Strings and Knots

Chapter 1: Down the Lane

By the grace of the light that had shone throughout the city of Zootopia, morning had once again come to the land and greeted all of its inhabitants with warm rays. It didn't matter who it was, from the smallest rodent to the tallest mammal, it was all the same, no matter where. From the blazing harshness of Sahara Square to the bitter icy bite of Tundra Town and even the humid foliage covered Rainforest District, They all were greeted by the new day, and with a new day came new opportunities to seize. Even for a certain fox. Feeling the light shine through the blinds of his bedroom window, Nick's sleeping eyes twitched as he felt the welcoming morning rouse him from his dwindling slumber guiding his consciousness back to the waking world. Out of habit, he squinted his closed eyes while an arm popped from the cozy and embracing covers and shielded the light. Growling a bit as he could feel the sandman's hold on him now gone, he picked himself up from the bed he and sat upright as a loud and long yawn left his muzzle. It didn't take long to get a bearing on his surrounding which was his own room, he turned his attention to the window that led out towards the city. He could see that it was now morning, hench the light of the sun shining into his room as well as the hustle and bustle of the city, ranging from a variety of mammals going about their businesses. Letting out a single breath, Nick fell back down onto the bed, his head landing on the pillow as he flopped an arm from his chest to over the eyes.

"And so begins a new day," Letting out a yawn, he pulled his arm away and gazed up at the plain white colored ceiling, shaking his head. Not really seeing a reason to stay in bed any longer, "What is in store for me today." he propped himself back onto his feet and did his usual morning stretches to get the blood flowing, shaking off any remaining sleeping sand that lingered in his eyes for two reasons.

One: He looked over to his alarm clock to see that the time read 8:15. Judy; his partner, best friend and girlfriend on the force for the ZPD, would be at his apartment in the next twenty minutes.

And two: He was on Duty today, so he couldn't afford to be late, plus he really didn't want to be curtailed by her look whenever he did something that either upset her or reflected poorly on them.

"Oh well, no thinking about it now. Be best to just go about my day." Reaching over to the alarm, he tapped the button, turning it off, marking off one thing on his list that morning. Starting off the day right, he'd go with a shower to further pry him awake. Walking out of the room while taking hold of a towel nearby, he made his way to the bathroom, somewhat sluggish but effectively.

Bouncing down the hall of the apartment complex and past the other rooms towards her destination, Judy Hopps was her usual giddy self this Wednesday morning as she made her way towards Nick's place. She had to admit, ever since he agree to be a cop and her partner in justice, the both of them had really come a long way in their profession, especially him. In just the short span of several months that had gone by, he made a pretty big transition from that dingy moldy basement of Wilde Times in southern slums of Zootopia to the more upright and safer part of the city, much to her relief. It was always a trial to visit him back when he was in the slums, fearing that she would be attacked jumped by various undesirable animals that lived there. Even though she had official training for what to do when in said situation, that primal fear which resided in the back of her mind was always present. Still, the fact that she helped him move to this new apartment was a much better for the both of them.

"306… 307... 308… 309! Perfect. I made it and with," she looked at her wristwatch seeing the time and it read: 8:25. "Five minutes to spare!" Reaching into her pocket, Judy pulled out a spare key to Nick's apartment that he had given her when he moved in as it was his way of saying both thank you and that she was free to come over anytime she wished. Knowing her partner all too well, he was most likely still sleeping this very moment. It was a good thing that she came over to wake him up, after nearly catching the heel from their Captain for being late, she made sure to not let him oversleep again. Placing the key into the slot with a slight turn of the wrist, she did a little hop and managed to open the door inwards, stepping into his complex while closing the door behind her. "Niiiick! Wake up Nick! We're on the clock today! Let's go!" She called out to him.

Now that she was in the apartment, she looked around to see that the interior of his room was surprisingly clean as it had been for the last couple of days. Normally, she would find his clothes strewn about the floor in a haphazard mess when she stepped into his den, nearly tripping a few times in the past, thankfully it wasn't his uniform that was tossed about. If it was, she would've really chewed him out. From where she stood, his flat was pretty impressive, no matter how many times she came here. It wasn't super fancy like the kinds that you see in movies with expensive things everywhere you looked. It was a simple four-roomed flat, with a standard looking couch with a few scratches here and there but otherwise, it was still in decent condition. Following up, she could see that he managed to get a flat screen in here as it stood on the stand by the far wall away from the couch. She could even see her personal collection of DvDs still here, properly stacked right next to Nick's. Overall, it was a decent room where they would spend their downtime with either some boring television, binge watch movies back to back or, and this thought made her blush lightly, just cuddle after a long day on the job. Shaking away her blush, she let out a faint huff as she looked into the kitchen, clearly seeing that not even his coffee pot was running, let alone that the coffee grinds hadn't been touched from yesterday. Just from that, her answer was confirmed or it would have been, were it not for her exceptional hearing.

