A.N.

Well, the space in the middle of this chapter was a few days longer than I anticipated. It's not my fault! I had to deal with a chatty vixen. Thanks to HawkTooth and guests for their reviews; I always appreciate them!

I haven't done a Disney disclaimer in awhile; so thanks to them for the wonderful characters and world of Zootopia we love, and for tolerating stories like this one based on their original copyrighted work. Is that enough? C'mon guys... you're making sequels for other movies!

TB

Chapter Eight:

Interludes and Revelations

Part Two

That stuck-up eland has a split seam on his ass, should we tell him? Judy smiled as she read Skye's refined cursive script. She had no sympathy for the large antelope; he'd seated them with discernible condescension in his voice. She carefully wrote her reply in the vixen's notepad and slid it back.

No one else has, be fun to see him find out himself. Think he'll notice b4 we go?

"You're such an outstanding public servant Judy," said Skye before she delicately mopped up some remaining sauce with her last piece of bread.

Judy had to admit the agent's idea had been a good one. Every time she and Nick were in a public place, but out of uniform, they always collected a few offended or rude looks from others. But two females with a notebook and pen to provide a business-like air were accepted—even if they were a fox and rabbit.

It was an unfortunate fact-of-life that their two species had to resort to misdirection and camouflage to justify their public association with each other. Such was the power of the divide between ex predators and their ancient prey even today.

That prejudice had been a subtle undercurrent of Judy's life back in Bunnyburrow; certain species always found it was made uncomfortable for them if they lived too close to town. However, even they didn't have it as bad as that one most distrusted species in rural areas—strangers.

Later, her humiliation at Nick's paws on her first day of work in Zootopia had been merely a foretaste of the disillusionment to come. More species in the big city just meant more opportunities for intolerance, although the greater chance of embarrassing public exposure tended to make it less overt.

The check arrived on its little tray; placed exactly between them. Skye waved Judy's paw away with an almost Nickish smirk.

"Government expense account Hopps, so you've already paid for it!" The debit card Skye produced was plain enough to confirm that.

So had some other mammals, Judy knew; this was the first menu she'd seen that just rounded the price to the nearest even dollar. Her admittedly excellent artisan salad had been a 26. Embarrassingly, this restaurant had also pointed out how she still relied on others to find good places. Skye had suggested a nice dinner, then had to look this place up on her tablet when confronted by Judy's equal unfamiliarity with available Zootopian cuisine.

As they went out past the greeter's podium by the doors, Skye commented clearly on the refreshing breeze they would have on the way back. The concierge remained clueless and the only things that actually stirred were a few quizzical heads turned in their direction. Judy spotted one that wore a slight smile out of the corner of her eye—they'd passed the baton.

The restaurant was near one end of a two-block long, upscale pedestrian shopping and entertainment arcade. Judy may have seen it during her city orientation, but not remembered that it was barely three miles further along the boulevard that passed a block from her apartment. There were large areas of Zootopia outside of her normal patrol area still mostly unexplored after over a year on the job. Would she ever throw off her country bunny outlook and fully adapt to the intensity of life here? After this last week, she seriously wondered if she ever could.

Skye, at least, was going out of her way to not add to the pressure. Two hours ago, she'd still been Agent Winter. Now she was openly friendly and relaxed, and although Judy knew that the ZBI fox would eventually return to her agenda, she would enjoy every minute of the peace before they did.

The crowds thinned quickly after they'd walked past the parking structure and subway station entrance at the corner. They'd taken it here, two stops from Savanna Central, but the now pleasantly cool evening invited a leisurely stroll back. For several minutes they did just that, until the sun had settled and distorted into a molten blob just above the horizon behind them to their right. Long diagonal shadows Zebra striped the avenue in front of them.

"Hopps? I think we're being tracked."

"That weird looking deer a block back on the other side of the street? I wondered about him too. Trying too hard not to be noticed."

"He's hung back, but definitely following us." Skye pulled out her iPhone and angled it without turning her head. "Sun's not helping." She checked again when a building shaded it. "There he goes. Crossing over to our side. Why don't you take that next street and we'll see which one of us he's interested in. Probably me; no offence Judy but I look a bit more prosperous."

She gave Skye a little smile of acquiescence. She didn't have anything very formal outside of her dress uniform—her present skirt and top evoked wholesome rather than sophisticated. She casually waved to the fox and walked up the residential side street—using the agent's cellphone trick to watch behind her.

Judy lagged to not put too much distance between them, but picked up the pace a bit when the deer appeared. He did look up the street at her, then continued after Skye. As soon as he was out of sight, she spun about and dashed back down towards the main street. She slowed near the corner, and gave Clawhauser a call, but another voice answered.

Right, it's after seven. "Maitland? Officer Judy Hopps. I'm on foot, thirty-two hundred-block West Walnut, need back-up for a possible two-eleven. Suspect is a medium-sized deer in a charcoal blazer with lighter pockets. Following a female fox, dark dress, she's also L.E."

"Got it, wait a sec... Unit in area, ETA two minutes."

Judy peeked around the corner of the building to find the deer closing on Skye halfway down the block. Something glinted in his hoof. Further along, a shorter, thickset mammal in a hoodie sat on a bench looking across the street. Traffic was moderate and no one else was close. The deer wasn't looking around, so Judy leaped onto the sidewalk and ran in pursuit while pulling out the only piece of police gear she'd carried that evening—her badge.

