It hurts her heart.

Her Nick, so proud, eyes bright and full of joy as she pulled his scarf straight and smoothed out any creases in the clothes she'd worked so hard for. He seemed to swell with pride, drawing himself up to his full height heroically as he admired his uniform.

All those long hours and skipped meals were worth it.

She couldn't help giving him a big squeeze before pushing him gently towards the door as he rushed off to his Scouts meeting.

She was glad, he was making friends in their new area; that they had been willing to look beyond his species and welcome him into their club. It was progress, surely?

Much needed progress, since her manager still watched her every move, and she'd been working for him for months. And somehow a security guard always materialised and followed her around every store she ever visited. And she had to keep her head down around the police, never protest, be super polite: yes, officer. No, officer. Her mother's voice always in her ear: "Just don't give them a reason!"

But it was progress nonetheless.

Her Nick would show them. That a mammal was more than their stereotype, since he was honest and optimistic and so kind it warmed her heart.

But then he came home with rumpled clothes and a squashed ear and a stony expression she'd never seen before. He didn't say anything, but later she found that precious uniform in the kitchen bin, and when she checked on him at bedtime he was already asleep, traces of tears still on his cheeks.

Looking closer, she could see marks, as if something had flattened his fur and rubbed away at his skin. Something long and thin crisscrossing his face. As if they had –

No.

No, they wouldn't.

They wouldn't treat her baby boy like a criminal.

Her hackles were raising and she had to leave the room to calm down.

But the next morning when she helped him get dressed she noticed patches of missing fur and the bruising underneath.

He wouldn't look at her, and he didn't say anything, so she kissed his forehead and stroked his cheek and told him he could stay home from school today.

When he fell asleep after lunch, she dug out that uniform and burned it.