Judy could hear the shower running in the back and was shocked that she was wrong this time, much to her surprise. "Looks like he's awake after all. Huh, who'd of thought that Nicholas Wilde, out of all other animals, would be up early for work." She chuckled to herself while walking further into his place and right towards the kitchen, deciding to batch up a fresh brew for the both of them. They were heading in for roll call within the next hour, so a little reward was in order.

Switching off the rushing water with a few quick turns of the knob, a completely drenched Nick stepped out of the shower and into the tile clad bathroom, fully clean after a good scrubbing and soaking for the last twenty minutes. Doing what he did every time he got out of the shower, he shook the remaining water out of his fur only have it fluff out a bit but he was used to it, every canine did when they came in contact with water. With that little part of his routine out of the way, he stepped over to the sink and was met with a healthy expression while examining his face. Ranging from his eyes down to the base of his neck, it was a fairly quick, taking no time at all. Reaching over and taking both toothbrush and paste in hands, Nick squeezed out the contents onto the bristles and took to his canines after he receded his lips. Going about how he usually brushed, he was done within a matter of minutes, good thing too. The sooner, the better plus it would give him a chance to catch a bit of the news before he and Judy head out. With everything back in their proper place, Nick took hold of the towel that was resting on the sink and tightly wrapped it around his waist, snuggly tightening it to avoid a malfunction. Stepping out of the bathroom with a flick of the light switch, the fox made his way out and towards the den where his friend was waiting for him.

Once out, the first thing to greet him was the aroma of freshly brewing coffee, complemented by the sound of bubbling nearby, and Judy. She had her back to him, but he could hear the tapping of the screen. More than likely, she was on her phone that he had bought her last month for her birthday. Chuckling to himself, he called out from where he stood, wondering how she would react to a fox in nothing but a towel.

"As early as always, aren't you, Energizer? You keep this up and you'll surpass the White Rabbit's sense of punctuality."

"And you're no Honest John yourself." Was Judy's reply. With a twitch of her ear, she could hear him feign a gasp of hurt from her words that made her chuckle beneath her breath, out of her view, he placed a paw on his chest with a slight lean.

"Oh Judy, you wound me. Are you comparing me to that debauched roué of a fox? Tsk tsk tsk. I'll have you know that I pride myself in doing honest police work and nothing less."

"Haha, very funny. Good morning to you too, Nick. I'm surprised you're up this early. Normally, you'd still be in bed and it would fall to me to get you up, should your alarm fail. What's the occasion?" She asked.

"Shocking I know. Who'd thought I'd be up before you got here. Could be a sign of the apocalypse." Nick joked, chuckling a little at his own joke, which was met with a similar sound from the bunny.

"The apocalypse? I wouldn't go THAT far. I mean," She placed her phone down, turning to face him. "A small-scale riot, sure. That seems a little more manageable than a full-scale catastro - OH, you are naked!" The moment her eyes fell on his nude frame, her gray cheeks tinted and turned into a more pink hue, causing the bunny to turn back around to avoid seeing him. "Niiiick, you didn't tell me you were nude!" The fox had a smug smirk on his muzzle from the reaction, just the kind he was hoping for when her paw landed on her cheek.

"Really? With your superb sense of hearing, I'd of thought you would put two and two to together."

"I thought you were done and dressed by now!"

"Well you did show up earlier than usual and I was just about to do that, soooo… I guess that one falls on you. And to point, nude? Don't be silly, I'm wearing a towel. Totally counts as clothing."

"It doesn't and you know it, Nick."

"Aw, little bunny doesn't want to see how I'm coming along upstairs? Shame." He did a little flex while examining both his arms. "You'd think after all the Police work we do, would entice you. Ah well, what can a fox do?"

"Nick…"

"I mean, you'd think that making multiple stops by the Oasis Club for clues and leads, the constant exposure would get you past that and whatnot."

"Niiiick…!" Judy let out a groan out, drawing of his name, only to hear a light chuckle follow close behind.

"I guess it just wasn't working, huh? Even after all the times we've snuggled? Naked, mind you."

"Nick!"

"Okay, okay." He conceded, paws raising in a submitting manner even though she couldn't see it. "No more teasing the bunny about nakedness today, I promise. "

"Thank you. Now please go get dressed. The sooner we make it to the ZPD, the better it is for us." Judy replied, still refusing to look at the naked fox though her blush had long since disappeared.

