FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

First Awakening

"I swear, sometimes you amaze me." Cameron said as he walked along the sidewalk next to the husky, his round ears swiveling as he heard him humming a little tune.

Damien smirked, his song coming to an abrupt end. "What? He seemed nice enough, and it looked to me like he needed a friend, so I did what I did. What's so surprising about that?" His tail wagged as he thought about the panda, wondering how smooth that fur of his was, his eyes, nose, muzzle.

"What's surprising is that this guy will be your sixth attempt, and you don't even know him, let alone if he's gay or at least bi." Cameron quipped, his words stinging truth into the husky.

Damien's ears splayed on either side of his head, hating the fact that his friend was right. But he wasn't going to let that stop his upbeat attitude. "Okay, you got a point, but he has my number so that definitely means he wants to be friends."

"Which you forcibly gave," Cameron countered as they turned a corner. "And even then, who's to say that he hasn't deleted it by now?"

The husky gave a loud, pitiful whine, hoping to the gods themselves that it wasn't the case. He really liked the panda, wanting more than anything to be his pal and maybe something more if fate allowed it. However, just when he was about to give in and accept, the gears in his head slowly turned, then suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh wait," he pointed at the cat with a broad smile on his muzzle, "he'll be coming to the mall with everyone, so even if he did, I can always ask."

This seemed to give Cameron some pause as he stared with wide eyes before going back to their bored, unamused state. "Or avoid us like the plague, clinging to his brother since he seems the type to do that." He retorted once again, watching his friend's triangular ears pin down to his skull and expression quickly change into a scowl. "Hey, I'm only being realistic here."

"Tch, whatever." The husky grumbled, not wanting to say anymore on the topic, for he knew all of those scenarios could be true and did not want to add anymore onto the pile. He hated the fact that Cameron could be right, but even if that were the case, he refused to believe it.

A mutual silence fell between the two until Damien's home came into view. It was a large, white mansion of a house with a white, medium sized picket fence surrounding freshly cut grass and a variety of flowers. Connecting to the right side of it was a garage with no cars stored inside; a clear sign his parents weren't home.

He bristled at the mere thought of them, only to calm himself down a second later with a small sigh. He didn't want to bring up those feelings again, so he blocked them from his mind and climbed up the steps. Reaching the doorknob and turning it, he allowed himself and Cameron inside before closing the door shut. "And we're home."

"Huh, I'm still surprised you guys don't lock your house up in case of a robbery. I mean, there's a lot of pricey stuff in here to take" The feline spoke up, his eyes roaming around the living room.

There was no denying that, for his parents were in fact, pretty loaded thanks to their acting careers, to which they still pursued to this day. And because of this, the house was almost covered from head to toe with expensive items and furniture alike. Even the space they were standing in looked grandiose; two white leather couches on opposite ends of the wall, a glass coffee table in the middle of the floor and to complete the set, a large flat screen at the north end.

Damien snorted and stripped off the blazer and slung it over his shoulder, revealing a black tank top underneath that showed off his amazingly toned body. Soccer and going to the gym did an amazing job on his body. "Well, when you live in a neighborhood with a very low crime rate, it's alright to do that sort of thing." He replied, already having gotten past their little disagreement earlier and made his way into the hallway and down a few slight of stairs into the basement with Cameron following behind him.

Down below, there were four rooms across from one another, the first one being a gym with various machines and dumbells scattered about. The second and third rooms were for guests, but there was no actual company to stick around so they were rarely used. And finally, the game room with two comfortable looking recliners facing a flat screen mounted atop a wall with a wire hanging below it that was hooked up to a PS3.

"Every time I come here, my jealousy rises with each passing day." Cameron said as he sat down, a purr rumbling from his throat. He nuzzled his face on the furniture, being the cat that he is, all the while ignoring the snickers.

"Oh yeah, I can really see the envy." Damien rolled his eyes with a smile before going over to the console and turning it on along with the television. After grabbing the two controllers and passing one to Cameron, did he sit down as well with a relaxed sigh. "By the way, what did you mean earlier when you said that it was my sixth attempt?"

A full two minutes passed before Cameron felt satisfied and looked over toward the canine, ignoring what was on the screen for the moment with a small tilt to his head and a flick of an ear. "You don't remember anything from summer vacation?" When he received a shake of the head, his whiskers twitched and a small sigh came. "Alright then, I'll start off with an easy one...there was a pink husky at the beach wearing hot pants..."

Immediately the gears started turning in Damien's head, trying to recall the memory but it didn't take long, for his cheeks blushed. "Oh, that guy!" He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. " I came onto him, and it turned out he was straight...but I still say he's gay! You can't just wear that and claim you like girls!"

"Glad to see that jogged your brain," the feline snorted and continued, "but moving along. After that little incident, you went ahead and tried to get into a threesome with a wolf and bull at the local gym, almost landing yourself into a fistfight if I hadn't saved you."

"H-hey! They were total gay magnets, and I couldn't help but want to cop a feel. Can you blame me? They were right there, shirtless with huge bulges!" The husky wagged his tail as he recalled that memory clearly, glad to have had Cameron with him, otherwise he would have been in a hospital with broken limbs.

"...Anyway, there's that bull terrier we met at the library..."

"Who was definitely gay, wanting to have some fun. But none of that happened once you figured out he was a twenty two year old short stack. Thanks, by the way."

Cameron batted an ear. "Yeah, yeah...and last, but not least, is the boar who seemed to be very interested in you."

"I didn't hit on him first though, and the guy seemed alright...until he went into extreme details of his fantasies." The husky shivered at that encounter. He remembered them chatting about whatever came to mind, and once the topic of being bound and gagged entered the picture, that was it for him and he never looked back since. "Anyway, why bring this up? What's the point?"

