A/N -

This is just a little dalliance my muse threw at me a while ago. It fits in the one-offs and such. It's kinda canon, yet also not, to my 2 main stories. I may yet integrate into WCST or AFH. It would work in either, if I can find the right spot. Yes, I have kinda snatched this idea from the story "A Rabbit Clans Fox." I rather like that story, so do look it up. I just wish it would continue, though as a writer, I fully understand how hard it can be sometimes to find time and muse to write at all.

I do not own Zootopia or its characters, that belongs to Disney. I just try to fill in the gap of our collective enjoyment with my own flights of imagination while we wait for Disney to do… anything… with the property.

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Lost

Nick followed Judy through the brush and undergrowth of a section of forest on the Hopps property, down what could barely be construed as a trail in the foxes opinion. "Judy, slow down. I'm getting snagged on all sorts of stuff."

Finally slowing at a small clearing, Judy grinned. "We're here, Nick. Our first stop. Now that you are a member of the family, since you were crazy enough to marry me. You have to do your duty. You have to clean and maintain some things. This is the first one. When we are done, we will move on to the next part, and then you will be considered a full member of the clan."

Rolling his eyes, Nick freed himself from yet another branch that had caught in his shirt. He was very glad he was wearing the heavy, cotton, farmers shirt Judy had given him for today, instead of his usual silk. It was obvious that down at Judy's level the path was clearer, but at his level, not so much. His usual would be nothing but shreds at that point, and he would have been scratched and cut up, despite his thick winter fur.

Still, he would do anything for her, and suffer through anything for her. So there he was, following her through dense brush into the heart of a thicket, far past the living, growing outer edges. "Okay, Carrots. What is this surprise you…" Nick froze as he entered the small, shaded clearing. There was enough room for both of them, but it was clearly well maintained. "Judy… This…"

Judy grinned at Nick. "It has been on the property since around the time the original burrow was founded. That's our next stop. It's basically a museum, especially with all the new data we're adding." Pointing to a large stone into which something has obviously been carved. "We don't know what it is or says, but the Hopps clan has always considered it important, and so we keep this clearing up and also make sure that only the core family knows where it is."

Nick knelt in front of the large stone with still visibly carved words passing a paw over it reverently. "Judy… This is a vulpine ancestor stone, and it has been maintained." Turning towards her, his eyes intense and pleading. "Judy! Who maintains the stone itself. Not just the clearing, but the stone? The names have been kept up. This is ancient, but the words are not worn and weathered the way the rest of the stone is."

Smiling warmly at Nick, Judy chuckled. "Every Hopps has to come here and clean this clearing, and then we make sure that the letters are kept up." Her head cocking to the side, something she had picked up from him, as her left ear fell to half mast. "What did you mean. Names. Wait, you said this was a Vulpine ancestor stone. What do you mean by that?"

Nick turned back to the stone with a smile. "Judy… This is an ancestor stone. In ancient times, when the vulpine empires were still strong, foxes would create these stones to honor the dead. Most fox families would have a stone that carried the names of our ancestors, and were a place to pray to those ancestors for guidance and blessings. There were massive temples dedicated to maintaining them. Of course the richer the mammal, the more elaborate their stone, sometimes plural.

They were something supposedly passed on to us by Saren and Karma. My family still maintains one, though it is not a fixed stone like this. We had to learn to make smaller stones. Ones we could hide, that we could move, and that were not easily destroyed by those who sought to do us, as foxes, harm. Most foxes have even abandoned that, in favor of simple histories and genealogies recorded in books for which they maintain multiple copies. The book we both put our names in was just that. The stone is for those that have passed on. It is a physical anchor in this world for the ancestors to be bound to and not swept into oblivion.

This is a true… an original ancestor stone. It is also nowhere near a vulpine settlement. What is it doing here?" Bowing his head, Nick took a deep breath. "Ancestors. Bless this place, and the Hopps clan of rabbits who have maintained your stone since ancient times. Though they knew not your names, they were clearly shown how to keep your faith." Looking up, Nick reached back and pulled Judy Next to him. "This is ancient vulpine, and I haven't practiced it in a long time, so you'll have to give me a minute. Not exactly a skill I expected to need after I ran away."

