Hello everyone, Last Edge, here

Just another amateur writer here with a case of Wildehopps fever.

Not sure how many people will see this but I'd like to say a big thank you to Vulpes V. Sapiens for some great help and advice

Other than that I guess it's time to put my first story in the public domain *wipes tear from eye* they grow up so fast

Chapter one

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep… SLAM! Putong, putong, putong…

Nick groaned as he sat up in bed. Judy had bought him an alarm clock that you turned off by throwing at a wall after he broke his last three. It was still dark outside, Judy insisted they were up bright and early every morning. Grumbling he made his way into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. Pausing to smile in the mirror and admire his red furred self, his face quickly drooped back down as he stifled a yawn.

After the Night-howler case finished his little bunny friend had once again managed to convince him to apply for police training. Surprisingly, at least for the fox, Chief Bogo had very quickly approved this idea. Nick knew his actions helping Officer Hopps had managed to change the old cape buffalo's opinion of him somewhat but he still had an inkling that a certain grey mammal had something to do with his acceptance.

The academy had been hard, it was meant to be hard for stronger, younger mammals, and the 32-year-old ex-conmammal was anything but that. In fact if it weren't for the fact that recruits were still allowed technology Nick knew he probably wouldn't have made it. Talking to Judy was the only thing keeping him going some days, both physically and emotionally.

Physically, he wanted to work with the little grey doe and that spark kept him moving long after he'd hit his limits training. Emotionally, being a fox at the academy was tough. There weren't many animals open minded enough to accept him at first. Normally this was fine, Nick had lived long enough with the stigma that nothing should phase him. But the academy training was so draining on him that he didn't even have the energy to put up a mask. It had been a long time since what another animal had said had affected him so much.

Somehow he managed to put a smile on his face every time he talked to Judy. There was no way he was going to let her know anything about it. If she did he knew she would march a crusade all the way from precinct one in order to catch the culprits.

The fox had toughed it out, he grew stronger, quicker and more durable. By about halfway through the training he was keeping up with the best of them and this had earned the respect of many and at least the tolerance of the rest. Judy's encouragement had been vital but there was a little voice inside his head that whispered.

Come on, Nick. This is nowhere near what he went through. If he could survive so can you, after all, you're both just broken clockwork.

Before he knew it he was standing with his peers, dressed in the distinctive blue uniform in the main hall of precinct one. Chief Bogo and the Valedictorian of the class, a bobcat called Lia Clawson, both gave speeches but Nick wasn't paying any attention. His gaze was focussed entirely on a pair of bright amethyst eyes. Officer Judy Hopps was chosen to bestow the badges to the new recruits, a publicity stunt from the PR department, but Nick was feeling extremely grateful to them at that moment.

He could see the pride in the grey rabbit's eyes as she pinned the badge to the chest of Zootopia's first fox police officer. And the smile on his face that day was probably the most genuine one Judy had ever seen on the fox before.

Officer Nick Wilde had been assigned to precinct 1 and, as any mammal with a shred of common sense expected, was partnered up with Officer Judy Hopps. The official notice being that as two of the smallest officers they would need modified equipment and vehicles. Everyone in the department knew, however, that Chief Bogo didn't want to break up one of his best new partnerships.

Not that the old buffalo was favouring them in anyway. Oh no, they got parking duty for two weeks since Nick was just out of training. This very nearly drove Judy, and by association Nick, insane. The fox didn't actually mind parking duty, it gave him time to think, and he still got to spend time with Carrots. But all good things must come to an end and eventually Chief Bogo had to unleash the two of them on an unsuspecting Zootopia.

That was nearly two months, a jewellery store heist, a minor drugs bust, two muggings and a lost cub ago.

Nick really wasn't a morning animal even with the multiple cups of coffee he consumed along with a quick breakfast. Still he was in good enough state to make himself look presentable in his uniform. With a sigh (and a stifled yawn) Nick left his apartment and slowly wandered downstairs and onto the street.

Sure enough, like every morning there was a smallish, green car piloted by a member of the ZPD parked outside his apartment complex. In the past, the sight of a police officer would have been enough for him to turn around and try to escape out a bathroom window but now he just had a faint smile on his face as he approached the vehicle.

Inside was a certain grey bunny police officer, her eyes closed, headphones in her ears and her head bounced along to what had to be a Gazelle song knowing Judy Hopps. Nick knocked on the window a few times before getting through to his partner who unlocked the door for him.

"Morning Nick" said Judy, bright eyed and bushy tailed "ready for another day?"

Nick didn't say anything, just closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the car already smelled like Judy.