The mammal on the bench got up as Skye approached and stepped towards her. Judy swerved to keep the deer and fox between her and the likely accomplice. They were all going to converge on Skye at nearly the same time—the vixen held her arm out slightly and let her handbag sway enticingly.

Judy got the couple of seconds of cover she needed. The deer slowed, unnerved by Skye's negligent behavior, and the accomplice shouted a muffled warning.

"ZPD! Freeze!" Judy made ready to jump as the deer turned towards her—he wore a bandanna over his muzzle and stepped towards her to throw off her timing. He ripped the cloth off his face to expose a scarily impressive pair of curved fangs and made a high pitched strangled bray. His hoof with the object came up...

"ZBI! Drop it!" His head turned again to the perfectly timed distraction—Judy aborted her leap and slid along the ground—she rolled her hip into one of his high ankle joints and folded it back. He started to collapse, then was propelled over her; borne to the ground by a tightly cinched vixen backpack.

Siren and engine noise—gasp of expelled air from the deer as he hit, then hunched to try to throw Skye off—Judy pushed herself to her feet as heavier footfalls thudded over.

"That's quite enough!" A huge white paw pinned the deer down while another offered Skye an assist up. "Ma'am. Oh, would you mind Hopps? This one looks kinda fragile," said the glacial mass of Officer Snarlov. Judy retrieved the polar bear's smaller set of pawcuffs from his belt and restrained the quivering deer's narrow arms.

Skye pointed out the accomplice, who was edging away in a shocked bystander act—a look and beckoning finger from Officer Jackson commanded the beaver's compliance and he soon had his own set of cuffs. The tiger officer picked up the far smaller mammal and set him on the sidewalk next to the deer. "You have the right to remain..."

"I think this is just a multi-tool," Snarlov said, holding the deer's slip-on prosthetic device over one finger. "Could be used as a strap cutter. There was an assault and snatch around noon not too far from here. Only a vague description from the victim, but he fits it."

"I didn't do anything! These two jumped me as soon as I tried to walk past them!"

"Remember what the big kitty said. So far, I think we've got stalking, brandishing, we might get assault with a deadly weapon to stick, since your nose daggers don't appear to have been blunted—plus this thing." Snarlov twirled his finger. "That's just this incident."

"You can't prove intent and that's not a weapon! Piece of crap doesn't even work right. We didn't assault anybody, they overreacted," the deer said more confidently.

"Thank you for confirming that you work together," Judy said. The beaver sighed, while the deer flinched at his slip-up.

"I wouldn't worry about what the ZPD wants to do," Skye told the glowering deer. "You resisted my lawful arrest based upon suspicious behavior"—she flipped open her badge holder—"which makes this an assault on a Federal Agent."

"You jumped me! I didn't even... Oh crap." The realization that his statements were meaningless and they could charge him as they wished hit the deer and transformed him into the frightened youth he was. He was hoisted to his feet and urged towards the car.

Judy followed them with a paw on the beaver's arm—his eyes widened when he saw her badge held in the other. "She said ZPD! Max, you got taken out by the bunny cop!" The beaver quailed at the glare he got, as anger and humiliation sublimated off the deer.

"Hey Russ," Snarlov said while his tiger partner placed the suspects in the back of their cruiser, "that dude's fangs are longer than yours!"

"Skinny, brittle things," Jackson replied, and briefly exposed his more substantial pairs. He got in the back as well to allow Judy and Skye his seat for the ride to the precinct.

"I'll admit I got a scare when I saw those, what is he?" Judy asked Snarlov as they pulled away.

"Musk deer, Hopps," he said. "They're startling the first time you see one, they're rare in Zootopia, come from Asia. Most folks know about them from a slasher movie that featured one a few years ago. And if you're wondering, I think it's just the males."

Less than half an hour sufficed for booking, helping to write the report, and retrieving a clean shirt from her locker. She couldn't do anything about the smear on her skirt; the sidewalk had been rough enough to likely damage the fabric. Skye, somehow, had managed to tackle the suspect without mussing anything. They exchanged waves with Maitland before the two victorious females exited into the night.

"I hope for the sake of your skills Judy, that there are some competent criminals in this city," Skye said in an amused tone. They'd thankfully retained their post dinner good mood.

"I'm learning to appreciate the easy ones. Likely a couple of dropout amateurs," Judy confirmed. "Right out in the open being obvious instead of in a crowd getting lost in the confusion. Probably not good enough for a regular gang so they formed their own. They don't pick this life because they're smart, but they can still hurt people. Thanks for the great distraction Skye!"

"You too, he was done before we touched him. That idiot beaver just stood and watched."

"Yep, great choice of henchmammal, short and slow. Just wish I could do more than arrest them," she sighed. The thrill of the chase had slowly waned for Judy on the realization that it merely held a few of society's problems at bay, it didn't fix them. Even so, she could live with that due to the one spectacular success she'd salvaged from the despondent wreck of her first day on the job. Repairs to her fox had rebuilt a perfect partner—of whatever definition of the word she wanted. Except that if she chose poorly, it could be devastating for both of them.

Skye illustrated that as she walked faster to join the crowd of commuters boarding the tram. For the one stop trip to the station across from Skye's hotel, they would be lone travelers. Judy was last on, and first off, having sheltered from the crush under the large mammal pawrail near the doors. She loitered a bit to let Skye get to her room first.

