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Chapter Eighteen: Of Old Flames and Funnel Cakes

Stress, fear, anxiety and woe. Since Vernon had arrived at his family home just two days ago those feelings had never strayed too far away from him. It had managed to make the relatively short time spent at the Hunter Ranch feel like an eternity. For every little glimmer of hope, every ounce of promise, for every little bit of joy, there managed to be something that came along and ripped it away from him. His Father's attitude, Yuri's crude and tasteless sense of 'humor', Zach agreeing with Dorian about the couple staying away from the fair. All of it had been twisting the wolf's insides further and further. Each act adding to the growing sense of dread and misery in the wolf faster than the rest of his more accepting family members could ease it. But finally, for the first time since he had arrived in the North Meadowlands, Vernon was actually having great time.

It had been hours now since he and Dawn had first set out with the goal of making their date at the fair the best it could possible be. The sun had shifted from the edge of the horizon to far overhead, their shadows tapering to little more than a concentrated blot beneath their feet. Despite the intensity of the noon day rays against Vernon's fur, the wolf could feel a wavering in its strength. The warmth of the summer sun finally beginning to wither away before the growing chill of the autumn air. It struggled against the cool breeze, at least keeping it warm enough not to need a jacket, but thankfully beaten down enough by the cool air to keep the fair grounds from being stifling.

From her perch atop the wolf's shoulders, Dawn had lead the charge in the couple's desperate need for fun and relief from the family reunion. The ewe was unusually exuberant, excitement lacing her every statement as the couple began to meander through the crowds of mammals. Her rising excitement had the wolf grinning stupidly in mere seconds after she had started. It became clear very quickly to Vernon that the sheep hadn't been to anything like a fair or amusement park in ages. It shone in her childlike wonder and glee as she stared in awe at the variety of attractions. Much like the excitable fox who had left for the rides just before them, the ewe was pointing from ride to ride as she struggled to settle on what to go on first. Each decisive and final choice turning on a dime as she spotted yet another new ride she hadn't seen.

It was Vernon who ultimately became the deciding factor of their first ride together. Dawn had been in the middle of listing off several different choices before she evidently remembered that she was with someone. Vernon stifled a laugh as Dawn suddenly froze mid sentence, glancing down at the wolf she had been clutching on to so tightly.

"V-vernon I'm so sorry." The ewe began to blush. "I was so overwhelmed by all the rides I didn't even think to a-ask you."

Vernon flashed her a warm smirk. After such a hard start to the day, nothing could make the wolf feel better than seeing his mate brimming with excitement and joy.

"W-what do you think we should ride?" Dawn asked, squeezing his shoulders a bit as she leaned further over his head.

"Welp..." Vernon scratched his chin. "Since I was a little pup, every year when the fair came around the first thing I'd ride was the merry go round." The wolf shrugged slightly, causing the ewe seated on his shoulders to rise and fall with his motion. "I guess it sort of became a tradition of mine."

"Well then, no sense in breaking tradition." Dawn smiled widely.

Turning her attention back to the fair around her, the ewe stabbed a finger in the direction of the ride.

"Onward, my valiant Puppy!" Dawn giggled as she spoke, squeezing his shoulder tightly with her one hoof still holding on.

The line for the ride was short, which Vernon had expected. It was never the most popular ride in the fair, but it still was one of his favorites. As they entered the ride the Vernon found himself overwhelmed with the sudden feeling of nostalgia as he spied over the various seats. The finely polished and colorful exotic birds looked as though they hadn't aged since his childhood. Cockatoos, parrots, parakeets and even a massive toucan pulling a chariot made for an amazing display of bright and tantalizing colors, which only became more entrancing as the ride was in motion. Vernon stopped briefly as he passed a familiar old macaw with a chip in it's beak, gently rubbing a paw across its smooth surface as memories came flooding back.

The wolf had neglected to tell Dawn how such a gentle, slow paced ride became the favorite of a young, excitable wolf pup. But the last thing Vernon wanted to do was ruin the mood they had just struggled to get back into by bringing up painful memories. Yet as he glanced into the shining eye of the old macaw he couldn't help but recall his countless rides on its back. How many times he held his paws tightly around it's neck, staring up at the sky and wishing the old bird would take off into it. Flying the young wolf away from his troubles. Away from losing Dawn, away from his anger at the world, away from all of it. The wolf shook his head as he drew his paw back from the bird, worried that lingering any longer would prompt his mate to question why. Those memories were long gone, and now his ewe was back. It wasn't worth ruining the date to mourn what could have been.

Naturally Vernon opted for the chariot, the only double-seater on the ride, and the perfect place to enjoy the experience with Dawn. The wolf made a dash for the seat, fearful that another fairgoer would nab it despite the lack of riders. Once he had staked his claim, he eased the ewe off of his shoulders and onto the seat before taking a spot next to her.

He watched the ewe put her hooves on her knees, leaning forward as she waited excitedly for the ride to begin. Vernon in turn simply leaned back against the hard wood of the seat back, leaning one of his arms on the side edge of the chariot as he watched her. The wolf couldn't help but admire her sheer joy. She was clearly putting in the effort of forgetting everything in favor of just having a good time, and if she had any lingering thoughts or doubts, it certainly wasn't showing.

As the ride jolted to a start, he watched the sheep jump slightly in surprise and couldn't help but chuckle. Dawn flashed the wolf a dour frown.

"What?" She asked.

Vernon shook his head dismissively. "Nothin' Darlin'."

The ewe leaned back as the ride began to pick up speed, but her eyes remained on the wolf.

"C'mon Vernon, what?" This time a giggle escaped at the end of her sentence.

"Yer just so darn adorable. I can barely stand it." The wolf said, a goofy grin crawling across his face.

"VeeEERNoooOOON!" Dawn whined, giving the wolf a playful slap.

"Yer only making it worse." The wolf chuckled.

"So are you!" Dawn blushed, placing her hooves over her muzzle. The ewe slid slightly away from Vernon as she eyed the wolf warily. "Y-you don't smell it do you?"

Vernon crooked an eyebrow. "The pheromones or the-?"

"Yes, my pheromones." Dawn replied.

Vernon leaned near the sheep, taking a good hard whiff of the air around her. It was there, sure. But it was barely noticeable over the fading scent of his Mother's perfume.

"Perfume's doing its job." Vernon stated.

