-Chapter 7-

Nick, Judy and Etson all were amazed at the sheer size of the marketplace. It seemed to stretch on forever, with various stands all selling their own goods. Everywhere they looked, there were animals bartering with one another, trying to get a good deal on everything from lamps to fruit. If there was something you needed, chances were that someone there was selling it. A variety of aromas bombarded them as they walked through the crowds. Spices, flowers, cooked meat...Nick's nose was practically in heaven.

"Free samples! Try our specially made tilapia, fresh off the grill!" a yak beckoned to passerby.

"Ooh, don't mind if I do," Nick took one of the samples off of the platter and popped it in his mouth. "Mmmm..." he said as he swallowed. "I think I know where I'm eating. I'll meet you guys at the seating area over there once I get my food." He pointed to a large area filled with tables.

"Okay, we'll meet back up with you then," Judy agreed. She and Etson waved goodbye and continued down the street. Fending off vendors left and right, they kept walking until a certain cart caught the bunny's eye. Preycious Specials. She stared for a moment, noting the various dishes that animals had bought. They all looked appetizing. "Hmm... I think I'm going to go and eat here," she told Etson. "I'll meet you where Nick mentioned earlier, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit," he replied. The raccoon continued walking down the marketplace road, enjoying just seeing what everyone was selling. His eyes jumped from stand to stand, watching the interactions between shopkeepers and customers.

"Rugs! Get your rugs here!" a deer yelled.

"Buy a custom made necklace! Only $5!" another vendor yelled.

Etson turned his focus to the other side of the market.

"Get your herbs here! We sell 'em better and cheaper than anyone else!" a rhino boomed in a deep voice. "We've got horseradish, jalapeno, eucalyptus, anything you could possibly want!"

Etson's eyes widened, his memory suddenly jogged by what the rhino had said. That's it! he thought, Eucalyptus leaves, that's what Fasco -

His thoughts were interrupted by a screech from across the market. Suddenly, before he knew it, everyone around him was running, their eyes filled with panic. Screams broke out all across the marketplace. Etson looked around confused, not knowing what was going on.

"Everybody, run for your lives!" a hippo yelled as loudly as he could. "There's a savage wolf in the square!"

Etson raised his paw to cover his mouth, which was now wide open. How could this happen?

The shopkeepers, who had been so desperate for business not one moment earlier, quickly fled along with every other animal in sight, forming a massive stampede away from the center of the square. Etson looked around him. He needed to find Nick and Judy.

"I'll have your grilled tilapia, please," Nick ordered his meal. He couldn't wait to eat. He was thoroughly starving, as the last meal he had eaten was nearly ten hours ago. The fox leaned on the wall of the building, waiting for his order to be cooked, and took out his phone, opening up the Preddit app. He scrolled down the page, looking for any interesting links to kill some time.

Suddenly, a piercing scream ripped through the air. Nick looked up from his phone, startled. He quickly looked around to see what was going on.

"Help!" someone shrieked from the crowd. "There's a savage wolf!"

Nick froze. Oh no... he thought, not again.

Quickly, he pocketed his phone. He scanned around the crowd frantically, watching as the mass panic set in. Animals began rushing away from the danger. He reached for his radio, knowing that he was going to need backup.

"This is Officer Wilde! We have an 1830 in Haymarket Square!" he yelled. "There is a savage wolf, I repeat, there is a savage wolf! Requesting immediate reinforcement!"

Nick ran in the direction of the screams. Already, he knew there were going to be casualties. He just wasn't sure how many.

Judy was in line, waiting to be served. She was excited to try out the food here, as everyone she had seen that ordered from there seemed to be greatly enjoying their meal. She enjoyed spending time in the marketplace, in no small part because of the vibe it gave off. It was a bustling hub of trade and commerce, while simultaneously being a place for socialization and interaction. In some ways, it reminded her of her local town fair in Bunnyboro that would come for one week during the summer, only this place was ten times as busy and diverse. She exhaled happily. Yes, she decided she liked this place very much.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming through her radio. "This is Officer Wilde! We have an 1830 in Haymarket Square!" Judy's ears suddenly drooped, her previously happy thoughts now replaced by a pit in her stomach. "There is a savage wolf, I repeat, there is a savage wolf! Requesting immediate reinforcement!"

The animals around her in line looked at her as they heard Nick's words, their faces full of fear. They stared at her, in her ZPD uniform, wanting desperately for this bunny to tell them that they were safe, that they had nothing to worry about, that what had come through her radio wasn't true.

