Hunting Season

by Toromy

Summary:

Being supressed for decades, the predators roze up againgst the preys and after a devastating war, they came out victorius. Determined to punish the years of misery the Hunting Season was made, where each district has to send a prey into an arena. The only way to escape and win their freedom, is to reach the exit, which is not as easy when 2 hunters are constantly on their tail.

Notes:

Today on crossovers that noone asked for:

Chapter 1: Cameras, spotlights

"They can't be serious!" I exclaim furiously after getting the draw results of the next hunting season's mentor distribution. The white letters clearly stated 'The burrows' next to my name and my picture. 

It's gotta be the joke of the century for the game masters. A fox has to mentor a rabbit through a stupid gameshow, how hilarious is that? Because there is no way I'd get Bunnyburrow 4 times in a row. There is no way in hell I'd get that unlucky.

Thankfully all mentors got the district distribution prior to the opening ceremony, so they can prepare their reaction. If I got surprised by the Burrows live on TV, I probably would have shouted some inappropriate things at the game masters. Now at least it won't be that big of a surprise.

"Okay… Okay… Not that horrible." I give three deep breaths and try my best to stay positive. Even though rabbits never won, I can still get bonuses for getting my contestant to the endgame… Plus if somehow I manage to make that rabbit crowd favorite… But come on a rabbit? Who would even support the weakest district's representative other than mammals who are rooting for the unfavored? 

I give a sigh, lean back in my seat and I start twisting around left and right, thinking about my strategy. I really need that money… If only I got Sahara square… Or heck even Tundratown, I would have a much easier job… but no, It just had to be Bunnyburrow for the fourth time in a row. The preys who have a target on their backs from the start just because they are an easy kill… I'll need to get a huge head start for that Rabbit if I want any chance for any money.

"Mr. Wilde? Are you ready?" I hear two small knocks on my door. "We are live in 15 minutes."

"Just give me 5 more minutes, will ya? This bit on my fur is just not facing the right way. I will take my spot on time, I promise!"

After a few seconds of hesitation, the voice on the other side of the door could be heard again. "Alright, just be there on time." After this, a few footsteps could be heard, and then just the usual muffled chatter.

To be perfectly honest, I just didn't want to see all the malevolent grins from my fellow mentor companions. I know the results, they sure do know the results too. They are swarming to the studio right now and I don't want to face them for more time than I necessarily have to. I can arrive at the last possible minute.

"Alright…" I give one more deep breath and give my best full muzzle smile to the mirror. "Hello, everyone! It is so NICE… Wait no…" I clear my throat and take on my 'on stage' smile again. "GREETINGS… no, too formal… Hello mammals of Zootopia, it's great to be back!" I spread my arms, and glare back at my goofy-looking reflection. "Nah… Let's leave the showmanship to the host," I mutter to myself and lower my arms. I ease my shoulders, take on a smaller smile that almost looks sincere and I lay back like I'm home. "Good evening, Zootopia…" My smile slowly fades. It's still not quite there, but it's better. I try putting on a serious face, a mysterious one, a goofy one, I try moving around a bit, hoping that changing my posture will help, but something is just still missing. In the end I give up, and looking at the clock, it was high time I left for the studio. 

When I arrive, a skunk hurries to guide me to my spot even though at this point I'm 100% sure where I have to go. I take my seat quickly and try to avoid the grins, directed toward me.

"Bunnyburrow, huh? Tough luck." A winter fox claims next to me, my only mentor companion, who doesn't make fun of my misery. It's only her first year in the hunting season, in contrast to my 4, but she has some potential. She used to be in the army, so she probably has some tricks up her sleeve. As for why she left the army... No one knows. She said she needed some change in her life, but I'm sure there is something else behind that.

"Yeah… But I kinda doubt it has anything to do with luck… What did you get? I was busy cursing the world, so I didn't look at anyone else's district."

"Meadowlands." She claimed in a neutral tone. "Not the best, not the worst. I can see someone winning from there. It depends on the contestant. But don't be bumped out. I'm sure even a rabbit could win, you just need the right angle to approach things."

I couldn't answer as the guy behind the camera shouts some instructions. "Alright everyone, take your place and we're live in 5… 4… 3…" 

I hear the music coming up, and see the all-time host, a tiger coming up to the stage, in his usual dark purple suit. His fangs are bigger than before, so he is looking more like a sabertooth tiger, than a regular one, but who am I to question the stylist's choice? He always comes up to the stage with more and more ridiculous add-ons. This fake fang could be considered a milder one. 

"Ladies and gentlemammals, your host… Richard Silverclaw!" 

"Hahaaa" he's giving an ear-to-ear grin, as he moves around on the stage. "Good evening Zootopia, Are… You… READYYYY?" Every member in the audience is shouting, clapping, and sometimes even some whistling comes through too. "I've been waiting for this for a while now. Who thinks the same?" He shouts through the cacophony and raises one paw to his ears, as the audience cheers up again. "Hahahaaa! I knew I wasn't alone with this! Well, in that case, let the 22nd hunting season BEGIN!" 

The lights start circling the studio, giving a bit of time for the host to walk up to us, mentors. I glance at the huge screen that's airing the show and see as the camera shows the whole audience. It's interesting how many predators showed up to the opening ceremony. You couldn't see even one empty seat that's for sure, and who knows how many are standing outside.

"With all that being said, let's meet the mentors!" The host gestured toward us and the camera was already focused on the first one.

"The goddess of strategy and guide of 2 victors, Katie Katz!"

The mentioned cheetah laughed and waved to the camera.

"The mammal of close calls… Trevor Lups." The wolf gave a nod to the camera with a straight face and crossed arms.

"The unpredictable… Leonard Trueheart." Just as the lion's name was said, he gave a loud roar, and a laugh, while waving around.

As more of my mentor companion's name was said and it was soon to be my turn, I decided to just keep my reaction simple. As soon as I heard Rich say "Our favorite jokester… Nicholas Wilde!" I just gave a grin and a two-finger salute. It would be nice to have a different title than just 'Our personal clown in this show' but what can I do? At least upon hearing my name, I also heard a little bit bigger cheering in the crowd so at least the audience likes me.

"And…" The host wrapped up the introduction. "...last but not least we have three new faces amongst the mentor team. Viktor Volkov… Skye Winters… And Sophia Whiskers.” The host said, with the camera stopping on them for a few seconds. “Best of luck to you too. But of course… What are mentors without a contestant? Let's see this year's district distribution.”

I tense up a bit, then remind myself to take it easy. Make some jokes, then show how 'optimistic' I am, even though this whole thing is rigged against prey, don't even mention rabbits…

In the next hour or so Rich revealed the mentor-district pairings starting from Sahara square. And we got to see the chosen contestants too. 

It all happened live, and of course, most of the prey who were unlucky enough to get chosen were on the verge of tears, a chipmunk from the Woodlands even tried to run away, but his attempt was cut short immediately. However, for one, a deer from Tundratown was even proud to get chosen. He walked up to their podium with a grin and threw his fist in the air as a sign of triumph. That will look great for the sponsors…

"And finally… district 12…" Richard walked next to me. With his showman smile. "Nikkie… Do you have any idea who might have got that?" 

Of course… Anyone who paid attention knows that only one mentor is left without a contestant and that would be me… "I have no clue, Rich… Please enlighten me." I give an innocent look, and receive a bit of a chuckle from the audience.

"Well, let me walk you through it… So district 12… The Burrows…" Rich said and crouched next to me, with one paw on my shoulder. We waited for the display to reveal the name, and then… "NICHOLAS WILDE!" 

At this point, the audience was audibly laughing at the absurdity of one mentor getting the same district for the fourth year in a row. I throw up my paws in a 'you got me' manner, and patiently wait for the laughter to die down. "Well remind me to never fill a lottery ticket. With this luck, I would sooner get struck by lightning." I exclaim and give a chuckle. "But you know what? I wouldn't want any other district. I would swap for the Burrows!"

"Really?"

"Yes. I feel like this year will be different. I've been wrapping my head around new strategies so… Let's just say, we're in for a treat for this year's Hunting season." I give a mysterious smile. The one showing 'I know something you don't.' But of course, it's all just an act. I have no clue what my strategy should be. 

"We’re excited to see you in the endgame. ALRIGHT! Let’s see The Burrow's tribute!”

I look at the screen again, that's showing my face next to the live feed from the burrows. It’s a generally sad sight. Before the war between the prey and predators, it was a calm farmland, with a steadily growing population. However, because it was also the main herbivore food supplier, during the war it was heavily attacked, causing huge damages. That district is the most underdeveloped for this same reason. The population growth is heavily supervised too. Any couple having more than 4 kits need to pay a fine, and can't under any circumstances have more than 6. What happens if there are more than 6 kits? Well… the excess is… being dealt with.

Despite this, the rabbit population is still so big that there have been suggestions that The burrows should send more tributes, or we should do a separate Hunt for only them. Fortunately so far those ideas have been ignored for now. 

Right now, the screen showed probably hundreds of thousands of Rabbits standing in a field, with one wooden podium in the middle. For a bit nothing happened, they were most likely waiting for the go signal from the producers. After they got it, a lion, their mayor gave a shorter speech, then pushed a button on the podium. 

The holoprojector started scrolling through all available names in the district. At first, it was just an unreadable blur, but then it started slowing down and settled on one name.

"Judy Hopps!" Can be heard through the loudspeaker, followed by complete silence. After exchanging an unsure glance, the members on the podium started whispering around.

Trying to make out what was going on, I furrowed my eyebrows and tilted my head a bit. I didn't really care that I was on the screen too. Everyone most likely focused on what was happening in the Burrow.

A bit chubbier cheetah hurried up to the stage in a police uniform. Judging by his badge he was the chief in that district. He exchanged a few words with the mayor, the mayor shook his head and said something that seemingly hit the chief like a truck. As he tried to convince the mayor on something, a tigress came up to the podium and furiously ordered the cheetah, which finally made its effect. The defeated feline turned around, with a bit of worry in his eyes.

The camera followed him as he stopped in front of a smaller officer, said a few words, and shook his head. 

"There is no way… a bunny cop?" I whisper as I spot a rabbit with ducked ears stepping away from the police line. She slowly takes off her badge and places it in the cheetah's paw, who seemingly had a hard time keeping back his tears. After that, she straightened her back and gave a salute, to which their chief simply answered with a hug. The rabbit hesitated a bit, then awkwardly returned that hug, while saying something. 

After breaking the hug, the rabbit turned around, and giving a barely visible sigh, hopped up to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemammals… The tribute from the Burrows… Judy Hopps!"

Notes:

So hello! To be honest, I have no idea why I wrote this story, but my mind kept on bugging me to have THIS specific fanfic started, and since there was a lot of Shocking collar AU stories, I decided to write the complete opposite... Is this what being a fanfic writer is?

And I wrote it in Nick's perspective because... Erm... Why not? I feel more confident in this writing style.

Chapter 2: Phantom shocks

The rest of the show was spent with Rich interviewing the mentors with occasional star guest music, and advert breaks.

I admire Richards's ability to be able to keep up this smile and momentum throughout the whole show. Not only that but he manages to keep up the interest, so nobody feels bored. He sometimes throws in well-timed jokes, and the questions he asks are interesting. Well, I suppose there is a reason why he is the all-time host, but still. Talking through 4 hours without a sign of exhaustion… that takes dedication.

Even while talking to me, he was still as energetic, as at the start of the show. He asked me various things, about how I see my contestant's odds and what my hopes are to which I of course answered in an optimistic manner. We talked about how it's unusual for a rabbit to be in the police force, and I grabbed the opportunity to say that she probably has some real skills if that's the case, since it's not usual for prey to get to the academy. Not impossible, but they definitely have it harder than predator applicants.

He ended the show by giving us one more 'good luck' and informed the audience that tomorrow the show will continue, by having the tributes in the studio too.

After going back to my prep room, and changing back to my pawaiian shirt, I finally leave the studio. The others are talking about the usual feast that's held for the mentors after the opening ceremony but I'm not that keen on joining. Eating real meat was never my favorite. Chicken is as far as I go, and knowing they will have more than just chicken, just turns my stomach upside down. I get it. We are taking revenge for the way we were treated. But it's just taken to the extreme at this point. Of course, that kind of meat is something only the top elite could afford, but the fact that it's accepted and legal just blows my mind. We are being the only thing the prey were afraid of. Vicious predators.

The journalists are not here yet, only a few news reporters so I get off easily. The only thing I see is the leaving crowd.

The car park seems so stuffed no one could leave easily, and the angry horn wave is the obvious evidence. The 'smarter' ones who decided to come here by foot, all seemed to talk about the tribute from Tundratown, the deer. Of course… Despite my best efforts, I still hear no discussions about the burrows. Everyone already forgot about it.

I'm a bit too into thoughts and almost bump into what looks like a father-daughter duo. The little fox girl is hiding behind her father's leg but doesn't seem to want to take her eyes off me.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Wilde…" The father starts. "My daughter is a big fan of yours, can you sign this please?" He gives me a pen and a picture of me, from my first hunting season mentoring. The picture shows me, giving the finger guns with a wink.

"Oh. Of course." I give a smile. "What's your name, darling?"

The father nudges his daughter, who finally speaks. Quietly, but speaks. "Joanne."

"That is one lovely name, Joanne." I say while I scribble down: 'To Joanne, Nicholas Wilde'. I give back the picture with a smile. I see Joanne's eyes light up like a Christmas tree, and showed my signature to her father. Now, a bit less shyly, she said.

"When I grow up, I want to be a mentor too."

"Oh really? That's great, but… aren't you a bit too young to be watching the hunting season?" I ask what bothers me a little bit. She doesn't seem older than 12.

"It's okay." She leaned closer and whispered. "Once, I watched a horror movie too."

"Ooh. I don't like those. They are scary." I whisper back and receive a giggle from the girl.

"I know. But I remind myself that it's not real and then it's less scary. You should try it too when you are watching a scary movie."

"Well, I'll try not to forget." I smile at her, but I also gotta ask one last thing. I glance at her father who is currently typing something on his phone, and look back at the kid. "You do know that the hunting season is real, right?"

Joanne giggles again. "Of course I do, silly! But it's happening to the bad guys so it's okay."

"Ah… I see… well it's one way to look at it." I glance at the father again, who types down a few more words, then pockets his phone.

"Alright honey, say goodbye to Mr. Wilde." The father says, and Joanne starts waving toward me. 

"Bye!" She says while holding my picture to her chest like it's her most valuable thing. As they leave, my smile fades and I start walking again. Isn't she just the most adorable kid who will grow up to be a psychopath? Well, only a psychopath towards prey so I suppose it's socially accepted. Is this what we really become at this point? 

I finally get home, and fishing the keys out of my pockets, I open into my small house. It's nothing fancy but gets the job done. 4 walls with a roof? Enough for me. Having a kitchen and a living room is just the icing on the cake.

Anyone looking at the mentors would think we are getting paid handsomely, and they would be right 11 times out of 12. We get paid on the distance our contestant makes, so it's in your best interest to get your prey out of the arena even if you hate them with passion. Otherwise, you get little to nothing. Being the face for the Burrows 3 years in a row shows how poorly that district performed. They always get shot right after the hunters get into the arena.

I try to get other jobs… I really do. But it's always the same thing. 'Oh, you will be perfect for the job! When can you start?' And then 2 days later 'I'm sorry Mr. Wilde, there have been some unforeseen changes, so I'm afraid we can't hire you. I'm terribly sorry.'

So I'm left with being a mentor, hoping to get a tribute like this year's Tundra town. 

I headed into my kitchen and put on some oil for the frozen fish. While it warms up, I turn on the tv and immediately see the recap of the show. Of course… That's the only thing the television will air for 2 more weeks. Entertainment for predator and reminder for the prey.

Right now Viktor was talking in his sharp accent, about his hopes as a mentor. I skip a channel, and see the news reporting about… You guessed it.. the opening ceremony of the hunt. I skip another channel, and again, the hunt. It's just being thrown in your face no matter what you do or where you go.

I roll my eyes, turn off the tv and go back to the kitchen to check on the oil. I decide it's alright, put in the fish and after 15 or so minutes when it's done, I turn off the stove. 

I place the plate in front of me and start eating while browsing through my daily news feed on my phone. It’s an older version from before the war, but I can’t afford the fancier ones so I gotta use what I have.

I try to ignore all the articles about the games, but one title grabs my attention. 'Was the tribute of the Burrows falsely picked?' I'm about 99% sure it's some clickbait title, but I still click on it.

--

Huge oversight or someone deliberately wanted the rabbit cop out of the picture?

As we all know, today was the opening ceremony of the 22nd Hunting Season. Everything went smoothly until it was District 12, the Burrows' turn. Button was pushed, name was chosen and confusion was seen. But why's that? 

According to the rules, a prey's name gets out of the contestant pool if they join the police, firefighters, or paramedics. Of course, this opens the gate for opportunists who just want to join so they would be safe. However there are strict requirements in all those fields, especially for herbivores and only if meeting those requirements, their name gets out. 

So how could a cop get chosen? Well, there are two possible answers. 

One, oversight. Maybe because of an error her name never even got out of the contestant pool at all, therefore she got too unlucky.

Or two, someone placed her name back and made it so she would definitely get chosen. But who and why would do that? Unfortunately, those questions will remain unanswered.

--

I look up from my phone. Now it makes so much more sense. Why everyone was so confused, and why their chief ran up to the stage. It was because her name wasn't even supposed to come out in the first place. 

I save the article to be able to come back later and search for the rules regarding the details. Sure enough, there are some valid information on that topic. No prey, working in any of the three emergency services, will be picked for the hunt.

I spent the next hours reading myself more into it, I'll may even have some mentionable tools to have a few sponsors behind my back after all. Everyone loves some drama. The Rabbit girl, who shouldn't have been picked. I might even fight out her freedom, so she could be sent back! That's great! Well… Not great for me, but great for her. Instead of someone with cop fighting skills, I'll get someone else.

I hesitate a bit, then navigate back to the article. I search for any contact details of the writer and find an email address. 

"Ookay, let's see…" I gather my thoughts. "Dear author… I have read your article about the burrows' contestant and it raised my interest… Ahh, what else what else… I would like to help you get the answers, and I hope you are… Err… No.. help you get the answers to those questions if you are available… And if it's okay with my contestant too. Please respond so we can discuss a time and place for an interview… Hope to hear from you… First time reader, Nicholas Wilde."

I give it a few more reads, then give a shrug. "You get what I mean," I mutter and press send. I give my back a good stretch and look at the clock

I managed to hold out until past midnight, but knowing I will have to sleep no matter what and I most likely won't get a response until the morning anyway, I get ready. My heart rate rose immediately. 

I close my eyes and try to calm down. "It's okay… It's okay." I mutter and try to apply the suggestions I got from various psychologists. "It's alright… I'm safe… No danger." I even tap my neck, to 'remember' I don't have to wear the collar anymore. Nothing will shock me during the night. I even add the remark the kid said. "It's not real…" Well, she said it works with movies, might as well try it on other unreal things. After turning and twisting in my bed, while trying to calm my mind, I finally fell asleep.

Unfortunately, just like every night before, I wake up to cruciating pain around my neck. I panic and try to take off my non existing shocking collar, which just makes the pain even worse. The more I panic the worse it gets. I can't do anything other than waiting it out.

"I'm safe It's okay..." I mutter while rounding up to a ball. I probably look pathetic but right now I don't care. It's getting hard to breathe, and I'm helpless. "It's not real. It's not real."

It still takes about 5 minutes for the pain to become a slight numb feeling and another 10 to completely pass. 

About 20% of the predator population is suffering from these phantom shocks, but I'm one of the unlucky ones who experience it during sleep. Because of this I just can't get more than 4 hours of sleep a day. It comes like clockwork and is worse than nightmares. 

I was at a lot of doctors already, and they all gave me useless medications. I tried sleeping pills, which just resulted in me getting fake shocked after 4 hours anyway, and feeling horrible for the rest of the day. 

Painkillers aren't worth anything either if there is no pain to begin with and only your brain is fooling you to believe otherwise. So my last stop was a psychiatrist, who taught me these 'marvelous' tactics, that first I need to make myself believe that there is nothing to fear. Well, it helped a bit, since now the tormenting pain only lasts for 4-5 minutes, instead of 15. But I still can't get a good night's sleep.

Since sleeping back never works because of the sudden adrenaline rush, and I don't want to get 'shocked' more than one time a day anyway, I sit up and just stare in front of myself a bit while rubbing the fur on my neck. The television is most likely still full of the Hunting season’s hype and I’d rather not think about it for just a few hours. So I pull up my phone. 

I checked my account, but still having no reply to my email, I decided to just go out a bit. Making sure Finnick is online this early morning, I give him a message.

 

Hey, can we meet?  Seen 4:46

Fin: U know where 2 find me.

 

"Straightforward as always." I give a smile

Chapter 3: Into the night

As I leave my house, I immediately feel the cold winds, whooshing through my ears. I'll need to get my contestant body heat reflecting clothes… I pull my coat closer and start walking towards the pub that Finnick owns.

It's a bit funny how he has no experience in the owner business whatsoever but he still has it under his name on paper.

In reality a Stag owns the place, who was a big pal of Finnick even before the war. After things have settled he wanted to reopen his business just to realize he will never get the permission. He would have been in a leading position instead of a predator and we obviously can't have that. So that's when everything was written under Finnick's name. He gets a cut for being the face of the place, goes to meetings, meanwhile the real owner, who has experience, can still run the whole thing in the background. It's definitely a better income source than my mentoring…

While walking to the place I don't really see anyone on the streets at this early hour. At least no one will recognise me. The only good thing in waking up early is that, you are alone in the whole city. Well relatively alone. You can still see a few mammals walking around.

As I open into the pub, I see the dozens of different mammals spread around the place. The only light sources were the purple led lights, and the huge tv on the wall, that's of course still airing the opening ceremony, with 5-6 already drunk guys watching it, and wheezing on something that Richard said.

I don't need to search around too much to see the small fennec fox walking towards me, grinning.

"My favorite tv star!" Finnick welcomes me, wearing some kind of white suit. 

"Hey big guy… I see you are aiming to steal the hosting part from Richard… What is this suit?"

"I still look better than you in your ugly shirt." He says and points towards an empty table. "C'mon sit. What would you like? It's on me."

"Just some Cola. It would be a horrible idea to get drunk right before the tributes arrive. Well I would make a nice title for the news I guess. 'Nicholas Wilde already gave up the Hunt! He drowned his sorrow into alcohol.' Nah I'd rather not give the media that to chew on."

After we sit down he immediately gets to the point. I swear it's his superpower to know the reason I visited him. "So… Still can't sleep huh?"

I unintentionally rub my neck. Since there is no reason to deny, I give a nod. "Yeah. Just nothing works."

"Damn… That collar really messed you up. Reducing the age where it's mandatory to wear one to 8… That was just a cruel decision on their part."

I still remember the first day of getting my collar. My 8th birthday and the new law somehow connected to the same day. It was a great birthday gift that's for sure…

"Well… We are repaying the prey everything so… I guess we're even. By this logic I should be better just by watching them suffer. But I can't help but to… feel sorry for them. We are trying to erase the nightmares by causing nightmares to others."

"Flawless logic isn't it?" Finnick says, and takes a sip from his drink. "And what did the brain doc give?"

I give a shrug. "Bunch of useless medicine and even more useless advice. 'You need to make yourself believe that there is no danger…' I know there is no danger!"

Finnick glares at me, for a few seconds, carefully thinking about what to say, then just says, "You should find yourself a mate."

"Yeah sure." I scoff "It worked out so well the last time."

"Just because one decided to be a bitch doesn't mean all there is."

"She made fun of me! I was there having that stupid phantom shock and she just ran to the nearest newsagency. 'Oh hey this guy is a big baby. I even almost saw him cry!' No thanks, I don't need that humiliation again."

"Look, all I'm sayin' is that, it would be better for you to have someone to lean on. Someone you can actually trust. This might be the next step after the brain doc you know... I'm not your momma to tell you how handsome of a little boy you are, but you are not exactly an ugly wanker aight? And I don't think you would have difficulty with the ladies. You have a better mouth than I do, no shame in admitting that. If the doc said you need to convince yourself that there is no danger, the best way to do it is sleeping next to someone you can trust! And don't expect me to cuddle up to you! I like your face, but not that much! You need a mate."

"I'm doing just fine." I wave it off, hoping Finnick would just stop talking about this topic, but of course that's not what he is famous for.

"With 4 hours of sleep for 20 years? That can't be healthy. It's a miracle you didn't die yet!"

"I said I'm fine !" I grit my teeth as a last pathetic attempt to show Finnick how I'd rather skip this topic, but he keeps on pushing.

"No Red, you're not fine. I will rip off your tail and feed it to you if you say one more goddamn word on how fine you are. You can fool everyone with your fake ass grin on the tv, but not me. Look, I don't care who you will be happy with. Vixen, Tod, She Wolf an alien I don't care. I just want to see you in a different state other than misery."

I roll my eyes, but he is right. I'm trying to keep myself together but it's getting harder day by day. And yes, maybe a partner would help. "So what do I do, Mr Cupido?"

"You start trying! If you fail you try again, until you try everything! Anything is better than just simply existing."

I give it a thought, but shake my head. "Well, I won't start going out now that the hunting season has started. 25 hours of my day will be full."

"Yea… for 2 weeks… I'll give you one more week to recover but after that… I want to see you here, trying! Do we have a deal?" He asks, and reaches out with a paw like some deal-making demon, ready to steal my soul.

Knowing he wouldn't get off the topic until I accept his ultimatum, I give a sigh and shake his paw. "Fine! You win! But if I will be the media's pet to torture because I'm not perfect, I will come here with a huge I told you so, and probably a ruined carrier. Will you stop giving me this weird parent talk about getting a girlfriend now?"

"For 3 weeks, yes… However, I know where you live and you know damn well I will appear in front of your front door if you don't hold up your end of the deal."

"Oh I wouldn't want that to my worst enemy." 

After this Finnick finally stopped acting like some self proclaimed father, and we were able to just hang out like two old friends. Well, one time during the morning, two leopardesses came next to me to ask for a photo. I said: 'Of course', but I wasn't ready for the incoming cheek kiss on both sides. Before I could react they already took the photo on which I probably look like a lost kit in the woods. 

Finnick didn't say anything, just raised his glass with an annoying 'Not bad' type of grin. At least he kept himself to his promise and didn't tell me to go after them and get married on the spot.

Around 7 I finally said my goodbye and went home to get ready for the train's arrival, which will happen exactly at 10 AM. Even while putting on my suit I tried to get back my 'Wilde' smile I usually use while on TV, but I can't help to see how forced that is now. It takes another half an hour to train myself back to an acceptable looking grin. 1 hour before the arrival, I take one more glance at my now acceptable reflection, and give a nod.

"It's showtime." I mutter to myself and leave for the big arrival.

Getting closer to the station I see the ever thickening, excited crowd. Since now I'm in my trademark Hunting Season suit, more mammals recognise me, thus I get stopped for a picture, or an autograph more often. This is all accounted for of course, so I stop each time, and exchange a few words, tell some jokes, and throw in the necessary 'Support the burrows!' line before I keep walking. If I get a few supporters this way that's already a huge difference. I want to make the best possible starting grounds for that rabbit to have a chance in leaving the arena.

When I arrive to the station It's already impossible to get in the regular way so I use my 'Mentor pass' to skip the line, which is basically just my face. I tunnel my way through and finally see the emptied area, that's separated by a line of only pred officers and a thin red cordon.

The panther gives me a strict look and steps out of the way to let me through. I give a nod as a thank you gesture and finally arrive at my destination. As I scan the area I see that 8 out of my 11 mentor companions are already there, most of them, drinking some kind of blue cocktail. I get offered one too, but I kindly refuse. As I said… I don't want to give the media that weapon against me.

"Nikolaj!" I hear next to me, and see the Wolf waving and walking to me. "It is good to see you!"

"Hey Viktor." I respond, knowing very well what he wants. Every single time the new mentors try to get as much information as possible from the older ones, on what's the best way to approach things.

How do I know this? I've seen it happen 2 years in a row, and I did the same on my first year. I hoped there would be some secret tactic in guiding your prey out. But in reality there are only two factors. Get as many sponsors as possible and pray that you'll get lucky. The moment the hunters target your contestant it's over. You can't do anything, and the prey can't defend themselves either. You lose. That's why in the history of the games, all in all there have been only 5 prey winners, who got extremely lucky. In theory all of them could escape. It's allowed to have more than one winner. It just never happens.

"Where were you last night, my friend?" Viktor asks, rolling the R's hard, while doing so.

I give an absent minded shrug. "It's a condition. My stomach just can't handle meat." I give the obvious lie, but there is some truth behind it. I do feel horrible, knowing what's on the plate. "But I hope you had fun."

"Ah I see, I see. It must be a condition with all you foxes then." Viktor says, which grabs my attention. I turn to the wolf with shrunken eyes. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well you see, the other fox didn't appear either. She must have some condition too." 

I turn my head towards Skye, who is patiently waiting for the train to arrive while chatting with a serval, our third newbie. Sophia was her name?

"Excuse me for a second." I tell Viktor, and walk to the fox-serval duo. "Good morning ladies, had a good night's sleep?" 

"Oh I was sleepin' like a baby!" Sophia immediately answers. "I'm usually a horrible sleeper, y' know. Just the weather or somethin'. I find it quite hard to sleep during the winter. Can you believe it? Anyway the rabbit we had was deeelicious and it had some tiring effect on me… So I found it even hard to get out of bed this mornin'! How 'bout you, Skylar?"

I noticed how Skye uncomfortably started twisting the ring on her finger with her thumb while Sophia was talking, but this lasted for only a few moments. As soon as it was her turn to speak, she smiled again. "Oh I've had better sleeps than today. I'm probably just nervous because of all the new things around." She shrugs, and turns to me. "How about you? Did you manage to sleep more than 4 hours?"

My legs freeze in place just like my grin on my face. How does she know? There is no way she knows… Or who… It's alright it's just a coincidence. I try to calm myself down, and not having any idea on how to react, I give a bit of a forced laugh, while rambling on some random nonsense, how the night is a great time for new ideas, and it's great to wake up early in the morning. It's basically a no face no tail answer, but they thankfully just laugh it off, like I meant to give a humorous response. "Aaanyway…" I grab the opportunity to ask the question why I was there in the first place. "I've heard you didn't go to the feast."

"Well… neither did you." Skye passes the ball back, but I give the same answer as before. 

"I have a condition. My stomach just can't process meat other than fish and I didn't want to ruin the party, so… Yeah…"

"Ahhh… You poor thing." Sophia places a paw on my shoulder. "Tell you what, my sister had the same thing! It's called… ahh what is it… some… Algae syndrome…"

"Alpha-gal…" Skye corrects Sophie, while keeping eye contact with me "It's called Alpha-gal syndrome."

"Yes, yes that one." The serval waves, and turns back to me. "But don' thu worry. My sis is still living healthily, without meat."

"Well that's a nice thing to hear. But yeah otherwise predators would have died long ago, if we couldn't keep up our needs without meat. All hail the bug burgers. Am I right?" I received a chuckle from Sophie, but Skye was still suspiciously observing me. "So what about you?" I turn to the arctic fox

"Oh me? Just army stuff." Skye shrugs it off "There were some papers missing, and I had to deal with that as soon as possible if I didn't want to get dragged away with deserting accusations."

"Mhmm…" I nod, and now It's my turn to give the 'I don't believe you' look. "Well that's a bummer that this was found out during the ceremony. I bet you would have loved the feast."

"Yeah the things you need to do in the army just to leave for a month, confuses me." Sophie says while looking at her empty glass. "I think I'm gonna get a refill. But you two have fun." The serval walks off leaving just the two of us.

"So…" I start after a bit of waiting. "Army stuff?"

"Meat intolerance?" 

"Hey! At least I can actually vomit any time you want to push down any meat down my throat." I defend my excuse. "But I doubt you'd get any backup to your army lie."

"I have a few friends to count on…" She says and we don't have the opportunity to follow up this conversation as the loudspeaker announces the arrival of the train, and the whooshing sound of the said express, arriving on the magnetic rails hit my ear. 

Chapter 4: The arrival

Everyone in the crowd keeps cheering, as the express comes to a stop. You can barely hear anything in the cacophony, so I only see as the doors open revealing the first district's contestant. Savanna Central.

Technically they wouldn't need to be arriving by train, since this is where we are. But the game masters decided it would be better if all contestants arrived at once. So the Savanna's tribute gets on the train with the Rainforest district's.

Right now, the antelope was standing at the door, scanning the huge cheering crowd. For a few moments, it seemed like he would step back, but the armed guard in the corner persuaded him to leave. 

Just as he stepped off the train, his assigned mentor, Dianne Crocutt, stepped next to him, with a welcoming smile. The hyena said something that drew a smaller smile from the contestant. He finally waved to the crowd, getting another cheer flood.

The next one on the train was Rainforest district, an Okapi who unsurely tumbled down, almost missing the small step that separated the train and the station deck. Victor cheerfully walked next to him and raised the Okapi's hooves into the air like a champion's. So Viktor's approach is to try to make it seem like his contestant already won by getting chosen. I think to myself. Not a bad angle.

However, all this got overshadowed by Tundratown's reindeer. The moment it was his turn, he stepped off with a wide grin, and hooves in the air, while throwing kisses toward the crowd. It was like he was saying. 'It's an honor to be here!' He is the same guy who was more than happy to get chosen, so it looks like he is aiming for the audience's favorite title. To be clear he is on a damn great path towards that, as he got an even bigger ovation than anyone before.

When Leonard, as his mentor, stepped in front of him, the deer was the first to raise his hoof, to shake the feline's paw, which Leo gladly accepted. With a laugh, the lion patted the reindeer's back and guided him toward the limousine that will take them to the training center.

Contestant after contestant got off the train, each of them trying their best to get on the audience's good side. Either right after getting off the train or after their mentor told them to smile and wave.When it was the burrow's turn, I saw as the rabbit hopped off the train without even looking at the crowd. She looked around, searching for something, then her eyes settled on me, and slowly walked next to me.

"Alright… We can go…" I barely hear her words, but I still manage to figure out what she wants.

"C'mon, they're here for you. Make yourself known!" I gave her the suggestion. Not even acknowledging the audience is a huge setback and doing that probably just destroys all my attempts in getting her some sponsors. To my disbelief, the rabbit just shakes her head without even looking at me. 

