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The Worries of Loved Ones
Emmett Otterton convulsed and slashed his claws at the white limo's dark interior. Someone screamed. He slunk through the open window and stalked along the roof. I froze in place, yelling at him to remember his wife. The otter spun and flew. His teeth barely missed my arm. I ran. Otterton bit at the back of my legs. My eyes watered. I told him I was sorry. I told him it was necessary. He leapt at my neck and tore into the skin. And before everything went to black, Melina Otterton watched me with weeping eyes.
I seized my throat. Tenth day in a row. I reached for the bin and gagged. Thankfully, my lettuce wrap lunch didn't come back up. I nudged the bin under my desk and eyed the Post-Paw note slapped onto the office phone. Right, after his little visit two weeks ago, Woolter changed Doug's number for security. I considered peeling the note. No, any visitors (ha) would only assume Doug was a business contact. Which, to be fair, he was.
Teeth snapped behind me.
I swiveled around, finding only a file box overturned on the floor. I sighed and scooped the crammed papers with the lid. Nothing dislodged in the process, so I was spared the tedious task of reorganizing everything. Thank goodness for small favors. Now came the part where I stood on tippy-toes and prayed it wouldn't drag every other box with it.
Fortunately, Lionheart waited until after I fitted the box into place to roar over the speaker. "Bellwether! Drop everything you're doing!"
Here came the good ewe. "Right away, Sir. How can I help you?"
"We got another call from Otterton Boutique. The missus is petitioning us to find her missing husband again. Poor Tiffany almost had a heart attack with the last round of calls."
My heart tightened. "That's terrible."
"No, it's sunshine and rainbows. Of course it's terrible, Smellwether! I want you to go down to the Boutique and talk to her."
My stomach lurched. "Why me, Sir?"
"You're the smaller mammal; you'd understand her perspective. Sending a bigger mammal to tell her we're still looking for her husband wouldn't settle with her. She might not even listen to them, anyway. But she'd probably listen to you. You'd be perfect for the job."
A wave of nausea rose. "Right away, Sir."
"Do a good job, Dawn. She's hurting." After a few seconds, he added, "And we need to keep our lines open."
I stepped away from the phone and reconsidered the bin. No, this wouldn't be difficult. I'd just head to the Boutique, tell her we're doing everything to locate her husband, and head back to City Hall without breaking down. I dropped into my chair. He was a necessary mark. He was necessary to ensure a better future for all Prey. I couldn't let one act of kindness blur my judgment. They were Predators, just like the others. I did what I had to do…
My foot kicked the desk, knocking the bin over. Something softly jingled.
I spotted the white box near my Post-Paw notes and smiled for the first time that day. The one good thing to come out of the last ten was seeing Tyler again. Even if our second date was shorter and disguised as a drink run because we bumped into each other at Snarlbucks. I removed the lid. A necklace with a golden bell pendant nestled in a bed of tissue paper.
I asked about the perfect gift for a ewe. The ram running the shop told me ewes "absolutely love" bells. I know it's not much, but I hope it helps you get through the day.
He didn't say it, but he must've noticed the worn chain on my old one. I gave the bell a little ring. My upset stomach quelled. I fitted the chain around my neck. The bell tapped my collarbone, jingling another weak note. I giggled, until I recalled his De-Scent tag. No, I wasn't going to think about that. Why spoil his nice gift? Besides, I had a job to do. And my heart was not in the mood to field an angry follow-up call from the maned idiot.
Cupping the necklace in my palm, I set the HP to hibernate, collected my file bag, and strolled out of the office. A mouse intern outside eyed the bell. I gave it a little ring. They smiled and walked away, juggling manila folders the size of my fingers.
A different bell clanged halfway down the hall. I pulled out the iHorn. What a night that had been. After two years of dedicated service, the Ramsung met its end crunched under Bearig's backside at Mystic Spring. (Wasn't such a bright idea to startle that elephant, was it, Kent?) He immediately offered a newer iHorn, complete with the familiar bitten carrot icon. That left the issue of the burner phone. Jesse quickly resolved that with an iHorn case that barely cradled the new phone. At least it covered the burn.
Another reminder from Lionheart. And maybe buy a little something from her. Support her business. You're Prey. It should have something you'd eat. I shook my head and stuffed the iHorn back into the bag. Another wave of nausea crept up my throat. My fingers latched onto the bell. The wave retreated. I gave it a few more seconds. When my stomach didn't stagger, I continued to the elevator and pressed my heated back against the cool wall.
I should've hailed a cab, or called a Zuber, but my feet wouldn't stop once I crossed the threshold onto Sienna Avenue. No, the Boutique was only about five or six blocks to the east. I could manage that. Zootopians continued their daily routes, a goat and a ram among them bidding me a good day. I bade them a good day and tried to think about what I would say to calm Melina Otterton.
Something bitter curled in my gut. I paused near a telephone pole and took a deep breath. My fingers gripped the pendant. Its bell softly rang between them. The bitterness sank down, as did my back. A concerned ibex stopped to catch me. I politely thanked him and pressed on before I'd trip over a crack in the sidewalk or something else equally avoidable and embarrassing.
You going soft on us? Doug chided at the back of my mind. As if that ram could understand how I felt. That would require his ego to level a few notches.
But as soon as I set hoof on Verdant Boulevard, with only a few more steps to Otterton Boutique, my insides clenched. I stumbled towards a lamppost and threw my arms around it. The bell pendant rang. The feeling didn't subside. I shut my eyes and tried not to scream when Otterton, as feral and bloodthirsty as Doug's field notes described, soared through the air. When my eyes reopened, I flinched.
An unkempt fox in a worn suit jacket watched me. Greasy red headfur curled atop his head. And propped on his shoulder was a sign that read, THE END IS NIGH. He sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes. "You know it's coming."
I slowly pried my arms from the lamppost.
The fox was undeterred. "You know, don't you? The world's going to change."
There was no way he could've known. He was just some crazy mammal preaching the end of the world. Plenty of them ran around when Lionheart was elected, and there were plenty more before them. I straightened up. "Thank you for the warning, but I need to–"
He jumped in front of me, claws digging into the wooden post at his shoulder. "You're the one leading the change! You and the lion. More Predators vanish, more lives disappear. You've ushered the end with the rest of them."
Unable to break eye contact, I slinked around the lunatic and backed towards Otterton Boutique. The crazed vulpine huffed and marched around the corner, thrusting his sign into the air. I clutched my chest. Okay, he blamed the local government for all the disappearances, not just me. My wrist nudged the bell. No more stalling. Besides, if I took too long, Lionheart would use it as an excuse to rake me over the coals. As if he needed any.
I was finally outside the Boutique. My hooves still shook. I tried to think of pleasant things. But every thought–from Tyler holding me in his arms, to everyone telling off the reckless Mayor–simply vanished. I was left standing on the sidewalk with the sunlight burning into my back. A beautiful selection of violets, lilies, and roses lined the clay mud display at the window's base. I held my hoof to the glass. My stomach twisted. My feet melted into the concrete.
Past the display, the faint shape of an otter walked by, her shoulders draped with a lilac-colored blanket. She gazed into the street and froze when our eyes met. Her face brightened and the blanket fell. I clung to the pendant. She was a Predator. I had to remember that. I had to remember why I did all this. I had to remember her kindness was a one-time gesture. I had to.
The door opened. "Assistant Mayor Bellwether." Melina gripped the frame with one paw. Small tears lined her eyes. "Did you want to come inside? I apologize for the delay. I'm not myself, right now."
My feet finally unglued themselves. She was a Predator. I had to remember that. I smiled, despite my fingers seizing the bell pendant in a death grip. "Yes, I would. And you don't have to do anything special for me. I won't be very long."
Melina shrugged and slid back over the threshold. "It's no trouble."
Finally releasing the pendant, I followed her inside. "Thank you."
A metal shelf advertised half-off bulbs of various kinds to my right. Melina stopped to check a pale fern wilting over the register. "Things have been a little less lively since…" The leaf she cradled slipped from her fingers. "Forgive me. I still have hope, but after ten days…" She pressed her face into her pads.
I sharply inhaled and looked around. A jade and scarlet bead curtain now adorned the doorway leading into the glassed dining area. Melina lifted her head and drew a white rag to wipe her eyes and palms. She smiled sadly at me. "Is there something you'd like? I was about to sit down with some black tea."
"That sounds nice." I patted her shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down for a little bit?" I tilted my head towards the beaded curtain.
"I really should. I've been on my feet all day. Thank you."
My fingers immediately returned to the pendant. Melina passed through the beaded curtain, the strands clacking behind her. I unlatched my fingers and followed. The overhead fan blew cool air over my heated shoulders. Behind the counter at the far left, Melina sat and arranged a ceramic pot and two cups. My eyes moved along the ceiling. A spider-web of vines stretched over the panels, dotted with multicolored flowers and sprouts curling towards the sun.
