"That's it, you've got it, Buddy!" Nick had a wide grin on his muzzle as he watched his kit successfully start the campfire by rubbing two sticks together. He watched, his tail wagging, as Eli gently blew on the smoldering sparks in the center of the dry leaves, causing them to get bigger, and began to feed it twigs and tiny branches.

"Excellent work, Eli!" Scoutmaster Greene gave the blushing yet excited human boy a high hoof. "You have definitely earned your Non-Accelerant Fire Starting Badge."

I wonder when they decided to get so weirdly specific with the badges? Nick pondered, before walking up to congratulate his kit. It really was quite the change the young mammal he and Judy had adopted had made from the terrified boy they had found.
"I'm proud of you, Buddy," he said, reaching up to give his son a hug. Eli leaned down to happily reciprocate it.

"Thanks, Dad."

Breaking apart, Nick stepped back and found his attention being drawn to the fennec fox by his side, who let out a snort as he looked at the booklet of badges.

"Some of these badges are really weird, Nick," Finnick said.

"Oh?" Nick smirked, having already read through the booklet a few times. Partly so that he could help strategize ways for Eli to earn certain badges... and partly for the rush of nostalgia from back when he was a kit, hoping one day to become a Junior Ranger Scout.

"Yeah. There's a Ghost Hunting Badge?! Seriously? Oh, and get this, a badge for safe cracking?"

"Well, those are some pretty necessary life skills, Big Guy," Nick rolled his eyes at the grumbling from his long-time friend.

"And this one just says 'Peace Was Never an Option'. What does that even mean?! And why is there a picture of a goose on it?"

Back at the fire, Eli was double-checking that it was perfect, as well as adding larger sticks and logs to the base, when Kimi approached.

"That is just so cool that you know how to make a fire with just two sticks, Eli." Kimi held her paws behind her back as she made an effort to look cute for the human boy, even making sure to bat her eyes at him.

"O-oh! Thanks, Kimi!" Eli smiled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Maybe we could go out searching for some more firewood together in a little while?"

"Uh, but there's already plenty, I think." Eli seemed thoughtful as he went over in his head how much wood they would need.

"But, doesn't the scout booklet always say you can never have too much firewood?" Kimi looked down demurely, before looking back up at him as she said this, making her eyes as big as possible. Internally, Kimi felt smug as she knew that, this time, she had him.

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Actually, I think it might say the exact opposite. Hold on, lemme get the handbook out." As Eli excitedly went to his backpack to grab his ranger scout handbook, Kimi visibly deflated with an annoyed huff.

"Yup, right here. It's important to limit the impact of campfires to help conserve wood."

Kimi's expression was neutral. "Well... okay then."

"But it's still a great instinct to have, Kimi," Eli said with a bright and excited smile, making the tigress blush a little as she looked at him in surprise.

"H-huh?"

"Whether it be an emergency situation or even recreational, it is usually a good idea to secure extra supplies, be it food, water, or other essentials. It's great that you're thinking ahead!" The earnestness in the boy's voice really left Kimi at a loss for words while she blushed even more.

"Th-thanks, Eli!" Now it was Kimi's turn to stutter a little. Eli nodded and jogged off, leaving behind a very contemplative young tigress. Discreetly watching this, Nick gave Finnick a nudge and leaned over to speak softly into his large ears.

"He's a ladies' mammal without even trying. Takes after me, of course."

Finnick snorted at that. "Wasn't Judy the one to ask you out for your guys' first date?"

"Maybe... but that was all part of my master plan of love," Nick said, slipping on his aviators.

"Looks like someone's tryin' to get their Inflated Ego badge."

Back at the Hopps Family Farm

"Oh my gosh! Who's a little cutie? Who is? I think it's you!" Judy cooed as she let little Jeremiah play with her long ears. The human infant was sitting in the middle of the picnic blanket Gideon had laid out near the back porch, several baby toys spread out on it. The chubby, cooing baby was sporting a thicker tuft of hair atop his head, and was wearing an orange fleece fox onesie, complete with a fox-eared hood and a big bushy fake tail.