"You...you all need to evacuate this place," she said, confirming what were all of their greatest fears. "Get everyone out of the square! You have to leave!"

The expressions around her turned to sheer terror. Petrified, the crowd stood still. They were in pure shock.

"You heard her! Run!" one animal from the crowd yelled, bringing the rest of the group to their senses. One by one, they all began to run down the street, forming a sort of stampede.

Judy felt her heart rate increase as adrenaline started to kick in. A single thought ran through her mind: neutralize the savage. The bunny ran the opposite direction the crowd she had just caused, trying not to get stepped on by larger animals. She hopped up on one of the stands, trying to get a better vantage point so she could see where the attack had occurred. Then she spotted it, about a hundred yards to the north, down on all fours and running after the crowd.

She jumped off the stand and hit the ground running, hoping she could get there before the wolf caught any more victims.

Thoughts were racing through Nick's head. He had his tranquilizer out, finger on the trigger, ready to shoot at the first sight of the wolf. He kept running into the crowd, desperately looking for the attacker, when he saw it.

Nick examined the wolf. Its eyes glistened yellow, only having small slits for pupils. It was down on all fours, remnants of torn clothes stuck in its black fur. It was intently focused on the crowd, lunging after them in a furious bloodlust.

He had to distract it. Frantically, he looked for something he could throw at it to get its attention.

C'mon, there's gotta be something, Nick thought. Suddenly, he noticed a glass tip jar on the counter of the tilapia stand. Ah, perfect!

Nick picked up the jar, which was rather heavy from all of the coins inside, and started running in the direction of the wolf.

"Hey, wolfie!" he yelled at the attacker. "Catch!"

He threw the jar while running, tossing it as hard as he could. It soared through the air, the coins jangling together as it began to arc, hitting the wolf in stride, glass shattering and coins flying everywhere.

"Yes!" Nick exclaimed as the wolf let out a yelp. "Bullseye!"

The wolf slowly turned around in the direction of the throw. It focused its yellow, savage eyes onto the fox, who was now its sole target. It let out a snarl, baring its glistening fangs. Enraged, it started to run towards Nick.

"Yes, come towards me," Nick urged it, calmly aiming the tranquilizer at the wolf. He pulled the trigger, hitting the animal in the throat. It let out a whimper, slightly recoiling.

"Hah, take that!" Nick boasted victoriously. The wolf would be asleep in a few seconds, meaning that the danger was gone.

"Wait...what?" Nick said, his victorious smile shifting into a confused frown. The wolf wasn't fazed by the dart at all. It let out a mighty roar, and started running at Nick. "Why didn't it...AH!"

Nick ducked as the wolf lunged over his head. He turned the other way and started to run. The wolf reoriented itself after hitting the ground and started striding after Nick, desperate to catch its newest meal. The fox's eyes darted around the marketplace, trying to find somewhere he could lose the wolf. He weaved through the stands, trying to make it harder for the wolf to follow, but to little avail. He sprinted as hard as he could, turning around to see if he was making any progress. He turned the corner, running into the seating area. He picked up a chair and threw it back at the wolf, hitting the creature in the head, but not slowing it down at all.

"Nonono please!" Nick begged. The wolf was gaining on him. He gasped for air, running for his life. The wolf lunged again. Nick turned around to see the creature in midair, its maw open, ready to sink its teeth into its victim's flesh. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the bite.

Suddenly, a pair of powerful hind legs sprung into the wolf's jaw, knocking it out of the air and into the brick wall of a nearby building. Nick slowly opened his eyes, surprised that he hadn't been torn to shreds.

"Carrots?" Nick looked up to see his partner standing over him. "You...you saved my life..."

"Not the first time," she reminded him, pulling the fox to his feet. "Quick, we have to neutralize it," she said, quickly pulling out a muzzle and handcuffs. The wolf was unconscious on the sidewalk, but they both suspected that wouldn't last for long. They ran over, Judy quickly handcuffing its front paws together. There was a low growl from the wolf, who was slowly coming to its senses.

"It's waking up!" Judy yelled. She handed Nick the muzzle. "I'll hold its head down, you put it on."

Nick looked down at the muzzle, before looking back at her. "Judy, you know I-"

"On three!" she ordered him, too full of adrenaline to notice he had said anything. She pressed down on the wolf's head. "One...two...three!"