"I'm not going to smile at the animals who just want me dead." She says without any emotion, and this is when it becomes clear to me… She already gave up. I'm in a hard position here. If she refuses to cooperate, I can't do anything.

I give a sigh, and without saying anything I nod and signal her to follow me. While leaving I frequently glance at her, if she is planning something but she just follows my steps with a blank expression. Even when arriving at the limousine, she just hops into the car without looking at any of the journalists who were bombarding us with questions. I give some deflecting answers, like 'she is just tired from the journey' hoping to save what can be saved, but I already know I will have a hard time looking for supporters.

When I sit inside too, I knock for the driver to signal he can start. For a while, we sit silently next to each other. She either doesn't see my disappointed look or chooses to ignore it. Either way, she just keeps looking out the window and is probably in a completely different place in her mind. 

Halfway to the training center I can’t keep up the silence anymore. "What was that back there?" I get no response other than a heavy sigh, so I'm sure she heard me, just doesn't want to answer. I decided to keep talking. "Look, I'm your mentor. I want the best for you. So when I suggest you, to do something…" 

I can't finish, as she cuts me off mid-sentence. "You and I both know that bunnyburrow is just the laughing stock for the hunt. I have no chance of winning a game that is rigged from the start."

"You are a cop…" I start, but again, she interrupts.

At least now, she finally makes eye contact with me. "Barrett M82 sniper rifle, pinpoint accuracy even at one mile… AR 15, equipped with thermal scope… These are the weapons I will be running from. I'm a cop… not an indestructible machine… Well… I was a cop." She lowered her head and stared at the carpet.

I can't just leave it at that, so I keep pushing. "You have potential! You can get up to 6 hours headstart against the hunters you can…"

Now I can see she's angry. She twisted her head to me again and just snapped. "Why do you care if I walk 50 miles instead of 10 huh? You just want your bonus money, nothing else." She scoffs "I'd say you predators are all the same but… That would be unfair to the few decent ones I know." She shakes her head, and I could see tears forming in the corner of her eyes but she quickly wipes them away and just turns to the window again "I know my rights… even if there isn't a lot. So can you just take me to my jail cell in which I will spend the rest of my days, before my public execution?"

I want to tell her how she is wrong about me, but I know it's true. I know how she has little to no chance of actually winning, so why am I trying? Just for the money. I want to get her as far as I can because I'm almost down to my last cent. Suddenly I feel like the worst scum in all of Mammalia, so deciding not to bother her anymore, I just give a nod and quietly add an 'I'm sorry'. Not like that could change her opinion of me, but the least I can do is show some sympathy.

The rest of the ride was spent in utter silence, with me wondering what I should do, and her wondering on god knows what. 

In 10 minutes we finally arrived at the training center. The huge building used to be a costly, elite hotel but after the Hunting season was announced, it was changed to be the housing, and training grounds for the 12 contestants and their mentors. After our limousine pulled next to the 11 already parked ones, the driver, who turned out to be a zebra, got out and opened the door. First for me, and then for the rabbit.

"I'll guide you two to your floor, sir." I hear him say, but I give him a wave showing it won't be necessary.

"I know where we need to go but thank you." I gave a smile and with an acknowledging nod, the Zebra was already on his way. He gave one, sympathetic glance at the rabbit then disappeared behind the corner.

As we went inside, the huge hall greeted us in its shining white beauty. The walls had various paintings on, except for one, that was full of the previous Hunting season posters, with the 22nd closing the line. It's a simple 'Make all 12 mentors stand in front of a random background with a smile and crossed arms' type of deal. I remember that photo shoot. We had to stay in the studio for a whole day just to have one acceptable photo. My smile definitely got more and more forced toward the 100th picture. In the back, the 2 hunters are seen too, and of course, Richard is there standing above us all, with spread arms, and his annoying grin.

I see as my contestant takes one glance at the poster, then quickly looks away, a bit upset. 

I guide her to the elevator and push the button to the 12th floor. We immediately start flying upwards and after we step out I guide her to her room.

“This would be it,” I say as I open the door for her. “I… I will let you settle in. If you need me I will be in the room next door.” I probably know the answer, but I still gotta ask this last thing. "Will you go to the introduction show? You're not forced to appear but It's your last chance to get anyone to support you." 

My suspicion turns out to be true as she just takes one more sad look at me and shakes her head. 

"Alright. Well… See you at the hunt." I say and head to my own room. It's the same as I remember it from the previous Hunts. There is definitely a big difference between my house and this temporary home. It's equipped with the most modern devices there are. The tv alone is as big as my whole kitchen.

I walk to the bedroom, and sit down, immediately burying my head into my paws. I'm out of ideas on what to do. I can't be mad at the rabbit for wanting to do this in her own way. But in the meantime, she screwed me over big time. 

I can't keep leeching money off Finnick, even if he is more than alright with it. I already owe him a lot, and it was always the same. 'I'll repay you as soon as I can'. But that 'soon' just never comes. 

I take a glance at my phone, to see if I got any reply to my email, but still nothing. Did the author think I'm not the real Nick Wilde? Maybe I didn't type the address correctly? I decide to navigate back to the saved article, but I find nothing else, other than an error message. I furrow my eyebrows, as I try to find the article on the page, however, it's like it was never there. It's gone. As a last attempt, I try to search who the author was based on the email address, but again, nothing. The guy just disappeared into thin air. 

I was either hallucinating about that or someone forced the writer to take this article down. I typed the keywords 'Hunting season emergency service rules' into the search engine and saw the results I saw earlier, except for one. The official site had some changes regarding this rule. As I click on the link, I'm navigated to the main page, where I see the countdown to the live show. I scroll down, and it takes me a bit of time to see what the rules are all about. It's not exactly thrown into your face, but I manage to find the new rule.

39-4 If for any reason, a contestant's name is drawn, they are obliged to take part in the hunting season. No exception shall be made. (Including Rule 3-1. See: Emergency services)

"Bastards…" I mutter to myself. Looks like they are shutting down all my attempts even before I could bring up my argument. That rabbit upset someone really bad if they are going as far as making new rules, just for her. 'Hey your name is out of the pool, but we want to keep the opportunity to take you out of the picture if we want you gone, so yeah… Be nice or else!'

At this point, I've had enough of the whole Hunt. This whole thing is just to show how ‘Superior’ we are to the prey when in reality we aren’t better than those who forced the collar on us. What’s more, this way we just show how they were right to fear us all along. If this whole thing isn’t going to come back around and bite us in the tail I will be surprised.

Finally, I stand up and leave my room. I don't want to sit around doing nothing. I want to at least give that rabbit a chance. If not in the Hunt, then outside of it. I'll give her a chance to escape. Is it a stupid idea? Most likely. But I don't care.

Chapter 5: A day out

I stop in front of her door, to give a thought about it once more before I commit to my plan, but then I just give a sigh and knock. I hear no response, but I'm sure she is in there so I open in anyway.

I see her standing next to the window, staring outside, with her head leaning against the glass. She didn't seem to notice me so I make myself known.

"The only good thing is this place. The view." I say. She must have been deep in thought because upon hearing my voice she flinched and quickly turned her head towards me, just to give a relieved sigh.

"I just want to be alone… please." She says, but before she could turn back to the window, I talk.

"I know… I know. But I have a deal for you. You let me guide you around for one whole day, and then I'll leave you alone for the rest of the week." She looks at me a bit confused. I would be confused too if someone just barged into my room and gave this deal. "I'll leave you alone, you have my word for it. So?"

"I…" She hesitates for a bit, still not sure what my goal is with this weird request but then slowly nods. "Umm… Alright..."

"Thank you! You won't regret this! C'mon." I told her and after making sure she was next to me, I guided her back down. I'll try to get her mind off the hunt, at least for the afternoon. 

"One sec," I tell her as I walk to the reception desk. "Hey Teddy, I'll need one responsibility form, thank you."

The grizzly looked up from his desk, seemingly a bit bored. He looked at the rabbit behind me, then back at me and after searching for a bit he said "It's just Ted…" and slammed the paper on the table. 

"Alright then… Ted, it is." I say as I absentmindedly scribble down my signature and hand the paper back to him. As I was about to leave I heard Teddy clearing his throat.

"Ehm ehm… I'll need the contestant's name too…" he says, tapping at the paper with his big finger.

"What? You think I would just waltz out with district three or what?" I joke but the bear is definitely not up for it. He just stares at me with bored eyes and says

"You either write her name or I'm afraid I can't let you out."

"Alright, of course… Her name…" I click in the pen, realizing I don't even remember her name. Some mentor I am, for not even knowing what my contestant's name is. Seems like the rabbit picked up on my uncertainty, as she interjected. 

"Judith Laverne Hopps."

"Yep, that's the one." I point at her and then write down the said name. "So… I believe that's everything…?"

Teddy just turns back to whatever he was reading before, so I take it as a yes. "Alright, my pleasure," I muttered, and walked back to Miss Hopps.

While leaving the building, Judith asks. "What was that thing you just signed?"

"Well, technically a release form. Right now as it stands, no matter how messed up that sounds, you are Hunting season property. If I were to lose, or god forbid 'damage' that property, I'd need to pay a pretty big fine. So yeah don't run off on me." I give her a wink and keep on walking. Let her decipher that gesture however she wants to. "So… any particular places you are interested in visiting?"

As she just keeps on staring at me, I chuckle and decide to slow down. All this 'getting chosen' experience is fresh for her. I need to get her out of this feeling first. "Come on, we're in the heart of Zootopia. There must be some places you wanted to visit!"

"I don't know…"

"C'mon. Let's play pretend. I am your tour guide and you just paid top dollar for this trip. I want to give you a full experience. Tell me what would you like to see?

She finally slowly answers. "I… I always kinda just wanted to walk around… See the city…" I can already see a small smile in the corner of her mouth. Alright, good start.

"Then we shall walk!" I spread my arms. "OH but first… You must be starving! No one can enjoy a sightseeing tour with an empty stomach!"

"But… I don't have any money right n…"

"Ma'am, May I remind you that you already played for the all-inclusive service, which includes an all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner."

"Alright… Well, any recommendations?" She asks. Looks like she is slowly getting herself into the idea.

"What kind of tour guide would I be if I didn't know the best restaurants? C'mon." I start walking again towards the best place I know, where they are more than happy to serve food for prey too. (And doesn't serve prey as the food I might add.) I deliberately guide her to less crowded roads. I don't think she wants to be recognized, as that would definitely hurt the 'tour guide-tourist' immersion. Of course, we still get called off a few times, but I can get myself out of those easily. It's a great skill to have when you are a well-known mammal and don't have time for chit chats.

She was still rather silent while walking next to me but now at least she was somewhat excitedly looking around while walking in the city. I could see that maybe I will get a glimpse of her true self by the end of this day. Meanwhile, I just played the role of her tour guide, just as promised. I highlighted places, and sometimes said a few facts I knew from somewhere, and by the time we got to the restaurant she was definitely in a lighter mood.

After arriving and sitting down, at first I was a bit hesitant to order anything for myself. But after she told me she would feel bad if I got left out, I settled for a bug burga menu. Quite old school, but old things sometimes are the best. 

We didn't talk about anything deep, and she noticeably avoided topics that could lead to talking about the district she was from, or her job as an officer, so I didn't push the question. I was the one offering this play pretend, I won't be the one to break it. 

It all went well and fine until another Rabbit arrived with two bodyguard-looking predators following him. It was a bit of an odd sight, but I didn't make anything out of it. Judy's mood, however, immediately changed and I could sense a bit of discomfort on her.

"Is everything alright?" I ask since she just couldn't keep herself from glancing at the newcomer every third second.

"I… uhh. Yeah absolutely… It's just… I don't know how to say it."

Her frequent glances of course didn't remain unnoticed by the other rabbit, who gave a grin and decided to 'give a visit' to our table. "Well hello there beautiful. Do you mind accompanying me? My treat of course. And we'll see where things go from there." 

"Erm…" She glanced at the two bodyguards, who were more occupied with talking to each other, then she answered the rabbit's question. " No, but thank you."

"It will be fun!" He said, and as Judy looked at his neck, he rolled his eyes, with a bit of a chuckle. "Come on, just because you accept a meal from me doesn't mean they will force this thing on you." This is when I realized that the rabbit had a greenish collar around his neck. There were words written on it too, but I couldn't make out what.

"No… I'm fine."

"Wait a minute, I know you! You are that rabbit who got chosen for that pred show! C'mon, sweetheart. Life is too short to not have a bit of fun. I still have 2 and a half months, but you… You barely have 2 weeks, and you don't even get anything out of it!"

"You've heard her." I finally cut in and perhaps I should have sooner. The rabbit gave a long pause while narrowly looking into my eyes then just shrugged. Glancing back at Judy in front of me. "Alright, your loss." He got up from our table and with two of his bodyguards, he settled down at a different table.

"What was that?" I ask her, hoping for some answers to this weird encounter.

Judy still ears down, looks up at me. "You don't know how the prey gets on the menu, do you?" She asks, making me confused. What does this have to do with that? As I shake my head she sighs and leans a bit closer. "It's a stupid wish-making service… they are all over Bunnyburrow, and looking for any opportunity to get someone to sign their stupid papers… And the worst thing is, they get hundreds to sell their life for something each day… If you want something, they appear out of nowhere and promise you whatever you want. I've seen parents sign the papers, just so they wouldn't need to give up their kids. I mean come on restriction to a maximum of 6 kids? They are just counting on rabbits having more, I've seen 7 kits in just one litter! It's unfair to make parents choose which of their kids get to live if that happens! Anyway… You can wish to be able to keep all your kids, or in his case," She nodded towards the other guy. "Wealth for a whole year. It doesn't matter what you wish for, after the 1 year is over they will just come after you to hold up your end of the deal which most of the time is basically being food for the elite. They tried with me many times, but I knew better than to sign away my life."

Listening to her, I realized the bodyguard-looking preds, are most likely not bodyguards next to the rabbit, but simply guards so he wouldn't run away in his last months. I never knew this was the case. I always saw these adverts on how prey can 'make a wish' but I always thought it was just some kind of helping organization. I can only imagine how bad things are, if hundreds are willing to sign this paper each day, knowing well what they are doing.

"I think we should go…" she says. "I mean… I'm full, I don't know about you. Plus I have a few more places I'd like to visit!"

I kinda doubt she is full, as she barely ate half of her salad box, but if she wants to go, we shall go. When paying, I tap the 20% tip on the display (Well, I am feeling generous after all) and leave the place.

During the rest of the day, I guided her to various places, and in the end, I also saw a genuine smile. Not only a small one in the corner of the mouth, a real tooth showing one. It was great to see her like this, as she changed into her true self. We didn't bring up the rabbit in the restaurant again, and I'm fine with it. The whole point of the trip is to immerse ourselves in a utopia, where predators and prey live in complete harmony. Not like that could ever happen, but one can pretend.

Towards the evening, there was only one last stop on my 'to visit' list. "Where… are we?" Judy asks, confused as we reach an old, abandoned theme park. I can't blame her. There is no reason for us to go here, other than me wanting to visit this place one last time. So I can only imagine what she thinks about this situation.

"An old memory." I give a smile as the nostalgia hits me after spotting the 'Wilde Times' logo. It doesn't take her a lot of time to connect the dots. 

"Is… this yours?" She looks at me a bit unsure.

"It was my father's. I inherited it. So technically yes, it is mine." I give a nod

"But why didn't you…"

"...try to upkeep it?" I finished her sentence with a bitter smile. "Well, it was only a well-visited place because it was the only park where predators were allowed to take off collars. It's not in a popular place by any means, so now it's just… a regular theme park with no real reason for anyone to go to. I tried everything… I had billboards set up, I advertised it HARD… But nobody came. I eventually had to close it down. Perhaps I was too young to manage a whole theme park. But now it would cost too much to bring it back to a normal state." I say, looking at the various graffiti and the rollercoaster that was overgrown by weeds. "I could sell it…  But I have too many great memories linked to it. I'd rather come here now and then to clear my mind."

As we go deeper in, more and more memories come to the surface. Who knows why, but I feel like I just must share these with someone. Might be because it's the first time I came here with someone else after I closed the park, or perhaps for the fact that I know I'm about to commit a crime by letting her run away, and this might be the last time I can see this place. Either way, I start talking, whether she likes it or not.

"This is the room I used to hide away from dad just so I wouldn't have to put the collar back on." I give a smile after pointing in the broom closet. "Heh… I caused him so much trouble when the supervisors came and one collar was still there without an owner… when he found me he had to put back the collar on me of course, but he never shouted me off for sneaking away. He didn't blame me for wanting to get more collar free time, even though he was threatened with jail time more than once. What's more, even after I caused him a lot of trouble, he still hugged me whenever he saw I was getting shocked, just to help me calm down. He was ready to get electrocuted alongside me for the hundredth time every day…"

"What happened to him?" Judy pulls me back from the memory train, looking genuinely curious.

My smile fades. It still hurts to think about that even after 22 years. "He was killed by prey rebels after the war… To be clear… The uprising was only successful for us because he owned a collar remover, so I assume he had a few enemies because of that."

I sense a bit of hesitation on her, most likely a question she wants to ask me but doesn't know if she should. I have an idea what this question is though.

"My mother died shortly after I was born. I only remember her face from photos."

"Oh…" Her ears flatten to her head but at least now I know that I answered her unsaid question. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know…"

"No, It's fine." I give her a reassuring smile and keep on walking. "Anyway… an old family friend took care of me after. My dad and he were great friends and he was pulled out of trouble a lot of times by my father so I suppose he still thinks he owes my dad that much to take care of me… I'm like an unwanted hump on his back really. The number of favors I had to ask from him is embarrassing. But he is the closest I can call a friend." I clear my throat and take on my smile again. "Well this is the final stop of our city tour, please rate us 5 stars, on www dot wildetours dot zn." 

Giving a chuckle Judy says. "I'll make sure to give a positive review too! And… Nick… I…" She changes into a more serious tone. "I'm really sorry about your parents. I can't even imagine how it felt. It sounds like your father was a great mammal."

"Yeah. He was."

I glance at my phone to check the time. It's almost 18:50, and I want to catch the airing time of the show. That way it's almost guaranteed that the rabbit will have more time to sneak around, and fewer eyes to worry about as half of Zootopia will be glued in front of the screen for 5 hours. I quickly gave it one more thought but since I already came here, I decided to commit fully.

"Look, I'm glad you didn't run off on me thus far but… This is your chance." I say, but since the only thing I receive is a confused look, I specify what I meant. "It's unfair what happened to you. First, you get chosen even though your name shouldn't be in the pool in the first place, and then they make a new rule only for this specific occasion? Yeah, they made a new rule because of you so I hope you feel special. I want to give you at least a chance for freedom between all the unfairness."

She fell silent, processing all the things I just said. But then she looked me in the eye and spoke. "You'd… really do that for me?"

"Yes," I say without hesitation. "Without any regrets."

"But… the paper you signed… What will happen to you?"

"Ehh" I shrug. "They will tell me to pay the fine for losing you, which let's be clear, I don't have 10 million dollars in my front pocket, so I'll fail to comply. It will go to trial and most likely 15 years of jail time will be waiting for me. But it will all be worth it knowing I tried to help. I… I'm done either way. I can't expect you to try the arena just so I can get my money. Oh, Yeah, I'm broke, big reveal heh… So I don't have a bright future either way. You'd think in this world all predators are on the top of the food chain, but I'm at the bottom of the top. Just the funny fox on TV who is telling jokes, but in reality he is miserable. But you… you have a chance! And I want to give it to you. The arena is rigged, it always has been. If all prey gets shot then it's just 'Well the good guys won' if a prey somehow manages to escape then 'the mentor did an outstanding job'. It's never the contestants' merit. So go on. Take your freedom. I won't even watch which way you'll go."

I lean at the railing, and stare at the huge Ferris wheel, signaling I'm done. Somehow I don't even feel nervous, and just warmth spreads through my whole body, knowing I did the right thing. However, I don't hear rushing footsteps away from me. Instead, I hear a question from the rabbit.

"Can we still get to the show?"

Now it's my turn to give a confused look. "Erm… We definitely won't get there to the start, but, since district 12 comes last on the schedule, I suppose we could get there on time… But… Why…?"

"Okay." She nods. "We should get going then. Last chance to get sponsors, you said?"

"Woah wait… what?! You're not going to escape?" I ask her. After all this, she just decides to play along with the Hunting season anyway?

"Come on!" She grabs my paw and starts running towards the exit. "I appreciate all the things you did for me. But even if I ran away here, I couldn't go home anymore… plus…" She hesitates a bit.  "You deserve that money… You deserve a better life."

"Wha… Hey, that's not fair, I said it first!" 

"I suppose you need to wait with the helping paw until I get to that arena."

I'm not sure how I feel right now. I'm not angry, but not necessarily happy either. Perhaps a bit disappointed, yet relieved… I wanted to make a difference, but right now as it stands, I did nothing. Well, I got back a rabbit's fighting spirit, that's good for a start… "Alright, fine." I sigh. "At least let me call a cab."

Chapter 6: Better late than never

After we got to the training center in a cab, I paid the driver to wait for us and we both rushed up to the 12th floor. I gave us 30 minutes to get a quick shower and dress up accordingly. I also feel like I need to get back to my TV style, so I make time to sit in front of the bathroom mirror. However, for some reason, I can't do my pre-show routine.

As I glare at my reflection, this smiling fox seems like a stranger to me. This isn't the real Nicholas Wilde, but some cheap grinning copy. 

It's been a while since I talked about my past to anyone. I always told Finnick I was fine, which is true… At least I made it true. I pretended I was fine for so long that now after I brought it back up, I realized how much I miss my dad. I ripped off that band-aid, thinking nothing matters anymore, and now I'm left with a bleeding wound.

I pull up my phone and scroll through the gallery. I'm looking for one particular picture. The one I have saved everywhere because that's the one I don't want to lose for anything. After a few minutes, I finally found it. It portrays two mammals, foxes to be precise. My parents. 

They are standing in front of the Wilde times theme park while my dad is hugging my mom from behind. There is something in this picture that always makes me smile. There is… hope in their eyes… Hope for a better future. Their collar showed a yellow color, most likely sensing the complex emotions they were having at the moment.

I notice as the corner of my mouth starts twitching. I try to calm down, but now the emotions are bombing this smile harder than any time before. No matter how hard I try, I lose the battle, and perhaps years of suppressed tears come to the surface. I'm here a grown-up mammal, tearing up because of his long-gone parents… No matter how hard I try to wipe the tears away, more comes in their place… What I wouldn't give just to hug them once…

No, I need to stay strong! I can't break down right now, it would be unfair to the rabbit… I mean Judy… I have to give 110% to make the best possible starting grounds for her. I can't fall apart. Not yet.

I hear two knocks on my door. "Ummm… it's been 34 minutes. Are you ready?"

"Y-yes. One sec." I quickly pocket my phone and splash my face with a bit of water, to remove any traces of tears. I slowly build back up that wall the emotions broke through, take on a not so believable smile, and after taking a few deeper breaths, whisper to myself. "It's showtime!" I'm sure this emotional feeling will return, I can only hope it will be after the Hunt.

The moment I leave my room, I spot the rabbit in a breathtaking dress. After a contestant gets chosen, their wardrobe gets filled with clothes for their size by the staff. She still managed to pick out the best one.

"You look… nice." 

"Thank you." She gives me a warm smile. "You look great too!"

"Well, what can I say? I inherited all the handsome genes. It's unfair against all the other tods but what can I do? Shall we?" I reach out with a paw, which she gladly takes. "Alright, we should run through your introduction," I say as I push the button to the bottom floor. "Don't sweat it alright? Richard will walk you through it, it's not his first show. Just like dancing. Let him lead, and you'll be just fine. Your answers should be quick, but not too quick. You need to keep up the interest."

I almost leave the building with her, when I hear our annoying receptionist. "Ehm ehm… Release papers." He says while looking at the tv in front of him, which is most likely airing the Hunt.

"Are you kidding me? I already filled in one!"

"And you returned… New exit, new paper." He says and places the form on the table without looking at me for even one second. I swear he just enjoys jumping on my nerves.

"Ridiculous…" I mutter, as I hurry to the table to sign his stupid paper. "There you go Teddy, have fun!" I give him a wink and now I can almost feel his killing glare on my back. I go back to Judy and leave the building for the second time today. It's good to see that our cab is still there. I open the door for her and then get in too. "So where was I?"

"Keep up the interest?"

"Yes yes. So try to keep your answers short, yet meaningful…Oh, and if there is a funny story that you are comfortable sharing, please do share it! People LOVE little drops from the contestant's life. Let's give it a try. I will be Richard, and you'll answer me. Ready?" As she nods, I immediately get to it. "Well hello there, sweetheart! We have a lovely evening, wouldn't you say?"

"Ah… why Yes Rich, this is just a wonderful evening… I'm so sorry, it was such a stupid… I don't know if I can…"

"No, no it was okay!" I reassure her. "Alright Miss Hopps, please tell us about yourself, I'm certain that our lovely audience is dying to know more about you! How come, a rabbit like yourself ended up in the police academy?"

She seems to hesitate a bit. "Oh… Ummm… Well, I always wanted to help others… And…" She sighs and leans back. "I'm so bad at this… It's just… there will be thousands of other mammals, and I know how important this thing is… I was never good at public speaking! The one time I had to give a speech I just froze, and that was only in front of a few hundred mammals..."

"How about just talking to me?" I give the suggestion "You didn't seem to have a problem with that!"

"That was different." She waves resignedly. "You are… nice."

"How about this… It's just me and you, and there is my weird friend, Richard who just loves to talk to himself. Play pretend worked so far, who said we had to stop?"

"I… I suppose we could try."

I think for a bit how it would be better to approach this, without applying the idea of the Hunt. I want to quickly run her through what to expect. "You know what? Cross that whole 'I'm Richard' thing off. I'm just good old me, and would genuinely like to know more about you." It's still a big step for her since we haven't discussed anything personal so far. But she will have to warm up to sharing a bit more. It's always good to get the audience somewhat emotionally attached to the contestants. "So police academy… Why did you choose to follow up on it? How hard was it?"

"Well, as I said… I always wanted to help others… Trying to make the world a better place, you know. I thought… Maybe, just maybe I could have a positive impact on the world despite things being the way they are. As for how hard it was to get in… Let's just say I had a lot of outside help. I had to give in not only 110% but 200% if I wanted to have a chance, and I still needed that recommendation from the district chief to get the job. If it wasn't for him, I'd have had no chance. He's got a huge heart… Now of course I still get a lot of accusations that I only joined the police to be safe from the Hunting season, but… Well… Those accusations just bounced off me. I knew they were wrong and that was enough for me."

Listening to her, I suddenly remember something. Not sure if I'd get a proper answer but no time like the present in asking. "So… Since it shouldn't be possible for an officer to get chosen… Do you have an idea why your name appeared? They won't ask this on the show, don't worry about that. I'm just curious."

She falls silent for a few seconds. "I have a good guess… I mean I don't have any evidence to support this theory but... The short answer is... I messed up, and now I'm paying for it."

"Messed up… How?"

"I intervened somewhere I shouldn't have. They told me a hundred times that predator affairs are out of my reach, and I should always ask for assistance before intervening, but I just had to…"

"What happened?"

"A son of some rich douchebag was going around harassing vendors. He was obviously enjoying the power that he can do anything and no one would bat an eye. He stole things and then beat up anyone pointing out he stole. When I saw he was kicking someone on the ground, I just… I couldn't just radio in and pretend nothing happened! I moved in. I first warned him, one thing led to another, and then there was I pinning down the tiger to the ground while he was screaming how much I will regret this. I took him to the station, but he was let go with an apology, and I was taken off duty for 2 weeks. I also had to record a video that I had to send to the family, on how much I regret my actions, and admit that I was in the wrong… Fast forward 1 month, and here I am in a death game. Turns out the mother of the kid I arrested was a Hunting Season executive. You don't need to be a detective to connect the dots on this one…"

Vaguely I do remember something from the opening show. A tigress on the stage took it personally that the police chief tried to stand out for his officer. That perhaps was the angry mother... However, it's a bit scary to think about how easy it is to manipulate the draw results. 

"You did the right thing, and that's what matters!" I tell her, and after a bit of thinking I add "You said you wanted to have a positive impact on the world, and you definitely have!"

She gives a smaller smile. "Thanks."

Unfortunately, the huge building of the studio came into view. So we have to cut short our quick learning session. Richard usually helps a lot even for the most uninteresting candidate, so Judy should be a real gold mine for the show. If she softens up that is…

I feel her tense up a bit at the sight of the huge building, so I place a paw on her shoulder. "It will be alright." I also give her a reassuring smile.

"Here… we… are…" I heard the driver say, as he slowly turned around. The sloth has been a real help to take us back to the training center, as he knew the fastest roads. I gotta admit, when I spotted him arriving at the theme park I had my concerns that even walking would be faster. But It was a pleasant surprise. They have some kind of AI helper that can scan the road and decode the driver's inputs accordingly. 

"Thanks, buddy, keep the change." I land him a 100 bill.

"Just… call me… Flash." The sloth says, while slowly but steadily taking the cash from me.

"Will do. You don't need to wait for us. It will take another 3 hours to be done with this. See you around, Flash!" I give him a two finger salute and finally run into the studio by the side of the rabbit.

I couldn't help but think about the poor sloths that got chosen for the Hunt. There have been 2 examples of this… they got killed first both times and of course got made fun of too. 3 days to walk 100 miles is surprisingly not their strong suit. They are the only mammals getting lower chances on the betting sheets than Rabbits. They are only 'lucky' because they don't have their own district…

After a quick check from the guards, we both get accepted inside. I move through the maze-like studio like it's my home. I know exactly where to go, I only need to worry about not leaving Judy accidentally behind. I could already hear Richard's muffled trademark laugh, most likely after saying a joke to himself. Of course, the audience shortly follows.

"You sure don't rush things…" the badger mutters to herself, and picks up two chip-on microphones. Quite a high tech stuff. It's barely the size of a mouse's paw, yet forwards sound in the best quality. "Advert break is in a few minutes. Wait for my signal, and then you can walk in. Don't disrupt the show!" The badger gives us the instructions, then takes on the headphones.

I glance at Judy who is staring at the huge stage. Currently, district 5 is being interviewed, the black sheep, under Skye's mentoring.

"I talked with her during the train ride…" Judy tells me seemingly randomly while looking at the sheep. "She seems nice…"

I nod absentmindedly and scan the stage. Only district 11 is missing beside us… I really should learn the contestants' names. It feels wrong to just say 'the squirrel from eleven'. At least now I don't refer to my contestant as 'the rabbit' as I did before.

I vaguely hear Rich letting the audience know about the upcoming advert break. 'Don't go anywhere because we will be back shortly after a few words from our sponsors.' And the badger whispers 'go' while wildly signaling for us.

We quickly rush to our seat, which has a huge shining 12 in front, next to the empty 11. We receive a few surprised looks, from the other mentors and the present audience audibly gives a bit of a chuckle at our goofy entrance. 

Rich just gives us a side glance and keeps on talking with the camera crew, while pointing at something on the tablet. Perhaps they didn't catch his better profile… It's a bit funny how he turns all strict behind the scenes, but you couldn't make him take off that grin for anything on stage. 

As the music comes on, he says a few more words, then hurries back on stage, again, with a wide grin. "I told you we wouldn't be away for long, didn't I? Those who have been watching since the beginning might see some changes… District twelve? May we know why you arrived so late?" He turns to us. I give a shrug and a laid-back grin

"Sorry professor Silverclaw, we missed the bus!" I say and hear chuckles from the audience, while Rich looks at the cameras. 

"Professor Silverclaw…" He repeats, with an ever-growing smile. "Ohhoh I love the sound of that. You're gonna hear that a few times today. ALRIGHT! Let's see who is my next student to test… District 6! I hope you are well prepared!" He says and gives us a visible side glance. "And don't calm down just yet, twelve, we will get back to you too! No one is late from Professor Silverclaw's class and lives to boast about it. Hahahaa I'm just kidding! Just kidding. We're all friends here. Alright, so…"

The night went slowly but steadily. Contestant after contestant got interviewed, therefore we got closer and closer to our time to shine. The buzzer made sure everyone had only 10 minutes to spare, but the host made sure to stuff every important detail in their 10 minutes.

Rich's attitude… Could be considered a bit annoying to a few, but he is sure as hell trying his best with all contestants. Laughs at lame jokes finds the memorable details in everyone. 

I have no idea what kind of mammal he is outside of the show. He could be the anonymous leader of the anti-prey group for all I know, but during the show, he never shows anything that could be decoded as hate towards them. He can be even quite compassionate. Of course… It might be all a well-learned act, just take me as an example. I'm nothing like the mammal I'm showing on TV, so who is to say that Rich is the same?

After district 10's Mountain goat, (I still can't remember any names. I gotta change that) It was our turn. District 11 didn't appear at all, so logically they are skipped.

"So district 12! Judy Hopps. I hope you can give us a bit more detail on your… Fairly late arrival. I assume there is more to this story." Richard says while sitting down next to us and making himself comfortable. As Judy remains silent, most likely because of the stage fright, Rich adds. "It's okay darling, I won't bite… Professor Silverclaw is a kind soul, and won't fail you because of one missed class." As the audience gave a chuckle he turned to the camera, and I used this moment to show Judy I was there for her. I placed a paw on her arm and gave a nod. She seemed to understand what I tried to convey. Ignore the audience, it's just us 3.

After the audience calmed down she took a deep breath and finally started talking. "Well, yes Mr. Silverclaw, you are right there is more to this."

"Please, call me Richard." The tiger suggests. "So? What is it?"

"Well… I always wanted to see Zootopia's heart, and my kind Mentor…" She gave a grateful glance at me "...said he could guide me around. I suppose the beauty of the place tinkered with our inner clock a bit and we only realized how late it was after the show had already started."

Clever rabbit… I think to myself. She managed to twist my rebelling attempt in a way that's acceptable in the show. 

"Ahh well, that's an acceptable excuse. Wouldn't you agree?" Richard said, turning to the audience, and receiving a huge cheer wave. "Hahahaaa! The lovely Savanna Central is a must see for everyone! Is there any particular place you loved to see for yourself?"

"Oh, ehm… it's really hard to choose… we visited a lot of… places." She zones out a bit, and realizing this, Rich grabs the attention again.

"Oh, you don't need to say that twice. I've been living here for quite some time now, and still can't decide which place is my favorite. Hahahaa. Alright, alright. Let's change the subject a bit shall we? We are here to get to know you a bit better. If I'm not mistaken, you have 6 lovely kids, right?"

