# Searching for Galahad Part Six Author: JinyaKat Tags: Conventions, Gray Wolf, M/F, Romance, Tigress   Tobias pulled out his cell phone the moment he passed the ballroom doorway.  With the press of the crowd at the elevator, he hoped he'd have enough to time grab a blanket from the  dealer's room and make it to the garden before Yoshi made her way down.   "Yo, Tob," Paul drawled, sounded like he'd already had a few drinks in his system.  "How's the dancing?"   "It's great, man. I'm actually stopping by  the booth for a blanket, then ah...I'm meeting Yoshi in the garden.."   Paul was quiet a moment, then chuckled.  "You big bad wolf, you!  Don't you worry, I'll keep Cicero as far from the garden as possible."   "You're a pal, man.  Where are you guys anyway?"   "The hotel bar.  She's knocking back a few and hell, doesn't even seen that you're on her mind.  She's hit on just about anything that smells male. Hold on.." he paused again and grumble.  "Shit, she's on the run, gotta dash and bring her back, but don't worry, okay?"   Tobias frowned.  The mere thought of drunken Cicero loose at the con did not bode well.  "If you can't catch her, call me, okay?"   "Sure, sure!" Paul hung up quickly just as elevator doors opened, giving him enough time to slip inside with the other furs.  As much as he would have hated to do it, he still considered the vixen friend enough to keep her from embarrassing herself.       Yoshi made herself wait, dancing with Scotty and Bebe a few times before making her leave.  The elevators remained crowded, but she couldn't wait a moment longer.  As she turned tail to try the stairwell, the memory of seven years ago hit her hard, doubled by the promise she made to not be left alone.  The terror welled up, fresh as if the assault happened yesterday.  What awaited her beyond that door?   Pressing her paws together and taking a deep breath, Yoshi calmed herself.  She was 19 now, not a helpless cub.  What happened in the past would never happen again, she told herself.  She was now more than capable of defending herself.   Yoshi then let her arms drop to her sides, gathering her skirts, and started moving.  Past the stairwell door and down, down, down, as fast as her feet would carry her, quieting the little voices inside her that demanded she pay attention to the fear.   Much to her suprise, the path was not as empty as she thought.  Other attendees also used the stairwell to get around in singles, twos and threes.  Most smiled and nodded as she passed, others simply carried on with their business.  Not a signle one stopped her for anything.  She felt a great deal safer, the voices silent, and a big smile splitting her face.   One kind security staff member opened the lobby level door for her, and while she did smile and thank him, she was too excited to really look at him at all.  Same with anyone she passed on her way to the garden.  She couldn't wait to tell Tobias about this; he'd be so proud.       It was hell getting down to the lobby via the elevator.  The car stopped at nearly every floor, furs getting on and off.  The anticipation made Tobias growl in impatience.  Finally! He grumbled once he set paw on the correct level, making a beeline for the dealer's room.  It would be guarded well through the night, and no one would be able to enter the front main door at all, and not into the back entrance without a dealer's badge.  Even after the trip he just took, he hoped like crazy the blanket he thought was still at the Swain's booth was still there.   He made it to the back entrance and promptly froze.  Laying on the ground was Randall, one of his drinking buddies from the tavern.  The gray raccoon wasn't moving even after Tobias called his name.  Behind him, the door was still ajar, and another body lay beyond it.     Paul, slowly stirring. "...fuck...Cicero.." he mumbled, rubbing his head.   "Paul!" Tobias checked Randall for vital signs, remembering some medical training from his days on security.  Thank goodness the raccoon was still breathing. "What the hell happened?"   The Labrador held his head as he sat up.  "Fuck, she heard the whole conversation and ran in here...I followed her, but she decked me with whatever the fuck she was holding.  Shit, I'm bleeding!  Where's Randall?"   Randall's forehead had a goose egg on it as well, slowly bleeding.  Tobias ripped a piece of his own sleeve off to press against it.  "Paul, can you see alright?"  He couldn't get close enough to check his friend for a concussion and try to help Randall at the same time.     He scanned for the raccoon's radio, unhooked it and slid it over to him. Paul crawled past the door, holding his head and now the radio.  "It's a bit blurry, but yeah I can see.  Tob, you've gotta go after Cicero.  She's gone nuts!"   "That's what I'm going to do.  Here, hold this to Randall's forehead and radio Jason.  I gotta get to the garden!"     If the vixen was crazed enough to attack a friend, God only know what she may do if Yoshi got down there before he did.  