FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It felt like a flat tire. He didn't need Amber to cry out in alarm and mash her paws to the dashboard to know what was about to happen next. The Honda Civic fishtailed twice and the other three good tires grabbed on to gravel and asphalt chunks as it fought to keep from careening over the guardrail. David Benson tromped the brake pedal one more time, and the car scraped against metal, spraying sparks and bits of paint through the open window and into Amber's face.

"David! Stop!" The tigress screamed and shielded her eyes.

The tiger grit his teeth, clutching the wheel like death, and finally did as his wife asked. He opened his eyes slowly and looked over at the tigress still trembling. "You okay?"

Amber waited for her heart to come out of her throat and nodded. "I think so." She poked her head out the window and grimaced. "The car, not so much. Oh David...our vacation..."

The tiger hopped out of the car. "Hey, we're still on it, dear. This is just a temporary setback, that's all." He wiped sweat from his eyes as he sighed, surveying the damage. "Albeit an expensive one."

Amber crawled over the driver's side and stumbled out, still a bit dizzy. David quickly encircled her waist with an arm and kissed her cheek gently. "Got your cellphone handy?"

She reached into faded jeans and brought it out. "But there's no service on it. Remember, we tried a few miles earlier?"

"Oh, that's just great. The rental didn't come with a tracker either." He kicked at a stone and then looked around them for the first time. As far as he could see, they were the only signs of breathing life. The deserted road stretched out endlessly into the horizon either way. The guardrail did nothing more than protect a babbling stream underneath the tiny overpass, and surrounding it were several small trees and shrubs. In all directions, there was nothing but flatlands of yellow and green grass.

"Well, I can change the tire, I guess and...no...no, that fender's ruined, it'll rub and we'll be flat again in no time." Now David sounded frustrated to Amber, and the tigress purred and nuzzled his neck. He smiled and looked into her sparkling violet eyes. She'd been by his side 10 happy, wonderful years so far, since they graduated high school together, through college and beyond. There was something about the white tigress he admired the most - she made everything seem okay. With her near him, anything could happen, and if it was something unpleasant, her unquestioning love for him made it pleasant somehow. She was his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.

Amber burrowed her nose against his neck and now it tickled him. "We'll be fine. We just need to get some water out, walk down this road, and wait for a car to come by."

David grinned in spite of the situation. "I suppose. I mean, this is a main road, and we're not that far from Juniper. Ought to be some cars coming around eventually."

"Or we pick up a cellular signal again and call Roadside Assistance. They tow us back, we contact the rental service, they arrange for another car, and we're on our way again."

David chuckled and wrapped his arms around the tiger, holding her close to him to kiss passionately. That was Amber. She knew how to process things quickly, and reach logical answers every time. One of so many things he deeply loved about her. "Done. You win, pussycat..." His paws roamed over her back and down to her butt to squeeze firmly, causing her tail to whip.

"Daviiiiid,"Amber giggled and pulled away from him, licking her lips. "Let's get to the hotel first, then play."

The tiger blushed. "I'm still wound up after the blow-job."

Amber snickered. "Well, you asked for it." She took a step near him and rubbed slowly over the front of his khaki shorts, where a good-sized erection had sprouted. "Are you still horny, baby?" It was a whisper, but in the stillness of the world around them, it seemed much louder.

David smiled and unzipped his shorts, pulled down his briefs just a bit, and allowed the tigress a view.

Amber cooed over his length, knelt in front of him, and took the hard flesh in both her paws. Soon her tongue was touching him sinfully, and then she was taking him into her mouth to suck and pull, and then in no time she was atop of him, riding him slowly in the hard gravel until both reached wonderful orgasms. The whole time, not a car drove past to interrupt their bliss.

"You know," Amber panted as they leaned against one another. "We should really...figure out what to do...about the car now..."

David grinned and nuzzled the tigress fondly. "No signal yet?"

"None. I told you, we're too far away from anything. I think we should follow this road, though it's going to get dark in the next hour or two." She looked at her cellphone. "It's five now. At best, maybe two hour or so of sunlight. Let's start hiking, I guess."

