Chapter 11 - Officer down

Damage control was the order of the day. The mayor had to make sure the city wasn't going to fall apart with everyone now knowing they had been the test bed for some faceless, government agency's plan. Chief Bogo and Judy spoke of the events of last night at a press conference held by the mayor as well as their involvement with Jack. Of course they denied any knowledge of the agent's plan. It was the truth, and with Bogo's years of service and how Judy almost broke down as she spoke, the city probably believed them.

The officers put all the blame on the secret agency that Jack worked for, an offshoot of the ZBI, and their story backed it up. The Mayor also spoke about the affair, his views and experience with the agent, but most importantly how he still trusted Judy, Bogo and all of the ZPD. He also made an emphatic request for those responsible for being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law on air. The request was also made through the formal channels of course, but the citizens needed to know who was on their side and that something was being done.

The press conference took up the entire morning, yet Judy and Nick were needed for their regular duties, and despite the rabbit's ordeal yesterday, she was ready to work. A night with her mate was all the half-feral bunny needed to be prepared for more. She wanted blood, the blood of a specific bobcat. Unbeknownst to the Bunny, she had been watched by the very beast whose blood she wanted.

From across the street, through the scope of a stolen rifle, Anarchy watched every moment of the press conference. Like the revolver on his hip, the weapon matched his western drawl and attitude. A mat steel-gray and wood lever action rifle sized for a small mammal. With the repeater rifle to his shoulder, the bobcat laid on the edge of the building, watching his target through the many windows of the town hall. He almost took his shot through the big glass dome while Judy was on stage, but Anthony wasn't the best shot in the world, and it wouldn't get him what he wanted.

Anarchy knew Judy would come out the back of city hall. It was where the taskforce cars were after all. The reporters knew it too, those that couldn't get inside waited with microphones, cameras, and questions ready. At this moment Anthony wasn't just an alpha feral, he wasn't just a grieving cat, he was a god of death. He was a chooser of the slain. Any second the mammal he had chosen would show her self.

Anthony rolled on his side and pulled out his phone. He sent a text to his pack, 'I want the body.' His pack would do what they could to get his prize, they knew better than to not too. Almost as soon as the cat got back into his firing position and looked through the scope, the back door opened. First came the larger more imposing, active members of the Anti-feral Taskforce. They shooed the reporters out of the way and cleared a path for the rest of the force.

Then she walked out with Nick by her side, and Anthony's heart jumped into his throat. Judy was unaware of anything but the many questions she was getting. The bunny gave them simple none answers. Anthony didn't care, not that he could hear her words anyway. He only cared about where he would place his shot. Anarchy wasn't a sniper, but he was still a fair shot. The feral bobcat let out a breath put the crosshairs on Judy's forehead and pulled the trigger. The rifle kicked into his shoulder like an alligator's tail whip.

With a burst of fire and smoke, the blunt lead bullet shot out of the end of the barrel. The large round dropped more than the cat expected, but still hit the target, impacting Judy's badge right on the word 'integrity'. The round sent her spinning entirely around on the spot before she fell back, Nick catching her in the quietest moment of his life.

It wasn't silent for long.

Almost as soon as the echo of the shot faded and the stunned reporters started to stand again, a bestial roar came up as ferals charged from the shadows. The AFTF could never have been ready for their leader to be killed as she had been, but they were armed and training took over while their minds caught up. They jumped into the fight before they even understood it was coming.

The Taskforce officers ordered the reporters to stay down and out of the way. Fangmeyer took the lead and ordered the officers to form a defensive firing line around the frightened newsmammals. They only had a moment before it would be too late, but the T.U.S.K trained marksman did it. Pop shots quickly became steady, controlled bursts as the line formed. Full metal jacket rounds tore through the enhanced flesh of the ferals like butter while the small arms of the beast could do little to the riot armor of the cops. With the adrenaline flowing like it was the minor injuries would go unnoticed for some time.