"Don't gotta tell me twice. Be right back Cottontail." And with that, he turned tail and proceeded back into his room with the sound of the door closing behind him.

Judy let out a breath when the door in the back had closed, knowing that he had left and granted her some breathing room. As much as she didn't want to say it, seeing as how it would further bolster his ego and that was something she didn't want this early in the morning, she couldn't deny herself the truth that no matter how many times she saw him bare-chested, he looked good shirtless. Even though the glance was brief, he wasn't lying. It was true that, despite his wet fur being an obstruction, he did have a good amount of muscle on him that was very noticeable, but at the same time, he was nowhere near herculean, like the Tigers at the station for he still kept his lean and lithe figure with the right amount of body mass that was perfect for foxes, just the way she liked him. The way how his orange colored fur perfectly blended into his cream-colored underside, a limber and wiry chest that made it easy to get her arms around him and hold him close, especially when…! Her thoughts were beginning to shift to the more intimate part of their relationship, something that couldn't be allowed to continue, not now, aways. Feeling her cheeks start to heat up, Judy was quick to remedy that with a few slaps to push them away. It was too early for that kind of thinking when they had a full day ahead of them.

Time: 9:30

Location: Zootopia Police Department

The drive to the ZPD was a relatively hectic, to say the least. It was always the rush hour come Wednesdays, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. It pretty much gave them more time to talk with each other about various topics, ranging from past cases to ideal vacation spots, fancy restaurants, how Mr. Big and his daughter; Fru Fru were doing, even talk about spending some time with her family in the Bunny Burrows. Either way, the conversations were laced with jokes, light taunts and some hints of teasing here and there. Walking into their department, as always, it was crowded by various Police officers ranging from all kinds of species. Out of all of them, they were greeted by a familiar voice that immediately stopped eating and turned his attention their way the moment they were passed the door.

"Nick! Judy! Good Morning!" Called the cheetah, his paw waving their way and was greeted with the same optimism by the duo that walked up to his desk.

"Clawhauser, good morning to you too!" She replied, coming to a stop as he leaned over to see her from his station.

"Mornin' Spots, munching on a donut, as usual, I see," Nick replied, a side smirk appearing on his muzzle as he slid his paws into the pockets, giving off that laid-back attitude.

"You know it. They were having a two for one special today I simply could NOT pass up." Was his reply while taking another bite of the pastry.

"When it comes to sweets and deals, you never settle for second best, do ya?"

"Nope. I'll go for only the best. Speaking of which." Clawhauser reached from behind the countertop and pulled out a manilla folder containing a good amount of paperwork for her to do, but was considerably less than what she usually received . "Here you go. The reports for yesterday's fiasco need to be filled out and turned in by the end of the day."

Taking hold of the folder, the bunny tucked it under her arm as she did with every other stack of reports she got. "I remember the details clearly. Good thing us bunnies have such good memory."

"With how many of you there are over at the Burrow, good memory is a must have." That little joke earned him a playful elbow jab into his side. "Hey, just being honest." he chuckled from the minor assault while Judy merely rolled her eyes at that.

"Which is still quite the surprise coming from you.

"Oh, I'm full of surprises. Don't you worry about that." He winked down at her and a light giggle was his reward.

"I'll keep that in mind, Nick."

"Of course, you will. Bunnies have good memory after all.

"Oh my gosh." Another chuckle left her while looking off to the side, shaking her head amusingly at their little banter. It would've kept going, possibly to the points where cheeks were a tinted color were it not for a certain cheetah that lightly squealed at the scene before him.

"Honestly, I never get tired of listening to your banter. You two are so cute together." Benjamin commented, making Judy blush lightly whereas Nick only smirked, placing his paw on the bunny's shoulder which only made the blush deepen even more.

"Clawhauser, we talked about using the word "cute" when addressing me." Judy puffed her cheeks while looking off to the side, feeling the embarrassment from being called the C word.

"Hey, he's just stating an obvious fact. You are cute, unless, you don't want that to be true." Nick trailed off, waiting for her response. Normally, Judy didn't like being called cute by other animals, she found that insulting to her standing as an established officer of the Law and was quick to point that out. But when Nick said it, she couldn't help but feel all the more flattered when it came from him specifically. They had been best friends, partners and recently turned mates over the course of a few months, almost a year and if that was an indication of anything, she could let it slide, this time. Just when she was about to speak on that, Nick continued. "Stating the true and obvious aside, it was pretty bad yesterday, Spots."

