Chapter 2: the new world

"Get off me!" Yelped Brer fox as a confused Brer bear slowly rolled off.

The trio eventually got up onto their hind legs, and staggered about in their new surrounding as if they were drunk and lost. They looked around to find they were in a back alley of a concrete jungle, by some old trash cans. By the scent of it, they must have been behind a food shop. The walls were covered in graffiti, and garbage was littered across the ground.

"Where are we Brer Rabbit?" Mumbled Brer Bear

"How the heck should I know?" he snapped

Being critters of the countryside, they never experienced a city type setting before. The whole place was alien to them. All three animals walked gingerly from the back alley until they were facing opposite a busy road. What are those things? they see carriages, but no horses.

"They are drive themselves!" squawked a nervous Brer Fox, pointing at some cars and taking a step back.

As they wandered closer to the main road, they began to be noticed by critters who were walking down the pavement. They were giving them odd side glances. Their sensitive ears picked up some comments muttered under the breath by the by-passers including;

'look mum, they look like trash!'

'Why isn't that bear wearing any pants?'

And

'They smell daddy.'

Compared to the other critters, the three must of looked like an odd bunch. With unkempt fur, and snaggletooth. They were still too shell shocked from the sudden change of worlds to react to any of their comments.

"Maybe we sank down a one of the Rabbit witches' vortexes?" Muttered Brer Rabbit.

Not too far away, Nick and Judy were on a patrol. They noticed a commotion, and the three critters who stood out like a sore thumb.

"Who is that raggedy fox?" Questioned Nick to Judy.

"I don't know, they look kind of lost. Shall we help them?" Judy pulled over the police car. They approached the lost critters.

"Ah Howdy. You must be the... women sheriff?" Asked brer rabbit, who greeted her with a bow.

"Eh I am officer Hopps! Are you guys ok? Are you lost?" She asked.

"We don't know ma'am..." answered Brer Bear whilst scratching his head.

"We fell down some hole. And where is the real sheriff? I want to talk to him?" Yelled brer fox in a snarky tone.

"Enough of that attitude." Exclaimed nick.

"Look, we will go and sit down, and you tell us what happened." Judy replied, whilst rolling her eyes.

The five of them went to a local cafe where Nick and Judy brought them a coffee each. As the Brers were telling them their story- at one hundred miles per hour- Nick and Judy exchanged a look as if to say;

'These people are crazy'

Judy and Nick stopped them mid sentence and asked them if they had a place to stay tonight.

"looks like you guys need some rest" they agreed. "Then we can talk in the morning!"

The officers guided the three to a local night shelter, called 'Helping Paws Lost animal shelter'. Brer Rabbit couldn't help but to think how beautiful Judy was. At the same time, he kept a good distance from Nick, and wasn't sure whether to trust him. He started to miss home, and to miss his crush, Molly Cottontail. He was getting increasingly nervous around Brer Fox, who he knew as soon as the initial shock wore off, his culinary interest in Brer Rabbit would soon come back. Brer fox with his big mouth was giving Nick and Judy attitude and was starting go get on their last nerve. He clearly didn't like the fact a fox was working with a rabbit. And Brer bear was just strolling along, looking lost as always, and now starting to look upset and worried.

"Don't worry I am with you Brer Bear. We will get back home soon. This is all Brer Rabbits fault." Snarled Brer Fox just loud enough for Brer Rabbit to hear. Brer Rabbit was getting increasingly uncomfortable especially at the thought he may have to share a room with them. Before Judy left, Brer rabbit caught her by her arm.

"Hey can we talk?" he asked

"yeah sure, I have not got long" she replied in a helpful voice.

"So ...how can you work with a fox" he whispered

Judy looked annoyed.

"We will talk in the morning. I am not sure where you came from but in Zootopia we do not tolerate those kind of attitudes." Brer Rabbit looked confused as she started walking off.

'So... are all predators safe here?' Brer rabbit tried her one more time. Judy looked back and said they are as safe here as they are anywhere else.

Brer Rabbit watched as Nick and Judy drove off. Taking in what Judy said, Brer Rabbit decided that instead of staying in, he would go and explore the city. Especially as what the soup kitchen was serving for dinner at 'Helping Paws Lost Animal shelter' didn't look too appetizing. He always had an adventurous spirit. He went out on the street, and saw a family of beavers passing by.

'how do you do?' he said to them in a cheerful voice whilst holding out a paw to greet them. The family- a mother with two young children just looked at him.

'huh? What?' questioned one of the young beavers. The mother beaver grabbed her child hands and started walking faster. Brer rabbit was shocked. He tried it again to a group of young adult squirrels.

'how…do you do?' he said in a less confident tone. They looked at him and walked quicker.

'What a rube!' he heard one say. Luckily, he did hear one say

'ok thanks….'

He saw a feline like predator walking his way, and he instinctively ran to run side to avoid him.

"what is your problem jerk!" growled the leopard. Brer Rabbit overwhelmed and his heart racing lent against a wall. He is going to need to get a grip if he was to fit in. He could not just be scared of anything with sharp teeth.

Then …..something got his attention. Over at the opposite side of the road. Carrot cakes. Freshly baked. And smelling delicious. Just sitting In the shop window of a bakery ready to snatch.

Now back in the briar patch country, critters didn't always have respect for other people's belongings. He didn't have any money on him, so he had a sneaky idea to steal a cake. He didn't really know how to cross a road. These carriages go a lot faster than the ones back home. So he put his foot forward and ran for it. All he heard was the sharp squeals of breaks and swerving of vehicles. When he made it to the other side, he looked back and noticed a some vehicles had piled up!

'Sorry!' he shouted.

Now onto the cake.