AN: Shorter chapters then the main story of Distilled Dreams to help fill in the AU around the OCs that will be reoccurring. Much like some side quests while they add to the main story they are not necessary to the main plot so feel free to skip them if you wish. I hope you enjoy.

Distilled Dreams: Side Stories

The Black Sheep of the Family

Chapter Four

Rosette tapped her hoof against the diner table nervously waiting for her Uncle to show up. After she and the Wildes signed what needed to be signed they had played the good hosts and shown her around before dinner. It had been slightly embarrassing when Johnathan convinced her to be measured so he could make her a fitted suit. It had been a long time since she had been felt up my a fox after all. Vivian had taken pity on her and was the one to do the measurements around the more sensitive parts of her body. To make up for that Vivian had shown her around around the barn and the cask aging rooms. The cooler she had brought the ostrich in now was full of some of Vivian's private reserve. Enough to get a little revenge on her father before taking pity on him and let him have a few bottles. Or perhaps she would give them to her mother so she could serve them only at family dinners. She still had a smile on her lips when Dwayne came up to her table and set his hat down on it.

"It's good to see you again Rose," Dwayne said giving his niece a hug when she stood. Sitting down he turned the empty coffee cup over and scooting it to the edge of the table. One the the Thumperson does filled it quickly while asking if wanted his usual which he nodded to. "What are you smiling about?"

"Oh nothing really," Rosette replied chuckling, "Dad skipped out on family dinner night to get some of the cider Vivian makes. There isn't anymore left in the city until the fall harvest but she gave me some to take home with me. I was just planning on how I was going to torture him with it when I get home."

Dwayne laughed hard. "I cannot say I really blame my brother for that but don't go easy on him! The deputies and I went out for drinks at the pub a few weeks back and they had just put their last keg of it in. We managed to get a few each before word got around there wasn't going to be more until the fall harvest and it was drained." He started to frown though once he stopped to think about how she had been able to get some of Vivian's personal reserve when his food arrived. "What business did you have with the Wildes? They are good folk. I would hate to think they are involved in any of that funny business the firm is up to."

"Uncle you know I cannot talk about the specifics without their permission. Attorney/client confidentiality," Rosette said taking a light sip from her coffee. It would be a long drive back to Zootopia. She needed the caffeine but didn't want to stop half a dozen times on the way home. "I've been working with them since right before they moved out here and yes I know they are good mammals."

"I would feel better if I knew what was going on. Enough has happen to their boy that he deserves a bit of peace and quiet. Not what ever it is that the firm is involved in. I've followed some the cases you've been in. Getting people off of assault charges? Loan sharks?" Dwayne whispered.

"Keeping a slum lord from pricing out a fennec fox family while they lived in a death trap because it was the only place that would rent to foxes? Clearing a weasel of false charges?" Rosette countered, "I guess those stories didn't make their way out here. I take the cases I am assigned uncle and do pro bono work when I can. I work within the law same as you. Not everyone has the luxury of a badge when they are trying to keep order."

"I am sorry Rose," Dwayne sighed out a long breath, "This is the same argument I have with your dad every time we see each other."

"I am sorry too uncle...its why we don't visit as often as we should. Dad wants to respect your wishes to not be involved in what we are involved in. What do you know about why the Wildes moved out here? I wouldn't be violating their trust if you already know." Rosette said quietly glancing around to see if any ears where pointed in their direction. She saw none.

"O'Hare told me when he needed me to sign off on Vivian's permits. Hard to believe. I was in the Ranger Scouts growing up but we never had a predator try to join our pack," Dwayne said shaking his head.

"Nicholas wasn't the only one that this happened to and its been going on for quite a while," Rosette said. "I was the one who helped them with filing a police report about what happened so it wouldn't just end up in the trash after they left then I went digging. What I found wasn't pleasant."

"What did you find?" Dwayne asked.

"Beatings where the most common to run the preds off," Rosette whispered taking a sip of her coffee. "'Accidents' while camping and hiking like snake and insect bites and falling...things like that. Other forms of abuse where rare but still happened." She gave her Uncle a firm look on the last thing she had found that said more then what she spoke.

"Oh," he said pushing his coffee away from him suddenly no longer thirsty or hungry. "How did this never come to light before now?"

"Easily it seems," Rosette said bitterly, "Who will believe a single filthy pelt or chomper when there are dozens of others who all say the opposite? They just tripped. We have no idea how that snake got into the sleeping bag. They came on to me. For an organization that promotes truthfulness they are quite good at spinning lies."

Dwayne just sat staring off into the distance thinking while Rosette sipped at her coffee. "Hoof thorns and seven hells," he finally muttered. He may not agree with what Rosette was involved in but she was very good at what she did and didn't go into any case half-cocked. "Should I be keeping an eye on strangers that seem a little too interested in the Wildes when what ever you are doing happens?"

Rosette shrugged, "I am going to be doing everything I can to keep the victims names off of anything public but I would feel better if you did."

"Shouldn't be too hard," Dwayne said trying to take a sip of his coffee but finding he still couldn't, "O'Hare wanted an extra eye on them anyway once Vivian started producing."