Ram the rhino, the beta of The Named, slammed into a pair of parked cars, tossing them aside like toys. More of the pack charged around him as his lumbering gait became an unstoppable force. However, Tara the polar bear officer in the AFTF had something for him. She dropped the backpack she wore in front of her and pulled out a 'gift' from Judy's uncle B.

The gray tube felt small on her shoulder but the kick when she pressed the button didn't. With a burst of smoke, an anti-tank rocket flew from the tube. Ram barely had the time to register the thought of a rocket launcher, let alone stop, before he and four more ferals were engulfed in fire and death.

Above it all, Anthony saw his pack beginning to panic and retreat, what few were still alive at least. "Damn it!" he roared before looking back at his work. All he could see was Nick's back as the fox cradled what must be the limp bunny. "Let me see her damn it," the cat wept. "Let me see her!" he roared as he stood looking through the scope.

The sun caught the glass of the bobcat's scope. Peter saw the glint on the roof, it was odd enough for him to notice during the fire fight. He looked through his own scope and growled as he saw Anthony standing on the edge of the roof, "Got you, you fucking prick." The white wolf squeezed off a shot.

Past his crosshairs, Anthony saw the fox shift slightly, revealing a limp rabbit with wide open eyes staring heavenward. He almost let out a roar of triumph before his world exploded into red pain. Anthony's rifle scope had exploded, Peter's bullet shattering it..and his eye. He yowled in pain, rolling around as blood leaked from the wound. He was lucky the bullet had missed him, but even his ludicrously enhanced body couldn't completely heal from the damage the remains of the scope had done. He would live from it.

Through his pain and sorrow, the bobcat heard the helicopter Peter had radioed for approaching. With, now, only one good eye, Anarchy looked up at the police marked aircraft. The camera had Anarchy in it's sight, but it was the lion armed with a rifle in the cabin that mattered.

As bullets impacted the gravel roof, kicking up dust and rocks, Anthony rolled to all four paws. He was not going to rely only on his tortured light armor to protect him, but also his incredible speed. He ran zig-zagging to throw off the cops aim. As he made his escape, he pulled out his revolver, then as he jumped over an alleyway between buildings. He spun in the air and fired three shots into the bulletproof cockpit glass of the helicopter. It was just enough to startle the warthog pilot and force the aircraft back. Anthony fell into the alley and slammed hard onto the lid of a dumpster before bouncing to the dirty hard ground.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Back at city hall Chief Bogo and even more cops ran out of the building, weapons ready, as the taskforce went about the search for Anthony and the other ferals that ran from the area, leaving it quiet save for one bone-chilling sound.

The mournful howl of a feral fox.

Nick held his limp lover in his arms as he threw back his head and howled that painful song of loss from days long past. Cameras were still rolling on the scene as Bogo ordered his officers to get the reporters out of there.

Around Nick, Bogo could almost swear he saw more foxes. One must have been a savage beast, though now he seemed harmless, howling alongside Nick. Another was a young punk that needed straightening out, he was looking around for the culprit of his pain. That one was crying, but the saddest was the kit. Who was curled up next to the fallen bunny in the real fox's arms, crying the biggest, saddest tears Bogo could have ever seen.

...but he was just imagining all that..., right?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Momma, the painted dog, ran with Slinky the otter through back alleys. They would have preferred to get to their regular rooftop escape routes but with every ZPD helicopter overhead that would not have helped. The two paused to collect themselves and allow Cams the wombat, along with two more pack members to join them. For all, they knew they were the last of their pack. They would only know when they got back to the den.

The "when" became an "if" as several ZPD patrol cars slid to a stop on the street. In the blink of an eye, the officers were out. "Paws on your heads and get on the ground!" Peter Fangmeyer ordered, Mario, Chris, and Leo leveling their rifles at the alley, intent on filling it with lead if the ferals resisted. "We will not ask again!"