Judy kneeled next to Nick. "Wait! You can read it‽"

Nick nodded. "At least, most of it." Looking up at the writing Nick took another deep breath. "Ancestors. Bless me and remind me of that which I have forgotten, that you may no longer be forgotten, but remembered as your stone anchors you to this place and the Hopps who have kept it up." Nick felt a rush pass over him and smiled. He pointed to the words as he read them.

Acth gree greeth hedtch. Nikkes Piber Wildes

Karmesa yel Sarendi ki neelet

Hooolvek hoo grrrhag haggaga vulpes yel moot es vis gehen hoo thet conviirrt kes acth gree.

Smiling at Judy's confused look. "And now in common."

This stone dedicated and carved by Nikkes Piber Wildes

In the name of Karma and Sarendipity

May the ancestors here be and be pulled from the void to bless all those who pray here to them and to those who maintain this stone.

Nick looked down to Judy's wide purple eyes as she stared back at him. He chuckled at her shocked stare and then froze mid laugh. He spun back towards the stone. "Nikkes Wildes‽‽ Impossible!" He quickly started reading the names carved below the dedication inscription." Viccis Anneth Wilde. Jonnn Verean Wilde. Nikkes Piber Wilde. Judieath Leva Hop. Kenteth Beerun WildesHop." He continued reading the two dozen other names and then was silent.

Judy waited, and waited. Finally, she looked at the names and repeated the first four she heard him say. "Who were they Nick?"

Nick took a shaky breath, his eyes watery. "Judith Laverne HoppsWilde. This is the original Wilde family Ancestor stone. As you know, my family traces our heritage back to a fox named Nikkes. We never knew his parents' names, because he had to run from the vulpine lands when the last wars broke out. The ones that ended Vulpine civilization as it was, and turned it into what we are now. A history that most mammals still hold against us. The history my family maintains… I mean… I never put much stock or faith in it. None really. Because it was absurd. Yet I am kneeling before the proof. The data we've combined. It says that there was some truth to it, but neither of our records had names of the fox that your clan took in.

The most ancient writings and stories say that Nikkes escaped to the area around Zootopia before there was a Zootopia. That he was taken, captured by rabbits, but gained their trust, and became family to them." Pointing to the name Judieath Hop. "We have no record of her name, and before I met you, I thought the idea of a fox falling in love with and becoming mates to a rabbit was absurd.

Judy. Both our names are ancient. You said that you are only allowed to name one rabbit, Judith, per generation. So, while you have four Zacks, and five Jill's, between your siblings and cousins, there is only one Judith. You. With my family, there is only allowed one Nicholas, and only the first tod born to the family after the last Nicholas dies is named that.

I am named for that most ancient ancestor who survived and brought the family here to this area. Nikkes. Judy… Your family has been maintaining the Wilde ancestor stone for centuries. Millenia even. I don't understand."

Judy looked at the stone with a grin. "I'm not sure either, Nick. But let's do the job."

Nick nodded. "You're right. Give me your paw."

Judy held it out to Nick. "Nick?"

Taking her paw, he looked at her and smiled. "Sorry, this is going to hurt a bit." He quickly stabbed her fur covered pad, holding her paw so she couldn't pull it back and cause more damage than the prick. He released her after removing his claw. He then stabbed his claw into his own pad with a hiss.

"Nick! What the actual fuck!"

"Sorry, Judy. We have to finish now that we have started. Just watch, you'll figure out what to do. I know you will." Turning back to the stone, He placed his bleeding paw over a slightly discolored spot in the middle where no writing was. "I am Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps. I am named for Nikkes Piber Wilde. I have married Judith Lavern HoppsWilde. I have pledged to her, and she to me, as the ancient traditions say. This life and the next, and all that follows after. I ask you, ancestors bound to this stone. Bless us and watch over us. Bless and watch over all of clan Wilde and clan Hopps. In the name of Karma and Serendipity." He then pulled his paw away, leaving a wet blood spot on the stone seeming to be quickly absorbed.