Tonight had been tantalizingly close to her frustrated desire for an uncomplicated, elegant evening out with Nick. It's ok mom—Judy imagined how that unwelcome explanation might go—we're not going steady yet; I go out with other foxes too! The Hopps matriarch would collapse on the spot; dad's reaction would leave a crater. For once, she was glad for the two hundred miles of social insulation between Zootopia and her overprotective parents.

She padded silently across the wide lobby; her identity had been hung away with her uniform; here she was just a frumpy gray rabbit to be ignored by the dapper twin antelopes that presided over reception. The anonymous lapine still took an avoidance path to the elevators that wouldn't reveal her smudged skirt to them.

Room 420's door was ajar with a Do-Not-Disturb tag on the handle. Judy entered and closed it behind her to find Skye at the far window of a space almost three times the size of her apartment. Most of the sumptuous furniture indicated that it was for mid-size mammals, but the bed was large enough to make even Bogo comfortable.

Skye's wave said 'look around'—probably triggered by the expression on her face. She just managed to stop herself from reaching to pull her ears down. Good job rabbit, you certainly rose to that country bumpkin stereotype. Judy sighed and looked around anyway, she was curious.

The bathroom was a revelation. The facilities came in two sizes, the smaller nearly perfect for her. The shower was cavernous, both the showerhead and paw spray wand had several massage settings. The communal one at the end of the hall in her building went from ten percent to seventy percent clogged, depending on when somebody had last tried to clean it. Close by, a step-in fur dryer had its own plethora of adjustments. A case on the countertop held a comprehensive grooming kit that even included small sets of fur tints for each of several base colors.

"Go ahead and clean up first Judy," Skye's voice came. "I can wait a few." The bemused bunny winced and closed the door; she must have just stood there for a couple of minutes.

They finally relaxed in overstuffed chairs that Judy had to admit grew on you as you sank deeper into them. They each held a drink from the healthier end of the spectrum provided in the mini-fridge. She'd also managed to transfer most of the dirt ground into her skirt onto one of the bathroom's pristine towels. She felt some guilt for that, but the various tissues provided had been too flimsy for the job.

"I wonder how much of my paycheck I'd have left after a weekend here," Judy mused.

"Maybe enough for tips, I expect. First time in a high class hotel?"

"Maybe my sixth time in any place that wasn't home, a friend's house, the academy, or the Grand Pangolin Crackerboxes down the street. The rest were where we stayed on family outings and they had names like 'BunnyBunks.' Or maybe it was 'Budget Bunny Bunks.' That was awhile ago."

"Sounds utterly charming...oh..." Skye's sarcasm was quickly followed by a pained look. "I must apologize Judy, sometimes I need to remind myself that mine wasn't a normal life." The vixen sighed deeply. "Damn, I had this all planned out."

They regarded each other for a minute. If the agent had wanted her to relax and open up, why'd she admit her intent? Or was that too a ploy? Don't overthink this Judy, she told herself. Skye's either a Nick class manipulator... Or...

"Agent Winter," she said abruptly, "you were very insistent that we talk alone, today; just tell me why." The vixen twitched at the use of her name, and Judy decided it wasn't faked.

"To further develop our working relationship as I said. But I will consider this evening a failure if it ends before I find what I desperately need... A friend."

"There was a cartoon when I was a kit," Judy said slowly. "This pig farmer planted a row of seeds, then watered them. As soon as he did, fully ripened vegetables popped right up."

Skye nodded, then smiled. "If I thought that would work, your face would be in the bathroom sink under the faucet right now."

Judy had to smile back at the vixen's absurdity; she was sharp. "So, if you want me as that friend, you'd better explain yourself fully—get to it and I promise I'll listen."

"Fair enough Hopps. Now, honest opinion time, what was your first impression of me?"

"In order? Condescending, status conscious, competent, and aloof—I could add arroga..."

"Enough, I know that I just asked for that first one...I'm definitely the "B" word. At least you put competent in there, thanks for that. That's what the rest of the world always needs to see me as. The reason that I'm here is because I was late to learn that lesson."

"I assume you don't mean here, as in your assignment, or Zootopia, do you?" Judy prompted; there had been a hint of resignation in the vixen's voice.

"You are quite correct, I can also include your continent of Laurentia. I immigrated here from the fair Celtic isles some eight years ago. The far northern part is bleak, but beautiful in its own way; I was raised there in what was known locally as the four families. An estate and landholding continually occupied for three hundred years by four cooperating lineages of foxes. We never rose to great prominence or influence, the area is too sparsely populated for that, but we lived comfortably for most of that time. Well enough that the families took great care to maintain what they had.

"Sarden, Sherwynd, Whinton, Flint; it's apparent where I belonged, I only had to change a couple of letters. Foxes everywhere put great store in family and fidelity—our own Hebridean culture further reinforced that. Those responsibilities are not lightly slighted. We were the smallest family, the only arctic foxes of the four. There were always...concerns about our line's long-term viability."

"Did you avoid an unwanted...arrangement?" Judy came alert at the hint of shame. There was a certain familiarity between most does and romance novels and she had read her share.