The five monsters did the last thing the cops wanted them to do. The moment they tried to rush forward with the speed of demons, the officers fired. The bullets were, of course, faster than the ferals could ever hope to be.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Two hundred and eleven miles away in a farmhouse Bonnie Hopps was busy preparing dinner for her family with the help some of her adult "daughters". The oddities of bunny farming families and how one of those "daughters" used to be her sister. Never crossed her mind. Thousand-year-old traditions were just one of those things one doesn't think about.

The middle-aged bunny hummed as she chopped the last two carrots she needed and slid them into the salad bowl. She wiped her paws on a towel and was about to pick the dish up when she heard a small voice call her from the den, "what is it, Brittany?" Bonnie replied.

"Mom! Come quick," the young bunny called back her voice growing worried, a murmur of other voices request their mother to come see something started to grow.

"I'm busy, sweeties can it wait."

"No, mom, i-its, Judy." There was a flood of sorrow and cries rolling from the living room now.

"What?" The mother bunny said as she looked at her helpers then hurried to the living room, the other bunnies followed.

The twenty or so younger bunnies had been watching cartoons on cable, but the news had interrupted them, Peter Moosburg was saying, "Chief Bogo has yet to comment on what could only be described as a bloody battle." A picture of Judy with a proud smile and sparkling purple eyes was on the screen beside the moose's head.

Bonnie clenched her chest as a few of her children asked what was going on, even some of her older children look to her for guidance. The mother bunny turned back to the kitchen. She fumbled around the counter for her phone. With numb fingers, she dialed the daughter in question. With a shaking paw, Bonnie held the device in front of her so the camera could see her. The picture of Judy graduating the academy smiled back at Bonnie as the call rang six times and Judy's voice came through the speaker in her chipper excited tone. "Hello This is Sergeant Judy Hopps of the ZPD," she giggled as it sounded like she was pushing something heavy away, "I can't come to the phone right now so please leave a message at the beep, and ill get back to you as soon as i can," the bunny's cheery laugh was cut off by a beep.

Breathing hard, Bonnie, hung up and dialed again. This time each ring of the phone was like another dagger to the heart. The room was silent as the same message played yet, "Stu!" Bonnie cried before hurrying for the back door. The little bunnies watched, confused and unsure how to act.

Stu Hopps sat on his big green tractor pulling along a carrot harvester. A few of his adult children help work the machine behind him. Suddenly his ear perked up when he heard a new sound. The sound of his wife frantically calling his name as she ran toward him. It was thankfully easy to stop the lumbering machine. The farmer jumped to the field and hurried to his wife asking, "What is It, Bonnie?" She was usually the calm one so for her to be so frantic was troubling.

The middle-aged bunny panted as she collapsed into her husband's arms. She was out of breath and couldn't answer, but she was able to say, "Judy."

"Judy? What about her." Panic rolled onto Stu's mind as he held his wife. His adult children watched from the harvester while their father held his weeping wife in his arms.

It took a moment for Bonnie to catch enough breath to speak, "there was a Bloody battle, they had a picture of her on the TV, and now I can't get her on the phone."

"No no no." Stu mumbled in disbelief, "there has to be a mistake, she probably just busy." He pulled out his phone to call his daughter. Bonnie hid her face in his stained green shirt as the ringer sounded for the sixth time and Judy's voice mail message sounded again. Her happy voice with the apparent romantic distraction was like claws on a chalkboard to the worried couple.

"Call her partner," Bonnie begged.

"Yeah, he'll know what's going on," Stu commented as he found Nick's number in his phone with shaking paws. The picture Judy took of Nick, while she was in the hospital all those months, filled the screen as the phone rang. The fox was caught in the bright sun of a window behind him as he laughed. Judy had mentioned he looked like an angel as she had put the fox's contact in her father's phone, Stu had never agreed but hope he was this time and brought him good news.

But no news came.

