"Did you see the way they ran! And it was all because of us! We are going to be the best warriors in the world!" Nick exclaimed as he and Judy ran ahead of his parents. They were now back on the path heading up to the estate. Any nervousness she should have felt returning home was absent, as Judy laughed along with her new friend and future dragon slaying partner.
"You must teach me how to flip a sword, Nick! That was amazing!" she laughed back.
"Not as amazing as that jump you did! Where did you learn that!"
Judy giggled and felt her ears go red again, "I'm a bunny. I should think that is what we do! Jump really high. But I can teach you, too! You can become a fox bunny!"
Nick considered her offer for a moment before grinning and offering his paw to shake as they walked through the front gates to Judy's home. "Deal! I'll show you how to flip a sword, you show me how to jump!"
John pulled his wife closer as he smiled at the young pair. The walk from the clearing had been mostly uneventful. Judy had begged to not be brought back just then. She offered to tidy their house and prune their garden for just a few more hours outside the wall of the estate. The bunny had a taste of freedom and was not ready to rinse it from her senses yet. Plus, she and Nick Wilde had made a good team….
One look at his son's new friend and John knew his kit was doomed. Nick, always quick with a smile made to disarm any mammal, had a brand new one for Judy. Genuine seemed to be the wrong word for it. He was always genuinely happy and smiling. This smile was…softer. John was sure that smile mirrored his own when he first met Francine. A curious smile that awoke a new emotion he knew Nick would not understand or recognize just yet. Like father, like son, it seemed.
And as for the little grey bunny who caused it, he could hardly blame the young todd. After introducing herself to John with the flawless manners of a young noble mammal, he, too, had been a victim to those lovely eyes of hers. Yup, thought John, my son is a goner for the rest of his life.
And with that in mind, he pressed a kiss into the temple of the one who had pleasantly doomed himself.
It was Nick who had gotten her to return home, by pure accident. After John and Judy had been introduced, Nick had suddenly exclaimed out loud his fear that the monsters would smell where they lived and destroy their homes in vengeance. Judy had gasped in fear and both kits exchanged worried glances before darting in opposite directions, no where near where either home was.
John was impressed by his reflexes as he caught Judy before she made it past him. He had handed her to his wife, who promised a hasty retreat to the mansion, before he tore after Nick. Now reassured that the evil they fought would know better then to darken the door of their homes, Francine said it might be better to head back just to be safe.
And so here they were.
The kits laughed and skipped in the dark, chasing each other and jumping off the bigger stones that lined the pathway up to the front steps. The front doors were swung up as the duo hopped up them, Nick trying to imitate Judy's leg work, bathing the quartet with light from inside. A frantic looking Bonnie rushed out and snatched up Judy in bone crushing hug.
"My gods, thank them all, my baby doe is safe!" She cried into the soft fur her daughter's head. Judy, though she struggled to breath, felt shock and remorse for causing her mother's tears. "I saw the window and empty bed a thought the worst! Oh, you wicked, wicked child! Never scare your mother like that again!"
Releasing her from her embrace, Bonnie griped her kits shoulders in her paws and looked into her eyes. Bonnie had not stopped crying and soon Judy's eyes matched her mother's.
"Do you know what could have happened to you, Judith Laverne Hopps? What might have been had anyone else found you? Or had not found you? Your father and I have half the estate out searching the grounds and woods for you as we speak! And they must all find a way to be well rested for their duties tomorrow, including Miss Frankie! And her own family, I'm sure!" Gathering her breath, Bonnie stood, still griping her kit's shoulders, letting out a shaking breath. Sure enough, a small party made up of their security detail entered from various spots of the woods.
"No sign of young Judith yet, my Lady! I shall have a word with Fredrick before heading out again!"
Judy, groaned inwardly at the sound of Mr. Bogo's voice. Though the cape buffalo had more patience than the grouchy badger gardener, he seemed to know exactly where to pop up whenever she tried to climb up the wall and surprise her off the ivy. She already gave him a wide berth to avoid catching his eye. Mostly to avoid the guilt and shame she felt whenever he was the one to foil her plans of escape. How disappointed those dark eyes looked every time he did.
"No need, Adrian. Our little nuisance is here and safe now, thanks to the Wildes. Please let Julius and Greta and Fredrick know they can call off the search. The lord is at the dock arranging for the lake to be dredged. Please see him before you retire for the night."
Mr. Bogo, dismissing his team with a quick gesture of his hooves, approached the bottom of the entryway stairs. He spared a polite glance and nod to the foxes (Nick's nerve failed him as he hid behind his mother), before focusing on the small bunny standing in front of Lady Hopps.
"As you can see, she is no worse off from her ordeal, but then, there is always tomorrow. Perhaps you can assist on finding a suitable punishment for my wayward offspring? After all, you yourself are a new father in need of sleep and dragged out of bed to help locate her."
At this, Bogo smiled. Or at least, his lips looked less thin.
"As you wish, my Lady. I might have something in mind for your young adventure seeker. And the young fox, if his parents agree." He look out with what seemed to be almost sparking eyes from Judy to Nick, who peeked from behind his mother and tried to fight the urge to hide again as he made eye contact with the hulking mammal. "It may help Miss Judy see the danger she put herself in, the distress she caused her family and my team, and help build character in…."
