"I love you more than I love my life, but this life doesn't belong to me . . ." Will finally managed to speak nuzzling into his mate.

"No wonder you're so emotional right now. You just had to go there didn't you?" Layla responded in understanding.

"I don't want another day left of my time here without you in it" Will said to her looking her in the eyes with his own full of his love for her.

"I'm with you until the end My Wolf. I am yours, and you are mine there is no ritual, or ceremony that could make that more so. Just promise me that one dance under the winter solstice moon" She said to him knowing the real meaning in his words.

"You have that dance, and all that it is in me to give to you My Vixen" Will responded before he smelled the food she'd been cooking, and added "You were making dinner."

"I am. Tonight's menu is chicken enchilada soup with extra crunchy tortilla bits" Layla answered him with a warm smile before she went back into the kitchen to mind the pot.

"You know you sang this for me, but now it's my turn to sing it for you" Will said to her as he walked over to their stereo to plug in his phone, and queue the track.

While she put the finishing touches on dinner he serenaded her with "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica. While he sang to her his emotions finding catharsis she filled bowls for them, and topped them with crunchy tortilla strips, a healthy amount of extra sharp cheddar, and solid spoonfuls of sour cream before she carried them to their table. She waited for him to finish the song, and join her before she took her first bite which gave their meals time to cool a bit. While they ate she finally had her chance to chide him for charging that leopard which he accepted without refutal. He told her about the rest of his day from his antics with the pie to talking to Fangmeyer about joining LEAP, and his proposal to Jade which he had also gone over with the Chief.

Layla wasn't exactly mollified since it'd take time for those shipments to get ordered, and delivered. She did laugh though when he told her about Judy's reaction in the break room, and his use of the phrase 'mouse to mouse' though she admonished him to let those two come together on their own since everyone had given them the necessary encouragement, and it was time to let the two alone. He wisely agreed with her on that, and reiterated his promise to Nick to no longer try to force the issue.

When they were done eating, and had put the leftovers in the fridge Will got the water hot to clean their bowls, and Layla stood patiently with a dish towel in paw to dry their bowls, and glasses before she put them away. Their chore complete Layla led him to their room where she got into their safe for just enough coke for them each to have a line since she wanted him fucking her all night. Will stared at his line like he didn't really want to do it because he didn't, he'd rather just fall into sleep his mate in his arms, but he did his line, and she wasted no time shedding her clothes while he did the same.

There was a fire in her eyes that kindled a flame in his own as she mounted him rubbing her sex against him to get him ready. When she felt him rise to meet her she emoted her passion as she kissed him her tongue flooding his muzzle. So forceful was she that he fell back onto the bed his hindpaws still touching the floor while she continued gyrating her hips against him before she rose up to let him enter her. He was lost in her actions totally powerless against her, and the pleasure of her around him which she revelled in. When she came her muscles gripped him like a vice, and he was left panting as his nature was triggered causing him to flip their positions so she was on her paws, and knees in front of him while he entered her again. He languidly thrusted into her enjoying stroking into her with his fangs bared achingly before he inserted his knot, and she locked around him. He was like a machine as he pumped his hips against her, and sank his fangs into her neck pulling in some of her chi, but when he came the chi exploded back into her from his fangs in her neck, and she was wracked with her third orgasm. Even after they collapsed onto the bed laying on their sides they stayed tied together continually fucking on, and off well into midnight before they finally passed out.

---

Tuesday [Week three, Day two]

05:30 [Precinct One]

The Chief walked through the doors of his precinct that was more like his second home ready to start another day. He greeted his subordinates whose paths he crossed curtly on his way to the break room for his routine third cup of coffee. His officers didn't mind since they knew he didn't really warm up till cup number five. As he stood in front of the precinct coffee pot pouring the liquid as black, and bitter as death like the night shift liked it into his coffee mug that Clawhauser had gotten him for bosses day which read "Best Chief Ever" he mused to himself about taking his girlfriend Carla out somewhere nice for once. He could almost picture her in her red dress that he loved seeing her wear. Lost as he was in his thoughts he lifted his coffee to his muzzle, and that first bitter sip reminded him he'd forgotten to add sugar, but he decided he didn't care. When he got to his office he'd already killed the oversized mug, and was grateful for the coffee pot the rest of the precinct had gotten him for bosses day complete with five pounds of Snarlbucks espresso roast pre-ground coffee. He entered his office like normal expecting it to be as he left it, but the smell of coffee assaulted his nose, and he wondered who made him a pot of coffee. Were they being nice, trying to butter him up for something, or did they play a prank on him his thoughts whirled before he caught sight of the culprit sitting in his chair.

"Good morning Chief Bogo. I hope you don't mind me making us some coffee, well you coffee. I don't have the tolerance for the stuff like Beast I mean Will does. Not that any other canine can drink coffee like he can without going into cardiac arrest. You know he's been drinking it since he was just a cub thanks to his grandfather, and it never stunted his growth?" the vixen sitting in his chair said to him happily.

"Who. Are. You?" the Chief asked suspiciously wondering in the back of his mind if this was 'Whisper' since she seemed to know Grimm so well.

"I am ZIA Agent Danger, Sky Danger. You can just call me Sky." Sky answered him.

"To what do I owe this visit from the ZIA? Aren't foreign affairs your usual purview?" the Chief asked.

"I told them, my former CLAWS, to not make waves, and they'd stay off the radar. That zootube video from yesterday went postal overnight, and there's nothing I can do to keep it from blowing up in the news. Will hasn't made a wave yet, but it's definitely a ripple. I can keep my superiors convinced his ZIA involvement will stay in the dark where it belongs, but I want to make sure you have his back if they go over my head. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be with my mate like I am today, and as a vulpine I owe him for more than just that." Sky explained.

"I have his back. He's as much the ace up my sleeve as he was yours. Though maybe you can answer something for me; who is Whisper, and how do I find her?" the Chief asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Sky asked immediately on guard.

"Last Wednesday she dosed him with ten times the normal amount of Wild Card, and after the sparring demonstration his sister Sheriff Grimm gave us last Friday I have a pretty good idea of the kind of danger she put my precinct in. Will convinced me to drop the matter after threatening to eat me if he had to, for which I nearly shot him with his own M1911, but I still want to give that mammal a piece of my mind" the Chief explained.

"Hmm . . . I can guess why she did that, but no you don't know the kind of danger he was in that state. I take it he kept his cool, and there were no casualties?" Sky asked.

"No one was injured thanks to Officer's Wilde, Luna who is now his partner, and Forensic Specialist Underland who got him to the hospital for counteragent. Officer's Luna, and Caldera were the one's to explain to me that Wednesday that potentially my whole precinct was in mortal danger" The Chief answered.

"Tell me about these Officers Luna, and Caldera. Has he been romantically involved with either of them?" Sky asked.

"You're avoiding my question about Whisper. I want answers." the Chief reminded her as he refilled his coffee mug.

"I won't tell you about Whisper till I have the intel I want. What species are those two officers, and are they involved with Will?" Sky countered getting up so the Chief could have his chair back.

"Officer Luna is a white tigress, and from what she said shares a common nature with Grimm though she didn't share what that really was. Officer Caldera who is a black jaguaress to my knowledge has been involved with Grimm, I'm pretty sure they're dating." the buffalo answered the vixen sitting in his chair.

"Hmm . . . good choice partnering him with this Luna. He has a weakness for white fur, if she gives him an order he is more likely to obey. Don't ask me why, he tells no one. I'm pretty sure he's dating no one after the fallout from last year, but if this Caldera knows his fangs . . . you've seen him spar with Lola so you have an understanding of what he's physically capable of, but you don't understand what he's really capable of. I can't really tell you either, you'd have to see it for yourself, but that would constitute him making waves" Sky said to him remaining standing.

"So are you going to tell me about this Whisper, or not?" the Chief asked her sipping on his coffee.

"I will, but first tell me what you know about Whisper." Sky answered with her best poker face.

"The Sunday I first met him, and he went over his ZIA involvement with me he said Whisper was his spotter, and an electronic warfare specialist which we got an example of when she hacked our P.A. last Wednesday which our tech boys couldn't trace. Whisper addressed us using a computer garbled female voice so I'm assuming Whisper is a girl." the Chief answered clearly wanting his answers.

"I can confirm that Whisper is indeed female, and to dose Will she's definitely in the city, but I don't know where she is, or how to find her. Only Will would know, and you should really let it go Chief. Just let it go. I don't really know how, or why she has the hold over him she does, but she does, and if he ever needs to make waves to protect this city you had better hope she's at his side, or you will probably have to kill him." Sky answered him though essentially she revealed nothing feeling honor bound to do so.

"Maybe I could let it go if I weren't left with more questions than answers" the buffalo replied.

"It should be answer enough that Will is on your side. All he has ever wanted to do is protect as many as possible no matter what it takes, and he is more capable of defending the lives of mammals than any other simply because of the force he can bring to bear. It also helps that he has the drug tolerance of an elephant." Sky responded.

05:30 [Will's apartment with Layla]

Thanks to the cocaine Will had already been up for half an hour, and had already showered, and dressed. Before his phone's morning alarm could even go off he'd turned it off. He could still feel echoes of the come down in his blood, and was thankful it had been coke, and not meth since the meth come down left him angry, and wanting only to be left alone. He still had half an hour before he really needed to leave for work so he busied himself with making coffee for himself, and breakfast for his mate though it'd probably be noon before she ate anything. It was something to do, so he fixed her sunny side up eggs with the yolk cooked enough that it had the consistency of gel which he affectionately referred to as "Fox Style" since it was how she liked her eggs best. To accompany them he made turkey bacon which he personally hated, and hash browns he got good, and crispy. Plating the meal large enough to make him full if he were hungry he wrapped it with plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge along with a note on the fridge door letting her know he'd made her breakfast. It was just after oh-six-hundred, and all that was left for him to do was leave her a note which read "I Don't Want to Set the World On Fire, but I will if I have to." before he left for work.

When he got into his Shelby he got music playing that fit in with classics like the one from The Ink Spots he'd mentioned in his note. He sang along to "Mad About the Boy" by Helen Forrest, and "Johnny Guitar" by Peggy Lee not caring one whit that these were songs sung by girls, and about boys. His drive to work went smoothly, and before he realized it he was parked in the motor pool causing him to think to himself 'stupid coke'. He waved good morning to Joe who had barely got in himself as he made his way to the elevator. When he got to the ground floor, and had exited the lift he was about to head towards Benji since it was barely oh-six-twenty, but a familiar scent caught his attention. Like a dart on all fours he ran following the scent shocking Mihoshi, and Carol who'd been about to call out to him before they saw him lift his nose to the air before taking off. In less than two minutes he'd ascended the building's stairs to the source of the scent, and was almost to the Chief's door back on his hindpaws when out the door walked Sky.

"Danger brush, fancy meeting you here. What went wrong?" Will greeted his former handler.

"You made a ripple Beastie" Sky answered.

"Just from howling yesterday? Or was it the roar? Did you see the vid of my nyan-ing I uploaded?" Will asked curiously.

"Jack, and I about died seeing you nyan, and then you meowed you psycho" Sky laughed before adding "Of course you howling caused the ripple. For now shit's gonna stay quiet, but you got to get a better handle on it"

"Hey I have kung-fu grip on it. I only killed one mammal, and he was about to kill a little girl cub." Will responded.