After six rings Nick's voice came through the speaker. He sounded annoyed like he was being forced by someone to say, "This is officer Nick Wilde, sorry I missed your call leave a message at the beep, and I'll get back to you when I can." Just as the beep came, Judy could be heard in the background congratulating the fox.

"This isn't good Stu," Bonnie said her face still hid in her husband's chest. They had always feared this day, dreaded it more than anything else.

"Uh, I think I got her chief's number," Stu said searching for chief Bogo contact in his phone. Luckily he found it and called.

It rang and rang and on the third the deep rumbling voice of chief Bogo came through the speaker, "Chief Bogo specking, who is this?"

"Oh thank god someone answered." Stu said while Bonnie held her breath, "Th-this is Stu Ho-Hopps, Judy's father. My wife sa- my wife, saw the news and we-we had to know if something happened…..."

The buffalo's voice change in a moment. It was still deep but now it was almost weak, "Oh mister Hopps...uh…"

"Please….. just tell me she's alright."

There was a long pause before the chief finally answered, "I wish I could, Mister Hopps." Bonnie's cries could be heard through the phone as Bogo continued, "I was fixing to call you and explain what happens, but I know no explanation would ever suffic-."

"Thank you." Stu cut chief Bogo off and dropped his phone to hold his wife as he wept.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Anthony landed on the roof of the house his pack was using as their new den. They have been run out of the last two, so the alpha had decided to change it up. Taking over a house in a suburb, luckily for all involved, the beasts had found one that had been foreclosed on and with a little hacking from Cams they wouldn't be getting any uninvited guest.

The cats face stung, his heart ached, but worst of all was his pride. He had been robbed of his prize and he had no idea if any of his pack would make it back. He was starting to think it wasn't worth it. He shouldn't have sent them in, maybe have waited to ambush them but he had to make sure that she was dead and claim what is his before the worms could.

And there was only one real way to do that.

The bobcat cursed too himself as he dropped down to the backyard. A gasp inside caught his ears, even through the glass. The alpha cat turned to see the kids of his pack where they had been playing in front of the tv. There were only four of them, the oldest an Ocelot of twelve. The little yellow feline stood in front of the others, with her purple hoodie up and a knife hidden in her sleeve. Just like she had been told.

Quickly realizing who It was the ocelot relaxed and one of the twins a civet of eight hurried to the sliding glass door and unlocked it. Anthony stepped in and looked at the four children and sighed as their questions and concerns came in a nervous wave of chatter. he looked at the Ocelot who he put in charge and just said, "Knife." holding out his paw.

The deep drawl of the bobcat silenced the little one's questions. The young feline looked to the pocket knife then the wolf pup beside her then back to the alpha feral. The ocelot was not feral, but she respected the bobcat like she was one. She gave the knife to Anarchy calling him such with a shaky voice. The infant snow fox whined and then started to cry in the cradle hidden among shadows beside the sliding glass door.

The bobcat walked over to the kit and loomed over her with a scowl. He sighed and reached in to fix the problem, the littlest one had lost it's binky, "Go get a bottle." Anthony ordered the four children who jumped to it.

A thump at the front door startled the group. With the kids frozen midstep Anarchy dashes to the door without a sound. Anthony Catson formally the biggest threat to the city listened cautiously. He heard pained breathing. The bobcat opened the door and Slinky the otter flopped on the floor his back covered with blood and filled with holes. He looked up at his alpha and smiled with his strength waning.

"Slinky." Anthony called and helped the otter up. Although there was little effort on Slinky's end, he didn't have long.

"It's okay, boss," The otter said with that sinister laugh of his, "I think you got her."

"I don't care about that right now, it's you I'm worried about," Anthony said, for all the power he had gain, all the strength. The bobcat couldn't keep his world from falling apart.

"I'm- don't boss." Slinky replied with a smile and a pat of his alpha's shoulder, "Let the worms have me. You need to save room for cop... boss." that was the last breath the feral otter ever took.