Nick stood above the wolf, looking down at the muzzle in his hand. As he looked over the steel cage that was attached to the strap, he felt his body going stiff. A chill ran down his spine. Memories came rushing into his head, his breathing getting heavier. He looked around him. He was back at his first ranger scout meeting, his fellow scouts standing around him.

You thought that we would ever trust a fox without a muzzle?

The words echoed through his head. Nick took a step backwards, hyperventilating now, stuck inside a nightmare.

"Nick! What are you doing?" Judy shouted, trying to get through to him. "Just put the muzzle on!" The wolf was almost completely awake now, and it was growling angrily. Judy was struggling to keep its head in place. She pushed down as hard as she could on the its head, grunting as she fought the creature. "Nick, Put it on NOW!" she screamed.

Nick looked down at the wolf. Every rational fiber of his being was telling him to listen to Judy and muzzle the creature, but his body wouldn't budge.

The wolf broke free of Judy's hold, its strength overpowering the small rabbit's comparatively weak arms. It twisted its head around, fangs bared. Judy shrieked in agony as the wolf sunk its teeth into her. Her cry pierced through Nick's skull, breaking his petrification. Spurred into action, he shoved the wolf off of Judy. He wrestled with the creature, pinning it to the ground and applying the muzzle.

"Oh my God, oh my God," Judy repeated over and over again, the pain in her arm screaming as the blood began to pool.

Nick, still on top of the wolf, turned to look at Judy, eyes full of grief.

This is all my fault, he realized. He became frantic as he processed what had just happened. This is all my fault.

Nick went through what had just happened moments earlier again, unable to get the image of the wolf biting Judy out of his head.

"Judy I-" he stuttered, choking on his words. "I'm so sorry."

"It's...okay..." she managed to say between breaths. "Stay...on...the...wolf..."

Nick looked at her. As if getting her injured wasn't bad enough, he was forced to watch as she bled out alone. He looked back at the wolf, contemplating the magnitude of what he had just done.

He thought that he had finally overcome his past. All of those years on the street, all of the time he spent conforming instead of believing...Nick thought that they were behind him now. When he had agreed to be Judy's partner, it was supposed to be the start of a new life for him. It was supposed to be his escape from his past, a symbol that the world wasn't going to prevent him from being who he wanted to be. Judy had changed him for the better, to the point that he was no longer recognizable next to his past self. But now... now he wasn't so sure that he had changed at all. He was still the same dumb, cowardly fox that was afraid of muzzles. He had climbed mountains to get away from his past, only to find that it waiting for him at the summit. The fox felt tears start to well up in his eyes. Above all else, Nick was tired. Tired of being who he was.

Etson ripped down the banner that had been used as a cover for one of the stands. He tore it apart, dividing it into smaller pieces. He quickly picked up all of the individual shreds of cloth and ran back towards the center of the marketplace, hoping that he wouldn't be too late.

He looked around the square, which up until a few minutes ago had been bustling. After the attack everyone had fled, leaving the square all but empty, save for those who had been injured in the attack. There were so many animals on the ground who needed help, and so little animals who had stayed to help them. Quickly, he scurried around the square, distributing the makeshift bandages he had just made to those who were able to help. He kept some for himself, knowing that there would be an animal he would have to patch up somewhere. He glanced around again. He spotted a deer unconscious on the opposite side of the square. Rapidly, he ran to their aid.

Etson shook their arm, trying to wake them from their state of unconsciousness. "Get up, get up!" he pleaded with the wounded animal, but it was no of use. Etson put two fingers on their throat and put his head on their chest, desperately hoping to feel a pulse or hear breathing. Their chest moved ever so slightly up and down again, indicating to Etson that they were still alive. He took out his bandages and looked for the most serious wound he could find. Etson lifted the deer's shirt up and turned him over, revealing a giant gash on their back caused by claws. He sprung into action, wrapping and tying the bandages around the wound, trying to slow the bleeding. Not seeing any other wounds on the deer, he laid him back onto his chest. He went back to monitoring the pulse and breathing. If at any point the deer's chest stopped moving, Etson was ready to start CPR.

In the distance there were sirens, increasing in volume over time as they came in closer proximity to the scene. Etson guessed that it would only be a matter of minutes before emergency teams arrived, at which point he would be able to go and look for Nick and Judy. He sighed, hoping that they were both okay, but also grateful that they had been there. Etson couldn't imagine what would have happened if the two of them hadn't led the wolf away from the crowds. He shuddered at the thought, not wanting to think about how many more bodies there would be on the ground.

