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As Jonah drove to the outer edge of Groveside, the two ex-humans in the backseat of his car got fully caught up. Hunter told Cade the whole story of how she was brought here after their break-up, all the drama that came with coming out to this world as a human, her mating season adventure, and all that followed. Cade, meanwhile, brought Hunter up to speed on his struggles with identity, the connection he and Jonah shared, and how it all led to his recent transformation.

The two couldn't be more thrilled to finally be on the same page again. After months of secrets and lies, getting to be open and fully themselves together felt like a great weight lifting from their hearts. They hadn't talked like this since they first started dating a year ago. Now here they were, both having switched genders and changed into new species.

Cade's tail wagged the whole trip, the new coyote brimming with positivity and a new lease on life. Hunter, still in her bovine form, couldn't help but feel her heart burst from how happy he now seemed. It was especially striking considering he started the morning destitute and on the run. The fact that he took to this world and found a mate so quickly was nothing short of miraculous.

"Can I just say," Hunter blurted out, "You two are so cute together. Like, I don't know how official of a couple you two are now considering it's only been half a day, but I think it's so awesome."

Cade and Jonah both blushed beneath their pelts, canine ears burning red. The coyote spoke up, "It's funny. It feels like we've known each other longer."

"Not surprising," Jonah replied. "I don't know why all you humans get so precious about relationship length. You can talk with someone for months and share everything with them, but if you don't feel that instinctual connection, you know you're not meant to be."

The cow woman's ears perked. "Well, that must be it. Instinct really does change things for you guys."

"Well, sure, but it's not infallible. I mean, my instinct told me Brad was the one for me, that piece of shit. So I try not to put too much stock into it. But I can already feel something good with you, Cade. Could be your human side, but... you're really not like anyone else I've ever met."

The African wild dog looked at his mate intently through the rear view mirror. Cade's blush only deepened at his sharp stare. To think he once thought being attracted to these anthros was weird. The canine was simply the most handsome man he ever laid eyes on. That sharp muzzle, the multi-colored pelt, those tender eyes... Each time Cade looked at him all he could think was, Damn, I fucking struck gold.

"You're not like anyone I ever met either, Jonah," Cade cutely responded. "Helps that we're from entirely different dimensions."

Jonah chuckled, "Heh, turns out that was the secret sauce my other mateships were missing." Cade laughed with him, meanwhile feeling a stir deep inside at that term, 'mateship'. Fuck, things were moving fast for the new coyote. Not that he'd want it any other way after what felt like an eternity of hating his prior life.

Hunter sat back, still amazed by this sudden turn of events. "I'm just so glad you took to this world well enough to do this! I was worried it'd be a bad fit and you'd be uncomfortable or miserable here."

"I'm honestly as surprised as you," Cade said. "I really didn't know what to make of any of this at first, but... yeah..." Cade trailed off, thinking to himself. "Sorry, it's just... I can't believe I found a new home so quickly. Like, not even just the transformation stuff, but getting a truly fresh start like this, it's... incredible! I didn't know I could feel this, being free from my family's expectations for once. I'm just so..."

Unable to find the words, Cade simply moved in to hug Hunter tightly. "Thank you," he said with all the warmth in his heart. "I can never properly repay you for what you've given me."

A pang of bittersweet melancholy hit Hunter like a freight train. They hadn't hugged like this since they were together, under their old genders and their human bodies. Cade was now the person he had always wanted to be, and it was so beautiful to watch and... Hunter's heart grew heavy with a new sensation. One she never thought she'd have.

Envy.

She could feel the promise she made to her parents falter in the face of Cade's sheer joy. Why couldn't she be the one who gets to leave her old life behind? Well, obviously, it was because Cade had been royally screwed over by his monstrous family. Hunter, for all the hardships she faced, still felt that she had a good life by comparison. She had parents who loved her unconditionally, and brought her joy even in the face of economic disparity. She truly was Cade's polar opposite, in that sense.

Now, their dynamic had been translated to a new language, brought over from one world to another. Cade had been given a new lease on life with his now permanent transformation but at the cost of a brutal betrayal, while Hunter had the freedom to walk between worlds yet yearned to one day put down roots. Of course, Hunter didn't want to rain on Cade's parade. She was still overjoyed for him, and didn't want to take away from his moment. Letting go from his hug, Hunter put a smile back on and rested a hoofed hand on his shoulder.

"No need for repayment," she said. "Just seeing you this happy is enough."

Cade smiled back, tail wagging rhythmically. Hunter was right. He was happy. For the first time in a long while, he was truly happy.

---

The Longhorn Tavern was a Western-themed bar made to look like a typical road house— cozy yet hard-edged, like a grizzled cowman who had gone on in years and retired his spurs. All the bartenders and waiters wore flannel, and most of the clientele were of the hoofed persuasion: horses, cows, elk, moose, goats, and more.

Deep in the heart of the dive bar, the Ruttweiler wrap party was already in full swing, crew members, principal cast, and extras all drinking and conversing amidst the twang of live country music being played on a modest stage. Everyone was up and about, shuffling from conversation to conversation in typical wrap party fashion...

All except for Stud, who sulked by the bar, still hesitant to finally talk face to face with his estranged daughter. Cassidy was chatting with Debra Willingham the zebra cameragirl, yet occasionally she would glance at the bar, at her father, unable to find a way to break the thin ice with him. She thought she'd be able to swagger up to him after proving her worth on set, but it turned out it was not so simple to repair ties that have been frayed for too long.

Rudd was the only one sitting with the bull, yet he was unable to convince him to finally confront his past. All he could do was keep him company, drink non-alcoholic drinks and shoot the shit. Hopefully he could chip away his resistances little by little, to get him to finally talk to Cassidy later. For now, he was happy to at least keep him company in this rare moment of vulnerability for the bovine producer.

Meanwhile, Doe was talking with Julie and Kiera, who had just arrived from their pregnancy check-up. Julie was the only one without a drink, watching the slight baby-bump on her first trimester belly.

"You're kidding!" Julie exclaimed. "I had no idea anyone could humble Jeremiah, much less a sweet little cowgirl like her." She gestured to Cassidy, who was acting all sweet as sugar while talking with the camera crew.

"I mean, it makes sense Stud has— _had _a family," Kiera added. "A guy as rough as him doesn't have a soft spot for no reason. Honestly, good for him on being sober for that long. Makes me almost respect him."

"Okay, I shared my gossip," Doe excitedly interrupted. "Now give me the deets: what's this new human girl like?? What's her deal? How did she react? Hunter only gave me so much to go on."

"Oh, she was a sweetheart," Kiera responded. "Laid on the tough act a little thick, but considering her home life, I can't blame her. Poor girl's been through a lot."

"She's funny too," Julie appended. "Gods, she said something in the car on the way to Jonah's that had my sides splitting! I think it was—"

"Wait, you sent her to Jonah's?" Doe interrupted.

"Yeah, we didn't have much options while everyone else was at the shoot. What, should we have left her alone in our apartment?"

"I suppose not, but Jonah's kind of a playboy. What if one of his rutbuddies came over to visit?"

"C'mon, he's not that big of a horndog." A vibrating buzz shook in Julie's purse. Digging her phone out her bag, the Siamese cat read the new text that appeared on her screen. "Hunter's almost here! She just went to check on our human visitor so I'm sure she'll fill us in."

"Well, that's good," Doe said relaxedly. "I can't wait to hear it all straight from her muzzle."

As if on cue, the door behind them opened, three mammals stepping into the bar together. The Ruttweiler crew recognized two of them right away: their currently bovine star Hunter Prey, and their canine editor Jonah Merchant. The third one, another canine, was unfamiliar to the crowd. Either way, the crew welcomed their fellow members' arrival with cheers and toasts of their drinks. Rudd wanted to go up and say hi right away, but Jeremiah was still in a mood. He decided to stay with him as Doe, Julie, and Kiera rushed up to Hunter.

"Ooooohh, look at you, Miss Cowgirl!" Julie gleamed. "I'm so sad I missed this shoot, you look stunning!"

"Me too," Kiera added to the chorus, a little sultrier in tone. "That's gotta be the biggest pair of tits you've ever had, Hunter. Whoa, momma."

Hunter giggled in kind, "Hehehe, thanks, Kiera. How'd the appointment go?"

"Good, good, though Jules sorta vomited in the waiting room. Turns out morning sickness can come a little late."

"Kiiiieeeerraaaaa..." Julie whined. "Don't tell everyone!"

"Aww, but even your vomiting is cute, babe~" Kiera teased as she nuzzled her pretty kitty. Julie blushed beneath her fur and conceded with a conciliatory nuzzle back.

"Oh, hun..." the cat sighed, before turning to Jonah and the new coyote in the room. "Hang on, what're you doing here, Jonah? Aren't you supposed to be watching over Carla?"

Jonah and Cade chuckled together, already filled with mirth at the prospect of "coming out" to the group.

"The fuck's so funny?" Kiera interrogated. "This isn't a game, Carla's been through a lot today. She needs company."

Their laughter quickly grew more inappropriate the angrier Kiera got. For the safety of the group, Cade finally went up to confront her face to face and prevent an incident from happening.

"Hahah, sorry Kiera," the coyote said, tamping down his own laughter. "We were hoping to surprise you."

"Wait, who are..." Kiera tilted her head, trying to recall who this canine was that knew her name. With no other hints, she relied on scent, sniffing for a trace of a familiar musk. He smelled like Hunter, with both bestial and human notes. But... that can only mean.

"No way. No fucking way!"

Doe and Julie's eyes widened as they too began to connect the dots. Doe spoke up first, "Is this... No, it can't be!"

