John Wilde walked the row of sweet peas carefully, pausing to examine each plant intently. The first plant in this plot he had tended showed signs of aphids, the evil little creatures burrowing into the valuable crop, eating his hard work up without a thought and care in the world. A slight brush of vinegar, cayenne pepper, and water seemed to help and now he just had to ensure they had not spread to his other plants.
A sudden gag and squeak of distaste nearly startled the todd out of his fur. Whirling around, he saw his seven year old son, Nicholas, gulping fresh water and trying to rid his tongue of something that displeased it. John noticed the brush to the insecticide by his hind paws and dissolved into laughter at what must have occurred.
"I told you you wouldn't care for that, son! Yet you couldn't help yourself, could you!" John was on paws and knees, laughing so hard tears streamed down his muzzle, while the fox kit, not finding it so amusing, glared at his father. Licking his shirt to remove to sour flavor even further, Nick gagged again.
"How come it smells so yummy but tastes so icky!" he demanded of his father, who started to compose himself some. "Yuck! Ick! Blah! I can still taste it!"
"It's to keep bugs off the plants, my boy. Not for eating."
"Mother says mint keeps mosquitos and flies away, and we eat that." Big green eyes, so similar to his wife's, looked up at him expectantly. John smiled down at his young son, already a slave to unyielding curiosity their kind possessed in spades.
"What can I say? You got me there." John focused his attention on the sweet pea vine in front of him and shook his head. "Come now, Nick. Take this basket and knife and start harvesting the peas on this one here. It seems we've lucked out and are cursed with only one infested plant."
"I wonder if I can throw this knife and hit one?" Nick turned the mostly dull knife over in his hands and John was mentally kicking himself for giving his mischievous son such a task. "Do you think I could, Papa?"
Wording was key with his kit. "You can't do that" was almost always met with "just watch me"; and followed very closely by "see, what did I tell you". It took less time to just prepare the bandages and hope for the best. But the small todd was never phased buy this process of trail and error. His friend Finnick from the village said he couldn't run up a wall and do a back flip like the street performers they saw during a parade. Finnick was right, but only by half. Nick could run up a wall now. He just couldn't back flip from it…. yet.
"I think I would like you to practice at home and become very, very good before chucking gardening tools at poor, unsuspecting pea pods." John said diplomatically. He feigned absentmindedness as he removed the knife from his son's small paw and started cutting the pods himself. Each was dropped into the basket held by an increasingly bored kit.
Nick spun in lazy circles, humming random noises, and hopped from paw to paw to demonstrate his boredom. John bit back laughter once more and tried to sympathize with the stir crazy kit.
While they had left Zootopia not long after Nick's birth, it seemed the quiet motion of country life did little to calm the restlessness of the young todd's spirit. Beehives were provoked and retaliated with vengeance, leaving Nick with many welts from their stingers. He always was rushing off to the river that flowed next to the dilapidated cottage they called home, ready to dive in as though he were part otter, even though the currents were beyond his swimming abilities.
And whenever John and Francine took him to the market to sell or trade their harvest, they wasted precious daylight chasing after him. John was tempted to ask the constable for a set of paw cuffs to unsure Nick stayed by his side. But, foxes or not, he might have public opinion of him sink lower for that request. So much for calm, quiet country life.
Zootopia was behind John now. The snide looks and hostile bodies moving hastily to other side of the streets when they walked. The fine suits he had tried to make himself known for were now just a hobby to pass the time in the evening. His wife, well liked and respected for many years in the school she had made her start at, had been ousted for her species. But now he and Francine had found some semblance of peace in Bunnyburrow. Their home was no worse then what they had left; cheaper too. And it came with a small plot of land they could work to make ends meet. Ends which seemed to have been drifting further from each other with each season.
John had felt initial excitement when reading on the town bulletin board of the opening at the Hopps estate. "Governess needed. Experience required along with resume and bonafide reference. Salary and benefits negotiable. Most nights and weekends off. Please inquire within the following dates. Must be available immediately upon hire."
But his hopes of his wife receiving the position were slim. The school house had not even responded to her resume. Why would a wealthy family of rabbits be different. Though, Francine had left hours ago; had she not received the job, she would be here now, insuring Nick didn't become too….Nick like.
And she was not the sort of vixen to just stand around blindly waiting on a non existent interview. Maybe she had made some progress at the estate…Maybe things had gone right….Maybe, just maybe…
"OW!" John's thoughts stumbled to halt as he whirled around to his kit, who sat on his rear nursing the top of his tail. Judging but the way it's fur was matted and covered in dirt, Nick had spun himself dizzy and misstepped, resulting in a crushed tail, spilled pea pods and a bruised hind paw that found the only rock in their little vegetable plot when he tried to steady himself.
