Zootopia Short Stories: International Rabbit Day Special - The Scent of a Rabbit

Saturday, September 28th is officially International Rabbit Day and here is a very short story to celebrate! Judy is having boyfriend problems and asks Nick a question.

I do not own the rights to Zooptopia or any of its characters. This story was written solely for the reader's enjoyment and without any profitable purposes. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious.

It was a magnificently gorgeous day in the fair City of Zootopia, the sun was brightly shining and the temperature was just wonderfully perfect for any mammal to enjoy frolicking in the great outdoors! Down the street was a park, with a huge playground, and the happy squealing laughter of children could be heard from afar. It was a perfect day to be alive and in the sunshine.

However, much to their disappointment, our two familiar looking police officers were stuck in the drab indoors of the downtown police precinct completing their weekly reports. The dull tan cubicle, which the two smaller officers shared, was jammed into the far end of a windowless room and it was just large enough for both of their size appropriate desks and chairs. One side of what can only generously be called an "office", was sparsely decorated with only a framed police academy graduation diploma and nothing else. The other had motivational saying plastered on the walls and along with photos of a very large rabbit family.

"Hey Nick, do I stink?" Judy suddenly asked in that rather meek tone, which she used only when she was unsure of herself. The fox sitting with his foot paws propped up the desk behind the rabbit choked on his coffee.

"Not usually," Nick finally gasped out when he finished coughing and began wiping the coffee off of his dark blue uniform shirt.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, after you work out and before you take your shower or after a hard day's patrol in the sweltering heat of Sahara Square, you can get a little gamey. But you usually don't, so what brought that on?"

"Sammy said I did yesterday," she answered as she pushed her chair back and turned to look at him. He could see the concern on her face and in the way her long ears flopped onto her back. "He asked that I take a shower before going out on our date last night, I had only just come home from work."

"All we did was push paperwork around, just like today, and I don't remember you smelling unusual."

"Are you sure?"

"Hey Nosey!" the fox yelled over the cubical wall to the wolf on the other side. "Did you smell anything unusual around here yesterday?"

"Only the normal arrogant stench of an obnoxious fox!" Wolford scoffed as he peeked over the top of the short wall. "Why?"

"Carrots' new boyfriend thinks she stinks!"

"Nick!" Judy huffed as she threw a pen at the fox. "Don't tell everyone!"

"I've already heard the whole conversation!" the timber wolf said as he walked into their cube. "You do know these things are not soundproof?"

"You were here gossiping with Slick before I left and you didn't smell anything unusual?" she asked the wolf.

"Just the scents of a fox and a rabbit, that's all."

"Wait!" Nick growled out. "Wolfie, what does Judy usually smell like?"

"Nick!" the rabbit snapped. "I'm sure it was a onetime thing!"

"Carrots, you've been on two whole dates with this guy and last night was the first one that you've had just after work," Nick quickly answered as he glanced knowingly at the wolf.

"So, what?" she asked as her nose began twitching like it does when she is confused.

"Wolfie, since you don't hang around with her all day like I do, tell her what she usually smells like at the end of the day!"

"A female rabbit doe and sometimes a bit like…" the wolf suddenly got quiet.

"Go on!" Nick urged him while he gave a Judy a smirk.

"Well, you two do spend a lot of time in the same patrol car and then in this cube. Also Judy does like to give you hugs…"

"Well go on, that other scent is not all sugar and spice is it?"

"Okay…okay!" Wolford groaned out. "Judy, after work you usually smell a little like a fox!"

"A fox!" the rabbit exclaimed in surprise.

"So there you go, lover boy doesn't like the smell of a fox!" Nick laughed out and gave her a grin.

"But Nick you don't stink, most of the time!"

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" he actually looked offended.

"Well you can smell a little ripe sometimes and the stench of anchovies and soda crackers you had for lunch today is not very pleasant…and then there are the times…"

Nobody noticed that the wolf had quickly slipped away down the hallway while snickering.

"Well, at least I don't seem to go into heat every other week!"

"I do not!"

The fox just smirked again as he touched his nose. "My sniffer is almost as good as a wolf's and I can tell!"

"You can tell what?"

"That your about to go into heat again, so good luck with lover boy tonight!"

"Sweet cheese and crackers!" Judy huffed out as her ears drooped.

"Do you want me to check to see what the department's maternity leave policy is?" Nick joked as he spun in his chair.

"NOT FUNNY FOX!" she yelled as she stormed out of the cubicle and towards the Lady's Room.

"She's not the only one who is giving out a scent today," Wolford said as he returned with two cups of coffee and handed one to Nick. "When she used her new boyfriend's name, that foxy scent of a male protecting his mate came out."

"It did not!"

"Sure pal, go ahead and deny it. Nick, you know that the nose doesn't lie and you mister fox are in love with that rabbit."

The fox stared into his cup of coffee as the wolf left him with his thoughts. He knew that the wolf was right.