"Nothing quite that immediate," Skye said, paw briefly raised, "our traditions aren't that hidebound, I had choices although there were expectations. I naively...enabled things until impatient concern within the families became severe embarrassment. Judy, I bear more scandals than a daytime drama script; none instigated by me; but I was still the cause."

"But what happened still forced you from your family?" Judy saw the conflict in the fox.

"Yes, but that was by my choice, not theirs, I ran. Just ran. To this day I'm likely still an unresolved tragic loss for them." The vixen's agitation grew, and finally forced her up from the chair to pace around randomly behind it, her tail limp. She stopped and turned back, paws and arms fidgeting. Skye's feeble efforts towards self-control were painful to watch.

"Officer Hopps, I have to apologize again for my attempt to place my unrealistic expectations onto you. It's not right for my personal concerns to interfere with yours..."

Judy was up, and came around quickly to gaze closely into Skye's blue eyes, drawn by the sudden need and sadness there. She took the vixen's paws into her smaller ones as best she could; held them for a few seconds, then led Skye back to her chair and sat her down.

"Skye," Judy said carefully, with the hoped-for reaction, "I said I'd listen, and I'd like you to explain those unrealistic expectations of yours." She sat, relieved at having squelched the vixen's likely emotional flash flood. "Your family issue is a bit like my partner...Wilde's. I was able to...help him resolve it." Skye perked up at her mention of Nick, and sighed.

"Before I spill everything, and I promise I will, Judy—I'm sorry—this is inexcusable of me but I have to know, and if you choose to answer, so will you. I've watched and listened to both of you carefully. Do you have any...int...personal involvement with your fox partner?"

No! No! No! Why that! Oh moldy fungus, who else has seen it? First we have to beat off Clawhauser and now this ZBI fox... A fox, her fox... They'd been cuddled together the whole night just before the weekend—she must have smelled that on one of them! She'd showered, wasn't the soap good enough to rid herself of his musk...had Nick? Clothes, she hadn't done a wash since! Could that have transferred enou...

Skye sat patiently with a steady gaze, waiting for a righteous hammer to fall. She knows. Judy Hopps closed her eyes and confirmed her deepest dirtiest secret with a slow double nod.

"I can keep your confidence, Judy. Has it become a serious relationship?" Skye had tried for a kind voice, but the curiosity was still apparent.

"No! It can't. I can never let him know how I feel, it would ruin everything...please, you can't tell him anything!" She was breathing quickly and shallowly. Fear tightened around her, she'd put herself at the mercy of a predatory near stranger. There was no going back.

"I understand, I truly do. Do you know how he feels about you?"

"How can you possibly understand!" Judy's shout shattered her fear; the pieces spun and immediately fell into a new configuration. Skye did know, her prying interest in them wasn't prurient, it was personal! And she needed to talk to...me. The symmetry demanded it be real.

"You...and Savage," her words were very soft, but adequate; Skye smiled and returned her nod. "Really...you barely seemed to tolerate each other," she said more clearly. "How long have you been...partners?" A stronger word still seemed wrong.

"We exchanged our vows almost three years ago. We are mates, Judy." Skye paused and watched her with those pure blue eyes. "Spirits, how I love these cute bunny expressions!"

That certainly rendered all of their emotional give-and-take moot—nothing else would have been as effective. Their secrets were shared—fates in each other's paws...

"You found your friend—I hope we grow to like each other," Judy acknowledged. "Just don't let my parents know, they'd explode if they found out I socialized with one fox."

"You've kept your ardor for that one well hidden. Does he hold any for you in return?"

"He's told me the most important thing in his life is...protecting me." Embarrassment flushed her ears—Skye was aware of it. "I know he's in love with me, if I did anything at all to encourage him it would finish both of us!" Judy pulled her flaming ears down—she must look pathetic—she released them and they soon drooped back on their own.

"Judy, this is important, when he told you that, did it sound like a formal declaration—the words are very specific when a fox makes a life avowal to another—they are beautiful and to be cherished when spoken or heard—it can only be done once, and never broken."

"No, he said that he cared for me and would always be there to protect me, but it didn't sound ceremonial." If he had done that, she'd certainly have jumped out of her fur—for several reasons.

"That is good, he cares enough to wait for you. This declaration is exclusive to foxes and can be made by either sex at any time; once exchanged by a pair, done together or even years apart, witnesses or not, they are permanently mated. Given the circumstances, and since I've made mine, I will tell you enough later for you to recognize and respond to the vows if they happen."

"Most people know that foxes mate for life, but I had no idea the commitment was so...absolute. I don't know if I'd be happy or terrified."

"Both will happen, Judy, and the order matters!" Skye said. "Through this life and the next..."she intoned. "That's a fragment, but should be enough to convey how serious this is. Not all foxes adhere to this in their lives, and those that don't will never use the vows. And that leads into the sordid details of my life, if you're still curious rabbit!"

"Skye, three days ago you were a complete stranger living a thousand miles away—now I'm sitting here telling you my most personal secrets—that I knew I must never reveal to anyone. I'm in shock, not that I did that, but that I'm accepting that I did! And yes, I'm waiting for more! How..." Judy lifted her arms in wonder, as the vixen started to smile.

"Reality is often stranger than fiction, Judy, because fiction has be plausible to be believed. I'm waiting too, little scandal bunny; there's plenty of time tonight for both of us to spill the good stuff. Our strange reality right here and now just means we are living at a level few experience!" Skye rose and replenished their drinks; her excitement palpable as she returned with ears erect and tail sinuous.