Trying not chuckle to save Nick's bruised young pride, John knelt to make sure no lasting damage was done. Both paw and tail were in tact and the pods were collected, when John looked to the sky. It was later in the day then he had expected, the sun only an hour or so from setting. Gathering the kit in one arm and the basket in the other, he thought to save the remaining pods for the morning.
He trudged to the cottage as quickly as he could, walking in funny ways to the delight his son, who laughed with glee at his father's antics. Both were considerably cheered up, setting the basket on the stool by the front door, opening it into the cottage just far enough to grab their coats before sealing it up again. He handed Nick his with a grin.
"What do you say we walk to the estate to meet Mother? She must still be there and I'm sure she would love to have company for the walk home."
"Yes please, yes please, yes!" Nick shouted and started running towards the path his mother had traveled earlier that day. "I'll race you, Papa! Last one to that big tree is a sloth!" Nick's small legs carried him off as he laughed, happily being chased by his father. John caught him quickly and scooped him up with a growl, tickling his son's ribs as he swept Nick onto his shoulders.
"If I'm a sloth, you're a sloth!"
"I'm not! I am a handsome, interesting red fox!"
"Oh are you now? And where, my boy, do you think you get your good looks from?"
"Mother, of course," Nick laughed as he responded, " She says I get my charm from you, Father."
"You're mother is a very wise vixen. Too bad you missed out on that," John quipped back, earning an indignant cry and tug on his ears from the kit astride his shoulders. Night started to fall and John thanked whatever possessed him to grab a lantern. Setting Nick back down, he lit it just as they came into view of the Hopps estate.
The fox kit could not help but gasp in awe as his eyes grew big at the sight of the large mansion. Though night had come on fully, the yellow mansion seemed to radiate a soft glow in the moonlight. Maybe because of all the bunnies that live there, thought Nick. He and his father approached through the front gates as a familiar figure exited the front door, walked down the entry stairs, and made her way towards them.
"Mother!" Shouted Nick as he ran and leapt into her arms.
"Hello my darlings! What happy surprises this day brings." Francine embraced her husband and said smiling, "I got the position! I am sorry I am leaving so late. It has been a very interesting day. Lord and Lady Hopps have a kit who may rival our own for trouble, on top of the others I spent the day getting to know them all!" She smiled fondly at the memory of little Judy loosing what most likely was her hundredth wind and falling asleep on the stairwell.
"Oh my, " was her husbands response as Nick was set down once more, " So it's like you never left home!"
"A bit! But they are such a lively, fun family. I think it will work out quite nicely."
The happy family strolled contently through the front gates again, not noticing the window high above that had been delicately pushed open or the knotted bed sheet that was thrown out of it.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Judy didn't have one hundred winds. She had at least one thousand and had hardly used any today.
Though, she thought to herself, Miss Frankie is clever to try to change my mind like she did. With her fun games and interesting lessons, she had missed way to many opportunities to try to see the world before she became grey. Well, grey-er. Her eyes peeped over the window sill and a not unpleasant flutter started in her belly. Now or never, Judy, she thought.
She climbed over, paw over paw, mindful of where her rope ended and when she needed to wall walk to the pipe that ran down the side of the house to the ground below. With dexterity and grace unknown to a creature her age, she managed her way down more easily then should have been allowed. Now on the ground, she darted to the tall wall, her white night gown with a carrot pattern billowing around her. She giggled when she found the tunnel she had made.
It was an easy diversion really: dig a series of trenches, big enough to be a nuisance but not damage anything, to keep the gardeners occupied, while Judy happily created this tunnel, undiscovered, undisturbed.
Some vegetable oil on the hinges of her window for a quiet open and a salvaged old bed sheet one of the smaller litters had destroyed so none would know it was missing. All together, the plan brought her here. On the other side of her tunnel. On the other side of the wall.
A giggle of excitement bubbled up as she took off down the path, not sure where to go first. Maybe in the trees? If anyone came to or from her house, she may avoid detection there. Trees it was. Now to find an adventure.
. . . . . . . .
Nick had been spinning again. He spun in front of his parents, he spun behind them. Around them and side to side. After a few spins he would stop and center himself, inhaling through his nose to regain his balance and focus. It was with one such inhale that brought a curious smell to his nose. He smelled….something different.
His parents were disgustingly smiling and leaning into each other in the weird way parents do, almost oblivious to him. It wasn't them he smelled. And he had not smelled this on the way to the Hopps estate. This scent was fresh and sweet and, best or worse of all depending on who was asked, intriguing.
Pretending to start up the spinning again to test his parent's attention, Nick slyly edged his way into trees and started hunting for the foreign scent. It wasn't difficult. After another whiff, he took off through the trees and soon heard a creature giggling, followed by a series of light taps and the call of "En garde ". A clearing up ahead held the answer: a small rabbit with a stick was running from tree to tree, challenging each as though they were foes.
"Back you mangy beasts, back I say! Beware when Judy the Warrior is about. Curse your mothers should you evil doers meet the likes of me and my trusty blade! En garde!" She softly cried while giggling to herself.
