One Dedicated Fox

Nick started to feel a little winded. Not because he had been hiking all morning and not because he had climbed a somewhat steep hill to get to the cable. No, it's because he had practically sprinted down the hill, jumped over a large boulder, and even bounced off the walls of a new ravine he had discovered.

Never had Nick been so driven to something. He was always the type to take things slow, stroll through scenarios, and let mammals come to him. Not today however. Today was very different.

After discovering that the line to the main office had been cut to Judy's tower the fox had reported to his supervisor what had happened. He thought for a second that he was done for the day. That was until Judy had spotted a small smoke trail off to the south. Nick judged that the fire was in his area. He was probably the closest parks mammal to the scene so it was up to him to stop the forest from burning down.

That was not the main reason though he just jumped over a log like he was competing in the Olympics. Oh no, there was a completely different reason for his speed and drive.

It was Judy.

He had to stop this fire for her.

For him.

For them.

In the fox's mind two things would happen if any fire started in his region. One: His tower would burn down and he would probably be fired which meant no more talks with his favorite mystery mammal. Two: They would probably cancel the end of summer cookout that the parks department threw for its employees as a form of celebration for a job well done.

Another image flashed in the fox's mind. They were standing on the edge of a lake. Several other mammals were enjoying themselves drinking and eating as the sun warmed the pebble strewn beach. He was sitting on a log next to a beautiful mammal. Her features were a slight blur to him. One thing did stand out though. Her bright purple eyes which looked right into his.

Though it wasn't happening yet it gave Nick a warm feeling. It was nice to feel this way again. It had felt like ages since there was no pain in his heart. Just pure want and joy.

With the images of the cookout fresh in his mind Nick darted around a tree and came to the end of his path which turned into another.

In front of him stood a weathered sign. It had several destinations listed. Two arrows pointed to the north. One read: Supply Drop Pick Up. Nick made a mental note of this. He had been told that at certain points in the summer he would have to go pick up supplies in order to stay fed in his tower. It's not like he could just pop in at a local general store. The parks department provided him with all the food he would need. They would even take requests for certain products and provide it to the firewatchers as a gift for staying out for so long on their own.

The other arrow caused his heart to skip a beat. It read: Thourfare Region.

That was Judy's region. That was where her tower sat. That is where she sat right now. Nick felt a shiver run up his spine. The thought of looking at a sign like this caused his heart to race, of course that could be because he was a little out of shape and had just ran a marathon through the woods.

Part of him wanted to just take the path that led to the north so badly. So what if there was a canyon that separated them? He could probably navigate it in no time. He would be at her tower before anyone knew.

The thought of knocking on a door that opened up to her tower flashing in his mind. The door slowly slid open and a pair of beautiful purple eyes flashed as they greeted the tired fox.

No…

He couldn't do it.

Not yet at least. He had a forest to save.

Nick sighed as he turned and started heading south towards the smoke trail. His heart ached as he did. Demanding he turn around and go to her. However his brain told him this was the right choice. Save the forest today, meet Judy another day.

"Nick you there?" Came Judy's sweet voice. It had felt like ages since they had spoken even though only a short time had passed.

After spotting the smoke in the distance Judy had advised she needed to report it in. Nick was confused how she would since the phone line was cut. Judy however had been on the job for a while and knew some tricks. She said she would call via her ranger radio and inform the regions ranger to call headquarters.

"I am here," Nick said as he tried to catch his breath.

"You ok? You sound like he just ran a marathon," Judy asked in a concern tone.

"Let's just say fox's aren't meant to run long distances for very long…"Nick groaned as he felt a stitch in his side.

"Why on earth are you running?!"

"Umm….no reason…"

"You really want to stop this fire don't you?" Judy asked with a giggle.

"Well I was told if I save the forest one more time I get a proper coffee machine," Nick piped up.

The radio filled with that intoxicating laughter that Nick craved so much now.

"Great….so I guess I actually have to find a way to get that to you now..." Judy grumbled.

"Yuuuuuup"

"You must really like coffee to be running through the woods at the smallest sign of a smoke trail," Judy teased.

"No, I just really like you," Nick said to himself before keying up the mic on his walkie, "Well maybe some of us are more dedicated to the service than others!"

Judy laughed once more before responding, "Oh sure, that's you, mister dedicated."

"How many fires have you stopped this summer? Because I am about to get my second one," Nick said with a smirk.

"Summer isn't over yet!"

"Wish it was," Nick responded without thinking.

"What?" Judy asked, her tone growing a little concerned. "Don't you enjoy working with such an awesome mammal like me?"

"It's not that!" Nick said quickly, worried he may have hurt Judy's feelings. "I just want the summer to be over so I can brag about beating you at saving the forest!"

"Oh it's on!" Just giggled.

"Bring it!"