"If you take notes and sell this to a tabloid, I want a percentage!" Skye said with a smirk and pointed quivering finger. "Now, back to me; other foxes consider me to be attractive, the todds find me quite desirable."

"We're friends, just say it," Judy shot back. "A lot of different mammals would kill to look as good as you!" Something flicked across the vixen's features—enough to cause an immediate pang of regret. She mouthed 'sorry' and Skye pushed the moment behind them.

"As a kit living in an isolated area, there weren't frequent opportunities to socialize with other than family; and my twin sisters were the only ones close to my age. We all, to different degrees, developed somewhat solitary interests. When I came close of age, I attracted great interest from acquaintances outside the family before I was mature enough to navigate those emotional waters. I did not fully learn to properly meet, socialize, or unambiguously signal potential partners—because I didn't need to! I was always popular, encouraged, and courted at house and regional occasions."

"Skye, you're a living romance novel character; your origin, your story, even your name."

"I know, you haven't heard half of it yet. Jack's mentioned that several times; we're both avid readers, that's one of the things that brought us together. And to answer those wide purple eyes of yours, none of our old landed families bear ancient titles, so I escaped being a princess. Now—Skye is a large island near my ancestral home and a traditional name there. I didn't change it because I liked it; my sisters are Farrah and Feye."

"What happened to them? Are they still with the family?" Judy thankfully set aside her own rash admission—she wanted to savor every morsel the vixen was willing to vouchsafe. Skye, she was now sure, also needed her bunny confidante.

"They are. Both accepted mates before I left and by now must have given the family what I would not. I was the problematic, reluctant daughter; which somehow only enhanced my desirability to my suitors. Before I fully understood the seriousness of their actions, two had impetuously declared their vows to me. The situation was difficult for weeks and when forced into the open, again due to my naiveté, it resulted in both of them being permanently crippled."

"That's horrible! Seriously Skye, how could you live with that!" Judy said in disbelief, then briefly rubbed the base of her ears as if to check their function. "You actually had two suitors duel over you? That still happens overthere?"

"No, there was nothing civilized about this. It was raw primitive ferocity when they met. I wasn't present for it, but was severely...chastised for my role anyway, and kept close to my den for the family's benefit. When I was reintroduced socially to a carefully vetted prospect, the idiot started to declare his vows publicly. I'm certain he'd decided a quick strike would win him the vulnerable prize. I broke and ran before he finished.

"My family was horrified by his premature attempt, and by my disruption of it—the first was reprehensible, the second almost unforgivable. I was fully aware of that, but couldn't allow yet another to throw his life at my feet. Our shame was absolute. I packed a case, took my papers and some cash on paw, and left that night."

"For here? I can't imagine what it would be like to just move to another land...did you have a place to go...other family?" Judy knew she was the adventurous one in her family, but that abject a leap into the unknown might be the terror that stilled her heart.

"Yes, for here. I couldn't go back home, and I hadn't run my emotions out, so I booked foreign passage as soon as I could under a false name—a simple bribe sufficed. Scotia was one place here with a familiar name, but few ships went there. I ended up in Port Catskill, in Nieoward, with nothing but what I carried, and no contacts or prospects. Three days after I arrived and one after attaining my majority, the Spirits bestowed a new life upon me."

"Your majority?" Judy said curiously.

"Adulthood, I was eighteen, with a temporary visa, dwindling funds, and was desperate to find somewhere better to stay than the port authority terminal. I was reading used newspapers there when a wolf saw me and brought me a single page from his business magazine. He told me I'd want it. There was an agency looking for mammals to do commercial advertisement work. One listing was for an Arctic vixen—but they all had very specific requirements for appearance, experience, and a portfolio."

"Obviously you got the job Skye; how'd you manage it?" Judy knew, but didn't want to deny the vixen the pleasure of telling her. Or hers in listening to this movie-worthy drama.

"I have a great power, and that's when I took control of it. I had enough funds for a simple gray dress and a good professional grooming. I went to the agency without an appointment and told the impala receptionist that I'd decided to take the job. Ten seconds of staredown, and I'd won. I was sent up and was under contract within the hour. It wasn't for much, but it was fair. They set me up in the city, took care of my immigration, and found me steady enough work to pay my way through college."

"How did you know you'd won?" Judy said, still playing her role.

"When she reached for the phone to call her superior—then the way she emphasized the word Fox." Skye's grin punctuated it. "I was fortunate, it was a mostly prey run company so my relations with the staff were distant but cordial. Clients were a different matter altogether. I found photo layouts and commercial shoots tolerable, but was repelled by the crude behavior at some corporate events or while modeling. Fortunately, I made enough from my largest customer, a brewery, that I could avoid most of that and concentrate on my studies."

"You learned to program—I remember you said that got you into the ZBI." Eagerly, she leaned towards Skye. "Did Savage recruit you? How did you two meet?"

"I had become fascinated with computers when younger, although my exposure to them was very limited. I'd tired quickly of constant public exposure and wanted something challenging and solitary! Computer science was perfect and I had a real talent for it. There was no ZBI recruitment Judy, I was past most of the drama in my life by then. They were just one of many listed positions I applied for after graduation. I believe I was hired becaus...