I looked up, a bit surprised after hearing this information. She has 6 kids? Well I mean of course she does, why wouldn't she? Most rabbits marry at age 18, or even sooner, and already have kids by 20. She is about 26 or 27, so by this logic, she most likely has kids but… I don't know. I mean, of course, she doesn't have to tell me everything, we are nothing more than a 'mentor' and 'mentored' pair. Still… for some reason, I'm disappointed she didn't feel comfortable telling me this.

"Yes." Judy smiles a bit nervously. I can sense that there is something else to it, but not going to point it out live on TV. Perhaps it's just the situation itself.

"Can you tell us their names?" Rich asks, which makes me question what he is going for here. Portraying a mother who is desperate to get back to her kids? Sure it can get a few pity supports but usually not enough for a whole hunt… Also seen this happen. It's just cruel facts.

After a bit of hesitation, to my surprise, she starts naming them. "There is Molly, Ruby, Cotton… Little fluff ball… Timmie, Violet, and the troublemaker Terry… Hi guys! And Terry, be nice to your siblings while I'm gone!" She says and actually waves to the camera! She is visibly still nervous, but at least she is somewhat taking my advice, even going beyond that. Or at least she is trying her best and that is what matters.

"Did you have anyone to take care of them while you are gone?" Richard leans closer. 

"Yes." She nodded. "I had a few good friends who promised to keep them safe."

"Tell you what. You make it out of the arena in one piece, and you give those kids a huge hug when you return. How does that sound?"

"Sounds promising. There is nothing I want to do more."

"I have no doubt… Now let's not forget your occupation either. You worked as a…" Richard couldn't finish his sentence as the buzzer went off, making him and me confused too. Perhaps it wasn't seen that well on him but we both thought the same thing. That was definitely not 10 minutes. "Well I'm afraid that's all the time we had for today. Time flies fast when you're having fun, they always say, Hahaa. It was a pleasure talking to you."

"The pleasure's all mine," Judy said.

"Best of luck." Rich stood up and walked to the middle of the stage. "And that concludes today's show. Unfortunately, we'll only meet next week, but it will be something to look forward to, as all tributes will need to figure out what their strength may be, and they will need to make a 3-5 minutes video portraying that specific thing. Why is it important you might ask… Well, that will decide the starting order in which they get to enter the arena! So I suggest getting started with brainstorming straight away. It's not an easy task to impress our jury! Until then… Goodnight Zootopia!" Rich spread his arms while the music came on. He held that pose for a bit, and after the helping monitors went black, he stormed off the stage, who knows where.

I heard Judy give a relieved sigh and muttered something along the lines of 'Cheese' and 'Crackers'

Leaving the studio went smooth as silk. After we gave back the small microphones we were given, I guided her toward the fire exit I always use. She gave me some weird looks, but I reassured her it was okay. I’ve been using this exit for 3 years now and nothing happened so far.

If we left through the main entrance, the journalists would have flooded us. And I could see on her that she wasn't in her best shape right now. She also didn't seem too talkative but I don’t blame her. It’s been a long day. 

Our limousine wasn’t in its place since we didn’t arrive the way we were supposed to, so I offered to call another cab but she said it was okay, and she wanted to walk anyway. So we walked. For a while, we just enjoyed the sounds of the night city while slowly reaching our destination. However, I had something on my mind that I just had to ask. 

“So… 6 kids huh? Congrats… Or whatever they say in this situation.”

“Huh? Oh. heh… yeah, It’s… well…” She looks around and then back at me ”I don’t have kids or well yes on paper I do but they are not mine. I only see them on a few occasions.”

“You adopted them?” I ask 

“It’s a bit more complicated than that… You know how… there is a restriction on how many kids prey can have right?” I give her a nod and she keeps on explaining. “There is a gray area, a loophole if you will… If someone agrees to have the register of birth under their name, the kid can stay. It’s a widely spread practice in the burrows. A lot of rabbits agree to this for a fee, but not everyone can afford to pay. I simply offered to help because I WANTED to help. By the time I was 17, there were already 2 kids written under my name.” 

I'm not sure why I ask my next question but it just slips out. "So you don't want kids? 'legally' you already have 6, so..."

After giving it a thought she confidently answers. "I don't want kids of my own. Not in this world anyway… Well not like I'll need to worry about that."

"Hey, don't talk like that!" I tell her knowing very well that her last comment was on her chances of winning. "I WILL get you out. And that's a promise!"

"Keep saying that, and even I'll believe it."

Chapter 7: Goodnight

4 days. That's how long I can stay awake before passing out. However, when any ordinary mammal doesn't sleep for that long, they can just sleep for 24 hours the next day, feel horrible for a bit after they wake up, and go on with their life. Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky. The one time I tried staying awake for 4 days, I still woke up after 4 hours and felt horrible for 2 weeks straight. Turns out, if you already can't get normal sleep, you shouldn't push it to the limits.

Yeah no matter what, sleeping is an important part of everyday life, and you can't just skip it without suffering the consequences. This however makes the mentoring a bit awkward. At least the sleeping part.

It's past 1 AM. We arrived back at the training center after midnight with Judy, and almost immediately went to our own separate rooms after saying goodnight. 

Right now I'm just turning left and right in my unreasonably large bed. I want to wake up before everyone else, so I'd have time for my… morning routine. But like a big kid, I also don't want to sleep.

I hate this. I hate that I can't have a normal life even if the circumstances are just right for a predator. I hate that if you don't despise prey you are automatically weird. I hate that I don't hate prey… I should just laugh at their misery, saying they deserve all of this. I sit up and bury my head into my paws with a frustrated growl. 

I can't help but to think about if Judy could sleep. She is finally alone with her thoughts and that's not always a good thing. The walls here have decent soundproofing. Mammals with better hearing may still hear some sounds but I sure can't, so props to the architects. For a brief second, I wonder if I should check on her, however, it's a short-lived thought. If she managed to fall asleep I won't wake her. If someone, I know not to disturb someone's sleep.

So I just stand up and walk to the window. I wasn't lying when I said the view was the only thing in this place. Others probably would pay to have a room on the top floor. In one direction, I could see past even Sahara Square, while in the other direction, the Rainforest district's sky trams are seen. 

Usually, you could still see some stars at night but not now. It feels like every light source has been lit up, so that's all you can see.

Down there I can still see thousands of mammals partying around. These two weeks are like holidays. Schools close, and sometimes even less important workplaces too, during the hunt. Sometimes mammals would organize their own hunt too during this time, which gets shut down fairly easily. Well good to know the government draws the line at killing prey only for tv shows, and you are not allowed to just kidnap them into your backyard, for your own entertainment.

I have no clue how much I glared at the busy street below, but after a while, I finally sighed and decided to head back to bed. These 14 days are going to be hell…

-----

"DAD!" A distressed voice fills the night, inside a smaller house. The source of the voice is an 8-year-old fox kit, rounded up in the corner of his bed, while desperately trying to take off the collar, that lights up the room in a red color.

The older tod, after coming inside, settles down on the side of the bed with a bitter smile. "It's okay. Deep breaths. Let me help you." He opens his arms and gives a light painful grunt after the kit quickly hugs him. "Think of something happy. A perfect place, where nothing bad happens." He tries to give the instructions while hugging the kit close and getting a fair amount of the shock that the collar is giving off. "Do you have it?"

After the kit gave two tearful nods, the tod kept on talking. "Now imagine what it would be like living there… No pain… No worries… Everything is perfect." As he said it he noticeably zoned out, and now gave a more believable smile, as he pulled the kit closer.

It was noticeably on the highest setting out of 12. Each morning it resets to the lowest and gets increasingly more intense with each shock. Giving a collar to an 8-year-old with the same settings is barbaric but no one even considered this when making this new rule. To them, the kids are the same as the grown ups. Potential savages.

The shock slowly but steadily disappeared, leaving behind just a quietly sobbing kit and a yellow light instead of the red one. They held this embrace for a while quietly, then the younger fox broke the silence.

"Dad…" He looked up.

He looked down to meet the kid's eyes. "Yes?

"Why do they hate us? The herbivores."

"They don't hate us, they are just… scared."

"But I don't want to hurt them. Why are they scared?"

The older tod fell silent for a bit to think, then opened his mouth for an answer. "Things aren't that simple… Sometimes prey are scared of things they can't explain and that results in some… rush decisions. They think if they lower their guard, bad things would happen, so they try to stop even nonexistent threats…"

"I don't get it." He said between two sobs.

The older fox gives a smile and kisses the kid's forehead. "It's okay. You don't need to. Do you want me to stay?" As the kid gave two small nods, he said. "Okay. I'll be here. Sweet dreams."

The kid managed to fall asleep quickly, but the father couldn't. There was a thought mocking him, and not letting him think of anything else. After turning left and right, he finally gave in. He stood up and looked in his pocket for a telephone number he was given.

After a bit of searching, he found the paper. It was folded in unfortunate ways, as he didn't care to call this number before. He was still hesitant, but glancing at the peacefully sleeping kid, he committed. Even though he wasn't even sure if the called side would pick up, to his surprise it did after 2 beeps.

"Good evening Mr. Snow I hope I didn't wake you up at this early hour." He started in a quieter tone, so he wouldn't wake the sleeping kid up.

"Not a problem Mr. Wilde, a call from you is always appreciated… How may I help you?"

"I gave a second thought to your… Business offer and I'm willing to give it another try."

"...Are you sure? You seemed pretty… upset the last time we spoke… What changed?"

"A few things… What do you say we set up a meeting for tomorrow, to discuss the details?"

"Of course! We are looking forward to it with my associates. Is 2 in the afternoon an appropriate time?"

"Sounds good enough."

"It is set then. Have a wonderful evening, sir."

Hanging up the call, the tod gave a deep sigh. It was a huge step… Huge and dangerous step. Being part of the rebellion was never his goal, yet here he is, discussing a time for another meeting, after he sent them away, and in a pretty harsh way… But perhaps things would finally settle between prey and predator… One way or another.

-----

Of course, I wake up again in the middle of the night, with the phantom collar set on the highest setting. I try to calm myself but it hardly has any effect at this point. I don't have any clue what to do. Not real? It is damn real for me! No danger? Of course, there isn't, I KNOW there isn't. Try to tell it to my stubborn brain. It's starting to overwhelm me. I know it will eventually pass, and I will be fine but I still have to survive this.

With no mental weapons against it, it's just running wild. I have to really focus not to shout, waking up the whole building, but a few somewhat louder whimpers still leave my mouth. I have to calm down somehow, but it's hard when you are torturing yourself unconsciously. They say the intensity of this shock is in direct contact with your emotional state…that checks out…

Suddenly my ears perk up, upon hearing two knocks on my door. They can't see me like this… No one can…

"Is everything alright?" I hear Judy's voice on the other side of the door. Why is she awake? Was I this loud to wake her up?

'Yes!' I try to say but it's not a convincing answer, as my pain leaks into it, 

The door opens, and I see the frightened rabbit coming through. Must be disappointing to see her mentor, who is supposed to help her, in a weak state like this. 

"Hold on! I'll…I'll get help!" She says in a hurry and is about to run out, but I immediately stop her.

"NO! Don't…It's… It's Okay… Please." I beg between two whimpers. And it seems to reach its goal as she just stopped, and after an unsure glance at me, closed the door. 

"Well, How can I help?" She asks, looking around like the answer is nearby.

"It will… pass… don't worry." I squeeze out the words, amongst the pain grunts, but even I don't believe myself. What if one day it just doesn't go away? That would earn a one way trip to the insane asylum. I would get a straitjacket, a few pity glances, and get thrown into an all white room.

For a bit she just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Can't blame her. I would probably do the same if I saw this on someone else while having no idea what was going on.

However, after a few seconds, she seemed to have gotten an idea. She still hesitated for a bit, but to my surprise, she just moved in to give me a hug. What's even more surprising is that it worked.

On a scale of 1 to 10 now it wasn't an 11, but a solid 6. Still, hurt like hell, but now I could actually believe that I would survive.

In a few minutes, the familiar numb feeling took over the pain and then just disappeared completely.

"I…" I start and since I have no idea how to follow it up just simply finish with a "thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad it worked… Sorry if it was awkward… heh…" 

"How did you know it would work?" I ask. Noone before was able to help. At least not this effectively.

"I wasn't sure… But you said something about your father. That he used to hug you until you felt better and I thought… Well… This." She says. "Umm… Look If you don't want to answer you don't have to but… What… was that?"

No reason to lie about it now. She saw how pathetic I looked so I might as well tell her the reason. Not like I could worsen anything. "It was a phantom shock… pain around the neck, that's just in my head, but it feels quite real. It's my reminder of the shocking collar era… For other predators, it comes for different reasons, and the level of pain varies too. However, for me, it's during sleep… I… I used to have nightmares as a kid, and you know what it comes with… Higher heart rate, emotion spike. My collar just loved to detect those at 2 in the morning… So for some reason, my brain thought 'Hey if I wake this idiot up before the shock, maybe that could work!' So I got used to waking up after a few hours of sleep, which still resulted in me getting shocked just because I was afraid I would get shocked… great stuff… And you know how hard it is for an 8-year-old to just stop crying… So I kept on crying and the collar kept on shocking because of how 'aggressive' I was. Sometimes it took me one whole hour for my dad to calm me down... Why am I talking about this? Oh boo hoo, I have problems. There are at least 12 mammals here with bigger problems than mine. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"No, I am sorry! This thing sounds horrible! How can you live like this?"

This left me a bit dumbstruck. That pawful of mammals who know what's happening with me, aside from Finnick, all think I'm a complete nutjob, and their reaction was all the same with minor differences. They all just said to 'snap out of it'. So no wonder this comment from her felt… good.

Chapter 8: Breakfast

Neither of us really slept after our middle of the night meeting. I had my reasons, she definitely had a reason, so we stayed in my room. She said she was ready to stop this play pretend game that everything is fine, and wants to know what to expect. So we looked at the recordings of previous hunts, where we had prey winners. 5 occasions out of 21.

The first winner wasn't really promising. It was the third hunt when Brian Longtail, a giraffe from Sahara square, managed to reach the exit. He entered the arena in fourth place, but thanks to his size, he managed to make the 100 mile distance in barely 38 hours, with no sleep, and 10 minutes rests. It caught the hunters off guard too, but thanks to their cars they got to the contestant in time. The giraffe was shot multiple times before he stumbled through the finish line, and died shortly after because of blood loss. The rest of the players were hunted down one by one.

Unfortunately now, the exit is open during the last 6 hours, so nothing like this can ever happen. The gamemasters declared that it's 'unfair' if someone reaches the exit quicker than the others.

The second ever win was a bit controversial. Katnis Evergreen, a deer from Woodlands, wounded one of the hunters, so there was only one going after them for the rest of the Hunt. She entered the arena last, as nobody really gave her any faith. That is until she made a DIY bow and shot her attacker. She was the first to leave unharmed, causing a big outcry, and a lot of predators demanded that she pays for her actions. But before a decision could have been made she disappeared who knows where. Some suspect she was killed, some say she left Zootopia completely. I doubt she was killed. It would have been a huge 'justice have been served' propaganda. She most likely escaped, considering how quickly all news agencies stopped writing about it.

Of course another rule was added that no prey is allowed to hurt the hunters, otherwise the consequences would be severe. How so? The gps tracking collar all contestants get, is now equipped with an outside controlled shocking ability… Yeah a really original idea. 

Anyway, anyone can see, there is suspiciously a pattern in bringing new rules, after a prey winning. Almost like they don't actually want them winning. But what do I know, right?

The third winner was a mouse… The little guy made an alliance with a bison who carried him three quarters the way through, before they were caught. The mouse managed to get away, the bison didn't. In the end thanks to his size, he snuck past the hunters in the end, becoming the third winner.

Alliances are… risky. You are basically offering a 2 for one deal to the hunters, so most of the time it's a bad idea. You don't want to place a bigger target on your back than there already is.

The only reason alliances weren't banned is because it does good for the show. That year's hunt was the most watched since all the drama attracted more mammals in front of the screens.

The remaining two winners kind of got lucky. They both entered the arena first, and just survived the massacre, while getting lucky enough to get past the hunters in the endgame with minor injuries.

I was constantly glancing at Judy to see if something was too much for her. Even though we didn't look through all the kills, there were a few shown in the highlights. However, she stayed strong and mainly focused on writing down things she thought to be useful in the notebook which we found in my room.

After our Hunting season highlight marathon, I offered that we should take a break and just go get some breakfast, to which she didn't say no to. We arrived at the training center's restaurant at the first possible minute with Judy. It opens exactly at 6 am and both of us were already there at 5:59. 

I went to get my food while I asked her to wait for me at a table. She was a bit confused, but gave me a nod. As usual I took two plates and just stuffed both with anything I saw. 

I could feel the burning stare the wolf gave me, who was standing there to make sure only the mentors took stuff from this table, and I gave an innocent shrug

"What? You could say that I'm… hungry like a wolf." I gave a wink and received an annoyed eye roll, but at least the guy stopped glaring at me. I walk to our table like I just got away with a crime.

"Here you go, ma'am. Dig in." I place down the plate in front of her. "The prey section of this place is a whole new level of health code violation, I wouldn't want my worst enemy eating that stuff they serve there."

"Err… Thank… You?"

"You're welcome!" I say as I take the eggs and a bit of the salad, to the second plate. "Oh yeah, sorry but the eggs are mine. You can have some if you want though."

"No, no, this is plenty." She said, raising a paw. "And again, thank you."

We started eating, while she kept on reading her notes of the highlights. She mainly wrote down her thoughts of the last two winners, since those are the ones who won without any controversies, without being carried… or without dying in the end.

She occasionally added something, or scribbled out things, but other than that both of us ate in utter silence.

Finally, she closed the little notebook and turned to me. "Hmm… Okay so…" She swallowed the bite she was chewing on. "What's the best thing to do on this… 'Talent Showcase?"

"Well…" I gather my thoughts. "You need to keep in mind that it's all about getting most predators to like you, maybe showing the sponsors that you are able to hold out in the arena or perhaps the harder thing… get them to respect you in some way. So literally anything can come into play. You can sing like an angel? Go for it. Everyone will talk about 'How big of a pity it will be to lose such a talent'"

"Yeah I'm not too good at… singing…" She shakes her head immediately.

"Alright, dancing, magic tricks… Maybe you have an incredible memory you can show off?"

"I'm not going to make a clown out of myself!"

I spread my arms. "Look fluff, It's a tv show! Everyone will root for the hunters by default! We need to unlock that deep buried empathy feeling some richer douchebags may have, to have some chance!"

She remains silent for a bit then slowly askes: "What about… The 'Getting respect' you mentioned?"

I lay back in my seat. "That's hard… And I mean really hard. You need something groundbreaking that makes predators go 'Holy moly, she can do… That…'" I stopped talking, as an idea just came to mind… Would it work? It's a first that's for sure but… I'm not sure how the jury and the audience would take it. "You are a cop." I say matter of factly, still wondering how stupid this idea might be.

She looks at me confused. "Yes… And… how does that help me?"

"Okay picture this: Right now everyone thinks how cute of a little rabbit you are, who will get hunted down off the bat."

"You shouldn't say cu…" She started but immediately shook her head. "Nevermind. Your point is?"

"How about we show Zootopia who you really are? So imagine you are a predator, who is OBSESSED with the hunt. You have your favorite, district 2 maybe 3, you are already discussing things with your buddies, then district 12's video comes up. At first you don't even look at it. What could a rabbit even show? Right? At one moment you glance at the screen, and your gaze is just stuck there. You see a rabbit fighting! And not just one hit there one hit here, you see a proper police combat show off! So… You have experience in paw to paw combat right?"

"Well… Yes I do… I even took down a polar bear once…"

"A POLAR BEAR? You're joking!" I exclaim. I knew she was tough but never would have guessed she was this tough… I suppose I should have known after she told me the story about the incident with the tiger. "How?"

"It's more about being aware of your surroundings and turning it to your advantage really…" She says like anyone could K.O. a polar bear. I wish I saw that…

"Well… Ah… Alright we will say goodbye to the cute little rabbit image, and say hello to the tough 'polar-bear-tail-kicking' image."

"It's not a talent…" Judy intervened "Anyone can learn to fight… If they try hard enough." 

I give a grin and lean forward. "Darling… You just described what talent is…"

When the other districts contestants started slowly appearing in the restaurant's door with their mentors, we were already on our way down the sublevel of the training center. It used to be the place for bowling rows, pool tables, bars and other fun time activities for the Hotel. Now it's full of the district's preparation rooms. The only thing that stayed for use is the gym. 

The moment we arrived, a 20 something year old gazelle greeted us with a smile. I assume it's the same pretend smile I usually take on, but who knows?

"Good morning sir, and welcome! I will be the Hunt's assistant this year. Preparation rooms to district 1-5 are to my right, 6-10 to my left. 11-12 are right across. Anytime you need anything just let me know!"

"Thank you. I just need the recording drones, and I'll be on my way."

"Sure thing." She nodded and handed me the brown casing of the 3 little golf ball sized drones, that "Do you need instructions on how to use them?"

"No, thank you." I say, taking the brick-like package. "I can handle these."

"Of course you do, sir! Have a wonderful hunt!" She says as a final gesture, makig me wonder how much they pay for her for taking this job, if they pay her any.

I guide Judy to the blurred glass door, that has a huge 12 above. I beep in my mentor card, and the led light changes from red to green, signaling I can open in. The room is the same as last year. It has the main room, containing a desk in the middle and 2 chairs, with a huge touch screen display mounted on the wall. 

On the right there is a smaller room I call the editor room. It has a computer, with all the editing tools installed that could be needed. Normally mentors ask for a 'professional' to edit the raw footage they recorded, but I prefer doing things my way.

There is also the map corner in our room, where the arena's map can be seen on a second display. 100×100 miles of separated area on the outskirts of Zootopia, between district 10 and 11.

During most of the year, it's a place anyone can visit. They can walk around, visit places where previous hunting season kills happened, and also can hide little packages for the next hunt. It can be as useless as a newspaper, or priceless as a car. If they let the staff know the place they hid something, it gets marked on the map. But of course all surprise packages are shown with the same icon, so you never know if you hit the jackpot, or just wasted your time searching.

However, I decided I will introduce her to the map room later. For now, the video should be our main priority.

"You can go ahead and take a look around." I let Judy know, while unpacking the costly little package. The three little drones approximately cost 1 and a half million.  "I have some stuff I want to do on these. Meet you in an hour? You can also stay if you want. But I guess it's best if you get familiar with the gym equipment as soon as you can."

"Sure… Will I be able to open the door?"

I take one of the extra keycards the room has and hand it to her "Now you do. But in case something happens just knock."

Chapter 9: Teaming up

Setting up the drones isn't hard by any means. Their AI does the hard work, I just have to give a few yes or no inputs for calibration. Once set up properly, they can give a good quality video focusing on a specific target. I usually test it with a coin. I throw it in a direction and watch the drones following it until it lands

The footage is also quite detailed. I can use 100x zoom and use still get a stable, HD video. I could play with these all day long if I didn't have more pressing matters at paw.

Speaking of… Where the heck is she?

As I glance at the clock I see it's been 1 and a half hour already, so she should be here by now. She couldn't have left, that's for sure… So she must be somewhere around. If she got into trouble the guards' first act would be storming in here and letting me know what happened, so the most logical answer is probably just her forgetting to check the time. I put the drones on the table, and leave to search for her. 

Now the hallways aren't empty like when we arrived. I see mentors speaking to their mentored, and Hunting Season staff explaining things about the drones. 

I didn't need too much time to finally spot Judy, who had been sitting in the Gym area, next to one of the candidates. The sheep from 5. They are weirdly… Happy. At the very least they all seem more loose than any other tributes I saw here, not caring where they are right now. Is it the effect Judy has?

Not far next to them there was the sheep’s mentor, Skye. She was standing next to a different rabbit, who was wearing the same uniform as any other staff here. Skye is most likely waiting for the drone to be up to use while receiving the 3-hour course on how to use the said drones and what safety measures to take. 

Before I could step forward, Judy finally spotted me too, and based on her facial expressions, my guess was right. She forgot to check the time.

"Ohmygodimsosorry." She blurted like she just missed an important deadline. "I just saw her, we started talking… I absolutely lost my sense of time… I'm really sorry."

"Hey, it's alright!" I grin at her. "The one hour was more of a suggestion anyway, and I just finished setting up the drones too, so you didn't miss anything." I turn towards her talking partner while trying to recall her name. "Don’t help me… Sharla… Right?" I ask from the black sheep, who gives a nod

"Yes." 

“Nice to meet you. So…” I turn to Judy “Should we go now?"

"Sure. See you later!" she waved to her talking partner, and we were on our way. 

While walking back, I could tell she had something on her mind, and I could probably guess what. I guided her to our preparation room and raised my card to the reader. Sure enough, the moment we stepped inside the room, she spoke up. “Nick… I… I want her as an ally.”

Well, call me a mind reader, and give me my own tv show, because my assumption was correct…

“It’s not a good idea…” I try to talk her off it but she just intercepts.

“No, It’s okay I know the risks!” She tries to convince me while raising a paw.

"No… Look… By going side by side you just give up so much lead, and as I said…"

"...2 for 1 deal for the hunters," She finishes my sentence. "I know. As I said… I know the risks." She is determined on this one… I'm not sure how to talk her off this stupid idea. "Please," She keeps on talking. "You already know why I wanted to be a cop. To help others… Who will help her if not me?”

“Oh, I don’t know… Maybe that’s why the mentors are here?”

She gets silent for a while, then quietly says. “Not inside the arena.” 

I don’t have an argument for this. She’s right. I can say whatever I want, but we both know once they are inside, the mentors can only do so much, with no way of actually guaranteeing their survival, even with the proper sponsors.

Judy probably sensed my uncertainty so she adds. “Just let me decide on this one!"

I sigh, rubbing my eyes. I open my mouth just to close it again while shaking my head. I know it’s bad she knows it’s bad but I can't really persuade her against this. "You don't know when to quit, do you? Alright… I'll talk with her mentor!"

She gives a relieved sigh and smiles at me. "Thank you!"

"BUT!" I keep talking. "I'm serious about not being side by side. You can share funds, I can probably search for a way so you can talk with each other, and you can absolutely regroup at the end. Of course, I can't stop you inside the arena, so if you decide to be a dumb bunny and walk paw-in-paw, I won't be able to stop you."

"...Okay." She nods. I could see she wasn't entirely fine with this but at least we got to a compromise… For now… I'm still worried she would do something stupid right at the start, but we have more important matters.

"I'll discuss this later today with her. But for now…" I take on the gloves to set Judy as the primary recording target with me being the second. "I think we should let the world know who they are dealing with."

"It's not… live right?"

"Nono. Just a video that I'll edit into a 5 minute one. I’ll make sure to put your better profile into the result.”

"Oh Alright." She nods, and I can see her becoming less anxious. "So… What should I do?"

"Fight me!" I say matter of factly. And take on some goofy boxing pose I saw sometime on TV.

"Wha… No, I'm not gonna fight you."

"Come on! I just robbed the bank of Zootopia! You managed to chase me into a dark alley, the backup is miles away, you need to act! Fast!"

"Well." She crosses her arms with a smile. "I call for my supervisor and wait for the backup because kicking a predator's butt got me into a big mess last time."

With an 'Are you kidding me' look I lower my arms. "Okay… Plot twist, you realize I'm a rabbit dressed up as a fox. Now what do you do?"

"I pull up my taser."

"You don't have it."

"Well in that case I search for my tranquilizer." 

"I kicked it out from your paws."

"Oh? Show me how you did it." She requests with a dangerously sly grin while pretending to hold an imaginary dart gun

I prepare myself for a kick and aim for her paws, but as soon as I reach where the gun would be, she grabs my leg, I lose my balance and just get slammed to the ground. Before I could get up she was already twisting my arm while saying: 'You have the right to remain silent.'

"Oww oww oww. Okay, okay… I yield…" I groan in pain as she releases my arm and helps me up. I twist around my shoulder a bit to ease the pain. It’s madness how strong she is. "One point earned fair and square… I'm gonna feel that in the morning."

"Sorry… I didn't mean to make it that painful."

"It's alright. I just wonder… what would you do… if I did… THIS!" I swung my arm at her, but she made a lightning-quick dodge, backward, so I swung again, but NOW she made her dodge sideways, and bouncing off the wall, she kicked me to the ground making me lay flat once again. Even the drones had a hard time following her moves, so I can only hope this got recorded. I wouldn't like to repeat this.

"Owwwwww…" That's all I could say. It was probably like half a minute. If I don't want to appear in a wheelchair and casted arms next time on the show, we need to find a different approach.

"I'm telling you. I don't want to fight you!" She says, giving me a helping paw yet again to get up. "Can't I just… fight against a training dummy?"

"This place isn't really equipped with that. Nobody expected anyone needing those things. The storage is full of random stuff but not that."

"Hmmm… Maybe I can… punch the wall?"

"That's not too representative, is it?" I shake my head.

"Alright… How about instead of beating poor you up, I give you a quick self-defense lesson? That way… It could be even informative to the audience." She makes the suggestion, and to be honest she's onto something. 

So after a bit of thinking, I give a nod. "That sounds… Better."

"Okay." She gives a grin. "Come on, big guy, I'll show you how it's done." She walked to the middle of the room while both I and the drones followed her.

"Alright. First things first, fix your footing. If you get on the ground, you are at a disadvantage. Obviously. You can still stand up, but you should try to avoid it."

"Like this?" I try to copy her but to my disappointment, she shakes her head.

"I mean… Not bad but… a bit closer with your legs. You are not a sumo fighter."

"Right…" I look down, twist my legs a bit closer, and look up again. "Like this?"

"Mmmm… okay sure we can work with that. Now… I will hit from the right. You deflect with your right arm. Got it? Right-Right" She shows the motions and I nod a bit unsure.

Now… I expected her to be slower. It was stupid of me, I admit that… Well… As it turns out she had something else in mind. To my demise, I was too slow with the dodge and my jaw got ruthlessly rabbit-punched with what seemed to me was the speed of light. It’s not as funny as it sounds.

“SORRY!” She yells while covering her mouth, however, her quick terror turns into a quiet snickering and then an audible laugh. “I’m really sorry, I thought you would dodge. I guess I’ll try to hold back a bit more.”

My ego destroyed, and multiple body parts aching she decided to give me a quick verbal fighting lesson before beating me to a pulp. Even then she started slowly to make sure I would be able to defend myself.

We fought for a couple of hours, my fighting knowledge was slowly but surely expanding, and even though I'm 100% sure she still held back towards the end, I was fairly proud of myself. The drones were doing a great job too, recording us from various angles throughout the whole fight. I'm curious to see the footage.

Somewhere in the afternoon, more towards the evening, we decided that the footage we recorded was enough for this day, and I requested a kind ‘Hunt assistant’ to bring our food to the preparation room, with mine being double. Only asking for my food would probably bring suspicion. No matter how much everyone hates prey, they do need to eat something. So me asking for double and she getting nothing, while remaining in good shape would eventually ring some alarms. Even though technically giving the contestants the mentor treatment is not against any rule, it’s definitely something that would be frowned upon.

While eating we watched my struggle together. It’s 7 hours of HD footage from 3 different angles. I already have some ideas on how to edit it. First my shameful defeat and then gradually the lesson with her explaining in the background. I don’t want to portray her as some weak prey, nor I’d like others to take her, beating a predator, in the wrong way. Kind rabbit officer who could make a punch, but helps to improve… That’s something I can settle on. 

Towards the end, she decided to go back up to our rooms and get some rest. Even though I stayed a bit longer I also left 1 hour later when I was done with the review and the quick plan draft. Perhaps tomorrow we can get some more footage, and then I’ll be able to start cutting.

As I was leaving I spotted that the lights inside District 5’s room were still on. I gave a painful sigh and I decided to get this done. I’m still not entirely sold on the idea, but… I promised I would ask, so here I go! I knocked and after a few seconds, the door opened with the arctic fox behind it.

“Mr Wilde?” She asked in a confused tone, not expecting visitors so late in the evening.

“Here in the flesh! Heh… Yeah... May I come in?”

“Ah…” She looked behind herself. Then back at me. “Well… I mean, sure. Come on in.”

“Is it a bad time? We can talk tomorrow.” 

“No! It’s alright. So? What’s the matter?” 

As she stepped out of the way to invite me inside, I saw the same rabbit she was talking with in the morning, now standing in the middle of the room with his paws behind his back and a typical staff member smile.

“Good evening, sir.” He addressed me.

“Oh… Ah… good evening.”

“He was just helping me… With the drones” Skye immediately let me know like I was about to assume something mischievous… Should I be assuming something mischievous? 

“Okay…” I give one more glance at her slightly nervous expression and the rabbit’s calm and collected smile, before just shaking my head and turning back to Skye. “Well, I’m here to discuss a… Well, a possible alliance, if you are interested.”

“Alliance? Are you sure?” She asked, as her face softened up, seemingly relieved. “If I recall correctly no alliance had a happy ending if you know what I mean. It’s more of a drawback than an advantage.”

“Yes, I’m aware” I raise my paw “and I didn’t have a side-by-side approach in mind, more of a sharing fund, let the contestants talk, share strategies kind of deal.”

“Hmmm…” She is finally back to her laid-back stage attitude, so whatever I walked in on, is finally behind her. “It’s still a bit of a risk but I suppose we could give it a try. Miss Hopps seemed to have a positive impact on my tribute, Mrs Grey, so… I can’t see why not.”

“Splendid!” I spread my arms. “I suppose tomorrow we can go over some details. However, now I’ll leave you two to discuss… ‘the drones’.” I don’t miss the chance to give a wink before walking out the door. That rabbit may be a good actor but by god, she isn’t. Not sure what they were talking about, but I’d be willing to bet good money, it wasn’t about the drones.

I get inside the elevator with a slight smile and slowly make my way up thinking about my new alliance partner. It’s a new territory for me, and even though I’m still slightly against it, I already committed, and who knows? Perhaps this alliance will help at least one of them reach the exit. 

My smile fades. Most of these tributes will die in a bit more than a week. And… I don’t want Judy to die. Well, obviously, I’m her mentor and I didn’t want any of my contestants to die inside that arena. I still remember how I felt after my first contestant’s horrible end. He was in last place in terms of head start in front of the hunters. I had no way to supply him with anything aside from some starting gear which wasn’t too much by the way… 1 hour after he was let inside, a sniper bullet pierced clean through his head. Second year same… Third one… You guessed it, the sniper bullet that ends most lives, and the Wolf who pulls the trigger. 

