Zootopia Elementary School was the most famous school in all of Zootopia. It could be because it is located in Downtown so it is equally close to every citizen, or because it's in the same square as the Zootopia Plaza, so students have always a place to slack between classes.

Speaking of classes it is 7:57, so the first class is due in 3 minutes. Most of the students are already in the classroom chatting and bantering or writing their homework that they definitely did forget doing at home and was not watching TV or playing football. Class 3B is no exception of this, except it misses 1 particular timber wolf who was currently sprinting through the corridors to get there before the lesson starts. This student is 9-year-old Aaron Wolford, who finally reached his closet, which seem to be jammed.

''Come oooon, open already!" he pleaded his closet when it did not answer his pryings. That's when he saw that it has been broken up just so somebody could glue the door back if the pink chewgums around the door and the broken hinges are any indicator to go by. He was not even surprised. His classmates tend to do these pranks on him. He was always bullied by others by his unusually low height for a wolf. The worst part was, that it was mainly wolves.

There are 3 levels in wolf society: The Alphas, they are the head of the family and the pack, usually the oldest she-wolf. Female wolves always enjoyed a kind of superiority, since while the males were out hunting, the females cared for the family, and family is the most important in every wolves life, so she-wolves were always looked up with respect, thus making them the heads of the clan/family. A level below comes the Gammas, they are the biggest part. Male or female, pup or adult , everyone that is able to hunt, are considered as Gammas. Nowadays Gammas consists of 85% of the whole wolf population.

The last part is the Omegas. In wolf culture the ones that are not capable of hunting (although they are evolved, traditions stayed the same), so the weak, the sick, the injured and the old are considered to be Omegas. They are always used as a bait, gets the food last and is not treated equally as others. Nowadays these traditions started to fade, but unluckily for Aaron, a lot of families still treat other wolves accordingly to the traditions. Aaron was always mocked because of his height, and every wolf that he meets looks down at him with a gaze that doesn't suggest any respect or fondness because they see him as an Omega. He got used to it, all of his friends are from other species because of that, but he doesn't mind, they are nice to him, so he will keep them over any dumb wolf.

Back in the present, Aaron tried to remove the gums when a paw grabbed him and pined him to a nearby wall. It is, of course, the school bully, Jessica Clawson, the Arctic wolf. She always goes around bullying others, but she has a particular taste for messing around with Aaron, since the traditions, and him being Omega.

''Look guys, I think I caught a Gnome, do you think if i bring him to City hall, they will reward me?" shouted Jessica. A series of laughter came from behind. It was ''Jessica's SWAT" as the others labeled the group that always hangs out with her, pranking others and what not. It consists of 2 wolves (not surprisingly she-wolves) a weasel and an otter.

''So what's up Omega, didn't you like your new decoration for the cabinet? We worked so hard on it." mocked Jessica with a sarcastic tone.

''Take me down, I have to get to class!" commanded Aaron. His back started to hurt from being pined to the wall and he wasn't really in the mood for getting shouted at by the teacher for being late.

''Oh, come on Omega, you aren't happy seeing your friends?" retorted sarcastically Jessica.

''You are not my friends!" shouted Aaron.

''Why Omega, that really hurt me. Hey guys! Don't you think he needs a lesson to respect his friends?" looked back Jessica. Her group shouted 'Yes!' in unison.

At that, Jessica brought Aaron to the fire alarm at the end of the corridor. Then she took out some glue, poured it on both the fire alarm and Aaron's right paw. Then she pushed the fire alarm, which started going off as a loud siren. Next, she put his hand to the alarm button. Aaron tried to get it off, but there was no chance, the glue already worked and now he is stuck to the fire alarm. Upon seeing his miserable trials, she squatted down to meet Aaron's panicked gaze.

''Now Omega, you listen to me. If you dare to snitch on us, we WILL tell everyone what your father did, and where he is now, and we wouldn't want that, now would we? So be a good boy and Pfft, I don't know, get to know this nice fire alarm better, not like you will ever get any she-wolves." threatened Jessica. That got another set of laughter from her group. She wiggled her brows at the end of the sentence, knowing that Aaron doesn't know about sex and other intimate stuff since he is only 9 years old. But it gave her great pressure to know, that he will totally misunderstand what she meant. She turned and left Aaron there.

''Come on guys, get out of here before the Principal catches us" and with that they were gone.


''I was caught there. They asked me what happened, but i couldn't tell them, so they assumed that it was me who falsely activated the fire alarm. They brought my parents in, and told them what i did. Thankfully, my parents knew about me getting bullied then being blackmailed with my fathers doing, so they did not scold me. I got suspended for a week after that, but my mom decided it was time to be home-schooled. It was the end of the bullying, but after that i got really lonely. Since then, I couldn't stand others being bullied for what they are. That was probably the reason why my temper arose back in the ZPD." told Aaron. Then silence.

Only after 1 or 2 minutes he dared to look up at the fox and the bunny sitting at the other side of the table. What he found was not what he expected: There was Judy, mouth agape, wide eyes, with tears flowing down her face looking at him. Aaron tried to solve what she was thinking of, but in her eyes he only saw sorrow, desbelief and disappointment. He knew that she was not the most emotionally restrained bunny in the world, but the fact that she hasn't moved for who knows how long started to worry him.