Gideon and Sharla were smiling as Judy continued to make the baby giggle and kick his little feet in the air.

"Hehe, he really seems ta like ya, Judy," Gideon said with a chuckle, getting out one of his sweet carrot tarts from the picnic basket Sharla had helped him pack. "'Course... that could be 'cause his favorite stuffie is a bunny." He motioned a little bit away to where a bright blue stuffed bunny sat, black button eyes shining a little in the sunlight.

"He does seem to take to Hopps bunnies more than others here in town." Sharla giggled and snapped some pictures. Judy had learned that ever since she had missed catching his first steps on camera, the black-wooled ewe had become a bit of a shutterbug, at least in regards to getting pictures of moments and milestones in Jeremy's life.

"Well he is just the sweetest little thing ever!" Judy giggled, grabbing the plush bunny and making it dance, much to the delight of the baby, who was now reaching for it.

"He really is!" Sharla beamed, scooting closer to Jeremy, who squealed in even greater excitement when his attention was drawn to her. With some grunts, he stood up on some shaky legs, and began to toddle right for the ewe. Sharla held her arms wide open, with Gideon filming on his phone, and scooped him up to nuzzle. Sticking his thumb into his mouth, Jeremy started to snuggle closer and close his eyes.

"Sometimes... it's hard ta believe that we've been able ta adopt this little guy, and give him a lovin' home." Gideon leaned over, his tail thumping down against the blanketed ground as Jeremy opened his eyes and reached out to poke the fox tod in his nose. The baby giggled before closing his eyes again.

"I can't think of anyone who'd be better to raise him," Judy said, leaning back and relaxing in the slowly dimming late afternoon sunlight.

"Uh," Gideon suddenly seemed to grow a little uncomfortable, and looked to Sharla for guidance. The ewe smiled and nodded, prompting him to continue.

"Is something wrong?" Judy looked from one to the other for an answer.

"W-well... no... not exactly..." Gideon was looking even more uncomfortable. "Ya see... we got a letter a little while ago about that new space program Sharla applied fer during her stint in the Aeronautics Force."

"Really?" Judy's ears were perked up with a growing excitement.

"I've been accepted!" Sharla couldn't hold it in anymore, seemingly bouncing where she sat. No sooner had the words left her mouth when Judy leapt over to hug her.

"Sweet cheese and crackers! Sharla! You're gunna get to go up in space?!"

"Yup!" Sharla put a hoof on her hip. "Not bad for a small-town gal, huh?"

"I'll say!" Judy looked back to Gideon, who was smiling and his tail wagging... but there was a tinge of worry behind it, one that Judy easily picked up on. Before she could ask about it, Gideon spoke.

"Th-that's actually why we were hopin' fer you and Nick ta both come fer this little... picnic... we wanted ta ask ya both somethin' important as a couple..."

Judy's ears drooped as she suddenly felt worried. By the time Judy had gotten the text from Gideon asking if they could meet her and Nick, having heard they were coming to town for a ranger scout camping trip, Nick was already off with the kids and the other chaperones.

"What is it?"

Now Sharla looked a bit uncomfortable. She shifted the now dozing Jeremy in her arms so that his head was resting on her shoulder and she was rubbing his back.

"Maybe we should wait for when Nick gets back?" Sharla offered.

"Maybe... but I'll just be worrying about this whole mystery all night if we do that."

The fox and ewe looked into each others' eyes, and shared a smile.

"Alright, Judy," Gideon said, seeming to gather his courage. "While goin' in ta space is safer now than ever before... well... it's somethin' that still carries some risk. And... if somethin' were to go wrong... and somethin' happened to me... well, we were wonderin' if you and Nick would consider bein' the godparents for Jeremy here?" Gideon scooted closer to Sharla and Jeremiah and pulled them both into a hug. The couple looked to the flabbergasted bunny, waiting for an answer.

"I... was... not expecting that," Judy said, shock emanating from her voice.

"We know that this is a big decision, and not one to be made lightly." Sharla was quick to try to make sure that Judy wasn't feeling pressured.

"And we know that ya need ta discuss this with Nick, and maybe Eli, before ya just give yer answer."