"Get to Savage!" She couldn't help bouncing noticeably in her seat."You had them fighting over you—you could have chosen anyone you wanted, why him?"

"Hold yourself together, Judy. I don't need a bunny bomb in here. They'll make me pay a surcharge to clean the rabbit splatter off the walls." Frustratingly, Skye folded her paws, settled herself a bit, and made her wait a few seconds.

"Data analysis and programming are not highly visible jobs. Hours hunched over a keyboard and staring at a screen tends not to promote social interaction, which is what I expected. Of course, after my first week at the ZBI, every canid in the agency, plus a few others, was aware of me. It was less overt than it was in my media career, but no less irritating! That unwanted attention is what honed my sterling public personality to the fine edge you described earlier."

"So I assume agent Savage was professional, inoffensive and above all, patient?" Judy guessed. "How long did he wait? Did you become acquainted on assignments, or...wait, was he the one that trained you for fieldwork?" What she really wanted to find out from Skye, is what drove him to even try! This could be two damaged mammals finding some form of acceptance with each other. That meant they both had issues. Well, she thought, we do too...

"As much fun as it is seeing you stumble around in the dark with your paws out Judy; I don't want to be cruel!" Skye said with obvious amusement. "Your assumptions might feel plausibly familiar, but are wrong. Jack seemed decent and safe the few times we'd met, since our jobs had no real overlap, and he'd shown no discernable interest in me. One evening I felt a little lonely and didn't want to just go home. Yes Judy, even me. The wrong kind of popularity can be very isolating! I took a longer route out of the office and although it had mostly thinned out, Jack was at his desk. I walked over and asked him out on a date."

"Oh sweet peaches! You just did that!" Judy gaped. The full weight of Clawhauser's joyous obsession with the affairs of others sat on her. "What did he do!"

"My first experience with a complete bunny freeze. I was afraid I'd shorted him out internally! When he recovered I explained that I was tired of the constant social pressure and wanted a simple, safe, no obligations or expectations evening out. I suggested that if he would indulge me, one of us could choose dinner, the other the entertainment." He thought about it long enough that I worried the Personnel Department would be having a talk with me. He finally said, "you pick dinner fox, as long as it isn't BloodyBurger!"

"Judy, that was the best date I ever had, except for the later ones! He chose an inexpensive classical music concert at the university, and forestalled any civic disapproval of our pairing with a simple suggestion. He took his seat first, and reacted uncomfortably when I came and sat next to him a couple of minutes later. We were then ignored for the rest of the evening! "

She couldn't imagine Nick or herself overcoming their fears enough to have an actual date out like that, subject to public scrutiny. As mixed species patrol officers on the beat, or at lunch together, they were acceptable. As two mammals at an outdoor concert, blended in a crowd, they were fairly invisible. But a fox and rabbit, actively socializing, would draw public ire and exclusion from most decent places.

"So he went along with what you wanted and didn't try to impress you with anything extravagant," Judy said, knowing she'd be uncomfortable if someone did that with her.

"He did; I even asked him about that and he said the silliest romantic thing. 'Didn't have much choice did I? Classical music—for a classical beauty.' He also said that he didn't want where we were, or what we saw to unduly dominate the memory he wanted to keep. I told him to call if he ever needed to reinforce it, and he almost froze up again. I don't think either of us dated anyone else after that point."

"Skye, that is the most implausible, over-the-top, sappy romance story I've ever heard." Judy flicked her ears at the vixen. "And I grew up in a community of gossipy rabbits who lived for that stuff! The only reason I'm not ridiculing this tale of yours, is that somehow, I too seem to have a fox in love with me!"

"Oh! Do tell Judy—so you understand now why I wanted us to talk?" Skye's grin was predatory—in a good way. "Now I know you two are just starting out, and I read about how you worked together on the savage predator case, but I want to know how you met and became friends and where you are now!"

"We certainly weren't friends when we met! He preyed on my sympathies and inexperience my first day on the force. I'd wanted to be a police officer for years and thought I'd finally made it through hard work, top of my class! At my graduation I find my police academy acceptance was due to a self-serving political agenda as much as my efforts. I was assigned to a precinct that didn't want me, and shunted into safe, routine, busywork." She was not going to tell this worldly femme-fatale vixen about her humiliating assignment.

"Top of your academy class is a worthy achievement however you first got there, Judy."

"Chief Bogo and most of his officers didn't seem very impressed by it. I knew I was the token bunny. But oh! Judy Hopps was going to prove herself to them! I just needed an offender to arrest. Nick Wilde was the first likely prospect that I spotted—a shifty, conniving fox just like my parents kept warning me about—I followed him and promptly got hustled."

"So you started from rock-bottom as far as any relationship was concerned," Skye said evenly, "with a traditional rabbit worldview that maligned foxes. Had you met one before?"

"When I was nine. Kicked one in the face after he pushed me, then got clawed...right here. Freaked out my parents even more than me. We had a bias against foxes, but that's kinda normal in Bunnyburrow. I just hid mine better than my parents did. They were worried enough, that when I first left home to come to Zootopia, they tried to give me a bunch of anti-fox safety products."

"Anti-fox Products?" Skye leaned back in genuine shock, eyes wide. "You have those things here? You should have mentioned them when that Badger asked us about the things that divided species!"

