"Happy birthday." he whispered.
The rabbit shot straight up in bed with a cry, whacking her head against Nick's with a terrible thunk. Both animals held their heads in agony for a moment, whimpering.
In his paw, Nick had been holding some flowers, which he dropped after being struck by Judy's hard head. "Oops," the fox bent down and began gathering them off the dirty floor.
"Oh, are..." Judy swung her legs to dangle over the side of the bed. "Are those for me...?
Blushing, Nicholas stood up straight and offered them to her. "If you still want them." The flowers wilted pathetically, puking pollen in the floor.
"Oh, Nick." she laughed, throwing her arms around the fox. "Clever fox, knowing I'd like flowers..." she murmured teasingly into his fur.
"Did I know you were a female, and that all female species enjoy flowers?" aske Nick, rubbing the soft fur between her ears. "Then yes. Yes I did."
Judy grinned, hugging the fox tightly around his waist.
"Uh, um... Hey, Carrots?" he held her back at length and smiled down at her. "I was thinking since today was your big day, we could go somewhere nice for breakfast. My treat."
"Nick, you know it's an officer's duty to put the needs of others before their own..." Judy sighed, hopping off the bed and swiping her badge off of a table. As she pinned the object to her vest, she continued speaking. "What say you about...Dinner?" She asked.
"Would this dinner double as a first date?" asked the fox.
"If you behave yourself, it could very well be." Judy turned and pecked a kiss on the fox's nose. "Now come on. I'm sure Bogo is wondering why were aren't there yet."
"Aye aye, Captain." Nick trotted happily alongside Judy, the two of them poking and teasing one another good-naturedly the whole way. They were so caught up in the game of flirting, that there were just barely listening when Bogo voiced out their assignments for the day. Judy snapped out of her stupor and looked up helplessly at the Chief.
"Can you repeat that, sir?" asked Judy meekly.
Bogo nodded, as if agreeing that his words were hard to believe. "Apparently, there are animal tribes all across the world that have not yet become...Civilized. More than we originally thought..." A pause. Bogo lifted his eyes from the computer and looked at the rabbit and the fox who sat across from him, listening politely. "I would like you two to take a plane, bound for Kenya, first thing tonight."
"Tonight, sir?" asked Judy. Purple eyes shifted to meet Nick's green eyes. "But-"
"The sooner the better." Bogo stood up and gestured with a sweep of his hoof. "You two aren't the only ones I'm sending out across the world. So don't think you're getting special treatment. You're excused."
"You're sending others out with us?" asked Nick Wilde.
"No. It will be just you, and just Judy." he replied forcefully. He tossed a file at the two; Nick caught it and opened it up. "Now you may go." Bogo said with a nod at the door.
Once outside, Judy hopped beside Nick, peeking over his shoulder to check the file. "So what tribe are we cultivating? A tribe of mice? Maybe some exotic monkeys?"
"Lions..." Nick blinked. "We're being sent to the lions.