FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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4.

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Fresh snow crunched under Sally's winter boots. It cascaded all around the young lioness in swirling curtains of white. She smiled, her golden-furred ears perked beneath the hood of her coat. Sally loved the snow, and this was the most they'd gotten so far. The lioness laughed, dancing a few steps through the freshly fallen powder that coated everything in her yard. Even the Christmas lights adorning her house struggled to shine through the snowfall.

Sally shuffled a few paces down the sidewalk, dragging her feet to create little trails through the snow. She glanced down at her boots, pleased to finally have an excuse to wear her brand new footwear. They were warm, they were waterproof, and most importantly, Sally thought, they were not only purple, but sparkly. Now that the snow was finally falling, it was time to break them in.

Muffled laughter drew her attention to the other side of the yard. Her older brother Max was building a snow fort, along with his best friend Adam. Max was bundled up in a padded red coat, with the hood pulled tight around his head. The fox, meanwhile, wore a lighter blue jacket, with his head and ears exposed to the cold. Snow crusted both boys jeans, as if they'd been roughhousing and rolling about before they settled on building the fort.

“I'm telling you, dude," Adam said, clouds of breath drifting from his muzzle. He packed a handful of snow onto the single wall they'd so far constructed. “It's just not wet enough."

“That's what she said!" Max giggled like an idiot as he removed his glasses to blow the snow off them.

“Hah!" Adam held his hand up for a high five. “Good one, dude!"

“Gross, Max!" Sally quickly scooped up a handful of snow. She tried to pack it into a snowball, but it proved too dry and powdery. “Besides, Adam's right."

“He is?" Max worked his glasses back onto his muzzle. “You mean, that is what she said?"

Sally tried to throw her snowball at him, but it broke apart in the air. “The snow isn't wet enough, you pervert." She gave her brother a playful shove.

Max stumbled a few paces before he caught his balance. “Whatever. You just gotta pack it really hard." He glanced at Adam, but the fox didn't take the bait. “That's what she-"

“She is getting tired of you making those jokes nine hundred times a day." Sally put her hands on her hips, glaring up at her older brother.

“And I'm getting tired of you kicking me in the balls lately," Max said, gathering up another handful of snow. “But doesn't seem like either of us get what we want."

Sally ignored him, turning towards the older fox standing nearby. “Hi, Adam!"

“Hi, Sally." Adam crouched down, trying to pack more snow onto their wall. “Max never listens to me, anyway."

“Max never listens to anyone." Sally dusted her hands off, then shoved them into her pockets. She watched Adam for a moment. Snow dusted the uncovered fur of the fox's head and ears, hiding the red and black tones beneath a thin layer of white. “Aren't you cold, Adam?"

The fox shrugged, adding another handful of snow to the fort. “Not really. Foxes have better winter coats than lions." He peered up at her through snow-stained glasses. “Fur coats, I mean. Not…" He waved at Max's red, fleece lined garment. “Yanno."

“Yeah, I know." Sally shook the snow off her own coat. “I like the cold more than Max does, anyway. Even if I still like a nice, warm coat. This one's new!" Sally held her arms out to the sides to show off color. Just like her boots, the coat was a rich purple hue, with sparkles along the sleeves. “Whatcha think?"

Adam tilted his head, looking her over. “It's nice. Very purple. Kinda thought you'd have a Mighty Huntress branded coat, though."

Sally grinned, putting her hands back into her pockets. “I would if they made one! Just hoodies and t-shirts, so far. But!" She lifted one of her feet, holding it out. “I did get matching boots!"

“Oh, yeah." Adam wiped snow off his glasses, smiling at the younger lioness. “Those are super cute."

“Aww, thank you!" Sally set her foot back down, beaming.

“He's just saying that so you don't kick him in the nards." Max shaped a mass of snow between his hands.

Sally gave a little growl. “Shut up, Maxwell!"

The fox glanced between the lion siblings. “I can think her boots are cute, and not wanna get kicked in the nards, yanno. Speaking of which…" Adam stood back up, blowing into his black-furred hands. “Sally, you wanna be on my team for the snowball fight this weekend?"