Cameron sighed with a shake of his head. "My point, is that you need to not rush into things, and be more careful. Cause ya never know, I might not be there to pull you out like I've done all those other times." He placed the second controller on the ground before standing up, stretching with his paws reaching upward.

Damien's ears flipped back. "But that's haaaard!" He whined, receiving an annoyed glare in the process. "What? I can't help who I am, and besides," he suddenly got up and hugged the feline, startling him, "you love helping me out."

Cameron flushed at the sudden affection he was receiving, and for a moment, he seemed content, just staying like that. However, that was not the case as his whiskers twitched, lips quivered and long tail lashed about behind him like a whip. Magic stirred as he lifted up a paw, causing the canine to release his grip and levitate, then slammed him against the wall with a growl. "Don't...you...ever do that again." He huffed, cheeks still blushing as he made his way out to the hall. "I'm gonna take a leak, and you better have street fighter on by the time I get back!"

Damien groaned. For a moment, he saw stars before shaking his head, then pushed himself off the wall. "Man, he's strong when he's mad." He chuckled with a stretch of his arms, satisfied murrs rumbling out of his throat as the bones in his body popped here and there. "Whew, love it every time." His ears perked up suddenly from the vibration of his phone going on in his left pocket. Fishing it out, he looked across the screen and excitement filled him as he saw it was Justin, his tail wagging at incredible speeds.

~ ~ ~

Xun shoveled another pawful of popcorn into his muzzle, his attention focused on a sci-fi movie he had picked out on television in the living room after they came home and stripped down to their casual clothing. He didn't know what was going on in it, but liked it nonetheless. And although he was relaxed, his eyes kept jumping back and forth from the screen to his brother, watching him shift nervously every now and then. "Will you calm down already?" He chuckled, "you're acting like it's the end of the world or something."

"I can't!" Justin whined, picking up his phone for the fifth time, then immediately put it back down with a sigh. "Like I said, I've never really had friends before, so I don't know what to do!"

"Hmm..." Xun rubbed his chin in thought, then looked at his brother with a sly smile, "how about charming the guy? That'll solve your problem." He teased and got a strong punch to the gut for it, causing him to double over in pain and send popcorn flying to the floor. "Ack! I was just joking, you meanie!"

The young panda let out a huff, clearly not amused in the slightest as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Hmph, well it wasn't a good one." He remarked, then sighed, unfurling his arms, "but seriously, this whole friendship thing is new to me..."

After rubbing his stomach, Xun placed a paw on his little brother's shoulder, making him look up. "Hey, don't stress about it so much. Just talk to him normally like you do with me, and you'll be fine, trust me." He said, smiling a reassuring smile. Suddenly his ears perked up at the sound of a message being replied. "You should probably tell him you're busy at the moment."

Justin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I should...heh." He quickly picked up his phone and typed a few times before putting it back down. "Umm, sorry about that. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." The older panda waved it off with a grin, then quickly reach over and pulled his brother closer to him, who blushed from the sudden action. "Now watch this with me, please? I have no clue what's going on."

With that said, the two brothers ended up watching the rest of the film, simply enjoying each other's company. As it went on, Xun became even more lost on the whole plot, but he did like the starships flying around in space and the shooting lasers. It was up to Justin though, to explain everything as he saw it many times. Eventually it came to a close, the credits just beginning to roll.

"Well that was a good way to kill time," Justin stood up with a yawn and checked his phone, "and it's only five."

Xun let out a yawn himself. "Yep, we have about a few more hours to ourselves," he chuckled and gazed up at his brother with a curious tilt of the head. "I'm surprised at you though, for sending a message first."

"Huh?" Justin cocked his head, "what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You're the type that waits for the other person to say something first before you respond." Xun knew he hit the nail right on the head, for his little brother blushed furiously.

"W-wha?! How?! Y-you--" The young panda stammered, trying hard to explain himself but he couldn't and it seemed to make him even more embarrassed.

"I know you, that's how." He stuck his tongue out playfully and got a cushion thrown to the face. "Hey, I'm just teasing!" He grabbed the object, ready to strike back, but instead used it as a shield from another assault. Seizing the opportunity, he reached out and grabbed his brother by the hips and brought him down onto the couch, nuzzling him.

Justin giggled, "okay, okay, let go you big dork!" He stood up again after being released and stretched, his stub of a tail wagging slightly. "I'm gonna go take a shower. What are you gonna do?"

"Watch lots and lots of porn." Xun replied in a flat tone, then burst out laughing from the disgusted expression he received. "I'm joking! And don't act like you don't jerk it when nobody's around."

The young panda at that, the tips of his ears burning. "S-shut up! Go message your boytoy!"

"Hey...that's not fair." Xun pouted, his ears splaying on either side of his head. "I don't even know if Rowen was serious about that or not." He really did want to know, now that he thought about it, but had no clue on how to approach the subject.

"Why not text him and find out then?" Justin asked, then proceeded toward and up the flight of stairs. "Anyway, I'm gonna take that shower now."

Xun didn't say anything as he took out his phone and scrolled through the contacts, quickly finding the feline's name. He stared at the number, contemplating on what to do. Should he text him, or do it face-to-face? And whichever way he did choose, what would the lion's reaction be? Would he play it off like it was a joke, or become negative? He honestly didn't know, and the more his mind read into it, the more confused he became.

A heavy sigh rolled off his tongue as he turned the screen off and put the phone down. "I'll just ask him tomorrow..." Xun muttered to himself, ears pinning down to his skull. With a shake of his head and pushing those thoughts aside, he cleaned up the popcorn off the floor with magic and grabbed the remote. "Let's see what else is on."