"Oh, I heard. Maria, Thelma, Jasper and I were talking about it just a little while ago, such a disturbance they made. I'm glad the incident was called in when it was." Benjamin rested a paw on his round cheek and left of a dismal sigh. "Domestic cases are always so messy. Still, to think that the wife was the attacker."

"I'll say, I feel bad for the poor guy. No one deserves to be put through that. Man or Woman." Judy added.

"I'm just glad Elly was there when she was, otherwise, it coulda ended a LOT differently. The last thing I want to see is a bloodbath." That last comment made him shudder a bit at the very idea of seeing nothing but blood as the paint job on the walls of the room. There had been cases where both he and Judy had to deal with where blood was involved, but never to the extremes that he had heard from his fellows officers and frankly, he was glad that they didn't take those kinds of cases. Not only did he think he wouldn't be able to handle it, but it was something that he hoped Judy would never have to investigate. She was a tough little bunny, no denying that but there are just some things that she didn't need to see just yet, especially this early in her career. He knew that all too well. "Anyways. I think we've hung out here long enough. Any longer and we're gonna be late for roll call."

"Yeah, we managed to get in early. We should make the most of that." She took the lead while Nick followed close behind her, paws slipping into his pocket. "We'll see you later Benjamin."

"Later, Spots."

"Okay, take care guys!" He called out to them as they departed the main hall. Watching them gradually get smaller and smaller until they were out of view, leaving there at the front desk. Letting out another sigh, he plopped back into his chair and took hold of a pen that was nearby, tapping it onto a sheet in front him, jotting down a little memo. He only smiled at his little table that read: Wilde Hopps had various marks from other officers that had bet on them, including his own. He only chuckled while reaching over for the donut and continued eating it. "I wish those two would just confess already."

Time: 9:55

Location: ZPD Conference Room

"And that concludes the current situation for the two sectors of Zootopia. Lucky for us, Tundra Town isn't a Hotspot, this time, around, so activity is at the bare minimum. Moving on, we're getting reports from both Sahara Square and the Rainforest District that a recent surge activity of crime in those two areas, so says the ZSSPD and ZRDPD. we'll be dispatching forces from home base to assist in the maintenance and control. Normally this would be simple, but like life, nothing is ever certain. For the Sahara and Rainforest, we shall dispatch species perfectly attuned to said areas, starting with Sahara Square. For those who are partnered with said animals, you will switch to your heat-resistant B-4 uniform, can't have you passing out, now can we? You know the routine, you're call, get your file and head out." Placing his hoof on the name at the very top of the clipboard, he started there and worked his way down. "Alvarez and Samson, you're in charge of Oasis Central. The sooner you get this done, the more daylight you have to burn." Chief Bogo called out to the pair. The lion and the horse were the first to leave their seats and out of the conference room with their objective. "Matthews and Collins, you're on Nile Avenue." The clamor of chairs scraping against the floor of those that were called sounded throughout the room while the others waited their turn. Nick spectated as the pairs before them received assignments giving them a chance to talk amongst themselves.

"You think it has anything to do drug trafficking from last week?" Judy asked while going over the papers she had to fill out. Nick only sniffed at the question while watching other get called out.

"More than likely, Carrots. It was a pretty big bust over in the RD. We managed to stop its main source, but some of the contents got past us and made it past the Dividers, right into Sahara Square. But if I'm correct, they also managed to sneak it back into the Rainforest with the intent to recreate." Nick replied as he looked over the reports she had to do, seeing the contents and photos of yesterday's incident.

"Both the Rainforest District and Sahara Square, ideal areas for substance crafting. That would explain why Tundra Town has been relatively calm lately."

"Five points for you, Cottontail. Too cold in TT for making them. So that whittles it down to those two spots."

"I see." She closed the folder "From what the reports said, the substance found in the drugs were particularly dangerous. Even though it was just the powder by itself, it still acted as a pseudo catalyst that gave off the same effects as the Night Howlers did, but in more concentrated form." Nick arched an eyebrow at the explanation he was given. It wasn't uncommon for them to handle some drug cases when other officers were occupied, but when a substance is based on something so lethal, it surprised him a bit but he kept his composure.

"Basically a copycat substance, impressive." He pieced together.

"That's right but there was more in the report. To think that they'd go so far as to mix it with Sativa and in multiple doses."

"So that it acts as both a High and a suppressant without the effects of driving them savage. Get the adrenaline going while knocking out the nervous activity? That's a pretty deadly combo." He sniffed at the very idea of combining two deadly substances together, internally shuddering.