Judy opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly Stu burst out from the screen door, a horde of her brothers and sisters frantically charging out after him.

"D-Dad? What's going on?" Judy could see that Stu was holding in his paws a familiar blue leash.

"Jude! I'm so sorry! But little Ollie gave me the slip somehow, and your sister Poppy said she saw him scurry out this way not too long ago!"

"What?!" Judy asked, still overwhelmed from the surprise question before, and now also feeling a pit of worry form in her gut as she knew how devastated Eli would be if anything happened to the little crocodile hatchling.

"Don't worry, Aunt Judy!" Thomas smiled at his aunt, and began to organize his brothers and sisters into teams of four, sending them out into the woods with flashlights.

A little while later, in the woods..

"Cheer up, Isaac," Mike said from his perch atop the coyote boy's head, reaching down to give an assuring pat. Isaac's nose was bandaged while the coyote pup sat near the fire, looking dejected. "Lots of mammals have gotten caught in their own traps before." The mouse boy shot the snickering Ned and Ted a withering glare, which shut them up. Night had fallen and where the tree branches parted up above, the stars were out. The full moon was bright enough to illuminate their surroundings in its pale light.

"Yeah, but how many of them ran face-first into their own fake tunnel that they painted onto the side of a large rock face... before getting caught in a net?" Isaac rested his chin in her paws, propped up on his knees. Seeing this, Eli reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey now, that was a really realistic-looking tunnel. I thought it was real when I first saw it after I followed your yells." Eli gave his friend a warm smile, which helped Isaac to feel a little better, his tail starting to wag.

"It was a pretty good painting, wasn't it?" Isaac puffed out his chest.

"You bet it was! In fact, I think when Scoutmaster Greene sees it tomorrow, he'll agree that it's worth netting you that Realistic Camouflage Painting badge!" Mike looked excited, seeing how Isaac had cheered up.

"Okay, Scouts," the deer buck said, taking a seat on a log by the fire, looking around at the assembled campers and Nick and Finnick. "I think a great way to cap off tonight is to see if anyone is willing to earn their Scary Campfire Storyteller badge?"

"OH! I've got a story!" Lila excitedly raised her hoof, leaning into Eli a little as she did so, the blush on his face deepening. The scoutmaster chuckled and nodded to the excited zebra.

"Alright, Lyla, the floor is yours."

Lyla smiled and looked to the rest of her friends, her and Eli both having to look away when they simultaneously realized that they were staring into each other's eyes.

"My story for the campfire is one that has been passed down in my family for generations. My great, great, great grandfather, Anengoni, first emigrated from Zebrabwe back when he was just a colt right here to Bunnyburrow, back when it was called Bunneysberg. He and his parents made a little homestead to the west, a small farm with large fields, right next to the woods."

Nick listened in, a bit curious about Lyla's family. After meeting Aiden back at that PTA assembly, the two had spoken a few additional times. Seeing how... close friends their kits were, it made sense that the two would interact more, so Nick made an effort to stay on civil terms. The contrite middle-aged zebra seemed to appreciate this, even if he and the tod were visibly awkward around one another.

"At first, after months of hard work, their little farm was prosperous. So much so, that they were even able to purchase some additional surrounding acres for expansion. But... something had followed them from Zebrabwe. The reason for their emigration wasn't solely just to seek a better life for themselves in a new land... but also to escape something. A monster, named the ninki nanka, a great and terrible creature that would live in the swamps, and sometimes eat children who were naughty. One day, that all changed. Anengoni had a little brother who was very mischievous, and would often sneak out to cause trouble. One night, he followed his brother all the way to a strange swamp, where he saw him throwing rocks into the water. Every time he did, the water would bubble and gurgle, much to the little colt's amusement. However, Anengoni wasn't amused. He knew where they were and what lived in that swamp. He ran and tried to grab his little brother, to pull him back and away... only he was too late."

Everyone was listening intently now, even Kimi, who had tried to look disinterested.