Nick could not stop himself from stepping into the clearing, watching this strange bunny kit battle imaginary evil and wanted to be part of what looked like great fun. Plus, this is what had smelled so intriguing. He could not stop a smile as Judy whirled her "sword" in spin, only to stumble in surprise at the sudden appearance of the fox kit. She fell to her knees, "sword" held more like a bat in her shock at the unknown visitor.
"Oh! I thought I was alone in this enchanted forest!" She said trying to cover her embarrassment at being caught playing her game. Her ears flushed bright pink and wide eyes released to full extent of her surprise.
Nick, suddenly feeling bashful for the first time in his life, could only stammer out a reply. "O-oh, I, um, un-hm, I- I-I'm sor-sorry for, um, well, startling yo-you. I, uhhhh, j-just thought, uhm, yo-your game, loo-looked fun." A nervous paw went to his neck and scratch the fur that suddenly felt bothered by the big, amethyst eyes of the bunny rising up and curiously approaching him.
Smooth, Nick, he thought bitterly.
"Ijustthoughtitwouldbenicetofighteviltoothatsall!" Nick mentally kicked himself. His fur itched again and was followed by a not so unpleasant stomach flip when the bunny giggled, before scooping another stick from the ground and tossing it to him.
"Wanna practice sword fighting? I could always use a partner." Judy came closer to the strange fox kit and noticed something familiar about the green eyes staring back at her. The night was clear and the full moon gave enough light to distinguish his red fur, dark tipped ears and dark paws. But she held her attention on his eyes and how bright and green they were. She felt her ears burn once more when she realized she had been staring. "I mean, if you would like, I mean, I never sword fought before, so I'm not even good." She trailed off and looked away, feeling nervous and shy.
Nick, emboldened by the stick she had given him, step back a pace and held it out in what he thought to be a warrior pose.
"En garde?" He asked tentatively.
"En garde!" Judy said with a laugh, and with that the two kits parried and thrusted their "swords" with all the experience of two kits who had never seen sword play and knew nothing about it.
Their laughter and calls of encouragement were what helped John and Francine pinpoint where their son had gone. After walking for several minutes, talking and enjoying the feel and scent of one another, John noticed what he did not smell: Nick! He still was in the area, but the smell of son was not as strong as it should be.
Realizing he was not with them caused both parents to panic and rush to through the trees, inhaling their baby's scent as it grew more fresh, hearing muffled raps and shouts as they feared the worst, before coming to the clearing. Francine had halted her husband and motioned for him to keep silent. Having spent the better part of her day chasing the little imp around the grounds of the estate, the vixen was quite familiar with the scent of Judy Hopps.
How on Earth did that little sneak get out here. A deep breath gave her the answer: Vegetable oil, most likely from oiling her window. She was familiar with that trick, having used it in the past not long after meeting John. The vixen held her paw up when her husband made to move forward. Watch them, she motioned with her paws. So watch they did.
"Careful! There's a dragon charging to you!" Judy said, face scrunched in a fierce look. Nick did what he thought was an amazing back bend to avoid it's flame, before giving his "sword" a quick flip from paw to paw and striking it down. Judy agreed. "Nice going, Slick!"
"Thank you! Carrots, watch out! Ogre with a club, behind you!" Judy jumped off a tree stump and whipped her "sword" through the air, severing it's head from it's body. "Well done, Carrots!" Judy landed next to him, then stood back to back, both kits growling fiercely at imaginary enemies.
"What is your name anyway?" Asked Judy, as she darted forward to pick off approaching foes with a jab and swipe, before darting back.
"Nick Wilde, and you?" A brave but not nearly as skilled troll engaged with him and his "sword". After it was throughly vanquished, his back met hers again.
"Judy Hopps," Francine said, causing both kits to yelp and drop their swords as they rush for cover behind the stump. "Fancy running into two warriors such as yourselves. Miss Hopps, may I ask why you are not in bed?" Francine folded her paws in front her as she regarded the pair cowering next to the tree stump.
Nervous at being caught, but embolden by their game, Judy stepped forward bravely but with caution.
"Well, who could sleep with all the evil creatures lurking in the woods?" How she said it, one would have thought it too obvious why the seven year old daughter of a lord had snuck out her window after bedtime!
Francine bit down her laughter and shot a glare to John, who hadn't been able to hold it in, before studying the bunny before her. Her bright eyes looked even more like amethysts and her fur, a lovely calm grey in the sun, was now a bright silver in the moonlight. The fact she wore a carrot nightgown did not make her any less striking to the vixen, who couldn't help but smile at her.
Her eyes darted to her son, who stood now, also gazing at the small figure. His eyes darted to his mothers and she watched her son's ears fall with embarrassment as he fidgeted with his "sword". With a roll of her eyes, Francine's only thought was, And so it begins….