"They didn't mention any trouble when I was there," Rosette said concern and nervousness filling her tone. An interruption in the supply chain of a popular and profitable product would not go over well with Mr. Big. Bunnyburrow didn't need a couple of polar bears suddenly wanting a taste of country living to keep an eye on things.

"Hasn't been as far as I know but after that first batch got to the pub he was worried some folks might think about the other few hundred gallons of the stuff that wasn't sold to the pub just sitting out there," Dwayne said. "Vivian has her barn locked down pretty tight when she isn't working and the finished kegs and casks..."

"Are locked up even tighter," Rosette finished with a relieved sigh. Her tour had been extensive and the renovation work done by Rocky Rodgers had focused some of its efforts on security. The cask aging rooms buried deep in the heart of their Den where not just a convent place to age spirits in a nearly perfectly controlled environment. Heavy doors and reinforced walls practically turned those rooms into mini bunkers or vaults. Considering how many casks of externally flammable liquid and wood they could store and age though it made sense to build them sturdy.

"That they are," Dwayne chuckled remembering the tour he had managed to get after Vivian had run her still the first time. "The same old law on the books that made me need to personally hand over the permits so she could distill and sell needed an inspection of their storage for public safety. I was half tempted to move the Sheriff's Office arsenal into one of those aging rooms. Humidity control, temperature control, and its own fire suppression system. Seems like a lot for a small operation."

Rosette answered the unasked question, "Her investor has a great deal of faith in her skill. From what I heard there is already a waiting list for the first five and twelve year cask she cracks. The two year ones are just going to be first come first serve. The barn will be easy to expand but those aging rooms wouldn't be without risking what is already sitting there."

The radio clipped to Dwayne's belt started to crackle. "Sheriff? You about done with breakfast? There is some trouble over at the Leapson farm."

"What type of trouble Paul?" Dwayne said keying the mike on his shoulder.

"Some property damage. Looks like someone took out a patch of their Night Howler line on their field closest to the road by running it over." Deputy Paul said over the radio.

"I'll be on my way over," Dwayne said with a sigh. He stood and hugged his niece goodbye, "Damn class three flowers. Anytime something happens to then that isn't an act of nature they need a police report on...sorry Rose duty calls. Sharla is going to be sad she missed you. Maybe we can come to the city soon and spend some time as a family. You're always welcome spend the weekend with us too."

"Sound good Uncle. Hopefully the next time I am out this way I'll be able to give you more notice. Like you said though duty calls."

"Gotta keep them savages at bay," Dwayne said with chuckle pulling a few bills from his wallet and leaving them on the table. "Breakfast is on me Rose so stay and finish it. It's a long drive into the city and not much other then gas station food in between."

"I will Uncle...stay safe," Rosette said sitting back down.

"I always try to," Dwayne said putting his hat back on and striding out the door.

Rosette was pleasantly warm as she took a long drink from her glass. The cider she had gotten from Vivian was extremely good and was deceptively strong. Her mother was already 'resting her eyes' after a couple of glasses. The trip back to Zootopia hadn't taken nearly as long as the trip out had felt like. Dropping off the paperwork at the firm went far smoother then any other time she had done so. Already the paralegals and junior attorneys assigned to her for this lawsuit where working hard getting everything going to officially file the suit now that they had the lead plaintiffs. It help that she had hoof-picked every one and knew that wouldn't drag their hoofs once they learned the nature of the lawsuit or 'accidentally' loose an important piece of paperwork.

"Honey! I'm home!" her dad cried out once the door had shut. "Is there any dinner left? I am starving."

"We're in the kitchen dad!" Rosette called out impressed with herself for not slurring any words and finished off her glass swapping it for her mothers.

"How did your meeting with the Wildes..." her dad trailed off when he entered the kitchen to find his wife asleep with an empty glass, his daughter with a glass nearly empty of hazy amber cider in her hoof, and a few empty bottles on the counter in between them.

"Go?" Rosette asked swirling her glass a bit. "They agreed to be the lead plaintiffs. Paperwork is turned in and nearly ready to be filed."

"That is good," her dad said walking slowly to the table sensing a trap but to enticed by the bait. "It must have gone very well if you managed to get some of Vivian's private stores. I don't suppose there is more?" He asked gesturing to the empty bottles.

"Mmmm..." Rosette said draining her glass while looking at her father, "Oh that is good! I can see why you where so interested in getting more."

"Speaking of...is there any more?" her father repeated his question.

"Nope," Rosette said picking up the empty glasses and heading to the sink. "At least I don't know where it is. I kept a few bottles out and gave the rest to mom." Her father seemed to shrink under the grin on her face. "You know how good mom is at hiding mid-winter gifts. I couldn't even guess where she hid the rest. You'll have to ask her when she wakes up."

"That's not fair...you couldn't have kept one bottle out for me?" her father protested halfheartedly.

"Maybe if mom wakes up in bed with some water and headache medicine waiting for her she will remember where a bottle is in time for family dinner tomorrow," Rosette said waving over he shoulder. "Mom said I could use the guest room tonight and there is some leftovers in the fridge. 'Night!"