"So you were the one who saved little Sarah. I had a feeling, especially after that jaguaress with heterochromia said what she did" Sky replied.

"You mean Caldera, and I cried so much that day, plus I got to catch up with Maria." Will told her.

"So that's Caldera, hmm. How is Maria by the way?" Sky asked.

"Doing good, got herself a boyfriend. He's a white timber wolf named David, I like him." Will answered.

"I wonder why she went for a white wolf?" Sky said suggestively.

"Just coincidence Sky. He's actually a rather kind soul I could see it in his eyes. He's like me before I got all covered in blood." Will countered.

"Speaking of old friends I heard Sagebrush became coroner 'round these parts, you run into her?" Sky inquired.

"I did in fact my third day here, you know the Chief sends the newbs down to her as hazing; I really turned that table" Will replied.

"Let me guess you tied her with a corpse in the room." Sky said with a smirk.

"You know me well, but I am unaware of any such activity, or operation." Will responded.

"Spare me the song, and dance Beast. So you think I should drop by, and say hi to her?" Sky asked.

"Did Akazukin tame the big bad Okami?" Will responded with a rhetorical question.

"After whispering in his ear. Okay I'll give Sage a visit, but before I do . . . speaking of whispers I heard yours is back in town, and you seem no worse for wear" Sky said to him.

"Shh kitsune-chan himitsu desu. Honto ni nanimo nai." Will responded quickly before he leaned into her ear to whisper "Call me later. I'll talk."

With that Sky walked past him, and Will watched her walk away before he went to the bullpen. When he got inside he was still sort of at a loss to have seen such a blast from his past. He was on his way to sit next to his partner when Mihoshi, and Carol stopped him.

"What was that earlier, Grimm?" Carol asked.

"Yeah, you took off like you smelled a girl in heat" Mihoshi added.

"I smelled a spook hehehe" Will answered them with a laugh.

"A spook?" Mihoshi asked.

"He means ZIA agent 'Hoshi. I take it you know this agent." Carol said.

Will looked around before he responded noticing everyone that could hear was listening.

"It was Sky. You know one half of my failed dancing instructors." Will replied.

"Haha so what did she want?" Mihoshi asked innocently.

"I don't know what she talked to the Chief about, but she sure shot me a kite" Will responded.

"What? How do you shoot a kite?" Mihoshi asked confusedly.

"He meant she delivered a message 'Hoshi" Carol explained to her niece.

"Sorry, talkin with her brought back all the years of spook crypto-babble. Saying things without saying things." Will said to Mihoshi with a laugh.

"I understood what you meant, she's just too young to get it" Carol said to him.

After that they let him take his seat with his partner, and no sooner did he get out of his muzzle "So how was your morning, partner?" then the room was called to attention, and in walked the Chief. The buffalo handed out the day's assignments as per usual, but when he said "Grimm, Luna you're heading to the Nocturnal District" Will couldn't help the whine that escaped him.

"Are you complaining Officer?" the Chief asked.

"Is the big bad Grimm scared of the dark?" Nick asked relishing his opportunity to tease Will.

"Quite the opposite brother. No sir this officer is not complaining, but he insists his partner be reoutfitted with extra-strength tranqs, and he be permitted to modify his dress before performing his duties." Will said as he stood at attention like he was back in the military.

"Why, and modify how?" was all the buffalo said.

"Sir, it's been two years since I was last down there, and I know how that place affects me. Quite literally sir my partner will need to keep me on a short leash."

"You gonna go find something to roll around in, again?" Autumn asked him.

"That place is more of a haven for mammals like us than The Crypt, and you're asking me that?" Will responded to his partner with a look as if to say 'catch my drift?'

"I agree with my partner Sir, I may need to tranq him, and a leash would be a good idea." Autumn addressed the Chief

The Chief was about to say something when they were interrupted by a blur of red fur that yelled "Okami tasukete" before darting behind Will to hide. Then in through the door ran Sage who stopped short when she nearly ran into the Chief, but her intent was still on the vixen hiding behind Will.

"But Sky why won't you play with me? It's been so long." Sage sing-songed to the cowering vixen.

"Something that can spook a spook, now I really have seen it all" Nick chimed in stifling a laugh.

"I am a mated mammal. If I play with anyone like that it'll be my buck. Beast you're her alpha do something" Sky shouted.

"I will, but this is amusing, and I want a favor Danger brush" Will responded to the vixen holding onto his tail for dear life.

"Huanui! Return to your reclamation chamber. Call Layla for lunch if you need a vixen for company, and wish me luck down in the Nacht District" Will said to Sage his voice only mildly authoritative.

"You're going there again? I though you said what happened there was why . . . I'll be going now. Sorry for the disturbance Sir, I just haven't seen that old friend of mine in way too long." Sage started to say to Will before she caught herself, and addressed the Chief then promptly left.

"Chief Bogo you're sending him to the Nocturnal District? You better let his partner keep him on a leash, and carry extra tranq rounds." Sky addressed the buffalo as she recovered once Sage was gone.

"That's what I told him" Will said to Sky.

"I still don't have an answer as to why I should agree to that." the buffalo responded flatly.

This prompted Sky to walk across the room to close the blinds before she crossed back to shut the door, and place a paw on the light switch.

"Here's an answer I can show you, instead of tell you Chief. Officers hold position" Sky said before she turned off the light sending them into near total darkness.

"Alright those of you with night vision where is Will?" Sky asked the room.

"Right where he was standing at attention" Nick answered for the mammals who could see him.

"Okay Beast do your thing" Sky told him her voice drawing the attention of those who could see.

At her words Will closed his eyes, and taking a deep breath to calm, and center himself focused his mind, and his chi on being unnoticed; on merging with the darkness.

"Now nocturnal mammals where is the Beast?" Sky asked again.

"He was right next to me! Where'd he go?" Autumn said, and none of the mammals with night vision could see him so he decided to have a little fun. Will began to meow, but in such a way that it sounded like he was doing it from different spots all over the room.

"Okay that's enough, Will. Everyone with night sight shield your eyes" Sky said likewise covering her face with her arm as she turned the lights back on.

Will was still standing at attention having not moved anything other than his mouth much to the shock of those who had night vision, and confusion of those who didn't.
"I know what you did! But how come I couldn't see you? I can do the same thing, and you were right next to me the whole time!" Autumn exclaimed.

"I still think it's crazy you can project, and pitch your voice like that" Sky said with a chuckle.

"I don't understand. What was I supposed to see Agent" the Chief addressed her.

"Chief, sir that's why she had those of us with night vision witness for those without, and with multiple of us there was extra proof. What he did was actually really simple; he focused his chi on minimizing his presence. Normally a mammal capable of the feat can use it to go unnoticed even if they're sitting alone on a park bench, or something. They're still there, but others are less likely to focus on them. What I don't understand is how I who am like him couldn't see him right next to me; it's like an illusionist being fooled by a trick they know how to perform" Autumn explained.

"In this building there are only three mammals who know the reason why I am that much stronger than you, partner. One is Sky over there, one is Sage, and the other is Jade; none of them will tell you, and neither will I" Will told his partner.

"Hehehe that's all I'm going to allow of you skirting the subject Beast. Say anymore, and I will have to put you down. It's bad enough someone new knows... do I need to talk with this Jade?" Sky said putting a paw on the pistol she carried.

"You threaten my brother?" Nick said to her growling having assumed a defensive stance between her, and Will.

"Sky you do not need to have that talk with Jade, she's on the level just like Sage, and you. Brother relax she's not really going to shoot me. Now Danger brush which do you think is faster my ability to put you on the floor from here without moving a muscle, or you drawing that pea shooter, and firing?" Will said to them calmly as if the situation were in his paw.

"Fair enough" Sky said removing her paw from her sidearm.

"The point of all that just now Chief excepting Sky's overreaction was that while I just did that on purpose, down there in the Nocturnal District the sheer vibes of the place will have me doing that unintentionally, among other things. You have Autumn as my partner so she can keep me in check, well down there to do that she needs stronger tranqs, and me on a leash . . . we're gonna be a real sight, but it's necessary." Will explained to the buffalo.

"Fair enough officer, permission granted. Now Agent Danger will you tell me why you were about to shoot my current, and your former subordinate?" The Chief asked Sky turning towards her.

"No can do Chief" Will answered "That information is classified to the dark side of the moon."

"And then some. Catch you later Will" Sky added before leaving.

"Tell Jack I say hi!" Will called out after her.

"She wasn't really going to shoot you was she?" Mihoshi asked him.

"She would've tried, might've succeeded; she's a damn decent shot even with everyone in the way" Will answered matter-of-factly.

"But why?" Mihoshi asked hurt displaying across her muzzle.

"I can't even give you a vague response to that, anything I come up with will give it away to anyone perceptive enough." Will replied.

With all of that settled Will, and Autumn left for Caldera's office so Autumn could get a couple mags with extra strength tranqs. When they got there Jade greeted them happily.

"Hey there wolfie, and good morning Autumn. What can I do for you two today?" Jade asked them.

"My partner here needs a couple mags of those extra strength tranqs; Bogo's got us heading down to the Nocturnal District to lend a paw, and she'll need 'em" Will answered.

"Can I ask what for?" Jad inquired.

"The short answer is me. The long answer is being down in that district has certain effects on me, kinda like how I acted when we went to the Rainforest District only worse" Will explained grinning at her.

"So you're gonna go a little wild, and she'll need something to take the edge off. I got what you need Autumn, I actually had Alice cook up a little something just for such a situation, but be careful with how many you fire into him they're triple strength so two would about equal a full standard mag." Jade replied with a nod.

Once Autumn had two mags securely in a belt pouch they made their way out through the front since Will insisted that if they took his car bad shit was likely to happen seeing as how whenever he went on patrol with it shit just seemed to happen, and they kept having to call in back up to pick up whoever they arrested. Will did not forget to give Benji his customary embrace, and asked his favorite cheetah to wish him luck down in the Cavern of Everlasting Twilight as he jokingly called it. As soon as they were through the doors Will placed his aviators on his muzzle to shield his light sensitive eyes, and Autumn likewise donned her own pair of shades though once they made their descent they wouldn't need them.

When they got to the cruiser they settled themselves in, and Autumn drove them towards the Nocturnal District's entrance. As they drove Autumn expressed always feeling more comfortable down there than she did on the surface during the day at least since she still prefered the open night sky.

"Well it's in our nature. We're closer to the darkness than we are the light even if we don't use the darkness within us like most would assume we do. They'll never understand that the very darkness within us makes us seek out the same things those in the light do even if we go about it differently. Sometimes I really wish they could, and would understand." Will said to her.

"I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel so alone with the burden of what I am, and I really do cherish the friends I have who share our nature. I hope you don't mind me considering you among those friends." Autumn replied with a smile.

"Why would I mind Luna-chan? We're partners aren't we?" Will asked.

"Just saying" Autumn answered as they neared the sex shop Will had said they should go to for his leash, and collar.

