Stranded

Chapter 0: Prologue

Vacation.

A simple word that, to many, could only mean pleasant times were coming. All that it implied, a time to relax, have fun; see the sights of lands near and far. Yes, a word that many would often look forward to hearing. A word that brought nothing but smiles to many stressed and overworked souls. Even more so if it were to be accompanied by the fact that it was an all-expenses paid cruise. A free vacation. Pure bliss…

If Nick could do so, he would be laughing at that thought…if he could think about something other than staying alive. The fox could only make due with trying to get his bearings, but being tossed around in tumultuous sea water, paired with the muffled booming of thunder from being submerged, made doing so an impossible task.

Attached to him, by means of tied life jackets, Judy did her best to do the same in trying to figure out which way was up or down. She succeeded less so than her partner, the little rabbit's mind going into a panicked overdrive as the events that led to this madness flashed before her eyes.

It had happened all too fast. Waking to the sudden jostling of the cruise liner as it rode out the freak storm. Then the alert that the ship had hit something, not even certain of what was struck, and that it was now sinking. Then they had assisted the ship's crew in directing vacationers to the life boats. And the last thing they did was put on their life jackets, tied together at the buckles with a simple single knot.

That last act. The act of tying themselves to one another. That was the single most important thing the two officers could've done, for they found themselves overboard from another sudden jerk caused by a massive wave colliding with the ship's broadside. A moment of screaming lost within the thunder and rushing water. A sudden splash, followed by equally sudden darkness, submerged in the murky depths below…

Neither of them could really tell how long they were in the water. It was fortunate that at random points they suddenly found themselves above the surface, taking strained lungfuls of air before being taken under once more. The torrential force of the waves as they crashed in on the pair kept them conscious, much to their dismay.

For Nick, being forced to stay conscious was a blessing in disguise, gripping onto his partner tightly, terrified at the thought of losing her in the chaos. It was amazing he was able to do so despite how weak the rest of him felt. But the fear kept him focused on at least holding on to her, he would be damned if he lost her here.

Judy tried her best to snap out of her panicked state, but with each wave that came down on them she could only pray that it wouldn't be the wave to do them in. She was begging to whatever forces were at work that they would end up on solid ground, alive and intact. But it was as if the sea was torturing them, holding the two prisoners locked in a cage of despair. The thought of death loomed overhead along with the dark and ominous clouds. Each flash of lightning allowed the two to bear witness to furious waters, the horizons devoid of any land; cruelly teasing them and dashing any hopes they might've had that this ordeal would soon come to an end.

Nick closed his eyes, clutching onto Judy as best as he could. In this moment, the waterlogged fox managed a single instance of clarity, the fear replaced with hopelessness. He had but one grim thought.

'This is it; this is how it ends for us, drowned from trying to enjoy a vacation!'

The thought was dashed immediately as his grip on Judy loosened. She let out a scream just as they were above water, causing Nick to snap out of it in time to keep his hold. The fear returned, the fear of losing the rabbit he called his partner. The rabbit he had come to love. Clarity came to him again, his resolve renewed and refusing to falter. Another thought came to him, this time entirely opposite to his previous thought just mere seconds ago.

'No! I want to live! I want her to live! We're going to get out of this! We're-'

The thought never finished as the pair collided against the surface of something. They assumed they had just flopped hard onto an oncoming wave…but then why weren't they underwater anymore?

Nick looked up weakly whilst coughing and wheezing. Everything around him was a blur, and despite his night vision, his eyes could not focus on anything in the darkness that surrounded them. He could only make out smudges of distorted colors, silhouettes of what appeared to be trees and other forms of vegetation or perhaps rocks. He looked to his side; Judy was there much to his relief, the landing having caused her to be stunned as her eyes rolled around weakly. He placed a paw against her soaked head as she coughed, watching her as she winced from the crushing sensation of having the wind knocked out of her. She slumped over as waves rolled by them, gently carrying them further inward to what Nick could only assume to be land at this point. The fox took his paw off his partner's head, placing it on the soaked ground between them, grabbing a pawful of grey, muddy sand. Land…what luck…what incredibly dumb luck.

They survived, against all odds, by sheer luck they were placed on an island.

And with that, like his partner, Nick slumped over, closing his eyes to join Judy in her unconsciousness. The relief washed over him much like the waters that came up to them every few seconds. They were safe…for the moment.

A/N: I don't do Fanfics…but for Zootopia, I happily make an exception. This is effectively my first Fanfic, EVER. A few reviews and some pointers would be much appreciated!