Disclaimer: Zootopia stories, characters, settings, and properties belong to the Walt Disney Co. This story is written under Fair Use Copyright laws.
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The Fire Triangle-A Zootopia Fanfiction
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Part One:
Fuel
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Chapter 5 - Aftershocks
(Pt. 4...Concluded)
"Awww, can't you stay just a little while longer, pleeeeeease?"
Cotton Hopps was clinging to Nick's leg like a shipwreck survivor to a floating spar, gazing up at him with big, winsome eyes, and refusing to let go.
"Now honey," Bonnie chided the little bunny gently, "you know Nick's a police officer. If he stays here, who's going to help your sister catch all those criminals, back in Zootopia?"
Cotton stamped her foot. "It's not fair!"
"Now listen young lady..." her mother started to say, but then Nick Wilde grimaced and yipped in pain.
"Owwp...tail, tail, tail!" He squalled, and that made Cotton let go of him.
"Sorrr-ry," she said, clasping her paws and looking very small.
They were gathered together at the Bunnyburrow train station; today there were at least as many Hopps family members as there had been for Nick and Judy's arrival. On this occasion, however, a large group of friends and neighbors was also present-the Chatteron family, Gideon Grey and his fiancée, Bette Renaard, the girls in Erin's posse, Gordon Catmull, and of course, Conor Lewis and Finnick, all there to see Nick and Judy off on the 4 O'clock train back to Zootopia. (Mercifully only a few reporters had shown up...and these were being kept safely at bay by a contingent of Sheriff's deputies, with Mac Cannon in charge.)
For now at least, the rain had stopped and the sun was out. Had it not been for the puddles of water dappling the train-station platform, you might never have known it had even rained at all. No one was taking any chances though; every other animal was either wearing foul-weather gear or had an umbrella tucked under their arm.
And in fact the storm wasn't quite done with Bunnyburrow: a rumble in the distance and the faint tang of ozone in the air was making that clear to everyone.
"It's all right Sweetie, I know you didn't mean to," Nick told little bunny, patting her shoulder.
"You'll come back again sometime, won't you?" Cotton sniffled, looking up and offering another drawn-out, "Pleeeeease?"
"Of course I will," the red fox smiled, "I wouldn't miss it for anything."
The little bunny-girl smiled wanly and then hugged him tight.
Her sister Judy smiled too. Nick wasn't just saying that to make Cotton feel better, he really did mean to return again, and soon.
"Is this the same animal I nearly had to blackmail into coming with me for Carrot Days?" she mused, and in that instant she realized something; the red fox standing three feet away from her really wasn't the same one she'd arrived with; over the course of the last few days, Nick Wilde had undergone a sea-change.
YOU ARE READING
The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One
Mystery / ThrillerIt's been two years since Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps broke the Savage Predator conspiracy. Now a brilliant and effective team, they're only a few steps away from making the detective bureau and growing closer with every passing day. But even as thei...