Doesn't mammals usually sob and weep when crying? Like, is it a Bunny thing? Should I poke her just to make sure, or...?

What really surprised him was Nick's reaction, which was closer to savage than normal: Ears upwards, tail on alert, his muzzle was deformed to a huge snarl, his claws were digging into the wooden table andhe sat in his chair like he was ready to pounce at the closest mammal. All the wolf saw was pure anger and utter hatred on his face. Aaron was a bit taken aback.

Okay, wow, that's a bit too much. Some of the anger is reasonable, I suppose. Well, not exactly the most Justice themed story, but I would expect Judy to react like this not him...

He noticed that something strange was happening to his own body. He tried to salvage this new feeling in his mind.

I feel... safe? Because he is upset and seems like he wants to defend me? or what?

While he was asking these questions he did not notice that he got misty-eyed, a tear started to flow down his face and his paws started to shake a bit. Now that got Nick out of the thoughts of how many ways could he murder that she-wolf and get away with it, and rushed to his side. He would question himself later, but now he was on autopilot, and he had a mission. When he came next to the slightly sobbing Aaron, he tightly hugged the wolf. He whispered soothing words to him.

None of them realised that their tails were slowly sneaking around the other.

Judy shook herself out from her frozen state. This was probably the most depressing and unjust story she has ever heard and probably will hear. She decided when she got back at the station she will look up that Jessica Clawson, she will find her and give a piece of her mind to the wolf and you bet Judy will record everything and send it to Aaron. That's when she realised that Aaron was kind of breaking down in front of her and Nick was already calming him down. She looked at her friends, who were publicly hugging each other, and doesn't seem to care about it whatsoever.

Okay, i might sound hypocritical, but they are cute together.

That's when she saw their tails tightly hugging the other.

Wait, what did Nick say about Canine tails? Very sensitive to touch, not to be mocked, and most of the time they move subconsciously, mirroring one's emotions.

Judy started thinking hard. She had this feeling that she knew what this all meant, and it might be bigger than she thought.

Think bunny, think... He also mentioned that only their mates have full permission to do as they might. But Aaron and Nick are not mates, they just met for Carrot's sake! The action can't be because they are mates, unless...

Her eyes widened.

Unless... they don't know about it. Their tails mirror their sublimal mind, and if their tails did this than both their subconscious...

At the picture of Aaron and Nick being a ''thing", Judy became dreamy-eyed. She honestly thought they would be cute together, but she never fought Nick was leaning towards the other way. She will keep an eye for other tells, but for now, it's not the time to daydream, she actually had couple of questions. But first she would wait for Aaron to calm down.

It took 10 minutes for the wolf to be at least considerably calm. Upon hearing that the wolf was okay, and won't break down anytime soon, Nick sat back at his place with thoughts that confused him more than Francine doing backflips. Who knew elephants could be so flexible? But it's not the time to think of backflipping elephants, he has some questions to for the wolf.

''Soooo.." said the the bunny and the fox in unison. That got a round of giggles and chuckles from the three. Aaron was relieved the tension was gone. He actually felt a bit light-headed from telling one of his biggest secrets to someone other than the chief, and that Nick came to her rescue before the wolf broke down again. It actually felt really... nice hugging the fox and knowing that he cares about him so much that Nick would lose his mask of indifference and slyness just so Aaron would be okay. That actually made him question some things about Nick and himself, but the bunny and the fox seemed to be eager to know some things about the wolf. That thought got another smile on his muzzle. It was Judy who finally broke the comfortable silence.

''You mentioned you got blackmailed, and they blackmailed you with what your father done and where he was now. If you don't mind me-, i mean, us asking, what did your father do?" asked Judy. Upon hearing her question Aaron lost his smile and went to a deep frown. He was considering backing off, but he still owed the whole truth to the duo, and it is his mountain to die on to tell them what happened.

''Well... I was still at the age of 9, when i was only bullied, but could tell the principal and other teachers without fearing that there will be a scandal in school. I actually wanted to be a Junior Ranger Scout. I got my uniform and everything. When I went to my first time, i came with my dad. He was afraid that I would be bullied on the way, so he insisted on coming with me, and i wasn't protesting, i actually really loved my dad. When we arrived, we parted. He was waiting in the car, while i was in the building. But when i was giving my oath, they told me they would never believe a savage wolf, and they *sigh* muzzled me. After that, i ran out crying. I still hear their mockings in my head to this day. My dad saw my miserable state and was next to me in a flash. I told him what happened. He was furious, he went into the building. After that i only heard shouts and cries of agony. I was too scared to go back to the building. After a good 5 minutes, came silence. Then my dad came back with blood all over him. I've never seen my dad in such a state. He then drove me back dodging all my questions about his new appearance and about what happened. When we arrived, he told me to go to my mom and that he will take care of everything. After that i have never seen him again. Word got out that he was actually imprisoned. Somehow Jessica got wind of it and started to blackmail me." told Aaron.