"I was gonna say I want the summer to be over for a different reason," Judy teased.

"Oh really, and what reason is that?" Nick asked as he continued down the trail, the smoke visible directly in front of him. Though he could see the smoke he could tell he was still a long ways off.

"Well you see every summer they always throw this cookout for the parks department somewhere here in the forest. Kind of a big thank you to all of us who spent the whole summer in the middle of nowhere watching trees..."

"And falling down My boss is trying to get me killed mountain!" Nick added.

"Keep it up and I'm gonna have that added to all the maps and make it official," Judy teased.

"So can I expect an invite to this cook out?" Nick asked slyly as he continued on his trek towards the smoke trail.

"Not sure, we are a pretty rowdy bunch, think you could fit in?"

"As long as there is a certain dhole- there I am sure I will have a good time," Nick teased.

"Gonna stare at me from across the bar?"

"Isn't this gonna be outdoors?"

"We will build a bar just for you to stare at me then," Judy giggled.

"Don't need a bar to stare at something beautiful," Nick said softly.

There was a sigh over the radio before Judy spoke once more, "I'm so glad you're here..."

Nick felt his heart skip a beat as Judy spoke. It felt fun to flirt again. He had been out of the game for a while now.

Of course he couldn't help but wonder how well it was all working. From the way Trisha made it sound Judy may have already started to develop feelings for him. He had to admit it was kind of fast but who was he to judge? After all the feelings may be mutual.

A thought popped into his mind a he remember the conversation he had overheard a whole back between Trisha and Judy.

Apparently Judy had befriended a timber wolf from another tower a few years prior. When they finally met face to face however the friendship had ended and apparently not in the best of ways.

Nick began to ponder what could have caused such an event to occur. To the best of his knowledge wolves didn't have any real enemies anymore. Sure some species still had trouble getting along. Lions and gazelles. Wolf's and sheep. Fox's and bunnies. However Nick liked to think that species could look past those problems.

He chuckled to himself when he suddenly remember some of the problems he had experienced back in Zootopia. Fox's weren't exactly treated with the most trust and kindness. All this fresh air and talks with Judy had begun to rub off on him. Maybe it was all just wishful thinking in the end.

Still though, why would anyone have a problem with Judy when they met her? She was such a sweet and amazing mammal that Nick felt a sudden anger at the timber wolf he had never met for not seeing that in Judy. He was also a little jealous with the fact that someone who didn't like Judy got to see her and yet here he was head over heels….

Was that right?

Was he falling…had he fallen for...?

"So anyways," Judy's voice brought Nick back into reality and the fox realized he had actually covered a lot of ground in a short time. His body had been on autopilot and his feet had led him right past Jonesy Lake and into a large meadow.

"There will be food, music, and good times! You and me are going!"

"It's a date," Nick teased.

"Best date ever!" Judy giggled.

Both of them suddenly fell silent. They had both kind of lost themselves in the moment and without realizing may have not been joking around.

Nick continued in a pleased silence and just enjoyed the serenity that surrounded him. The forest had such beauty about it he had to remind himself to take a moment to enjoy it. He passed a small waterfall that fed a narrow creek. He made a mental note of the location. He checked his map and realized he wasn't very far from his tower and could feasibly walk to the waterfall for his morning cleaning. Looked like Judy wasn't the only one with a natural shower any…

A pair of beautiful purple eyes looked at him in his mind. They were looking at him from the body of a beautiful canine that gave him a wink as she beckoned him towards the water.

Nick shook his head and snapped himself free of the dream like state.

He had to focus, he could think about her later.

Nick was approaching a clearing which from the looks of the smoke was his target destination. He had a feeling that he was about to run into the mammal responsible for the small campfire.

Nick gritted his teeth at the thought.

Even though it was probably a perfectly innocent group they were still putting the forest at risk

More importantly they were now putting Nick's cookout date with Judy at risk. That was something he could not stand for and he felt an anger fill him.

Nick came into the small clearing just in time to see a large tiger in hiking gear pouring a bucket of water on the campfire which Nick had been tracking all day.

"So you're the one trying to burn down the forest!" Nick said sternly as he approached the tiger who looked up and gave the fox a bemused but confused look.

"Judy I found the dummy starting fires," Nick said confidently into his walkie before lowering the volume so he could have a word with the dumb camper in private.

The tiger chuckled as he set the bucket down and picked up a smooth walking stick. He then put both paws on the top of the stick and rested his chin on his large paws.

"This is no laughing matter bub!" Nick started as he pointed the walkie at the tiger and scowled.

There was a coughing noise to the Fox's right but he ignored it as he prepared to tear into the tiger with the sunset orange eyes.

"You know how dangerous it is to have a campfire? We are in the middle of a dry spell and the forest could go up any second thanks to dummy's like you," Nick said, he wasn't sure where he was going with all this and was actually surprised at his own tone. He kept reminding himself what Judy would say in this situation.