Julie lit up like a Christmas tree upon realizing it. She saw the smile on the coyote's face, recognizing the same visage of elation she once saw in the mirror when she first transformed. The Siamese cat never forgot it, and she could tell this coyote had undergone the same fate. There was really only one person this could even be.

The cat squee'd like a steamboat and pounced at the coyote, enveloping him in a warm feline hug. "EEEEEEEEE, LOOK AT YOOOUUUU!!"

Cade smiled as he was rocked and tossed about by the excited cat. He used his newfound canine strength to hold her steady and stop her from shaking him about. "I know! I can hardly believe it either."

"Fuck, that was fast!" Doe exclaimed. Then, putting context clues to work, she turned her gaze to Jonah, who scratched the back of his head mischievously. "Jonah, don't tell me that you were the one who—"

"Hey, it was his idea!" he retorted. "And you gotta admit, he looks damn fine as a coyote, doesn't he?"

Kiera elbowed the African wild dog in that wink-wink-nudge-nudge sort of way. "Well, well! Welcome to the human-fucker club, Jo! Never thought we'd become kindred spirits like this."

Meanwhile, Julie finally let go of Cade, grasping his shoulders in her paws. "I'm so happy for you! I had no idea we shared so much in common."

Cade chuckled nervously, "Heh, what does that mean?"

"I mean... Don't try to hide it, I see that glint in your eyes. You've got that new gender-euphoria glow too. Trust me, I also had that exact same look my first day."

"Wow, I didn't know it was that obvious," the coyote smiled, tail oscillating happily. "Honestly, I wasn't exactly expecting to end up like... this."

"But you could tell it was right for you, huh?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, it's not like I was a furry or anything back home, but—"

"Hahah, don't worry. Neither was I."

"Wow, hang on, are you gonna be, like, my transformee mentor?"

"We prefer the term ex-human, 'round here."

Cade reeled from all the warmth and support this world kept giving him. That he was already part of a community, according to Julie, was almost too much to consider. He turned to Jonah, sharing a smile with his fellow canine male, as if to say 'thank you' for the hundredth time today.

Doe finally clopped up to the new guy, grasping his paw for a handshake. "Lovely meeting you, darling. Name's Doe. Doe Adira. What's yours?"

"Cade," the coyote replied. "I'm, uhh, still thinking up a new last name. I'm familiar with your work now, by the way."

"Ohhh, are you~" Doe gave her most sensual face to the new ex-human before turning back to Jonah, "You've really been catching him up, haven't you."

Jonah chuckled, folding his arms, "I just indulged his curiosities is all."

Turning back Cade's direction, Doe giggled hard enough to let out an accidental bleat. "Hahah, hoo, sorry. Umm, how'd you like my work, Cade?"

"I'll admit, I wasn't into it at first," Cade smiled. "But you were so persistent in changing my ex into a bunny girl, that you, uhh, won me over in the end, if you know what I mean."

"Mmm, I know exactly what you mean."

"Mooo, me too," Hunter teased from the sidelines. Cade continued,

"By the way, I just think it's awesome how chill your world is with intersex stuff. I kept my cunt in the change so it's cool to know I won't be treated like a freak here."

"Ooooohh, a fellow inter-genital mammal. Nice to have a new friend on my side of the spectrum."

Cade's chest swelled and his tail swiveled at the way she said 'friend'. Fuck, relationships moved fast here. He had talked to Doe for less than a minute and they were already friends. Less than 24 hours and he and Jonah were mates. The new coyote liked it. It felt like a good speed to play catch-up for all the years he spent as an unfulfilled human woman. Whatever instinctual magic made connections so easy in this world, Cade was all for it!

"HEY! EVERYONE!" Doe shouted to the rest of the crew in the bar, causing everyone's ears to stand in attention. "COME SAY HI TO HUNTER'S EX-HUMAN EX-GIRL EX-MATE!"

The entire Ruttweiler crew turned toward her voice, their attentions piqued by her sudden enthusiasm. Cade shrunk a little at the sudden attention as all eyes were on him, a gaggle of anthros staring at him with a concoction of confusion and mystique. Even Rudd and Jeremiah turned around and had their gaze set at him.

Pete the cameraboar was the first to walk up to Doe and break the silence. "What's all this about? Who's the canine?"

Doe rocked on her hooves giddily. "This... is Cade, and he's new in town. So new in fact that he just came from the human world this morning. Now he's already freshly changed and one of us!"

Pete stared at the coyote, connecting the dots in his head. "Hang on. Hunter's ex also arrived from... Are you Hunter's ex-girlfriend???"

Cade cackled, "Ex-boyfriend now, dude!"

As Cade made his presence known, more of the crew abandoned whatever they were doing to move closer to the spectacle and see if it was legit. Meanwhile, Pete snorted. "Prove it."

The coyote turned to his now bovine ex, muzzle waiting for approval. After Hunter gave a sweet little nod, Cade turned back to the boar and tossed his phone out to him. Pete caught it in his hands and looked into the screen. A treasure trove of pictures sat in his palm, shuffling through selfies, landscapes, videos of birthday cakes being blown out, and all were populated with human faces. One of those human faces happened to be Hunter's, proving once and for all the validity of Cade's statement. The boar couldn't help but look up in awe at the coyote.

"Well, I'll be!" he gleamed, just before holding the phone up to show his compatriots. "Hey everyone! Meet Hunter's ex! He's one of us now!"

Looks of shock and wonder spread throughout the Ruttweiler crew members. On all sides, Cade was surrounded by curious anthros, all leaning to either see him up close or even get a whiff of his scent to see if it still had traces of human in it.

"No fucking way," Nick the fennec said after taking in his scent. "Heh, welcome to the party, man!" Patting his paw hard on Cade's back, Nick welcomed his fellow canid with a warm hug. All the while, everyone else murmured amongst themselves, unable to stop staring with widened eyes. Cade didn't much mind the attention. It was welcome after the morning he had.

Jordana shoved through the mass of fur, feather, and scale to meet up with Jonah. "You hear about this, Jonah?" she asked innocently. "Gods, who do you think transformed him?" Jonah smirked silently, unable to hide his own braggadocio. The shorthair quickly caught on. "No! You?!"

The African wild dog shrugged mischievously. "Not to rub it in, but... it was better than any rut I ever had."

The cat grinned and bapped the canine playfully with her fluffy paws. "Un-fucking-believable, dude. And a coyote, to boot. Y'know, I've always had a bit of a thing for coyotes. Never got to mate with one considering my whole... situation. You, uh, willing to share?"

"Pfft, ask him yourself!" Jonah very suddenly pushed his feline friend up toward Cade, causing her to retreat back to shyness.

Rudd and Jeremiah both stood beside Hunter, watching the spectacle unfold from a more manageable distance. "Huh," the rottweiler said bemusedly. "Didn't think he'd change that quick."

Hunter chuckled. "I didn't think he'd change, period. Or be a he, for that matter."

Jeremiah snorted, "At this point, I'd be shocked if a human _didn't _transform when coming here. Seems we rub off on each one."

"Oh, 'rubbing off' is a quaint way to phrase it," Rudd teased, bringing the bull to snort again.

"Yeah, yeah, bite me, pup."

"Aww, looks like you two had a swell time catching up," Hunter remarked.

"More or less," Jeremiah admitted, softening his edge a little. "Never got to thank you properly for talking my daughter back into the shoot, by the way. So... Thanks."

"Wow, growth! I remember when the only way I could get you to say thanks was by topping you as a burly bear."

"Yeah, don't get used to it..."

"Well, it was the least I could do... Speaking of which, where is she—?"

Before she could even finish, Cassidy clopped over to the new coyote in their midst, taking a whiff of his scent. Cade looked back at her with wide-eyed wonder, caught by how sweet and pure the bovine star looked and felt. "Oh my goodness gracious, you really are Hunter's ex! What did Doe say your name was?"

"Cade. Just Cade for now."

"Woooow, and you took the plunge so quickly too! How're you likin' our neck of the woods, sugar?"

"It's... overwhelming. Still a lot to get used to. I kinda love it though."

"Hehe, well if you need someone tah show you around, I'm yer gal! I know what it's like tuh be the only outsider in a strange new town. It can be isolatin', that's fer sure. I'll make sure ya never feel like that while yer here. Deal?"

Like everyone else who had met her today, Cade was floored by the highlander cow's overwhelming sweetness. This country bumpkin hardly even knew him and she was already treating him like a new best friend. He thought he was getting used to the speed of relationships and connections in the anthro world, but here came this lovely cow woman to further knock him off balance. It was more than welcome, though. Excited, Cade nodded back to the bovine.

"Deal! Let's definitely hang out more!" Cade raised his paw for a handshake, only to instead receive a big hug from Cassidy in response. Cade blushed beneath his fur and clasped his arms around her, returning her show of affection.

"Yer gonna love it here," Cassidy beamed. "I can tell!"

As they let go, Hunter called out to Cade from the sidelines. Cade turned to find Hunter standing beside Rudd and Jeremiah. "Cade, I'd like you to meet Rudd Wyler and Jeremiah Stud. They're... well, they're my bosses, but they're much more than that. Friends, comrades, rut-buddies..."

"Oh yeah," Cade replied, eyes lighting with recognition. "Jonah told me all about you two. You're the producer, right?"

"You got it," Jeremiah smirked. "Welcome to our world, by the way. Whatever you've been through to find your way here, I hope we come off hospitable."

"...Are you sure, you're Jeremiah? All I hear about you is you have a permanent stick up your ass."