"I trust you're here to tell me something about my husband?"
I lurched into a table.
Melina's face sank. "I didn't mean to startle you. But since I haven't received any news about Emmett in the last few days, I can only guess the Mayor sent you to tell me they're doing everything they can." Her paws rested on the counter.
She had me there. "Yes, Mayor Lionheart felt I should offer our sympathy in his stead. I'm sorry I can't do much else for you. The ZPD really are doing everything they can to find your husband, but…" A ghostly Otterton curled around the counter and snapped his teeth. I hung my head. "…but I don't have any news about his whereabouts."
Melina poured black tea into the two cups. "I'm not mad at you, Miss Bellwether. I want you to know that."
At the corner of my eye, the feral Emmett Otterton vanished with a snarl. I managed a little smile for her. "I'm glad to hear that." I slowly walked to the counter. "I'm still sorry about your husband. I'm sure he's…"
The otter sipped at her tea. "I want to believe he's okay. I want to believe he'll return unharmed. He wouldn't leave his family without a good reason."
My throat tightened. "Family?"
She reached under the counter and slid a photograph into my hooves. In it, Emmett and Melina smiled with two otter pups, one of whom wore an orange uniform and held up a soccer ball. I had no idea they had children. And Doug certainly never…
You going soft on us?
She was a Predator. Her husband was a necessary mark to ensure a better future for Prey. But as I stared at the photograph, I could only think back to that day they led me out of the heat. My eyes welled.
Melina reclaimed the photo and tucked it back under the counter. "Avery and Nate are holding up better than I am, but I know they're just as worried. I'm sure the ZPD will find my husband. But…" She curled her paw and held it to her forehead. "Why haven't they found him? I know Zootopia's a big city, but there's only so many places he could be. Unless…"
The otter struck the counter. The pot and cups wobbled.
"No, he's not dead. I'm not going to entertain that idea." Melina steadied her paws and drank a little more. I did the same, the ceramic threatening to slip from my own trembling fingers. She set her cup down and took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, Miss Bellwether. I'm acting very unprofessional."
My ears sagged. "No one blames you."
She squeezed my wrist. "It's not your fault. I know you're doing everything you can. I'm not mad at you."
I forced another smile and held her paw with my other hoof. "Thank you."
Melina eyed the pendant. "That's a nice bell."
I released her paw and displayed it in my palm. "Thanks. It's a little something from a…friend."
The otter smiled knowingly. "I won't tell anyone."
Mutton chops, was I that obvious? "Thank you. I'd rather not risk some mammal in the tabloids finding out. The Mayor would never let me live it down."
"I hope they treat you well."
I eased into a warmer smile. "He does. He really does."
She poured herself another cup. I nursed mine a little longer. Otterton thankfully didn't reemerge from the corner, poised to strike. But the knot in my stomach curled and spread like the vines above us. I coughed, drizzling droplets of black tea on the counter. Melina retrieved a towel and wiped them away. I covered my mouth and coughed a bit more. She folded the towel and shoved it back underneath. "So the ZPD hasn't come up with anything?"
Melina shook her head. "No, they only reassure me they haven't stopped looking. Chief Bogo is a good mammal, but I wish he'd understand how painful this is for me."
Another wave of nausea rose. I reached for the bell pendant. Wait…the new officer at Precinct One. Judy Hopps. When I met her at the graduation ceremony, she was quite the determined Prey. From her words alone, I could tell she wasn't one to let anything stop her. Had Melina spoken with her? Unlikely. Bogo would surely keep the rookie from the bigger jobs. But…
My muzzle began to curl. I glanced at Melina, who set the ceramic cups and pot into a stainless steel sink. Judy would find her husband, I was sure of that. Perhaps if I threw a hint or two her way. She was a good Prey. And perhaps if I went with Melina, the odds of Bogo letting Judy take the case would sway in our favor. Assuming Judy was there.
It was worth a shot. Melina would have her husband back. Not in the most cordial fashion, but…it was enough. She would have her husband back. Judy would solve the case, becoming a shining example for all Prey as the ZPD's first rabbit officer. And to make things even sweeter, Lionheart would finally be busted. Everyone wins. I cleared my throat and folded my arms. "We should try again."
Melina blinked. "What?"
"I think it's time we went to the ZPD together. Your husband is still missing, and they need to understand how much pain it's caused you." I held out my hoof. "I want to help you, Melina. Please let me help you."
The otter stared at my hoof and then took it. A grateful smile developed under her teary eyes. "Will it actually accomplish anything?"
"I'll be there. I want you to tell Bogo about your husband. And if he tries to bog you down with more platitudes and condolences, I'll make sure Lionheart hears about it. I may only be the Assistant Mayor, but I still have some say."
Her fingers tightened around mine. "Thank you, Miss Bellwether. I don't know how to repay you."
"No need. It's my duty to look out for the citizens of Zootopia. Especially those of us who often get overlooked by the bigger mammals."
Melina threw her arms around me in a firm embrace. I slowly returned it, gently patting her back. Over her shoulder, Emmett Otterton knelt on all fours and growled. I lightly shook my head and broke away. "We should get going. Take too long, and we might get banished to the waiting area."
"Thank you so much, Miss Bellwether."
"No problem. Like I said, it's my duty to look out for you."
"And I'm glad you do."
I rechecked the room. The apparition didn't crouch or crawl along the glassed ceiling, eyes glowing and teeth bared. I jingled the bell and smiled. She'd get her husband back. Judy would solve the case, when no other member of the ZPD could. Everyone wins.
Closing the boutique behind us, Melina waited for my lead. I gently motioned towards City Hall and Precinct One. However, as we neared the end of the block, the street preacher ambled into our path. His eyes immediately narrowed onto me.
"The world ends with you," he muttered, jabbing THE END IS NIGH towards the sky. "The world ends with the mammals huddling at the top of the tower."
Melina groaned. "Walt, please, I've had a rough morning. I'm not in the mood to hear any more doomsday prophecies." She gripped my arm. "And for your information, she's helping me find my husband. The end of the world can wait until I have Emmett safely back home."
The fox's face softened. "All right, Mrs. Otterton. I did not mean to offend you." His eyes shifted back to me. "I wish you luck in your search." He hefted the sign to his other shoulder and resumed his patrol down Verdant.
Melina shook her head. "He's not a bad fox. But ever since my husband and the other Predators went missing, he hasn't been the same." She squeezed my wrist. "So you really think they'll look harder if you're there?"
"Oh, certainly. But don't let them know I'm around until I say so." I quickly added, "Because otherwise I might not be able to sway their decision in your favor."
"Thank you."
"It's my duty, Melina."
We arrived at Precinct One, undisturbed by phone calls, lunatic doomsayers, or ghostly otters lunging for the kill. I urged her to walk in first, and to remember to really show Bogo her pain. The large cheetah receptionist bade Melina welcome, pushing aside an unfinished bowl of Lucky Chomps and assuming the most sympathetic look he could manage. When he began the usual condolence, the otter ran. He started after her, quickly exhausting himself.
Striding behind them, I faintly heard the familiar voices of Idris Bogo and…yes! Judy was in his office! This was perfect! Melina pushed the door open and marched inside. The cheetah breathed an apology and stepped back out. He froze at the sight of me. I tapped a finger to my lips. He obediently trudged back to his post. Even through the door, I could hear Melina's heartfelt plea. And sure enough, Judy leapt at the chance to help her fellow mammal.
I nestled the bell pendant in my palm. Yes, this would work. Judy would solve the case. Melina would get her husband back. And Lionheart would pay. I drew out my iHorn and waited. No ghastly savage Emmett Otterton stomped over the carpet to strike. The bell jingled. No more nausea creeping up. And maybe after the case was closed, I could finally arrange some personal time with Tyler. He'd love that.
Everyone wins.

***

I snagged the next subway for the Rainforest District's Canopy Road. Surprisingly, the car was mostly empty, save for a gazelle occupied with his phone and a tan and brown pair of beavers squabbling over a copy of The Zootopian Bystander. Viola's call rang through my ears.
Renato won't talk to me. He hasn't come around Misty's for his café. No contesta su teléfono. His boss says he's taken an extended vacation, but he won't say why. ¿Por qué no me dice? Voy a su casa, no más excusas. Necesito tu ayuda. Please, Tyler. I need to know what's wrong. Ayúdame, por favor.
My eyes drifted to the front page. STILL NO LEAD IN MISSING PREDATORS CASE. I shuddered. A fourteenth Predator disappeared the same night of my first date with Dawn. I rubbed my head. I should've asked her to help. But I didn't, and another poor mammal, a loving husband and father, vanished. I curled into the seat. At least the count hadn't gone up to fifteen. Yet.