"G-good." Dawn gave a shaky reply as she placed her hooves back on the seating. She was quiet for a moment as Vernon kept watching her. Clearly there was more on her mind.

"A-and the perfume isn't too b-bad now?" Dawn asked timidly, twiddling her hooves nervously as she spoke.

Vernon chuckled, but instead of giving her a reply the wolf simply pulled her close to his side. The ewe resisted for a moment, but in the end she gave in, allowing herself to lean against his chest as the ride continued to whirl around them. Once Vernon heard her let out a contented sigh, the wolf slacked his grip, allowing his arm to hang loosely against her.

"This answer yer question Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked.

He felt the sheep nod affirmatively against his side, placing a hoof on his chest as she continued to lean against him.

"Good." Vernon rubbed Dawn's shoulder gently. "Now let's just enjoy ourselves."

The rest of the morning would go more or less the same, the ewe only seeming to worry about her scent more than anything else. Her pheromones had spiked a few times as they moved from ride to ride, but it had managed to be nothing the wolf couldn't endure. And as the day progressed the wolf could feel himself growing more and more at ease. His stress, his doubts, all of them were rapidly falling away as he enjoyed being with the one he loved, the two just having mindless fun as they experienced the excitement of the fair together. The teacups, the spinning swings, the funhouse, the bumper cars, with each attraction the wolf's troubles felt more and more distant. The misery the weekend had been causing him become more and more obscured as his date reinforced and strengthened the whole reason he had come to the reunion in the first place, to simply show Dawn a good time. And with every smile, giggle, and hug from the petite ewe, the wolf's heart swelled with love.

Now that lunch had rolled around the wolf was practically back to his old self, strolling lazily across the fair grounds with Dawn holding his paw tightly as they walked together. The only thing left nagging him was the lingering embarrassment of accidentally taking a bite out of Dawn's hair instead of the cotton candy they had bought to split. He made the mistake of not looking down when she had held the staff of spun sugar up for him, instead staring off at the next attraction he had his heart set on riding with his date.

Vernon let out another quiet whine as the memory replayed in his head.

"Vernon stop." The wolf turned his attention to the small sheep at his side.

"What?" Vernon asked.

"You're still thinking about the cotton candy." Dawn eyelids drooped as she stared at him.

The wolf scratched the back of his head, flashing an uneasy smile.

"You could tell huh?" Vernon muttered.

"Vernon. It's fine." Dawn laughed, running a hoof through the fluffy mane that Vernon had coined her nickname from before placing it against her hip. "You barely bit into it before you realized what was wrong. You didn't even pull any wool out." Dawn let out a sigh. "Trust me, it's not the first time someone tried to eat my wool." Dawn let out a sigh.

Vernon eyed the ewe curiously. "Oh really?"

The ewe blushed slightly, letting out an awkward cough.

"W-well you know, college." Dawn murmured. "A lot of mammals experimented with hallucinogens and stuff. Yellow lichen gum was a big hit on campus." Dawn place her hoof over her face. "So when you have a mare for a roommate who's very into hallucinogens, you find yourself waking up to a horse slobbering on your head a fairly often." Dawn sighed.

Vernon let out a barking laugh.

"You can't be serious!" The wolf choked through his laughter.

The ewe let out an exasperated sigh. "At least cotton candy was actually involved this time around."

The wolf smirked. "And in my defense, they did go out of their way to make it look like you."

"Oh yeah." Dawn laughed. "There's something very comforting about a cotton candy stand run by coyotes who craft the cotton candy to look like cartoon sheep heads." The ewe shook her head. "I don't know what's worse, the fact that I was eating a crude replica of my own head, or you were."

Vernon flashed the ewe a half lidded stare, a mischievous grin crossing his muzzle.

"Well, I do love to eat you Honey Lamb." Vernon chuckled. "Granted it ain't exactly the same thing, but it certainly is tasty."

Vernon had barely finished his statement before Dawn abruptly released her tight grip on his paw. Blushing intensely, the ewe took a few steps away from the wolf, clasping her hooves over her muzzle.

"VERNON!" She hissed, her tone was stern but it wavered, the lamb clearly attempting to keep from laughing. "You are KILLING me! I can't take this today!"

Vernon let out a soft chuckle. "Sorry Mutton Chop, I keep forgetting."

The ewe wiped a hoof across her brow, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"At least that means the perfume is doing its job." Dawn sighed. "But that doesn't make it any easier for me! You have to cut down on the flirting."

Vernon placed his paws in his pockets, looking down at the worn dirt path beneath his feet. The wolf idly kicked a small stone, glancing back at Dawn occasionally with a pair of wide, sorrowful eyes. It was all an act of course; the wolf wasn't quite done teasing his mate. But he knew his weaponized _'Puppy Eyes'_were the best in his arsenal when it came to flustering Dawn.

"Oh Puppy no!" Dawn immediately scolded. "Don't you give me that look!"

"I-I'm sorry Floofs, I-" Vernon suppressed the urge to smirk, holding steadfast in his mock frown." I just love ya so much, I can't help myself sometimes."

"You already have me!" Dawn chuckled. "You don't have to flirt anymore!"

Vernon broke his sad façade for a moment, flashing the ewe a brief smirk.

"Where's the fun in that?" The wolf replied.

"OHH!" Dawn huffed. " Mean, MEAN wolf!"

Vernon slipped back into his dejected stance, making his eyes as wide a he could and feigning a sniffle.

"A-aw, now ya gone and hurt me Dawn." Vernon whimpered. "Cut me deep."

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the ewe's frustrated face, but he could also see a hint of worry, part of her clearly wasn't sure if she had really hurt him, and Vernon was ready to continue to play on it to get one up on her.

"V-vernon!" She stammered. "S-stop, please!"

"I just wanted to have a good time with ya." Vernon whimpered. "Now I got ya scolding me for showin' ya how much I love ya."

"Y-you are still toying with me aren't you?" Dawn sputtered. Vernon could tell her resolve was weakening.

Vernon slackened his stance further, his ears flattening against his head as he stared back at the ewe.

Dawn's own protective stance seemed to shrink, and her muzzle twisted into a worried frown.

"Oh...oh Vernon." She murmured. "I-I'm sorry. I am, really." The ewe took a careful step closer, all the while the wolf kept up his sorrowful act, waiting for the chance to strike.