Jeremiah scoffed, almost chuckling to himself. "You caught me in an okay mood, is all. I don't have it in me to be a hardass today."

"Fair enough. Thanks for the welcome." Cade then turned to Rudd and noticed something... Hunter had wrapped her arms around Rudd's arm. His canine instincts could sense something in the way she shrunk in the rottweiler's presence. In fact, Cade used to do that with Hunter, when they were Carla and Terry. Hell, Cade just did it with Jonah during their city excursion.

He didn't know why, but he could feel a lump in his chest growing. Hunter told her so much about her time in this world, from the historic premiere of her first movie, to her mating season adventures. She had mentioned mating with Rudd before, but this was more than that. The excitement, the sway of her tufted tail, the anticipation of introducing this rottweiler to him... It was obvious now. Hunter and Rudd were together-together. With just a glance, Cade could sense the same deep, animal connection he was already feeling with Jonah.

And on the one hand, Cade was immensely happy for her. It made sense that she would connect deeply with a mate considering how much longer she had spent here. On the other hand, a pang of sadness tinged the pride he felt for his ex. He didn't know why. He had already found a mate in Jonah. There was no way they'd be getting back together, even with how comfortable they had become as friends.

And yet, there was that feeling. Like a chapter closing sooner than expected. A sense of finality rushed into his being. They broke up many months ago. But now, for the first time, just as it seemed they were reconnecting in a more honest, upfront way, it was clear they had both moved on from one another.

Still, Cade didn't let that break his smile. He would still be happy for Hunter and what this world has done to change her life. Nothing could get in the way of that. "You must be Rudd Wyler, the director," Cade greeted, holding his paw out. Rudd grasped and shook it. A nice, firm handshake (pawshake?) just like he was taught to do by his business-minded dad and uncle, made all the stronger by his new male and bestial strength.

"And you must be Hunter's ex-human ex-girlfriend," Rudd grinned. Fuck, even at a first impression, Cade could feel the charisma radiate off of this dog.

"Heh, ex-girl too," he joked.

"Oh yeah. Welcome to malehood, man. I assume you don't go by 'Carla' anymore?"

"Yup. Name's Cade. I'll... come up with a new last name in time."

"Well, excellent meeting you, Cade. Hard to believe we have another former human in our midst. Now, give it to me straight: who changed you? Was it Julie or Kiera?"

"Actually, uh..." Cade turned and stepped away, giving Rudd a clean view of Jonah being playfully roughhoused by Kiera. Rudd knew right away what that meant. They were in the same "club" now.

"No shit, huh! Heh, looks like we have something else in common besides being canines."

"Wait... you were—?"

"Yup. By the very same knot." Rudd patted the new coyote on his back. "Can't blame ya. He's one helluva wild dog. You couldn't have asked for a better first rut."

Cade felt a conflicting mess of canine pride and human discomfort. Was it still weird being this open about rutt— er, sex with total strangers? A little. Did the canine in him feel an instinctual pride that made him wanna assert his dominance over the rottweiler, showing him he was a better mate for Jonah than him? Also yes.

"Oh yeah. It was... life-changing." Cade made sure to add extra oomph to that last, hyphenated word, embracing a horniness he never felt as a human. "And not just for me."

"Hehe, I can see Jonah still has that post-transformation glow." Rudd smirked, deciding to return Cade's serve, in tennis parlance, with a boastful statement of his own. "I mean, I wore that same look days after I first changed Hunter myself."

"Rudd!" Hunter bellowed. "I didn't— I still haven't told Cade we're—"

"Terry— Hunter. It's alright," Cade responded, calming Hunter's worries. "I already know. I could... tell..."

Rudd chuckled, "See, you're a true canine male, now. Through and through. Though, now I'm curious, are you going to remain a canine, or do you still intend to go back to your human life?"

Cade thought for a moment. In the rush of euphoria he had felt today, he hadn't stopped to think whether this change would be permanent or not. Much as he was enjoying his new body, species, and gender identity, there was still much he hadn't thought through. Was Jonah just his mate, or were they, in human terms, boyfriends? And even if he enjoyed himself now, would he still feel the same tomorrow? Or a month from now?

And if he was truly starting a new life, how would he go about it? Besides fucking Jonah and experiencing the pleasures of this world, how else would he spend his time here? No matter what, Cade was still an overachiever at heart. Queer studies, business know-how, culture... would any of these skills translate in a completely alien society?

"I'll... have to think on it," was all Cade had to answer with. He put a smile back on, wanting to put these more serious thoughts on the backburner. "That said, I really feel like I hit the lottery on this body. I don't wanna be anything other than a coyote!"

For some reason, that statement bit at Hunter a little bit. She was still happy for him. Why wouldn't she be?... But it finally set a chain of thoughts in her mind, starting with the prime question: how did Cade 'hit the lottery' so to speak on his transformation while she hasn't found the body or species that truly clicked yet? Her elongated ears drooped a little as she scratched the back of her arm with her hoofed fingertips.

"Well, we're glad to have you here!" Rudd continued, jovial. "Any friend of Hunter's is a friend of mine."

Cade's tail wagged, happy to have received the approval of the canine director. In a sense, Hunter wouldn't have been able to introduce Cade to this world if Rudd hadn't cast them. He had Rudd to thank just as much as Hunter. "Thanks, Mister Wyler."

"Please, call me Rudd. In fact..." The rottweiler turned to the bar on the other side of the room, signaling the bartender. "Drinks for everyone, on me! Oh, and make one non-alcoholic for my bovine friend here!"

"Non-alcoholic for my expectant wife, too!" Kiera belted from the back, a hint of pride in her inflection.

The bartender, a bull with holstein splotches, winked while setting up a massive row of shot glasses. Pouring a bottle of tequila and moving across the counter to fill each shot, he handed them all to an equine waitress, who balanced them all on a single serving platter, deftly carrying them to the Ruttweiler crew. The entire team huddled together in a large, crowded circle, grabbing shot glasses and passing them around until everyone has one. Jeremiah ensured he got the non-alcoholic beer, noted as such by the blue paper umbrella resting within the glass.

"To Hunter and Cassidy, for an incredible shoot! And to Cade, for taking the plunge and growing some fur!"

"CHEERS!" Everyone hailed in unison before tipping their glasses for a smooth shot of liquor. Cade spilled a little, still not used to drinking with his new muzzle. Jonah wrapped an arm around his waist, comforting him otherwise. Hunter watched them from the distance, feeling conflicting pangs of both happiness and melancholy for her now anthrofied ex — a feeling that would continue to eat at her throughout the night...

---

Two hours later, and the party was still in full swing. Everyone took turns chatting with the new guy, introducing themselves and asking for more juicy tidbits about human culture. Cade was happy to be the center of attention this time, making great conversation with just about every member of Ruttweiler. Hunter stood beside him, nodding along and confirming everyone's questions about Cade's life and their former relationship. She was happy to answer, even if she couldn't shake the odd, sickly feeling growing in her chest.

Hunter turned to the nearby table, where Jeremiah sat alone, fiddling with business emails on his phone. She then turned to the other end of the group huddle, where Cassidy stood by the edge, avoiding her father still. The cow woman would smack herself upside the head if she could. She got so distracted by the conversation that she forgot to resolve Cassidy and Jeremiah's inability to communicate. She quickly turned to Rudd.

"I'll be right back," Hunter told him. "I still need to talk to Cassidy."

"No worries, Hunter. I'll go sit with Jeremiah. Loosen him up."

"Thanks." Pecking him with a small kiss, Hunter then made her way to Cassidy. The other cow girl felt a wave of relief upon seeing her costar approach. "Sorry I took so long. You wanna chat? Cow to cow?"

Cassidy nodded, tears in her eyes. "Yeah, let's... Can we do it in the restroom? I could use the privacy." Hunter nodded and clopped beside her...

Cade turned and saw Hunter and Cassidy walking to the restroom together. A weird tingle rose in his chest, seeing Hunter in the typical girl-role he once inhabited, having a heart-to-heart with another girl in a bathroom where they could talk about their feelings while doing each other's make-up. It felt strange, knowing those days were now behind the coyote. And to think, Hunter had been living not just as a part-time anthro, but a part-time woman after their break-up. It made him wonder... did Hunter feel the same way about their gender as he did? Was that why they started taking Queer Studies?

His thoughts were shoved aside, however, when Nick the fennec continued his chat...

"So, what's your favorite human movie?" he asked Cade. "I gotta say, I've been fascinated with your films ever since Hunter brought some over."

"Oh, heh, I dunno. I was never really a movie person. Not in the way Ter— shit, Hunter was. They would always show me old Hollywood stuff from TCM they used to watch with their mom and dad. It was never my cup of tea. Hell, when I told them my favorite movie, they... kinda laughed at me."

"Hey, I'd never laugh at you."

"Well of course not, you don't know what any of these movies are."

"All the more reason to tell me."

"Alright well... it's Pirates of the Caribbean."

"Oh shit, a pirate movie! That's cool!"

"Fuck, thank you! Pirates are sick as hell. They explore the sea, find treasure, kill rich people..."

"Weren't _you _rich?"

"Yeah, I... kinda always fantasized what life would be like on the other side."

"Y'know, we actually might have something similar. There's this really popular series of movies over here, The Brass Obol."

"Whoa, sick title."

"Yeah, The Brass Obol was the name of their ship. It was about this shark captain who gathers a crew of whales, dolphins, and other sea species to declare war and independence from the land species. Incredible set design. The ships were so detailed and massive and historically accurate... Might be what got me into production design."

"That sounds awesome. We should definitely watch that together."