~ ~ ~

"Hmm..." Rowen flipped another page in a book he was reading, wearing nothing but light blue briefs. It was an interesting find; a post-apocalyptic world where everyone in the world were haunted by ghosts of their loved ones. However, it didn't hold his attention for long as his mind wandered elsewhere.

The panda was in his thoughts and no matter how much he tried to distract himself, he couldn't get him out of his head. Ever since he saw Xun earlier on the first day of school, fond memories of their childhood flooded to the surface. It was just hard to believe how much his dear friend had changed over the past eight years. 'But I've undergone a drastic change too...' He thought as he looked down at his sculpted body with a proud smile, having done plenty of exercise along with playing various sports, though his favorite was tennis.

Letting out a sigh, the lion closed the book got up from his bed and padded over to the bookshelf in front of him, placing the item back where it belonged. He turned and looked all around, noticing that his room was sort of...barren and lacked the feeling of coziness. It mostly had the bare necessities; a bed, a nightstand with a reading lamp, a bookshelf for books and a walk-in closet.

For the most part, it was just a simple room with light blue paint around the walls. Despite the slight inconvenience, Rowen kept the space nice and tidy in case of company.

Suddenly, a series of knocks came to the door. "Young master? Are you decent?" A familiar voice called out, one that the lion knew to be Travis, a long time servant who has been in the family for twenty years, along with his sister.

"Ah, yes, come on in." He answered and the door opened to reveal a red panda in his mid forties wearing a complete butler suit. "What is it Travis?"

The red panda bowed his head, not bothered in the slightest at Rowen's half naked appearance. "Your father has returned and wishes to see you," he announced and lifted his head with a smile, "and if i may be so bold? You look magnificent as always, young master."

Having been used to hearing such compliments before, Rowen let out a chuckle and flexed a bicep. "Why thank you Travis. I'll be out in a minute, unless there's more?"

"No, sir. That is all." Travis bowed his head again, then left the room.

'Might as well see what he wants since I have nothing else better to do.' And with that thought in mind, the lion walked out of his room and into the long corridor, passing various pictures and mosaics until finally coming to a flight of stairs and descending them. After reaching the bottom of the steps, his father, a splitting image of himself stood near the entrance, waiting. "You're home early. Did something happen at work?"

Graham shook his head, large mane flowing. "No, nothing like that. I just left the assistant manager in charge so I can come home and see how you were doing. Speaking of which," he looked his son up and down, apparently sizing him up and let out an appreciative growl, "you're looking more like your old man every day."

Rowen averted his eyes and blushed, hating himself for it. Travis he was used to when it came to receiving compliments because he was a simple butler, but his very own father was a whole different story. "T-thank you. I try my best to be like you dad." He replied, not noticing his father maneuver behind him until it was too late, his body being pulled into a warm embrace.

The old man nuzzled and nipped at his son's left ear, rumbling happily while his paws explored the youth's body, feeling up on the hardcore abs and developed pectoral muscles. "Mmm, you definitely are, son. Couldn't be any more proud of my boy."

Gradual arousal and the smell of musk rose from Rowen, a noticeable tent being formed in his briefs as his body was sensually touched. "D-dad..." he breathed out, panting heavily as both love and lust for his father warred against each other, the latter close to winning over. It was taking all of his willpower to not drop down to his knees and beg for the man's cock.

"Got my muscle," Graham grabbed and squeezed his son's pecs, a moan ringing out of him, then groped his crotch, "my pride." His paws ran lower and across his rump before giving it a firm slap. "Everything, even my looks." Grabbing his hips, he spun the boy around before planting a deep kiss.

Rowen moaned into the kiss, craving his father, his role model and he enjoyed it. But now was not the time. So he summoned up all the willpower he had and placed his paws on the man's chest and gently pushed him away, still panting. "Okay, that was...amazing as usual, but Dad don't you have leftover paperwork to do?"

For a long moment Graham just stared with a slow tilt of his head, then slowly his eyes widened and he groaned loudly. "I wish you hadn't remembered that. Sheesh, just like your mother sometimes. Never let me have my fun when I want it."

"Hey, at least I let you have your fun when you finish all of your work. And that happens almost all of the time so don't give me that." Rowen said with a wide grin, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hmph, fine. I'll do my homework like a good father should." With a mock frown, he strolled past the young lion and went upstairs, heading left and disappearing into the corridor.

Hearing one of the doors shut, Rowen breathed a sigh of relief, thankful his father didn't take things any further, otherwise he would have been at his mercy. "Later dad, I promise," he muttered and wandered into the kitchen for something eat.

~ ~ ~

A permanent smile stayed on Justin's muzzle as he stared at his phone, giggling from the silly texts Damien sent. Their conversation was casual enough, talking about random things and just about life in general.

He had to admit, it was still surprising that he opened up to a total stranger on the first day of school. Never in his wildest dreams would he have ever made a friend so easily, considering he just kept to himself.

It was nobody's fault though, he just preferred it that way. Throughout his time growing up, the young panda was a loner, not speaking to anyone or divulge in any conversation. There were times he became lonely, but those feelings would wash away whenever Xun was around. His big brother was all he ever really needed, even to this day he clung to him.

Suddenly, Justin's ears swiveled toward his bedroom door as he heard a knock, the sound breaking him from his reverie. "Yeah?" He called out, knowing it was his brother checking in on him.

Sure enough, it was after it opened, revealing Xun in just his underwear. Apparently he has taken a shower because his fur was slightly damp. "Just making sure you're ready for bed," he said with a smile.