With Paul's nod of agreement, Tobias took off towards the main lobby, praying he wasn't too late already.     The garden was lit by a series of ground light along the path, set several feet apart.  They gave just enough light to see where one was going, if one where mostly dineral.  Yoshi's feline eyes didn't need them that much to guide her to the tree.   Someone was already there, sitting at the root of the tree, curling up into a ball.  Yoshi's ears picked up sobbing, and her nose detected a vulpine scent mixed with alcohol.   "Excuse me?" she asked, approaching slowly.  "Are you alright?"   The body moved, turning around and revealing a very rumpled and diselved Cicero.  She wasn't even wearing her signature overpowering perfume, her eyes bloodshot and full of hate.   "What a stupid question.  Do I look alright, you twit?  You've ruined everything!"   The once proud vixen was trembling in the grass, holding one arm behind her and wiping tears from her eyes with the other.  She looked so pathetic that Yoshi felt a bit guilty.    "I'm so sorry."   "Sorry?  You're sorry?  Sorry doesn't undo all my work to get Tobias back!  I've nearly had him with me,but you just had to come flouncing about.  Why didn't you listen to me??  Why didn't you stay away?  HE'S MINE!"   Cicero rose, bringing a arm around and slashing up at Yoshi with a dagger in her paw.  Yoshi managed to leap away, barely getting her bearings before Cicero launched again.  A moment of calm washed over her and she snapped into a stance, arms up.   With barely a thought, she brought down both arms to block the Cicero's arm, bringing the right arm up to strike at the vixen's neck.  Bringing the left paw over, Yoshi quickly bashed the palm heel into her muzzle, moving her body to the right, ending with a strong uppercut to Cicero's ribs.   The vixen was on the ground, holding her stomach and face before Yoshi could resume proper stance once more.  Four yeas of kenpo, at her parents' insistence, and she'd never had to use it until now.  It was then she noticed the crowd gathered around them.  Jason and Tobias were part of the group.   "She attacked 'be!" Cicero cried out, covering her bloodied muzzle.  "You all saw it!!"   Yoshi's body was struggling for breath in the corset.  Chest breathing with a 20 inch waist and physical exertion never mixed well.  In lieu of explaining herself verbally, she pointed to the dropped weapon.   Tobias rushed to her side, supporting her and quickly yanking the lacings loose so she could breathe.  "We know Yoshi.  She's already attacked Paul and Randall before getting here."   "What?" Yoshi panted, looking at the dagger.  There was no blood on the blade itself.   "I didn't want them hurt too badly," Cicero hissed.  "I only used the hilt.  Not my fault they were in my way."   Jason reached down to life Cicero onto her feet.  "You've attacked three furs, including a RenCon staff member, and you admit it without remorse.  I think you know what this means, don't you?"   Cicero's angry face fell.  "You can't be serious.  You're not going to have me arrested, are you?" She turned to Tobias, trying to fight the bull's stronger grip.  "Tobias, please, don't let them do this to me!  I did this all for you!  You'd be nothing without me!  You'll never get a single contract again, I'll make sure of it!"   Paul approached the group with his head bandaged, snorting.  "Actually, once word gets around about this, 'Cici', you're name is gonna me jack and shit.  Tobias is a smart guy, he doesn't need your crap to get business.  And who do you think runs the numbers while you're off scaring every female that looks at him twice?  Me!"   Tobias smiled gratefully, seeing his friend upright.  "How's Randall?"   "He came to before the paramedics arrived.  They think he's gonna be fine."   "And the police are waiting," Jason added, lifting a struggling, cursing, sobbing Cicero over his shoulder and carrying her away.   Yoshi held her loosened dress to her chest, flexing her sore paws and  turning to Tobias, who took her by the shoulders, pride shinning in his eyes.    "Looks like you didn't need a hero this time around.  I'm so proud of you, Yoshi, and I want to thank you."   "Thank me?"   "I would have put up with that for another couple of years if you didn't come along and give me something worth having.  If anything, you've rescued me this time, my lovely heroine."   The tigress blushed brightly.  "But, was she right?  Can she ruin you?"   "Hell no," Paul answered for him. "All Tobias here ever had to do was believe in himself.  He's got way too many people depending on his swords to listen to anything 'Cici' has to say."   Two grey furred arms surrounded her, Tobias' muzzle nuzzled her.  "God, I was so worried about you. I want to make up for this, Yoshi."   "You have a hotel room, right?" she smiled softly, tipping up to kiss him.   "...not in that dress you don't!" Bebe's voice rung loud and clear as she, Scotty and Mae stormed into the garden proper.  "And we're expecting a full explanation, young lady!" Source: https://sofurry.com/s/r17jWY0n