"Ow!" Judy grimaced as they sprayed antiseptic on her wound, causing a stinging sensation to go up and down her arm. The ambulances had arrived a few minutes after she had been bitten, but as her wound wasn't potentially fatal she wasn't given as much attention as other animals. Now that all of those cases had been dealt with, the EMTs had a chance to treat the more minor wounds, including Judy's.

"Alright, sweetie, I'm just gonna put a bandage on that for you now," the pig who was tending to her said. "Just hold still for me."

Judy put out her arm and did as she was told. The pig carefully wrapped the wound, trying to minimize the chance of it getting infected. "There you go, hun. That will keep bleeding for a while, but just keep replacing the bandages and you'll be just fine," the pig assured her.

"Thank you, ma'am," Judy said.

"No no, thank you," the pig replied. "We'd have a lot more patients here in dire condition if it weren't for you and that fox."

Judy sulked at the mention of Nick. She couldn't imagine how badly he must be feeling right now. In the heat of the moment she had completely forgotten about him and his history with muzzles. Unlike every other officer, he didn't carry a muzzle on his belt, having gotten special permission from Chief Bogo that permitted him not to carry one. She sighed, remembering what he had confided in her one night while he was in the academy.

"I just couldn't bring myself to do it, Carrots," he had confessed in their phone conversation. As part of the academy training, all of the officers were taught how to properly use a muzzle, just like any other weapon. Nick came out of the ordeal completely humiliated, his determination rattled. "It's like my body won't let me. I can't explain it," he had told her.

Judy hopped off of the bed and made her way out of the makeshift clinic, which was comprised of a number of ambulances and first aid supplies. She felt like such an insensitive jerk. She knew that Nick hated muzzles, still given him one, then yelled at him when he didn't use it right away. She had set up her partner to fail, and then gotten mad at him when he did. She could have just as easily told him to hold down the wolf while she muzzled it, but she hadn't been conscious enough of him to consider it.

She stepped into the square and glanced at her watch. 6:21pm. She looked around for Nick and Etson, trying to tune out all of the sirens and flashing lights. More than anything she just wanted to apologize to Nick and clear up the whole mess.

"Judy!" a voice called out to her from across the square. She squinted, trying to find where it was coming from, until she spotted Etson waving his arm in the air, standing next to Nick. She quickly ran over to them, happy to see them unscathed from the attacks. "I'm so glad that you both are okay."

Nick turned away from the bunny, too ashamed to make eye contact. His shoulders drooping, he fixed his gaze on the ground. In stark contrast, Etson happily extended his arms and embraced Judy, smiling. "You guys did a great job out zhere," the raccoon commended the officers.

"Well...we did what we could," Judy responded bleakly. There were still so many who had gotten hurt that it was hard to be proud of what they had done, even if they had saved potential victims.

Etson looked down at the rabbit, when he noticed the bandage. "Wait...what happened to your arm?" he asked, his expression noticeably more concerned.

"Oh, that?" Judy said, looking down at her wound again. "It's nothing. Just a small flesh wound."

Nick shoulders sank even lower at the mention of her bandage. He knew she was purposely trying to play down the severity of her injury to make him feel less guilty, which only made him feel worse.

"Are you sure? It looks like zhere's a lot of blood zhere," Etson said. The wound certainly looked like it was more than the trivial scratch Judy was making it out to be.

"It's fine...I'm fine. We're all here, and everything is fine," Judy reassured them, "It's not a big deal."She was noticeably more irritated than when Etson had asked the first time. Her ears drooping, she looked down at the ground, guiltily stroking her healthy arm.

Etson looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure about what to do. He had never seen either of them this dejected. Something had clearly happened while they were fighting off the wolf, Etson deduced, but he decided it would be better if he just left the issue alone.

"Well," he started, trying to change the topic, "you'll be happy to hear zhat I have some good news about zhe case," he excitedly mentioned. "I remembered an important detail about Fasco zhat I had forgotten."

Neither Nick nor Judy responded, their eyes both still fixed on the ground.

"Oh, come on, you guys," Etson said, shaking his head. There was no way he was going to let them continue on like this. "You two aren't supposed to be like zhis. You're supposed to be partners," he reminded them, trying his best to be optimistic. "Look, I don't know what happened here, but I'm going to go over zhere and buy some food, leaving you two alone. By zhe time I come back you two will be back to your normal selves. Okay?"

They both slightly nodded, still not looking up.