David nodded. She was right. She usually was. "Okay, you grab the water bottles, I'll lock up." He smiled and squeezed her paw before letting her go. "You owe me..."

She laughed as she opened the trunk. "Don't even start, pussycat."

David was about to counter with a suitable pet name, when a soft glint of light captured his attention, and he noticed not too far away, perhaps a few miles in the distance past the fields, one large house, the size of a small mansion. "Hey, Am?" He pointed. "Want to try that place? Probably has a phone."

She turned and looked, squinting her eyes against the sunlight. "Looks pretty far. What if no one's home? We'll walk all that way and get stuck in the dark."

"They might have Wifi though. We could connect then and get help."

Amber sighed and then nodded. "Alright, I suppose if there's one house out here, there's others."

David locked up the car. "Now you're talking. Maybe they'll have food too." He gallantly offered his arm to her. "Shall we be off into the wilds, m'lady?"

The tigress giggled and took his arm, coming close to kiss. "When we get to the hotel, you are all mine for three days." She blushed and gently touched her stomach. "We'll probably give her a playmate in no time."

David beamed proudly. "You're only a few months pregnant. I'm surprised you're so horny."

Amber laughed as they walked across the road and headed into the large field. "I'm horny twenty-four-seven when it comes to you. You gave me a really good fuck at our prom, and we've been inseparable since. Almost literally."

"Oh, you only love me for the sex, huh?"

She smiled softly. "No. I love you for you..."

They stopped to kiss again, a passionate, lingering tongue-dance, then breathlessly pulled away again. "Come on," David chuckled, tugging at her. "Let's find a phone before we conceive our next cub right here in this field."

**

It was nearly an hour later before the two could see the building much more up close. It appeared to be a large, three story grey-brick Tudor, a rare style for this neck of the woods, David thought. It had a thatched red-orange roof, with deep red shingles. Across the front, a large white and gold awning spread out an immense shadow across the front porch, which spanned the entire length of the house. The front porch had several setees, chairs, and small tables lined with checkered cloths. As they drew nearer to the house, they could see a large plaque beside a huge oakwood door lined with large brass knockers. It said "Welcome to The Glenmont".

"David!" Amber squealed and took his paw excitedly. "This might be one of those old-fashioned bed and breakfast places!"

"But I don't remember this being on the map," he replied, looking over the building curiously. "And I thought you had your heart set on a five-star hotel in Juniper?"

The tigress snorted. "Oh, bother the hotel. This could be so much more romantic. Let's at least see if they have a room for us? Please?"

He looked into her fabulous violet eyes. "Fiiiiine." He snickered and let her lead him by the paw up the creaking wood steps to the door, and she politely tried the knockers. "Maybe they're not open?" He remarked after a full minute had gone by with no answer.

Amber stepped off the porch and walked around the side. "David, look. There's cars here." She saw at least ten of them arranged in a huge dirt lot in the back, a few brand-spanking new, and others that seemed to have come from the 1940s and earlier.

"Well, I'll try the door again." David went to the knockers and banged them louder, then put his ear to the door. "I hear...something..."

Footsteps sounded from inside and David drew back as the door opened outwards, and a harried, elderly black jaguar poked his head out. "Can I help ya?" he said with a frown, and the sunlight cast a baleful shine on rectangular steel spectacles framing deep blue eyes.

Amber joined David on the porch, arm in arm. "Hi!" she said brightly. "We're...well, this will sound crazy but...we broke down about a mile or so away from here, out on Cheshire? At first we wanted to know if we could use your phone but...well..." She looked at David fondly. "We'd really love a room here, just for the night?"

The jaguar seemed to weigh each word carefully. "Sorry, ma'am. That jus' ain't possible t'nite. Booked up full, we are."

Amber sighed her disappointment and David asked, "Well, do you think we could use your phone or something to call and get Roadside Assistance out here?"

"Ain't got a phone, son, I'm sorry to say."