"Sorry! I just didn't think about it," Judy's previously alert scandal antennas collapsed behind her head at her own revelation and Skye's reaction. "Actually, I don't recall seeing them here at all...they may have only been marketed locally to us scaredy-bunnies."

"I'd like to get my paws on some of those! That's the sort of thing we work to shut down; they crop up all too often! The agency actually has a display gallery of those sorts of speciest items."

"I can do that," Judy said timidly. "I've still got mine—it's called Fox-Away." She cringed a bit even though Skye's expression hadn't worsened further. "It's probably a variant of pepper spray, we all carry that and they probably thought mine was just a bunny-sized one without looking at it closely. I kept it as a reminder—it almost permanently destroyed our friendship."

"Before you get to that, what happened to that poor fox you got in the fight with? I assume he or she was young too?"

"Yes, a local named Gideon. Met him the last time I was home and not only got an apology, but a crucial insight into the savage predator case from him. He's a baker now and buys stuff from my parent's farm; so they cooperate. I'm proud that mom and dad listened when I told them how I'd learned to trust my partner Nick, and that like anyone else foxes were fine if you got to know them."

"I assume that's as much as they know about your...present situation?" Skye was back to her calmer self. "Don't collect too many fox friends Judy, they might suffer a relapse!"

"They're ok with Nick, they met him briefly at his graduation, and they know about the locals like Gid... You won't be a problem, they'll never hear about this conversation! Nick's mom was there, but I don't recall if they saw her...and Finnick only comes by occa...Oh my."

"A fennec fox—friend of Nick's? Uh huh, that makes five of us so far!" The vixen was back to being highly amused. "What do your rabbit friends think about this?"

"Haven't been home since then," Judy said, "wouldn't tell them that anyway."

"Judy, I mean here."

"Don't really have any," her tiny voice came. "Wait, Trisha works at the 10-7; that's a cop bar I went to once...officers at the precinct introduced us...but we're not really friends yet."

"So your Nick has already introduced you to his mother? And I thought you two said you'd avoided anything serious," Skye said thoughtfully. "Did she approve of you?"

"It's not like that! Not at all! It's diff...Th...that's a story for Nick to..." Oh pickles! She'd made herself appear a complete deviant—well; at least it was to a vixen guilty of that herself.

"It's starting to sound like your standard bunny upbringing didn't stick, Judy. You come from that huge family, but seem to be different from most rabbits socially, along with your...needs in life. Perhaps that's what drew my curiosity; I saw some of myself in you."

"I'm the unusual one in the warren. I'm taller and leaner than both of my parents, nearly all of the does, and even some bucks. A few of us have wondered if there might be some hare in our background. I was always quite athletic; I'm fast even by rabbit standards. My own dad likes to call me 'Jude the Dude.'" She got a gekkering laugh out of Skye with that one.

"So Jude the Dude joins the strong arm of the law! There must be something exceptional in your family make-up, the sheer amount of your mother's...bunny production is daunting to imagine!" Skye looked flustered. "Maybe that's where most of my maternal urges went."

"Oh! I've so got to explain that! We rabbits are not above some exaggeration and...benign misdirection for the benefit of outsiders." She watched Skye mouth an 'oh' that morphed into an anticipatory smile. "If you ever go to Bunnyburrow, there's a welcome sign as you come into the train station. It has an outrageous population number on it, and the last few digits keep counting up over and over—it's a tourist spot that reinforces the 'multiplying bunnies' stereotype." Judy felt sure that Skye would manage to avoid ever seeing that sign.

"There are a lot of very large rabbit families, but they're usually not organized the way that most assume. Our parental structure isn't as distinct as that of many other species. Many sets of siblings will remain together and raise their families in a single warren. Obviously, that can get unwieldy after a couple of generations, and younger individuals or groups usually split off to form new ones.

"We Hopps actually are the largest stable family in the region, and prosperous enough to maintain it! My own parents are in the founding line and head the warren, but many of their generation stayed with them along with their mates and offspring. I have sixteen aunts and uncles that divide up the parental duties. We're close, and like most rabbit warrens, we consider ourselves one communal family. I have to admit, Skye, that I was upset at doctor Barret and decided to mess with him! Didn't mean to confuse the rest of you."

"Don't worry, he just let his curiosity overcome his tact. At least you can call or visit family when you want to. Even so, it must have been hard for a rabbit like you to adjust to living in a new city without any friends. I sympathize because of my own experience, but we foxes can more easily withstand solitude." Skye somehow rose gracefully from the unstable softness of her chair, and returned to the window to stare at the nighttime cityscape.

"Now, I recall that you told me you'd met Nick Wilde on your first day with the ZPD. I'm curious, how long was it before you overcame your mutual...enmity and were able to work together on the savage predator affair?" Subject changed; Skye came over to face her again.

"It was just a case of several missing mammals at the time. I was assigned to it the day after I'd first...encountered Nick, and by that afternoon I'd found and convinced him to help me follow up a lead he'd furnished. By the next morning, we'd reached an accommodation, and followed another lead that allowed us to find all of the missing mammals by that night. The next day, I ruined everything we'd done together at a televised press conference and lost him. I was despondent and resigned from the force a few days later."

"You sure played into the paws of the anti-pred agenda with that one, rabbit! Makes sense that our little cabal at the ZBI asked Jack to recruit you. Resigned from the ZPD? Never heard you did that. I assume you were reinstated when you two finally broke the..." Skye stopped and neglected to close her mouth.