“Okay!" Sally bounced on her toes. The invitation was a pleasant surprise. While her brother and his friends often invited their older siblings to join their games, it was rare for them to invite Sally. “That'd be fun!"

Max sighed, shooting Adam a dirty look. “He only wants you on his team because everyone knows where you're gonna aim."

Sally only shrugged. “So? You dorks always aim for each other's nards, anyway. So what's the difference?"

“The difference," Adam said, rubbing his hands. “Is that you have better aim that Max does!"

“That's true." Sally giggled, sticking her tongue out at her brother. The air was frigid against it. “Max can barely throw a tantrum, let alone a snowball."

The fox laughed, his black-furred ears perked. “Right? I saw him try to throw a football in gym class once. I'm pretty sure it went backwards, somehow."

Max glared at his friend, rising back to his feet. “Well excuse me, I hadn't realized my dungeon master was also an Olympic Athlete. Do tell, what event did you medal in? Because I'm pretty sure they don't give out medals for tripping over your own feet, or getting caught staring at my older sister's boobs."

Sally burst into giggles, covering her muzzle with her hands. “You know, Max, it's not really getting caught if Sarah lets him look."

The older lion gave a frustrated growl. “You're not supposed to take his side! Okay, then. If you two are so great at throwing the sports-ball around, why don't you enlighten me as to your gold-medal winning goal-throwing techniques?"

Sally curled her thumb and finger into a faux monocle, holding it up over my head. “Oh, dear me, Professor Maxwell, but do believe I've pinpointed your troublesome quandary! You see, you don't actually throw a goal."

“Whatever, Little Miss Purple Kitten!" Max threw his hands up, glaring at his younger sister. “You look like the Grimace's bratty daughter right now, anyway."

Adam burst out in yipping fox laughter. “Oh, dude! Harsh!"

Sally growled, balling up her fists. “Shut up, Max!"

The fox quickly backed up, covering his crotch with both hands. “I only laughed; I didn't say it! We're on a team, right?"

Sally took a step towards him, glaring up at the taller vulpine. “I don't know, are we?"

“Yes!" Adam took another step back, still covering himself. “Truce, truce! Leave the fox's nuts out of this!"

Sally paused, giggling. “Are you talking about your nuts in third person, now?"

“I'm not sure that's an entirely accurate tense description," Max said, fidgeting with his glasses.

The younger lioness pivoted towards her brother. “What was that, Maxwell? Something about helping me break in my new boots?"

“N-no!" Max dropped his gloved hands in front of his privates, mimicking Adam. “I concur with the geekiest fox, and humbly request a truce!"

Adam shot the lion glare. “Yeah, well, I might be the geekiest fox, but you're the nerdiest nerd of all!"

“A truce, huh?" Sally splayed her ears beneath her hood. “I suppose I could agree to that." She flicked her tufted tail, knocking snow loose. “But if I do, then Adam has an answer a trivia question."

Adam blinked down at her. “A trivia question?"

“Yeah!" Sally bounced on her toes, offering the older fox her most innocent of all smiles. Inside, she was already scheming. “It's a Christmas trivia question." She glanced up at her brother, sharing a knowing look. “I already asked Max, so he already knows the answer."

“Oh, right, yeah." Max grinned at her, relaxing. “Sally asked me this one the other day, so it's your turn now, Adam."

The fox looked between the two lions a few times. Only when Max stopped guarding himself in favor of cleaning the snow from his glasses did Adam remove his own hands from their protective position. “As long as you're not gonna kick me."

Sally rolled her eyes. “It's just a trivia question. Okay!" She lifted her hand, pretending to hold a microphone up to her muzzle. “For ten thousand dollars, what is the highest grossing Christmas musical of all time?" Sally held the imaginary microphone out towards the fox.

Adam scrunched his muzzle in thought. “Uh…" He splayed an ear back. “Is it, uh…Elf? No, that's not a musical. Wait, is it?"

Max clenched his jaws, fighting back a giggle. “Nah, dude, that's not it. Do you want a hint? Sally, maybe you should give him a hint!"