"With one last heavy rock tossed in, the water surged as a crocodile head broke through the surface. It was massive, twice the size of their father, and that is just its head alone! Its neck stretched out, elongated like a giraffe's, but mending and twisting in ways that would cause a simple serpent pain. It had giant needle-like spikes lining its spine that ran all the way from the base of its head down to the tip of its tail. Claws as long and thick like bananas sliced through the air and muck as the ninki nanka crawled out of the waters. Anengoni could only watch in horror as the beast snapped its head forward and ate his little brother in just one bit. It turned its eyes, that glowed with an inner fire, towards him, and roared. Anengoni could only run, crying home, waking his parents to tell them what happened."

"Their family warned the village, and so a watch was set up, with whatever weapons or tools they could find. For days, nothing happened, and everyone thought that, while tragic, the ninki nanka had been satisfied just eating the little colt. Unfortunately, that was not the case. First, the villages' flocks of ostriches began to disappear, bloody remains and giant footprints all that was left behind. Then the crops began to fail, and an illness began to creep its way through the village. It was decided that the creature wanted Anengoni as well, as penance for being disturbed. When his parents overheard their friends and neighbors talk about taking the boy and leaving him for the ninki nanka to eat, they fled."

"It followed them to Bunnyburrow... I mean, Bunnysberg?" Eli couldn't stop himself from asking. Lyla nodded, looking solemn.

"When Anengoni went to feed their new chickens, all he found were bloody feathers, with the back half of the coop ripped open. Then, the crops began to get sick and die. And, soon after, so too did his parents. He wasn't much older than me when he realized that, no matter where he ran, the ninki nanka was going to find him, and destroy everything and everyone around him. So, after burying his mother and father, he went out into the woods alone. He found the footsteps with giant claw marks, making a trail deeper and deeper into the woods. He soon found himself in a marshy area near a cave, the trail leading into the water."

Lyla paused for a beat before continuing.

"Not knowing what else to do, Anengoni gathered up some large rocks and started to toss them into the water. Each time he threw one in, the water would bubble and boil. Each time it did so, he saw a shadow in the water, getting larger and larger, and so he started to slowly back away to the cave. Then, he threw the last rick into the swamp, and waited. After the ripples from the rock, the surface of the water lay still, looking like smooth glass. Then the ninki nanka's head shot out from the water, it roared as it snapped at Anengoni, who fell back just in time to barely avoid the knifelike rows of teeth in its gaping maw. Frustrated, the ninki nanka started to crawl out of the water, spurring the colt to shakily get up and run into the cave, not knowing what else to do."

"In the dark of the cave, he was able to feel around and find what at first he thought was a small alcove, but turned out to be some kind of tunnel. Feeling fresh air on his face, Anengoni turned just in time for the monster to ram its head into the hole, having managed to crawl inside the cave. It knocked some rocks loose around Anengoni, including one that cracked open, shining black in the fiery red light of the ninki nanka's bright glowing eyes. Picking the jagged and sharp rock in his hooves, first feeling how smooth it was, the colt saw that the creature was struggling to retract its head. Starting to thrash and claw around, there was a rumble, and the cave entrance behind it collapsed in on itself, massive stones crumbling down onto it. The creature was soon buried up to its head, while it just gazed hatefully at Anengoni. He stared back into its eyes, and screamed. Running toward it, he slashed the ninki nanka's eyes with the jagged piece of obsidian, gouging them both out. It hiss and roared and tried to thrash, but was stuck."

Ned and Ted were clutching each other close, occasionally looking out into the dark of the woods.

"Spitting on the monster that had taken everything from him, Anengoni then followed the fresh air, stumbling in the diminishing darkness of the cave. There was another great roar, and a rumble in the ground around the colt. Diving out of the way and into the sunlight, he turned back to see that this cave also caved in, trapping the ninki nanka, now blind and in the darkness. And so the story faded into a family legend, passed down from generation to generation, warning all young colts in my family to avoid ever going into these woods, lest we find where the ninki nanka was entombed, and learn that it is still somehow alive."

"Well," Scoutmaster Greene said, letting out a long breath. "That was a great tale, Lyla!" He clapped his hooves together, failing to notice a few of the scouts, as well as Finnick, jumped a little as he did so. "Now, who would like to go next?"

