In Darkness I Hide: A Zootopia Story

Tuesday - A Darker Forecast - The Second Afternoon

Savannah Central – The Fox Den on Roaring St. – Against the Tundratown Border Wall
Tuesday – 12:27 PM – Overcast Skies

Murana continued through the inky blackness, a dull, blue glow at the far end of the tunnel. She remembered the first time she ever went down this pathway after she initially made contact with Billy and he had invited her here to his workshop; at the time, she wasn't sure if she was being led into another trap and being taken as a prisoner, slave or worse. He had since proven his loyalty and trust to her over the past decade, but she still felt that little twinge of trepidation as she padded down the dark cement corridor.

At last, she reached the end and it opened up into an atrium of calcified tunnels carved out by water over the millennia. Undulating refractions danced along the lime blue walls of the cavern as the cement structure ended into more natural formed rock. She walked out onto a wooden deck overlooking a zigzagging staircase leading down to a small pier with a rather large cedar shack perched out over the edge of the underground river.

Softly making her way down the steps, she smiled at the large red houseboat moored to the end of the pier, its bow pointing down the waterway. Emblazoned on its side were the words in white, 'Foxglove III.' She frowned at the massive white patch job marring its pristine surface, a blemish in an otherwise pristine vessel.

Murana flicked her ears in the direction of the faded cedar shack. The sound of some clanking mixed with a few selective curses echoed off the walls. Rapping her knuckles on the door slightly ajar, she peered into the gloom, lit only by several lanterns perched on shelving and the light from the water seeping through the windows. A head of white popped up from behind some boxes piled three deep on an already creaking table that was in serious need of leg repair.

"Well, there's a sight for sore eyes." The silver fox grinned, flashing his row of pearly whites as he went back to what he was working on. "What brings you in here today, Murana? I haven't seen you in nearly two years."

"Oh, you know...the usual. A few more kunai, some more stink bombs, a new suit..." She said nonchalantly, hoping that he wouldn't cue in on the more expensive last option.

He poked his head up again, raising a brow at her, "I've given you two suits already. They're made to be durable. Either you've lost your touch and got them tore up or you've misplaced them, which I highly doubt. So which is it?"

"Let's just go with the former and leave it at that, Billy." She sighed, scraping a wooden chair out and settling in it rather roughly, folding her arms. "I'm in need of a new set. If you are worried about the money, you know I can pay you plenty for any replacements."

He waved off the sentiment before standing up, "You don't have to prove to me your funds. I know where you work. I'm just saying these suits take a lot of time and effort to make and sometimes the materials necessary can be quite tricky to find. Building you any replacements is going to take some time."

"So you don't have any spares on hand?" She asked worriedly.

"I didn't say that." He responded, gruffly padding over to a rack on the wall.

"So what's with the big patch job on your boat? Some bad heist gone wrong?" She snorted. She knew that Billy loved his boat more than anything. It was of sentimental value, considering that it was handed down to him by his late father. The fact that it was damaged at all was a bit shocking if you knew what kind of fox Billy was.

"I never discuss my clients' business with another. Let's leave it at that, Murana." He dismissed her with a paw wave, giving her a pointed look.

She was about to respond when she noticed something. "Ugh, seriously Billy?" Murana raised a paw up, hiding her eyes from the garish, red cargo shorts he was sporting.