Whatever it took to keep the forest safe, that's what Judy would do. So now that is what Nick would do.

There was another coughing sound, this time a little louder to Nick's side by one of the small tents in the campsite.

Nick looked over at the source of the coughing for a moment. To his right by one of the small tents stood Trisha who had a rather amused look on her face. Next to her stood a family of rather mortified looking bunnies. A buck stood next to Trisha with his hat in his paws. A look of pure embarrassment on the males face.

"As I was saying sir," Trisha said as she turned back to the buck, "what the superintendent and now one of our firewatchers was getting at was the importance of fire safety..."

Nick froze at Trisha's words and his eyes went wide. He was normally smarter than this. He looked around and noticed that all the tents on the site were small and meant for prey sized mammals. The tiger wouldn't have been able to fit his head in one, let alone sleep in one.

The coolers around the campsite were also small, along with a lot of the supplies.

"How did you miss all this?!" He thought.

It had been Judy. Not that it was her fault. No, Nick had gotten himself into this mess. It was the thought of Judy that had clouded his mind for a moment. He had seen the tiger first and just charged in. He would have normally just stood by and waited. This time though he had been so focused on impressing his boss that he went off and yelled at the park's main leader.

The fox's mind went into overdrive. He had just yelled at the parks superintendent! He would be lucky if he didn't get booted out of the parks for life, let alone keep his job. He had to be smooth, collective, slick.

As Trisha began to explain some of the park policies Nick eyed the tiger who was still looking right at him.

"So you're the two forks firewatcher?" the tiger asked as he continued to lean on his walking stick. Nick began to size up the mammal in front of him.

The tiger was wearing dark green hiking pants and a brown button up shirt that looked worn and weathered. This was a mammal who spent a lot of time outdoors.

"Yes sir," Nick began.

"Flow," The tiger said simply as he shuddered at Nick calling him sir.

"Sorry?" Nick asked hesitantly.

"Hate being called sir, call me Flow, I am your park superintendent," the tiger said as he grasped the walking stick in one paw and extended the other towards Nick.

"Nick Wilde," Nick said slowly as he tried to keep his face neutral. Try as he might Nick had a feeling the tiger in front of him was reading him, it made him a little nervous.

"Nice to meet ya Nick," Flow said in a friendly manner, "so tell me, Judy send ya all the way out here?"

Nick nodded and gave the tiger a smirk.

"Sounds about right, I told her she can depend on the parks rangers but that girl has drive, of course most of her kind do," Flow began to say. His words however were cut off when a pencil flew through the air and smacked him on the side of the head.

Both the predators looked over at Trisha he scowled at the tiger who looked like he was about to take a step back.

"Shush, Judy is playing a game," Trisha said before returning to the buck and his nervous looking family.

Flow chuckled and shook his head before looking back at Nick, "mystery mammal?"

Nick let out a sigh and nodded.

"I remember when I did a summer as a firewatcher, it is an old tradition between you lot! However no one ever seems to want to play it anymore. You and Judy must have a lot of fun."

"Well Judy does, she knows what I am!" Nick explained as he shook his head. He couldn't explain it but something about this tiger had him at ease. Even though this was the big boss Nick felt like he was talking to a regular rank and file type.

"Any luck on guessing her species yet?" Flow asked with a chuckle.

"Not exactly, but if a certain someone was willing to give me a- ow!" Nick yelped as a pinecone hit him square in the stomach.

Nick looked over at Trisha who gave him a look like she was just begging him to try something. Both predators took a step away from the doe. While the father of the family looked nervously at Trisha and then flow, the kits of the campsite all giggled at the ranger's antics.

"Yeah, you're on your own there Nick," Flow said as he raised a paw in surrender.

"Guess we know who is charge around here," Nick teased.

"Oh it's Trisha, very much Trisha," Flow said without missing a beat.

"Trisha come in! You there?!" Came a frantic voice from the ranger's radio.

Trisha looked at the family of rabbits and smiled, excusing herself as she picked the radio off her belt and keyed up.

"Go for Trisha, you okay Judy?"

"Trisha I am trying to raise Nick!" Judy came back over the radio, her voice sounding panicked. "He was making contact with some campers to the South of his tower by the meadowlands. I have tried raising him but no luck. Please tell me you are close!"

The way her words came out made Nick feel terrible but also a little pleased. She was actually concerned with his wellbeing, to the point she was panicking over his safety.

Nick was about to key up his walkie when he felt a large paw scoop the device up. Nick looked over and saw a wicked smile across Flow's face as he winked at the fox.

"We have your fox," He said playfully into the walkie talkies, "if you want us to release him send us a million dollars or else he is sleeping at the bottom of Jonesy Lake!"

