1: Nightmares

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It was Monday morning. Judy Hopps opened her eyes as sunlight flooded through her window. She smiled and moaned, her eyes just opening up. What a bright, beautiful morning, she thought. She sat up in her bed, stretching her arms out wide and letting out a loud yawn. While in the middle of her morning yawn, she used a free paw and brushed back her ears. They popped back up immediately, but it was just a morning habit of hers. She couldn't help it.

Wait, was it a bright morning? Oh-no, Judy thought in horror. She moaned out loud and shot a glance at her clock. 9:45 am! She was sooooo late for work! Judy hopped out of bed (literally) and zoomed through her tiny room, grabbing her freshly ironed police uniform off of the table in her room. She slipped her shirt over her head and slid her pants on over her legs. She grabbed her hat and darted out of her apartment.

Judy raced down the streets of Zootopia, avoiding cars and buses. She was quick on her feet, partly just because she was a bunny, but also because she was so late for work. She sure hoped that Chief Bogo wouldn't fire her. Well, of course he wouldn't, but thoughts like that made Judy panic and run faster.

Once Judy ran into the ZPD police building, she ran up to Clawhauser's counter and panted.

"Judy!" the cheetah exclaimed. "You're..."

"Late! I know," Judy panted, resting one of her paws on Clawhauser's desk counter. "Phew! I'm so wiped out."

"You better get to work," Clawhauser said. "Chief Bogo will..."

"I know, I know," Judy sighed. "He's probably going to kill me. I don't know what got into me today. I've never woken up late before."

"I understand," Clawhauser responded. "You better go."

"Yeah, thanks," Judy smiled. She jogged off down the hallways and opened up a door. She quietly shut the door behind her and pulled herself up on her chair. She sighed and moaned, angry with herself for waking up so late.

Oh well, Judy thought to herself. I better start organizing those papers double time.

"Carrots?"

Nick Wilde, Judy's partner, walked into the room, holding a stack of papers.

"Carrots, are you okay? You're-"

"Don't. Say. It," Judy growled, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Whoa, somebody has caught the grumpy wumpies," Nick chuckled to himself. Judy moaned, obviously annoyed with her partner. "Carrots, you know that I'm just kidding, right?"

"Just shut your muzzle," Judy hissed.

"Whoa!" Nick barked, throwing his hands up defensively. "I'm sorry. I must be a huge burden, huh?"

Judy rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile. "Okay, you sly fox," Judy chuckled. "Let's get to work."

Judy and Nick began to sort out files and papers and put certain papers in folders. This was their job when they weren't searching out criminals. Those days were their glory days. They had most of their fun on their criminal chases.

"Seriously, Judy," Nick said (and you could tell that he was serious if he used her real name.) "What's in you today? Why did you wake up late?"

"I don't know," Judy said. "I really don't. I was just up a little later last night, looking at some criminal records—for fun, you know. But I've stayed up way later than that before on work nights. I don't know why I woke up so late this morning. It's not like me to wake up so late."

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