A/N: Apologies for the super late chapter. I'll try to get invested in this story again to make sure this doesn't happen again. But in the meantime, hope you enjoy! :D

.

Chapter 4: 20 Years Later

The scorching hot sun burns down on the desert sand as three familiar mammals make their way down a canyon ridge in the Sahara region of Zootopia.

Caught the bandits,

Plain to see…

Do-da, do-da...

A now middle aged Honey strolls by with an umbrella resting over her shoulder. She sings nonchalantly as she yanks at a couple of ropes in one of her paws.

"Agh!" groans another familiar face as the rope's tight grip squeezes at his wrists and he's pulled forward. It's Nick! The red fox with emerald eyes, now fully grown. He's clad in beige pants, a white undershirt and a dusty blue jacket. His fur appears a bit shaggy and dusty after being dragged through the Sahara region. Trailing close behind him, also tied at the wrists is his longtime friend, Finnick. Although unlike Nick, Finnick hasn't grown an inch since kithood. The short fennec fox wears brown pants, a brown undershirt, a red vest, and a brown jacket. Around his neck, he still carries the pendant Zorro gave him so many years ago.

They're tough and they're mean.

But don't scare…

ME!

Honey tugs hard at the ropes knocking both Nick and Finnick down. They both grunt in pain.

The badger bursts out laughing at the two foxes and pulls out a canteen from her coat pocket. Upon closer inspection, Honey now wears a paw brace with two leather claws where her two fingers are missing.

Oh do-da day

Stayed on their track.

Bringin' 'em back.

So pay the bounty now to me 'cause…

Nick and Finnick rise to their feet and dust themselves off. Honey takes a swig from her canteen, while the two foxes look at each other then back at her, annoyed.

...'cause…?

She emphasizes, expecting Nick and Finnick to finish the song for her.

Ears pulled back, brows furrowed, and both clearly annoyed beyond belief, the two foxes let out an exasperated sigh and finish the song.

Nobody's tough as Honey...

Nobody's tough as Honey...

Nick and Finnick sing simultaneously in an annoyed and monotonous tone.

Honey chuckles proudly. "There. Now you boys are gettin' it. It's like I've told you boys before, singin' can lighten your terrible load." She tosses the canteen over to Finnick. He catches it, but hands it over to Nick, letting him drink first. Nick tilts the canteen above his muzzle to drink, but nothing! The angry Nick tosses the empty canteen away, while Honey bursts out laughing, slapping a paw to her knee boisterously.

"You know that's a real cruel joke to pull on us after we've been walking for miles in the desert!" Nick barks angrily.

"You bet it is! But hey, you boys deserve it after what you two did! And if I recall correctly, I remember warning you two about what would happen if you ever stole anything from me," says the badger with a frown.

"Aw, come on! It was just breakfa-Aah!" Finnick argues as Honey pulls him down face first to the ground.

"It was just breakfast he says," Honey scoffs, "Hah! After all I've done for you boys. After I fed you, clothed you, raised you. This is the thanks I get," Honey sniffs, pulling out a hankie to wipe a 'tear' from her eye. "It's not easy being a single mother, you know…"

Nick and Finnick exchange unconvinced expressions, then stare back at Honey, "Yeah, we're not kits anymore to fall for that old trick!" Finnick spouts back to her.

Honey sobs one last time before tossing away the hankie, her somber face immediately morphing back into her usual chipper expression, "Oh well, I tried!"

"Besides, it was Nick's fault! He's the one who said it was his breakfast," Finnick points out.

Nick places a melodramatic paw to his chest, "Me? Why I thought those cicada enchiladas and baked potato were without an owner. After all, they were just sitting there all alone and helpless by whatever cruel soul abandoned them on the table."

"Abandoned?!" Honey barks, "Oh, ho, ho. Don't you try to sly your way out of this one Wilde. I can't even use the toilet anymore without you and Finnick eating my food! You two are lucky you're so valuable to me, otherwise I'd contact my fur trader buddies to follow through on the rest o' my promise."

"Well at least it's nice to know that we still mean so much to you," Nick states with a cheeky grin.

"I don't mean it like that. I mean you two are worth a pretty penny. And that penny is what I aim to collect right now, so enough chit-chat. Time to get me a bounty! Fooorward!" Honey bellows with a harsh tug at the ropes again, forcing the two foxes forward with a grunt.

.

At a little confiscated cabin in the middle of the desert, Zootopian soldier, Duke Weaselton washes his face in a trough filled with water. The owner of the property - a middle-aged, golden furred rabbit - hands the weasel a towel to dry himself. The weasel takes it from the submissive rabbit without an acknowledging 'thank you'.

In the twenty years that Bellwether's been out of power, predators have now been allowed to join the military, however there are quotas in place, allowing only a handful to join at a time.

"Hey! Hey!" Honey shouts as they approach the little cabin by the railroad tracks. "Come one, come all! For the fright of your life!" she continues to announce in the same manner as a circus ringmaster. "See the notorious Wilde Brothers! Thieves! Hustlers! The worst kind of predator scum!"

One of the soldiers, a gray spotted hyena with thick eyebrows, notices a wanted sign for Nick and Finnick on one of the walls outside the cabin. He pulls it off and takes it over to Weaselton.

"Weaselton! It's the 'Wilde Brothers!'" says the hyena by the name of Banzai. He hands the wanted sign over to Weaselton. The weasel observes the sign. It reads:

WANTED

THE WILDE BROTHERS

Nicholas P. Wilde & Finnick

Below that, a picture of each of the foxes.

Honey, Nick, and Finnick approach the soldiers, as several more soldiers surround Weaselton to view the sign. "'The Wilde Brothers'? I thought they were called 'Wilde and Son'?" asks the only female soldier by the name of Shenzi. Ed, another hyena soldier, dimwittedly nods his head in agreement.

"No, no. They're called 'The Wilde Father and Son Duo' aren't they?" replies a bobcat soldier.