"You lost him? Judy—did you just tell me that you went from adversarial with, to heartbroken over that fox in three days!" You really are fast for a rabbit! So, you're still afraid to admit your feelings for each other, but reached an 'accommodation?' Jack and I at least had the forbearance to date for several weeks before any...uh...amorous overtures."

"Noooo!" A rushing filled her ears, she pulled them down over her eyes; a flush crawled through her skin making her fur prick up. Judy forced herself to recall her exact words... Oh Fungus! She must think we're still coping with the emotional aftermath of a one-night stand! Embarrassment surged; she leaned forward and put her muzzle in her paws. "I didn't! We didn't! I've never..." She tried to still a tremble.

"Judy? I am so sorry, that was so very presumptuous of me," Skye said gently. "I believe you—I didn't realize that you were quite this...vulnerable. Please, come and give me a look."

She was being...held. Then expert paws moved to gently knead the base of her ears. Judy's head lifted at the touch; her eyes opened to find Skye's blue ones filled with concern.

"Thoroughly screwed that one up, didn't I? Skye said. "Although you must admit rabbit, your friendship did grow rather precipitously for someone who thought that I had the unbelievable romance!" The vixen released Judy's ears and slid her paws slowly down over shoulders, then arms, palpitating both, before pulling them carefully away. "You're still so tense; what else do you have bottled up in there? We all have our anxieties, but they'll just keep compounding unless you can find a way to release them."

"I'll handle my share." Judy forced herself to stand up straight and speak steadily. "You've already helped more than you realize—just knowing there's finally someone I can talk to about my...our social issues. I'd always wondered when I got to this point in life, which of my sisters I'd first confide in. I never expected she'd be a fox."

"We both badly needed to talk, this fox needs to apologize, and you really need to relax, rabbit. Here's an idea!" the vixen said with an air of decisiveness. "It was necessary to be self-reliant back on our Hebridean estate, therefore we had our own smith's shop. I remember being fascinated watching them heat and shape metal. They would bring it to an exact shade of red or orange heat and either quench it for strength, or slowly let it cool to remove the stress. That is called annealing. There is a similar process for overstressed mammals called grooming. When was the last time you had a thorough, relaxing, grooming, Judy?"

"I usually give myself a good going over twice a week or..."

"That doesn't count and you know it! When was the last time one of your family, or a salon, thoroughly pampered Judy Hopps!" Skye demanded with a dangerous smirk.

"Nine months... Wait! You're not going..." It was too late, the vixen's waving tail trailed her to the bathroom. "I can get one later...this isn't necessary...I can't expect you to do this for me! Skye!"

"Over there on the corner of the bed rabbit!" Skye had the grooming kit and shooed her out of her chair. "And I want to see a lot more gray fur before I start! This is what families do for each other, and remember Judy, I'm your fox sister now." Skye interlaced her fingers, turned her pawpads outward and stretched sumptuously. "On your belly and let your feet hang over the corner." Skye shifted limbs to her satisfaction. "Don't you worry, hunny bunny, I already know all of the spots on rabbits!" Paws started to knead her shoulders.

"A massage? Isn't this a little...much?" Judy said to the bed comforter. And a fox is doing it, complained her internal voice, the wrong fox!

"You really need this," Skye's voice came from close above her. "I can feel it in you. Also, fur can't be properly groomed unless the substrate is completely relaxed first. I'm going to dissolve every bone you've got!"

As the vixen slowly, rapturously, worked her way from one muscle group to the next, Judy had to admit; this was the right way to experience it. As you self-groomed, you knew exactly where, when, how much pressure, direction and speed you'd use for each stroke. With someone else in control, it was all such a delightful mystery!

She had a few moments of anticipatory apprehension—wondering if the fox would really go there. She did, and Judy was gently turned to access her front and face, then scalp—a gentle quiver as ears were first held, then gently rubbed in just the right places. Skye elicited several shudders from her when she delicately dragged the back of a claw along the inside edges of each one. Judy realized that Skye was tailoring her ministrations to the reactions she evoked. As long as she lets me bliss out here...no, I hope as long as I want her doing it!

Judy felt an unexpected thrill course through her when Skye tugged on the last bit of modesty she wore—but only by a little to allow a final combing around the base of her tail. It was over. Skye left Judy limp and motionless for a time, until the lights dimmed and the fox returned in her nightwear.

"You stay right there Judy, there's plenty of space for both of us. If you need anything, they have twenty-four hour room service. There's no reason you can't enjoy a fancy hotel for once!"

"Skye?" Judy roused herself after the vixen had put out the last light. "I've never had anyone touch me like that! I was so nervous at first—but you were so patient. Could you help me with it again in the morning—I need to learn how to do that to a fox!"

Notes:

As Zootopian history is necessarily totally different than our own, things like place names will be different as well. For landforms I will use modified geological or paleontological nomenclature. Laurentia for North America, Amazonia for South America, as examples.

Fox Vows: Those here are patterned after the more elaborate ones developed by sarsis for his superb "Guardian Blue" series. A must read!

Trisha and the 10-7 bar are an OC and place from BlueLightHouse's stories. Also highly recommended.

Bunny families: The Hopps are a huge warren. My 'analysis' in the Chapter five notes is valid—you just need to plug several more moms into the equation.