Will took his time in the store perusing their selection, and seeking the help the the she-wolf working the register. She at first thought Will was a stripper since she didn't think a real cop would just walk in so nonchalantly, but when he showed her his badge she recognized him from yesterday's zootube video, and offered him a discount on whatever it was he needed. When he asked to see their selection of leashes, and collars she gave him a curious look mentioning he didn't look like the submissive type. Will laughed at this, and explained he had his masochistic streak, but was an alpha through, and through also explaining that he was after what he sought for non-sexual reasons he did not elaborate further than that. For Will finding a collar was easy. He picked out a nice thick faux leather piece adorned with spikes which he promptly put on. The hard part, and what took him the longest was selecting a proper leash which needed to be strong enough to resist his pull strength, and long enough he had decent range of movement. When he finally exited the shop where last week he'd bought those pawcuffs he saw his partner laugh seeing him already wearing his purchases. Once he was back in their cruiser Autumn took off taking them towards the Nocturnal District's entrance which was a massive underground lift that made regular scheduled descents transporting mammals, and goods into the depths beneath the city.

Traffic into, and out of the Nocturnal District was controlled more strictly than on the surface since the underground biome required massive ventilation to circulate out vehicle, and other machinery exhaust, and pump in clean air. The safeguards to maintain clean air down there were redundant in triplicate since anyone really wanting to attack the city would strike there first along with the other biome climate control walls. Anymore no one really paid much attention to those safety measures because no one ever dared do something of that nature, but the nocturnal mammals who designed their district custom for themselves had a broader spectrum of concern than any surface architects. Especially the bats who counted sanguivores among their number who were heavily stigmatized even in the modern era though they had long since sustained themselves on avian blood, and that of willing donors. For denizens of the Nocturnal District there was a certain paranoia towards, and distrust of most surface dwellers that may have receded over time, but remained in their collective subconscious. A holdover of this paranoia were the regularly maintained escape routes to the surface no one who lived there ever wanted to use, but were ever thankful to have, and they kept those routes secure, and modernized with almost religious zeal.

While most surface dwellers even the ones who were themselves historically nocturnal though they'd adapted to diurnal living wouldn't really consider the district inviting in more recent years it's denizens had endeavored to make their little city underground more so. There were always tourists even from the surface districts willing to marvel at the architecture of the district which was essentially an underground dome with a few interspersed columns for added support which were artificially grown stalactites, and stalagmites that were fused together, and thickened. Originally the Nocturnal District had been mostly warren like with a few den like areas, and a couple caverns before it had been completely restructured, an engineering feat that took the better part of a century to fully realize. It could be said with decent accuracy that the Nocturnal District was the first truly developed biome of Zootopia, and it's architects were the inspiration for what would become the city above. No less marvelous was how those architects had solved properly lighting the Nocturnal District since even the most light sensitive among them still needed light. Considering structural integrity paramount above all else they had found a way to propagate bioluminescent fungi throughout the district that would normally require rotting wood for substrate, and even a purely diurnal mammal could see decently down there in the blue, and green glow of the fungi.

When they entered the underground lot that was the waiting area for those seeking their turn to descend Autumn noted the shift in Will's energy towards nervous anticipation he expressed through fidgeting, and drumming his paws against the dash. As officers of the law they were given priority, and fast tracked to the lift proper which could easily transport a couple dozen elephants though by far the officers were the largest mammals allowed access to the district since no elephant would ever make the trip, and the lift was made more for handling cargo than anything else. When their descent began Will seemed to calm temporarily as he changed the radio's channel to match that used by their fellows underground. As the lift breached through the domed ceiling of the district Will rolled down his window to stick his head out, and sample the district's air while Autumn marveled at the sights before her since she seldom had occasion to journey here.

"Watch this" Will said to his partner before he made sure the volume on their radio was turned up, and proceeded to howl out into the cavern not as loudly as he could, but more for sustained sound. Autumn noted he seemed to be announcing his presence, and the radio chatter that swiftly filled the cruiser seemed to confirm this.

"This is Captain Altair to all units. Did you hear that? Over." the voice of the officer in charge of Precinct five called out.

"I sure did Captain, and whoever that was sure put the bats into a frenzy" a male officer responded.

"Word I'm getting from them is that the Fanged Beast has returned Captain" a female officer added.

"Well can they give me a source of origin for whatever that was?" Captain Altair asked while Will just laughed, and motioned for his partner to leave their radio be.

"They're saying it sounded like it was descending so I'd say it came from the lift, sir. The sanguivores seem more agitated than the rest though I can't tell why." the female officer responded.

"Their reaction confirms it. The mammal we've got visiting us today scares them like no other though the report I have on the matter is circumstantial at best. I'm heading out to the lift myself I want everyone on standby, and when those officers the Chief was sending us get here I want them on alert" Captain Altair ordered his officers.

It wasn't long after that that Autumn noted a sizable mammal flying towards them while Will simply snickered to himself. When the mammal flying towards them spotted their cruiser, and made a beeline for them Will managed to regain his composure asking his partner to let him handle this.

"I'm Captain Altair the Officer in Charge of Precinct Five" the golden-capped fruit bat in an officer's uniform addressed them from the passenger side since Will already had his window rolled down. For his species Captain Altair like Will was a larger than normal example of his kind. His full wingspan was six feet even, and he weighed a good three, and a half pounds.

"I'm Officer Grimm, and this is my partner Officer Luna. Well met Captain" Will managed to introduce them before a half dozen vampire bats landed on the hood of their cruiser.

"Captain if the Beast is here don't provoke him. We play it cool with him, and he'll play it cool with us" one of the bats spoke to the Captain.

"Elder Alucard said the Beast was our ally. Why is everyone so afraid?" a younger female bat asked.

"Wait . . . Beast?" Autumn asked Will suspiciously which he responded to with a look as if to say 'Shh'.

"We fear because he is a mammal not one of us, but like us, and greater than us. Our fangs are pale imitations of his" the one who seemed to be the leader admonished his younger.

"You know you guys never gave me a full report on what happened two years ago" Captain Altair said to them, and this silenced them like statues.

"Elder Alucard is still kicking? I hope she's doing well. You guys mind letting her know I'd like to say hi to her, maybe share a drink?" Will chimed in asking the vampire bats on the hood.

"You know Elder Alucard? How officer Grimm?" Captain Altair addressed him inquisitively.

"Because I am the Fanged Beast himself, and am humbly at your service Captain" Will answered.

Captain Altair was obviously incredulous at his admission, but the reaction of the vampire bats on the hood who immediately flew off lent credence to Will's statement. Only the younger bat who did not seem as afraid as its fellows lingered wanting to meet this beast for herself.

"Officer Grimm I'll wait for you at the station. You can drop off your cruiser for one of ours, or patrol on foot if you prefer, but before I permit you to do so I want the missing pieces to that report from two years ago" Captain Altair said to him.

"No problem Captain. I'll answer what I can" Will answered, and with that the largest bat in the district flew off.

While they continued their descent having barely passed the halfway mark the younger bat crawled across the hood, and through Will's window onto the dash in front of him.

"I'm Miyako, are you really the Beast grandmother Alucard spoke of?" she asked.

"I am beautiful night child" Will answered.

"You know the meaning of my name?" Miyako asked incredulously.

"Hai" Will responded.

"Grandmother Alucard said you were the hero who saved us. I still don't understand why everyone is so afraid of you" Miyako said.

"It is because of the lengths I went to to protect this place. The lengths I will always go to to protect this place that is as much a haven for me as it is for you. Have you eaten today?" Will asked holding out a paw towards her.

"Not yet. I ate yesterday I'll be fine" she answered crawling onto the offered paw.

"Take what you need from me, please I insist" Will said to her with a smile.

"Officer I couldn't possibly; I don't even know your name" Miyako replied shaking her head.

"You would let her take from you directly? No mammal in their right mind ever does that especially one of us." Autumn said to him.

"Autumn I am an embodiment of the ancient ways. You do not know me for what I ultimately am may the Mother of Cats one day enlighten you. Miyako-chan my name is Will. Take from me, and know me as your ally so long as I draw breath." Will said to them as he tensed his muscles to focus heat into the arm that held Miyako.

The young vampire bat seemed compelled by greater than rational forces as she used her fangs to shave away the fur from a spot on Will's forearm before she used her teeth to make an incision, and lapped at the outflowing blood. Autumn could feel the way Will seemed to be focusing his chi, and as her eyes shifted into their feral state she could see it. He was concentrating it within himself that through the blood Miyako took from him it would pass into her actively. It did not take the little bat long to sate her need since she did not need much, and Will's blood seemed to flow freer than usual with her anticoagulant saliva. She was done shortly before their descent was finally complete, and before she could do anything else Will insisted she rest to assimilate her meal which she did though she seemed completely invigorated.

Autumn drove them towards precinct five when the lift finally stopped, and she could not help, but notice the kind smile across Will's muzzle as little Miyako napped on his lap nestled into the fur of his arm. When they finally reached the precinct which was located in the center of the district the cruiser coming to a stop woke Miyako from her nap, and she flew off after saying goodbye to the officers. Finally able to get out, and stretch his legs Will resisted the urge to run since his partner had wasted no time grabbing the end of his leash in her paw. While they walked around getting acclimated to the underground cavern they attracted strange looks like flies, but Will didn't care, and his indifference rubbed off on his partner. Autumn could feel that she'd probably be stuck with her eyes feral for the whole day as the natural energy of the district effected her, but what kept her more under control of herself was the wolf she had to mind. Will seemed calm for now, and relaxed, but it only made her nervous.

When they entered precinct five their first stop was the station reception for directions to Captain Altair's office. The female hyena behind the desk Will noted was wearing a collar similar to his, and matching bracelets. She happily pointed them in the way they needed to head, and seemed more than just friendly with Will after he commented that he only was wearing his leash today so his partner could keep him in line while they were here in his favorite district. When they entered the Captain's office he finally seemed to notice the leash Will wore that tethered him to his partner.

"I know I'm a little lax with some of my officer's dress code, but I didn't know the Chief would ever permit an officer under his direct command to work wearing a collar, and leash Officer Grimm" Cpt. Altair said sitting behind his desk.

"He normally wouldn't, but he made a necessary exception" Autumn replied.

"You can ask my partner. If I weren't tethered to her down here I'd disappear, and no one would find me unless I wanted them to" Will added.

"Don't ask how such a tall, and white furred wolf could be invisible down here, but he demonstrated for all of us at morning muster that he can do it" Autumn clarified.

"Very well. Now you were going to fill me in on what happened two years ago Officer Grimm. The report in my possession which mostly comes from intel received through my fellow chiropterans indicates nefarious mammals sought to collapse as many of our escape routes as they could before they took out the main lift. They were well organized, and their plan had a high chance of success since it would've been the first of it's kind as no one as dared come against us in such a way. Surprise was on their side, and we would've been royally screwed had they succeeded. Where the report's details get blurry concerns how they were stopped, and by who. I've long suspected my fellow bats of covering for the mammal, or mammals responsible, and all that's ever surfaced are rumors of a fanged beast that saved us out of the shadows that spawned it." Cpt. Altair cut to the chase.

"I'm well aware of the intel you were allowed to have. I prepared it myself. You were given full details of their plan, and their identities, but nothing more other than that they were stopped. I killed them all point of fact, and their bodies will never be found. You are right in particular the vampire bats helped me cover my tracks since I gave them the blood of those mammals as a gift of good will. I did all this while I was working with the ZIA; the attack on this district would've been the opening salvo of some terrorists who made that ideologically unsound sheep Hopps, and Wilde took down seem like a child. I say made because after I stopped them here I hunted down the rest, and they are no more." Will responded.