"Really? I thought they were called 'Wilde and Baby'?" adds a dingo soldier.

"Oh what?!" barks a greatly insulted Finnick. Nick covers his muzzle with a paw, trying to hide his snickering. "Shut it!" shouts the small fennec fox, smacking Nick in the gut.

"Yeesh! He sure doesn't sound like a baby," Banzai whispers loudly to the dingo.

"You wanna go hyena-Ahg!" Honey tugs hard at Finnick's rope to shut him up.

"Keep it quiet back there baby fox!" Honey quips at the fennec fox, who just growls angrily back at her. Nick once again snickers under his breath. Honey approaches Weaselton and places a paw on the sign. "Con su permiso, amigo?" she pulls the sign out of the weasel's paw and observes it.

"Listen up badger, these foxes are now in the custody of Corporal Duke Weaselton. And we will take them the rest of the way. And you can claim your bounty in Clawsco," informs Weaselton.

"Yeah when bulls start wearing bloomers," Honey responds sarcastically.

"So how much we worth?" Nick asks curiously trying to get a look at the sign, but Honey elbows him in the stomach, pushing him back.

"Patience, Wilde child," Honey skims through the wanted sign, "Given what it says here I'd say, two hundred pesos."

Nick scoffs, incredulous at their worth. "That's it?"

"Two hundred pesos? Two hundred pesos after all the payrolls we've robbed and all the mammals we've hustled out of their money?! That's all we're worth? Just a lousy two hundred pesos a piece?!" Finnick growls in his deep voice. Unable to believe they're worth so little.

"We're wasting daylight here. You gonna hand them over or what badger?" an impatient Weaselton asks Honey.

Honey ignores the weasel and answers Finnick's question. "That's two hundred pesos for the both of ya."

"Are you kiddin' me?!" Nick spouts, outraged at the price on their heads. "There's no way we're taking tha-!" Weaselton backpaw slaps Nick across the face to silence him.

"Hey!" yells Finnick pulling out a pistol and pointing it to Weaselton. "Touch 'im again, and I'll kill you."

Nick approaches Weaselton with a smug smile on his face. "He's small, but trust me, he'll do it." Nick shoves the weasel back.

Banzai tries to pull out a gun, but Finnick pulls out a second pistol and points it toward him. "Hey, I thought you were tied up?" asks the frightened hyena soldier.

"That's cuz you're stupid," responds Finnick, pointing out the obvious.

Nick tosses up the other end of the rope he was 'tied' with, over to Honey, using it to trip the handful of soldiers and forcing them to drop their weapons. Nick and Honey quickly tie up the now unarmed soldiers together and remove their guns from them. Weaselton can't believe what just happened. "Hey what the hell?! What's going on here badger? Weren't you just turning them in?!"

"Yeah, she was and she wasn't," answers Nick for the badger.

"What?" asks Weaselton completely confused.

"It's called a hustle, weasel," responds Nick with a sly smirk.

Weaselton growls in anger, "You stupid, no good fox! When I get loose from here, I'm gonna make you and your damn hustling buddies pay!"

Honey clicks her tongue with a tsk, "Oh no little weasel, that kind of language won't do. We're gonna have to do something about that," says Honey, giving the weasel a devilish grin. Weaselton gulps in fear.

The golden furred rabbit steps out of the cabin, carrying a basket of fruits and vegetables as a 'thank you' gift for the brave mammals who tied up the band of crooked soldiers. He approaches Finnick with the basket. "Gracias señor. You and your amigos have saved my home from those corrupt soldiers."

"Ya mean you weren't hostin' 'em here?"

"No, they said they needed a temporary base to catch a criminal that was traveling by train. But that was a month ago and they said they would only be here for two days. After that they just took over my home and made me and my children serve them paw and foot." The rabbit gazes towards his three young kits - they sit on a draisine on the railroad tracks with Nick. They giggle and clap as Nick shows them some card tricks.

"Hmm, I see" Finnick hums, "Sounds like a lucky coincidence we showed up then."

The rabbit nods with a smile, "Sabes*, they have a safe box filled with money in the draisine," the bunny informs Finnick.

"I know. That's why we came," answers Finnick with a smirk.

"Ah," responds the bunny, realizing the fox duo and badger had the whole thing planned out. The bunny hands the basket of food to Finnick, who pulls out some coins from his pocket to pay for it. "No señor, please take it as a gift."

"Nah, sounds like those guys were leavin' you guys dry with all their moochin'. Wouldn't mind payin'. Plus we're already takin' all their money, so..." Finnick shrugs, offering him some money - an amount well worth double the actual cost of the basket and its contents.

The rabbit smiles and graciously accepts the money, "Gracias señor."

Finnick nods and carries the basket of goodies over to the draisine on the train tracks.

"Alright baby carrots, I guess it's time for you to get back to your pop," Nick says as he puts his card deck away.

"Aw," the little bunnies complain, wanting to play with Nick for a little longer. The two older juvenile bunnies hop off the draisine while Nick lifts the youngest one and hands him over to his father.

Finnick climbs up the draisine, while Honey mumbles angrily as she approaches them. "Seriously can't believe this. Really thought you boys were worth more than just a measly two hundred pesos. Not to mention, where was my bounty in all this? You Wilde boys were the only ones mentioned on that flyer. I'm the legendary 'Two-Clawed Honey' yet where was my name on that sign?!"

"Hey at least you're lucky. Nobody thinks you're related this guy." Finnick complains, pointing at Nick.

"Come on Finn, it's not my fault you don't have a last name," mocks Nick.

"I have a last name. Just nobody ever r'members it."

"You're just mad because everyone keeps thinking you're my son."

"Yeah, 'cause you keep makin' me pretend I'm your son in ev'ry hustle we pull!" Finnick sputters angrily, "Tired of that stupid elephant costume. I'm lucky if anyone keeps thinkin' I'm your brother at this point, cuz there's no way I'm gonna put up with any of that 'Willde and Baby' crap!"