"Well, Wifi then?"

The jaguar chuckled. "Ain't got that either."

David was getting impatient. "Well, you can see we're in real trouble here, what exactly can you offer to do?"

Amber gently touched David's arm, trying to soothe. "Sir, we're really tired and hungry, and our car is way out there, and we're on our first real vacation, and..." She blushed. "I'm pregnant."

Something flickered in the jaguar's eyes for a second, then resignedly he held the door open for the two. "Ya'll can come in for a moment whilst I speak to my wife. Maybe we can help."

They stepped inside to a warm fireplace crackling embers along one wall, while the rest were covered with tapestries, paintings, and shelves holding knickknacks and trinkets. Next to a spiral, wood staircase was a large desk and plenty of comfortable red-plush chairs. Seated in two of them was an elderly lion and lioness, side by side, dressed in fancy attire, he in a blue silk suit, and she in a matching blue lace dress. The couple looked incredulously at David and Amber as the jaguar led them over to the desk and thumped the silver bell.

"She'll be along in a minute. Ya'll wait here." He then went upstairs.

The elderly couple's stare became uncomfortable, and when Amber hugged herself, David reacted. "You two okay over there?" he asked a little unkindly to the couple.

The lion and lioness looked at each other, then back at David. "Just surprised to see you here," the lion said smoothly, "We weren't expecting too many other guests to the Glenmont this late."

David glanced at his cellphone and saw it was after sundown. Now he was doubly worried about having to meander through the surrounding woods after dark. He hoped the establishment's owners would be kind enough to offer them a lift to the next town. "We were stranded about a mile from here and came in to get some help."

The lion's eyes widened. "You're not one of the regulars then?"

"Well, no. This is our first time here," Amber replied, leaning against David. She couldn't stop shivering.

"Best you not stay then. This is our last night at the Glenmont. It's closing up for good. We're all here to give her a proper send-off. Invitation only, you know."

David shrugged. "Well, we'll get out of everyone's fur once we get a ride."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and a kindly, elderly calico cat, looking resplendent in a blue and white checkered frock, padded down and approached them. "My husband informs me we have two little lost cats..." She smiled at them, beautiful hazel eyes shining over her spectacles. "What are your names, my dears?"

Amber blushed prettily and held out her paw. "Amber Benson, and this is my husband, David."

"So young..." the Calico chuckled, shaking it twice and letting go. "Why, you both hardly look a day over twenty."

The tigress giggled. "Thank you. W-we've actually been married ten years now." She reached for David's paw and squeezed it.

"And a little one on the way, I'm told?"

Amber patted her stomach, looking sheepish. She didn't need to say a word. She was positively glowing. David spoke up, "We really don't want to trouble you, ma'am. We'd just love it if someone could drive us to the next town and-"

"Oh nono, that would never do," the Calico smiled and took Amber's paw again. "Please stay as my personal guests."

"Jasmine?" the old jaguar called out from the top of the steps. "A word?"

His wife pursed her lips and walked back towards the steps. For a moment, David and Amber saw the two whispering excitedly, gesticulating, and pointing, then they both walked solemnly to the couple. "I'm sorry, you two," the male jaguar spoke hoarsely, "I'm afraid we can't keep you here. This is our last night here at the Glenmont and we aimed to invite only those who wanted to share the evening with us."

Amber looked askance. "But why can't we share it with you? At least for the night, and in the morning we can be on our way again. It'll be light out at least."

David remarked, "It doesn't really seem like an unfair request to just let us stay til sun-up. If you can't take us to town, I understand, but don't make us walk out there alone, with no idea where we're headed."

"Well, you're actually not far from Fallow. That'd be the next town over, about five miles or so." Jasmine looked at her husband, who flushed noticeably. "But it wouldn't do you none right to have you trek across the field with your baby on the way, now would it, Gerald?"

The old jaguar sighed and shook his head. "I reckon we can find a room for them, but what do we do after midnight? All our plans?"