“A hint, huh?" Sally smiled. “Good idea! Okay, Adam, the hint is…"

Sally swiftly pivoted towards her brother, and kicked the older lion right in the balls. She aimed dead center between his legs, burying the hardened toe of her purple boot in both feline testicles. The impact knocked the snow off his jeans, connecting with a solid THUMP. Max doubled over in an instant, eyes popping out behind his glasses and yowling.

“AWWWWWH!" Max grabbed his crotch in both hands. He stumbled back a few paces, only to fall onto his knees with another cry. “Aaaaaah! My nuts! My nuuuuts!"

Adam burst into another bout of distinctively vulpine laughter. “Oooh, now I get it! It's The Nutcracker, right?"

“Yeah!" Sally laughed with him, dancing a little victory celebration. “You got it! Great job, Adam!"

“Awwwwwwwhhh!" Max gave a long, guttural groan, flopping over onto his side in the snow. He curled up into a trembling ball, his tail kinked and twitching. “My balls! Oh, god, my balls! Damn it, Sally! You gotta stop doing that to me!"

“No, I don't." Sally put her hands on her hips, sticking her tongue out at her fallen brother. “I'm never gonna stop. It's way too much fun!"

Adam brushed snow from his ears. “You're as bad as Melissa, lately."

Sally turned towards the fox, grinning. “I'll take that as a compliment! I'm basically her apprentice, now. Max makes great practice."

Max groaned again, rocking from side to side a few times. Snow coated him. “My balls! Oh, god, my baaalls! You got them both, that time."

“I did? Cool!" Sally thrust her hands in the air. “Double bullseye! See, Max?" She kicked some snow at him. “Practice makes perfect."

Adam stuck his hands into his jacket pockets, glancing at Sally's feet. “Or maybe it's your new boots."

“Ooh, you think so?" Sally lifted her boot, staring at it. “I'll have to wear them more often!"

“Don't…" Max's voice lifted a few notches as a trembling whimper interrupted him. “Encourage her! Awwwh…" He squirmed in place, his whole muzzle contorted. “My freakin' testicles."

Adam only laughed, swishing his snow-dusted tail. “Better yours than mine, dude."

“Yeah…" Sally turned back towards the fox, bearing her fangs in a wicked grin. “About that."

Adam's ears went flat. He tried to yank his hands free from his pockets, but by then the little lioness's foot was already rocketing towards the older fox's privates. Sally's boot smashed full force into both vulpine testicles, mashing them to either side. Adam's nuts bulged out against his frozen jeans for a brief moment, vanishing again as Sally's boot dropped back out of his crotch.

“AARRRRPPP!" Adam gave a high-pitched yelp, a sound far more vulpine than Sally ever heard from her brother. And where Max crumpled in stages, Adam dropped to the snowy ground in an anguished heap of writhing fox. His entire face scrunched up, ears pinned and fangs bared in agonized grimace. He rolled in the snow, holding himself in both black-furred hands. “Aaaaaahhh! My baaaaalls!"

Sally erupted into laughter, dancing again. “Yes!" This time she pranced her way around both squirming males. “I got you both! Happy Nutcracker Season, dorks!"

Max glared at Adam across the flattened snowscape. “Not so funny, now, is it!" He curled up again, only to push up onto his knees, his rump and tail in the air. “Awwwh, god, my nuts!"

“Sh-shut up, Max!" Adam continued rolling around, squirming from his belly to his back and over again. “This is your fault! Your dumb Grimace joke…"

“He' s right, you know." Sally grasped her brother's tail, giving it a playful tug. “I wasn't planning to kick you till you said that. But, since I did…" She glanced over at Adam, giggling at the way the fox just kept rocking back and forth. “Did I get both of yours too, Adam?"

The fox managed a nod. “Y-yeah." He pulled his knees up towards his chest, only to straighten out and squirm again. Pain lifted his voice an octave or so. “Totally got them both! Awwww, god! My nuts! My nuuuts!"

“Awesome!" Sally peered down at her boots. “Two double bullseyes? You must be right, Adam, these boots are great for playing kick ball!"

Adam lifted a single hand away from his crotch, only to drape his forearm across his muzzle. “Never…hated being right…so much."

“It could be worse," Max said, taking a shaking breath. “At least she wasn't filming it this time."