"So you're ex-ZIA, huh. Word is spooks never give away more information than they have to so I won't press the issue, but I am thankful you were open with me about all this. I've wanted to thank the mammal responsible for it's service since that report first landed on my desk" Cpt. Altair replied.

"No thanks are needed Captain. It's what I do just never bother with how I do it." Will said with a laugh.

"Well since that's out of the way, you're free to patrol my district as you see fit. Would you prefer one of our electric cruisers since we strictly regulate emissions, or would you prefer to patrol on foot?" the captain asked.

"I'm sure my partner would prefer a cruiser while I'd prefer to be on foot. It gives me a better read on my surroundings, but all things considered a cruiser is more confining so I'd say we'll take a cruiser" Will answered.

"I would rather drive than walk since I've got to keep this beast in line" Autumn said for herself pulling on the leash for emphasis.

With that they left the Captain to his work, and exited the precinct so they could start theirs. It was barely oh-nine-hundred when they were finally on the road patrolling the Nocturnal District. The district itself didn't require that sizable a force since the bat population used their aerial superiority to provide recon, and intel to precinct five, and as a whole the denizens of the district kept their home peaceful, and relatively crime free. Any normal officer ordered to patrol down there was guaranteed a relatively easy if not boring day, but Will, and his partner were not normal by a long shot. Down here they were in an element all to themselves not only as nocturnal mammals themselves despite their diurnal adaptations, but as mammals with their fanged nature.

Will was content to let his partner drive them around while he kept his window rolled down, and his head out of it mouth agape, and tongue lolling as he panted. Around ten o'clock however he could take it no longer, and insisted Autumn park so they could walk around a while to let their presence be known to the populace. His partner agreed warily expecting him to try something, and told him to let her get out first once she'd parked so the leash he wore would stay in her paws. Will did his best to be relaxed, and leisurely while they patrolled on foot though the district's vibes were getting to him. It was around eleven when he managed to get away from her the first time, but he hadn't gone far, and she found him talking with an older vampire bat on his shoulder while he walked. Before she could catch up to him he'd walked down a side alley out of sight, and when she did reach him she saw why. Out of sight from the rest of the public he was allowing the bat to feed on him from a spot on his shoulder.

"Damnit Will what's wrong with you?" Autumn called out to him scoldingly when she entered the alley.

"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm just catching up with an old friend." Will answered nonchalantly as he turned to face her.

"Shh, child. You do not know how he honors me with his gift, and he likewise gifted my granddaughter. We are truly blessed to call him ally" the older female bat said to her looking revitalized after her meal.

"We can speak freely with her my Lady Alucard. She, and I share in common our need" Will said to the bat on his shoulder.

"I had a feeling you weren't the only one of your kind William though I imagine you're much stronger in that regard than your partner" Elder Alucard said as she leaned her back against his neck fur under the collar making herself comfortable.

"I don't understand how you can be so comfortable, and familiar with bats partner" Autumn said to him getting a photo of him with her phone for posterity since no one would believe her if she told them about this.

"That other mammals ostracize them for baseless reasons attracts me to them, and is all the more reason for me to show them the kindness, and compassion others never will. As misunderstood as we are with our natures being what they are this should be as clear as moonlight to you" Will said to her his stance firm, and almost regal.

"And so the lord of wolves has spoken" Elder Alucard added sleepily nestling into his neck fur underneath the collar he wore.

"My lady I will never use that title, and am not fond of my authority. Partner please keep this to yourself." Will responded relaxing his stance, and dropping his shoulders wearily causing the bat to cling to him to keep from falling.

"I should be heading home Will, but it was good to see you after all this time. Please feel free to visit us anytime; you are as welcome in my house as any bat in this district" Elder Alucard replied rising, and flying off.

After that Will was led by his partner leash firmly in paw back to their borrowed cruiser, and they continued their patrol on the road. It really was an uneventful day for them since traffic controls kept vehicles to a minimum. More mammals down here used public transit, or walked than on the surface since space was relatively limited. Most would think the Nocturnal District with it's abundance of darkness would be a hotbed of crime, but just to combat that misconception alone any mammal that tried to get a criminal foothold in the district swiftly found themselves back on the surface, or in jail. Drugs still found their way down into the depths, and there were a few brothels if a mammal knew where to look, but Will who knew as much kept his peace. He hadn't always been on the right side of the law, and had spent too many years ignoring laws to get missions done; he also knew that mammals needed their vices, and acceptable ways to vent their daily stresses. It's why he joined LEAP, and wasn't really keen on busting anyone for soft drugs like psilocybin shrooms, and cannabis.

When it was time for lunch they followed Will's nose to a little hole in the wall. Autumn had to let go of his leash to get them lunch, and while he waited he heard music that sounded familiar so he went to investigate. When he found the source of the music he was more struck by the playing of the tigress than her appearance which was the reverse of his partner. He knew the notes she was playing on her keyboard; it was one of his favorite Pink Floyd tracks. When the time came for it he couldn't stop himself from vocalising out the iconic pseudo-screaming of "The Great Gig in the Sky". It was as if the sounds were pulled out of him, and with them emotions that touched the gathering crowd hauntingly.

When Autumn got back to their cruiser he was gone so she got in to track him down since he was only on foot. She cursed to herself that this was the second time today, and she hoped he at least was standing on his hindpaws so he'd be easier to spot by his white fur glowing ghostly green in the bioluminescent light of the fungi that ambiently lit the district. Luckily he was only down the street, and as she pulled to the curb she saw the crowd that had gathered around him. As she got out she heard why; he'd joined a street performer that looked like a photo negative of her own features. They were like ghosts from the underworld come to serenade the living so they could pay the ferry-mammal the way the fungi illuminated the whites of their respective furs. She lost her concern for her wayward partner, and just wanted to get to know the striking tigress playing the keyboard.

When she finished the song she'd been playing she drifted into "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright, and though he started off the lyrics she joined him as naturally as if they'd rehearsed their performance. There was something about their spontaneous performance, and Autumn wasn't the only one recording it on her phone. She'd heard him sing cleanly, and roughly, but to hear his bass of a voice accompanied by the black tigress' alto had a certain kind of magic. Their voices together really complemented each other well, and the crowd that hearkened to them felt the soul they put into their impromptu performance. Then the song was over, and Autumn wasn't the only one applauding like it was the thing to do since it was. When some of the other mammals that had gathered called for an encore Autumn couldn't help but join in, and seeing his partner's encouragement Will whispered in the ear of the mysterious black tigress who just nodded happily. The song she played next was "Mad World" originally by Tears for Fears. This time as they sang together Will kept his voice lower than the tigress' like an undercurrent to accentuate her natural talent, and it worked beautifully.

"I get so nervous singing alone in front of people, thank you for that officer" the black tigress said to Will when the crowd finally dispersed thanks to Autumn.

"Don't mention it, I'm sorry for butting into your performance. I just couldn't help it" Will responded grinning slightly.

"You shouldn't get nervous, you are a beautiful cat with a beautiful voice. I'm Autumn by the way" Autumn added extending a paw towards the black tigress with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you Autumn. I'm Nicole." the black tigress introduced herself accepting the paw held out to her before adding "I know the light of this place does spooky things to our fur, but you two look familiar."

"After yesterday you could say we're kinda zootube famous" Autumn said with a laugh.

"No way! You're those same officers? You are! How did you sound like that? I never thought a wolf could roar, and that howl was by far the scariest thing I've ever heard." Nicole said to Will who simply meowed in response.

"Will you really need to stop doing that" Autumn chided him.

"What! Am I on drugs, or did you just meow?" Nicole asked to which Will meowed again.

"Okay, how the fuck can you do that, and why are you wearing a collar, and leash?" Nicole inquired.

"I've spent a lot of time with cats, more than half the girls I've ever been with have been feline. I'm wearing a collar, and leash so my partner can keep me in line down here though I haven't made it easy." Will answered.

"He's been nothing but trouble all day, I swear. I'm just glad he hasn't really disappeared on me, yet." Autumn added.

"Hey, aren't you that same wolf who rescued that lion cub a couple weeks ago?" Nicole said to Will.

"Hai, sou desu ne" Will answered, and Nicole moving swiftly embraced him.

"Whenever I've had a bad day, or people have been mean to me I watch that video, and it always makes me feel better just knowing there are still good mammals in this city" Nicole said to him while he returned her hug looking like he didn't really know what to do, or say.

"And you pretty sister get a hug just for that" Nicole said as she let Will go to embrace Autumn who whispered something in her ear before grabbing her ass.

"Hey take me to dinner first if you're going to be that forward" Nicole said to Autumn with a grin.

"So you live near here?" Will asked Nicole.

"Actually I live on the surface up in Savannah Central. I just prefer performing down here because it's generally safer. I stand out wherever I go, but at least here I stand out less. Down here people are more likely to just listen to me play." Nicole answered.

"Why do I get the feeling you're about to tell us you get harassed just cause your markings are rare, and that there are mammals I need to kill?" Autumn asked unsheathing her claws.

"Easy partner you're starting to sound like me, but seriously Nicole who do we need to make disappear?" Will added.

"I don't get harassed much since I have claws too. You guys are cops, you can't just do things like that" Nicole chided them.

"I hate specieist fucks, and just call it my natural instinct to protect kind souls" Will responded.

"Just call it my natural instinct to protect pretty girls, and avenge the ones I want to date" Autumn said for her own part.

"Well don't you two make a girl feel all kinds of flattered" Nicole replied abashedly.

It was a good fifteen minutes till they had to go back on patrol, but Will, and Autumn insisted on sharing their lunch with Nicole as they continued talking to her. They both gave her their personal numbers flirting as they did so making Nicole's day just a little bit more than they already had. Will showed off his 'disappearing' trick to Nicole with a little help from his partner who acted as initial distraction, and even Autumn was still shocked at how well he blended in to the background light of the bioluminescent fungi. Nicole on her part was startled he seemed to vanish, and even more so when he projected his voice like he had that morning in the bullpen. Then it was Will's turn to be Autumn's distraction so she could show off her own capability of the feat which didn't fool Will, and only temporarily fooled Nicole. When Nicole spotted her Autumn was both happy she'd managed to stay unnoticed as long as she had, and jealous Will seemed so much stronger than her. She tried pressing the issue, but Will avoided it, and was aided by Nicole when she asked Autumn if she'd rather be with a girl who could see through her crap, or always be fooled by it as she placed a paw on one of Autumn's.

It was half past one which had been when their lunch was officially over before the duo bid farewell to Nicole, and both insisted she call them for a lift back to the surface which she said she'd do. When they got back in their borrowed cruiser Autumn expressed her surprise she hadn't really needed to use that leash as much as she thought to which Will responded with thankfulness he didn't need to hunt. The rest of their patrol was typical Nocturnal District easy, and mellow. Mammals actually waved at them, and whenever they stopped, and happened to get noticed as the officers from yesterday's zootube video mammals actually snapped photos of them, or walked up to the cruiser to say hello, and thank them for their service. It amazed his partner Will could be so humble accepting attention that would make some mammal's egos grow three sizes too big.