"I love your flirting, r-really." She continued. "I mean I love when w-we flirt together. B-but you have to understand why that's n-not so easy to deal with today."

Of course Vernon knew better, he had some idea what the_'itch'_ was like. But the opportunity to tease was simply too good to pass up. If they had been back in Zootopia, the little problem with Dawn's pheromones would have been something they would have been able to deal with swiftly, several times in one evening. The wolf would have been eager to make sure his ewe spent the week walking funny rather then frustratingly stewing in her own wool. And, as much of a risk as it was just getting too strong a whiff of her scent, another part of Vernon was compelled to drink deeply of it. The intoxicating aroma of Dawn's natural scent was something the wolf had become addicted to, and he had never smelled it as strongly as it had been that morning. He knew it was wrong, that it would be torture for the both of them, but his need of that familiar flowery and fruity scent he had grown to love was getting the best of him.

The wolf gave a somber nod, keeping his attention mostly to the ground as the ewe took another cautious step toward him. Glancing up at the timid ewe, Vernon turned up the heat by adding a quivering pout to his deadly Puppy eyes. It was nearly time to strike, he just needed her to fully let her guard down.

"Oh Vernon, please." Dawn sighed, opening her arms wide as she gestured the wolf toward her. "I'm sorry."

The wolf dropped his false pout in favor of a devious smile as he sprung his trap. Lurching forward, the wolf snapped the ewe up into his arms and pulled her tightly against his chest. He had taken her by surprise so well she hadn't even fully registered what was going on until she was firmly pressed against his plaid shirt.

"V-Vernon! WHA-NO!" The ewe sputtered, squirming wildly as the wolf held her tightly. With his prey properly restrained, he was free to torture her just a little bit more, even though in a way it was torture for the both of them. Vernon placed his muzzle firmly against the poof of her wool, burying it all the way through to Dawn's scalp.

"Y'know that wool was surprisingly tasty. I may need a few more nips!" Vernon laughed.

"NOOoooOOO!" Dawn whined, still frantically wriggling as Vernon began to plant kisses all over the top of her head. With each quick, tiny peck the wolf could hear a giggle force it's way through Dawn's protests. Eventually the ewe gave up on fighting to get free, and Vernon could feel her hooves pushing against his neck as the wolf continued his assault. She was desperately trying to push him back, but she didn't stand a chance. The wolf had no plans of letting her go until he was good and ready. Another few playful kisses and the wolf got a slight whiff of what he was searching for, that familiar aroma just barely rising over the withering scent of his Mother's perfume. Vernon took a deep breath as he moved in for another kiss, closing his eyes as he relished in the smell for a moment.

However, his trajectory had been slightly off, and in the haze of the ewe's delicious odor, the wolf had sort of forgotten exactly what he was doing. It was only when his teeth found a soft, playful purchase on the rim of one of the ewe's ears did Dawn manage to drag him out of his growing cloudy, dream-like state.

"V-Vernon." The wolf felt one of Dawn's hooves paw at his chest feebly. Her voice had shifted from playfully irritance, to worrying, to an almost pleaful tone. And simultaneously, as her wilted plea reached the wolf's ears, he was hit was a powerful blast of pheromones. It was enough to make the wolf reel back slightly, shocked by just how potent he had managed to make it with such little effort. Either the perfume was rapidly losing strength, or he just hadn't managed to get her that riled up all morning.

Vernon quickly placed the ewe down, and Dawn quickly darted a few steps away from him. Dawn was blushing furiously, but Vernon knew he was looking just as bad.

The wolf scratched the back of his head, letting out an awkward cough as he tried to distract himself by staring at the nearest ride or stand he could find.

"S-sorry Darlin'." Vern muttered. "I-uh..."

He suddenly felt the ewe's hooves push at his waist, causing him to stumble back slightly. Dawn was glaring at him, cheeks flushed with red and puffed out in annoyance.

"I'm going to remember this!" She hissed. " I'm going to get you back later, I swear!" Dawn pouted.

Vernon couldn't help but laugh, it was clear he had embarrassed her. But her stern scolding carried with it a hint of vague playfulness, as if whatever evil scheme she was cooking up she was anticipating with glee.

"D-don't worry about that too much Honey Lamb." Vernon sighed. "Trust me, that was more painful for me t-than I thought it would be." The wolf let out a weak, faltering chuckle.

Dawn stabbed finger into the wolf's chest poking him several times.

"Oh no, that's not enough!" She huffed. "We're in public!" The sheep said, glancing over her shoulders warily. Placing a paw to her muzzle, she lowered her tone to a whisper. "I don't need all the rams here knowing I'm in season!" Dawn whined quietly. "I-It's...personal."

Vernon nodded meekly.

"I-I'm real sorry Floofs." Vernon said, leaning down to Dawn's level. The wolf had to stop himself from placing his paws on her shoulders. The last thing he wanted to do was possibly make it worse.

"I-it's okay." Dawn mumbled, twisting a hoof awkwardly into the dirt. "I-I'm not mad, I'm just embarrassed."

The wolf nodded solemnly.

" I didn't really think about the other mammals pickin' up on that smell before. I promise I'll try to hold back on the flirting and the huggin' and stuff." Vernon said, offering a weak smile.

"W-well." Dawn twiddled her hooves nervously. "D-don't hold back too much okay?"

Vernon chuckled. "Alright Honey Lamb, you got it."

As the wolf rose to his feet, he felt the ewe give him another light shove.

"I'm still going to get you back though!" Dawn whined.

Vernon let out a loud barking laugh. "Alright, alright, you'll get your shot. I've still got a lot planned out today."

"On top of all this?" Dawn asked. "We've already covered half the fair!"

"And I intend to cover the other half." Vernon replied, flashing Dawn a wide grin. "I'm going to make sure we at least get around to the tunnel of love today."

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Dawn yelped before clasping a hoof over her muzzle in surprise of herself. "T-there's no way I can do that right now. I'm feeling so-"

Vernon placed his paws out protectively. "Easy, easy there Floofs. Not right now of course." The wolf chuckled. " Gotta let ya cool down a bit first."

"But Vernon, are you sure it's really a good id-?"

"Dawn we ain't bunnies." Vernon replied. "We ain't gonna come out of that tunnel with twenty kids. The perfume is working well enough, and I'd like to think you feel I got some sense of self control."