The young panda's eyes widened. "It's bedtime already?" He glanced at the phone still in his paw, staring at the screen as it read 10:00pm. "Wow...and since when did you become so responsible of me?"

Xun chuckled. "Since I became your older brother," he remarked as he made his way inside, coming up close enough to crouch down and hug him. "But seriously, it's a school night. So phone off."

"Fine..." Justin returned the affection before letting go, then placed the object on the nightstand next to his bed. "By the way, did mom and dad come back yet?"

"Nope, still at the book club." The other panda replied and stood up after seeing his brother tuck himself in, then padded to the doorway. "It won't be for another hour until they--" he stopped in mid sentence, his ears flicking about in high alert.

Sensing the sudden change, Justin sat up with a worried look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" He asks, slipping out of the covers now and coming over to Xun. Before his question could be repeated, a finger was pushed to his lips.

Silence met the young panda then, and it stretched on for what felt like an eternity. The only audible noise that broke this was his heart thumping hard within his chest. It was so loud to his eardrums that he almost didn't hear glass breaking downstairs. Following it afterwards were menacing, animalistic growls that made his blood turn ice cold. "X-Xun...?" His voice shook along with his body. He looked up to his brother to see his fur bristling and hear a growl of his own.

"I don't know who or what's here, but whatever it is, it's getting the hells out." Xun took a careful step out into the hallway, then turned his head towards Justin. "Come here and stay close to me. We'll make it through the night if we--ungh!" Again, his words were cut short, but this time it was different, for he clutched his head as if he were in terrible pain. For one moment he was standing upright, then in the next instant he was down on his knees, groaning

Alarmed, Justin ran to his brother's side, quickly kneeling in front of him to see what was wrong. "W-what is it? Are you okay? Tell me, please!" He didn't know what was going on right now, all he knew was that his brother was in agony.

"I-I don't know! It's...Nnnngh!" He winced and clutched his head harder as if trying to make whatever it was hurting him go away. But it was no use, his claws instinctively extended and his groaning grew louder, mixed in with growls of pain. "Dammit, this hurts!!"

Rising panic began to flood the young panda from head to toe, causing his thoughts to swirl out of control. "Ah...what do I do...what do I do...?" He muttered, wondering if he should quickly go to his room and call anyone or not. 'Who would be awake during a school night, dummy!' Suddenly his attention was broken at the sound of creaking wood and paws slowly creeping up the steps. Slowly did he turn around with terror filled eyes toward the darkened corridor, once more hearing guttural growls and snarls of an animal he had yet to see.

Each step it took sent chills down Justin's spine. And to add to it, his nerves were on edge, causing his fur to bristle. It also didn't help that within the dark, his imagination went wild. However, he didn't have to think too far, for the animal had reached the top of the stairs, though it was cloaked in the darkness.

Still as a statue, his eyes focused on what he could make out and from the looks of things, it appeared to be on all fours. But any other distinctions he was going to guess upon vanished as it took a step...then another...and another until finally stepping into the pale white light, casted by the moon shining through his brother's window.

It looked to be like any other canine to the naked eye. Only it wasn't, for it had ragged black fur streaked with red as if someone had painted the animal. Along its body were rippling muscles that tensed whenever it moved, obviously strong enough to drag a mortal, no matter how heavy down. Its had jagged, sharp teeth jutting out from the upper part of the maw, making the muzzle look somewhat crooked. The worst part of all were its eyes...red like the color of fresh blood and glowing in the night. Every Mage knew what this beast was called, the stuff of nightmares.

"Hellhound," Justin shuddered, his eyes stuck on the warped creature with renewed fear. What was he going to do? He couldn't possibly take this thing on by himself. And even if he could, more than likely there was more of them waiting to pounce. "Dammit...I can't do this on my own...." he slowly stood up and took a tentative step forward, then looked back to his big brother on the ground. 'I guess I have no choice though...I don't know how to help you, but I'll try my best to keep us both alive.' Turning around, he closed his eyes and called on the wind.

~ ~ ~

Pain; it was the only thing Xun could feel and think of as he writhed on the floor in pure agony. It courses and spreads throughout his body like an infection and it just wouldn't go away. Soon he lets out a blood curdling scream, but that doesn't alleviate the feeling.

Even moving a finger by a small inch sent more waves, making him scream louder in ever growing excruciation. 'What the hells is going on? Why is this happening? Why now of all times?' These thoughts and more danced around in his mind as the unknown force continued, his head throbbing while muscles and joints ache in sync..

The never ending pain, the sheer force of it all was making him grow dizzy and exhausted. His eyes grew heavy, body slowly going limp and numb, until finally everlasting darkness. The world around him began to stop as he slumped to the ground.

There was nothing now. No pain, no suffering, only silence and a dark abyss. Xun couldn't feel or hear anything. He just floated.

Peace and quiet, something he had always wanted as a child whenever he slept, and now it finally came true. However, this did not last as he felt warmth in his chest, a small pulse beating within. It was somehow soothing to him, though he had no idea why it did.

As he pondered on this, the feeling gradually increased, almost as if expanding. It spread throughout his body, granting even more warmth, the pulse growing stronger and stronger by the second. Suddenly, in the process, he could feel energy flow into him, granting him strength.

The sensations didn't cease, only increasing further to where it became overwhelming. Xun didn't know where this was all coming from, but he felt a raging inferno stir inside, wanting to burst free. His ears perked at the sound of someone's voice, but he couldn't make out who it was or where it was coming from. But somehow he knew deep down, they were telling him to wake up.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, jerking his body awake in the process. Carefully getting up to his feet, he took notice of what was happening in front of him; Justin was holding up a hellhound against the wall with wind magic, yet struggling as it thrashed around, trying to break loose.