"Okay," Nick raises a paw in an attempt to calm the smaller fox, "First off, language. There are kits present. And secondly, don't blame me if other mammals think you're just too darn adowable to be taken sewiouswy." Nick teases, while pinching Finnick's cheek. Finnick growls and shoves him away. Nick laughs wholeheartedly, as do the three little bunnies.

"Alright Nick, I think that's enough teasing for one day," Honey utters in a motherly tone. She takes a seat aboard one of the pedal seats on the draisine.

"Don't take it too personal Finn," utters Nick, tussling the fur atop Finnick's head. The miniature fox growls angrily and shoves his paw away, "We've traveled so long together, you practically are a brother to me. Besides you gotta admit, 'The Wilde Brothers' does have a nice ring to it." Nick takes a seat at one of the pedal seats next to Honey.

"Yeah, I guess," Finnick mutters hesitantly, "I'm fine with the name as long as nobody starts callin' me 'son' or anythin' like that."

"You got that right sonny boy!" says Nick, making the young bunnies giggle again.

"What'd I just say?!" barks Finnick angrily.

"Okay boys, that's enough. We gotta get going with this fine bountiful treasure! Ha-Ha!" Honey laughs, "Sir, a pleasure." Honey tips her hat to the golden furred bunny.

"Safe travels my friends," says the rabbit while his three children smile and wave at Nick. The red fox waves back a two finger salute to them as he and Honey pedal the draisine, allowing the railcar to move.

"Yee-haw!" Honey hollers out as they drive past Duke Weaselton and the other soldiers tied up naked around a tall cactus bush. Nick and Finnick laugh at the soldiers' misfortune.

.

The trio of hustlers pedal the draisine a fair distance, pedaling past flat desert lands and small brush, reaching a more mountainous area full of canyons and gorges. Finnick taps the top of the safe box with a proud smirk. "Gotta say, didn't think this hustle would work out as well as it did."

"Oh yeah, why's that?" Honey asks with her own proud smirk.

"Really thought you were bein' serious when you were actin' all mad at us. For a second, I thought you were really gonna go through with handin' us over to the military."

"I was mad at both of ya! So count your blessings you boys are worth practically nothin'. I might've just handed you two over if you had been worth a lot more than a mere two hundred pesos."

"Well, at least we were worth something. What was your bounty again Honey? I can't seem to remember to put my finger on it," Nick hums in 'thought'.

"Don't push it, Wilde," utters an annoyed Honey, easily seeing through his mocking poke.

Nick chuckles, "Look at it this way, with us still here with you, you might actually have a chance at making a name for yourself Honey."

"That sarcastic mouth of yours never stops flappin', does it Wilde?" Nick and Finnick both laugh, bumping fists and greatly enjoying whatever chance they get to annoy the badger for a change. More so after she dragged them for miles through the hot desert, even if it was only to annoy them for eating her breakfast. "Yeah, laugh it up boys. We'll see who's laughin' the next time I drag you two through the desert. Gonna make sure you walk butt naked next time."

"Aw, come on Honey," Nick chuckles, knowing full well that her words are empty threats. "We're just kidding. I'm pretty sure I saw a wanted sign for you last time we passed through Las Garras**"

"Yeah right," Honey mutters in disbelief.

"Nah, I think he's right," Finnick adds, "Think I remember seein' one too."

"Think you were worth maybe fifty pesos…?" Nick says trying to think back on the price.

"Really? Could've sworn it was zero," Finnick adds as both he and Nick burst out laughing.

"That's it!" shouts Honey as they reach a canyon opening between two large cliff edges. "I'mma stop pedaling if you two don't cut that out! Gonna make the two of ya walk the rest of the way! How 'bout that?!"

The two foxes laugh as they reach the middle of the tracks between the canyon. "Alright, alright," Nick utters between chuckles, "We'll…stop-!" Nick sheepishly squeaks that last part as both he and Honey immediately cease their pedaling.

Silence overcomes the three predators as right in front of them in the middle of the train tracks, stands an army of at least a dozen large, well armed soldiers.

The awaiting army consists of two horned rams, four hippos, and about six huge rhinos. Leading the mammals in uniform, standing square in the middle of them and clad in a union army captain's uniform is a gray hare with black tiger-like stripes on his cheeks, and pale blue eyes. He carries a large pistol in paw.

Nick, Finnick, and Honey remain still, frozen in fear of the large army.

The hare steps forward and fiercely stares down each of the three predators. Despite his short stature and physically soft appearance, his eyes tell a different story. They tell the tale of a heartless mammal who's mere cold gaze could penetrate fear into the souls of his enemies. His icy blue eyes, first lock onto Honey's light brown eyes, then onto Finnick's brown ones, and last but not least...they land on Nick's emerald eyes.

After staring them down, the hare at last speaks, "I am Jack Savage, Captain of the Zootopian Military forces. And you three wanted criminals…" Two rhinos present wanted signs of the three predators - the 'Wilde Brother's' sign and one for 'Honey 'The Two Clawed' Badger' with a bounty of $100 - a fact which Honey grimaces and grumbles some swears at once she sees she's worth the same amount as Nick and Finnick each. "Are under arrest!"

"Crap, what do we do?" Finnick asks his two companions.

"If I were you three, I'd come quietly. Or risk dying here and now," the hare responds, overhearing them and shifting his focus behind them. The three mammals hear the clicking of guns and turn back to see another line of soldiers standing behind them and blocking the other end of the canyon opening. "As you can quite simply see, resistance is futile. Which will it be, predators?"

The three mammals gulp heavily. There doesn't appear to be anywhere to run! They're trapped! Nick's eyes quickly wander every which way in an attempt to see if there might be a way out. His eyes land on a spot on the sedimentary rock wall at his side - there appears to be a hole that leads to the other side of the canyon. It's small, but appears to be big enough for him, Honey, and Finnick to escape through. All he has to do is time this right and maybe, just maybe they can get away scott free.