I close my eyes. I could see her lifeless body lying on the grass floor with a clean shot through her head. No… I can’t let her meet the same fate… I will do everything in my power to get her the best possible start she could have. She will survive… She has to…

The elevator doors open so I just step outside absentmindedly and like a robot, I go to my room. However, I had to realize someone was inside, lying on the couch. I check the room number thinking I’m on the wrong floor but It’s the right one. So what’s the deal? As I walk closer I finally see the outline of two big droopy rabbit ears and hear the steady breathing. I finally see Judy sleeping soundly while hugging a pillow. 

I let out a small chuckle and decided to leave her sleep. I may wake her up later by my… brain… panicking. But fortunately, she knows what’s up. She won’t judge.

4 Hours later I still wake up but something changed. Hearth racing and quick breathing, check. Wide awake with no chance of sleeping back, check... But no phanthom shock. It's a light tingling sensation at best. I carefully touch my neck not believing what was happening... First time in years, I'm not getting shocked. 

Chapter 10: What's better than 2?

After my surprised joy, I started wondering what was different this time. All Psychiatrists I visited agreed on one thing. Phantom shock is a way my brain is coping with things. For some reason, it decides I’m in danger and must wake up immediately. As for why it chose such a painful way of doing this, my guess is as good as theirs… It’s effective, that's for sure. So now I’m awake, but no shock, which means my brain is kind of content with how things are right now, but why? It decided ‘I’m not in mortal danger, but I should still wake up this idiot just in case.’

Well, I mean… it’s obvious what’s different. I glance at the two droopy ears leaning over the armrest of the sofa. I kinda doubt it’s a comfortable place to sleep but she didn’t get any sleep last night so I can only assume how tired she was. Not sure why she came here though.

So yeah she is the only different thing here tonight. I’m 99% sure she is the reason I’m not covering in the corner while whimpering in pain. I sigh and lay back on my bed. I should be happy. First time in years I finally lost my mental collar, but I wish I didn’t. If she is truly the reason my stupid brain feels safe I’m doomed.

Let’s say I get her out of the arena in one piece… What am I saying, SHE gets herself out while I’m backseating. Then what? She thanks me for the help, maybe one final hug, and goes back to the burrows, with me returning to my small home and going insane by slowly frying my own brain. 

I groan and bury my head into my paws. I feel selfish. She has bigger problems right now than my well-being. I just… Why did it have to be her? I tried hundreds of methods I’ve read on the internet that helped fellow phantom shock havers but for me, nothing helped. Now that something did help it’s only a temporary solution. Not like I can ‘hire’ her to watch me sleep. God this whole thought process is so pathetic.

During the next few hours, I try to sleep back without thinking about my future, but I fail. It feels like I’m on a train speeding towards a dead end with no brakes. I know what will happen if I don’t do something, but in the meantime nothing I do makes any difference. The train will wreck no matter what.

So I just keep turning left and right, until the first rays of the sun appear. After 7 I finally hear some movement on the couch and see two paws stretching. After a brief second, she froze processing where she was right now and then I finally spotted her wide eyes peeking above the couch.

“Good morning sunshine!” I grin at her.

She awkwardly returns the smile. “Ah… Good morning. I… Fell asleep.”

“It sure seemed like it! Slept well?”

“Yeah… Yeah. Ah… How… How about you? How was your...” She points at her neck. “...shock thing?”

Well, I definitely won’t tell her the whole story so I decided to say a half-truth. “Tonight it wasn’t that bad. But that's maybe because my muscles are sore… pretty much everywhere.”

“Hey, that's great!” She says enthusiastically. “Maybe that’s what you’ve been missing! Some daily workout does miracles sometimes!”

“Heh, yeah.” No. As I said I tried almost everything, including pushing myself to the limits until I passed out from exhaustion. Yeah, it didn’t work either. “Anyway… Want some coffee? We have a long day ahead and I need you in your top shape.”

“Yes please!”

“How strong?”

“...Yes.”

I give a bit of a chuckle and say “One insomnia-causing coffee coming right up.” I sit up and limp into the kitchen. Yesterday’s intensive self-defense lesson sure did its job. My legs are complaining, my arms hurt and the rib kicking left its mark too. I’m glad we went with the self-defense idea in the end. I probably couldn’t even stand up if I got beaten up even harder. I turn on the coffee machine and set max coffee beans on the display. “Sugar? Sweetener?” I ask while the machine whirred up.

“Two sugar.” I hear her yelling from the living/bedroom. I can also hear the TV coming to life. ‘Good evening everyone! And welcome to the 19th Hunting Season! I’m your host Richard Silverfang! Next to me here is Marie O’Malley. How are you this evening Marie?

Thanks for asking Rich, I’m as excited as I could be for this year’s hunting season! The contestants are ready, and the Hunt will shortly begin. But first, let’s review the videos one more time before…’ I heard the unmistakable voice of the Hunt hosts chime up before the tv got silenced.

“Milk?” I ask again. “We have… Coconut milk, almond, rice, cashew… cashew?” I furrow my eyebrows and give it a quick sniff. That’s new for me. I know what I’ll put in my coffee.

“Just sugar, thanks!” She quickly answers like she was searching for something.

“Just sugar,” I repeat her order while scooping two spoons of sugar into the mug, and making my own too.

When I arrived back, I saw that Judy stopped the Hunt recording at the end. It already showed the endgame where the hunters are guarding the exit. “What are we watching?” I ask her, placing the mug on the table in front of her.

“Well…” she gathered her thoughts, while nervously grabbing her notebook “There is a reason I was waiting for you here… before I fell asleep I mean.”

“Aside from the fact that you couldn’t resist my fox charm?” Not sure why, it just slips out. Stupid remark…

Before I could say anything else, however, she laughed and said “Sure Slick, aside from that obvious fact. But seriously. I think it’s better if you see it for yourself and then… let’s just watch it.”

I vaguely remember this. It was the first hunt I mentored for, and also I was the first mentor whose contestant died. I… didn’t take it well. Adam Bucktooth… His face burned into my memories. At this point of the hunt, I was at Finnick’s bar drinking on his tab, trying to forget everything, while the finale was airing on TV. The final 3 were District 1’s Zebra, District 2’s Beaver, and District 9’s Kangaroo.

Wait! Is that? How could they not see it? Richard almost shouted as he witnessed District 2 slowly but surely reaching the door, while hugging the wall. The only reason none of the hunters saw her was because of the Kangaroo jumping around, getting both hunters’ attention. He was pretty much trying to find an opening, while constantly hiding back in the woods and popping out in a different spot. The constant sound of bullets firing has completely hidden the sound of the beaver getting closer and closer to the exit.

One lucky bullet however found its way to victory and after one final jump, the kangaroo slammed into the ground, unmoving. The cheetah, one of the hunters, gave a victory shout, and elbowing the wolf next to him he said something, taunting the canine. The wolf however knew something was up. Not even listening to his rival talking, his ears were constantly scanning the area while having his sniper rifle ready, and his pistol in its holder. Meanwhile, the beaver stopped too, knowing if she moved, she was done for. She was so close yet so far. 2/3rd of the way through the 600 foot long meadow. Just a short sprint separating her from freedom.

The wolf was about to turn towards the beaver, but that’s when something unexpected happened. The Zebra rushed out, shouting, drawing both hunters' attention away from the beaver. Bullets started flying again, and it took the beaver a few seconds to realize that was her chance. She started sprinting, not caring how much noise she was making. 

The wolf with one clean shot ended the Zebra’s run, meanwhile, his ears unmistakably picked up on the noise the beaver was making amidst the cacophony. With lightning reflexes, he lowered his sniper rifle knowing well it was useless in close distance, and raising his pistol, he did a 180 turn. Only a few more steps, that's what separated the beaver from freedom. 

Having one second to shoot, the wolf took his chance and the bullet hit its target. The beaver gave one painful shout but it didn’t stop her from stumbling through the exit where she just collapsed, crawled deeper into the safe zone, and curled up into a ball, while hyperventilating, and covering the wound with her shaking paw. 

The Wolf kept his pistol on target but the red LED light on the firearm's side showed that the target was out of the arena. He gave a slight smile and with a ‘Not bad’ nod he pocketed his pistol. 

The cheetah was ironically too slow, as he had no clue what just happened, and only realized it was over when the wolf walked there for a paw shake, congratulating the winner, as he just lost by 1 point. They both left the arena through the only exit, while the beaver was still covering next to the wall. The cheetah gave her no attention but the wolf stopped to say something, pointed at the wound, and reached out with a paw. Either to ‘Congratulate’ her too or to help her up. Either way, the paw was refused, as she just stared at her attacker with a scared-confused combo. He was quite literally out for her life a few seconds ago and now he just acts like it was all a tournament and they were simply friendly rivals.

He lowers his paw, says something again, and with a nod he walks away while the paramedics hurry to take care of the injured beaver. Judy suddenly stops the recording, and taking a big breath starts talking.

“So… Ehm… As you saw it, it was technically a 3 way alliance, even if it wasn’t planned on their part. Someone drew the hunters' attention, while someone else snuck past, and a third mammal was the ehm… reserve distraction… He ran out because he knew he had no chance and saw that the other tribute was already halfway there… He… Sacrificed himself because he wanted to give a chance to someone else…” She stopped for a moment. I swear I could see some tears forming in her eyes, but only for a brief second. She quickly shushed them away and after clearing her throat she raised her head again. “SO! The thing I wanted to tell you is… I want a third member in our alliance.”

“You… wha…” I suppose I should have seen it coming. The whole setup with the video and the idea that the winner was technically in a three-way alliance… I suppose she has a valid point there. If they coordinated things, there might have been two winners. The reason there are so few winners is that the remaining contestants are running up one by one, taking their chances. The final 600 feet run on an open field is a deathtrap with both hunters guarding the exit. But if they coordinate their run it may be doable. “Who… do you have in mind?” I ask a bit cautiously.

“The chipmunk… From eleven.”

Ookayy… district eleven who didn’t even appear on the last show… the eleven who is most likely behind on supporters. The only district that has a zero percent chance to win right now. “Judy… that’s…”

“Nick it's okay! I have a plan! Maybe all 3 of us could win! Don’t you want that?”

“Of course I do but…” How do I say this? In the arena, mammals will die. She will get close to her allies, and if someone dies… How would she react? Would she be devastated? Would she carry on like nothing happened? I doubt it. And the fact that District Eleven is behind so much doesn’t help the situation either. 

To be perfectly honest… I’m not sure how I will react. The only way you can get through being a mentor is if you just… Don’t care or hate the prey, to begin with. I was devastated enough after my first mentoring. I tried to keep myself from knowing too much about my next candidates. I kept things on simply a professional level and seeing them die on my screen still left big marks in me. I tried to make myself believe I didn’t care… But I did… If I end up being close to more candidates… I can’t do that. I already messed up with Judy. I can’t even begin to think what would happen if she…

“Nick…” She brings me back from my thought train. “Remember when you had your shock… the other night?” She asks and I give a nod. “You weren’t the only mammal I heard that night. I heard sobbing. I heard someone who lost all hope just the floor below. Everyone deserves the chance. I want to give him one since he thinks he already lost.”

Why does she have to be so persuasive? I sigh and then nod. I already know I will regret this later, but hey, at least we have a plan right? One sneaking, one distraction one reserve. Even though I have a feeling she plans to be the distraction.

“Fine,” I growl. “One more alliance member…” 

After we finished our coffee, it was time we started our day. Inside the elevator I pushed the button that had an 11 on it, just to be done with setting up this three-way alliance. With Judy by my side, I knocked on the mentor’s door.

“Come in!” I heard a sleepy voice from inside. The serval was lying on her bed, watching the TV. “Ah, Mr Wilde! Fancy seeing you here! How may I help?”

“It’s Nick for friends. Ehm… I was wondering if you were up to make an alliance?”

Her sleepy greeting smile turned into a frown. “Oh… I’m sorry I’m not sure I would be good as an ally… Sorry Mr Wilde… Or Nick. I tried everythin’! I tried talkin’ with him I read a ‘prey’ psychology book to get myself familiar with his state of mind, or whatever… Nothin’! Not even bettin’ an eye!”

“Well… I still would like to take my chances! Maybe I can talk to him! Or maybe my contestant can! Her name is Ju…” I turned towards the place the last time I saw Judy but she wasn’t there. Looks like she already left. “...dy but she is already gone!” I finished my sentence a bit annoyed. She could have at least waited until I finished formalities with my fellow mentor.

“Sure! Knock yourself out! You can’t do worse than I did! Just gimme a second to get ready.” 

I nodded and left the room. As I was waiting for my fellow mentor, I saw that the neighboring room's door was open. Of course. That’s where Judy went. Silently making my way towards that room, I heard someone talking who was unmistakably my tribute.

“Look I know how you feel…” Judy said in a soft voice. “... and I can’t blame you. I felt the same at first, but… that’s what they want!”

“Well in that case they already won.” A squeaky voice claimed, which most likely belonged to the chipmunk. “No point in trying.”

“Of course, there is a point! They only win if nobody gets out, and getting out is possible! If we work together it’s even more so! Let me help you!”

“No… No, please don’t do that…” The chipmunk said in a pained voice.

“Don’t do… What?”

“Don’t give me hope. I already accepted what would happen. I…I can’t…”

“Hey… I’ll do everything in my power to get you out. You have my word for that. I have a plan too. It’s just up to you if you let me help.”

A bit of silence followed.

Having no idea what was going on I was about to peek inside when I heard the same squeaky voice as before. “Okay…”

I was sure Judy would convince him, but I still let out a quiet sigh of relief. For some reason even I’m convinced her idea would work out just fine. She has some superpower to get others enthusiastic about something she is enthusiastic about. Maybe there will be not only one but actually two or perhaps three winners! I sneak my way back to the other door, and waiting a bit I saw both of them leaving the room. We officially have 2 alliance members.

Notes:

Little bit of question. Should an author answer comments? I appreciate all of you leaving kudos, and even more so when someone leaves a comment. It feels weird to answer comments, but other authors always react every single time... So... What do you guys think about authors who answer all comments?

Chapter 11: Action!

When I gathered everyone in this little alliance of ours, we went down to have something to eat. I showed my breakfast tactic to my fellow mentors, even if I was a bit hesitant at first. More mentors doing this means more attention and the staff might pick up on it. But It felt wrong to keep quiet about it. The chipmunk most likely had nothing to eat since the opening ceremony and the sheep probably wouldn’t mind some real food either. So… I guess we can still go to a restaurant for dinner in case we get caught doing this.

Skye was happy to play along. She doesn’t seem to be like one of the mammals who were brainwashed by the Hunt and just wants to see all the prey struggle through the arena, for entertainment. She kinda seems like an outsider but… Anyone else looking at me would think the same, so I have no idea what to think. However, I’m sure she has something to hide. I could even spot glances from her towards me like she was… considering telling me something.

But Sophia on the other paw… Oh boy, it will be tough working with her. Even though she doesn’t have the radical ‘Prey are the lowest scum of the Earth’ kind of view she is still a Hunt supporter, and I feel like she thinks about prey as pets at best, that you can do anything with. I only managed to get her to play along after I asked her if she wanted the best possible chance of winning or not. She was still amused about this whole thing. I’m a bit concerned she would start advertising this to everyone, and then I won’t be able to do this anymore. ‘Oh, my gawd! I had to let a prey eat the same food as me! Haha, can you imagine?’ 

Not to mention she wouldn’t stop talking! No matter what, she had to add a word to everything, or if the conversation died down she started talking about random stuff like Skye’s fur and that she wanted to follow her fur-care routine. I won’t lie, she is a bit too much… and we will ally up! I will only hear more of her rambling! 

When we finished our breakfast, (And Sophia finished her tale about her furmula-1 racer brother) I took the opportunity to start discussing more important matters at paw.

“So… I think it’s time for some brainstorming. I believe you all know about the upcoming talent showcase.” I wait and receive a nod from everyone so I keep talking. “So any ideas? Sharla? Skye? Did you have anything?”

“Well… not yet,” Sharla admits sheepishly. “I don’t have too much to show off, so we didn’t record anything yesterday… I’m starting to believe I will be the only one without a video.”

“No, don't worry!” Skye interjects. “I’m sure we will come up with something. We still have 2 days until the show! Plenty of time to figure things out!”

“You said you like to sing…” Judy suddenly says, receiving everyone’s attention. “Nick said it’s something viable… So why not do that?”

“Wait… singin’?” Sophie gives a chuckle. “Are you sure that will sell?”

“It’s true…” I confirm Judy’s idea. “Remember the 14th Hunt? A gazelle won, and she made a music video for her showcase. She got a lot of support. Entered first, and managed to leave the arena with minor scratches. She is a huge star now. Probably the only prey who could thank her career skyrocketing to the Hunt…”

“See?” Judy nudges the sheep next to her who gives a half smile, which disappears immediately 

“The last time I sang competitively was in highschool… And I didn’t even win.” Sharla muttered the last parts but it wasn’t enough for Judy to stop.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to be perfect right away! You can do retakes! And even if you decide you want to show something else as a talent you can always switch! But singing is a good way to start!”

“Don’t see why not!” Skye adds with a shrug. “We will see what we can work with.”

“Alright! Good start.” I nod and turn to the Chipmunk, William Hazelshell. I’m learning the names! Despite his squeakier voice, he is slightly older than me.

“Well.” He wonders a bit then keeps on talking. “I’m fairly good at chess, I was close to becoming national champion but…” biting his words, he looked a bit alarmed and after looking at all 3 of us mentors he murmured the last part of his sentence. “But I couldn’t compete for the title… Not sure if that’s good for anything.”

“You were a chess champion?” Sophie asks, amused. “That’s so great! My brother is really good at it too, but I just never got the hang of it! All those openings and theories…”

“Was it your racer brother or the one who became a doctor?” Skye makes a snarky comment, but Sophia doesn’t seem to pick up on it as she just laughs it off.

“Haha neither one, silly! He works as a project manager now! Oh! Have I ever told you the time he managed to convince the investors after someone made a huge mistake? It all started when someone’s tail…”

“As much as we all would love to hear this story, I think we should keep things about the videos for now.” I stop Sophia before she starts her hundredth story about her family. I honestly have no idea what her deal is.  “So chess… Well… Usually, the videos are about representation. I suppose if you make it understandable to most viewers, it could go a long way… But… That’s not the most interesting stuff, is it? You need to start strong, keep up the interest and have a satisfying ending. I’m not sure how that could go with chess. But I’m open to ideas.”

“Hmm yeah, maybe not…” William says, wondering a bit more. “Well… I work as a quality inspector at O.A.K Works. I can spot the tiniest differences… Well, I’m also a good climber. I can climb the tallest trees in seconds.”

“Hmm yes! That we can work with.” I say after the climbing trees part. “Still not sure about the approach though but… that’s good for a start! Half of the arena is filled with trees, always good to throw the hunters off the scent. One second you are on the ground, and next you are gone!”

I notice how William freezes for one second after the mention of the arena but he quickly shakes his head and keeps on listening.

“It’s a huge advantage to be able to climb up. Of course, we do need some more content for the video though…”

“I can also… Jump… from one tree to another.” He adds after a bit of consideration.

“Really?” I ask dumbfounded. “Isn’t that dangerous?

“In Woodlands trees are quite close to each other.” Will explains  “At least where I live they are. Learning to jump from tree to tree is necessary if you want to get from one place to another quickly, without getting stuck in the morning rush hour. And… Well… It’s only dangerous if you fall…”

“Okay.” I slowly nod, thinking about it a bit more. He’s even set for the arena! Once he gets to the forested area he is pretty much untouchable. Until the final meadow that is… The hunters will have a hard time tracking his movement while swinging from tree to tree. “Well, I suppose that will do. Okay! Good! I guess it’s time to start! Skye, you have the drones set up right?” 

“Yep!” The fox nods “We only need a video. Come on!” She stands up and Sharla shortly follows, seemingly not sure about singing.

“And Sophia! You probably don’t have the drones yet, let’s get you set up! Will… I saw a few trees outside, those are great starting points! They are a bit tall though…” 

I glance at the chipmunk who gives a chuckle. “Please, you are talking to a Woodlands resident, I’ve climbed trees three times that size!” 

“Didn’t expect otherwise.” I clap my paws together. “Well let’s get this day started everyone! Come on!”

As I led Sophie and our tributes down the elevator she started her tale that I silenced her on previously. Long story short, his brother saved the day and the investors came back. Yeah, we get it, your whole family is great and successful.

In the hallway aside from the other district mentors and candidates, I also spotted a few repair mammals scratching their heads under the cameras presumably because of some problem they couldn’t fix. I caught some “I don’t know how we will explain this.” and “We can still just replace the cameras” from their conversation as they shrugged and started unscrewing the lead panel from the wall.

I got the drones for Sophia and asked one of the staff to get them set up. Job well done, I helped everyone, I was about to leave to record some more fight scenes with Judy when she stopped.

“I… Think I should be there to give some advice.” She pointed at District 5’s door.

I glanced at the door, back at her, at the door again and gave a smile. “Okay.” I shrugged.

“I mean she really seemed to be needing some encouragement and… Wait… Really? Just okay? No ‘Judy please’ or anything?” She asked like she expected me to give off an argument

“What, you want me to get all angry and pull you by your ears to do your homework? I’m not your dad, and you are way past 18 anyway so you can make your own decisions. And remember our agreement? ‘Let me guide you around for one day and then I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the time.’ You held up your part, so it’s fox honor to hold up my end.”

“Oh… Uhm… Okay. Thanks.” Judy nodded, still a bit unsure how to react.

“I’ll need to edit at some point anyway, and I can do 3/4rd of the video already with the raw footage we have. Just promise me you’ll find some time for me in the evening, so I can finish my job and potentially help my fellow mentors.”

“I will! I promise!” She nodded and we parted ways. I saw as she went inside, I shook my head with a smile and kept on walking. I still have no clue how she keeps herself together despite all the stuff that’s going on. 

As I walked into District 12’s room and booted up the computer, the repair mammals asked permission to come inside to replace the cameras here too. As I asked them what the problem was they gave a generic answer how the cameras are already past their planned usage date, and they are acting up… So they still have no clue, good to know. I would be lying if I said it didn’t pique my curiosity. Multiple cameras malfunction at once, and nobody knows why. I feel like I’m in some weird spy movie.

Anyway, job first. The editing isn’t too hard either, as I already have some experience in making the videos. On my first mentoring, I asked for assistance, but my ideas were ignored. I got 3 versions and I wasn’t too satisfied with any of those. So by the time I got to my second mentoring, I was ready. I spent months learning different programs, just so I could do the editing myself. If you want things done properly do it yourself they always say. So by now, it comes to me naturally. I can choose the unnecessary moments easily, so in a few hours I was already done with the majority of filtering, leaving me half an hour of possible moments I could include for the video. But after that, I just couldn’t keep on working anymore. I frequently found myself just staring at the remaining footage… Or more specifically staring at Judy. The whole choreography of the fight was hypnotizing, sure I was great too but I obviously wasn’t the star in this video. The way she was dodging all my hits and making counterattacks… Her determined face, her cute little tai… 

Okay… I sigh and close my eyes. Now I’m just being a video stalker… great. I have to stop this because I’m just digging my own grave. Her life was turned upside down already, she doesn't need a weird relationship with her mentor on top of all things. Keep things professional! Strictly professional. I tell myself and try to get back into the flow. However, even though I didn’t zone out again, I still couldn’t work more on the video because my brain was just blank. I give an irritated growl and after saving my work, I just decide to check on the others. I mean hey I still have until Tuesday noon to upload the finished project, that’s a little less than 48 hours.

I saw a lot of movement in the halls and even inside rooms, but District 5’s room seemed to be empty, and after riding up the elevator, I couldn’t find them in the restaurant either. So I headed to the last place in mind, outside at the trees. Sophia most likely had the drones up and running by now so the only thing left was to show some tree-climbing skill. And sure enough, everyone in the alliance was under the first tree in the line. Well, most of them. One, in particular, was already jumping from tree to tree, branch to branch at lightning speeds. He didn’t joke about his skills, that's for sure. It was barely 5 seconds for an 80 feet distance. Not bad.

“Hello, everyone!” I let myself known, and everyone turns towards me. “I see you are already recording! Good.”

“Yea! We were about to wrap things up.” Sophia lets me know with an enthusiastic smile “William is In-sane! He has no match up there! But I still feel like the video will be too bland… I’m not sure what else to do.”

While comfortably sitting on a high-up branch Will humbly adds. “I have years of experience jumping on trees. You would probably still beat me on the ground though!”

Suddenly something clicks for me. What’s the best way to show speed? Have something to compare it with! “Why not try it?” I ask “Sophia! You run on the ground, Will swings on the trees. First to get to the end wins!”

“Are you serious?” Sophia turns to me questioningly, but considering the idea a bit more, she slowly nods. “Alright! We can try that… But I am not a fast runner, you gotta know that. William?”

“Fine by me!” He shrugged, stood up, and dusted off his paws, to get ready for the race. “Ready when you are!”

“Ookay!” I say and point at the base of the tree. “Sophia, you start there. Start on my mark. Ready?” I ask and after receiving an affirmation from both ‘racers’ I give the signal as they both start. 

Will pretty much had the lead during the whole race. He bolted as soon as I gave the go signal and he seemingly had the whole path in mind. Where to jump, how to land and by the time he reached one branch, in mind he was already on the next one. On top of that he wasn’t tired at all, even though I’m sure he did this route a few times already. He is definitely one of the most skillful candidates in this year’s hunt. In the end, Will won. He was already at the end when Sophia was barely halfway through.

“Haha, I told you I wasn’t the best runner!” Sophia panted. “Well done! You are natural!”

“Skye?” I ask the Arctic fox next to me. “Fancy showing off that army training to save the predator’s honor?”

“You bet!” she grinned and stepped to the same place “Watch out Mr Hazelshell, time for the real test!”

Meanwhile, I asked the controlling glove from Sophia, to set Skye as the secondary recording target since the drones only recorded Will for now. For a few seconds they tried to move around Will to have both targets in sight at once, but then one of the drones separated from the others, settling on recording the arctic fox entirely. The AI sure seems to be doing its job properly.

“Right back at you, Winters!” Will said after arriving back, and stopping at the top, already waiting for my signal. His hope-loss self from the morning was nowhere to be seen anymore. It’s good to see him feeling this comfortable. “I’m ready!”

“Okay, ready, set… Go!” I yelled as both sides bolted. Skye’s start was much better than Sophia’s, she was ahead for a moment at the beginning, but even so, despite giving it all, the chipmunk still came out first.

Meanwhile, a smaller crowd appeared, watching the show, amazed at what they saw. Some even started recording with their phone. Not a bad thing, actually… Will needs all the publicity he could get. He may be nailing this race but behind too much on supporters.

“Aand! I win again!” Will exclaimed, giving a victory shout and jumping between the two line of trees, from one side across to the other and back, earning some cheers from the crowd.

“Alright, my turn!” I say and stand on the starting line. I knew I had no chance of winning, but that's not the point anyway and an even bigger audience arrived to see what the fuss was about. They needed to see one run too. “Sophia, want to do the honors?” I take off the gloves and give it back to her. She puts them on and asks.

“Okay… what do I do with these things?”

“Just pretend there is a display. Do a zooming motion twice, with your first and third digit and point at me.” Sophia did as I said, and the third drone that was circling next to Skye, suddenly zoomed towards me, stopping in a fair distance, now with its camera pointing at me. “Alright. Will?

“Ready. The real question is, are you ready to lose?” He asked from me on a lower branch, and bouncing it twice, he shot upwards to his starting position.

“Chh… Showoff…” I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m ready.” I nodded and now I heard Sophia saying ‘3…2…1… go!’ 

I bolted as fast as I could but I heard Will was already a bit ahead. Not only that, but he literally jumped from one side to another just to taunt me, and then back right before the finish. This guy is just something else when it comes to trees… Reaching the finish I heard a bunch of clapping and cheering from the various mammals that were gathered there. It was much bigger than previously.

“Ladies and gentlemammals… William Hazelshell, District 11!” I exclaimed and pointed at the chipmunk. Well… His success is Judy’s success. Any support coming to him will be shared amongst the alliance members, so I need to work as hard as possible to get him attention too.

After this, I handed the situation to Sophie. Most of the present audience wanted pictures and she is District 11’s mentor after all. To be honest it seemed like she enjoyed all the attention, and found things to talk about with anyone. Would you look at that? Her always-talking mentality finally comes in handy. 

When the newfound District 11 fanbase dispersed we were ready to go back inside and eat something. During lunch, I promised Sophia (And Skye too) that I would help them with the editing. As I said, I want all alliance members the best outlook, and the Hunt staff edits are always mild at best. Will’s performance out there deserves a good edit. However, this also means my time schedule will be stuffed for the next 2 days. It’s fine though, I’ll have 6 days to recharge before the arena, and I don’t mind some time off from Judy’s edit. I want it to be perfect and right now I’m not up for it!

So later as I did my usual editing routine, I had both mentors looking at me while I explained a bunch of important tools. To my surprise, Sophia managed to hold out without adding anything to my monologue, so props for that. Also… I gotta say it was coming along nicely. Definitely one of my better works. I did ask Sophia to do their run with Will again, just so I could have all 3 Mentors in the edit, but other than that I had a great time with this one. By 10 pm I was fully done with the whole video, and I was able to move on to Sharla’s recordings. I won’t be able to edit the whole thing today but I could do the filtering. Sophia did leave, waving us goodbye, but Skye stayed, and after 10 minutes the rabbit from yesterday came inside too, and closing the door behind himself, he stopped next to the door. I turned around, glanced at the rabbit, looked at Skye, then back to the screen. They were up to something, but I didn’t have to ponder on it for long because Skye started talking.

“Please pretend I’m talking about the video. Listen, we need your help.”

As much as her sudden tone change surprised me, I managed to stay neutral. “I thought I was already helping, but I assume you meant something other than this.”

“Yes… Look, first up, we need a place without 24/7 surveillance. Do you know a place like that?”

“Maybe…” I said without even looking away from the screen, zooming onto a part of the video. “Depends. Give me a truthful answer to one question.”

“We don’t have time! They will realize the voice here is malfunctioning. You can ask anything you want once we…” Skye started but to my surprise, the rabbit behind us intervened.

“Go ahead. Shoot that question.” He sounded serious. Now he didn’t have the usual cheery Hunt assistant voice. It was a ‘let’s get to business’ tone.

“Who the hell are you two?”

“My name is Jack Savage.” The rabbit answered again. “We are here on behalf of a small resistance group. We want equal rights for Prey.”

I felt my heart rate rising and had to hold myself back as the realization hit. “So the rebels… You want another war to fix things…” I say flatly, while absentmindedly adding a few effects to the video. They are part of the rebel group… The same group that had my father killed, and they have the nerve to come to me for help? I honestly considered just storming out of this room, and reporting them immediately, but I stayed to hear what they had to say.

“We want peace.” Jack countered my argument. “We want predator and prey to live in harmony like our ancestors wanted.”

“Yeah right…  So you want peace? Weird. President Snow said that after the war and look how that turned out… What does YOUR peace look like? Reverse Hunt? Limitless shock collars to keep predators at bay? Oh! Maybe even force predators to put the collars on newborns too! That would be fun! So? Please enlighten me!” I’m not sure how long I could keep my fury down. I wondered a lot in the past what I would do if I found myself eye to eye with one of the mammals responsible for my father’s death and let’s just say none of those were nice. Now here I am…

“Nothing like that.” Jack lets me know in a calm manner which ticks me off even more. “That’s up for another, longer discussion. But first, we need a safe place.”

“Sure…” I scoffed “I have a place where we can talk, alright… And we have a LOT to talk about…”

Chapter 12: Like father like son

Nick was pretty good at hide and seek against his father. He had the whole Wildetimes as his playground after all, and that is a huge place, filled with possible hiding spots. He mostly did this because he was afraid of what would happen next. He had to put on that evil collar, and it would stay on him until the next day when he finished school, and that’s one whole night and half a day still. So of course he extended his collar free time as much as he could. 

He had a good method already to not get busted before finding a good spot. When the place started to close for the day, he used all the leaving predators as cover, and it usually worked. His father's searching gaze never met him during that.

Nowadays, however, he doesn't have to be that careful when hiding. His dad was usually occupied with one of his ‘friends’ as he always referred to. He was seen less and less too, and he didn’t like Nick coming inside the conference room either. Any other time his dad let him in, but not anymore. If he did something such as peek inside, his dad would always pick up on it and close the door immediately. The leopard he talked with... seemed nice, but... even though he occasionally brought Nick toys and sweets, something about the feline deeply disturbed him. He couldn’t describe what, but he was definitely not someone who Nick would love to stay alone with.

Anyhow, today wasn’t different by any means. Nick’s dad was occupied with the discussion, so the young fox had all the time he wanted to pick his hiding spot. Today he decided to hide behind the little information booth closest to the conference room. Dad will never think about searching for me there! Nick snickered at the thought as he walked past the booth.

“Hiya friend! How may I help you today?” An AI voice was heard from the information kiosk as he walked past it. The cartoon bird’s task was mainly helping the guests navigate around the park, and it was fairly good at it. Not really good as a talking partner though, but still... somewhat useful.

“You want to help? Stay quiet, will you?!” Nick half joked to himself, knowing well that the cartoon bird couldn’t really cover for him.

"Sorry, I didn’t quite understand that. Can you speak up?”

Nick just rolled his eyes and settled down behind the booth. If it doesn’t pick up any movement, it will stop talking by default. 

For a few seconds he heard the idling wing flaps, then the AI voice said, “See you later, friend!” and finally silence took over. He was eagerly waiting for the time his dad would finally arrive and walk past him, not knowing anything. I’m definitely set for a long time! He thought and waited for 5 minutes... 10… 30… He was bored out of his mind. Usually it didn’t take this long for his dad to start searching for him after closing hours. Finally, after a who-knows-how-long wait, the door opened, and the leopard appeared with Nick’s dad closely following.

“You’re insane!” The fox growled angrily, but his companion seemed unfazed by this.

“Crazy? Yes. But I’m doing what’s necessary, and I recommend you do the same.” 

“THAT is not necessary! If you do that... This… This means…” 

“I know very well what this means, Mr. Wilde, and you knew it from the start that this is a valid outcome. The prey can only thank themselves for what happens next. THIS is our chance to finally fight back! Give the prey what they deserve! We spent the past 9 months setting up everything, placing the dominoes in the right place. All we need now is a push. Most of my associates are already on edge, telling me to give the go signal, and considering the recent events, it’s time to give that first push. We can’t possibly wish for a better opportunity.”