That only made Sally laugh all over again. “Yeah, you dorks are lucky I don't wanna take my phone out in all this snow." She padded over to the fox, grinning down at him. “And don't worry, Adam." She leaned down, patting his head. “I'll still be on your team for the snowball fight."

“Th-thanks…"

“You're welcome! And hey, at least it's cold out, right?" She straightened up, grinning. “You boys can just ice your balls in the snow. I think I'm gonna go get some hot chocolate. And then I gotta tell Melissa I just kicked two double bullseyes in a row. It's a Nutcracker Season Miracle!"

***

5.

***

Amanda stood in the hallway, adjusting her phone camera until she was properly framed in the shot. Paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling, just above her head. A wreath outlined the nearby doorway, leading to the living room. Obnoxiously loud Christmas music played nearby. She smoothed her tan-furred ears back with her hands, then tugged on her oversized sweatshirt until the silly image emblazoned upon it was fully visible. When she was ready, the coyote leaned forward, and hit record.

“Hi everyone!" Amanda waved to her phone. “My name's Amanda, and this is my first video! I'm replying to Sally's…" She made air quotes, giggling. “Christmas pajama review. First off? Adorable, Sally." Amanda flashed the camera a mischievous smile. “Love the nutcrackers! Now I want a pair, too. And second?" She glanced into the other room, the lowered her voice. “Loved the nutcrackers, too. Two in a row? And a sheath-shot?" The coyote giggled like mad, bouncing in place. “Great job, Sally!"

Amanda took a step back, gesturing at her clothing. “As you can see, I've also got new Christmas garb to review!" She blinked, then scrunched her muzzle, giggling. “Garb? Now I sound like Professor Maxwell. Anyway, I don't have new pajamas, but I did get this super-cute hoodie!" The Coyote's sweatshirt was black, with white snowflakes dotting its sleeves. Across the front of it, a tall, cartoon Christmas tree was hunched over, vomiting eggnog. Text in colorful, festive font spelled out the phrase, 'Go home Christmas, you're drunk'. Amanda rubbed the tree with a few fingers. “Isn't it great?"

She pulled the bottom of her hoodie up, revealing her pink sweatpants. “My pants aren't Christmasy, they're just pink. I like 'em." She dropped her sweatshirt back down, grinning. “Yup, just spending a lazy Christmas break afternoon, chilling at the house with my little brother. Speaking of which…" Amanda batted at a hanging snowflake. “It's about time I help my little brother Alex celebrate the season." She picked up her phone, carrying it with her towards the family room. “Nutcracker season, that is."

A tall, blue-green pine tree occupied one end of the coyote siblings expansive family room. The fresh scent of pine tinted the air. For as long as Amanda could remember, her parents had insisted on a real tree. They also had a traditional of mixing valuable, expensive ornaments with homemade ones. This year, the colorful spheres and glittering baubles that always adorned it were joined by homemade strings of popcorn tinsel, and construction paper cutouts colored with markers. A handful of presents wrapped in red and green plaid paper rested beneath the tree. Every year, the closer Christmas drew, the more gifts mysteriously appeared under the tree, tantalizing the coyote siblings.

As usual, Amanda's annoying little brother Alex was already trying to discern what he was getting. The younger coyote was on his hands and knees, inspecting every present, whether or not they had his name on them. Like Amanda, the smaller coyote was dressed in a Christmas themed hoodie. Alex's was gray, with the phrase 'Jingle Bell Rock' emblazed across it. Beneath the text was a picture of an actual rock, wearing a Santa hat. Amanda had no idea what, if anything, it was referencing. Cartoonish dragons adorned his blue pajama pants. Glasses perched upon his slender muzzle.

Amanda whispered to the camera, turning it towards the Christmas tree. “That's my little brother Alex right there, snooping through the presents. He doesn't know it yet, but he's about to get a really festive kick in the nuts." She fought back a giggle. “He's gonna be feeling so much Christmas joy in his fuzzy little beanbag."

“Who are you talking too?" Alex swiveled a single ear towards her, inspecting a rectangular box. He grunted, pushing it away. “Damn it, that one's yours too."