Without uttering so much as a single word, Xun raised his right arm. Magic greatly stirred in the atmosphere as he lit the canine on fire, the animal letting out a loud yelp. It quickly burned to a crisp, its ashes gradually disappearing.

Startled, the young panda looked over his shoulder in surprise. "Xun, you're awake!" He bounded over and gave a tight hug, then let go with a tilt of the head. "But wow...did something happen? Your eyes are glowing and your bracelet is too."

Xun raised a brow and brought his wrist up to his face. Indeed, the accessory was, in fact glowing. "This is new..." he experimentally turned his wrist around then sharply turned his head toward the stairs. More growls could be heard, much louder this time around. "Gonna have to save all the questions for later though. First, we deal with this problem."

Justin blinked a few times, clearly unsure what was going on before shaking his head with a nod. "Okay, I'll stick close and help out." He flipped a paw face up, conjuring forth a ball of light, sending it near the top of his brother's head.

The panda nodded his thanks and made his way to the stairs, but before descending, a frown crossed his features. He glanced at his younger brother. "Text the others, telling them we need their help."

"Huh? Why?" Justin raised a brow, confused by the demand.

"There's more outside. I don't know how many there are, or if we're surrounded, but all I know is that we won't be able to take them all out on our own." Xun stated, the frown creasing more on his face.

The young panda hesitated for a moment. "I...don't know how you know that, but what are you gonna do until they arrive?"

"Either distract the ones in here long enough, or kill them off with your help." Xun replied with a grin and rubbed his little brothers head. "Now, hurry. Those monsters aren't gonna wait for us."

"Alright...be careful." Justin said with a small smile on his lips, then made a beeline towards his room.

Now left alone, the panda descended, the magelight giving off a generous amount of visibility for him to see. Luckily his brother thought of it, because once he reached the bottom steps into the living room, there was nothing but red eyes staring at him, accompanied with intimidating snarls. Three were at his left and right flank while four were stationed behind him.

Xun snorted, not phased in the slightest. "Like any of that scares me." He suddenly sidestepped just in time as one from the left flank charged and leaped, apparently aiming for his shoulder, but failed at the attempt. "Oh, this is going to be fun..."

Another hellhound, to his right rushed in and jumped, only to yelp from suddenly being paused in mid air. Before it could even struggle, the panda closed his palm into a tight fist, snapping its neck, killing it instantly.

The now lifeless corpse was gently let down before quickly disappearing in a puff of smoke. Xun let out a breath and focused on the remaining canines, ready for another assault. However, he failed to notice one that snuck his backside and in one swift motion, it leaped and bit down hard on his right shoulder.

"Ah!" Xun cried out in pain and raised his left arm, but the animal was too quick for a holding spell as it backed off to join the pack. A deep growl rumbled out of his throat, ready to give them hell. But before he could act, a hound was sent flying into a wall from a gust of wind and Justin joined in the fray. "Jeez, what took you so long?"

"Sorry, had to give directions." Justin replied with a sheepish grin, then gazed at the hellhounds with a frown. "Hopefully no one's asleep, but even so we can take them, right?"

"Yeah, that won't be a problem." The panda moved his damaged shoulder around, grunting through the pain, then summoned balls of fire in his paws. "Ready when you are."

~ ~ ~

Damien played around with his phone, somewhat enjoying a little game he installed onto it. He was bored now that he wasn't texting Justin. "Uuuugh, I need something to do!" The husky groaned after being disinterested on what he was just doing. His eyes gazed towards Cameron who was quietly, yet intently watching television, the screen showing a man who dies, then comes back to life in order to save this woman he loves from death.

"Lick your balls. I heard that's a great pastime for canines when they're bored." Cameron replied flatly, completely ignoring the glare he got.

Damien huffed. "I'll have you know that--" His retort was interrupted at the sound of a message being received. "Huh, I guess he's staying up just to chat with me more," he says with a smile and looked at his phone again, only to frown.

The cheetah looked over, then raised a brow and stood up. "What's up?" He padded over to the canine, only to step back a moment later, watching him storm out the room. "Hey! What's the big deal?"

"Big trouble! No time to explain!" Damien hollered out as he made his way out of the house and into the fresh, cool air.

Cameron groaned. "This better be good...wait up for me, mutt!" He shouted, coming outside and closing the door shut before joining his friend's side. "Do you know where he lives?"

The husky smiled, holding his phone up. "I have directions." He took off into a full run with the cheetah close by.

~ ~ ~

Rowen rubbed his sore bottom for the tenth time while he read another book from his bookshelf, this one being about an otter who discovers a dragon egg and goes on an epic adventure with many trials and tribulations.

After reaching a certain point, he closed the book and placed it on the nightstand next to his phone, then stretched his arms and legs with a satisfied sigh. "Hmm, what to do now..." he muttered, contemplating on how to distract himself. The short reverie was broken however from the single vibration his phone gave off.

Curious as to why anyone would text on a school night, he grabbed the object and read over the contents. Immediately his ears splayed on either side of his head and a frown settled on his face. Wasting no time, he dashed into his closet, pulling out some clothes, then slipped them on before heading out into the hallway. "I'll be back, dad! Gotta take care of something!" He shouted, hoping his father heard that.

Coming out of the house, he went towards his truck, but stopped after seeing someone pull up. His nerves were going on high alert, for he couldn't recognize who drove it. He calmed down however, as Gwen's voice could be heard, urging him to come inside.

"How did you know where I lived?" Rowen asked after hopping into the car and putting on his seatbelt.