Then again, I barely saw Dawn. We made a second, shorter date at the Snarlbucks near City Hall, because I simply happened by after finding her gift. She loved the bell necklace, but told me she couldn't yet give me her number, for security reasons. And because, as she put it, her current workload would banish my calls to Voice Mail. If I had asked for her help, maybe that otter wouldn't have disappeared. Maybe…
No, Viola was stressed enough over her cousin shutting her out. But what if he…no, Renato wasn't the fifteenth missing Predator. He was at home, doing something that didn't involve disappearing or getting kidnapped in the middle of the night. I growled. No, Viola needed my help. And I sure wouldn't be worth a damn if I broke down in a subway car, dreading over what I didn't do.
¡Y por el amór de Díos, no habla con ella sobre de esa posibilidad!
The beavers stopped to breathe and leaf through other sections. My gaze fell to the floor. An orange spot I hoped was a smoothie stain curled under the next seat. My eyes lifted to the ads running above the doors and windows. Nicky Mephitway smiled back at me, a vine snaking over one shoulder and the Thunderbolt's logo perched atop the other. The beavers resumed arguing.
The gazelle fled the car as soon as it reached Canopy Road. I followed close behind, leaving the beavers to their fight. We separated in the crowd that dispersed to escape the next shower. Viola looked up from a covered bench. She ran over and threw her arms around me. I returned the hug as best as I could. "Anything?"
She pulled away and shook her head. "No, I tried calling Renato again, but he still won't answer. I'm getting really sick of this. Thank you for coming."
"I had to, with all the…" I grunted. "With everything that's been going on."
"¿Cómo está la alcaldesita?"
"Muy ocupada. No tenemos mucho tiempo. Compré un regalo para ella."
She smirked. "¿Cómo un buen novio?"
"Más o menos. Mi oveja es muy especial."
"¿Tu oveja? Qué romántico, Zorrillo."
"Hago todo lo posible. So, what's the battle plan? Stake out? Try his boss again? Smash down his door?"
"If it comes to it." Viola's paws curled. "No quiero, pero si él…"
"Lead the way. I got your back. So to speak."
We started off Amazon Drive, giving Viola a chance to steel herself for the inevitable confrontation. She guided me through clusters of grass, mud, and caked dirt. Cervine cyclists passed on nearby roads, calling "Pred Pride!" for support. Viola smiled and thanked them for their kind words. But her smile died as soon as we reached the rope bridge at the corner of Tujunga and Vine. I held out my paw. She briefly clasped it and took a deep breath.
"Estoy contigo, Viola."
"Gracías, Tyler." She released my paw and set hers on the right post. "Por favor, no sorpresas."
Viola took the first step. I choked back a whine. The Rainforest District was a wonderful place, but I still couldn't stomach these bridges. She stopped a few boards in and looked over her shoulder. I gripped the rope to my right and stared straight ahead. The jaguar waited with a patient smile. My heart stopped backflipping long enough to follow Viola once she resumed crossing. But I couldn't hold back a relieved gasp the second my feet touched grass.
Vines and small flowers surrounded the red-orange door of Renato's tree-built house. I glanced at the mailbox. Its flap dangled, revealing a crammed, red-wrapped newspaper reminder. Viola froze in front of the door, her tail coiled around her ankles. I tugged the reminder free and stood by her. Another deep breath. She knocked.
Feet shuffled across the floor behind the closed door, wobbling what sounded like a lamp that paws abruptly stabilized. We waited as those same paws cautiously unlatched the locks. The door slowly opened. A single eye stared at us. It closed with a groan. "Viola, no me mo–"
"Renato," she interrupted. "¿Por qué no me contesta?"
Another groan. "Viola, por favor, no tengo tiempo para–"
She shot her paw into the crack. "No, ¡no más excusas! What the hell is going on?!"
Renato wrenched the door open, nearly knocking Viola off her feet. The space around him was wide enough. I barreled past Renato's feet and slid into his home. He slammed the door shut and latched it.
Viola slammed her fists. "¡Renato Alberto Manchas! ¡Abre esta puerta!"
He growled and spun around. I wielded the reminder sheepishly. The black jaguar swatted it out of my paws. It flew across his table and toppled an empty Bug-Burga cup. I raised my paws. "Cálmate, cálmate, por favor. No quiero luchar. Por favor, Renato, necesitamos hablar contigo. Please."
Renato's face slackened. Outside, Viola's blows slowed to a stop. With a defeated sigh, he unlocked the door and swung it open. Viola stomped inside before he could reclose it. After looking me over, she whirled onto her cousin. "Renato, what's going on?"
The black jaguar marched past us, absently kicking the Bug-Burga cup into the wall. He returned shortly with two more chairs and situated them at the table. "Lo siento. No tengo alga más pequeña para ti."
"Está bien." I clambered atop the chair to the left, while Viola took the one to the right. Renato seated himself on the other end, crumpling a discarded paper plate under his massive arms. It was then that I noticed only his right eye was open.
Viola tracked my gaze. "¿Qué…?"
Renato clapped his paws and closed his good eye. The healing scar shone a sickly silver. "I know it's difficult for the both of you, pero no quiero…no puedo hablar sobre…" His finger dragged to his other eye, sealed shut by the scar.
Viola glared. I leaned over and squeezed her arm. Her glare eased. I turned back to Renato. "Te entendemos. We're just concerned. We don't want you to get hurt."
He laughed bitterly. "It's a little late for that." His laugh crumbled into a cough.
His cousin kneaded her forehead. "¿Por qué no puedes hablar?"
"Because it scared the living hell out of me. Because that night…" Renato gritted his teeth and frowned at the paper plate beneath his arms. He yanked it out and threw it towards a trash can. It flopped into a heap halfway there. "No puedo decirte. I know it's unfair, but I just can't."
Viola glanced between her cousin's scar and fingers. "Pelea?"
Renato snorted. "I don't fight on my job, Viola. I'd get fired if I did. Even with some of the absolute idiotas I've had to drive around." He pressed his palm against the scar.
"Un ataque?"
He struck the table. "¡No puedo hablar! ¿Por qué no me oyes?"
"Who hurt you?!"
"No. Puedo. Decirte."
The two jaguars bared their teeth. I stared hard at their canines. (Was this what it was like for Dawn, seeing mine? No wonder she was scared.) Renato raised his fist. I immediately climbed onto the table. "Hey, hey," I softly waved my paws. "We're not gonna get anywhere if we scream at each other."
Renato and Viola leaned back into their chairs and sealed their lips. She looked sadly at me. I shook my head and pointed to Renato. He drummed his fingers and settled his good eye back onto us. I sat between them, tail hooking around my knees. Viola closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them with a faint smile. "He's right. We're not gonna accomplish a damn thing if we fight. And you've been roughed up enough."
He chuckled. "So I have." His muzzle tightened. "Fue ataque."
Viola frowned. "I'm sorry."
Renato hooked his fingers and spun an invisible steering wheel. "I had a bad passenger. He's not a bad mammal, by any means. Pero fue muy enojado…y feroz…" He pressed his paws to the table. "I've never seen a mammal like that before."
"Did you tell anyone?" I cautiously asked.
He shook his head. "Nadie. No puedo hablar sobre de ese animal, porque…" His eye clenched shut. His paws trembled.
Viola extended past me to squeeze his arm. "Renato, it's okay. You don't have to tell us what happened if you don't want to. But if it was just a bad passenger, why did you leave work?"
Another bitter laugh. "No one wants to be driven by someone with a scar like this. They'll think I fight and bite and claw. And they wouldn't believe me if I told them what happened." His whiskers dropped. "No one would."
"Okay, so it was a bad passenger, and you needed some time to recover. But you'll have to go back and tell them at some point. But–" I raised my paw. "I understand. You wanna do it in your own time. Just don't keep them waiting too long."
"Muy inteligente. But that's not all."
Viola's face sank further. "¿Hay más?"
Renato searched the room. Viola and I searched with him. Outside, the next downpour began, splattering raindrops over the endless vines and leaves. He closed his eye. "I think someone is out there."
I craned my head towards the nearest window. "Where?"
"Not like that. Ever since that night, I…I think I'm being followed."
Viola rose from her seat and grabbed for her phone. I shot out my paw to catch her wrist. "Let him finish, please." She unwillingly let it sink back into her pocket. I waved for Renato to continue.
He obliged. "Maybe I'm crazy, but ever since that night, I think I've seen someone standing in the shadows. I'm walking through the rain, and there's someone waiting by the bench. But when I go back for a second look, they're gone." His eye closed again. "But it hurts to open my other eye. I may only be seeing things. I have headaches, and I'm still scared to think about that night. Maybe there's no one there, but…"
"It still scares the hell out of you," I finished.
Renato patted my shoulder. "Correcto."
Viola narrowed her eyes. "Why haven't you called the ZPD?"
He stared blankly. "And report what?"
Viola's chin tilted. Her paw made another frail grab for her phone and fell limp.
I stood. "So maybe you've seen someone, maybe you haven't. Did you see them today?"