Anthony felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he didn't cry. Tiny gasps came from behind him and drew his attention. The little ones were leaning around the corner of the kitchen to watch while the hungry kit cried in the other room, the bobcat also heard sirens growing closer outside. The sad feral growled and waved them away, "Get the kit a bottle." The children scrambled back into the kitchen and together retrieved the milk they had been warming and hurried to the crib.

Meanwhile Anthony looked back at Slinky and hung his head. His friend and pack mate had given him a final request and Anthony would fulfill it. The bobcat stood and headed to the back door as blue lights flashed out front. Anarchy walked into the living room where the four kids were watching the baby hold the bottle and drink, "The cops are coming." The bobcat said. The Ocelot kitten and the Wolf pup, the only two old enough to understand what that could mean, turned to look at their leader, "Just let them take you, you'll be fine." He smiled lukewarmly before turning and walking out the back door. The kids hurried to the glass door and watched the alpha run to the fence then leap over it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As the sun began to set Bogo sat in his office listening to Clawhauser report the final numbers of the day, "Other than Anarchy all 18 remaining members of The Named are accounted for." The cheetah spoke without emotion, "Three ferals have been hospitalized, four more were taken into custody, the remaining eleven were killed."

Bogo wrote in his notes using an orange carrot shaped recorder pen, "Civilian casualties?" He asked without looking up.

"No deaths, thankfully." Benjume replied with the first bit of emotion he had shown since hearing the news, "There was a paw full of minor injuries."

More notes, after a breath Bogo looked up and asked, "How about our losses?"

A tremble ran through the plump cheetah's spine, "Maybe a dozen officers with lacerations and McHorn broke his arm." Ben paused swallowed a sniffle as he said, "one dead." the dispatch officer stared at the floor as his arms hung by his sides nearly dropping the clipboard, "never thought she wouldn't make it."

Chief Bogo rubbed his snout and finished his notes, "If I have learned one thing in my career Clawhauser it's that not every officer's career ends with a party and a gold watch. Sometimes it ends with a parade and a pine box." the cape buffalo stared at the pen in his grasp ignoring his rhyme and then ordered, "It's been a long day Ben, go home."

The cheetah was on the verge of tears as he thanked his commanding officer and told him good night. Bogo wished the cheetah a good night as well then watched Ben leave. Once he was sure he was alone, he looked back at the pen.

Nick had shoved it in his chest when the chief had come to Judy's ambulance. It was so odd, but the look on the fox's face was so severe as he told him to listen to it alone.

Bogo hit play, the sound of a paramedic in the back of an ambulance could be heard for a moment then Nick's voice came through clear as day, "Chief this is a big secret don't let anyone else know."

There was a moment of only background noise before a weak voice said, "It's a hustle."

Bogo's eyes widened, and his ears shot up, had he heard that right. He hit play again, again after a moment Nick again said, "Chief this is a big secret don't let anyone else know."

Another pause and, "It's a hustle." The voice was weak, probably from pain but it was also feminine and familiar.

The chief rewound then hit play again, "-et anyone else knows." the pause and the female voice said again, "It's a hustle."

The cape buffalo listened to the voice one more time just for good measure, "it's a Hustle."

Judy was the owner of that voice.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Anthony waited like the patient hunter he was, laying low on the roof of a building across the street from Savannah General hospital. It was where his target would have been taken. The sun was almost below the horizon behind the skyline. The feline stood he thought he had waited long enough, visitation hours were over in the hospital, and that probably meant a shift change. He had to be quick.

The bobcat stepped over the side of the roof. He dropped about three stories before catching the wall with his claws and kicked off to land on a light post. Before the mammals on the sidewalk even knew he was there Anarchy jumped across the street.

The bobcat rolled to all fours in the back parking lot of the hospital. Anarchy pressed himself to a car nearby and looked around. The area was clear of cops, and the few other mammals outside weren't paying attention anyway. So the feral dashed to the next vehicle in the sparsely populated parking lot. The feline was careful and quick as he made his way to the backside of the hospital.