“I was talking to you, dork." Amanda walked towards him, casually setting her phone down on a nearby recliner. She made sure it was propped up against a cushion, and still filming Alex. “Weren't you listening?"

“Nuh uh." The little coyote paid her no heed. “I'm trying to find my presents." He swished his bushy, tan and black-peppered tail. “What did you get me?"

Amanda rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. “Like I'm telling you that. Although…" She trailed off, then shook her head. “Nah, nevermind."

Alex glanced over his shoulder. “What?"

“Well…" Amanda shrugged, scratching at the back of her neck. “I was just thinking there is something I could give you early."

“There is?" The younger coyote crawled to another package, inspecting it. “Aww, this one's for mom."

“Totally." Amanda followed him, moving to stand just behind her brother. “It's not a big deal or anything. At least not to me. Getting it might be a big deal for you, though."

Alex looked back at her again, his head tilted. “What the hell are you babbling about, Amanda?"

Amanda offered him her most innocent smile. “I just thought of something festive I could give you right now."

“Okay, sure!" Alex ducked his under the tree, looking around. “Where'd you hide it?"

“Actually, it's not that well-hidden," Amanda said, glancing under the younger coyote's rump when his tail swished. She could faintly make out the twin ovals of the geeky canine's testicles, pressed against his dark blue pajamas. “Want a hint?"

Alex shrugged, moving a few boxes around. “Sure. Give it to me."

Amanda chewed her lip to stop herself from laughing. He was making this way too easy. “Okay, so…" Amanda held up a single finger, as if posing her brother a riddle. “Your gift shares it's name with a famous Christmas musical."

The Coyote scrunched his muzzle. “Elf?"

Amanda flattened her ears. “I don't think that's a musical. No, not Elf." She held up another finger. “Hint number two. Your gift also happens to be Sally's favorite Christmas decoration."

Alex swished his tail, idly inspecting another present. “That lion Santa on the toilet?"

The older coyote scrunched her muzzle. “There's no way that's Sally's favorite decoration."

“Well, how the hell should I know!" Alex snorted. “Why don't you just let me have it, already?"

Amanda almost had to stick her fist into her muzzle to hold back her laughter. “Sure, Dork, whatever you say. The famous Christmas musical, Sally's favorite decoration, and your gift are all the same thing. A nutcracker!" She bounced on her toes, waiting for her brother to catch on. Then she blinked. “Okay, technically, I think the musical is The Nutcracker, but close enough."

Alex crawled back a step to lift his head and glance at his sister over his shoulder. “You got me a nutcracker?"

“I sure did! Or at least, I'm just about-"

“Why would I want a nutcracker?" Alex tilted his head, ears splayed. “I don't collect Christmas crap, and I…" He trailed off when Amanda suddenly snatched his tail in both hands. “Wait, don't you even think about-"

By then, it was too late. Amanda yanked her little brother's bushy tail up and out of the way, exposing his butt. On his hands and knees, the smaller coyote's rump was clearly outlined against his dark blue dragon-adorned pajamas. More importantly, so were the shapes of his balls. With her targets on display, and Alex's tail used for leverage, Amanda stepped forward and kicked as hard as she could. She snapped her bare foot up sharply under Alex's butt, her tan-furred toes smashing into the younger coyote's unprotected testicles. THWACK! The little coyote's nuts crunched against her foot, trying to escape to either side.

“OOOOOOOOH!" Alex howled in sudden agony, eyes popping out behind his glasses. His hands flew back to his crotch, dropping his head onto the ground, amidst the presents. “My nards!"

“Happy Nutcracker Season, Alex!" Amanda released his tail, giggling like mad and dancing away from him. “There's your first present!"

“Awwwww, god!" Alex slowly flopped over onto his side, curling up. “My nards! Awwww! Oh, my god, my naaards!"

Amanda ignored her stricken brother, turning towards the camera. “That was a good one! I totally got 'em both!" She snapped her foot into the air, as if to demonstrate her technique. “Bam! Right in the chestnuts from behind!"

Alex rocked back and forth, his whole face scrunched up behind his glasses. His ears were flat. “Nnrrrhhhhh!"

