FSE

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Chapter One:

Rock and Ice

An enormous mountain range stretching for hundreds of miles in all directions may not have been the first thing that came to mind when someone pictured a nightmarish landscape, but for one individual unfortunate enough to have become lost within the rock and ice, anywhere was better than here. The frozen gusts of wind bit through the makeshift coat the man had made to feebly fight off the cold before meeting the bristle like fur beneath. His large ears folded flat beneath a thin hood that barely covered the top of his head. His arms were crossed in the sleeves of a light weight black jacket and held close against his chest. The gray colored cargo style pants he wore ended above a pair of snow soaked tennis shoes. For a fennec like himself, a single day in this icy environment was almost punishment without a good reason. The morning sun that greeted him moments ago marked the end of the third week he had been stranded.

He had no clue how he got stuck here to top it all off. One minute, he was sitting in the seat of a truck inside a dark tunnel. He remembered someone moving in the seat behind him, then nothing. He gathered whoever it was knocked him out, but how did he go from dark tunnel to the frozen spires of who knows where? There were no people he could think of that wanted him dead... maybe it was a case of tough luck? He pulled the thin coat closer to his body as the snowfall picked up. He originally started looking for a way out of the range by using the morning sun as a guide, but that ended before it began. The clouds overhead never parted to give him a view of the sky. He came across the edge of a ravine two days ago, but the scenery only served to shake his resolve. The range was much, much larger than he thought. He was near what looked to be the third highest mountain in the range. For a moment, he was grateful he spent so much time watching wilderness survival shows back home. He doubted he would have made it this long without the bits of knowledge he pulled from them. The snow fall increased to near white out conditions as the wind kicked up sending a chill along the desert fox's spine. He knew he needed to get out of the wind before he froze.

As fortune would have it, a cave entrance was easily visible no more than fifty feet away. He chuckled inwardly at his luck as he entered the cave heading deep within to hide from the wind. The one good thing about this range, if it was even remotely possible to find a positive, was the sheer number of conveniently placed caves. Whenever the environment decided to throw a tantrum or he needed a few hours of shuteye, there was a cave handy within a moment's walk of where he decided to stop. The most unusual part about the whole thing was what was in every cave near the back. A good walk from the entrance revealed a living area complete with a small supply of vacuum packed food, a heated pool of water, equipment and fuel for a fire in a ventilated fire pit, a few scattered medical supplies, and a makeshift bed big enough for two. The cave he entered differed from all of the others he had seen so far. Bits of décor lined the walls at the entrance and there were footprints in the snow just past the cave's opening.

As he neared the back, the scent of burning pine wood reached his nose. He stopped suddenly and looked toward the end of the cave. The foot prints had been a tip, but it took the scent of burning wood to wake his senses. Someone was here. He ran into the open area of the back room to find the cave dwelling different from the others he had used in the past weeks. There was a large quantity of fresh food in the storage area that also included the recently cut meat of some kind of prey creature. There were many pieces of medical equipment visible through a second entrance leading to a small, fire lit room to the side. The makeshift bed was covered in furred skins. A stew in a large pot had recently been placed above the fire and some discarded clothing rested by the heated water. He moved through the warm room to inspect the food in the covered pot on the fire. It had just been placed on the fire and had yet to come to a boil. His gaze shifted to the pile of clothes on the floor at the other end of the room. The large ears that had snaked their way out from under the hood fell when he discovered the style of clothing. These garments belonged to a woman.

He stumbled back into the wall before turning about and moving away from the pool at a brisk walk. The owner had to have been getting ready for a bath when he walked in. She wouldn't be happy to see him whenever she turned up. He looked around the cave and inhaled sharply through his nose to keep it from dripping. The warmth was beginning to wake his nearly frozen body.