"Yeah we sh—" The fennec's ears stood, hearing something faint. Digging into his back pocket, he pulled out his vibrating smartphone and saw he was getting a call. "Shit, it's the prop company. Sorry, I really gotta take this."

"No worries, dude. Take your time."

Nick walks away to chat on his phone. Cade turns to Jonah, "What's your favorite movie?"

"Hmph. I'll show it to you tomorrow night. You're gonna love it."

"Rrff, it's a date~"

They share another kiss, tails swaying to the same rhythm.

---

Cassidy and Hunter enter the small restroom, thankfully finding themselves alone. The highlander cow pulled a paper towel from the dispenser to blow her nose. "I've... rehearsed what I'd say to daddy the day I'd meet him. I had a whole triumphant rant 'bout me comin' into womanhood without his help an' all that."

Hunter chuckled. "Yeah, it's... not so easy when you're actually in front of him, is it."

"Oh no, it woulda been for me."

Hunter giggled, causing Cassidy to giggle with her. A needed moment of levity during this emotional chat. After a soft sigh, Cassidy continued, "But then I kept lookin' at him all night... The ol' bull didn't touch a drink once. And I could tell he wasn't just doin' it 'cuz I was 'round. He was sober sober. Then I got to talkin' with the crew and they all said they hadn't seen him with a drink the entire time they known him. And to make matters worse, the only mean things they had to say 'bout him was petty stuff. Interruptin' folks, bein' stingy with budgets, none of the stuff I dealt with when I was a calf.

"Then it hit me... He really has been makin' efforts to improve'. And here I came yellin' at 'im like he was still the devil I grew up with! I must've looked like such a crabapple to 'im!"

Hunter gently grasped her shoulders. "Hey, hey, calm down. It's reasonable to still be mad at him. I mean, it's not like those memories ever went away for you. He still has to deal with the consequences of his actions. Even he knows as much."

"But to think, we coulda repaired things sooner, hashed everythin' out like adults. Now it's like_ I_ was the immature one!"

"You're not immature. It's perfectly... well, I can't say 'human' in this instance. It's perfectly normal to still hold that baggage. And Jeremiah still could've made an effort to reach out to you as well. What matters is you're working together again, and you're both willing to listen to each other. Don't just throw it away because of one argument."

Cassidy let out a deep sigh, trying to stabilize her breath. "What're yer parents like, Hunter? Ya got such a mature head on yer shoulders, they musta raised you right."

"Oh no no, my folks and I had our own troubles. It's hard to avoid petty arguments and outbursts when you're poor and struggling. But I did feel lucky to have them, in a way. Even with our problems, we came out of everything closer than ever."

"That's lovely." Cassidy sniffled, wiping tears from her muzzle. "How'd they react to your, uh... changes?"

"They didn't... My dad passed away more than five years ago. My mom joined him last year."

"Oh gods, I'm sorry! Ugh, I can't believe I lumped all my herd troubles on you while you were goin' through all that."

"No, no, it's fine, Cassidy. It felt kinda... nice, talking with you about this stuff. I never had siblings or close friends in the human world. Doe, Kiera, Julie... they feel like my sisters. And weirdly enough, so do you... I guess it's— ACK!"

Cassidy wrapped Hunter in a tight hug, embracing her fully. "Aw, Hunter, yer the best! You're a star _and _a sweetheart!"

"GAH, PUT ME DOWN!" Hunter croaked, short of breath. Cassidy only squeezed her tighter.

"Nuh-uh! You ain't a true cow girl unless you can handle a proper cow hug!" Cassidy lifted her costar, friend, sister off her hooves, feeling new kinship.

---

"And that's how a game of One More saved me from a lifetime of celibacy."

Cade's jaw was left agape after the end of Jordana and Flissa's story. The cat and hawk women stood close to one another, Jordana nuzzling her feathered friend.

"I'm speechless," was all Cade had to respond. "And you just mate on the regular now? Even if it means losing yourself?"

"Heh, I already felt lost while I was avoiding my sensual side," the American shorthair replied matter-of-factly. "Better to live a short life full of love than a long one alone." She leaned in to kiss Flissa right on the beak. Flissa kissed back, dancing tongues with her feline mate.

"Gods, you've gotten better at that," the hawk woman praised.

"Say," Cade interrupted, "I've been noticing you guys using that word, 'Gods'. Is your culture really polytheistic?"

"What, it isn't where you're from?"

"I mean... yes? No? We have other religions and all but they're not nearly as represented as others. I say God because my family was raised to believe in just the one. Hell, in our world, countries go to war over believing the 'wrong' religion."

"Gods, Hunter was right. Your people really are close minded."

"Not all. Besides, we have polytheist religions, they're usually just closed off from the other belief systems. How is yours so... unified?"

"Hm, never thought of it like that. Around here, each species has a patron deity. Us birds are represented by Lux, the celestial raven."

"And we felines have Raisha, the pridemother," Jordana chimed in. "Every species is represented, but they are all part of the same order. In fact, just saying 'god' these days is considered a faux-pas at best, and intolerant at worst."

Flissa continued where Jordana left off, "It's like, the whole flow of nature can't exist if you remove any one species from worship. It's only the extremists who refuse to recognize we're all part of that balance. Hence, I may worship Lux, but I recognize all the gods as part of the great circle."

"Whoa," Cade uttered. "It really is the Circle of Life."

"Hey, Hunter brought The Lion King over to our world, don't try to sneak a human reference over our heads," Jordana playfully sniped. Cade chuckled back.

"Heheh, fair enough. It's fascinating, though. How the fuck did you guys get to be so tolerant of each other's deities?"

Flissa thought for a moment, scratching the bottom of her beak as if it were her chin. "Hmm well... Based off what my parents taught me, the legend goes that any time our instincts guide us, that's our patron deities communing with their mortal children. And since every creature has an instinct, it's like, I dunno, one great big unifier."

Cade stood back, floored by her answer. "Whoa, so... When I heard my canine instinct while I was transforming... Could that have been my 'patron deity' welcoming me into the fold?"

"You can certainly interpret it that way. Or your instinct is just purely biological. Who's to say."

"Huh. So then, what's my patron deity called? Do coyotes have their own or are we under some big canine umbrella?"

"Well, funny you mention that. You and every other canine fall under Sollark, eater of the sun."

"Shit, that's a cool one."

"But, wolves and foxes have their own deities. And you're given a lot of shit if you confuse any of the three."

"Whoa. Should I write this down? I don't wanna step on any toes."

"Eh, you'll be fine. Just get used to saying 'gods' plural and no one will bat an eye."

Cade smiled. It was rare to be able to learn about new cultures outside of an academic setting. It was also strangely riveting that he was already considered one of them, as well. Cade's family was as American as apple pie, but had British ancestry. Cade didn't particularly care for British culture except for the tea. Too much colonialism and whatnot. And he didn't really enjoy American culture in this day and age either. The fact that Cade could be "proud" of what he was was a wholly new phenomenon for him. Canine instincts swimming in his head, he already felt connected with his brethren, his kin. This world never ceased to surprise and amaze him...

All this philosophical pondering was interrupted, however, when the familiar voice of Ruttweiler's resident fennec was raised amidst the communal ruckus...

"Well fuckin' figure it out!" Nick was still on the phone, arguing desperately with whoever was on the other end. "Gods' sake, don't let them walk all over you! You're the the manager, you gotta act like it!" Cade tilted his head, interest piqued by the conversation. Nick sighed as his client on the other end continued. "Yeah, sure. Good night, Reggie." Hanging up, Nick pocketed his phone and let out the most exhausted exhale of his life. He padded back to Cade, Flissa, and Jordana.

"Sorry 'bout that, Cade. Had to put out some fires for my clients."

Jordana spoke out of turn, worry overtaking her, "Oh no, are they firing Reggie?"

Nick waved his paws. "No no, don't... ugh, don't send that kind of energy out, it's hard enough on them as is."

"What's going on?" Cade asked. "I get that it's work drama, but—"

The fennec groaned. "You don't wanna hear about this kind of bullshit on your big day, Cade. I barely wanna talk about it while I'm supposed to be wrap partying."

"No no, I wanna know. I kinda have experience in..." Cade stopped himself, realizing he was playing into a side of him he thought he had put to bed: the business shark in him.

It made sense that Cade became a canine considering his dad and uncle had nicknames at work: the Pitbulls— relentless hounders who never stopped barking until they got what they wanted in any transaction. And unfortunately, Cade was raised on the inter-office drama that would shove their way into dinner conversations with his dad. It didn't help that he had that ladyboss capitalist phase while he was going for his business degree. Hearing there was a business-related problem he could help with got his new tail a'wagging.

"In what?" Nick asked, breaking Cade from his thought-bubble. "Experience with prop departments?"

"Not prop departments," Cade replied. "But I have a degree in business. I could, uh, lend my expertise, I guess."

"Yo, for real?" Nick's enormous ears stood at attention, the fennec very much piqued by the proposition. "Well, I dunno if this is in your field or whatever, but as a production designer, I work extensively with a prop design factory. I like working with them, the manager is great, they usually finish their stuff on time, but... Ugh, ever since our studio's gotten big, the corporate side of the company has decided to make insane demands of our prop designers. And, no offense to the manager, they're one of my good friends, but they're just not used to getting jerked around by all these more experienced CEOs. It's like they're—"

"Too nice to be running things at this level?" Cade hated to interrupt, but his acumen told him immediately what was wrong as soon as Nick opened his mouth. Part of him was worried he was committing some kind of faux-pas by being this American and brash around his new anthro buds, but luckily he was met with an...