They ended up staying out on patrol longer than they were really supposed to, but it wasn't until the sun would be setting over the surface that Nicole called Autumn for that lift, and she sure showed Will she was no slouch behind the wheel. Like a mad-mammal with a purpose she got them back to precinct five, the electric cruiser returned, and plugged in, and then they were off in their precinct one cruiser towards where Nicole said she'd be. When they found her they could see some punk hyena laughing with his friendss obviously at her expense, and she appeared to be crying which sent both of them into a rage. Autumn was about to use the siren to scare them off when Will stopped her, and told her they should show these punks how ghost like they could be which she agreed to without hesitation. They could see relief on Nicole's muzzle when she'd spotted them that only disappeared when they did since Will was extending his own ability to his partner, and Autumn did note it.

The mammals making fun of Nicole didn't know what hit them. Once Will, and Autumn were in earshot of the small group their fury peaked, and together they got as close behind them as they could before together roaring with Will devolving into vicious snarling. The mammals in front of them scattered like cockroaches, except for the hyena who had been the ringleader as he'd been struck too terrified to move. Will was the one to pick up the offending mammal by the scruff with a single paw, and admonished him that as much as his species was given shit by others he should have more sensitivity towards others who were likewise different before he threw him bodily into a nearby wall for Autumn to pounce on. Autumn added insults to injury as she verbally tore into the hyena for being a feckless curr as impotent as a eunuch. All the poor fool could do was cower in the fetal position until Will, and Autumn left with Nicole in tow her keyboard slung across her back.

When the three got back to the cruiser Will insisted Nicole ride shotgun since they'd be taking her home before they went back to the precinct. Will rode in the back with Nicole's keyboard, and was silent for the ride back to the surface. For him it was like the shadows were pulling on him back into their embrace, and it was all he could do to focus on breathing exercises to remain centered, and calm. While they rode the massive lift back to the surface Nicole thanked them profusely for coming to her rescue, and Autumn assured her it was nothing. The girls talked amongst themselves for a bit but as they neared the surface Autumn turned bodily to face her partner in the back when she felt the presence of his energy disappear. He was still there with his eyes closed, and she could tell he was still breathing, but it disconcerted her greatly. She understood what he was doing holding in his chi to suppress his presence, but she couldn't really understand why though she too felt the district's pull especially since the sun no longer oppressed the surface.

"Is he alright Autumn?" Nicole asked while the lift took them the final yards to the surface.

"I'm not sure, and it has me worried" Autumn answered.

"Not . . . Alright . . . You . . . Know . . . District's . . . Effect . . . On . . . Our . . . Kind . . ." Will managed to get out as if speaking were a struggle.

"It's . . . worse for you isn't it?" Autumn asked her voice tinged with understanding.

"No . . . Idea . . ." Will answered adding under his breath "Fuck . . . Don't. Move. Bakemono. Don't. Move."

"I don't get it. What's going on?" Nicole asked Autumn as the lift came to a stop.

"The call of the night is stronger for mammals like me, and him, and it only gets stronger in a haven of the nocturnal like the district. Leaving it is hard to do for all of us, but . . . he is so much stronger than I am that for him I imagine that pull is so much worse. He should be better once we get far enough away" Autumn explained as she did her best to get them back on the surface streets as fast as possible.

While Autumn drove them towards Nicole's place Will tuned his personal radio back to the frequency of precinct one, and hailed dispatch.

"Benji . . ." Will said as if in pain.

"Will! What's wrong?" the voice of the cheetah came through.

"I know we're late, but we're gonna be later. I'm fucking melting down . . ." Will said, and his paw kept the button depressed as he said to his partner "Autumn you need to pull over, and tranq me before I lose it. Start with two."

Autumn wasted little time pulling to the side of the road, and drawing her tranq pistol as soon as she parked. In the same motions she took to open her door, and unbuckle herself she ejected the standard mag of tranqs loading in the extra strength ones as she got out. As swiftly as she could she got the back door on her side open, and fired two of the custom tranqs into him just as his control over his chi faltered. She could almost taste it the way his chi wavered, and warbled out of him giving her clear indication of how unstable he currently was.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Nicole asked worriedly.

"If I tell you to run, you run as fast as you can on all fours if you have to, and don't look back" Autumn answered seriously.

"Why?" Nicole replied even more worried.

"Listen to my partner, and hope it doesn't come to that. I think the tranqs are working, but I may need another one, or two Autumn" Will responded.

Autumn didn't hesitate to shoot Will with another extra strength tranq before asking him "Will you be safe enough for me to at least get Nicky here home?"

"For now I should be" Will answered locking his eyes on her's, and she saw the feral look in them remain as they showed the tranquilizers taking effect.

Autumn closed the back door, and got back in, but didn't bother putting her seatbelt back on as she started driving again. She would've turned on the lights, and siren if traffic weren't already as light as it was which allowed her to make it fairly quickly to where Nicole lived. When they were finally there, and she'd parked Autumn first went around the cruiser to open the door for Nicole offering her a paw to help her out of it more out of chivalric sense than need as she told Nicole to stay behind her. Autumn's first task was retrieving Nicole's keyboard, and she was thankful Will didn't move as she did so. After she returned it to Nicole her next task was getting her partner out of the back since as heavily tranqed as he was she wanted to keep an eye on him that he didn't need an ambulance. She'd seen how high his drug tolerance seemed to be, but she didn't trust it.

Luckily for both tigress' the tranqs did their trick, and Will remained calm though the feralness in his eyes remained. Autumn would however come to regret her decision to not leave Will in the back of the cruiser. As soon as he was standing, and his blood freely circulated through him he went full incubus seduction mode on them in spades.

"Let's get you up to your place, shall we?" Will said to Nicole with words like velvet, and honey as his chi reached out into them inspiring their own instincts into that of arousal.

The two tigress' were powerless against their own instincts, and Autumn made sure she kept herself between Nicole, and Will as she led them to her apartment on the building's third floor. Will didn't mind being the tail to their little caravan as he got to admire theirs, and get full scent of the pheromones he'd triggered them to release. The scent of them spurred him to continue using his chi to egg them on, and though their journey was a short one as they took the stairs the girls were both at a loss for what to do. Autumn had been with a few males in the past, but still preferred girls, and Will's effect on her filled her with confusion even as she lost herself in it. Nicole for her part couldn't deny attraction to both of them though even with the girls she'd gotten close to she'd never really gone all the way, and was nervous that tonight she might just go there with both of them. Will could sense their inner turmoil, but all his mind could think firing on all lustful cylinders as it was, was that if they gave him his way all would be made right as rain.

"So are you going to invite us in?" Will asked once Nicole had opened her door, and crossed the threshold making a joke that only Autumn got by miming an invisible wall repelling him from her doorway.

"At least invite me in. We can leave this beast outside where he belongs." Autumn said likewise miming inability to cross the threshold.

"I think I want both of you in here, so do come in" Nicole responded coyly though a little shy.

Will was first through the doorway without hesitation, or guard, but this left him open to his partner cuffing his paws behind his back before she shut the door behind her with a hindpaw.

"We better get a handle on this beast before he handles us" Autumn joked seductively as she held firm on his cuffed paws.

"Oh I can handle you both just fine like this if you'll let me" Will responded no less seductive while he tried to reach out to touch his partner managing to grab her belt buckle.

"And just how would you do that?" Nicole asked both curious, and coy as she got closer to him reaching a paw to his chest.

"Let me show you" Will responded licking his muzzle to show off his tongue's length before leaning forward to try, and kiss her.

Nicole met him halfway, and though only their lips touched she felt like a fire welled in her loins from the contact before his tongue danced into her mouth against hers, and she lost herself in both her own heady musk, and his. As Autumn's nostrils were likewise flooded with the scent of them her own joined the mix, and she was surprised Will could focus on what he was doing with Nicole while his paws deftly undid her belt, and then her pants. She reached around Will to get his pants off, and her paws met one of Nicole's as she rubbed against his erection. Will let loose with the lustful resonance of his chi, and it was all they needed for impetus to make it to Nicole's bed. Once there Autumn removed Will's collar, and leash before she forced him onto the mattress then saw to disrobing Nicole. Watching the two females kiss, and paw at eachother while Autumn got Nicole out of her clothes with him unable to do anything turned him on moreso, and made his fangs ache which he bared. Her task accomplished Autumn left Nicole to avail herself on his member while she dealt with those fangs of his.

When Nicole freed him from his boxers he twitched his erect mast at her causing her to giggle as she stroked it with a paw while Autumn sank her own fangs into his neck, and he returned her fanged bite with one of his own. Will, and Autumn remained locked in their mutual bite each pulling chi from the other, and cycling it between themselves while Nicole rubbed her wanting sex along his length to warm herself up for getting it inside her. Nicole was not satisfied just to have Will under her, and reached out a paw to slip into Autumn's exposed sex. Will could feel the way all three of them were connected, and let go of his partner giving her neck a light tug towards his head as he did so. Autumn understood his indication, and moved to mount his muzzle gasping aloud when his hot tongue flooded her. While the three of them were thus occupied Will divided his focus between the actions of his body entwined with theirs, and his chi building with theirs to drive them on, and increase their pleasure. Because his focus was divided he was last of the three to reach climax after Autumn dug her claws into the back of his neck in the grip of hers, and the tightening grip of Nicole around him in her own orgasm pushed him over the edge. As he came his control over their collective chi broke, and it washed over them hieghtening their climaxes.

When they were done the three of them rested together on the bed before Will reminded his partner they were still on the clock, and apologizing to Nicole for having to leave. As much as Nicole didn't want them to leave basking as she was in their companionship Autumn was even more loathe to depart. What managed to get Autumn off the bed was Will giving her the ultimatum of uncuffing him so he could redress himself, or explaining to Jade why he broke her pair of pawcuffs. Autumn could've come up with a decent lie, but knew Jade knew Will well enough to see through such a ruse so she obliged him in freeing his paws before joining him on putting back on their uniforms. Once they were dressed, and Autumn had resecured Will's collar around his neck they said their goodbyes to Nicole with Autumn assuring her that she'd be back after she clocked out. Once they were out of the building with Autumn taking out her frustration on her partner by dragging him with her by his leash in her paw they both could smell the rain clouds that had gathered which broke into a downpour when they'd made it halfway back to the precinct.

After they'd reached the station Will handled refueling their cruiser so the tank would be full tomorrow morning before they entered through the front doors. The rain that drenched them was fortuitous as it washed the stench of sex from them to replace it with the smell of wet mammal. When Will buried his nose in his partner to savor the scent he enjoyed that most others didn't Autumn slapped his muzzle with all the force she could muster something Benji saw quite clearly before they entered the precinct both of them looking quite bedraggled.

"Will! Are you okay? What happened that you guys are so late, and Autumn why'd you hit him?" Benji called out to them alerting the precinct to their return.

"He fucking deserved it. Who likes the smell of wet mammal you crazy bastard?" Autumn answered Benji, and admonished Will.

"I'm perfectly fine now Benji buddy. We're late because we decided to give a new friend of ours a ride home, and my partner had occasion to use those special tranqs she got from Jade this morning on me." Will answered his favorite cheetah.

"Grimm don't you dare move" the Chief called down to him as the buffalo exited his office, and made his way downstairs.