Jasmine gave him a coy smile. "Well, we'll just have to postpone a few hours." She then quickly explained to the couple. "You see, my dears, tomorrow the Glenmont belongs to First Fidelity Bank, lock, stock, and barrel, after 150 years of service, from the time his and my family first opened up during the Furry Civil War on up to today, it's been a part of our family's and..." She reached for Gerald's paw. "A part of our hearts as well. We're not quite sure when the bank will come tomorrow and evict us all, so we've been trying to keep the place open just one more night, for some of the older couples who stayed in her all these years, at one time or another."

Amber was touched. "That's so sweet. And...I'm really sorry for your having to leave. Isn't there anything you can do?"

Gerald finally smiled, though it was grim. "Oh, we got plans. We got one more celebration in mind before the bankers come. We're gonna have one really unforgettable night." He turned and went over to the counter, pawing through a set of keys. "There's a room upstairs. We was gonna save it for another couple, but I suppose they changed their minds about comin'."

"Thank you so much, Mister-"

"Just Gerald will do, ma'am." He gave David the room key. "No charge for the night, obviously."

"We could give you a little-"

"Don't have no need for money, miss," Jasmine interjected softly. "Now, you two go on up and get comfy. I'll put a fire on, and make us all some dinner."

David and Amber looked at each other and smiled. "This is really kind of you both," the tiger said, hugging his wife against him.

"Damned right it's kind," the elderly lion from before stood up along with his wife. "You won't meet two more wonderful people in the whole world. Name's Alfred and this is my wife, Tina. We come here every year, and have done so for close to sixty."

Tina chuckled and leaned against him. "Ever since our honeymoon."

"Ayup," the lion purred and nuzzled her cheek. "Been quite a life together." He looked sad for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Hate to see the Glenmont go. When Gerald told us what was amiss, and his idea to hold one more night for all the couples, we were raring."

A few more footsteps could be heard and David and Amber watched four more feline couples walking gingerly down the steps, all looking in their 70s or 80s, dressed in upper-class attire, silk suits, chiffon dresses, ties, hats, and bonnets. Gerald introduced them all to David and Amber, using first names only.

"Ya'll aren't staying then?" Michael, a bright white panther, asked curiously.

David shook his head and explained their car situation. "Just for the night, then we'll hopefully be on our way in the morning, and maybe get a ride into the next town."

Michael looked hard at them for some time. "Yeah, maybe you will. I'm sure someone'll take you." He looked at his wife, a beautiful striped Bengal tigress, and grinned. "Imogene and I have been coming here, damn, fifty-eight years or so, right?"

She laughed. "Yes."

Amber asked, with a knowing smile. "Let me guess. Since your honeymoon?"

"Why yes, it was," the tigress replied, and her grey eyes twinkled merrily. "We came here that one night. We'd gotten lost."

"Only because I let you drive," Michael snickered.

"Shush. We got lost and Gerald and Jasmine opened up their place to us."

"And several months later-"

"I had beautiful kittens," she giggled softly. "Three of them. We conceived here and it's just been a magical place for us ever since."

"For us as well," a gentlemanly Siamese cat named Samuel broke in, holding a lovely lady cat's paw. "Our first summer after college, we came here. I proposed to Taylor, and she accepted." The lady blushed hard and closed her eyes. "We've been together since."

The other two couples were Jason and Harriet, two tigers, and George and Lucinda, a beautiful pair of spotted cheetahs. They too regaled David and Amber with tales of first loves, conceiving, and seemingly magical lives ever since. "We owe it all to the Glenmont," Jason smiled softly. "When Gerald and Jasmine told us their troubles, and the celebration they had planned, we were committed to the cause." The other couples nodded solemnly. "One last night for the Glenmont. For all of us to share..."

A few of the ladies' eyes started to tear up and Harriet looked suddenly quite worried.

"Anyway, to better days ahead," Jason grinned and patted Gerald's back. "I believe you were about to make some dinner for us, old cat."

