Judy Hopps And Nick Wilde: Loving Carrots

Chapter 6: Long Ears

"Judy!" A distantly familiar voice called.

Oh no, Judy thought, as Nick went unnaturally still beside her.

She turned around to find Collon standing a hair's breadth away from her. Way too close for comfort. Her instincts told her to shift away from him and closer to Nick, but surprise stalled her progress.

This wasn't the small bunny with big dreams from her childhood. No, the rabbit before her looked to be carved from stone.

Every angle of his body, she was sure, would be sharp enough to cut. Judy couldn't help but admire how well he had grown into himself, filling out the sheriff's uniform perfectly.

He didn't look real. And certainly didn't fit into this small town background.

Curious to see Nick's reaction, she tried turning towards him, but he wasn't there. In less than a second Nick was standing in front of her, his back to her and he was hugging Collon?

Collon certainly wasn't hugging back. Realization came to Judy then, Nick must have intercepted the hug that was meant for her. She smiled affectionately at his back, surprisingly grateful for the intervention.

Rubbing at her wrist, she realized she was in no mood to be touched right now. Which was heavily due to the conversation with her sister which, in Judy's opinion, could not have gone worse. She was still reeling from Violet's unfamiliar coldness.

As soon as she stepped off of the train Vi was there waiting. She didn't even get to wake up Nick before she was dragged away. Thankfully, Cotton was happy to do it for her.

"What are you doing here?" Violet had said, more like snapped, once they were alone.

"What do you mean?" Judy had replied, snatching her wrist from her sister's tight grip.

"What I said." Violet stated plainly, eyeing Judy with unconcealed disdain.

Judy didn't know what to make of her sister's odd behavior. It was true they hadn't talked or seen each other in awhile, much to Judy's dismay, but they were family, time apart shouldn't matter.

Except it was starting to seem like it did matter, unless her sister was upset about something else. Yes, maybe it wasn't Judy her anger was directed at, maybe she had just been caught in a bad mood.

Rediscovering her very practiced patience, which she had Flash to thank for, she took a breath and explained. "I'm here to help catch the person responsible for destroying the farms."

"Don't bother. I have it under control. So get back on that train, because you aren't needed here." With that Violet made an attempt to leave.

Well this was not the reunion Judy had been expecting.

"Vi wait!" Judy called after her.

Obviously annoyed, she turned around reluctantly and tilted her head with impatience. "It's Vi-olet, Judy. We aren't children anymore."

Hurt a little by her older sister's correction, Judy struggled to find her voice. Funny how the people you looked up to the most could make you feel the distance.

Huffing out a breath at Judy's inability to speak, Violet explained. "I'm an investigative reporter now and I have the assistance of Ri-" Seemingly deciding against whatever she was going to say, she proceeded with caution and tried again. "....Mayor Polecat.." Her tone softened a bit at the name.

Judy was surprised that Mayor Polecat was still in office, she had been mayor since Judy was a little bunny. But she wasn't surprised because of aging reasons, no, something as trivial as old age would never hold down a woman like her.