"Exactly!" by Nick. "They just let everyone push them to and fro. They don't demand higher pay or extra time or faster orders on materials that they know the higher-ups could afford! They're just running themselves ragged and the work is suffering as a result. I had to give extra touches of paint to the wood paneling of our farm set today, and I barely eked it in in time."

"Sounds like they need a negotiator. Or at least someone who's more of a shark."

"You want them to hire a shark?"

"Wha— Oh shit, no, not like an actual shark! It's a human saying. You want someone who attacks as soon as they smell blood in the water. It means they should be a little more active and ruthless."

"That's... kinda species-ist."

"So _that's _the word you use."

"But I get what you mean. I need to find someone who can stand up for themselves a little more."

"Exactly. And they must have a firm handshake. Half the negotiating is already decided by the handshake."

"Now _that _sounds like human bullshit."

"Oh, heh, yeah, sorry. Guess handshakes don't matter when you have scent and instinct and stuff. Don't know what came over me." Cade had to admit, he got a little rush out of being the masculine businessman his family always told him he could never be. At the same time, however, his falling back into this persona worried him. He thought he had sworn off that side of himself. Could it be the testosterone getting to his head? And how was he even able to generate testosterone when he had a boyclit?

"Don't apologize, man," Nick replied. "You definitely sound more at home with this stuff than I do. In fact..." The fennec's maw curled into a smirk as ideas swam in his brain. "What if you were hired as a consultant for the company? Make sure your degree doesn't go to waste, and help a struggling business all at once."

The proposal set Cade aback. "I just got here and you're already offering me a job??"

"Well, how long are you intending on staying here? You'll have to earn your keep sooner or later."

"But I haven't really made use of my business degree for years. I kinda switched to something more academic for my Master's. I dunno if I can go back to it."

"C'mooon, it's just a consultant position. You give advice, you teach my buddy Reggie about business instincts, you earn a cut. That shouldn't be hard for someone of your expertise, right?"

Cade bit his lower lip, riddled with anxiety at the prospect of being incentivized to fall back on old habits. Did he dare indulge in his business side just as he was beginning a new life? To be fair, whether he liked it or not, it was a part of him. If this was to be his new home, he'd need to contribute and earn a living somehow. As progressive as this world was compared to human society, it seemed to still be plagued with a lot of the same issues any capitalist democracy had. What if he could actually use his decades of immersion in the world of corporate espionage and ratfuckery for good instead of evil?

"I... suppose I could give it a shot," Cade finally responded. Nick's ears lifted at the confirmation. Flissa and Jordana seemed stunned as well that their new ex-human friend had already gotten a job in the anthro world so quickly. Nick held his paw out once more, ready to see if Cade's human sentiment about handshakes held up to his standards. Cade smiled and responded with a firm grip, a steady shake, and winning confidence.

If only you could see me now, Dad and Unc, Cade thought in the back of his mind. Hope this makes you roll in your future graves.

---

As Nick and Cade went deep into discussion about their coming venture, Hunter and Cassidy had emerged from the restroom, blending into the background as they quietly made their way to the bar. Cassidy clenched a fist for herself, still rather nervous about finally confronting her father face-to-face. The cow girl took deep breaths to steel her nerves, rubbing the hoofcaps of her fingertips together to distract from the anxiety.

Jeremiah and Rudd were sitting at the bar again, mired in deep conversation as they drank every non-alcoholic drink they had available. They turned to find Cassidy finally approaching, Hunter in tow. Jeremiah's ears drooped, realizing she was finally ready to talk to him... realizing he'd have another chance to disappoint her. Rudd sensed his discomfort and placed a paw on his shoulder, offering him as much support as Hunter had to Cassidy.

"You got this," the rottweiler reminded him. "You can be yourself around her, don't worry." Jeremiah bellowed in annoyance. He hated to be the one being lectured, but he knew Rudd had a point. If he didn't talk to her now, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

The bull nodded and finally stood from his bar stool as Rudd stepped away to give him privacy. Cassidy stopped mere inches away from her imposing herdfather, stoically peering upwards at his tall frame. Hunter and Rudd watched from a safe distance, hoping to see if their respective friends would finally put aside their baggage for a chance at mending their relationship. After a moment of awkward silence, Jeremiah was the first to crack...

"Y'know," the bull started, "They interviewed me at Hunter's first premiere. You could've known ahead of time I was the one that cast you."

Cassidy scoffed playfully, "I ain't an industry insider. How'm I s'ppose to know who owns what studio?"

"Well, that's something you'll need to work on if you wanna make it in this town."

"Oh brother, I come over to talk nice wit' ya and you jus' make it 'bout business again."

Rudd and Hunter smiled in the distance, happy to see they were at least comfortable enough to joke with each other.

Jeremiah snorted, "Hmph, so you don't want your father's advice, I see."

"Daddy, I got eight herdmothers back home I can go to for advice."

"Point made... How are they doing, by the way?"

"Aw, you know how it is. Momma Daisy's got a new elk boyfriend, Momma Corrin still managin' the dress shop, Kathy 'n Rosa're still takin' care of the new calves—"

"New calves?"

"Oh right. They din't tell you... I got a stepdaddy now. His name's Jim 'n he's nice. Bred Momma Pauline good... Only got to know my new baby brother 'n sister fer a month 'fore I left fer Groveside."

Jeremiah remained stoic as ever at this new information. Of course, Cassidy was able to see right through it – the pain he kept hidden away. It was actually kinda sweet how much of a brave face he would always put on, she realized.

"That's... wonderful," Stud's voice shook. "Nice to hear they finally gave birth to a boy. I'm sure your sisters were thrilled."

"They were! In fact..." Cassidy pulled her phone out of her purse, already scrolling through her gallery. "Momma Charlene jus' sent me pics. They're two years old now! Look!"

Jeremiah leaned in for a better look at her phone screen. The calves looked adorable, healthy... and stunningly bereft of any of his features. Reminders of how he had failed his herd. At least they would have a better father...

Fuck. It finally happened. The bull let out a stream of tears, bellowing to himself. Seeing him this vulnerable and soft nearly broke Cassidy in half.

"Aww, daddy," his daughter whimpered, embracing him with a gentle hug. They stayed that way for what felt like an eternal catharsis, crying on each other's shoulders like father and daughter should. It took the intrusive sound of a neighing horse man to snap them out of their moment. "Y'wanna get outta here?" she asked. "We can graze in the park, jus' the two of us?"

"Y-Yeah..." the bull replied, forgoing his trademark stubbornness in favor of something softer. They both turned to find the neigh had come from Debra the zebra cameragirl, who was receiving a light fingering from Oma the non-binary cameramonkey. Jeremiah snorted at the sight. "Yeah, let's go. I'm not in the mood for... that, right now."

"Hah, I feel ya. Besides, I got the numbers of every cow extra I worked with, I can call 'em up for a good rut whenever I want."

"Hey, I hired those sweet cows, thank your father for hooking you up."

"Ugh, daddy, gross!"

"What?! You brought it up!"

Laughing together, the father-daughter duo clopped out of the bar and into the night, both beaming with the potential of reconnection. Hunter and Rudd watched them go, like parents seeing off their kids on the first day of school. After a long, grueling day, the two anthros felt a wave of relief knowing they'd get to repair their broken family, one step at a time.

"Wow," was all Rudd could say. "In all the years I've known him, I never thought I'd see Stud cry like that."

"It's nice to know he's a real softie under all that muscle," Hunter chimed, slumping into the bar stool and groaning with exhaustion.

Rudd smiled and sat in the stool beside her, resting his head on his paw and staring into Hunter's caramel bovine eyes. "Tough day, huh."

"It was a fucking roller coaster. I found out my ex's partner was an abusive shitbag, told her my most closely guarded secret, introduced her to all of you guys, partially mended a family feud, shot an entire-ass porno, then found my ex turned into a coyote male while I was off at work... I could really go for a drink, right now."

"I hear you. I'm sure it doesn't compare, but try being your boss's emotional support dog for a day."

"Heh, you know emotional support dogs are a thing where I'm from, right?"

"No kidding." Rudd snapped his fingers to get the bull bartender's attention. He turned back to Hunter, "What's your favorite liquor, sweetheart?"

"Gathering data for our date next week, arentcha."

"You didn't answer the question."

"Hmm... I never really got to drink anything fancier than beer... What's the fanciest, smoothest thing I can get now that I'm a big star?"

"Well, let's see..." The rottweiler gestured to the bartender. The Holstein bull knew right away when a fellow male was trying to rizz up a beautiful female. Without any hesitation, the bartender brought as many bottles as he could from the big drink rack on the wall onto the counter, allowing the rich canine to handle them how he wished.

"You've got bourbon whiskey right here," Rudd started, holding a sleek, rectangular glass bottle while turning on his smoothest salesman voice. "This is my personal favorite. A Montblanc Labrador '89 with notes of hickory and apple. Goes down smooth yet packs a wallop at the end."

Hunter moaned, both deeply relaxed by his smooth, deep voice, and turned on by the clear implication of foreplay hidden in his tone. "Mmm, sounds wonderful."

"Oh yeah... But, you're a very bubbly and, dare I say, fruity person when you want to be." He held up a skinnier bottle, clouded and translucent with a pink coloring. "Might I suggest a peach rum, guaranteed to instill in you the warmth of an island sunset."

"Wow, I never would have figured you for a drink nerd."

"But you're also the toughest human I know," Rudd continued, not missing a beat as he held up another clear bottle. "And only the toughest mammals could knock down a Ruskayan vodka like ice water. For the mightiest bears and huskies braving the snowy mountains of Volskr, this baby will light a fire in your chest and get your fur to stand on end."