“But…” 

“There is no but, JOHN! The plan will start with or without you. One is more favorable than the other. If you decide to backpedal now, that’s unfortunate. But we can’t expect everyone to wait any longer! I will be here tomorrow with my associates. You have until then to decide what future you want for your kid.” 

Without giving a chance for answers, the leopard was already off, leaving behind the defeated fox and a lot of unanswered questions for the one hiding not too far away. What is not necessary? What were they talking about? Curiosity was torturing him, but of course Nick knew he couldn’t ask his father. He never liked when his son was eavesdropping on anything, let that be a film he wasn’t allowed to watch or something this important.

The older fox stared at the spot where he last saw the feline, then just sat down on the ground, steadily breathing with closed eyes. “What would you do, Marian? What would you do if you were here instead of me? I’m afraid I’m about to do something stupid, and you aren’t here to stop me…” He gave a bitter chuckle, leaned against the wall, and gave a heavy sigh. Nick meanwhile cautiously peeked at his father, being careful not to be seen. “I can’t do this; it's not right… It’s not right… It’s… FUCK!” He angrily slammed his fist into the wall with full force, but the result was immediately seen as he shook his paw with a pained face. “Oww…” 

Nick has never seen his father this angry before, and he had no clue what made him. Revealing himself right now was definitely not the right choice, however, he may have leaned a bit too far out because in the next second…

“Hiya friend, how may I help you today?” The AI bird said in a happy tone, making Nick yelp in surprise. He did manage to stumble back behind the booth, but his cover was already blown. His eyes definitely meet his dad's, and there is no way back from that. Stupid bird! Stupid stupid stupid! Well… I guess it wasn’t my best idea to hide behind a motion sensor either…

After a few seconds of silence, his dad’s calm voice was heard. “I know you are there, Nikkie. Come on out.”

Having no other option, the young fox emerged from his failed hiding spot with ducked ears, just like when he was caught sneaking candy in his room in the middle of the night. Thank you, bird lady, you did the exact opposite I asked you to do… “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sneakily listen. Are you… Mad at me?”

“It’s okay.” The older fox said with a warm smile and reached out with his paws for a hug, “Come here, you hiding master.” 

Nick gave a sheepish smile and accepted his dad’s embrace, holding this hug for a few seconds. “What…” He started but immediately cut his sentence. He definitely shouldn’t have heard that conversation, even more so since he heard his dad yell a ‘bad word’. 

However, he probably knew what his son was thinking about, as his smile faded. Considering his next words, he finally pointed at the cartoon bird, who was currently idlingly flapping her wings on the screen, happily waiting for the ‘guest’ to ask something about the Wildetimes. “Do you know why she is a dove?” He asked, “I could have chosen anything... A macaw, a racoon, even a fox… But I chose a dove. Why?” As Nick shook his head, he answered his own question. “Doves, among many things, are the symbol of freedom. It means anyone visiting the Wildetimes would experience a tiny bit of this freedom. They could let out a happy roar without anyone looking at them weirdly, they can laugh, yell, do whatever they wish! They can be free from the main problem of their life!”

“The collars…” Nick quietly said

“Yes… the collars.” The older Wilde became silent for a second, then resumed his explanation. “Mr. Snow wants this freedom to… not be just a tiny bit of everyday life. He wants the collars to be gone for good and well… For that to happen, something bad has to happen first… I suppose I’m just afraid.”

Nick didn’t quite understand what ‘bad’ had to happen. Being free from the collar was tempting, however, he also knew if his dad didn’t want to do something, that must be a really bad thing. They couldn’t really keep up this conversation as he heard someone searching for his dad.

“Mr Wilde? Hello? Mr Wilde! Mr…” The stag finally appeared in the corner. He’s in his mid-20s, barely started growing his second set of antlers after the previous ones had fallen down in the middle of his shift. Surprising him and everyone else around. He became a Wildetimes member a few years ago and has been at the entrance, greeting the incoming predators and dealing with the shocking collars ever since. Alongside a few more guards, he is the only prey inside the Wildetimes. “Oh… I’m sorry to interrupt. I’ve been looking for you everywhere, sir. The supervisory team is already here, and they seem quite angry. You know… Ehm…” He shot a quick look at Nick and then back at the older Wilde, but Nick knew the reason. His collar was the last one in the collar check room.

“Sorry James, we’ll be down there in a second.” Nick’s dad said and turned to his son. “Are you ready?”

Nick unhappily nodded and went ahead while his dad talked with James about his antlers and that he should visit the doctor instead of coming to work tomorrow.

----

I find it a bit ironic how I’m shortly meeting with a prey rebel member at the same place my dad was meeting with the predator rebels back then. Well… I agreed to meet with him only to send him off with some harsh words, but still… It’s somewhat funny.

Skye came along with me too. After I gave a bit of an act to the cameras about how my stomach is rumbling and we should visit my favorite restaurant for their cheesy fries (those ARE great, to be honest), we left the training center and I guided her to the Wildetimes. Her attitude noticeably changed too. She was silent for the most part, perhaps wondering if it was a good idea to include me in their plan. Jack is supposedly following us a few minutes behind, leaving when his shift ends. 

So for the second time this week I was at my rusted heritage. I absentmindedly glanced at the little offline information kiosk. I used to play with the idea to power it up again, but… no reason to do so. She isn’t a great conversation partner, and even if she were, it would be quite depressing to have an AI as my best friend. Well, her services weren’t really required anymore since everyone’s free… Or… well, more like freedom was tipped to the other side of the scale.

“Lovely place,” I hear Jack’s voice behind me. “Certainly good for meeting in private… I doubt anyone will come here. So… Before I tell you what I had in mind, I have a feeling you want to start this conversation.”

“You think?” I spat without looking at him. “So let’s see. You kill one of the predator rebels in his own house and pin your demands on his chest for… I don’t know, show of power, revenge, or who knows why. Next, his 13-year-old kid finds his lifeless body, covered in blood. 20 years later, you think, 'Hey, actually, you know what would be funny? If we had that exact same kid on our team! That would be hilarious!’ Or are you just here to finish the job? Wanted to lure me to a secluded place so you could shoot me in the head too?”

"Well, you were the one who took us here…” Skye tried to argue quietly, but I’m not in the mood. 

“YOU wanted a quiet place, I just presented you with one! So? Go ahead!” I finally turn around and see Jack standing a bit further away from me. “Do what you did to him, and pin your next set of demands on my chest, PLEASE!” I yell while spreading my arms and waiting for Jack’s response.

“I know…” The rabbit slowly started. “I know how little my words mean to you, but I’m sorry for what happened to your father. And… I’m sorry you had to live through that. No kid should ever see their father… Like that. You have to understand the resistance back then wasn’t organized by any means. Everyone was running around doing whatever they thought to fix the situation. I’m not sure who is responsible… but I doubt any member would do the same now. I know it’s too little too late and I’m not sure how I could make things right. You can hate me if you want. You can hate the whole resistance. I’ll disappear forever… But don’t hate others who just happened to drop in this nightmare and have nothing to do with this.”

My face softens a bit. Maybe not as much for Jack to realize this, but I have to admit he is right. I can’t blame all the prey for what happened. That kind of generalization is what made predators wear collars in the first place. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Let’s say I’m curious about your world changing plans. What now?”

I can see Jack finally give a slight smile. “I knew you were a good mammal.”

“I didn’t say I was on board with the plan, I said I’m curious.” I say as a warning, “So let’s skip to the part where you tell me what you planned me to do in this.”

“Okay. So. We need… A public face.”

For a second I freeze, not being sure if I heard it correctly. A public face. Seriously? "Well, there goes my interest.” I throw my paws in the air and prepare to leave.

“Let me finish…” Jack tries to stop me

“No! Because it’s a stupid plan! Seriously? That’s all you managed to come up with after all these years? Just have someone say, 'Guys, what are we doing?’ and you think everyone will join paws while singing Kumbaya? And to believe for a second, I actually thought things could change.” I bury my head in my paws. “Of course there is no real plan. Why would there be a plan?”

“You underestimate your impact on others.” Jack shook his head. “The audience loves you. They listen to what you have to say.”

“And you managed to deduct that from… what exactly? I’m their favorite clown in the show! THAT’S ALL! I make jokes, and they laugh at that or my mystery. One or the other.”

“That’s why you are the best for this. When the jokester starts being serious, people will know they need to take it seriously. We don’t need all predators. If we manage to turn a few to our side, that's already a huge deal. Originally, we planned on making Skye an audience favorite during the years, but that would take a while. You would be perfect for the job.”

“Look…” I sigh. “Skye… You saw Sophia with your own eyes. Do you really think someone of her caliber would EVER side with the prey? Would she ever drop just one tear because a contestant dies in the arena? You seem to forget one thing! Most of the predators have it great because they can walk over any prey they want. They are in the driving seat because if ANY prey wanted to sit in it, they would get thrown in the river! But, BUT Let’s say it would work. I manage to say something that makes the most stone faced predator cry. I’ll just get cut off mid sentence! It’s not my TV show! If I say as much as prey are friends, you can be sure they cut to an advertisement break while I get carried off stage!” I shake my head. “This has been a waste of time! You can stay here, keep secret meetings for all I care. Tell me when you have a better plan other than me saying ‘Make love, not war’ on TV." I say and walk past Jack.

They managed to get my hopes up and presented me with this 5 year old kit kind of an idea for peace. Yeah right. If only the world worked like that. 

I’m not sure how long I fumed like this. Long enough to arrive back at the center, that’s for sure, because I didn’t even remember passing the townsquare and I was already back. The clock down in the hall showed almost 1am, even the current receptionist was half asleep and most likely didn’t even notice me coming inside. I step into the elevator and push the button to the top floor. I sure won’t go back to editing today, so I might as well take some rest. I have less than 2 days to finish… 2 videos. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to help everyone. But it’s okay. I can do this.

As I opened inside my room, I didn’t see anyone else. Not sure why I expected anyone to be here, to be honest. Judy didn’t have any reason to sleep on my room’s couch again, which is fine. I didn’t expect her to sleep here every day. I take a quick shower after this long day and just head to bed, hoping my ‘built in alarm clock’ will go easy on me for once. One can only hope. 

After turning a bit left and right, fatigue finally takes over while I slowly drift into sleep.

Of course, this night is just like any other one. "GAH,” I snap wide awake at the familiar stinging pain. I sit up, trying my best to lighten this feeling, but by god, it’s only just the beginning. This time I can’t expect Judy or anyone to come inside, I’ll have to deal with this alone. Come on, come on! I know it’s not real! I basically grab my neck, not really choking myself but close. I swear I can feel it spreading even if it shouldn't be possible. Come on, it’s not some virus it’s just a leftover ‘feeling’ from the past. It really shouldn’t be this hard to deal with, but I’m definitely losing this battle. It’s getting hard to breathe. “AHHH!” 

Why does it have to be this bad? 

In agony, I basically yank on my fur, and then… it suddenly stops… Weird… I mean, I still feel the pain of me having pulled on my fur, but only that. My neck starts aching, but it’s not the ‘Setting 10’ shocking collar as before. I glance at my paws and grimace at the sight of the bundles of fur stuck between my fingers. I definitely ripped out some. 

So what did we learn? Real pain overrides imaginary ones. Even my brain is like, ‘My bad, you have something more important to deal with.’ What will I do with this information? Not sure. If I realized this sooner, I would be already furless, I’m sure about that. So I definitely shouldn’t abuse this power. And of course, maybe it was just a one time thing. I definitely have to test if me pulling my fur did this.

I get up and walk to the bathroom to look at the damage in the mirror. I move my finger around my neck, and I can definitely feel the spot. Thankfully it’s not too noticeable, and my shirt would cover it anyway, so I’m good for now. But who's to say I’ll look the same 2 weeks in, or 1 month, 1 year... Stopping the shock entirely is definitely an enticing offer…

I shake my head, leave my room, and decide to go down to the sublevel preparation rooms. I have 2 videos to finish after all. Almost nobody is awake at this time, why would they be? Nobody expects you to be wide awake at 5am. I make my way to the room with the shining 12 and beep in my mentor card. Of course it turns green, allowing me inside. I boot up the computer, look up my save from yesterday, and get to work.

While I do the final touches for the district 5’s video, I can think about my little revelation. So I realized 2 options within 1 week, but neither is great. I already accepted that I couldn’t ‘use’ Judy to watch me sleep in case she gets out of the arena. I won’t even ask. Not happening. 

But the alternative is either slowly becoming furless, beating myself to a pulp, or going insane, but hey! At least now I have a choice! Or… Well, I technically have a 4th choice. It’s more of an extension of these choices, but it’s definitely something to consider. I can go along with the stupid plan I had to listen to yesterday. Same reason as when I almost let Judy escape into the woods, I have nothing to lose… 

I can go insane in a prison cell too, for all that matters… No matter how stupid Stripes’ idea is, that’s the best we have so far. Will I start a hippie campaign right away? No. I have one shot at this and have to make sure my babbling reaches as many listening ears as possible. I also need to make sure I’m around when the contestants get in the arena. As great this alliance is, me being in the picture is the best shot Judy has. 

So no reckless moves until the end of the arena. There will be one last summary show, that’s when I blow the bomb on them. I’ll have to make sure I’m as mysterious as possible, so by the time the producers realize what was happening, I said everything. But I have the time to brainstorm my speech. I’ll make sure this will be the most memorable hunt in the history of hunts!

Chapter 13: Before the show

“Why can’t I do this?” I sigh while rubbing my eyes. I didn’t have any problem with the other videos and they all came together nicely! Now that I finally got to Judy’s video I just can’t do it. Why can’t I do it? It should be straightforward. As I glance at the clock, my stomach shrinks to half its size. It’s shortly 9 pm and I need it done by tomorrow noon. No sleep for me today that’s for sure, It's not like I would love to anyway.

I told the others I was doing great, which was true at the time. Judy visited me with a plate of codfish to have lunch, at that time I just finished  Sharla’s video and I was absolutely positive I would be nearly done with Judy’s by now and here I am with barely anything done. Aside from hitting my head on the wall, I tried everything I could think of to get my creativity back. While my brain was on strike, my eyes were also complaining about my extended screen time, and my stomach was also signaling how far away that lunch was already.

I won’t have Judy’s video ready. At this point, it would have been better if I just asked for a staff edit. It will be my fault if she…

My thoughts were interrupted by the lock giving an approving beep after someone pushed the guest card. Expecting Judy to arrive, I was ready with my confession, but to my surprise it was Sophia.

“Hellooo!” She happily says while carrying a smaller box of some kind. “How ya doing?”

“Hello… Sophia… What do you want?” I half groan, turning my attention back to the screen. I have no patience for her, or her stories right now, given I have limited time.

“Just comin’ to check on you. Skye did say you were doin’ fine but I had to double-check. I always hated bein’ the one to do all the work in group projects! You need any help? How’s the video comin’ along?” she asks while taking a seat next to me.

I decided to tell the truth. Not like it was District 5’s video I had trouble with, since that one is long done. “Well, two out of three are done… But I have trouble finishing my contestant’s video.” 

“Really? Show me where.” She said, chuckling a piece of chocolate in her mouth. As it turns out the box she carried was for chocolate. “Want one?” She asks, showing me the box that had 3 missing pieces out of 18.

“No, thank you,” I say. I feel like I will regret my next question but out of curiosity, I had to ask. “What’s the occasion?”

“My birthday.” She says, leaving it at that. I was ready for her no end story of her birthdays but it just never comes. She keeps up a happy smile while waiting for me to show where I’m stuck.

“Oh! In that case… Happy birthday! I don’t really have anything as a present, but still.”

“Oh, no-no I didn’t expect you to give me anythin’! It’s all good… 34 minutes?”

“What?” I ask confusedly, to which she just glances at the video, and points at the length.

“Isn’t it supposed to be 3-5 minutes short? Right now you have 34.” 

“Well… This is my problem. I have no idea how to cut this the way I wanted it. I did some filtering. I have all the major moments but no idea what should come next. I-I wanted it to be perfect, and I can’t even make an acceptable one.”

“Well, I can see you need a break. How ‘bout you leave this to me?” 

“No, that’s probably not a good idea.” I lightly tell her my opinion. The last thing I want right now is for her to waste more of my time, but she keeps insisting.

“It’s okay! I learned a LOT from you yesterday, besides I went to media studies! I know a thing or two about video editin’!” Still looking at my unsure expression she adds. “You can sit next to me and give input! OH! Like master and student! I need to learn how to do stuff for my next mentorin’ anyway, I can’t expect others to do my work all the time!”

I consider my options and give in. Not like she could make it worse, so I saved a copy of my 34-minute video in a separate file and let her have the stage. It feels nice to let my mind rest for a bit from its brainstorm lock, so that's a good thing.

“All right! Now we talkin’! Lemme see!” She exclaimed excitedly while grabbing the mouse. “You should go and have some lunch in the meantime, while the restaurant is open! I’ll need to get up to speed anyways on what I have as raw footage.”

“Right…” I say, still a bit unsure if it was a great idea, but since according to my stomach it was a brilliant idea I leave the room and go to have lunch. 

As I pass the gym, I see the lights are still on, and in the corner of my eyes I spot a certain rabbit alone, running on a treadmill, so I give a quick wave. She returns the wave and keeps on running as I pass by and get in the elevator.

I arrived just in time as the restaurant part of the center would have closed in 10 minutes.

I order something that sounds great and slowly silence my complaining stomach. Out of curiosity I check the donation page that all mentors have access to and check out how District 12 is standing with donations. There is not much yet, which is expected. The donations usually start flowing in once the talent showcase is over. For now, I could barely buy a coat for her, but this will hopefully change.

When I finished my meal and finally had my head cleared, I headed back to the sublevel to see how my ‘apprentice’ was doing. I also saw Judy in the same place where I last saw her, so I decided to at least give her a quick visit.

“All alone?” I ask and see her ears perk up, as she stops the treadmill. She seemed quite tired, I can only guess how long she had been running on the treadmill.

“Yeah.” She says between two breaths, and sits down on one of the benches, with a water bottle in her paws. After she catches her breath properly, she adds. “I gave the others quite the workout today so no wonder they decided to rest early. As for Skye… I’m not sure where she went.”

I have an idea… I think to myself. Since yesterday I presented the ‘resistance’ with a prime get-together location, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make the most of it. “Yeah, that woman is a walking mystery, isn’t she? Anyway, aren’t you exhausted?”

“Oh yes, I am!” She chuckles. “But I have to train for that 6-hour continuous run at the start, so I have to be in top shape. Oh yeah, we did some route planning. Would you like to hear the details?”

“I’m all ears.”

“Right. So. We don’t know the entrance order yet, but we made a few smaller plans! Right now as it stands, whoever is the closest to William, would help him into the forest. He isn’t great on foot, but as you saw it too, he’s exceptional on trees. So. If he enters first among the three of us, he will start running, and the next in line will follow him and pick him up somewhere on the road. In case he is coming after us, either I or Sharla would wait until he gets in the arena and carry him right away. Once whoever took this route reaches the forest they will separate from each other to gain some distance as soon as possible. The third one to enter takes a completely different route and heads south toward that little town with all the supply markers. After this… we will see how things turn out. What do you think so far?” She finishes her monologue and waits for my input on the matter.

“Hmm… Usually, the forest isn’t a good place since a lot of the contestants head there but William needs to be there to shine…”

“...and since the closest point to the forest is 20 miles in…”

“...Someone has to help out our chipmunk friend. Yes.” I nod. Seems like they gave this some thought. “As for the other route… Hmm… Try not to get lost in the supply markers. They aren’t as great as they sound. Yes, in theory, you can even get a working car, but 90% of the time it’s nothing useful. Anyone can set up one and they are mainly pen or paper, maybe some grass hidden in the fridge as a joke… You know… herbivores… Grass eaters…”

“Ah yeah… Heard that one a few times.”

“So basically If you stumble into a supply marker check it out, sure! But plan routes differently. If I remember correctly there is a bigger abandoned city a tiny bit more in. That should be the first goal. There you can take a bit of rest, hide if necessary and yes you can check out the markers too if you have the time… Unfortunately, however, once you are out of the city… you don’t have a lot of cover so it’s risky. Whoever will be there would need to wait until the hunters are busy somewhere else, or worst case scenario, we’ll need to pay to stop signal tracking, which isn’t exactly cheap…”

“It’s all a big gamble…” She sighs, lowering her head. For a second I can see the same hopeless stare I saw the first time she arrived at this place, but she quickly shakes the clouds away and turns to me “So… Ehm. How’s the video coming along?”

“Well…” I start, not knowing how to put the fact that I’m nowhere near completing it. I don’t want her to start worrying about this too. “It’s okay… I need more time though so I’m ready to pull an all-nighter. Don’t worry I have it all under control!”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea in… Your condition?”

Funny. She doesn’t doubt my skills to finish the video and is only concerned about my already messed up sleep schedule. “Don’t worry, it’s been worse. I probably will be a grumpy ‘Don’t talk to me until my morning coffee’ fox but give me 2 days and I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll make sure to approach you with a freshly brewed coffee then.” She said with a smile. “And uhm…. Thank you. For all this.”

“‘For all this’ what?”

“Well… For helping me, the others… I know how exhausting it is to not only help me but everyone else in this ‘alliance’. And… I can see that it’s taking a toll on you, yet you still keep going!”

“Don’t worry about it, okay?” I say immediately. “The first half of the preparation stage is always more about the Mentors than the contestants. As I said, I’ll have time to recharge, but this is important. I want your video to be perfect.”

She looks deep into my eyes as if searching for something and then opens her mouth, just to close it again, obviously wanting to tell me something just couldn’t. In the end, she just gives a smile and nods. “Okay. Thank you. Well, I’ll go to bed now though. Need to show my best side tomorrow, right? Yeah… uhm… Good night… Or work.” She awkwardly said and left the room. I’m sure she had something to say but If she doesn’t want to, I won’t poke around. Plus I had work to do too, so I walked back to the prep room.

The moment I step in, Sophia greets me. “Ah, Mr Wilde! Just in time. I have a few ideas that I’d like you to give me some feedback on!”

I nod and say “Go ahead!”

In the next hours, I saw the video slowly coming together. Even my editor’s block was gone but I didn’t want to take Sophia’s moment. For some reason, she decided to focus on her mentor duties and I sure won’t stop her. I’m not sure why she became so interested in this though. To some extent, I thought this was just a fun holiday for her.

Towards 2 am she took a 10-minute break but after that, she was back again. All I had to do was give her suggestions, and show how to do a few methods. Other than that she made the entire video all by herself.  

By 6 am it was done, and I couldn’t have done it better myself. If she didn’t come to the rescue I may be still on my 34-minute wacky edit. I gave all the videos one more thorough look and finally posted them on the Hunt’s site under our separate account. 

This relieved feeling washes over me. I’m done! Finally, no more editing work was waiting for me.

----

“Okay, it’s alright. The videos were published, and they turned out perfect. Nothing more I could do, other than looking great!” I wink at myself in front of the mirror. I feel a bit light-headed because of the lack of sleep, and even though the caffeine in my system is trying its best, there is only so much it can do to someone like me after two days of no sleep.

During the day I felt better, felt worse, this state is an in-between acceptable level. I just hope I won’t doze off too much until we are up towards the end. The burrows just had to get the District 12 marker, didn’t they…

I gave my face a long up-and-down stare, searching for any imperfections. Thankfully even though I feel tired, I don’t look tired. I look like… a Hunt celebrity. “Well… It’s showtime!” I shine that typical grin that the audience loves and leave my room.

Judy isn’t out yet, so I knock on her door. “Come on out star of the show, we have a first place to earn.”

After a few seconds, the door opens and she nervously steps out in a dark blue dress. I can also see she used a bit of makeup. Not too much, but enough to notice. “How do I look?” She looks at me, waiting for my input on the matter. 

“You look amazing!” I say the truth and reach out with a paw. “Shall we? The others are waiting for us downstairs.”

She gives a nod and takes my paw. I can sense she is a lot more uptight than last time. Back then she was somewhat nervous because it was her first time being on TV. Now she’s a wind blow away from becoming a nerve wreck. This whole show is the second to last thing to determine the starting order, and last chance to make an impression on the audience. The next time they would see the candidates will be in the arena.

When we got to the bottom, we were greeted by the other alliance members. While everyone dressed mildly for the occasion, there was also Sophia with dark red lipstick and a glittery dress. I could swear she also used some dye on her spots to make it look more… spotty? Either way, she definitely seemed to be more comfortable in this festive wear than anyone else.

Since we were the last to come down, they waited for us downstairs, and then our little group immediately headed to the limousines. Everyone got in their respective transport vehicle, and we were on our way. The journey was mostly spent in silence. She kept on staring at the ever-thickening crowd outside as we got closer to our destination. The moment we turned into the studio’s car park she broke the silence.

“Are you sure my fight video will be enough?” Judy asks while still staring at the huge, happily waving crowd outside. 

“Are you kidding? Of course! They will love you! That thing you did for the talent showcase is a first in the hunt’s history! Besides, you are loveable. Skillful. Talented. Strong. Should I keep going?”

She gives me a half smile and looks back at the mammals gathered in front of the studio. The show’s supposed to start in a bit more than an hour but it’s already impossible to get inside through the main entrance. We stopped near the VIP line, where the security kept the area clear. I got out, helped Judy out of the car, and led her past the flashing lights. 

“Smile and wave, fluff.” I push the words through my teeth, As I flash a ‘Wilde’™ grin to the cameras. To my relief, she does as such. It may be a bit forced, but perfect for the pictures.

Even while inside, a few Hunt reporters stormed us down for any newsworthy information. ‘What’s your tactic for this hunt?’ ‘What kind of talent did you record for the show?’ ‘What point total do you expect to get from the video?’ ‘Which hunter are you most afraid of?’ Of course, I just gave a patient smile and answered. ‘Keep watching tonight, and you’ll get your answers from the show!’

Slowly every blood-leeching journalist hurried off as other interview candidates arrived, to nag them for valuable first-paw answers and when we finally arrived at the exclusive resting area next to the stage, I let Judy know she could drop her smile. Hearing this she gave a relieved sigh and told me if she had to keep this smile for a minute longer, her face would be stuck like that forever.

As I looked around, a few other mentors were there too, giving the last bit of advice to their contestants before the show. While most contestants were nervous, district 3’s Reindeer was as confident as he could be. I have to admit, he has some potential to get to the end. Wouldn't be surprised if he got first place in the starting order.

As my gaze traveled further in I also saw someone, or someones, that I wish I didn’t. I mean I’m not sure why I’m upset, their first appearance is always during the talent show part. Of course, I’m talking about the hunters…  One of them is the wolf who was currently quietly observing each candidate while calmly sitting on a couch and taking sips from a glass, containing some kind of whiskey I assume. 

I deeply despise that guy. All 3 of my previous candidates died by his paws. The moment he targets someone and has a clear shot, it’s over.  From what I heard, he was also a police officer but deemed too unstable, hot-tempered, and insubordinate to do the job, plus severely injuring his partner on duty didn’t help his case either. So he was understandably fired. However, because of his exceptional skills with guns, he was invited to the Hunt for a showcase and immediately was accepted. 

As his gaze met mine, he kept eye contact for a while, took another sip, and looked at Judy next to me. I’m not sure what he was thinking about, but his wandering gaze didn’t leave the rabbit until he was offered a refill by the staff. He just waved with his paw, gave his glass to the waiter and after standing up, and checking the time, he left the resting area, with the currently harmless sniper rifle in paws.

Meanwhile, the Cheetah was next to the bar segment. Even though he isn’t as accurate as the wolf, I can’t take him lightly either. He always has new ideas on what to do, and how to approach a situation, so while the wolf is predictable and dangerous, he’s unpredictable and dangerous. Quite the duo.

Currently, he was in the middle of a story, while Viktor and Leonard were eagerly listening to what he had to say. Finishing this monologue both his listeners burst out laughing, as he ordered another glass of beer for himself.

I decided to sit down on an empty couch, furthest from the cheetah, and wait for the show to start there. Not long after Skye appeared with Sharla at her side too, and after a bit more waiting Sophia, with William sitting on her shoulder. I gotta admit it was a bit of a funny sight. 

A few minutes before the show started, the badger let us know to take our place next to the stage and only go to our seats after Rich called our name. So the full Hunting season cast lined up, eagerly waiting for the show to start, and to my annoyance that included both hunters. Of course, they would stand right behind me with their guns in paws…

Even though the red light showed that the safety was on, and knowing that even if they tried they couldn’t switch it off outside of the arena, I still don’t like being near those. Fortunately, I didn’t need to think about those for much longer as I heard the music coming on and Rich’s loud voice.

“GOOD. EVENING. ZOOTOPIA! Ahahhaa.” he yelled. I could imagine his spread arms as he’s showering in the cheer from the audience. “Tonight will be an exciting show filled with many talents, happiness, sadness, cheering, and crying. The question is, what will our anonymous jury decide to be the best and which one is the worst? But of course, they aren’t the only mammals to decide our contestant’s fate. YOU, yes YOU dear audience can also vote on our website, at www dot thehunt dot zn slash voting. All the videos will be available to watch the moment we show the last one live. After that, you will have one hour to cast your vote on each candidate. Do you like what they have to offer? Give them a 10 or whatever you think it’s worth! Don’t let a jury decide, take matters into your own paws! Again that’s www dot thehunt dot zn slash voting. But don’t just talk about the contestants, why don’t we invite them in? District one, Robert Reed, with his Mentor, Dianne Crocutt!” As Rich said the words, the crowd burst into cheer again, and the mentioned pair walked on stage. They exchanged a few words, sat down and Rich already said the next set of names. “District two, Rebecca Johnston and her mentor, Viktor Volkov!”

It went like this for a minute or two. More and more of us went on stage, and before I knew it, it was our turn to shine in no time. ‘Last but definitely not least, District Twelve!’ I hear Richard say, while Judy takes a sharp breath. ‘Judy Hopps, and her mentor… Nicholas Wilde!’

Cheering fills the studio once again. I look at Judy who lets out a quick sigh. “Smile and wave, huh?” She asks quietly as I give a nod.

“Yep… smile and wave,” I say and lead her in with my stage smile.

Notes:

Annoying place to stop I know. The chapter was long enough already and I wanted to have the show written in it's full glory in a different chapter. Though... I'm not sure how I'll deal with the videos in writing but I'll try my best.

Also let me know if you want to appear in this story as a donater, or either as a user on the hunt's site. I'm planning on using random usernames anyway, so I might as well include a few readers who are willing to join. Type the Hunt username you'd like to use and maybe even include a message if you want. Don't be too meta about the situation though alright?

Chapter 14: The show (Part 1)

Even though the lights blind me for a second, I could still make out Richard’s silhouette. “Come on, come on!” he says wildly waving for us, and turns to the audience “Looks like even my previously late students decided to come on time today. Ahahha! Come on, don't be shy!”

“Of course professor, today’s an important test, we wouldn't miss it for the world!” I joke, earning some laughter from the audience rows. 

“Well you are right about that one! Hahaa! Come on, sit!” Rich says as we do as such. When we took our place he wasted no time as he started talking again, now to Judy. “So I assume you have something prepared, is that correct?”

“Yes we do, Rich.” Judy says visibly avoiding looking at the huge audience that gathered here, and focusing on the tiger in front of her. “And I think it’s safe to say It’s a first.”

“Oh really? I can’t wait to see what you have in store, I bet it will be worth the wait! You will ‘Ace’ this test no doubt there! Ahahhhaa! And how do you feel? Excited? Terrified? Somewhere in between?”

“In between… Heh… Definitely somewhere in between…” Judy claimed, nervously chuckling.

“Oh, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about! Well, best of luck!”

“Thank you!”

“And now ladies and gentlemammals, we meet the hunters once again! The ‘lone wolf’, the unstoppable, the ‘one shot one hit’ mammal with an insane 97.1% accuracy! Welcome on the stage for the 10th time in a row: Connor Ruffalo!” Richard says, as the wolf walks up with his rifle supported on his shoulder. He gets and ear shattering ovation that none of the candidates got before. I could even make out some screaming teenagers from the front rows, to which he gives a smirk and a wink in the general direction… Sheesh girls calm down, he could be your father…

When he settled down, Rich walked up to him and after waiting out the cacophony’s end, immediately started questioning the wolf. “Oh Connor Connor Connor… You are in the double digits now in terms of Hunt appearance. How does this feel? Anything special planned for the big one-oh?”

“Good evening, Richard! Well, it has been a long journey. 10 years… It’s a nice round number, wouldn’t you say? I may retire after this one.”

“Really?” Rich asks with genuine surprise, even the audience started to rumble upon this information, but the wolf gave a grin and waved with his paw.

“Ahhh! Of course not! 10 more years of hunt and we can get back to this question!”

“Ahahhaa, well if it was up to our audience we would keep you for 100 more years, am I right?” Rich asked and got approving cheers all over the studio. “So. Do you have your loadout planned already?”

“That I do, Richard, that I do. I always believed in ‘If it’s not broken don’t fix it.’ So I will keep my trusty rifle that I used last year and the year before…” He grabbed the gun even tighter, looking at it with admiration. ”You see… Guns, unlike mammals, are reliable… You give it the proper care, and you can be sure if you pull the trigger, it shoots. It’s up to you if you hit your target or not.”

“I wish for everyone to find someone that looks at them like Connor looks at his rifle! Ahaha!” Richard joked, and even drew a slight smile from the canine. “Alright, alright! And what’s your plan? Will you change something in your approach?” 

Connor just looked at Rich with a cocked eyebrow, so the Tiger raised his paws. “Oh, ‘if it's not broken don’t fix it’ am I right? Hahaa, Connor Ruffalo, everyone!” The tiger said, walking back to the middle of the stage. “And now… our second hunter of the show. The mammal who is always one step ahead, who always knows how to approach a situation, and never ceases to amaze us! The only Hunter that ended Connor’s winning streak! 19th and 20th hunt’s winner… Fabian Furrell!”

The moment Richard said the name the Cheetah wobbled on stage, with his gun unsurely in paws. Even the blind could see he was completely wasted. “Hellohello evryone!” he said, almost tripping over in the slight level difference. Even Richard was caught off guard by the unconventional appearance of the cheetah. 