Renato briefly rechecked the windows. "No, not today. Not yet."
"Okay, then. Maybe they went away?" I offered.
"I hope so, Tyler. I really do. But I'm sure I'm just crazy."
We sat in silence for the next few minutes. The jaguars stared at the table, occasionally sweeping their paws, while I batted at my arrowhead. Eventually, Viola snarled and rose from her chair. She glanced at Renato, who covered his good eye with his palm. And then, in one swift motion, she embraced him. He slowly returned it, cradling Viola's sobbing head against his shoulder. I smiled sadly.
They broke their embrace shortly. "Renato, if anything happens, you need to let me know, okay? You can't keep this to yourself forever."
"Yo sé. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you."
"Cuando eres listo, dígame, por favor. Quiero ayudarte."
"Entiendo. Haré, pero necesito más tiempo. Gracías, Viola. And, please, forget about what I said about being followed."
"What?"
"I'm just seeing things because my head hurts. Please, just forget about that, okay?"
With a low, resigned sigh, Viola gently took my arm. "Fine. Let's go, Ty."
I nodded. "Hope things get better, Renato."
"Me, too, little skunk. Me, too."
He saw us out. Viola smiled at him. Renato smiled back and carefully shut the door. She growled and walked back across the rope bridge. I kept behind her, concentrating on the other side. My heart thankfully didn't backflip as much on the return trip.
"Thank you, Tyler. I'm glad you came."
"Come on, Viola, I was just there for support."
"If you hadn't gotten inside, he would've completely shut us out. You did good." She scooped me into her arms and kissed the top of my head. "Thank you."
I squeezed her arms. "It's the least I can do."
We continued towards Canopy Road. My mind painted images of Renato's possible stalker lurking in the dark and slinking out of sight when the jaguar looked over his shoulder. Their fists clenched, their eyes burned. Perhaps they also took the missing Predators hostage. I tugged at my headfur. No, Viola was already scared enough. I didn't need to–
I struck the wet grass. Viola abruptly turned to me. "What's wrong?"
My arms trembled and my claws sliced through the dirt. A low growl escaped. I forced myself to stand, shook my paws, and tried to banish thoughts of mammals emerging from the darkness to abduct Renato. I tried to think of Alex and the others at work. I tried to think of Dawn. I tried to think of that stupid bear and his stupid crack about "scents-ible behavior". Anything. My claws dug into my temples. I fell to my knees.
"Tyler?"
The final image of a shadowy mammal dragging a screaming, pleading Renato Manchas from his home crumbled. Rain sealed my shirt and tail to my back. Viola lightly tugged my arm. I said nothing before, and another Predator went missing. If I said nothing now…
"I'm fine, Viola. I just thought about…" I rose and wiped my knees. "I hope Renato will be okay."
She weakly chuckled. "I'm sure he will. Are you sure you're okay? I'm willing to carry you on my shoulders. Or maybe like a newborn kitten."
"Nah, I think I'd better walk. It's good for me."
"Es más mejor. Ella sería celosa."
"Yeah, she might."
We shared an equally frail laugh and kept on. Around us, Predators and Prey traveled in all directions. None of them stopped to watch us, fists clenched and eyes burning. I shivered. My tail peeled off my back, slapping a puddle behind us. A jaguar kitten laughed and dropped in, throwing up as many waves as the shallow water would allow. His mother lifted him back into her arms. I pressed my cool pads against my heated forehead.
Viola stopped at the Canopy Road station stairwell. "Thank you again. Y gracías a Díos no fue más violente."
I took her paw. "No es problema. But, if you can, keep an eye on him." My ears folded. "I don't think anything bad'll happen, and I know he told us to forget about his hopefully nonexistent stalker, but it can't hurt, right?"
"I've got another late shift at Misty's, but I'll do what I can. Maybe he'll finally show up for his damn coffee." She let out an empty laugh.
"Maybe. And watch yourself, too."
"You do the same."
"Yeah. Adios, Viola."
She waved until I could no longer see her. The tan and brown beavers sat at a bench, staring glumly at the track. Water dripped from my headfur straight down my muzzle. I leaned against one of the pillars and coughed. Something tumbled down the stairs. I looked over my shoulder. An impala caught her falling bike by the handlebars. An overly apologetic grimace mapped her face. The beavers, surprisingly, didn't comment.
After the train pulled in, I lent a paw to guide her shaken bike into the car. The impala's nervous look faded into a thankful one. She gently shook my paw and wheeled it to a corner seat. I climbed atop the one facing the doors and was once again greeted by Nicky Mephitway's frozen smile. My fingers twisted around the arrowhead. The doors closed. The cold metal burned into my pads.
"Hey."
I turned to the corner seat. The arrowhead slipped free.
The impala smiled. "You feeling okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks."
Her smile grew. "You're welcome. Isabelle Palavan."
"Tyler Zorrillo."
"Good to meet you. Thanks for the help with my bike. And if it makes you feel better, at least you didn't crash into La Cabaña's waterfall display."
I chuckled. "Now that you mention it, you are pretty soaked. But I figure that's the usual risk. The Rainforest District: The First Few Visitors Will Get Wet."
Isabelle laughed, and I soon laughed with her. My eyes shifted to the darkness passing the windows. Renato and Viola Manchas' horrified faces shot across. The laugh died in my throat. At the corner of my eye, Isabelle frowned. I quickly grinned. "Been a long day."
"Well, I hope it gets better."
"Me, too. Me, too."
We arrived in Savannah Central without further visions of the distressed Manchas cousins. I stumbled onto the platform, the arrowhead dragging along my collarbone. Isabelle waved from the window. I waved back and made my way up the stairs. The late afternoon traffic paced by, occasionally punctuated with blaring horns, roars, and growls. The sunlight warmed my damp shoulders.
A familiar Coyota Tundra slowed and parked nearby. I waited as Alex emerged from the cab and approached. "What happened, Ty? You look like crap."
"Is that a skunk joke?" I quietly replied.
The tan wolf shook his head. "I said you look like crap. You're soaked, dude. And why are you trying to claw out your pads?"
Once again, I failed to notice my claws were bared. I slackened my grip. "Sorry, I had to talk to Viola for a bit. She's worried."
"I don't blame her." He pressed a paw to my back. "Come on, I'll drive you back to your place. You've probably been walking around all day."
"I walk around everywhere. Besides, why ruin your nice upholstery?"
"I can always dry it later. Come on."
He grabbed my wrist. I obediently trailed behind him and scrambled into the passenger seat. My headfur slumped. Alex settled behind the wheel and chuckled. "Love the new look."
"You think she'd like it?"
"Maybe, if you blow-dry it into a little puffball like hers."
"You'd take pictures, share them with everyone at the office, and I'd never hear the end of it."
Alex smirked and flipped his turn signal. "I would." His smirk dropped. "What happened?"
"It's a long story. But the short version is that Viola asked me to go with her to see how Renato was doing."
"Oh? I haven't seen him since, yeesh, back when you couldn't look him in the eyes without blushing?"
I weakly chuckled. "Yeah. She wanted to make sure he was okay."
"Understandable. I'm glad you're okay, Ty."
I patted his arm. "You, too, Alex."
The tan wolf drove into the next gap. I closed my eyes. A shadowy mammal slithered around Renato's house. Across the rope bridge, Viola begged him to run. He made it as far as the posts, before disembodied teeth and claws locked onto his arms and dragged him screaming into the darkness below. Then they lunged at Viola. And after she descended, they carried Alex through the smashed driver's side window. They made their way to Nutra-Lyfe…
"What the hell are you doing?"
My eyes reopened. Red drops grew over my palms. I looked at Alex. With a low whine, he immediately signaled and pulled into the next parking space, much to a passing Subainu's vocal displeasure. He killed the engine and pulled a white towel from behind his seat. "Here." He placed it between my bleeding paws.
I pressed them into the towel and held my arms to my chest. Thoughts of Alex, Viola, Renato, and everyone else vanishing under ghostly claws and teeth resumed. The world blurred around me. I whimpered. "I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
My palms fastened to the towel. I raised my left arm to wipe my face. The blurry haze cleared. Predators and Prey drove on, laughed, yelled, and ran down the sidewalk. I sighed and choked back another whimper.
Alex's paw found my shoulder. "We'll talk about it when we get to your place, okay?"
I tried to smile, but my muzzle wouldn't budge. "Thank you, Alex. Thank you so much."
"Dude, you're my friend. I'm here for ya."
"Thank you. But promise me you'll keep it to yourself. Things are stressful enough for those two."
"Lips sealed. Like I said, I'm here for you." He smirked. "That, and I'm sure the Assistant Mayor would hold me accountable if anything bad happened to her skunk."
Now my muzzle budged. "Don't worry. I'll check her place for Iron Vixens and Pandarin Water Torture benches."
Alex laughed. "You damn well better." After rechecking the towel between my paws, he restarted the ignition.