There was a pause over the radio before Judy responded, "I have $3.50…willing to give you three bucks for him."

Nick looked a little insulted. He felt he was worth at least $5. Maybe $4.75 because he was damaged goods.

"Awww come on. What kind of ransom is that?!" Flow laughed.

"Talk to my boss, keep telling him I need a raise!"

"Sounds like a real ass!" Flow chuckled.

"You have no idea…" Judy took in a deep breath, "I wasn't aware you were in the region superintendent, I would have sent out a proper welcome party."

"First off: you know I hate it when you call me that! It's Flow!" The tiger said as he rolled his eyes. "Second we found your welcome party. Your one fox welcome party."

"Speaking of which, mind putting my firewatcher on. I need to talk to him about checking in on the radio when meeting strange mammals."

"We are pretty strange, one second Judy," the tiger then handed the radio over to Nick who took it hesitantly. "Good luck there Nick."

The fox took in a deep breath before keying up the radio. "So I found the fire..."

"Nicholas Wilde!" Judy began to berate the fox over the radio.

"Oh full name, you're in big trouble," Flow said jokingly. Trisha who had finished up with the campers, who were now speaking amongst themselves, strolled over and stood with a paw on her hip. The brown doe grinned evilly as she watched the fox get torn a new one over the radio.

"You have any idea how many times I tried to raise you?! You didn't respond! I was so worried. I thought something had happened! You are not allowed to go out on your own anymore!" her voice got louder and louder the more she carried on.

Nick was worried the walkie may explode from the way his boss was shouting. He held it away from his head and looked desperately over at his fellow parks employees.

Trisha was giggling and shook her head, offering no help. When Nick looked up at Flow he just smirked, "glad she isn't my supervisor!"

Nicks eyelids drooped at the comment and he shook his head.

"I am not gonna have someone I care about get taken from me out here! You got it?" Judy finished frantically. He heard the sweet voice pause and take a breath.

Even though he had just been torn apart by his supervisor the last part of the transmission caused his heart to swell.

"What was that last part?" Nick asked slyly as he smirked over at the other mammals who had been listening in.

Trisha had a worried look on her pretty face while Flow grinned. "Anyhoo, think we have done our job here Trisha." The tiger said as he put a paw on the bunny's shoulder and began to guide her out of the campsite.

"What was what part?" Judy asked nervously over the radio.

"Someone you care about," Nick said with a smug tone as he began to excuse himself from the campsite as well.

Nick waited to hear her excuse or some kind of rambling. He didn't expect her to just come out and say it though, which she did.

"Yes, that would be you goofball," Judy said firmly.

Nick was a little taken aback by how she said it. Like it was some kind of common fact.

"I…ummm…" Nick was actually at a loss for words.

"This is the part where you say you care about me too," Judy instructed.

Nick had been walking on the trail just behind Flow and Trisha. They must have heard the last part as both mammals stopped and turned to the fox. Both of them with smug looks on their faces.

Nick felt a little embarrassed about the whole situation but he just couldn't leave the conversation hanging.

"I care about you too," he said softly. Trisha smirked and let out a sigh.

Flow however stomped over and scooped up the radio from Nick and keyed up, "I care about both of you too!" the transmission alone was bad enough but the tiger threw in some smooching noises to top it off.

Nick was speechless as he watched the tiger that was in charge of everything in the forest act like a big goofy child.

Flows playful noises were interrupted though by Judy's voice coming over Trisha's radio.

"Trisha?"

"Go ahead Judy."

"Pinecone!"

Trisha grinned as she looked over at the large tiger who suddenly froze in fear.

"PINECONE!" Trisha shouted as she expertly kicked a pinecone from the ground and into the air. She grabbed it mid drop and then tossed it right at the tiger who dove for cover.

Nick took a moment to grab the radio from the tiger before strolling away. "Nice meeting you flow." The fox said as he waved a paw to the tiger currently ducked behind a fallen tree.

"Likewise Nick, take it easy!"

"Pinecone!" Trisha shouted as she lobbed another small projectile at the cowering tiger who yelped as his paw took a hit.

"Medic!" the tiger roared with laughter.

"So now that I helped stop two forest fires how about we talk about that coffee machine," Nick transmitted as he continued down the path towards his tower.

"Or we can talk about how the superintendent was probably already there and handled it," Judy giggled.

"Awww, come on," Nick groaned. Judy was sharp. She must have put two and two together. "Can I at least get a consolation prize?"

"Gray," Judy said sweetly.

"What?"

"My fur, it's gray."

"Best prize ever," Nick muttered to himself as a gray furred amethyst eyed beauty filled his thoughts.

For Floreloyx. Hope you enjoyed the new character. Think I am gonna keep him around a while which means you gotta stay around a while too!

Get well soon!

-Blue