The ewe gave a slow, wary nod.

"O-okay..." Dawn relented. "B-but way later. Like at the end of the day."

"You got it." Vernon affirmed.

As the wolf started to make his way back into the crowd, he felt Dawn's hoof find his paw again.

"S-so is that everything?" Dawn asked.

"Heck no." Vernon said, his voice practically singing with excitement. "When were finished at the fair, you and me are gonna have a nice, quiet picnic in the fields back home. Just the two of us."

"R-really? You planned that too?" Dawn pressed.

"Yeah, I already set aside a little care package of pies and other stuff at the house. I bet you were wondering why we hadn't had any of Ma's free food yet?" Vernon grinned down at the ewe.

"Actually I did find it odd you insisted we split cotton candy and funnel cakes for lunch. I mean that's barely food." Dawn tutted.

"Yep, all part of my master plan." Vernon beamed. "I'll make the hot corn right out there, and we'll have pie and all sorts of other goodies. Then we can watch the stars come out, just like I used to when I was a Pup."

"Oh Vernon." Dawn cooed. "T-that sounds wonderful. You planned all this out ahead of time?"

Vernon's grin just grew wider. "About a week before we had the trip pinned down Floofs. I'm going to make this the best weekend of our lives, family or not."

The wolf's eyelids drooped slightly as a mischievous smile returned to his muzzle.

"And you can get me back all you want when we're out there." The wolf cooed. "And if you get a little frisky, well we can take care of that too my little Honey Lamb."

"VEEERNOOON!" Dawn whined, the blush returning to her muzzle as she playfully slapped at him. Vernon couldn't help but chuckle to himself, it was far to easy to fluster the lamb. And it was something he was sure he'd never get tired of.

"Wait Vernon!?" A voice rang out, a familiar voice that reflexively caused Vernon's ears to sag and his muzzle to twist into a sharp grimace.

"Vernon Hunter!? OH EM GOODNESS! I can't BELIEVE THIS!" No, it couldn't be. She couldn't be here. Vernon felt a hard lump form in his throat.

'She moved away.' Vernon thought to himself. 'Zach told me she moved far away!' The wolf was frozen stock still, his body fighting to turn in the direction the call had come from, but his mind too fearful to confirm his suspicions.

"Yoo-hoo? You go deaf Scrappy?" There it was, the last painful bit of confirmation the wolf needed to know exactly who was calling out to him. That nickname had been exclusively used by only one wolf in his entire life, tied up neatly with a chunk of his past that the wolf had tried so desperately to forget. Vernon cursed silently to himself as he turned to face the music.

The wolf kept his gaze low, first eyeing the now very confused looking ewe by his side. But as he dragged his sight-line up he eventually met the gaze of the one other wolf aside from Yuri he could have happily gone the rest of his life without ever seeing again. His ex-mate from High School, Anabelle Windpaw.

It was almost surprising how little the red wolf had changed since he had seen her last. While the couple had long since broken up by the end of high school, she continued to make herself a presence in Vernon's life right up until graduation. Each tedious and irritating encounter went more or less the same. The she-wolf would _'randomly'_run into Vernon when she happened to be with her newest boy toy. She would flaunt his prowess and superiority while simultaneously belittling Vernon's weakness and overall failure to keep her. At least that how she liked to tell it, whether you wanted to hear it or not.

Despite getting slightly taller, the fiery red and creamy tan fur was still just as he remembered it. The same went for the several garish 'traditional'_Canidean feather earrings the she-wolf had strewn about her ears. She even still wore the same faded red vinyl jacket, with the same patches and runes related to _'native wolf' culture that Vernon was certain she didn't know the actual meaning of. Of course her outfit wasn't complete without her professionally 'worn' clothing. Her faded blue jeans with precision tears made by mechanized hands, and a tee-shirt that simply said 'wolf pack' made to look as though it had been through several hundred washes, although the wolfess had probably bought it yesterday. She had always called the style 'distressed', which to Vernon translated to 'clothing that looks like it would be in a thrift shop, but sold for three times the price.'

But the thing that really made the wolf feel as though he was staring directly into his own past, that made his stomach lurch, was that same smug and self-righteous grin she always wore. Her green eyes gleaming with mischief despite conveying a half lidded disinterest. In that moment, Vernon felt like he was in High School all over again.

"Ana." Vernon grumbled through clenched teeth.

The she-wolf let out a laugh.

"What are the odds I'd run into you of all mammals out here!" She grinned. "Last I heard you ran off to Zootopia with your tail between your legs because you couldn't cut it as a cop."

The second sentence out of her mouth, that had to be a new record for the she-wolf. Usually she at least tried to keep up the pretense of a casual conversation for a few minutes before starting to tear into him. It was clear she had been honing her skills with time. Vernon let out a harsh sigh before turning on the sarcastic pleasantries.

"Ana, and here I thought you had become a professional drifter, moving from town to town to find the biggest, toughest wolf you could to suck dry before dumping him for the next hapless sap." The wolf retorted, flashing a fake smile.

Ana simply chuckled in response.

"Those of us who are proud of our heritage call that being nomadic. It's in a wolf's blood. Not that I'd expect you to know anything about that." The she-wolf returned the false smile in kind. "Of course there's always something that draws us back home I suppose."

Before Vernon could fire off another biting comment, Ana cut him off.

"Oh, oh! I have to introduce you to my mate!" Ana said, turning to the crowd behind her.

"Ken, Ken Darling, come here! There is someone you have to meet!" She cooed.

There were roughly three or four wolves in the crowd behind her, but naturally the largest wolf was the one who stepped forward. His fur was pitch black, obscuring most of the features of his form while causing his green eyes and gleaming white fangs to stand out like stars against the night sky. Unlike Ana, this wolf was dressed to the nines, wearing a sleek grey suit and deep green tie. It appeared immaculately maintained and tailor fit, so much so that even Xavier's classiest attire would make him look like a pauper by comparison.

As the wolf casually approached the group, it became apparent that the wolf was even slightly taller than him, perhaps by one or two inches, and his shoulders just as wide as Vernon's. Everything about Ken's appearance made it perfectly clear why Ana chose him. He was an 'Alpha', and the aura around him practically screamed it from the heavens themselves.