Amanda spared him a glance. “No, you're right, Alex. Yours aren't big enough to be chestnuts." She giggled to herself, putting her hands on her hips. “Let's see…sugar plums?" Amanda tilted her head. “Are those bigger, or smaller than chestnuts? Oh, I know!" She turned back towards the camera, clearing her throat. “Bam!" Amanda kicked the air again. “Right in the gumdrops!"

“Oooohhh!" Alex squirmed around, a few tears dampening his glasses. He rubbed his legs together around his clutching his hands. “My nards! Awww, my frickin' naaaards!"

Amanda returned her attention to her brother, patting him between the ears. “I know, Alex, I know. You're really feeling the Nutcracker Season spirit, huh? Good for you, being all festive."

“It's…not funny!" Alex wriggled around, dislodging presents on either side of him. He took a few ragged breaths, then gave another long, low groan. “Awwwwwwwhhh! God, my nuts! I really hate these stupid, made-up holidays lately! Awww, my poor nuts!"

Amanda gasped, putting a hand over her muzzle. “Made up? Made up?" She stomped her foot in fake anger, then shook a finger at her squirming brother. “Why, I'll have you know that Knee a Guy in the Balls Day, and Nutcracker Season are both totally legitimate holidays! They're recognized by the, uh…" She scratched an ear. “International Bureau for Totally Real Holidays!"

Alex rolled to his belly again, slowly hiking his butt up into the air. He still clutched himself in both hands, tail tucked over them. “Uurrrhh! Sh-shut up! You and Melissa and Sally just made this dumb crap up!"

“You hear that, everyone?" Amanda pivoted towards her phone, shaking her head. “He says Nutcracker Season is dumb crap! Just for that, I say we make him feel extra festive. What say you fine, holiday revelers?" She held a hand to her ear, pretending to listen to a chorus of jubilant voices. “Knee him in the balls? Great idea! After all, Sally did get her brother twice. It's only fair I do the same!" She smirked at her camera. “Only to defend the honor of Nutcracker Season, of course."

“Leave my nards alone!" Alex curled up tightly, his voice twisting into a fearful whine. “You already got me!"

“And now I'm going to get you again." Amanda reached down, grabbing her little brother's ankles. She dragged him away from the presents, and towards the recliner where her phone sat. “My knee's gonna jingle those little bells, Alex!"

Alex kicked his legs, trying to dislodge his feet from his sister's hands. “Stop it! Lemme go!"

“Nope!" Amanda giggled up a storm as she hauled her brother into place. She added a playful, threatening growl to her voice. “You're getting kneed, too! Right in the balls! And I'm gonna do it hard! You're gonna be down on the floor for an hour this time!"

The younger coyote wriggled and squirmed, but dared not relinquish his protective grip on his privates. He lashed his feet back and forth, half-heartedly aiming them towards Amanda's crotch a few times. “How'd you like it if I kicked you in the cooter?"

“Try it, Brat, see what happens! Wait." Amanda's eyes widened. “You said cooter! I knew other people said that!"

Alex glared up at her, panting. “I heard it from you!"

“Still counts!" Amanda released Alex's feet just in front of the overstuffed chair. “I gotta tell Melissa." She grabbed her younger brother's arms, prying his hands away from his crotch. “Sorry, Alex, but you don't get to protect the gumdrops. It's Jingle Bells time!" With her arms wrapped around his, Amanda yanked the smaller coyote back up to his feet. She glanced at the camera, her ears tilted. “Jingle balls? Oh, that's a good one!"

“No, it's not!" Alex struggled against her grip, but between the pain radiating from his balls, and his sister's advantages in height and weight, it was a losing effort. “You're like the millionth person to come up with that!"

“Whatever, brat!" Amanda glanced at the preview on her phone screen. Then she pulled and shoved Alex around until the view was nearly filled with the younger coyote's crotch. “There! Now there's gonna be a close up of my knee, jingling your bells!"

Alex growled at her, futilely tugging his arms. “Bells or balls, Amanda! Pick a lane!"

“Jingle bells!" Amanda punctuated her sing-song words by thrusting her knee up towards Alex's crotch. She stopped short, just to build the terrifying anticipation. “Jingle Bells!" She lifted her knee again, thumping his thigh. “Jingle your little balls!"