With the smile frozen on his muzzle, Richard glanced at the camera crew with a tilted head. The badger raised his paw while shaking his head, showing he has nothing to do with this but also has no clue what to do. Under the cover of the huge cheering, Rich muttered something in his microphone, probably to the producers and took on his host smile, while walking towards the second hunter. The show must go on, I guess…

Meanwhile the cheetah dramatically scanned through the audience rows with the scope of his gun, he gave a laugh and a playful wave. Richard seemingly had the same thought as I do. Thank god these guns are useless outside of the arena otherwise giving it to a drunk mammal would be a hazard.

“Fabian! Hello! It’s great to see you again. How are you doing these days?”

“Herro Rishard! Am doing abolutlyfine. Iss my faforite time ov the year! The fugin prey get what they deserve and they die lik the pests they ar! Lowst fkin scum of the erth… Justis is servd isnnit!”

“Ahm… Yes… Pease refrain from using curse words for the time being.” Rich warned his talking partner before the show got in trouble because of excessive swearing. There are kids watching too. Blood and violence sure, who cares? But nobody wants their kids learning the f word on tv, right? “So anyway, what do you plan on using as your loadout?”

“Haha yees yees Im zorry. So fhor my lodout I plan on using the HK fhourundredzixteen… itz a great one I tell you! Iz a great gun! Eithunderdfifty shot per minit… prey wont even know wha hit’em! Bangbangbang! And if they plan on hding I can use my thrmal scpo… Cpo…Scope! Yes tehrmal Scope!”

“Well those certainly seem like important details! If I was in the contestant’s place I’d be shaking in my boots! Ahahaa, Fabian Furrell!” Rich said closing the discussion with the cheetah as soon as possible. “And now we’re off to the main event! Who’s the best or the worst? What’s the best way of deciding if not by showing their talent? Let’s look at what district one has for show! Roll the video!” Richard said, as the huge screen sprung into life, showing what the TV audience sees. Meanwhile he used his offscreen time to rush down to the camera crew, wildly gesturing and pointing at the cheetah. He was definitely not happy… 

Deciding to just ignore the drama going on the stage I divert my attention to the big display currently showing a motocross track and the antelope going through it. I gotta say, it's horrible editing work… What? It is! Sure the guy’s handling is great, and he also does a few tricks, but the video is mostly just one continuous lap, occasionally switching between the three drone’s views. Such an outstanding performance butchered with poor editing work.

When the video was over, Rich took his enthusiastic smile again and started discussing the video, surprisingly knowing everything, despite not looking at the display once. I bet he looked at all recordings before the show to plan his questions and insights. They talked for a few minutes, then let us know the Jury’s points. 7…6…9…9. An average of 7.75 that gets added to district 1’s point total. Not bad! Well. Bad news for us. It’s a hard number to exceed.

The next was Rainforest District showing… Some kind of… Tap dance… I suppose? I’m not sure. Is that really the best they could come up with? I mean she’s trying her best at least! It has its beauty, and dancing can definitely get someone a high score but this is… it’s not a highscore winning performance. Rich tried his best, highlighting specific well made moves, making some jokes, but the Jury’s points were strict. 4…2…5…6. Adding up to an average of 4.25. Well, after the previous guy’s motor skills it is a bit underwhelming.

Meanwhile neither hunters showed any interest. Connor was basically staring in front of himself, bored out of his mind, with his fist supporting his head, and Fabian was… I think he was happy he didn’t vomit yet… he didn’t seem to be doing well that’s for sure.

Next up was District three, and… Is that a gun? Looking at the display I saw the reindeer walking in slow motion with a sub-machine gun supported by his shoulder, covering all 3 drone angles. Next cut showed a bunch of target boards in one line, getting in focus one by one, with the music getting more and more intense. The reindeer flicked on a protective glass over his eyes, looked inside the aim sight, extreme close up on his face, music fades. He lets out a slow breath and then… Bang bang bang! Bang! Bang bang! The music comes back on with full volume, running through the whole studio. Three targets fall down, and 5 more fling up. Again, bang bang bang. Bang. Bang bang. Bang. Bang bang bang. All 5 targets hit, 7 more fling up, now all moving with different speeds. Quick analyzing, and the deer was off to another set of shots, starting with the closest one, making his way towards the farthest, showing each target as they fell after getting shot. In the end only one target flings up but it’s much more farther away. He places down the gun he was using until now, and raises a simple glock. The music picks up, we get a bird eye view on the distance, then a front facing cut then back behind the reindeer, with the target in sight. He waits a sec, and Bam! The last target hits the ground too. Lowering his held gun he flicks up procetcive glass, looks right at the camera and with a grin asks “Impressed yet?” With that the video ends and a rewarding cheer from the studio shows how much everyone liked this performance. 

“OH… MY… GOODNESS!” Rich says, amidst the cacophony. “Sorren Spruce… That was intense! What made you pick this talent? Because you sure hit the nail on the head with this one! Or should I say ‘the target in the middle?’ Ahahaa!”

“Thank you Richard! Well I couldn’t let a knowledge like this go under the radar now, could I?”

“Of course not! This would have been a SIN to keep hidden. I just hope you don’t plan on using your knowledge inside the arena! Haha!”

“Funny you should say that Rich… I do plan on using it. Or more like if I’m allowed to use it, I will…” Sorren says, making my ears perk up. What does he mean by that? As I glance up the hunters, even Connor’s unimpressed expression was changed to an eagerly listening one.

“What do you mean?” Rich asks a bit concerned, asking my, and perhaps the whole studio’s unsaid question. Even Leonard looks a bit funny at his mentored prey. My guess is that it’s also the first time he heard this from the deer, and he just thought it was only a skill to show off.

“Oh, you see Rich… Unfortunately I was born in this weak, pathetic body… I was always trying to show how much better I was than any other prey. How stronger. How braver. When my name came up on the Hunt’s screen I knew I was given the perfect chance. A chance to redeem myself and show everyone I’m not the meek prey I seem to be but something… more. Now I turn towards the game masters, and I’d like you to consider my offer. If you refuse, I accept your choice. I will still cherish my god given chance and make the best out of it. But if you accept… Let me show how much I despise the weakness I was cursed with… Let me show how much talent I have. Let me… Join the hunters.”

He wants what now? I think, glaring at the reindeer in shock, but I’m not the only one, as he seemingly surprised whole Zootopia. Everyone was murmuring between each other, making some noise in the studio. A prey wanting to be a predator? That’s a new. The game masters surely won’t allow it… Right?

“Ahah… Well your talents certainly wouldn’t go to waste in case it happens…” Richard says after snapping out of the initial shock, and someone else joins from behind us too.

“Let him.” I hear Connor’s voice. He’s still sitting on his couch, laid back with crossed arms. “I don’t mind a competition!”

“Thas jus stupid!” Fabian spats his opinion. “Prey shd remain the targt… Not the shootr.”

“Of course!” Sorren raises a paw. “I’m sure the game masters could include some danger to my suggested role too. I would still be a target… But with different rules of earning my freedom.” 

“Ohokay sur in that case go ahead I don care.”

“Well we have two votes!” Richard says “But let’s give the game masters a bit of time to decide for sure. For now let’s see what the jury thought of your outstanding performance! So your score from the jury is… 10. 10! ANOTHER 10! and finally…7. That brings you to an average of 9.25. That is insane! Well even if they vote against your Hunter application, you can be SURE you will have a nice reserved spot somewhere amongst the first entering candidates! A 9.25 final average is astounding! What do you think?”

“I think I should be grateful to our jury. Thank you for your kind scores!” Sorren looks into the cameras and taps his hooves together as a thanking gesture.

“Oh nono they didn’t give you these scores out of kindness! They gave this to you because they were impressed! You should be thanking yourself!”

“Well that one should be easy! I know the guy! He’s great!”

“Hahahaaa No doubt there!” 

Meanwhile I was still a bit scared if I would need to deal with another hunter. Avoiding two is hard enough already, but if we get a third one in the mix who would do anything to win… No, there is no way it’s allowed… No way.

Honestly I completely zone out during district 4’s performance. It was some stand up comedy skit… I don’t know… as I said I wasn’t fully listening. My brain is already running on reserve power mode, I can’t worry and listen to what's happening at the same time. The next time my head perked up was when I heard Sharla’s song. The musical notes immediately pulled me back. I had to listen to it a bunch of times. It’s an older song about seeing the good in others, in her own style. Nothing too special but she made it special.

Looking at the audience, I see how most of them are touched, which is a… Good sign I guess. Even if the Jury isn’t impressed, the audience vote will pull her up. When the video ends, I can’t help but sit up straight and listen eagerly. This one’s important.

“That was beautiful… absolutely beautiful. Is there a reason behind your song choice? Is it special in any way, or just a random choice? What’s the story here?” Richard asks, the moment his face appears on the screen 

“Oh! Yes there’s definitely a story there. When we came up with this idea, this song was immediately what I decided to go with.” Sharla said enthusiastically. “This is basically the song that followed me throughout my whole life and also made me meet the love of my life.”

“Ahhh. That’s an adorable story. Really adorable. That ram must feel really lucky to have met you.”

“Uhmmm… ram… Yeah…” Sharla says a bit awkwardly, looking at the ground.

“He must be watching today too, is that right?”

“Most likely, yes.”

“Anything you would like to tell him?”

“I want to tell him that… I love him. More than anything. And… don’t worry. I have others who will help me get back to you.”

“Others?” Rich picks up on the word, certainly nothing gets past his ears. “As in plural?”

“Yes. But I’ll leave it to the others to reveal our plan.”

“Ah You’re killing me here! Ahahahaa! Alright I guess we will have to wait for the big reveal. Until then, let’s see what the Jury thought of your performance. Your points are.. 7…5…7…8 that’s an average of 6.75.

I lay back. Okay not too bad! 6.75 is currently 3rd place out of 5… Okay not the best but the show is far from over. Anything can happen.

After this, it takes a good effort to stay awake during the last performance of the first half. Wouldn’t want to have a phantom shock because I dozed off during the live show. I stared through the beaver’s magic tricks, he got a 5.0 average (ouch) and Rich finally said the saving words. ‘And now before we can listen to our star guests let’s hear a few words from our sponsors!’ Meaning all of us can finally get off the stage for half an hour.

---

“Double espresso please.” I say to the Zebra who gives a nod, and starts preparing my coffee. It’s only the half time show and I’m already in a bad shape. The knowledge that I won’t be well rested at all when I wake up doesn’t help either, but I try not to think about it now. So I just close my eyes while rubbing them… 2 more hours… Only 2 more. When the others sat down in a corner I excused myself saying I needed a coffee, but in reality I just needed a bit of ‘alone’ time. 

As my tired gaze travels around, it gets stuck on one particular Wolf-Reindeer talking duo. The Hunter and the wannabe hunter. Connor sure seems more active now than before. He’s not against the idea of a new rival, that's for sure. Meanwhile Fabian is refueling the alcohol that may have left his system since the start of the show… this guy is a timed bomb, waiting to go off.

“There you go sir.” The zebra said, pulling my stare back at the bar.

“Ah! Thanks!” I say. He nods and is already off to serve another customer. I take a sip, expecting my eyes to snap wide open, but unfortunately for me, coffee doesn’t work like that. 

“Hey.” A certain rabbit hopps next to my seat. She also seems a bit worse for wear. “How are you holding up?”

“Hey. I’m… awake. That’s a win in my book… What about you?”

“Well I’m fi…” she stops and after giving it a thorough thought says, “Stressed… heh… I’m scared. I mean it’s so nerve wrecking to see others getting downvoted by the jury and I keep worrying if they will like my video, I also hope the others will do fine. I just… Arh… I wish this show was over.”

“Well that makes the two of us.” I say taking another sip from my coffee. “Look, I already told you I’ll tell you once more, you are great! You hear me? The best! I’m not allowed to bet, but if I was, I would bet all my money on you escaping with no scratches! Plus… I mean… If you think things are bad, my offer still stands…” I say, lowering my voice, referring to her escape through the Wildetimes. She doesn’t say anything, but I can see she’s grateful from her smile and nod. 

Taking a look at district 3 and his talking partner she asks. “What do you think about him? Will he be… allowed?”

“I don’t know.” I say. “I’m not sure. If he is allowed to join as a hunter…”

“...My chance for survival will be even less likely… He is good. He’s really good with the guns…”

I wave. “It’s all editing! They could have made 100 takes too for it to look like he nailed all shots right away. Besides, it’s still undecided. Just because Connor loves the idea of a new rival, it doesn’t mean they will allow it.”

“Yeah… Yeah! It’s unlikely he’s going to join as a hunter! No way!… No way…”

“And… What about the others?” I asked, thinking it was time to change the subject “What are they doing right now?”

“The others? Oh! They… are talking about names.”

“Names?” I chuckle. “I thought we were past this phase but… Ehm… Nicholas Wilde, pleasure to meet you!” I say and dramatically reach towards her for a pawshake.

She laughs and pushes my paw away. “Not those names! Dumb fox! Names for the team. Sophia brought it up that the audience will need a name they can refer to when talking about our alliance. There were ideas for names like the ‘Trialliance’ ‘Trilliance’ or ‘District 28’ stuff like these.”

“28? Why 28?” I ask, furrowing my eyebrows on the seemingly random number.

“You know… District 12, 11 and 5. 12 plus 11 plus 5… 28… District 28.”

“Aaaaaaah okay! I get it now. Why not multiply it then?” I half joke but Judy excitedly raised her head.

“That’s exactly what I said! Team 660!” 

“Wait wait wait.” I raise my paw with a growing smile “Multiplying it was your idea? There is a joke here somewhere about rabbits and multiplying but I’m not sure you’re ready for it.” I make a remark as she gives me a slightly annoyed eye roll and a head shake.

“Harr harr… Very funny… Laugh all you want, Team 660 still sounds better!”

“Noone will know why 660!” I say “Don’t even mention, if we give it another 6, others will think you want to summon satan himself.”

“It’s 660, not 666. And we can explain! Besides, it's a great attention grabber! ‘Our strength together is multiplied!’ Come on, what do you think? Be honest!”

“Honestly… Team 660 for the win, I guess!” I give in. “It does roll off the tounge.”

“Yess! Two votes for Team 660!”

“Heh… You seem less stressed!”

“You seem less tired!”

I stop for a moment. She’s right. Her energy is contagious that’s for sure. Either that or all the coffee I drank all day decided to finally work at once. “I suppose I do.” I give her a smile, which she returns. Gulping down the last drops of my coffee I ask “So… Should we return to the others?” 

“Let’s go” she nods. I have a feeling she left the group for the same reason as I did. Wanted some time off from the others. But since we were both ready, it was time to reunite with the team. As I sit down I catch a glimpse of Skye’s knowing smile, but before I could question what this look is for, Sophia immediately turns to me with the burning question.

“Okay, listen we’ve been discussin’ what name we should give our team. What do you…”

“Team 660 all the way!” I say without hesitation, receiving a disappointed ear drop from the serval.

“She’s a ‘Trilliance’ supporter.” Judy lets me know the reason behind her reaction, so I just give Sophia an apology shrug.

“Yes! Trillance… Brilliance… You guys are passin’ on a quality team name! Okay… Okay. William?” Sophia turns to the chipmunk who gives a shrug.

“I don’t know. I don’t have a preferance.” He says but his Mentor obviously wouldn’t have that. 

Sophia just shakes her head, and says “You need to vote! Trilliance, or Team 660?”

“Okay… I mean… I’m fine with either but… if I need to vote… I guess I’ll go with Trilliance.”

“That’s my tribute! Skye?” 

“Team 660 is great I think.” She shortly says.

“Sharla?” Sophia turns to her last resort.

She looked around, then at Sophia with an apologetic expression. “Sorry… I still think District 28 is good, but since it’s not an option… Team 660.”

“Oh… Okay, Okay.” Sophia said, raising her paws and giving two nods. “You win, it will be 660. I won’t say I agree, but I accept the results of the majority vote! We’re Team 660! Paws and hooves in the middle come on!”

“Are we really doing this?” I chuckle but place my paw in the middle too.

“I suppose so.” Judy shrugs, putting her paw on mine. 

Slowly the pile becomes bigger, and with Skye closing the tower, Sophia said “To our more than likely win! On count to three, Team 660! 1..2..3..”

“Team 660!” We all said in unison. I gotta admit as annoying as Sophia can be I’m glad she’s on the team. As I look at everyone I can’t help but feel… Hopeful…

 

Chapter 15: The Show (Part 2)

I took my place for the second part of the show with newfound energy, and I definitely needed it. I don’t know how I would have survived otherwise. 

Contestant after contestant came up, bringing us closer to our video showcase. The points we had to exceed weren’t too tough, aside from district 3’s 9.25 and district 8’s 8.0 average, the rest were reasonable that could definitely be beaten. 

OH and in other news… Fabian did spice up the show by storming off, and not quite reaching the bathrooms, sent all the booze back to the sender. It happened just slightly off stage, which is his only luck. I’m not sure what Richard would have done to him if it happened on stage… he only returned to his seat while District 10’s mountain goat’s harmonica performance was seen. District 10 got 6.5 points and it was time for our beloved District 11 to shine. Fingers crossed! 

The video of course showed all three of the mentors in the alliance, so for everyone else in the audience this was the first real hint of a possible team up. Looking back at it maybe I overshot a bit with the editing work, but oh well. I’d rather have it over the top than mild. The audience loves things over the top anyway. It portrayed Will’s tree jumping skills perfectly and that was the main goal. 

When the video finished, Will got a fairly big cheer from the audience, even Richard decided to point it out. “Can you hear this? This is the sound of a satisfied audience! Now that was some real show of skill! The way you soared through the sky before landing on a tree! Brilliant, I tell you, brilliant!”

“Thank you! I hoped it would catch your attention!” Will somewhat squeaked.

“It most certainly had! Hahhaa! Tell me something, I’m really curious. Isn't it terrifying to jump between those trees? On slip up and… Uh don’t even talk about it!” Richard said, waving away the thought, not missing the chance to glance at the audience, then looked back at Will. “How can you seem so confident so high up?”

“It’s about attention and a lot of practice!” Will said. “If you look at the next landing spot and not the third one in the distance you can go for hours like this.”

“For hours? WOW! I certainly couldn’t!”

“Just let me know if you want to take classes after the show!” Will joked, earning a laugh from the host.

“Hahhaaa! Careful now, I may take up on your offer! Next time anyone sees me will be swinging on trees. Ahhahaa! That would be a sight to behold! Now of course your performance was interesting as it is, but I can’t help but notice that you didn’t only go up against your mentor. Is there a reason for that?”

“Oh of course there is! I’m just not sure if I should be the one saying the big news though…” Will glanced at me and Judy, so I gave him a ‘go ahead’ kind of nod.

“Oh please! Tell us!” Richard basically whined, pushing the question. “I’m telling you, I won’t keep the show going until you open up about this little secret!”

“Haha.. okay okay.” William said, raising his paws. “Well, the three of us, district 5, 11, and 12 are planning to join under an alliance. We will share funds and help each other as much as we can.”

“Wooohoow!” The tiger reacted, looking into the camera, as Will earned some clap and cheer from the audience rows. “Ah that is incredible! Incredible! A three way alliance?”

“We also have a name. Do you want to hear it?” William brought it up, and of course Richard caught on the opportunity.

“Do you need to ask? Hahaa! Of course we want to hear it!”

“After a discussion we settled on the name Team 660!”

“Team 660? Interesting. Very interesting. Why is that?” Rich asks the same question I did, with enthusiastic anticipation.

“Well… It’s an alliance between District 5, 11, and 12… 5x11x12… 660. Our strength together is multiplied!”

“Ah! 5x11x12… I love it! Team 660! And what did you say? ‘Our strength together is multiplied’? Brilliant! I absolutely love it! Who was the one coming up with this idea? This is really great!”

“Well, actually we have Judy Hopps to thank for that.” 

“Ah should have known! District 12!” Richard smiled and playfully looked at us. “Full of surprises! That being said, I think it’s time to first hear your score, and move on to the ‘Wilde-card’ District 12. But as I said… First things first, let’s see your score from our jury, which is a…” After a brief second of building the suspense, the first number appeared on screen, with the rest shortly following. “7… 6… 9 and finally…7. This gets us an average of… 7.25. Great job! I’d say it’s very well deserved!”

Okay… I quickly gather all point averages in mind. That makes us take 4th and 5th place. Will in 4th, Sharla in 5th. Not bad! Actually not bad! Audience score will get added to the total, so we may get higher up… Or lower, but let’s not be negative right now. Lost in my thoughts I almost miss the start of Judy’s video. We’re up… Focus.

The video was just as I first imagined it. Showed my initial loss against her (God, that punch looks just as painful as it felt) and after a well timed ‘Let me show you how it’s done’ from Judy, it turned into her self defence lesson and her explaining voice over. It sure was an experience. I still remember some moves she taught me. I won’t need them most likely, but hey, I can fend off some inexperienced mugger if the situation arises. Finally we hear Judy’s ‘That’s enough for today. Great job!’ and the screen goes black.

“OHOHOOO! District 12 didn’t disappoint!” Richard yelled amidst the cacophony. If I had to guess which video got the best reaction from the present audience, my bet would be on this one. Looks like a rabbit fighting, grabs all mammals’ attention. “Those punches seemed tough! But let’s be honest there… You weren’t going all in on your poor mentor now, did you?”

“Well… Mr Wilde proved to be a great student, so perhaps it wouldn’t be as easy to pin him to the ground as it was at the start…” She started, giving me a careful glance, in case she said something wrong. “Our main goal was to show my police combat knowledge, and I hope… we succeeded in that.”

“Hmm I don’t know. What do you think, did she succeed?” Rich asked from the audience and once again, agreeing cheers were heard all over the place. “I think this speaks for itself, you were terrific!”

“OH please…” Fabian’s demeaning voice was heard, as my heart skipped a beat. Of course the sobering ‘bomb’ blows on me. Just great… Okay, stay calm, don’t escalate the situation. I think to myself as I prepare for the worst. “Anyone can throw around that pathetic excuse of a predator. She should fight a real predator if she wants to show how ‘strong’ she is.”

To my relief Richard comes for my rescue, or at the very least tries to defuse the situation. “Ehm. Please wait for the next part of the show, when the hunters can talk about the videos and…”

Unfortunately despite Richard’s best efforts, Fabian just keeps talking. “Look, no way that rabbit can beat someone who is actually capable of fighting. There is no big talent here, only smoke and mirrors… Just saying.” He lays back, shrugging. I hope it’s over but far from it. He keeps going at it. He really took Judy’s cheer from the audience personally. “Everyone acts like it’s such a big deal, it really isn’t! It was a cute act, that's what it was.”

I can see Judy’s stinging glare, fixed on the cheetah, with her paw curled into a fist, so I try to signal her to just ignore him. I grab her shoulders and shake my head. She understands my message, as she nods and gives a barely noticeable sigh.

“Oh, and don’t get me started on her mentor!”

“Fabian, this is enough.” Richard tries another time, but it’s like his words find deaf ears. The cheetah keeps talking.

“Stupid smiling trashbag. You think you are funny with those jokes don’t you?” He asks, pointing at me. “Masking your sad and miserable life?”

I’m not sure what to say. Or, well, I have a lot to say, but none of them would help in this situation. Not sure what he has against me or my jokes, but to some extent I’m just happy he decided to berate me and not Judy. However the next thing he brought up hit me in the face.

“Sleeping well? Or still waking up in the middle of the night crying about some non existent pain like a toddler? Fucking nutjob… grow up already.”

My ears drop as my smile disappears. He knows… Not only that but he decided to just throw it in my face in front of millions. I need to remind myself not to escalate by doing anything rash, because some pretty harsh words were already on the tip of my tongue. However before I could do something stupid, Judy did.

Hopping off her seat she said. “Well then show me the real predator I should fight.”

Oh no…

“Heh…” Fabian chuckled, and stood up from his seat “He’s standing right in front of you sweetheart! Come on! Try your cute methods on me, and this year’s hunt will have only 11 entering candidates.”

Meanwhile the guards were already on their way to the stage to stop the dispute, but not before Judy went in. With the lightning speed I’m already familiar with, she slid between the feline’s legs. He was obviously too slow to stop her going through so his punch only met the air. 

I wasn’t sure what Judy’s plan was until I remembered what she said back then about turning the surrounding area to your advantage. Suddenly Fabian’s armchair and the wall seemed mighty fine candidates for her next set of moves. Just as the realization came to me, she already made the majestic wall-chair-wall-face combo, the moment the cheetah turned around. 

With his face kicked, he lost his fight with gravity, and with a loud slam, hit the ground. Before he could stand up, Judy was already twisting his arm the same way she did at the start of our presentation.

“AHHHH! GET OFF ME YOU PREY SCUM! FUCKING PREY SCUM!” Fabian yelled, as the guards finally reached the fighting duo. They pulled Judy off the struggling hunter, and the moment he was free, he stood up and wanted to repay the face punch, but his attempt was stopped by the other two guards holding him back. “YOU’RE DEAD FUZZY BUNNY, YOU HEAR ME?! YOU’RE DEAD!”

Meanwhile Richard decided to get the show back on track. With a nervous laugh, he said. “Ookayyy! Hah… ha… Ahm… Let’s… Let’s see how many points District 12 gathered with her performance…! Come on… Points!” He looked at the staff and gestured to them to hurry up.

“Why did you do this?” I squeezed the question through my teeth when Judy was sat down by the guards next to me.

“I had to! I couldn’t just listen to his pompous monologue!” She whispered back. “He was attacking you!”

“You should have let him! This isn’t about me it’s about…”

“1…” Richard said the first number, making me stop whispering… Did he just say one? I curiously glance at the screen that currently has the huge golden yellow ‘1’ displayed.

“2…” The second number appears,  making me limp back on my seat. 

“1…” The third number appeared. This can’t be… It has to be a joke.

“And last but not least… Oh! A 10!” Richard yelled, like that could overwrite the previous numbers. At least one of the jury members loved the show… unfortunately this isn’t enough for anything. We’re still 12th out of 12. This suspicion gets confirmed the moment the average comes up. Even with the final 10, it’s only 3.5. As it stands… We’re in last place.

----

When Richard opened the voting for the audience, everyone was allowed to walk off stage, except for the hunters. It was their time to fill the remaining hour with their thoughts. Connor was mainly talking about district 3, and a few things about all other districts. With crossed arms, Fabian always just barked one or two word answers on everything else, and only started a minute-long complaint when it was time to discuss our video. I have to admit I wasn’t jealous of Richard’s job right now.

Thankfully Fabian’s comment on my sleep wasn’t what stuck with others. I did get some weird pity looks and grimaces, but Skye and Sophia didn’t push me on the matter which I was deeply grateful for. I didn’t want to start explaining everything. 

As for Judy… She looks okay for the most part, but I’m not sure if she is really fine or only keeps up the act so the others wouldn’t worry about her. She also doesn’t really talk with me or the others right now. She only smiles, nods, and simpler things like that. At least she isn’t in shambles, so that’s great, but I can tell there is something on her mind. 

When we were told to take our place for the final part I immediately heard the yell of a pretty angry cheetah. “Where is she?” He asked furiously, storming into the VIP section. The start of the 10 minute advert break gave him a bit of time to come off stage and he decided to cause some more trouble

“Stay back…” I whisper to Judy but she doesn’t move.

“Why? I can protect myself.” She said in a determined tone, glaring at the searching cheetah.

“Oh, I have no doubt there, but you hurt one of their favorite hunt celebrities more than you did, and you can be sure they won’t take it lightly.”

“They can’t punish me more than they already have…”

“Are you sure about that? You have a family don’t you? In that case… Yes they can.” As Fabian’s glance met mine I added “You have about 5 seconds to decide.”

This finally reached the wanted outcome as she looked at me with a twitching nose, back at the arriving cheetah and finally stepped behind me just before the furious hunter arrived.

“Oh you’re hiding now!” Fabian spat, and looked at me.

“Hello there! How can I help?” I ask, still confidentially standing in his way.

“You know very well! Out of my way, pretty boy.”

“As flattering as it is that you are calling me names, I don’t think I will do that. Listen buddy…”

“Don’t you ‘buddy’ me, fox!” He said, pushing me with one finger. “You listen. You either get out of my way… Or I’ll make you.”

He tried to get around me, but I stepped in his way again. “Do you really want to get in trouble by hurting a candidate before the arena? It’s a pretty big fine… C’mon, be a bit sensible, will you?”

“Let me worry about that! If this one dies, they will get another one. Why do you think there are so many prey? So you can get another one after you dispose of the last, like a used rag! This is my last warning fox, now get out of my way!”

“Fabian…” I couldn’t say anything else, as the cheetah kept his promise, going for a punch directed to my face. 

Looks like something stuck with me on my self defence lessons, as I managed to deflect his first four hits. Lean, lean, dodge, dodge, unfortunately the incoming elbow punch wasn’t on the previous lesson plan so it finally reached its goal, of connecting with my nose. 

A bit disoriented, I stumble backwards, but manage to keep my footing. The warm taste of blood lets me know my nose did not like this encounter. I ready myself for the next hits, but to my surprise the other Hunter steps in front of me. 

“Ah, trying to take away points from me, are you?” Connor asked, tilting his head.

“Wha… This does not concern you!” Fabian growled, earning a chuckle from Connor.

“You are trying to sabotage my game plan. I think it does concern me.” 

“Your game plan?” Fabian asked, narrowing his eyes. “The arena hasn't even started yet!”

Connor shook his head with a huge grin. “Oh Fabian… Fabian…That’s why I will always be the better hunter of the two of us. I actually plan ahead.” Now he found a soft spot, as feline finally had his claws out, ready to strike.

“I see how it is…” Fabian grumbled with hate filled eyes “Come on puppy, let’s dance!”

Connor’s smile only grew, and he readied his claws too. “Ohhhohoo! Please bring it on! Settle this like back in the old days! Winner takes all, the loser's left to tend to their wounds.”

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?” Richard yelled as he arrived at the scene. His stage smile was nowhere to be seen, neither was his kind attitude. “We are live in less than 5 minutes and YOU HERE are messing EVERYTHING up. On stage… Everyone… RIGHT NOW!”

“Oh, but things have just gotten interesting!” Connor claimed in a calm manner, his paws still ready to strike. Meanwhile Fabian thought over the situation and considering his options, he finally retracted his claws.

“Fine…” The cheetah huffed, still narrowing his eyes at the smiling wolf, then glanced at me, and finally at Judy behind me. “But you remember rabbit, I will make your death as painful as possible, and I’ll enjoy every single second of it!” He made one more hateful glance at the wolf, then headed back on the stage while cursing under his breath.

“Don’t worry rabbit, If I get to you first, your death will be quick and painless.” Connor said without looking back at her and followed Fabian.

“Finally! I swear the rivalry between these two gets worse year by year. And just when the president is also watc…” Richard said in a relieved tone, and when he saw me and my bleeding nose, it made him stop his rant immediately. “What on earth happened to you? You look awful!”

“You can have two guesses.” I wipe the blood off. “I stepped in Mister ‘I have too big ego’s’ way.”

“Really? Unbelievable that guy… I already told the game masters THREE TIMES to change him, but no! They aren’t the ones dealing with his idiocy, I need to do that, so they couldn't care less… I’m reporting this to the higher ups, maybe after attacking a mentor, they would finally consider getting a different hunter… Will you be alright?” He asked, and after I gave a nod, he clapped his paws together. “Alright, splendid! Oh… Ehm… Do try to clean yourself before going back, and hurry… Please. Meanwhile I’ll let the camera crew know to avoid close ups.”

With that the host left too, leaving just me, my bloody nose and Judy behind. At least he asked if I was okay before sending me off to clean myself… How kind!

“Well… Remind me to take a course on dodging elbow punches… Oww… ” I tap my nose. Still sensitive but at least not broken.

“Are you really fine? That punch looked nasty… Oh that guy… What’s his problem anyway?” Judy fumed, while looking at my nose close up.

“I’m fine! Really! It has stopped bleeding already, See?” I say, but immediately wince as she taps it. “Oww oww oww… No touching.”

“Maybe you should still check it out…”

“Nah, it’s fine.” I wave and start walking towards the bathrooms. I have about 2 minutes to get myself cleaned. “The show’s over in 15 minutes. If I survived until now, I won’t die because of ‘nose hurtie’. I’ll be fine, really. Wait here and… Yell if you need me.”

I open the men’s bathroom to see the damage. I reach the mirror and… Oh boy I do look horrible. It honestly didn’t feel like a lot of blood, but it was enough to make me look like a rookie vampire after feeding. Even part of my lower muzzle was covered to add to the sight, so now I know why Richard said he would tell the camera crew to avoid close ups. No way I could effectively clean this off with no trace of blood remaining.

As I place my paw below the tap, water immediately starts flowing. I splash my face twice, and watch as it taints the water light red. Scrub here scrub there, and… It’s not coming off easily that’s for sure. I use some extra soap, yet still, even though I’m not a vampire anymore, and I can’t smell anything else other than the lavender soap that I used, anyone standing closer than 20 feet would see something’s off. Well that’s about as much as it comes down, I have no more time for myself unfortunately. So I wipe off the water with a fancy towel and go outside. 

To my relief Judy was still where I left her and no passed out cheetah anywhere, meaning he gave up on revenge for the time being. “Alright, let’s go.” 

“You still have…” Judy started but I raised my paw. 

“I know.” I said “But that’s as good as it’s gonna get. We have about a minute to take our place. If you don't want to get on Richard’s bad side, I think we should go.”

“Oh.. Erm.. Okay… If you say so!” Judy claimed after giving one more unsure look at my nose, and followed me on stage.

As we arrived, the usual sight was seen. Everyone was at their place already, some mentors were talking to each other, and even the audience was rumbling, making some background noise. Since Sophia was next to me, she immediately spotted my poor attempt at washing off the blood and asked “What happened to you?” But I just waved it off.

“It’s fine,” I whisper. “I’ll tell you after the show.”

Looks like we just arrived on time as Richard gave some undercover military signs to the camera crew, they gave a nod and he walked on stage, grin wide as ever, like nothing bad happened!”

“Welcome back everyone! Welcome back! I hope everyone feels excited for the final scores! As of now the voting site is still up and running but not for long! You still have one minute to cast your votes! Again that’s www dot thehunt dot zn slash voting! Your favorite may need your vote to get higher up on the rankings, or to keep their place! Go ahead! cast your votes while you can!” Rich quickly said, like it was the most important event in history, meanwhile the countdown appeared on screen too. “Half a minute remaining everyone, only half a minute left! Again, your favorite may need your vote! Come on! It’s a bit of your time but it would mean the world to the contestants! Aaaaand the final countdown has begun! 10…9…8…7…6…5…4...3…2…1… aaaand DONE! With that… the voting… is now… closed!” He claimed in a grim tone like someone just died, even the lights went dim in the studio to amplify this feeling. “You may no longer cast your votes. I hope anyone who wanted to vote already did. The total is now being calculated, meanwhile, let’s take a look at the current standings!” Rich said, wildly gesturing at the display.