"Vernon, this is Kendrick Loupon." Ana beamed, patting the wolf's broad chest gently as she leaned against it. "He's the Assistant Representative of the entirety of the Meadowlands. He works directly under Representative Damon Ruddy!" Looking up at the dark black wolf, Ana's smile was practically childlike. "He's a big mammal in the Meadowlands Community. Probably bigger than your old 'Mam."

Vernon sneered. The wolf had always been fine with Ana's usual superiority shtick, but when she brought his folks into the conversation it always got his hackles up.

Ana turned her attention back to Vernon, her smile twisting into a more venomous sneer.

"And Ken Darling, this is Vernon Hunter. It's probably quite hard to believe, but he was my mate back in High School. You know, before I discovered what true 'Alpha' wolves were like." Ana tutted. "He was lucky to have me for as long as he did."

"Ha, ha, ha." Vernon stated sarcastically. "Lucky is one interpretation, but I personally think 'cursed' is more appropriate wouldn't you say?"

Ken let out a deep throaty chuckle, extending a paw out to Vernon, but Ana caught his arm mid-way, pulling it back toward him.

"Oh Ken don't!" Ana laughed. " I'm pretty sure failure is contagious Darling. We don't need Vernon's weakness tainting someone of your stature."

Vernon let out a quiet growl as the large wolf eyed his mouthy mate with slight confusion.

"S-She's the ex you were talking about on the train?" Vernon heard Dawn whisper as she tugged at his paw.

"Unfortunately." Vernon muttered, briefly frowning down at the ewe.

"O-oh Mutton chops." Came her nearly inaudible reply.

Ana seemingly hadn't noticed their little exchanged, she was too focused on the story she was preparing to tell. Vernon had of course heard it all before, he imagined that the wolfess had it boiled down to bullet points by now, ready to prattle it off to her newest mate as her cautionary tale of choice.

"Oh wow, it's all coming right back." Ana cooed. " I can't tell you how many times old Scrappy over there failed to stick up for his mate and be a proper wolf."

"Scrappy?" Ken asked.

"That's was one of the nicknames I gave him." Ana flashed a smug grin Vernon's way. "Well, that's the most polite one anyway."

Vernon balled his free fist tightly as Ana let out another laugh.

"But I called him Scrappy because he lost most of the fights he got into. I swear, he was absolutely terrible in a brawl." Ana mused.

"That's because you got me into those fights." Vernon grumbled. "Very unnecessary fights. With mammals way larger than I was."

Ana dismissed his objections with a wave of her paw. "Oh please Vernon, it's not my fault you were such a coward you didn't want to stand up for me when other mammals had wronged me."

"Yeah, let's share some examples shall we?" Vernon growled. "How many times did you insult someone because they 'looked at you wrong', or how you 'heard they might of said something about you' when they never even met you." The wolf shook his head. "You never let anything go, and would goad mammals into a frenzy just to sic me on them. Yeah, but they wronged you."

"AHH!" Ana squealed with delight. "I just remembered that time with that brown bear. The look on your face when he had his jaw wrapped around you neck was absolutely priceless!"

Vernon uneasily groped at his throat as the memory came back to him. The wolf had never forgotten the feel of the angry bears incisors on his throat, the pressure of the teeth against his jugular.

"And surprise, surprise, you lost that one too." Ana teased.

"I also cut a scar across the poor fella's eye." Vernon grimaced. "He's still got that because of me, and I hate myself for it."

"Pft...so you gave him a scar. Big deal." Ana mocked.

"Nah, 'course it's no big deal." Vernon grumbled. " Would have been better if I killed him right? More 'Alpha'? More like a real wolf would have done?"

"Well, nothing says Alpha quite like a wolf whose spent some time in prison." Ana let out another long laugh before trailing of into a contented sigh.

"Just seeing you reminds me of how foolish I was when I was younger." Ana shook her head dismissively. " I was so naive when it came to picking wolves that were 'pack leader' material. So many disappointments, so many failures." The she-wolf glared at Vernon briefly before turning her attention back to Ken. "It took a wolf like Ken to show me what it means to be a true 'Alpha'." Ana cooed, gently pawing at Ken's chest appreciatively. The large wolf squirmed slightly, seemingly uncomfortable with the attention. Perhaps it came off a little too lurid for a public display.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Vernon spat, eager to push the conversation by as fast as possible.

Ana scoffed, rolling her eyes as she clutched back up against the towering wolf next to her.

"Oh, well if you must know. Ken has to be here because of his position in the community. He and Damon are going to be presiding over several very important Harvest Festival ceremonies and so he decided to take me along and turn it into a little date!" Ana cooed, patting Ken's chest gently.

"Yeah, I'd love to be wearing casuals right now." Ken said, scratching the back of his neck. "But technically I'm on official government business, at least part time, so I need to look the part." The wolf gently tugged at the collar of his suit. "To be honest it's a little stif-"

"He's also going to be presiding over several traditional Canidean wolf pack rites for the local native community." Ana cut the large wolf off, continuing her pitch.

"Did you know Ken is half native grey wolf? It's true, his Mother was part of a tribe on the West Coast before she moved to Zootopia." She smiled broadly. "He is very in touch with his cultural roots, and Ms. Loupon instilled a deep respect in him for our ancestors cultural practices."

"W-well I mean not all of them ar-"

"Yes, my mate truly is a perfect balance of a modern wolf, and a proud native warrior. A real Alpha male. A true Canidean wolf." Ana sighed dreamily before turning her attention back to Vernon. Her eyelids drooped as the smug grin returned to her muzzle. "Which is more than I could say for some of us here."

Vernon chuckled, surprised at just how thick the she-wolf was laying out her endless praises of the large, dark wolf. The wolf imagined it had been a long time since she had a good outlet to dump her insecurities on, and his presence gave her the perfect opportunity.

"Oh yeah." The wolf shook his head. "That's right, if I remember correctly the last native wolf in your family line was your great-great grandmother. So that would make you the least native mammal here by default."

That was the first time Vernon saw Ana's smug facade drop slightly. The wolfess grimaced briefly before turning her nose up at the wolf.

Satisfied he had hit his mark, Vernon continued. "Even so, not like that kind of thing was ever a big deal to me. Native, non-native, we're all wolves." It was an olive branch, one Vernon was sure that would ultimately be wasted. But at least he was attempting to turn the tone of the conversation to something less bitter and spiteful.