"What are you doing?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Trying to absorb some of your manic enthusiasm" said Nick with a smirk as he opened his eyes looking a bit more awake now "we moving then, Carrots?"

In response Judy turned on the car and revved the engine. Sunlight was beginning to illuminate the city as they headed towards the precinct headquarters. The city was starting to come to life as people took to the street. Nick leaned on his arm as he looked out of the window at the animals coming and going.

Judy's ears drooped slightly as she drove, occasionally she would glance at Nick who was being uncharacteristically quiet this morning.

"You sure you're okay, Nick?" she asked.

Nick started and looked over as his head slipped off his arm. He was quiet for a few moments before he smirked and sat back in the car.

"It's nothing, just the old hustler senses going off"

Judy spluttered with laughter and looked over.

"Really? Hustler sense? What, can you feel that there's an easy mark nearby?"

"Yup, I'm looking at her" came the slick reply as Nick turned to stare into the oncoming traffic.

Judy could tell there was something that Nick didn't want to talk about. She didn't want to make the day have a sour note already so didn't push it but part of her felt a little down that he wouldn't talk to her.

"It's what keeps me alive, that kind of sense" Nick said quietly, distinctly not looking at Judy "and now I feel like there's a big storm coming or something"

Judy didn't know what to say to that but was feeling happier inside that Nick had talked to her about it. Nick sighed and reached for the container he kept at his side. He hadn't felt that worrying tingling down his spine for a long time. Not even during the Night-howler case, Nick smirked, having Judy at his back the whole way, guess there was never anything they couldn't handle.

Nick didn't keep a hipflask, he had a hipbox? A hippacket? A hipcontainer of some kind. Flipping open the top he smiled widely and licked his lips, the thing was packed to the brim with blueberries.

Nick perked up considerably as he sat there next to his best friend and partner and snacked on his beloved berries. Nick held up a berry to the light and stared at it closely before looking slyly at Judy out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but grin and as he flicked the fruit towards his driving partner.

Judy Hopps did not take her eyes off the road but her head shot out like a blur and she swallowed the blueberry out of the air.

"Damn, Carrots, are you sure you aren't actually a predator?" asked Nick in sheer amazement, his jaw dropping.

"Why? You falling for me Slick?" said Judy looking across with her own smirk, though this one had a trace of blueberry juice on the edge.

Nick just sort of stared still with his jaw nearly hitting his seat. Judy felt her ears slowly burning up as she waited for any sort of reaction from her partner.

Suddenly a burst of numb tingling spread down Nick's spine and woke him up. His face instantly fell and he pushed his current thoughts to the back of his mind. That was the worst reaction he'd ever had, something bad was happening in Zootopia.

Judy glanced across at Nick again and saw that he'd gone back to how he'd been when he'd first gotten in the car. Her ears drooped all the way down as she focussed her eyes on the road.

The journey from Nick's apartment to the precinct headquarters was fairly short so the quiet and gloomy atmosphere in the car didn't last that long. The car pulled into the department car park and Judy quickly found a spot, since they were early it was pretty empty.

"Sorry for being a downer Carrots" Judy heard as her partner got out of the car in a flash of red.

Judy opened her mouth to say something but just closed it with a small smile. Stepping out of the car herself she found Nick doing an intense set of stretches.

"Okay Carrots" said Nick with one last back clicking stretch "Let's go see what the chief has for us today"

Judy smiled as she dotted down another point of worry in her head.

It'll be fine she thought it's just a silly tingle, he probably sat on his tail funny without noticing, today will be good, he'll cheer up and everything will be back to normal.

"Am… am I making you get up too early?" she asked as they walked onto the pavement towards the station's main entrance.

"What" Nick looked at her in surprise, this wasn't something he was expecting compromise on "nah it's okay Carrots, too late for me anyway, you've got me running like… clockwork"

Judy noticed that Nick had stopped walking and turned back. Her eyes widened at the expression on Nick's face. He was looking at the crowd on the other side of the road. There was surprise on his face and equal parts joy and fear in his eyes.

It can't be thought Nick frozen on the spot don't you dare start hoping Nicholas Wilde, you know he's probably dead

Judy reached out gently and touched his arm at which the fox jumped a mile.

"I gotta go Carrots" said Nick as all sorts of emotions ran across his face.

"What?" said Judy shocked "but we haven't even signed in for today"

Nick knew that although the chief appreciated the two of them he was never lenient on anyone. If he disappeared now it could jeopardise his work with Carrots. It felt like there was a hand squeezing his heart as he glanced back across the road and then back to Judy.