“Ah!" Alex danced in place, desperate to squirm out of range. Rising panic tightened his voice. “Stop, stop! Please, stop! Don't knee me, don't knee me!"

Amanda was definitely going to knee him. She laughed, holding his arms tightly as she kept singing. “Oh what fun!" Amanda put her knee up slower, this time. “It is to knee!" Then she jerked it up swiftly, missing by inches and earning a frightened yip from her sibling. “Your little brother in the balls!"

This time, Amanda made sure her aim was true. She pulled Alex towards her, jamming her knee up between the scrawny coyote's legs with everything she had. The blow lifted Alex to his tiptoes, both young canine testicles trapped between his body, and his sister's knee. They bulged out against his pajamas, vaguely flattened ovals against the dark blue fabric. Alex shrieked like a little girl, eyes squeezed shut and maw wide open.

“Bullseye!" Amanda let him drop, bouncing in place in celebratory excitement. “I nailed them, that time!" She lifted her knee for the camera, patting it. “No puppies for Alex!" Giggling like crazy, she set her leg back down, glancing at her crumpled brother. “How'd that feel, Alex? You enjoying the feeling of Nutcracker Season yet?"

Alex's only response was a coughing sob. He slowly curled up into fluffy ball of male canine anguish Amanda and her friends would never understand. Tears ran down his fuzzy cheeks. He took a rasping breath, then gave a ragged scream against the floor. After that he curled up tighter still, wracked by another sob. He sniffled, a little drool even dribbling from the corner of his muzzle onto the floor.

“Oh my god, he's drooling!" Amanda burst into fresh laughter, snatching up her phone. She crouched down, aiming the camera at his face and muzzle. “See? They only do that when you really get them good! Guess that's why they say girls rule, and boys drool!" She moved the camera down to focus on the younger coyote's hands, holding his balls. “That's the old, double clutch move. Sometimes I wonder if they only hold them with both hands, when you get both balls?"

“Damn it, Amanda!" Alex's voice was a whole octave higher than usual. “Will you shut up already?"

Amanda turned the camera back to Alex's pain-contorted face. The young coyote's ears were totally flat, his fangs bared in perpetual grimace. “I'll think about it, if you do as you're told. First, tell me if I got them both?"

Alex managed a slow nod, followed by a long groan. “Uh huh. Oooooooh!" He rolled over onto his other side, still curled. “Awwwwh! You got them both. Both times!"

“Awesome!" Amanda walked around him, not letting him escape her video. “Now say, Happy Nutcracker Season! And-"

“Amanda, come on!" Alex rocked back in the other direction, whining. “Awwrrr, my balls! My baaaalls! This is the worst one in months!"

“Good!" Amanda stepped partway over him, standing with a foot on either side of her little brother. “That's what Nutcracker season is all about! Now, say what I tell you…" She nudged his hands with her foot. “Or I'll step on them."

“No, no, no!" Alex's words came out in a single, panicked flurry. “I'll say whatever you want, just don't get my balls again!"

The older coyote cleared her throat. “Ahem. Say, Happy Nutcracker Season! Everyone kick somebody in the nuts!" She licked her nose. “Oh! And also say, sisters, kick your brothers twice!"

Alex took a breath, his voice heavily strained with the ache still roiling between his legs. “Happy Nutcracker season!" He groaned, trembling, face twisting up again. “Everyone kick somebody in nuts! Sisters, kick your brothers twice!"

“Good boy!" Amanda leaned down to ruffle the fur between Alex's ears. She grinned at her camera. “See, girls? They can be trained! Okay, this is Amanda, signing off! Happy Nutcracker Season, everyone!"

Amanda stepped away from her brother, then turned around and took a few pictures of him curled up and crying on the floor. “Perfect! These are gonna be my Kickball Sisterhood Christmas card. Melissa's gonna be so proud of me."

***

That's it for now! If you've enjoyed, please click the FAVE button, and leave a comment with your thoughts or your favorite moments! Who's your favorite nutcracker lately? Also, stay tuned for the Nutcracker Season Grand Finale in Part Three!