"Spoken like a true omega wolf." As expected, Ana was quick to toss that branch aside. "I swear if your family respected anything about their roots you would have been kicked out of your pack a long time ago."

Ana's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "Oh, is that why you're here? To plead with your Father to let you back into the family? To give you your name back? Are you just Vernon_'No last name given'_ now? Oh that wou-"

"W-what is your problem!?"

The sudden statement startled the wolf, but not because what was said, but rather who had said it. Looking down, the wolf found that Dawn had stepped forward slightly while still clasping his paw. Her other hoof was balled into a tight fist that matched his own. Ana seemed confused before discovering the voice had come from below her line of sight.

"E-excuse me?" Ana sputtered.

"Y-you heard me!" Dawn's voice waivered slightly, but ultimately remained stern.

"Why did you even bother us? It's clear you don't like Vernon so what was the point?" Dawn released her grip on Vernon's paw, taking another step toward the she-wolf. The ewe stood firm, her fists clenched as Vernon watched.

"Do you honestly have nothing better to do?" Dawn continued, her voice rising slightly. "Are y-you so childish that you need to validate yourself by seeking out a mammal you dated in High School just to put him down?"

The ewe pointed a finger at the bewildered she-wolf. "What was that, more than ten years ago? And your dwelling on it like it was yesterday? Is there nothing more going on in your life?"

The she-wolf was silent, merely blinking at the ewe in shock. It was clear Dawn had caught her off guard. But the lamb also managed to catch Vernon off guard as well. Dawn had made great strides in finding her own voice since the 'Zootopia's Last Night' affair. It was a change the wolf could see growing in her with each passing day. The way she carried herself, holding her head a bit higher than she used to. Standing up for herself more often. Vernon assumed that the close call she had suffered that week in the hospital had fundamentally changed her, like many others who have had close brushes with death.

However it was still surprising to the wolf to see the timid little ewe so boldly stand up to Ana, and it caused Vernon's heart to swell with pride and love. The wolf soon found himself returning the smug smile the same she-wolf had been previously wearing.

Ana tried to laugh, but a few coughs choked through it. It was clear the wolfess had lost some of her stride with Dawn's unexpected interjection.

"A-and what's this supposed to be?" Ana stuttered slightly as she gestured to the petite ewe. " Did I judge you too soon Scrappy? Is that a snack for later?"

Vernon crossed his arms, letting off a derisive huff.

"Heck no, that's vile." Vernon sneered.

Vernon watched as the she-wolf crouched down to Dawn's level, leaning close to the little sheep.

"You know another great thing Canidean wolves had right you little grazer?" Ana sneered, her eyes flicking between Dawn and Vernon as she spoke. " That the only use for a sheep was for clothing and food."

"Hey now-" Ken tried to interject, but Ana was on a roll.

"You know, I've been all over North Mammalia, and met all sorts of REAL native wolves." Ana hissed at Dawn. " I've even been to a few communes, waaaAAAaaay up north where they still see sheep as a hearty meal." Ana grinned broadly, leaning practically muzzle to muzzle with Dawn. Vernon couldn't see Dawn's reaction, but her legs were beginning to tremble. Whatever resolve the ewe had was being pushed to it's limit. "Once or twice, I've even had the pleasure of partaking in one of their traditional hunts, and the thrill of biting into a real rack of MUTTON!"

As she spat out the word mutton, she lunged forward causing Dawn to stagger backward slightly. Dawn looked back at Vernon fearfully for a moment, but rather than run back to his side she returned to her defiant stance.

"Ana please!" Ken raised his voice slightly, his eyes shifting across the various fair-goers. Vernon had nearly forgot about them in the heat of rising altercation, but it seemed they had yet to draw any attention from the passers by. "This is the Meadowlands Darling, please don't uses words like that around my constituants."

Ana let out a derisive snort as she eyed Ken briefly. Still Ana seemed pleased enough with the reaction she drew out of the sheep, the smug grin returning to her face. The she-wolf returned to her feet, taking her place back at Ken's side.

"Honestly it was a beautiful ritual, it's a shame more wolves don't honor their roots like that. Such a proud and visceral tradition ." Ana chuckled.

"Well native wolves had a lot of stupid traditions." Vernon chuckled. "That's why all those tribes have practically died out. In another fifty years or so those die hard packs will be nothing more then a black mark in the history books."

"Not with wolves like me keeping the culture alive." Ana sneered. "I'll make sure it lives on in my pups."

Vernon scoffed, shaking his head in dismissal.

"So I take it he's your body guard then?" Ana ignored him, turning her attention back to Dawn. "Otherwise I can't imagine you'd have the gall to talk to me like-"

"She's my mate." Vernon said firmly, stepping to the ewe's side and grasping her hoof again. The wolf squeezed it tightly, flashing Dawn a soft smile. Dawn had done enough fighting on her own for his sake. The wolf felt it was time to step up.

The ewe looked back at him in shock, at least at first. It only took seconds for tears to start flowing from the corners of her eyes.

"V-vernon." She murmured.

"W-wh-what?" Ana's eyes flew open, blinking rapidly. "I-I'm sorry, w-what was that?" The she-wolf stumbled over her words.

Vernon took a deep breath, puffing his chest out proudly. Dawn was his, and he wasn't ashamed to make it clear.

"This is Dawn Bellwether, and she's my mate." The wolf stated confidently.

Ana simply seemed to freeze, eyes wide in disbelief as to what she had heard. But behind her eyes Vernon could see a hint of glee. A shine like the one a pup gets on the early Yule morning, looking over the mound of presents that had been left the night before. It was as if the information had simply over stimulated her, shut down her ability to process it, and the reaction was waiting for her to come back online.

Suddenly the she-wolf reeled back, letting out the most uproarious and boisterous laugh Vernon had ever heard from her. She placed a paw over her eyes as she continued to laugh like maniac, reeling back and forth as she continued to cackle. As her laugh grew louder and louder, Vernon could see a crowd beginning to draw around them The fairgoers had all stopped dead in their tracks, now looking intently at the scene before them.

With another hard reel back, Ana's laugh turned into a howl. And it didn't take long for some of the other wolves in the fair to join in. Vernon could hear them piping up from all over the carnival. Surprisingly, Kendrick kept silent. It was clear that like Vernon, the wolf had trained himself to suppress the urge to howl. Instead he seemed to become increasingly flustered.