Description
The Worries of Loved Ones
Emmett Otterton convulsed and slashed his claws at the white limo's dark interior. Someone screamed. He slunk through the open window and stalked along the roof. I froze in place, yelling at him to remember his wife. The otter spun and flew. His teeth barely missed my arm. I ran. Otterton bit at the back of my legs. My eyes watered. I told him I was sorry. I told him it was necessary. He leapt at my neck and tore into the skin. And before everything went to black, Melina Otterton watched me with weeping eyes.
I seized my throat. Tenth day in a row. I reached for the bin and gagged. Thankfully, my lettuce wrap lunch didn't come back up. I nudged the bin under my desk and eyed the Post-Paw note slapped onto the office phone. Right, after his little visit two weeks ago, Woolter changed Doug's number for security. I considered peeling the note. No, any visitors (ha) would only assume Doug was a business contact. Which, to be fair, he was.
Teeth snapped behind me.
I swiveled around, finding only a file box overturned on the floor. I sighed and scooped the crammed papers with the lid. Nothing dislodged in the process, so I was spared the tedious task of reorganizing everything. Thank goodness for small favors. Now came the part where I stood on tippy-toes and prayed it wouldn't drag every other box with it.
Fortunately, Lionheart waited until after I fitted the box into place to roar over the speaker. "Bellwether! Drop everything you're doing!"
Here came the good ewe. "Right away, Sir. How can I help you?"
"We got another call from Otterton Boutique. The missus is petitioning us to find her missing husband again. Poor Tiffany almost had a heart attack with the last round of calls."
My heart tightened. "That's terrible."
"No, it's sunshine and rainbows. Of course it's terrible, Smellwether! I want you to go down to the Boutique and talk to her."
My stomach lurched. "Why me, Sir?"
"You're the smaller mammal; you'd understand her perspective. Sending a bigger mammal to tell her we're still looking for her husband wouldn't settle with her. She might not even listen to them, anyway. But she'd probably listen to you. You'd be perfect for the job."
A wave of nausea rose. "Right away, Sir."
"Do a good job, Dawn. She's hurting." After a few seconds, he added, "And we need to keep our lines open."
I stepped away from the phone and reconsidered the bin. No, this wouldn't be difficult. I'd just head to the Boutique, tell her we're doing everything to locate her husband, and head back to City Hall without breaking down. I dropped into my chair. He was a necessary mark. He was necessary to ensure a better future for all Prey. I couldn't let one act of kindness blur my judgment. They were Predators, just like the others. I did what I had to do…
My foot kicked the desk, knocking the bin over. Something softly jingled.
I spotted the white box near my Post-Paw notes and smiled for the first time that day. The one good thing to come out of the last ten was seeing Tyler again. Even if our second date was shorter and disguised as a drink run because we bumped into each other at Snarlbucks. I removed the lid. A necklace with a golden bell pendant nestled in a bed of tissue paper.
I asked about the perfect gift for a ewe. The ram running the shop told me ewes "absolutely love" bells. I know it's not much, but I hope it helps you get through the day.
He didn't say it, but he must've noticed the worn chain on my old one. I gave the bell a little ring. My upset stomach quelled. I fitted the chain around my neck. The bell tapped my collarbone, jingling another weak note. I giggled, until I recalled his De-Scent tag. No, I wasn't going to think about that. Why spoil his nice gift? Besides, I had a job to do. And my heart was not in the mood to field an angry follow-up call from the maned idiot.
Cupping the necklace in my palm, I set the HP to hibernate, collected my file bag, and strolled out of the office. A mouse intern outside eyed the bell. I gave it a little ring. They smiled and walked away, juggling manila folders the size of my fingers.
A different bell clanged halfway down the hall. I pulled out the iHorn. What a night that had been. After two years of dedicated service, the Ramsung met its end crunched under Bearig's backside at Mystic Spring. (Wasn't such a bright idea to startle that elephant, was it, Kent?) He immediately offered a newer iHorn, complete with the familiar bitten carrot icon. That left the issue of the burner phone. Jesse quickly resolved that with an iHorn case that barely cradled the new phone. At least it covered the burn.
Another reminder from Lionheart. And maybe buy a little something from her. Support her business. You're Prey. It should have something you'd eat. I shook my head and stuffed the iHorn back into the bag. Another wave of nausea crept up my throat. My fingers latched onto the bell. The wave retreated. I gave it a few more seconds. When my stomach didn't stagger, I continued to the elevator and pressed my heated back against the cool wall.
I should've hailed a cab, or called a Zuber, but my feet wouldn't stop once I crossed the threshold onto Sienna Avenue. No, the Boutique was only about five or six blocks to the east. I could manage that. Zootopians continued their daily routes, a goat and a ram among them bidding me a good day. I bade them a good day and tried to think about what I would say to calm Melina Otterton.
Something bitter curled in my gut. I paused near a telephone pole and took a deep breath. My fingers gripped the pendant. Its bell softly rang between them. The bitterness sank down, as did my back. A concerned ibex stopped to catch me. I politely thanked him and pressed on before I'd trip over a crack in the sidewalk or something else equally avoidable and embarrassing.
You going soft on us? Doug chided at the back of my mind. As if that ram could understand how I felt. That would require his ego to level a few notches.
But as soon as I set hoof on Verdant Boulevard, with only a few more steps to Otterton Boutique, my insides clenched. I stumbled towards a lamppost and threw my arms around it. The bell pendant rang. The feeling didn't subside. I shut my eyes and tried not to scream when Otterton, as feral and bloodthirsty as Doug's field notes described, soared through the air. When my eyes reopened, I flinched.
An unkempt fox in a worn suit jacket watched me. Greasy red headfur curled atop his head. And propped on his shoulder was a sign that read, THE END IS NIGH. He sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes. "You know it's coming."
I slowly pried my arms from the lamppost.
The fox was undeterred. "You know, don't you? The world's going to change."
There was no way he could've known. He was just some crazy mammal preaching the end of the world. Plenty of them ran around when Lionheart was elected, and there were plenty more before them. I straightened up. "Thank you for the warning, but I need to–"
He jumped in front of me, claws digging into the wooden post at his shoulder. "You're the one leading the change! You and the lion. More Predators vanish, more lives disappear. You've ushered the end with the rest of them."
Unable to break eye contact, I slinked around the lunatic and backed towards Otterton Boutique. The crazed vulpine huffed and marched around the corner, thrusting his sign into the air. I clutched my chest. Okay, he blamed the local government for all the disappearances, not just me. My wrist nudged the bell. No more stalling. Besides, if I took too long, Lionheart would use it as an excuse to rake me over the coals. As if he needed any.
I was finally outside the Boutique. My hooves still shook. I tried to think of pleasant things. But every thought–from Tyler holding me in his arms, to everyone telling off the reckless Mayor–simply vanished. I was left standing on the sidewalk with the sunlight burning into my back. A beautiful selection of violets, lilies, and roses lined the clay mud display at the window's base. I held my hoof to the glass. My stomach twisted. My feet melted into the concrete.
Past the display, the faint shape of an otter walked by, her shoulders draped with a lilac-colored blanket. She gazed into the street and froze when our eyes met. Her face brightened and the blanket fell. I clung to the pendant. She was a Predator. I had to remember that. I had to remember why I did all this. I had to remember her kindness was a one-time gesture. I had to.
The door opened. "Assistant Mayor Bellwether." Melina gripped the frame with one paw. Small tears lined her eyes. "Did you want to come inside? I apologize for the delay. I'm not myself, right now."
My feet finally unglued themselves. She was a Predator. I had to remember that. I smiled, despite my fingers seizing the bell pendant in a death grip. "Yes, I would. And you don't have to do anything special for me. I won't be very long."
Melina shrugged and slid back over the threshold. "It's no trouble."
Finally releasing the pendant, I followed her inside. "Thank you."
A metal shelf advertised half-off bulbs of various kinds to my right. Melina stopped to check a pale fern wilting over the register. "Things have been a little less lively since…" The leaf she cradled slipped from her fingers. "Forgive me. I still have hope, but after ten days…" She pressed her face into her pads.
I sharply inhaled and looked around. A jade and scarlet bead curtain now adorned the doorway leading into the glassed dining area. Melina lifted her head and drew a white rag to wipe her eyes and palms. She smiled sadly at me. "Is there something you'd like? I was about to sit down with some black tea."
"That sounds nice." I patted her shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down for a little bit?" I tilted my head towards the beaded curtain.
"I really should. I've been on my feet all day. Thank you."
My fingers immediately returned to the pendant. Melina passed through the beaded curtain, the strands clacking behind her. I unlatched my fingers and followed. The overhead fan blew cool air over my heated shoulders. Behind the counter at the far left, Melina sat and arranged a ceramic pot and two cups. My eyes moved along the ceiling. A spider-web of vines stretched over the panels, dotted with multicolored flowers and sprouts curling towards the sun.
