This is a fairly direct follow on to Selaxes' Sounds of the Heart part 12. Over and above the fun of playing with our heroes from the original is the sharing with the other visions that are being shared. Love you guys.

"Did you hear about what happened at the school?" Celeste overheard some of her coworkers. "There was some kind of sex vid with one of the students, and when she was expelled, there was some kind of general walk out. Its crazy."

In short order, it was the talk of the shop, though no one had anything solid beyond that small tidbit.

Celeste got on the local social net to see if there was anything more substantial. What she found was crushing.

Someone had posted a rather graphic sex video that purported to have Riina, the Platinum Fox and mate of Bailey Hopps, engaged with partners, including Nick Wilde. Celeste became furious as she could see that these were merely composited images.

But, according to several accounts, the school seemed to have preemptorally expelled her even before she was asked about the situation, even though the video was clearly a fake. Then, when the Kettu and Hopps families confronted the principle, he refused to reconsider the decision. Finally, the Hopps called for a walkout of all their kin, and many more students, and even a few teachers walked out in solidarity.

Celeste was both shocked and furious. She still didn't really know Riina, but she did know the character of nearly everyone around her, and dared not image how terrible this must be for the families.

As the word, or rather, innumerable variations and interpretations began to circulate through the town over the next hours and days; public reactions began to filter in to the shop.

The informal pack of Wolves in the shop were uniform in their dismay, their social status in a town like this was all too closely associated with other canids in particular and predators in general. That they were mostly single younger fellows made them doubly suspect as well, obviously they were all sexually 'predatory'.

Others in the shop were less invested with the issues and were simply attracted to the graphic video.

Celeste found herself coming upon a couple customers, rabbits, sniggering with the black bear Paul over what they'd seen on line. "... and then he had that huge knot going..." Their chatter trailed off as they saw the furious little coyote with the really big open-end wrench, as long as her arm.

"I'd expect no less from some pervy little bunnies, but you, Paul?"

The bear gulped and his face crumpled in shame. The rabbits bristled, "Who are you calling a perv? We know about you and that Hopps boy, prey-chaser."

Celeste snarled and advanced on the pair, she so wanted to indulge her desire to see exactly what some good vanadium steel would do on some bunny skulls. Fortunately, one of the wolves intervened. "Celeste, you know how important it is to maintain good customer relations." He gave the quaking bunnies an appraising glance, "Besides, you know we have a strict 'you kill it you eat it' policy here, and I don't think either one of these would very appetizing."

Later she got a further admonishment from Pablo Jr. He too was concerned about maintaining good customer relations, especially with the local Sheriff, as it wouldn't do to have one of his better mechanics in lock-up. They might exploit her and he'd lose his service with them.

She promised to be better in future.

As it became clear that it was a cruel hoax, there was some sympathy for the Fox, but an awkward tension over the 'Hopps Revolt'. While the Hopps clan was well known, it was not universally loved. Much of it was simply a matter of differences, big and small. But there were also those who resented the disproportionate influence a large family had in local society. And a few were rather put off with the 'unnatural' proclivities of some of them.

Unfortunately, even with the clarification of the video as a hoax, once the idea of foxes as hyper-sexed degenerates fixed in the minds of some, no further facts would dislodge the initial impression.

With all that swirling around, Celeste could not help but think about the Hopps. Jeremy was now less a bright pain, reduced to a small bittersweet ache. But without regret. She found she was missing the little ones more and more. She, of course, had no maternal instincts at all, but she so missed, so desired the nuzzle of little bodies around her.

Then there was the intent to contact the Hopps to assert her support to them. It was only a small gesture, but was what she could do. She figured she would let the worst of the likely crisis condition at the Hopps compound subside for a few days before coming over.

As always, she was walking out to the farm. While she had access to vehicles, she still preferred the hike, as it gave her time to think.

A van pulled up beside her.

"Say, Ms. Whitefoot, I'm goin' ta see the Hopps. Use a ride?" It's the baker Fox, Gideon Grey.

Celeste considers a second, perhaps it was already rather late and if she tried to walk it, it would be well into the night before she got there. "Thank you very much, Mr. Grey."

"Heck, call me Gideon. Reckon you're out to the Hopps for the same reason?"

"To offer my support, yes, Mr. Grey."

He smiled; too many youngsters were too quick to get too familiar. This one was all manners. "Yeah. It's an awful shame, that fake video getting everyone all riled up. I know old Stu is fit to be tied over it, and can't imagine what the poor Kettu Girl is going through."

"Yes." And with that she cringed just a tad. She dreaded to discover how much of what kind of impact her letter had on things from last month.

"And, by extension, how it's hit us foxes in general. Too many folks are too quick to assume the worst of us. That's what I'm going to see Stu about. Let him know how a few folk in town are getting ugly about me, and about my association with him."

"That's terrible!" Celeste was shocked. But at the same time, she wasn't going to mention the various incidents at the shop.

Their arrival was welcomed at the Hopps home. Gideon was ushered though to see Stu while Bonny greeted Celeste.

"How are you doing, dear?"

"Well enough. I hope I haven't come at too bad a time?"

Bonny made a face. "It has been 'not good' the last few days. I suppose you've come to check up on us?"

"More to offer what little support I can." She made a sad little smile, "And, I guess, to get a new fix of little ones. I find I miss them, need them, now more than ever." She looked away, "Jeremy is a fond memory, but I can let him go." Then turned back with a brighter smile, "But, I dunno, find I long for the kits. They're so special."

Bonny returned a more knowing smile and clasped her paws, "They will be delighted to learn the Fluffy One is back."

