Darkness

Prologue

I DON'T OWN THE ARTWORK!

Judy's nose twitched with fear, her ears sagged in despair. "What?" She asked.

"They've been stolen! Someone took my babies!" Her sister, Jewel, wailed.

Judy was one of over two hundred Hopps children, and had twice that amount of nieces and nephews. Truth be told she didn't know all of her nieces and nephews, but she knew Jewel's children. Jewel was her favorite sister, they were born from the same litter.

Unlike the stereotype, her sister only had three children, and would only ever have three. Three was all she wanted. Judy favored her sisters little ones, Ace, Jasmine, and Peony.

Ace was a rambunctious young buck of eight years. He had cutting green eyes and a sharp gray coat. Inspired by his hero aunt, his dream was to be the first rabbit Mayor.

Jasmine was a rough and tumble eight year old doe, with soft amber eyes and an off white coat. Her aspiration was to be the first female rabbit football star for the Zootopia Alpha's.

But Peony was the closest to her aunt Judy. She was sweet and timid, with big violet eyes like her aunt, and a honey blonde coat like her mother. Peony wanted to teach high school English for Zootopia High.

"No, that can't be." Judy protested. "They're probably just playing hide and seek."

"I've looked everywhere, Judy. I found Mr. Orange laying in the dirt." Jewel sobbed.

Mr. Orange was a stuffed carrot that Judy bought Ace when he was three, to help him adjust to sleeping in his own room. He loved Mr. Orange and took him everywhere. He would never leave him laying in the dirt. This was serious.

For weeks now children all over Zootopia had been disappearing, until now, it was only predators.

"Don't worry, Jewel. I'll find them." Judy said faintly before hanging up the phone. Her sight became dark, and her head spun with dizziness. Her body went limp as she passed out.

Nick, who had come to check on his partner, managed to catch her before she hit the hard tile floor.

"Carrots!" He gasped, giving her a gentle shake. "Come on, Fluff, you need to snap out of it." But she failed to rouse. He pulled her against his chest, his heart beating loudly. "Please, Judy, wake up."