"I trust you're here to tell me something about my husband?"
I lurched into a table.
Melina's face sank. "I didn't mean to startle you. But since I haven't received any news about Emmett in the last few days, I can only guess the Mayor sent you to tell me they're doing everything they can." Her paws rested on the counter.
She had me there. "Yes, Mayor Lionheart felt I should offer our sympathy in his stead. I'm sorry I can't do much else for you. The ZPD really are doing everything they can to find your husband, but…" A ghostly Otterton curled around the counter and snapped his teeth. I hung my head. "…but I don't have any news about his whereabouts."
Melina poured black tea into the two cups. "I'm not mad at you, Miss Bellwether. I want you to know that."
At the corner of my eye, the feral Emmett Otterton vanished with a snarl. I managed a little smile for her. "I'm glad to hear that." I slowly walked to the counter. "I'm still sorry about your husband. I'm sure he's…"
The otter sipped at her tea. "I want to believe he's okay. I want to believe he'll return unharmed. He wouldn't leave his family without a good reason."
My throat tightened. "Family?"
She reached under the counter and slid a photograph into my hooves. In it, Emmett and Melina smiled with two otter pups, one of whom wore an orange uniform and held up a soccer ball. I had no idea they had children. And Doug certainly never…
You going soft on us?
She was a Predator. Her husband was a necessary mark to ensure a better future for Prey. But as I stared at the photograph, I could only think back to that day they led me out of the heat. My eyes welled.
Melina reclaimed the photo and tucked it back under the counter. "Avery and Nate are holding up better than I am, but I know they're just as worried. I'm sure the ZPD will find my husband. But…" She curled her paw and held it to her forehead. "Why haven't they found him? I know Zootopia's a big city, but there's only so many places he could be. Unless…"
The otter struck the counter. The pot and cups wobbled.
"No, he's not dead. I'm not going to entertain that idea." Melina steadied her paws and drank a little more. I did the same, the ceramic threatening to slip from my own trembling fingers. She set her cup down and took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, Miss Bellwether. I'm acting very unprofessional."
My ears sagged. "No one blames you."
She squeezed my wrist. "It's not your fault. I know you're doing everything you can. I'm not mad at you."
I forced another smile and held her paw with my other hoof. "Thank you."
Melina eyed the pendant. "That's a nice bell."
I released her paw and displayed it in my palm. "Thanks. It's a little something from a…friend."
The otter smiled knowingly. "I won't tell anyone."
Mutton chops, was I that obvious? "Thank you. I'd rather not risk some mammal in the tabloids finding out. The Mayor would never let me live it down."
"I hope they treat you well."
I eased into a warmer smile. "He does. He really does."
She poured herself another cup. I nursed mine a little longer. Otterton thankfully didn't reemerge from the corner, poised to strike. But the knot in my stomach curled and spread like the vines above us. I coughed, drizzling droplets of black tea on the counter. Melina retrieved a towel and wiped them away. I covered my mouth and coughed a bit more. She folded the towel and shoved it back underneath. "So the ZPD hasn't come up with anything?"
Melina shook her head. "No, they only reassure me they haven't stopped looking. Chief Bogo is a good mammal, but I wish he'd understand how painful this is for me."
Another wave of nausea rose. I reached for the bell pendant. Wait…the new officer at Precinct One. Judy Hopps. When I met her at the graduation ceremony, she was quite the determined Prey. From her words alone, I could tell she wasn't one to let anything stop her. Had Melina spoken with her? Unlikely. Bogo would surely keep the rookie from the bigger jobs. But…
My muzzle began to curl. I glanced at Melina, who set the ceramic cups and pot into a stainless steel sink. Judy would find her husband, I was sure of that. Perhaps if I threw a hint or two her way. She was a good Prey. And perhaps if I went with Melina, the odds of Bogo letting Judy take the case would sway in our favor. Assuming Judy was there.
It was worth a shot. Melina would have her husband back. Not in the most cordial fashion, but…it was enough. She would have her husband back. Judy would solve the case, becoming a shining example for all Prey as the ZPD's first rabbit officer. And to make things even sweeter, Lionheart would finally be busted. Everyone wins. I cleared my throat and folded my arms. "We should try again."
Melina blinked. "What?"
"I think it's time we went to the ZPD together. Your husband is still missing, and they need to understand how much pain it's caused you." I held out my hoof. "I want to help you, Melina. Please let me help you."
The otter stared at my hoof and then took it. A grateful smile developed under her teary eyes. "Will it actually accomplish anything?"
"I'll be there. I want you to tell Bogo about your husband. And if he tries to bog you down with more platitudes and condolences, I'll make sure Lionheart hears about it. I may only be the Assistant Mayor, but I still have some say."
Her fingers tightened around mine. "Thank you, Miss Bellwether. I don't know how to repay you."
"No need. It's my duty to look out for the citizens of Zootopia. Especially those of us who often get overlooked by the bigger mammals."
Melina threw her arms around me in a firm embrace. I slowly returned it, gently patting her back. Over her shoulder, Emmett Otterton knelt on all fours and growled. I lightly shook my head and broke away. "We should get going. Take too long, and we might get banished to the waiting area."
"Thank you so much, Miss Bellwether."
"No problem. Like I said, it's my duty to look out for you."
"And I'm glad you do."
I rechecked the room. The apparition didn't crouch or crawl along the glassed ceiling, eyes glowing and teeth bared. I jingled the bell and smiled. She'd get her husband back. Judy would solve the case, when no other member of the ZPD could. Everyone wins.
Closing the boutique behind us, Melina waited for my lead. I gently motioned towards City Hall and Precinct One. However, as we neared the end of the block, the street preacher ambled into our path. His eyes immediately narrowed onto me.
"The world ends with you," he muttered, jabbing THE END IS NIGH towards the sky. "The world ends with the mammals huddling at the top of the tower."
Melina groaned. "Walt, please, I've had a rough morning. I'm not in the mood to hear any more doomsday prophecies." She gripped my arm. "And for your information, she's helping me find my husband. The end of the world can wait until I have Emmett safely back home."
The fox's face softened. "All right, Mrs. Otterton. I did not mean to offend you." His eyes shifted back to me. "I wish you luck in your search." He hefted the sign to his other shoulder and resumed his patrol down Verdant.
Melina shook her head. "He's not a bad fox. But ever since my husband and the other Predators went missing, he hasn't been the same." She squeezed my wrist. "So you really think they'll look harder if you're there?"
"Oh, certainly. But don't let them know I'm around until I say so." I quickly added, "Because otherwise I might not be able to sway their decision in your favor."
"Thank you."
"It's my duty, Melina."
We arrived at Precinct One, undisturbed by phone calls, lunatic doomsayers, or ghostly otters lunging for the kill. I urged her to walk in first, and to remember to really show Bogo her pain. The large cheetah receptionist bade Melina welcome, pushing aside an unfinished bowl of Lucky Chomps and assuming the most sympathetic look he could manage. When he began the usual condolence, the otter ran. He started after her, quickly exhausting himself.
Striding behind them, I faintly heard the familiar voices of Idris Bogo and…yes! Judy was in his office! This was perfect! Melina pushed the door open and marched inside. The cheetah breathed an apology and stepped back out. He froze at the sight of me. I tapped a finger to my lips. He obediently trudged back to his post. Even through the door, I could hear Melina's heartfelt plea. And sure enough, Judy leapt at the chance to help her fellow mammal.
I nestled the bell pendant in my palm. Yes, this would work. Judy would solve the case. Melina would get her husband back. And Lionheart would pay. I drew out my iHorn and waited. No ghastly savage Emmett Otterton stomped over the carpet to strike. The bell jingled. No more nausea creeping up. And maybe after the case was closed, I could finally arrange some personal time with Tyler. He'd love that.
Everyone wins.

***

I snagged the next subway for the Rainforest District's Canopy Road. Surprisingly, the car was mostly empty, save for a gazelle occupied with his phone and a tan and brown pair of beavers squabbling over a copy of The Zootopian Bystander. Viola's call rang through my ears.
Renato won't talk to me. He hasn't come around Misty's for his café. No contesta su teléfono. His boss says he's taken an extended vacation, but he won't say why. ¿Por qué no me dice? Voy a su casa, no más excusas. Necesito tu ayuda. Please, Tyler. I need to know what's wrong. Ayúdame, por favor.
My eyes drifted to the front page. STILL NO LEAD IN MISSING PREDATORS CASE. I shuddered. A fourteenth Predator disappeared the same night of my first date with Dawn. I rubbed my head. I should've asked her to help. But I didn't, and another poor mammal, a loving husband and father, vanished. I curled into the seat. At least the count hadn't gone up to fifteen. Yet.