"Well," Gwen started with a smile as she drove down the road, "my home is kind of further down and I memorized what vehicle you rode on so..."

"Say no more. I'm assuming you got the text too?" He asked, receiving a nod in reply. "Then let's hurry."

"You got it." She placed her foot on the gas pedal, increasing the speed.

~ ~ ~

Only three hellhounds were left, the coordination they had earlier beginning to dwindle down. At first, it was just simply reacting fast enough to avoid their combined magic, then attack when the timing was right. But once the brothers learned of their tactics, they just became wild animals, desperate for a kill.

Fresh claw and bite marks covered Justin's body but he stood tall, not even thinking about giving up the fight. He looked at his big brother, noticing that he was in the same state. "Heh, we're pretty banged up right now..."

"Yeah," Xun replied with a smirk, "but it'll go easy soon enough." He let out a breath and raised a paw, lifting all three dogs in the air, then gazed at his brother. "You wanna finish these guys off, or should I?"

Justin gaped, wondering how on earth he could even manage to stop and hold three moving targets. He pushed that issue aside however as he let his magic flow, conjuring up a small whirlwind. Following up on it, he summoned blades of wind, effectively slicing through their thick hides.

The bodies soon disappeared like the rest, leaving them with a small bit of relief until they heard snarls outside. Both teens groaned, not wanting to tackle that mess on by themselves, but their hopes were lifted as they could hear the others just arriving on time.

"Sounds like they're here." Xun said with a smile and looked at Justin, motioning to the door. "Wanna join in on the fun?"

Justin giggled and nodded, his feet shuffling to the door and opening it to witness eighteen more hellhounds initiated in combat.

Despite the sheer numbers, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Damien trapped two inside a blazing ring of fire with Cameron by his side, suffocating three in a bubble.

Rowen held his ground with four surrounding him, splashing water around and then pushing them away whenever one got too close. It seemed to Justin that he was toying with the hounds and it was working. None were willing to work together and with each attack, he would effortlessly dodge out of the way just in time to slam one down to the ground with enough force of water to crush the air out of them. He continued this technique until none were left.

Gwen ensnared a hellhound with earth magic, thick roots taking hold of its paws before the very ground split open and slowly drag it down into the deep depths before closing in on itself.

"Looks like you guys are having a party!" Justin exclaimed as he ran over to the husky and cheetah with a bright smile. "Thanks for coming, you two."

Damien winked in reply, his fluffy tail wagging in excitement. "Like I told you earlier, I'll come to your rescue if you ever need me. But we still have eight left, so can't celebrate yet ya know." He said and shot a fireball at one hound, cursing as it missed its target.

"I can take care of that." Cameron stated with a shrug and lifted up a paw, only to come back down after noticing all eight hounds were lifted up in the air. "Or not..."

Suddenly, a fiery tornado appeared, instantly burning the dogs inside. Loud yelps and whines could be heard until the noise gradually ceased. "Aaand that takes care of that!" Xun said proudly, placing his hands on his hips in a heroic display. He blushed as everyone stared at him. "W-what? Do I have something on my face?"

"Ummm," Gwen started and began pointing at his bracelet and eyes, "yeah...what's with the glow? Did you eat something radioactive?"

"Oooh! Ooooh! Maybe your brother tapped into dormant superpowers!" Damien stated with a wag of his tail. Everyone gave him weird looks. "What? It's possible..."

Cameron sighed. "Ignoring comic book fanboy here, what's going on with you? I've never seen a Mage be able to pull off a stunt like you just did and still be able to stand."

"Well..." Xun rubbed the back of his neck, face still flushed, "it's kinda hard to explain, and I don't really know either so your guess is as good as mine."

"In any case," Rowen chimed in after clearing his throat, "you should be tired from using up a lot of energy. Also, aren't you cold?" His eyes looked up and down at the bare chested panda, a smile tugging on his muzzle.

Xun's cheeks flushed even more as he took notice of his appearance. "R-right...I'll head inside..." He made his way to the house, then stopped and gazed at the lion, ears tucked down on his head. "Can I...talk to you first, though?"

The lion jumped a little, apparently not expecting to hear that, but recovered soon enough. "Sure." And with that, he followed on inside.

Justin sighed in relief, very glad that the battle was over. He regarded the husky and cheetah, his bright smile never leaving. "Again, thanks for helping out," he turned to Gwen, "and you too, thank you."

"Ah, it's no big!" The ferret waved off the praise with a giggle, then made her way to the house. "Now you better come on in, unless you like being cold!" She teased before disappearing inside.

Damien laughed. "Well, ya heard her! Let's go!" He took hold of Justin's arm and pulled, startling him.

The panda blushed as he got dragged along. He wasn't used to having physical contact with others like that, but somehow he didn't mind with him. His eyes locked onto Cameron who followed close by, who seemed to be completely fine with how his friend acted.

After coming inside and shutting the door, Damien gently sat Justin down on the couch before sitting next to him. A small whine escaped after noticing the wounds left on his body.

"Oh, quit it! He's alive and breathing isn't he?." Cameron quipped, completely ignoring the husky sticking out his tongue.

"What's going on?" Gwen's voice rang as she stepped out from the kitchen, coming up to the boys and inspecting the situation. "Wow, you got some nice battle scars there, kiddo." She remarked with a giggle.

"I-I'm fine," Justin laughed it off, trying to play it cool in front of everyone, although doing just that sent waves of pain. Earlier he didn't feel anything, since the adrenaline was kicked in, but now that it was gone, he felt everything and it hurt. "I'll just have my brother heal my wounds anyway, so it's no big deal..." He rubbed his arm, eyes downcast to the floor, not even acknowledging that Damien was holding on, nor registering the husky bringing his muzzle really close to his own.