The jaguar chuckled. "It's a comin'. Why don't you all have yourselves a seat. David, Amber, ya'll get on upstairs and get settled. Room's number 207, down the hall. Already made up. I'll ring when the food's on."

The young tigers looked at one another than nodded to everyone before heading upstairs. They did not notice the elderly group staring at them intently the whole time.

**

In the room, David checked the bathroom first and found sweet-smelling linens and soaps ready for use. Amber came up behind him and put her arms around his stomach, nuzzling his neck, and looking at their reflection in a mirror above a cream porcelain sink.

"Mmm," she purred, "It smells wonderful in here, doesn't it?" Her paws began to wander, tracing down his pants and stroking his groin, and was pleased to see him come immediately to attention. "Like lilacs, lavender, mm, and some honeysuckle too. They sure know how to combine fragrances." She giggled and nipped at his ear. "Making me horny."

David chuckled and turned his head to kiss her softly. "I'm glad we have a place to stay. The thought of you out there, cold, lost..." He took her paw and held it to his muzzle to kiss, brushing his whiskers across the claws. "I just don't want to ever see you in distress, kitten."

She blushed and licked his forehead. "Just wait 'til I'm a little further along, and the baby is juuuust about ready to come. You'll really see me in distress then."

The tiger laughed. "Wanna bet? I'm staying in the waiting room."

"David!" The tigress made a swipe for his cheek he easily dodged "You helped me make this, you're staying for the presentation!" She laughed as her husband took her into his arms and kissed her deeply. The two stood by the mirror, trading passionate kisses and licks, purring loudly, until her paws came back against to his pants, unzipping them.

"Dinner soon..." David mumbled between kisses, but his erection leaped out, full and ready.

"I know..." Amber whispered, grasping around his length. "There's time..." She looked into his eyes, smiled, and tugged slowly on his hardness, pulling at the thick knob with careful digits. "I love you..."

The tiger grinned and began undressing her, until they were both naked and warm, pressed against one another in the bathroom, kissing hard, stroking dust-covered fur, their purrs as loud as thunder. Amber pulled away playfully and padded into the shower, with David right behind her. In no time, the warm, silky water soaked them head to toes, and they took turns bathing one another. While the tigress gave loving, exceptional care to his member, David lavished her breasts with lather and licks, until she was near-crazed for his lust. Carefully, he snugged his member between her asscheeks, and then slowly pushed forward, filling her sex eagerly until she could take no more. She cried out softly and braced the shower wall, holding still as her mate made love to her, then joined him in ecstasy as their orgasms combined, dribbling their juices to the tub floor.

He stood breathless against her, heart beating wildly, his paws still wrapped around her breasts. "Oh...my God...kitten..." he whimpered and shook all over. "That was so hot...I..I can't remember cumming so much...before..."

Amber glanced down at the tiger-cum still painted over her thighs and blushed. "It's like...you're trying to make another...cub already." She looked over her shoulder. "I...I felt...so much cum in me...Ohh..." He started to move against her once more, and she held still, closing her eyes and becoming lost once more in the throes of passion.

**

By the time the tigers came down dressed for dinner, everyone was already seated. "Ah, there you two are," Jason the tiger welcomed them both and pointed to a seat. "We were starting to wonder if you two would ever come."

Amber blushed furiously as David nosed her cheek, then giggled. "Oh yes, we came." She looked sidelong and noticed her husband was still sporting a hefty erection under his pants. She licked her lips a few times, smiling seductively, and led him by the paw to two available chairs near the end of the large banquet table. "We just...needed to clean up a bit. All the dirt from walking."

"Oh ayup, a good shower does wonders." Alfred, the lion, looked lovingly at Tina. "Got the best water here too. Comes straight from the ground, fresh from the tap over yonder from the river. Comes in here. Even tastes great."

Tina chuckled, adjusting her glasses. "Could hardly get us out of the tub that first night. And there was folks waiting too."