"Hello?" He looked back toward the entrance as he started to shiver. "Someone has to be here. There's food on the fire." He turned toward the the other room and glanced inside. It too appeared to be void of any other life. He walked by the bed and paused, his gaze fell upon the animal skins with his large ears searching for any noises. This was the last possible place someone could hide unless they left the cave. Just barely audible below the sound from the fire and the howling wind outside was the sound of nervous breathing. She was hiding under a layer of furs. The sound stopped abruptly when he knelt next to the bed to be sure someone was there. He placed his hand on the top layer of furs only to have a white hand lash out from underneath and grab it. Before he could try to pull it back, the girl expertly tossed him into the wall just beyond the bed. The last thing he saw before slipping into unconsciousness was the shocked expression of a white vixen; her hand covering the front of her mouth as she realized her error.

He awoke hours later in the warmth of the fur sleeping place. The freshly cooked food still sat above the fire to keep warm. For a single, hope filled moment, he thought he was home. The unfamiliar bed silenced the thought quickly. He half sat up before a soft hand gently forced him back down against the furs.

"No, rest. You need all you can get." The voice was very pleasing to his ears... smooth and light like the tone of a stringed instrument caressed by a bow. He opened his eyes, but only saw a blur of dull colors.

"What happened to me? Where am I?" He put a hand to his head as his vision started to clear. The owner of the voice shuffled before her light footsteps could be heard heading away from the bed. They stopped and the rustling of cookware took their place.

"I sort of kicked you into the wall a few hours ago... you're fine, but need to rest. The cold has had quite an impact on your body." She stood and returned to his side with a bowl of food and a cup of water.

"You are in my home." He closed his eyes and let his arm fall along his side as she placed a hand on his forehead to check for a fever.

"You don't feel like you've got a fever... that's good. You're just worn out." She removed the hand and smiled though he wouldn't see it. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah. I..." He opened his eyes and looked at her only to find her kneeling next to him wearing little more than her own fur and a bright smile. The girl was an arctic fox with ice blue eyes. Black fur ran along the side of her muzzle ending in a rounded point between her shapely breasts. A thin gray collar with a small silver nameplate held on to her neck. The rest of her fur seemed to be white, but he didn't take the time to continue looking her over. Had the circumstances been different, he may have been awestruck. For the present, it was more shock and embarrassment. It was near the same time he realized his clothes were missing. The fennec's eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"Who are you and why are we naked?!" His tone made her ears fall as a wince took over her face. She hunched slightly and turned her head into her shoulder in anticipation of something. It looked like she expected him to hit her. When the strike didn't come, she looked back at him.

"They were wet from melted snow and you were sick... I took them off so you could get better. They're drying by the fire now." She managed a small smile before placing the bowl and glass next to her. "I'm more comfortable in my fur out here. My name is Vera and you're very welcome." She giggled a little as he took a moment to absorb the new information. Once the shock half wore off, he relaxed. With a sigh, he closed his eyes.

"I'm gonna need a vacation when I get back home..." The girl giggled again and picked up the bowl quietly.

"Open up. You could use a little food." He opened his mouth and was soon rewarded with a spoon full of the stew that had been on the fire when he first entered. This was hardly what he thought his rescue would look like. Here he was being spoon fed by a naked vixen he had only met minutes ago. The feeding process was awkward at best, but whatever it was she had cooked was delicious. He hadn't been able to eat a decent meal since he woke up weeks ago. The food he found in the caves was only just enough to keep him alive in the unforgiving cold. The bowl was empty before long and the vixen placed it aside before sitting on the floor next to the bed. The fennec found it odd that she had yet to get up and go get some food for herself. She had to have been hungry. Why else would she have cooked something? After a while, it became clear that she wasn't going anywhere. He took a slow breath through an open mouth, keeping his eyes closed as he spoke. She may have been comfortable without any clothes, but he wasn't. He didn't feel like getting excited either. She could probably smell it if she focused.

"Aren't you going to eat? That food was for you, wasn't it?" Vera nodded.

"I made more than I need so there would be plenty for later. It's a habit of mine." There was a bit of a pause before the fennec cracked his eyes open for a moment. It was only long enough to send Vera an odd expression, something between confusion and understanding.

"Well, go eat. I'd hate to make you sit there hungry."