"I know. But what drives an animal to do this?" Judy turned her attention towards Nick and all he could do was shrug at that. She knew this kind of thing existed, that's was one of the many things they had to learn for this profession, but it still ate at her that there were Animals that would go to such extent in creating something potentially harmful to all, including themselves. Before she was given an answer, Bogo's deep voice had cut in, halting the topic from going any further.

"There various reasons as to why such things are considered, Officer Hopps, but only two reasons stand out above all the rest. Some do it for profit, shipping them off to various parts of the world in order to continue and keep the product alive while others use it as a means to obtain power, pure and simple. But I digress, it won't do you any good to wonder why such things happen or the motive behind their actions.

"I'm well aware Captain. It's just… it's a shame when these things happen." Was Judy's reply to her Captain. All he could do was nod in agreement.

"That's why our job is to keep the public safe as best we can. Now then," he looked down towards his clipboard. "Normally I'd have you and Wilde out in search of possible cartels or suppliers like others, but seeing as how this is a two animal job and you're currently on desk duty with reports, I'm left with no other choice." Bogo turned towards the fox, wearing that casual laid-back look with a smirk that Nick was well known for around the station of the ZPD. "Officer Wilde, I'm placing you on solo Commercial District Patrol over at Downtown."

"Solo patrol? What, don't think I can handle a few guys twice my size?" Leaning forward, Nick could feel the smirk on his face grow larger, but Chief Bogo wasn't smiling, he merely did a slow head shake at the fox's cockiness.

"Officer Wilde, you know as well as I do, that is not the case. I have faith in your abilities, as you've shown in your training days, but we're dealing with something that is too big for one Animal to handle alone. Seeing as how this type of criminal brand acts, it would be foolhardy to send you out there alone. We don't need a repeat of last month." Nick's trademark grin immediately vanished and was replaced with a more shocked expression when the event of last month was mentioned.

"You mean Officer Martin?" Judy asked.

"A sad but prime example, Officer Hopps. But yes, Officer Martin. You remember the incident, don't you Officer Wilde?" Bogo questioned, waiting for a response from the fox.

"Oh yeah, I remember him and oh man," Nick exasperated at the memory of what went down, clearly something that he wish he could forget. "That was the definition of reckless. I didn't think someone's arm could bend that way, let alone in several places. Poor bastard."

"Albeit a grim way of putting it. Had Officer Martin simply follow orders and waited for backup on the Docks, he wouldn't have lost his arm to the machinery. Let his folly be a lesson to you, Wilde. We don't need to lose another good officer." Nick's ears sprang up when he heard a genuine compliment come from the buffalo's mouth, something that didn't happen very often, but rather than show how he was really feeling, the fox donned his traditional laidback mask. Chief Bogo could only internally shake his head at the mistake he made.

"Why Chief, I believe I detect a hint of acquiescence. Genuine praise perhaps?"

"You're free to believe whatever you wish, Wilde. I merely stated my opinion and gave where credit was due. You're welcome by the way." Placing his clipboard under his arm, he turned with the intent to walk away, but Nick wouldn't let him just yet.

"Aw c'mon Captain, that the best ya got? What's holding you back?" Judy could only sigh in mild annoyance when her partner didn't take what was given to him, intent on pushing further as he usually did. He turned back and a smirk of his own was present which surprised the both of them.

"If you desperately must know, the answer is obvious. It's standards." But Nick didn't back down from that.

"If that's the case, I'm glad I could meet those standards. Makes me almost want to try harder. Almost." Bogo internally chuckled at the reply he was given. Even though Nick managed to annoy him from time to time to point where he could feel his temple lightly throb, he found the fox's mannerisms and jabs amusing, to say the least. Bogo would never admit this but the fact that Nick, out of all the mammals on the entire squadron who were tougher and larger than him by a considerable amount, was the only one ballsy enough to throw wisecracks his way and not shy under his intense glare when other animals would or tried the same thing. It was because of that, a tiny form of unspoken respect was forged between them.

"Alright, that's enough chatter. Get out there Wilde, you're on the clock. Any longer, I may just dock your next pay." He could see the fake hurt on his face.

"Now that's just mean spirited, Chief." Placing a paw on his own chest for that dramatic effect, but Bogo knew better.

"Let that serve as a motivator then. But seriously, I'm considering it, now get moving Wilde, daylight is burning and so's your paycheck. Now go!"