He nudges at Honey and Finnick, hoping they follow his gaze toward the hole on the wall. They do. They know what to do. The three raise their arms simultaneously toward the air - 'surrendering'.

Putting on her best acting face, Honey slowly leads them off the draisine from Nick's side. "Please don't shoot us Captain! We surrender! We-Now!" The three predators quickly dash and leap toward the hole. Finnick and Nick managed to squeeze through, but before Honey can do the same -

BOOM!

The lightning fast Captain Savage manages to shoot the middle aged badger right in the leg, knocking her back to the ground. "Aah!" she screams and gasps in pain, holding her injured leg.

"Honey!" call out her two adopted sons from the inside of the hole. A bullet ricochets against the hole's opening, letting them know that they can't go back for their friend and mother figure. It's a hard decision to make, but they're left with no other choice but to abandon the badger and continue running for their own lives.

Nick and Finnick crawl out to the other side of the canyon as Captain Savage shoots through the hole. He just barely misses them through it. "Go around the canyon," he orders of his soldiers, "Go now!" His larger soldiers obey and go around, while the smaller captain crawls through the hole after them. Nick and Finnick continue forward, running through the desert brush and trying to head toward the rock formations in the distance.

As fast as they're going, it looks like they just might make it out alive! Nick looks back to Finnick. "Hurry Finn! We can lose 'em behind those roc-!"

BOOM!

"Argh!" Finnick yelps in pain and falls to the ground as he's shot on his lower back.

"Finn!" Nick looks up to see a proud Captain Savage standing on a tall rock, fresh smoke still exiting his long range pistol. Nick growls and lifts his tiny wounded friend, "Come on!"

The red fox races through the desert with Finnick in tow. Finnick groans in pain as he looks down at the desert sand on the ground, noticing a trail of red splotches being left behind in the dirt with every step Nick takes. Finnick tries to warn Nick, but then looks up to see Captain Savage aiming at Nick. "Nick lookout!" Finnick tugs hard at Nick's jacket, causing the taller fox to lose his balance and fall - allowing the bullet to miss him.

Nick quickly gets up and tries to grab Finnick once again, "Come on! Come on!"

"No!" Finnick shoves Nick away, refusing his help.

"Let me carry you!" yells Nick desperately, trying to carry his tiny friend away from danger.

Finnick punches Nick square in the jaw, knocking him down on his tail. The fennec fox may be small, but he has one hell of a punch. Nick stares at him incredulous at the small fox's refusal for help.

"They'll find us both if I go with you," Finnick gazes back toward the trail of blood. Once Nick's eyes fall on the trail, he feels everything come crashing down to the pit of his stomach. He shakes his head, knowing full well that his friend won't come out of this alive.

Things only get worse when the rest of the soldiers finally circle around the canyon.

Captain Savage smirks at Nick in the distance, while Nick just glares back with a burning rage. The striped hare joins the other soldiers as they march toward Finnick and Nick.

"Nick…" Finnick utters weakly. The taller fox turns his attention back to him. "Go," Finnick says, his voice weak but without hesitation. "Go."

Nick slowly rises, hesitantly stepping away, constantly shaking his head in horror, unwilling to follow through with his friend's request.

"Go!" Finnick shouts desperately.

Full of hesitation and with a heavy heart, Nick obeys and runs off.

As he runs, the soldiers approach Finnick.

Nick finds a hiding spot behind some rock formations in the distance. He watches the soldiers as they surround the small fennec fox. Things only worsen when two of the rhino soldiers carry the injured Honey over, though they keep her outside of the circle of soldiers.

Nick quietly hyperventilates with uncertainty, hoping that they don't kill his two friends - his family.

Captain Savage marches past his much larger underlings and approaches Finnick with a devilish grin across his face. The striped hare unsheathes his sword before the fennec fox. Honey's jaw visibly drops in horror, as does Nick's.

"I want you to know, I consider this an honor," the hare mocks the wounded fox.

Finnick spits at the ground, "You won't get it." He pulls out one of his pistols hidden beneath his vest and shoots himself right in his heart. The gunshot's roaring echo rings throughout the desert.

Nick's ears fall back in sheer horror at the sight of his now dead best friend. Honey meanwhile, tears up with a slack jaw, her voice caught in her throat.

Unsatisfied that he couldn't be the one to kill him, Captain Savage approaches the dead fennec fox. He raises his sword and brings it down hard...SLASH!

The silver pendant around Finnick's neck flies off onto the dirt, stained with the small fox's blood.

Nick gasps, feeling all the oxygen of his body leave him as an intense rage builds inside him.

A satisfied Captain Savage turns to his soldiers, "Bury the body. Bag the head."

As the hare walks out of the circle of soldiers, Honey attempts to lunge at him. "You son of a-! You murdered Finn! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" The soldiers restrain her from jumping their captain.

"You will kill me, you say?" he questions her with an amused smirk. "My dear badger, I'm afraid you will not have that honor. Nor will I have the honor of killing you. At least not for now, no. You're fortunate that I must leave you alive for another purpose."

"Purpose?" Honey repeats.

"Shame really," the hare continues, "You would've made a lovely addition to my collection." Captain Savage then nods to his soldiers, "Take her away. And find that red fox that ran away! Dead or alive!"

"Captain," one of the soldiers carries a bloody bag over to him - it contains Finnick's decapitated head within.

"Thank you," Captain Savage takes the bag as one of the horse soldiers pulls a carriage over.

Captain Savage takes his leave in the carriage. A second carriage meant for prisoners pulls up to take Honey away. "No! No! You murderin' hare!" Honey cries out as she's loaded into the carriage, "I hope you rot in hell! You hear me?! Rot in hell!" The carriage takes its leave, heading in the opposite direction that Captain Savage did.

Nick meanwhile, takes another glimpse at his dead best friend's now headless body. He releases a shuddered gag and looks away.