It wasn't hard to find the door that led to the morgue. Picking the lock was a little harder, the pain in his destroyed eye and his heart was distracting. However finally after a tense couple of minutes, the lock popped. The door opened to a dark hallway. Each of the four rooms were pitch black and quite, the air was heavy and still fitting for a place that held the dead.

Anarchy's nose flared as he walked in, the smell of bloody bodies and medical disinfectant was thick in the air, but he could smell what he came for. A bunny. The cat walked on only his silent pads with his claws sheathed, as he made his way to the storage room for new arrivals.

The coolers must have been full because steel rolling tables had been set out with the thick rubberized black body bags on them. The bobcat checked the tags, each one had a name of a member from his pack.

Save for one.

The form inside was smaller than most of the others, and while they all had plain white tags, this one was blue. Judy was definitely inside, Anthony's vengeance would soon be his. He reached out and in the silent room, the zipper of the body bag was like thunder. With each metallic pop the cat's smile grew. Before the opening revealed anything more then the tips of bunny ears the lights came on without warning. They were like the stinging fire of a thousand suns, to the cats one wide eye.

Nick had been laying in wait, and praying that Judy didn't succumb to her wounds. Four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a collarbone that was broken in three places was a lot to handle. Even for a feral bunny as tough as Judy. Not to mention the minimal medical treatment she had been given.

Anthony blinked away the blindness and turned to the doorway where Nick now stood, his mirror shades in place to protect him from the lights he had turned on. His trimmed down M9 raised, "Don't move, Tony!" he was aiming at Anthony's head but was looking at the open bag, still praying that his partner would move.

She didn't.

"It's over, so put your paws up and surrender," Nick ordered stepping closer.

Anthony looked to the bag then back at Nick. His claws inches from the bunny's face, "What's wrong, Nick? Ar'ya afraid ah'll mess her up for her last show?" He smirked, "That's what she deserves."

The fox shook trying not to growl, "Come on, end it, here and now. you can still leave this place alive."

"As if." Anthony spat back finally stepping away from the table and out into the open. He held his paws out wide, "Admit it, Nick, you want to kill meh just as much as Ah want to kill you." The bobcat stepped closer. He would have shot Nick already, but Anthony had lost his pistol earlier, besides he came here for dinner why not have an appetizer.

To Nick's eyes, he had Anthony surrounded. Slick was to the left of the cat ready to pound him like a street boxer. Robin was to the right, the little kit was now all full grown cop weapon at the ready, his childlike gleam still there and his red bandana around his neck. Todd was behind Anthony on the table standing over the unmoving Judy, "You know what, you're right! I do want to kill you!" Each word was dripping with hate from the fox's muzzle. Nick tossed his gun aside and ran towards Anthony.

Anthony smiled hallowly, when he met Nick's charge halfway his claws ready, "Now this is how ah like it, fox." there was no holding back in this fight. One of them would die this day.

The cat's claws dug deep into the flexible armor over the foxes belly forcing the wind from Nick's lungs and stealing strength from the swipe to the cat's blind side. Nick's iron hard claws still cut bloody grooves into the feral's cheek.

Taking his moment, Anthony bent at the knees pulling the fox over him before throwing Nick away. Taring the ballistic armor from Nick's belly. The fox was undaunted he twisted in the air and landed on all fours.

Like lightning, Nick was on Anarchy again. The cat hadn't had the time to pull his claws free of the armor chunk. Nick's jaws clamped down over the bobcat's right arm, crushing the armor and breaking a few of Anthony's claws while freeing others but most importantly the vulpine's fang sank deep into the cat's arm almost touching bone.

Pain shot through Anarchy's arm. He yowled as he pulled his other paw free. Before he could retaliate Nick yanked the smaller feral off his paws and slammed Anthony into a rolling table nearby. The metal leg bent, and the wheels squeaked as it rolled into next table. the body on the first table started to slide off as the tables rolled away colliding with the others till they all hit the wall.