Watching the buffalo leave the room, Nick could see that he wasn't going to get anything more out of him at this point, but he was content. He got what he wanted out of his Captain today and that was more than enough to tide him over until tomorrow where the process would repeat all over again. Still, the fact that his Captain had praised him was still buzzing in his head, making the fox internally beam. In spite of wanting to bask in the glow, Nick knew that when the Captain brought his paycheck and the word 'dock' into the same conversation, he was serious. Even though he and the Bogo joked with each other, Nick knew his place and his limits. Still the fact that he got his superior officer to praise him, that was a victory all in itself. Once the door closed, only the fox and bunny remained but too was going to change.

"Welp, you heard the buffalo. The streets need yours truly to keep them safe and I'm not one to disappoint. You know this after all." Nick winked Judy's way, making the doe roll her eyes in an amused manner, lightly elbowing him in the gut. "It's true, you can't deny that."

"Yeah, yeah Nick. I know all about our nocturnal escapades, no need to bring it up." She leaned over toward his muzzle, placing a light peck on the side. "Hung Fox."

"Just stating the obvious, Tight Bunny." With that counter, he grinned when he saw the light blush reappear on her face and he forced back a chuckle. Normally he would've kissed her back after saying that, but he was on the clock and couldn't afford to waste more time. "I'd take the time to relish your embrace. But you heard the captain, no time for that, sadly." Sliding off the chair and onto the floor, he proceeded towards the door that led out of the RC room. "See you at lunch break, Cottontail."

"The usual for lunch?" Judy leaned over to watch him depart the room but felt her eyes slowly but surely travel south landing at that one spot that made her bottom lip curve inward beneath her top jaw, a knowing smile left in its wake as she watched both him and gropable backside leave the area.

"You know it. If all goes well, there may not be anyone to chase down, which is a shame," He turned back to wink at her, deepening her blush. "Seeing as how you're here on desk duty and all. But, what can one do?"

"You tease." Judy chuckled.

"And don't you forget it. Alright, I'm off, catch you later, Carrots."

"Yeah, see you later." She watched him exit the room, leaving her alone. Looking towards the papers that needed to be done, the bunny had a job to do of her own, just like the fox. She took hold of the folder and did the same as Nick and head off towards her desk. With some speed and little bit of luck, Judy hoped that she would get this done early and possibly join him on his patrol within the next few hours.

Time: 1:40

Location: Downtown Zootopia; 4589 SW 42nd Migration St.

Area: Commercial District alleyway

Letting out a rather loud and obvious yawn, a stationary and listless Nick was planted firmly in the seat of his police cruiser as he watched various animals, both large and small, make their way to various locations in the area. From what he could gather, Some were either going to a job, meeting up for a date, picking up groceries, whatever. The point was that it was a busy area on a busy day as usual. It had been a stodgy 4 hours since his departure from the ZPD to his current location and he had the luxury of simply sitting there, doing nothing but animal watching. Yes, he was keeping an eye out for activity in the public and running license plates from vehicles that passed by, it still change that one simple fact.

He. Was. BORED.

Granted, he had a way of keeping himself occupied, such as his phone, but it was low on battery and the last thing he wanted was for it to die on him, not when he was waiting for the call from his mate. It was at less than 10% and he was mentally kicking himself for forgetting to recharge it last night, so he had to use it sparingly. Slumping off to the side with his head falling onto his hand, he continued to keep watch, making sure things went accordingly but it didn't do anything to lessen the effect. It was patrols like these that made him wished Judy was with him. They could talk about various things while keeping a good double pair of eyes out, doing their best. And in the case of events where boredom becoming greater than their daily civic duty to the general public, for him at least, it was nothing the backseat and a little mid-day coitus couldn't fix. Then again, sex on the job was a pretty potent cure-all, He would've gone further into his thoughts about their previous escapades but the familiar ringtone sounded, letting him know who was calling. Pressing the talk button without even looking, Nick could only chuckle as he reclined even more in the driver's seat.

"I was wondering when you'd call me. Was getting kinda lonely on this side of town. It's unhealthy for foxes to be depressed, ya know." Nick couldn't resist starting with a joke, knowing that it would get a laugh out of her as it usually did.

"You foxes, so dramatic." The counter on her end made him chuckle inwardly.

"Sadly, yet surely. That is indeed our sin. One, I'm not willing to give up anytime soon. Anywho," He locked his eyes back out into the district. "Suffer any papercuts?"

"You don't need to worry, I assure you that my digits are 100% cut free. You can see, feel rather, for yourself later."

"As much as I rather have that now than sitting here alone, I'll be patient. That being said, how are the reports comin' along? Patrol here is pretty tame so far."

"It's going very well. At the rate this is going, I'll be done within the next 10 minutes."

"Just in time for lunch, which also works out for me as well. You're closest to The Ranch, right? Then you already know what I like. I'll pay you back."