Amber bit her lip. "We're sorry, w-we didn't realize someone else might need-"

"Oh not another word, young lady," Jasmine shushed her. "Ya'll are welcome to as long a shower as ya need. 'Sides, tomorrow, it won't make a lick of difference." She turned behind her and brought out a tray of small glasses filled with red wine. She then passed them all around, and then got a second tray with two more glasses from a nearby credenza and handed them to Amber and David. "I'd like that we start off with a toast..." she said solemnly and when all eyes were upon her, she then smiled and looked down at Gerald with love. "To the last night of the Glenmont."

Everyone murmured soft agreement. Gerald then stood up and wrapped an arm around the lovely jaguar. "I'm pleased to have ya'll here, celebrating this occasion with us. Even our new folks..." He grinned and tipped his glass to the young tigers. "It's been...aw hell, I'm bad at speechin'." There was quiet laughter and he smiled brightly, a smile that could have lit up the whole dining room. To David, he seemed much younger again. "What I wanna say is...it's been a long time since we opened this place, and opened our hearts to everyone around us. In turn, ya'll opened your hearts, and found the ones you'll always love."

The couples around the table blushed and became sheepish, and a few shared tender kisses and nuzzlings. David noticed one of the couples, the Siamese cats, Samuel and Taylor, was looking at each other and shedding unashamed tears.

"I guess it's hard for all of us to accept what's happened and move on," Gerald continued, and his voice trembled. "But...I-I'm glad to know...we ain't movin' on alone..." Jasmine sniffled and wiped her eyes, nodding. "God be with us."

There were no smiles as everyone, even David and Amber, raised their glasses to him and gulped down their wine. Jasmine then got up and collected the glasses before returning to the kitchen, where the fresh smells of crab and crayfish were succulent and mouth-watering. Gerald good-naturedly teased after his wife about the glasses, offering to break each one, and she laughed delightedly. As dinner was served, conversation drifted between reminiscing and recollections, and current events and lives spent through it all. Amber and David mostly smiled and listened, holding paws, though the two nodded off every so often. When the last of the dishes were cleared, Gerald asked for silence as he stood up again.

"It's...close to nine-o-clock. We have a few hours afore midnight to tend to things and...well, each other..." Gerald snickered and the group tittered softly. "I'd suggest we all get to our rooms and prepare. And them two sleepyheads over there..." He laughed and pointed to David and Amber, who quickly straightened up in their chairs, looking embarrassed. "Probably'd like to get some shut-eye."

The couples chuckled, smiling warmly to the pair, and David saw brilliant affection in their eyes. For a moment, he felt he and Amber were among friends they'd known for years and years.

"Why don't you two head on up? We'll..." He looked at everyone around the table. "We'll try to keep it down tonight."

David helped Amber up from her seat as the tigress seemed a little woozy, and politely nodded and waved to everyone. "It was really nice meeting all of you. Maybe tomorrow morning, if we can get a ride, I'll happily treat us all to a nice breakfast. I'd really like to see you all again." And he meant it. The elderly felines were so kind and loving, filled with laughter and love, even in the twilight of their lives.

Everyone seemed to hesitate from answering. Finally George, the cheetah, did. "That's right neighborly of you, son," he swallowed hard, and his eyes were misty. "We'd be right honored..."

Tight hugs and a few wet cheek-kisses were exchanged. David yawned and stretched, taking Amber's paw and leading her to the stairway. "Goodnight then..."

Michael the panther smiled brightly as they went upstairs, and he too had tears in his eyes. "Goodbye, son..."

**

No sooner had the door closed behind them that Amber was tugging David to her, kissing him deeply, already moving to undo his pants and pull down his briefs. In another moment, she was mounting him against the door, wrapping her legs around him tightly while the tiger cupped her asscheeks and supported her body as it rocked and swayed and bounced. Slowly he moved them towards the bed and dropped down upon it, still thrusting his enormous, slick member into her steadily. When he came the first time, it was like lightning, and she mewled in pleasure as his thick tiger cum filled her to the point of leaking from around her folds.

"I...I think we...just made...another cub..." David said between gasps.