"Thanks!" She stood quickly and made her way back to the pot on the fire with the empty bowl. The sounds of the cooking pot reached his ears as he turned over onto his side to find a comfortable position. There were a few questions he had floating around in his head that drove away any chance of sleep for the moment. She didn't seem intent on harming him, thankfully, but her lack of any dignity and choice of accessories made him uneasy.

"May I ask why you wear a collar?" He could hear her place the bowl on the ground and shuffle about.

"You don't need to get my permission..." Her voice seemed rather distant making the man turn about to glance at her. The girl had her back to him, tail relaxed off to the side to give an unobstructed view of most of her back. His brow wrinkled as he thought of a reason for that answer.

"And why is that?" He watched as she turned her head to look him in the eye. There wasn't a trace of expression anywhere on her face save for the never ending happiness that flowed from her bright eyes.

"I am a slave. I must obey the whims of my master or face punishment. You are my master while you are here." Her face brightened a little as she turned around. "If it's your wish, I could return home with you... but only if you'll have me."

He stared in blatant disbelief. She had to be pulling his tail... this wasn't at all legal. None of this was exactly over the table, but going this far? Where was he? The only place he could think of was... but he couldn't be in the Halo. That was just a myth burned out people dreamed up while drunk some years ago, right?

"You're joking." She stood and made her way to him slowly, not blinking as she knelt again at his side. Her tone was sincere, but lacked any other discernible emotions.

"I am not. Go on... tell me what to do." His mind raced with possible demands for her. There were a few sure fire ones to tell, but he wasn't going to go there just yet. He came to a decision within a few more moments and took a slow, uncertain breath.

"Can you do a handstand?" Without a moment's hesitation, she flipped up onto her hands and shifted her weight to remain inverted. He blinked before shaking his head. He needed to try something else.

"Stand back up and bark once for me." The vixen righted herself and stood leisurely with a smile before letting out a yap that echoed in the cave. He couldn't believe what was happening. He simply thought aloud instantly wishing he hadn't after he realized what he said.

"Would you burn yourself if I ordered it?" Again, without a moment's hesitation, she turned her attention to the fire with her ears to the side. A frown formed on her muzzle.

"If... if my master wishes it, yes. Does master wish to see me suffer?"

That was all the proof he needed. He stared at her again before falling back against the skins. This was far too much for him to want to take in right now. He was in fact in the Halo and she was one of the slaves that lived within it. If it was his will, he had no doubt she would throw herself upon the fire and burn alive if it would please him. He stared at the wall for a good while until the sound of firewood shifting reached his ears. His eyes widened as his heart sank. He turned over with a start and desperately reached out toward her.

"No!"

She had moved from the center of the room to kneel next to him. His hand had missed her face by only a few inches, yet she didn't move. Her expression shifted to one of concern as she looked into his eyes.

"Master?"

He fell back against the skins a second time as relief washed over him. He closed his eyes and pulled a skin over his head until only his nose was visible.

"Do not hurt yourself. Am I clear?"

The sound of a tail swishing happily barely made it through the thick blankets.

"Yes master! May I finish eating?"

"You may... and my name is Jim." He half grinned before continuing. "Master is more of a formal title I think."

Vera stood with a smile and a nod to go back to the food she left by the fire. As she picked up the bowl, she looked back at the fennec in the blankets.

"Master... may I bathe and join you when I'm finished eating?"

Jim stared at the wall for a moment as his pulse quickened. He didn't know how he should answer. The vixen would be happy with his decision regardless, right? Still, this was her home, her bed... he wasn't about to force her to sleep on the cold stone floor. He decided to stall for a little extra time to think.

"You were about to take a bath when I came in, weren't you?"

"Yes. I was. When I..." She looked at the floor of the cave with a frown. "...kicked you into the wall, I had to make sure I didn't hurt you. I knew you were sick and I still did that." She paused for a moment before taking a slow breath. "I am sorry for that..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine." He had a headache now, but she didn't need to know. If she found out about it, he could blame the cold. In spite of his words, he sneezed and sniffled as he stared in the darkness of the blankets. Vera took another bite of her food as she kept a watchful eye on the fennec.

"May I ask a question?"