"Alright, you heard the Captain!" he hears a soldier shout out, "Spread out and find that remaining fox!" Nick postpones his grieving for the moment and keeps low on all fours in search of a place to hide. He comes across a small opening beneath a rock formation and hides in there - reminiscent of the way his ancestors used to hide from larger predators within their dens.

Inside the small den, Nick curls up into a ball, his face traumatized by the whole ordeal as he listens to the heavy footsteps of the soldiers spreading out to find him.

.

Hours Later…

A carriage stops by the beach shore. Captain Savage steps out of it. "Are you certain this is the right place, sir?" asks the horse driver.

"Yes," answers the hare, "Keep watch of the carriage. I shan't be long." Captain Savage walks down the bank and waits there as the faint sound of rowing emanates from the water. The hare smirks as the sight of a small rowboat comes into view between the fog. At the head of the boat, is a small cloaked figure.

The rowboat finally reaches the mainland. Out from it, the small cloaked figure sets foot on land and approaches Captain Savage. Said figure pushes the hood of their cloak back.

"Welcome ashore Doña Bellwether," greets Captain Savage.

"Always a pleasure Captain Savage," responds the former Governess, lifting her hoof to him. He takes her hoof in his paw and kisses it. "What's that?" she questions him regarding a bloody bag that clings to the side of his belt.

"Just the newest addition to my collection. Nothing important, really," he responds casually.

"I see. Now, remember Captain. Not a word about my early arrival. I want everyone to think I'm arriving ashore tomorrow morning."

"Of course, ma'am. Shall we?" he says offering his arm to her.

"Lead the way," she says, wrapping her arm around his. They head toward the horse and wagon.

.

In the dark of the night, Nick finally leaves his hiding spot. He watches from behind a rock formation as the last few soldiers load themselves into the remaining carriage. "So what do we tell the Captain?" asks a hippo soldier to a rhino.

"What can we tell him? That wily fox slipped through our fingers. Don't worry though, they're not as smart as everyone thinks they are. We managed to catch and kill one of them already, didn't we?" Nick glances toward the mound where his small best friend was buried - his night vision functioning all too well to view the sight as clear as day. "Besides, as smart as Captain Savage is, he'll find that fox one way or another. You'll see." The rhino taps the back of the carriage to let the four horses know that they're ready to go. The carriage pulls away with the soldiers in tow.

Once they're out of sight, Nick comes out from behind the rock and slowly approaches the mound of dirt that is Finnick's burial place. He stands before it in silence for a moment - his expression still paralyzed with disbelief as his mind struggles to face the reality of all that's happened. He remains there, until a shiny glare underneath the moonlight catches his attention.

He approaches it and crouches down to pick up the glowing item from the dirt. It's Finnick's blood stained silver pendant - very likely forgotten by the soldiers in the darkness. Nick stares at the bloody keepsake in his paw as memories begin to flood his mind…

.

A ten year old Nick, dressed in rags, stands by Honey, also dressed in rags. She carries a ten year old Finnick, dressed in baby clothes in one arm. His baby bonnet is topped off with decorative elephant ears. On the other paw, she holds a tin cup. Honey shakes it to attract attention from every passerby that comes their way.

"A peso for a poor destitute family?" A male oryx passes by them, "Spare a few pesos for a poor mother and her two small children?"

The oryx snorts at them once he takes a look at the two young foxes, "Hmm, why should I help you? It's not my fault you chose a fox of all creatures for a mate. Make him pay for those kits." The oryx walks off. Both Nick and Finnick can't help but scowl at the oryx.

"Stupid speciest oryx," Nick spits quietly underneath his breath.

"Ah relax Nicky," Honey says with a confident smile, "I'll bet the next one'll be better."

"The next one better pay off. This i' humilatin'," Finnick grumbles angrily.

"Shh," Honey hushes, "Here comes a good one." A large female hippo clad in wealthy looking clothes walks in their direction. "Look sharp," Honey whispers to the boys before clearing her throat and shifting her expression to that of a grief filled and poverty stricken single mother. Honey shakes her tin cup. "Excuse me señora." The hippo stops. "I don't mean to bother you, but my husband abandoned me last Tuesday and left me alone with these two little ones," Honey tears up, "I was recently keeping my family afloat through work as a seamstress, but I suffered an accident…" Honey shows the hippo her mangled paw. "And now we've been forced into the streets because I couldn't pay our rent on time. My poor baby and little Nicky might eventually be taken away from me and forced into workhouses if I can't provide for them." Honey 'breaks down' into a pool of tears.

The sympathetic hippo tears up at her story, "Oh my goodness, you poor things!" She fishes into her purse and pulls out a large amount of money. "Here. Get yourselves some nice warm meals and a nice place to stay. I heard the Golden Horseshoe Saloon is looking for a clerk to hand out room keys, so maybe that's something you may want to look into."

"Yes, I will. Thank you so much for the tip!"

"Of course," the hippo crouches down to Nick, "Here you go little fella," she hands him a big swirly lollipop with just as big a smile. The gesture catches Nick completely off guard as he is unable to believe the innocent naivety of the friendly hippo. Is she just this dumb that she can't see through their hustle? Or is she just this innocent and trusting? Regardless, Nick can't help but feel a bit touched by the kind gesture - as well as feel a bit guilty deep down.

Despite his guilt, Nick takes the lollipop. Remembering that Honey taught him to ignore his conscience if he is ever to survive in the world.

"I was saving them for my two nephews," the hippo continues, "But I can get them some new ones another time," She hands the second lollipop to Finnick. "And here you go, you cute little baby you."

Finnick 'coos' and takes the lollipop from her.

"Bless you señora," Honey says, wiping at her eye in appreciation.

"Think nothing of it," replies the friendly hippo, "It does my heart good to know I helped someone in need." She waves good-bye to them and walks away with a fulfilled smile on her face.

Once the hippo's out of sight, the trio of con artists rush into an alleyway. They laugh and cheer at a job well done! "Ha-ha-ha! Boy was that easier than I thought!" Honey greedily counts the money in her paws. "Thank you Ms. Money Bags!"