With that last howl, the she-wolf fell into a crouch, clawing desperately at her chest as tried to catch her breath.

"Wait, Dawn Bellwether?" Kendrick asked. Seemingly trying to change the subject away from the scene Ana was trying to create.

"Y-yes?" Dawn muttered weakly.

"Ah, I was a big fan of your political career!" Ken said, clapping his paws together. "I followed it really closely up until...um...well you know."

"O-oh..." Dawn murmured, twisting a hoof awkwardly into the dirt.

"But I have to say, the laws you helped get passed for the city wer-"

The wolf was unable to finish his sentence before Ana slammed into his side, a laugh escaping through her labored breath as she struggled to keep from collapsing.

"OH THIS IS TOO PERFECT!" Ana practically sang. "VERNON HUNTER! THE WEAK OMEGA WHO COULD'T KEEP A REAL SHE-WOLF SATISFIED IS A DIRTY PREY CHASER!" Ana let out another howl of laughter. "AND NOT JUST ANY PREY, BUT A SHEEP!"

"Ana, calm down, you're stirring up the other wo-"

The wolfess gave her mate a playful elbow to the rib.

"AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, SHE'S AN EX-CON!" Ana wheezed. "SHE WAS GOING TO WIPE OUT ALL THE PREDATORS IN THE CITY REMEMBER!? WHAT, DID YOU FORGET THAT SCRAPPY!?" The wolfess pawed at her increasingly uncomfortable looking mate.

The she wolf began to wipe tears from her eyes as she continued to choke out laughter. "OR DO YOU LIKE THAT? BEING SUBORDINATE TO SOME GRAZER WHO LOOKS AT YOU LIKE YOU'RE THE LESSER MAMMAL?"

"ANA! These are my constit-" Ken reached out a paw, but the she-wolf pushed him away. Ana strolled up to Vernon, putting her face right up to his as she tried to suppress her laughing fit.

"Does she hit you? Huh?" She continued. "Do you tell your co-workers you got a black eye from 'falling down the stairs'?" Ana grinned evilly. "Or do you like letting her own you because you're so weak? So lowly? Such an omega that not even a female of your own species would put up with you?"

The she-wolf turned to the crowd, holding her paws out as if beckoning them to join in her spectacle.

"WHAT A FREAKSHOW! A SHEEP AND A WOLF!" Ana let out another howling laugh. "HOW DISGUSTING! HOW UNNATURAL!" Ana shot a glare at the couple. "It's just plain wrong."

With that Ana turned back to Ken, proudly strolling back toward the now flustered looking black wolf. However, stopped mid-way, turning her head back to glance at the pair.

"But I suppose it makes sense." Ana chuckled darkly. "Two broken, twisted, sick freaks with no one else to turn to. A weak willed, soft, miserable excuse for a wolf. An omega in every sense of the word. And a fragile, tiny little sheep who spent her life playing second fiddle to everyone and couldn't even get her petty little revenge plan right. Who's praying that everyone will forget what she did the first time around because of what she did a few months ago." Ana scoffed. "And they won't, by the way."

"You know what you problem is Ana?" Vernon said coolly. The wolf gingerly released Dawn's hoof from his grip, marching back toward the now smugly smiling she wolf. Vernon had enough. In the past he had been more than willing to simply let Ana tire herself. To continue to lob insults until she grew bored and left. It was pointless to stoop to her level. But with all those times Vernon had been alone, and wasn't compelled to argue pointlessly with the nasty she-wolf. He knew she was wrong, and nothing he could say was going to change that, so it had never been worth his time to protest. Seeing her again after all this time had thrown him right back into his High School mindset, and he had been ready to let it play out the same way.

But then Dawn spoke up, stood up for him in the face of Ana's insults and put-downs. Dawn reminded him that he wasn't in high school anymore, that things were no longer the same, and that someone was looking out for him. And it was his time to defend his mate just as she had for him, to say all the things he had always wanted to tell the nasty she-wolf that he never thought he'd get the chance to say. That was, until now.

"You're scared of anyone knowing who you really are." Vernon spat.

Ana raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Pft...what?"

"Look at you." Vernon continued. " All this native wolf pride bullcrap. The last name 'Windpaw'?" Vernon scoffed. "Any mammal with a lick of knowledge about native wolves knows that no actual tribe would recognize you, right? Because wolves that get kicked out, or choose to leave their packs don't get to keep their pack name."

Ana's grin faltered slightly, eyes widening in shock.

"W-what?"

"We both know the only reason yer great-great grandma came to Zootopia was because she was an omega, just like my grandma." Vernon spat. " They left because they hated native wolf tradition, they hated what it represented. Just like every other native wolf that moved out here. They were happy to take their husbands name because they didn't want anything to do with where they came from, but they also had no last names to replace!" Vernon sneered.

"You may have found out what your grandma's old pack name was, but to any actual native wolf tribe, they'd never accept you, especially the actual Windpaws if they are still even around. As soon as anyone found out you were from Zootopia, they'd know why." Vernon gestured to the she wolf.

Ana was frowning now, her ears completely flattened against her head.

"Hell, you don't even know any actual native wolf howl-speak do you? Aside from the curse words." Vernon spat. "Or has that changed since I saw you last? The gods know you weren't a big reader."

"I-I-I-" Ana stammered, clearly unable to think of a good snide reply. Rather than give her the opening, Vernon pressed on.

"But you needed to be unique, to have an edge right?" Vernon turned his back the the she-wolf as he started pacing. "Otherwise you had nothing else that made you different from the other wolfess' in our school. " Vernon pinched the bridge of his muzzle. "So you embraced the Native Wolf in your blood line for better or for worse. It was something, anything you could grasp at to help you stand out."

By now Ana appeared to be shrinking slightly, slinking deeper into her boyfriends side.

"So you gleaned all the most basic knowledge about Native Wolf cultural and crafted this tough, wild persona around that tiny element in your families history, because you had absolutely nothing else to offer anyone." Vernon stomped back towards Ana, stabbing a finger at her. The she wolf recoiled slightly, as if she had expected Vernon swing at her.

"And it made you insecure. So desperate to be liked and validated that you put down everyone around you to build yourself up, to stroke you ego. And when you had a mate, you constantly put them to the test to prove they cared about you. Because you needed to be sure, you needed constant reinforcement that you were loved. And it was never enough." Vernon was beginning to smile as he watched Ana cowering. The weight of the days earlier pressures were suddenly all rising to the surface. Flowing out of him like a waterfall as he unloaded the days baggage in one rant focused at the cruel red wolf.