He looked at the table in shame and sorrow. He didn't know what would their reactions be, but he gave them what they wanted and now it's on them what happens next.

Nick was totally conflicted. Aaron got the same treatment as him from the same four prey that he got muzzled from too. He felt really bad for the wolf. No one should experience this kind of betrayal, but it gave new light to the whole situation. They didn't muzzle him for being a fox, they muzzled Nick for being a predator. Not like it helped anything, but still.

Then suddenly he remembered something.


Young Nick was crying next to the staircase leading to the house, where his dreams was shattered. He couldn't believe it. They didn't even try to get to know him better. They only saw that he was a fox. Something he could never change no matter how much he wanted. There was nowhere he could go. If his mom knew about it, she would make a scene or worse. What should a 9-year-old, depressed fox do in the middle of the night in the middle of the street?

''Have you seen his face? Totally hilarious! He thought he has a place among us? a Predator! Hahahaha!" heard Nick while they came out of the house. He was taught not to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help himself.

''Yeah, he totally believed he could befriend us and then when we don't suspect it, he would eat us! But we are cleverer than him and saw through his plan, right boss?" came a another voice.

Before he could think about that statement he heard the voice of the „boss".

'' Yeah, filthy predators. Come on guys, let's persuade a dumb wolf that he can join us, then teach him a life lesson about who he really is." Said the boss.


Wait a second? Persuade a wolf? Does that mean…..?

''Hey Wolfie" spoke up Nick suddenly.

''Yes, Bushy tail?" asked Aaron, a bit relieved that he got some kind of reaction.

''When exactly was that? I mean, tell me the day, please?" asked Nick subtly. Aaron eyed him curiously.

''Errrrm, okay. I think it was…1993, and i think it was around June the 28th. Why do you ask?" replied Aaron thoughtfully. Nick's eyes got a bit wider.

3 days after my muzzling. That means he was the wolf they were talking about.

''Didn't you hear them talking about their other 'works'?" Nick dodged Aaron's question with air-quotes around the word „works". Aaron looked at him with growing curiosity.

''Now that you mention it….they did tell me about, and I quote 'muzzling other filthy predators' and I also remember, when i was running from the house, I heard one of them compare my muzzling to a fox's. Why is it important?" Asked Aaron. He did not like talking about his past, and this friendly confessing started to look like an interrogation.

''Oh my god.." gasped Judy when she connected the dots.

''What?" asked Aaron with growing frustration.

Upon not hearing Nick answer, Judy decided that he will save Nick from the confession. She knew Nick wasn't the best in pouring his heart to people, especially if it meant to tell them his past.

''Well, do you have any idea who this fox might be?" asked Judy. She tried to make Aaron realize it himself, because even she did not what his reaction would be after hearing that Nick had been in the same boat, and she didn't want to be the one to say it.

''No, should I have?" asked Aaron, but instead of frustration, he started to have aweird feeling about this whole deal. He had never thought about who could that other fox be that went through the same process as he did, but the duo before him seemed to be more informed.

''Well, now you see, that fox that they compared to you was….eh it was…" started Judy nervously, but was cut off by Nick.

''It was me." cut in Nick with a blunt tone, not removing his gaze from the table. The Aaron looked at him with wide eyes.

''Huh?" breathed out Aaron.

''The fox they talked about. It was me. 3 days before you, I was muzzled in the same way in the same house. I thought it was because i was a fox, but turns out, they hated predators altogether. After that, I lost all hope in Zootopia. I continuously lied to my mother about going to some courses to learn the basics of scouting, but i was always wondering around the city, pickpocketing and stealing." confessed Nick, feeling like an open box now.

He wasn't sure that revealing more of his past was the right reaction, but he it was decided that it indeed was worth at some level, when the fox was slammed into his chair by a large black and grey lupine. Hugging the wolf felt not as uncomfortable as he thought it would be, it was actually what he needed, since it did wonders in soothing the now borderline sobbing fox. He started to get used to this all affectionate thing, especially if the mammal was Aaron.

Judy was shocked by the confessions. She could not belive that once in Zootopia, tensions between predator and prey were that high. She totally ignored the fact that next to her Nick was almost crying (which he would be dead before caught doing so), she was sorting her tasks in her head. „Befriending Aaron" and „looking up this Jessica Clawson" was now officially accompanied by „Asking the chief about Aaron's dad." But now she has 2 Canines, who just went through an emotional roller coaster, and it is her responsibility to make them be what those memories were originally supposed to be: long forgotten memories.

''Hey guys, how about we continue this tomorrow when we aren't emotional wrecks, and watch a movie at my place?" asked Judy. That made the two canines realize just how suggestive they were being in a diner, so they quickly parted with a visible brush, even for Nick (sometimes having your fur a shade of orange is bliss and a curse).

''Yeah, heh-he, that sounds fun." mumbled the two canines together. Neither could decide what was going on inside them, so the movie night seemed like a perfect excuse from more embarrassment. So the unusual group of wolf/fox/bunny in ZPD uniforms quickly paid for their pizza and left.