Hours later, the trio of hustlers sit at a hotel room and dine like royalty on an elephant sized bed. Honey laughs with her mouth full and pours herself a glass of champagne. She swallows her food and raises a glass, "Boys, I'd like to be the first to congratulate us on a job well done!" Nick and Finnick raise their glasses of grape juice up to Honey's glass. "To another successful hustle!"

"To another successful hustle," Nick and Finnick repeat in unison. They tap glasses and drink.

"Hey Honey?" Finnick asks, "How about you give us some of that champagne?"

"Yeah right," Honey chuckles, "Last thing I need is a couple of drunk kits. Ask me again in a few years or when you finally decide to grow."

Finnick scoffs annoyed, "Like I can control that."

"Well look at it this way Finn, we can keep pulling this scam for years and years with your height and babyface," Nick says with a cheeky grin.

"If that ends up bein' the case, then I'm takin' this babyface and makin' my own money once I'm old enough. Why do I gotta help you two ungrateful jerks get by?"

"Maybe because nobody'll believe a toddler can be smart enough to be out beggin' in the streets for money?" Honey replies with a cheeky grin.

Finnick gapes his mouth to reply, only to realize that he has no retort, "Good point," he grumbles in response.

"Yeah, and don't forget that you made a promise that we'd always stick together and look out for each other," Nick says with a shove to Finnick.

Finnick rubs his shoulder where Nick shoved him. "Yeah, yeah I haven't forgotten about that."

"Aww, well ain't that sweet of you two. Lookin' out for each other like brothers," Honey comments, "That's good. At least I believe it outta you two."

"What do you mean by that?" Nick asks curiously.

"I mean that you two ain't the kind of friends that would promise each other somethin' like that and then abandon each other like lying, sniveling, traitorous cowards," Honey replies with a hidden sneer.

Nick and Finnick glance at one another, noticing the hidden spite in Honey's tone.

She sighs, feeling that she must explain herself, "I had someone make me a false promise like that once and all it cost me was my heart and my paw," she lifts her mangled paw to emphasize her point. "No big deal, right?" her voice slightly cracks and she discreetly wipes a forming tear in her eye.

"You lost your fingers because someone betrayed you?" Nick asks curiously and concerned.

Honey nods, "Worst part is, it wasn't just anyone. It was…" she hesitates for a moment. "Uh...let's just say, she was someone special to me, alright?"

Nick raises a curious brow. He has never seen her look so vulnerable or insecure about anything before.

"Anyway," Honey continues with her story, "She was my old partner and we promised each other that we'd always look out for each other no matter what. We went together like wine and cheese. I trusted her with everything and she trusted me."

"What happened?" Nick asks her.

"Well one day, we were supposed to pull a hustle on a train. We managed to get our paws on some attendant uniforms. See, we were lookin' for this one particular old money bags that was riding the train. When we found him, we pretended to investigate his bag." Honey chuckles, "We made 'im think that someone had tampered with his bag and put a dangerous substance inside it." Honey laughs boisterously at the memory. "Boy do I remember how pale that old armadillo got! But hey, we got what we needed from him. He was carrying a bunch of stock bonds worth thousands of dollars!"

"Whoa!" Finnick exclaims in amazement.

"Yeah," Honey continues, "Would've been the heist of the century and it all would've gone without a hitch. But then Wilma-that was my partner's name. That traitorous wolverine. We were trying to find a good place to stash the bonds for the next half hour or so until we reached the next station."

"So what happened then?" Nick asks curiously.

"What happened next," Honey scoffs, "She told me that she found a great hiding place in the next room and I trusted her so much that I went to check it out. But when I opened the door to the next 'room', I realized that it lead to the outside and…" Honey's eyes grew a little red - evidently hiding some pain and resentment from the events of the story. "She shoved me off the train. Worst part was that I landed wrong and two of my fingers were broken pretty badly. Hmph! And despite all that, all Wilma could do was laugh and blow me a mocking kiss all the while she thanked me for the great plan." Honey shakes her head in disappointment and anger, "Damn her. She got rich off of my plan and I lost two fingers 'cause I couldn't get to a doctor on time. Took me so long to walk to town, doc said my only option was to cut 'em off."

"Damn," Finnick replies, feeling sorry for her.

"I'm sorry to hear that Honey," replies Nick, equally sympathetic.

Honey waves a dismissive paw, "Eh, don't feel too bad. I eventually returned the favor. I set her up this one time I found out she was stayin' at the same hotel I was. I broke her toes and and secretly tipped off the sheriff that she had some stolen bonds in her room. She got arrested on the spot! Hahaha!" Honey laughed much like her typical confident self. "Boy, what the hell I ever saw in her I'll never know!" she continued laughing as Finnick appeared to piece some pieces together.

"I know this ain't none of my business, but was this Wilma lady your girlfriend or somethin'? Cuz it kinda sounds like...you know…?" Finnick asks, curiously.

Honey nods, "Yup, that she was." Honey suddenly becomes defensive and whips out a knife, "Either of you got a problem with that?!"

"No," the kits quickly reply, terrified of the badger.

"Good. You boys got your taste and I got mine. Let's leave it at that," Honey cools down and puts the knife down. The boys just nod in agreement, not wanting to further incur the wrath of the semi-unstable badger, "Anyway, that's all I had to say 'bout that. I wanna trust you boys and I feel like I can. Namely cuz I'm older than you and I see how you flinch whenever I threaten you."

"Yeah, you really make us feel safe around you," Finnick replies sarcastically.

Honey chuckles, "Seriously though boys, don't ever betray each other like that. You hear me?"

"We won't Honey," Nick replies on their behalf. "We're all we got left. We're family. Me, Finn, even you. You're family now too Honey."

Honey glances up at the kit, touched by what he just said, "Aww, look at you gettin' all righteous and sweet on me Nicky."

"Yeah, hate to agree with 'im," Finnick adds in, "But he's right. The three of us? We're family. We gotta look out for each other."