The scouts were quiet for a bit, looking around at each other, when Mike raised his tiny paw and opened his mouth to speak. Sirens immediately begin blaring with a camera light flashing every few seconds with each picture it shot.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Mike yelled, sitting on top of Isaac's head. The coyote boy was wincing from all the sound.

"IT'S MY BIG FEATHER TRAP! SOMETHING MUST'VE TRIPPED IT!"

Everyone was covering their ears, trying to settle down, when the blaring alarms were finally cut off. Over at the edge of the campsite was Nick, holding some kind of speaker system and a tangle of wires.

"So, Isaac, you said something about your Big Feather trap?" The tod looked to the coyote pup with a smirk. Isaac looked around at all the glaring eyes and gulped, his tail trying to tuck itself.

"I... uh... m-might've set the alarms to be a little too loud for when the motion detector went off? Hehe..."

There was another bright flash, and Scoutmaster Greene sighed.

"Well, making them too loud like that is gunna cost you the Cryptid Hunter badge for sure." A number of faces turned to look at the deer buck in shock. All except for Kimi, who was looking in the direction of Eli's Dad, eyes wide in horror. She raised a shaky paw, wincing with each bright flash as yet more pictures were slowly being taken. Lyra was the first to notice this, as Kimi had scooted closer to her and pulled the confused zebra into a tight hug.

"Kimi? What is..." Lyra froze, following Kimi's pointing paw. Others watched this and also looked to see.

"What?" Nick asked, trying to untangle the cords. He was oblivious to the shadow that was shown on the rocks right behind him with each flash. The shadow was in the shape of a crocodile, and was moving closer.

"D-Dad!" Eli called out, not thinking and he leapt forward and started to sprint to the tod.

"M-Mr. Wilde-Hopps! Behind you!" Lyla yelled out with a shriek.

"Th-th ninki nanka's real!" Either Ned or Ted yelped out.

"Huh?" Nick looked confused, turning and being blinded by the flashing light, right as Eli collided into him, the two tumbling over into a bush. Just as the shadow croc was opening its mouth, Eli and Nick both froze when they heard a loud chirp. Looking in the direction they had heard it come from, they saw Ollie, his little scaly tail thumping on the tree stump he was sitting on, right in front of the flashing camera. A few seconds later, some more chirping, and some grumbling from Nick, they returned to camp, Nick holding all the recording equipment, and Eli holding up Ollie for everyone to see, the little crocodile looking rather pleased with himself.

"It was just Ollie, everyone! I guess he musta gotten away from Mom and followed my scent or something." Ollie let out one more chirp, before curling up in the human boy's hands and falling right to sleep.

Meanwhile, back in Zootopia...

"Thank you," Lily said into her phone, looking about the apartment frantically. A large dark-furred arm gently set itself around her shoulders while Lily was on the phone with the 911 operator. "Yes, we've found two cameras so far, not sure if there are any more."

Renato gazed around the room, eyes lingering over the white dish towel that was draped over to small lumps on the coffee table. He hadn't been expecting much when he saw a quick flash from something reflective when he'd been using his phone's flashlight to search for the remote for the TV. He most assuredly had not been expecting to find a tiny camera hidden in a back corner of the entertainment center. Nor a second one in the corner of the room, hidden atop the old bookshelf. Worried, he'd called Lily in to show her, who in turn promptly called the police.

"The operator has asked me to stay on the line while a unit is on its way, Marshmallow," Lily said, doing her best to remain composed and not allow the quiver of fear Renato could barely hear, creep into her voice.

"It'll be alright, mi amor. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding?" He tried to sound sure of himself, but the large jaguar felt it hard to believe what he was saying. How could tiny hidden cameras possibly just be a misunderstanding? What made him more worried is just who those cameras wanted to watch? Him, due to his employment as a limo driver by Mr. Big? Definitely a dangerous prospect. But if Lily was the target... that was much worse. That could be another mad scientist wanting to study humans to some creep stalking her... to maybe something even worse. He squeezed her tighter as his ears picked up the sounds of sirens getting closer.