"And that's why your back right? Why you came back to Zootopia?" Vernon mused, scratching his chin. "You never went to any communes, or at least you were never allowed to stay at them. Because of who you really were."

"Th-that's not true!" Ana hissed. Her voice waivered, the wolf's words were obviously hitting her sore spot.

"So YOU came back to Zootopia with YOUR tail between your legs. And kept up your old persona because at this point it was really all you had. Because you are empty." Vernon spat. "You are an empty, hollow shell of a wolfess who clings to the faded image of old wolf traditions because without them you have nothing else."

Vernon turned to engage the crowd, spreading his arms out in a similar fashion that Ana had before.

"And me? Well I get the heat because I'm the first one. The one you were the most open with. The one who knows all of your secrets. The ones you hoped I'd never repeat if you kept putting me down. If you brow beat me into shamed silence."

With that Vernon strolled over to Dawn. Taking hold of her hoof with a firm grasp the wolf pulled her forward slightly. With a nod, Dawn and Vernon stood their ground at each other's side. Her touch emboldening Vernon's resolve, the look of determination in her eyes pressing the wolf onward.

"Look at us Ana!" Vernon snarled, gesturing at himself and the ewe.

"Think whatever you want, but she's my soul mate!" Vernon barked.

"And he's mine!" Dawn added, seemingly trying to be as loud as she could.

"We have each other." Vernon smiled. "And one day your going to run out of mates to use up and find yourself all alone. An embittered old she-wolf without a family or friends, without pups of her own, because you drove them all away."

Vernon let out a hard sigh as the scene fell silent. Ana looked like she was nearly going to faint, but Vernon still had one last thing to say. The grin on his muzzle widened as he prepared his final statement, knowing it would leave the she-wolf devastated.

"Because you're an Omega on the inside Ana Millfang." Vernon said coldly. "And you always have been."

Ana's eyes went wide in what Vernon could only describe as sheer terror.

"Y-you-You." Ana choked. "R-remembered my-"

"Your real last name." Vernon said, a smug grin creeping across his face.

At that moment Ana began to shudder, and Vernon watched as the flesh beneath her fur went through several shades of red as the shock turned to pure rage. She hadn't seen that coming, she had never expected the wolf to stand against her, much less actually tell the truth about her. The bits he had learned before she had made her full transformation into the self described alpha female she now was. Her cheeks swelled as she began to sputter a rebuttal.

"WHY Y-Y-I, I-" She snarled, glaring daggers at the couple. "I'M GO-"

Ana shook her head briskly before switching her stare to the towering wolf next to her. Her eyes were so focused on Ken it looked as though her vision alone could cut through the wolf's flesh.

"WELL!" Ana hissed.

"W-well what?" Ken stuttered.

Ana slapped a paw hard enough against his chest for the whole crowd to hear. It echoed over the silent fairground as Ken winced.

"STAND UP FOR YOUR MATE! BURY HIM!" Ana frantically gestured toward Vernon.

Ken pulled at his collar.

"Ana, I'm a politician.' the wolf coughed, adjusting his tie as he seemed to compose himself. "I'm not the type of mammal who gets into fist fights. It's bad for my public image."

Ana gave the wolf another hard slap, causing him to wince.

"THEN WHY AM I EVEN WITH YOU!?" The she wolf hissed.

Ken looked down at the wolfess in annoyance. It was slight, but Vernon could see it in his eyes. The large wolf let out a sigh.

Ken pulled away from the she-wolf and walked toward the couple. As he approached he seemed to swell his chest, an obvious attempt at intimidation. Ken loomed over them, an imposing aura flowing off him despite keeping a calm and pleasant look to his face.

"Vernon Hunter, right?" Ken spoke quietly.

"Yes." Vernon said with a growl.

"Good, good." Ken muttered. "I'm sorry to say this isn't the end of this my friend."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The wolf hissed.

Ken looked over his shoulder briefly, letting out another sigh before turning back to the couple. "You'll see soon enough Mr. Hunter. You'll see."

With that, Ken turned to the crowd of fair goers, raising and lowering his arms as if signaling the crowd to simmer down.

"I'm sorry for that little ahem...." The large wolf glanced over at his mate, who simply turned her head away from him, letting out an annoyed huff. "Disruption. But please, go back to enjoying the fair. I apologize if my mate said anything out of turn, it's been a stressful day for the two of us."

With that, Ken glanced back at Vernon. For a brief moment the wolf felt another lump form in his throat, the sudden fear of Ken trying to sic the crowd on the two of them rising in his mind. But instead the official turned back to the crowd and calmly continued.

"Her remarks toward sheep folk were completely off base, and I do not support them. And I assure you we will be discussing this later." Ken glared at his mate, earning yet another huff.

"Anyway, please enjoy the fair." Ken concluded, before making his way back toward Ana, extending an arm to her as he passed. Ana however, pushed it away, keeping a few feet from the wolf official. Clearly his little public apology had pleased everyone but her. Letting out a sigh of defeat, the wolf strode forward. Ana gave on last glare back at Dawn and Vernon, turning her nose up before following behind Ken as the pair walked into the crowd and disappeared.

Vernon stood tall, still clutching Dawn's hoof tightly in his paw as he let out a relieved sigh. He had done it, he had finally told Ana off and mam' had it felt good. It certainly had taken the edge off the anxiety and misery that Vernon had built up from earlier in the day. But his brief elation was short lived as he looked down at the worried looking ewe next to him. She seemed to quiver as she latched on to Vernon's arm completely, looking up at him with tear filled eyes.

"O-Oh Vernon." Dawn sobbed. "W-what are we going to do now?"

"W-what? What's wrong Honey Lamb? We told her off. We-"

Dawn shook her head briskly, wiping her eyes against his arm.

"D-Didn't you hear what Loupon said?" Dawn stammered.

"Oh that?" Vernon chuckled. "It's fine Darling. He's got nothing."

"B-but Vernon!" Dawn pleaded. "He's a politician! I k-know politicians! H-he might have connections Vernon!" The ewe wept.

"Aw please." Vernon smirked. "What's the worst he could do to us?"