Honey places a touched paw at her chest, "Why Tiny, are you sayin' that you're finally acceptin' me as your mom?"

"Don't push it," Finnick replies.

"Point is Honey," Nick continues, "You can trust us. We're all talk too, but we're not traitors or cowards. We'd never leave each other behind. No matter what."

Honey smiles, "That's a great policy to live by." She picks up her glass once again, "In fact, how 'bout we toast to it?" she raises it, "To never betraying or leaving each other behind. No matter what."

Nick and Finnick raise their own glasses, "To never leaving each other behind," they clink glasses.

The sound of that 'clink' echoes in Nick's mind of a promise long ago. A promise, now broken. A promise that returns him back to the present time.

.

A present in which Finnick now lies dead and buried in the middle of nowhere. A present where he couldn't keep his promise and abandoned his friend when he needed him most. A present where he allowed that monstrous striped hare named Captain Savage to murder his best friend.

Nick's paw shakes in anger and despair as he tightens his grip on the pendant in his paw. He sniffles, unable to hold back the tears that overwhelm his eyes. He sobs quietly, mourning the loss of his best friend...his brother.

.

The horse soldier/driver pulls the wagon to a stop upon arriving to an old prison with a cemetery next to it. Captain Savage exits the wagon with Bellwether.

They enter the building. Inside, they find an old, puffy ram named Woolter fast asleep at his desk. He mumbles in his sleep, "Yes this is my natural wool…" he chuckles until….SPLASH! Water is tossed at his face, forcing him to wake up. "What's going on?! Who did tha-!" he stops yelling when he notices Bellwether before him. "Doña Bellwether?"

Bellwether lowers a now empty bucket to the ground. "Hello Woolter. I believe you know what I'm here for…" she says with a devious smirk.

.

Various, dirty, shaggy, old, and sickly looking brown rabbits and hares stand before Bellwether, Woolter and a few other guards. With a cloth to her hoof, Bellwether approaches the filthy prisoners to inspect them one by one. She covers her nose as she closely inspects each one of their faces. Bellwether appears especially repulsed by the last rabbit in line - a very bony and decrepit looking rabbit with a nasty cough. Bellwether looks them over one more time and stops in front of a shaggy rabbit with a gray rag across his forehead. She observes his face. Could he be the one she's looking for?

Woolter takes the floor. "Okay. If any one of you filthy mammals is or ever was that masked vigilante known as Zorro, reveal yourself now!"

"I'm Zorro!" yells out another old shaggy brown rabbit. Bellwether approaches him, covering her nose. "They took my mask, my sword, everything…" the rabbit continues.

"Silence you old fool! I am Zorro! I am the one you want!" yells out a tall dark brown furred hare.

"Liar! Liar! Anyone can see you're too tall!" argues the sickly rabbit to the hare.

Suddenly all the prisoners surround Bellwether yelling out "I'm Zorro! I'm Zorro!" All of them, except the shaggy brown rabbit with the gray rag across his head - Stu Hopps.

.

Two guards, a pig and a black and white furred weasel take two prisoners back to their holding cells. One prisoner is the shaggy old rabbit that claimed he was Zorro while the other one is Stu Hopps. The unnamed shaggy rabbit continues to rant that he's Zorro. "I'm Zorro! I'm Zorro! I'M ZORRO!" he continues to rant until the pig guard becomes fed up with him and pushes him violently into his cell. CRASH! THUD! He falls hard, face first to the ground. The pig guard lifts the rabbit's limp head to look at his face. His forehead is covered with blood. He's dead.

"Oh great, he's dead. Nice going Piggum," comments the weasel as he locks Stu's holding cell.

"Whatever. Let's just get him outta here before he stinks up the place," says the pig as he leaves the room.

Once the pig leaves, Stu grabs the nearby weasel guard by the throat. "Pig-um..P-Pi" the weasel tries to call out until Stu breaks his trachea. The weasel's lifeless body falls back next to his cell. Stu reaches out and grabs the keys hanging from the weasel's belt. He removes his shackles and opens his cell to drag the dead guard in there. Searching the dead weasel, he finds a dagger hanging from the weasel's belt and takes it. Now to find a way out, but how? Stu looks at the dead brown rabbit in the other cell as he hears the pig and another guard coming back. The guards enter the room with a white cloth to cover the carcass.

"How did he die?" asks a goat guard, curiously.

"Does it matter? Just help me get him out of here," responds Piggum.

The two guards cover up the brown rabbit and carry him out of the cell and out of the room. A view into Stu's cell shows the dead weasel guard, though he's hidden from plain sight so the guards won't immediately spot him. Next to the dead weasel, lies the dead raving brown rabbit.

.

Meanwhile, Bellwether exits the prison. Captain Savage waits for her outside by the wagon. He opens the door of the wagon for her as she approaches.

"Did you find him?" he asks.

"He's dead," she replies back as she boards the wagon. Captain Savage enters the wagon after her and closes the door. The wagon pulls away, leaving the prison.

.

As the wagon drives off into the distance, Piggum and the goat guard carry the 'dead' rabbit outside to be buried. They place the body into a small rabbit-sized hole and proceed to bury him. Tossing dirt, until they finish and leave the area.

Moments later, a paw bursts out of the ground with a dagger in paw. Stu takes a big gasp of air as he burrows out of the grave. He runs off as quick as he can into the dark woods.

.

The Following Morning…

A fanfare of trumpets blare as a rowboat arrives onto the beach shore.

"The Governess has returned!" announces Don Doug to the multitude of mammals. They applaud.

Six rabbit soldiers row a small boat, Bellwether stands at the bow. The sheep jumps out of the row boat once they reach the shore. This is her "official" arrival back to Zootopia in twenty years. She's dressed formally in a conservative, tan colored dress and purple ascot. Awaiting her on shore are Don Doug, various other wealthy Dons, and a multitude of unhappy peasant mammals, both prey and predator, but mostly predator.