Judy nodded, understanding dawning on her as her anger at him for stabbing her paw evaporated. Standing so she could easily reach the spot where Nick's fresh blood stained the stone. She pressed her paw to another spot next to it. "I am Judith Lavern HoppsWilde. I am named for my ancient ancestor Judieath Leva Hop. I have married Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps. I have pledged to him, and he to me, as the ancient traditions say. This life and the next, and all that follows after. I ask you, ancestors bound to this stone. Bless us and watch over us. Bless and watch over all of clan Hopps and clan Wilde. In the name of Karma and Serendipity."

Nick grinned and tore two strips from his shirt, first bandaging her paw, then his. He then pulled her into a deep kiss. "Judy… Let us do what is needed, and then I will ask you something."

Judy smiled at Nick with her heart overflowing for him. "Of course."

They spent the next few minutes clearing loose sticks and other debris from the clearing. A small set of tools, including a rake and other things to help clean things up were in fact hidden in a crate behind the stone. Nick then took the wire brush and stone carving tools and made sure that all the writing was fresh and crisp, correcting a few of the letters that were not quite right.

Once they were finished, they put the tools away in the small hidden locker just beyond the clearing behind the stone. Standing in the clearing, Nick kneeled so he and Judy were at eye level. "Judy, my love. Love of my life. Who I have bound myself to now and for all time to come. Would you do me the honor of making love with me, here, in this place, and before both of our most ancient ancestors. That they may bless our union?"

Judy looked at Nick and the love and sincerity in his eyes. She then looked around, over to the stone and the fresh blood drying on it, then smiled. "Well, it is winter and your mating season. So who am I to deny you?"

Nick chuckled. "I am serious, Judy. I never put any faith in the stories, but I now have to believe. They say that Nikkis and his mate were blessed by the ancestors and were able to have three kits. I want to give you kits, Judy. I know you want them. We have talked about it, and we will adopt, but here, in this place. Where the stories I thought just that have been given life. It says that the doctors are wrong. That we can have kits, and while it might be a long shot. Here, where those ancestors of us both once lived. I want to hope. I want to try, anything, to give you what we have been told is impossible."

Judy realized why Nick was asking. He wasn't being his usual horny self, not that she minded it most of the time. He was more than able to keep up with her bunny hormones, especially in the winter. However, she also realized just how serious he was. Pulling him into a brief kiss. "I understand, Nick. I want that too. I want your kits. It hurt so much when the doctor told us we couldn't have kits. I consoled myself that we would adopt and I would be happy with that. I would be. But I still want your kits." Looking to the stone. "If the ancestors are willing, then so be it. I'm always willing to try." Giving him a sultry smirk before drawing him into another kiss.

They lost themselves in each other at that point. Overtaken by a sudden need for each other that washed away all other considerations or conscious thoughts. Their clothes discarded, they finally lay in the cool grass as the sun peaked down through the branches. It had been morning when they arrived. It was now clearly noon or even a bit later.

Nick held Judy to his chest, his knot having subsided, again, and they simply held each other in the bliss of after. "Judy. I love you. I don't know what came over me. Are you okay?"

Judy sighed with a chuckle. "Nick, I'm far beyond okay. I'm amazing. You have been holding out on me, fox. That was amazing. Sure, I don't expect you to be like that all the time, but damn it, fox. You had better be unrestrained like that more damned often." Poking him in the chest.

Nick grinned. "Anything for you, Fluff."

A short time later they got up, got dressed, and headed on to their next stop, more than a bit late, and neither caring in the slightest. As they left the clearing, two figures stepped out from the stone, paw in paw. One, taller and clearly vulpine, the other shorter, gray, and a rabbit.

The vulpine looked down at the rabbit. "Well, my Judi. Do you think they deserve our blessing?"

Rolling her ethereal purple eyes. "Yes, Nik. I believe they do. I think they can bring the world together much the way we did."

Nodding, he turned back towards the stone. "I agree. I just hope that it will last."

"With them, I think it will."

The two figures faded away as they stepped back towards the stone.