"Okay, now I'm convinced you're making half this shit up."

"Oh yeah?" he teased, before sliding a dark brown bottle to her side. "Why don't you give it a shot, then, Miss Actress Extraordinaire."

"You're on, buckaroo." Hunter clasped the mysterious bottle and chugged a mighty swig.

"Don't worry, it's on my tab," Rudd made sure to inform the bartender as he watched the little cow down the hooch. Hunter set the bottle back down, squinting her face like she'd just eaten a whole lemon. But, ever the trooper, she shrugged it off with a heavy exhale. Rudd smiled at his human star. She sure was game for anything, and that's what made her great.

"Okay, sooo, what the fuck is this?" Hunter asked, already slurring some of her words.

The bartender couldn't help but butt in to answer, "That was imported Los Drogos tequila, 90 bucks a bottle."

Hunter coughed at the price reveal. "Jesus fucking Christ, I thought this was supposed to be a dive."

"Us hoofed folk are discerning drinkers, Miss Prey. Don't forget that while you're one of us."

"Heh, I take it you're a fan?"

The bull winked and went back to cleaning shot glasses. Hunter turned back to Rudd, ready to play ball. "Okay, so..." Like a switch in her mind, she turned on a fake infomercial smile and laid on the sickly sweet charm extra thick. "The Los Drogos is a fine Mexican tequila, usually served with a wedge of lime to activate its complex flavor profile. Using fresh coconut shavings from local palm trees, this Central American masterpiece has been brewed for centuries by the Michoacán dynasty known as the Vargas family, whose recipe has been passed on from generation to generation under utmost secrecy. Each sip transports you to the streets of Guadalajara, where the people are bustling and the women are beautiful." She tipped back another swig, already high off the over-the-top character she was embodying. "Ahhh. Taste that? That's the taste of, uh..."

The cow swayed in her seat, feeling the effects of the expensive liquor already. Losing her charm streak, she resorted to reading the back of the bottle for a list of ingredients. "Uhh... agave nectar? What— is that what tequila is made of?"

Rudd laughed and clapped in response. "Before you ate it at the end, you were really selling me."

"Thank youuuu," she mooed, curtsying and bowing like a proper player. "Now you drink. I refuse to be this drunk by myself."

"Fair enough." After pouring himself a shot of tequila, he held the glass in his paw, raising it up for a toast. "Cheers. To Cade, Cassidy, and Jer, all finding themselves in this bitch of a world."

"Amen." Hunter bellowed after filling up her own shot glass, clinking it against Rudd's before joining him in a coincided swig. The alcohol went to work loosening their nerves, breaking down the defensive barriers that kept them from pouncing on each other like horny ferals. They could see the lust in each other's eyes, both ready to start a rut in the middle of the bar.

It was fitting, then, that the sounds of an orgy starting to their right interrupted them. Looking to the crowd, they found the crew had already begun to get close. Very close. With Debra and Oma starting things off, the flame of lust had spread through the whole Ruttweiler crew, until everyone was beginning to moan, growl, and feel each other up. The only two people who hadn't begun rubbing against the crowd were Cade and Jonah.

Cade simply wasn't used to such a public display of group affection. Even with all he'd seen of the anthro world, it was still a shock to his human-raised system to watch a full-on orgy commence in a public bar. His heart raced, instincts telling him to join the party, while his human rationale kept blocking him, still finding the whole practice strange. Jonah padded up to him sensing the hesitation in his new mate.

"What's wrong, babe?" Jonah growled lustfully.

"Nothing! I just..." The coyote scratched his furred elbow, hating to feel so out of place in his new home. "I've, uh, never really been part of an orgy. Not even as a human."

"All the more reason to get started now," the African wild dog cooed, leaning in to nibble at Cade's neck, causing an involuntary moan from the coyote.

"Grr— Well... What if I bring the mood down? I'm not a virgin or anything, but I hardly know what I'm doing."

"Mmm, Cade there is no 'knowing'. Just follow your instincts. What do they have to say?"

Proceeding to reach his paw down the coyote's pants, Jonah caressed Cade until he too was moaning and growling like a feral, activating his inner animal. It was enough to dull the logic part of his brain, allowing id and instinct to take over. The thrum of pleasure took over each segment of his nervous system one at a time, the canine now whimpering like a little puppy.

Hunter watched them from the bar, a pang of conflict filling her bovine heart. It was her first time seeing Cade fully embrace the pleasures of this world, taking in the very power that had made Hunter what she was now. It was both exhilarating to witness... as well as strange, for reasons she could not fully articulate.

Cade proceeded to turn around and kiss his mate, flat tongues dancing within each other's connected muzzles. The sight caused something to ache in Hunter. She had no idea why. Of course she was happy for him. He was no longer under the oppressive thumb of his family, free and uninhibited in a new body that matched his inner identity. It was all so beautiful to watch and yet Hunter couldn't fully celebrate it.

Rudd could see the conflict in her face, plain as day. "What's wrong, Hun?" the rottweiler asked, concerned.

Hunter rubbed a tear from her eye before turning to her own canine mate. "Nothing just... It's strange watching your ex with someone else."

"Still have feelings for him?"

"No, no, nothing like that!... If anything, he and Jonah feel right for each other. Perfect, really. Better than when we were together, at least." A tinge of sadness hit Hunter's tone, bringing her to reach for another bottle to take a depression-addled swig. Rudd could sadly relate all too well with seeing their ex be happy with someone else.

"I get it, Hun. Pardon me for asking something potentially untoward, but... Were you hoping to repair your relationship with him by taking him here?"

"No... I don't know... But that's not what's really bothering me."

"Oh. Can you tell me? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Well, it's just..." Hunter paused, lost in her gaze of Cade and Jonah's lovemaking. The way Cade's new tail wagged, his ashen fur brushed against Jonah's, how his paw had already begun ripping open Jonah's jeans to grab the bulb of his knot.

They parted from their kiss to lean their mouths to each other's ears, nuzzling and licking one another in the process.

"I heard you talking with Nick back there," Jonah whispered in Cade's ear. Hunter's own bovine ear flicked. It may not have been canine, but her cow ears were big enough to catch Jonah's words if she focused hard enough, which she had been. "I can't believe you already got a job offer here."

"Hehe, me neither," Cade giggled. "All thanks to you. You really helped me... mfff, fit in~" The two canines ground their groins against one another. Jonah smiled.

"Grr, see? You're getting the hang of it."

"Gods, fuck," Cade whimpered, making a conscious effort to say 'gods' instead of the more human-oriented 'god'. Something about hearing that out of her ex sent Hunter's heart racing. "It's all happening so fast. I feel..." Cade hesitated, almost afraid to even admit it. "I feel like... This is who I was always meant to be."

Hunter gasped to herself.

"Ahh fuck," Jonah responded, getting turned on by how much he had changed this human into his proper mate. "Don't ever go back, Cade. You're my mate. You're a coyote through and through."

Cade barked softly. "Rrrff, fuck yes! I've... I've always been a mutt deep down!"

Tears welled within Hunter's eyes, brand new emotions ripping and roiling through her.

Jonah began thrusting into Cade's boycunt, filling him with his knot once more. "That's right. You're a good little mutt! And I've already claimed you!"

"Aroo! Arf! Arf! Keep knotting me! I'm... I'm never going back! I wanna be a mutt forever!"

And just as Cade was filled with overwhelming ecstasy, Hunter was instead overcome with the deepest sadness she had ever felt.

She needed to throw up, and it wasn't just because of the booze. Covering her maw, Hunter quickly got up and clopped out of the bar, hiding her tears all the while and leaving Rudd at the counter.

"Hunter! What's wrong?" Worried for her, Rudd got up and followed her outside, pushing past his orgied up crew members to reach the exit door.

Outside, he found Hunter crying to herself on the sidewalk. It was so sudden and inexplicable to the rottweiler. Hunter had never been a crier, no matter what gender or species she had been. If anything, she had always been the shoulder to cry on. For Rudd, for Cassidy, for Jordana, and many others. It hurt seeing that she too held a pain she had shouldered by herself, only manifesting during what should've been a celebratory moment.

"Hunter..." He started softly, not wanting to startle her. "I hate seeing you like this. Tell me what's going on."

Hunter sniffled, feeling ashamed for crying over something she knew didn't deserve it. "I'm fucking scum," she bellowed.

"You're not scum. Not if I have anything to say about it. Now what's going on? I'm worried."

Hunter tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as best as she could, as well as the snot around her large snout. "I'm scum because I'm a bad friend. I should feel nothing but j-joy for Cade but I'm just... I'm angry. And sad. And jealous. And I'm a terrible person."

"Well I won't be able to agree with you or not until you explain it like I'm a cub."

Hunter groaned, knowing full well he was right, even while she dreaded admitting it to anyone, let alone her closest mate. "I guess I feel... less special now. Like I'm the old hotness and he's the new ex-human everyone's fascinated by."

"Understandable."

"It gets worse..." Hunter gulped, priming herself. "I meant what I said about being jealous... I get transformed so many times not feeling that, like, indescribable one-ness with your species that Julie and Allison got. Cade and all my other ex-human friends get transformed the one time and feel they have found their spirit animal. I mean, what the fuck am I doing wrong? I know his parents sucked and it was an all-around miserable life, but Cade was still born with every privilege available to him! How does he right away become the coyote he's always been meant to be while I'm still here... rudderless! Like, what the _fuck _am I doing wrong!"

"Whoa whoa, one thing at a time," Rudd barked, "Do you... hate having to transform this many times?"