When he felt a soft lick across his cheek, his body immediately locked up, the action surprising him. Damien didn't notice and kept going as if there weren't two pairs of eyes watching him. Soon he bumped his cold, wet nose at every scrape and bruise, giving licks where he could until eventually going out of control with it.

It took everything in Justin to not spazz out right then and there, his cheeks and the tips of his ears burning red. The need to say something in order for the husky to stop was ever present, but each time he opened his muzzle, it closed. And, if he really wanted to be honest with himself, it felt...somewhat good.

This lasted for a good two minutes until Cameron spoke. "Hey, loverboy! You're getting dog slobber everywhere!"

That seemed to grab the husky's attention, his triangular ears perking up, followed with those sapphire blue eyes going wide as he leaned back, looking at Justin with a flush daring to claim his cheeks and ears. "Ahh, crap! Crap, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" His ears folded down and glared at the cheetah and ferret. "Why didn't either of you stop me?"

"Well..." Gwen drawled with a mischievous smirk, "we would have, but you were really getting into it." She burst out laughing at the embarrassed expression Damien had.

Cameron shrugged. "I just wanted to see how long it would take you to notice. Also, I give it a four out of ten."

Damien pouted with a huff, arms crossing over his chest. "You guys are mean..." He turned back to the panda now, a free paw scratching his head in a sheepish manner. "But umm, are you alright? I mean...uhhh..."

Suddenly, Justin pushed a finger to the husky's lips, silencing him. He blinked a few times, took a deep breath and exhaled before putting his paw back on his lap. "I'm fine, it's just taking me awhile to process what happened. Just...warn me next time, okay?" A smile formed on his lips, then it turned into mute shock, mentally slapping himself for what he just said, hoping the husky didn't pay attention.

Damien nodded, his curly tail beginning to wag. "Yeah, I'll try to--wait..." His brow furrowed for a moment, then relaxed as his face grew into a joyous expression, "are you saying that you're..."

The panda winced, then let out a sigh. There was no turning back now. "Yeah, I'm bi." He chuckled nervously and rubbed his arm again.

"I had a feeling you were, to be honest." Cameron said, getting a confused look from both teens. "What? It was sort of obvious whenever mutt brain here got really close to you and ya never shrugged him off, so...yeah."

"I didn't know, so this comes as bit of a shock to me." Gwen chimed in and came up to Justin, giving him a gentle hug, giggling like a schoolgirl, "but that's sooo cute!" She let go, then made her way up the steps. "Anyway, I'm gonna check on your brother."

"So, uhh...now that we know you're bi," Damien's stammered as he twiddled his thumbs, those canine ears of his folding back once more, "you, uhh...wanna...ya know...hehe..."

Cameron rolled his eyes and started heading outside, opening the door. "I'll be out here scouting. Let me know when you're done." He said and shut it behind himself.

Now it was just the two of them. Normally, Justin would freak out a little and cling to Xun right now, but he didn't this time. In fact, he felt almost comforted to be around the husky and they only just met today at school. He didn't know what it was about him, but somehow he felt...safe.

"Hellooo, you there? You didn't get knocked too hard, did ya?" Damien whined, breaking the panda from his reverie and focusing on him. "Yaaay! You're back!"

"...what were we talking about?" Justin tilted his head curiously, again slapping himself, this time for not paying attention.

The husky chuckled. "I asked if you wanted to go out with me." He smiled before holding up his paws with a wave. "But I mean, the decision is up to you! Not pressuring you or anything!"

Justin raised a brow, causing Damien to flinch. "Okay, let me get this straight...you're wanting to go on a date after forcing yourself upon me to be friends, giving me your contact info without asking first, and just now coming here and licking me all over? And this is all in one day!"

The husky bit his lip, eyes darting down at the floor, averting his gaze. "S-sorry...maybe I did go a bit too far...heh."

A heavy sigh came. "It's okay, really but I'm a bit overwhelmed...and with what just happened tonight...well..." Justin shook his head, "anyway, I'm rambling and I'm exhausted. Just..give me some time to think about it, okay?"

"Yeah..." Damien replied, his ears drooping and got up to stand, still not looking at the panda, but stopped after his wrist was grabbed. Startled, he turned around and became immediately embraced, his neck being affectionately nuzzled.

Leaning back now, Justin gently bumped his nose with the husky, earning a small wag. "Don't take this as me saying no. I'll give you an answer, but I gotta get to know you a little first, ya know?." He smiled and let go of him.

"Yeah, I understand," the husky chuckled, then sighed, "so...are we still friends?" He asked, getting a nod in reply, making his tail wag faster. "Sweet! Umm...do you mind if I carry you to your room? Since you're tired and all that."

"Sure, if you can lift me." Justin teased with his tongue sticking out playfully.

~ ~ ~

Xun idly scratched the back of his head as he sat on the bed, his thoughts becoming scrambled as he tried to think of the best way to ask Rowen if he meant what he said. The funny thing though, is that he had planned this out earlier, knowing exactly what to say. But with the lion sitting here next to him, staring with intense curiosity, it was all jumbled up and he couldn't get a word out. So now they were just waiting in awkward silence.

Thankfully, Rowen did decide to break the ice first. "So, how long is that going to last?"

"Huh?" The panda balked for a second, his reverie being broken. After having the statement repeated did he look down at his wrist. "Oh, I don't know...maybe--" he stopped as he felt the massive amount of energy leave him, causing the bracelet's glow to fade, following with his eyes. A small groan escaped as he rubbed his head, all of a sudden becoming dizzy.