Then again, I barely saw Dawn. We made a second, shorter date at the Snarlbucks near City Hall, because I simply happened by after finding her gift. She loved the bell necklace, but told me she couldn't yet give me her number, for security reasons. And because, as she put it, her current workload would banish my calls to Voice Mail. If I had asked for her help, maybe that otter wouldn't have disappeared. Maybe…
No, Viola was stressed enough over her cousin shutting her out. But what if he…no, Renato wasn't the fifteenth missing Predator. He was at home, doing something that didn't involve disappearing or getting kidnapped in the middle of the night. I growled. No, Viola needed my help. And I sure wouldn't be worth a damn if I broke down in a subway car, dreading over what I didn't do.
¡Y por el amór de Díos, no habla con ella sobre de esa posibilidad!
The beavers stopped to breathe and leaf through other sections. My gaze fell to the floor. An orange spot I hoped was a smoothie stain curled under the next seat. My eyes lifted to the ads running above the doors and windows. Nicky Mephitway smiled back at me, a vine snaking over one shoulder and the Thunderbolt's logo perched atop the other. The beavers resumed arguing.
The gazelle fled the car as soon as it reached Canopy Road. I followed close behind, leaving the beavers to their fight. We separated in the crowd that dispersed to escape the next shower. Viola looked up from a covered bench. She ran over and threw her arms around me. I returned the hug as best as I could. "Anything?"
She pulled away and shook her head. "No, I tried calling Renato again, but he still won't answer. I'm getting really sick of this. Thank you for coming."
"I had to, with all the…" I grunted. "With everything that's been going on."
"¿Cómo está la alcaldesita?"
"Muy ocupada. No tenemos mucho tiempo. Compré un regalo para ella."
She smirked. "¿Cómo un buen novio?"
"Más o menos. Mi oveja es muy especial."
"¿Tu oveja? Qué romántico, Zorrillo."
"Hago todo lo posible. So, what's the battle plan? Stake out? Try his boss again? Smash down his door?"
"If it comes to it." Viola's paws curled. "No quiero, pero si él…"
"Lead the way. I got your back. So to speak."
We started off Amazon Drive, giving Viola a chance to steel herself for the inevitable confrontation. She guided me through clusters of grass, mud, and caked dirt. Cervine cyclists passed on nearby roads, calling "Pred Pride!" for support. Viola smiled and thanked them for their kind words. But her smile died as soon as we reached the rope bridge at the corner of Tujunga and Vine. I held out my paw. She briefly clasped it and took a deep breath.
"Estoy contigo, Viola."
"Gracías, Tyler." She released my paw and set hers on the right post. "Por favor, no sorpresas."
Viola took the first step. I choked back a whine. The Rainforest District was a wonderful place, but I still couldn't stomach these bridges. She stopped a few boards in and looked over her shoulder. I gripped the rope to my right and stared straight ahead. The jaguar waited with a patient smile. My heart stopped backflipping long enough to follow Viola once she resumed crossing. But I couldn't hold back a relieved gasp the second my feet touched grass.
Vines and small flowers surrounded the red-orange door of Renato's tree-built house. I glanced at the mailbox. Its flap dangled, revealing a crammed, red-wrapped newspaper reminder. Viola froze in front of the door, her tail coiled around her ankles. I tugged the reminder free and stood by her. Another deep breath. She knocked.
Feet shuffled across the floor behind the closed door, wobbling what sounded like a lamp that paws abruptly stabilized. We waited as those same paws cautiously unlatched the locks. The door slowly opened. A single eye stared at us. It closed with a groan. "Viola, no me mo–"
"Renato," she interrupted. "¿Por qué no me contesta?"
Another groan. "Viola, por favor, no tengo tiempo para–"
She shot her paw into the crack. "No, ¡no más excusas! What the hell is going on?!"
Renato wrenched the door open, nearly knocking Viola off her feet. The space around him was wide enough. I barreled past Renato's feet and slid into his home. He slammed the door shut and latched it.
Viola slammed her fists. "¡Renato Alberto Manchas! ¡Abre esta puerta!"
He growled and spun around. I wielded the reminder sheepishly. The black jaguar swatted it out of my paws. It flew across his table and toppled an empty Bug-Burga cup. I raised my paws. "Cálmate, cálmate, por favor. No quiero luchar. Por favor, Renato, necesitamos hablar contigo. Please."
Renato's face slackened. Outside, Viola's blows slowed to a stop. With a defeated sigh, he unlocked the door and swung it open. Viola stomped inside before he could reclose it. After looking me over, she whirled onto her cousin. "Renato, what's going on?"
The black jaguar marched past us, absently kicking the Bug-Burga cup into the wall. He returned shortly with two more chairs and situated them at the table. "Lo siento. No tengo alga más pequeña para ti."
"Está bien." I clambered atop the chair to the left, while Viola took the one to the right. Renato seated himself on the other end, crumpling a discarded paper plate under his massive arms. It was then that I noticed only his right eye was open.
Viola tracked my gaze. "¿Qué…?"
Renato clapped his paws and closed his good eye. The healing scar shone a sickly silver. "I know it's difficult for the both of you, pero no quiero…no puedo hablar sobre…" His finger dragged to his other eye, sealed shut by the scar.
Viola glared. I leaned over and squeezed her arm. Her glare eased. I turned back to Renato. "Te entendemos. We're just concerned. We don't want you to get hurt."
He laughed bitterly. "It's a little late for that." His laugh crumbled into a cough.
His cousin kneaded her forehead. "¿Por qué no puedes hablar?"
"Because it scared the living hell out of me. Because that night…" Renato gritted his teeth and frowned at the paper plate beneath his arms. He yanked it out and threw it towards a trash can. It flopped into a heap halfway there. "No puedo decirte. I know it's unfair, but I just can't."
Viola glanced between her cousin's scar and fingers. "Pelea?"
Renato snorted. "I don't fight on my job, Viola. I'd get fired if I did. Even with some of the absolute idiotas I've had to drive around." He pressed his palm against the scar.
"Un ataque?"
He struck the table. "¡No puedo hablar! ¿Por qué no me oyes?"
"Who hurt you?!"
"No. Puedo. Decirte."
The two jaguars bared their teeth. I stared hard at their canines. (Was this what it was like for Dawn, seeing mine? No wonder she was scared.) Renato raised his fist. I immediately climbed onto the table. "Hey, hey," I softly waved my paws. "We're not gonna get anywhere if we scream at each other."
Renato and Viola leaned back into their chairs and sealed their lips. She looked sadly at me. I shook my head and pointed to Renato. He drummed his fingers and settled his good eye back onto us. I sat between them, tail hooking around my knees. Viola closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them with a faint smile. "He's right. We're not gonna accomplish a damn thing if we fight. And you've been roughed up enough."
He chuckled. "So I have." His muzzle tightened. "Fue ataque."
Viola frowned. "I'm sorry."
Renato hooked his fingers and spun an invisible steering wheel. "I had a bad passenger. He's not a bad mammal, by any means. Pero fue muy enojado…y feroz…" He pressed his paws to the table. "I've never seen a mammal like that before."
"Did you tell anyone?" I cautiously asked.
He shook his head. "Nadie. No puedo hablar sobre de ese animal, porque…" His eye clenched shut. His paws trembled.
Viola extended past me to squeeze his arm. "Renato, it's okay. You don't have to tell us what happened if you don't want to. But if it was just a bad passenger, why did you leave work?"
Another bitter laugh. "No one wants to be driven by someone with a scar like this. They'll think I fight and bite and claw. And they wouldn't believe me if I told them what happened." His whiskers dropped. "No one would."
"Okay, so it was a bad passenger, and you needed some time to recover. But you'll have to go back and tell them at some point. But–" I raised my paw. "I understand. You wanna do it in your own time. Just don't keep them waiting too long."
"Muy inteligente. But that's not all."
Viola's face sank further. "¿Hay más?"
Renato searched the room. Viola and I searched with him. Outside, the next downpour began, splattering raindrops over the endless vines and leaves. He closed his eye. "I think someone is out there."
I craned my head towards the nearest window. "Where?"
"Not like that. Ever since that night, I…I think I'm being followed."
Viola rose from her seat and grabbed for her phone. I shot out my paw to catch her wrist. "Let him finish, please." She unwillingly let it sink back into her pocket. I waved for Renato to continue.
He obliged. "Maybe I'm crazy, but ever since that night, I think I've seen someone standing in the shadows. I'm walking through the rain, and there's someone waiting by the bench. But when I go back for a second look, they're gone." His eye closed again. "But it hurts to open my other eye. I may only be seeing things. I have headaches, and I'm still scared to think about that night. Maybe there's no one there, but…"
"It still scares the hell out of you," I finished.
Renato patted my shoulder. "Correcto."
Viola narrowed her eyes. "Why haven't you called the ZPD?"
He stared blankly. "And report what?"
Viola's chin tilted. Her paw made another frail grab for her phone and fell limp.
I stood. "So maybe you've seen someone, maybe you haven't. Did you see them today?"