"I got quite the phone call from Captain Altair today. He explained to me you were responsible for foiling that terrorist plot down there two years ago. I can't say I'm surprised after seeing the kind of police work you're capable of. You certainly have my thanks, and this city owes you a debt it does not know." the Chief addressed him once he'd reached the front desk before adding "Now I sent you down there today to keep you clear of the reporters that kept coming by to get an interview with the wolf who seems hellbent on protecting children, and while that plan worked well enough I expected you two back here hours ago. I expect an explanation."

"Sir, we're late because we waited down there to give a friend we made who lives here in Savannah Central a ride home, and that took a little longer than expected because while leaving the Nocturnal District had it's effect on me it was such for my partner that I needed to tranq him to keep him calm. I used three of the darts I got from Jade this morning, and as you can see not only is he still standing he's back to his usual self." Autumn answered for them.

"I will admit sir that I am still standing, and awake, but those tranqs sure did the trick so all I really want to do is clock out, and go home to sleep." Will said to his boss looking haggard.

"Normally I'd insist you stay, and finish your day's worth of reports, but as quiet as the Nocturnal District usually is I'll forego that today though I want to know if I should reconsider sending you two back down there" the Chief responded.

"Please sir don't hesitate to send us back there if we're needed" Autumn answered as soon as the Chief had spoken.

"Sir, we're the best officers you have at your disposal to keep the peace there. Not only for our affinity with the district, but because the entire vampire bat population down there consider me an ally. You know how hard it is for any outsider to earn the trust of any bat let alone them." Will responded standing at attention.

"Very well, but tomorrow I'm keeping you both in station. Dismissed, officers." the Chief said to them with a nod.

No sooner did the Chief give them permission to leave than Autumn was back out in the rain heading to Nicole's place before Will could even offer her a ride. Will for his own part rushed to his Shelby with barely a wave goodbye to Benji, and Joe as he passed them respectively on his way to his car. He wasted no time to get back out on the street, and pulled to the side of the road ahead of his partner who'd barely made it a block to give her a ride which she accepted.

"I'm sorry for getting your car all wet Will, and being mean to you earlier. Thank you for this" Autumn said to him.

"Don't mention it. It's what partners are for besides sometimes I need someone willing to be mean to me like that" Will responded lightheartedly.

Will had her at Nicole's building in no time at all, and waited to see her enter the building safely before taking off for his apartment with Layla. Thankful for the light traffic, and his all-terrain tires Will who would normally drive ten miles slower in the wet road conditions actually sped a little in his tired eagerness to be home. When he had parked he remembered to remove his collar leaving it in the passenger seat. He was still a wet mess of a wolf when he entered the building, and the stench of him would linger in the elevator well into the next day. Layla was waiting for him outside their open door, and flew into his arms as soon as she saw him. She didn't even bother pestering him about how late he was since she was just happy he did come home, and he looked like he was tired enough to drop where he stood which he was. When she insisted he get inside, and take a hot shower before drying off he growled at her in his tranq induced fatigue, but nonetheless acquiesced. When Layla joined him in the shower to scrub his back he nearly fell over enjoying her paws against him just barely managing to catch himself against the shower wall. When they were done bathing, and standing together over the fur drying vent-pad Layla casually rubbed a paw against his member causing him to whine at her in half hearted protest because he just wanted to sleep before he leaned down to kiss her. Tired as he was he could never resist her passion, and desire, only return them with his own. He didn't bother with foreplay, and Layla didn't mind since she just wanted him in her. When he filled her with his knot, and she locked around him the wholeness he felt combined with his fatigue melted his mind, and he passed out still thrusting into her. He was snoring while his body moved of it's own accord, and Layla laughed to herself that he could sleep, yet still satisfy her before she wondered just how his day had gone. She'd stopped watching his every move through the city's camera system since if shit hit the fan wherever he was she'd only worry, or try to rush to the scene, and blow her cover about only being Layla his mate as opposed to Whisper.

---

Wednesday [Week three, Day three]

06:00

"Will, baby you've got to wake up" Layla said to him shaking him with both paws as she did so.

His response was a growl then a groan, and another growl as he rolled over turning his back to her.

"It's fucking six o'clock Wednesday morning. You slept through your alarm, and you have work. Get Up Damnit!" she admonished him raising her voice.

"Ugh... fine babe. Just break me up a line first, kay? While I get dressed." Will asked willing himself out of bed.

"And why should I do that for you? I thought you prefer avoiding the stuff whenever you can." Layla asked him.

"A single one of the tranqs I was shot with would've killed you, and I needed three. Chief sent us to the Nocturnal District yesterday, and leaving was harder than being down there oddly enough." Will answered.

"Well I'm still not setting you up a line. I do have a full mug of espresso however with your name on it" she told him.

Will just looked at her with a raised eyebrow before growling at her again more in annoyance at her than anything else.

"You're right babe, being on the force isn't like being in our old unit. The last thing I want is to be at work high on that shit, but fuck I may need to be sucking on espresso all day as tired as I still feel" Will relented walking over to their dresser for a clean pair of underwear.

"You had better not be drinking coffee all day. You'll have a fucking heart attack. I will call the Chief if I have to, to make sure you're kept away from the stuff" Layla told him sternly.

"And if I pass out at my desk?" Will countered halfheartedly.

"Just how strong were the tranqs?" Layla inquired.

"From what Jade said you're cousin cooked 'em up so two would equal a full standard mag" Will answered as he put first one leg then the other through a pair of his uniform pants.

"Well, fuck. You really needed three? Then why don't you just call in, the Chief will understand you need to sleep it off?" his mate asked.

"Because I'm awake now, and I'm gonna be at the precinct all day. Chief put Autumn, and I on office duty. Apparently reporters have been wanting to interview me since monday's zootube vid went viral" Will responded having buttoned his pants, and got his uniform shirt on.

"Makes sense he'd send you to the Nocturnal District then. What're you gonna do if reporters try hounding you today?" she asked.

"Tell 'em to fuck off since I was only doing my job" Will answered as he buttoned his shirt.

"Jeez, you are grumpy this morning. I think you need a double dose of those cheetah hugs" Layla said with a light chuckle.

"I could start with a loving embrace, and kiss from my vixen" Will responded grinning at her.

When she walked her naked self over to him, and wrapped her arms around him he ran his paws through her fur savoring the feel of her before he kissed her as if doing so was how he drew breath. Once he'd let her go he followed his nose to that mug of caffeine essence to find it really did have his name on it, and laughed at that. He was smiling as he found a pen, and slip of paper to write for her his now customary note.

"What're you writing there?" Layla asked when she saw him scrawling on a piece of paper.

"Just my usual song title plus words of endearment for the mammal whom I love" Will answered his smile still plastered on his muzzle.

"And what does it say?" she inquired.

"I tell you, and it'll spoil it. Just read it when I'm gone, and know that I haven't run out of songs to think of yet to fit how I feel about you" Will responded as he finished his note before getting, and putting on the rest of his gear, and getting one more quick kiss before he left.

When he was gone Layla walked to where he'd left his note for her, and read "Stand By Me, and I will never falter, or fall." She smiled to herself at how sweet he was, and as she played the song by Ben E. King she sent him a text "I will always stand by you, and lay beside you too my wolfie." She knew he probably wouldn't respond since he'd be driving soon enough, and then be at work.

Will had exited the elevator on the first floor when he heard his phone's text notification. He didn't check it until he was at his Shelby, but didn't bother responding since he needed to focus on driving. That mug of espresso really helped him on his drive to work as it helped scatter the cobwebs of tiredness from his head. As he neared the precinct he debated disobeying her, and having more coffee when he got in, or just bumming some nip tea from someone until he remembered he'd stashed a few of his special tea bags in the trunk for in case of stakeouts. When he pulled into a free spot in the motor pool under the precinct he got out, and retrieved two of them before he said good morning to Joe on his way to the lift. He had his priorities when he stepped out onto the ground floor heading first for the break room seeking hot water, and one of the communal mugs his fellow officers kept handy. He chose one of the mugs sized for a tiger for his tea since a wolf sized mug was always too small for anything he ever drank. Mug of tea in paw he made his way to Benji for a morning hug before he headed to his desk next to Autumn's, and found his partner already working.

"Mornin' partner. How was your night?" Will greeted her.

"Pretty good after I had a shower with Nicole. She has got to be the sweetest cat I've ever met; I hope things will work out between us. I'm taking her out to dinner tonight" Autumn answered.

"Well I wish you good luck on your date, partner" Will said with a smile.

"Thank you, oh by the way Chief wanted me to tell you to keep Benji on point today since he works with you even better than he does Judy. I'd find that hard to believe if I hadn't also seen it for myself" Autumn said to him.

"Then off to Benji I go, unless there's anything you need help with first" Will replied.

"Nah, I'm good here." Autumn responded.

So mug of tea back in paw Will went back to the front desk to back up his favorite cheetah. It was barely seven when the reporters that failed to get anything involving him yesterday started trying again. The ones from the major networks came first, and each one was surprised to find the mammal they sought to interview working the front desk. For the most part Will kept his refusals of interviews, or to answer any questions at all professional telling most 'What I did monday wasn't any different that what any of my fellow officers would've done. I'm sorry, but I will not answer any of your questions so please leave so I can keep doing my job'. While at first it was only a trickle of reporters entering the building as it became a small, but steady stream Will had a little trouble staying civil, and Benji aided him more than the cheetah realized just by putting a reassuring paw on his shoulder. Eventually when the last of the representatives from the local networks left since their attempts were likewise fruitless despite word they'd gotten the mammal in question was refusing interviews Will, and Benji managed to get more work done since the disrupting inquisitors finally stayed away.

After that it was just business as usual in precinct one, and the two officers manning the front desk were quite the dynamic pair. Despite all the interruptions throughout the morning from the various news agencies Benji was able to focus his efforts on dispatch while Will seemed to handle everything else like a champ. It was half past eleven, and Will had just gotten back up front after making a run to deliver paperwork where it needed to go when in through the front doors walked a familiar face.

"Good . . . Good morning Officer Grimm" Eris managed to say when he reached the front desk looking all kinds of nervous.

"Eris you know you can call me Will. What can I do for you?" Will said to the effeminate gray wolf.

"I . . . uh, well I'm an intern at a small magazine publisher, and when the editor was mentioning no one's gotten an interview with the heroic wolf from monday I may have mentioned I knew you so he sent me to see if you'd answer any of my questions. Word travels fast that you weren't accepting interviews from anyone." Eris managed to explain shyly.

"What kind of magazine?" Will asked with a smile to encourage the wolf before him.

"Oh, they publish articles, and stories of interest for the LGBTQI community." Eris answered still a little nervous.

"You know I've been waiting for someone like you to come along, and I'm quite glad it was you in particular. I don't really like the more mainstream news organizations, all they care about is making money from a story as opposed to actual journalistic objectivity, and integrity" Will responded.

"Wait . . . wait you'll actually let me interview you?" Eris asked hopefully.

"Of course. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have for me, and even a few you don't have" Will said with a laugh as he stood up.

Will walked around the desk to shake Eris' paw before leading him to the 'Cell' so they could speak in peace. After Will sat, and indicated Eris should do the same Will chuckled at the nervousness in Eris' body language.

"If it'll be easier for you why don't you just record our little Q & A session?" Will suggested.