"Nick, sir!" squeaked the kit.
"Nick. If Mr. and Mrs. Wilde have no objection, of course."
"Well, as good of a helper as he can be in the garden, I feel he is close to accident when he does lend a paw." said John craning his head to look up at Bogo. "I think I can managing without him. Tomorrow were you thinking?" A curt nod from the buffalo and John clapped his hands in agreement. "Tomorrow it is then! My thanks to you sir! And a pleasant rest of your evening."
Bogo gave another nod to the Wildes, before bowing to the Hopps, and left without another word. Bonnie did not hesitate to break the silence.
"My dear Francine. Please know that no words can describe the service you have provided me and my family! Thank you for finding and returning my drifter of a daughter to me."
Francine smiled demurely before pulling Nick in front her to face Lady Hopps.
"I believe the credit belongs to my son. He was clever enough to find her and make a valid argument for coming home." She smiled first at her son and then at Judy, as Bonnie beamed kindly down at the todd.
"And what was that, my friend?"
"The monsters might come looking for payback, Miz Hopps!" Nick said with much fear and nerves. He mother stooped slightly to whisper in his ear and he felt the heat of embarrassment wash over him again. "I mean, Lady Hopps!"
Bonnie laughed at the correction and surprised them all by saying, "Please, my dear. Call me Bonnie. Now as it's getting late, I will not hear of you returning home at this hour. Please come in, I insist you stay the night."
She stood from the doorway and gestured for the family to enter, as Judy let out a squeal and started jumping up and down in delight. Nick grinned and started rushing forward as he mother tried to politely protest.
"Now, now please! I insist! You shall be dead on your feet by the time you arrive home. Judy, my dear, please show them to the medium guest room and Marty, will you please send for a bath to be brought up, as well as a meal for our guest?"
Marty gave a short bow to the group before vanishing through a door that smelled like the kitchen entryway. Judy had just grabbed Nick's paw and started to excitedly lead him to the grand staircase, only to be halted by her mother.
"I expect you at the top of the stairs in fifteen minutes. I am feeling more generous then I would like to be and wish to not wake your sisters by returning you to your room. If you are not there presently, I shall awake them and your brothers in the adjoining room and inform them it was you who had prompted me to. Need I go on?"
Judy gulped and shook her head. A group of exhausted bunnies disturbed from their rest and cranky was bound to be scarier then what ever Mr. Bogo could think up. Bonnie gave the foxes another smile and allowed Judy to continue as Marty returned baring a tray with four large covered dishes. He was followed by a young ewe also carrying a tray with tea service and two otters with a large in tub between them.
Beating them to the foot of the stairwell, the kits bounded up two steps at a time, Judy leading the way to the lovely blue second story of the mansion and down a happy pink hallway.
John and Francine would have been lost had it not been for the kits bounding footfalls that amazingly did not rouse the other numerous bunnies fast asleep in their own rooms. All four soon found themselves in larger room obviously designed for mammals the size of the fox family it would host. The bed was big enough for the John and Francine and the love seat was more then enough space for Nick.
The trays of food ( a tasty potato casserole, green beans, and light salad, with fresh bread) and tea ( lavender and mint with honey) were laid out and the tub was filled with warm water. Nick and Judy had not stopped talking the entire trip to the room, nor did they stop when his mother filled his plate, or when Francine took Judy's hand to lead her to her mother's requested waiting spot. Nick had followed automatically and the two conversed as though the world around them did not exist.
They argued playfully about with vegetable was the worse ( Nick chose beets, Judy chose turnips); they agreed that while dragons were capable of much evil, they could be encouraged to do good; and that the city of Zootopia was where they would most often dream of traveling to.
Imagine the surprise on their little faces when they both realized they were being separated for the night. At the top of the stair case, within the promised time frame, Bonnie appeared. She hid her surprise at the sight of Francine and Nick and the two females exchanged smiles and shrugs as each led their kits in opposite directions for bed.
Their words trailed off as they grew further apart, soon they were each picked up and slung over the shoulders of their mothers and with sad eyes and small waves, vanished from each others sight.
Bonnie had put Judy to bed in the small annex of the master bedroom. Just for the night until the window to her own bedroom could be fitted with a lock. The small doe had protested sleep, all the while looking off to where the fox kit had vanished with his own mother. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, Judy fell into a deep slumber.
Finally, thought Bonnie, may Serendipity bless this child with ten litters like herself!
She had studied her daughter for a moment as she slept. She had memorized every bit of fur and whiskers on all her children, Judy was no exception. But getting her from a hiding place or to call off an escape attempt was nothing short of a full time job. One Bonnie felt guilty for passing onto Frankie.
Bribes and promises rarely worked on her daughter. Threats even less so. If she was denied her dinner or dessert, the vegetable fields and orchards found themselves a tad less burdened. Toys being removed from her possession made room for new toys in the shape of stick swords and pillow case slings. She had once fashioned a sling shot out of the ribbon intwined around her ears and walnuts for ammo.
But this young todd…..Nick…. had said something that had her kicking herself for not thinking of it sooner. Send her to protect her home. It is possible, thought Bonnie, that Judy is truly a sword in bunny form. And it's also possible that she may have just meet her sheath.