The fear and distress from the previous day had mostly faded. The inclusion of the two ZPD officers who both took their purpose there so seriously increased the sense of safety. Judy was sure that it also helped that she was obviously Wolfard's friend. He was easier to trust because the bunny had earned the confidence and respect of those present. Pawlander mostly stayed out of the way in the video room when he was on duty, but occasionally came down to provide Judy and Nick with updates concerning the case.
There were not any real surprises, and while the officers requested information concerning Pembe, all they knew was that he had been arrested and has confessed to the crime of kidnapping and conspiracy. There wasn't any information available to them on why he did it, or why he changed his mind and gave Jack the key that allowed them to escape. Judy hoped that the court could be lenient with him when that fact was verified by her report.
As the morning drifted into afternoon, almost everyone participated with lunch. Bonnie and Vivienne both helped Honey in the kitchen, and everyone else went outside to hang out on the porch. It was a lovely Fall day, the air slightly warm and dry with a breeze. Judy could almost forget the insanity of what had happened if it were not for the fact that they still had lions and hyenas with them. Kijvu and Motti had fun emulating the moves they had seen in the Munch match, which ultimately devolved to them fighting in the leaves. The bunny cop was a little concerned about that at first, but Motti's mother said it was perfectly normal and they would not actually hurt one another. Still, it was rowdy enough that agent Bay came out to check on them.
Cassie and Charisse found it agreeable to just lounge on the stairs that led down from the porch and enjoy an appetizer of sunshine. They talked about their plans for the coming days. Judy was not surprised to find that the lion sisters would not be returning to the Interior and that they would be going to Zootopia instead. They had family there and were ready for a new start with the hope of forgetting the unhappy things that had happened to them. Jack and Skye had gone to the diner together despite being instructed that it was not a great idea. Jack was too high profile and it would get out that he was in New Reynard. The buck was not concerned about it, as they would be returning to Zootopia tomorrow. They had already been cleared to do so.
The black wolf let everyone know that it was almost lunch time. Shaking leaves off and reluctantly coming in out of the sunshine, everyone headed into the dining room. Judy had almost forgotten what her mom was capable of in the kitchen, and the combination of doe and vixen teamed up as they were made for a very noteworthy lunch. Everyone was pleased. Fish and chips were provided to most of the predators there. Nick, Viv and Wolfard both enjoyed a shrimp salad instead. The bunnies all enjoyed delectable steamed veggie wraps with a fruit salad on the side.
During lunch, Nick and Judy talked about some of the genuinely funny things that happened to them on duty, and explained what fluff assignments meant for them. The purpose was pretty transparent: Nick wanted to make it clearer to Judy's parents that they were not dodging bullets or being sliced and diced by bad guys every day. It was much more about service to the community than actual fighting.
Laughing at the antics of the pair went a long way toward lightening the mood that Judy's parents displayed when they arrived. Nick never explained to his partner if having Vivienne show up to counter her family had been intentional, or if she had just wanted to visit. Vivienne had taken the day off, and Judy knew why. While Motti's parents, Uzuri and Nyeusi, talked about Ukweli growing up with Motti and her brother as a sibling, Judy considered how to do the thing she had been distractedly thinking about all day.
As lunch ended, the slightly nervous doe finally decided to make her move. She looked at Bay, who was nabbing another apple shamelessly from her fruit salad. Bonnie had prepared a sauce for it that was divine, and he couldn't stop eating it. Judy was fine with that, since his obsession over it was boosting her mother's self-esteem.
