Forest Trade

Big sat inside the third floor office of the rainforest's dock stationhouse. It was a long cabin where boat workers managed the shipments of the northern half of the city. Just out his window, his three weasels and two polar bears stood side-by-side and stared up the hill into the forest. Activity at the docks was at their peak hour this afternoon. But Thursday was the low point of the week. Good. Less traffic to disturb Big and his deal. Still, dozens of workers scurried back and forth through and out of the docks as they fulfilled their duties for the district, and Zootopia as a whole.

The musical notes of endless shifting water blended with the noises produced by busy workers and the ships. The humid air smelled salty. Bugs chirped, clicked and buzzed in the distance. Big waited for Finnick and Nick to show up for the agreed upon trade. It was still early and nobody was in a rush. His phone rang. The weasel at the front of the docks was calling,

"Father Big, they are here."

"Alright." Big rushed out of the stationhouse and cheerily welcomed Finnick and Nick. He smiled as he saw Nick wear a new dark green three-piece suit with an orange tie and even an orange fedora. How respectful of him to show up dressed for the occasion. He couldn't say the same for Finnick however. The shabby looking fox might as well have been picked up out of an alley. He was a mess of a sight.

"My foxes! Good to see you made it. Let's get right to it, huh?" Big gestured with an outstretched arm toward the cargo yard on the left end of the docks. New egg-white ships of various sizes sat parked along the shore of the large S-shaped yard. Many colored cargo containers were being offloaded from some of the ships. This was the northern main export/import station of Zootopia. The second station was placed in Sahara Square on the southeastern edge of the desert where the border wall was cut out for a gate as well. It was almost a mirror construction of the one here in the Rainforest District. If Big could tighten his leash on these docks, he planned to hit the one in the Sahara. Securing the docks would cement his grip on Zootopia. He grew giddy with excitement at the thought.

Two of the three weasels present stood behind Big. He insisted the foxes walk ahead of him and pulled them to the front. Next to the weasels stood the smaller of the two polar bear guards while the remaining weasel and bear remained behind by the entrance of the docks. He directed the group toward an open container in the yard and texted the weasel and bear still at the front of the docks, instructing him to bring wagons.

It was quite clear to Big how they stood out. Any worker could tell that Big and his crew were out of place. Their odd wanderings like they didn't know where to turn or what to do was plain to see. He was slightly concerned that they were conspicuous enough to draw passing glances towards them. But the trade shouldn't last long. And once it was over, he would turn to harsher methods to keep prying eyes turned away.

"Alright Nicky," Big began, a large blonde rectangular crate sat just pulled away from the dozens of others that still sat in the now open container. Its open door created a white ramp leading to the interior. The crates inside were all labeled according to their contents. The blonde rectangular crate was stamped with a "Perishable" warning.

"Here is how it goes: you sell this crate of chocolates" - Big pointed behind him to the crate, "and remember to provide me with forty percent of the profits from your total sales. There is enough chocolate in here to last you at least five weeks. Expect me to check in at the end of every week or two. Sometimes I will show up personally. Other times, I will send a representative to collect." Nick nodded.

"How much does one bar usually go for?" Big glanced at the weasel he messaged. He finally pulled up to Big and the group with the lift cart and stood idly by the bear near the opening of the container. Big smiled and said,

"One bar of chocolate, about the length of your muzzle and just under an inch thick," - he mimed holding a chocolate bar between his skinny fingers - "goes for $30." Nick bit his lip.

"How am I going to convince customers to spend $30 on a chocolate bar?" Big scowled. His breathing deepened and he briskly took two steps toward the fox and looked up. His upward tilted head pointed it's nose directly at Nick's and he growled,

"Use your damn head and get it done. That's how." Big shrugged with upturned palms and turned back to where he stood. "You and Finnick are my best fences. You'll figure it out." And they better. The acquisition of this cargo was months in the making. And Big needed to make up the money he lost. Bellwether was an expensive ally.

After staring into the container as if he expected a hidden treasure to reveal itself, Big turned his head to look at Nick, "Besides, you are only selling half the stock. Finnick will sell the other half in his shop. He could place them on the counter right where customers check out. Get them to impulse buy the chocolates." Big smiled and pointed a friendly finger at Finnick. The short fennec fox nodded respectfully and only blinked. A gentle breeze batted at his large ears. Nick crossed his arms and lowered his head. He slowly stepped back and said with forced cheer,

"That's a wonderful idea, Mr. Big." Satisfied, Big focused his attention on Finnick.

"Finnick," the fennec foxes ears stood tickled by the sound of his name, "you will add some new materials to your shop. Some nice jewelry and rugs. Expensive stuff. It should fetch you some good coin." Finnick nodded in understanding. He glanced towards the weasel as he walked toward the crates inside the open cargo container. "The same rules apply. I expect forty percent of your profit from these goods." Finnick grumbled,

"Yeah," and made to help the weasel load the crates onto the cart behind him. Nick followed after and grabbed the rectangular crate nearest Big. The trade concluded and the foxes were escorted out of the forest. Big remained behind to monitor and secure the remaining product and guard it against suspicious workers. But so far, all seemed well.