"Thank you. I think I will" Eris replied taking out his phone.

"Believe it, or not I actually like answering questions usually. So where would you like to begin?" Will asked with a smile trying to encourage Eris.

"Well you're starting to become something of a zootube celebrity. I mean you rescued that lion cub from a tree two weeks ago taking a ten foot fall like it was nothing, and monday you used your own body to shield a pair of deer fawns. I guess my first questions are why did you decide to become a police officer, and what drives you to be so defensive of children?" Eris began his interview of Will.

"As a youth I was a Ranger Scout, and eventually full Ranger before I joined the service when I got older. It's always been in me the desire to protect as many as possible. To be honest I haven't actually been an officer of the law very long. I was only a member of the local sheriff's department where I'm from which is Ulfhaven for about six months before I transferred here to the ZPD. If it weren't for my sister who is the Ulfhaven Sheriff I wouldn't have joined law enforcement after I left the service; she really helped me move forward with my life at a point when I was lost" Will answered.

"But why are you so defensive of children?" Eris perceptively reminded Will of the other half of his first query.

"That's hard for me to say. I mean it goes back to when I rescued my adoptive sister Sophie from her parents car in a blizzard. They had left to find help after it broke down, and I found her slowly freezing to death in the car. I used my own body heat to keep her alive through that freak storm. You know I feel I can admit to you that I'm the mammal that rescued little Sarah" Will explained.

"Wait. No way. You're the one who rescued that little cub?" Eris was incredulous.

"Yeah I am, and you know if she didn't have any family here I was ready to adopt her. She was right you know when she told me not to worry too much about her since there were other mammals who would need a guardian angel, as those fawns can attest." Will responded.

"Wouldn't it be hard for you to be a single father especially in your line of work?" Eris asked

"For a child of the Wolf Mother there is not a thing I won't do; there is no length I won't go to. I would've made it work, and as either fate, or the Mother would have it last week I was reunited with my mate. I have a feeling I may still adopt a cub, or a kit, or both though I haven't really talked to her about it" Will replied.

"You have a mate?" Eris questioned, and the thoughts behind his question came through in how he asked it.

"I do. My work in the military forced me to leave her in order to protect her a little over a year ago. You met me at a strange turn in my life where I'd adjusted to life without her as best I could. She is this big bad wolf's every reason to be better than his worst tendencies; she is my Akazukin. I can see from the look on your muzzle your confusion, and hurt because I was so easily intimate with you when we met. This'll sound strange I know, but my vixen, and I have an open relationship that really works well for us; like my pack sister Sage who is the precinct coroner she's a bit of a nympho, and my nature makes it so that I need more than one mammal intimately in my life. Please don't ask me to explain that one, it's probably the one thing I won't tell you" Will responded.

"You're mate is a vixen? I'm sorry we're getting off topic aren't we; this is my first time doing something like this" Eris said.

"That's why I was waiting for a mammal like you from a publication like the one you're representing to allow to interview me; I'm a member of the community your publication represents, and those are the kinds of questions I really want to answer. Yes she is a vixen. I already know the main questions on everyone's mind concerning monday's events; how the hell did I roar like that, and what the fuck was that howl that was so terrifying. To be honest I have sort of a thing for feline's, as Officer Wilde quipped I have a cat fetish, and he's not entirely wrong hehehe; I can roar like that because I've spent enough time around cats to imitate the sounds they make. I can even meow rather convincingly, and it is so amusing doing it just to fuck with other mammals. As for that howl . . . what it was is an ancient wolf ability now lost in our modern era, and how to do it let alone how I know how to do it is something I cannot share with you. If more wolves knew half the things I do about what we can do the way they would misuse their abilities would force my paw to reveal even more things that are better left unknown." Will said to him though as soon as he was done his phone rang with the song "The Fox" by Ylvis.

"Pardon me, I should take this. That little scamp changed her ringtone" Will said before he answered his phone.

"Hey, babe what's up? Also why'd you change your ringtone on my phone?" Will asked Layla

"What I get for being a dick to wake up this morning, huh? Yeah it was real funny." Will responded to her answer.

"It is lunch isn't it? Well get a visitor's pass from Benji, and I'll meet you at the front desk. I'm in the middle of an interview, so you can meet Eris" Will said to her before adding "Yes the cute wolf I carried off last monday. You know I may just carry him again just because I can" Will finished with a wink at Eris before he hung up.

"Alright come on, buddy let's grab some lunch, and we can finish this little Q&A after; I am enjoying this" Will said to Eris as he stood up.

The two wolves left the interrogation room with Will leading the way back up front. When Eris caught sight of Layla he stopped dead in his tracks, and Will turned back to him with a curious look.

"Is that really a vixen, and not a red wolf with an amazing dye job?" Eris asked eliciting a laugh from Will.

"Haha I get that from time to time hun, but I assure you I am all fox. I'd be more than happy to show you if you're up for it" Layla answered with a wink towards Eris.

"I'm sorry . . . I, uh . . . don't exactly swing that way" Eris managed to say since she caught him off guard.

Layla just smiled at him, and walked up to Will to embrace him giving his ass a squeeze just for the hell of it. They made their way to the precinct cafeteria, and after they'd gotten food, and found a table they were joined by Jade, Mihoshi, and Autumn. Will sat with Layla on his left, and Eris on his right until Jade wormed her way in between him, and Eris while Mihoshi, and Autumn sat across from the four of them.

"You're gay aren't you" Mihoshi asked Eris sniffing in his direction.

"I am" Eris answered nervously.

"Ugh, I knew it. Why is it half the guys I'm attracted to aren't at least bi" Mihoshi responded.

"As my partner so eloquently put it when I said as much to her 'Sucks to be you'." Will said with a laugh.

"Of course you'd say that to Autumn. I'm surprised you never put the moves on my cousin Alice 'Mr. Weakness-for-white-fur'." Layla remarked.

"Why do you have a weakness for white fur?" Mihoshi asked Will.

Her question caused Layla's jovial expression to fall as did Will's before he answered very carefuly "Only members of my pack know the reason with the only exception being Alice"

"You told my cousin?" Layla asked him curiously.

"Your family is my family" Will answered casually.

"You know even though I have a new girl I still find it strange to see you clinging to him like that Jade" Autumn said to her noting how she'd wrapped her arm around Will's forcing him to eat with his left paw.

"Get to know him like I have, and you'd want to stay close to him too" Jade responded.

"Will you mentioned having a thing for cats, do they in turn have a thing for you?" Eris asked him.

"Most would think felids, and canids were never really meant to get along even when there are exceptions to that notion. My wolf is living proof of where the angels of their respective species stand on the matter. He bears a blessing from the Great Mother of Cats herself seeing as she is fond of him" Layla answered.

"Babe, you know I don't exactly like airing these things" Will said to her.

"So is that why you get to me the way you do?" Autumn asked Will.

"It's part of it. Our common nature is the other part of it" Will answered

"You haven't given in have you?" Layla asked Autumn.

"No" Autumn answered as if the very idea was absurd.

"Hmm . . . then I guess that makes you the only one at this table" Layla responded.

"Wait. What?" Eris asked confused.

"Excepting for my partner I've slept with everyone at this table" Will answered casually.

"Really!?" Mihoshi exclaimed "Well next time you do it with him can I watch" she asked Will.

"I think I have my paws full enough with just the two lovely ladies next to me, let alone Sage getting her kicks in edge wise" Will responded.

"I don't think I'd be comfortable being watched like that let alone going there with a mated mammal, even if their relationship is an open one" Eris added.

"But it'd be so fucking hot!" Mihoshi exclaimed.

"Fujoshi" Will called her.

"So?" Mihoshi countered.

"You're not exactly one to talk, babe" Layla said to Will, and they shared a knowing look.

When they were done eating, and conversing around one Will's fellow officers returned to work, and Layla bid him goodbye saying she'd see him later before Will led Eris back to the interrogation room they'd been using to finish their interview his mug of tea still where he left it untouched, and now cold.

"So where were we my friend?" Will asked once Eris had his phone back out, and recording their conversation.

"Well where we left off you were talking about your interspecies relationship with a vixen, and during lunch it sort of came out that you also are bisexual, and polyamorous. To have an upstanding officer of the law so open about all of that is quite the story in itself." Eris responded.

"That's right, and those are the real meaty kinds of questions I want to tackle. I know there's a certain section of the mammalian populace who frown on those of us who cross interspecies lines as if they aren't there, and to be honest to anyone who sees all mammals as true brothers, and sisters in the eyes of the angels, and gods like I do those lines dividing us don't exist. We all share in the same emotions of love, anger, sadness, and joy; we all bleed the same blood, and cry the same tears." Will said.

"That's awfully poetic of you. I don't think Gazelle could've said it better herself" Eris replied.

"It's only the truth. Sure we all have our differences, the things that make us unique even amongst our own specific species, but too many let those differences divide us when those very differences are what makes us stronger when we stand together paw in paw. This very city is proof of what I'm saying. No one species can claim sole responsibility for it's founding, building, or maintenance, and without all of us working together even with the inherent friction that comes with it this city wouldn't be what it is. I've been around the world thanks to my time in the military, and this city like no other brings us all together as opposed to say Ulfhaven where I'm from where only those species adapted to cold thrive." Will went on with conviction.

"So how did you meet your mate Layla?" Eris asked.

"Believe it, or not we went to the same college where I was making use of the military offering me the opportunity to further my education. We even shared a couple classes, but we didn't really ever talk or anything until I, well rescued her from some jerks to put it lightly." Will answered as if this were the truth which it wasn't since like hell could he be honest about that.

"You're time in the military must've been rough on your relationship. You said you had to leave her in order to protect her." Eris said.

"Well aren't you perceptive. Yes it wasn't easy. I was in special forces doing the kinds of things I can't talk about. Whenever I came home she was my refuge until I became a target for some real sneaky devils, and like hell was I going to lead them back to her. Can't really talk about it though as it's all still very classified." Will responded.

"Have you ever faced discrimination because of how you are, or for your interspecies relationships?" Eris inquired.

"Not in the military at least, thankfully. We brothers, and sisters on the battlefields don't really bother with that kind of crap much. Out on the streets though hehe I scare too many for them to really say, or do shit to me, or any mammal I'm with. I'll admit in high school I developed a bit of a reputation for being a freak since I wore the scars from being intimate with the felines I was with proudly." Will replied.

"Have you ever been with any other species besides canids, or felids?" Eris wondered.

"Actually I have. My second girlfriend back home was a polar bear; we bonded over a shared love of cooking, and she now runs a diner there where my little sister works as a waitress. I've also been with a hyena, or two in my day, and there was one arctic hare doe, but that only went so far since our sizes were so different hehehe. I was also with a deer doe for a little bit, but that didn't last since she left me for another doe. I feel I should say here I think Gazelle is sexy as hell, and would love to meet her. Most mammals would put her on a pedestal, but she's as real a mammal as you, or I, and I'd treat her accordingly." Will said.

"So what would you say to the mammals who would insist you find someone you could actually procreate with?" Eris asked.