Amber smiled up at him and then rolled him over until he was on his back. Then she straddled his waist, removing her shirt and bra, becoming naked for him, her white fur almost shining, her eyes like purple pools in the glowing moonlight. In time, they made love again, with Amber riding him to several waves of climaxes. When she grabbed his chest fur for one more hard orgasm, she noticed his eyes were closed. She giggled and pulled herself slowly off his soaked member, laying down next to him in the dark and sleepily tugging off the rest of his clothes to blindly toss into a corner of the room.

"David?" Amber's voice came to him as he drifted off. "I'm so sleepy but...I'm...a little horny still..." She purred and stroked a footpaw against his leg. "This bed is....amazing, the sheets so soft, these pillows..."

"I know," the tiger answered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can see why a lot of cats stay here. And..." he looked into her eyes. "And fall in love, and have cubs..."

Amber's eyes closed. "Mmhmm...and more cubs..." She bit her lip, looking at him steadily. "W-we'll need to maybe stop at a doctor, just to see how I'm doing?"

David smiled, his eyes still closed. "Done. Let's...go to sleep..."

"I'm... I'm so...happy...David..."

"I love you..."

"I love you too, David...forever..."

They both drifted off to sleep to the most lucid dreams and fantasies they had ever known.

**

"Hell of a thing..." "I just can't believe it..." "You reckon they know anything?" "Look, doctor, we just want-"

Voices. They were all around him. He tried to come back to consciousness but it seemed to take forever for the voices to became hazy, smoking figures dancing, as if caught between the shadows and sunlight. A strange light suddenly shone down on him and at last he opened his eyes slowly.

"He's comin' around..." "Oh thank God." "Can you hear us?"

"Wh-where am I?" David's voice croaked out, arid and gravelly.

"Rest easy, son," an elderly grey panther dressed in a white smock and jacket sat down next to him. "You've been out two days."

David slowly sat up in the bed. "A-Amber? Amber? Where's my wife?!"

The panther stayed him, laying a paw on his shoulder. "She's just fine. The baby's fine. Ya'll are alright." He pointed over to a bed next to his, where Amber slept peacefully "Gave us all a bit of a shock though. 'Specially after what happened."

A nurse moved in just then with some milk and a protein bar. "Here, Mr. Benson. This'll get you a little more energy." She frowned at the doctor and then left.

"What are we...what are we doing here?" David asked as he took a quick swig.

The doctor waited for the tiger to take a few bites of food. "Well, young cat, that I was kinda hopin' you could tell me. All we know is, police found you both out on the road, maybe five, six miles from here, alone in your car, naked, cold, shivering like the dickens and unconscious. Which was rather strange' cuz yer clothes was in the back seat, neatly laid out. Ya'll weren't responding to any stimuli, so an ambulance took ya'll out here to Fallow Medical. Ran some tests, just to make sure there was no shock or hypothermia. But ya'll are fine." He paused, then looked curiously at him. "Damned if we couldn't wake either of you up though. We wouldna found you at all 'cept we had the news teams and fire and rescue down there all day. They happened to see your car by chopper."

David nodded, still bewildered. "But...we were someplace else. Um..." He searched his cloudy memory for the name, but it simply wasn't coming. "Yes, my wife and I. We got stranded. I remember now. W-We..." He closed his eyes, trying to remember. "Flat...tire, and...I-I can't remember anything after that-"

"I'm guessin' as amorous as you both was, you decided to have a kanoodling and probably blacked out. Wait here, please." The panther got up stiffly and went over to a counter in the other room. When he came back, he had a piece of paper in his paws. "Police outside wanna know if you recognize any of these names." He handed him the paper.

David looked at the spiky, handwritten list, worn and almost tattered. Gerald and Jasmine Higgins. Alfred and Tina Buress. Michael and Imogene Garrith. Samuel and Taylor Shinta. Jason and Harriet Roth. George and Lucinda Brown. He looked long and hard at the names and then handed the paper back to the doctor, shaking his head. "No, not at all. I'm sorry...who are they?"