"The Cricket chicken sandwich, peppercorn fries and a large bottle of water? Yeah, you pretty much get that every time we go out. Is that why you took the cruiser instead of the bike?" She shuffled the completed sheet into the folder along with all the others, moving on to the next that needed to be filled out.

"Of course. You can't have lunch on a bike, that's just ludicrous, and I'm not exactly eager to try either. Besides, since you're pretty much done with the reports, wanna patrol with me for the rest of the day? We can have fun animal watching together. If not, we can have our own bouts of fun in the back." The blunt and direct proposition was enough to make Judy blush but she didn't have to worry thanks to the confines of her cubicle.

"Even though that violates the rules of Patrolling?" Judy chided in a friendly manner.

"With ears like yours, I doubt we'll miss much."

"Well, aren't you just daring today." She replied, lightly chuckling at his proposal.

"I'm always daring when it comes to you, Buns." Nick could practically FEEL her blush on the other side of the phone, smirking just as wide. He did everything in his power to not laugh but was damn near tempted to.

"Points for flattery, Nick."

"What can I say, I'm a slave to the Rabbit Hole." A stifled gasp entered his ear and he knew he was winning her over with the idea.

"Officer Wilde, are you trying to foment me?" Judy tried to match his level play while keeping it relatively PG, seeing as how she was surrounded by her fellow co-workers. She tried to mask her tone in a 'shocked' manner, but she knew that Nick could see through it, he was the master of reading after all.

"Depends, is it working?"

"...Yes."

"Then yes."

"You and your smug responses."

"I think you mean Fantastic." His playful smugness never leaving his lips, to both of their amusement. They kept up the slightly sexualized banter for a fair bit of time, both of them stubbornly trying to outdo each other for personal points and bragging rights because that's just what they did and they loved each other for it. It would've kept going, were it not for the sudden scene of canine rushing by the cruiser in a rather hurried manner. From what he could see in the blur of things, the only defining detail that stood out to him was a tiny blue satchel that dangling from his clenched grip. Already, Nick knew that something wasn't right, thanks to a voice that called out to the dog. "STOP! STOP THIEF! SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP!" The voice was feminine judging by the pitch that was nearby. Passing the alley where he was stationed, a mammal had slowed to a stop and hunched over, paws falling onto her knees from chasing the dog, clearly out of breath.

"Ixnay on the food, Judy! Gotta go!" He hung up and slid the phone back into his pocket. He was quick to hop out of the car and exit the alley just in time to attend her. From the corner of her eye, she looked to see him all dressed in his standard uniform, that was more than enough to revitalize her. "Ma'am, are you alright?" Nick knelt in front of her.

"Officer! Thank goodness! I was just robbed by the brute! He stole my bag!" She pointed in the direction he had gone, Nick following her direction before turning back to her.

"I understand. Did he harm you in any way, Ma'am?"

"I'm a little roughed up, but please! Get it back! That bag is very important to me!" She cried, placing her tiny paws clenching together as her watery eyes looking into his in a pleading manner that was begging for his help. All Nick did was smile her way, a firm nod followed right after.

"Worry not Ma'am, I'm on it." He stood upright and prepared to give chase. "You stay here in front of the car. I'll call for backup to help you." With those words, Nick took off in the same direction, his mind set on catching him, barely hearing her thank him as he got further and further away from her. Even though the dog was further away by a considerable amount of feet, Nick was still quick enough to keep him within sight. Remembering protocol, he took hold of his radio and issued out his position. "This is Officer Wilde to Dispatch! Do you read me?" In a matter of seconds, the call came through.

"Dispatcher to Wilde. What's your status?" Came the reply.

"I've got a Four-Eight-Four! On foot and in pursuit! Suspect has committed a Two-Four-Zero against a Stoat, gender: Female! Requesting aid for the victim at Downtown Zootopia; 4589 SW 42nd Migration St. The Commercial District!"

"Acknowledged, Officer Wilde. Sending aid to said location."

With that out of the way, Nick could now fully focus on catching the guy who robbed her. It was a good thing that he knew this part of the Zootopia like the back of his foxy paws. He continued to tail the canine throughout the area and wasn't the least bit tired, sprinting past the various buildings that towered over him easily, but he didn't care. All that mattered was catching and bringing him into the station.

The chase continued on down the street with various animals dodging out of the way, throwing various shouts and curses at the mammal, but it did little to slow him down only causing produce to have been knocked from the vendors he darted past. Ever agile, Nick easily darted, jumped and weaved through the mess, his eyes locked on him. "ZPD! Stop running!" Nick shouted. It caused the male to briskly eye the one chasing him. The mere mention of the cops only causing his need to escape much greater. Nick could see that the punk wasn't gonna comply. All he could do was give chase until the chance to catch him shown.