"No! Of course not! Hell, I didn't even think about it until Cade comes in immediately being comfortable in his new skin! Meanwhile, I turn into a rabbit— I don't feel like a permanent rabbit. I turn into a bear— I'm not a bear. I become a snow leopard— I love it, but it doesn't feel right-right. Hell, I don't even know what right-right feels like, except I'd know it when I feel it, right??

"And even if I do find that permanent species to stay as, I can't just stay that way fully, Not while I got an obligation to keep churning out smut for the company. Not while I'm trying to complete my degree! And now I can't even commiserate with Cade while I'm in the human world! I'm practically all alone there now! How the fuck am I gonna get through this shit without my ex-girlfriend turned best friend to be there with me! Or without you there by my side!"

Hunter began to panic just going through all the ramifications, the pace of her speech hastening into a manic rant. "I'm fucked! Cade continues to have shit handed to him on a silver platter and I just gotta grin and bear it or I'm an asshole and a bitch and I just—"

Before she could spiral further, Clive lunged in to wrap his arms around Hunter, embracing her in a soft, gentle hug from behind. Hunter breathed for the first time in what felt like hours. Something about the rotty's heartbeat thump against her hide... it ripped her from her downward spiral. Back to reality. Back home.

"Hunter... I'm really sorry. I can't help but feel this is partly my fault."

"No, no, Clive, it's not—"

"As soon as you find that form, the one that speaks to you... I'll stop filming you. I promise. We got enough money and residuals from what we've made. I just... want you to be happy. To be yourself."

More tears welled from her large, bovine eyes. How was she so lucky to have found a mate like Clive. "Ugh, I'm so sorry Clive. I don't know what came over me."

"No it's... I didn't realize we were stretching you so thin."

"Of course you weren't. I just get... frustrated with Cade sometimes. I get that he wasn't privileged in getting a loving family or being born in the correct gender, but I feel myself get... I dunno, downplayed around him. Like I'm so lucky to be poor but with parents who loved me. Like, shit was tough for me too! In ways he'll never fathom with his history of wealth and opportunities... But now I feel bad about it because he was right. About everything. His evil parents, his shitty circumstances. A lot of it actually was worse than mine. And now he gets to be a coyote forever, rutting and having fun, while I still gotta divide my time, my responsibilities, my family promises..."

Clive whined in solidarity for his mate. All these months of confiding in her, he didn't realize just how hard she had it. "You'll get your happy ending. I believe in you. You're the hardest working, most talented person I've ever met, human or otherwise. When it happens, it'll be well-deserved, and you'll get to live out your anthro days with all your friends. Cade included."

Hunter smiled. She couldn't help but always feel better in Clive's arms. "You included, Clive," she reminded him. His ears perked up at the mention of his name. His true name. "Don't you forget it, Caldwell. I... I..."

Oh fuck. Am I finally gonna admit it??

"I could... see myself being your mate... Your lifelong mate. Like Cade and Jonah are looking like now."

"You... really...?"

"Well, let's wait for our first date before committing," she said with the first gasp of brevity in what felt like ages. "We need to, hehe, feel each other out a bit more."

"Hmph, I'm more than happy to feel you out." Clive groped her bovine ass, clinging to her flesh with his claws. Hunter gasped with delight. Fuck, he always knew how to get her wild.

"Ohh, fuck... Wait, Clive—" He dutifully loosened his grip. "There's something else. Something I've been denying. And I can't no longer, now that Cade's his true self. And I think I also hated how he forced me to confront it."

"Confront what?"

"Ugh, let's face it, Clive. It's no secret that I feel a sisterhood with the girls here. Doe, Julie, Kiera, Cassidy, Jordana, all of them, practically... I can't pretend any longer." Clive's ears raised, already feeling what she was going to say next...

"I... I think I like myself better when I'm... a woman."

She hesitated for a moment. Clive kept his gaze on her, a gaze welling with support and love. It made Hunter's heart soar. "I mean, it's not like I've ever dealt with much dysphoria as a kid. And it's not like I hate being a dude either. But I do feel more, well, myself when I'm female. When I'm just another girl with my fellow sisters."

Hunter waited for a response, any response from Clive. He finally responded with a chuckle. "Well, it's funny you say that. I, uh... Like you more as a girl too. Not that I don't dislike your male forms. I just... I, uh..."

"Wanna properly breed me?" Hunter let slip in her sultriest voice. It sent Clive's tail wagging. "We haven't even had our first proper date and you're already thinking of filling me with pups."

"I think our shoots are plenty intimate There's a certain closeness you get from a porn shoot that you won't get from even twenty dates."

"Aw, so you think you already know me?"

"I mean, how many times did we fuck during mating season?"

"Point taken." Finally, Hunter rested her muzzle on Clive's shoulder. "Thanks. I feel less sad now."

"Hey, you gotta feel a little sad every now and then."

"I guess so... No, yeah, definitely. My mind is... clearer now. In fact, I think I know what I gotta do." She took a deep breath, realizing she'd be saying it out loud for the first time. "I won't be able to stand the human world without bringing a little of myself from here over there... I'm gonna transition there. Medically. I don't care if it affects the films, makes it worse that I'm no longer a boring human template. I'm gonna try to embrace my feminine side as much as I can and see where it takes me."

"I'll be right by your side," Clive responded confidently. "And if Stud or any other producers or investors raise a stink about it, I'll advocate for you. Not that I think that'll happen. We're always into the, uh, less boring option."

"Hehe... Thanks Clive. I..."

Unable to say what words couldn't, she simply leaned in to kiss him as passionately as possible. Their muzzles locked in, caressing one another with each other's wet, rubbery, feral lips. Slobber and drool and pure lust were exchanged through their maws. If only things could stay this way all the time...

Clive finally parted lips with her's, "Let's take this back inside and join the fun. Don't wanna keep all this horny to ourselves. Gotta save it for our date, after all."

"Heh, you read my mind, Clive. In fact... are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Fuck you in front of Cade and Jonah? I'm way ahead of ya."

"Mooo, good little horndog~" She petted his head, scratching behind his ears with her hooflike nails. His tongue lolled happily.

"Let's show everyone why you're the hottest star in Groveside."

"And why you're the greatest director of premium-grade smut in the industry."

Wrapping her hoofed legs around his waist, Hunter clung to Clive as he carried her bovine ass back into the bar.

---

"AROOOO! KNOT ME, JONAH! FUCKING KNOT ME!"

"RUFF! GRRRUFF!!"

"Hehe, look at Cade go, Kiera! He's really loving that knot!"

"I mean, you were just as ravenous when I transformed you, Jules."

"Girls, pipe down. I'm trying to finger you both with my hoofcaps."

"Oooh yeah, harder, Doe~ Right there!"

It wasn't just Julie, Kiera, Doe, Cade, and Jonah that were enjoying each other's bodies. The whole Ruttweiler crew was caught up in yet another of their wrap party orgies, reveling in one another's fuzzy, feathered, and scaled bodies. For the newly inducted Cade, this was as far outside his usual norm as he'd ever experienced. For the dutifully smutty crew of Ruttweiler Studios, it was just another shoot day.

Cade felt his fuzzy body push and press against the other writhing pelts around him as he was bounced up and down on Jonah's knot. It was an all new sensation for him, something he'd never experienced even as a human. The fact that he was sharing his pleasure around others, giving them a window into his most vulnerable state, added an entirely new dimension to lovemaking. Instinct told him there was an element of braggadocio to this facet of anthro rutting, almost a competition to prove who's the most ravenous lover, or the most submissive pleasurer, of the whole bunch.

Subconsciously, he couldn't help but put extra oomph into his barks and growls, an added layer of performance when found in a collective rut. It felt strangely necessary to show off to the others how much he loved his new body, to show them all what they were missing. And then there was the smell. All those distinct musks mixing into a communal soup, driving his instincts wild... It didn't matter if Cade was never an exhibitionist as a human, he wanted to spread his legs, lift his tail, and let anyone in the vicinity breed into him.

Nick stumbled out of a licking session with Dale the giraffe and lied beside Cade. "Oh shit," the fennec mumbled. "This is your first group rut. Congrats, man."

"RRFF! A LITTLE! ARF! PREOCCUPIED! GRRRRR!!" It was all Cade could muster while being pounded by his mate.

Jonah looked up at the production designer lying beside them. "Heh, sorry. It's his first time." He looked back down at Cade, slowing his thrusts for but a moment. "Cade, this is your first proper anthro orgy. The — rrf! — sky's the limit. So many types of bodies and dicks and pussies you can try."

"Fffuck.... And you won't be mad at me?"

"Aww, your humans standards are so cute. Don't worry. You've got my full consent. This is the buffet, pup. You're here to have your fill."

"Yeah, pup," Nick growled, before sitting up and facing the rest of his friends and crew members. "Hey! This is New Guy's first orgy! Y'all gotta make it a memorable one!"

And just like that, everyone's heads perked up, turning to face the rutting canines on the floor. Cade's ears folded back upon seeing their hungry visages, viewing him like a slab of fuckable meat... which he very much was.

Doe was the first to move toward him, unlatching her fingers from Kiera and Julie's pussies so she could crawl toward the coyote. "Looks like it's your special day, Cade. Don't look nervous, hun. We gotta welcome you to our fold, y'know." Cade licked his lips nervously, both curious and anxious about the prospect. Doe leaned in to whisper into his pointed ear, "You can't do better than me, hot stuff. I'm a fellow intersex mammal and the most famous porn star that isn't your ex. C'mon, cutie, let me rock your world like I rocked Hunter's."