One by one, the screen showed the current scores of all candidates, starting from the worst score, and ending with the best. I’m not sure what to hope for. Audience score is generally better than the jury’s, but Judy’s stunt may have turned some supporters away… well, hope for the best I suppose.

“I just got the information that the results are in!” Richard said with a huge smile and clapped his paws together in anticipation. “Well what are we waiting for? Let’s see those final scores!”

First the title ‘Audience score’ came up with a fancy effect, and after a 5 second wait, next to every candidate’s picture, a second score appeared. Let’s see… 

My eyes widen at the numbers stated on the screen, and I need to do a double take to be certain. Next to Judy’s picture under the ‘audience score’ column, the number was a 9.7… That’s… That’s the best score! Even District 3 is below us with his 9.56 point!

A third column appears showing ‘Total score’ on the board, and with a ticking sound effect and a final cling, the two points get added together, getting us to 13.2 points, to 7th place! Take that Jury members! I also quickly look at the other's scores, thankfully they didn't slip behind either. Sharla with an 8.05 and William with an 8.55 audience score, still taking 5th and 4th place.

“Oh WOW!” Richard basically yelled into the already roaring crowd. “There is a LOT to unpack here. This result perfectly summarizes how your votes matter! I see smaller overtakes, but look at district 12 shooting for the stars, Hahhaaa! She would have definitely had a spot amongst the top 3, had the jury not given smaller numbers. But I have to assure everyone, they know what they are doing. To each their own I suppose! But with that tonight’s show reached its conclusion! Next ti…” Richard suddenly stopped, raising his paw to his ears. “No, wait a second… We have one last thing to discuss. One second ladies and gentle mammals, give me just one second to make sure it’s official!”

The tiger hurried off stage and took one of the tablets from the staff members. He asked something, and the badger immediately pointed at the tablet screen, nodding. Meanwhile the audience started murmuring amongst themselves. Richard swiped his finger on the screen, while still talking and receiving frequent nods from the badger. Rich gave a final nod and taking the tablet with himself walked back onto the stage. “Sorry about that, I had to make sure I didn’t tell a bunch of lies to our dear audience! So! In case someone joined us later in the show, basically what happened is district 3 made a video about his remarkable firearm handling skills, and declared that he wanted to join as a Hunter for this year’s Hunting Season! And now we have the official decision from the game masters! So Sorren Daniel Spruce… Your application as a hunter… has been… ACCEPTED!”

Once again, like a bomb going off, the present audience gave an approving wave of roar and clap. With his smile wide, the reindeer stood up and nodded at the camera as a ‘thank you’ gesture and waved at the audience. 

I exchanged a meaningful look with Judy and watching her expression, she thought the same thing I did. That is not good.

-----

“During the preparation phase any contestant may voice their willingness to join the hunt as a hunter. If there are more than one applications for this title, the contestant with the higher talent point total will be chosen.” I read from my phone while inside our limousine. The ‘what happened to your face?’ questions started to get boring and annoying, so I decided to end the night right there. It was about time… “The temporary hunter may enter the arena by regular contestant rules, but can only start scoring points once the other two hunters are inside the arena as well. Their supporter income may be spent as regular, with extended shop items, such as weapons of choice, and transportation vehicles.”

Judy leaned over to see my phone screen more clearly and resumed. “This ‘temporary hunter’s’ task will be the same as that of the all time hunters. The contestant wins, if their score total is the best of the three, and they are the last one of the tributes inside the arena. If both conditions are true, the contestant may leave the arena with no further attacks directed at them. If one or both of these conditions are yet to be fulfilled, the hunt resumes. If the temporary hunter is to leave the arena prematurely, they are eliminated and have to bear the consequences.”

I take over the reader’s job again. “The temporary hunter has immunity to all attacks for the first 2 days and may only get eliminated by the other hunters, during the last 24 hours, if winning conditions still don’t apply... Why are they doing this?” I blurt it out. “Aren’t they afraid of the implications?”

“Oh but I think they are fully aware of its implications… That’s the whole reason it was allowed.” Judy says, staring in front of herself. As I give her a confused look she elaborates. “The only way you can be successful in life, when you are born as a prey, is if you turn on your fellow prey… I think District 3’s offer is the best the game masters could have hoped for. I’d bet anything that during the next hunt’s preparation there will be a bunch of tributes fighting over the temporary hunter role, I mean look at this! ‘The temporary hunter has immunity to all attacks for the first 2 days and may only get eliminated by the other hunters during the last 24 hours’. It basically says you will be treated as a fellow predator if you prove to be ‘strong’ as one.”

“Wow…” That’s all I say.

“Yeah…” That’s all she says and only the distant sound of music stops the silence from taking over. 

Thinking about it… this is really the best thing the game masters could hope for. People have been saying the hunt had turned too ‘flat’ and ‘boring' now. So new rules spicing it up, will most certainly bring a record number of viewers for about 5 more years. After that they will bring a new rule again, like each district having to send 2 tributes or something. Hey, let’s lose the hunters and let the tributes fight it out who wins while we’re at it…

“So what now?” Judy asks, pulling me back from my thoughts. “We’re past the talent show, what’s next on the schedule?”

“Well… Next morning would be the first time I show you the map and plan out the route you would take but you are already ahead of me, since you made a quite remarkable plan already. We can still make some adjustments, since now we know who enters and when, but… Next major thing will be preparing for the arena and after that…”

“The arena itself… Yeah...” Judy sighed

As we stopped in front of the training center, we both got out of the limousine, and met with the rest of the 660 team. Kind of them to wait for us. As we all got into the lift, everyone congratulated Judy on the best audience score one more time and told her to just ignore the jury’s vote. After everyone got out on the proper level it was just the two of us again.

“Well, goodnight. Hope you’ll fall asleep quickly. I know I will.” I say as we reach the door of her room. I went past her, but since she didn’t say anything back, I stopped at my own door. “Is everything okay?” I ask, looking at her hesitating expression.

“Well… I ahm. I was just… I was wondering…” She asked, looking at me, then just shook her head and gave a weak smile. “Nothing. Good night.” And with that she disappeared into her room.

I still stare at the closed door for a bit, thinking about what to make of this interaction then just shake my head too and head inside my own room. It’s nice and clean with a new minty air freshener smell, and a new set of bed sheets. Before I inevitably fell unconscious on my bed, I headed into the bathroom. My nose still had the reminder of the unfortunate meeting with the cheetah’s elbow. Even though it doesn’t hurt anymore I still wince at the memory of it happening. As much as I hate that wolf, I have to admit I’m grateful he stepped in between us, no matter the reason. Does he really plan so far ahead, taking into account every candidate’s current spot in the order? Did he just enjoy making his rival mad? I’ll never know.

My phone beeps with a notification. It’s the usual arena preparation reminder. When to arrive and where on the big day, plus our starting place. 7th… 3 whole hours before the hunters get inside. I click on the notification that guides me onto the hunt’s website, and… “Woah…” My eyes widened. Since I’m logged in to my mentor account, on the top of the site it already shows the current donation amount that I will be able to use. 

970.510 dollars as of now and counting…971.170… 976.170… 985.670. I click on it and get guided to the detailed donation page. It has two columns one is labeled District 12, currently with 993.207dollars and the second is ‘Team 660’. With 1.712.562 dollars in total. Whoever works on maintaining this page, sure works a lot if we already have a review of the joined donation total. 

Below both columns I can see the usernames and messages from mammals all around Zootopia who supported either member of our team. 

--

$10,000 Toromy “At this point I’m too emotionally invested in this team’s well being to not care. 660, you got this!”

$100 #HashTiger# “N-way I aually root 4 a distrii this tym! Goooo 12 u the bm! The h’s have n-ing on u!”

$5,000 AceFalle “My financial stability depends on this bunny. No pressure, though.”

$50 JutinTime449 -No Message-

$9,500 Creativespirit “To District 12 Judith Hopps, You have the heart of a dragon. Let Hope be your wings, courage be your mighty breath of fire.”

$7,525 HoneyBadger25: “All to that bunny. To the first person that shoots at her, know that if one day I find you on the street I will chase you with bees, It's a lie, I'm joking! ... Hm. (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)”

$12 Bunn1-E “Beep Boop My sensors detect that District 12 is the best!”

$660 HummingBirdofCats: “If you chase two rabbits (or three!) you catch none!”

$2,640 KittyLS “‘Our strength together is multiplied’ lol I loved that! Team660 x 4ever!”

$5 George2051 “pls win rabit lady”

--

“Judy…” I mutter to myself and immediately leave my room with the phone in paws. She has to see this! She seemed so down, these messages are sure to cheer her up at least a tiny bit. I haven’t seen my candidates get more than 50 thousand during the whole hunt. Judy got to a million in less than a few hours with a lot of positive messages! 

So the well mannered mammal I am, I barge in on her without knocking. Yeah I know, I’m a bit too excited right now to care about social norms.

“Judy you won’t believe…” I start and she shoots up from the bed wiping her watery eyes. She hasn't even bothered to change her clothes yet and is still in the dress she was at the show. “Are you... Okay?” I finished my sentence.

“Y-yeah everything’s… F…ine.” She claims, her voice cracking in the middle. Since new tears appeared in her eyes, she quickly swiped those away too and said “S-sorry. Sorry.”

“What? No, don’t say sorry! What’s wrong?” I pocket my phone and sit down next to her.

“It’s just… This whole day… I’m trying to calm myself down that everything is fine when this whole situation is NOT fine, but I need to show everyone else here that I know what I’m doing so I can’t afford any slip ups! Also there was this whole Fabian thing who basically threatened to torture me so there’s that! Until now at least I had the show to focus on and distract me from that rapidly approaching hunt… Now that it’s out of the way… The truth is I’m scared and have no idea what I’m doing or what I’m supposed to do. So I’m scared of the hunt, I’m scared of dying, I'm scared of one of the other team members dying, I’m scared that I’ll do something stupid and my family would suffer because of it.” She said with a sniff while pulling her feet up to hug it. “I miss my family. I miss them so much and I have to go on knowing that I have only a small chance of meeting them again. I wish this was a nightmare that I can wake up from, but it feels too real to be the case.”

“I see.” I say. This was a lot to take in. And to think I went to my room just a few minutes ago, not knowing any of this… I should have known she wasn’t doing as fine as she showed. “Well, this… this is a messed up situation. It’s really not fine. Look, I’m not saying I know all the answers to your concerns but… Maybe I can help to get you through this? I mean god I would barge in the arena like I did right now, sorry about that by the way…” I add and receive a slight chuckle.” …and carry you out myself. But I don’t have to because you can do this, and you know it too! You have that fire!”

“Well that fire is a tiny ember at this point.” She muttered, hugging her legs tighter.

“That’s not true. Do you know why?” I ask and after receiving a head shake I go on. “When you arrived here, that’s when only a small ember was seen. Someone who lost all hope. But you found your fire and ignited two more! Do you think Sharla and Will would be in the first half without you? No! You helped them find their fire! It’s all thanks to you.”

“It’s thanks to their skills…” She argues

“It’s thanks to your motivation. You really are the positive force on the world you want to be.” I counter, as she finally looks at me with her purple eyes. “You are amazing! I know you are scared, hell I would be too in this situation! But… let me know what I can do to ease that feeling. Let me help the way you helped the others!”

She thought about it for a bit then asked “Can you stay? Only a few minutes!” She immediately adds. “You don’t need to spend the whole night here!”

“Of course!” I nod. “Want me to turn off the lights?”

“Please.” She says so I do as such. It becomes dark, and my eyes need a few seconds to adjust to the low light level. 

“Hey Nick?” She asks in a bit of a sleepy voice.

“Hmm?”

“I… I’m sorry you had to take that hit because of me… If I listened to you and just ignored him…”

“No…” I shake my head, even though I’m pretty sure she couldn’t see me. “Don’t blame yourself. If you didn’t intervene then, I would have gotten myself punched anyway, but live on tv. What happened, happened.” I say, sitting back on the other side of her bed.

“What happened happened.” She repeats hazily, and pretty soon her steady breathing signals she is already asleep. She must have been really exhausted, it took only a few minutes. 

I probably should be going back to my room soon, but I’m too tired, and my legs refuse to cooperate. ‘I found a comfortable place to rest on, I won’t move!’ My leg muscles tell me, and my sleep deprived numb brain somewhat agrees. On one paw I know I shouldn’t stay, it’s not right. On the other one though, I’m already sleeping.

Chapter 16: Preparation

I wake up to an unusual feeling that I haven’t felt since I turned 8. The sun shining on my face, being well rested, and the most important of all no shock of any kind, let that be real or not.

As I open my eyes I sit up a bit confused, and after letting out a big yawn, I rub my eyes. How on earth…

“Good morning sunshine!” I hear from the other side of the bed with the bunny smiling at me. I look at her confused, wondering why she was in my room, then replay the previous night in my mind, look around and have to realize she isn’t in my room. I’m in hers.

“Heh… Good one.” I chuckle after the initial surprise disappears. Last time I was the one welcoming her with this sentence, so I deserved to get it back. “With that the score of sleeping in each other’s room is 1-1! What twist may happen later on? We’ll see after the advert break!” I imitate Richard’s voice, and look at her apologetically. “Sorry, I really wanted to go to my room, I just… I was tired and… Sorry.”

“Hmm. You don’t have to apologise. I wanted you to stay and you stayed. So thank you!”

“Yeah but still… It wasn’t an invitation to sleep in the same bed! Look, if you need a different mentor who doesn’t take your blanket in the middle of the night just let me know!”

“Nick, it's okay! Really!” Judy laughed. “I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, but this was the best sleep I have had since I arrived at this place. So again, thank you!”

“Heh… Yeah well… me too.” I absentmindedly tap my neck, fully expecting it to realize I woke up and start stinging, but no. It doesn’t do anything. “What… What time is it?” I ask, searching for a clock. Based on the sun, it’s not early in the morning that’s for sure.

“If the clock on the coffee machine is to be trusted, it’s barely past noon.” Judy says pointing in the kitchen segment. “Want one? Coffee I mean.”

“Ah… Yeah that… That would be nice.”

“Wait here. Is one sugar, almond milk okay?” She asks, and after I give a nod walks off into the kitchen, giving me a bit of time to fully catch up with my thoughts.

Okay so I slept for almost 11 hours… How is this possible? Last time Judy was in my room, the shock didn’t happen either… But I still woke up! Now I basically slept through the whole morning until noon. How? ‘If the doc said you need to convince yourself that there is no danger, the best way to do it is sleeping next to someone you can trust!’ I remember Finnick’s advice, and it looks like the little guy was once again right. Last time when the shock didn’t happen, Judy was only close. This time we basically slept side by side and I didn’t even wake up. There sure seems to be a pattern here.

“There you go!” Judy said, arriving with a mug in paws. 

“Thanks.” I say

This whole ‘morning’ is surreal. Me actually enjoying waking up feels illegal, yet here we are, getting out of bed in the middle of the day with someone bringing me coffee. It’s weird, and the scary thought of ‘I’d get used to it’ creeps in my mind. No! I better not get used to it!

“So what was the reason for coming into my room last night? I assume you had a reason like I had previously.”

“Oh mmh right!” I place my mug down and pull up my phone. “So. I already told you how important supporters are. It seems like others loved your little show back there because… Just take a look at this.”

At first she took a look at the screen confused on what to look at, then I saw the lightbulb finally lit up in her eyes as he connected the dots, and started reading. Last night’s million already turned into 4.2 million overnight, with a combined donation total of 7.5 million.

For a while I just sat there staring at her reactions and occasionally slurping a mouthful from my mug, while she scrolled through the page. She just smiled, occasionally gave a chuckle, then stopped with the scrolling on one particular donation. It piqued my curiosity so I took a look at the screen too.

$65.000 BackUpDancer1270 “The whole precinct wants you back. I believed in you back then and I still do. Show them how it’s done, Judy!”

“Aww… Clawhauser…” She said, grabbing the phone a bit more tightly, and going through the short donation message over and over again.

“Coworker?” I ask.

“The district chief. My boss.” She explains while still looking at the screen. “He helped me a lot at the start of my cop career and I’d bet anything he already talked with a bunch of mammals to try and get me out of the hunt. Most likely with no success, but still. He’s a great chief who cares about his officers.”

“Based on his reaction at the ceremony, I have no doubt.”

She gives the message one more thorough look, then starts scrolling through the donations again. Meanwhile I was able to finish my ‘morning’ coffee too and I wasn’t drinking quickly. Upon reaching the end she looked at the joint donation total, and with a frown said, “That’s a lot of money… A family could live off it for… a looong time.”

“Feels like that doesn't it? But if we divide it amongst the three of you it really isn’t. We need a mentionable starting gear, with proper clothes and body heat reflecting coats, which in terms of hunt pricing, costs an arm and a leg. Plus a few rations of food. You’ll need your strength. Add that all together and we already spent your whole donation income. And we haven’t talked about the most important thing, the disable of signal tracking yet. But don’t worry, it hasn't been a day, so who knows how many donations you’ll get?

“What if I just don’t pay for clothes? I can go in with some regular wear!” She says the obvious thing anyone could think of when hearing how costly the Hunt items are, to which I shake my head.

“Yeah, no. You will be forced to change, it’s up to you if you have something to change into. You can go in the arena as naked as you were born for all they care. You will be unshowable on TV, but the site has different rules. You would definitely be a well watched candidate and hey, it’s definitely one way of getting more sponsors!”

“Oookay!” She says stopping me from explaining the situation in more detail. “Buying starting gear it is.”

“I’m glad we can agree on that one! Alright! Well. I think we should probably change from our unconventional pajamas, right?” I emphasize my statement by pointing at my wrinkled suit. “Oh and thank you for the coffee by the way! It was a really effective one.”

“You’re welcome! Meet you at the elevator?”

“Sounds like a plan! See you in 10.” I place my mug on the table and finally leave her room, to head to mine in order to change. 

On my way to my wardrobe though, I got an idea. It may not happen and It’s a bit of a long shot but I gotta try! So I pull up my phone and scroll back to a specific donation. There is an option to send a short message directly to the donator. I’m limited to a few characters and it’s usually just enough for a short thanks, but that’s all I need. I sent my phone number, and signed it as Nicholas Wilde. I’ll be able to thank him personally if he calls. 

“Alright Mr. Clawhauser… Looking forward to that call.” 

Before going down to the prep area where most likely the others are, I took ourselves to the currently rarely populated restaurant. Got her a generous serving of plant based grilled cheese with steamed vegetables and some kind of chicken-egg salad for myself. It’s just as delicious as usual. I also snuck out two blueberry muffins for myself… Okay, not all myself, I gave one to her but I would most definitely have no trouble eating both.

Downstairs it was fairly easy to find the others. They were all in district 5’s preproom, going into detail with the plans. As it turns out we didn’t miss a lot as they arrived a bit more than an hour ago. They were also surprised that we weren’t already downstairs, since that never happened before. I just shrugged it off, saying I needed some rest after my video editing spree, and knowing I’ve been up for two days they believed it.

As for the plans, nothing really changed. Now that we know that Will and Sharla start close to each other, we can officially give them the duo route, with Sharla carrying Will, and Judy can take the alone one. Probably for the best. I don’t know what Judy would do if she heard someone was targeted, but she definitely wouldn’t just sit it out if she was close by. So going the other way is the best idea.

Among other things they also discussed the final strategy. They already know how Judy wants to be the distraction but the ‘reserve distraction’ role was still to be discussed. It was a bit of an awkward topic, but in the end Sharla agreed to take on it if it comes to that, saying William has a better chance due to his size anyway. 

“But if anything happens to me you must not freeze!” Judy said, swapping her stare between the other team members. “You have to carry on without me. Promise me you will!”

When both of them gave a silent nod, it was time to move on from the grim discussion of what will happen when a member dies. Judy took over the training, and while Sharla was tasked to run as fast as she can on the treadmill as long as she can, Will was basically greeted with a ‘Floor is lava’ challenge. She said Will should practise how far he can jump to be certain how big gaps he can make. Even though William claimed he knew his limits, Judy wouldn’t have that. She made progressively larger gaps, some with higher, and some with lower destinations, and whenever Will couldn’t make a jump after many tries, she wrote down the distance, and discussed it with him. I have to admit, some jumps he can make are insane. He’s a master of the craft for sure.

Some of the other candidates saw this and asked for some pointers on what to improve, and some general advice. I was worried she would suddenly ask for more alliance members, but fortunately it wasn’t the case. She happily helped, but didn’t run to me afterwards to fix a new team member with their mentor. I suppose she also knows that the 3 team member idea is pushing the limit and realistically speaking it’s unlikely everyone would survive.

And of course, Fabian’s sleep comment finally had its effect as I was approached by some of my fellow mentors who would give me ‘advice’ on my phantom shocks… The problem with this stupid thing is that it’s still not understood, and aside from knowing it’s because of the collars, nobody knows what caused it or why. It’s constantly researched, but no two cases are the same so naturally some methods might help you, but not others. However unfortunately (or more like fortunately) not all predators have it. Which means they can think ‘Hey I had to survive the same thing they did and I don’t have that shock. This means they are just seeking attention!’ or some different twisted logic. Therefore the non-shock havers have two groups. One is the mentioned ‘Snap out of it, you are just seeking attention’ type, the other one is the ‘Here’s some unwanted advice I heard from the internet!’ At least the later one actually wants to help and isn’t an asshole about it.

Right now I had the luck to receive both sides of the coin. Leonard saying that I’m a public mammal and I should know better than spreading this phantom shock nonsense, completely ignoring the fact that I wasn’t the one talking about it, and Sophia suggesting that I should take a week to hike in the Mountain district because that’s what helped her brother to overcome his phantom shock. I would love to talk with her brother to ask what really happened. 

Anyway, in the middle of Sophia’s lecture my phone finally rang, with an unfamiliar number, which could only mean one thing! Or at least I hope it is what I think it is. It would be horrible to get excited for a telemarketer. So I excused myself, picked up the phone and thankfully It was a professional voice introducing themselves as Benjamin Clawhauser. But of course this professional tone slowly dispersed as I explained what I wanted, and became an excited one.

I gotta say I’m glad this Clawhauser isn’t an ‘All rules are sacred and has to be kept’ type of police chief, otherwise my idea would be a lot harder to achieve, maybe even impossible. So we discussed a meeting time and place, and ended the call. Well, Judy’s up for a nice little surprise! 

The rest of the day was somewhat eventless. William did improve a few inches on his jumping distance. He was very determined to make that jump ever since he failed, and what do you know? By the night, he was able to make it confidently. Even Sharla managed to run the distance Judy had initially set up for her. She was exhausted by the end, sure but she made it! She will probably be able to get Will to the forest before the Hunters are even in the arena! Needless to say both 660 members outdone themselves today.

When it was time, I tapped Judy’s shoulder, and signaled her to follow me. She most likely thought we were going to the restaurant, because gave me a pretty confused look when I led her to the front desk and asked for a release form. Thankfully Teddy wasn’t the one at the desk right now, I’m pretty sure he still hates me for that nickname.

So full responsibility taken, I lead her out of the building, when she finally gives in to her curiosity and asks. “Okay so where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I answer shortly and keep walking, so she follows but also keeps pushing the matter.

“You don’t need to do another tour guiding if that’s what you’re onto. And the restaurant back at the training center is fine. Unless… Did they find out that…”

“Noted, and nope they didn’t find out anything.” I interject. “I’m pretty sure the guards are oblivious to all that, they aren’t the sharpest tool in the shed if you know what I mean. We’re just taking a nice little stroll, is it that hard to believe?” I say with a wink.

She looks at me, trying to read my mind but I assume it failed as she just shrugs, and gives in. “Alright, lead the way…”

On the way despite my best efforts to avoid other mammals, we get recognised a few times. To my surprise, not because of me, but because of her. She made quite an appearance last night and most likely the whole Zootopia knows who she is. The rabbit who can make a punch. 

They took pictures, made her sign photos of her in various settings like her in mid air kicking Fabian or our arrival where she was smiling and waving next to me. I suppose it was getting a bit tiring as the next time we were alone she said “I really hope this isn’t why you dragged me away.”

Fortunately we shortly arrived at the park so she didn’t need to endure more of the enthusiastic fans. It didn’t take long to spot the waiting cheetah next to two other rabbits. 

“Mom? Dad? But how…?” Judy asked, but judging by her quick glance at me and her boss, she pieced the full picture together. 

“What?” Her dad asked. “You become a TV celebrity and your parents don’t deserve a hug anymore?”

Judy didn’t need more. She finally ran to her parents, locking into their warm embrace.

----

Honestly I didn’t make plans after this point. I assumed they wanted to talk, the place doesn’t really matter. I also wanted to offer a restaurant visit, but judging by the huge amount of food her parents brought, I found it unnecessary. To my surprise they brought some for everyone. It caught me off guard the most when Mr. Hopps gave specifically me a cricket sandwich, telling me that all ingredients are from their farm, yes even the crickets. They breed them and sell those to a local store, and right now seems like they got a portion just for me.

At first I was a bit hesitant to accept, mainly because of the huge ‘Don’t buy bug meals from questionable sources’ propaganda, but in the end I gave in. I mean they sell those to restaurants, so most likely it isn’t full of parasites. Who knows I may have eaten a bug burger or two coming from the Hopps farm already anyway.

Mr Hopps seemed… Suspiciously kind, which at first I thought was a general Hopps thing. I mean their daughter turned out to be a nice ‘Help everyone’ kind of mammal, so naturally her parents are somewhat the same. But he desperately tried to find a common topic. 

He tried in with fishing first, which unfortunately I’m not that big fan of, then sports, and in the end randomly brought up birdwatching. When he suggested that we should check out a magpie nest he saw a few steps away I knew he wanted to talk privately, so naturally I followed.

“Magpies are interesting birds, Mr. Wilde. Did you know they can recognise faces? And much like crows, they hold grudges if you hurt them! They are smart birds, very smart! They are also pretty protective of their nests, they would swoop down if you go too close, especially when guarding eggs.” He becomes silent for a while, just staring at the lone Magpie that's currently checking us out too.

“Well, hopefully it isn’t planning on swooping at us then.” I claim, feeling a bit dumb. I’m too uneducated regarding bird facts to join in.

“Are you a father, Mr. Wilde?” Mr. Hopps asks out of nowhere, turning to me. I guess the time for hobby talk is over.

“No sir, unfortunately I haven't had the luck to find the one yet.”

“Hmm…” He nods nervously. “It’s a shame. Having kids is a blessing. Sure it has its hardships, but also great moments worth living for. Some would say it's the meaning of life, heh… And… as a father you always want the best for your children. When I look at Judy I only see my little daughter!” He says, with his voice cracking. “I still remember her first steps. Her first words! When she cried because she accidentally stepped on a ladybug! S-She grew up but to me she is still the fragile little girl. So… You have to understand I… I just want the best for my daughter.” With that he pulled a packed, white envelope out of his pocket. Judging by the shape and size, filled with banknotes.

“No… Mr. Hopps… Don’t…” I start but he cuts in.

“P-Please! All… All you need to do is look the other way.” The older rabbit says, pushing the envelope in my paws, but I still don’t grab it. “I know it isn’t much. This is all I could gather right now. Please.”

“And what about the police chief?”

“Oh don’t worry, he’s a friend! He would understand!” Mr. Hopps quickly says, but I highly doubt Clawhauser would be comfortable with this little ‘secret’. He wouldn’t report Judy, sure. But just by knowing this he could get into pretty huge trouble.

“Okay…” I say, still without taking the ‘bribe’. “Let’s say I let you go away with her. What’s the next step? Where would you take her?”

“Well I… I don’t know. Probably home, or to a friend and hide her somewhere.” He says, confirming my suspicion that he didn’t really give a thought on how things would go after this. He just improvised since I gave him this opportunity.

“That’s where they would look immediately. They would probably turn your house inside out with no place left to hide, and then if they can’t find her, they will move on to close family members. But let’s assume she manages to hide remarkably, with no one even suspecting she is there. She would either need to move out of Zootopia entirely which isn’t easy, or live her entire life behind the walls, because you can be 100% sure she would get recognised, and reported the first time anyone sees her outside. Do you think she would love to live that way?”

“At least she would be alive!” Mr. Hopps tries to convince me one last time but I can see his determination of the matter started to fade.

“Trust me I would let her walk off for free if I knew it’s the best thing to do. But you would do more harm than good at this point. If she gets caught, and I’m pretty sure she would get caught if she walked back home, they would stuff her in the arena anyway but with all support taken from her. She would be humiliated and made fun of. Right now everyone loves her. She has a team! We have a strategy to outsmart the hunters!” I say, leaving out the ‘small’ detail that she is basically the bait in our plan. “But if you try to unsuccessfully steal her from the hunt, you take all that away. That would doom her.”

“I…I…” Mr Hopps stammered, searching for the words, then gave in, lowering his money offering paw. “I just feel so… helpless. I want to do something to help her. She’s… She’s my little girl. Please don’t let her die. Please. I couldn’t take it if I had to watch her getting… Promise me you’ll do everything!”

“I promise.” I say without hesitation. I don’t know why. My dad always said I should never make promises I can’t keep because once you fail the promise you would end up feeling like the worst mammal on earth. But it doesn’t feel like an impossible promise. I know she can get out and I’ll assist her in any way I can. “I’ll do everything to get her safely home, no matter what it takes. As for what you can do, stay strong. Show her you believe in her. Can you do that sir?”

“Heh… Just call me Stuart.” He sniffed. “And yes. I’ll try. For her.”

“Good. Should we go back?” I nod and gesture towards the little group. He also nods, so we do as such. 

“What were you two talking about?” Judy asks immediately as we arrive.

“Magpies.” I shrug. “Did you know that they can remember faces? Fascinating creatures!”

After this Stuart was less focused on getting to my good side and just spent some time with his daughter. Meanwhile I could talk with this Clawhauser more. He is an interesting fella to say the least. He said he started out as a receptionist, in Savanna Central, then got the ‘Promotion’ to be the Burrows’ chief, which he didn’t like that much at the start, but grew to enjoy it. He also talked about how they met with Judy, to which I saw her ears flicker in the corner of my eyes.

Long story short, from a random discussion he heard that there is an individual who got denied from entering the academy 4 times already, and just got that number to 5. It raised his interest, so he decided to visit that individual. He gave quite the fright to the landlord Judy rented a room from. No wonder. The district Chief appears at your front door in a police uniform? Of course you suddenly feel like you are about to go to jail for a long time.

Anyway they talked, and the next time Judy visited the academy was with the district chief by her side, so she was finally able to start. She didn't have it easy. It was explicitly stated in front of Clawhauser that just because he brought her in personally, doesn’t mean she would get special treatment, and they don’t predict more than 2 weeks for her before she would run back home. Well, they were wrong. When she graduated, she was placed under Clawhauser’s supervision, and the rest is history.

When I asked why he helped he just shrugged, saying. “There’s enough injustice as it is.”

Eventually this little get together had to end. When they shared one last hug, we separated into the two original groups. Me taking Judy back to the center, and since it was fairly into the night, Clawhauser took the Hopps parents to a hotel, which I’m surprised they could find rooms in this short amount of time during the Hunt hype. Usually all rooms are already full weeks before the big event. I guess a District chief has connections he can use.

Thankfully this deep into the night nobody was sober enough to recognise us on the way back. A group of drunk college students were wobbling around laughing on who knows what but that’s about the most interesting thing that happened. None of us talked, but we didn’t necessarily have to. I just let her process all things she discussed with her family.

When we reached the elevator and the current front desk mammal checked us back in, that’s only when she broke the silence with a topic that surprised me.

“I’ve been wondering about something since we woke up and… Correct me if I’m wrong… But it wasn’t the workout, was it?” She asks, after a bit of waiting, looking into my eyes. “Last time you said your ‘phantom shock’ didn’t happen because of the self defence lesson tiring you out. But it wasn’t that. It’s me isn’t it?”

I take my time answering, not like we’re in a rush anyway, the elevator is still on the move. I’m just a bit disappointed in my convincing skills since she figured it out so easily. “Yeah… What made it obvious?” 

“Well… If I had to deal with some regularly appearing involuntary pain that wakes me up in the middle of the night, I know I would have tried everything already. Medicines, painkillers… And then less conventional methods like tiring myself out or staying awake until I pass out… So if we cross these things out… Now the only possibility is… me.”

“Heh… Almost forgot you were a cop with serious detective skills… Spot on.” I nod, glaring at the elevator door to avoid eye contact. “Look I don’t know why… This whole thing is new for me too, and I understand if it weirds you out, I mean… It’s making me confused!” 

“Hey, It’s okay!” Judy said, placing a paw on my shoulder. “I’m just glad I could help for… however long I can.” 

The elevator door finally opened with a ding, so we stepped out onto the hallway. An open room door immediately grabbed my attention, Judy’s door to be exact. Now since I’m 100% sure we closed it when we left, the only explanation is that someone is there. But who? Staff clearing the room? Why in the middle of the evening? One of the other mentors from the alliance? What’s so important to wait for us on our level? Based on Judy’s reaction the same set of questions formed in her head too. So after exchanging a meaningful look we walked closer. 

More and more of the room was visible through the opened door, and soon enough I saw someone staring at the window. Someone I haven’t seen in person for years. Our president, the snow leopard who held meetings with my dad regarding the uprising back in the day. 

Upon hearing our steps he turned around, and with the familiar smile he said. “Good evening, Mr Wilde! Can we talk?” 

 

Chapter 17: Nothing but trouble

Suddenly I feel like the 12-year-old kit that felt uneasy even at the sight of the Leopard. I was glad I didn’t have to see him aside from his appearances on TV, and right now he’s here in lifesize. I try to swallow this feeling and welcome him, whatever he wants right now.

“Ah Mr. Snow, what a pleasant surprise! Good evening, sir!” I say enthusiastically like meeting an old friend. “It has been a while isn’t it?” 

“Yes, it has. Almost 23 years. Time sure goes fast, doesn’t it?” He says with the same smile, but I can sense he knows that I’m not entirely happy he is here.

As he didn’t keep talking I felt inclined to ask. “So what… Can I thank your visit for?”

“Oh, what I wanted to talk about is more of a private matter. I was hoping to speak with you eye to eye.”

“I can go out if…” Judy starts but as the leopard raises a paw she stops.