Renato briefly rechecked the windows. "No, not today. Not yet."
"Okay, then. Maybe they went away?" I offered.
"I hope so, Tyler. I really do. But I'm sure I'm just crazy."
We sat in silence for the next few minutes. The jaguars stared at the table, occasionally sweeping their paws, while I batted at my arrowhead. Eventually, Viola snarled and rose from her chair. She glanced at Renato, who covered his good eye with his palm. And then, in one swift motion, she embraced him. He slowly returned it, cradling Viola's sobbing head against his shoulder. I smiled sadly.
They broke their embrace shortly. "Renato, if anything happens, you need to let me know, okay? You can't keep this to yourself forever."
"Yo sé. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you."
"Cuando eres listo, dígame, por favor. Quiero ayudarte."
"Entiendo. Haré, pero necesito más tiempo. Gracías, Viola. And, please, forget about what I said about being followed."
"What?"
"I'm just seeing things because my head hurts. Please, just forget about that, okay?"
With a low, resigned sigh, Viola gently took my arm. "Fine. Let's go, Ty."
I nodded. "Hope things get better, Renato."
"Me, too, little skunk. Me, too."
He saw us out. Viola smiled at him. Renato smiled back and carefully shut the door. She growled and walked back across the rope bridge. I kept behind her, concentrating on the other side. My heart thankfully didn't backflip as much on the return trip.
"Thank you, Tyler. I'm glad you came."
"Come on, Viola, I was just there for support."
"If you hadn't gotten inside, he would've completely shut us out. You did good." She scooped me into her arms and kissed the top of my head. "Thank you."
I squeezed her arms. "It's the least I can do."
We continued towards Canopy Road. My mind painted images of Renato's possible stalker lurking in the dark and slinking out of sight when the jaguar looked over his shoulder. Their fists clenched, their eyes burned. Perhaps they also took the missing Predators hostage. I tugged at my headfur. No, Viola was already scared enough. I didn't need to–
I struck the wet grass. Viola abruptly turned to me. "What's wrong?"
My arms trembled and my claws sliced through the dirt. A low growl escaped. I forced myself to stand, shook my paws, and tried to banish thoughts of mammals emerging from the darkness to abduct Renato. I tried to think of Alex and the others at work. I tried to think of Dawn. I tried to think of that stupid bear and his stupid crack about "scents-ible behavior". Anything. My claws dug into my temples. I fell to my knees.
"Tyler?"
The final image of a shadowy mammal dragging a screaming, pleading Renato Manchas from his home crumbled. Rain sealed my shirt and tail to my back. Viola lightly tugged my arm. I said nothing before, and another Predator went missing. If I said nothing now…
"I'm fine, Viola. I just thought about…" I rose and wiped my knees. "I hope Renato will be okay."
She weakly chuckled. "I'm sure he will. Are you sure you're okay? I'm willing to carry you on my shoulders. Or maybe like a newborn kitten."
"Nah, I think I'd better walk. It's good for me."
"Es más mejor. Ella sería celosa."
"Yeah, she might."
We shared an equally frail laugh and kept on. Around us, Predators and Prey traveled in all directions. None of them stopped to watch us, fists clenched and eyes burning. I shivered. My tail peeled off my back, slapping a puddle behind us. A jaguar kitten laughed and dropped in, throwing up as many waves as the shallow water would allow. His mother lifted him back into her arms. I pressed my cool pads against my heated forehead.
Viola stopped at the Canopy Road station stairwell. "Thank you again. Y gracías a Díos no fue más violente."
I took her paw. "No es problema. But, if you can, keep an eye on him." My ears folded. "I don't think anything bad'll happen, and I know he told us to forget about his hopefully nonexistent stalker, but it can't hurt, right?"
"I've got another late shift at Misty's, but I'll do what I can. Maybe he'll finally show up for his damn coffee." She let out an empty laugh.
"Maybe. And watch yourself, too."
"You do the same."
"Yeah. Adios, Viola."
She waved until I could no longer see her. The tan and brown beavers sat at a bench, staring glumly at the track. Water dripped from my headfur straight down my muzzle. I leaned against one of the pillars and coughed. Something tumbled down the stairs. I looked over my shoulder. An impala caught her falling bike by the handlebars. An overly apologetic grimace mapped her face. The beavers, surprisingly, didn't comment.
After the train pulled in, I lent a paw to guide her shaken bike into the car. The impala's nervous look faded into a thankful one. She gently shook my paw and wheeled it to a corner seat. I climbed atop the one facing the doors and was once again greeted by Nicky Mephitway's frozen smile. My fingers twisted around the arrowhead. The doors closed. The cold metal burned into my pads.
"Hey."
I turned to the corner seat. The arrowhead slipped free.
The impala smiled. "You feeling okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks."
Her smile grew. "You're welcome. Isabelle Palavan."
"Tyler Zorrillo."
"Good to meet you. Thanks for the help with my bike. And if it makes you feel better, at least you didn't crash into La Cabaña's waterfall display."
I chuckled. "Now that you mention it, you are pretty soaked. But I figure that's the usual risk. The Rainforest District: The First Few Visitors Will Get Wet."
Isabelle laughed, and I soon laughed with her. My eyes shifted to the darkness passing the windows. Renato and Viola Manchas' horrified faces shot across. The laugh died in my throat. At the corner of my eye, Isabelle frowned. I quickly grinned. "Been a long day."
"Well, I hope it gets better."
"Me, too. Me, too."
We arrived in Savannah Central without further visions of the distressed Manchas cousins. I stumbled onto the platform, the arrowhead dragging along my collarbone. Isabelle waved from the window. I waved back and made my way up the stairs. The late afternoon traffic paced by, occasionally punctuated with blaring horns, roars, and growls. The sunlight warmed my damp shoulders.
A familiar Coyota Tundra slowed and parked nearby. I waited as Alex emerged from the cab and approached. "What happened, Ty? You look like crap."
"Is that a skunk joke?" I quietly replied.
The tan wolf shook his head. "I said you look like crap. You're soaked, dude. And why are you trying to claw out your pads?"
Once again, I failed to notice my claws were bared. I slackened my grip. "Sorry, I had to talk to Viola for a bit. She's worried."
"I don't blame her." He pressed a paw to my back. "Come on, I'll drive you back to your place. You've probably been walking around all day."
"I walk around everywhere. Besides, why ruin your nice upholstery?"
"I can always dry it later. Come on."
He grabbed my wrist. I obediently trailed behind him and scrambled into the passenger seat. My headfur slumped. Alex settled behind the wheel and chuckled. "Love the new look."
"You think she'd like it?"
"Maybe, if you blow-dry it into a little puffball like hers."
"You'd take pictures, share them with everyone at the office, and I'd never hear the end of it."
Alex smirked and flipped his turn signal. "I would." His smirk dropped. "What happened?"
"It's a long story. But the short version is that Viola asked me to go with her to see how Renato was doing."
"Oh? I haven't seen him since, yeesh, back when you couldn't look him in the eyes without blushing?"
I weakly chuckled. "Yeah. She wanted to make sure he was okay."
"Understandable. I'm glad you're okay, Ty."
I patted his arm. "You, too, Alex."
The tan wolf drove into the next gap. I closed my eyes. A shadowy mammal slithered around Renato's house. Across the rope bridge, Viola begged him to run. He made it as far as the posts, before disembodied teeth and claws locked onto his arms and dragged him screaming into the darkness below. Then they lunged at Viola. And after she descended, they carried Alex through the smashed driver's side window. They made their way to Nutra-Lyfe…
"What the hell are you doing?"
My eyes reopened. Red drops grew over my palms. I looked at Alex. With a low whine, he immediately signaled and pulled into the next parking space, much to a passing Subainu's vocal displeasure. He killed the engine and pulled a white towel from behind his seat. "Here." He placed it between my bleeding paws.
I pressed them into the towel and held my arms to my chest. Thoughts of Alex, Viola, Renato, and everyone else vanishing under ghostly claws and teeth resumed. The world blurred around me. I whimpered. "I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
My palms fastened to the towel. I raised my left arm to wipe my face. The blurry haze cleared. Predators and Prey drove on, laughed, yelled, and ran down the sidewalk. I sighed and choked back another whimper.
Alex's paw found my shoulder. "We'll talk about it when we get to your place, okay?"
I tried to smile, but my muzzle wouldn't budge. "Thank you, Alex. Thank you so much."
"Dude, you're my friend. I'm here for ya."
"Thank you. But promise me you'll keep it to yourself. Things are stressful enough for those two."
"Lips sealed. Like I said, I'm here for you." He smirked. "That, and I'm sure the Assistant Mayor would hold me accountable if anything bad happened to her skunk."
Now my muzzle budged. "Don't worry. I'll check her place for Iron Vixens and Pandarin Water Torture benches."
Alex laughed. "You damn well better." After rechecking the towel between my paws, he restarted the ignition.