The doctor nodded, as if coming to a conclusion, and stood up again. "Not important. Alright, well, ya'll just rest for a while, get some more sleep, and we'll bring some dinner in for you tonight. We'll have ya'll on your way again in the morning."

"But what happened-" David started to interject.

"Nothing bad. Just a small fire out at the Glenmont." The doctor arched a brow. "Heard of the place?"

David looked puzzled. "No, I haven't."

"Well, go on back to sleep, okay?" He smiled and nodded to the tiger kindly then left the room. Out in the hallway, a few plainclothes police officers were waiting. "So he's awake?" one asked as the panther emerged.

"Awake, ayup, but not sure he's gonna be much help. He can't seem to remember a thing what happened." The doctor sighed and folded his arms. "They've both been through a lot."

"Dr. Forest, we got a truckload of felines that have been through a lot as well, and we don't have the slightest idea what the hell to tell them." He paused and glanced inside the room cautiously. "Do you think they had anything to do with the fire?"

"I doubt it strongly. There's no puff of smoke on either of their furs, no smell of accelerants, nothin' to suggest there were anywhere near the blaze. My guess is, it's just coincidence. You said ya'll found 'em wrapped up around each other like they'd just been making love in their car, right? About a mile away?"

The officer smirked. "That doesn't mean they weren't involved somehow. Maybe they get off on arson, and had sex to culminate things."

The panther snorted. "I find that crazy. You're just reachin' now."

"Goddammit," the other officer spoke up. "What the hell are we supposed to do? We have no answers right now, and we've got the fucking press breathing down our necks to get them. Now you tell me, doctor, how the fuck do 12 felines disappear without a trace? Felines that for the most part could barely walk more than 50 feet without stumbling? Dammit, they've been over every scrap of wood, every ember, ever god-damned brick and there's no sign of any of them!" He stabbed a paw to the door. "Those two are the only ones who were in the area for miles!"

"Lower your voices, please." Dr. Forest led the two officers away quietly. "Look...I understand what ya'll are dealin' with and damned if I'm not completely puzzled meself." He looked distant for a moment. "Met my wife while stayin' at the Glenmont. It's always been a wonderful, magical place for lovers." He sighed and waved the two off. "Officers, I got other cats to see. I'm gonna guess here and now, if'n you want answers, you ain't gonna find 'em here."

He came back into the room briefly and saw Amber was awake, looking with concern at the sleeping tiger nearby. "He's fine, Mrs. Benson, if'n you're wonderin'."

She smiled gratefully. "I thought he might be. What happened?"

The doctor laid his paw over hers. "Ya'll know anything about the Glenmont Bed & Breakfast?"

Amber blinked a few times. "Not at all. Why? Is it local?"

"A few miles, give or take. The Glenmont burnt to the ground two days ago. It was a hell of a thing. Flames were seen for miles around. And there were all these cars around it, and they all went up like firecrackers, so it made it hard to get trucks in. By the time they could do anything, the building was gone."

Amber gasped and brought a paw to her mouth. "Oh my God, that's awful." She took his paw tightly. "Was anyone hurt?"

The panther's smile quivered, but only for a moment. "No casualties. Everyone was pretty lucky. They're all...safe and sound... with the ones who love them. And always will."

Amber looked relieved. "Oh, I'm so glad..."

Dr. Forest got back up and grinned. "It's nearly dinnertime. How about I get you some soup and sandwiches, and in the morning ya'll can leave, okay? I gather ya'll both want to get back to your vacation."

Amber nodded. "More than you know..." She looked over at her husband in the other bed. "May I stay with him?"

The panther chuckled. "Don't see why not. But no kitty-business."

The tigress got up slowly from the bed, wearing only a small robe, and nodded. "Oh, of course..." She padded to David's side and slid in under the covers. In less than a moment, she was fast asleep, curled up around her mate lovingly.

Dr. Forest grinned, watching the couple fondly, then switched off the light before leaving the happy couple alone with their dreams.

END