Stunned but not out Anthony racked his claws across Nick's head and sank his fangs into his neck, fangs grazed bone as the bobcat just missed killing the fox. His advantage lost Nick tossed his head sending the bobcat stumbling into the table beside Judy.

The world was fuzzy for Nick. He was losing a lot of blood. He stood and held the back of his neck trying to slow it, hoping his ridiculous feral healing ability would kick in before he passed out. Anarchy chuckled mirthlessly as he stood up pushing off the rolling table. He was bleeding too but not as bad as Nick, "Ah always thought it would be harder than this. Ah guess Ah was wrong."

The cats smile vanished as a shot rang out from. A bullet catching the cat in the smallest of openings between his arm and his vest. He gasped as the round tore through the inside of his chest. Anthony grabbed at the table as two more rounds punched through the thick rubber bag Judy was laying with in. One round flattened painfully against the cat's backplate while the other entered his unarmored lower back.

Anthony clung to the metal table and watched as the barreled of Judy's pistol poked through the opening of the body bag and pushed it down to unzip it the rest of the way, "Yeah, you were mistaken." Judy grunted as she sat up like a vampire from an old movie, her pistol in paw. Most of her neoprene uniform had been cut away. Leaving her in only a makeshift pair of pants and the bandages used to keep her arm immobilized. She glared at the cat, and he glared back. However, while one life was ending, the other was finally feeling free.

A strange almost peaceful smile crossed Anthony's face as his strength faded. He couldn't hold on anymore and slumped to the floor turning his back to the leg of the table. Blood dripped from his mouth as he looked up at Judy and her weapon. His one eye unfocused as his gaze slid past her to another long ear feral. Jacklyn reached out to him to lead the once great alpha down not a white tunnel but a fiery red road.

But it was okay he deserved it, they both did.

The tension in the room vanished the moment Anthony died. Judy groaned as she let her right arm fall beside her, "About time." she huffed painfully.

"Yeah," Nick said as he checked his wound, the blood was slowing now and wrapping a towel around his neck would help keep it that way. He then walked over to his partner and asked, "How are you holding up?"

"Been better."

Nick scooped her up in his gentle arms, neither cared that his paw was covered in blood. They shared just about everything else anyway, "let's get you to a doctor, you've waited long enough." the feral fox smiled as he carried the bunny to the elevator, she mentioned getting him one too. Slick walked beside the real fox looking over the wounded bunny. Todd stayed behind to growl at the dead bobcat, while Robin tried to call an elevator once again he was too short to reach. He was a kit again after all.

The ride was silent to the second floor, the fox simply watched the bunny breath. She had her eyes closed and ears up, trying to banish the pain from her mind. Once the doors opened a nurse looked up from her paperwork. She was about to rush over but Nick shook his head the bloody towel abandoned in the elevator, "Just need a room and a doctor."

"Oh." The white-tailed deer said, "Yes, um that one should be free." She pointed to the room to Nick's left. The deer stood and hurried off to find a doctor.

Judy groaned as she was laid in the bed as gently as Nick could manage, "Sorry." He apologized.

"It's fine" Judy replied and relaxed slowly in the hospital bed, "but if you promise to be the next one of us to get shot, I will marry you." she laid back into the soft pillow with her ears draped over it as she looked up at the fox.

Nick stared at Judy trying to find if she was serious. The look on the bunny's face said it all. There was no jest in her words, "Sly bunny." He chuckled and looked away like he was thinking, "Yeah, worth it." He leaned down and kissed Judy's lips as she cupped his cheek with her one good paw.

Nick sat on the side of Judy's bed looking into her eyes as she did the same. He held her paw, her grip was as firm as ever. They had work to do, now more than ever with a wedding to plan. Thankfully the worst part of their day job was done.