"Make this easy on yourself and give up!"

"Like hell, Old Man!" The voice was gruff and abrasive, not a hint of respect for the Law or his elders.

'Old man?' Nick smirked at the offhanded remark. 'Looks like we're doing this the hard way then.'

The chase had continued well away from where he was stationed and up a few blocks up to the point where he took a sharp turn that led into an alley. Just before entering, Nick pulled up towards the entrance and could hear that dog had stopped to catch his breath, which was both good and a shame. Part of him wanted to go a little longer with the chase, but he knew better, for he had a position to get back to. Not taking any chances, he pulled the tranq gun from his holster and backed himself against the wall, preparing to engage. With a couple of breaths to steady himself and digit on the trigger, Nick quickly rounded the corner, arms extended with his gun trained on the target.

"What's the matter, Rover? Nothin left to knock over?" As Nick expected, he flinched at the taunt and turned to see that a dart aimed was directly at him and snarled, growling could be heard in an attempt to look like a threat. But Nick wasn't fazed, the whole 'threatening' feature was nothing special for he had taken down opponents much bigger than himself that could easily knock him out. "Now with the running out of the way, make this easy on yourself and get on the ground. Place the bag down slowly and paws behind your head."

It was a bit of a stare down as Nick kept his eyes on the dog for anything suspicious. Behind him, he could see the exit of the alley and knew he was gonna try for it. The sudden drop of the bag and one back step was all the confirmation he needed.

"Don't run, don't run." Another backstep. "Don't make the situation worse, man." He tried to convince him, giving him one last chance to obey. But it was wasted, for the dog did an abrupt turn and hauled tail. Nick only sighed in annoyance as the canine try to escape. "Why do they always run?" He pulled the trigger on the tranq gun and faster than he could lower his arms, the dart zoomed through the air throughout the lane and towards the victim, lodging itself into the shoulder. The effects were immediate, for he didn't get more than 3 meters and already fell to the ground face first, the dart doing its job.

"Sorry, Fido," walking over to the downed dog and standing over his dosed body, Nick holstered his gun and pulled out a pawcuffs, customized for canine perps. Cuffing both his paws behind his back, the chase was over and he had his suspect captive, at least until backup arrived. "You shoulda listened and stayed." He pulled out his radio to report his situation. "Officer Wilde to Dispatch. Suspect has been captured. I repeat, suspect has been captured. Requesting transportation to Central Booking."

"Acknowledged, Officer Wilde. Sending an escort to your location."

"Thanks. Also, has help arrived for the Stoat?"

"Affirmative. She's being taken care this very moment."

"Perfect. Thanks again." Nick could see that the dog wasn't going anywhere, not until the dose wore off which was for the next couple of hours. Walking over to the where the bag was dropped, he leaned over to take hold of it, or, at least, he would've, were it not for a sudden timid and high pitched voice that came from the dead end of the area.

"I-is… is it safe?" Halting his actions, Nick looked down the lane to see that a tiny face had slowly poked out from behind the dumpster and locked eyes with him. From what he could gather, he was easily able to distinguish that it was fox, just like him. Starting with the ears, they were just like a normal fox, small and perfectly triangular like his, not disproportionately tall and wide, like Finnick's but rather the right size. Moving down, he could see that her face covered in patches of dirt and soot, like she had been in a dank and dirty basement, but it did little for her eyes, and that's what stood out the most to him. They were the perfect shade of dusty gold with a hint of orange on the outer rims of the iris, blending with the main color, very rare to see these days. Her pupils were perfectly thin, slit like a cat's, yet they were full of fear and full of worry. "C-can I come out n-now?"

Offering his best and warmest smile. Nick stood up and proceed to walk over to where the kit was. As expected, she darted back behind the dumpster, a small mewl of fright leaving her lips and whimpering could be heard. Stopping at the halfway, he got down on one knee and patiently held out a paw for her, letting the little girl be the one to approach him. "It's alright sweetie. The bad dog is sleeping. You can come out now." His words were warm and comforting, coaxing the kit out of hiding. Again, she popped her head out, but this time, bringing out her whole body as well. She brought her paws close to her chest and merely stood there while Nick continued to smile, lowering his paw back down to his side, seeing that her clothes were just as dirty as her face. "There you go. Can you tell me your name?" He asked, letting her go at a comfortable pace.

"O-Olivia…" her voice was shaky, but kept going regardless. "it's Olivia."

...

...

*TBC.*