"I'll take zhat as a yes," Etson sighed. He turned around and headed for the opposite side of the marketplace, just as he said he would. He kept on walking, leaving Nick and Judy alone, backs facing each other.

The two of them stood there in silence, not sure what to say to the other.

Judy opened her mouth, trying to force the words out. "Nick, look, I -"

"I don't want to hear it, Carrots," Nick interrupted. He spoke quietly but sharply, his tone somber and worn down. "I'm not letting you take the blame for this."

"But it's my fault, Nick!" she retorted loudly. She turned around to look at him, his back still facing her. "I was the one who gave you the stupid muzzle in the first place."

"You and I both know that fact doesn't matter," he replied. He was still facing forward, eyes on the street. "Why won't you just let me take the blame for this?"

"Because it's not your fault!" Judy yelled. She let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, Nick, I knew that you had a problem with muzzles. You had told me that you freeze up around them, and I still handed you one. It's not your fault that you didn't act."

"So what you're saying," Nick responded, "is that I'm no longer accountable for my own actions?"

"No-I mean, yes- but it's not like you could do anything to-"

"Judy, look at me," Nick cut her off. He turned around, turning his focus to the rabbit, looking into her eyes. "Tell me honestly - when you handed me the muzzle, did you or did you not trust that I would muzzle the wolf?"

Judy stumbled for a moment, caught off guard by his sudden question. "I mean it's not-"

"Did you trust that I would muzzle the wolf?" Nick repeated, his arms crossed. "Yes or no?"

Judy stared up at him, her eyes grief-stricken. Why was he doing this to her? Why wouldn't he just let her take the blame?

"Yes," she truthfully answered.

The two of them stood there in silence, looking at each other.

"So that settles it then," he said calmly, staring off into the distance. "You trusted me to do something, and I didn't do it. It's my fault."

Judy looked back up at her partner. "Nick, you know it's not that simple," she said to him. "Don't tell me that you honestly believe that it's only because of you that the wolf bit me."

Nick kept staring off. "It's just..." he started, thinking of how to best express what he wanted to say. "It's just that...I thought I had finally beaten this, Carrots," he admitted, his face and tone stoic, "but I'm...I'm still same fox I was back then."

Judy looked up at her partner sympathetically. "...But Nick, you aren't the same fox," she put her paw on his arm, trying to console him. "Look at yourself. You're in a police uniform, you big dummy," she teased him, causing him to smile ever so slightly.

"Nick, look," Judy sighed. "I'm going to lay everything out for you right now. You made a mistake today, that's true. You were scared and petrified and...and you let your past get the best of you," she admitted, trying her best to be sincere, "but you know what? You were also brave and courageous. You were a dumb and fearful coward... but you were also a hero. I mean, for Pete's sake, you saved some animals' lives today, Nick. Who knows how many more the wolf would have gotten if you hadn't been there? Think about it for a second. There is someone out there who will get to sleep in their bed another night just because of you," she pressed her finger into his chest as she said each of the four words. Judy paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of the words to sink in. She then turned her head and stared deeply into the fox's eyes, and as heartfeltly as she could express, said to him, "And if you ask me, that's a lot more important than the bite in your partner's arm."

Their eyes remained locked with one another.

"Thanks, Carrots," Nick said, his usual sly smile returning. "I needed that."

"Anytime, Slick," Judy replied, beaming with positivity. Smugly, she added, "Oh, and for the record, you threw that tip jar like a bunny."

Nick smirked. "C'mere, you silly thing." He wrapped his arms around her. The two of them hugged each other tightly, both secretly incredibly grateful for one another.

"Aww, you two made up!"

Nick and Judy immediately stopped hugging, pretending as though nothing has happened.

"Zhat was pretty adorable, you guys," Etson remarked, snickering. "I didn't know zhat you two were a zhing."

"We're not-I mean, it's not like-" Nick quickly refuted.

"Shhhhhh," Etson put a finger over the fox's lips. "Your secret is safe with me."

The three of them laughed together. Nick and Judy exchanged a nervous glance with one another, embarrassed that Etson had seen them hugging.

Slowly the laughter subsided. "Alright," Nick said, rubbing his paws together in anticipation. "Tell us what you remembered about Fasco."

Hey guys! Chapter 7 is out, and it's an exciting one! Lots of action, lots of mystery, lots of character development. I hope you guys all enjoy it, and, as always, please leave a review giving your thoughts about the story! They really help me gauge where I'm at with my writing and what I need to improve on. :)