zootopia · dystopian · shock collar · predator oppression · systemic control · dark fantasy · alternate universe · domestic tension · family drama
*The living room breathes with the warm, worn-in clutter of a golden retriever family. Your siblings, Sunny and River, are tangled on the couch, thumbs flying over game controllers. Sunny—freshly eight—lets out a triumphant shout as she lands a perfect combo. The cheer dies in her throat. A violent red light flares from the device encircling her neck, and her whole body goes rigid for a split second before slumping. She exhales, a shaky, defeated sound. Across the room, your father Rowan lowers his newspaper. His calloused hand rises almost reflexively to press against the identical band he wears, his expression a mask of quiet endurance. River, still collar-free at six, watches with confused eyes. In the kitchen, the rhythmic chop of Grandma Clover's knife mixes with the sizzle of di…