Jim stuck his hand out of the blanket and rotated his finger in a circular motion, the downward stroke moving toward him as if to say 'go on.'

"How long were you outside?"

"I woke up in a snow drift three weeks ago I guess about ten miles from here. Don't know how I got here, don't know why I'm here, but I assume I'll find out eventually." He clenched a fist before letting it relax. "I can't help feeling like I'm being punished for something, but I have no idea what it is. I can't possibly afford the trip here on my salary. I don't know what I'm going to do when whoever runs this place finds me and demands payment..." He heard the empty bowl being placed on the stone floor and her footsteps heading toward the heated pool to the side. She giggled before sitting at the water's edge and running a hand over its surface.

"Don't worry about it. If they wanted payment, they would have demanded it some time ago. It sounds to me like someone wants you to have fun." He heard her start to mess with the water quietly as she waited for a response. He thought her words over for a moment. It seemed far more likely than being punished for something, but that didn't explain much if it were true. Either way there was a fair amount of confusion. He would think about this later when he wasn't sick and his thoughts were clearer. He moved about again to find another comfortable spot on the bed before taking a breath.

"Go ahead." There was a small splash as the girl settled into the water with a content sigh. Jim heard the splashing pause for a moment, probably getting used to the water before moving on to clean her fur. He kept his eyes closed under the blankets and tried to keep calm for as long as possible. It would soon prove to be a loosing battle when the vixen climbed out of the water to dry off. He felt both of his ears twitch at every slight sound in the room. Every noise seemed to carry the volume of a hammer strike on sheet metal. She tossed whatever it was she had used to dry her fur aside and started toward the bed. Her light footsteps moved closer until he felt she was going to step on him. She pulled open the blankets and climbed in without hesitation, coming to rest with her back against his chest before covering herself in the large fur blanket. He froze as she yawned with a small squeak, pulled one of his arms over her, and clutched it like a prized possession against her chest. She held the palm of his hand in front of her nose and took a deep breath before licking it a few times. The actions didn't help Jim's efforts to remain calm. He could feel himself starting to slip.

"Good night, Master." Vera's voice almost sounded like a purr in his ear. The gentle sound pushed him past any lines of possible recovery. He cursed himself mentally for not keeping a better hold of himself. His disappointment in the failure didn't last long, however. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he had been fighting a losing battle from the start. The soft giggle Vera let out moments later let him know she knew. No point in trying to cover things up now. He took a moment to gather his courage before deciding to just go for it. He was a little uncertain of what would happen, but the girl had come this far on what he would have called her own will. What was there to say she wouldn't go further? The vixen let out a gasp when he pulled her firmly, but gently against his chest. He breathed on her neck before giving it a slow lick that sent the vixen into a light tremble. Her breaths quickened as the fennec continued to lick her neck tenderly. The sensation quickly became more than she could take quietly. A soft moan escaped her lips as she shook beneath his touch. She had longed for these feelings for a long time, but so few ever came this far into the mountains. Miles away from the center, Vera almost never saw anyone other than the Master himself. The fennec was the only person she had seen since she had to chase away her last visitor. Jim could almost feel her excitement building. The way she shook told him she longed for more. She had pushed herself as close to him as she could, just so she could feel as much of him as possible. He stopped just as suddenly as he had started leaving Vera confused. She rolled over to look at him only to meet a soft face and a grin.

"Tomorrow, when I wake. We'll continue then... if you remind me."

Her expression shifted to one of genuine disappointment as she looked at his chest. Her voice matched the look on her face perfectly.

"Master is cruel..."

He gave her a hug before taking a deep breath and slowly calming down to try and sleep. He was getting used to his position as her master, though it may not have been for the better. He still wasn't certain if he could keep the girl or if things would manage to work out when he made it home. He wasn't anyone special or did he have any connections with people in high places that could cover him. He lived in a standard suburban home in a small community called Qustoba. The fennec's job there was nothing that would keep the police from arresting him if they found out the true nature of the girl. He dismissed the thought and gave her another quick squeeze. That would have to wait for another day. For now, he would enjoy the company.