Francine tried to ignore her nerves as she waited patiently on the fine upholstered chair, waiting for her interview. The other mammals who had come been called in had already left, each it seemed had bit of smirk to their muzzles as they strode away. Most were middle aged females, like her; most with backgrounds in childcare, like her; all well-dressed prey, unlike her…..the only predator in the waiting room. The only fox on the grounds of the estate.

She knew it to be a long shot, going in for this interview. Lord and Lady Hopps' were well to do and seemed quite kind, but they were rabbits. As welcoming as they were to mammals of all shapes and sizes in public, what rabbit would want to hire a fox to help raise their ever growing warren. Even one with her impressive background and experience, not to mention the glowing reviews.

Still, the advertisement had been too appealing and her husband and son were too excited for her to turn back and leave now. Smiling, Francine's hand reached into her coat pocket to wrap itself around the small toy solider inside it. Her son, Nicholas, had insisted it would bring her good luck. And with that beautiful little face smiling up at her with green eyes matching her own, she could not refuse.

A slight jump escaped her when the door to the study opened and a gentle voice cut through the silence and her thoughts.

"Mrs. Wilde, thank you for waiting, and I am terribly sorry for the delay," Lady Bonnie Hopps of Bunnyburrow stood smiling with welcome at the open doorway, gesturing the vixen into the room. " I hope the wait wasn't too tedious?"

Francine beamed back, " Not at all. I dare say it was long enough to gather my nerves and insure my whiskers were crumb free from breakfast!"

Though the vixen laughed at her own statement and was not alone in the mirth, she kicked herself for the foolish comment and settled in on the ornamental couch opposite of Lord Stewart Hopps.

Did you really just say that to your potential employer, you fool! She thought wildly.

But Lady Hopps laughed happily.

"I dare say, a good sense of humor is going to very much needed to handle our brood, Mrs. Wilde! And wit, as my kits tend to try many a sly trick to get out of bath and bed time. With your resume and recommendation from Sir and Madam Brocktree, I daresay you will get on well here," Lady Hopps said, her eyes sparkling. "I did get in touch with the school too, NorthWoods Privet School, in Zootopia. They have nothing but the best to say of you and your time there. May I ask why you left?" The lady had sat herself next to her husband and poised a pen over the notepad, waiting for her response.

"Unfortunately, the new administration that took over was not so keen on foxes, especially around their youngest students. I and my colleagues were hard pressed to pull up the personal files of all the students I had taught to show that I was indeed a positive influence in their young lives." At this, Francine sighed. "Their counter argument was that, even though I was the primary educator for the class, my success rate was the result of the overall environment of the school. Out of fear of damaging my reputation for extraordinary patience, I felt it best to resign. I had been offed a job as governess to the Brocktree's children, so I was not without a gap in my teaching career ."

Francine finished with a small nod and smile, reflecting on how quickly the four badger cubs have grown. And she still had yet to bring Nick to meet them! They would have to arrange a reunion soon.

Lord Hopps, who had been silent and listening with just a hint of distrust in his eyes, spoke for the first time since her entrance.

"And this seven year gap? May I inquire as to that Mrs. Wilde?"

The statement and accusatory tone earned a sharp glare from his wife, but the vixen simply chuckled and regarded the Lord good naturedly.

"Of course, my lord! My husband and were blessed with a beautiful male kit of our own. He is quite the handful, I must say! It made watching a group of toddling cubs at lunchtime feel like a quiet vacation." Smiling again, she continued un-rushed, "His name is Nicholas. He's old enough now that is father takes him to our gardens for the day to help the harvest. He's a good little helper, my son, if a bit mischievous. But my days are now empty and my love of teaching is making me restless again. Thus, here I am!"

Bonnie smiled at the lovely vixen. In her mind, she had already been hired after Madam Brocktree had brought her children for a visit. Such fine young badgers they were too, who, upon hearing of Francine Wilde's upcoming interview, had begged their mother to stay and receive their old governess with the lord and lady. Ella Brocktree denied their request regretfully, and put in the sparkling review for the vixen in question.

"I would love for to start right away if you could, Mrs. Wilde!" Bonnie said, standing gracefully from her seat. "If you have time today perhaps you would like to meet kits? They are all eagerly awaiting to know who we hired!" Francine nodded in astonishment.

"Bonnie…. my beloved…..do you really think….. I mean… she is a fox , after all…" Stewart looked flustered at his wife words and stammered the statement out before being silenced with another glare from the dignified doe standing above him.

"Yes, my love, I think. And yes, my love, she is a fox," Bonnie's ears stood tall and flushed with quick anger. "She is a fox who thanked our Marty for opening the door for her, as well acknowledged Martha's presence and thanked her the water she had been given. She has been given the highest praise and best reviews of the lot we had interviewed of the last two weeks, and has shown have more than the basics of manners established. Manners I would like to have rub off on our kits. I will not have them growing up to be spoiled, self indulged aristocrats like the Bellwethers seem determined to raise!" Calming significantly after her rant, Bonnie turned from her husband's thunderstruck face, to Francine's surprised one. "Do say you'll accept the position, Mrs. Wilde. I honestly had already hired you before today and I would hate for you to quit so soon!"

Francine's eyes sparkled with emotion, as every positive one that could be felt swarmed through her, from tail to ear tips.

"O-of course I accept! But if I may ask, please call me Francine. Or Frankie if you prefer. Mrs. Wilde makes me feel old." The two females beamed at each other while shaking paws, Bonnie leading Francine around the coffee table to the ornate double doors across the room.

Still a tad flabbergasted and very much intimidated by his wife, a normally calm doe herself, Lord Stewart watched them leave and made no hint to follow. Instead, he turned to the impala standing unassumingly by the entry to the study.

"Double scotch, would you Martha? I feel as though a riptide has entered my home."