As she arrives ashore, Doug approaches her. He hugs her and kisses her on both cheeks. She does the same to him, "Doña Bellwether, welcome back to Zootopia!"

She chuckles happily, "Thank you Doug. I'm glad to see Zootopia's still in one piece."

"Well, I owe it all to you. You were right about everything. Santa Antta has kept off my back and Zootopia is as prosperous as ever. Speaking of which, here." He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a small nugget of gold, "Consider this a fool's apology for ever having doubted you," he says, handing the small nugget of gold to her.

She smiles at the gold nugget in her hoof and then at Doug. She puts the nugget in her dress' coat pocket. "Shall we?" she says. Don Doug offers her an arm and they walk toward the other Dons.

"Doña Bellwether," greets a female pig with a blonde tuft of hair. She is the only female don besides Bellwether.

"Doña Swinton, lovely as always," responds Bellwether, shaking the pig's hoof.

"Doña Bellwether," says a large polar bear with a Russian accent as he kisses Bellwether's hoof.

"Don Koslov, a pleasure."

"Doña Bellwether, so wonderful to see you again," greets a lion, lifting her hoof and bowing to her.

"Don Lionheart. How are you my old friend?" she greets the lion.

"I'm well," responds Lionheart.

"Good. Gentlemammals…" she says with a nod and quickly dismisses the Dons as a whole. She then proceeds to walk away as if they're not important and heads toward the multitude of peasants, leaving the Dons offended. They follow after her nonetheless as she stands before the peasant crowd.

"Hello my fellow mammals! It's so wonderful to see you've all come out here just to greet me back. But come now, I know none of you are happy to see me. You think I don't know that you've been forced to come here? That some of you have even been threatened to show up! But then again, why shouldn't you be upset to be here? All your lives you've been pushed around! The Prey leaders oppressed you, the Predator leaders ignored you, and the Dons...well the Dons, the Dons" she says shaking her head and chuckling in between her words as if saying, 'don't even get me started on the Dons.' She continues on with her speech. "But I ask you, who else in all of Zootopia's great history has ever helped you?"

"Zorro!" yells out a leopard friar, gaining Bellwether's and everyone else's attention. "Zorro, fought for all mammals!" The crowd roars with cheers and chants of Zorro's name.

"Ah yes, Zorro." Bellwether mumbles under her breath, annoyed by the mere mention of the name. "Where is he now Padre?!" Bellwether retorts back at the leopard, leaving him uncertain on how to answer. "If I'm correct, he hasn't shown himself in twenty years! Twenty years!"

As Bellwether continues speaking, a certain brown rabbit moves through the crowd. He now wears clean clothes, though his fur is still scruffy. He's clad in a white blouse, dark brown pants, and a poncho draped over one of his shoulders. Stu listens in to the rest of Bellwether's speech.

"In all this time, he hasn't shown himself. He's abandoned all of you! He's abandoned Zootopia! But things don't have to be this way. You don't need some masked vigilante to give you the Zootopia you deserve! No! It is you my fellow Zootopians! You have the opportunity to make this the prosperous land you wish it to be. And I will help you make it so! For you see, I have a vision! A vision which involves all of you! A vision that will provide each and every one of you a job with respectable pay!" The mammals applaud and cheer at her words. Stu, however, knows better and knows whatever kind words come out of her mouth can't be good. "A vision that will make Zootopia the rich, fertile land of opportunity that both prey and predator mammals alike deserve!" The crowd of mammals cheer. "My fellow mammals, I ask you to share this vision with me! To make a free and independent Zootopia!" The mammals roar with cheers, fooled by Bellwether's words.

Stu however, has had enough! With eyes full of vengeful fury, he pulls out the dagger he stole from the weasel guard and pushes through the crowd trying to reach Bellwether. He reaches the second row of mammals but stops when he hears a feminine voice call out to Bellwether.

"Mother!"

Stu sees the source of the voice. A beautiful, young gray rabbit with amethyst purple eyes and black tips on her ears. She holds an umbrella over her tall ears to cover from the hot sun. She is clad in a gorgeous cream-white and blue dress. The young rabbit runs over to Bellwether. She hugs and kisses the sheep on both cheeks. Bellwether returns the kisses.

"My fellow Dons, allow me to introduce to you my daughter, Judith." Bellwether informs the other Dons.

Stu can't believe what he just heard. The young rabbit before him, is his baby daughter Judy, now fully grown. She looks so much like her mother, with the exception that Judy has a thinner and curvier frame. Stu is in awe. He can't attack Bellwether now, not in front of the daughter he lost so many years ago. He puts the dagger away, a pit forming in his stomach, knowing his child is so close yet so far away.

A little rabbit girl approaches Judy with a Rowlmneya flower in paw. She hands it to her.

"Thank you." Judy says as she accepts the flower from the kit. She wiggles her nose as she smells the flower. "Can anyone tell me what kind of flower this is? This scent seems so familiar," Judy asks, curiously.

"It's called a Rowlmneya flower, señorita Judith. Though I doubt you've smelled it before. You see, the Rowlmneya flower doesn't grow in the Prey Region. It's native only here to Zootopia and it's neighboring vicinities. And I believe this is your first visit to our shores." informs Don Doug.

Judy nods, "I see." Regardless of his answer, Judy continues to smell the flower. Happily taking in its new yet somehow familiar smell.

...

For those of you wondering…...No, I don't hate Jack Savage. Because even though he was never actually fleshed out by Byron Howard, I still really like the character for what he's become to the fans. Obviously like many shippers, I DON'T want him being paired with Judy. But that's why I like him in terms of story, because he serves as a perfect foil to Nick. We all want to see Nick with Judy, despite their species barrier, so in terms of being able to build romantic drama for a story, he works perfectly. So...there it is. :D

I'm not sure when I'll release the next chapter, but I'll try my best to make sure it's sometime soon and not several months from now, hehe…(embarrassed chuckle). Thanks for reading! :)