Guardian Blue - Season 1

Episode 7 - Sport

Fortunately, it seemed everyone got the laughter out of their systems and no one brought up the milk incident during dinner.  Nick and Judy took turns at the shower as the meal was being prepared to give more time for the embarrassment to die down, and Angela and Charlie had their go at the shower after.  By the time it was all said and done it seemed as if the whole family had simply forgotten the little mishap.   Judy could not help but think of it any time she looked at Eli, or the finally awake Sandi who thankfully had not roused hungry.  Nick was very interested in seeing Sandi, and fortunately Eli did not seem to mind.  The fox was afraid to pick her up because of how tiny she was, but Judy thought it was precious watching him apprehensively let the kit hold his finger, both little bunny hands barely able to encircle it as he tickled her cheek with one of his dark claws.  The sight of it did a lot to make Judy relax about how embarrassing things were just moments before.

Dinner was served and Nick was actually very surprised to find that Bonnie had prepared black bean sausages for the predator at the table. It was a very convincing meat substitute.  While Nick didn't eat meat at all aside from the shrimp that he associated with 'home', and perhaps the occassional substitute when given it, he seemed delighted at this fare, or at least the sentiment behind it.  Judy's family was obviously trying to include him.  There was perhaps a little visible discomfort of some of the others at the table.  Judy did not mind so much, but knew her family was certainly not accustomed to it.  Fortunately the fox hit that first and it was gone in seconds while he then took notice of his salad and more slowly grazed on that.  He had a choice between a creamy dressing and vinegar dressing and chose the vinegar.  Judy suspected it was because it reminded him of the milk from earlier but did not say anything.  Nick did not appear to like tomatoes as he ate around them, but everything else he seemed just fine eating.  The table relaxed a little with the sausages gone and general conversation started up.

They talked about the house fire, and discussed where Doc Tuber, the owner of the house and father of the five kits, was staying.  He had been put up free of charge in the town’s only hotel, the owners of the hotel glad to have him stay until he could get things in order with his insurance and the like.  Nick seemed very interested in the hotel as a result.  Judy assumed that most places in Zootopia would not be quite that generous, even in a time of need.  There was just so much need in a city that size.  She was happy that the kindness seen in her home town impressed Nick.  After the meal, they all cleared the table and Judy and Angela helped with dishes, leaving Nick to fend for himself against a tirade of fox-questions. 

He didn’t seem to mind answering them, they were certainly not as odd or silly as some of the questions they would occasionally be asked at some of the schools they had visited.  They mostly wanted to know if there were any odd things about fox culture.  What kind of holidays did foxes enjoy? Did they really avoid hospitals? Do they need to eat meat sometimes, or can they live entirely on a vegetable diet?  Nick stated that he did not have to have meat, though he liked some protein-rich foods and enjoyed the sausage.  Heavier, bulkier foxes usually ate some kind of protein more frequently but he was happy with his lean form.  He noted that he liked shrimp, that was his favorite protein, and it got a lot of blanching at the table of bunnies.

Bonnie asked with sincere curiosity, "How can you say you don't eat meat, but shrimp are your favorite?  Those seem very much like meat."  She shrugged at that, seeming to try to seem innocent in her question in case it was somehow offensive.

Nick answered happily, obviously not bothered by it.  "Most predators don't consider them true meat.  I mean, I don't like meat because I don't enjoy the idea that I cause pain.  I like to think of myself as empathetic, mostly because of my mom, I guess...  Insect protein is a bit different though.  I got stung by a bee when I was really small, and they've been on the menu ever since."  Judy blinked incredulously at that.  It was impossible for her to tell if he was kidding, but it got a genuine chuckle from the rest of her family.  Nick stated, continuing on with the questions, that foxes were very sensitive to their environment and did not do well in hospitals, so that rumor was true.  He celebrated all the usual holidays plus a few others, like one celebrating giving by giving a thing that was given to you.  Re-gifting was literally what that holiday was about and from what Judy could understand it had something to do with old stories from long ago.