Zootopia While We're Young Novels & Stories

We headed to bed and Finn and I spent yet another wonderful night together. We got up late yet again the next morning but since we were only doing the zoo and it only took a few hours to go through, it wasn't a big deal. Jake, Van and Keri attempted to make breakfast. It ended up being runny eggs, toast, fruit and burnt sausage links. "Thanks for making breakfast!" I called to them as we all attempted to choke down some food. "We suck at cooking." Keri admitted and we chuckled. "It's the thought that counts." Hart chimed in. We finished up and got ready to go. After we got into the van and left, Sally gave us more details about the zoo.

The excitement was tangible as we joined the crowd of eager families and animal lovers. As we entered the zoo, the enchanting sounds of chattering monkeys greeted us. Abel's eyes widened in awe as he pointed towards the playful primates swinging from branch to branch. "Look, Mommy! Monkeys!" Aubree exclaimed, echoing Abel’s delight. Aubree squealed in agreement, bouncing in her stroller. "I think they like them," Michal chuckled, snapping photos of the children's first encounter with the furry creatures. The next stop was the elephant enclosure. Carter leaned forward, trying to touch the massive elephants as they flapped their ears and trumpeted. "Wow, they're huge!" I said to Sabrina, who n

No shadows, no weight — just us. Scarlett was thrilled when we told her, her little face lighting up with excitement as she bounced around the kitchen, chattering about all the animals she wanted to see. Talon watched her with a smile, the tension in his shoulders easing for the first time in days. We packed a bag with snacks, water, and sunscreen, and by mid-morning, we were in the car, with directions to the zoo pulled up on my phone. The drive was filled with Scarlett’s laughter and chatter, her imagination running wild as she talked about the lions and giraffes she was going to meet. Talon’s hand rested on my thigh, his fingers tracing absent circles as he drove, and everything felt righ

Afterwards, we all settled down on the sun loungers arranged in the shade of the area, while the children lay down in hammocks nearby, soon falling asleep. The rest of the afternoon passed in the same pleasant atmosphere of peace, relaxation and tranquility. We talked about everything and, at the same time, about nothing. We shared our daily victories, as well as our setbacks, we talked about plans for the future and we didn't touch on the past.

Once the tent was up and running, we sat down for a while to enjoy the view. Night fell quickly, and we lit a fire. Zara and Zoya sat nearby, their faces glowing in the light. “It’s like a movie, Daddy!” Zoya exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. We roasted marshmallows, and our laughter echoed through the forest. Ariane and I exchanged glances, feeling the warmth flowing between us.

Just as I was talking, I heard a knock on the front door and then Zion opened the door and walked in followed by William and Dunlop “Mummmyy” Zion yelled running towards me “My baby” I said, kneeling to hug him “how was your time at the park?” I asked him “Aunt Hazel” William said joining the hug “Where did you go off to” Zion asked “We looked for you everywhere in the park” William said “Uncle Dunlop took me to his house, it was so fun. I danced and played video games. I wish you were there” Zion told me so excited “I showed Zion my room” William chipped in

Charity looked a little worried now. "Hmmm," Zinjo nodded, "Yes once when I first put my feet on the path to adulthood. We were tracking a herd of gazelle when a blackened lion met with us. He didn't look right, he didn't smell right, he didn't sound right. Yet we reserved judgment and heard the newcomer out." "What did he say?" Aurelia could see the pain in Zinjo's eyes. Without a second thought, she rose from her spot and threw her arms around the big man.

“I should camp there next time! It’s like invisible walls. What movie are we watching? Can we have popcorn? Oh! Or candy?” Jim closed his eyes, shaking his head in amazement. “Wow. That’s a lot of energy.” “She’s slept. We haven’t.” Teri chuckled softly. “Pick the most boring movie you know, she’ll crash hard pretty quickly now that she’s eaten.” They retired to the sofa, with Teri tucked under Jim’s arm as he displayed the Netflix movie options for Zoe. Vacillating, she finally settled on an animated fantasy about a magical goldfish that turns into a girl to befriend the boy she loves.

“How long exactly have you two been sneaking around behind our backs?” Nice try. I snort. Yes, Damion took gullible teenage me out twice while we were at school. Twice. Both times ended with me confused, angry, and emotionally wrecked. But now … I finally understand what my younger brain couldn’t. “The zoo,” I say, laughing. “We must go to the zoo. We snuck in that night.” I let the memories sink in. The good ones. “We almost got caught by this fat security guard, so we jumped into the turtle enclosure,” I continue. “Which is when we discovered they were snapping turtles.”

She didn’t look back. "Let’s go in, big boy," I said to Austin, forcing a smile as I took his hand and headed toward the zoo entrance. We paid and stepped inside. The kids darted from one display to the next, gasping at every animal like it was magic. Austin was determined to feed the monkeys, so we bought bananas and let them do their thing. "Wow. Mommy, this lion is so big!" Aiden gasped. "Yes, it is," Tilda replied, her attention fixed on her phone camera.