"Haha. It's not my place to have cubs, and there are plenty of other wolves who will keep our species alive. That said if by some miracle my mate got pregnant I'd be one happy mammal. Plus my pack mate Sage who is a coyote still wants me to be father to her cubs at some point, and I will probably relent to her desires one of these days. Though even if I did get my mate with cubs I'd still want to adopt; my heart has bled for every war orphan I've rescued that I couldn't take in, and it still hurts me that I couldn't give them the home they deserved with the exception of my little sister Maria who is a jaguaress I rescued from a cartel three years ago." Will answered.

"You really do see all mammals as family, don't you?" Eris said in wonder.

"We share this planet don't we? Therefore we are family, not to mention how many of us share common ancestors. I can offer you no greater proof of how much I live by this certainty than to tell you that if you ever find yourself in the Nocturnal District mention me to the vampire bats. They'll know me just by the description, and while most will probably be afraid to even talk about me if you talk to Elder Alucard whom I've known for years, or her granddaughter Miyako who I only just met yesterday they'll set you straight. I'm not afraid to admit I'm one of the few mammals willing to let a vampire bat in need feed from me directly" Will responded.

"You've done that? Not even the mammals I've heard of who willingly donate blood to the vampire bats would do that" Eris said totally shocked.

"It's in my nature to embrace those that others reject, and ostracize simply because they are rejected, and ostracized usually for baseless reasons" Will replied showing Eris where clearly he'd been fed on recently by vampire bats both on his arm, and neck.

"Okay I think I've got more than enough to blow the editor away, and if I can I'll use it all. Thank you so much for your time today Will" Eris said stopping his phone, and standing up extending a paw.

"Anytime brother wolf. You've got exclusive permission to interview me whenever, and for whatever reason. Let that editor know that I'll only ever talk to mammals from the community when it comes to anything that drags me into the news" Will responded shaking Eris' paw before pulling him into an embrace.

With that Eris left the precinct heading straight to the offices of the magazine where he had his internship while Will got back to work with Benji. The rest of his day went smoothly, and Will seemed invigorated by opening up to Eris the way he had which spread to Benji. It was nearly time for him to clock out for the day when Layla responded to a text he'd sent her about putting together all the zootube video footage of him telling him she already had done so that morning, and would meet him outside the station after he got off work since she accidentally broke their bong, and wanted to get a new one. Then the Chief called him into his office.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Will asked when he was standing before his superior officer.

"Yes Grimm I did. It didn't escape my notice how well you declined to speak with any real reporters who pestered you this morning, or how you did agree to speak with that wolf who came in near lunch. I was curious as to why you agreed to let him interview you when you denied everyone else." the buffalo said.

"Well that's easy sir. I know him, and he was representing a magazine that covers issues within the LGBTQI community. I took journalism class in high school so I'm well aware how objectivity in journalism is lost in most modern media outlets, and am really only inclined to say anything to the more independent ones. Plus I am a bisexual mammal in an interspecies relationship with a vixen, so yeah" Will responded.

"But last week you carried off Caldera . . . you know what I don't want to know, and I don't care. I'm just glad today was relatively uneventful as far as you're concerned. Anyway that's all officer. Dismissed." the Chief said.

"Thank you sir. See you tomorrow" Will replied saluting his boss before he left.

After he made it down to his Shelby he got in, and drove around to the front of the precinct where sure enough Layla was waiting. Once she was in the car they drove down to one of the downtown head shops selling glass 'for tobacco use only' which really was a joke that hopefully would be over soon. The movement against cannabis prohibition in the city had been gaining traction for years, and was finally reaching a tipping point. As residents, and registered voters Will, and Layla both were anticipating the opportunity to vote yes on the measure to relegalize their favored plant. When they got there parking was at a premium so they had to park near an alley, and walk back down the street to the shop. While Layla picked out a simple one foot bong that would suit their needs Will picked out the nail, and dabbing accessories since he intended to make some iso-hash. After they paid for their new pieces they walked back to Will's car.

When they got there Will had just unlocked the Shelby when they both heard sounds of some mammal getting beaten, and Will lifted his ears, and nose for more intel which didn't bode well when it registered. He handed Layla their purchases, and his keys telling her to get on the radio for backup while he rushed down the alleyway. He had heard, and smelled Eris, and knew the wolf was in trouble. What he found was a group of wolves kicking at his friend on the ground while they berated him for being gay saying things that made Will want to execute the sacks of shit where they stood, but instead he drew his tranq pistol, and shot them all with speed to make Revolver proud. The attackers downed, and out Will rushed to Eris' aid hoping he wasn't injured too badly. Eris was definitely bloody, and in pain his whimpering hurting Will's heart, and soul to hear, and enraging him at the same time that wolves were the ones responsible.

Will assured Eris that he was here, help was on the way, and that he was going to try to ascertain the extent of his injuries. Will was as gentle as he could be running his paws over the poor wolf. Eris' arms, and legs were fine, but when Will checked his torso the pained yelping told him ribs were at least fractured if not broken so he placed his paws on Eris' shoulders, and spoke as calmingly as he could telling the poor lad to try to breath as slowly as possible while Will focused his chi on radiating into Eris a sense of safety. When Will heard the siren of the ambulance he told Eris he was going to pick him up, and it would probably hurt like hell, but the medics were here. No sooner did the bus stop, and medics exit it than Will was coming out of the alley the injured wolf in his arms.

The medics didn't know which was worse, the sight of the injured wolf, or the expression on the muzzle of the officer who carried him. Once Eris had been safely loaded in the ambulance, and was on his way to the nearest hospital Will got back on the radio demanding where the nearest officers were. He did not hide his wrath over the air as he ordered whoever the fuck was nearest to get their tails to his location to pick up the wolves he'd tranqed before he tore them limb from limb. In mere minutes four cruisers were on scene to cart away the five wolves who'd attacked Eris, and even Fangmeyer who was the senior officer on scene was frightened by Will's countenance when he gave charge of the scene over to him so he could follow after the ambulance. Layla was already in the passenger seat when Will got in, and she turned on the emergency lights, and sirens while he burned rubber off towards where the ambulance had gone.

When Will got to the hospital Eris had been taken to he didn't care about parking in a fire zone, and left the emergency lights on while he stormed into the building the sheer rage flowing out of him scattering the mammals in his way. The receptionist deer looked like she'd been caught in headlights at the sight of the comparatively massive enraged wolf officer who demanded to know the location of the wolf he'd rescued. It took Will slamming a balled up paw on her desk, and growling at her for the information he wanted to snap her out of it. Once she'd stammered out her response Will ran on all fours trying to catch Eris' scent as he headed towards the E.R.

Layla had turned off Will's Shelby, but left the emergency lights on, and locked it before she headed in after her mate. It had been so long since she'd seen him so enraged even she was worried a little. She didn't need to bother trying to ask the still shellshocked receptionist for directions since she could easily track the scent of Will's fury. She found him just in time to hear him speaking with a female lioness in a doctor's coat.

"He's lucky you got to him in time. The x-rays are in, and I just looked at them. He's got some bruised ribs, but he should be okay" the lioness was trying to calm him down, but her efforts seemed futile.

"I want to see with my own eyes that he is alright" Will demanded.

"Officer unless you are his family, or alpha I can't let you in. We have him sedated to regulate his breathing, and he needs his rest" the doctor told him. Will's response was to put his fist through the wall nearest him like it was made of paper while his eyes stayed locked on the lioness before him.

"You will take me to him now. Do not defy me cat" Will said to her coldly, and from the horrified reaction on the lioness' muzzle Layla figured Will's eyes had gone feral so she stepped in.

"Doctor I promise you the wolf before you isn't savage though his eyes certainly look it. He's still on two feet, and talking, but you really should obey him. He won't hurt you, but you don't want to push him any farther than you already have. Just let him see that his friend is safe, and he'll return to normal" Layla tried to reassure the now terrified lioness.

Luckily for both Layla, and the lioness Will realized he was misdirecting his wrath so he accordingly shut down his reactions.

"I'm sorry doctor my rage got the better of me. Please, I believe you that he will be okay, but I need to know this for myself. If anyone above you asks I am his alpha" Will said his tone calm, and his body language indicating he was truly calm.

"But you are not his alpha. I can't just ignore protocol." the lioness responded.

"Doc, don't argue the point. I am sorry for my initial reaction, but I will incapacitate you, and sniff him out myself if I have to" Will told her remaining calm.

"Surely you recognize him from the zootube videos he's in, and can make an exception for a mammal whose strongest instinct is to protect others" Layla addressed the lioness trying a different tack.

"Fine Officer. Since you apologized, and calmed down I'll make an exception for you. Are you really the wolf who shielded those fawns monday?" the lioness doctor relented.

"I'm the only wolf in the ZPD as tall as a tiger ma'am. Do I need to roar, and prove it too you? I can." Will said with a laugh.

"Please don't" the lioness responded as she led them to the room where Eris was.

When they reached the room Eris had been put in Will didn't hesitate to enter, and quickly walked to the bed the injured wolf was lying in. Will took his time sniffing over Eris, and once reassured of his friend's safety rubbed his neck against Eris' marking him as under his protection. Then Will placed both paws lightly on Eris' chest so there was contact, but no pressure in the touch, and closed his eyes to focus on manipulating their chi. Where normally Will would use this process of cycling chi between another, and himself to sexually stimulate another, or heighten their chi to later feed on, in this instance he was heightening the chi in Eris to facilitate the healing process.

"What are you doing?" the lioness asked.

"Don't interrupt his focus" Layla responded "He's helping in a way your medicine can't explain"

"Through laying on of paws? Because that's oh so effective" the lioness said sarcastically.

"You know nothing, lioness. Stop observing with your eyes, and feel your surroundings" Layla admonished the doctor.

Will was already too focused on his task to even hear them let alone pay attention to them. First he influenced Eris' chi to match the frequency of his own before he directed it like an extension of his own to focus in the injured areas stimulating the wolf's flesh to heal itself. Then he went through each of Eris' chakras stimulating them to ensure there were no blockages, and get them functioning at a higher frequency closer to his own so that when he broke their connection Eris' own subtle body would handle the rest. In under ten minutes Will was done, and opened his eyes as he stepped away from his injured friend.

"Your wings are showing my love" Layla said to him.

"To those who can see, yes. I can feel them showing" Will answered.

"What are you? Your eyes went savage earlier then reverted to normal, and now they are something else all together" the lioness said to Will.

"If the Great Mother of Cats graces you with understanding then you will know, but I doubt it. Nonetheless thank you, and if you can please tell him when he wakes that I'll visit him tomorrow when I can. We'll be going now." Will said to the lioness before leaving with Layla following him.

When they were back at the hospital's main lobby they ran into Fangmeyer who first asked how the injured wolf was doing. After hearing from Will that the wolf would be okay he asked Will for his statement of events to put in his report. When Will was done giving his version of events he asked if the Chief was pissed about him firing his tranq pistol while off duty to which Jason reassured him the Chief was just surprised he used it instead of his M1911. This got a laugh out of Will who placed a paw on the lions shoulder before telling him he'd see him at work tomorrow then making his way to his Shelby. Layla who still had the keys unlocked it then tossed them to Will who got in while she did the same. Once it was started, and the lights were off Will drove them home. Back in their apartment Will barely bothered to take of his gear, and uniform letting them fall where they may before diving into bed. He'd been thorough in his efforts to aid Eris' healing process, and the exertion brought back his morning's fatigue so within minutes he was asleep like a corpse Layla snuggling into him.