“No need Miss Hopps, this is your room after all. I was merely waiting here because I thought there was a better chance of meeting with Mr. Wilde here.” He says, making me wonder why he came to this conclusion. Unless he knows I spent the night here… 

“Alright, well… I assume my room would be perfect for our discussion. This way sir.” I gesture outside, so the leopard finally starts walking towards me.

Before leaving the room though he turns back, looking straight at Judy. “Oh, by the way, congratulations on your performance Miss Hopps! It sure grabbed everyone’s attention, including mine.”

“Thank you… Sir.” She said with a bit of hesitation while I closed the door and led the feline towards the next room.

Those few steps to my room felt like an eternity, meanwhile, my mind was racing, trying to figure out why the president himself decided to talk to me. Does he know I talked to the ‘rebels’? If that’s the case he most likely would have visited Skye. Or she was already arrested and now I’m next. But then why did the president himself visit me, why not some terror prevention group? Mr. Snow’s expression didn’t help either. He seemed calm, not rushing anywhere, which just made me more nervous. 

“You arrived fairly late.” Mr Snow says matter of factly while walking through the opened door. “May I ask why?”

I give it a quick thought, but since I technically broke no written rules I owe up to what I did. “I organized a meeting with my contestant’s parents. If you ask me it’s kind of barbaric to send the tributes to their death without their family at least saying goodbye.” 

“Hmm.” That’s all the answer I get. Is it a good ‘Hmm’ a bad ‘Hmm’ who knows? Just a plain old acknowledging ‘Hmm’. “You know… You are much like your father, Mr. Wilde.” 

“That’s what everyone who knew my parents says,” I claim. “I’m just like my father except for my eyes. My eyes are my mother’s, right?”

“Not exactly what I meant.” He says calmly, and gestures towards the table. “Let’s sit.”

So I do as such. Feels weird being offered a seat in my room but… Okay. I make myself comfortable and look at the leopard as he does that same, waiting for whatever he has in store.

“Your father was… an interesting mammal. He always had different ideas and was always going after his own head. You seem to have inherited that trait after him.”

“Is that a sin?” I ask.

He gives an eerie smile and says “Of course not. Now… There’s a different reason for me being here, aside from comparing you to your father. I have a problem. A big one, including your mentored contestant. She has become quite popular amongst the prey community and is conveying dangerous messages.”

“I’m sorry sir, ‘Dangerous messages’?” I ask back, as it slips out my mouth, not entirely understanding why it’s ‘dangerous’ “All she did was try to be memorable. She’s trying to play by the twisted rules of this game that she shouldn’t have been picked for anyway! Did you know that the members of the police shouldn’t be in the contestant pool? And oh would you look at that! She WAS a cop.”

“Yes, I’m aware of the unfortunate circumstances of Miss Hopps’ inclusion. But that hardly matters now.” He says, patiently nodding. “‘Our strength together is multiplied’. Catchy slogan for an alliance for sure, and has some truth behind it too. Prey have always outnumbered predators 10 to 1. If they decided on something and joined forces against a ‘Common enemy’ predators would have no say in the matter, would they? That’s how the idea of the shocking collar became so popular after all. One accident caused by a little berry and everyone turned against predators.”

Little berry caused incident… One way of referring to the Nighthowler cases. It happened in 2016 even before I was born. Multiple predators turned savage, causing a huge panic, and since more and more accidents like this happened and nobody knew why, the shocking collar idea got accepted within days and got distributed in under one week. It was a somewhat reasonable temporary solution. The real problems started when even though the reason behind the attacks was revealed, they refused predators to take the collars off.

And what was the reason? A berry bush growing at the border of district 11 and 10. The berries growing on it not only have strong poisonous qualities but also cause wild hallucinations while affecting the aggression center of the brain. In short, if you eat one you slowly die while killing everyone in your way. There were theories that it came from a lab because those berries appeared out of nowhere and there weren’t any savage cases before that. Some even said the main goal of this was always to turn everyone against predators and the bush only ‘appeared’ to silence these accusations. 

Well either way it happened, leaving a deep scar in the trust between predator and prey, indirectly causing the hunt. The berry bushes are still there in the middle of the arena as a cruel reminder of why all this is happening.

“With all due respect, I still don’t understand what my contestant has to do with…”

Mr Snow slams his paw on the table, making me immediately stop and jerk back in my seat. “Oh please Mr. Wilde, your father always brought up how ‘clever’ of a boy you were, here’s the time to prove he was right!” He yelled, his eyes narrowing at me. I have to admit his sudden temper caught me off guard, as it had no warning. One second ago he seemed so level headed that nothing could change that and now I was the public enemy number one in his eyes. However I couldn't really overthink this, as right after, he started coughing. Something red appeared in his mouth, that seemed to be blood, and sure enough, the smell also made it clear. However the smell of blood was mixed with something sweet, that I couldn’t really describe. Like honeydew, but even that would fall short of this nauseating sweetness.

I was about to stand up to call for help, but he signaled me to stay still. Yeah sure this would be easy to explain… The president coughs up blood and is on the brink of falling unconscious but hey, he told me to stay put, so it’s all good. I have a feeling I would get in a special jail cell if I explained it like that to someone.

Upon stopping the coughing spree, he pulled up a handkerchief from his front pocket, wiped off the blood, cleared his throat, and just like nothing happened continued his sentence with complete calmness. No trace of the previous anger was seen anywhere anymore, just his calm gaze.

“She attacked a hunter on stage, you couldn’t possibly have thought she would be praised for this act. So she suggested there is power in numbers and also showed aggression towards predators, now tell me how that isn’t an invitation for an uprising.”

I remain silent. I guess thinking about it, it does seem like an act of defiance against the system even though I know it’s far from the truth. In both cases, she wanted to help others. At first the other contestants and then me… She’s in trouble again because she simply wants to help.

“As of now, she is like someone playing with matches in the middle of a gasoline pool. It’s your job to take those matches away from her otherwise everyone will burn. I don’t know how much you remember of the war. There were huge casualties on both sides, one more war like that and no one will be left.”

“I know. B-but trust me she never meant any of those as a threat!” I use my only viable card but even though I didn’t lie, this explanation just feels weak. “I mean… She offered this alliance so the others having no chance would have a tiny bit of hope to escape the arena! And the ‘attack’ on the Hunter? That… that guy is a douchebag, I would have punched him myself had she not been quicker!”

“Maybe…” He slowly nodded “But that isn’t how it was perceived. She’s starting to become a symbol. Someone others look up to. Convince everyone that she is just a humble farm girl, trying her best to help.” He leaned forward in his seat, making him seem more threatening. “Otherwise that match will be dropped and the one standing closest to her will be the first to burn.”

Something tells me the ‘one standing closest’ means me. I will be the first to know if that match was dropped. I will be the first to get punished if things go south.

“So… what do I need to do?” I ask. My throat feels dry saying it. 

“Hold her back from worsening the situation. Make sure she does nothing stupid inside the arena, or if you think you can’t do that… Just let her die and make sure her death is as pitiful as it can get.”

“I’ll… Try my best to stop her from doing anything… harmful then.”

“Good.” He gives another blood-freezing smile and stands up from his seat. “That would be all. And don’t forget, I will be watching closely… Have a nice evening.” 

With that, he walked out of my room and I was left alone with my thoughts. The only thing remaining from his time spent in my room is the weird sweet-blood smell lingering in the air.

Was Judy’s act really perceived as a ‘Wake up’ call to all prey? Are things that bad? Something tells me if another war breaks out there will be no two sides left. Either just as the president said no one will be the winner, or someone wins and makes the other side's life a hundred times worse, leaving them to just wait for death. Daily predator executions, with shocking collars going until death or having prey around only as food in cells. I shudder at the thought. There has to be a middle way! We’re way past the stone age we don’t necessarily have to hate each other!

It’s only now that I realize how fast my heart is beating, so I take a few deep breaths. For now, we have to calm the masses down. Maybe Stripes and his rebel gang have ideas for a peaceful solution after that… Then again their whole plan relied on me sending out the hippy messages so I doubt they have a concrete idea of how to approach this… Maybe the majority of the rebels aren't on the peaceful side and want to see all predators burn. Stripes just got a chance to prove predators aren’t all that bad before they would do something drastic.

I hear two soft knocks on my door that pull me back. How long have I been just sitting in one place? “Come in!” I say, and the door slowly opens. It’s Judy coming to check on me.

“Hey.” She carefully says, quickly scanning the room if I still have a visitor or not. 

“He’s already gone.” I help her out so she gets the courage to come further in than just the doorstep. “So how much did you hear?” 

“What?” She looks at me surprised, with a hint of trying to look innocent.

I give a slight chuckle. “Come on… You heard my suppressed pain shouts the other day, I can only assume you could also hear a regular discussion through the walls too.”

After a bit of consideration, she finally admits “Yeah I heard everything… I wasn’t eavesdropping! It’s just…”

“Rabbit ears.” I nod. “I get it. Hey if I had ears like that I would use them to the fullest too.”

After this, a bit of awkward silence breaks out between the two of us. I don’t know what to say. ‘So yeah you should take it back a notch!’ or what? She already knows what’s the deal, so what’s there for me to say?

“I don’t have a lot of memories of the war…” She randomly starts “But I remember being coupled up in a small burrow for days with no food and little to no water… My parents would quickly go out to gather something that wasn’t enough for everyone, but they tried! They always said there is no way I have memories of this because I was only 4. But I vividly remember being scared, and hungry… the dirt falling from the ceiling after a bomb hit somewhere, being happy it wasn’t where we hid… I… Don’t wish that for anyone. I never wanted to cause a war, I… I promise I won’t do anything after this point!”

I nod. I don’t need more convincing, I knew from the start that an uprising wasn’t her plan. Making everyone else believe it will be the harder part. All eyes will be on her right after she enters the arena. She acted because she thought that was the right thing to do. I won’t ask her to change who she is, I don't think I could anyway. So now I’m here with two promises I don’t have any control over. One that I’ll get her out of the arena and another one to control her inside the arena. Neither is easy to accomplish. I can only hope I won’t fail both.

“If an uprising happens it will be because of how we treated prey. So don’t give yourself too much credit. It's us to blame.”

“I heard the shocking collars weren’t too nice either… It’s both sides at fault here.” 

“Yeah…” I scratch my neck. Maybe living peacefully next to each other is a big thing to ask considering an overreaction was followed by an even bigger one. Each side is so focused on repaying everything that eventually nothing will be enough. “Let’s just forget about this, okay? At least for tonight. I’m… Exhausted, and I wasn’t even the one to train others! Heh. If you want to steal my blanket during the evening here’s the chance!” I tried to lighten the mood but of course, the discussion was too heavy for that. Still, she nods.

“Alright! It… WAS a long day, let's just… sleep. Is it really okay if I join you?

“After two occasions I thought it was obvious.” To this remark I finally see a slight smile appear on her mouth.

I know how weird other mammals would look if they knew I offered to share the bed with a rabbit. But it’s nothing explicit! We're just helping each other sleep nothing more!

So we both changed into something more sleeping appropriate (in our separate rooms of course.) and awkwardly laid down in the same bed. Okay now that it's a conscious choice, it does feel a bit wrong. I mean mammals usually don’t just decide to share a bed… I try to shake away the thought. Again we’re simply helping each other… for a few more days. I’m already scared to think about what would happen after.

Falling asleep wasn’t as easy as it was yesterday, and most likely my discussion with the president has something to do with it. Something started. Good or bad thing? Who knows. But it started.

----

During the next few days, we got into a routine. Wake up at 7, coffee, breakfast, Judy quickly writes down the training plans with a newfound carrot shaped pen that I haven’t seen with her before (I have a feeling her parents gave it to her for whatever reason) and after that, straight to the gym with the rest of the 660 members.

We didn’t talk about the potential ongoing rebellion. Nothing we could do about it right now, and no need to upset her more. So we had a silent agreement to put the topic aside for the time being, she has enough stuff to worry about as it is.

After a lunch break another training session, which ends at 6. She is definitely pushing the others to their limit but they’ll need it inside the arena. They weren’t complaining either because they knew how important it was. 

It was after the second day when Judy asked if she could borrow my phone. I thought she wanted a phone call, but I still said sure. It turned out she simply wanted to check the messages from the donations and after I told her she could send a quick message, she made it a regular night thing to try and answer all incoming donations. The character restriction didn’t make her job easier, but that didn’t stop her from typing at least a ‘thank you’.

And the sleep… I feel a bit selfish, but I absolutely love falling asleep at 10 and waking up at 7. It feels nice to be like a normal mammal for a bit, not worrying how bad my shock would be in the morning, and just sleep undisturbed. After the second day, it started to feel less weird to share the bed too, almost normal.

Saturday however came with the dark realisation that this won’t last forever. It started off as usual, the determined rabbit making others train their tails off, but this session ended with Judy asking for everyone’s attention, with a different mood than usual.

“Guys… I’m proud of you.” She said as everyone looked at her. “I didn’t plan anything for tomorrow, I suggest you try to spend it with as much rest as you can. You’ll need your strength. I don’t know when we will do the gearing up…” She glances at me so I help her out.

“The opportunity to ‘buy’ your gear will open tomorrow after 8. I suggest we gather up together just as usual, have a quick breakfast, then go to one of the prep rooms for some privacy, where we can set up something for everyone.”

“Thank you!” Judy nodded. “So… Yeah… Tomorrow will be the last day here, and if things go as planned everyone will be home by next Thursday!”

“Ohhh that would be so lovely.” Sophia squealed while clapping. “I'm 100% sure y’all can make it! No one can tell me otherwise! This is a lively group!”

“Thank you, Sophia!” Judy said. “Allright, well… let’s go eat something, and… try not to think too much about Monday.”

Skye didn’t add anything to the conversation. She kept on sitting, thinking about something while looking worse for wear. If someone, I can spot others having less than the recommended amount of sleep. During the past days she always left the center at 6, right after Judy said that’s all for today, and I have no idea when she arrived back each day. She always simply said she was going for a walk but I doubt that’s all there is. 

So after sneaking the food for everyone, I was just barely able to catch Skye walking through the doors. I want to ask how she and the ‘rebel gang’ are doing after Judy’s shenanigans on stage.

“Mind if I join you? I wouldn’t mind some fresh air either.” I say, catching up to her. I could tell I pulled her back from the deepest parts of her mind as she flinched and her ears immediately shot up.

“AH! Hah… You scared me. Yeah… Yeah sure you can come too!” She said, but I could see she didn’t give too much thought to it, since in the next moment she glanced at me and ‘corrected’ herself. “Or… Well… Maybe it would be hard to… I mean… You can… Where do you want to go exactly?”

I chuckle. I can somewhat understand her concerns even though she wasn’t too coherent about it. She is probably worried because bringing an outsider to their meetings probably isn’t allowed. But it’s okay, the last thing I want is to go there.

“Wow, you really are all over the place, not only look like it,” I claim, as we leave the center behind. 

"Do I... really?"

“Do you look like an overworked mother of 6 who got fewer hours of sleep in the past days than she could count on one paw? Well, not yet but you are on a damn good path of looking like one. Did Judy’s stunt make things that much harder for a peaceful solution?”

She looks at me with an amazed but confused combo, probably wondering how I know this information but then simply gives a nod, and lowers her voice, even though I doubt anyone could hear us. “Others took her actions as an example. They say this is the perfect chance to strike back at all predators and show the other Prey they are not alone. Which would be all fine if it didn’t come with all these genocidal ideas. I’m working hard there with Jack and a few more members to hold back those ideas, but it’s not easy.  If it wasn’t for him, nobody would have listened to me. Lots of mammals are angry, Nick… They want justice, and as of now they see it in leaving no survivors.”

“Could… Judy help?” I ask “Say something that defuses the situation. She was the one starting it, maybe she could…”

“I don’t think so.” She shakes her head. “No matter what she says right now, it would be seen as the higher power trying to make her say things. The best thing she could do right now is to win and then send out the messages without the arena in the picture. But that’s…” She stops, shaking her head.

“Well, she’s working on it…”

“I know,” Skye says, but I feel like she doesn’t give her escape as much faith as I do.

“You don’t believe in the 660 team,” I state the obvious, to which she gives a heavy sigh.

“The Hunt is a way of keeping the prey in line. It shows them a dark future while asking ‘You don’t want this to happen do you?’ So hoping for multiple winners on the Prey side, when usually there is none, is asking too much. Besides, it’s their well-oiled propaganda machine, and team 660 stands for something they don’t like. Cooperation between prey. This alliance will be the top priority target with Judy in the front. It would take a miracle for everyone to get to the end… So as helpful as it would be that Judy escapes, I don’t see it happening… More so that even if by luck they survive until the last day, she still plans to be the living target dummy!”

“Yeah…” I sigh. Mentioning all this does make her escape seem like a lost cause even with all the support coming to her. “Miracles happen?”

Skye gives a hopeless huff. “We’re in deep trouble if we have to rely on miracles.”

Chapter 18: Mangoes and berries

This is the day. The hunt will start at midnight, so we barely have a few more hours of resting time before the ‘escorting’ team arrives to take us to the start of the arena. 

The gear purchase went smooth as silk. Thankfully, we weren’t too limited with money like I was in the previous years, so we managed to get all the things vital for survival. 

The clothes weren’t expensive. I suppose it saves them a lot on censoring to make the simpler items available. Less stuff to worry about for TV. Now, of course, the coat, just as I thought, was the most expensive item in the Hunt’s shop. Well, you need to pay for the unique design of completely black wear with a golden district number sewn in… They also gave a smaller ‘660’ on the top left, free of charge. So I suppose we should be grateful.

Aside from the clothes, we also requested 2-2 ready-to-eat meals for each member, and also threw in some crackers, since that was the cheapest food item on the page. They will be on the move constantly; they'll need all the energy they can get. 

The water is a separate story on its own. Unfortunately, it’s not divided into gallons; it’s ‘small’, ‘medium’, and ‘big’ servings, different for each animal size. So Will’s serving of water isn’t as much as Sharla’s serving. Unfortunately, we can’t just buy all the water for someone to distribute it inside the arena. Usually, with each additional item of the same category, things get more and more expensive. So after the second size-adjusted water bottle, the price is already in the skies. So we only got 2-2 for everyone, which is a slightly bigger problem than the food situation. 

Dehydration is not a joke, even if it’s only for a few days. Since Judy heads towards the mountains, she technically could melt the snow on top if she goes there, but it’s quite the detour. Alternatively, there is a stream going through the arena towards the end, but they need to get there first to refill their bottles. In the end, we included waterproof matches, so they can at least start a fire to warm up after touring in the cold, and also added a small metal container to be able to melt some snow or boil some water if the situation arises. 

Skye brought it to my attention that they will probably need flashlights too during the night, which is true. No light aside from the moon, even less when it snows, and looking at the weather forecast, there is a chance for a snowstorm on the last day. So, a flashlight with spare batteries. (Headlamp for William, for obvious reasons. Easier to jump with both paws free.)

And just like that, more than half of the donation money was gone. Or with Sophia’s words, ‘That was the most expensive shoppin’ I’ve ever done!’. Thankfully, I’d say we are the better supported districts this time, so we’ll still have a fair amount for the arena itself. Tracking signal cover up is crucial at times.

Even though I told Judy she should rest, she couldn’t. Can’t blame her though. After lunch, I saw her becoming more and more anxious, just walking around the room, going over the plan over and over. Once, she even decided to go down to the gym, anything to distract herself, really. 1 hour before the said time, she finally sat down to glare at the ‘clock of doom’ with her leg thumping a thousand taps per minute.

I tried talking to her multiple times with no success. I only got an ‘mhmm’ or an ‘mmm-mmm’ answer each time I tried to start a conversation. So message received, not in the mood for small talk. 

A few minutes before 7, to my surprise, a familiar face, Jack came up to us and let us know he would be District 12’s personal helper. Sneaky! Not sure how this staff distribution works, but I assume he has some say in the matter. Since we are a ‘package deal’ with the rest of the 660 group, this way, he can still stay close to Skye without raising suspicion, while gathering more information. So with him joining us, we were led downstairs, where a bunch of secret service looking guys were waiting for the arriving candidates. We get it, you want to look cool and in control, but the sunglasses are a bit much, closing in to the evening, don’t you think? 

Anyway, as we got outside, we were led to a bunch of armored-looking SUV mimicking cars… That’s new. We were usually taken by the same limousines we took from the train station back then. This raised security measure is the first sign that not everything is going as smoothly as before. Judy didn’t think anything of the situation; for all she knew, this could be a regular thing. But this being my fourth hunt, I know nobody was worried that anything would happen during the escorting phase. Sure, usually there was a smaller group of guards to make sure no candidate escapes in the last minute, but this high alert makes me wonder how much unrest is out there. 

The moment we got in, the windows turned black, so we couldn’t even see outside. I glance at Jack, who is just as expected, sitting straight with no expression whatsoever. I’d say I have a sense for mammal nature, but that guy is the opposite of an open book; he is a closed book with a lock on it. If they planned something, they would have told me, right? Right?

So I was a bit relieved when I was able to get out of the car and not get blown up in the middle of the road as a rebel ‘message’. Of course, it was only the first and shorter part of our journey. We still had the train ride ahead of us to District 11 which, to be clear, isn’t as long on the magnetic rails, but still an hour and a half.

The raised protective measure didn’t end at the centre. There usually would be a huge crowd cheering on the leaving contestants, but not right now. When we got out of the car at the train station, the area was completely emptied out. I could only see mammals further out at the crossing, screaming in excitement that they were able to take a glance at their favorites. 

I could see banners in various styles about all districts, including many ‘Team 660’ ones, with professionally painted portraits of each member of the alliance around the team name. There was a longer sentence written along the edge, which I realized to be the slogan. ‘Our strength together is multiplied.’

I couldn’t see much more of the crowd as we immediately got led inside, or perhaps the ‘pushed’ would be the right word here, as the sunglass-wearing mammals showed us the way a bit more strictly, visibly not taking no for an answer. That’s when I realized how lucky Jack has gotten with me being the Mentor he has to help. A lot of the other staff had to carry around the bigger and bigger luggage that my fellow mentors decided to take with themselves, even though there was no need for it. 

We would get anything we wanted in the mentor rooms, perhaps even a bit from the moon if someone was persistent enough, yet they just had to pack like we were leaving for months. So right now I saw a poor black tapir trying to carry both Leonard’s fully packed luggages with more or less success, a sheep struggling to raise Dianne’s bag, and comically, a water buffalo carrying Katie’s small pink purse.

The maglev train was already waiting for us at the station, with each carriage assigned to a different district, starting with 1 and ending with 12. Shortly after we got on, the train started moving, meaning everyone managed to get all their luggage on board quickly, either with help or without.

Inside the city, we weren’t moving too fast, and only after we left behind all the buildings, the train showed what it could do if it was undisturbed by restrictive city laws. 250 miles an hour without us feeling anything. The land was simply whooshing by next to us, just eating up the miles between district 1 and 11. 

During our train ride, I managed to get Judy to force down a few bites from the complimentary cake I got, but I doubt she was full, even if she said she was. Maybe if she was a mouse, I would believe she couldn’t eat more. Right now, I worry she will regret not eating it later. 

As the train started slowing down, it let us know that we were closing in on our destination. The barbed wired wall was a clear sign we were currently whooshing next to the arena. Slower and slower, but still more than 100 miles an hour. Finally, the huge building appeared in front of us, where each contestant would start from, and in the end, we came to a halt in front of it. Multiple mammals with guns were waiting for us, making sure all candidates take their place and nobody gets a ‘funny’ idea right before the start. I assume it would be a pain on the tail to find a new tribute for any district at this point.

A college student looking civet was seen outside running around, greeting everyone getting off the train, showing them to their starting room. Universities just love doing this. Sending students to help with the hunt, and in exchange, they get some crucial credit points.

As we stepped off the train, she didn’t hesitate to come to us either. “Hello! My name is Mira, and I’m here to make sure everything goes well before the launch of the hunt! You are District 12, I presume…” She said, more to herself, while searching for something on her tablet.

“I already know where to go, but thank you.” I let her know I’m not exactly new here, but she just raises a finger and shakes her head.

“Nono! This year, the room distribution changed, so instead of districts you are assigned by starting order… which means… 7th is… OH! yes. You go in, and the second room on the left… wait, no…” She rotated the tablet 180 degrees, followed a line with her finger, and said. “Second room on the right. Definitely right! When you go in, please check your chosen items to make sure everything is there and change into the clothes. I will be with you shortly. Oh, Hello ma’am, my name is…” And she was already off, greeting Sophia, who had just gotten off the train.

Since I didn’t want to test the guard’s patience next to us, I led Judy inside and navigated to the mentioned room, while Jack followed me like a recently hatched duckling following its mother. The room itself wasn’t anything flashy. There was one white table, with all the previously ordered gear, a couch next to a TV, and a clock that currently showed 9:33 pm. The door leading into the arena was currently closed, and if my calculations are correct, it will only open at exactly 3:00 am.

“I assume…” Judy slowly started, “I should change into those.”

“Yes.” I nod.

She picked up the clothes, carefully looked around, and asked, “Is there another… Room?”

“No, but I’ll go outside while you change,” I say, turning around. “If you need anything, I will be right next to the door. Come on, Stripes, let’s leave the lady some space.”

So both me, and my emotional support rebel left the room so Judy would be alone for the time being. In the hall, others were still arriving, taking their rooms. While most contestants seemed in a cooperative mood, District 2 had to be carried by the guards inside while she helplessly cried and begged them to let her go. I assume she tried to make a break for it, thinking that’s her only chance. No wonder. She is in last place in the starting order, probably with little to no support.

Jack didn’t even flinch. This guy either has a stone for a heart or he’s a hell of an actor. Well, this is the kind of Hunt staff they are looking for, I guess. Don’t speak unless spoken to, always comply, and don’t react to anything unless you are expected to react. 

“Hey buddy… Can I ask you something?” I ask Jack, while still looking at the crying okapi getting carried inside.

Jack gives a friendly smile and says, “Certainly, sir, what would you like to know?”

“What’s the… ‘appeal’ of applying to be a Hunt staff?” I ask, assuming they are here by their free will. But who knows, it may not be the case at all. Knowing there are these twisted ‘Wish’ making services, anything is possible.

“Well, of course, I can’t talk for everyone here, but this is one of the better income sources that a mammal like me could get. On top of that, if you get no complaints while being here, your name would get out of next year’s contestant pool. At least this is the main reason, but as I said, different mammals may have different reasons for being here. Anything else I can help with?”

“I see…” I mutter under my nose. “No, that’s all.”

Who knows how long we’ve been waiting? It definitely has been 10 minutes or so. To some extent, I was wondering if we would find her inside when we go in, or like in some action movie, she would be already gone with the help of some conveniently placed air vent. I wouldn’t even mind if that happened, but even if it was possible, I doubt she would escape right now. Both 660 members rely on her, and she isn’t the mammal to ditch them at the last second. So the more probable reason was simply that she needed a few minutes.

Meanwhile, even the Hunters arrived. Fabian simply gave me a side glance before heading to the hunter’s lounge, but Connor clearly wanted something with me, since as soon as he spotted me, he turned in my direction and, maintaining eye contact, he walked towards me. Great… Here we go.

“Hey Foxy, we have a nice evening, huh?” He asks with a grin. I don’t know what his plan is right now, but it won’t work. 

“What do you want?” 

“So hostile!” He says, acting hurt, “You don’t want to chit chat, do you? Straight to the point! Well, straight to the point I go then. I’d like to speak with the rabbit.”

“Yeah, bud, it’s not gonna happen.” I chuckle while shaking my head.

“What? Are you afraid I would score a quick point for myself before the hunt even starts?” He asks, raising his pistol, to which I unconsciously take a step back. “Oh, come on, you and I both know these toys are useless outside of the arena. See?” To emphasize his statement, he raised the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. Of course, the gun simply gave a click, with no bullet flying out the end. “They are completely harmless! Inside the arena on the other paw…”

“I’m not sure what your game is, but I won’t let you…” Just as I was about to finish, the door opened with the rabbit behind. She glanced at me, looked at the Wolf, and said ‘Come in’. Meanwhile, she was pocketing the carrot pen that she was still carrying with herself. Was she writing something in there?

Connor didn’t miss the chance to give me a victory grin and said. “Well, at least someone has common sense!” And with that, to my annoyance, he headed inside like he owned the place. “How’s my favorite contestant doing?”

“I don’t know.” Judy shrugged, leaning against the wall. “How is District 3 doing?”

“Oh nonono! Darling, you have it all wrong! He is my favorite rival . It’s not the same thing! Well, not like he had much to compete against. Anyone would have been the winner against that bag of alcohol.” He said, looking around the room, his glance stopping at the remaining pile of gear we asked for. “You have a lot of things for the journey. Good. Your mentor did his job perfectly.”

“Is that why you are here? To spy on what I have as survival gear? I’m sorry, but you probably could have asked any staff around, and being a big name in the hunt, they would have given you any info you asked for.”

“Come on, rabbit, you still don’t understand I come in peace?” Connor said, rolling his eyes. “All you received until now are disadvantages. The whole ‘jury pointing you low’ thing… Oh, and that ‘660 gang’! I honestly don’t see what you value in them. All they will do is hold you back, but hey, you don’t say anything to my strategy, I won’t say anything to yours. Well, I, for one, want to give you an advantage that no one else here has!”

“I’m listening,” Judy said briefly, still with crossed arms. 

“Okay. So I like to play a little… side game during the Hunt. I change the rules between each season, but one thing is always the same. I pick someone and give them a… ‘Get out of jail’ card. Oops, my bad. You were also a cop, right? You probably don’t like the ‘get out of jail for free’ term. Let’s call it an… ‘I take my focus off you for the time being’ card. So let’s say I’m right next to you.” He said, raising his gun right at Judy. Of course, she didn’t flinch, but I had to remind myself he couldn’t hurt her right now, even if he wanted. “You are backed into a corner with no way out. I’m about to pull the trigger when you yell out one word. Then I give you a nod, and we part ways. Just like that. Of course, it’s only a one-time use, and you can’t use it in the endgame. And don't try to use the word with anyone else because they would just laugh at you. But still… You get off my target list until my next kill. After that, you are back on it, and I will be out for your blood again!”

“Why? Why would you pass up a point in the first place?” Judy asked, her eyes scanning the wolf, like searching for the fine print on a deal. She started realizing it’s a valuable thing to have, so naturally, there has to be a catch.

“Already told you. I like picking someone for this and you did a great favor for me by punching that cat in the face. I should make it a background for my phone.” Connor grinned. “Consider it a… Thank you gift. But then again… I would at least end your suffering quickly. Who’s to say Fabian won’t enjoy ripping you limb by limb? Hmm… Yeah, maybe you shouldn’t use the word actually… Saves you a lot of pain.”

“I’ll think about it,” Judy claimed, still not entirely sure about the motivation behind the Wolf’s generosity. “And what would be this ‘word’?”

“Mango,” Connor said without hesitation.

“Man… What?”

“Mango! They are delicious. Best fruit, I tell you! If you want to, we can also make the phrase ‘Please don’t kill me, I have a family,’ but then I may not realize soon enough that it’s your special card and not just some regular begging. ‘Mango’ kicks me out of my zone and is weird enough to make me stop.” 

Just as the wolf said it, his watch started beeping. He lazily looked at it, clicked it off, and pulled a pill bottle from his pocket. Took out two pills and swallowed them without water.

Judy’s solid stance softened, looking at the pills. She swapped her stare between the wolf and the pills, then said, “That’s… Nighthowler antidote. You were one of the victims...” 

For the first time in forever, I could see Connor’s laid-back mask crack. For a second, he freezes, but immediately carries on, twisting the cap back on the bottle.

“Glorified chill pills if you ask me. And yes... I was one of the later targets. Good observation, officer! You need to know these things if your job includes dealing with dangerous animals. If you know someone was off their nighthowler meds, you can draw some conclusion from that. For example, if I forget to take this, suddenly EVERYTHING pisses me off. It’s like an itch in your brain that you can’t quite scratch. Sure, you are the one in control, but this itch is there growing, and in the end… BAM You lash out at someone. It’s kinda funny, don’t you think? You get poisoned once with some berry that fucks up your mind, and you are left dealing with anger issues for the rest of your life. So as I said… Glorified chill pills." He shook the bottle one last time before putting it in his pocket.

“I’m… sorry.”

“For what?” Connor huffed. “You weren’t even born when I was exposed… I picked the wrong friend group, which decided to backstab me. Nothing to do with you. Anyway, maybe if I forget to take these, you could get out more easily. I become too trigger-happy, messing up my score with all those misses.”

“But then why are you doing this? If you don’t blame all prey for what happened, why be one of the hunters?”

“It’s fun.” He grinned, closing the question at that. He probably feels like he shared enough of himself already. “Besides, would you rather have another prey hater who enjoys lengthening your death? Didn’t think so! Well, may the best mammal win!” Connor reached out with a paw for a pawshake, which Judy accepted. “And remember, mango, or you get the tango!”

“That… doesn’t make any sense.”

“Hmm… Yeah, you are right…” Connor said with a shrug and finally left the room, leaving just us. Oh, and Jack. He is so good at not interrupting, I sometimes forget he is here.

“Wow… Isn’t he a great guy?” I ask ironically, still glaring at the open door. He didn’t even bother closing it behind himself.

“Well, he did give me a… Unique thing… If he holds up his end of this, that could help a lot.”

“Exactly… IF he holds up his end of the deal. Big if. You saw him! He is crazy. Who’s to say he doesn’t simply want to make a fool out of you?”

“It’s still worth a try… If he corners me, the least I could try is play by his rules. It doesn’t matter how I look if I die…”

I can’t really argue with that. I suppose we can keep that ‘word’ as a last resort if nothing else. Maybe this guy's craziness could come in handy.

“We do have a slight problem, though,” Judy says, pulling my attention back, pointing at the stuff we ordered for her. “One thing is missing. Take a guess which one.”

I look at the pile, wondering what would be missing. Did Connor take something? Why? Just to see if we would spot him taking it? He wasn’t even close to the pile. As I took a closer look, I finally saw what was missing. “The matches? Why…” I ask, but the realization immediately hits. I do have a theory… “Hey Stripes, uhm… Can you ask the preparation team if they made a mistake? One of our items is missing.”

“Sure thing! I will let them know immediately.” The rabbit said and walked outside. 

Meanwhile, I exchanged a meaningful glance with Judy. It’s a message from our one and only president, to let me know he is still watching, perhaps closer than I imagined. ‘Take the matches away from her otherwise everyone will burn.’