As it was getting towards evening, some of the smallest were already abed, and with the small residual tension in the air, others remained close to their parents or siblings. But a few hearty little beasts had discovered her and couldn't get enough. And an added feature, Celeste was putting in her winter coat and was getting extra fluffy.

She settled into one of the play spaces in the warrens and had the dual comfort of snuggling and a bit of grooming. With the new winter coat coming in, the summer coat was going out, and she now had the help of a half-dozen little sets of paws, either with brushes, or tiny claws, to help rake her out.

As word spread, she got some additional visitors, mostly parents, who were glad to see her back. Though careful not to alarm the little ones around them, they also shared their concerns about the current situation. As the crisis was only a few days old, there wasn't a lot to say really, no one had a real feel for how long or how far the impact was.

A bit later Bonny came back in to check on everyone. She found the little Coyote with a few kits around her, some simply blissed out in her coat, others full on asleep. One little fellow was studiously attempting to rake out her tail, though had to contend with kin cluttering up his work area.

Celeste was stoking a head or two, gently massaging ears as well. She saw Bonny, standing off, surveying the cuddle. "Evening Ma'am."

"Just checking up on you, but had a thought. It's getting late, so instead of you trudging all the way back into town, why not stay over here? We can get you back in plenty early in the morning."

"That would be wonderful."

However, the ride back in the morning was a tad awkward. It was Jenny who offered to do the deed and she wanted to talk, vent more like it. First, it was a verbal avalanche about the video, the school, and the prejudice and stupidity of mammal kind. Then it was gushing praise of foxes and canids and preds in general. Had it been anyone else, Celeste would have suspected some kind of over-compensation.

But, finally, it was about Jeremy, and Celeste had to cut her off. "I'm sorry, but I'd rather not go into anything about him. We had our thing and now its over." She tried to smile, "I know you think less of him for how it played out, but there wasn't a 'good' way out at the end."

She could tell that Jenny was the type that actually believed in fairy tale happy endings, but that simply wasn't the case there. "It was no one's 'fault', unless you think we never should have gotten together in the first place."

Jenny made a sour face. "Oh Glob no, you were the best thing to come into his life in way too long." She reached over to grip the Coyote's arm in reassurance. "I just can't stand to see my Baby Brother do stupid stuff, especially when it involves others. And you're too nice to have the world dump on you so." Jenny let go of her arm a bit self-consciously, a detail Celeste very carefully did not notice.

Back at the Hopps compound, Jenny again thought about her idiot baby brother. How could he ever give up that sweet pup? But a new crisis in the warrens, those little ones who had not gotten their new taste of the Fluffy One had caught scent of her, especially with the shedded coat that hadn't been swept up quickly enough.

Bonny and several of the young mothers then had to contend with several score petulant kits who had been so cruelly neglected. They had not discussed any return engagement for her, but it seemed that something sooner rather than later might be needed to maintain some peace. A few 'phone calls and the situation was saved.

And Zootopia's Finest was on-hand to help.

Nick pulled up to the front of the boarding house where Celeste lived, and there she was sitting on the stoop with a Wolf, a handsome older silver Lady.

"Your carriage awaits," He smiled as he went around and opened the passenger side door.

The little Coyote, still a fraction taller than him, trotted up. Then with a little curtsey, "Thank you, my good Fox."

They both shared a little giggle.

"Sorry I missed you yesterday, but with that labyrinth of a place, someone could go missing for days and no one would notice."

"I'd guess you're here for the investigation?"

"I wish. But I'm dealing with being investigated. While formal charges against me have been dropped, I'm still a person of interest to the investigation."

"That's crazy! Even though the video was faked?"

"Well, being a fox and all..."

Celeste growled.

"No. I'm here to be a helping paw. Poor Riina is really devastated."

Celeste cringed just a bit at that.

"So, how are you nowadays?"

"I'm okay. My job keeps me busy."

Nick smiled rather broadly, "The way things were carrying on, you'd better be careful you don't get roped into a second full time job as the resident fluff." He sort of huffed at that, "I've been reduced to merely 'Unka Nick', instead of OMG, its the fluffiest thing in the world! I mean, I only get a dozen or so of the little monsters latching on to me at a time nowadays."

"Sic transit Gloria mundi, my dear Nicolas." Then, considering a moment, "I would have thought Riina would be top fluff now? Or at least up until now?"

"Well, I think she would rather have only one bunny's attention. That, and how many teenagers would want to have to deal with a mob of kits?"

"Funny, I never would have thought about kits at all until this summer."

Nick gave her a knowing smile. Then made an observation. "Looks like they're going to have a lot extra of you to get into with that coat."

"Yeah, I get really full in winter." She plucked at a bit of shedding summer coat. "I've always had a long coat for a coyote, just awfully thin and scraggly in summer. My Uncle had a really short summer coat, almost looked diseased, but would poof out almost as much as mine in winter."

She looked over at Nick, "I bet your Judy loves your pelt, looks so yummy."

"What's this and the 'yummy'?" Nick half-groused. "Seems like every other female looks at me like some kind of edible arrangement."

Celeste laughed to herself about a rude 'some parts are edible' joke.

Nick got a more serious look, "I hope you're not getting any direct flack from all this?"

"Just a little stink-eye or lewd comment now and again. It's the wolves in the shop that are getting the worst of it. They're mostly young bachelors, so have the double whammy of sexual and literal predators."

Nick groaned. Then lightened up, seeing the Hopps compound in the distance. "Got your loins girded? They know you're coming this time."

Celeste began to smile, then realized what a whole warren full of eager bunnies really meant. "uh, Nick, will you avenge my death?"

"Only if I survive the stampede."