After a good five minutes, Nick stood saying, "Where is that doctor." He reluctantly pulled his paw from Judy's as he walked to the door, "I'll be right-" he paused as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and looked at it. It was unopened still having the cellophane wrapper on it.

The bunny looked at her fiance and asked, "What is it?"

"My last one" Nick replied looking at his bride to be, then the imaginary foxes around her. The bunny was a little confused, but the smile Nick gave her was comforting. Without another word the fox dropped the full pack into the trash can beside the door, "I'll go find that doctor now."

As soon as the ticking of Nick's claws was far enough down the hall, a long ear shadow fell over the trash can.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A week and a half of recovery and three more months of work and finally the feral problem was to a point where the city and Chief Bogo felt the Anti-feral Taskforce had completed its job. With Judy's miraculous return from the dead and Nick's viciousness accompanied with the most brutal feral pack being completely wiped out, most of the remaining ferals surrendered and those that didn't, met a similar fate to the Named. Thankfully the bloodshed was light.

Now with their weapons laid down, though still in metaphorical reach. Judy and Nick took a well-deserved vacation, they had a wedding coming up soon and a honeymoon to enjoy after that. Although that was all technically a formality with them already owning a decent sized home in the suburbs of Zootopia together. Though they were paying for it the mayor more or less gave it to them. Being heros has it perks, but that was not the reword Judy wanted.

Judy awoke with a start in her bed, Nick was laying on his back behind her. A little silver ring with purple jewel sparkled on the nightstand beside their bed.

However what caught her eyes was not the engagement ring.

In the pitch blackness of her comfortable master bedroom, which was probably twice the size of her old apartment. Judy's purple eyes glowed as she stared face to face with a savage gray bunny or better yet a savage version of herself.

The unkempt bunny was naked as she leaned on the bed her chin rested on her paws. Her nose wiggled as she sniffed at Judy. The primitive look in her eyes was not frightening, at least not too Judy.

Behind the naked rabbit stood another bunny, or more precisely another Judy. This one leaned on the wall wearing cover all's with only one shoulder clasped and a red and white flannel shirt that only have a few of the top buttons done. A sprig of wheat stuck out of her mouth a little farther than the brim of her straw hat. She smiled and winked at the real Judy knowingly.

That wasn't the last one. Another Judy stood in the doorway ears high and chest puffed out in a crisp dress uniform. Her shiny gold badge in place. Though this full grown and fit bunny had a serious air to her, she had the smile of a proud child. Judy had seen it in the mirror many times with the same determined purple eyes.

Movement caught the real bunny's attention and brought her back to the savage rabbit. That Judy climbed up and over the real one and onto Nick's bare cream colored chest. She pushed the covers down to his was line with her back paws. Like a beast of old inspected her mate she sniffed at Nick's neck and chin before snuggled her head into it, it fit so perfectly there it was like they were meant to go together.

Then Nick wrapped his arms around the bunny draping herself over him.

Judy suddenly realized she was actually laying naked on her husband-to-be chest. However, it only made her smile. She looked up at the sleeping Fox's face. He was so at peace it was beautiful. Judy kissed his neck and chin, then his lips, it only got the slightest of responses, "Wake up Nick." Judy coaxed gently. Just a wiggle and a whine came back.

The bunny had to do more, so she bit his neck. It wasn't a hard bite, it wouldn't even leave a mark, but it did what Judy wanted.

"Ouch," Nick said pushing Judy away and sat up. He looked at the bunny that laid on her back in his lap, "What the hell was that for, Carrots?"

"I had to wake you," Judy replied with a smile, a smile that meant only one thing.

"Why?" Nick asked rubbing his neck, even when Judy was ready to go she was never this ready to go. Then he noticed the odd gleam in her eyes. It made his tail start to wag.

"I think it will work this time," Judy said pouncing on the fox, this time he was ready and happy to oblige because, sometimes good guys do bad things for the right reasons.

The End to this tail.