Cade's fur bristled at the proposal. He had just seen one of her films earlier, watched her change her ex into a horny bunny, and now here she was offering her frankly magnificent body to him, free of charge and with a copacetic from his new mate. He'd be stupid not to accept.

When in furryworld, do as the furries do, I suppose...

All he did was a single nod before he was lifted up by Jonah. Cade clung to his waist with his hind legs as he was brought to an upright orientation. It was then that he realized his ass was out in the open now. Turning around, he saw everyone's hungry, drooling maws and their equally leaky cocks and pussies dripping below. They all wanted a turn at his muttbutt.

Of course, they all parted to give Doe a wide berth. Cade's eyes widened at the display. To call Doe's member magnificent would be a supreme understatement. Its length and girth were less like a fleshy cock and more like a stone pillar, a massive column of support and strength. And the tip was positively drooling with pre, eager to get in there and fill the mutt before her.

All of Cade's reservations lifted upon seeing it. How could he not accept this luscious tool in any capacity? His tail lifted automatically, like a white flag hailing total surrender.

Doe immediately rammed her cervine dick into his ass, spreading his hole apart with her uncompromising mass. A high pitched whimper escaped Cade's throat, utterly filled in both ends. How could he possibly have thought to deny this pleasure??

"RRRFFFUUUUHUUUUUCKKKK!" Cade howled to the ceiling, overcome with electric, soul-rejuvenating feeling. Doe proceeded to nuzzle him with her antlers, applying pressure in all the best ways.

All of a sudden, a new sensation hit his leg. Looking down, he found Julie licking all over his fur with that sandpaper tongue of her's. He'd been licked by cats before back home, but never in this sexual context, and never while he was sporting a fur coat of his own. 'Sublime' would be too soft a word to describe how it felt on his pelt.

Immediately, Doe shot her cervine load into the newly made mutt's ass. Cum leaked from his cheeks and began to seep into the bar floor, leaving him panting and drooling. Yet he was far from finished, and the deer knew that instinctively. "Who's up next?" Doe asked her fellow crew members as she slipped her cock out of his hole. Everyone fought for a go at the new ex-human, ready to give him the pounding of his life.

Gator twins Mila & Gayle stepped up to the plate, teaming up to push everyone else away and get the second go. "Heh," Mila scoffed. "Bet you humans don't got anything this good..." The girls proceeded to navigate their dexterous, scaly tails directly into his ass.

Cade practically roared from the sensation. The slippery smoothness of their scales contrasted sharply with the rough bumps that made up the tail's spine. The coyote's tail lashed like a worm as their reptilian appendages wriggled in his ass, fucking him six ways from Sunday.

"Look at 'im," Gayle said to her sister. "Moaning like a bitch, already."

"That's a human, alright," Mila teased along with her. "They must be the worst lays over there 'cause I'm not even putting any effort."

"Ohh fuckkk!!" Cade howled, unable to call-out back at them. He doubted there was anything in the human world that could match what he was experiencing now.

Content to just tease him, the two gators slipped their tails out, leaving the coyote's hole open for another challenger. Cade whimpered, priming himself for another dose of indescribable pleasure, even as he was already bouncing on Jonah's knot.

Of course, not even the good folks at Ruttweiler were primed for the next contender, one who wasn't even part of the Ruttweiler crew. He was one of the bartenders, an enormously built bull covered head to toe in black fur. The bovine held his massive 12-incher in his hand, leaving a trail of pre down his wake.

"Name's' Paolo. Heard through the grapevine you're one of them ex-humans," the bull said with a full-on cowboy dialect, a lit cigar firmly pursed in the side of his muzzle. His deep, hickory-smoked voice sent shivers through Cade's tail. "Don't know if that's true or not, but you certainly look new to these parts... Either way, you're gonna love gettin' a load of me."

It almost didn't fit when he slammed the rock-hard member in. Cade was a trooper, however, and wouldn't just allow this bull to waste his time. With what little practice he had with Jonah's knot in the shower earlier, Cade loosened and spread open his sphincter muscles as wide as possible, allowing Paolo to squeeze himself inside.

The bull's dick was so tall, so massive, that Jonah had to stand on a chair to keep his own knot at level with Cade's cunt. The mutt was practically being lifted up to the ceiling by their sturdy cocks, held up like a skewer of meat. From up on his perch of cocks, he was treated to an all-encompassing view of the orgy that had taken over the bar, bodies connected through cocks and tongues and muzzles in a writhing sea of sex. By that point, he had already cum twice in a row, but he knew he wasn't done. He needed more. More to make up for his years and years of being a chaste, tight human.

It was then that the sound of the entrance door slamming open made him turn his head. It was Hunter, and she was being rutted in a very similar position by Rudd Wyler. It was one thing to sense their sensual and romantic connection, it was another to bear witness with his own eyes. The way Rudd knotted her, the way Hunter clung to his pelt like she couldn't share him with anyone else... They were more than just mates, that much was clear.

And Cade was more than just fine with it— if anything, it made him unbelievably happy. That they both managed to find better people after their rough break-up was worth celebrating, even without the anthro twist. She already had a glow about her post-transformation, but it had only brightened further while in Rudd's arms. To think that they both found new partners in this animal world... and that if they wanted, they were still allowed to fuck each other on the side.

The thought got Cade's tail wagging. Hunter must've been fucked every which way by now, having spent longer here amongst the anthros. He had to wonder now, just what kind of tricks had she learned now that mating was her job.

Cade moaned as he felt another surge of cum fill his ass. The bull behind him finally pulled his meaty member out little by little, allowing Cade to be lowered back down. Jonah, panting from the extraneous effort he had to pull, gently set Cade back down and proceeded to rut him normally on the floor. The coyote turned to find the same had happened to Hunter, who now lied right beside him as Rudd mated with her as well.

Their eyes met, both of them pinned by the new men in their lives, both transformed from who they were that morning. It was strange. If you'd ask him yesterday, Cade would tell you there was nothing attractive about an anthropomorphic animal. Now, however, he had to admit how beautiful Hunter's bovine eyes were, how large and beady they looked in the warm light of the bar.

"Th... Thank you, Hunter," Cade whimpered as he was plowed by his mate. "For bringing me here. For making me... unnnfffff..."

Hunter bellowed in approval. "Moooo... You're welcome, Cade... I'm so happy you get to be... be... Ahhhnn, fuuuuck!"

The two found themselves in a different kind of sync, both being rocked back and forth by their canine lovers' meat sticks, bouncing to the same rhythm. Weirdly enough, it was the closest they've been in ages.

Rudd and Jonah shared glances as well. Without either of them noticing, they were perfect parallels to Hunter and Cade, the two canines having been exes who had both found human lovers to call their mates. They couldn't help but be proud of each other as well.

"Congrats on your new mate, Jo," grunted Rudd. He proceeded to snarl as he felt himself edging toward release.

"Thanks, Rudd," Jonah whined. "You should come by sometime. We, rrf, can share him."

"Fuck yeah. And I can... grrrrgh... Arrrrrrrrroooo!"

Both canines could feel it coming, their libidos practically syncing up as one. Hunter and Cade looked back up at their mates, ready to take their loads in, ready to accept each other's places in this world.

"AAAHHHHNN FUCKKKKK!!!"

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"AROOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

"ARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The four lovers melted, exploding in a collective orgasm to end all orgasms. Rudd and Jonah collapsed atop their mates, licking them sweetly as they all came down from their highs. Hunter and Cade caressed them with their paws, legs squirming as rivulets of cum leaked from their pussies... Then they turned to one another. They could see how they had both been marked as part of this new world.

A strange thought managed to hit both their heads simultaneously. The two ex-humans opened their mouths and wound up expressing this thought in unison:

"Kiss me..."

From below their mates, the two leaned their muzzles out to share an amorous, sloppy kiss— the first they had shared since the day before they broke up.

Rudd and Jonah saw them desperately reaching for each other's tongues. The canines smiled at one another, both being treated to a show. Not doing anything to stop their make-out session, the two dogs climbed up, releasing their deflated knots, and allowed them to crawl closer to one another. Hunter and Cade laid side by side, lost in each other's muzzles as they both reached down to finger each other's pussies.

"Rrrf," Cade growled. "How do you like having one of these, Hunter?" he teased, referring to her new vagina.

Hunter moaned with each stroke of his clawed, padded digit. "I love it... How do you like having one of these?" She reached over to pull his tail.

"ARF!" Cade barked to the ether, followed by a soft whimper. They returned to wrapping their tongues together while fingering each other's vents.

Rudd and Jonah shared smug glances as they enjoyed the show. The rottweiler was the first to speak up, "Be honest... is he better than me?"

Jonah laughed. "You couldn't be more different. If he ever grows a knot, we'll see... And Hunter? Better than me?"

"By a thousand."

"Heh, guess I can't compete with someone who gets to be all species... That is, until she finally stops and picks a lane."

Rudd scoffed, "Not for a while, my man... But a rottweiler can dream."

Jonah smiled, able to sense the romantic longing lurking within the director. He'd always known Rudd to be a softie, dating back to their film school days. Gods, it really has been a whirlwind since they were first dormmates. From casual fuckbuddies to popular filmmakers. The African wild dog had a feeling his friend would stick with Hunter to the end. Now it was just a matter of whether he and Cade were meant to be. He was certainly different from all his other casual mates...

Perhaps that's why he felt that they'd be more than casual as time went on. He couldn't wait to spend another day with his new mate by his side. It was all he could think about as he watched the coyote writhe under Hunter's influence. Jonah found himself rubbing his knot again, waiting for Hunter to be done so he could have another go.