Rowen immediately took notice and grabbed Xun's shoulders before gently laying him down on the bed. "Well, that answers one of our many questions." He chuckled, then sat back with his long, feline tail draping over his legs. "Are you sure you don't want to go over this phenomenon?"

Xun sighed with a smile, "yes, I'm sure. It's a school night and I'm pretty tired, so twenty questions will have to be saved for some other time." His eyes narrowed for a moment, then softened as he looked up at the lion, a crimson shade appearing on his cheeks. "Oh yeah, before I forget...umm...I have to ask..."

"Hmm?" The lion had his attention focused on him now, his tail lazily moving to and fro, eyes glinting with curiosity.

Xun opened his maw, but no words came as they were caught in his throat. What he was witnessing at that very moment was something so beautiful, it would become forever imprinted in his mind. Right there, in the pale moonlight shining through, Rowen's white fur glistened as if he were almost glowing.

His magnificent mane seemed to shimmer along with the rest of him, definitely looking more fluffy and inviting. It was mesmerizing and awe inspiring to see a man like him look so...majestic under such natural beauty. But the most important distinction were his eyes; a purple hue so beautiful looking that they could almost rival the very gem. They twinkled whenever the lion blinked, and when Xun looked into them, he was in a trance.

"Are you alright?" Rowen asked, scooting closer before leaning down to gaze at the panda intently, searching for something. As for what, the panda didn't know or cared.

Xun could really see how the light reflected off his eyes now, noticing just how much more beautiful they were, but he wasn't focusing on that as he could feel hot breath tickling his cheek, and warmth simply radiating off the lion that was over top of him. It was almost a shame to see him clothed though; wearing a casual green shirt with jeans, and he wanted to tear them off so bad.

Again, he inched himself closer...close enough to where both of their noses bumped into each other. The lion didn't move, nor made a sound other than softly breathing. He blinked and licked his lips, opening his mouth to say something, but closed it shut, seemingly afraid that the moment would disappear if he did.

The panda's ears flattened against his skull, face flushed as he panted slightly, feeling his own warmth radiate and blood pumping fast. His paws became sweaty and an obvious tent was forming in his briefs, but he didn't care. All he cared about was this lion being so damn close to him.

They stayed there like that, staring into each other's eyes in the moonlight, not wanting to ruin this good feeling. However, as Xun began to open his mouth to speak, did Rowen gently place a paw on his right cheek, tilt his head and pushed his lips to other, planting a kiss.

Surprise came, the panda's eyes widening in shock and body tensing before relaxing, a muffled moan escaping him. He moved his arms up and around Rowen's neck, locking his fingers together and pulled him down to feel the rest of him. There were no words to describe what he was feeling right now as his tongue danced with the other, trying to fight for dominance, but soon giving in. It was simply amazing; the kiss, his scent, his body. Everything about the lion was lovely and he did not want these sensations to end.

Xun didn't know how long they made out for, but he was glad the door was closed and locked. A whimper almost came out after Rowen parted ways, forcing him to release his grip. He gazed at him with a soft smile tugging on his lips. "I'm fine, just so you know, hehe."

"I can see that," Rowen returned the smile with a chuckle. "And yes, I really did mean it." He said, answering the unspoken question, then looked at the panda expectantly.

Xun was at a loss for words. "For how long?"

"Not that long actually. As soon as I saw you again, I just...you know..."

"W-what? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I didn't know if you swung that way or not."

Xun shook his head. "Heh, well now you know."

Rowen smiled. "That I do."

The panda sighed. "Well, at least I know now. But I'm still confused on some things. Like...did any of the girls over there interest you at all?" He asked, his green eyes gazing at the other intently, searching for answers that could be hidden deep within those amethyst eyes.

"Well..." Rowen started, then paused as a knock came to the door. "That'll have to wait another day, I suppose," he said as he got up and padded over to unlock it. After opening, a grinning ferret came into view. "Oh, hey Gwen."

Gwen rushed into the room, pushing past the stunned lion with ease. "Oh my Gods, I have got to tell you what just happened!" She squealed, practically jumping with pure joy, then paused, sniffing the air. "Whoa...what happened in here?" A gasp came. "Did you two get naughty?"

"Uuugh..." Xun flushed in embarrassment, hiding his face with his paws. He really didn't want this right now. "Tell me tomorrow, okay? This bed is starting to call me."

"Whaaat? But I have to tell you the juicy details!" She pouted and seemed content on being stubborn, but luckily, the lion came to the rescue by sweeping her up bridal style and carrying her out with him. "Hey! Ugh, fine! We'll help clean up before leaving! Love you!"

The panda sighed in relief, very grateful to Rowen for being there to stop her. His little joke about resting though, was coming true for his eyes were starting to droop. Before he could close them however, his ears rose at the sound of footsteps. "Who's there?"

A shadow of a husky appeared before coming into the room, revealing Damien carrying Justin in his arms with no apparent struggle. The panda assumed a lightweight spell was cast beforehand. "Uhh, hey! Just getting your brother to bed is all, haha."

Xun smiled at the sight, his little brother fast asleep and snoozing away. "You can set him down in here. I'm sure he'll want that more than sleeping alone in his room." He stated, watching the husky come inside and gently lay him down. 'So glad I have a queen sized mattress.' "Thanks."

"No problem. Have a good night." Damien bowed his head and began making his way out, but stopped and turned after hearing the panda speak. "Yeah?"

"Thank you for being his friend." He said with a small nod, receiving one in return before the bedroom door was shut. With a yawn, the panda finally rested his body, cuddling up to his brother and closed his eyes. "What a day..."