"Sorry" said Nick as he started to back away "Tell the chief that it's a… a family matter, I'll be back later"

Judy could only watch as Nick ran straight across the road, which thankfully was quiet this early, and then his tail vanished into the crowds.

"Dumb fox, what ever happened to 'not letting them see they got to you'?" she whispered.

A bit dejected, Judy made her way to the main entrance by herself.

I guess he considers me someone who's allowed to see if they got to him a little thought popped into her head.

Thinking this Judy perked up and pushed open the front doors.

Nick ran like the wind using every bit of city skill he had ever developed to move through the crowd. Whenever he saw a patch of black ahead his heart thumped but each time it wasn't what he was looking for. He knew this wasn't likely to even be real but he didn't have a better idea as he ran further away from the station.

The crowd only seemed to get bigger, in size of animal as well as number, and Nick resorted to climbing a lamppost to get a better view. In the distance, just going around a corner, he thought he saw a familiar figure in black and red disappear again.

In the dark a fox backed up against the wall as three timber wolves moved in growling, knives in hand glinting in the flurry of snow that surrounded them. The fox whimpered and tried to make himself as small as possible eyes darting everywhere looking for an escape. And also looking for him, the fox felt cold inside, how could he have just disappeared now of all times.

As the wolves closed in the fox huddled up and wrapped his arms round his head waiting. All he could hear was the snow howling in the night, looking up the fox saw he was alone. No wolves, just snow. The fox ran in panic from the area as the snow quickly buried five sets of tracks. The fox never saw him again.

Nick's heart was pounding in his ears as he forced his way around and between the other animals in the crowd. As he reached the corner and turned off the main road the crowds began to thin out and Nick could actually see down the street now. He slowly came to a halt, he couldn't see what he wanted to see, a terrible disappointment and doubt rose up inside him.

I must have been wrong, I knew I was wrong he thought as he stood vacantly on the pavement What's wrong with me today, first I worry Carrots, then I bail to go ghost hunting.

Nick sighed and turned around to head back to work when his entire body trembled. He perked up and sniffed the air. In a bit of a daze Nick wandered into an alleyway to his right off the beaten track but about halfway down he frowned, the scent disappeared.

"Okay, okay, you caught me copper" came a languid voice from up above "have I done something wrong?"

Nick shuddered at the voice and turned his gaze upwards. There was someone leaning backwards over the edge of a fire escape on one side of the alley. He was a black panther with bright green eyes similar to Nick's. He was wearing a black shirt with a deep red tie that was almost hanging over his face due to the position he was lying in.

Adrenaline surged through Nick's system and there was a pounding in his ears as he stared at the mammal he hadn't seen in over ten years.

"Broken clockwork…" breathed Nick staring at the cat wide eyed.

The previously supremely relaxed panther, who wasn't actually paying that much attention to the police officer who had followed him, suddenly froze and sat right up bashing his head on a metal railing. Following this he seemed to melt and flow like water down the edge of the fire escape to land on all fours in front of Nick. Standing up the panther was about a head taller than Nick was and cautiously approached.

"Nick?" said the Panther staring incredulously at the police fox in front of him.

"Noct?" replied Nick with a very similar expression on his face.

"Nick!" said the Panther called Noct as his face lit up.

"Noct!" grinned Nick.

"Like broken clockwork" they both said in unison as the panther pulled Nick in for a hug.

It had been far too long since he had seen his old friend and the circumstances of them parting had always haunted him. Nick felt his mask slip as it was like they were ten years in the past again.

"Look at you Slick" said Noct as he stepped back for a better view "I'm assuming this is your latest hustle, getting a bit bold to be impersonating an officer ain'tcha?"

"Actually you are looking at the first fox police officer in Zootopia" said Nick slightly embarrassed in front of his old friend "Completely legit"

Nick could still read Noct's face like a book and didn't miss the twitch and hesitation.

"Noctis Lacerda" said Nick almost growling "if you dare pull one of your vanishing acts in front of me I will hit you with every tranc dart I have and leave you handcuffed to a lamppost"

Nick pulled his trademark smirk and could see the panther in front of him relax visibly.

"Well damn" said Noct in wonderment, he was worried his friend had changed but it still seemed to be good old Nick "I knew I'd be out of the news for a bit while I travelled back here but you've got a lot to catch me back up on. Are you free right now? Or shall I catch you when you're off duty?"

"Catch me when I'm off duty" said Nick as he took his badge off and tucked it into his breast pocket "I am now off duty, let's get a drink, I know just the place"

The Fox and the Panther headed out of the alleyway in search of the nearest place that could give them a good stiff drink this early in the morning.